No-Bake, No Problem

Is dipping various food items in chocolate part of anyone else's holiday traditions? Well, it is mine! For years my mom has dipped pretzels, strawberries, and peanut butter and ritz cracker sandwiches in white and milk chocolate in order to take them to parties or set them out for family gatherings. And when you think of all of the elaborate food dishes to cook, these no-hassle, no-bake treats are truly a perfect solution to the problem of providing christmas candy/dessert for holiday celebrations.

I settled on a new variation on the no-bake, chocolatey treat... 'Pretzel Turtles'! After making them a couple weeks ago for co-workers and friends, I really wanted to make more because they are soooo tasty.

Just after pulling the rolo-topped pretzels from the oven. Shiny quality of chocolate means just warm enough to squish with pecan, but not too warm that caramel will ooze out and stick to fingers.

How to add an extra holiday touch? Sprinkles of course!

Pretzel Turtles

Ingredients:

• 20 small mini pretzels
• 20 chocolate covered caramel candies (ex. Rolos)
• 20 pecan halves

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Arrange the pretzels in a single layer on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place one chocolate covered caramel candy on each pretzel.
3. Bake for 4 minutes. While the candy is warm, press a pecan half onto each candy covered pretzel. Cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

Of course, there is a lot of variations on this special little treat. In addition to rolos, also tried hershey kisses and peanut butter cups. And as you saw above, I added red- and green-colored sprinkles to help them look more christmasy. Other ideas include drizzling white chocolate on top or topping with crispy m&m's instead of pecans.

These are peanut butter cups with red sprinkles only to help me keep track of which is which.

When using other types of candy you may want to adjust the amount of time you leave them in the oven. With peanut butter cups, I only needed about 1 1/2 minutes because otherwise the chocolate spills over the side of the pretzel. Hershey kisses were 1 to 1 1/2 minutes because they are smaller pure chocolate (nothing on the inside).

Christmas Classics

Ask 10 different people how they celebrate Christmas and you will hear 10 different answers. So many people have their go-to movies, music, and treats, without which the season just wouldn't be complete. And I have those same things too, but only recently have I admitted to myself that some songs and movies just aren't deserving of repeat performances. Say what you want but I am of the opinion that a person can only hear Mariah singing 'All I Want for Christmas' so many times before it gets irritating. But as an avid celebrator of Christmas, I owed it to myself to search for some new, time-tested favorites.

For this revised list of go-tos, I did not look around me but backward... to 'yesteryear', if you will. Not enough can be said for the classics! I'm only just now beginning to appreciate them, but thanks to Christmas my knowledge and understanding has considerably expanded.

So without further ado, here is an annotated list of some my favorite Christmas media, old and new:

1. The Christmas Song by Nat King Cole - Of course this song is nothing new, but it deserves to stay put. It is his smooth baritone voice and this song that cemented his status and icon.



2. White Christmas by Bing Crosby - This was written by good old Irving Berlin and performed by Bing in Holiday Inn. It became so popular that it inspired another movie with Bing, White Christmas. It's a keeper!



3. Santa Baby by Eartha Kitt - Who doesn't love a good tonge-in-cheek song?! If not for Eartha Kitt, this wouldn't be as enjoyable, but I'm just enamored by her voice.




4. Jingle Bells by Ella Fitzgerald - Okay, Ella's voice is b-e-a-utiful and silky smooth, so I could pretty much listen to anything she sings and enjoy it time and again. Since I am limiting myself to just 1, I decided to pick this one because no one makes Jing Bells swing like Ella.



5. Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland - Judy truly epitomizes old Hollywood and I really enjoy her recording in Carnegie Hall. I choose this because you can actually see her sing this in Meet Me in St. Louis. The only other person who is as amazing to see on screen is Audrey Hepburn; absolutely lovely.



6. 'Zat You Santa Clause by Louis Armstrong - His is a voice as instantly recognizable as Eartha Kitt, if not more. I don't know a lot about this song other than I know I like it's jazzy, scat quality! You'll have a swingin' Christmas for sure!



7. Linus and Lucy by Vince Guaraldi - I like a great singer as much as anybody, but you can't deny all the great instrumental Christmas songs out their. And who could deny A Charlie Brown Christmas from a little space on the list?



8. Holiday Inn - This is a movie that made the song 'White Christmas' famous, and who else is in it but Mr. Christmas himself, Bing Crosby. And who doesn't like Fred Astaire?! It's got that good old fashioned charm that I can't get enough of. Only one caviat: Bing's performance at the Holiday Inn for Lincoln's Birthday let me a little speechless. If you've seen it you know what I mean; if you haven't you'll know when you do.



9. White Christmas - Let me just say, "OMG!" I only just fell in love with this film a few years ago, but I fell hard. More great dancing and more great songs than Holiday Inn. I don't have the words to explain it any further... just watch! :)




10. A Christmas Story - It was made in the 80s but portrays Christmas in the 40s. My dad raised me on this movie and I think he likes it so much because it bares similarities to his own experiences as a child. I still laugh everytime I see it!



11. A Christmas Carol - I was joking before about Bing being Mr. Christmas becuase we all know that the original Mr. Christmas is Charles Dickens. There are so many different versions of this that is truly one of the most iconic and classic of all christmas stories. (I feel it important to note this; my favorite version of A Christmas Carol is the one with the Muppet's. You bet!)

So it's certainly not an exhaustive list, but it's enough to keep anybody warm while they're celebrating. Enjoy!

Pumpkin, spice, and everything nice

Wow. Bloggey come lately much? Better now than never I guess.

I think you'll find that this recipe is worth the wait. Or just trust me when I say that it is. You are perhaps well aware after all of my Haloween festivities posts that I love a good holiday. Thanksgiving is no different. Unfortunately, I don't have a kitchen of my own in which to prepare a feast of epic proportions (as is the tradition) but I am of course more than happy to offer a dish or two. This year I spent Thanksgiving with mom who would never ask for help with preparations. However, she was about to buy dessert for lack of prep time so I enthusiastically volunteered my services. Since Grandma and Grandpa were coming to join us, I felt I must consider their deference to a traditional favorite; pumpin pie. I'm way into cinnamon and pumpkin spice this time of year, so I had no arguments. But what I couldn't forget was the slice of pumpkin cheesecake that I had recently sampled at Cheesecake Factory. So that was it. I was inspired! Upon visiting allrecipes.com I found...

Easy Double Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake!

Ingredients:

• 2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• 1 (9 inch) prepared graham cracker crust
• 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1 pinch ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, combine cream cheese, sugar and vanilla. Beat until smooth. Blend in eggs one at a time. Remove 1 cup of batter and spread into bottom of crust; set aside.
• Add pumpkin, cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg to the remaining batter and stir gently until well blended. Carefully spread over the batter in the crust.
• Bake in preheated oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until center is almost set. Allow to cool, then refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. Cover with whipped topping before serving.

**Certainly you are welcome to make your own crust instead of buying one, but then it wouldn't be called 'easy' would it? :)

Seasons of Love

The cleaning bug bit me this week, so I'm hoping to take advantage until the feeling wears off. Although perhaps I should rename it to the ambition bug cause nothing could make me enjoy the process of cleaning, I only cleans because the outcome feels so good! So a huge dose of ambition directed at cleaning my workspace, my room, my bathroom, my car, or whatever is rare but I hope to take advantage if I can. (Perhaps I don't have all the ambition I require because after all, I am sitting here on the floor with my computer in my lap instead of delivering a massive pile of dirty clothes to the laundry room.)

Anyway, an additional dose of cleaning inspiration came when I found out that a few staff members at my alma mater are conducting an informal gift drive for the families of the Rosebud Indian Reservation in South Dakota. Clothes, games, books, stuffed toys... you know, fun stuff!

So exciting, right? Gift drives are super fun! I only wish I could accompany the delivery and see the looks on the faces of recipients. But finding the perfects gifts are almost as fun!! So let me show you what I found...

That's right! All the way from the '90s.. Beanie Babies! These were stored away with the greatest of care hoping that some day they would be worth a little moolah. I don't know that these little guys can produce a big enough return on the investment, but I do know that they can produce smiles on little faces which is way more important! Yay!

I should get back to my cleaning duties, so wish me luck on uncovering more goodies to gift.

P.S. There are unlimited opportunities to donate to worthy causes around this time of year. And it's tough to give to all of them, especially when the pocket book/wallet is a little less full than years prior. Consider finding a cause to which you can donate your time or gently used/never used belongings instead. I guarantee that you'll be glad you did!

Hallowinners

I'm still learning new things about myself through the blogosphere... apparently I'm a very sporadic blogger. I go through periods where I can't think of a thing I want to say. Oh well I guess; I'm back now!

For your viewing pleasure, here are the results of my Halloween festivities...

Witches Finger Cookies...

... in the oven and....

... on their way to the Halloween party.

They expanded in the oven more than I would have liked, but they were yummy and definite crowd pleasers!

Here you see my pumpkin carving tools. Anyone who has used the little orange tools from the kit you find in the grocery store knows just how delicate these can be. However, if you have a gentle hand, they sure get the job done.

P.S. Diet Coke is not included in the store-bought kit. It was a personal addition to my in order to fuel my creative endurance.

When the votes came in from my lovely readers, I set out to create a spooky witch carving. Google search after google search did not reveal the best inspiration so I had to look elsewhere. Lucky for me, I found a cool pattern at the grocery store but wanted to make it my own. So, I thought of one of the spookier stories I know, MacBeth, and re-produced the witch in triplicate. So I present to you...

... The Weird Sisters!

My craving for pumpkin carving was still not satisfied. I wanted to try a more realistic looking carving because they look sooo cool... if you get 'em right that is. I decided on a character from what of my favorite shows...

... Abby Sciuto!

If you know about Abby Sciuto on NCIS, you now why her likeness makes a great addition to Halloween fanfare. I know I can do better, but my hands and patience were being tested mid-way through the carving and they were both starting to give out before I finished Abby's second ponytail. Even still, I had fun making an attempt!

My hands were begging for a break but alas, I still had one more pumpkin begging for a carving. So I resorted to an old standby...

... The Jack 'O' Lantern face!

I forgot just how fun a traditional face could be! You free-hand it and just let it come to you as you go... very liberating! To add more drama to the simple carving I was able to find a battery operated multi-colored strobe at the grocery store to place on the inside of the pumpkin. All the trick-or-treaters seemed to like it!

Needless to say, my thirst for creative outlets was quenched after Halloween! I had a lot fun with it and am already planning for next year!

Coming Up Next

Over the next couple of days, all of my Halloween scheming will come to fruition; cookie-baking, pumpkin-carving, and costume wearing... Yay! Check back later for a photo journal of sorts for Halloween 2009.

Another Hand-y Halloween Recipe

Perhaps more of us should consider adding a sit-down dinner to our Halloween celebration traditions. Because clearly there is a plethora of ghoulish recipes just waiting for their debut on someone's table.

After posting the Witches Fingers recipe, a reader was reminded of something she had seen before called 'Meatloaf Hand.' I checked this out for myself and though gruesome, it deserves to be shared! I for one think it's (for lack of a better descriptor) super-fun and if I had the right supplies and was not going to a party with young kiddies, I would really enjoy showing up at the front door with this dish. 

(What follows is both brilliant AND horrifying so proceed with caution. :) )

Meatloaf Hand

(found at notmartha.org)

From what I understand, this was made using a typical meatloaf recipe, so the tricks are in the presentation. For fingernails and wrist bone, onion. For a bloody, charred appearance, ketchup and cheese. For the shape, a hand-shaped jello mold although someone more talented than me could probably free-hand it if you don't have a mold. Also, the hand is surrounded by mash potatoes (or brain matter if you prefer) to help define the overall shape.

Really though, you have to check out notmartha.org for more tips and tricks. I just know that there are other fun-seeking, Halloween-celebrating folks like me out there so if you end up serving this at your own table on Halloween, please send pictures! 

And a BIG thank you to Lili for introducing me to 'Meat Loaf Hand'! I'm glad that you shared!

 

Tricks and Treats

'It's almost partytime, but what to bring?!' I thought to myself during the morning commute. Scrolling through my memory bank, I had only to think back to the days of school parties where we would feast on delicious, sugary, homemade holiday-themed treats. Because I will be at a family party on Halloween Eve, I plan to take my cues from much beloved elementary school room moms. Here are recipes for 2 ghoulish treats, 1 of which will surely make an appearance at this much anticipated party...

Witches Fingers
(find more tips and tricks at allrecipes.com &/or via Google search)

Ingredients:

• Store bought sugar cookie dough OR favorite sugar cookie recipe
  
• 1/2 c. flour (if using store bought sugar cookie dough)


• Slivered OR whole almonds


• red jam OR red decorating gel


• Wax paper


• Green food dye (opt.)


• Chocolate chips (opt.)

Directions:

- Preheat oven based on recipe/instructions on package.

- If using store bought sugar cookie dough, add 1/2 cup flour and need into dough (adding flour makes for a firmer cookie). Can also add green food dye for green fingers.

- Refrigerate dough-flour mixture for 20 minutes or until firm and able to hold a shape.

- Remove dough from refrigerator in small amounts. Scoop 1 heaping teaspoon at a time onto a piece of waxed paper. Use the waxed paper to roll the dough into a thin finger-shaped cookie. (The cookies may enlarge when baked so don't make them too round.) Press one almond into one end of each cookie to give the appearance of a long fingernail. Squeeze cookie near the tip and again near the center of each to give the impression of knuckles. You can also score the dough with a sharp knife at the same points to create knuckles on the fingers. Arrange the shaped cookies on the baking sheets.

- Bake in preheated oven according to recipe OR instructions OR until lightly golden brown.

- Remove the almond from the end of each cookie; squeeze a small amount of red decorating gel OR red jam into the cavity; replace the almond to cause the gel to ooze out around the tip of the cookie.

- Before cooling, you can also add a chocolate chip to each finger to give the appearance of warts.

Halloween Popcorn Hand

Ingredients:

• Clear, plastic food service gloves
• Candy corn
• Popcorn, any flavor
• Plastic halloween rings
• Twist tie OR ribbon

Directions:

- Take 1 plastic glove and put 1 candy corn in the tip of each glove for fingernails.

- Fill the glove with popcorn, leaving room at the wrist. Tie the wrists with twist tie OR ribbon.

- Put plastic Halloween ring on 1 of the fingers.

Halloween Humor: Zombies are Nuts

Thanks to dear Abby for telling me about Bent Objects! Everyday objects injected with a little personality?! Sign me up! So in the spirit of Halloween with a little help from Terry's Bent Objects, another holiday tribute...

Zombies Are Nuts About Brains

Now you see why I can't stop looking at Bent Objects! I never met a zombie-movie that I liked, but maybe if the zombies were cranky-looking peanuts modeled by Terry, I would change my tune.

There's more where this came from, so check it out at http://bentobjects.blogspot.com/ and Happy Howl-oween!

Smashing Pumpkins

During a little date-night dinner at the Cheesecake Factory I see it. While treating myself to a Scooter's latte I see it. In the aisle of the grocery store, I see it. Pumpkin-flavored everything!! Just one more thing to love about the fall. With just one more week until Halloween I plan to be showing my love for Pumpkins a lot more... and I can't wait!

Perhaps you're planning to carve some pumpkins of your own, in which case I found some share-worthy tips. A good carving-pumpkin will have the following qualities:

• firm and healthy - don't buy one that as firm as wood because carving it will be tough, but just firm enough to be protective. Also, avoid pumpkins with bruises or nicks because it may already start to rot and is not long for this world.
• hollow sound - this is what you should hear when tapping your pumpkin because the sound you hear will indicate the pumpkin's density. The more dense, the thicker the walls will be and the tougher it will be to see the details of your carving.
• squat, round shape - the tall, oblong ones are usually stringier inside, thus making it harder to make precise cuts.

I'm not sure if I have the patience to carefully search for the 'right' pumpkin because all I'm thinking about is cutting into it! You can basically carve anything you can think of and whatever support you need can be located on the world wide web. For me, I've narrowed the field to a few designs:

1. Skull
2. Witch
   
   
3. Monogram
4. Traditional Jack 'O' Lantern face

As much as I would love to carve 4 different pumpkins, I think I'm gonna need help to narrow it down... so what would you suggest?

If you want more ideas for carving your own pumpkin, I suggest visiting The Pumpkin Lady. You can buy the exact pattern to carve on your pumpkin or you can do what I'll do and free-hand it.

Vacationland

Before 're-decorating' my blog, I left off with a post about preparing for a long, long road trip. Well let me tell you that driving was an adventure in itself, but Maine was well worth the effort! 24 hours into the road trip with still another three to go, I didn't know if I would end up praising Maine... but now I know that I can! It was b-e-a-utiful! Beautiful or not, it just so happens that you can't beat a well-deserved vacation. Traveling can be a great forum for finding new things to get into. Below are five things that I know I could get into as a result of this trip:

1. Driving - Okay, I'm just kidding with this one. Driving 27 hours to and from Maine was not appealing then and still isn't now but the bright side is knowing that we actually did it. Me and my driving buddy traded off and drove straight through without stopping. Go us!

View from the passenger seat. Doesn't do it justice, but you get the idea.



2. Making snacks - Cooking is pretty fun though I don't always feel like doing it. For me, choosing a new recipe for simple snacks like Granola, Chicken Strips, and Muffins can be somewhat exciting and the simplest way to bring along the comforts of home.


Home-made maple cinnamon granola which I ate by the handful. Mmmm!

3. Fall foliage - Is it just me or do fall leaves look more vibrant in New England? I'm convinced that I don't see the same colors at home in Nebraska, but then again everything looks better on vacation. Can I get a Mythbusters ruling on this one?

At our hosts' house, a panoramic view from the back porch. Again, I wish you could see this in full-size or even in real life. Or you can look for it in the dictionary next to the word 'tranquility.' :)




4. Antiques - I don't own a lot of my own furniture and I have yet to buy a home, but walking through a Bangor antique store really got me thinking, why not an arts and crafts movement armoir for the bedroom, a mid-century modern kitchen table, or an English oak chest for a coffee table in the family room? So much character! Antique shopping is not just for grandma anymore.




5. Bargain-shopping - I always love a good bargain, but to learn where to find them can take a little work. Imagine my sheer delight to have been introduced to Marden's Surplus and Salvage. There are 14 locations across Maine but nowhere else. I wouldn't have found it without some very special guides, so thank goodness for them. There is truly not quite like the thrill of a good bargain.

I found this pair of chairs at Marden's for $70 a piece. I know, right?! Anyplace else these would probably cost twice as much. (If only I had a bigger trunk... and a house to put them in.)

So, you can tell that our visit to Maine was adventurous and productive! Too many scholars have telling things to say about travel. For St. Augustine, "The world is a book and those who do not travel read only one page." Or how about Mark Twain, "Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness."Also Robert Louis Stevenson, "There are no foreign lands. It is the traveler only who is foreign." I can verify that each one of these is very true and it only took a little over 3,200 miles to remember it.