Red velvet cookies with Hershey Kisses and Hugs are dabomb.com!!!! Heidi has been at it again.

As well, how about these chocolate fudge cake mix cookies with Ghirardelli Peppermint chips?

They are all incredible! And she is still working.

Before the Sara Evans concert, we took the family to Christmas 🎄 dinner at The Seasons. I had been there back in the 70s and I remember two things:

1. The fried biscuits with apple butter are phenomenal.

2. As everyone else ordered prime rib, I ordered chopped sirloin. Dad asked a couple of times, “Are you sure?” Everyone laughed out loud and for several years when I later whined, “Why didn’t someone tell me that chopped sirloin was hamburger 🍔.” I thought they were just going to chop my sirloin steak 🥩 up in bite sized pieces.

The fried biscuits were steaming hot 🥵 and the house made apple butter were both still phenomenal!!! The outside edges were crispy and wonderful!!!

My entree was the baked garlic butter catfish and baked potato. The catfish was outstanding!!!

For the last two years I have purchased Kelly Klosterman’s Apple 🍎 Dumplings at the Emanuel Lutheran Church bake sale. I ask, “Can you give me the recipe.” She says, ” There really isn’t one.” Can you imagine the talent? She just throws it together!

Now that I’m teaching at Lutheran Central where Kelly’s daughters go to school, you could imagine my excitement when Rachel Llosterman brings in the tray of sweet treats from The Klostermans.

The peanut butter cookies baked in a muffin tin can stand alone, but then she puts a Mini Reese’s cup in the middle. (Don’t tell the other teacher that I ate two of those.) Then, the peanut butter balls have Rice Krispies in with the peanut butter. Incredible!!!

Snickerdoodles!!! White chocolate Chex mix!!!

Now check this out. I knew something was up with the cookies on the top left and had to ask her. They are corn flake 🍪 cookies and they are delicious!!!

Congratulations to Matt Klosterman on getting Kelly to marry you!

And from the LC staff, thank you , Kelly!!!

Restaurant Quality!!! With the Winter Solstice approaching on December 21, running the griddle inside is an adequate replacement for the grill.

1. Slice an onion and place on the griddle 🍺

2. Put ground beef patties on top of the onion

3. Sprinkle some garlic salt and Dominant One on the beef

4. 🍺 🍻

5. Flip burgers 🍺

6. Toast pretzel buns in oven 🥨

7. Melt 🧀 cheese on 🍔 burgers

8. Cook 🥓 bacon in microwave

9. Enjoy an outstanding Restaurant Quality burger in your own kitchen!!!

10. If you are really good and stay focused, you may be able to eat this burger in less than 10 steps 🍔 🍺

No. Not that kind of PB & J.

Our new routine is, when we go to a concert at the Brown County Music Center, we eat at Hard Truth Hills. (Vince Gill, Clint Black, George Thorogood) Tonight it is the Oak Ridge Boys Christmas show!!! Can I get an Oom Poppa Mow Mow?

For cooking dinner most every Sunday night and the fact that I don’t own a lawn mower, we took Richard and Nina. Also trying to score son-in-law points.

Last visit we sampled brews and spirits at Hard Truth and I had a Busted Knuckle/Strawberry Blonde. I named it the Busted Blonde. Tonight it was the Peanut Butter Busted Knuckle/Strawberry Blonde. The PB & J. What a treat!!!

I can highly recommend it!!!

This is a 1970s classic that takes me back to WAKY A.M. radio. My preference is crunchy peanut butter, whole grain bread and marshmallow cream.

I’ve mentioned the “fluffernutter” a few times recently to puzzled 👀 looks. Simply use the marshmallow cream instead of jelly.

*Users note: be sure to check your face in the mirror after eating. I’m always finding marshmallow residue on my face afterward.

They are almost too pretty to eat. However, I made it happen.

Last Saturday Heidi and Sophie went to a cookie decorating party and had to leave early due to a family Thanksgiving gathering.

Ronnie Jo saved their creations and some icing and we finished them Sunday night. The girls were so excited that they made their own batch of cookies and Heidi wasn’t going to be satisfied until we all (Andrew, Liam and myself) participated. Andrew took the challenge and worked diligently to make a good cookie. Liam did OK while I did a fair job of playing Christmas music 🎶 while we worked. (I did try but came up a little short on the artistic gene. Heidi also claims I may be a bit short on the listening DNA as well.)

After they sat over night the icing firmed up and they were crunchy and delicious. Also, I believe there is a new Christmas tradition at our house.

Try to ignore my fancy spoon with the melted spot and focus on the golden brown chunks of French bread 🥖 that have been doused with butter, sugar and 🍍 pineapple.

This heavenly recipe comes from my cousin Vivian Whitehead as well as her sister-in-law Audrey Bush. I’m pretty sure they have both brought this dish to family gatherings. I will give the “Sugarbaker” shout out to Kevin Whitehead.

Heidi has adapted the recipe a bit, however, it goes mostly like this:

1. One cup of sugar

2. Three beaten 🥚 eggs

3. One stick of butter

4. One small loaf of French bread

5. One teaspoon of vanilla

6. 20 ounce can of pineapple tidbits

Slice bread 🥖 into pieces, mix other ingredients and pour over bread, bake uncovered at 350 in a 2 quart casserole dish for 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Folks at the Hackman Christmas 🎄 party were asking for the recipe!

Heidi Wintin says “A mighty fine meal, if I do say so myself.” Sophie and I concur.

Slice a chicken 🐓 breast and fill with Philadelphia Chive and Onion cream cheese and wrap with bacon. Bake at 350 for 40 minutes.

Spray the asparagus with olive oil and season with garlic salt and pepper and bake at 400 for 20 minutes.

Sauté sweet potatoes 🍠 in butter and add a pinch of salt and pepper. When it is a little brown push the sweet potatoes to the edge and melt some more butter and add brown sugar. Then mix that all together.

As a special treat tonight, we got to use real plates and silverware because the dishwasher was fixed.

By the way, how about this beautifully decorated kitchen table that Heidi’s cousin Sarah’s husband Chuck Hinton made for us!?!

Can you hear the Christmas 🎄 music 🎼 in the background? Heidi love’s Christmas!!! And it not even Thanksgiving until Thursday!

Can you see the steam coming off of these luscious chicken thighs? This is my version of Jamaican chicken. The crazy part is how tasty it is!

With Nina having shoulder surgery this week, the Sunday family meal responsibility came to Heidi and myself.

I trim the skins off the thighs and season them with Creole spices, garlic salt and applewood rub. Place them in a pan and slice a stick of butter on top. They are smoked in a pan on the Weber grill with charcoal and apple 🍎 wood for the smoke flavor on indirect heat for about 40 minutes . They are ready when the internal temperature is 165.

Throw in the sirloin 🥩 steak, Bob Evans mashed potatoes, and the asparagus and everyone is 😃 happy. ( Bob Evans is a “Go To” at our house.)

A JayC cherry 🍒 pie and some ice cream and even Nina thinks we did a good job,