Tired, Blocked, Blessed…

January 3, 2015January 2, 2015 / Jodi / 26 Comments

How is it that is is January 3rd, 2015 already?!?!

What a busy, wonderful, joy-filled holiday season it has been.

I have been a bit lazy in my posts lately, but only because I have been so busy simply enjoying life!

I have taken two full weeks off from my full-time job to just relish in and enjoy the holidays, and boy has it been lovely!

I spent the first few days of my vacation baking and shopping and last-minute preparations for the upcoming 4-days in a row of hosting festivities.

We started on Christmas Eve by sharing dinner and the evening with our boys and and our sweet daughter-in-law. We made our first prime rib dinner, exchanged gifts, and played games.

On Christmas Day, we hosted extended family for a hunky styled feast of halupkis and pierogies, ham, and lots of other goodies.

The day after Christmas was our special McHendy Christmas celebration with our “best friend family,” followed by Saturday with my Dad and “Mom II,” brothers and their families, Aunt and Uncle.

Sunday was spent with hubby’s 91-year-old Aunt who was in need of a little TLC.

Monday was an effort to get back to some normalcy and a bit of time in the gym.

Tuesday was prepping for New Year’s Eve celebrations, and Wednesday brought friends and family to celebrate New Year’s Eve (and my birthday!).

We were fortunate to have friends stay over and enjoy New Year’s brunch.

Friday brought my first “free” day, so Marty and I took a ride to the city and I got to take some photographs with my new camera from Santa 🙂 .

Two more days of vacation, and I’m thinking, “where did the time go?”

I’m glad the weekend is still in front of us! Then it is time to get my groove back. 🙂

For now, it is cheers and hugs from a tired, but very content, very blessed, completely humbled, extremely grateful, but briefly blocked blogger who is so grateful for all of you and your “likes” and “comments” and love!

Jodi

Apricot Kolaches & Christmas Cookie Baking

December 22, 2014December 21, 2014 / Jodi / 14 Comments

I finally got around to some Christmas cookie baking this weekend, and the highlight for my gang is the Apricot Kolaches.

Mine are not quite as perfect and beautiful as Grandma used to make, but they are getting thumbs ups around here. Apricot Kolaches are a traditional Polish tender cream cheese pastry cookie with a sweet-tart apricot filling. Grandma was 100% Polish, and her cooking and baking were like none other!

I remember Grandma painstakingly measuring each 2 inch by 2 inch square so that every singly one looked exactly the same. I don’t have nearly the patience, but I smile remembering those days in the kitchen with her. I can also now relate to the aching back and feet she had at the end of the day after rolling, cutting, filling, folding, baking, cooling, packing up… And I wish I had a young Jodi to rub my feet and massage my legs with Jergen’s cherry almond lotion like I did for Grandma in the evening after an all-day baking session.

But the joy on Marty’s and Nick’s faces and the “Mmmmm’s” that escape their lips between bites make it all worth it!

(and then I have to hurry up and freeze some or they would be gone quicker than it takes me to clean up the dishes!)

I also made some of my Jodi’s Almost Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies – a perennial favorite around here…

…as well as some with dried blueberries and white chocolate chips using the same recipe (another of Marty’s faves).

And it wouldn’t be Christmas without some Peanut Butter Blossoms…

And gotta have some Pittsburgh Thumbprint cookies too. I made a batch with chocolate fudge and another with colorful sprinkles and green icing centers.

Here is the recipe I use for the Apricot Kolaches.

(The Chocolate Chips and Pittsburgh Thumbprints can be found by following the links to previous posts.)

APRICOT KOLACHES

2 8-oz blocks of cream cheese, softened
2 cups (4 sticks) butter, softened
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 cups apricot preserves or apricot filling (I use Baker’s)
1 Egg, beaten
Confectioner’s (Powdered) Sugar, for dusting

Beat cream cheese and butter on medium-high speed of stand mixer until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Turn mixer on low, and gradually mix in the flour until a smooth dough forms.

Knead dough on lightly floured work surface, and gently form a ball. Divide dough into fourths, flatten, and wrap each in plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line cookie sheet or baking stone with parchment paper. Working with one piece of dough at a time (after bringing back to room temperature from refrigeration), roll out to approximately 1/8 inch thick rectangle. Trim edges and cut dough into 2 inch squares.

Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of apricot filling into the center of each square.

Fold one corner into the center, dab with the beaten egg, then bring the opposite corner into the center and press firmly to seal.

Place on parchment-lined cookie sheet, and bake for approximately 10 minutes.

Dust with confectioner’s sugar and cool on wire rack.

These cookies freeze well, and thaw quickly.

This recipe makes about a million …. or at least feels like it when you are making them! 🙂
I hope you and your family will try these and enjoy them as much as we do.

Cheers & Sweet Hugs,
Jodi

Chocolate Caramel Crisp Cookies

December 17, 2014December 17, 2014 / Jodi / 9 Comments

Chocolate + Crisp, Salty, Buttery Ritz Crackers + Rolo Candies = PURE BLISS in my book…
Do you agree?

Oh THANK YOU, Ruthanne at easybaked.net for sharing this super easy, wonderfully delicious recipe!

It is literally THREE (3) ingredients + any embellishments you want to add – or not.

Ritz Crackers
Rolo Candies
Chocolate

Now seriously – anyone can do that – right?

And according to Ruthanne’s Dad, they are the BEST cookies he’s ever eaten…

Here is Ruthanne’s recipe from her awesome website: easybaked.net:

INGREDIENTS: (makes about 50 cookies)

One box of Ritz Crackers
One bag of Rolo caramel candies
Two bags of Wilton’s Candy Melts in dark (or milk) chocolate – ( I used one of each)

DIRECTIONS:

Unwrap all those little Rolos…this is the hardest part of this recipe….booooring!
Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Place Ritz Crackers, bottom side up, on a cookie sheet and set one unwrapped Rolo on each one.
Put these into the oven and leave them for one to two minutes until the Rolo is soft enough to press flat with another cracker- I actually just kept checking until they were soft enough.
Remove them from the oven and use another Ritz cracker to make a little sandwich of that soft Rolo.
Allow these to cool completely.
Melt Candy Melts in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring in between until they are completely melted and smooth.
Cover each cookie with melted chocolate and use a fork to lift the cookie up. Tap the fork against the side of the bowl to allow excess chocolate to drain off, slide bottom of cookie along edge of bowl to remove extra off bottom, and tip gently off fork and allow cookie to slide onto parchment or wax paper. Sprinkle/ decorate as desired and allow cookie to harden completely.

ENJOY!

Cheers & Chocolately Hugs,

Jodi

Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread

December 15, 2014December 15, 2014 / Jodi / 43 Comments

One of my favorite things to bake (and eat) for the holidays is my Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread.

For me, it is like spending a little time with Grandma – even though she’s been gone for 20 years now. The smells that fill the house… using her recipe card – complete with stains from baking episodes past… using her old tin measuring cup, snipping apricots, chopping nuts… To me, the holidays aren’t truly here until I make Grandma’s Apricot Nut Bread and spend a little time with her through this ritual.

When I was young, I spent Christmas vacations (and every other moment I could) with Grandma. We spent a lot of our time together in the kitchen. While we were cooking or baking, Grandma would tell me stories about her childhood. It was sadly a pretty short one, because she had to become Mama to her baby brothers at only 9 years old when her mom died at a devastatingly early age. We would talk about her early married life with outhouses, coal furnaces, and washboards. And some of my favorite stories, especially when I was young, were the ones she would tell about me when I was a baby and how she danced in the hospital hallway with the doctor after I was born and how she fed me her homemade chicken soup on my first day home.

We laughed while we worked, and I never felt so loved.

One of the things Grandma made every year was Apricot Nut Bread. Growing up, it really wasn’t my favorite. I much preferred the lady locks or nut horns or nut roll – even the chocolate chip cookies. This bread is not overly sweet. It is not overly moist. But as an adult, it has become my absolute favorite. A slice with a swirl of creamy salted butter or a schmear of rich cream cheese and a cup of coffee might just be my favorite way to start the day.

This weekend, I made my annual batch of Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread.

I started with some dried apricots, which I snipped with scissors into large chunks. (I cut most of the apricots into fourths.) Sharp kitchen shears work much better than a knife given the stickiness of the apricots while cutting. And – it’s how Grandma did it…

After the apricots are coarsely snipped, they are placed in a bowl of hot water to further plump and soften. Equal parts of apricots and water are used.

The dry ingredients are mixed together next in a separate bowl: flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.

In a third bowl, eggs are beaten, and sugar is added.

Next is time to coarsely chop some walnuts – 1 cup per batch (unless you are my son, Nick – then no nuts are added!)

To combine everything, alternately add the apricots with water and egg/sugar mixture to the dry ingredient bowl.

At this point, you could place the batter in your greased and floured bread pans if you are not adding nuts.

Or gently fold in the nuts.

It is important to thoroughly grease and flour your bread pans. I use a paper towel to generously smear Crisco into every corner and crevice of the pan and then dust thoroughly with four. If done well, the bread will roll right out when you tip the pans once out of the oven.

You can use a number of small bread pans or one large bread pan for a single recipe. I tripled the recipe this weekend and made eight smaller loaves.

I fill them about 3/4 full to get a nicely risen loaf.

Baking time varies depending on the size of the loaf, so watch carefully and check with a toothpick. If you insert a toothpick in the center and it comes out clean, the bread is done.

I immediately pop them out out of the pans and cool completely on a wire rack. These loaves freeze beautifully if wrapped in saran wrap and foil or in freezer Ziploc bags.

Slice and serve warm or cold and with or without butter or cream cheese. In my opinion, this is best served as breakfast or brunch fare with a steaming cup of coffee (with Italian Sweet Cream of course!). Sometimes we even toast a slice of it, and then the edges are crisp and the center is warm and gooey and the butter just melts into it.

Here is Grandma’s well-loved and stained recipe card:

I remember typing these on index cards for Grandma as a young girl. I wish I had more of her handwritten copies, but they are long gone…

Some beloved people and possessions in our lives may no longer be around, but memories can never be erased or replaced.

May cherished memories of your loved ones and holidays past fill you with warmth and happiness.

Here is the recipe for you to try:

Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread

Mix together 1 cup chopped apricots and 1 cup boiling water. Let stand until the rest of the ingredients are ready.

In another bowl, beat two eggs and gradually add 1 cup of sugar.

In a third large bowl, stir together:

2-3/4 c. flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Add the first two mixtures to the dry ingredients – alternating as you incorporate. Fold in chopped nuts.

Bake one large loaf at 375 degrees F for approximately 50 minutes, then 350 degrees F for 25 additional minutes.

For smaller loaves, bake at 350 degrees for 40-50 minutes.

I hope you enjoy.

Cheers & Nostalgic Hugs,

Jodi

Killer Chocolate Making Tips

December 13, 2014December 14, 2014 / Jodi / 17 Comments

I got a new nickname Thursday night… “Killer”

It all started out quite innocently. (Isn’t that what they all say?!)

I’m pretty sure Mary, the instructor at the Chocolate-Making Class I attended at our local community college Thursday evening, dubbed me this because of my “killer” chocolate ~~tasting~~ making skills. Or – maybe it was because she recognized my “killer” charm, wit and personality. Or it could have possibly been for my “killer” fashion sense (I mean who doesn’t envy an aging 50+ in jeans, pink Keds, and an Old Navy funnel neck fleece?!).

But alas, I’m not sure any of the above apply. I actually was a bit of a hot mess Thursday night…

Colleen, my daughter-in-law, and I were texting about something earlier this week, when she asked, “Hey, don’t we have some kind of chocolate-making class coming up soon here in December?”

I had completely forgotten!

Several months ago when the local community college published their “Fall/Winter Continuing Education” pamphlet, I had registered us for this as something fun to do together. It was this Thursday evening.

Thursday started out like many others these days with rising early and every intention of jumping in the shower before jumping into my work (from home) day. But, as is more often the case than not lately, that didn’t happen. Dang if I didn’t open my laptop first to start working, and next thing you know, Marty is home, and I am still in my pajama pants and hoody, bed head, yesterday’s mascara, and with a half cup of cold coffee on my desk – – – at 5 o’clock!

Colleen was coming at 5:30 for our 6:00 class. YIKES!

Jump in the shower, slap on some makeup, gargle with a bit of Listerine, and come out smiling. Ready with two minutes to spare. Score!

As we were driving to class, and I was secretly praying that I was heading to the correct campus location, my friend and neighbor, Tracy, called. I answered (on speaker – hands free!) trying to be witty with, “Do you have a visitor?”

(You see, Tracy is Mikey’s and my walking buddy – and when I leave and he is left to his own accord with doggie door freedom – my little 37 lb furry son likes to take the beaten path through the woods to Tracy’s house and whine at her door until she lets him in for some “poor little ole’ me” ear scratches and belly rubs.)

But Tracy said, “No… Did you forget we have a chocolate-making class tonight?”

I looked at Colleen. OH YEAH! Tracy is the one that told me about this class, and we were meeting her and her sister there. Sometimes I seriously think I am developing early onset Alzheimer’s! (But then one of my boys will charmingly question: “Early? onset?” GRRR! Some day they will be 50+, and I hope their kids remind them often how ancient they are too!)

We showed up for class, with another amazing two minutes to spare, after choosing the farthest parking lot from the Arts & Hospitality Building we could find just so we could ~~run~~ walk briskly through the ~~freezing cold and dark~~ charming campus paths and arrive ready to ~~rumble~~ create magnificent sugary confections.

Mary was wonderful – and so was her daughter and chocolate-melting assistant, Ashley. Mary has been making homemade chocolate for over 30 years and works professionally in the food industry. At first, reserved and professional, her true wit and humor unraveled as the evening progressed. We learned some great tips for melting and molding and filling chocolates, while making new friends and laughing along the way.

TIP: Mary taught us to completely fill the plastic mold with melted chocolate (i.e. for chocolate covered cherries) to thoroughly coat all sides of each individual mold. You then turn it over onto parchment paper and let the inside drip out. Place in refrigerator or cool spot to let set, then repeat a second layer. Fill it full again and turn over and dump. Let harden again, then place a cherry inside and fill to top with chocolate. (Roll in fondant if you like.)

TIP: Use a squeezie bottle to fill molds. In the past, I had always spooned into the mold and made a bit of a mess. Squeezing it in is a breeze and much neater…….

Unless you are “Killer!”

I think I must have been showing off and trying to finish filling my molds first. I was humming along smiling and laughing and squeezing and filling, when SPLAT! – the lid popped off the squeezie bottle and all the chocolate was splattered atop the mold!

I was so embarrassed I forgot to take a picture (imagine that!?)
If Mary ~~wanted to kill me~~ was frustrated, she sure didn’t show it. She simply instructed me to grab a spatula to scoop it off onto the parchment and kindly refilled my squeezie bottle. (THANK YOU MARY!)

I continued on, and my chocolate covered caramels turned out quite yummy – you never would have known if I didn’t tell you here what a total mess I made!

This photo is AFTER the cleanup!

The next time Mary made her rounds checking on all of our progress, she politely and slyly asked,

“How are you making out, Killer?”

She said it so sincerely and innocently and quietly, I couldn’t help but burst out laughing!

And being one to “not let it go,” I continued on all night with my new nickname. I also dubbed my sidekick chocolate-making aficionado, Colleen as “Killer Junior.”

TIP: Use “melting” chocolate – not chocolate chips (i.e. Nestle). Mary mentioned they put something in chocolate chips to help them keep their “chip” shape that prevents them from melting completely and smoothly. I have found this to be true, and there is a big difference in the end product when using “melting” chocolate!

TIP: We used Merckens brand chocolate, and it was pretty good. I would give it a medium/average rating. It’s not the cheapest, but far from the most expensive also. It did melt beautifully, but the taste was not as creamy and milky as I personally like if I am going to indulge in chocolate treats such as this. I look forward to trying out some other higher quality chocolates, but this was not too shabby. (Marty and Nick were pleasantly surprised at what I brought home!)

Mary showed us how to make peanut and coconut clusters.

TIP: Use FREEZE-DRIED coconut as opposed to the typical sweetened, flaked coconut you might typically use for baking. It turns out much better! Less moisture content to “confuse” (for lack of a more technical term) the chocolate and result in a delightful treat.

While Colleen was busy making her favorite white chocolate covered peanut butter cups, I was flitting around being disruptive to everyone taking pictures and offering my own tips….

While Colleen was making our dark chocolate covered fudge fondants, I took a few more photos, offered a few more tips, and did accomplish a bit of chocolate making too! (note those beautiful caramels on the right in my spot below… though Colleen did do the white drizzle part… I know I know – I have the best D-I-L ever!)

TIP: Once all of your chocolate and filling is in the mold, tap it lightly a few times on the table or lightly shake back and forth horizontally a few times to even and smooth out the chocolate before it sets. It makes the WORLD of DIFFERENCE in the finished product!

I did manage to make chocolates, and look at what we ended up with!

TIP: A great way to melt chocolate and keep it melted is to do it in a crockpot. Who would’ve thought?

Not too shabby – eh?

We had a BLAST! We learned some great TIPS… We made chocolate (which Marty and Nick are thoroughly enjoying)…

But most of all – we made memories!

TIP: Clean-up is much easier if you let the chocolate cool and harden. Place the squeezie bottles that are all but empty, but coated with chocolate, in the refrigerator for several minutes. When the chocolate hardens, all you need do is squeeze the bottle several times and the hardened chocolate cracks and releases from the sides into a pile of broken up pieces in the bottom of your bottle. This can be saved and remelted. Much more cost-effective than washing and throwing out all of that delicious chocolate – and A LOT less messy too!

And after all that fun, Colleen and I were both thinking candy making and cookie baking the next day. I found the 40+ molds I had boxed up in the attic from about 20 years ago when Marty’s Mom and sister and I used to do all this together and texted Colleen to see if she wanted to come borrow to use for her baking and cooking this weekend. It brought back a flood of happy memories….

and I hope Colleen will remember our day and many more to come as we enjoy spending time and making memories!

Killer, Jr. & Killer

Of course she is the cute one on the left!

Cheers and Sweet Hugs,

Jodi

Comfort Food & Best Friends: Homemade Potato Soup & Crusty Bread

December 11, 2014December 10, 2014 / Jodi / 19 Comments

My BFF was coming for dinner one night this week, and I wanted to make one of her favorites. Jill loves creamy potato soup, especially on these cold winter evenings, so I was excited to make it for her to enjoy for dinner with Marty and I since her hubby is out of town. How lucky for me to get to have extra time with her!!!

I found a recipe for Crockpot Potato Soup and thought that would be perfect – I could prep it in the morning, let it cook while I work, then finish it up after work and enjoy the evening with Jill.

So I started peeling and dicing the potatoes. The recipe called for 3 to 3 1/2 lbs, but I decided to double it to assure there would be plenty leftover for Jill to have for the rest of the week to take for lunch or have for dinner at home.

And as a side note: Marty would be so proud that I actually used the vegetable peeler tool to peel all 7 lbs. of potatoes! What a hassle! I usually just use a paring knife to be quicker, but I do waste an awful lot that way… I had a bag of red potatoes and several loose russet and Yukon Golds. I used every single one of them.

Then I chopped two wonderfully large sweet Vidalia onions. I’m not the best chopper/dicer. I just don’t have the patience to “finely” chop or dice. Marty and Jake are so much more precise. I like to refer to my style of chopping as “rustic.” Doesn’t that sound so much more artistic and purposeful than “too lazy to bother?” 🙂

Next the recipe called for chicken broth. I didn’t have any canned or boxed, but I did have chicken base, which makes a wonderful and much less expensive broth.

Since I was doubling the recipe, I needed 10 cups of chicken broth.

Well – I have a pretty large crockpot, but wasn’t thinking straight (Disclaimer: it was like 7:30 am, and I was only on my first cup of coffee), so 7 lbs. of diced potatoes and 10 cups of chicken broth…. well – not happening in the crock pot…. And there was more to add….

The recipe didn’t call for garlic, but c’mon – what savory dish doesn’t taste better with some freshly minced garlic in it? Again – note the “rustic” mincing job I do with my garlic…

And just because I had it – – and because it is yummy – – – I wanted to throw in some fresh “rustically” chopped rosemary and sage. Oh the wonderful aroma!!!!

So before I had a huge mess, I dumped it all in a LARGE pot – way too large – but whatever – it fit – and too big is better than too small (for soup pots)!

Next – the recipe called for a cup of evaporated milk. I had one can. I needed 2 cups (doubling – remember?) One can does NOT equal two cups….

… so I just filled the remaining half cup with Half and Half. I ~~dumped~~ poured it in the pot, then added a dash of salt and pepper.

According to the crockpot recipe, this is all to simmer on HIGH for 4 hours or LOW for 8 hours…. I put a lid on the pot, set the burner to simmer, and it only took about an hour of simmering for the potatoes to be fully cooked and soft. So it just sat there (and the flavors melded) for the day once done.

After work, when I was ready to finish the soup, I melted 2/3 cup butter in a medium saucepan. Once melted, I whisked in 2/3 cup flour and cooked for a couple minutes. I then whisked in 4 cups of the potato soup broth.

This was then added to the big pot and cooked for about 10 minutes. While that was cooking, I fried up a pound of sliced bacon, chopped a handlful of green onions, and grated some cheddar cheese.

I stirred half the bacon, onion and cheese into the pot, along with a cup of sour cream…

I reserved the rest of the bacon, green onions and cheese for garnishing on top of the soup.

And because nothing goes better with warm, creamy soup than rustic crusty homemade bread, I made a loaf for dunkin’. (You can find the recipe for this super-easy, no-knead, three ingredient crusty bread here from a previous post.)

We filled and warmed our bellies, and then…… the best part….. my favorite holiday show was on! RUDOLPH the Red-Nosed Reindeer! And I got to watch it with my bestie!

And Jill got to take a big container home to enjoy for the rest of the week. It was a pretty great Tuesday! 🙂

Here is the recipe (the SINGLE recipe that FITS in the crockpot!) as posted by www.CookingClassy.com.

Make it however you like, add whatever spices you like, substitute whatever you need…. That’s the beauty and fun of cooking!

Slow Cooker Loaded Potato Soup

Yield: About 6 servings

Ingredients

3 to 3 1/2 lbs russet potatoes, peeled and diced into 1/2-inch to 3/4-inch pieces (about 7 medium potatoes, 8 – 9 cups)
1 medium yellow onion, finely diced (1 cup)
3 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup evaporated milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (6 oz)
9 oz bacon, cooked and diced or crumbled
4 green onions, diced

Directions

To a 6 or 7-quart slow cooker, add potatoes, onion, chicken broth, evaporated milk and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with lid and cook on HIGH heat for 4 hours or LOW heat for 8 hours (poke potatoes with a fork to check make sure they’re soft).
Ladle out 2 cups liquid from soup mixture in crock pot into a liquid measuring cup, set aside. In a medium saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook, stirring constantly, 2 minutes. While whisking, slowly pour 2 cups liquid in measuring cup into butter mixture (it will thicken quickly). Pour butter mixture into slow cooker and stir to blend. If desired, mash potatoes with a potato masher to break down into smaller pieces or use an emulsion blender to puree. Cover and cook on HIGH heat until thickened, about 10 minutes. Turn heat off (or to warm), stir in sour cream. Serve warm topped with cheddar, bacon and green onions (you can just mix in those three remaining ingredients into slow cooker or top individual servings).

Cheers & Warm Hugs,

Jodi

I am submitting this post as part of my #Writing201 Assignment: A How-To How-To – We all have something we can teach others. This week, dig into your bucket of expertise to pen an instructional post.

Snowman Oreo Cookie Balls

December 5, 2014December 5, 2014 / Jodi / 5 Comments

Since the Thanksgiving Turkey Oreo Cookie Balls I made a couple weeks ago were such a big hit, I was excited to try these cute little Snowman Oreo Cookie Balls using the same technique to take to a party we are going to on Saturday. Didn’t they turn out cute?

They were super easy to make, and I got the idea from the original Turkey Oreo Cookie Ball Inventor/Blogger, Jennifer West at Pink When. Thanks for the great creativity and inspiration Jennifer!

These quick, easy, and adorable little just-starting-to-melt snowball faces would be great to take to your child’s school party, for a winter sledding party, holiday get-togethers, and as a fun addition to your holiday cookie trays.

Here’s the recipe (as created by Jennifer at Pink When)

Snowman Oreo Cookie Balls

1 Package Oreo cookies, finely crushed (about 36 cookies)

1 package (8oz.) cream cheese (softened)

16-20 oz White Chocolate, Melted

Black and Orange Icing

Mini Rolo Candies

Deocorative Candy Snowflakes

Crush OREO cookies to a fine crumbly mixture (I placed in a Ziploc Freezer bag and rolled a marble rolling pin over them). Mix in the softened cream cheese.

Roll into one inch cookie balls, and freeze for 10 minutes.

Dip cookie balls into melted chocolate and place on a prepared cookie sheet covered with wax paper.

Place into the refrigerator for 15 minutes to an hour before decorating.

Add an orange carrot nose with icing and black coal eyes and mouth.

With an additional dab of white chocolate (I used a toothpick), adhere a decorative candy snowflake to the hat (of course this is optional or you could use whatever fun thing you have), then with one more dab of the white chocolate, adhere the rolo “hat.”

Enjoy!

Cheers & Snowy Hugs,

Jodi

Welcome

November 29, 2014November 29, 2014 / Jodi / 2 Comments

I’ve been blogging a little over six months now here at lifeinbetween.me, and I can’t believe how much I am enjoying it and how much I am learning…

about blogging, writing, technology, but most of all about MYSELF!

I thought it high time I build a Welcome (Home) Page for those that may visit and wonder what this is all about here.

It was fun pulling photos and linking them with the posts that I thought summed up my blog and my lifeinbetween.

Check it out HERE, and let me know if you think I hit the highlights or if I missed something important or should do something different. I did it very late at night and kept falling asleep in the middle of working on it! 🙂

I would LOVE your feedback, comments, questions, whatever you’d like to say or share – as I grow on this journey of blogging and the never-ending journey of self-discovery.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Thanksgiving Reflections

November 28, 2014November 28, 2014 / Jodi / 14 Comments

I hope everyone that celebrated yesterday had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
(It still blows my mind that people read my blog from all over the world, so there are places that don’t celebrate this American holiday!)

Today is a day of relaxing and reflecting for me – on an amazing day spent with this crazy coop of turkeys that I so adore!

My crafty and stampin’ friends might appreciate the table setting complete with hand-stamped fall wreath place settings :).

But… as much as I love to dress up the table, decorate, and prepare creative dishes, I have to say – Thanksgiving is no time for breaking tradition!

No messin’ with the traditional turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, canned jellied cranberry sauce (though Jill did cut them into adorable little stars that made them taste even better!), Pillsbury crescent rolls (or Nick would be seriously upset), pumpkin and apple pie.

A couple veggies took on a little twist this year – like my new favorite Roasted Butternut Squash with Rosemary, and the amazing Brussells Sprouts with Chorizo and Almonds that Joyce and Rob brought (still need to get that recipe!), but I did get in a bit of trouble with Marty (and only Marty!) for not making that disgusting green bean casserole with (GAG!) cream of mushroom soup…

We toasted family and friends, and of course Oh Rob had a story for us!

It just wouldn’t be the same if he didn’t! (Love you Oh Rob!) 🙂

and homemade Reflection Wine – for in wine there is life.

Colleen made this cute cheesey turkey – complete with brussells sprouts eyes straight from Jake’s garden, which was devoured immediately.

I also made this super easy, but TO DIE FOR appetizer: Bacon Wrapped Dates stuffed with Blue Cheese. Every single person L O V E D them, so don’t judge by the interesting combination of ingredients! I simply cut a slit in each date, removed the pit and replaced with a pinch of crumbled blue cheese, wrapped it in a half strip of bacon, jabbed with a toothpick to hold together and make for easy serving afterwards, and baked at 400 degrees F for about 30 minutes. Even those that claimed to not like dates or not like blue cheese adored them! Highly recommend these for your next get together – just saying. 🙂

Sweet Jackie brought the most adorable gift. A print of a tree and a frame, to which we each stamped a fingerprint or two and labeled with our name and something we are thankful for.

I already have it hanging right outside my dining room. What an amazing memory I will always have of this day and these peeps I love. Thank you so much, Jackie!

And how cute are these? Isn’t this a fun way to take wine as a hostess gift? Dress them up for the holiday. Jackie also made these adorable bottles of red and white into boozy turkeys. I LOVE THEM!

Colleen and Jake brought me the most awesome smelling winter holiday candle – who doesn’t love a wonderful smelling candle – and Joyce and Rob brought a crock stuffed with bags of pistachios and a festive apron and hot mitt along with a Bountiful Blessings calendar with a note written on it saying, “Looking forward to spending more time together in the new year.” Now isn’t that a great idea?! Such creative peeps I hang out with – eh?

I share these for those looking for great ideas for hostess gifts around the holidays. Wine, candles, nuts, aprons, calendars – all very appreciated gifts!

And Jill handmade all of us these adorable turkey t-shirts. Is she amazing or what?!! And look how cute they all look.

They even had turkey feathers on the back!

It was wonderful to SKYPE with Julie, who if you look really close at the iPad Jackie is holding, is also wearing a turkey shirt that Jill sent ahead of time. 🙂 We only missed connecting with Jayme :(.

We ended the evening with board games, including Cards Against Humanity…

and laughed until our cheeks hurt!

We were even fortunate enough to have Marty’s 91 year-old Aunt Francie with us, who is such a good sport.

I am simply stuffed with thankfulness and reflecting on my many blessings.

Wishing you all the same!

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

Closed for Thanksgiving

November 27, 2014November 24, 2014 / Jodi / 3 Comments

I’m busy Roasting Turkey,

Mashing Potatoes,

Chopping, Slicing, Smiling, Laughing, Sharing, Clinking Glasses….

Being Thankful!

Happy Thanksgiving!

May you be thankful for everything you have at Life in Between and always.

Cheers & Hugs,

Jodi

	Anonymous on Homemade Margherita Pizza with…
	Anonymous on Homemade Margherita Pizza with…
	Anonymous on Homemade Margherita Pizza with…
	Anonymous on Homemade Margherita Pizza with…
	Anonymous on Homemade Margherita Pizza with…

the creative life in between

cherishing the moments and exploring my passion for creativity… through art, photography, food, and writing

Baking

Tired, Blocked, Blessed…

Apricot Kolaches & Christmas Cookie Baking

Chocolate Caramel Crisp Cookies

Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread

Killer Chocolate Making Tips

Comfort Food & Best Friends: Homemade Potato Soup & Crusty Bread

Welcome

Thanksgiving Reflections

Closed for Thanksgiving

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: