10.17.2013

A New Beginning

I can't believe it has been a year since I gave this blog any attention. There have been numerous times over that year where I have wanted to or meant to, but...it just didn't happen for some reason.

But, now I have some things on the horizon that I really want to share and document.

You know that game where everything has a connection back to Kevin Bacon?? I always fascinated at how things are connected or I should say the domino effect of things leading to other things.

First, as some of you know, I participate in Foodie Penpals every month. That is how I met Gigi. She is awesome and through her I found lots of food blogs....AND the facebook group for other people with my addiction. I am a cookbook junkie. No. Seriously. THAT group is how I met Jenny. And, Jenny is organizing 2 other facebook groups where we all buy a particular cookbook and follow a recipe schedule and discuss our experiences, post photos, etc.

Last month, while I was in San Francisco for the Ghiradelli Chocolate Festival (and my birthday!), I caught Amy's new show on Food Network while I was getting ready. It was the 1st episode and she made a gorgeous blueberry pie. I don't even like pie, and I was in love with this pie. Seriously!! I pre-ordered her book, The New Midwestern Table, on amazon as soon as I got home in hopes that the pie recipe would be in it (it is!!). Later, in the cookbook group, Jenny mentioned doing a spinoff group where we would all purchase Amy's book and cook recipes from it. I was in!! For this group we make a recipe from the book every 2 weeks. And this is our 1st week and we are making her Fried Onion Dip. I will post my review when I make it!

The other group starts up in January. I haven't purchased the cookbook yet. It is on my list for Santa! But, I am super excited about it. For this group we are baking from Monica Holland's new cookbook, Lick The Bowl Good. Doesn't that just sound like the perfect dessert book?!?!

In addition to Foodie PenPals and the 2 cookbook groups, I have started a dessert group on meetup.com and we have some foodie parties coming up in the next few months. I am going to do my best to be more consistent wit my blog through all of it.

My grandmother is coming out for the holidays, so I am hoping she will be in the kitchen with me and it will help me stay on track. She turned 80 in May, and the older we BOTH get...the more I treasure all of the moments I get with her, especially in the kitchen. Some of my most treasured childhood memories are of her (and my grandfather's!!) delicious culinary creations. They really loved us with food when we were kids. When I think about Mr. K & I having kids "someday", passing down those kitchen memories and recipes are one of the things I think about...