Lindsey and her family gave me a new Cuisineart Ice Cream Maker for Christmas!  

      I know! I know!  
     For a couple of years now I have been promoting the KitchenAid Ice Cream Maker attachment.  But, I've gone through 2 of those bowls and they have ending up cracking and disappointing me.  I don't know why!  Alicia has had one for longer than it has taken me to go through 2 of them with no problems!  I never put mine in the dishwasher and I tried to follow all of the care instructions carefully.  I never dropped it.  So, I don't understand!!!  I tried both the brand name and generic types with the same result.  
       But, here is the plus side.  Now that I have this Cuisineart Ice Cream Maker, those of you that don't have a KitchenAid can try a different alternative for making your ice cream and using some of the great recipes that we have put on here in the past.  Because, frankly, these two machines work practically in the same way.  I think the Cuisineart may be slightly smaller, but so far I haven't had to adjust my recipes.  

     Our family loves playing games together!  Every year, we find new games to gift to one another that quickly become favorites!  This past year was no exception.  I personally received about 5 new games as  gifts from various people.  I'm listing the top 3 with a couple of honorable mentions as well, meaning that I really like them, but they haven't caught on with everyone yet.   In this winter weather, when people are spending more time inside, (even in Phoenix, it has been raining!), a new game or two makes those cozy indoor days a lot of fun! 

     Honey is such a great product to have as a staple in your pantry and as a part of your long term food storage.  Honey does not spoil.  If your honey crystalizes, all you have to do is heat it up to melt it and make it pourable again.  It is a great alternative to sugar because it has a lower glycemic index and is full of antioxidants.  We use honey a lot at our house.  I am always on the look-out for good honey prices, and I found some on Amazon that seemed like a great price.  Meanwhile, I had been reading about various ways to infuse honey with other flavors.  I decided to make orange infused honey as Christmas gifts this past year.