Out of the Kitchen: November 2015 – A Month of Culinary Adventures, Community, and Kitten Chaos

Welcome back to another edition of “Out of the Kitchen,” where we pull back the curtain on the behind-the-scenes life of a food blogger! This November 2015 recap is packed with culinary creations, exciting professional development, and, of course, a healthy dose of feline antics from our beloved kitten, Salsa. Fair warning: you might just find yourself falling in love with our furry friend as much as we have, because yes, I’m fully embracing my role as one of those crazy pet people!

Connecting & Growing: A Food Blogging Conference in Chicago

November kicked off with an incredible experience: my first-ever blog conference in vibrant Chicago. Imagine hundreds of passionate food bloggers gathered under one roof, sharing insights, challenges, and triumphs. It was truly an inspiring atmosphere! The highlight for me was finally putting faces to names and connecting with fellow bloggers in person after months of online interaction. I had the wonderful opportunity to deepen my friendships with Taylor from Food Faith Fitness and Annie from Maebells. These two incredibly talented women are not only inspiring bloggers but also genuinely kind and supportive friends. Our conversations, whether discussing new recipes or navigating the complexities of the digital world, left me energized and full of fresh ideas. It’s moments like these – sharing a laugh under the iconic Chicago sign with Annie (or at least part of it, as captured in the first photo) – that remind me of the vibrant community within the blogging world. But then, there’s always a dose of reality right here at home. The second image captures our everyday life perfectly: Salsa, our adorable but mischievous kitten, insists on making himself comfortable right on the keyboard, bringing productivity levels to a delightful, albeit frustrating, halt. It’s a constant battle between deadlines and cuddles!

Salsa’s Silly Antics: Our Furry Kitchen Supervisor

Life with Salsa is never dull! He’s constantly finding new ways to entertain us, and sometimes, to our mild annoyance, new ways to get into trouble. Take the “cat in a hood” incident, for example. This ingenious, if slightly absurd, method of draping a blanket over his head proved to be a surprisingly effective way to keep him off the kitchen counters while still allowing him to observe the culinary action from a safe distance. It’s a win-win, mostly. Then there are the moments that truly capture the unglamorous reality of food blogging. The second photo from this set, which I also shared on Instagram, is a perfect example. It’s a reminder that not every cake starts out looking like a masterpiece. In fact, many look downright… well, let’s just say “rustic” before they transform into something delicious. This particular shot captures a raw, honest glimpse into the development process, and yes, it often involves a good laugh at the initial stages of baking. The journey from a messy batter to a beautiful dessert is rarely linear!

Behind the Scenes: Holiday Baking & Recipe Development

November is, of course, synonymous with Thanksgiving, and that means diving headfirst into festive recipes. We had so much fun creating this unique turkey cake. It was a delightful challenge to bring a Thanksgiving icon to life in cake form, transforming a savory symbol into a sweet treat. The creative process behind it was incredibly rewarding, and the resulting cake was a huge hit. If only turkey cake could be a year-round phenomenon – we certainly wouldn’t mind! The first image offers a glimpse behind the scenes of its creation, showcasing the fun involved in bringing such a whimsical idea to life. But even amidst the baking frenzy, Salsa finds a way to remind us to slow down and appreciate the simple joys. When he’s not attempting to type emails or ‘help’ with coding on my keyboard, he’s often found curled up contentedly in my lap, radiating pure cuteness as seen in the second photo. He’s our little furry stress-reliever, always ready for a snuggle and a moment of calm.

Speaking of deliciousness, feast your eyes on this incredible hot chocolate cake! It truly captures the cozy essence of the season. My favorite way to describe it is that now, you don’t just drink your hot chocolate, you can eat it too! This cake quickly became a seasonal favorite, perfect for chilly evenings and festive gatherings. The rich chocolate and warm, comforting flavors are simply irresistible, making it a perfect dessert to share with loved ones during the cooler months. On a slightly less glamorous but equally entertaining note, the second photo reveals a common struggle for anyone with outdoor pumpkins: the infamous “nut gobblers”! We finally caught these clever squirrels in the act, raiding our festive fall decorations and making off with their nutty treasures. And if you look closely enough in the window, nestled among the sill, you might just spot our diligent (or perhaps just curiously observant) supervisor, Salsa, keeping a watchful eye on the wildlife action outside. He takes his window duties very seriously!

Not every day in the kitchen goes according to plan, and some days are just plain chaotic! One memorable (and slightly frustrating) incident involved crushing candy canes for an upcoming peppermint bark recipe – a holiday staple I was eager to share with you all. After successfully scaring Salsa away from the whirring Blendtec, I thought the hard part was over. I left the freshly crushed candy canes in a bowl on the counter, just for a moment, thinking they were safe from tiny paws. Big mistake! The next thing I knew, Salsa, with his incredible stealth and agility, had leaped onto the counter, knocking the bowl clean off. Crushed, sticky candy canes scattered everywhere: across the floor, into the stove burners, even among the clean silverware in the drawer. It turns out, sticky crushed candy canes are an absolute nightmare to clean up, adhering to every surface with stubborn tenacity! This incident was a vivid reminder that even with the best intentions and meticulous planning, cooking with a curious kitten guarantees an element of unpredictability and often, a lot of extra clean-up.

Beyond the baking, November also brings wonderful opportunities for festive crafts! I embraced the Thanksgiving spirit with one of my nanny kids, creating adorable “turkey hands” drawings. These simple, heartfelt crafts are a lovely way to celebrate the season and bond with little ones, fostering creativity and a sense of holiday fun, as depicted in the first photo. However, the world of food photography isn’t always smooth sailing. The second photo captures a classic “womp womp” moment: while meticulously arranging a shot of a beautiful swirl of peppermint buttercream, my bounce board took an unexpected dive, landing squarely on top of my perfectly piped frosting. It’s a frustrating setback in the moment, requiring a redo, but also a common, humorous part of the creative process that food bloggers and photographers often face. It reminds you that perfection is often an illusion, and sometimes, you just have to laugh it off and start again!

Moving from one delightful dessert to another, this chocolate and peppermint cake is truly a standout. The combination of rich, dark chocolate with the cool, refreshing kick of peppermint is an absolute dream – easily one of my all-time favorite flavor pairings for the holiday season! The balance between the deep cocoa notes and the invigorating mint creates a truly irresistible experience. Ryan, my husband, certainly agreed, enjoying every decadent bite with enthusiasm. And of course, Salsa, ever the curious connoisseur with an incredibly sensitive nose, thoroughly enjoyed sniffing around, trying to get a taste of the delicious aromas wafting from the kitchen. His discerning senses always seem to know when something tasty is being prepared, even if he can only enjoy it vicariously!

A Quiet Thanksgiving & Holiday Preparations

This year, Ryan and I opted for a quiet and intimate Thanksgiving celebration, just the two of us. It was a wonderfully relaxing day, filled with delicious food and cherished time together, a welcome change from busier holiday traditions. Ryan, ever the eager learner and culinary adventurer, took on the challenge of carving a ham for the first time, a task he tackled with impressive skill and precision. Meanwhile, I was on vegetable duty, ensuring our plate was piled high with colorful and nutritious sides that complemented our main course perfectly. While we decided to skip the traditional pumpkin pie, we certainly didn’t miss out on dessert, opting instead for a generous scoop of ice cream – a perfect sweet ending to a perfect, low-key day. This simpler approach to the holiday allowed us to truly unwind and appreciate each other’s company without the usual hustle and bustle, focusing on gratitude and connection.

My baking experiments continued as I tried my hand at homemade slice and bake cookies for the very first time. The first attempt, affectionately known as the “brown blob,” was… well, let’s just say it was meant to be a gingerbread man! It was a good laugh and a valuable learning experience in the kitchen, proving that not every baking adventure is an immediate success. But fear not, dear readers! I persevered, tried again, and succeeded in creating perfectly formed and delicious slice and bake gingerbread men! I’ll be sharing the perfected recipe, along with my “super critical tip” for flawless results, next week, so stay tuned for those festive treats. The second photo offers a tantalizing sneak peek at yet another upcoming delight: a decadent chocolate peppermint dessert, hinting at the delicious array of holiday recipes still to come on the blog. The holiday season truly is a time for all things sweet, celebratory, and sometimes, a little bit of trial and error in the kitchen!

Getting More Personal: Navigating the Holiday Season with Grace

As November draws to a close and the holiday season truly kicks into gear, does anyone else feel like they need to take a deep breath already? Whew, what a whirlwind it can be! Even without the added stress of travel for Thanksgiving this year, the holiday season always brings a unique kind of busyness that can sometimes feel overwhelming. It’s a period of intense activity, from planning festive meals and decorating our homes to attending various gatherings and preparing for gift-giving.

There’s this pervasive feeling, isn’t there, that we *should* be overflowing with happiness and joy. After all, it’s often dubbed “the most wonderful time of the year,” a phrase that carries immense weight and expectation. Yet, beneath the festive facade, the pressure and societal expectations can be absolutely overwhelming. The endless list of gifts to buy for family and friends, the myriad of parties and social gatherings to attend, family commitments that span days and even weeks, the constant baking of cookies and treats, finding the perfect holiday outfits for every occasion, decorating the tree and the entire house… it can feel like a never-ending sprint, a marathon of obligations rather than a joyous celebration. Amidst all this frantic activity, it’s incredibly easy to lose sight of what truly matters, to forget the real reason for the season and the deeper meaning behind these traditions.

In years past, I admit I’ve been guilty of over-scheduling myself. My calendar would be so jam-packed that I barely had a moment to myself, let alone time for quiet reflection or spiritual connection. I would spend countless hours agonizing over finding the absolute perfect gift for every person on my list, convinced that a thoughtful present was the ultimate expression of love. Or I would feel compelled to participate in every single Christmas activity imaginable – from driving around neighborhood to neighborhood to admire elaborate light displays, to binge-watching every classic Christmas movie, to baking dozens of different types of Christmas cookies until my kitchen was coated in flour. While these activities can be lovely and create wonderful memories, the sheer volume of them often left me feeling exhausted, stressed, and even a little resentful, rather than uplifted and filled with holiday cheer.

But this year, I’m making a conscious and deliberate effort to step back and slow down. I’m learning that it’s perfectly okay to say no to some invitations, to prioritize what truly matters, and to create space for what genuinely nourishes my soul and brings me peace. The realization has dawned on me that genuine joy during this season doesn’t come from a perfectly executed holiday schedule, the most expensive gifts, or the most elaborate decorations. Instead, it stems from a deeper place of gratitude, mindfulness, and intentional connection. It’s about savoring moments, not just rushing through them.

My prayer for this Christmas season, and indeed for all of us, is to shift our focus. Instead of getting caught up in the endless list of “things to do” – the shopping, the planning, the cooking, the decorating, the entertaining – I pray that we would instead take a moment to reflect on all the things Jesus has done for us, not just over the last year, but throughout our entire lives. Recalling those immense blessings, His unwavering grace, His boundless love, and the countless ways He has shown up for me and guided me, is what truly helps me find profound joy and deep-seated peace amidst the inevitable busyness of this special time of year. It transforms the season from a stressful obligation into a heartfelt celebration, a time of reflection, and a reminder of the true gifts we’ve already received.

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For more behind-the-scenes glimpses into our blogging journey and daily life, be sure to explore our previous “Out of the Kitchen” posts. We love sharing these updates and connecting with you!