For a few years it seemed that most people began to shy away from formal entertaining. Parties and dinners became more relaxed. As I get older, I want to throw more formal events. I am excited about the upcoming holidays and I love the thought of actually using the 'good stuff'.  I have narrowed my menus down for Thanksgiving and Christmas, to ohhhhh say 100 possibilities (it is so hard to choose!!) and while I continue to widdle down my choices, I have other decisions to make.

One thing I do know is that the holidays will be formal dining experiences. Being that I made that one final decision, it has led me on an online quest for unique and gorgeous napkin ideas.

Here are a few that I found. I will be practicing these and sharing how well I could do them, how easy or how tough or if I just could not hack it.

I just recently returned from a week long trip to Chicago. I was there to photograph the Chicago Fashion Week debut of children's fashion designer, Alexandria Olivia and I had booked a few headshot and editorial sessions.

One of the reasons I started this blog was because I loved cooking for my children and wanted to share the things I made. One of the reasons I eventually learned to cook (and not just microwave) was because of my children.

One of the best memories I have of growing up are of the dinners and meals my mother, father and us kids would all have. I remember us coming home from school, my mom at the stove and once we put down our books, washed our hands, we had to set the table for dinner.  It was a routine, a tradition and it stands out to me so much as an adult. I cook because I want to give my kids that same feeling when they are older. I want them to know that their mama took the time to prepare good meals for them because she loved them so much.

While it is good to have a blog, which is the one stop internet stop....it is also best to have something else for them.  An actual recipe book that they can touch, feel, flip the pages of while reliving memories that go with certain dishes and be able to recreate themselves.

We depend so much on technology these days, but nothing beats handwritten or typed out bound books that people can actually enjoy outside of the computer, smartphones and tablets.

That is why I decided to make use of the recipe binder a friend got me for my birthday two years ago. It sat in the kitchen all this time as a decoration more than a functional piece. As I get older I realize that I would rather my children, my family have my recipes and the recipes I love all in one place that they can actually touch and feel.

So why not start a recipe book if you have not already? Don't rely on technology to keep records for you. You never know what can happen. Handwrite some, type and print out some...add your own special notes to recipes or include a memory with them! Your family and children will love it.

Here are some cool ideas I found on pinterest, that I love.

Halloween is right around the corner and then we are kicking the holiday season into full gear. We have a white tree this year for Christmas, so I have been on Pinterest looking for red and white holiday inspiration. All that red and planning made me remember these!

I made these last year and they were featured full page in 2013's Yum Food And Fun for Kids Holiday issue. These are cute, simple and fun!

A great alternative to the traditional milk and cookies we leave out for Santa and perfect for children's winter parties.

Here in the South, when it starts cooling off, all the pots come out. No more humid and sweaty summers swatting 'squitos and box fans, we gear up for soup and stew season.

It is still somewhat hot down here, but occasionally we get a cool breeze and witness a few leaves falling to the ground. That is more than enough reason for us to get ready for fall and winter and start gearing our pots up for warm gooey, soupey, stewey goodness.

One of our staples at my house during the cooler months, is gumbo.  It is a cajun dish with a roux base and loaded with okra, tomatoes, shrimp, chicken and sausage.

It is not the easiest dish to photograph, but oh it is so comforting. We usually serve with some saltine crackers and with some rice.

Here are some that have caught my eye on the internet. Hopefully, I will photograph some this fall and share my mom's recipe for it with you. Until then, consider adding this to your fall and winter meal rotation.

This is not recipe but simply a declaration of sorts.  I am now officially on a quest to make my own giardiniera.  If you are familiar with Italian foods or from the Chicago area and familiar with a certain delectable sandwich called the Italian Beef, you will know that giardiniera is a yummy delicious goodiness of peppers, celery, cauliflower and a host of other little bits.



I was in Chicago a few weeks ago and could not come back home without some giardiniera. While I have half a jar left, I know my appeitite for it---and being here in Mississippi-means that I need to learn to make it on my own.

I. shall. succeed.

I found several recipes on google that I am going to test out and tweak. Fingers crossed I can get it!