Previous Musings
Happy New Year
December 31, 2011
Happy New Year from Minnie Taylor
2011 Minnie Taylor Christmas Countdown
December 1, 2011
The annual Minnie Taylor Christmas Countdown - A fun advent calendar alternative for the whole family to enjoy. Join us on our countdown to a Merry Christmas in 2011 with a different activity each day to help get your Christmas mojo going.
Are you ready?
November 28, 2011
Thanksgiving in the USA marks the unofficial start to the Holiday season. But are you ready yet?
Snowstorm Cookies
February 2, 2011
Sometimes you just need to bake cookies, especially if there's a snowstorm raging outside.
January 1, 2011
2010 Minnie Taylor Christmas Countdown
December 1, 2010
The annual Minnie Taylor Christmas Countdown - A fun advent calendar alternative for the whole family to enjoy. Join us on our countdown to a Merry Christmas in 2010 with a different activity each day to help get your Christmas mojo going.
Returning to Napa
September 3, 2010
It's taken us 10 years to go back - why did we wait so long?
Hoarding Pays Off
July 8, 2010
Sorting through old recipe clippings pays off.
How Not to Bake a Cake
May 7, 2010
Sometimes you have to know what not to do, rather than having a list of things you should do.
Channeling Spring
March 19, 2010
Has winter got you down? Here's some spring tablescape inspiration.
Keeping Warm
January 15, 2010
A tale of keeping warm and finding the perfect gingernut cookie recipe.
January 1, 2010
Christmas Countdown
December 12, 2009
A fun advent calendar alternative, our Christmas Countdown is for the whole family to enjoy. Join us on our countdown to a Merry Christmas in 2009 with a different activity each day to help get your Christmas mojo going.
Thanksgiving Day Wrap-Up
November 24, 2009
My central list for everything I need to survive Thanksgiving at my house.
Pomegranate Juice
November 10, 2009
After recently receiving a care package from POM Wonderful, I investigate what pomegranate juice can be used for.
Five Things
October 3, 2009
Five things
What's Different... Cookies
August 7, 2009
Have you ever seen the boxed cookie mixes from Barefoot Contessa at specialty stores and wondered how they stack up to the original recipe? You might be surprised by what we found.
Leftover Lemons
July 28, 2009
Have you ever had a surplus of lemons and wondered what to do with them?
My Summer List
June 23, 2009
All work and no fun can take it's toll. Here's my list of fun things to do this Summer.
Friday Favorites
May 29, 2009
Some of our favorite things for outdoor entertaining
Just a few things...
May 15, 2009
Some of my current favorite things.
Sometimes You Just Need Cake
March 11, 2009
There are times when the only fix to a situation is... Cake!
Keeping it Real
January 7, 2009
With a New Year, I thought it was time to reconfirm what Minnie Taylor was all about. Since our debut, the story hasn't changed, actually the story has grown and it's reconfirmed our commitment.
Final Countdown
December 23, 2008
There were so many best laid plans, so many ideas, so much to share this month, but things just didn't quite work out. There were losses and there were gains. There were happy surprises and there were sad decisions.
A Christmas Classic
December 18, 2008
Nothing captures the whimsy and promise of the holidays like the classic French Christmas dessert, Buche de Noel. A decadent cake rolled and slathered with chocolate frosting - the perfect finish for your holiday feast.
Into the Festive Swing
December 2, 2008
The buzz of the holidays is in the air and the classic carols of bygone era's have captured my mood this year.
How about the Soup?!
October 16, 2008
Soup doesn't have to be relegated to "lunchtime only". Thick, hearty soups are an easy way to feed large or small groups of hungry friends.
Tan Fingers Please
September 23, 2008
A Summer recipe disaster makes way for a sweet treat.
Minnie Taylor 2.0
September 7, 2008
The new and improved Minnie Taylor 2.0, code name "Cookie Dough" is up and running.
Lightening a Family Favorite
April 30, 2008
Do you have a family favorite that you don't make often because it's heavy in calories? Minnie takes one of her favorite recipes in "lightens" it for a perfect late spring menu.
New Season
March 18, 2008
What's your favorite time of the year?
New Chapters
January 7, 2008
2008 is gearing up to be a very exciting year...
Holiday Dessert Party
December 11, 2007
This year we're celebrating the season with a Just Dessert party for our friends and neighbors. Perhaps you can too...
Seattle
October 30, 2007
Bringing a bit of the Pacific Northwest home after a vacation visiting friends.
Changing Seasons
September 10, 2007
There is a change in the air, Fall is coming...
Escaping Reality
August 13, 2007
Sometimes you just need to get away from it all, even if it is just for a few hours...
Celebrating Summer
July 11, 2007
Enjoying the ease and relaxation of summer and summer entertaining.
Let's get grillin
June 25, 2007
It's that time of the year where the best place in the house is outside.
Improvising
June 1, 2007
A quick review of Sally Schneider's The Improvisational Cook.
Inspirational Ingredients
May 10, 2007
Sometimes you just have to have something, even when you don't know what you are going to make with it. You never know where that ingredient might take you, maybe even to Morocco...
Ode to the Kiwi cafe
April 23, 2007
Rediscovering the Kiwi cafe culture and bringing home.
Back from New Zealand
April 5, 2007
Minnie reflects on a recent trip to New Zealand and highlights the things she misses, from a culinary and food perspective.
Chocolate Cake - Vegan Style
February 25, 2007
Baking for a Vegan dinner party can be a challenge but here is a Vegan chocolate cake that will have everyone crying out for more.
Valentines Day
February 9, 2007
Looking for an easy way to celebrate Valentine's Day this year...
Soup Time
January 12, 2007
The cooler weather has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere so it's "Soup Time". Minnie shares her favorite soup recipe.
Back to Entertaining
October 20, 2006
Returning to entertaining after a long kitchen remodeling project.
Use a good olive oil...
September 20, 2006
What does it mean when people say "use a good olive oil"?
Best Laid Plans
July 23, 2006
Sometimes you get part way through a recipe only to find that you are missing an ingredient. What do you do?
Remembering Maine
July 4, 2006
Remembering and bringing home a bit of Maine from a recent vacation.
Addiction to Magazines and Cookbooks
June 16, 2006
True confessions of a magazine and cookbook addict.
There's always an excuse
May 21, 2006
There is always an excuse not to entertain but there is always an excuse to entertain.
Herbs for the Real World
April 2, 2006
Minnie Taylor discusses what herbs can you realistically grow in a small space?
Hello Spring
March 25, 2006
Hello Spring!