Merrilyn’s grandson Jacob bought her a menu board for Christmas. Thanks Jacob.

Delicious drummettes and French bread pizza slices.

On Wednesday. Cauliflower toasts and a pretty good hot dip with tortilla chips with a terrible name, Cowboy Crack.

An old favorite, Crostini with fennel sausage by Merrilyn. Me: purchased artichoke jalapeño dip and crackers.

Honoring the tomato this month. Cherry tomato mascarpone tartlets and Upside down tomato tart:

On Wednesday. Warm Stilton and mushroom galette – so delicious! – and cream cheese w fresh-made cranberry sauce, crackers, and apple:

A favorite monthly activity for a few years was Thursday @ Merrilyn’s with Phyllis until … Phyl moved to Montana 5 years ago. Phyl arrived last Thursday to visit friends and family. This afternoon, Merrilyn came to my house for a visit – longtime friends catching up!

But first, an update. Kathy and I arrived in Sacramento late Sunday evening, we’d been traveling for 24 hours. It took a couple of days to adjust to California time.

By chance, our appetizers were both bell-pepper oriented this time. Mine was a cucumber/dill/cream cheese dip. Merrilyn made caramelized peppers with capers and Gorgonzola on crostini.

Everything in Merrilyn’s yard is popping with blooms.

It’s so good to be home!!

Charred onion dip with potato chips and 3 variations of Savory thumbprint cookies: Asiago fig, Pesto, Pecan pepper jelly.

Sticky baked chicken wings and Gorgonzola grape pine nut crostini:

and the last bottle of wine from Yellowstone Winery in Billings MT.