A Few of My Favorite Things- #12

Whether we brought a meal to a shelter....sat down with some folks who were running a local shelter....or brought homemade cookies to friends....we felt good giving back. This is my favorite part of the holiday season.

We wanted to instill some values in the kids...show them how lucky they are and that it was not all about their wish lists and presents. A few years back, it was a true eye opener to sit in a shelter with the director and a few unwed mothers who had been on the street.

We are also lucky to be part of a parish that coordinates programs that give back and we look forward to serving meals in a local soup kitchen over the next year.

We have also participated in the giving tree each year...this year, the family we are adopting is looking for a grocery store gift card...just looking at the tree, Rob and I spotted that one and both got choked up immediately. Just as things were getting really tough for us, we got another sign that showed us how lucky we really are and how much we can still help another family in need.

A Few of My Favorite Things- #11

Cranberry Peppermint Kir Royale Cocktail

So I found the original recipe on Epicurious.com about 4 years ago. I made it for Thanksgiving and it was pure cranberry and champagne. I recreated the cocktail for a Christmastime treat and named it Cranberry Peppermint Kir Royale Cocktail.


The original recipe is as follows:
* 8 tablespoons frozen cranberry juice cocktail concentrate, thawed
* 1 1/3 cups chilled Champagne

Pour 2 tablespoons cranberry concentrate into each of 4 chilled Champagne glasses. Add 1/3 cup Champagne to each glass and serve.

My addition for Christmas is to add one snack size candy cane to the rim of every glass...you can even rim the glasses with additional candy cane crumbs...it looks and tastes like Christmas time and the peppermint adds just the right amount of sweetness to offset the tart cranberry flavor.

This has been a fave of Jenny G's...I am sorry she will not be around this year to share one with me! I will forever have memories, of making these for her and my work friends at Foxwoods...when I was pregnant (and no one knew yet! Had to pretend I was enjoying one too) ;)

So raise your glass!

A Few of My Favorite Things- #10

Andy Williams and his Christmas Specials (Especially ones that featured the Osmond Brothers)...

Rob and I have made this a tradition...whenever he has a gig free night (over the weekend)...we sit down in front of the tree and have a cozy night watching The Best of Andy Williams Christmas Specials.

A Few of My Favorite Things- #9

Chocolate and Peppermint
My mom and I, every year, comment about how much we love chocolate and peppermint together...especially during Christmastime. I used a recipe a few years back and tweaked it a bit. It is what I call now "Holly's Christmas Cookies". They are the perfect combination of chocolate and peppermint.

I am including the recipe for you...with one added comment. I love sprinkling crushed candy canes on the glaze before it sets...looks and tastes much more like Christmas! ENJOY!

Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cups unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups chocolate chips

Glaze:
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
2 drops mint extract, or more to taste
3 1/2 teaspoons water

For the cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt.
Set aside. In a mixer beat together the butter with the sugars until fluffy,
about 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating until smooth after each
addition and scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add in the
vanilla. On a low speed beat in the flour mixture a little at a time. Gently
mix in chocolate chips.

On an un-greased cookie sheet, drop teaspoons of the batter about 2 inches
apart. Bake until just cracked on top, about 8 to10 minutes, rotating the
pan halfway through the cooking time. Cool completely.

For the glaze:
In a small bowl mix together the sugar; mint extract and water until smooth.
Transfer mixture to a medium resealable plastic bag and snip off the corner.
Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies. Let cookies stand until set, about 10
minutes.

This is also my contribution to Mel's Cookie Exchange over on The Larson Lingo!

A Few of My Favorite Things- #8

Gingerbread

I am still convinced, however, that my mother founded this Christmas time treasure. It seems to be at every corner nowadays but I remember being a toddler and my beautiful pink gingerbread girl stocking she had for me. (I found a picture that reminded me of it..I am posting it here so I have it forever) I would love when it was time to put it up...it was so Christmasy and so girly!

Over the years, my mom always decorated with gingerbread boys and girls...that was her holiday trademark. She also makes delicious gingerbread cookies each year. Zack has actually become a huge gingerbread fan over the last few years and he and my mom have inspired me to now make it (which I do for him occasionally)

Now...we can enjoy it other ways too...a spicy gingerbread martini with a cookie crumb...warm gingerbread pancakes with a dollop of whip cream and Panera Bread even makes a gingerbread bagel this time of year...delish!

Join in the warmth of gingerbread...get on the train peeps :)

A Few of My Favorite Things- #7

Angel Perfume….originally you could only get Angel at Filene’s…since they went out, the new home for Angel was Macys’…and now in 2010, its casa is now Nordstrom’s.
Most of the notes in Angel are scents of things edible.

Blended into the scent are top notes of bergamot and jasmine, middle notes of red berries, dewberry, and honey, and base notes of patchouli, vanilla, chocolate, and caramel.

It's no wonder that men love to smell this fragrance!
For me, I wear it during only one season each year and that is during the holiday season..it smells like Christmas to me and my hubby loves it! He loves it so much that occasionally, over the years, he has surprised me with a bottle :)

A Few of My Favorite Things- #6

In case you didn't catch it the first time (sometimes my postings get lost between others- just strange!)


Rolo Pretzels- A fun little dessert all year but during the holidays, you can make them even prettier and more festive.

Normally, I would make them with pretzels, rolos and almonds. The "Christmas Twist" to the recipe is to replace the almonds with holiday colored m&ms..it is also a nice alternative if you have friends with nut allergies!

They are easy and delicious and you are guaranteed to get invited back if you show up to the neighborhood party with a tin of these bad boys. They have become one of Zack's faves too :) Enjoy!




Recipe
Ingredients

* 24 circular/square pretzels
* 24 rolos
* 24 almonds/m&ms

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place pretzels on baking sheets. Unwrap rolos and place one in the center of each pretzel.
3. Place in preheated oven 1 to 2 minutes, until rolos start to melt. Remove from oven and place one almond/m&m in the center of each pretzel. Chill in refrigerator until set.