Broccoli Cauliflower Salad

1 bunch of broccoli - broken into florets
1 bunch of cauliflower - broken into florets
1/2 cup raisins
6 strips of bacon, crumbled
thinly sliced red onion, to taste

1 cup mayo
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 cup sugar

Got this reicpe from a neighbor and it turned out pretty good! This was a nice side dish to have with some grilled chicken and it would also be good with a good option to take for a pot luck dinner to share with others. What I like about this dish was that I was able to pick up some locally grown veggies from an indoor farmers market, so the raw broccoli & cauliflower together were very fresh and crunchy. It took no time to throw this together and I did think letting it sit in the fridge before it was served helped all the flavors come together nicely. I do think I'll make this in the future, but I'll be playing with the dressing a bit - maybe cutting back on some of the sugar and mayo. Whether you make it following the recipe or you decide to put your own twist on this salad, I hope you enjoy it!

Food, Fun, and Bling!

A few weeks ago, my Mom and I gathered up a few friends and hosted a Premier Jewelry Party. It was the perfect opportunity to break out some of the fun party hosting dishes I have and serve up some delicious snacks. I made Spinach Dip and some Creamy Chicken Pastry Pockets, which were fantastic. And the big hit of the "food party" was the milk chocolate fondue - so many fun dippers, all of which were great! Mom brought brownie bites, fruit, graham crackers, pretzel sticks and my favorite...drum roll..."naked buckeyes"! That's right, she made up the insides of buckeye candies and then we dipped those in the chocolate fondue!
I can't say enough about how easy it was to host the jewelry party - all I had to do was come up with a list of friends and the Premier consultant did most of the leg work! See all that fun, sparkly jewelry she brought for people to try on - it's all laid out on the table behind her. I liked how she brought several of the pieces from the catalog - I think seeing jewelry in person helps people decide if it's something they will wear.
And see all these shiny sliver boxes - all 12 of them - those are all free pieces of jewelry we received as party hosts. Since my Mom and I split the hosting duties, we split the free benefits too and both got some great new jewelry to show off this holiday season!
Nothing like a new pair of earrings & necklace to to spice up some of the clothes already in your closet!

Thanksgiving Day Race Photos

The start of the race - with the poncho and shower cap...

The shot below is around mile 4 - not the most flattering photo...

And the crossing the finish line with my friend Julie.
We were both ready for some warm, dry clothes at this point!