I'm thankful of my friends, family & readers!

Welcome to my newly updated blog! Hopefully you'll find it more use friendly and better organized to navigate through the many culinary adventures I have. Here's a quick summary of what changes I've made...

• No blogger header! It really didn't go with my overall blog theme so I thought it best to remove it completely, solely for aesthetic purposes.
  
  
• Tabs are now in my header. With so much info to share, I added these tabs to better organize various information.
  
  • About - self explanatory with tidbits about me.
  • Meetup - links to my social cooking group I organize in Chicago.
  • Recipe Index - provides a catagorized listing of the various recipes found here.
  • Adventures - includes the different types of adventures I host each month with links.
  • Awards - lists the fabulous bloggers who've recognized me & my blog.
  • Links - are some favorites culinary resources for recipes & Chicago... & FoodieBlogroll!
  • Misc. - are just different places you can find me in cyberspace.
    

• I have a logo... albeit a simple one! With so many options and styles to choose from, I wanted something that wasn't too fancy or complex. It will do for now and I've adapted it for both my blog and my social cooking group.
  
  
• If you're like me, I get inspired to cook & bake with various recipes and culinary things I read online. I often do a search for recipes and to make them easier to find, I've included the Foodieview recipe search engine above my posts. It's a great site for foodies and a helpful tool to use.
  
  
• Given the nature of the things I blog about, I realize how lengthy my posts for some adventures have been. I've changed the format of my posts to include links to the recipes rather than including them in the post. By doing so, my posts are a bit shorter and makes recipes easier to find. (They won't be drowning in so much food porn!) I'm sure there will still be some lengthy posts full of pictures now & then... so for those that don't want to be visually tempted, I've included a 'Back to Top' icon. You can click on this at any time and the small gray arrow icon is located on the lower right hand side or at the center bottom of your screen.
  
  
• Once you view a post/recipe within my blog, I've made it easy for you to print it too. At the bottom of every post, you have the option to print. Note that when you print, my header, sidebars and post comments will not be printed. It will print as a full page without distorting pictures or text. Pretty neat, huh?!
  
  
• At the top of my right sidebar, you'll notice a drop down box labeled, 'WC Nestie Blogroll'. This is a collection of various food blogs created by talented women on a cooking forum I participate in. If you are part of the WC board, please click on the 'Get on the Blogroll' link in the drop down box (first option in the list) and I'll add you on!
  
  
• Labels are now in my right sidebar. These aren't the standard labels but rather links to a comprehensive listing of the recipes featured in my blog within a specific category. I chose to provide the recipes in this format because I found scrolling through countless posts to find a recipe was a bit tedious and confusing. You'll be able to view a list of recipes and click on the specific post to view!
  
  
• On the left side bar, I will continue to have my current blogging adventures posted with links & deadlines reflected. For those who are interested in seeing the blogging adventure round ups, I've included a drop down box with those posts listed. Round ups are listed alphabetically by name.
  
  
• I have the obligatory search feature as well for those that wish to use it.
  
  
• Lastly, I'd love to hear from my readers whether it's their thoughts, suggestions or even ideas for future adventures I could take. No need to create a separate email... just click the Contact Me link and it will automatically take you to a contact form to submit.
  

I hope you like the changes I've made and find them helpful. I've gotten some free time to cook more during the week so I hope to have some new recipes to share in addition to the culinary adventures I have. Until then, enjoy your Thanksgiving holiday everyone!