Candy tree
The kids and I made this fun Christmas tree to send to my godson, who is serving in the Army and won’t make it home for Christmas this year. We had fun doing it together, and we hope Jeff will get a kick out of it.
If you have a styrofoam cone, a low-temp. hot glue gun, and some candy, then you have all the trimmings for this edible tree. To finish off our tree, we glued a star onto a skewer and poked it through the top of the cone. Ta-da! A Christmas tree you can eat!
{one year ago: reindeer cookies}
Greening up gift wrapping
I’ve been collecting great wrapping ideas, and have so much to share with you. I hope some of these will get your creative (and green) juices flowing. Happy wrapping!
Have you heard of furoshiki? It’s a beautiful Japanese style of folding cloth.
Here’s a video to show you how to wrap several different kinds of gifts.
There are also lots of instructional videos on youtube. Just search “furoshiki” to check them out.
Would you look at this? A gift wrapped in another gift!
Check out Country Living for an easy step-by-step tutorial to wrap you gifts using shirts.
Another Country Living idea with easy step-by-step directions.
Who knew wrapping a gift in recycled newsprint could be so pretty?
For many more gift wrapping ideas, check out these additional sites:
Chocolate peppermint thumbprint cookies
Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
In my humble opinion, the best flavor combination on the planet is chocolate and peppermint. To me, there’s just nothing else that quite compares. Even the smell of peppermint makes me feel good. I love it that much. My kids do too, and if you want to see a fight break out, put them in a room with only one peppermint patty. I dare ya. (No, really, I know they’d share it, but I’m trying to stress our adoration here.)
This chocolate thumbprint cookie is delicious. A rich, chocolaty flavor with a nice soft texture. It really is perfect and could be topped off with anything from ganache to jam to frosting. It would also make a perfect crinkle cookie rolled in powdered sugar. We decided to top ours with a peppermint marshmallow frosting and finished them off with some crushed candy canes. Festive, no? My only complaint was totally my own fault, because I really should have either used less powdered sugar in the frosting, or added a little more milk. I didn’t realize until it was in a pastry bag that it was too thick to pipe. Instead, I ended up using my off-set spatula and putting a dab of frosting into each cookie. Maybe not as pretty as piped frosting would have been, but darn tasty all the same.
{Here’s a great tip for making thumbprint cookies. I know you’re supposed to use your thumb or fingertip, but I like my method better. I used a melon baller to make perfect indentations into the cookies. Worked like a charm and every cookie had a perfect little cup to hold the frosting.}
{one year ago: giving hope}
Recipe: Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
(adapted from Fine Cooking)
1 1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 c. unsalted butter, softened
1 1/3 c. granulated sugar
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
3 large eggs
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 c. bittersweet chocolate chips, melted and cooled slightly
(or 3 oz. bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled slightly)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In medium bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In another mixing bowl, beat butter, sugar, and cocoa powder on medium speed until well blended, about 2 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing until blended after each addition, about 30 seconds. Add vanilla and mix another minute at medium speed. Next, blend in the cool, melted chocolate and beat about 30 more seconds. Add the flour mixture and blend at low speed, about 1 more minute.
Spoon about a teaspoon of dough into the palm of your hand and quickly roll into a ball; place on cookie sheet. Bake until cookies are puffed and cracked, about 10 minutes. When cookies come out of the oven, use a melon baller, the back of a measuring spoon, or your finger, to create a small well in the center of each cookie. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Fill with peppermint frosting or your choice of filling.
(Yields about 4 dozen cookies.)
Recipe: Peppermint Marshmallow Frosting
In a large bowl, combine 2 Tbsp. of butter, softened; one 1 c. marshmallow creme; and 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Gradually beat in 3/4 cups powdered sugar. Beat in 1 tablespoon milk. Beat in another 1/2-1 cup of powdered sugar. If necessary, stir in enough additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to make a filling of piping consistency. Pipe into the well of each chocolate thumbprint cookie. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
Santa bread
Santa Bread
I couldn’t resist this adorable bread, and surprised my kids by serving it with dinner last night. They loved it! But really, I think anyone would enjoy seeing this bread show up on the dinner table, don’t you? And what a treat to serve for Christmas dinner!
While you could definitely make this with frozen bread dough, I followed the recipe and made my own. It didn’t take long at all, and it came together pretty easily. I was a little worried that it would be tough because of the rolling and manipulating of the dough, but it was still a tender bread. I did think it was a little too sweet for my taste, so if (or when) I make it again, I’ll use a different bread recipe. Another thing I’d do differently is the egg wash ~ I don’t see any reason to just brush only the egg yolk on. I’ll use the whole egg the next time to get a smoother looking finish on the bread. Or how about melted butter? Yum.
If you’re looking for something out of the ordinary to bake this Christmas, I hope you give this Santa bread a try. I think I had as much fun making it and surprising the kids as they had finding it on the dinner table.
For some tips on using your kitchen aid mixer instead of hand-kneading bread dough, check this out.
{one year ago: chocolate peppermint cookies}
Recipe: Santa Bread
(slightly adapted from Taste of Home)
4-4 1/2 c. all-purpose or bread flour
1/2 c. granulated sugar
2 pkgs. active dry yeast
1 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 c. milk
1/4 c. water
1/4 c. butter, cubed
2 eggs
2 raisins
2 egg yolks
red food coloring
To make bread dough:
In the bowl of your kitchen aid mixer (or in a large bowl), combine 2 c. flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. In a small saucepan, heat the milk, water, and butter to 120-130 degrees. Add liquid to dry ingredients, and beat just until moistened. Beat in the eggs until mixture is smooth. Using the lowest speed on your kitchen aid mixer or by hand, stir in enough of the remaining flour to form a stiff dough. The rest of the flour will be added as the bread is kneaded.
Switch attachments to the bread kneading hook, and knead dough until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Add flour by 1/2 cupfuls until dough does not stick to the bottom of the bowl and is incorporated. (If kneading by hand, turn dough onto floured surface and knead until smooth, adding flour as necessary, until dough is smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes.)
Place dough on a clean plate, oil the mixing bowl, and return dough to it. Turn to coat with oil. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
To assemble Santa bread:
Punch dough down. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; divide into two portions, one slightly larger than the other.
Shape the larger portion into an elongated triangle with rounded corners for Santa’s head and hat.
Divide the smaller portion in half. Shape and flatten one half into a beard. Using kitchen scissors or a pizza cutter, cut into strips to within 1 inch of the top. Position beard on Santa’s face; twist and curl strips.
Use the remaining dough for the mustache, nose, hat pom-pom and hat brim. Shape a portion of dough into a mustache and flatten, then cut the ends into small strips with scissors or pizza cutter. Place above beard. (A dab of water helps keep the smaller pieces attached.) Place a small ball on mustache for nose. Fold tip of hat over and add another ball for a pom-pom. Roll out a narrow piece of dough to create a hat brim; position on hat.
With scissors, cut two slits for eyes; insert raisins into slits.
Using two small bowls, beat an egg yolk in each. Add red food coloring to one yolk. Brush plain egg yolk over face and beard. Carefully brush red-colored yolk over hat, nose, and cheeks.
Cover loosely with foil. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Uncover; bake 10-12 minutes longer or until golden. Cool on wire rack.
A guest post!
Garlic ranch pretzels
Garlic Ranch Pretzels
I’m sending a huge shout-out to Robin at the Big Red Kitchen for this tasty treat. She posted them quite a while back, and shared that they were always part of the “pogey bait” she sent off to her husband when he was stationed away from home. I knew right then that these would be part of the Christmas package we sent off to my godson, who is serving in Germany.
You might not be sending a goody box off to anybody, but I can highly recommend these pretzels as a delicious snack for home too.
{one year ago: cream puffs with cinnamon whipped cream}
Recipe: Garlic Ranch Pretzels
(from Big Red Kitchen)
1 lb. of sourdough nugget pretzels
1 package of Hidden Valley Ranch dressing mix
3/4 c. canola oil
3 tsp. garlic powder
Mix the spices with oil, then pour over the pretzels. Stir well to coat. Bake at 300 degrees for 30 minutes or until all the oil is absorbed, stirring every ten minutes. Cool and store in sealed container.
Guacamole Grinch
Guacamole Grinch
How fun is this serving idea for your Christmas party? Or to take into your kiddo’s classroom? Or why not have some nachos and guac while you decorate your Christmas tree?
The Grinch is a must in our house every holiday season. Well, actually, that’s not entirely true. The Grinch is a must in our house yearlong, because Claudia’s taste in dvds has no seasonal limitations. If she feels like watching a Christmas special in the middle of July, we do. No questions asked.
But since most folks may only think about this iconic Dr. Seuss character in December, this is the perfect time to share this clever idea. I would have never thought of turning a bowl of guacamole into this, but I’m so glad someone else at Blisstree did! It definitely brought a holiday feel to our movie night.
