How to Bake a Chocolate Cake That is an Outstanding Winner

 In 30 years of baking cakes, this is the one I’ve made the most.

Image by author, Susan Foster

Do you have a favorite cake recipe? 

Is there a cake recipe you’ve made repeatedly? If so, what do you love about that recipe? 

• Is it the best cake you ever had? 
• Is it quick and easy to make?
• Does it require a minimum of dishes and little cleanup after cooking?
• Is it the one your family or friends most frequently request?
• Do you always have the ingredients on hand?

My favorite cake recipe

For my favorite cake recipe, all the answers to the above questions are a resounding YES. 

I enjoy trying new recipes and I love all flavors of cake, but when I don’t feel like experimenting or spending a lot of time in the kitchen, this is the cake I always make. Whenever I serve it, guests ask for the recipe and always say it’s delicious.

I first tasted this cake when visiting a friend, and she served it for dessert. When I returned home, I realized I just had to have the recipe. I still have a copy of her original email with the recipe, sent almost 30 years ago to me. I have no idea where she got it from.

Throughout the years, I've made some changes to the recipe. Here’s my favorite way to make it:

Image by author, Susan Foster

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

A Simply Scrumptious Scallops Recipe

This recipe is easy and elegant, but it takes hardly any time to prepare.

Image by Susan Foster.

Trying to say Simply Scrumptious Scallops quickly three times in a row may be harder than it is to make this recipe! 😉

In short order.

Years ago, when my husband and I were first married, a friend gave us a subscription to the magazine, Gourmet. It used to include a section called “In Short Order: Recipes That Beat the Clock” and those recipes always made us drool. Since we believed they were the type of recipe we could successfully tackle, even on a weeknight, we tore that section out of the magazine each month and compiled them in a binder. 

Those much-used pages have become dog-eared, bookmarked with sticky notes, and covered with ink and pencil notations.

How a Mistaken Identity Led to an Unexpectedly Delicious Oatmeal Recipe

Most of us know it is a wise practice to label food items before storing them in the freezer. Sometimes, though, we get lazy or just assume that we will recognize them. Or at least I do. 😊 

Food without a label can acquire a mistaken identity. This can have unexpected consequences, as proven by the oatmeal I made for breakfast.

My recent oatmeal "oops" 

To improve my diet and also just because I enjoy the taste, a while back I started eating oatmeal almost every morning for my breakfast. Not the prepackaged sugary kind. I get out a pot, place it on the stove and add some 5-minute oats (or more recently some steel-cut oats) with water, a pinch of salt, and some fruit. I cook these until they are nice and creamy, then scoop them into a bowl. A dollop of Greek yogurt and a sprinkling of nuts, and I see no need for any sugar. 

I recently read that while quick-cooking or 5-minute oats are better than the sugared individual-packet kind, steel-cut oats are even more nutritious. They take a little longer to cook, but the benefits (and the texture) are well worth it. 

I flavor oatmeal without sugar in all sorts of ways. Sometimes I add a little peanut butter and/or jam. It is really yummy with the addition of some fruit. Most often I just add part of a banana or some sort of berry. Fresh or frozen fruit cooks up equally well. 

This week, though, I accidentally added something quite unique ...

Happy Valentine's Day 2021

How can we celebrate Valentine's Day during a pandemic?

This card, showing a masked kitty with a facemask was sent to us by friends of ours and designed and printed by Ritzy Rose in Pickerington, OH.

February 14th is a day for showing sweethearts, friends, and family that we care. 

Are you at a loss for how to celebrate Valentine's day during this year of pandemic restrictions and fears?

Opportunities may seem limited right now, but it seems more important than ever to show others just how much we care. 

Here are a few last-minute ideas for you.

Homemade Soup Day

At the beginning of this week, I wrote some thoughts about National Freedom Day. Today's topic is also about a day of "national" recognition, but it's less serious and a whole lot tastier!

February 4th was somehow designated as National Homemade Soup Day.

Numerous references to it can be found on social media and the Internet. Curious, I did a fairly in-depth google search, but couldn't find much information about the history of this designated day. There is no mention of what person or organization started this trend or how it gained traction, but National Soup Day is listed on the National Day Calendar.

I'm perfectly fine with soup having its own day. Really, though, any day is a good soup day! 

February 4th was a well-chosen soup day for people in northern climates. There are few foods as comforting as a steaming bowl of soup on a bitterly cold day. For people in more southern regions, a cold soup, such as cold cucumber soup or a gazpacho would be a perfect choice this time of year.

Last weekend, a friend sent me a photo of the soup she had just made. It looked so pretty and so tasty, I asked her for the recipe. 

Soup recipes are usually pretty forgiving and easily adjusted.

Yesterday, I decided my friend's soup was the perfect thing to make for dinner. However, I didn't have all

Happy May Day! Did You Say Rabbit, Rabbit?

It's May 1st!

Did you remember to say Rabbit, Rabbit before you got out of bed? A friend of mine told me about this superstition back when we were in high school. Supposedly, if you say rabbit before you get out of bed on the first day of any month, you will have good luck for the next 30 days. Saying it twice makes the luck really stick.

Don't worry if you didn't say rabbit, rabbit this morning though, this NPR article offers some alternative suggestions for a lucky month.

May Day or May 1st is sometimes celebrated with May Pole dances and flower baskets left on neighbor's doorknobs. Ancient pagans considered it "the day halfway between spring and summer." Ha ha, they certainly didn't live in Montana!

However, I think spring weather maybe has finally arrived here. We did some hiking with our dog on Sunday. It was a different trail than the one I wrote about last week, when we had to turn back because of snow and ice. On this route, we didn't run into any snow. Instead, our descent was made in

The Learn Something New Every Day project: January 2018

My Learn Something New Every Day of 2018 project went well during its first month. As I explained in my last post, my goal is to recognize and record one thing I've learned at the end of each day. I'm sharing my lessons here, with the hope that you'll find some of them interesting or helpful too. 

Some days the information gleaned was useful and on others quite trivial, but for each day of January, I recorded a tidbit of knowledge I didn't have during the previous 24 hours. 

Note: This blog post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and then make a purchase, I may receive a form of compensation. I only recommend products I believe in.

Perhaps the lesson that amazed me most and was reinforced to me repeatedly this month, is how very quickly puppies grow up! 

Ours has already tripled in weight and grown exponentially since we adopted her.

My List of January Lessons: 

For more in-depth information about some of these topics, more details can be found in my previous post about Week 1 of this project and in future posts (soon to be published on this blog). 

January

Week 1.

•  1. Puppy toys can come unstuffed.
•  2. How to unclog a vacuum. 
•  3. It’s a small world. Well, sort of. 
•  4. Use vinegar to poach an egg.
•  5. The best place to do a puzzle. 
•  6. The aloe vera plant is useful for more than just first aid for burns.
•  7. An interesting political idea.

Week 2.

•  8. It's easy to make excellent artisan bread with a lovely crunchy crust.

I will be posting full details on how to bake bread like this soon, in an upcoming post.

This is the bread recipe I have always wanted!

•  9. Puppies grow quickly. 

The photos above already prove this point, but I can't resist sharing two more. We think she's cute.

I've lost track of how many times we've been told, "Wow, she's going to be a big dog!"





• 10. There's an easy way to get a dog to take a pill without spitting it out.

• 11. I found a few new ways to use the "Notes" feature on my iPhone and MacBook efficiently.

I'm Featured on The Blended Blog Today!

Today I am being featured on The Blended Blog.  It is a collective blog featuring many creative voices, written by a group of talented lifestyle and fashion bloggers. I am honored that my friend Lana (who also writes Two Teens and Their Mama) interviewed me for today's "Featured Friday" post. I hope you will stop over there and check it out.

Lana and I were lucky enough to discover each other's blogs right away when we both began blogging. We have been friends ever since.

We've met in person several times and even participated in a walk together. 

You can read about the times we have gotten together in person by clicking the links for these two posts: 

Neither of Us Was a Catfish  

Seattle Rock'n'Roll: Running, Walking, and Reuniting.

I once guest posted for Lana, and you might enjoy my Blackberry Crisp Recipe from that article.

And ... you might even learn a thing or two you don't already know about me when you read my answers to the interview questions on The Blended Blog!

My posting schedule has become sporadic this summer, as I am putting my energy into spending time with family and friends. It will become more frequent again next fall. My next post will be published one day next week, and hopefully, it will save you a little time!

Which do you think is harder: creating a set of interview questions or answering them?

Which would you rather do?

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

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Red, White, and Blue. Add an Easy Patriotic Touch to Any Treat!

I have a little tip for adding an easy patriotic or festive touch to almost any dessert.  A simple homemade red, white, and blue candy garnish can make any dessert more American, or you can use the colors of whatever country/event/club/organization that you are celebrating.

Treats such as cherry pie, strawberry-rhubarb pie, a flag cake, or red, white, and blue muffins are always a hit on an American holiday such as Memorial Day, July 4th or Labor Day. 

However, you are not limited by these choices. You can make almost any dessert special for the occasion with a quick little candy treat. Cakes, pies, cookies, and bars can all be made patriotic and festive with them, and you can even place a candy garnish or two gently on the top of a pudding or custard (or on a plate beside them.)

I decorated individual servings of white chocolate mousse with snowflake candy decorations for a fancy winter party.

Even if you buy a dessert instead of making one, you can make it more special with this decorating trick!

How to Make Candy Garnishes for Desserts

All that you need is a few minutes and:

How to Divide Cake Batter: An Easy Tip for Even Layers

I have loved to bake cakes for as long as I can remember.

For years, however, the task of making a two-layer cake intimidated me.  It never seemed like I could get the layers to bake evenly, and my cakes were always lopsided.

One summer when I was in high school, we were visiting my grandparents in Pennsylvania. Various family members were coming to dinner for my grandfather's birthday. I offered to make the birthday cake, and my grandmother supplied me with a cake mix.

We had been living in Spain, and the only cakes I had ever made were from scratch. By comparison, the cake mix seemed so easy.  My cake layers (of course) were horribly uneven, but I decided it was nothing that a lot of icing couldn't fix! Using the only chocolate frosting recipe I knew, I made up a batch of frosting and smeared it between and on top of the two layers until the top appeared flat and smooth.

Later that day, to my horror, I realized that one layer had slid nearly off the other, and the whole cake was breaking into pieces. The heavy frosting had just been too much for the light and airy cake texture that the cake mix had produced.

I was mortified and begged my grandmother to let me make another cake before dinner. She saw no sense in wasting what would still be a delicious dessert, and scooped it into a 9 x13 inch pan. She told me we would serve it from the kitchen, and "no one would ever know."

My grandfather had a sense of humor. He had caught on that something was not quite right with his cake. When we started bringing plates of cake to the table he said, "But, where's my birthday cake? I want to see

A Yummy (Easy) Dessert for Cinco de Mayo or any Mexican meal.

It is almost Cinco de Mayo, so today I am sharing a dessert recipe that is one of my favorite endings to a Mexican meal. If you make my Sopapilla Cheesecake Squares, this recipe will probably become a favorite of yours too! 

It seems like practically everyone likes Mexican Food.

Mmmm. Mexican food.  It's so yummy and a perfect menu choice for a party, especially on the festive occasion of Cinco de Mayo (the fifth of May.) 

Before I share my dessert recipe, I have a suggestion for an easy Mexican main dish you might want to make, as well.

An Impressive Dessert Recipe: Easy Molten Chocolate Cakes

Have you ever needed a recipe for an impressive dessert? Did you consider baking Molten Chocolate Cakes, but decided they were too difficult? If so, I have the perfect easy recipe for you!

Mindy, a fictional character in a short story I have been writing, is the reason for my discovery of this recipe. In the most recent chapter, Mindy was preparing a Valentine's Day dinner for her boyfriend Ryan and hoping it would inspire him to offer her a marriage proposal. Due to unexpected circumstances Ryan may never

An Unexpected Surprise for Valentine's Day

I think you may be surprised by what Ryan has in store for Mindy this Valentine's day. 

It's been a while since I have written a chapter of "The Mindy Story", but I am publishing one today! As with the rest of this short story, Words for Wednesday word prompts (provided this week on the blog Elephant's Child) are woven into this chapter. 

To catch up with "The Mindy Story" so far, here are links to all the previous segments: 

Part 1, Cleaning Products Don't Work Unless You Use Them
Part 2, A Perfect Match
Part 3, Fiction, Sangria, Roasted Red Pepper Spread and a Picnic
Part 4, Stitches and an Uncomfortable Surprise
Part 5, A Banana Relapse will Require a Repair
Part 6, Capturing Fruit Flies & Wine Glasses for Two
Part 7, A Coffee Date and Cathedral Windows
Part 8, Chicken Broth and Walnuts - - Oops!
Part 9, A Mystery and a Secret
Part 10, Blue Bird - Blue Bell - - Blue Bonnet!
Part 11, Lemonade and a Pleasant Conversation
Part 12, A Photo Album, a Lunar Event and a Furry Friend
Part 13, France and a Friendship  

 When you are ready, here is Part 14  ...

Another chapter in the unpredictable life of Mindy ...

An Unexpected Surprise for Valentine's Day 

The instructions indicated that she should grease the pans. Using a piece of waxed paper, Mindy carefully smeared dabs of butter to coat the bottom and sides of each ceramic ramekin completely. 

The recipe Mindy was following was one which her cousin had posted on Facebook. Apparently whenever she serves these warm Molten Chocolate Cakes, everyone says they are exquisite.

She was hoping that Ryan would give rave reviews after his first bite of hers, but she sort of doubted that he would. Ever since his return from Paris just before Christmas, he had just seemed so ambivalent about everything. It was like a light switch had been turned off. He and Mindy were still spending a lot of time together, but it always felt like his mind was somewhere else. The energetic, enthusiastic man he used to be seemed to have been replaced by a zombie.

“The best way to a man’s heart is through his stomach,” thought Mindy grimly, as she got out her standing mixer.  “Or, so the saying goes. Well, I’m giving it my best shot.”

Mindy had spent a lot of time planning the elaborate Valentine’s Day dinner she was making for Ryan. She felt like it was her last chance at securing a future with him. If these efforts and the bold little pink dress and stiletto heels she planned to wear tomorrow didn’t aim Cupid’s arrow directly into Ryan’s heart, she didn’t know anything that would.

The evolution of their relationship from secure and comfortable to distant and uncertain had happened practically overnight. Mindy had been sure that when Ryan had returned from Paris on December 6th, he would have with him an engagement ring and be ready with a proposal. But, both Christmas and New Year’s were now over, and no little box had magically appeared.

Crossing the kitchen to get the cocoa from the pantry, Mindy nearly tripped over the cat. Scooping up her furry pet, she softly crooned, “Oh Eiffel, if only I could be sure he loves me as much as you do.” 

Looking back, Mindy realized she had been happier during the three months Ryan had been away in Paris then during the two months since his return.  Taking cooking and dancing lessons with Barb had made the days go by quickly. She had kept the lessons a secret, hoping to knock Ryan off his feet when she demonstrated her skills; but she had told Ryan about adopting the cat. He had seemed to fully approve, and had even suggested she name him after a French monument. 

Since Christmas though, Ryan had shown no enthusiasm for her new talents or her pet. He discouraged her offers to cook French meals for him, saying they were too heavy for his taste.  He had ignored all her suggestions to go out dancing, and lately, he barely ever paid any attention to her cat. 

Eiffel had been licking a smudge of butter from Mindy’s finger with his rough tongue. With a sigh, she set him down and went to the sink to wash her hands. While she was drying them, the phone rang. Glancing at caller I.D., she smiled when she recognized Barb’s number.

“Hey you, I was just thinking about you,” said Mindy into the receiver.

“Really - well, I’ve been wondering how your fiendish scheme to tempt a marriage proposal out of Ryan is going? Have you set the table and are the cooking preparations underway? Did you remember to strain the Port-Rosemary Sauce for the beef tenderloin steaks the way we were taught? Do you plan to let him have just a bite of the lobster, and then take it away and refuse to give it back until he pops the question? Or - maybe you will just wait till he gets a whiff of those terrific chocolate cakes?” Barb giggled as she fired off these questions. Mindy appreciated how she was trying to encourage and help her to relax.

"I’m hard at work Barb. This better work. If not, I’m just not sure how long I can last with things the way they are,” said Mindy.

Mindy heard a beep. “Oh Barb, I’m sorry - I’ve gotta go. That’s Ryan on the other line.”

“Sure Mindy, I understand. I hope that boyfriend of yours has come to his senses and is calling to say he is absolutely smitten with you. Have fun tomorrow sweetie - and call me with a full report!”

Mindy laughed. She ended the call with Barb and connected with the other line, saying, “Hi Ryan, I was just on the phone with Barb, but I’m off now.  What’s up?”

Without even saying hello, Ryan abruptly began, “I know that you are planning something for tomorrow, but what I have to say can't wait. I can't celebrate Valentine's Day with you, knowing that you went behind my back while I was gone. I should have said something as soon as I found out, but I just couldn't believe that your adaptive behavior to my absence would be to start seeing other men.”

“What - ," Mindy interrupted. “Ryan, is this a joke? What a ridiculous thing to say!" 

“Hear me out!,” roared Ryan. “This is the angriest I have been in a very long time. I’ve been so mad and hurt and humiliated that I haven’t even been able to confront you until now.  I had grown to really like you - actually, I loved you Mindy - and then I find out that you betrayed me. I couldn’t believe that it was true, but now I'm convinced.  I’m sorry to do this on February 13th, but I really think it is over between us.”

“Ryan - what are you talking about? Wait …” wailed Mindy, as the phone went dead.

~~*~~

The Words for Wednesday word prompts supplied this week on Elephant's Child were:

grease, ambivalent, fiendish, exquisite, terrific, evolution

AND/OR 

tongue, adaptive, angriest, furry, bold, zombie

Why do you think Ryan is so angry? 

What will Mindy do next?

A little information about Words for Wednesday:

Words for Wednesday was a meme originally created by Delores of Under the Porch Light. She used this weekly writing prompt to encourage others to write something creative. When she could no longer continue to host it, Elephant’s Child took over for a while and then organized volunteers to share the responsibility. 

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

Saturday Suggestion: Bake Some Healthy Banana Cookies

Today, I am thrilled to suggest a healthy recipe to bake. These banana cookies are a perfect treat for a cold winter day - or any day!

My sister commented that I haven't been publishing many food-related posts lately.  She's right. In an effort to reinstate some healthy-eating habits, I've been avoiding trying new recipes and baking yummy desserts. Also, our short Montana winter days have made it a challenge to have natural light to photograph the meals

Banana Bread & New Recipes to Bake: Fabulous Finds (Week #25)

I have always enjoyed new recipes; I love to cook and I especially love to bake. Like many people, however, after enjoying the delicious temptations throughout the holiday season I have been trying to return to better eating habits this month. 

After Christmas, I put myself on a bit of a baking ban. This was a measure needed to reset my sweet tooth and resume eating a healthier diet. To my delight, however, this weekend presented an opportunity to to try a banana bread recipe I have had my eye on for a while. 

Yesterday afternoon I realized I needed a hostess gift for some friends. Some really ripe bananas were sitting on my counter and the temptation was just too strong. In a flash, I had the ingredients for my new banana bread recipe lined up on the counter. 

The recipe was created by Epicurious, by combining what they liked best about a number of their favorite recipes. I especially like their suggestion to pre-toast the nuts. Here are some of their tips, helpful no matter what banana recipe is used:

• How we achieved the banana bread of our dreams by Rhoda Boon

I have a recipe for banana bread that I have been making off and on for 25 years. It is really tasty, but I'm always on the lookout for a better one.  My one complaint about my own recipe is that sometimes it is

Ideas for the Holidays: My List of Fabulous Finds (Week #24)

The holiday season is upon us. Here are a few links to articles previously published on this blog, which might make your life even merrier and brighter. I really hope they do!

~ ~ Decorate

I'm Glad to be Back: My List of Fabulous Finds (Week #23)

While taking a mini-blog vacation, I was only publishing here on Saturdays for the past few weeks so this is my first "Fabulous Finds" post in a while. During my blogging absence, I didn't get my photo collection as organized as I had hoped, but I did make a good dent in the project. 

Quite a bit happened while I was gone, however.  I managed to get our holiday lights up outside, took my son to get his cast off and his wisdom teeth out, and we went to Arizona for Thanksgiving.

In all, it was a busy couple of weeks, but I did miss blogging and I'm glad to be back.

I hope these "fabulous finds" I came across in the past few weeks will interest you.

~~*~~

This Week's Fabulous Finds:

~ ~ Roasted Garlic

I am definitely going to try roasting garlic this way!

• Easy way to roast garlic

~~*~~

~ ~  Perfect Pie Crust

A beautiful pie is like a work of art. This video from King Arthur Flour takes all the mystery out of how to crimp the edges, and make a really pretty crust.

•  How to crimp a pie crust 

~~*~~

~ ~ A detector of Gluten

For people with Celiac Disease, ingesting even a small amount of gluten can be very harmful. I just read about a device that can test foods instantly to see if they are gluten-free. It should be available soon - and seems like it would be a wonderful tool.

• Nima, the food tester.

~~*~~

~ ~ Still Missing

When Malaysia airline MH370 went down in March 2014, I could not believe that it could just disappear. A year and a half later, sadly, it has still not been found. I just came across this update.

• Australia still optimistic that it will be found

~~*~~

~ ~  Holiday Lights

I managed to get our holiday lights up just before the weather turned really cold and snowy this year. If you haven't put yours up yet, you might find reading my article from last year helpful:

• The Easy Way to Hang Christmas Lights

I was glad I got these lights up before Thanksgiving. It snowed and temperatures dropped to subzero just before we left for Arizona.

~~*~~

~ ~ A possible step forward in the fight against MS

A recent study looks at a promising approach to helping patients with Multiple Sclerosis, a disease which affects millions of people. While more work needs to be done, it would be wonderful if this research leads towards developing a cure.

• MS research

~~*~~

Have you ever tried roasting garlic using the method linked above?

This post may be linked to one of the great link-up parties I follow and list on my blog. Check them out!

In the spirit of full disclosure, this post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase after clicking on one of them, the price you pay will not be affected but I may receive some small compensation. All opinions expressed, however, are entirely honest and my own.

Saturday Suggestion: Share Your Favorite Recipes

"Sorry, it's a secret family recipe."  "Well, I'd share it with you, but I've been sworn to secrecy." Have you ever received this sort of response when you've requested a recipe from someone?

 

Family recipes

Flawed Logic.

When I was in my teens and early 20's, I was reluctant to share my favorite recipes with friends and family. If they loved something I cooked or baked, then I wanted to be the person who could make them happy by creating it for them again. I reasoned that once they had the recipe, then they would be able to prepare it for themselves or someone else, and I would no longer have the power to bring them that joy. 

Fortunately, it didn't take me long to understand that this logic was silly. If I really wanted them to be happy, then it wouldn't matter who made the recipe, as long as they got to eat or serve that particular dish or dessert!

A Reason to Share.

Now, whenever I've made a recipe that turns out well, I always welcome a time or place to share it. While I am partially motivated by wanting to spread the enjoyment of a good thing, I must admit I also have a selfish reason. I have realized that recipes can quite easily become lost or even destroyed, as in the case of (heaven forbid) a fire or a flood. I find it comforting to know that other people have copies of my recipes, and that I could obtain a duplicate from someone if I was ever missing mine.  

Every time I share a recipe on this blog it is for my readers benefit, but I'm also happy knowing that it has just become a little safer for my family and friends and future generations to enjoy.

Part of a Legacy.

Many cooks are known within their family for the special dishes that they make. Those recipes may even become named after them. Aunt Blanche's Dump Salad, Aunt Ginny's Sweet Potato Casserole, Grandma's Chocolate Chip Brownies, and Aunt Audrey's Christmas Trifle are just a few of the headings on recipe cards to which I frequently refer. 

Sometimes we remember and long for a particular item, but no one has the recipe. The baked chicken my grandmother often served when we would have a Sunday dinner with her is one such recipe. I would truly love to go back in time and ask her to write down the method with which she used to make it. 

Memories of a person or event are often passed from generation-to-generation by the sharing of a recipe. I think that is a very lovely gift indeed, and I hope my own legacy is richly endowed with delicious recipes.

My Saturday Suggestion for today is to Share Your Recipes! 

Do you agree that this is a good idea?

Politics and Entertaining: My List of Fabulous Finds (Week 22)

Another Veteran's Day has come and gone, and Thanksgiving is coming up.

I put the Halloween decorations away and decorated the house for Thanksgiving in record time this year. The snow we got here in Montana last week never completely melted, and more has been added to it. Our bodies have begun to adjust to day-light saving time, although those dark mornings and early night falls are something I will never like. 

We seem to have made the leap from fall to winter, even though that season doesn't officially begin until December 21st. 

A busy time of year

Many people consider this to be the busiest time of year. Calendars are full with plans to visit family or