Neighbor Christmas Gift

I really liked the gifts I gave out to our neighbors this year. They turned out so cute!! It was very inexpensive and so easy to throw together. I bought a bunch of hot chocolate mixes at the store. Taped a tag on the front that said, "Wishing you a 'warm' and wonderful Christmas!" Tied on some hot chocolate stirrers and then delivered. I hope they enjoyed them. 

For the stirrers I just bought a bag of the big marshmallows, some milk chocolate chips, candy canes and christmas sprinkles. 

In a microwave safe bowl melt your chocolate chips in 30 minute increments, stirring after each one.  While chocolate is melting stick your straws into each marshmallow.  Throw some candy canes in a bag and take out your frustrations on them with a rolling pin, crushing them until they are pretty small.  After the chocolate is melted roll your marshmallow in the chocolate and then the coating of your choice.  Then set on a piece of parchment paper to harden.

Don't these look YUM!?

After the chocolate has hardened and they aren't ooey gooey anymore, bag them up in a cute bag and tie them up with cute ribbon.  Give them away with your favorite hot chocolate.

Here's mine all done.  I put my Christmas cards on the front of a couple of them.  How cute is that?!  My great friend, Candis, at C &C Paperie made them for me.  She is so talented!  If you want to check out her work, go HERE.  :o)

So glad I got them done quickly.  Thanks to my sweet boys.  Check out this face!!!  I could just kiss it right off!!

Here's wishing you a Merry MERRY Christmas!  We love and appreciate all of you!!  Have a fun and safe Holiday! 



Peanut Brittle-Repost

This is a repost of my famous Peanut Brittle.  I love this stuff!  I haven't had the time to make any this year, but i'm hoping I can atleast get one batch done before the season is over.  Either that or i'll whip up a batch in the spring time.  How random would that be?!  Have a great Tuesday!!

Yes...it's just me, Erica, today.  Let's just say Moni had a little mis-hap with hers with smoke and sparks involved...lol...and she will be posting tomorrow. 

We are doing these a little early in the Christmas season, because my sweet sister will be home this weekend and she wanted to get her neighbor gifts out before she came.  I can't wait to see her!!!  I think it's great to give them out early though, because it seems like I get a lot of sweets the week of Christmas and throw quite a bit of it out...Sorry, but it's true.  If I got a plate full of goodies today, they'd be gone by now.  :o)

I decided to make my Peanut Brittle.  I've been making this for a few years now.  It's so deliciously yummy and it seriously melts in your mouth.  It's just a few simple ingredients, but you need to have patience in making it.  The results, I promise, are worth it!  I hope my neighbors were happy with my treat this year.  I will be making more for my family, cause it's so good, it needs to be shared.

Here's the recipe~
2 c. sugar
1 c. light corn syrup
1/2 c. water
1 c. butter, cut into pieces
2 c. raw spanish peanuts
1 tsp. baking soda

In a big saucepan combine sugar, corn syrup, and water.  Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, until sugar is dissolved and mixture comes to a full boil.  Add butter; continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until candy thermometer reaches 280 degrees or small amount of mix dropped into ice water forms a pliable strand, 80-90 minutes.  Stir in peanuts; continue cooking, stirring constantly, until candy thermometer reaches 305 degrees or small amount dropped in ice water forms a brittle strand.  Remove from heat and sitr in baking soda.  Pour mixture onto a big buttered cookie sheet or two small cookie sheets.  Spread and let cool.  Break it up by hitting it with a knife or something hard.

This stuff is so hot, so keep your kids away.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!  Stay tuned for Moni's part tomorrow...I hope!

Ginger and Molasses Cupcakes (MSC)

It's time for another Martha Stewart Cupcake. This month the cupcake was chosen by Beurrista. I love the taste of Gingerbread. It's one of those tastes that take me back to being a child. When I was little my Aunt Linda came to stay with us while my dad was deployed somewhere. It must have been the Holiday season because she wanted to make real gingerbread houses. She mixed up the dough and we cut out the shapes and baked them up. The smell alone is amazing. I honestly don't remember how the houses turned out but I remember feeling happy and excited. I love my Auntie for those memories.

This cupcake really does have the taste and flavor of a spicy gingerbread. The cupcake had a nice crumb. They baked up with a flat top that went a bit over the edge of the pan. I actually loved that. The edges were sweet and crispy. I sent my husband to the store to get my ginger root and whipping cream. I put 9 oz. on the list but he only brought me 3 oz. Who knows. So I supplemented with some ginger powder and I think they tasted great. I can't imagine adding 6 more ounces. I bet Martha's are pretty spicy. Instead of whipping cream he brought me Redi-whip. I know, right? Silly guy. Oh well, all in all these are a tasty Holiday cupcake.

You can find the recipe HERE.

Enjoy!

Eggnog Bread

I'm sorry...but you can't have Christmas without Eggnog.  Mmmm...I just love the stuff!  Whoever thought of making a bread taste like it is amazing!!!  It took me 2 go rounds at this bread to make it just right.  My first batch stuck so bad to the pan that it didn't have a bottom, and I couldn't take a picture of that.  It depressed me.  I get frustrated pretty easy when my cooking doesn't turn out right.  So...I tried again yesterday and...and I had a few mishaps, but the end result was pretty good...I think...  For some reason, i'm just not on top of my game!  I'm nervous to try my next recipe!  Anyhoo...enough of my babbling.  Try this bread.  It will make you and your belly happy.  It did mine!

Eggnog Bread
1/2 c. butter, softened
1 c. sugar
2 tsp. rum extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 eggs, beat
1 1/2 c. eggnog
2 c. flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1 small box vanilla pudding

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Grease the CRAP out of 9x5 bread pan.  (I'm serious about the greasing part)  Blend the softened butter til nice and smooth and add sugar.  Blend til light and fluffy.  Add your extracts, eggs, and eggnog.  Blend until well combined.  In a seperate bowl sift together flour, baking powder, salt and nutmeg and stir in vanilla pudding.  Add to eggnog mixture and stir just enough to moisten.  Bake for 40-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.  Cool.  Wrap tight and store in refridgerator.  :o) 

I had to cover the tops of mine with foil so the tops didn't get too brown.  I think this would be fun to make into mini muffins for Christmas morning.  I think I might do that.

Hope you are having a fantastic week!

Candy Wrap-up

This is not exactly how I pictured wrapping up my candy, but my digital creations don't really work when my printer won't print color. So, I had to actually dig out my stamps, inks, scissors, and paper. It is nice sit and touch real crafty stuff. Makes me happy. Anyhoo, homemade tags on gifts are so pretty and give that special touch to the people you love. These were super easy and fun to make.

  

Dig out your crafty stuff and make some tags for all those gifts. You really can make them as elaborate or as simple as you would like. My sister-in-law is a stamper and she makes gorgeous tags. I'm a lot more simple but I still think it's better than slapping on a sticker from the store. Anything handmade feels more special to me.

Yay for Christmas! I love this time of year. The kids and I are heading home for the holidays and I can't wait to spend the Holidays with those we love! Next week when I post, I'll be home. :)