There were two or maybe three snowfalls that were really pretty last year in Battle Creek. This was one of them. It was more like the snow I remember from my winter in Arkansas. The snow was wetter and heavier. It stuck perfectly to every single little twig on the trees. It was very, very pretty.

Kind of like what one would idealize as a winter wonderland on Christmas morning.

This is my end of the year ode to bacon. I had been eating kosher for many years. I thought I didn't even miss pork. Then one day I realized something very, very important. I'M NOT JEWISH!! So I threw down my favorite dreidel and ran straight to the grocery store to find some quality bacon. I'm glad I did. That first taste of bacon was enough to make my heart melt. Now I understand Anthony Bourdain's deep and abiding love of those fatty creatures!

Baked lamb or goat shanks with rosemary and mustard sauce is one of my favorite meals. I can't even describe how wonderful the house smells as the fresh rosemary wafts through the rooms.

Unfortunately this recipe isn't casein free. Fortunately, if you don't have a problem with casein, it tastes really great!

It's taken from "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon.

You can make it entirely in a food processor. You'll need:

Boy, I am WAY behind on posts! For our Boston Tea Party this year I made pickled beef tongue as I always do. I love pickled tongue. It's one of the best meats. It's very tender and the pickling process gives it loads of flavor. As 8 year-old Henry said at this year's tea party, "It's beef, but it tastes like pickles." Yes, Henry. You are right!

Start with a grass fed beef tongue.

Baklava became a yearly tradition in our house many years ago when my sister first came across the recipe in a McCall's Cooking School cookbook. Since the recipe I have is just a runoff from that cookbook, I can't be certain of the exact book, as it's a 3 volume set. The recipe was well loved and it's been a staple around the holiday season ever since. I'm gluten-free, but I still make it for my mom because she loves it. :-) It takes time, I won't lie, but the results of home-made baklava are well worth it.

It was time for me to make a big batch of baked beans again, so I thought I would document it and share the recipe. The recipe can be found on page 497 of Nourishing Traditions by Sally Fallon.

Yay! My favorite holiday! We had such a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. It was just the three of us, no pressure whatsoever. I got up late, took a shower, and didn't stress at all about the big day!

On to our gluten free, casein free Thanksgiving!

Pot au Feu is a big favorite with me. It's a simple French boiled beef meal. This particular recipe was from Julia Child and is a classic French meal.

I started by going on a picking extravaganza in my garden.

I wanted to post this beautiful garden meal I made. It's also my first post with the purple Graffiti cauliflower from Territorial Seed Company in its cooked form. I was surprised because it didn't lose its color. Instead the color seemed to intensify and all I did was steam it until tender.

This meal includes: