Day after Christmas and the new year is starting in just a few days.  I noticed that a lot of stores are having after Christmas sales.  Nice time to use Christmas gift cards.

It’s always fun to try new recipes.  Sometimes, anyways.  I’ve seen recipes that sounded good, but had to to be changed here and there to make it to your taste.

One recipe that sounds good is La Potee (French Farmhouse Soup), which has white beans and sausage in it.

Another recipe that might be good to try is Pumpkin Gingerbread Muffins for winter baking.

I saw a recipe for a 10-spice mix to use in a variety of dishes. And also a recipe for 10-spice Vegetable soup that sounded really good.  Most of the recipes are on my Pinterest board under healthy recipes.  The French soup is in my “All things French” board on Pinterest.

I love to make up spice mixes and keep them in jars near my stove for when I am cooking.  I have a Chili blend, a Taco blend, an Italian blend and Paula Deen’s house seasoning.  I’m going to try making up the 10-spice blend.

It won’t be long and the ice skating rinks will open.  We have been having unseasonably warm weather lately, but it won’t last for sure.  I broke one of my ankles twice so have to be careful, but I’m going to try ice skating this winter.  Maybe ski mid week when there are not crowds.  Sometimes at Okemo Mountain in Ludlow, they have Vermont day for residents of Vermont now and then and the lift tickets are a lot less.