When I saw this recipe for Artichoke and Potatoes Papillote Provencale, I had to try it. I like to cook french food and I don't eat artichokes often enough but I do like them.

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Over the weekend I played outside quite a bit. Can you blame me? The warm day enticed me to shed my jacket, my shoes, and sip rum runners by the sea. When you live in paradise sometimes it's hard to imagine places like Boston with snow on the ground.

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I must be one of the worst holiday shoppers around. First of all, I waited to tackle my Christmas shopping until mid week when the crowds aren't as bad. After I went to 2 stores I called it quits. Going to a beer tasting sounded like more fun to me. So I headed out in the freezing night to WOB and ordered a Winterbourne. Mmm, it tasted like a Newcastle with a hint of nutmeg. I get sucked into the long couches and 5 big screens showing winter scenery. As I looked around the bar I noticed that it was filling up fast. I wondered how many others were supposed to be "Christmas shopping".

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Pumpkin is a favorite fall flavor apparently. Walk into any coffee shop and they have some sort of twist on pumpkin from a latte to pastries this time of year. The guys at work say they don't have a sweet tooth so I made sure to tell them they probably won't care for the muffins on my desk I brought from Panera for the team. The pumpkin muffin tops were eaten faster than you can say 3-way-handshake. I love that it's just the top of the muffin too, it's like I'm in the Seinfeld episode.

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Wow it's hot! Stepping into the sun today was disastrous and we quickly dipped in the water to cool off. It is a lazy Sunday around the homestead spent cracking open one cold one after another. Honestly, I still don't have much of an appetite but I did manage to eat chips and guacamole with the cold beer on hand.

Happy Friday! Have a great weekend and don't forget the sunscreen.

It's February and freezing outside. 28 Days of the coldest weather is normal for everywhere except Florida. The rain has put a damper on outside activities so I've gathered my to do list of indoor items. Tonight I was planning on making a wine run to my favorite store. Provisions have gotten dangerously low at my house and I hear there is snow in the panhandle.

The fireplace has been the point of interest at home whether I'm curled up reading, watching the Winter Olympics soon, or just playing, the winter would not be the same without one. It's cozy and goes well with the wine cellar. Every soup recipe I can think of I have eaten beside it and we are a bit burnt out lately, no pun intended. This Valentine's I've got something special planned for dinner. It's a secret.

The only thing better than watching a snow game of football is watching a snow game from sunny Florida; however, it's not sunny today. The weather is quite wet and chilly here in the tropics. Cincy and Pitt are fighting it out with an exciting game and I'm hoping Cincy goes undefeated!

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This weather was fabulous and I decided to have a Chili cookoff for an excuse to gather friends together and have fun. As I have mentioned in previous posts, I'm rather known for making good chili. Think "Green Eggs and Ham", by Dr Seuss. I will eat them on a lake, I will eat them on a boat, I will eat them in the yard, I will eat them with a goat. I love Chili and will not think twice of driving to a cookoff to compete. Friends make it the best however, and they really brought game this year. All I'm going to say about the recipe is I like to keep it fresh with a new one every time.

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