Brie, Bacon and Fig Jam Tarts | Secret Recipe Club

If you have been following my foodie adventures for a while now, you know I absolutely love appetizers.  I take pleasure in a one to two bite delight that is packed with flavor and is full of various textures.  Even when we are at home regardless of the day of the week, enjoying appetizers makes us feel like we are celebrating.

Hubby and I are hooked on a show that airs on the Hallmark Channel called Cedar Cove.  Saturday night was the 2 hour season premier and we could hardly wait to view it.  We actually don’t call it Cedar Cove but rather "the feel good show” since overall it is a happy show with some twists and turns along the way.  We felt the premier deserved an appetizer dinner along with a great bottle of wine. 

Spicy and Salty Peanut Brittle | Secret Recipe Club

I know I say this all the time …… time just flies way too fast.  The weekends go by way too fast and then the work week, depending on my schedule seems to whisk on by.  I just said to my hubby the other day, we are going to be pulling out the Christmas decorations before you know it.  At the end of the day, I have learned to savor each and everyday and appreciate each day for what it is.  I have learned that life is a gift and you need to make the most of it.

Almond Crescent Cookies | Secret Recipe Club

My weekend was filled with both hard labor and relaxation.  The hard labor part came first in the way of repairing our backyard fence to prevent our little fur babies, Marty and Stewart from escaping.  After 14 years, the fence has taken a beating with the sun, rain and sprinklers.  The bottom portion on some of the sections of fence had sustained damage which made the boards easy to move.  Our little havanese, as smart as they are figured out how to move them and explore in the neighbors backyards.

Pizza Pinwheels | Secret Recipe Club

It is that time again for the secret reveal.  You might be asking yourself, a secret reveal for what?  It is Secret Recipe Club time again.  It just seems like it was the March reveal and here we are in April.  Time is flying by WAY too quickly. 

This month I was matched with Nicole who publishes a blog called PicNic.  Nicole lives in New Zealand and earned a PhD in Neuroscience/Biochemistry.  In addition to be extremely busy with work she loves to bake and cook. She has a wide variety of recipes on her blog which made it challenging to find the one that I would choose for this month.

Chili Parmesan Popcorn | Secret Recipe Club

It feels like spring is here in the Bay Area. Our temperatures hit the mid 80’s on Saturday and it was certainly flip flop weather.  I know a lot of the country is experiencing extreme weather conditions whether it is rain, snow or cold AND we need rain so desperately. It got me excited that spring and summer are simply around the corner.  It is Secret Recipe Club reveal time again – can’t believe how fast a month goes.

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Pumpkin Scones with Spiced Glaze | Secret Recipe Club

It’s a new year of kicking it off with the Secret Recipe Club.  For January, I received Heather’s blog called – It’s Yummy to My Tummy.  While looking through her blog for the perfect recipe to make, I soon realized why her blog had a familiarity to it – she was paired with me back in June and made my Caprese Bites.  Heather likes to make people happy with her food and decided to add her collection of delightful treats to one place – her blog.

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Roasted Carrot Soup Shooters | Secret Recipe Club

Can you believe the holidays are around the corner?  I can’t.  It seems as though hubby and I were just putting the Christmas decorations away and in about 10 days we will be putting them back up. This time of year always makes me smile.  It is a time to be with family and friends, go to and throw a few parties, enjoy the hustle and bustle of the shopping malls and for me have time off from work.

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Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Shortbread Cookies | Secret Recipe Club

Typically I am not fanatical about peanut butter.  Don’t get me wrong, I do like it, I just don’t go bonkers over it.  You know when you come across that special recipe that just knocks your sock off – come on you know.  Well…….this month’s Secret Recipe Club match had the perfect peanut butter recipe that I will be making over and over again.

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Lavender Lemon Bars | Secret Recipe Club

I know I say this each time, but boy time flies.  It is time again for the big reveal for Secret Recipe Club.  This month I had the privilege of being paired with Chelsy from Mangia.  When I received the email about my match for September, something sounded familiar – it was because back in June 2012 I was assigned to her blog for the first time.  What a treat, a second time.  Since that time, I noticed that she has updated her website and put a ton of new food treasures on her site.

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Almond, Toffee, Coconut & Chocolate Chip Cookies | Secret Recipe Club

Hubby and I have been busy with two new additions to our house – Marty and Stewart!  They are 10 week old Havanese puppies who are extremely sweet, loving and incredibly soft.  With the loss of our beloved Max a little over a month ago, we were ready to welcome new doggies to our house. As we like to say - “Dogs are like children with fur coats”.  Originally I wanted a girl and boy puppy so I could name them Martha and Stewart. However we found two irresistible Havanese brothers and decided to stay with the theme and name them Marty and Stewart.

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Strawberry, Apricot & Coconut Scones | Secret Recipe Club

It is hard to believe it has been just a week.  A week since our little Max went to heaven. Max came into our home when he was just 8 weeks old and was a bundle of joy.  Max was our furry four legged child.  He battled cancer for the last couple months of his life and on Sunday last week, he went to the great dog park in the sky.  It had to be one of the most difficult days for hubby and me.  The next day was especially challenging since the house seemed so big and empty without our little guy.  Since then, time is beginning to make things a bit easier. The tears have lessened. I can talk about and think about him, without getting so emotional.  I will have always have a special place in my heart for Max. They say time heals and I believe it does.

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Strawberry Rhubarb Sorbet | Secret Recipe Club

Summer is around the corner.  Not sure about you, but I can sense the change of seasons.  There is just something in the air that triggers the transition from one season to the next.  I can appreciate each season but summer is at the top of my list.  The days are longer, the nights are warmer, the food is fresh and abundant and generally people are happy and relaxed.  Now is the time of year where I pull the ice cream maker out from the back of the pantry and move it front and center.  I already have a bucket list of flavors to make and look forward to sharing with all of you in the coming months.

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Kale Avocado Salad with Smoked Paprika Vinaigrette | Secret Recipe Club

Lately it is feeling a lot like summer in the Bay Area.  Quite frankly it suits me just fine.  Last weekend hubby and I dusted off the patio cushions and set the backyard in motion for the season.  This meant the furniture was hosed off, the patio was wiped clean of leaves and other debris along with making sure the outdoor BBQ was ready to get a workout all summer long.  One of the most relaxing activities I enjoy is coming home from a long day at work and enjoying a glass of wine outside with my hubby.  The sound of the water dropping into the fountain and the warm summer air just sets the scene for perfection.

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Raspberry Jam & Buttercream Sandwich Cookies | Secret Recipe Club

Sometimes there is nothing better than a great cookie.  Cookies are often the connector that makes people smile from ear to ear.  Baking is my way of sharing my passion and the shear joy it brings to people resonates back to me ten fold.  My biggest fan is my hubby and his eyes lit up when I let him know I was baking cookies.  Over the weekend, I said to him that I was making him a surprise cookie for the Secret Recipe Club and I knew he would love them.

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Chunky Chicken and Beer Chili | Secret Recipe Club

It is that time again.  Hard to believe that time goes by that quickly. When I say time, I mean for the Secret Recipe Club.  I am sure you are familiar by now what all the fun is about, but if not, please click here to learn more about it.  This month I was honored to have Melissa from Melissa's Cuisine. Melissa is a twenty something who married the love of her life Mike and resides in West Michigan. Oh and they have an adorable doggie named Champ.  She stays active with a baby girl Summer and running races and marathons.  She loves cooking and documents her cooking adventures on her blog.

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Lemon Currant Cream Scones | Secret Recipe Club

Weekend mornings at our house are sometimes quite frankly lazy days.  Hubby and I work long hours all week and come the weekend, it is time to let our hair down, keep our pajamas on, sip on some freshly brewed coffee and enjoyed a handmade breakfast.  Lately I have been on a Steel Cut Oatmeal kick and can’t get enough.  The hearty flavor with a touch of brown sugar is simply love in a bowl.  Albeit, the time (almost 30 minutes) one must put into coking this bowl of love, it is very much worth the time for tasty and healthy reasons.

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Mini Meyer Lemon and Strawberry Bundt Cakes | Secret Recipe Club

I am elated that it is Meyer Lemon season.  This lemon is a hybrid between a lemon and a mandarin orange and is native to China.  I couldn’t be happier that they made their way to the United States back in the early 1900’s.  Several were ready to be picked from my tree on the patio and just needed to find that perfect recipe to highlight these little yellow gems.

After an extended holiday break from The Secret Recipe Club, we are back up and running.  I missed the monthly reveal and exploring another bloggers site.  If you are not familiar with The Secret Recipe Club or want to join, simply click here to learn more.  Essentially each month you are paired with another food blogger and you can choose any recipe they have posted.  You make it and post it.  Yup – it is that simple.  The fun part is finding out who had your blog and what they chose.

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Chocolate Chip, Pecan and Coconut Brittle Cookie | Secret Recipe Club

This is my last Secret Recipe Club post for 2013.  How did the year whirl by so quickly?  It is almost unfathomable, huh?  In any event, the group I am in will reconvene in January and I am excited to see who I will be assigned to.  This month I was matched with Denise from Creative Kitchen Adventures.  If you feel out of the loop and want to learn more about Secret Recipe Club and how to join in on the fun, simply click here to learn more.

In the meantime, I enjoyed browsing through Denise’s food blog and learning more about her.  She met her hubby while they were both in the Navy and is now a Mom to three wonderful daughters.  She lives in suburbia but enjoys the outdoors and the beauty of nature.  She enjoys cooking, baking, travel, bike riding, blogging and reading along with spending time with her family and friends. She began her food blog a few years ago after discovering the joy of browsing and commenting on the vast beautiful food blogs in the blogosphere.

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Monte Cristo Bites with Raspberry Bourbon Jam | Secret Recipe Club

Time seems to be spinning faster and faster.  Do you feel that way too?  It is hard to believe we are entrenched in the fall season with the leaves changing to those beautiful autumnal shades of brown, orange and yellow.  Living in Northern California, we experience the changing of the seasons however it is subtle as opposed to other regions around America.  I am still sporting my flip flops on the weekends and perfect painted toes, but this shall become a distant memory in the next month or so.  We are currently enjoying what we deem – Indian summer.  It is a time where we have mildly warm weather, shorter daytime light and little to no rain.  It is an exquisite time of year in Northern California.

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Spicy Cheddar Parmesan Cheese Straws | Secret Recipe Club

Fall has officially arrived.  Not sure why I always have a hard time saying goodbye to summer but each year it is challenging for me.  On Saturday in the Bay Area we had our first good down pour of rain.  With the rain, it made the entrance of fall just a bit easier to adjust too.  I love the recipes that are predominately fall inspired by pumpkin, squash, Brussels sprouts to name a few, along with enjoying homemade soups, braised dishes and the smell of baked goods permeating the house.

Speaking of baked goods, I made the most incredible cheese straws over the weekend.  The recipe comes from Feast on the Cheap and happens to be my match this month for the Secret Recipe Club.  If you are not familiar with this secret club, let me share a quick snapshot.  Essentially there are about 200 food bloggers who are in the club and each month are paired with another blogger and it is a secret, until reveal day.  Once reveal day hits, you can see who had you and what recipe they chose from your blog.  It is my favorite time of the month when group C has their reveal.  Wonder what recipe will be picked this month?  Hum.

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