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I believe I am almost, almost, but not quite over this mishap with my blog. If you are behind the times I will quickly catch you up. I added a pin it button to most of my blog posts and it removed all of the wording...including the recipes. There was not a way to retrieve all my work, time, and dedication. I was distraught, I was angry, I was devastated. So I figured what was the use? I had given up. I am here now, and to show you an idea and tasty treat that helped me during my emotional loss.

I had seen this idea of blooming onion bread on Pinterest. It looked beautiful, so I wanted to try it, but didn't have all the ingredients for it. So as of yet I still haven't made it, but I did make this pizza rendition of it. It was good. I had fun making it. It was unique and different. I encourage you to try it and even serve it at your next party.

1 loaf of Italian bread, cut horizontal and then vertical.
1 bag of mozzarella cheese, stuffed into the cuts of the bread,
1 package of Pepperoni slices, also stuffed into the cuts of the bread
1/2 c melted butter
2 tsp. Italian seasoning
2 tsp garlic powder
Mix the last three ingredients together and brush and drizzle on the bread.
1/2 c Parmesan Cheese, sprinkled over the top

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until pepperoni starts to get crispy and the cheese is melted. Serve with a side of marinara.

    Fall is here...again. Cold weather is upon us. Its a time to start the ovens and let the baking begin. Fall is a favorite time with hayrides, cider, pies, crisp mornings and warm afternoons, beautiful colors. A great end to the dog days of summer.
     As part of the Foodbuzz Tastemaker Program, I received two packages of Godiva Coffee. Coffee on a cool autumn morning, nothing like it. Add some flavors of the fall right along with it, and it is bliss, a great start to the day. One of the flavors Godiva sent me was the Pumpkin Spice blend. I started drooling on the possibilities I could make/bake with the brew. The other flavor was Carmel Pecan Bark, this one I drank and before I knew it, the package was empty.
     For this post I wanted flavors that represented the season. I came up with this easy recipe that can be a great start as breakfast or a delicious end as a dessert.  A pre-purchased pumpkin bread, that is a few days old, makes this recipe a quick go to dish, leaving time for fall decorating. A coffee custard poured atop sweet pumpkin raisin bread accented with ruby red dried cranberries and citrusy orange zest. Who can resist? 

     The last post of 2010. Everyone is getting ready to ring out the old and bring in the new. It is a time for togetherness and celebration. With all the celebration there must be food. Food is part of the fun. Do you ever go to parties or functions and dread the drab selection of food? I will admit it, I do. Well this recipe will be a hit of the party. It is fun, easy, and colorful. Not to mention the variety or theme that can be brought together with this dish. Sweet, savory, crunchy, soft, etc... Adults and kids love fondue, it is different and unique.  I made a classic swiss fondue with an arrangement of fruits, vegetables and different kinds of breads all in perfect dipping sizes.


    The star of the show is the fondue. What wouldn't want to bath in a bubbly pot of cheese? Who wouldn't want to consume something that was bathed in a bubbly pot of cheese? Mmmm, Cheese! I love cheese. Ok, enough with the drooling. I used two different cheeses in this fondue an imported Swiss and a Gruyere, but feel free to use what you like. Normally fondue calls for Kirsch, which is a cherry flavored brandy. I could not find this anywhere, so I substituted apricot brandy. Hey I had it on hand, and it worked. That is what matters.

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The holiday season is here and dishes that can be made in advance are a great time saver. Imagine Christmas morning your family waking to the smell of sweet goodness of french toast and all you had to do that morning was to top it with a nutty strudel and toss it in the oven. Bake it while they sleep or bake it while opening the gifts that Santa had left. Either way it is so convenient because the majority of the work was done the night before.



This is a great brunch idea. Take this simple dish and you will be the star of the party. The presentation looks like you slaved away for hours, but in actuality the hardest part was slicing the bread. You may make this dish the same day, just make sure that you let it set at least an hour so the bread has a chance to soak up all that eggy goodness.



This dish is very versatile. If apricot doesn't appeal to you, use your favorite fruit and jam. Mix up the flavor combinations, maybe use orange marmalade and some fresh cranberries or peanut butter and jelly. Add cream cheese to your favorite flavors. For more simplicity use canned pie filling. Any way you serve it up I am sure it will be good. Another idea....use eggnog as your egg base. Now that would be a rich and tasty addition. Any way you prepare it, it will be good. And as always, make it your own.