Hi Cooking Moms, Dads & Friends,

Happy New Year! I hope you had a wonderful week. We’ve been in Arizona this week. My mom has been in the hospital here, but I’m happy to report she is now home and she’s getting better everyday! While in Phoenix I cooked up some of my favorite holidays recipes on Good Morning Arizona. We’ve also been able to take some amazing hikes. We climbed Camelback Mountain and the red rocks of Sedona too. Just spectacular!

We go home to Wisconsin this weekend. I’m excited to see Arlo the dog. It will be nice to be back in my kitchen too. I say it’s the perfect time make some soup. A hot bowl of delicious soup makes everything better! I put together a bunch of soup recipes you can whip up in 30 minutes or even less.

Looking for some healthy recipes for the New Year? I get it. I’m right there with you! My Slow Cooker Split Pea Soup is a great way to use up that holiday ham. It will warm you right up on a cold winter day! Makes a big batch and the leftovers freeze great.

Same goes for my slow cooker Southwest Chicken Stew. Just throw it all in your slow cooker in the morning and go do your thing. When you come home after a long day, the house will smell amazing and you’ve got one delicious guilt-free dinner. Go ahead, have seconds because it’s good for you. LOVE THAT!

If your kids like pizza, you gotta make my Pizza Soup. It’s so quick and easy. It really is like a piece of pizza in a bowl. The fun part is just like a pizza everybody gets to choose what they want on it. Just set out extra shredded cheese, pepperoni, black olives, and green peppers. Then your gang can spoon their favorites on top of the piping hot soup. The kids also may love Pizza- or Parmesan-flavored Gold Fish crackers sprinkled on top. What fun! It’s delicious served with my Amazing Cheese Bread for dipping and dunking. Click Soups, Nice ’n Lite, and Appetizers for more of my favorite recipes.

This time of year, my slow cooker is a real life saver! Besides my Yankee Pot Roast and Hot Beef Sandwiches, sometimes I like to keep it a little lighter for dinner. My Slow Cooker Honey Lime Chicken is AMAZING! So easy and healthy too!

If your gang likes Asian food, they’ll give my Slow Cooker Honey Sesame Chicken two thumbs up! It’s like Chinese take out without the wait. Easy on the wallet too. Click Slow Cooker for more of my favorite slow cooker recipes.

Hey, for dessert if you still have leftover candy canes, use them to make my Hot Cocoa Cupcakes. My kids LOVE these. Yours will too! Click Desserts for more easy breezy dessert recipes. After sledding or a day out in the snow, warm up with my Snowflake Hot Cocoa. Rim the glass with those crushed candy canes. It’s perfect on a cold snowy day!

Order Amy's Cookbooks!

If you like my recipes, I think you'll love my cookbooks! Both cookbooks are filled with nearly 200 unique recipes. They're available on Amazon. Click Amy's Books on Amazon to order.

Have You Heard I’m Hosting Culinary Trips?

If you're like me and you're thinking about 2020, check out a bucket list trip I've got in the works. Have you always wanted to go on a river cruise through Europe? It’s been on my list for years. In September 2020, we’ll spend two days in Munich for Oktoberfest and then take an 8-day river cruise down the Rhine River. Please join me! Click Culinary Vacations to read more and imagine the fun we'll have!

You can also click German Grandeur River Cruise to read more, or call 866-463-6946 to reserve your spot. There are a few spots left - including one for you!

What’s on your travel bucket list? I’m planning my culinary trips for 2021. Would you like to back to Tuscany with me? Greece, Hawaii, Ireland? Let me know what trips you’d be most interested in.

Please Invite Me

I’d love to come to your town and meet you! Tell your library about me. I’ll come do a cooking demo for your company or event too. Click Hire Amy for more ideas for how we can spend time together!

Gotta run. We’re hoping to get another morning hike in today. You can always see what I’m up to on Facebook and Instagram. Follow me!

I hope you have a great weekend. Cook up some memories!

Take care,
Amy, The Cooking Mom

Snowflake Hot Cocoa