May you be blessed with good health, family, friends and peace in your hearts. I wish you all happy holidays as you celebrate the season and look ahead to a new decade. With much mirth and gratitude for your support over the years, Melissa
Category: Cocktails & Conversation
Entertaining, planning parties, love for the kitchen and featured home cooks around the world.
Gingerbread Butcher 2019 – Part 1
Demolition of last year’s house, and this year’s subject: Monticello
Cocktail: The Lumberjack
Real Maple Syrup Is A MUST!
Recipe: Let’s Make A Birthday Cake!
Rainbow Sprinkles Birthday Cake This recipe for a cute rainbow sprinkles birthday cake is fun to make, and kids can help make and/or decorate it. Serve it with ice cream and have an old-fashioned birthday party! Ingredients 4 egg whites 1 cup milk, divided 1 teaspoon vanilla 1 cup sugar 3 cups flour 4 teaspoons…
Mega Gingerbread House Project, Part 5: The Final Product. Plus Demolition.
Join in on social media to see the fully decorated house.
Mega Gingerbread House Project, Part 4: Last Photos Before The Unveiling
Join in on social media to see the fully decorated house.
Mega Gingerbread House Project, Part 2: Sugar Math Is The Best Math
How much molasses went into that giant gingerbread house, you ask? Well, you’ve come to the right place for answers (and its 1/2 gallon of molasses if you’re impatient). Part 1 of this blog series can be found here. Lindsey’s mega gingerbread house required twelve batches of our family recipe for construction grade gingerbread. Construction…
Mega Gingerbread House Project, Part 3: The Canine President & Duchess Of The Gingerbread Estate
Queue the trumpet sounds! Presenting President Jimmy Carter and Duchess Fiona von Woofington of Canem Manerium Caudata (which, in Latin means “The House of dogs with no tails”) These two royal canines collectively have exactly zero tails, but alas, they have many many tales. Let’s get to know them. You may recognize Fiona from…
Mega Gingerbread House Project, Part 1: Meet the Artist & Architect
Delicious Ambition. Dr. Lindsey VanDyke creates a joined-family tradition and eye-popping mega gingerbread project.
Indulgent Simple Crab Fondue Recipe
This recipe comes to me via my aunt Shirley, my Dad’s Sister, and an amazing cook. Every Christmas Eve my parents hosted an open house for all of the neighbors, some friends and co-workers, and family of said guests. It went on for hours, and the dining room was converted into a buffet for hot…
M Delish Boutique 