This is the second year that I am participating in the Great Food Blogger Cookie Swap and because it benefits the Cookies for Kids’ Cancer organization, it was a no-brainer to join again. I received the name of my three bloggers that I would send to and then had to sit down and think of a recipe. We have a lot of family favorites but I finally slimmed it down to my grandma’s 100 Good Cookies recipe. I know the name doesn’t tell you what is in them, but due to the richness of the recipe, you better bet you will get 100 cookies from it. I guess another name…

Today is the #MKEfoodies Bake Sale for Cookies for Kids’ Cancer. We have a new location this year in the Historic Third Ward at the Hudson Business Lounge. The sale goes from 1 – 4 pm, but if it’s anything like in years past, we will sell out quickly – which is an amazing feat!Many members of the #MKEfoodies group and others in the community bake scrumptious treats to donate to the organization. Everything looks so great and the room smells heavenly when all the treats are in. Santa will even be making an appearance for the children of all ages to enjoy and take pictures with.Bake sales are held…

In just 4 weeks, it will be Christmas, so I hope you got a good start on your holiday shopping. I heard from my parents that downtown Waukesha was really hoppin’ on Saturday for Small Business Saturday shopping. The only dislike was the two -hour parking. Sure they knew about the structure but by the time their two hours was up, they were all the way on the other end of town and realized they needed to move. They decided to just call it a day and come home. But they did go back on Sunday and enjoyed brunch at People’s Park and bought a few more things they eyed…

Thanksgiving was a HUGE SUCCESS! We ended up trimming the menu slightly when we saw how much food we had for 4 people, but basically I want to give you a more visual than wordy representation of my day. I will then go into detail on the recipes and tweaks that I gave them at a later date. Although these were turkey day recipes for me, they really could be used any day. Almost all the ingredients I needed! Cleaning the bird – eww! Stuffed and ready to roast!   Making the stuffing Covering the bird so it doesn’t get too crispy! Stuffing done! Stuffed Mushrooms pre-oven Fresh brussel sprouts…

A few weeks ago, my coworkers and I ended a meeting at a client’s office right at lunch time. So what else was there to do but to go out for a bite. I suggested Andrea’s Red Rooster and neither had been there before. They were in for a treat. My history with the Red Rooster goes back to my junior year of college and looking for a part-time summer job to fill my days with while making some easy cash.  I was told of this job opening and that they even suggested me for the job from fellow industry coworkers and I became the summer hostess. Lunches could get…

Wow is November flying by and I’m seeing more and more places getting into the Holiday spirit. And what a better way to kickoff the holidays than with breaking a Guinness Book of World Records for most people caroling at the same time. Arrive by 5:30 at the Rotunda to register to be a part of this great event. The Waukesha Silver Bells page has all the details and list of carols to be sung. Unfortunately I already have plans and am unable to attend but I will be anxiously waiting to hear the results. On Saturday, Nov. 23, Three Sisters’ Uniquities (now located on the west end of Main…

One of my good friends Tory, recently moved back out to Oconomowoc into a brand new studio apartment. She invited me and Shauna over to check out the place, have dinner, and then go out for drinks at her favorite martini place. First off, I have to say that I love Tory’s place. Although it is a studio and smaller, the kitchen is very spacious and even has an island so she only had to buy two bar stools and not a table. The layout really makes it almost like there is a bedroom, just with a half walk. I really like it. We made some simple wraps for dinner…

This year, I have assigned myself the task of making the entire Turkey Day meal. It’s the least I can do after living at home for the last 18 months while trying to buy a condo. With me almost out of the home, and on a tight budget, I offered to make it all this year and my parents gladly offered to buy the groceries. They are hunting down the deals as I type this. My mom can (hopefully) sit back with a glass of wine, relax by the fire and watch some football while I take over (destroy) her kitchen. The part that grosses me out the most is…

It’s November 15th, so I’m half way through No Spend November and things are still on track for the most part from my first post. Here is an update: 1) I barely even notice that I’m not seeing my boutiques on Facebook and haven’t had the urge to shop online since I UnLiked all of them. 2) I have only gone into Walgreen’s twice and my total between both trips was $6 so that is a lot better. 3) I have eaten out twice for lunch but I have made a conscious effort to bring leftovers from home. 4) Working out hasn’t really happened. I tried to run last Saturday…

I grew up on Taste of Home recipes with my mom and my grandma always reading the magazines and using the cookbooks for great dinner ideas. I have been to their outlet in Greendale village and own quite a few of their cookbooks myself. So when the Taste of Home Cooking School was announced, I didn’t want to pass up the opportunity. I was lucky enough to get some free tickets to the event and even if I couldn’t get them, $20 at the door was an OK price for me considering everything that we were given. The recipe knowledge alone was worth more than that! The Cooking School was…