DECK THE HOLIDAY'S

   This holiday season, I'm sure you'll come across many new dishes that you can share with your family for years to come.  Every year I try to come up with  a different creation than the traditional desert of pumpkin pie.  Last year instead of pumkin pie I made a marbled pumpkin cheesecake with a gingersnap crust.    Here's a new one some of you may not know about.  Have you ever tried Turducken?   Chances are high that you haven't unless you are from the Southern United States or have relatives from the South.     A Turducken is a combination of a Turkey, a Duck and a Chicken.  When I first heard about Turducken, I could only envision some mad scientist combining the DNA of these three to create a  new speicies of bird.  I did further research this year and after reading more about the concept I understand it better.  The meat is created using the combination of these traditional bir...

   I know there are thousands,  if not millions of chocolate lovers out there.  I happen to be one of those people and have tried several different chocolate treats in my lifetime.  So what do I consider to be the top chocolate treats?  I find that there are several different chocolate treat categories and there are treats in each category that are better than the rest.  This article will stick to foods you can buy in almost any grocery store.  These chocolate treats are low in price but high in taste. Candy bars:  We've all tried several varieties of this chocolate treat, but which ones are the best?  Throughout my life, my tastes have changed and I've had several different favorites.  My favorites lean now to either the milky way bar , with it's chocolate and caramel, or a nice big snickers bar, with the chocolate and caramel and a little dose of peanuts to go with it. Ice Cream:   Let's face it, just plain old ...

Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh    One of the most fascinating parts of the Christmas story is the coming of the Magi.  When the Magi or Wise Men visited the baby Jesus, they brought gifts to present to Him.  It was customary that foreign emissaries and ambassadors would bring gifts to court the favor of royalty.  This was especially true of the times of royal births.  The Magi came to Jerusalem seeking the newborn king of Israel and did not find Jesus there.  The Magi were directed to Bethlehem to search for Jesus there.  Once they located Jesus they presented Joseph and Mary gifts for the birth of the King.  Each of the three gifts represented an aspect of who Jesus is and what his mission was to fulfill.  We are not given any indication of the amounts of each of the gifts or how many of the Magi were represented.  The importance of the gifts was the message that each one conveyed about Jesus.  The gold represented the fact ...

   We all remember our first slice of cheesecake-that gooey, delicious dessert that almost melted in our mouths.  What you may not have realized is that the original cheesecake looked and tasted nothing like what we enjoy today.  Before you grab another slice of this tasty dessert, take some time to learn about the cheesecake origins you never knew. Cheesecake History Starts in Ancient Greece    The first cheese cakes were thought to be made in Ancient Greece.  On the island of Samos, archaeologists reported they found cheese molds that dated back to 2,000 B.C.-that means cheesecake is more than 4000 years old!  In Ancient Greece, cheesecake was not the creamy dessert treat we recognize today.  Instead, athletes used it as an energy source before the first Olympic games in 776 B.C. and newlyweds served it at their wedding reception.    The Greek writer Athenaeus is credited with recording the original cheesecake recipe....

   The visit of the Magi is an incredible and fascinating event that is one of the favorite parts of the Christmas story.  The coming of the Magi or Wise Men has been clouded in mystery and intrigue for thousands of years.  One reason for this intrigue is that because of the many misconceptions surrounding their visit.  Today we hold many aspects of their visit to be true but in reality are unknown or untrue.  Here are just a few of the misconceptions involving the visit of the Wise Men. Misconception #1:  The Wise Men were Kings    Nowhere does the Biblical record describe these men as kings.  We hear the song We Three Kings and take it for gospel.  The Wise Men were Magi, a class of advisers that were part of the Babylonian society.  The Magi were well known for various skills such as diplomacy, the interpretation of dreams, the use of sorcery and politics.  The word magi is where we derive our English word magi...

   Luxury retailer Nieman Marcus is out with its 2010 holiday gift guide.    The catalog, which began as a Christmas card for shoppers in 1915, showcases the latest in fashion, shoes,jewelry and luxury items.    Here is a listing of the featured luxury items that appear in this years catalog. His and Hers Metroship Luxury Houseboat    On the 50th anniversary of His and Hers gifts, it is called the ultimate romantic retreat.  With a 40 foot by 12 foot open floor plan and 7 foot high ceiling.  Built as a luxury loft that floats. It has all the "bells and whistles" a loving couple could  want in a little retreat from everyday life. Twin 60 hp Honda outboard engines. Price: $250,000.00  Diamond and Gold His and Hers 50th Anniversary Charm Bracelet    Crafted from one of a kind 11 marquise-cut diamonds.  Certified fancy-and extremely rare-naturally colored diamonds in the collection include richly hued ...

   Peek among the branches of the family Christmas tree in many homes, and you may spot a glistening green glass pickle ornament or 2.  Do you find yourself in a pickle, trying to figure out why this pickled cucumber ornament is a symbol for Christmas? Why do many families traditionally hang pickles on their Christmas trees?    The Christmas pickle ornament tradition apparently began centuries ago in Germany.  As a family gathered to decorate the Christmas tree together on Christmas Eve, a blown glass pickle would be among the holiday ornaments.  Once the Christmas tree was fully trimmed, one of the parents would secretly hide a glass pickle ornament among the branches.    On Christmas morning, the first child in the family to find the Christmas pickle, tucked inside the branches of the Christmas tree, would be considered especially lucky.  Often, the Christmas pickle finding child would receive an extra special holiday gift from S...