It's been over a month since I last posted and yet I feel okay with it.  I guess my brain has just been in hibernation mode and I haven't felt inspired to write anything here for a little while, especially with the holidays coming and going and the chilly days that have finally arrived.  What I have done, is think about the future; with the assumption that the world will not come to an end in 2012 as the Mayas had predicted. For for the first time in a long time, I have a dream of becoming something, of achieving something, and making it happen.  It's almost been a year since I was laid off from my job and after all of those months of feeling lost and without a professional purpose, I have come to realize that writing is something that I can pursue, with my own terms, in my own way.  So that is the path that I have chosen to follow.  What I love about this path is that there is no one direction I can follow it, with no set rules.  Besides this website, I have begun freelance writing for a few businesses and I feel great about it.  I hope to continue down this path and make this a sustainable reality.  We will see what the future holds, but in the meantime, I have my number one purpose in life to keep me going...being Jack and Charlie's mom.

Life is good.
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J&C on Christmas Morning
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As I ran around town this weekend, I found yet another reason why online Christmas shopping can be far superior than facing the maddening crowds.  There's nothing quite as frustrating as standing in long lines behind people who seem to have never been out in society before.  Ahhh...deep breath.  But really, I've been enjoying this holiday season way more than I have in a long time and I know it definitely correlates with the fact that I can spend more time with the boys this year and not have to face the terror of the winter commute.  Praise Jeebus.  This also means that I can do those Susie Homemaker things that moms on Facebook like to brag about, like bake Christmas cookies.  And so it happened....today, Jack, Charlie, and I made Spritz cookies and damn it if we didn't enjoy ourselves.
My mom always made Spritz around Christmas as I was I growing up, so I have fond memories of these cookies; their fun shapes, colorful sprinkles, and buttery goodness.  

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Thanks to Duncan Hines for sponsoring my writing. There's no limit to the baking possibilities, so grab your favorite Duncan Hines mix and Comstock or Wilderness fruit fillings and Bake On! www.duncanhines.com.

Breath it in...the smell of fresh pine, burning logs crackling on the fire, and the aroma of fresh, baked cookies.  Christmas is right around the corner!  Some say it's the most wonderful time of the year.  For me, it's a close third.  I love drinking fruity cocktails under a warm July sun and dressing up in my frightening best for Halloween, but Christmas is pretty cool too.  What I love most about this time of year is the festive get togethers, the baked goods that pop up everywhere, and the delicious drinks that make you feel all toasty and well, sometimes just plain toasted.  
No matter the time of year, I love entertaining friends and family at home and as always, I love a good theme.  If Thanksgiving is all about the Main Course, then Christmas is all about the Desserts, so why  not throw a  pre-Christmas shindig highlighting the sweet treats of the season with complementing libations?
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There are several Thanksgiving dinner staples that people serve to accompany ye old Tom Turkey, but it can be fun to mix it up a bit and throw in something new and exciting.  What's more exciting than fresh baby carrots tossed with booze, I ask you?  After trying this recipe, you'll want to add this dish to your list of must-have sides for every Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Tuesday to come.
Introducing Drunken Carrots!
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A Taste of Fall 11/14/2011
 
One of my favorite things about Fall is that restaurants start serving Butternut Squash Soup.  For some reason, I always figured that it was a complicated soup to make so I never attempted to cook it up at home.  Well, let me tell you, it's super easy with far less ingredients than many other soup and well worth the time it takes to peel and chop the ol' Butternut Squash itself.  I made it this weekend for friends who had never had it before and their first impression was that it tasted just like Fall.  Hopefully, they didn't mean it tasted like dried leaves, dead grass, and rain.  Seriously though, this soup embodies Fall and makes a perfect meal by itself, served with a salad, or even a first course to your Thanksgiving meal.
Introducing Butternut Squash Soup!
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I first had Thai food when I was in college and I fell in love.  Thai cuisine is a symphony of contrasting flavors, textures, and ingredients.  I especially love foods that feature a little bit of spice with a hint of sweetness, so I wanted to create a noodle dish that used one my favorite condiments, Huy Fong Chili Garlic Sauce, with fresh Rep Pepper and cilantro.  As my dear Grandma Z use to say in her thick Polish accent, "try it, you're going to like it". 
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Introducing Thai Noodle Bowl with Chicken!
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In honor of my mom on her birthday, I wanted to dedicated this post to her and all that she is...
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Mom & Me Hanging Out in 1978
So here it is in no particular order...10 Things to Know About My Mom.
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Now that the weather is getting cooler, it's time to start indulging in heartwarming comfort foods.  With that said, the first two days of November have been in the mid 60's, but whatever, I'll take it.  Some of the best comfort foods can be slow cooked in a crock pot.  Throw some ingredients together in the morning, forget about it, and then enjoy a tasty dinner later in the day.  My first crock pot experience a couple years ago resulted in a dry, stringy, tasteless beef roast that deeply saddened me, but over the past year, "Davey Crockpot" and I have become reacquainted and I've discovered some delicious recipes that are super easy to make and only require a handful of ingredients.
Introducing BAMZ Crock Pot Beef Stew!
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Besides serving a large bowl of spiked punch at a Halloween party, it can also be fun to throw back some shots in honor of the occasion.  At my parties, a bottle of Jägermeister always seems to make an appearance by the end of the night, but this year I wanted to create a special shot befitting a vampire, which I may or may not be dressed as this year.  I decided to base this shot on Pomegranate juice, which has a beautiful blood red color and a nice sweet/tart flavor.   Pomegranate juice has become very popular over the past few years, but it's still pretty expensive, so you're better off using a 16 ounce bottle to make several shots, rather than only a few cocktails.  Mix it up with vodka or white rum and you won't be sorry.
Introducing Vampire Blood Shots!
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I love finger foods at parties and anything that looks spooky and tastes yummy, is perfect for my Halloween shindig.  Small mozzarella balls named Ciliegine are great for appetizers and can be found plain or marinated at most grocery stores.  Marinated mozzarella balls make nice hors d'oeuvres by themselves, but I wanted to make something a bit more festive....
Introducing Monster Eyeballs!
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