Crack Mix

I love it when you go to a friend's house or have people over, fully intending to watch a movie together, and then you end up just talking or goofing around for 5 hours instead. That has happened to me twice in the past few weeks, and it doesn't bother me one bit that we didn't watch those movies. At both of those get togethers, there was no shortage of nibbles (I happened to make this mix on both occasions) - plenty of fuel for long conversations or epic game nights.

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Salted Caramel Brownies

 

I don't make New Year's resolutions. Maybe I should, but I just can't be bothered... especially since January has got to be the worst time to summon the motivation to go for a run or cut back on carbs. January/February is the time of year when I feel like napping, eating warm things from the oven, and watching every season of Friday Night Lights.

It was that kind of a weekend about a year ago when we visited my boyfriend's mom in Calgary. We kind of just stayed in, ate good food, cuddled with her dog and watched SNL. It was so nice. She had made a pan of Ina Garten's salted caramel brownies and we nibbled on them all weekend (and for a while afterwards, since she packed them up and sent them with us).
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Ropa Vieja (Cuban Pulled Beef)

 

Lately I've been daydreaming about sunshine and palm trees. As I mentioned in my last post, I managed to escape the deep freeze (i.e. Edmonton in December) for a week in lovely Varadero, Cuba, just before Christmas. It was my first warm weather vacation, the furthest south I've ever been, and after barely leaving Edmonton thanks to freezing rain, we finally arrived in Cuba. Ohhhh... it was so good. Sun, white sand beaches, and lots of rum. The whole thing seemed so surreal and dreamlike... especially as we landed back in -30C Edmonton. (I should add that it has since warmed up considerably, so E-Town and I are besties again).

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Cinnamon Bun Bars (and New Beginnings)

I'm back! Sorry for the long hiatus. The past few months have been a whirlwind - from a conked-out oven and a pest infestation, to finding a new apartment (new oven, no pests), escaping to Cuba for a while, Christmas, et cetera, et cetera... it's been a crazy winter! But we're all moved in, the tumult has died down, and I've got a new Kitchenaid mixer and camera (squeeeee!!) so I have no good reason for not posting! I hope all of you had lovely holidays and are managing to stay cozy and warm, wherever you are.

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