Archives for November 2011

by on November 29, 2011   •   Holidays

Home for the Holidays: Bloggers without Borders

Christmas isn’t just about giving and getting (although we’re so excited to bring your our annual giveaway week) which is why for this year’s Home for the Holidays, we wanted to highlight some great organizations doing amazing things. Specifically, five organizations that are near and dear to our hearts. I hope that after reading this post, you’ll take a minute to browse the other SLM sites and learn a bit about our favorite charities.

I’m so excited to spotlight Bloggers without Borders today as it is an organization that occupies part of my time, much of my thoughts, and all of my heart.

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by on November 25, 2011   •   18 Comments Entertaining & Holidays

2011 Holiday Gift Guide: My Top 10 Cookbook Picks

Last year’s gift guide for cookbooks was so much fun, especially the title-swapping in the comments, that I had to follow up with another round-up of recommendations for 2011. It’s been a most stellar year for cookbooks – a good thing, until you’re trying to narrow your favorites down to ten. Not an easy task.

This year I really tried to keep you, my readers, in mind when reviewing cookbooks. Even though I have a wicked sweet tooth, you’ll notice there are no dessert books in the line-up. Inspiration for sweets is everywhere – Pinterest, blogs, magazines – but what I find most of us struggle with is getting dinner on the table every night.

My top picks for this year contain a wide variety of cookbook styles that range from practical to artisanal, homey to technical and all of them provide tons of inspiration for dinner.  You can be sure to find one or two books on this list that fit you and your family’s food culture to a ‘T’.

For the entertainer to the vegetarian on your holiday gift list, here are my top 10 cookbook picks for 2011! Happy browsing. Happy cooking.

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by on November 23, 2011   •   41 Comments Quick Bites

A Last Minute Appetizer: Baked Brie with Cranberry Sauce and Walnuts

Written by Katie of GoodLife Eats.

I‘m not really an appetizer person, so when Aimée suggested writing about a quick, last minute Thanksgiving appetizer I was a little stumped. I don’t make a lot of appetizers and I didn’t grow up in a family that served them on Thanksgiving. Thanksgiving was pretty much always just about the main feast. Luckily, my good friend Shaina came through with the idea to do something with baked brie.

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by on November 21, 2011   •   27 Comments Bakeshop

Cranberry-Orange Pie with Cornmeal Streusel Topping

There’s been a literal deluge of pies around the blogosphere lately. Have you noticed? Everywhere I look I am tempted by the flaky crusts, fruity fillings and creamy toppings that are coming out of kitchens from coast to coast. It’s a wonderful thing.

One scroll through my friend Cheryl’s ‘Love the Pie‘ link up from last week will make your head spin; nearly one-hundred and seventy scrumptious pies are represented. That’s a lot of pie love.

Here at Simple Bites, we’ve contributed our fair share of seasonal pies this fall – and we haven’t stopped yet. In fact, I’ve been saving the best for last. Today’s Cranberry-Orange Pie with Cornmeal Brown Sugar Streusel is easily the best pie I’ve eaten all year. [Read more…]

by on November 19, 2011   •   3 Comments Link Love

Weekend Links: Eat Well, Spend Less Wrap-Up

Every month eight other bloggers and I look at how we can feed our families well and keep the food budget in check with our series Eat Well, Spend Less. This month we share our strategies for frugal eating over the holidays, a time when most people tend to over-shop.

Now, I’m the sole Canadian in the group, so the focus is on the upcoming US Thanksgiving, but the tips and strategies are completely applicable for Christmas dinner as well.

These posts went live on various days over this past week, so here’s a handy wrap up of the topics covered, including subjects such as decorating, allergies, family dynamics, and leftovers. So pour yourself a coffee and join us for November’s edition of Eat Well, Spend Less!

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