Focaccia Bread!

And it's rising.

Since our apartment is a bit chilly during the winter months, the bread had a hard time thawing and rising. I realized this in the middle of the night, and took the bread from the kitchen, to my room.

Woke up and saw this. INTENSE!

Focaccia station is prepped

Focaccia toppings:

Red onion

Rosemary

Thyme

Salt

Pepper

Olive Oil

And then this post ends...

There was a mad dash to begin the NYE festivities and I forgot the most important thing, to document the finished product!

But we can assume it looks something like this...

During the Christmas break I indulged in my Aunt's Pork Green Chili

It was a great introduction to the upcoming winter months!

A Lazy Susan is a great addition when it comes to group eating. This is actually a make shift of the original, a small Lazy Susan from Bed Bath & Beyond, with a larger circular tray attached.

You can't just dive into dinner - you need appetizers!

Costco's Jalapeno Artichoke Dip. Yum!

(You don't have to make everything...)

Let the season of eating continue...

CCCHHHEEEEESSSEEE!

When it comes to snacking, hosting, or pairing with wine, cheese is always a great option.

Williams Sonoma offers cheese collections from various regions. This is from the Redwood Hill Farm Cheese Collection and was the perfect gift to be shipped out to Colorado.

Quince paste can add a lot to a typical cheese spread,

and truly shines when paired with Manchego

Cheers and Happy New Year!

Monkey Bread and Mimosas - a Christmas tradition

Through the years we've altered the recipe a bit, here are a few suggestions:

- Dip the raised dough in melted butter, sugar, cinnamon, and brown sugar

- No need for evaporated milk

- Top raw monkey bread with a drizzle of Karo syrup

Let it rise.

A decadent start to any morning.

And it's gone.

Until next year...