Happy New Year and welcome to the first edition of The Hearth and Soul Hop for 2012!

The Holiday Season made it a quieter week at Hearth and Soul last week, but we still had lots of wonderful contributions. Thank you to everyone who shared their recipes. My highlights include:

Nutritious Butternut Ginger Muffins with Macadamia Nuts, made using butternut squash, lovely spices and what may be my favourite nuts;

a easier way to make a classic comforting treat, Bread Machine Jelly Doughnuts, and

wonderfully creative and delicious Pasta and Meatballs Meatloaf.

Hearth and Soul is the blog hop for food and about food that nourishes both body and soul. Recipes should include healthy ingredients and can be old or new recipes or posts. Articles on real food, slow food, foraging, herbal remedies, local food, sustainable food, organics, gardening or any healthy eating information written in a positive and loving light are also welcome. To read more about our mission and the rules for linking, please click here. We share links to Hearth and Soul entries at our Hearth and Soul Facebook Page and Pinterest Boards, and please do come and follow us on Twitter  @HearthNSoulHop.

Please share your recipes using the linky tools below. Please include a link back to any of the host sites (through worded link or badge) in your individual post, not just on the sidebar...although we love having links on your page as well. If you have any questions please email me.

The Hearth and Soul Hop hosts include:

Alea of Premeditated Leftovers

Swathi of Zesty South Indian Kitchen

Penny of Penniless Parenting

and me, April of The 21st Century Housewife

Please link a post that closely fits into the mission.

The linky will stay open from 4:00 a.m. EST Tuesday (That will be 1:00 am PST or 8:00 am GMT) to 11:59 pm Thursday (Eastern time).

Please share the Hearth and Soul Hop badge below to promote the blog hop.