California Winter

It’s supposed to be winter, but it feels like spring! The nights do get chilly, but the days are still sunny and warm. And we hardly got any rain yet!



Bermuda Buttercups in my yard are blooming already! They usually start to bloom at the end of February.



The roses are still blooming! I love to bring them in and photograph them on my doilies.





And I recently found a new little treasure in my front yard! I didn't really notice it before. It has beautiful blossoms and green with red leaves. Could anyone help me to identify this plant?



I'm linking to:
Show and Tell Friday @ My Romantic Home,
Potpourri Friday @ 2805.

Chocolate Chip Cookies for a Cookie Exchange Party

Tomorrow, my husband has a cookie exchange party at work. I planned to make either Scandinavian chess cookies or Linzer Torte cookies, but didn’t have much time for elaborate baking. Instead, I baked these easy to make yet tasty chocolate chip cookies. I use this recipe quite often; it was printed on a flour bag.

I am excited to see what kind of home-made cookies my husband will bring back tomorrow.



1 cup packed brown sugar
¾ cup white sugar
1 cup margarine
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ tsp salt
¾ tsp soda
1 (12 oz) package chocolate chips
½ cup chopped nuts

Cream sugars and margarine. Blend in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, salt, and baking soda. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes.

I'm linking this recipe to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

Thanksgiving 2011 Menu

I can’t believe Thanksgiving is only a few days away. Sometimes holidays sneak up on me unexpectedly, but I can proudly say that I am fully prepared for the Thanksgiving celebration!

For dinner, there won’t be a traditional turkey since my family is vegetarian, but there will be other delicious and festive dishes.


Here is the menu:

Mixed Greens Salad

Pumpkin-Ricotta Stuffed Shells (the recipe is from Country Living Magazine)

Baked Sweet Potatoes with Rosemary (I use this recipe but I add two tablespoons of finely chopped fresh rosemary)

Buttermilk Cornbread

Homemade Cranberry Sauce

Apple Cider, Cranberry Juice

Caramel-Glazed Apple Cake with Ice-Cream

If you would like to learn about other Thanksgiving favorites, visit Stone Gable for On the Menu Monday link party.

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To those of you who celebrate it, I wish a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with warmth and love of your dear ones. And I want to thank you all for being my blog-world friends, for your support and encouragement!

Carrot Souffle

2 pounds carrots, chopped
1/2 cup melted butter
1/2 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 eggs, beaten
confectioners' sugar for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add carrots and cook until tender, about 15 minutes.

Drain and mash. Add melted butter, white sugar, flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, and eggs. Mix well and transfer to a 2 quart casserole dish.

Bake in preheated oven for 30-40 minutes. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar.

Makes 8 servings.

I'm linking this recipe to Foodie Friday at Designs by Gollum.

My New Blog about Crochet

Did you notice how crocheting was taking over my blog? My crocheting posts proved to be the most popular, but when I first started this blog, I wanted it to be mostly about cooking and gardening, and I still do! So I recently started a new blog dedicated to crocheting.

If you are a crocheter or just a crochet admirer, I invite you to join me on Lacy Crochet.