Recipes – Page 8 – Pollywog's Place Blog

Comfort Foods for Cold Weather Cravings

Published on October 11, 2025November 2, 2025 by Susie @ Pollywog's Place BlogLeave a comment

I don’t know what it is about the cooler weather that makes me want a bowl of something hot, but I sure have been wanting some here lately… I usually have my cup of coffee in the morning, and then the weather warms up through the day, so my craving fades.

I wanted to gather our favorites here in one post so I can find them a little easier and share them with you… just in case you have those same cravings! These are also the perfect ‘comfort foods’ for sick days or times when you just feel a little down. There are a lot of chicken recipes, but that’s probably because our bodies crave the healing properties that come from broths, which we use a lot in different recipes.

Beverages

Dandy Morning Coffee

Ms. Shirley’s Hot Apple Cider

The Best Hot Cocoa

Susie’s Sweet Tea – we like to drink it warm in the winter, or we will make single-serve cups of herbal teas!

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Homemade Pizzelle Cannoli

Published on October 9, 2025October 7, 2025 by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog1 Comment

We wanted to make this in honor of Christopher Columbus Day, which we happened to celebrate a little early, as it fell during the Biblical Feast of Sukkot this year. I think they looked pretty good, and everyone agreed that this will need to go on REPEAT for the dessert schedule!

This is not the traditional way to make Cannoli, however, this is the easiest way for me to get them made during busy days here. We found that we can use our Pizzelle recipe to make the shells… gotta work quick to roll them up, but it isn’t too bad other than your fingertips get a little warm. Having a cannoli roller works well, but is not completely necessary… we use a turkey baster to roll some of them, and it worked just as good!

NOTE: You definitely do not want to fill them too early. I chose to fill them before we served dinner, and they were still crunchy after we ate, but some of them were a little soggy the next day. We did put some in the freezer, and the kids really liked them!

Don’t worry if you don’t have a Pizzelle Maker or forms… you can turn this filling into dip, and eat it with some graham crackers, or fresh fruit!

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Special Holiday Meals: Days of the Dead Meal Plan

Published on October 8, 2025October 8, 2025 by Susie @ Pollywog's Place Blog1 Comment

These are not something that we traditionally celebrate, but it was fun to see some traditions from other places, and we may try a few of these menus or we may make some of these recipes for upcoming family get-togethers. Please use your own discretion when choosing what special days to celebrate in your home.

10/31 – All Hallows Eve

Traditionally a day for bonfires, apple bobbing, and carving Jack-o-lanterns.

WEENIE ROAST or ‘Goblins’ in Blankets

Ranch Potato Wedges

Chick Pea & Pumpkin Soup

Soul Cakes or Doughnuts

Caramel Apples & Popcorn Balls

Apple Cider

11/1 – ALL SAINT’S DAY

Enjoy an evening walk.

Roast Chicken or Ham

Creamy Cabbage & Sausage

Corn Pudding, Carrot Souffle

Pretzels & Crème Puffs,

4 Layer Pumpkin Cake or Pumpkin Pie

11/2 – ALL SOUL’S DAY/DIA de LOS MUERTOS

Traditionally a day to visit the graves of loved ones and leave flowers.

Chicken or Pork Tamales

Gorditas, Chicken Mole, or Pozole – I haven’t made these in FOREVER so I’ll try to find my old recipes and get them up on the blog!

Salad, Beans, Rice, Guacamole

Sweet Potato Croquettes or Sweet Potato Casserole

Pan Dulce, Flan, Tres Leche Cake, Hot Chocolate

Days of the Dead Menu Download

A Hobbit Day Celebration with Pictures

Published on October 7, 2025October 8, 2025 by Susie @ Pollywog's Place BlogLeave a comment

Our first Hobbit Day went well even though we had to postpone it once. We had planned to start with Breakfast at 7:00 on Saturday but we had overnight guests and a late night so it ended up being more like 7:45ish.

“Good morning! I’m not quite sure what you mean,” said Bilbo, “but my meaning was that I wish you a good morning, or rather, that it is a good morning whether I want it or not; or that you feel good this morning; or that it is a morning to be good on?” – Bilbo Baggins

Mr. Awesome got up early and put some meat on the smoker. He put a couple of lamb quarters on too as those would be used for the pot roast later on.