Beautiful weather........makes me feel like dancing!

I love this time of year - it always makes the holidays feel much more like "holidays" when it's cold vs. hot! I can remember going to the Thanksgiving Day Parade downtown Houston when it was FREEZING and we were all bundled up, with hot chocolate......and then, I can remember times when we were sweating like pigs....it's just hard to get in the spirit of the holidays when it's hot - but, when the weather is nice and cool.....I'm ready to celebrate!

I love to make my mom's famous chicken and dumplings when it's cold.....it's my favorite fall food. My husband, Mark, loves chili - the hotter the better for him. If you are not sweating bullets while eating it - it's not chili.....or so he says!

Jake is such a picky eater! However, I was pleasantly surprised when I made Mexican cornbread the other night (without the jalapeno) and he ate the whole thing off his plate!!! Score one for mom. I recently bought the "deceptively delicious" cookbook that Jessica Seinfield wrote where you puree the veggies and "hide" them in the food - I'm hoping that I can trick Jake into eating more healthy.

I made an great, easy cake yesterday - here is the recipe if anyone wants to try it....it's simply called "good cake"

1 yellow cake mix
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup oil
1 cup orange juice
4 eggs
1 can coconut pecan frosting

Mix ALL ingredients (even frosting) in bundt pan - 350 degrees for about 45 minutes. turn to 300 for about 30 more minutes. Cook until test done. Can lay foil on top so it won't get too brown for last 30 minutes. This is very good and SO easy!

Be Blessed.