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Poppers – the perfect party bite I remember the first time I had my friend Izzie’s Jalapeno Poppers. We were at her New Year’s Eve party and the smell of spice and bacon floated across my nose. I had to have one. I put the first (of many) in my mouth and knew there was […]

Recipes

Jalapeno Poppers with Jezebel Sauce

Chili. It feeds my soul. Why is chili such a comfort food for me? I didn’t really grow up eating it, but I love it. There are all styles to choose from including with beans (don’t come at me Texas friends!). I love Chicken Chili, Three-Bean Chili, Silver Palates Chili for a Crowd and my […]

Recipes

Double Beef Texas Style Chili

Ain’t no thing like a chicken wing I love a good chicken wing. For me it is the crispy texture that is a vehicle for blue cheese dressing that wins me over. There are so many varieties of chicken wings to choose from it can be overwhelming. I love the skin of a fried chicken […]

Recipes

Baked Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese

The perfect hand-held bite I don’t remember the first time that I had these little bundles of yumminess, but i do remember that I fell in love. Hot ham and cheese with seasoning? How can you go wrong? My uncle Tim was my mom’s brother. He loved to tease anyone and everyone. He had one […]

Recipes

Ham and Cheese Sliders

A surprising twist to a party staple I never would have thought of rosemary in guacamole. To me rosemary screams Italian or Mediterranean style foods, not Mexican. Oh boy, was I wrong. When we were in Cabo we went on a day trip to San Jose del Cabo (here is that blog post if you […]

Recipes

Rosemary Guacamole

A Mexican staple with a twist Memories of Cabo When my husband and I visited Cabo this past spring we had the pleasure of attending a cooking class at Flora Farms in San Jose del Cabo. We had our friends, Dirk and Tina, visiting with us and they thought it sounded like a fun adventure […]

Recipes

Pico de Gallo with Grilled Pineapple

Are you wanting to throw a dinner party but would also like to spread out the responsibility among some willing and able friends? I’ve got your answer, throw a progressive dinner! A progressive dinner/supper is served by a team of friends with 2-6 different hosts, each at their own homes serving a different course at […]

TidBits

6 Steps for Throwing a Progressive Dinner Party

The Gulf Coast of Florida, mainly the Naples area, has my heart.  My husband and I honeymooned in Naples and have been back to the Gulf Coast area many times to eat, lay on the beach, and explore the tropical Southwest Florida region. We usually plan a trip down in February or March when the […]

TidBits

The Perfect Spots to See and Eat At in Naples, FL

A little taste of Provence in a cast iron pan One reason that I love pork tenderloin is it can cook up pretty quickly and takes on flavor easily. You can cut it into medallions and even pound them out for a schnitzel. I was having one of those days where hours went by faster […]

Recipes

Pork Tenderloin with Olives, Artichokes and Cherry Tomatoes

We had some great cookbooks come out in 2021 and I didn’t think that 2022 could even hold a candle to those but I have purchased four cookbooks so far that I have thoroughly enjoyed. I thought I would share them with you! The Cook You Want to Be by Andy Baraghani Whenever I get […]

TidBits

The Hill Country Bon Vivant’s 2022 Stand-Out Cookbooks