Kelli Wong Photography

Tomorrow is the last day of November so that means the Holiday Season has begun.  Time for joy and time for cheer.  And time to figure out what to bake.  Below are seven of my favorite holiday goodies I've made over the last few years.  So here are some ideas to get you started with your holiday baking.  Plus, you don't even have to use the oven for most of these! They are all pretty simple recipes that won't take all afternoon to make.  That gives you more time to hang out with family and friends, wrap gift, shop, you get the hint....

If you're looking for a family friendly restaurant for lunch or dinner then check out Shelby's Bistro and Ice Creamery.  They opened this summer and are located in West Seattle, in the Junction.  Our family decided to go for lunch and it was also Small Business Saturday.   So they had a nice promotion going on which was buy two entrees and get a free appetizer.  The deal was too good to pass up so we all shared the Gorgonzola Ranch French Fries.  They were hot and crispy, with Gorgonzola, Ranch, and drizzled with a roasted chili oil.  I had the pepperoni, mushroom, and sausage pizza with my sons and my husband had the Smoked Brisket Panini.  Then for dessert, we shared the Oreo Delight sundae.  It had two scoops of cookies 'n cream ice cream, crushed Oreo, hot fudge, then topped with whipped cream, sprinkles, and a cherry.  The space was large with bright lighting, booths of different sizes to choose from, and a long ice cream counter.  Shelby's has high quality food …

I'm excited for this Thursday because it's Thanksgiving!  A time to celebrate our family and friends and think about all we're thankful for.  And a time to eat!  Of course they'll be turkey and stuffing and cranberry sauce.  And I can't wait.  But....there's also breakfast to think about. 
Below, you'll find six ideas for your Thanksgiving breakfast or brunch.  In my family, we always have a nice breakfast with either muffins, French toast casserole, or cinnamon rolls to accompany some scrambled eggs or an omelet .  Then we watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Parade on TV, a tradition I've never missed. 
So here are six ideas with links to the recipes here on my blog that you can make, too. 

We Seattle peeps have it good.   Because Sweet Iron just opened another location on Capitol Hill and this one has a mimosa bar.  Called Sweet Iron Waffle Bar, they have more seating and a bigger menu then their other one in downtown Seattle on Third Ave.   When I walked in, I noticed the bright and yellow hues and the high ceilings.  This Sweet Iron feels more like a restaurant then the quick, eat and go feel of the one downtown.  This would be the ideal place to have brunch on the weekend, sipping a mimosa and eating a Liege waffle topped with goat cheese.  The authentic Liege Waffles are made with a brioche style yeast dough and are topped with pearls of sugar and a caramelized top. Each waffle is made in front of you and they have a nice assortment of savory and sweet to satisfy every craving.  We tried three waffles, the Herbed Goat Cheese with Honey and Walnuts, the Roast Turkey Breast with Havari Cheese, and Raspberry Jam, and a sweet waffle with cookie butter.  We loved them a…

Fuji Bakery is a Japanese artisan bakery with two locations in Seattle.  We checked out the one in the International District, located on 5th and S. King St.   Seattle is lucky to have a bakery like this one.  With the smell of fresh bread greeting you when you enter, to all of the glistening French Pastries and cakes on display, I was happily surprised.  The only miss was the French Macarons.  I found them to be too small and slightly hard and the price a little high at two dollars each.  But my Chocolate Matcha Croissant was flakey and buttery and my Chocolate Orange Éclair was a show stopper.  As I took a bite of my dessert back at home, I felt grateful to live so close to bakery like this.  There's just something about stepping into a shop like this one, in the heart of the city, that feels timeless.  The smells and the chatter of customers picking out their Danishes and croissants to have with their afternoon coffee.  Oh yes, Fuji Bakery, I'd return for more French pastri…

I had a mission.  I wanted to try some Honey Toast.  So when I saw an article about the incredible Honey Toast at the Taiwanese restaurant, HardWok Café, I knew we had to go.  My mission went off without a hitch and before I knew it, our Honey Toast sat in front of us, ready to devour.  Each serving serves three to four people, so I'm glad there was enough for the four of us to feel satisfied. 
Honey Toast is a dessert consisting of a hallowed out loaf of bread filled with cubes of bread with a sweet coating.  Then it is topped with ice cream, fruit, and anything sweet you can think of.  We had the chocolate one with chocolate ice cream, chocolate sauce, an Oreo Cookie, bananas, raspberries, and strawberries.  Traditionally a Japanese dessert, the Taiwanese serve it, too.  Not only did it look beautiful but it was satisfying and the perfect comfort food.  I mean really, we're talking about bread, chocolate, and ice cream here.  You can't go wrong.  For a little bit more …