Cookie Monster...

Chocolate Crinkles...

check!


Peanut Butter Blossoms...

check!


Pecan Puffs...

check!



The kids are officially on Winter Break and Christmas is a mere 7 days away!


Are you ready?

The Gift Of Peppermint Hot Chocolate...

Every October when it starts to get cold outside, I make our family a big batch of "homemade" Peppermint Hot Chocolate. Or maybe I should call it, semi-homemade, because all of the ingredients are readily available and take minimal effort to put together. But combined, they create a cup of yummy, warm, chocolatey deliciousness!


I simply combine regular and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, mini marshmallows, and peppermints (or candy canes) that I unwrap, put into a big zip-lock bag and crush with the flat side of our metal meat tenderizer. Unwrapping all of the peppermints is the most time consuming step of this whole process, so if you have time for that, then you're good to go!

There isn't much of a recipe to follow here. You just want to make sure that you have enough peppermint and chocolate chips in there that you get a good amount in every scoop...

I put it all in the jar and then add powdered hot chocolate mix. Nothing fancy or gourmet necessary. When you mix it all with hot water or warm milk, the chocolate chips and marshmallows melt to make a rich taste, and the peppermint adds the perfect hit of flavor...

When it's all mixed and ready to enjoy, just make it the same way that you make instant hot cocoa. Fill the mug up 1/4 to 1/2 way with the mix (depending on what your sweet tooth prefers) and then fill the mug with boiling water or warm milk. Stir until all of the marshmallows and chocolate chips are melted. When you get to the bottom of the mug, you'll be left with some chunks of melting peppermint - my kids' favorite part!



I made a big jar for my best friend and her family this year, tied it with a bright red ribbon and hung a few jingle bells on it...

And this year, the kids and I decided that this would make the perfect gift for our teacher's and their families over Winter Break and all season long...

For a prettier presentation, I added more crushed peppermint and chocolate chips on top...

I love how it looks when you open the jar!

My kids are obsessed with this hot chocolate, and if I am being totally honest,
so am I!

*For the adults, a dash of Amaretto is really yummy, and Peppermint Schnapps does the trick as well!*


The kids delivered the gifts to their teacher's yesterday and I am told that they received rave reviews. Hopefully, along with their families, they enjoyed a cup last night!


This also makes a wonderful gift for friends and neighbors, as a hostess gift, and even as a gift from your child to their friends.

Easy, inexpensive, and so, so yummy!


~ Enjoy ~




P.S. I bought the jars at Fred Meyer, but I know that Target sells them as well. I was able to buy them for $5 a piece, on sale. Not bad, if you ask me!

:)

P.S.S. I am posting this at:
Tatertots and Jello, Remodelaholic, Finding Fabulous, The Shabby Nest, Beyond The Picket Fence, Funky Junk Interiors, Be Different...Act Normal, The Girl Creative, Blue Cricket Design, The Thrifty Home,

Christmas Cookies...

I cannot wait to start making Christmas Cookies!

Which is kind of odd, because as I have said before, I am not the baker in the family.

But how can a girl resist when there are so many great recipes and beautiful cookies to be made!

All of these came from Taste Of Home and I want to try my hand at all of them!


And even though this recipe isn't for a cookie, or require baking (score!), I want to try this one too...


Frozen Hot Chocolate


Yum!

I have promised myself (and Will) that I won't start any new projects (baking is definitely a project for me and the kitchen bears the brunt of it) until I am finished decorating for Christmas and all of the empty bins are out of the garage (ie: the workshop) and back under the house.

I am thiiiiis close to being done, and then the baking is on!


Have you started your Christmas Cookie baking yet?

A Perfect Day For Sugared Pecans...

Today we woke up to snow...

It actually started snowing yesterday, but it wasn't until this morning that it started accumulating. Shockingly, school wasn't cancelled, or even delayed. But I have to be honest...I wish it had been. We so rarely get snow and I can only imagine how anxious the boys must be, sitting patiently in their classrooms at school, to get home so they can get out there and start making snowballs and sleding down the hills.



With or without her brothers, Ellison is having a blast out there!


She goes out until she's too cold to stand it anymore, then comes inside to warm up. As soon as she's warm and her coat, hat and gloves are dry, she's back out again!

You've got to take advantage of it while you've got it, around here!

:)


For me, a snow day is the perfect excuse to be in the kitchen making something yummy. And this time of year, it's all about the Sugared Pecans...

I got the recipe years ago from a good friend in Arizona, and I always make them for Thanksgiving and Christmas. Wrapped up in a pretty bag, they make a great gift for friends and neighbors.

Sugared Pecans

....................................................................

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter
2 egg whites
1 lb. of pecans
1 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon

....................................................................


Directions:

Melt butter and spread in a jelly roll pan (or cookie sheet). Mix all other ingredients together in a large bowl, then spread in the pan making sure that the pecans are spread out flat. Bake at 250 degrees for one hour or until dry. Stir the pecans every 10 minutes during cooking so that the sugar mixture coats the pecans well. Be sure not to overcook them or they will taste burned. As soon as they look dry, remove from oven. Cool and store in an air tight container.

....................................................................

Enjoy!




P.S. I am linking this post to:

Someday Crafts, Blue Cricket Design, The Thrifty Home, Funky Junk Interiors, Be Different...Act Normal,

Grown-Up Grilled Cheese...

I'll admit, I'm not a huge fan of Grilled Cheese Sandwiches.

Actually, I'm not a fan at all.

Bread, butter and cheddar cheese all put together is not what I crave. Ever.


But when I saw this story in a recent issue of Martha Stewart magazine, I was definitely tempted. I could do Grown-Up Grilled Cheese Sandwiches, for sure.


They are, as follows:


Gruyere, Prosciutto, Arugula, and Tomato on White...

*Yum!*


Fontina, Harissa, and Pear on Rye...

Gruyere, Apple, and Sage on Rye...

Cheddar, Dijon Mustard, Bacon, Tomatoes, Avocado, and Pepper on Sourdough...

Gruyere, Red Onion, Prosciutto, and Pepper on Rye...

Cheddar, Jalapeno, and Cilantro on White...

Gruyere, Oil-Packed Sardines, Peppadew Peppers, and Arugula on Rye...

Cheddar, Cherry Preserves, and Basil on White...

Fontina, Oil-Packed Tuna, and Relish on White...

Cheddar, Bacon, and Pickles on Sourdough...

Mmmmm...

It all sounds (and looks) like really, yummy comfort food. And it's cold and rainy here today, which makes it a perfect day for a steaming cup of hot soup and a tasty, melted sandwich.

The only problem is...how to choose which sandwich to make first!

Going Green...

To celebrate St. Patrick's Day tomorrow (can anyone explain how it's possible that we're in mid-March already?!) I thought it would be fun to bake up something sweet with the kids for dessert.

I think those green frosted Irish Shamrock Cookies are adorable and sit at the top of my list of what to make, but our oldest son thinks this would be even better...

Pistachio Cake

Hmm...it's a toss up.


So we searched a bit more and I think we would have been better off had we just stopped with the first two.

Check these out...

Chocolate Mint Dessert Brownies

Yummm.

Mint Chocolate Cake

Zucchini Oatmeal Cookies


I think I'll make these for the kids as a festive snack for when they get home from school tomorrow. Their own little Pots of Gold...

or maybe Rainbow Cupcakes for my little leprechauns...

Think I could sneak in these healthy Shamrocks and convince them to actually eat them?

It wouldn't work with the boys, but Ellison would definitely go for it. I think these Green Peppers are super cute!



And on the menu for dinner..

Shepherd's Pie

I have never made it before, but I have tried it homemade and it was delicious!


Yum...can't wait for tomorrow.

:)


What are your St. Patrick's Day plans?

Do you go all out on Irish Cuisine and Shamrock decor?


Whatever your St. Patrick's Day may hold in store for you, I hope it falls in line with the sentiment of this Old Irish Blessing...

May love and laughter light your days,
and warm your heart and home.
May good and faithful friends be yours,
wherever you may roam.
May peace and plenty bless your world
with joy that long endures.
May all life's passing seasons
bring the best to you and yours!

A "Must Try" Recipe...

I am a self-proclaimed Melissa D'Arabian fan, to the core!

Will and I watched last season's The Next Food Network Star every week hoping that she would make it to the end. Sure enough, she did.

Not only did we love that we learned a new tip or trick every time she opened her mouth (we would literally rewind the DVR to make sure we heard her right and then look at each other and say "No way!"), but the fact that she was a stay at mom made me love her even more. She was a woman taking her future into her own hands and tackling her dreams!

I record her show on the Food Network "10 Dollar Dinners", but I had let them stack up in the DVR unwatched. So while I was waiting for Will to come to bed the other night, I watched a couple of episodes. That's when I watched her make this...

Sausage And Roasted Vegetable Penne

...in an episode called "Penne For Pennies".

Mmmm!

It looked so yummy!

But it was a dish that stood way out of our comfort zone. Will and I are not fans of tomatoes, zucchini or mushrooms. I was willing to make the recipe and try it (based off how yummy it looked on TV), but convincing Will was going to be a different story.

Surprisingly, he agreed to try it. So we headed to our local Produce Market and bought all of the fresh vegetables that the recipe called for.

It was so easy to make and it tasted absolutely delicious!

Tomatoes, zucchini, mushrooms, and all!

Admittedly, we were a little skeptical about how it would turn out because of the lack of sauce in this dish, but the flavor was sooo good. It was fresh and healthy and even better tasting than we could have hoped.

You must try it. You must.

.........................................................................................................


Sausage & Roasted Vegetable Penne


...Ingredients...

1 sweet onion, cut into wedges

1 medium zucchini, sliced in 1/2 lengthwise

1 red bell pepper, cheeks removed

1/2 pound button mushrooms, stemmed

2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Kosher Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 pint grape tomatoes, washed and dried

2 sweet or hot Italian sausages, thinly sliced or casings removed

1/4 cup white wine

12 ounces whole-grain penne, cooked according to package instructions, 1/2 cup pasta water, reserved

Freshly grated Parmesan, for garnish


...Directions...

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a bowl, toss all the vegetables, except the tomatoes, with 1 1/2 tablespoons oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Arrange on a baking sheet and roast, until caramelized, about 30 minutes, turning vegetables halfway through the cooking time. In a small bowl, add the tomatoes and the remaining olive oil and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and add to the baking sheet, at the halfway point of cooking, to caramelize.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet over medium heat, add the sausage and saute until cooked through. Turn up the heat and deglaze with white wine. Once the vegetables are cooked, cool slightly, then coarsely chop. Add the vegetables and any pan juices to the sausage in the skillet. Toss in the cooked penne, adding reserved pasta water, if needed, to moisten. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and serve in bowls topped with Parmesan.

............................................................................................................


The bonus is that it truly is as easy to make as it sounds!


I'm not sure if I have convinced you to try it,

but I sure am ready to make it again!




P.S. I am posting this at:

Things I Love Thursday

Add This To Your Menu...

New Year's Eve is fast approaching,

and whether you're going all out to ring in the New Year with a
big bash

or taking it easy at home in your slippers and comfy pants relaxing by the fireplace,

you may want to add this drink to your menu for the evening...


Cranberry Margaritas

I spotted it in this months issue of Sunset Magazine and, being a cranberry lover myself, I ripped out the page right away and posted it on the fridge letting Will know that we would be making these on Christmas day.

They were delicious and so simple to make!

You can click here for the recipe.

Enjoy!

................................................


I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!

We sure did...

and still are.

We're making the most of Will being home and the kids being out of school.

All we need now to make it complete is a little bit of snow.

(That's wishful thinking at its best, right there! Maybe we'll go find some snow instead of waiting for it to find us!)