I am going to go ahead and warn you that these are HIGHLY addictive! I'm sure you have had other homemade chex mix recipes before...and I'm sure they are tasty, but I am not yanking your chain when I tell you that this is the best recipe! The women in my family have been making this exact recipe for several generations. My homemade doo-dads are going to change your world this holiday season I can promise you and I can't wait for you to give them a try!

To this day, the smell of this baking throughout the house is one of my favorite memories growing up at this time of the year. It's salty, and crunchy, and those bits that get stuck together during the baking process is something that we all fight over in my family!

You are either going to hate me or love me after you make this...or maybe a little of both because you won't be able to stop eating it!

It's a little time intensive, but really easy! Great for a Sunday afternoon at home with your family. The smells that will take over your house will make you oh so happy!

PostedDecember 4, 2013

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSnacks

Tagshomemade, chex mix, Christmas

"What if you just knew everything was working out perfectly? Trust."

This is a quote on a magnet that I bought in Breckenridge, Colorado on a family vacation several years ago. Little did I know that it would not only become one of my favorite quotes, but that it would also become a daily reminder for me when things aren't always black and white in my life. On the other hand, life in black and white would get boring real quick...wouldn't it?

PostedDecember 2, 2013

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesLife

TagsTrust, Life

1 CommentPost a comment

I'm sure most of you know this about me, but for those of you who don't...wait for it...I'm a huge fan of wine! Shocker I'm sure... Most of the time a glass of one of my favorites is great on its own. However, during the holidays it's nice to make cocktails that I don't usually take the time to do during the rest of the year.

Sangria is one of those drinks that is great to make because you can make a large batch of it ahead of time, it's easy, and most people enjoy drinking it. There are so many ways to make it, that you can really cater it to a specific holiday, or time of year, and you can use whatever fruits you have in the fridge.

So in the spirit of Thanksgiving and the fact that Christmas is right around the corner, I thought that making a cranberry sangria seemed appropriate for the time of year!

This Spiced Cranberry and Orange Sangria is the perfect drink to serve at any holiday party that you throw or attend for the rest of the year. It's tart from the cranberries, spicy from the cinnamon stick and oranges, and has just enough sweetness to balance it all out from the cranberry simple syrup. Not to mention it looks super festive! Yum.

Is it cocktail time yet?

PostedNovember 27, 2013

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesCocktails

TagsHoliday, Cocktails, Cranberry, sangria

2 CommentsPost a comment

Let's talk baking and why it can be terrifying. I have admitted to you before, my talents do not lie in the baking department. I mean the pressure of having to measure everything so perfectly and follow the recipe to a tee takes all the fun out of why I love to be in the kitchen in the first place.

And while I am not the most skilled baker, I do frequently get in a baking mood. I have several recipes that I keep on hand to pull out that do not take much time or thought and usually I have most of the ingredients on hand. This is how I usually end up baking...I get in the mood which is followed by rummaging through my pantry to see what I have in there already and that usually dictates what I end up making.

These cute little baby apple pies were the result of a really rainy day, where I was stuck inside and you can probably guess what happened next...yep, I was forced to bake something. I had just bought quite a few of my favorite honey crisp apples, and thought hmm...of course, apple pies!

PostedNovember 25, 2013

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesDessert

TagsApples, Pies, Honey Crisp, Baking

Mom-Mom's Sweet Potato Casserole: My Diary of Us

You know what my favorite thing about a recipe is? I love that it can be carried down from generation to generation keeping family traditions and loved ones alive. For me, I think that's why I love cooking so much. I have very early memories of helping my mom in the kitchen absorbing every bit of information that she would give me. There was always so much love in her food, which is probably why my friends loved coming to our house so much. Still to this day she loves feeding people, like literally nothing makes her happier than having a house full of guests that she can serve a delicious meal to! I definitely inherited this same love from her, and she inherited it from her mom. My mom-mom's sweet potato casserole is one of those recipes that we make every Thanksgiving without fail because it's tradition but also because it's just absolutely delicious!

PostedNovember 23, 2013

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesSide Dishes

TagsSweet Potatoes, Casserole, Thanksgiving, sweet potato casserole

I don't know about you, but this year I have had a hard time getting into the holiday spirit. It just hasn't felt like the holidays usually feel to me. For the past eight years, I have worked in retail and the holidays usually start in October. So by Thanksgiving, I am in full holiday mode already playing Christmas music, burning pine scented candles, and driving my husband crazy with asking if I can put up the tree yet.

PostedNovember 19, 2013

AuthorLeigh Ann Chatagnier

CategoriesHoliday

Tagsholiday, Anthropologie

Homemade Doo-Dads

What if You Just Knew

Spiced Cranberry Orange Sangria

Mini Apple Pies

Mom-Mom's Sweet Potato Casserole

A Holiday Spark