Awesome-Tasting Food!! (Christmas)

I'm sure you all have seen or heard of Peppermint Bark before. I made this terribly easy stuff a couple of years ago and loved it. The nice thing about it is that it's not something that has to look perfect. Meaning, you aren't going to mess it up if you accidentally touch it with your spoon or something.

Peppermint Bark


~ 2 cups dark chocolate or semisweet chocolate chips
~ 2 cups white chocolate, chopped or white chocolate chips
~ 8 peppermint candy canes


Directions:

Unwrap the candy canes and place them in a food processor. Pulse on/off several times for 5-10 seconds each, until the canes have been crushed into small pieces. Or you could place the candy canes in a large Ziploc bag and seal tightly. Use a rolling pin to smash the candy canes until they are the size you want.

Cover a cookie sheet with foil or wax paper.

Melt the dark chocolate. (I use the microwave, but you can also use the stove.) Pour the chocolate onto the prepared cookie sheet and use a spatula or knife to spread it to an even thickness, a little more than 1/8" thick. The chocolate does not have to reach all sides of the sheet, as it will be broken up later anyhow. Place the tray in the refrigerator to firm up while you prepare the white chocolate.

 While the dark chocolate hardens, melt the white chocolate. Stir in most of the candy cane bits, reserving about a quarter of the mixture to put on top.

 Remove the tray from the refrigerator and spread the white chocolate in an even layer over the dark chocolate.

 While the white chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the remaining candy cane pieces over the entire surface evenly. Press down very slightly to ensure they stick. Place the tray back in the refrigerator to firm up for 30 minutes.

 Once the peppermint bark bark is completely set, break into small, uneven pieces by hand.

Here is some pretty peppermint bark made into snowflakes.

I hope you all are having a great week before Christmas!!

~Susanna

this is so awesome!!!

Last Saturday night I tried the technique of curling my hair with no heat by using a headband.

AND IT WORKED!! 

I was shocked (pretty much) because I've tried other ways and nothing has worked. I think that is because my hair is terribly thick and hates curls.

Anyway, I got early on Sunday because I was going out to coffee with my brother before church. I pulled the headband out and it was actually curly!! That has never happened before.




  Now, I'm going to warn you that these aren't tight curls, but bouncy, light, and bigger curls. Oh and I forgot to take a picture of it, but next time I will so I can show you.

Hope this works for some of you!!!  I'd like to know what you think...comments?


~Susanna

best 5 things in december so far

meaning december is long from being over and with christmas ahead, the best is yet to come.


1. making christmas-light-gift-boxes. these things are so, so, so pretty when you light them up.

 2. playing christmas music with friends.

3. Isaac!!! my brother (he lives in N.C.) came home for christmas!! we've had a ton of fun with him already.

4. ice skating. something we do every winter. the more you go, the better you get. this picture was taken before many people got there.

5. church christmas banquet, which happened last night. more on that later.

merry christmas and have a good weekend!

~Susanna

Awesome-Tasting Food!! (Christmas)

Today you're going to need your crock pot for this recipe. Well, it's actually a drink, so I don't know if you consider it a recipe or not.
Anyway, Wassail is one of my favorite things at Christmastime. When wassail is in the process of mulling together, you can smell it throughout the whole house. Every year, when we watch Charlie Brown Christmas, that is something we've always had to sip on. So go get that crock pot...

Wassail

~Apple Cider
~Cranberry  Juice
~1 Orange
~Cloves
~Cinnamon Sticks  (optional)

Take your orange and the cloves and go all around the orange pushing cloves into it. (You might want to do this part on a paper towel because it can get messy) Here is an example.

Next, take equal parts of the apple cider and cranberry juice and pour into the crock pot. Add the orange and broken cinnamon sticks. Turn the crock pot on to low for at least a couple of hours. If it is still not hot enough for your taste, turn on high for a little while.  Enjoy.

~Susanna

1. pins of the week...

I've got some very pretty pictures this week and some neat ideas from pinterest. Hope you like them.

1. table decor...these are so cool.

I love all the jars. We have so many I know it would be easy to do.

Had never seen something like this before, but I kinda like it.

2.  outdoor prettiness...

Doesn't this look so neat with the mountains behind it.

3. wedding...

 This is so cool. They hung a parachute at the top of the building, which made the canopy.

4. goodies...

Andes Mint Pillow Cookies!!

...and awesome looking cookie dough!!!

5. places to go...

Heaven's Stair in China. I want to see this!!

6. paper boxes...

I thought this box was a ton of fun to make.

 That's it for today. Which one did you like?

~Susanna

Awesome-Tasting Food!! (Christmas)

This recipe was something I tried last year and turned out perfect. It takes a long time and you kinda have to "baby-sit" it, but it is VERY fun to make!!  Using a brownie mix makes this really simple. The almonds gives it a very pretty look. 

Brownie Alpine Biscotti

Prep: 25 min. Bake: 40 min. + cooling

• 1 package fudge brownie mix (13 by 9 inch size)
• 3/4 cup ground almonds
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 egg plus 3 egg whites
• 1 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 cup sliced almonds, optional
• 3 ounces white baking chocolate, optional

In a large bowl, combine the brownie mix, ground almonds, flour and baking powder. In a small bowl, whisk egg, egg whites and extract. Add to brownie mixture; stir until combined.

 Divide dough into thirds. On a greased baking sheet, shape each portion into a 7-in. x 3-1/2-in. rectangle. Bake at 350° for 24 minutes. Remove from the oven; cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. 

 Transfer to a cutting board; cut diagonally with a serrated knife into 3/4-in. slices. Place cut side down on greased baking sheets. Bake 12-14 minutes longer or until firm. 

 Cool on wire racks. If desired, sprinkle with sliced almonds and drizzle with chocolate. Let stand until chocolate is completely set. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 2-1/2 dozen.

Instead of drizzling chocolate on the top, I dipped the end of each one in chocolate. Or you can also dip the bottom of each one in chocolate.  

~Susanna

poll time again...

Simple question: Do you like eggnog?? 

Umm...It's okay. I could never drink a whole cup of it, but if my Dad is drinking eggnog I always take a sip.  It is something I have to smell every year because it smells sooo good!!!!

What do you think?  Is it something you like? I'd love for you to vote on the right and then tell me about your favorite drink at Christmas time in the comments.

    Warm Eggnog

2 large high quality eggs
1/3 cup sugar
1 cup half and half
1/2 cup cream
1 teaspoon vanilla
nutmeg

For those of you that don't know, this is what Nutmeg looks like.

Bring 2 eggs up to room temperature. Add the eggs to a blender and blend on high until a light creamy yellow color.

In a small saucepan, heat 1/3 C sugar with the half and half and cream over a gentle heat until you can see steam rising off the surface and some bubbles start to form around the edges of the pan. With the blender running, slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the eggs through the lid. Add the vanilla and continue blending the eggnog for a minute.

Pour into glasses and enjoy!!

Have a great weekend.

~Susanna