Every year, long before the Thanksgiving dishes are even dried and put away, the Christmas rush is on. That’s when so many of us find ourselves racing around, spending money we don’t have on lots of things we don’t need. It’s crazy! One way that I’ve found to minimize the stress of Holiday shopping – and spending - is to make delicious gifts for family and friends in my own kitchen. Not only are homemade gifts often more economical, but they can also be much more meaningful to their recipients.

Each year, I choose a different assortment of tasty treats to give as holiday gifts. I package each in pretty decorative packaging and make up cheery goodie bags to deliver to the lucky recipients. I usually choose a few easy recipes along with some that are a little more complex to get a nice balance in my bags. I really enjoy doing this, and the whole process helps to get me into the Holiday spirit. And, after all that has happened around here lately, I could really use some help getting my Christmas mojo on! read more >>

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Sweet and Spicy Tomato Jam

Monday, October 17, 201110 Comments

When I was a kid, the word “jam” meant Welch’s Grape Jelly. That was what my mother kept in our house, and it’s the only kind of fruit spread that I remember ever eating. It came in Flintstones jars, and each jar featured a different Flintstones character. After the …

Thursday, October 6, 201120 Comments

I’ve made no secret about the fact that I’m addicted to Nutella. Just leave me alone with my own jar of that creamy, dreamy, chocolatey deliciousness and a great, big spoon, and I’m happy. But, let’s face it. Nutella isn’t exactly considered a health food. It contains gobs of …

Thursday, June 16, 201111 Comments

Every year around this time, I find myself feeling out of the loop and a bit frustrated. It seems like all the other food bloggers are surrounded by a bounty of fresh rhubarb and are proudly flaunting their mouthwatering rhubarb creations, while I remain pathetically rhubarb-less. I’m not sure …

Tuesday, January 25, 201144 Comments

Remember the three witches from Macbeth? In the first scene of Act IV, those wacky witches, or weird sisters, as they are sometimes called, are found hovering over a big vat filled with some kind of gurgling, hissing, spitting substance, while chanting “Bubble, bubble, toil and trouble; fire burn …

kiss the cook!

Hello and welcome to SGCC! I’m Susan, a professional writer, food columnist, recipe developer, wife, mother, daughter and sister, who used to be a lawyer in a previous life. My love of food comes from a long line of wonderful and creative Italian home cooks who didn’t always have a lot, but knew how to make a lot out of what they had. I hope that you enjoy yourself while you’re here, and visit often! read more >>

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