First you make the dough and let it refrigerate for several hours, or stick it in the freezer to speed up the process.

Then it’s rolled out, and cut out into shapes using cookie cutters that align with the season or occasion.

Once cooled, icing is made, colored, poured into piping bags, and artfully iced onto the cookies. Any decoration will do, as no matter the neatness it all tastes the same.

Then festively wrapped them up to give to friends!

In a world of millions there are few people that have the power to shine farther and brighter. It takes a certain amount of trust, respect, and hard work to get your light to shine into millions of people’s homes every weeknight in the pitch-black darkness of 1 AM. Jimmy Fallon is one of those people who have that ever glowing, radiant light. That light carries laughter into our hearts, capable of making a bad day better or bringing hope for a better day tomorrow. Almost five years ago while in college, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon made late nights, study breaks, homesick weekends or “I’m going to strangle my roommate” moments a little more bearable. Fallon took the mundane talk show and made it a cornucopia of comedic monologue, celebrity game show, live concert, and hilarious dramatic improv sketch. It was a continually growing and evolving being. But what truly contributed to the show’s success was its leader. Fallon lets the rest of the world share his uncontainable energy. He laughs at himself, making his audience laugh with him. He shares his passions, daring us to keep from smiling when he does. It’s contagious. Last month the Muppets helped Late Night’s host go out in a way that only he could go. Who else could sing along with a bunch of puppets, engaging adult and child alike in a farewell ballad. And it was the only way that made sense, displaying Fallon’s true character and charm. His new gig as the host of The Tonight Show is a step up, a new beginning. Despite making the move to the studio next door, and getting accustomed to the words “Tonight Show”, these first few shows have proved it’s the same old Fallon. And I’m glad for it.

So take some of that unbridled enthusiasm, that contagious joy and apply it to your life. Letting your light shine might make your day or even someone else’s day better.

These photos are from The 2013 Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade that I took while visiting New York City this past November. Jimmy Fallon,The Roots, Big Bird, and friends can been seen jamming to music and spreading smiles on the Sesame Street float.

This is the second day this month that the threat of ice has immobilized the weak, warm blooded Houstonians. My gym is closed, schools are closed, businesses are opening late, people are stocking their pantry for impending doom, and every news station warns not to go out unless it is an emergency. I am not sure if it has even dropped below freezing, or even rained today. So the only solution for this madness is to make pancakes and stay inside from the crazy, over prepared girl scout inhabitants of this city.

My family has always made our pancakes from this simple recipe:

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1 cup flour

2 tsps baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 TBS sugar

1 egg

1 cup milk

2 TBS vegetable oil

Combine all ingredients until batter is well mixed, but still lumpy. Heat griddle or skillet to medium high heat. Cook until bubbles appear, then flip and cook until golden.

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I am not sure where it originated, but it has withstood the test of time and hungry stomachs. Over the years with our changing tastes there have been additions of: chocolate chips during the sweet-tooth childhood, strawberries during Sunday Wimbledon watch parties, and banana-chocolate chip- pecan for Elvis inspired creations via Austin, TX. Today, my freezer was stocked with frozen blueberries, so they were my mix-in of choice.

I hope you will agree with me that nothing beats a pile of warm pancakes, hot off the griddle on a day like today.

We live a house built in the 1950’s, complete with its original oven pictured in the background of our About the Blog photo. A vintage O’Keefe and Merritt stove is the centerpiece of our humble kitchen. It’s a great addition to the house, especially in the winter as it keeps the kitchen toasty and warm. You might have seen one in Chandler and Joey’s apartment on the popular show Friends. In sticking with the vintage theme, Madeline, our friend Kristen and I recently decided to bake a retro cake. The recipe came from the book Vintage Cakes by Julie Richardson, gifted to me this Christmas by Madeline (she knows me too well).

We decided on the recipe for banana cake with coffee walnut buttercream frosting.  We made some substitutions like brandy extract instead of bourbon (it was Sunday and we did not have any in the house) and honey instead of corn syrup for the frosting. Overall it turned out to be a delicious cake, even with a few bumps in the road. Just like life we encounter setbacks, and things don’t always go as planned. It’s our decision to pick up the pieces and make the most of them that contributes to our resilience as human beings.

Although not vintage, my pride and joy is a soft-turquoise-blue KitchenAid stand mixer that helped give life to this cake. Making the base of the cake was not difficult once the other two sous-chefs were educated on the difference between dry and wet ingredient measuring cups. We also learned that vintage cakes contain a large helping, probably more than one’s daily value, of butter. After filling the kitchen with the scent similar to warm banana bread, we began on the frosting.

This buttercream recipe included whipped egg whites, which Madeline eventually perfected separating from the yolks with the loss of only one egg down the drain. They made for a airy frosting, much lighter than the traditional buttercream recipes I have made in the past. The frosting also included instant espresso, ground walnuts and some more butter (FYI vintage frostings also contain a lot of butter).

Where we took a wrong turn down a dark, shady alleyway occurred with our hastiness to devour this delicious looking creation.  As we later learned it might have been a smart idea to wait for both the cakes and the frosting to cool completely.

How did we find this out you ask?

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Baking, just like life takes patience.

We might not be in the spot we expected to be a year ago, or even a month ago. And that’s okay. We have to accept where we are at, and know that our time will come with an expectant heart and open mind. In this New Year, my wish for you is to choose contentment. Focus on where you are right now and be free of anxiety from a job interview you might have flopped, a person you’re searching for but haven’t met yet, or a goal you’re working towards but haven’t reached. Each opportunity will come to you in time.  Remember we don’t always get to choose the time or place. But have a piece of cake while you wait. Or better yet, share a piece with a friend or someone you love (even if you have to pick up the pieces from the refrigerator shelf- serve it on a pretty plate and nobody will know)!