In his name the nations will put their hope. --Matthew 12:21
Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
And thanks for reading!!!
Friday, December 31, 2010
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
Lesson 141- Post Christmas Craziness
For the first time in my entire life I am actually eager to take down our Christmas decorations. Let me give you a little background info first. I love Christmas decorations. I know what you're thinking, everyone loves Christmas decorations. But I was the girl who made her parents keep the Christmas tree up until after my birthday, which is in mid-January. That's how much I love them.
And this year, in a twist of craziness, I am actually itching to take down the decorations now. The day after Christmas I bought new decoration organizers at Target and I'm quite excited to get to use them...hence my eagerness to take down the merriment. Oh...and our Christmas tree is staring to look a little rough...
And this year, in a twist of craziness, I am actually itching to take down the decorations now. The day after Christmas I bought new decoration organizers at Target and I'm quite excited to get to use them...hence my eagerness to take down the merriment. Oh...and our Christmas tree is staring to look a little rough...
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Lesson 140- Another For the Collection
I originally made this wreath a couple of years ago (in my pre-marriage, pre-blogging days) so I don't have a picture of the process or what it used to look like. But it's a simple concept. Take a plan wreath and hot glue ornaments, evenly spaced. It was nice looking, but too simple. So this year, I took some red ribbon (the same I used for this wreath) and wrapped it around the wreath in the spaces between each ball. Now I think it looks so much better.
Monday, December 20, 2010
Lesson 139- A Minty Treat
This isn't a cookie for my cookie collection (here and here), but it's a yummy treat that I'll add anyways. It's Seven Layer Peppermint Bark and it's yummy!!!
Ingredients:
* 2 cups white chocolate, divided in half
* 2 1/4 cups regular chocolate; divide in 3: 1 cup, 1 cup, 1/4 cup
* 2 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
* 7 full-size candy canes (approx)
You'll also need:
* 2 bowls for melting the chocolate
* blender or ziplock bag and mallet for crushing candy canes
* wax paper
Directions:
1. clear off a large space on your counter top. Cover your counter top with wax paper.
2. Crush you candy canes, either by hand in a baggie, or in your blender. You'll need both chunks and powder. Separate the two using a sieve.
3. Put half of your white chocolate into a bowl along with 1/2 tsp peppermint extract. Melt it in the microwave. You can melt this on the stove if you choose to, but its so much easier (and quicker) to just follow the directions and use the microwave.
4. Pour white chocolate on to wax paper, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon. Work quickly, because it will begin to thicken fast. It's ok if it's a bit bumpy, but try to smooth it out as thin as possible--but not too thin!
5. Let it dry completely. Totally and completely.
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the regular chocolate.
7. Before this layer dries, pour the candy cane powder over the chocolate.
8. Let this layer dry completely. Totally and completely.
9. For the 4th layer, melt your other cup of brown chocolate, along with another 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint. Pour it over the top then smooth out.
10. And let this layer dry completely. Totally and completely.
11. Melt the remainder of your white chocolate, with more peppermint. Then spread it on top.
12. Sprinkle the candy cane chunks on to the white chocolate. Then gently press them into the chocolate to make sure they stay put.
13. Now melt the remaining regular chocolate and drizzle over the top.
14. Let dry totally and completely. I left it over night.
15. Once it's dry, pick up the bark and drop it allowing it to break into pieces.
Ingredients:
* 2 cups white chocolate, divided in half
* 2 1/4 cups regular chocolate; divide in 3: 1 cup, 1 cup, 1/4 cup
* 2 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
* 7 full-size candy canes (approx)
You'll also need:
* 2 bowls for melting the chocolate
* blender or ziplock bag and mallet for crushing candy canes
* wax paper
Directions:
1. clear off a large space on your counter top. Cover your counter top with wax paper.
2. Crush you candy canes, either by hand in a baggie, or in your blender. You'll need both chunks and powder. Separate the two using a sieve.
3. Put half of your white chocolate into a bowl along with 1/2 tsp peppermint extract. Melt it in the microwave. You can melt this on the stove if you choose to, but its so much easier (and quicker) to just follow the directions and use the microwave.
4. Pour white chocolate on to wax paper, smoothing it out with the back of a spoon. Work quickly, because it will begin to thicken fast. It's ok if it's a bit bumpy, but try to smooth it out as thin as possible--but not too thin!
5. Let it dry completely. Totally and completely.
6. Repeat steps 3 and 4 with the regular chocolate.
7. Before this layer dries, pour the candy cane powder over the chocolate.
9. For the 4th layer, melt your other cup of brown chocolate, along with another 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint. Pour it over the top then smooth out.
10. And let this layer dry completely. Totally and completely.
11. Melt the remainder of your white chocolate, with more peppermint. Then spread it on top.
12. Sprinkle the candy cane chunks on to the white chocolate. Then gently press them into the chocolate to make sure they stay put.
13. Now melt the remaining regular chocolate and drizzle over the top.
14. Let dry totally and completely. I left it over night.
15. Once it's dry, pick up the bark and drop it allowing it to break into pieces.
Sorry I wasn't very good about taking pictures on this! But you should try it anyways!
Sunday, December 19, 2010
Lesson 138- A Cozy Christmas
All my days I have loved miniature things. Doll houses-I love. The library in my home town had an adobe doll house and I would just stare at it forever, or at least what seemed like forever. I even love those little tents at Target to show you what the real tents look like. But the Christmas villages have always taken the cake. And all my days I have dreamed of having my own little village.
Last year my in-laws started giving me pieces to my own Dicken's village. It is A-MAZ-ing. Totally in love. And this year it is my centerpiece.
Last year my in-laws started giving me pieces to my own Dicken's village. It is A-MAZ-ing. Totally in love. And this year it is my centerpiece.
It reminds me of the little town I lived in in England. Christmas in England is so great. If you ever have the opportunity to travel there over the holidays, I highly suggest it.
Happy Christmas!
Lesson 137- A New Cookie
As I mentioned I am in the hunt for my own Christmas cookie collection. I found this recipe, and as a huge fan of egg nog, I thought it would be a good recipe to try.
Ingredients:
* 1 1/4 cups white sugar
* 3/4 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup eggnog
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 egg yolks
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined. Do not over mix.
4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake 20 to 23 minutes until bottoms turn light brown.
Turns out I didn't like them too much. There was too much spice to them for my liking and the texture was more like bread than a cookie. However, my parents really liked them...so I sent the batch home with them!
Ingredients:
* 1 1/4 cups white sugar
* 3/4 cup butter, softened
* 1/2 cup eggnog
* 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
* 2 egg yolks
* 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
* 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon baking powder
* 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Cream sugar and butter until light. Add eggnog, vanilla, and egg yolks; beat at medium speed with mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture and beat at low speed until just combined. Do not over mix.
4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet 1 inch apart. Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg. Bake 20 to 23 minutes until bottoms turn light brown.
Turns out I didn't like them too much. There was too much spice to them for my liking and the texture was more like bread than a cookie. However, my parents really liked them...so I sent the batch home with them!
Lesson 136- Those Wire Hangers Are Actually Useful
You know those wire hangers that are pretty miserable that the dry cleaners always return your clothes on? I've finally found a great use for them...
...a Christmas wreath. I used my very strong (and very handsome) Husband to undo the hanger to was just a straight piece of wire. Then I started putting gold and silver ornaments on the wire. I needed about 48 regular sized balls and 36 tiny balls to use as fillers.
Before putting the ornaments on the wire, I used hot glue to glue the tops on to the ornaments. You don't want them falling off when you're opening or closing the door.
Once all my balls were on the wire molded it into a circular shape and had the Husband wrap the wire around itself at the top to close it. To make it a little more secure I hot glued the sides of the balls to each other.
I used red ribbon to make a hanger at the top. I recommend stocking up on ornaments at Hobby Lobby when they are 50% off. This way you're paying for only half the ornaments you need.
...a Christmas wreath. I used my very strong (and very handsome) Husband to undo the hanger to was just a straight piece of wire. Then I started putting gold and silver ornaments on the wire. I needed about 48 regular sized balls and 36 tiny balls to use as fillers.
Before putting the ornaments on the wire, I used hot glue to glue the tops on to the ornaments. You don't want them falling off when you're opening or closing the door.
Once all my balls were on the wire molded it into a circular shape and had the Husband wrap the wire around itself at the top to close it. To make it a little more secure I hot glued the sides of the balls to each other.
I used red ribbon to make a hanger at the top. I recommend stocking up on ornaments at Hobby Lobby when they are 50% off. This way you're paying for only half the ornaments you need.
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