January Recipe Cards

Above recipe card by Nancy Van Hoose

"Alice in Wonderland" images

available through Moonlight Journey.

Above two cards created by Sherry Reiber

Some of the images above

available through Sherry on

her Creative Memories website.

When my sisters and I were growing up, my mom was the best cook. Oh, how all of us remember some of her specialties like Beef Stroganoff, Lemon Meringue Pie, or fresh Apple Pie. I remember my mom for her Spanish rice.....which caused me to wish I could go to a friend's house for dinner on the days it was prepared. But always on my birthday, she made me a Burnt Sugar Cake, which I absolutely loved with "Mrs. Purdy's Creme Frosting."

Once again this year, I have joined a recipe club where a dozen gals exchange their family recipes artistically on a 5" X 8" card. It is more than just getting a beautiful card. It is a monthly retreat where we tell our stories, share our talents, our skills, our secrets, and how each of we women journey through our lives.

Many thanks to each and every one of my recipe card friends for letting me get to know you a little bit more, hear about your gardens, farms, and discover different lifestyles than my own.

And so, let me share 12 months of some of favorite recipe cards in the future year. I regret that I cannot post each and every card I receive due to time restraints.

Alice's Banana Bread

The original manuscript, "Alice's Adventures Underground," was published in 1865, by Reverend Charles Ludwidge Dodgson under the pseudonym Lewis Carroll. Then later that year, the tale was published by Lewis Carrol as "Alice in Wonderland." Among it's first readers was Queen Victoria and the young Oscar Wilde. The book has never been out of print.

This banana bread recipe (one of my very favorites) will definitely be one of those baked goods that will call "EAT ME." Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee that it will not cause you to grow!!

CREDITS: MOONLIGHT JOURNEY DIGI PAK "ALICE'S BRAG BOOK"

Mad Tea Party Brownies

Little did I know when I started an art journal a few years ago, that it was the beginning of a journey towards a series of of recipe cards with an "Alice In Wonderland" theme.

The roots of these cards came through the inspiration of my artist friends, Deb and Teri, when we began designing our "Mad Tea Party" books. That book still is a work in progress for me! Hopefully, within the next few months, I can present to you some of my special recipes focused on this "through the looking glass" theme.

CREDITS: MOONLIGHT JOURNEY "ALICE BRAG BOOK" DIGI PAK

Mad Hatter Ranch Dressing

Give yourself the gift of better health...easy to say, but sometimes so challenging a thing to do. One of our local grocery stores provides locally grown "Lettuce Alone" with an optimally fresh, nutrient rich lettuce product, free from chemicals and preservatives.

Their bag contains mixed greens, which may contain red and green leaf and romaine varieties. I love to take a peek inside their label for new recipes for salad dressings. This week was a recipe for a ranch dressing, that I entitled "Mad Hatter Ranch Dressing."

CREDITS: Dressing Recipe from "The Dressing Room" at lettucealone@carmalot.com, and the Alice In Wonderland Images are from Moonlight Journey.

Alice in Wonderland Photos Released

After attending so many Mad Tea Parties this past weekend with "Fanciful Twist," it is such a odd coincidence that the conceptual art photos of Tim Burton's newest movie in the making have been released.


Oh yeah, his new masterpiece "Alice in Wonderland" is scheduled for release, March 5, 2010. I can hardly stand to wait that long! This is going to be, without a doubt, his grandest achievement.

Helena Bonham Carter has been chosen to be The Red Queen! She was a simian in (Planet of the Apes), a murderous baker of meat pies (Sweeny Todd) for her fiance, and now she takes on the role of The Red Queen who loves nothing better to do than scream, "Off With Their Heads!" Did you know her children, Billy-Ray and Neil, will have cameos in the movie?

For more cool photos, the USA Today article, and more, please go here.