Georgetown Cupcakes

The cupcake craze seems to be coming to a close here in San Francisco (we have moved onto doughnuts now) but as you can see from the picture below, it is alive and well in Washington D.C.! During my Halloween trip to visit my bff Devon, we made a stop at Georgetown Cupcake...more than once!  Founded by two sisters in early 2008, this adorable cupcakerie rose to fame after winning D.C.'s 2008 Cupcake War and...

Sick on Hump Day: Hot Toddy, Fact or Fiction?

It seems like everyone is sick right now.  I think it's a combination of the weather changing and the stress of the year.  I started feeling something coming on Thanksgiving night and have been guzzling Zinc and Vitamin C ever since.  I've managed to keep illness at bay, but I can feel it lying in wait ready to strike at any minute! That got me thinking about being sick on Hump Day.  Which got me thinking of...

Crockpot Creation Part 2: Meaty, Chipotle Chili

It was uncharacteristically chilly and rainy this Thanksgiving weekend, which meant that we had to come up with an alternative for The Hub's Birthday BBQ.  We decided to move the party inside and put together another Crockpot Creation! As usual, this creation was The Hub's brainchild.  He wanted to do a chili that included a LOT of meat and some slow heat, which can best be derived from chipotle chilis. ...

Top Chef Birthday Challenge: Fry Off!

We capped off this Thanksgiving weekend by celebrating The Hub's birthday.  Our original plan was to have everyone over for an afternoon BBQ, but Mother Nature intervened.  Instead, The Hub decided to put together another Crockpot Creation (recipe coming tomorrow!) for our friends and move the activities inside. Following in the tradition of my 2008 Top Chef Birthday Party, we decided to have another cooking...

Thanksgiving Sleeper Hit – Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes

You guys, I have something to confess... I don't like Pumpkin Pie. I know!  I know!  How completely unAmerican of me!  But it's true.  I like Pumpkin Bread, Pumpkin Cookies, Pumpkin Muffins, but I don't like Pumpkin Pie. Now that I have that off my chest, I can share my latest recipe with you - Mini Pumpkin Cheesecakes.  I decided to try these out as an alternative to Pumpkin Pie so that I could feel...

A Thankful Thanksgiving

The Hub and I have spent a lazy day today watching football, reading and emerging from our turkey and stuffing induced hangover.  We had a fantastic Thanksgiving filled with delicious food and wonderful friends.  We are truly lucky to have amazing family, not only by blood and marriage, but also here in San Francisco. For the past few years, The Hub and I have hosted Thanksgiving at our house, but after a noise...

Hump Day: What To Drink With Your Turkey

Thanksgiving is tomorrow!  Thanksgiving is tomorrow!  The only bad thing about that is that my favorite holiday will soon be over.  I can't wait to stuff my face with deep fried turkey, delicious stuffing, mashed potatoes, and my mini pumpkin cheesecakes.  So what should we be drinking with this feast?  I did some research that I'd like to share with you on this Hump Day. This Cooking Light article suggests...

Don’t Forget The Earth! Thanksgiving Tips From Patty Preachy

Hello Fans of The Haute Housewife. Patty Preachy here.  You're about to get schooled. I'm willing to bet that most of you don't think about the environment when going through your daily routine. Am I right? Of course I am. I always am. Well, you're lucky I'm here because I'm going to help you live better...and I'm going to make you smarter and better looking. This Thanksgiving you can thank ME for helping...

A Cheese Ball With a Secret

As a dinner guest on Thanksgiving, you never want to arrive empty-handed.  And for those who are "culinarily challenged,"  a bouquet of flowers or bottle of wine is an excellent choice to bring your host.  But if you want to do something a little extra, that is still super easy, then this is the recipe for you. I came across this Cheese Ball recipe in the November issue of Cooking Light and immediately thought...

A Stuffing “For The Rest Of Our Lives”

You can probably tell by now that I like to use a recipe when I'm cooking.  I'm good at following directions.  When I need to improvise in the kitchen, I panic.  What can I say, it's the perfectionist in me!  I want to know that it's going to taste good.  I'm not sure what came over me, but when I made that Stuffed Acorn Squash last week, I just knew I wanted make a few small changes to the recipe and turn it...