New Cookbooks: New Meals for the New Year.

I hope everyone enjoyed their holiday! I have to say this year was great, spending the Christmas Eve in Niagara Falls, and Christmas Day between my parents' and Corey's parents'. I received two cookbooks that I'm really excited to tell you all about.


First up is The Crockin' Girls Slow Cookin' Companion: Yummy Recipes from Family, Friends, and Our Crockin' Community

What a book! I've already looked through it three times, and the recipes, pictures, everything about this book is fantastic! Easy recipes (all for the slow cooker/Crock Pot), some with just a few ingredients, and they all sound delicious! A few recipes I have made before thanks to Pinterest, from different authors/recipe creators, but they are definitely ones I would eat again. Like White Spaghetti, for instance. Cream cheese, an Italian dressing packet, cream of chicken soup, and all with pasta and chicken. And all in the Crock Pot. What a wonderful invention that Crock Pot is!

I've already started planning which recipes I want to try first - 2013 is going to be our "year of the slow cooker." With the 11.6 inches of snow we have right now, I definitely pulled the slow cooker out at 9am and threw everything together for a pot roast. Corey and I started The West Wing on Netflix from the very first episode, and we're just relaxing while dinner cooks itself. Doesn't get much better.

Next we have My Year in Meals by Rachael Ray 

Flip the book over, and you have My Year in Cocktails by John Cusimano, Rachael's husband, and mixologist.

The recipes by Rachael are phenomenal as usual (she's my favorite Food Network personality/chef). An awesome feature of the book is a calendar, which lists day-by-day which meals that she prepared (for a whole year)!

The most exciting recipes so far (it's a big book to flip through) are the pizzas. I quickly flipped through the book on Christmas night, so I'll be getting to it soon, bookmarking all the delicious dishes I can't wait to try and share with you.

So what new cookbooks are you cooking from right now, or looking forward to cooking from?

Chelsea

Merry Christmas Eve, Eve!

Hope everyone is doing well on this chilly NY day. We're doing last-minute prep for Christmas (I'm glad for once I'm not hosting) I really just want to relax and enjoy the Holiday. I will, of course, be helping my mom cook dinner. I wanted to share the few things I am making/preparing for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day beforehand, so if you're struggling for an easy and last minute idea, maybe I'll help you out!

Source: mykitchenescapades.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

This dressing with a green salad will be my Christmas Eve contribution. We're having pot roast, potatoes, and carrots for the main dish, so salad naturally sounded like a good option. I can't wait to try this dressing.

Source: lifestooshorttoskipdessert.blogspot.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

I posted this on Friday Favorite Finds last week. These will also be going to Christmas Eve dinner.

Champagne Punch
And this punch for Christmas Day - y.u.m.! Merry Christmas, and Happy Holidays! Love, The Cashers.

In the arms of the angels, I will find some comfort here...

Friday Favorite Finds: Holiday Favorites Part #1

As much as my blogging is slacking lately, so is my "Pinteresting." I do, however, have enough ideas stashed away to come up with a decent batch of Friday favorites. Here goes!

Source: lifestooshorttoskipdessert.blogspot.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

I don't care for cinnamon one bit, but mine and Corey's families would really love these- I'm thinking of whipping some up for Christmas Eve, and possibly New Year's Day!

Source: google.ca via Chelsea on Pinterest

Reindeer Cookies 

Sadly, I pinned this image when I first had Pinterest and didn't realize the pin had to link back to an actual site. So... I saw the tutorial on ABC Family the other night between commercials, (yes, I was watching Christmas movies!), and here goes:

Reindeer Cookies

1 Batch Sugar Cookie Dough (Homemade or a Store bought mix or pre-made roll)
1 bag M & Ms (Mini or regular)
1 bag pretzel twists

Shape the cookie dough into a triangular log
Cut into triangle-shaped cookies and bake for suggested time

*Three ways to make the reindeer face*

1) Bake the M & Ms right onto the face and when cookies are done, press pretzels into the corners for ears (Important that the tip of the triangle faces down and you have two points for the ears.)

2) Bake the cookie plain, and press on candy and pretzels afterward while cookie is hot - this is what they did on TV, and personally, it looked like the toppings may fall off... Try it if you want, though!

3) Typically I haven't seen it done this way, but if you prefer a frosted cookie, do so when the cookie is cooled, and add your candy and pretzels.

Source: thedieline.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

Barrymore Pinot Grigio

Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, and New Year's Day, our family and friends typically have a few bottles of wine around to share. Usually white wines, unless it's Roscato, one of our favorites (and one you can sample for FREE at Olive Garden!)

Anyway, I came across this wine on Pinterest, and discovered it's my favorite actress Drew Barrymore's brand of wine. I'm a sucker for celeb-endorsed items, and this one is no exception - the only store around that sells it is in Brockport (a slight hike), but I'm hoping to snag a bottle or two the next time I'm in the area.

Source: sixsistersstuff.com via Chelsea on Pinterest

Melt In Your Mouth Slow Cooker Pot Roast

Pot Roast is our Christmas Eve dinner this year - not this recipe in particular. Corey's cousin is making dinner, and I'm responsible for some type of side to accompany pot roast, carrots, and potatoes - friends, what would you make? (I have made this pot roast, by the way, and it's delicious - give it a try)!

Happy Friday, everyone! Part #2 of Holiday favorites next week!

As always, this post is linked to Finding Joy In My Kitchen.

A December to Remember

Hola, Blogaritos! (You do remember Kimmy Gibbler on Full House, right)? Ok good, now that's out of the way, let's just say I know I'm a terrible, horrible blogger. But to recap...

• October was great - we traveled our friend's wedding in Charleston, SC and we celebrated our 1st Anniversary in Disney World (and surprised my mom on their trip too) - she went with my dad and sister.
• Until Early November...Ten days of Disney, I seriously had the best vacation of my life.
• November was also nice, Thanksgiving was delicious (minus the cheesy onion disaster casserole).
• And here we are in December...

As of Saturday, the 8th, Corey and I have been together for 6 years. I'm proud of that. I've got a few more gifts to purchase, a bit more wrapping, and I'm just excited to spend the holiday with family & friends.

Tonight on the menu...something with ground beef. (6 fresh lbs in the fridge that I have to separate and freeze)...many possibilities.

I have been a good blog reader, though, and I'm enjoying the plethora of Pinterest recipes and new menus and Friday favorites all around.

See ya later this week, friends!