formalities

Holiday Gift Guide

I have never had so much fun writing a post in my life! There are so many gift guides circulating for the holidays that it must be tempting to give this one a pass – but please don’t! Ideas for hostess gifts and his- and hers- categories are fine, but what do you about the person on your giving list who is really difficult to buy for? They’re quirky, eccentric, or just not someone who seems interested in gifts, yet […]

recipes

Coconut Brown Sugar Jumbles

This recipe comes from the Philippines. It has a rich molasses taste that you will love. You can use brown sugar, or the hardened brown sugar that I used, which came from an Asian grocery store. Serves: 10 Prep time: 40 minutes, allowing for twenty minutes to cook the sugar

recipes

Peanut Brittle

This recipe is also one of Lady Bird Johnson’s. When I was making the Divinity, I noticed this recipe on the page beside it and thought it would be fun to try it. It turned out really well. Next time I would add different nut to make it even more interesting: pistachio and pecans would be good with the “brittle” part of the candy. Serves: 8 Prep time: 20 minutes to mix together, one hour for candy to harden

recipes

Lady Bird Johnson’s Double Divinity

This is adapted from an old First Ladies Cookbook, and I have seen it attributed to Mrs. Johnson in other cookbooks. It is an old recipe – simple ingredients, easy to make – and very special. Serves: 8 Prep time: 30 minutes to assemble, one hour to cool