Best of Yule: Holiday Favourites

So two months is too long to not have popped in here to say hi.  Let's just say October and November were off the charts busy, but now I'm finding a quiet moment on a Mid-December afternoon to say hi.  I've got a little Baileys in my coffee (because it's December), and a gingerbread cookie (or two)  keeping the coffee company.  My old grey cat is curled up in a ball by my feet and when the furnace cuts out I can hear her purring.  It's cozy, to say the least.  The last few days have been particularly awesome around here.  I received my first royalty cheque in the mail (!!!) - and it was a pretty darn good feeling to tuck it away into my savings account.  Huge thanks to everyone who has purchased my cookbooks far this year.  I wish I could hug you all!  And!  I found out that All the Sweet Things won a Gourmand World Cookbook Award!  My cookbook won the national competition in the Best First Book category and will go on to represent Canada at the Gourmand Awards Ceremony in China May 2018.  Exciting stuff!  No, I won't be going to China to cheer it on - but my heart and spirit will definitely be there.  What a wonderful early Christmas present!

Watermelon, Pomegranate and Feta Salad with Mint

This is a sponsored post.  I was compensated financially by the National Watermelon Promotion Board.  As always, I wouldn't tell you about a product unless I really really love it.  And I love watermelon.  

So, we're in the thick of it, aren't we?  Hustling to and fro, going to holiday parties and Christmas concerts, and doing our best to make the season bright.  If you're like me, and busy busy busy, you're behind on your baking and unsure if those Christmas cards will be sent out before the Big Day.  Don't fret.  Do the best you can.  And if in doubt, hum along to Good King Wenceslas.  It works!  I swear!  And, of course, the Plan B is always a shot of something boozy into a hot beverage.  Baileys in hot chocolate is a fave around here!

13 Things You Need To Eat This Summer

Summer is the time when one sheds one's tensions with one's clothes, and the right kind of day is jeweled balm for the battered spirit. ~ Ada Louise Huxtable

It's true though, isn't it?  How long have we waited for the warm summer breezes to wash over us and carry away our worries and general maladies?  Now that we are in the throes of this most glorious time of year, I hope you are indeed wearing less clothing and generally feeling quite awesome.  Today we delve into the archives for a little summertime fun and food.  It was quite the trip to pick my favourite foods to eat while wiping away sweat from the upper lip.  Look how much my photos have changed!  We've come a long way, baby.  Thanks for taking a trip down memory lane with me.  I'll be back in a few with a brand new post.  I made cake!  And there may or may not have been milk chocolate ganache involved.  Believe me, you don't want to miss it.  Until then, happy 4th of July to my American friends, and don't forget the SPF.