A Spooky Halloween Stitching Project

 

Do you ever set goals for yourself when it comes to craft projects? I do. And apparently, I also have a remarkable talent for setting goals that take approximately five years to accomplish.

 I bought this counted cross-stitch chart from The Drawn Thread about a dozen years ago. I loved it immediately because, as you probably know by now, I love Halloween, and I especially love Halloween stitching projects. This one has everything: a spooky old house, a black cat, witches, jack-o’-lanterns, bats, a very sinister-looking tree, and a verse about Halloween. What’s not to love? Well...the moon.

 I started stitching it about five years ago. Every July, when I begin longing for cooler temperatures, changing leaves, pumpkins, and all things autumnal, I would drag it out and start stitching again. I would make a respectable amount of progress, until, eventually, the stitching drove me absolutely out of my mind. At that point, I would put it away and wait patiently, or, more accurately, forget about it, until the following July.

 

Of course, the passage of time has not exactly improved my chances of finishing it. Every year my vision gets a tiny bit worse and my reflexes get a tiny bit slower, which means there are now puncture wounds involved in this project. Lots of them.

 The piece is stitched on 18-count linen that I coffee-dyed to give it that appropriately aged, spooky look. I love the fabric, and I love how the finished piece is going to look.

And then there is the moon. Look at that moon!!

 There are literally thousands of stitches in that thing, and they are all the same. Over and over and over again. It is the stitching equivalent of being trapped in an elevator with someone who insists upon telling you the same story repeatedly. And because that wasn’t sufficiently annoying, I have to stitch the moon around all of that text.

 

Fortunately, I found a solution: Columbo.

 I have stitched through all 16 seasons that I happily found on Tubi. There is something wonderfully soothing about watching Columbo wander around asking seemingly innocent questions while I sit here stabbing linen with a needle and trying not to lose my mind over the moon.

 I keep thinking to myself that maybe if I could do three rows a day I’ll be able to get this finished by Halloween. You’re probably thinking, well that’s a piece of cake. Let me tell you, it is NOT a piece of cake. It is a tough, chewy piece of parboiled meat. Going in and around that text is a nightmare and the stitches are so small! The pattern doesn’t call for outlining, although I have outlined the cat, bird, bats, and witch’s hat and dress. I often think outlining makes things look cleaner, but perhaps this is supposed to look rustic. The jury is still out on that, although I would appreciate your thoughts. At any rate, wish me luck because this is the year that I am going to do it.

 

This is the year.

 This. Is. The. Year.

 I am going to finish this thing.

 I am going to stitch that moon.

 I am going to admire the finished piece.

 I am going to have it framed.

 And then I am going to put it somewhere prominent so that everyone can admire the fruits of my perseverance and I can point to it and say, “Do you have any idea how long that moon took?”

 Probably.

Because I have learned that when it comes to craft projects, confidence is a dangerous thing.

Now tell me: What are you working on? Do you sew, stitch, quilt, crochet, knit, paint, scrapbook, or otherwise find ways to create things that seemed like a wonderful idea when you started them? I'd love to hear what you're currently wrestling with working on (or triumphantly finishing). 

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto Alfredo: An Easy Weeknight Favorite

 

What do you do when you love both red sauce and white sauce on pasta? You combine them of course.

This Fettuccine Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto delivers the best of both worlds—a rich, creamy Alfredo sauce with the bright, concentrated flavor of tomatoes. The result is a beautiful blush-colored sauce that tastes like summer without requiring you to chop, seed, or cook down pounds of fresh tomatoes.

My introduction to sun-dried tomato pesto came when I stirred a spoonful into a batch of Creamy Tuscan Shrimp. The flavor was incredible—rich, complex, and intensely savory. One taste was all it took to convince me that this ingredient deserved a permanent place in my refrigerator.

Since then, I’ve used it in dips, sandwich spreads, salad dressings, soups, stews, and baked pasta dishes, all with delicious results. It adds depth and brightness to almost anything it touches.

 In this recipe, a simple homemade Alfredo sauce gets a flavor boost from Melissa’s Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto. The pesto cuts through the richness of the cream and cheese, creating a balanced sauce that satisfies both red sauce and white sauce lovers alike.

 If you’ve never tried sun-dried tomato pesto, this recipe is the perfect place to start. After one bite, you’ll probably find yourself looking for new ways to use it too.

Fettuccine Alfredo with Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto 

¼ c. butter

2 T. cream cheese

1 c. heavy cream

½ t. McCormick Garlic Powder and Paprika Seasoning

Salt, to taste

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

1–2 T. Melissa’s Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

⅓ c. freshly grated Parmesan cheese

6 oz. fettuccine,* cooked according to package directions

 In a medium saucepan over low heat, melt the butter. Add the cream cheese and stir until smooth.

 Add the heavy cream, garlic powder and paprika seasoning, salt, and pepper. Simmer gently over low heat, stirring frequently, until the sauce thickens slightly, about 15 to 20 minutes.

 Stir in the sun-dried tomato pesto and heat through. Remove from the heat and add the Parmesan cheese and fresh nutmeg, stirring until smooth.

 Toss the sauce with the hot, drained fettuccine and serve immediately.

Other Easy Ways to Use Your Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto 

If you want more ideas beyond this Alfredo:

•  Pizza or flatbread base — Mix with a little olive oil and spread instead of red sauce.

•  Sandwich spread — On paninis, grilled cheese, or caprese sandwiches.

•  Chicken or fish — Spoon over grilled chicken breasts, salmon, or white fish.

•  Vegetables — Toss with roasted veggies (zucchini, eggplant, cauliflower) or stir into mashed potatoes.

•  Dip — Mix a spoonful into ricotta or cream cheese for a quick crostini spread.

•  Soup — Swirl into tomato soup, minestrone, or creamy chicken soup for extra flavor.

•  Eggs — Stir a bit into scrambled eggs or omelets, or dollop on frittata.

 *I used mafaldine pasta 

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The Best Christmas Ever by Sarah Morgan: A Heartwarming Snowstorm Story That Feels Truly Magical, a Review

  

I’ve loved this book. The Best Christmas Ever by Sarah Morgan is different from all the other Christmas books I’ve read, and while I’m not usually a fan of romances, this one was over-the-top fantastic.

 As a snowstorm of the century hits New England, reclusive author Mabel Miller plans another solitary Christmas with her cats—no decorations, no tree, no holiday cheer. Then fate intervenes: two cars crash into the stone wall of her isolated cottage, bringing unexpected guests. A family with two young children who still believe in Santa, and two work colleagues with clear history between them, all end up stranded under Mabel’s roof.

 What could have felt like a tired “trapped by a storm” trope instead becomes something special. Sarah Morgan brings these very different characters together with natural, believable development. Each carries struggles, regrets, and quiet hopes. Watching them find comfort, friendship, healing, and a touch of romance is genuinely touching. Mabel sits at the center; seeing her slowly open up, rediscover joy she had pushed away, and let the children charm their way past her boundaries is wonderful. Cocoa, cookies, and the opening of her secret-filled library feel earned rather than forced.

This is no frivolous romance. It’s full of thought and meaning without tipping into heavy sentimentality. The relationships grow organically, the Christmas magic feels earned, and the happy ending satisfies without feeling cheap. Morgan has a real talent for capturing the spirit of the season. The result is a feel-good holiday story that left me smiling and genuinely put me in the Christmas spirit.

 A must-read for the holiday season—especially if you want something warmer and more character-driven than the usual festive fare.

 My Rating: ★★★★★ (5 out of 5 stars)

 Disclaimer: I received an advanced digital copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Georgia Knockout Dip: Where Sweet Meets (Gentle) Heat

 

You reach a certain age, and you figure that you’ve heard it all when it comes to comestibles, particularly if you’re as dab a hand in the kitchen as I am. Then something like “tamed jalapeños” shows up and quietly proves you wrong. (Hands up if you’ve heard of these.)

 I first heard about tamed jalapeños while hunting for a new dip recipe. I was intrigued enough to buy a jar, and after one taste I was hooked.  These are real jalapeños with noticeably less heat, read: gentle enough that I can enjoy them straight from the jar without finding myself coughing and sputtering because my delicate system can’t handle a mere 4,000 Scoville units.  Nope, just bright, peppery flavor with a manageable kick. For someone with a delicate tolerance for spice, they’re a revelation.

 I’ve been tossing them into everything from sandwiches to quesadillas, but my favorite discovery so far is this recipe, which I’ve tweaked and made so much better. It’s the perfect balance of sweet and savory with just enough heat to keep things interesting. Best of all, it tastes even better when made ahead so the flavors can meld.

Georgia Knockout Dip 

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened

¼ c. sour cream

2 green onions, diced

¼ c. tamed jalapeños, drained and roughly chopped (plus extra for garnish)

¼ c. peach preserves

¼ t. onion salt

Pinch of garlic powder

Pinch of cayenne pepper

2–3 T. peach preserves, for topping (optional)

In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and sour cream together until smooth.

 Add the green onions, chopped tamed jalapeños, ¼ cup peach preserves, onion salt, garlic powder, and cayenne. Mix until well combined.

 Transfer to a serving dish. Spoon additional peach preserves on top if desired and garnish with extra jalapeños.

 Chill for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.

 Serve with crackers, tortilla chips, or pretzels.

 This dip disappears fast at gatherings, and the combination of sweet peach with the tamed jalapeño heat is unexpectedly addictive. If you’ve been hesitant about spicy dips, this might be your entry point.

 Have you tried tamed jalapeños yet? Let me know in the comments what you think—or how you use them! 

As an Amazon associate I earn from qualified purchases.

Cozy Crockpot Comfort: Kielbasa, Sauerkraut & Sweet Apples

 

A while back, while the weather was still stubbornly warm, I had the audacity to share a Slow Cooker French Onion Soup recipe. One of my more critical commenters (the kind who only pops up with negativity) promptly informed me it was far too hot for onion soup and that I really shouldn’t post such things.

 Well… I cook what I want, when I want. So here comes another cozy fall-inspired dish, summer temperatures be damned: a simple, deeply satisfying slow cooker sauerkraut, kielbasa, and apple dinner.

 This recipe is almost ridiculously easy. It’s loosely inspired by a couple of versions I’ve seen over the years, and the result made me extremely happy. The kielbasa cooks low and slow until it turns nearly butter-tender. Just toss everything in early in the day, set it to low, let the house fill with that wonderful savory-sweet aroma, and come home to an effortless, comforting dinner.

Melt-in-Your-Mouth Slow Cooker Kielbasa with Sauerkraut & Apples

 1 32-oz. jar sauerkraut, drained

2 lbs. smoked kielbasa, cut into 2” diagonals

2 large apples, cut into wedges

1 medium sweet onion, thickly sliced

1 T. caraway seeds

4 cloves garlic

1 c. apple cider

2 T.  brown sugar

 Add the sauerkraut, kielbasa, apple, onion, caraway seeds, and garlic into a 3-quart slow cooker (I used this one). Stir to combine.

 In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the apple cider with the brown sugar until the sugar dissolves. Pour the mixture over the sauerkraut and sausage.

 Cover and cook on High for 4 hours or on Low for 6–7 hours, until the kielbasa is incredibly tender and the flavors have melded beautifully.

 Serve with crusty bread, mashed potatoes, or just a big spoon. I like to serve mine with a little mustard on the side. The tangy sauerkraut, sweet apple, and rich sausage create the perfect balance, i.e. comfort food that feels like a hug, no matter what the thermometer says.

 I hope you love it as much as I did. What’s your favorite “out of season” dish you make anyway?

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Stone Fireplace Makeover: Scary Moments, Stunning Results

 

I am a unique individual. Some would say eccentric. Others might say crazy. Still others might go so far as to call me downright weird. I embrace all of those descriptions because, frankly, I know they’re all true.

 When I was a little girl, I wanted what everyone else had; I wanted to belong. As an adult I absolutely cannot stand having what everyone else has. My, how the worm has turned.

I’ve lived in my house for 14½ years, and during that time I’ve done quite a few things to make it feel like my house. I once told someone that my decorating style was as though my brain had exploded; I wanted everything that I think of in my head to become reality in my home. For the most part it works out well, if it doesn’t, I never mention it again. But there was one thing I had grown increasingly tired of looking at: the fireplace.

Every single day I’ve stared at the same builder-grade fireplace that (I’m convinced) lives in half the homes in the neighborhood. This year I finally decided enough was enough. I called my trusted builder Joe from Advanced Carpentry & Remodeling, and declared that the annual “Joe Project” would be a complete fireplace overhaul.

 It was equal parts exciting and terrifying.

 Like many of you, I’ve discovered the magic of using AI for home design. Instead of dragging heavy samples around the room, I can test looks virtually. I told ChatGPT I wanted a stone fireplace and asked it to generate ideas. The images it created looked phenomenal! So good that when I showed them around, even the neighbors were impressed.

This is ChatGPT’s vision.

 Naturally, I decided to go for it, which is where things got interesting.

This is the stone I chose.

 When the work actually began, I went into a deep state of panic. There is something very different about looking at a beautiful computer-generated picture and watching your actual fireplace being dismantled. As the old fireplace came down, my heart sank a little. I had lived with it for 14½ years, after all, and suddenly there was no going back.

 

Well, technically, there probably was. But I certainly wasn’t going to ask Joe to put it back together. One thing I was particularly eager to change was the mantel. The old one was only five inches wide, which meant decorating it for Christmas was an exercise in balancing, praying, and hoping that nothing would hit the floor at three o’clock in the morning leaving Stanley and me wide-eyed, sitting bolt upright, me reaching for the pipe wrench.

 

I wanted a ten-inch mantel. Ten inches of glorious decorating real estate. For now, I had to concentrate on what I had done to my fireplace. When the framework went up, the panic intensified. This was the point where I began wondering if perhaps I had made a spectacularly bad decision.

 

You know that moment in a remodeling project when you suddenly think, Oh, dear God. What have I done?

 This was that moment.

 I tried very hard to remember what the AI rendering had looked like. I reminded myself that this was supposed to be beautiful. I reminded myself that I had actually chosen this.

 

None of that was particularly reassuring. Then the stone started going up. And that’s when I had a new fear. Was I creating a fireplace…or was I building the home of Fred and Wilma Flintstone? There is a fine line between “beautiful natural stone fireplace” and “Yabba-dabba-doo.” For a while, I was afraid I had crossed it. (Interestingly enough, Joe later to confessed to having a slight fear that this would look like one of those giant rock-climbing walls. J More interesting, perhaps, is that number two son assured me that my fireplace was nothing like those in Bedrock, as they're constructed of stones that are smooth and round, as though that was, somehow, going to make me feel better.)

 But then, slowly, almost imperceptibly, things began to come together. The proportions started making sense. The stone began to look less like a pile of rocks and more like an actual fireplace. And, most importantly, it started looking like the fireplace ChatGPT and I had envisioned.

 My panic began to subside.

 Excitement took its place. 

 

And then, suddenly, it was finished. The transformation was complete. And I have to admit, I love it.

 We finished on a scorching 96-degree day, so it’ll be months before I can light the first fire. Still, I am completely thrilled with the result. I can’t wait for that chilly evening when I finally strike the match and watch the flames dance in my brand-new, one-of-a-kind stone fireplace.

 

Sometimes the scariest projects turn out to be the most rewarding. This one certainly was.

 I have another “Joe“ project scheduled before the end of the year. I’ll let you imagine what it might be, but I once mentioned that I would love to live in a bookstore or sleep in a bookcase, so I’ll let your imagination go from there.

This post is linked to Metamorphosis Monday 

Farmhouse Christmas: A Pretty Book That Left Me Wanting More

 

I have been waiting for Farmhouse Christmas: Recipes and Crafts for a Cozy Homemade Holiday by Melissa Bahen for months, so when it finally arrived, I as genuinely excited to see it. Christmas cookbooks are one of my weaknesses, and a book promising both recipes and crafts sounded right up my alley...And then I opened it.

Farmhouse Christmas is certainly a beautiful book. It is festive from endpaper to endpaper, filled with the cozy, homespun aesthetic you would expect from its title. The photography is lovely, and there are plenty of recipes that made me want to head straight into the kitchen. But I have to admit that the book wasn’t quite what I was expecting, and that left me a little disappointed. 

 The publisher describes the book as containing more than 70 recipes along with 12 holiday crafts and gifts, and that balance is important to know going in. I had expected something closer to an equal partnership between recipes and crafts. Instead, this is overwhelmingly a cookbook, with the crafts functioning more as a small bonus. If you’re picking this up primarily for Christmas crafting and decorating inspiration, you may find yourself wishing there were considerably more of it.

 My other disappointment was the crafts themselves. I didn’t find much that felt particularly fresh or inventive. There are some perfectly pleasant ideas here, but after looking at Christmas crafts for as many years as I have, I was hoping for a few of those Why didn't I think of that? moments. I never quite got them. Fortunately, the recipes go a long way toward redeeming that part of the book. 

 There are recipes here to take you from breakfast through dinner, cocktail hour and dessert, and the photographs make everything look especially inviting. Some of the recipes are familiar territory, but I was pleasantly surprised by how many were new to me. And considering how many cookbooks I review and how many recipes I encounter, coming across something I haven’t seen before is no small accomplishment. Kudos for that. 

 Best of all, most of the recipes look wonderfully approachable. You don’t need to be an accomplished cook to tackle them, which makes this a particularly accessible holiday cookbook.

 Several recipes have already made their way onto my must-try list. I’m especially intrigued by the Chewy Chocolate Meringues, Sugared Gingerbread Muffins, and Kale Salad with Honey-Mustard Vinaigrette. Yes, I have apparently reached the stage of life where I voluntarily put kale on my Christmas menu. Stranger things have happened.

The section devoted to appetizers and party food for New Year’s Eve is another highlight for me. I like being able to open a cookbook to a particular holiday and find a collection of recipes that works for that occasion rather than having to hunt through the entire book. The Baked Cheese and Sweet Onion Dip and Cranberry Salsa with Cream Cheese are both calling my name.

I’ve also recently become a convert to sun-dried tomatoes, so the Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Cheese Spread caught my attention. And then there’s the Spanish Meatballs with Tomato Sauce. I thought I had encountered pretty much every meatball variation known to mankind, but this one was new to me, and I’m eager to give it a try.

 And the drinks! 

The Caramel Apple Cider sounds like exactly what I want on a cold winter afternoon. I can already see myself making a batch, and perhaps adding a shot of applejack to my glass. For medicinal purposes, naturally.

So, where does that leave me?

I like Farmhouse Christmas. I just don’t love it as much as I expected to.

Perhaps that is partly because I had built the book up in my mind during those months of waiting. I was expecting a generous dose of Christmas crafting, along with recipes, decorating ideas and the sort of fresh inspiration that makes you want to drag out the glue gun and immediately start making something. Instead, I found a very pretty, very approachable holiday cookbook with a small collection of crafts tucked inside.

There is another consideration for longtime followers of Melissa Bahen, who is the creator of the Lulu the Baker website. Many of the recipes and projects in Farmhouse Christmas have appeared on her website, so readers already familiar with her work may find less that feels entirely new.  That doesn’t make this a bad book. It simply makes it a different book from the one I thought I was getting.

 If you’re looking for an attractive, approachable Christmas cookbook filled with festive recipes, Farmhouse Christmas has plenty to offer. If you’re buying it primarily because you’re hoping for a craft-filled Christmas extravaganza, I’d temper those expectations. For me, it’s a good book that I expected to be a great one. And perhaps that’s the most disappointing part of all.

My Rating: ★★★☆☆ (3 out of 5 stars) 

 Those interested can order a copy here.

 As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

 Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.