Happy Valentine’s Day! Okay, I know it’s a couple days early, but I wanted to share some romantic Valentines Day dinner recipes for you in time to get your ingredients ready. Guys, if you’re looking for easy romantic recipes for your loved one, this is the place! She’ll be amazed at your prowess in the kitchen. Oh yeah, and it’s CHEAP! But she won’t think you’re skimping out if you make her a meal like this.
3 keys to wowing your gal with a romantic dinner: Read more
Imagine a buttery chocolate pastry crust so crisp you hear it snap as you cut into it with the side of a fork. It’s filled with sweet yet tangy homemade raspberry jam that’s smothered in a rich chocolate ganache filling tasting like the most expensive chocolate pudding in the world. The creamy chocolate goodness is topped with plump and juicy raspberries that spurt juice into your mouth with every bite, and finished with the finest dusting of powdered sugar, like the sprinkling of the last snow of the season.
Now stop imagining, because I promise, you can make this!
If you need a gingerbread or frosting recipe, check out my post on our winning gingerbread chapel last year.
We have an annual tradition with Eric’s family, a gingerbread contest, and we’re hard core! You voted for your favorites, and the winner is….drum roll please!
For this month’s 24, 24, 24 event I proposed preparing food for a big party using ingredients that were locally produced, grown, and made. Some ingredients I used were ones that I canned or froze over the summer months. But most of the ingredients were ones that I bought this week, and in season. It was a lot of fun talking with farmers and vendors about what’s in season during the cold month of December, and what’s available locally. Eric and I were getting pretty excited about being locavores, and are considering trying a month of only eating local because of the bounty of local food in Washington. Here’s a video of the local producers and the party.
It’s that time again, our annual Johnson Gingerbread Contest. Whether it’s houses, trains, chapels, ski lodges…we go to town with gingerbread, frosting, and candy. Last year’s competition was our first, and this year it was taken to new levels of awesomeness! Below I’ll show photos of each house along with some detail shots. Your job is to vote for your favorite. We’d also love it if you leave comments on why you picked the one you did. Mainly so we can rub it in each others’ faces 
