Scones for Christmas breakfast.

Gingerbread.

Retail obligations having been fulfilled, the holiday baking begins in earnest. Actually, there was a lovely chocolate-chip banana bread yesterday, which I neglected to photograph - but that was baked just so we'd have something to snack on. While we're baking.

Homemade Spicy Pickle Therapy.

Pumpkin Bread Therapy.

Caprese Therapy.

My Month of Mushrooms.

I know about picky eaters. And I'm not talking about regular picky - kids who won't eat vegetables, or don't let their foods touch one another? That's not picky. That's childhood. I'm lucky to get a chicken nugget into my kids. I rejoice if they eat a slice of pizza. Watching them eat corn on the cob produces tears of joy. My kids won't drink juice. Don't even think of asking them if they want a muffin. One of them refuses to eat candy. True story.

Having been a picky eater myself, I tend to go easy on them. I seem to remember that no amount of yelling was going to make oranges or egg salad any more palatable for me either. Instead, I'm leading by example, embarking on a culinary journey in which, over the course of a month, I will learn to embrace a comestible I would normally eschew.

I've grown up to be an omnivore, but there are still a few foods that I'm not altogether comfortable with - some are foods that lots of adults don't like (beets, eggplant, oysters) and some that, frankly, I just don't see any point in eating (mayo, pepperoncini). And there are some things I'm just picky about. I don't care for radicchio or anything smoked. Do not give me any fennel. I'm particular about how my steak is cooked. And, hold the olives.

But there is one thing that I Should like. One ubiquitous thing (one slimy little fungus that can kill you) that most people enjoy and which is often difficult to avoid. Hence, My Month of Mushrooms.

Last night was a homemade pizza with herbed goat cheese and mushrooms, onions and garlic in a balsamic reduction. Delicious. Couldn't taste the mushrooms at all....

Chocolate-chip Banana Bread.