This afternoon, I am sitting in an area coffee shop with the intention of working, but as I scroll through the images in the photo files of my laptop and flip through the notebook of scribbled recipe notes, my mind is just a jumbled word salad. There are so many stories and recipes that I want to share with you all, but my brain is screaming with an unintelligible jumble of words. Nothing makes sense on its own. Ideas are flowing freely, but not fluently.

Did you know that I visited Chicago last fall and have since been working on perfecting my own homemade deep dish pizza? Did you know that a good dog toy lasts about a week with Nilla, and a bad toy lasts mere minutes? Did you know that since posting my tried and true homemade pasta sauce, of which I can quarts and quarts each year, I have found a roasted tomato pasta sauce that might rival it? Will my dryer finish the drying cycle, or is the temperature gauge indeed on the fritz? Did you know that I once again volunteered at the Antiques Roadshow...this time in Albuquerque? Did you know that I brought home 20 pounds of freshly roasted New Mexico green chiles (That was an aromatic drive across several states.) and have a profound love of green chile cheeseburgers (of course, with an egg, if I have the option)? Does anyone appreciate political campaign phone calls? Did you know that there isn't a day that passes without me scrolling through the Zappos app on my phone looking for the perfect 3/4 height boot? I didn't buy new Halloween costumes for Tabby and Jenn because you really can't top dachshunds dressed as hot dogs, can you? Did you know that I actually survived the food presentation at the Etc. Expo for Her and might have even enjoyed it a little (except for the poor quality of the presentation "kitchen")? Did you know that after 20+ years of marriage, last night, Hubs admitted that he may actually like pears...especially when I throw together a pear galette with warm caramel sauce and vanilla ice cream for dessert? Did you know that tomorrow is Halloween, and that I usually invite some of my friends who live in the country over for a casual dinner and to help pass out candy to my little ghouls, but just realized that I dropped the ball and haven't invited anyone? Did you know that I am addicted to candy corn? Did you know that the USPS has lost 2 (2!?!) of my packages within one year? Did you know that I have ground beef defrosted at home and no clue what I will be doing with it for supper? Did you know that there is a head of cauliflower in my fridge that was supposed to be a side with supper last night, but I forgot to cook it? Did you know that I haven't yet raked a single leaf from the yard, and it is driving me nuts? Do you know the best place to purchase durable, warm, white, fluffy, down alternative comforters? Mine is showing the effects of weekly washings to rid it of dog hair. Do you like fennel? I was recently surprised at how many people were turned off by the thought/taste/idea of a licorice-y flavored vegetable. Did you know that I came to the coffee shop today because the dust in my house has reached gas mask proportions, and instead of clean, I decided to try to blog (and drink a dirty chai)? (Maybe this is why I haven't invited anyone over for tomorrow?)

So...that is only a small sample of the random mixture of insanity in my brain. All of the frivolous craziness. I won't bore you with the real stuff that haunts me. We will keep it light. Just a Word Salad, not the main course.

However...word is that this Green Apple and Celery Salad is the word. Word. Salad.

I enjoyed this as a light, fall lunch, but think that it would be an elegant addition to a Thanksgiving menu. (It would even make ahead well...just toss the dressing over other ingredients prior to serving.) The crisp celery and green apples are pleasantly contrasting earthy and tart flavors. The sharp mustard vinaigrette lends a tangy balance to the salad. I can see this being a very welcome freshness in the middle of all the heavy mashed potatoes, roasted squash, stuffing, gravy, and turkey weighing down the upcoming holiday table. Word. Salad.



Add first 4 ingredients in a small mason jar.
Secure the lid and vigorously shake to combine.
Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Slice celery thinly on the diagonal. (My microplane made quick work of both this slicing and the thinly sliced apples.)
Core and thinly slice the apples. (Peel, if desired, but I didn't.)
Chop the parsley.
Combine celery, apples, parsley, and walnuts in bowl.
Toss with dressing to thoroughly coat.
Season with salt and pepper. (Serves 8.)

If you live in South Dakota and have a television, you have probably seen a Golden West Telecommunications commercial. The candid shots of real South Dakotans going about their daily business and waving with friendly smiles reinforces that, in our state, we really all are neighbors and friends. There have been a few series of these televised spots with "characters" from all across the state.

The creative forces behind these ads are from Message, a full-service marketing and communications firm based in Rapid City, SD. I have been asked a few times to participate in shoots for Golden West spots, but always, there were scheduling conflicts. This past month, the "Messengers" were in our area and once again, contacted me. Although my calendar was full and my allergies were raging, I agreed and a time was set for filming me in my kitchen.

The day the crew was to arrive, I gave the kitchen a lick and a promise at cleaning and prepped a new recipe for Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies. I *big puffy heart* oatmeal cookies. Raisin Oatmeal may be my most favoritest, but Hubs would rather eat worms than look at a raisin. An oatmeal cookie with chunks of melted caramel and dried apples was perfect for fall and seemed to be just the thing to appease both of our taste buds.

It may be false advertising that I allowed myself to be filmed mixing up cookies and baking them. I am not a baker. I never have claimed to be, and honestly, I think that baking cookies can be one of my worst nightmares. However, little did I know that my worst nightmare was yet to come...

I should back up and explain that sinus issues have been my battle all year. Allergies flared up in the spring and never really loosened their grasp. I have been perpetually (chronically?) snotty, headache-y, whine-y for most of the year. Throw in a couple of subbing jobs at the school with exposure to kid germs, and a full on head and chest cold arrives that gobbles up boxes of tissues and makes my Hubs and the pups wince when I serenade them with a hacking cough. I have been, basically, a walking bucket of warm snot. And that is where my nightmare comes to life.

During the shoot in my kitchen, the crew chatted with me about others in the community that might be interested in participating, talked about my old house, and tried to make me laugh so that the shots of me smiling were real and warm and not as if I was constipated. At one point, I don't even know what the camera man said, but I snorted. Oh. Em. Gee. Yes. My nose wrinkled, my eyes squinted, and my allergy/cold congested head snorted. And...SNOT. CAME. OUT. OF. MY. NOSE.

I died.

I tossed aside the tray of cookies and dashed for the powder room and a tissue, but, it was too late. There is film of me with snot running out of my nose while snorting and laughing and holding a pan of Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies. It could become part of a Golden West commercial. This could very well be my worst nightmare.

Maybe I should have been eating an apple a day to keep the snot away, or at very least made Caramel Apple Oatmeal Cookies earlier. They do have apples; it might have helped.



Preheat oven to 350F.
Combine sugars and butter in mixing bowl and beat until light and fluffy.
Add vanilla and egg, beat well. 
Mix in the flour, oatmeal, baking powder and soda, and salt just until combined.
Fold in the caramel bits and dried apples.
Drop by 2 teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment (or Silpat).
Flatten balls slightly. (I pressed with the bottom of a measuring cup.)
Bake at 350F for 9 minutes.
Cool on pans for about 2-3 minutes.
Remove from pans and cool completely on wire racks. (4 dozen cookies)

I don't craft.
But, I did.
Baking cookies annoys me.
And, this craft is much like baking cookies.
I don't know what is going on.
Maybe, it is Christmas spirit. Ho! Ho! Ho!

It is Thanksgiving Eve, and I am busy with baking. The turkey is brining, and the cranberry sauce is made. It is time to get those pies in the oven for tomorrow's feast of thankfulness.

I have so much for which to be thankful. To use a phrase that often seems trite to me, I have been blessed. Life is rich and full and good. I am happy.

I am also thankful and happy to share with you that today, I debuted as an online contributor with South Dakota Magazine. It is a simple, little post featuring an idea for some of that leftover turkey we will soon be facing. I hope you hop over and read it and spend some time enjoying their site. They do a wonderful job of promoting and informing us about the great state of South Dakota. I am very thankful for this opportunity to join them.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
To prepare cranberry sauce, dissolve sugar in wine in a small saucepan. 
Add fresh cranberries and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and let simmer together until sauce starts to thicken.
Add dried cranberries and continue cooking until jam-like in consistency. 
Set aside. (Can do this a day in advance, if you like...I did...in that case don't preheat oven right away...LOL.)
To prepare apple-cranberry filling, peel apples and slice thinly. 
Combine with the flour, sugar, cinnamon. 
Stir until well-coated.
Add the cooled cranberry sauce. 
Set aside while preparing crust.
To prepare crust, mix flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl. 
Cut in butter to form pea-sized crumbles. (Use a pastry blender, or be lazy like me and use the stand mixer.)
Gently mix in beaten egg.
Butter a 9x13 baking dish.
Gently pat about 2/3 of the crumb mixture onto the bottom of the dish. 
Spread cranberry-apple mixture out on prepared crust. 
Crumble pieces of reserved crust mixture over the top (as for a cobbler).
Bake for 50-55 minutes at 350 degrees or until crust is slightly golden on top.
Allow to cool.
While bars are cooling, prepared the icing by combining powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of the milk or cream. 
Whisk in extra milk as needed to achieve the proper drizzling consistency. 
Drizzle icing over the bars.
(Best served slightly warmed.)

Preheat oven to 425.
Line the bottom of a pie plate with the bottom crust.
Brush lightly with beaten egg white.
Peel, slice, and core the apples.
Toss apples with the cranberries.
Combine the sugar, flour, salt, and citrus zest and toss with the fruit.
Pile the fruit mixture into the bottom crust.
Cover with top crust, crimp, and vent as you wish. (I went for a lattice crust to show off the pretty red of the cranberries.)
Brush top crust with beaten egg and sprinkle with a dusting of sugar.
Bake for 20 minutes, then reduce heat to 350.
Bake for additional 40-50 minutes.
(I had to foil my crimped edges after about 30 minutes to keep from over-browning.)
Serve with generous scoops of vanilla ice cream.


In a heavy saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. 
Cook until lightly browned, stirring occasionally, approximately 10 minutes. 
Add brown sugar to butter and cook until sugar is completely melted into a paste.
Combine milks and pour into the sugar mixture. 
Bring to a simmer and stir until smooth and sugar is completely dissolved.
In a separate bowl, combine cornstarch, flour, and salt. 
Ladle 1/ 2 cup of the milk/butter/sugar mixture into the cornstarch mixture and whisk until smooth. 
Pour the smooth cornstarch mixture back into saucepan, stirring constantly. 
Cook for approximately one minute, until just thickened.
Ladle 1/2 cup hot milk/butter/sugar mixture into the egg yolks, stirring constantly.
Combine with mixture back in the saucepan. 
Cook for approximately 30 seconds to one minute, and then remove from heat. 
Stir in whiskey. 
Pour into baked pie crust.
Press plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding in order to prevent a skin from forming. 
Chill overnight, or until firm. 
Serve topped with whipped cream (homemade is best).

An apple a day...wouldn't be enough for an Applesauce Spice Cake with Buttermilk Syrup. I used three peeled and grated apples AND a cup of chunky applesauce to make this lick-the-platter-clean, delicious, fall dessert.

The original recipe only called for two apples, but I had three in the bowl on the table and tossed in the additional one "just because." The extra little pieces of apple disbursed through the batter creating moist pockets of superb. fruity goodness in the cinnamony cake. Yum.

But, as yummy as the spicy cake is, it is the syrup that had my guests wanting to lick the plate when I served this dessert after a simple meal on Halloween. You KNOW a recipe is a hit when someone swirls their fork around to make sure that they get every last drop of the caramel-like Buttermilk Syrup. I was ready to avert my eyes and look away if the plate raised up from the table to meet the eager tongue, but good manners reigned strong...mostly.

Why don't you bake an Applesauce Spice Cake with Buttermilk Syrup for yourself and see if you can stand not to lick the plate? I don't think that I can resist it On My Plate.





Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Cream softened butter and sugar. 
Mix in eggs one at a time until well incorporated. 
Stir in applesauce and apples until combined.
Sift in cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour. 
Stir until all dry ingredients are moist. 
Don't over mix. 
Pour into a prepared 9" x 13" baking dish.
Bake 30-40 minutes or until tester inserted in center of cake comes out clean.
Serve with buttermilk syrup.


In a large pot (Really LARGE...when the buttermilk and baking soda heat together, the foam is insane. Pick your largest pot and go buy one bigger to make the sauce...or clean up boiled over foamy sugar off your stove. You have been warned.), combine butter, buttermilk, corn syrup, sugar, and baking soda.
Stir and bring to a boil. 
Boil 7 minutes, stirring constantly. (This is when the foam really gets out of control.)
Remove pan from heat. 
Allow foam to subside, then stir in vanilla. 
Serve warm.

Our weather has been balmy in the 50s and even up to the 60s for the past few days, but today we were reminded that it is actually winter. Temperatures have sunk to the teens with a sharp, cold wind. The seasons have changed. It is the perfect weather for something slow cooked to warm us from the inside out. Not wanting to go out into the chilly air, I searched the freezer and pantry for an idea for our dinner.

I am finding that it isn't just the seasons that have changed. My tastes have, also. Sauerkraut was something that I always turned my nose up to when I was younger. Now, stirred together with some kielbasa and apples to slow cook in the crockpot all day, it seems like comfort food. Serve some buttered egg noodles and steamed green beans on the side, and dinner is a wholesome, warming experience perfect for the changing seasons.



Mix everything into crockpot, adding a bit of water, if necessary.
Cook on high for 4-6 hours.