Help me......

I have reached the top 5, and asking you to vote for me for the Group Finalist, which ends Thursday, January 4th at 7pm PST.  Click here to go to the link to vote!

So lets say I make it to the finals.  I will have to bake something for judging.  I have some really amazing recipes of desserts I've made in the past.  Why don't you vote for one of them?  

 

Blueberry Lemon Meringue Pie...

Outrageous Coconut-Cream Meringue Cake

This is a terrible photo, I guess I didn't take one of my own.  Lemon Lavender Sandwich Cookies, which were so popular, I had a handful of people who wanted these every year at Christmas.  Don't be turned off by the lavender, it's very subtle and only in the sugar that you roll them in before baking.

 And of course!  Sourdough.  I like them all, but the lemon-blueberry is really dreamy.  

So, please comment and let me know what you think!

Love, 365

Not quite done with Christmas......

 

Christmas is not done yet.....Orthodox Christians have 12 days of Christmas that will be over on January 6th.  When I have a tree ~ which we didn't put up this year because of Zoē ~ I don't take it down until 1/6.  Next year we'll have a tree, with hopes that both dogs will, for the most part, leave it alone.  Haha

I found a copycat recipe for the Honey Baked Ham, which have become seriously expensive!  The last time I bought one it was around $60, now it's around $80+.  Nope.  But it turned out pretty darn good, and it was not that hard to do.  Just google it if you are interested in trying it.

The doggies had a little taste, which was a mistake, because they begged until we put it away.  We also have lots of left overs.  For some reason, I don't mind left over ham, but I really can't eat turkey after 2 dinners.  Ugh.

Zoē has decided that snoozing right below my chair in the breakfast area.  There's a sunbeam with her name on it, apparently.  She is doing well, doing better in house training, but still having "accidents".  Only really they aren't accidents so much as "I have to pee and this looks like a fabulous spot!".  We have a whole basket of supplies to clean up with.  All she does with the pee pads is rip them up, but they make great cleanup supplies because they're so absorbent.  So, they won't go to waste.  

Not much else going on around here, thankfully!  May you all have a wonderful New Years, and of course we hope 2024 will bring prosperity, health & happiness, and an end to the wars going on in the world.

Love, 365

 

World's Greatest Baker competition....

 

I subscribe to Bake From Scratch...it's a really fun magazine if you enjoy baking bread and desserts.  One day I received an invitation to fill out an application for The Greatest Baker competition.  For some crazy reason I filled it out, thinking "no way".  But it doesn't hurt to try, right?  Right. 

To my surprise they accepted my application.  And then the voting began ~ winners are 90% chosen by your friends, family....basically anyone you can convince to vote for you.  I have made it through to the top 10...that was today....and now the voting starts for the top 5.  I really doubt I will win this thing, but so far so good.  If you feel so inclined to vote for me go here....

Now for some cute photos of Zoē:

One of her favorite sleeping positions.  I call this one little-slut-bunny  :-)

 

Sunbeams make a wonderful snoozing place...

Zoē and Demitri do like napping together.  They keep each other company, but not in the morning.  Demitri is very grumpy in the morning, and is prone to snapping and growling.  Once he's up and around, he is ok for the rest of the day.  😀

I have been baking for the last week, and I'm glad I'm done with it.  Cookies, breads.....it's been quite exhausting!  Other than my Grandkids, everyone else is getting stuff I've baked.  My sourdough starter really liked all the attention, haha.

Enjoy your holiday!  I'm still cooking but it will be easy ~ ham, salad, etc.  I can't wait!

Love, 365