Showing posts with label 12 Days of Xmas Challenge. Show all posts

Monday, January 3, 2011

EVERYONE is STEALING my COOKIES!!!

**This is the last of the few Christmas posts I was unable to get out in time.. but just can't resist still posting.. hope you enjoy!**

Previous Challenge Posts

Day #5
Day #6
Day #7
Day #8
Day #9
Day #10

Day #11
Day #12

There can be no truer statement.

& every season my Christmas spirit gets the best of me & my baking books, & before I know it, There are 5 different kinds of cookies on my counter just WAITING to be devoured.

But out of all the yummy desserts, tasty cookies, and delicious pastries I conjure up.. the top requested.. the #1 favorite.. is the easiest of them all!

Peanut Butter Santas

What you will need:

1 box of peanut butter sandwich cookies (I used Nutter Butters)
1 (average size) bag of white chocolate baking chips
1 (average size) bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 bottle red decorating sprinkles
1 small pack of Red Hots candies
Wax paper
Cookie sheets or cooling racks

A good "baking team" can't hurt.. & makes for tons of fun!

(My littlest sister Danielle & The Hubbley Ryan & I)

1. Separate some of the white chocolate chips to set aside for later. there should be enough to have one per cookie.

(1 cookie bag typically contains around 32 cookies)

2. Take the remainder of your white baking chips & place them in a microwavable bowl and heat for 20-40 seconds, stirring every 10 seconds or so until completely melted.

Careful not to burn chocolate. when majority of chips are melted, the rest will finish melting with just constant stirring.

3. When fully melted begin dipping top 1/3 of cookie into the white chocolate. Then hold over a plate or bowl and sprinkle red deco sprinkles on top portion of dipped chocolate, leaving a small strip of white near the middle of cookie. this will be the "hat" of your Santa.

4. Then dip opposite 1/3 of cookie in white chocolate to create a "beard".

Please DO NOT try to do both dips at same time and THEN do sprinkles. Doing them separately keeps your Santa from having random red "hat fluff"
in his beard! ;)

5. Place cookie on a sheet of wax paper on a cookie sheet or cooling rack.

6. Use melted white chocolate to stick:

a white chocolate chip (that was earlier set aside) to bottom corner of hat to create the white-puffed tip of hat.
2 semi-sweet chips just below brim of hat for eyes.
1 Red Hot to top center of beard for nose.

For nose, I prefer to just stick into top of beard with no extra chocolate, but do what is easiest for you.

.
7. Keep decorated cookies on the wax papered cookie sheets/cooling racks & place in fridge for 20-30 minutes or so until white chocolate is COMPLETELY cooled & hardened.

**I forgot to add the eyes to this tray before I took this picture.

I just loved the circular look it had.**

And Wa-LAH!

You end up with the cutest, most delicious cookies on the table... & believe me when I say your friends & family will be sneaking into your fridge, hoping to find some you might have stashed away for yourself.. & begging you for more!!

Enjoy!

Don't you love the holidays??

Don't forget to click here for the NEWEST

Daily Picture Post!!

Show me yours, I'll show you mine...

Previous Challenge Posts

Day #5
Day #6
Day #7
Day #8
Day #9
Day #10

Day #11

** This was one of the few Christmas post I didn't manage to get up. Since it's after the first, i have been informed by Hubbley & the roomies that it is unfortunately time for my Christmas cheer to once again be packed away till next year. There for, I felt it was appropriate to share it with all of you first.. So i can look back on it whenever i please. :) **

Don't you love the holidays??

Don't forget to click here for the NEWEST

Daily Picture Post!!

Friday, December 3, 2010

Can we do it??... Can You???

Previous Challenge Posts

Day #5
Day #6
Day #7
Day #8
Day #9
Day #10

*New Years*

The new beginning.

The start over.

The time of year when everyone in the world sets rules & standards for themselves that they do everything humanly possible to meet & surpass for the next 365 days to make their life "happier." Goals to make "This year better.."

We all do it.

Even if we say we don't believe in resolutions, we know that at some point, deep in our brains, the thought that "This year I'll be different.. better." always occurs in one shape or another.

And we try.

We give up chocolate. Plan to exercise more. Be more confident. Drink less. Stop taking "shortcuts" with our work. Be less cocky. Go back to school... whatever mundane (or superb) task we have set our minds to.

Sadly, most of us only make it a few months tops before we give in to our seductive yearnings and dive head first into the enitre box of Valentines chocolates we bought as a gift for someone else...

It's not my fault Dark chocolate smells so damn good!

We pass off work-out plans for a glass of wine while sitting on our butts watching those delicious hunks of sexiness flit thier way around our t.v. screens in all thier McDreamy/McSteamy-ness luring us towards one more sensational glass of wine...

What I would DO for 5 minutes in that on-call room...

We even push those last few calls to the answering machine just so we can punch out a few minutes early and get home in time to wash our hair before the little ones parade through the front door instead of sitting on the phone setting up one more appointment for that one customer who loves to tell you about her youngest grand kid's newest milestone.

"ooh. Jimmy's getting a hold of potty-training? That is lovely Mrs. Gladshere.

Yes.. he sounds VERY advanced, you must be very proud."

Yeesh.

But inspite of all the failure we are doomed to indure, we still push on with the hopes of different outcomes. Kinda like banging your head against the wall, huh?

Yet in the spirit of it all.. we too shall jump in line for our turn in forehead-bashing. :)

Melissa

1. Lose Baby Weight
- I still LOOK 3-4 months preggo. NOT OKAY.

2. Eat Healthier
-not be such a fatkid :)

3.Get Atleast Half of our Netflix queue watched our cleared out.
-Too many damn movies...

4. Paint More - I was slackin this year...

Anthony

1. Work on winning the Lottery
- we are too damn poor!

2. Get a Better Job
- people at my work are stupid.

3. Get a car of our own - FINALLY!

4. Catch up on bills - Hence #'s 1-3

Ryan

1. Get a new family car
- I'm thiiinking.. like a Chevy Trailblazer.

2. More snuggle time with my wife
- I really do enjoy it. <3

3. Have pudding once a day
- it makes me happy.

4. To have a better year than LAST year!
- cause this one sucked...

Jaimie
1. Exercise More -
Even if it's just walking Mazda around the pond.
2. Eating Better -

Smaller, HEALTHIER options.
3. Be Happier -

All around LESS bitchy.
4. Get Pregnant Again -

& hopefully KEEP it this time. :)

Don't you just love the holidays??

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Thursday, December 2, 2010

Seriously... I can get annoying at Christmas...

Previous Challenge Posts

Day #5
Day #6
Day #7
Day #8
Day #9

Let it be known that I LOVE singing!

So when Christmas comes around...

i'm even MORE annoying than usual.

*Melissa really HATES how cheerful & sing-songy I get!*

i play music LOUD & PROUD

...When she lets me ;) ...

Here in the Lego house, we have a few favs...

Rudolph the red nosed reindeer

Frosty the Snowman

Blue Christmas

Rockin' around the Christmas tree

Jingle Bell Rock

Christmas Time is Here

&& Does ANYONE else remember this one???

The Coca-Cola Trucks

But the #1 all time FAVORITE will ALWAYS be:

The Trans Siberian Orchestra - Christmas Eve Sarajevo

Don't you just love the holidays??

Don't forget to click here for the NEWEST

"Year of the Monkey" Post!

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Potato Surprise!

Previous Challenge Posts

Day #5
Day #6
Day #7
Day #8

Do you ever have trouble getting your little ones to eat veggies??

nooooooooo way... OF COURSE not... *Pffft!!*

Which is where Potato Surprise comes in.

As Weird as it may sound, and even maybe look..I'm TELLING you,

This is by FAR my favorite thing, and it is Suuuuuper easy!

My Momma has been making this for me for years & has even discovered that my once uninterested hubby will give-in to her powers of potatoes & melted cheese...

& she uses it frequestly to trick him into small chores, or even just visits.

(I always love how sneaky you are Momma.. haha)

So seeing as this is

FAVORITE RECIPIE DAY,

I am going to share this recipie with you..

*Don't worry Momma, no matter HOW hard I try.. no one makes it as amazing as you! ;) *

Under ONE condition...

DON'T KNOCK IT

BEFORE YOU TRY IT!!!!

Trust me.. you have noooooo idea.

____________________

Ingredients:

1 can or corn
1 can of green beans
1 can of peas
1 pound of ground beef
2 cans tomato soup
1 can tomato paste
1 small bag or large brown potatoes
1 pound medium cheddar cheese

*when draining vegetable juices from can, keep 1/2 can of pea juices & 1/2 can of corn juices.

**Potatoes are make amount = your liking. As long as there is enough to cover top or casserole.
Instructions:

Pre-heat oven to 125F
Grate cheese. set aside.
Add all vegetables, vegetable juices, tomato soup, and tomato paste to a large mixing bowl.
Brown ground beef in skillet till all the way cooked. Add to bowl.
Mix ingredients well making a soup-type mix. Place aside.
Wash, peel & cut potatoes, putting in large pot of water.
Boil with a pinch of salt till soft.
Drain water from potatoes and return them to the pot.
Add small amount of milk & mash together till light & fluffy. (Milk is what MAKES them fluffy)
Take vegetable soup mix from bowl and add to bottom of UNGREASED medium-sized casserole dish. making sure to leave space AT LEAST 1/2 inch from top.
Add mashed potatoes to top of soup mix in dallops. Starting at an outter corner, working way around the edge and then in towards middle. (like a swirl type shape)
Once top of cassorole is covered, carefully smooth top of potatoes.
Sprinkle on grated cheese.
Pleace in pre-heated oven for 20-30 minutes. (edges of soup mixture should be bubbling.)
Serve and enjoy!

Be aware! Soup layer will be

MUCH hotter than top!

Don't you love the holidays???

Don't forget to click here for the NEWEST

Daily Picture Post!!

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

The wheels the car go 'round & 'round...

Previous Challenge Posts

Day #5
Day #6
Day #7

Since we are sunch a big, happy unconventional family.. we have ALOT of members.

So every year when the holidays come around the phone starts ringing.

"Are you coming over this year?"

"Are we gonna see you this year?"

"Your Grandpa is in town, when are you coming to visit?"

Before we know it we have enough miles on our car to equal up to a cross-country visit!

(& I know there are MANY of you who can relate.)

So, Even though we know we can't say what we WANT to say to dear ol' Mom & Dad...

"Can't you ALL come to our house this year??"

(I'm pretty sure I'd have a heart attack if I tried to fit everyone in our

tiny little apartment.. Family dinners are trouble enough...

I think I'll wait till we get a bigger place for that one...)

So we drive to & from. Here & there. Up & down and all over town.

but THIS YEAR we are making changes.. when it comes to the family FRIENDS..

youknow.. the ones you have over for game night, and dinners, and birthdays...

The ones who might as WELL be family??

When it comes to THEM, we've sent out this Evite:

*To those who don't know,

I am 90% of the time the host of EVERYTHING.

It's a Love-Hate hobby*

_______________________________________________

We want to start a new tradition!

We have alot of friends, that we consider more than just friends.. you guys are family.

There for, we want to start a new tradition. Every year from here on out..
...A early Christmas-XmasParty day!

On Saturday, the weekend before Xmas weekend,
(this year = December 18th, 2010)
we are going to have a JUST family-friends holiday. :)
...Kinda like a Themed Game night.. with more food :)

So here is the deal:

Potluck= So bring something Yummy! Dinner & Dessert Style!
Drinks= Soda, Beer, Wine, Champagne (Normal Game Night Rules)
Dress Code = UGLY XMAS SWEATERS!!! (hit up Value village & Casual.. TRY to be COMFY.. Not a Dress & Heels.. (Katie) ;) haha

And SECRET SANTA!!

We know everyone is tight for money, and we figured THIS would be an easier way to do presents this year!

So IF you can, contact us however you can, and let us know what you plan on bringing, so I can maybe stifle off doubles, And make SURE to RSVP!!

Let me know if you are coming, and if you are bringing a guest by ATLEAST December 11th at the LATEST. I will be drawing names for Secret Santa and contacting you to let you know who you got on the 12th, So everyone will have a week to shop! :)

*Annaise WILL be in the bag! So Watch to be the lucky one to draw her name!*

At the end of the night we will take a big group photo in all our ugly sweaters. This will make a great thing to look at each year!

We look forward to seeing all of you there!
We ♥ you!
& Happy Holidays!

_______________________________________________

I Can't WAIT!!

Don't you love the holidays???

Don't forget to click here for the NEWEST

Daily Picture Post!!