I like decorate each year for fall and Halloween and I haven't missed a year yet no matter what was going on. Even though this year is decidedly extra-busy, I'm still putting out the pumpkin and watering the mums.

Decorations that are ready-made are nice, but I enjoy making as many of my own as possible. For many years now I've decorated our front window (see photos 1 and 2) with construction paper cut-outs that I make myself. Last year was… Read More

Our family is full of avid readers. There is one child who is taking her time to warm up to reading, but as for the rest of us, our appetite for books is voracious. I have over 150 cookbooks in my unofficial collection, and the family library is in the 1000+ range.

One of my favorite types of book is fiction or non-fiction books that are about food, or include food, but aren't cookbooks. The Peter Mayle Provence trilogy is certainly… Read More

We already know that I adore fall and a huge part of the fall fun is Halloween. Beyond the usual jack-o-lanterns, costumes and candy, I like to make the holiday last by starting a few weeks early. I have fun wandering the aisles of local stores looking for new and neat things to try out each year. The kids certainly like that I do this and wait with great anticipation for me to break out my newest finds.

This year I found… Read More

Fall is my absolute favorite time of year. If I could have one season last all year long, it would be autumn; the sights, smells and sounds are so rich compared to other times of year. The largest indicator that fall is upon us is the appearance of pumpkins just about everywhere. Beyond the fact that they are a true sign of my most-loved season, they are also one of my favorite foods.

The versatility of pumpkin from decorative to… Read More

As much as I enjoy Halloween and all the dressing up, candy and fun, I don't enjoy the often costly costumes on the market. With 5 kids to outfit still (the teens knew they were on their own once they hit 13), the cost can escalate very quickly without even getting halfway done. When I was a kid there were two very basic choices; make your own costume or purchase pre-made plastic costumes with the window-box front.… Read More

Italian food is a favorite around the globe, but especially, it seems, here in America. My own family is not excluded and we have Italian inspired favorites fairly often, and I don't mean pizza.

When I was in culinary school I learned to make some fabulous Italian dishes like Veal Marsala, Osso Bucco Milanese, Tiramisu and the like. Traditional Italian food is not all tomatoes, garlic and olive oil, but rather is based… Read More