Parmesan Crusted Baked Chicken Breast

My grandfather, Big Gran, is 96 and still lives on his own. My sister, aunt and I take turns checking on him, running errands, taking care of household chores and doing his grocery shopping. To be honest, the majority of the time these responsibilities fall on my sister and aunt — and thank God for them!

About a month ago Big Gran called me wanting chicken thighs. Yes he still cooks. Later that same day, I just happen to be talking with my mother. "No, no!", she said, "He doesn't want thighs, he wants chicken breasts. He doesn't like dark meat."

Flea Markets & Tag Sales You Won't Want to Miss in 2015!

As the snow melts and the weather starts warming up, the flea markets, tag sales, and other vintage-shopping events begin! Here are a few that America can't get enough of. What's the best spot in your neck of the woods?

On Your Marks, Get Set.......BAKE! with Mini Pear Pies

I am completely in love with the new PBS program 'The Great British Baking Show'. Better than Downton Abbey, better than Doctor Who. It's true, this is not an exaggeration. Personally, I don't understand my fascination with this show. Except for the rare episode of Ina Garten, I do not even watch Food TV. Unlike such shows as 'Cupcake Wars' and the 'Next Food Network Star'—where the contestants are cutthroats and catty—these Brits are actually quite helpful and kind to one another. There's also no prize for the eventual winner, except bragging rights. Image that.

Your Month-to-Month Guide to Great Sales Any Time of Year

Our son lives for Black Friday and Cyber Monday every year. And understandably so, the bargains—they are a plenty! Thanksgiving Day at our house is spent eating, visiting with family and friends, and pouring over the tantalizing ads promising great deals on everything you could possibly want to buy.

Then comes January and the opportune shopping season is seemingly over—no more big markdowns, no more incredible savings—at least until the same time next year.

However, shoppers don't realize there are well-established sales throughout the year. There are ideal times to buy particular items. With the Super Bowl around the corner, you'll see a slew of ads swearing that prices on big-screen TVs have never been better, which may be the case, at least until the next Black Friday rolls around.

But it's far from only televisions you can save on throughout the year. The holidays are about wants. The rest of the year is about needs. Here's what you need to know about what to buy each month:

Valentine’s Gifts for Friends and Family

Valentine’s Day isn’t just about roses and romance. Take the opportunity to show your family members and dearest friends how much they’re loved and admired with a thoughtful gift they’ll cherish well past Valentine's Day.

Tangy Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder

Wintertime is the perfect time to pull out your slow-cooker. Making a warm and satisfying meal for your family — the easy way. This satisfying pork shoulder is perfect for your busy schedule. Just toss in the ingredients, let your slow cooker do the work, and dinner is served! This could very well become your new go-to pork shoulder slow-cooker recipe, thanks to the sweet and tangy soy and vinegar flavor. Pull the pork, and serve it Southern-sandwich-style, between two buns and topped with sauce and slaw!

If You Really Want To Know........

I have had so many questions, from my personal Facebook friends, about my health over the last two weeks. From my faithful readers, I've been receiving e-mails wondering whether or not I had fallen into the blogging abyss. I've thought about how best to handle this situation. There's only so much you can post on Facebook before someone yells, "TMI!" However, this blog is MY space. I can write what I want, how I want and when I want, one of the benefits of blogging. Those of you that would rather not read about my 'bloody' mess, then look away now. This is the only disclaimer you are going to get. Don't look for perfect grammar in this post, maybe not even correct spelling. I'm going to try and relay this to you quickly; and with as few words as possible.

Here goes.......

You can see the tension in my face and almost feel that hot flash. Argh!

Daddy's Favorite Meat Loaf

How many recipes do you have that look like this? Ripped quickly from the pages of old magazines. This is how at least 50% of my recipes appear. They are yellowed and stained from years of use and ingredients. A lot of my recipes have been yanked, clipped or torn from the pages of old periodicals. This is a scan of a meatloaf recipe I tore out of a magazine back in 1994. It is a staple here in our home. Nothing fancy and really easy to make. Just right for a cold Winter's night!

Make-Ahead Christmas Morning Cherry & Almond Sweet Rolls

While Christmas morning's main event is usually under the tree, a big holiday family breakfast around the table can add to the magic of the morning as well. And I don't know about the rest of America, but waking up to a yummy breakfast on Christmas morning is a tradition all across the South. However, the last thing most of us want to think about is spending hours in the kitchen on the most anticipated morning of the year! So what's a Texas gal to do? Serve breakfast dishes you can prepare on Christmas Eve and simply pop'em in the oven come Christmas Morning! These sweet rolls can be found on our table along with an ample-sized bowl of fresh fruit, scrambled eggs and some sort of breakfast meat — and I'm a happy girl.

Happy Tummy, Happy Holidays Smoothie!

I have been invited by the good people from Williams-Sonoma to celebrate Smoothie Week with them! All you need for a delicious homemade smoothie are a few great ingredients and a versatile blender. Williams-Sonoma carries a good range of blenders for you to choose from. Everything from Vitamix, which in my opinion is THE BEST blender on the market today, to Cuisinart, Breville and many others. In all price ranges, with a wide assortment of cutting-edge technologies to fit your specific needs, Williams-Sonoma certainly makes your hunt for the perfect blender an easy one. Now—on to my favorite homemade smoothie!

30 Easy Homemade Christmas Candy Recipes

Everyone loves a homemade gift, especially if that gift is edible and sweet like the following Christmas candy recipes from myself and a few other bloggers. Choose from easy recipes for fudge, chocolate bark, pralines, marshmallows, and more, and give this holiday season a personal touch that can't be beat.

MY FAVORITE THINGS - DECEMBER

The definition of “joy” is widely subjective, but most people would agree that the end of the year holds a special place in their lives. Whether it's because of family and fudge, or snow angels and holiday parties, December is a joyous time. For me, it really is the "most wonderful time of the year". I find joy in the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping - yes it's true - and hot chocolate in front of the fire after that long day at the mall, the sound of Santas on the corner as they ring their bells and call out "Merry Christmas" to those who pass by and mistletoe hung where you can see. Bright Christmas lights, whimsical department store windows, cookie decorating parties and the smell of fresh cut evergreens at the local tree lot. Quaint Christmas carolers, the look of my breath as it hangs in the cold December air and if we're really lucky, the crunch of snow under our boots on Christmas Day. What's NOT to love about December? It means family. It means giving. And most of all it means the Christ child. The Son of God was born of a virgin, sent to us as THE gift of Salvation. Love came down, bringing all of mankind our ultimate JOY! What a truly remarkable time of year to celebrate His coming! This is my definition of December joy, what's yours?

If you'd like the individual links to my favorite things, you can find them here.