Christmas Neighbor Gifts

Texans are friendly people, neighborly too. When we moved here, we were delighted and amazed by the number of neighbors who dropped by to greet us and bring us welcome gifts - cookies, bottles of wine, lists of restaurants and favorite businesses. To us it seemed pleasantly old school. Like a throw-back in time, when people knew who lived next door and stopped in the driveway to chat about their goings on. Though we had many great neighbors back in Atlanta, they were friendships built over time and this notion of being introduced before the moving van had left the driveway was new to us.  

At Christmastime, the neighborliness continues, with small gifts (often a homemade treat) and Christmas cards left on doorsteps. Last year, I wasn't quite as prepared for the abundance of neighborliness, though I did make some items and enjoyed every minute.  This year, I've settled on a less labor intensive gift. I've seen it on lots of different blogs in the last few months and it's a variation on a treat I made several Valentines' Days ago.

These Peppermint Pretzels are easy and delicious. 

Preheat your oven to 175 degrees (yes, that's all).  You will need:

Mini pretzels. I used the twists but the squares would work too. 
 Place these on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

These delicious Kisses.  Trust me, they're not too peppermint,
more like a butter mint.

No explanation required

Once you've gathered your ingredients, place an individual Kiss on top of each pretzel.

Place your cookie sheet in the oven for approximately four and half minutes (don't walk away!).  Once you remove them from the oven.  Allow to sit for about 45 seconds before placing an M & M on top (this helps them melt just a little extra). Place them in the refrigerator and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.  

These treats are delicious.  I've decided to package them two ways this year. I found these cute food safe bags at Target.

They hold approximately twenty pretzel candies.

But for those in the neighborhood with smaller children, I decided to utilize these little reindeer cupcake toppers, which I bought online last year, to create a special container. 

Last year, I attached them to the top of a cute frame or two.  

This year, with the aid of a Sharpie - Rudolph magically appeared. 

I then used my glue gun to attach Rudolph to white mason jar lids I'd purchased at Walmart. (I got the mason jars there, too). The tulle and tag were the final additions and viola.

Love Week - Cupid's Crunch

What kind of Love Week surprises am I planning?  Well, who doesn't love snack mix? Especially the kind that includes:

small pretzels (I used the small twists but the circles would be cute, too)

+

salted peanuts

+

M & Ms brand chocolate candy - in those fun Valentine Colors

+

Quaker Whole Hearts (fun heart-shaped cereal I bought at Target, but Cheerios or any yummy cereal could work too)

+

dried fruit (I used cranberries)

I didn't add these, but wouldn't they be fun?

Mini pink and white marshmallows

There's nothing magical about this recipe, of course,  add and subtract as you like.  I think granola might be a nice addition.  Here's my finished product though:

With a self-adhesive label on a nice smooth mason jar

and 

a smaller, fun-size jar with the cute tag tied on.  

Aimee and Bettijo of Paging Supermom were kind enough to give me permission to link to their post.  You can read about their delicious snack mix and even get your own copy of their fun printable.  


Hooray! Another thing to love about Love Week!

National Apricot Day

Who knew something as obscure an an apricot would have it's own day?  On second thought, perhaps something as "obscure" as an apricot needs it's own day -- a way of calling attention to this member of the plum family.  


My extensive research (okay, I Googled apricot) tells me apricot means "precious" in Latin and that 95% of all apricots are grown in California, yet I'm fairly certain I'd never even eaten an apricot before a friend gave me this recipe.  This simple list of ingredients changed all that for me.  Because, you see, this recipe, which I call Frozen Apricot Salad, makes 36 servings (yes, you read that correctly, 3 - 6) and it's delicious.  


You will need:


1 can (12 oz) frozen orange juice, thawed
2 juice can of water (12 oz)
1 cup of sugar (I use Splenda instead)
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 can (17 oz) crushed pineapple with juice
2 can (17 oz each) apricots, drained, then chopped
6 bananas, diced


Combine all ingredients.  Spoon into paper muffins cups then set in muffin tins.  Freeze.  Remove paper wrapper and place in freezer safe sealable bags until ready to serve. 


Here's a printable copy of the recipe (and might I add, hooray to the non-tech-saavy me for figuring this out!)

A little bit icy, but still delicious

I take a few out of the freezer at a time just before a meal, usually while I am setting the table (they do need to thaw a bit, so they are easy to eat). 

In my grandmother's little parfait glass.  Cute (or should I say, precious?) and delicious.

Trust me when I say, they are a delightful way to end any meal.  We especially love these in the winter when good fresh fruit is expensive and difficult to find.   Enjoy!

Homemade Christmas Gifts

I'm endeavoring to make a few gifts this year; easy things really, for neighbors, my husband's co-workers and a few others.


Ina Garten's Barefoot Contessa at Home Cookbook is amazing.  Every recipe I've tried is  terrific.  This year, I'm making her Lemon Yogurt Cake. (I love lemon!)  Lots of steps, but it's fairly easy, delicious and beautiful.  Here's the link to the recipe.  

I found great 7.5 inch by 12 inch plates at a local party goods store, used 10 by 16 inch cellophane bags and a gold ribbon and I think they turned out really well.

I'm also trying my hand at cookies in a jar.  Here's the how-to.  

The jar on the left was my practice jar.  I quickly figured out to layer the ingredients in a way that makes it more eye-catching.  I used the seasonal variety of M & M's to make these Christmas- y.  On the top of the jar I included the additions required to complete the recipe and I attached a recipe card.  Since these are Cowboy Cookies I used a bandana to fancy-things up!

I'm also making my sister's Easy Peanut Cluster recipe.  

I bought these adorable little treat boxes after Christmas last year.  

Each box holds 8 peanut cluster candies.  Adorable!  

Finally, these aren't homemade but don't they look like it? I bought these here and they make great gift exchange ideas from your kids to the other kids in their classroom. I'm giving mine to the younger children in our neighborhood.  They're just fun!

Fall Pumpkin Bread

I've been making this pumpkin bread recipe since I was just out of college (i.e., a long time), so it's a tried and true favorite.  Don't be skeptical about the chocolate chips, they make the pumpkin bread (which is slightly savory  - despite it's cup of sugar), just the right amount of sweet.  The only negative of this recipe is that it only makes 1 loaf (doubling the recipe, unfortunately, won't yield the same results, so you have to make one loaf at a time).  Which is probably just as well because, this bread is delicious.  

Pumpkin Bread*

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees                  Makes 1 Loaf

1.5 c. (210 g) flour                               2 eggs, beaten

1/2 tsp. salt                                       ¼ tsp. nutmeg    

1 c, (200 g) sugar                                ¼ tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. baking soda                              ¼ tsp. allspice

1 c. pumpkin puree (canned)              4 oz. mini choc.chips

1/2 c. vegetable oil

¼ c. water

Sift together flour, salt, sugar and baking soda in large bowl

Mix the pumpkin, eggs, oil, water and spices together in separate bowl, then combine with dry ingredients, but do not mix too thoroughly.  Stir in the chocolate chips.  Pour into well-buttered 9 x 5 x 3 inch loaf pan.  Bake 50 – 60 minutes until a straw come out clean. Turn out of the pan and cool on a rack.  Enjoy. 

* Adapted from The Fannie Farmer Cookbook

A lovely way to gift pumpkin bread to your friends & neighbors.

###

Carrot Cake Muffins

I know. I know.  I promised this wouldn't be a food blog.  Given my photography/food stylist skills and my limited culinary abilities -- it's the least I can do.  Still, every once in a while I stumble upon a recipe worthy of sharing (e.g., eating) and easy enough that even I could attempt it.  This is just such a recipe -- in time for Easter and all things Easter Bunny, like carrots.

The yummy result! 

I found this recipe in The New York Times online.  There are lots of ingredients, but it's well-worth it and none are too exotic.

You will need:

2.5 c. whole wheat pastry flour (okay, forget what I said about not being exotic.  I Googled "pastry flour" and realized I could combine half cake flour [1 1/4 c.]  and half all purpose flour [1 1/4 c.].  I used unbleached flour and achieved great results)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

2 tsp. ground cinnamon

1 tsp. ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp. ground allspice

1/2 tsp. ground cloves

1/2 tsp. salt

Sift these ingredients together into a bowl.  I don't have a real sifter and instead substituted this strainer. 

I know.  Resourceful, right?

In a separate bowl, beat together:

2 eggs

1/3 c. raw brown (turbinado) sugar - it's, apparently, all the rage these days, but I did have to make a special trip to the store for this item

I had to settle for the individuals packets.  1/3 c = approx 10 packets

 1/3 c. canola oil

1 1/3 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla extract

 Also, 

1 1/2 c. grated carrots (hooray for the food processor!) 

Note: The NYT suggests the addition of 2/3 c. golden raisins tossed with 1 tsp. of unbleached all-purpose flour or 2/3 c. chopped pecans.  I didn't add either, preferring pure unadulterated carrot muffins - though the addition of cream cheese frosting or a nut crumble on top did cross my mind. 

Using a spatula, combine the wet and dry ingredients.  Do not beat, even "lumps are fine, but don't leave flour in the bottom of the bowl" (the NYT food writer knows me too well).  Finally, fold in carrots.  (If you include raisins or nuts, you would add them now and stir). 

Coat muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray and fill each cup 2/3 full.  Bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.  

Not too sweet.  Not too carroty.  Just 12 delicious muffins.  

The finished product minus 1, 2, 3!  

I told you they were good. 

National Baked Alaska Day

Wow!  I've only been writing this blog for about 6 weeks and I'm already writing my second post about Alaska.  Okay, not really Alaska, but the delicious, seemingly far-flung dessert, Baked Alaska. Which has it's own day to celebrate -- today.  

Confession:  I have only had Baked Alaska once.  That was on a family cruise we took in 2004.  

I love this because when I was a little girl, had I given it any thought, perhaps the only thing I would have considered more exotic and extravagant than taking a cruise (I'm talking about before Love Boat), was Baked Alaska.  

Photo of my husband and daughter taken by a cruise ship photographer

But, since there's nothing like an all inclusive meal plan to get you try something you've always wanted to try -- we ordered Baked Alaska. I'm happy to report that we liked it, all of us. But maybe that is because it was flaming when our waiter brought it to our table!  In fact, we liked it so much we ordered two.  (Remember it was "all inclusive")

Let's face it, what's not to like, really?  Sponge cake, Neapolitan ice cream (at least in the one we had) with warm, sugary meringue on top.  Those snow caps never looked better. 

And should you want to try it yourself today, here are a couple of recipes, one super easy and another with a video tutorial.  And, who knew?  You can change-it-up and use brownies or any flavor of ice cream you like.  Enjoy!