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Recipes

a slice of life

Bavarian Pretzels (Bretzels) Recipe

For Christmas, I got a cookbook called .  It’s an excellent book if you’re interested in learning about or improving your bread baking.  As I read through it, I was surprised to see a recipe for German/Bavarian soft pretzels (bretzels.)   These delicious soft pretzels spilled over the German border into France and were adopted by the region of Alsace.  For those who don’t know, I’m a military brat who spent most of my childhood in Germany and soft pretzels were my very favorite thing.  I was excited at the idea of being able to make an authentic-tasting recipe at home, so I made my first batch on New Year’s Day. Over my winter break, perfecting Bavarian pretzels became one of my missions.  I think I ended up making five batches over three weeks and I tested, tweaked, and tasted.  Lots of tasting!  I don’t want to say they are perfect

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a slice of life

parker house rolls

Have you tried the “Parker House Rolls” recipe by Half Baked Harvest?  You can find the printable recipe and all of the details HERE.  I made them last year for the first time and they were so delicious.  My family talked about them as Thanksgiving approached this year.  “…and you’re making those rolls, right?”   “Mom, why can’t you make bread like this for just a normal day.”  And, I must admit, as someone who loves bread and butter, I was looking forward to these at Thanksgiving as well.  I’ll be making them again for Christmas along with some cinnamon buns for Christmas eve. English Scullery Chopper | French rolling pin Last year, I tried making the Parker House rolls recipe a day ahead and putting them in the fridge overnight between rises, but they didn’t turn out quite as well as just making them the same day.  While they aren’t

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crafts

molded salt dough “gingerbread” ornaments | Christmas crafts

These molded salt dough “gingerbread” ornaments were one of those crafting happy accidents.  They started when I made an impulsive purchase from an Instagram ad for a couple of cookie molds.  Minutes after I purchased them, I thought it was a stupid purchase.  But, I really loved the patterns and they were inexpensive (I think $16 for both.)  I thought it might’ve even been a scam because the site had one of those not-quite-right names that I can’t even remember now.  But the carved cookie molds arrived at my house a few weeks later.  I was relieved they weren’t a total waste of my money, but I still questioned the hasty buy.  I put them into the cabinet with my other baking gear, cookie cutters, gingerbread house templates, etc. On Monday, I decided I would try making “gingerbread” houses out of cinnamon salt dough for Christmas instead of using traditional

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a slice of life

mini cheese balls recipe & a holiday grazing board

Disclosure:  This mini cheese balls recipe & holiday grazing board post is sponsored by .  As always, all words and opinions shared are honest and my own. As a lover of cheese-and-crakers and grazing foods in general, I am a big fan of the charcuterie board/grazing board trend.  Not only are they beautiful and visually impressive, but they are simple to put together and require little or no cooking.  It’s just about arranging things together in a way that looks appetizing and inviting.  So, I headed to my local to pick up all of the ingredients I would need to make my favorite recipe for mini cheese balls, a holiday grazing board, and even a kid-friendly grazing board for pickier eaters. While I was picking up ingredients, I found this .  It is a really cute set at a great price, so I bought it to test it out and

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Holiday

favorite family holiday recipes

We are in the thick of yummy food season, so I thought I would share a round-up of some of our family’s favorite holiday recipes.  There are still a few more that I need to add to the blog like Linda’s sweet potato casserole, our Christmas cheese grits, and Rosa’s cheese spread.  It’s always such a flurry in the kitchen during the holidays that I don’t always think about taking pictures!  I just need to get things made and in the oven. Anyway, here are some holiday recipes we enjoy making and eating through the holiday season… pomegranate & barley salad I will readily admit that this holiday recipe is a strange one, but this pomegranate & barley salad is surprisingly yummy and a great way to use seasonal pomegranate.  In this recipe, I also share some tips on seeding a pomegranate quickly and efficiently.  This makes a good snack

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Holiday

Maple Sugar House Cookies & Finding Home Farms

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by .  I’ve known Laura of Finding Home Farms for years and I’m so pleased to officially partner with her family’s business.  As always, all words and opinions expressed are honest and my own.  There is a coupon code at the bottom of this post to help you save on your holiday shopping. We need to rewind back to the very early days of blogging for this story.  Laura Putnam of was one of my blogger peers.  We did blog-hops together and linky parties and met up at blog conferences.  We also were both vendors at the very first Chapel Market in Pike Road, AL.  Laura is actually standing directly behind me in this picture! (Oh man, what a crew!  I’m still in touch and friends with so many of these people.) I even have her book!  It’s DIY Rustic Modern Metal Crafts. At that

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Fall

simple fall simmer pot

This week, the temps started to drop and we only recently had our first frost here in Minnesota.  It’s actually come pretty late this year and we haven’t even seen a flake of snow, yet!  But, I am ready for fires, slippers, hot chocolate, and for the house to smell like fall.  So, yesterday, I made up a simple fall simmer pot with what I had on hand. I started by filling a 4 qt. dutch oven with water and then dropped anything in the simmer pot with a yummy, homey, fall scent.  Sliced apples, dried cinnamon sticks (these were out of a Christmas decor bin from last year), fresh rosemary, and a few drops of clove essential oil.  I thought I had some whole clove and all-spice, but I only had ground, so I just used what I had.  It really is hard to go wrong with a simmer

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a slice of life

creamy chicken & wild rice soup recipe

Soups are definitely my specialty!  I love that I can make a whole bunch at one time that will last for quick & tasty lunches and dinners throughout the week.  I love they are healthy & hearty, even when you add a little bit of cream.  Soups are just a win all-around for me.  One of my favorite soups is creamy chicken & wild rice and this is the recipe I’ve used and tweaked over the years… I don’t even know how many pots of this creamy chicken & wild rice soup I’ve made!  I just know that we’ve eaten it a lot over the past decade and it’s always a crowd-pleaser.  The creamy broth makes it heartier and more flavorful than a chicken noodle soup, but the flavors are definitely nostalgic and perfect for snowy and sick days. ( I use.) When cooking this creamy chicken & wild rice

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I’m Marian, a painter, writer, and lover of all things creative. From art and antiques to home projects and everyday life, I share my journey in hopes of inspiring you to embrace your own creativity and make beauty in the spaces you live.

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