Another reason it’s NATIONAL COOKIE DAY…
and NOT National Salad Day!!!

And what better way to celebrate than with some yummy cookies
on a pretty green platter?! One of my green, stamped platters with my friend Kristen’s cookies!!!
A perfect combination!

On a damp & rainy night here in Chicago, looks like Emma has settled in for a yummy night of soup! Remember, food always tastes better in handmade pottery! Thanks Emma!

For Kristen’s “First Dibs” Pottery Sale & Open House last night, she sent out electronic invitations… and reminders. But then she tempted me… err, I mean taunted me… with this photo. Yummy brownies on one of my platters!!! So… I had to go now, right?! It would have “rude” not to!!! HA!!!

What to do when the holiday leftovers are lingering a little too long?…
Well, make cranberry ice cream obviously!!!

That looks amazing Matthew… thanks for sharing!

So I started my Thanksgiving at my Dad’s place at Friendship Village… with his girlfriend Bonnie!
We had a great visit… but nothing “special” in the pumpkin pie category!

But then I drove down to Central Illinois for another “Friendsgiving” where the dessert spread was VERY IMPRESSIVE!!! With a LOT of homemade goodies… including pumpkin pie, cheesecake, apple pie, cookies & two “chess pies” that I had never had before. They were extra tasty… I’m sure because they were baked in a handmade ceramic pie dish! Thanks Kel & Kelly for hosting… and for sending me home with some sweet leftovers!

Tonight was the last class for my Beginning Wheelthrowing class… celebrating again with a potluck & a “trading-stealing-exchanging” game. Category for the trade was a “not-so-basic bowl”. While the theme for our potluck was “Dips And The Vehicle To Get Them In Your Mouth .”

I decided to up-my-game, and yet stay brand loyal… with Hot Cocoa OREO’s and a fluffy Hot Cocoa Dip!!! A double whammy of yummy goodness!!!

By the end of class tonight, I came away with this beautiful pie plate made by Christine… a former student who just wanted to be part of our game!!! And the last of Martin’s tart cherry pie-lets?… pocket pie?… fold-over… ??? Well, whatever you call them… they were AMAZING!!! And look pretty amazing in Christine’s retro striped pie plate too!!! Great game, great potluck & such talented students this session!!!

And there it is… hot out of the oven & just in time for the potluck at tonight’s Wheelthrowing class!!! A fun pie that tastes, smells & looks like apple pie… with absolutely NO APPLES!!! No apples, no apple juice, no applesauce… nothing!!! Just a bunch of boiled crackers!!! Go figure… but in a handmade pie dish to make it look a little nicer!

You gotta know the pressure I was under… knowing the Martin our “Top Baker” would be judging my efforts. I figured I could never win with a “real” pie… but maybe some bonus points for this quirky throwback recipe?!

Tonight was the last class for my Intermediate Wheelthrowing class… with a potluck to celebrate!
So I had to step-up and throw something together quick before class!!!

Still boiling… it’s coming together. Soon to be pie filling!!!