Dazzle your guests with this simple tangy roquefort cheese dip! It makes a scrumptious appetizer or side dish served alongside crunchy vegetables or fresh fruits.
Roquefort cheese dip has been a family favorite for as long as I can remember. Every single holiday table of my youth was adorned with a special antique glass dish full of colorful vegetables that cradled a bowl of roquefort cheese dip. Interestingly enough it was never served before the main meal but rather lovingly nestled amongst all of the side dishes.
These rainbow jello jigglers are sure to put a smile on anyone’s face. They’re a sweet treat that’s fun to eat for kids and adults as well!
Jello has always held a fond place in my heart. Growing up, my beloved mother would try and try again to make the mysterious colorful wobbling confection. And much to her chagrin,
When it comes to comfort food this easy pot roast recipe is at the top of my list! A savory, hearty, one pot meal that makes suppertime scrumptious.
My mom has made this delicious and easy pot roast recipe for as long as I can remember. I have such warm childhood memories of walking in the door after school on a frigid winter day,
welcomed by the intoxicating aroma of pot roast cooking in the oven. I couldn’t wait until suppertime when I would finally get to dig into that delectable meat and tender vegetables. Homework and chores never seemed to get done as fast as they did on those days.
Now that I’ve got a family of my own, I’ve carried on the pot roast tradition at my house. I find as much comfort in knowing that dinner is prepared and cooking away as I do in knowing that my girls will walk into a warm and cozy home filled with the glorious smell of supper.
Nothing is more comforting than knowing that a warm hearty supper has been made and is waiting just for you to enjoy.
Except maybe a warm hug from your mama. And in my opinion, that’s just what a big bowl of delectable pot roast tastes like.
Warm wishes and hugs,
Wenderly
Here’s the delicious recipe ::
Easy Pot Roast Recipe
Recipe Type: dinner
Author: Wendy Hondroulis | Wenderly
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4-6 servings
When it comes to comfort food this easy pot roast recipe is at the top of my list! A savory, hearty, one pot meal that makes suppertime scrumptious.
Ingredients
1 pot roast – 2-2.5 pounds
6 medium carrots cleaned and cut in half
3 potatoes peeled and cut into quarters
1 onion peeled cut into quarters
1 tablespoon canola oil
1-2 tablespoons dried Italian herbs
tablespoon of flour to brown the meat with
water
salt & pepper to taste
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350ª
Heat canola oil (in an oven safe dutch oven) over medium-high heat
Sprinkle flour, salt and pepper on all sides of roast and shake off excess
Brown all sides of the meat until they have a golden crisp crust
Tuck all vegetables around the edges of the meat, fill dutch oven half way with water and sprinkle Italian herbs over top of meat and veggies
Put lid on dutch oven and cook in oven for 4 hours
Shred meat with a fork, serve with veggies
Enjoy
Notes
Be sure to check meat after a couple hours to see if you need to addd more water. If the water disappears entirely, you’ll have dry meat.
Lemon snow ice cream is a delicious and easy way to indulge in some wintertime fun. The bright lemon flavor adds a glorious zing to cold winter days.
Stepping onto a pure white, untouched, sparkling blanket of freshly fallen snow makes me feel like a kid again. All of my senses seem to come alive. My cheeks tingle as I inhale what seems to be the the freshest air I’ve ever smelled. Both eyes tear instantly, open wide, as they drink in the beautiful
Make the cold winter days cozy and quaint with a DIY Sweater Mug Warmer. They’re inexpensive and you’ll never believe how simple they are to put together.
I’ve been an avid coffee lover and drinker since I was a wee little nipper. As a matter of fact, those of you who know me know that “coffee is like air to me.” There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t relish in at least one mug full of the deep, dark, delicious brew and during the cold winter months I find myself wrapping my hands around a mug more often than not. This year after using refurbished sweaters and scarves for setting the scene for a winter party I was inspired to dress up my mugs with these darling sweater mug warmers!
They were unbelievably simple to make! Cut the sleeve of a sweater (across width of the arm) so that it covers the mug but leaves a few inches of the top of the mug exposed. You’ll need lip room for sipping. Next, cut along the edge (height-wise) to make room for the handle. Then cut pieces of a foam double sided tape and place the tape on either side of the handle at the top and bottom of the mug. You may want another piece of or two placed along the top edge of the sweater (depending on how snuggly the wrap fits) so it doesn’t slip. Once tape is affixed, place the already cut sweater wrap around the mug. Make sure to press the sweater against the tape to secure it. I left the cut edges untouched and they haven’t frayed but you can use a non-fraying liquid along the edge if you so choose.
I certainly don’t need any excuse to sip on a mug of my beloved coffee, but I must say that it’s even more fun with a mug dressed up in an adorable sweater warmer! If you’re not a coffee lover, here’s a yummy homemade hot chocolate recipe for you to enjoy.
Supplies you’ll need to make a DIY sweater mug warmer::
ceramic mug
sleeves of a sweater (I used sweaters from a thrift store and a children’s size works better)
foam doubled sided tape (regular double sided tape would work as well)
Indoor s’mores are a fun and easy way to enjoy all of the delicious delights of an outdoor sweet treat right inside the comforts of your cozy home!
The days are finally growing longer and I know that Spring is bound to push its way up from underneath the frozen ground eventually. I find myself yearning this time of year for the good old outdoors. Making s’mores and most of all eating s’mores has to be one of my all time favorite summer indulgences. During these frigid snowy winter days I yearn for the warmer sun kissed days and all of the fun and food that comes with them. But then I realized that perhaps I could bring some of the outdoor fun, indoors!
And out of my desperate desire to feel the splendor of summertime, these indoor s’mores were born! They were just thing to cure my summertime yearning blues! I started with roasting large campfire size marshmallows. I happen to have a gas stove, so I grabbed a wooden skewer and roasted the marshmallows right over the flame. Obviously a fireplace would be an even better replacement to an outside campfire but I was short on time and the instant flame of my stove did the trick. I decided to use a pizzelle Italian cookie in place of the traditional graham cracker to add a unique touch. And a healthy slathering of a chocolate spread raised the whole chocolate experience to an entirely new level! The hot melty marshmallow married into the already smooth chocolate and made this indoor s’more perfection!
These s’mores work wonders as a cure for the winter blues but they also remedy any bad weather situation any time of the year!
Here’s the recipe ::
Indoor S’Mores
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Wendy Hondroulis |Wenderly
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 6
Indoor s’mores are a fun and easy way to enjoy all of the delicious delights of an outdoor sweet treat right inside the comforts of your cozy home!
Ingredients
6 Campfire sized marshmallows
1 container of your favorite chocolate spread
12 pizzelle Italian cookies
wooden skewers
Instructions
Generously cover the inside surface of the 12 pizzelle cookies with chocolate spread
Carefully roast marshmallows of your gas stove flame (or in a roaring fireplace) until they’re brown and crispy on the outside and gooey on the inside
Place the marshmallow onto one of the chocolate covered pizzelle cookies and place one (chocolate side down) onto the top of the marshmallow
Pull out the wooden skewer, repeat until all s’mores are made
Enjoy the sweet taste of the great outdoors inside!
Caprese salad skewers are fresh and full of flavor and make a delicious start to any meal. The heart shaped tomato will add that special touch to any occasion.
We devour caprese salad at our house. The bright colors match the taste of the bright flavors and who doesn’t love to eat with their eyes first? This year for Valentine’s Day we decided to dine out, but I decided to have a sweet little appetizer ready, just for the two of us, to enjoy before hitting the town. A caprese salad skewer is the perfect way to get those taste buds awake and ready for the next course. To make it extra special for my Valentine, I cut the tomatoes to make a heart shape. You’ll never believe how simple it is!
First, you’ll need grape tomatoes, not cherry tomatoes. The oblong shape of the grape tomato is necessary to pull off the heart effect.
After you’ve washed and dried the tomatoes, simply cut them in half at an angle, invert the two sides and you’ll see the heart shape appear!!
Add a fresh basil leaf, a small mozzarella ball and drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and you’ve got yourself a caprese salad skewer that’s ready for any celebratory event! So whether it’s Valentine’s Day, an anniversary, birthday or just because you love someone, tickle their fancy with a caprese salad skewer with a heart tomato!
Wishing you & yours a delicious Valentine’s Day!
Wenderly
Here’s the easy recipe ::
Caprese Salad Skewers With Heart Tomatoes
Recipe Type: appetizer
Author: Wendy Hondroulis | Wenderly
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 12
Caprese salad skewers are fresh and full of flavor and make a delicious start to any meal. The heart shaped grape tomato will add that special touch to any occasion.
Ingredients
1 pint grape tomatoes
12 small fresh mozzarella balls
12 basil leaves (washed and dried)
olive oil
balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper
Instructions
Wash and dry the tomatoes and simply cut them in half at an angle and invert the two sides making a heart shape.
Slide the heart shaped tomato onto the skewer first, followed by the basil leaf (that folded in half) and a small mozzarella ball.
Drizzle with olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a pinch of salt and pepper.
Repeat above steps until you’ve made a dozen. (But you’ll find you may just need to make more!)
Flower pens make beautiful homemade Valentine gifts for loved ones, teachers, friends or coworkers. While they’re easy and fun to make, they’re even more fun to use!
You may be thinking, “what a beautiful bouquet of flowers sitting quietly in an antique sugar bowl” as you gaze upon the above photo. But is it, really? Nope! It’s not! It’s a beautiful antique sugar bowl filled with a bouquet of flower pens! If you’re looking for a unique homemade Valentine gift, then you’ve come to the right place! Flower pens are such fun! So easily personalized by the pen you use and what type (or types) of flower you choose.
You’ll only need a couple supplies and less than 5 minutes to make this sweet gift.
a pen (or pens)
artificial flowers
floral tape
wire cutters
I found these pretty peonies at the dollar store but you can find an even larger selection of artificial flowers as well as the floral tape, at a local craft store.
Here’s what you do ::
Simply cut a flower with wire cutters leaving about a 4 inch stem
hold the stem against the top of the pen, then gently pull the floral tape to release its sticky texture while wrapping it around the stem
continue to wrap (while gently pulling the tape) until the entire pen is covered in the floral tape
tear off the tape once you get to the tip and press the edge down for a smooth finish
Viola! You’ve got yourself a flower pen. Isn’t it sweet?
A bouquet of pens arranged in a fetching vessel makes a gorgeous gift for Valentine’s Day or even a birthday or Mother’s Day. Treat someone special to a beautiful homemade flower pen. It’s nearly impossible to use one without a smile on your face.
Other easy homemade Valentine gifts you may like ::
Cherry heart hand pies are as delicious as they are darling. They’re an easy and impressive, sweet treat for those you love.
Why is it that hand pies always seem to steal my heart? I just adore their sweet little individual disposition. Their playful rustic look paired with the idea of an afternoon spent humming in the kitchen whilst making homemade hand pies makes me smile. But guess what? Don’t tell anyone, but these little beauties aren’t made from scratch.
They were put together with a readymade pie crust and a canned filling. Special heart felt sentiments don’t always have to take hours to prepare. The minutes I spent assembling the hand pies don’t really matter when I see the glowing faces of my sweethearts as they relish in their confection. And trust me, nobody ever asks me, as they gleefully savor every gooey sweet bite, how many hours I’ve spent slaving in the kitchen.
And as for me? Oh I’m happily humming in the kitchen. But rather than cleaning up a big mess, I get to relish in the moments I’ve still got with my beautiful teenage daughters as they sit at my island happily chatting away over their tasty treat.
I guess it’s not really the hand pies that steal my heart. But rather who eats them that does. My heart spilleth over.
Wishing you and yours the sweetest Valentine’s Day ever!
Wenderly
Here’s the easy recipe ::
Cherry Heart Hand Pies
Recipe Type: Dessert
Author: Wendy Hondroulis | Wenderly
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 10
Cherry heart hand pies are as delicious as they are darling. They’re an easy and impressive, sweet and tart treat for your sweetheart!
Ingredients
Preheat oven to 400ª
Thaw prepared pie crust according to directions. Flour surface and roll out pie crust.
Using a 4 inch heart cookie cutter, cut out 5 heart shapes and place on a lined baking sheet. Open the second round of dough and cut out 5 more heart shapes. Using a small one inch heart shaped cookie cutter, cut a heart out of the center of 5 of the hearts and lift it out . (you can bake these extras for an extra nibble for the baker) I also chose to leave a few without the centers cut out.
Beat an egg with a splash of water and brush egg wash around edges of the 5 hearts on baking sheet.
Put about a tablespoon of the cherry filling into the center of each of the dough hearts.
Place the remaining dough hearts with the cut out centers carefully on each hand pie.
Seal the hand pies by gently pushing a fork around the edges or push gently with finger tips to seal if you rather have a smooth edge.
Brush the top of each hand pie with the egg wash, (cut a few slits into the top of the hearts without heart centers) and then sprinkle with sanding sugar.
Bake for 15 minutes in a 400º oven until golden brown on the top and warm and bubbly inside.
