Okay, I know most of y’all are all amped up about turkey right now, and cookies aren’t a priority. But I’m sure by the weekend your priorities will shift. So I’m sharing these now, before I dash of to New York City for the weekend (!!!) to take in the Thanksgiving day parade, followed by Black Friday.

I realize that I have demonstrated difficulty handling store lineups, and big crowds make me want to rock in the fetal position with crazy eyes, humming loudly to myself. But Black Friday in NYC still seems like a good idea to me…

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I just spoke my mind to a man who was rude to me in the grocery line. Here is what I learned:

Lesson #1: Rude grocery line people (unsurprisingly) do not like being told that you hope strangers are kinder to them than they are to strangers.

Lesson #2: Men who are mean to girls buying butter and sugar are probably chemically imbalanced. Do not anger them.

Lesson #3 (the big one): Don’t waste your time/breath/energy trying to rationalize with irrational people (applicable across the board, not just co-liner-uppers).

Lesson #4: Be extra nice in grocery lines to make up for the fatheads of the world. Continue Reading »

I was planning on making ice cream for my book club this week.

See, I have this habit of sometimes not reading the book. Then, overcome with horrible guilt and shame, I bring yummy food to distract from this major book club transgression.

I have observed that the crowd’s attention is very easily drawn from book to food. So far this strategy is working for me.

Don’t get me wrong, I love reading. I enjoy discussing. I appreciate being given a reason to read a book every month.

If the book club were made up of people who generally only wanted to read happy books that made them clap and cry happy tears and have dreams about puppies and rainbows, my book-finishing success rate would be dramatically increased. Continue Reading »

Today, as the winds whip our rainy coast at speeds of 90 km/hour, I think a hot, warmly spiced soup is unquestioningly appropriate. It is also perfect to stamp out a cold.

I’ve been out sick for a few days. I’m not complaining. Lately, I’ve been as busy as a three-legged dog trying to bury his poop on a frozen pond. Or a one-armed wallpaper hanger with an itch. Or a… okay I’ll stop.

My point is – a couple days of necessary napping and watching cheesy movies, cuddled up under a mountain of comforters and pillows, drugged into a happy cold medicine semi-coma? It was actually kinda great.
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Hi American friends! I thought you might like these for your thanksgiving dinner. Sorry Canadians, I couldn’t get my act together soon enough to post them for our own October celebrations…

These faintly orange-hued rolls are only slightly sweet, with a subtle hint of spice and pumpkin flavour. They are an attractive and delicious addition to any autumn feast. They are arguably even better as turkey sandwiches or with turkey soup the next day, so you might want to make a double batch.

If you’re writing these off because bread-making intimidates the heck out of you, just go for it! Yeast is just another leavening agent. No scarier than baking powder. Follow the instructions as written, and you’ll be golden, just like the rolls you made.

There’s nothing quite as satisfying as making your own bread! Continue Reading »