Just wanted to share some smiles with another photo I took recently of adorable Baby Eva!
How could Santa resist this little sweetie waiting under the Christmas tree?!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Chex Party Snack Mix
One of the things I make every holiday season for entertaining is Chex Party Snack Mix.
For those of us savory, salty snack lovers, this is a real crowd pleaser!
I cannot make this too far ahead of time or I will munch it all away a handful at a time! It is so crazy addictive!
My BFF, Jill, loves this too, so I always make sure I have some around for our McHendy Christmas and New Year’s celebrations.
Through the years, many new variations of this snack mix have evolved, but we still love this classic.
Here is my recipe that was shared by my friend Barb many years ago.
Chex Party Snack Mix
Ingredients:
- 1 box each of Corn, Rice, and Wheat Chex cereals
- 1 bag pretzel sticks (broken up)
- 1 jar peanuts or can of mixed nuts, or any combination of nuts you like
- 1 cup vegetable or canola oil
- 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
- 1 1/2 tsp celery salt
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic salt
- 2 tsp Tabsco sauce
- 2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
Directions:
- Mix cereal, pretzels and peanuts together in large roaster pan.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together oil, spices, Tobasco and Worcestershire sauce.
- Pour over cereal mixture and incorporate well with a spoon or your hands to coat all.
- Bake at 225 degrees F for 2 hours stirring every half hour.
- Let cool, and store in Ziploc bags, jars, or canisters.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Not Your Momma’s Cookie Exchange Party
Remember those aprons I shared yesterday that I made for my daughter-in-law’s cookie swap party?
Well – here we are doing the Whip Bake Bake at the party!
I am so excited to share some photos of the amazing party my even more amazing daughter-in-law (third from the left back row – next to me) threw.
This is not your momma’s cookie exchange like we did back in the day!
Check out the amazing drink station where Colleen served Hot Chocolate with all the fixings and add ins as well as gin and tonics and wine. All the makings for a “spirited” cookie swap!
There were cozy Christmas socks on a festively-decorated antique child’s chair for anyone whose piggies got cold,
and a well-equipped cookie packaging station for us to box, wrap, clip, tag, and/or plate our cookies to take home.
We all brought enough cookies to share tastes that evening and enough for everyone to pack up 5 or 6 dozen to take home and share with our families and friends and for our own parties. Colleen made little labeled tags for each type of cookie so we knew what we were sampling and so we could vote on the “Most Delicious,” “Most Unique,” and Most Attractive.” And boy were they ever!
Katie rocked “Most Unique” with these adorable and absolutely luscious cherry snowmen cake balls.
Michelle’s Apple Delights were a slam dunk for the “Most Attractive!” Aren’t the awesome?
And Alaine’s Pistachio Cherry Cookies had us all swooning for “Most Delicious,”
though they truly were ALL delicious and beautiful and unique and made with “lovin from the oven.”
And……. two of the young ladies actually had some “lovin in their ovens!” Jen is in her first trimester and Jessica is due any day!
How cute is this sign that went with Colleen’s Grinch cookies (green crinkle cookies with teeny tiny hearts?
And check out these Inside Out S’more Cookies! (and the little polka-dot wooden spoons to stir your cocoa)
She even had prizes!
Before we ate cookies…. Well – we pretty much ate cookies the whole evening… Colleen made some fabulous food including the most amazing Hawaiian Ham and Cheese Party Sliders,
and Hassleback potatoes,
as well as plenty of veggies and dip, cheese and crackers, spreads, and and adorable cheese and olive wreath.
We even played some fun and silly games like teaming up to make the best reindeer antlers out of balloons stuffed in panty hose!
It was the most fun, most unique, most delicious cookie swap party I’ve ever been part of! I am so proud of my beautiful, generous, creative daughter-in-law, and I thank her for kindly allowing me share this with all of you.
Hope you are enjoying this festive holiday time however you choose to celebrate!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Watch me Whip – Watch me Bake Bake
I’m guessing most of you are familiar with the current party dance song if you’ve been to a wedding or holiday party recently or listen to the radio: Whip Nae Nae! (I dare you not to wiggle when you hear this song!)
So taking on this twist, I made 12 aprons for a Holiday Cookie Swap my daughter-in-law hosted last night. ( and I can’t wait to share more on the amazing party she threw when I get a chance!)
For now, gotta BOP BOP BOP to wear off those cookies! 🙂
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies (with Terry’s Chocolate Orange)
If you haven’t finished your holiday cookie baking yet – you are in luck! I have discovered an amazing new recipe for Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies using Terry’s Chocolate Oranges that is TO DIE FOR!
Terry’s Chocolate Oranges are sometimes only available around this time of year, so drop what you are doing and get to the store and stock up on these so you can make them now and throughout the year! ( You can always order from Amazon too!)
I found this recipe on a lovely blog called, What Jessica Baked Next, and I’m looking forward to continuing to see what Jessica bakes next! In Jessica’s recipe, she calls for using EITHER Terry’s Chocolate Oranges OR chocolate chips with fresh orange zest. I, however, used both Terry’s Chocolate Oranges AND fresh orange zest! OH MY MY MY!
I also decided to dust them with a sprinkle of powdered sugar to make them look a bit more festive.
This cookie is like a brownie and a cookie all in one. Crispy on the outside, gooey on the inside and just that right amount of fresh orange taste to compliment the chocolate in such a divine way!
Here is the recipe. ENJOY!
Chocolate Orange Crinkle Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups packed light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- Dash of salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 4 Tbsp cocoa powder
- 2 (6.17 oz) Terry’s chocolate oranges, chunked (I used the DARK chocolate)
- 1 tsp fresh orange zest
- Powdered Sugar for dusting, optional
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Cream butter, brown sugar and vanilla together with electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg and beat until incorporated.
- Add flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cocoa powder, and mix until dough comes together.
- Add the chocolate chunks and orange zest and gently mix to combine.
- Make heaping tablespoon sized balls and place on baking stone or baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until crackling occurs on top.
- Allow cookies to cool on stones/baking sheets for 5 minutes, then sprinkle with powdered sugar.
- Cool 5 more minutes on stone/baking sheet, then remove to cooling rack to completely cool.
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Oh Christmas Tree
O Christmas Tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
In beauty green will always grow
Through summer sun and winter snow.
O Christmas tree, O Christmas tree,
How lovely are your branches!
Are you singing with me?
Only a week until Christmas Day, but it’s time to begin celebrating already.
I think it’s more fun to spread the fun out over the next two weeks, so partying and gathering with friends and family is what we will be doing!
This is another of my little minimalist watercolor Christmas cards I was able to print and duplicate.
Just a simple little tree,
but filled with lots of joy and love and happy wishes.
Have a great Friday!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Christmas Apricot Kolache Cookies
Holiday baking continues this week.
The other day I shared Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread and told you how that is one recipe I bake for “me.”
Well…. Hubby, who reads my blog daily, mentioned it is one of HIS faves too.
These little treats I’m sharing today – Apricot Kolaches – however, I make for him! I know this is one of his favorites, and that is why I make them.
Yep – Grandma made these too, and I shared this recipe last year around this time also, but I just had to share again since they are such a part of our holidaying.
I cannot believe Christmas Eve is only a week away. For some reason, I am as excited as a child this year. Not sure why… Not really fussing more than usual…. Nothing particularly unusual going on….. Just feeling happy….. Just cherishing the moments…
Hope you are too! Amidst all the “stuff” we all deal with (and we ALL have “stuff”- me included) – I hope you are taking time to “cherish the moments.”
They really are precious, and they bring such joy.
It might just be a smile from a stranger, the realization of timing that protected you from a “near accident,” the beauty of a sunrise or a sunset, the sound of a bird chirping or the laughter of a child or of a senior, the taste of that first sip of coffee in the morning, the warmth of a fire, the twinkling of Christmas lights, a lick from a dog, a purr from a cat, a kiss hello or a kiss good-bye, an “I love you,” a card in the mail, a “like” on your Facebook page, an email from your boss that says “perfect,” singing a Christmas carol or a favorite hymn, the softness of your pillow, the thirst-quenching of a tall glass of fresh water.
You see – we all have an abundance of moments to cherish each day.
I cherish each one of you reading this. Thank you for giving me some “moments” of your day.
Christmas Apricot Kolache Cookies
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!
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
A Christmas Deer, Dear
It’s a Christmas Deer, Dear.
One of the best things about art and painting and watercoloring is the freedom to create an image however you want…
Christmas Reindeer can be purple with a turquoise ear right?
This is one of my Christmas card designs that I learned how to print and duplicate. Yay me!
(It is inspired by some artwork I found on Flickr, but darn if I can find it now to cite!)
Nevertheless, the countdown is on, and we are into single digits until the BIG day. I have never been so late getting cards done, gifts bought, cookies baked, food made….. and I have never enjoyed it more!
Whatever gets done, mailed, baked, cooked is what it is. As long as I get to spend time with those I love is all that matters.
Cherish the moments.
Merry Christmas Deer/Dear!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread
It’s not officially Christmas baking time until I make Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread.
And that is exactly what I did this past Sunday.
Unlike most of the things I bake, this recipe is for me.
Measuring the flour with my favorite antique tin measuring cup from Grandma,
snipping the apricots just like she did with kitchen shears,
mixing with old-time Christmas music playing like we did when I helped her as a child…
Remembering how she smelled, remembering how her hands looked and felt, remembering her voice, remembering her love.
Baking this bread every year at this time just takes me back – makes me smile – allows me to remember – fills me with love.
The smell of this bread baking is one of my very favorite smells in the entire universe. (In fact, sometimes I go outside for a couple of minutes, so that I can come back in and be HIT by the smell!)
The taste of this bread…
not too sweet – a bit dry – densely filled with bursts of tart apricot chunks and crunchy walnuts….
For me – this bread is love – it is memories of childhood – memories of a grandma’s heart.
Do you have a recipe that does this to you?
I wonder if Grandma is why I often express my love for people by baking?
Thanks for the memories, Grandma. Thanks for the love. You are my Stella Star!
You can find the recipe for my all-time favorite thing to bake here – Grandma’s Old-Fashioned Apricot Nut Bread where I shared it last year.
Hope you are enjoying the season. I’m going to go have a slice and a cuppa!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
Christmas Pittsburgh-Style Thumbprint Cookies
Christmas baking time is in full swing around here.
And those of us that live in and around Pittsburgh make thumbprints our own special way. With icing! and Sprinkles!
So for my Cookie Swap Party this coming weekend, Christmas Pittsburgh Thumbprints it is!
If you’d like to give them a try and share something different with your family and friends, try a few new thumbprints – like last week’s Twix Chocolate Caramel Shortbread version and these tasty Pittsburgh favorites.
Christmas Pittsburgh Thumbprint Cookies
Cookie Ingredients:
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tsp vanilla extract
- Sprinkles
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Using an electric mixer on medium-high speed, cream together the butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour and salt. Once it is mostly incorporated, slowly increase the speed back to medium-high and beat for another minute or so until a dough forms.
- Form tablespoons of dough into balls and roll in the sprinkles. If dough is a bit dry, you can add a little bit of milk or cream or put on your hands when rolling the balls to allow sprinkles to stick.
- Place on baking stone about 1 – 1/2 inches apart. Make a slight indentation with your thumb or finger on the tops of all the cookies.
- Bake for 8 minutes, then make a deeper indentation in the middle, and bake for an additional 7-8 minutes. The cookies should not brown much at all around the edges. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Icing:
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tbsp corn syrup
- 3 Tbsp milk or cream
- Pinch salt
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp butter, room temperature
- Food coloring
Stir together all ingredients until smooth, then drop a spoonful into each cooled cookie.
Enjoy!
Cheers & Hugs,
Jodi
the creative life in between 