Merry Christmas
Thank you for being here in this space with me day after day. I appreciate you more than you know. Your kindness and humor and down-to-earthness make me smile and keep me blogging.
It may seem a minor thing, this blog deal, but it’s worked it’s way into the crevices of my life, and while I hope it doesn’t define me completely, it’s definitely part of who I am right now. Your virtual friendships (and some that have turned into real, live friends) are highly valued by this girl who sits at her laptop endlessly talking about crazy, delicious food but knowing that in some weird way, it’s so much more than just recipes.
From me to you, words can hardly express my wish for you to have the merriest, joyous, most peaceful of holiday seasons. In a world that just doesn’t seem fair or right sometimes, where hearts ache and tears fall and hard things happen, I am grateful for the reminder that peace and happiness can come if we seek it, and for me and my family that is through a loving Savior, Jesus Christ, who we celebrate during this season when He came to earth as a baby…and later as He overcame all things and experienced all sorrow to allow us joy and happiness. Truly He is the greatest of all gifts.
I hope you have a very wonderful week!
…hopefully filled with laughter, friends, family, and of course, food…
108 Comments on “Merry Christmas”
I seriously got teary eyed during the holidays when I was saw you added your Christmas picture. Maybe because I was running around like a chicken with her head cut off, with at least 4 of the items on my last minute Christmas menu coming from you! As I raced home from the grocery store I was feeling overwhelmingly indebted to you for all of the times your recipes have saved me…as people assume I really know how to pull off a great meal! Thanks a million, and prayers of abundant blessings to you and yours in 2016!
Thank you so much for all of your sweet comments. It seriously made my holidays extra special. I am so grateful for each one of you and how you support me in this blogging adventure (and really in life). You are the best of the best and I’m so privileged to have you as my virtual friends!
I appreciate you and your blog so very much. May 2016 be a beautiful year for you and your family!
Hugs!
Leah
You’ve been a part of my life for so long now, my husband, daughter, and even my parents know about this Mel blogger I trust so much! I’ve been pinning your stuff for a few years (I even joined Pinterest because of you!) This morning I popped open the old recipe binders I used to use before I used Pinterest. Binders I have completely abandoned. Binders from wayyyyy back when you were just a random blogger I liked. The binder was full of amazing recipes of yours that I hadn’t made again and were marked as ‘incredible’, ‘make often’, ‘perfect for company’, etc! Now I have a ton more things to pin as tried and true and will have the thrill of making them again in the coming months!
Jesus bless you and your family in big ways in 2016. Thank you for allowing God to use you in this way to bless so many households!
Your blog is my favorite food blog 🙂 you are so sincere and real with the BEST recipes. In fact, I ditched the recipe I usually use for orange rolls for your orange sweet rolls for our breakfast on Christmas morning… AMAZING. My go-to from now on! So thank YOU for all your work and time to help us other cooks put great food on our family’s table!
Merry wonderful Christmas to you and your family, Mel. Your friendship has come to mean a lot to me about everything from blogging and raising chickens to shared (Truckee) friends ;). Love to you all.
Thank you for what you do here every week. I’m so glad 1) you are here and 2) that I found you years ago. This corner of the internet is where I come first and most often for inspiration and what I know will be delicious recipes every time. I’ve also told all my friends about you. It’s fun to know you live near me in Idaho, I keep hoping to run into you at Costco or Trader Joes. 🙂
I pray many blessings for you and yours in the new year. May it be a happy one.
Thank you for your fantastic blog! I appreciate the simple homey style and wonderful recipes. Before I found your blog I was in a terrible rut of meatloaf and spaghetti, so my family now loves you to. My 7 year old daughter thinks you are some distant relative that she has never met, and to be honest sometimes I feel the same way! Thank you for your creativity and transparency and I hope you never chance your style. May our savior Jesus Christ show his endless love to you and your family this new year and always.
What a hope-filled and encouraging message, Mel. Thank you for your precious words. Thank you for encouraging us all to follow our precious, loving Savior, Jesus, and for speaking of his love and faithfulness on your blog. It is so fun to know we are all sisters in Christ as well as in the kitchen!
Thank you for your wonderful message and sharing the true meaning of this season. God bless
We love you, Mel!! I just read your Christmas post, and I want you to know that it IS more than just the recipes- you have become a part of my life and my home and we have been abundantly blessed because of it!! May God bless you and keep you and yours. Love and hugs!!!
I love Love LOVE your blog, Mel, and have relied on it for years! I hope that you had a wonderful Christmas with your beautiful family. (And I hope you got an Instant Pot too – I need someone to help me with fail-proof recipes for it.) 🙂 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!!
Merry Chirstmas!! Thanks for all the unique recipes! They have a family feel that is just not replicated anywhere else! (I also love the beanie of your son on the far right. Good choice.)
You are very much my hero! Everything on our table this week has been and will be from you- thanks for all you do!! Off to store to get stuff for brownie batter dip, caprese skewers, and if we get really brave- we may try our first cheese ball…(cheese ball?) with that bacon jalapeno gorgeous pic.. .. have a fabulous holiday!
Merry Christmas to you, too! Just read your message of hope again regarding recovery to our shared yucky experience. It always brings tears! Hope you are well!
Thank you Mel!!! Your website is absolutely wonderful! It’s simple and delicious food that’s filled with homemade goodness! It has been a wonderful last few years since I discovered your wonderful blog!!! I love Mel’s Kitchen cafe and so does my family! I really enjoy cooking for my husband and daughter (4yrs) and it’s wonderful to be able to cook, bake, and explore the world of cooking with her! Merry Christmas to you and yours ❤️
What a beautiful family! Thank you for all the hard work and effort you put into this blog. I discovered your blog this year and now I don’t know what I did without it. 🙂 Your recipes have become some of our favorites and Mel is a household name around here now. My husband just smiles when I tell him it is from Mel–food and gifts for Christmas from your gift guides alike. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas with your sweet family! Thank you a million times for everything you do for your readers!
Merry Christmas!! and thank you!
(just printed the egg recipe–going to make myself one single one right now!!)
Great post and lovely pic! Thank you for tasty recipes and inspiration around the kitchen – love your style! I wish you a very merry christmas and a lot of blessings for the new year to come! //Love from Kajsa in Sweden
Merry Christmas, Mel! And to all the readers. I hope you have a happy day and holiday season. Thank you for sharing your gifts and talents with us.
Mel, what a great post! Your family is absolutely beautiful & I love your blog! Thank you for all that you share! God bless you & yours, & have a Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas
You’re simply divine! All our love for sharing your wonderful recipes and for your positive view of this crazy thing called life on planet earth. Joy to the world!!
Most of my Christmas dinner is coming from recipes from your site. Thank you for all you do and Merry Christmas!
This is perfect !!! Thank you !!! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year !!
Merry Christmas to you and your family! I’m currently making Monkey Bread for tomorrow morning– it has been our tradition since tasting it for the first time. It’s my favourite recipe on your entire site (and I’ve tried A LOT). Thank you for all you do to make my cooking life a little more interesting and easier. I don’t know how you do it and be such a good mom to 5 kids to boot! Enjoy the holidays!
Merry Christmas Mel! My family and I thank you for all your hard work on this blog. You have made dinner so much easier and better around here. Keep up the good work!
Merry Christmas Mel!! What a great picture of your family! Thank you for sharing all your great recipes and helping me revive my passion for cooking! You truly are an inspiration!
Merry Christmas! You’re my very best blog friend ever . Let us know what fancy new kitchen gear you get for Christmas!
Wishing you a wonderful Christmas & New Year! Thanks so much for all the work you put into your blog. It’s my go-to place for many, many recipes, and the only blog I faithfully follow. Thank you!
Merry Christmas Mel! What a perfect family picture. Now I know how you stay thin: gearing up five kids in snow clothes! I love what you said about why we celebrate Christmas. Somehow your faith shines through your recipe posts all year long, even when you don’t specifically talk about it. You bring sunshine and peace and happiness to a lot of people– thank you!
May you family experience the blessing of Christ’s birth. Such a lovely Christmas card. I so look forward to your blog, so thank you for making this part of your life right now. I know it’s a big effort with five children. Happy New Year to y’all.
Karen
Merry Christmas to you, Mel, and your precious family. May you have treasured times with those you love. I’m delighted we share the same faith – what a precious Gift we were given so many years ago through the birth of Jesus. Thank you for blessing us with your wonderful recipes. I appreciate you so very much!
Merry Christmas! Thank you for your post–I faithfully read and use so many of your recipes–I don’t always reply much anymore because my internet just doesn’t work that well and my computer freezes up on your site a lot, but I’m fighting through it today to let you know how much I love your blog and look forward to every email update that I get with a new post. Your family is beautiful, your post was beautiful, and I pray you and all of the “Mel followers” have a very blessed Christmas!
Mel,
Your recipes have been a source of inspiration to me to go out on a limb and try my own concoctions(some have become family favs, while some not so much). But more than that, you have truly helped me get our of my same ol same ol, rut. And! In your amazing way, you have helped my family – Example- tonight I made your creamy white chicken chili. My parents live a few houses down and come down most nights for supper. My mother is anorexic and barely weighs 100lbs. She usually pushes her food around her plate and then talks about how she is about to pop from being so full (yeah righ!) Tonight, once again, I watched her put food in her bowl and begin to do her normal routine. But soon into her usually routine, she was actually eating. She ate her entire bowl. I went to the bathroom to cry and praise God that she was actually eating. She finished her bowl and told me what a wonderful meal that was. So thank you Mel. You have become like a member of our family. Words cannot express enough how this made me so happy and it was your recipe. I am praising God that He used your talent for concocting amazing recipes to help my mother make a small baby step in eating. Thank you!!
Merry Christmas Mel! Thank you for continuing to share such wonderful recipes and thank you for sharing Christ this Christmas season! It is a joy to not only cook your recipes but also to read your posts. I cook your recipes so often that it feels like you’ve become part of our family!
My sister and I love your blog and now most of my friends do too because when they ask me for a recipe of something I have made its a 90% chance it came from your blog. I’m glad you love food like we do. Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas, Mel! Thanks for sharing all your wonderful recipes.
Love you, Mel! I hope your Christmas is joyous, magical, and filled with love and snuggles and hugs and kisses from all your sweet loved ones!
Merry Christmas Mel!!
I hope you enjoy this special time of the year with your family! Thanks for all your hard work and delicious recipes you provide my family!! I gotta wonder.. any half marathons this year? My hubby and I did our triathlon in July, and I’m spying a half next! Yikes!
I have to tell you that my husband wrote our Christmas letter to friends and family this year and a part read, “Tanya stays busy raising all of us, baking and cooking (just a tip to all the husbands — get your wife to check out “Mels Kitchen Cafe”– it’s my favorite website for Tanya to explore 🙂 ” haha! So theres a shoutout to 75+ people! 🙂
Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas!!! You are by far my favorite food, my Pinterest account will back me up on that haha! Thank you so much for all the amazing & delicious recipes, the humor and the slice of life you share.
I’m bringing your cranberry bliss bars to the family Christmas this year and they came out unbelievable! I love that your recipes can always be trusted to come out right.
Enjoy your Christmas fun & feasts!!
That beautiful picture makes me cold just looking at it. Thankfully, I have your baked eggs to eat with sweet potato hash, your lasagna, and your cranberry bliss bars to warm and fill me on Christmas Day. We will be quite full thanks to your recipes. Down time is necessary for you to continue loving this, but I will look forward to your return in January.
Merry Christmas Mel! I hope you and your beautiful family have the best holiday! I appreciate the recipes you share but also the short but profound testimony you shared of the Savior as well. Lots of love!
What a lovely family you have! You bring so much joy to your readers (and to everyone they cook for!) I hope you are feeling better and get some time to enjoy Christmas & New Year’s with your beautiful family.
Your blog is amazing, I love it so much! Thank you for all the time and effort you put into it all year. I love your recipes, all of them!!! And you already know how much I love you and your awesome family. Some of my very most favorite people in the whole world!! Merry Christmas!
Beautiful family! God bless you and Merry Christmas!
I can’t thank you enough for sharing all your delicious recipes with us! Your recipes are becoming staples at our table in our day-to-day life and part of our traditions during holidays – seriously enriching our family culture! Thank you so much, and thanks for sharing your faith in Christ. I hope you and your family have a very Merry Christmas!
I follow a lot of blogs, both food related and not, and yours is my favorite. I mainly cook for my family using your recipes and they are ALWAYS, and I mean ALWAYS delicious. I love that you cook using real food. Thanks to you, I have transitioned to using solely homemade bread and my family has cut out so much processed food. Whenever you have a new post, I get so excited. I just wanted to let you know that you are a huge blessing in our lives and although I don’t normally comment, I am so appreciative of all the work you have done on this blog (and so is my family). God bless you and have a wonderful Christmas!
Merry Christmas! You are such a blessing in my life! I use your blog daily, and I am so so so thankful for you and your work to keep this going! I love that I don’t even have to test out a recipe before trying it on company or for giving. I trust you completely. 🙂 Have a very Merry Christmas!
Thanks for all your time and talent you use to give all of us your great recipes. I know I can always count on really good food when I make them. You are a blessing to me and so many others. Merry Christmas to you and your sweet family! Many blessings in 2016!!! xoxo
Merry Christmas to you too! What a cute family you’ve got!
Beautifully said, Mel! The same sentiments to you and your family!
Merry Christmas!
Miriam
A very Merry Christmas to you and your family!!!!
Merry Christmas to you & your family. I don’t think how much you mean to mine! I have a severely mentally & physically disabled 15 year old son as well as a typically developing 9 year old with ADD. Your site is the one I frequent the most. You keep your meals easy, quick, & yummy for me to turn to on the tough tough days. I appreciate your real-ness!
Merry Christmas!!!! Thank you so much for your hard work and love. I can feel your love through your words, through your recipes. Thank you for being you!
Beautiful family 🙂
Merry Christmas, Mel and family! Your family is growing and as darling as ever! You, Mel have meant so much to me (SOOOO much!!) over the last 5 years I’ve followed your blog. I love preparing and making the most delicious food ever and trying new things. Your blog is forever etched in our family’s heart bringing us together around the dinner table and making epic messes in the kitchen making your recipes. I thank you from the bottom of my mama heart. Thanks for making me laugh with your humor and thanks for being real and thanks for being a consistent awesome blogger. I love you for that. I hope you have a Merry Christmas. xo…Heidi Herd
I don’t comment much, but just wanted to let you know how much I feel like you are a part of my mommy life, which involves a lot of cooking. My love of cooking stemmed from making dinners with my mom and I hope that with every meal my family eats together (many of which recipes come from you), we are nurturing our bodies and especially our relationships with each other.
Merriest Christmas to your beautiful family. I love your words about life and I share your conviction that peace can come in a troubled world through the Savior of the world. I love you, as odd as that may sound. My friend and I call you Mel as if you were a part of our dinner/recipe conversations. 🙂
Merry Christmas to you and your sweet family from VA!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. May God continue to bless your family!
Such a warm & wonderful message! Merry Christmas to you and yours from me & mine here in London, England. I thank God for leading me to your website- the kids get very excited when I say I’m cooking from one of your recipes. If they particularly enjoy something, they ask ‘is this from Melskitchencafe?’ Lol! God bless you, and see you next year xxx
What a cute picture! So jealous of all that snow! Snow is a great kid entertainer;) thank you for all the work and recipes. You’re my go to. And you have motivated me to get running (week 7 of program!) and to teach my kids piano (they get paid a dollar a week to practice lol) but really I am thankful for our virtual friendship and maybe well meet in real life someday! Have a great holiday
Wishing you and your family a Blessed and very Merry Christmas as well as a wonderful 2016.
Thank you for all you do on this blog – it is a pleasure to be a reader and cook/baker of your recipes!
Gorgeous photo and sentiments in your post!
Love and Peace,
Liz
Merry Christmas Mel and family! May you have a peaceful holiday! Thanks for all your hard work providing ip us with the best recipes all year long!!!
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Mel!
Merry Christmas Mel! You are a blessing and we are thankful for you, your family that gets to try out all those new wonderful recipes (and the ones that don’t turn out too), and especially thankful for Jesus! I’m making your Best BBQ sauce today to have with pulled pork on Christmas. And oh my word Mel, those decadent double chocolate peppermint cookies are my new fave. I honestly did not want to take them to my neighbors, but I did…:)
Merry Christmas Mel! I hope you and your family have an amazing holiday season!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
Wishing you and yours a wonderful and blessed Christmas also! Thanks for helping to keep my family feed with yummy things! We sure appreciate you at our house!
Merry Christmas!
Have a very merry Christmas!!!
Merry Christmas Mel! Thank you so much for your time, energy, and wonderful recipes! I would be lost without your site. I pray you and your beautiful family have a wonderful Christmas and blessed New Year.
Merriest of Christmases to you, Mel. Thank you for your hard work and dedication to your blog. I’m so grateful for your recipes that keep my family healthy & well-fed. God bless you and yours! Now, off to get that cranberry apple cider drink going…! 🙂
Merry Christmas to you and your family. Ditto to all of the above and your greeting as well. You are my “go to” place when I’m wondering what’s for dinner. Which makes my life so much easier. Thanks for all you do. May His peace be with you this Christmas season and always.
Merry Christmas to you and your sweet family. Thank you for the wonderful service you provide of helping us to fix healthy and tasty dishes for those we cook for!
Mel, merriest of Christmases to your family. Your efforts here are so much more than just another blog to me. I don’t follow any other “food blogs,” and I trust your cooking judgement implicitly. I’ve also benefited from your recommendations for various products and games–thanks! I think you’re great, and I wish you the best.
Mel, I hope you and your family have a wonderful holiday season, if anyone deserves it, it’s you. I’ve been loving this blog since 2008 and even though I don’t comment often I so appreciate all of your time and effort into making my meals run smoother. You are simply amazing!! Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas to you Mel and your beautiful family!! Goodness knows what I would do without your recipes – it’s all I’m making this holiday season because I know they are tried and true plus out of this world DELICIOUS! I don’t post a comment all that often but I check your sight daily for recipe inspiration. Thank you for all your work to make my life easier! You’re blessing – thankful for you!! Hugs!
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I love food…. and that’s part of the reason why I also love your blog, the other part is of course you. You keep things pretty simple and always delicious. Both you, and your recipes are straightforward and accessible. I visit a lot of other blogs to see what’s happening, but yours is my go to. Thank you for sharing part of you with us, your readers (and strangely distant friends!). I wish you and your family a lovely Holiday, and Peace.
Merry Christmas! What a beautiful and very lucky family you have. I visit your site almost daily and like all the others feel like you are my virtual bestie. Hopefully 2016 will be great for you, may you love a little deeper and feel love more freely!
Merry Christmas to you and your family too! Love you!
Merry Christmas! I hope you and your family have a wonderful time. I look forward to reading your blog and I love all the recipes you share. May your New Year be all you hope for.
Merry Christmas Mel!! Thanks for working so hard so my family, and countless others, can have healthy, delicious meals. You’re a rock star! Love you!
Merry Christmas! Thank you for all the time you put into this great blog! You have quickly become my favorite food blog. I hope you have a wonderful Christmas and New Year!
Merry Merry Christmas Mel!! I agree: your blog is so much more than just food, even for your readers!! You keep us well fed, but you also remind us through example about how to keep it real, laugh, have fun, and, most importantly to me, do all of it while doing your best to be a good mommy to your kids!! Thank you for all of it! Since I think we’d be friends in real life (like basically all of your readers feel, let’s be honest!!), your Christmas present from me this year would be toffee Blondies in a jar with a zeal spoon attached. Can’t have too many of those, right??? You are the best! Merry Christmas!!
Merry Christmas to you and your family, Mel! Thanks for all the delicious recipes. You have posted so many new ones these last few weeks that I can’t keep up with all of it! I’m making the Perfect Cinnamon Rolls for Christmas morning – can’t wait!
Merry Christmas Mel and Happy New Year. What a darling family picture. Thank you for all of your hard work and your wonderful recipes.
Thanks for your beautiful greeting, Mel. I wish all the same for you. Merry Christmas!
“Ditto” to pretty much all of the comments above 🙂 Lovely Christmas card, you rock, your recipes rock. God bless you and all the best to you in 2016.
Thank you, Mel, for doing this wonderful thing called a Blog. I don’t add comments to your posts much but please know – you have changed my and my family’s life with your recipes since I discovered you last year. I am from Milwaukee and wish you still lived in Wisconsin so that we could be live friends in real life! Blessings from my family to yours and have a truly, very Merry Christmas.
Merry Christmas to you, dear Mel! Thank you so much for all you share with us and for the kind and generous support you’ve given me as I’ve started my own blogging journey. I hope you’re feeling better and can enjoy this week of celebration!
Merry Christmas Mel! Adorable card! One of the highlights for me this year was finally meeting YOU! Have a very Merry Christmas with that sweet family of yours!
Merry Christmas to you and your beautiful family, Mel. Thank you for another year of amazing recipes and blog posts!!
Merry Christmas May God richly bless you for the many ways you have blessed me and my family through this blog. Enjoy some time off celebrating our Lord and Savior who humbled himself to take on flesh and live a human life only to do to save us. Peace be with you!
Merry CHRISTmas and a Happy New Year.
Yes, HE is the greatest gift on earth.
GOD BLESS!!
Merry Christmas! I am grateful for your blog and all of the recipes that you post. Thank you!
Beautifully said! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Merry Christmas! You have a beautiful heart, as well as a beautiful family. Thanks for sharing your wonderful recipes and making our lives a little easier. Happy holidays and God bless!
Merry Christmas Mel, and I hope you are feeling better. Thank you for all you do for us:) Enjoy your time with your family, and God Bless!
Merry Christmas to you and your family! Thank you for all you do…your recipes, tips, advice and sweet humor have changed my life for the better and I thank you for it. Enjoy the holidays!
Thank you for many years of wondrous food and fun. You are the best there is, and we all love you. Happy holidays and best wishes for a happy, healthy new year.
Your recipes are definitely going to be a part of our celebrating. Thank you for being the guinea pig for all of us because we know the time it gets posted to your blog, it’s been tested and approved. Blessings to you and your family.
Merry Christmas to you and your family! May God continue to bless you all and bring you happiness in the new year. Thank you for sharing all of your wonderful recipes. Your hard work makes my day easier (and delicious!) I appreciate it!
Amen. . . .The life of the Lord Jesus Christ living within you is the only way you can have internal peace and joy in the midst of the hardness and suffering this world dumps into your life. And, you, Mel are a ray of sunshine beaming into so many lives through this blog. May you and your precious family have a joyous season of celebrating love, joy, peace, family, laughter and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ . . .Merry Christmas!
What a great picture and thoughtful note! Merry Christmas to you and your family. Thanks so much for all of the hard work you pour into the blog — it has become one of my favorites!
Mel, Merry Christmas to you and your precious family. ( The picture is great!) Thank you so much for sharing yourself and your family with us. And, thank you so much for eloquently reminding us the reason for this season…….and that peace and happiness is possible in this world in which we live. It is oh so easy to forget.
Thank you for all your wonderful recipes and photos. Merry Christmas!
I agree wholeheartedly with the message from Momstarr! God bless you and your family. You’re such a gifted cook, blogger, photographer and are at the top of my favorites list. Thank you for your wonderful recipes and instructions. Merry Christmas!
God Bless you and your family! May the coming year draw you even closer to Him who indeed paid it all for us. I have come to depend on your blog to put something delicious and healthy on our dinner table. I have 10 kids so pleasing everyone is a challenge! Thanks for such a blessing of a blog.