Good Morning Dear Reader:

Today is an exciting day for me. I will be at Dillard’s in the Hill Country Galleria , Bee Cave- Austin, sharing Lipstick Digest with new friends. If you ever have a chance to shop here, you will find one of the loveliest bunch of people anywhere. I hope to have photos to show you tomorrow and some great new gift ideas. If you remember from my early blogs, they sponsored the Stiletto Stampede for breast cancer and my feet still aren’t the same!

Right this minute, I am in one of my favorite places in the whole world, sitting on my porch looking at the lovely Lake Travis in Austin. The only sound you can hear are birds chirping and 4 beautiful doe  munching down below on the dried corn I tossed to them.

These beautiful deer that I love are the same ones that will eat any green thing growing in the yard, other than grass. Which means your landscaping choices are extremely limited. Pretty much any blooming flower looks to them like salad. Short trees are mistaken for appetizers. Beautiful shrubs are the main course and ground covers are dessert. I have learned to love cactus, rosemary and lantana–which are pretty much all they will leave alone. It’s a small price to pay for the pleasure of enjoying their company.

I don’t know about you, but I love the Food Channel, of course  I also love food! I feel the same way about beautiful magazines about food and cooking. You would think that all that adoration would result in an overwhelming desire to create culinary masterpieces at every meal. No, not really.

Somehow, part of my brain is completely satisfied just watching someone else prepare it. I have a very vivid imagination and can actually taste those wonderful, exotic flavors as they prepare them, even if I happen to be eating a giant bowl of Orville Reddenbacher at the time. Which is why I love Bon Appetit Magazine so much.

The December issue has the most incredible peppermint meringue cake with chocolate butter cream icing on the cover–and you know how I feel about chocolate! For foodies, this magazine is nirvana. (A subscription is $12 !)

One of my favorite features is R.S.V.P.–Reader’s favorite restaurant recipes. Incredible restaurants all over the world share their special recipes every month. The Four Season’s in Beverly Hills shared their recipe for Honey-Cinnamon Granola on page 18. I think that would be a dandy item to bake in large batches and put in decorative glass jars and give as Christmas gifts.

They also highlight new and terrific restaurants around the country. This month (page 40) they mention Bolsa in Dallas, a hybrid restaurant-food and gift store near Oak Cliff Farmer’s Market.

Page 50 features a monthly column by Andrew Knowlton, Bon Appetite’s Restaurant Editor. He suggests for a crowd-pleaser appetizer, bring homemade pimento cheese served with celery sticks and Ritz Crackers. Here’s his recipe from his Grandma Knowlton.

1 and 1/2 cups (packed) finely grated extra-sharp yellow cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)

1 and 1/2 cups (packed) finely grated extra-sharp white cheddar cheese (about 6 ounces)

1 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup cup diced, drained pimiento peppers from a jar, roasted red peppers or piquillo peppers ( about 2 and 1/2 ounces)

1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

Mix first five ingredients in medium bowl. Mash with fork to blend well. Season with salt and pepper. Cover, chill until cold, at least 2 hours and up to 3 days.

And bon appetit to you!!

Diane

P.S. Please click on “Comments” by the date at the top of the page to let me know more about you & your favorite movies for our holiday list. Thanks!