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Yeah, been a while since I posted a recipe or much of anything but here we are. Things are still hectic but did these for the kids today and figured I would share the yummy goodness! This recipe was not originally mine but has been tweaked a little to better fit my personal tastes. It is a very simple recipe and now you can create those wonderful large soft pretzels you get at the mall or the fair at home anytime you want! I hope you enjoy them as much as my family does! Recipe: 6 Teaspoon Yeast (or 3 squares. I prefer quick rising to cut down on time.) 15 Ounces Warm Water (110-120 F) 1 1/2 Teaspoon Granulated Sugar 6-8 Cups All Purpose Flour 3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar 2 1/4 Teaspoon Salt 1 1/2 Tablespoon Oil Crisco 1/2 Cup Baking Soda 4 Cups Hot Water Kosher Salt Directions: In a bowl combine your yeast, 1 1/2 teaspoon sugar and water. Mix until everything is dissolved and let stand 10 minutes or until bubbly and creamy.  In a large mixing bowl sift together the remaining...

Well it has been a few weeks since I have managed to make a post. I hope everyone has had a wonderful start to the new year and had just a great Christmas and/or Holiday Season in general. Out here in the Gibson home we did but it was bittersweet. My husband found out right before Christmas that they were terminating his position with his employer. Not that they were firing him but just removing the job completely. Needless to say it has been a hard month to deal with that reality. Thankfully the job lasted till December 31st, which he spent part of the time on vacation (paid) and the other part in training with the company in various places.  He spent 2 weeks doing nothing but traveling up and down the west coast. Not fun but you do what you gotta do to keep going. Now we are in January and he has been sent to a temp position in another state for the next 30 days, alone. Hopefully he will find a new job before the 30 days is up. If not, we have back up plan on top of back up plan ...

Oh dear god....I cannot believe that I am finally done. I have been working what feels like an eternity trying to get a bunch of cookies done for family back on the east coast. Everything from Vanilla Sugar to Dark Chocolate to Spritz and even Peanut Butter. A little bit of everything for the folks back home. I really wish I had had more time to make more and send out to even more people but between a time crunch and finding out the hubby's position at work is no more come Jan 1st, things are getting much tighter around here. (Thankfully though he has a temp position with the company down in Oregon for a month to help give us time for him to find a perm one and to move. So fingers crossed people, we need a Christmas Miracle for this family.) Anywho, back to cookies! Finally finished them last night. They were all dry this morning, so spent the last 4 hours wrapping them up in plastic wrap, bubble wrap, padding, boxes, then in more boxes.... Ugh! Well over 100 hand decorated cookies...

Well here we are, just a little over a week till Christmas and many all over are running around like Chickens with their heads cut off. I am no exception. Thankfully though I have one more thing crossed off my - GET DONE NOW! - list. The Polar Express Cake for the 1st Grade Classes Christmas Party. Just gonna leave you with some notes on it and pictures. I am BEAT. Cake - Second design since I could not get the cake pan I needed in time. Flavor - Vanilla and Chocolate Fudge swirl Frostings - Chocolate and Almond Butter Creams Icing - Royal Vanilla Fondant - Vanilla and Chocolate Train - Molded out of Dark Chocolate Luster - Gold and Silver Lusters Disco - Red Dust

Oh yay! It's December! Which means all those out there that normally don't do a lot of cooking and baking are revving into high gear and those of us that normally cook a lot are trying to find new ways to kick it up a notch as it were. Why not start with a wonderful French Toast! And I am not talking your mama's french toast. This is an exquisite overnight French Toast that will make all those that try it think you slaved to make it. In all reality it is almost effortless!!! Which I know all can appreciate. Just tried this recipe last night, tweaked it a little and served it to the family. It is not my original, just one I found and tried and then tweaked till I felt it was as good as it could get, lol. My husband about had a foodgasm, my daughter huddled over it like Gollum with a precious and my eldest son jump huggled my leg over it. So I would say it went over well, lol. Honestly I thought it was divine and I know this is going on the Holiday Treat list from now on. S...

Finally, the fall has drawn to a close and now my favorite season is upon us, Winter. Why is it my favorite? Well for one I do adore Christmas. The lights, the festivities, wrapping paper and not to mention the cooking! It is my time to shine! Baking galore starts the day after Thanksgiving and continues until Christmas Day in this house. Let us add that since I come from a very diverse background, both religiously and via heritage, so all the major holidays are approaching. Friends and family will be celebrating Hanukkah, the Winter Solstice and so many others. I am rather lucky to be able to be apart of all these equally. I don't get left out of any of it, which in all honesty is probably one of the greatest gifts I could have. And to top it all off now my favorite color is one of THE colors of the season, Ice Blue. YAY! Granted yes, it gets over shadowed by Red and Green. Oh well, what can a girl do? Just keep baking! So here I am with my first batch of cookies fo...

Well it is that time of the year here in the US. A time for gathering with all your family and friends, cooking for 18 hours straight, yelling at each other till you want to throw the turkey out the window, eating the meal in 12 minutes, blaming your tummy ache on someone else for not stopping you on your 15th helping and them falling into a food induced coma....All in the name of being grateful.  That's right, it's Thanksgiving! The air is cool and crisp in most of the US. Some of us are still dealing with a summer heat while others are plowing snow to get to their in-laws. Today you will feast on not only Turkey but dressing, stuffing, casseroles and ham. Not to mention all the sweets!  Oh the sweets, those glorious sweets! It is the time of years when Granny and Auntie pull out their most prized recipes to make. Those treasures of the family that are such a pain in the butt to make they only get made once, maybe twice a year. Everything from cakes to pies to cookies will al...