Christmas Traditions

Collage from our Ornament exchange party 2011

Handmade ornaments 2011

Call me old fashioned but I love the traditions that come with Christmas and one of my favorite's is Christmas ornaments. 

Ornament treasure tree

I get so excited every year to put my tree together because when I unpack my boxes of ornaments I get to go down memory lane. Ornaments have been a traditional gift in my family and every year we get and give each other ornaments that remind us of each other. A few years back, I attended my first ornament exchange with several girlfriends. We got together, threw a holiday party and exchanged ornaments. The theme was centered around spending the holiday creating new memories with each other and taking an ornament home that was a gift from someone to remind us of the memories created at the party. This is a tradition I have been carrying on the last few years. It is special to me because I have so much fun unpacking my ornaments and putting them on my tree every year and adding to my collection of memories. 

My Christmas tree 2011

My Christmas tree is full of memories, life experiences and special moments I have shared with so many people who I treasure. When people first glance at my Christmas tree they see a lot of sparkle but to me the sparkles extend beyond what is seen from the eye and it is something I feel from within. The glitter from my tree resonates from the sparkles in my life who are treasured people and memories from my Christmas experiences.  

2011 handmade ornament treasure tree centerpiece

  

2011 handmade tree

My mom, my BFF

Very special friend - LOVE HER!

     

Thank you ladies for carrying out the ornament exchange tradition with me & making this year so fun & special !

Present table before we opened the ormanents

B Loved this one but it got taken quickly

Love Kristin & Rebecca

My mom's handmade scones

my mom showing off her new ornament



She did not get to keep this one long before someone stole it from her



Annie loved her ornament

Tawya, me and Katie

Erin, Oralia and Michelle

         

2011 Menu BLD

Party Hostesses 2011 - double perfection 

 A little sparkle, a lot of love and treasured memories - that is what Christmas ornaments mean to me!

Fall BLISS Cookies - Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Icing

A recipe to inspire you to get into FALL... These cookies are super easy and bound to inspire you to get ready for Halloween and Thanksgiving.

When I smell pumpkin spice latte's at starbuck's I start to feel warm inside and think Fall is coming. Bring on tall boots and cooler weather. These cookies are great for any fall event or to just get you in the mood for the change of seasons.

This recipe will make about 3 dozen cookies and it is very easy to double. The cookies are very moist and I hope you enjoy them.

COOKIE INGREDIENTS:
1 cup butter room temperature
1 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 cup or 1/2 can pumpkin
2 cups flour
1  1/2 teaspoon pumpkin spice
1 and 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon cloves

ICING INGREDIENTS:
4 ounces (1/2 package cream cheese) do not use light or generic the texture will change
1/4 unsalted butter at room temperature
2 cups sifted powdered sugar
vanilla extract (TO TASTE) - I like 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla


PRE-HEAT OVEN TO 350 degrees

You will need two bowls: one for tossing together dry ingredients and one to use either in a srand up mixer  or in a bowl you can use with a handheld mixer.

DRY INGREDIENTS: mix all dry ingredients together - flour, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda & kosher salt in a seperate bowl.
OTHER INGREDIENTS/ PUMPKIN MIXTURE: Brown sugar, butter, egg and pumpkin - mix together in stand up  tabletop mixer or in a bowl with a hand held mixer.

Stir in DRY INGREDIENTS to PUMPKIN MIXTURE: add dry ingredients to pumpkin mixture and beat well.

Using a small round cookie scoop, drop cookie dough onto ungreased baking sheets - bake 10-14 minutes at 350 degrees.

ICING:
In the bowl of the tabletop mixer change beater to flat paddle head beater.
Cream together unsalted butter and cream cheese, scraping down the sides until mixture is light and fluffy.

Add sifted powdered sugar a little at a time and mix on low. Once all powdered sugar is in the bowl, increase the speed of the mixer scraping down the sides.

Once the icing is smooth and spreadable, blend in vanilla to taste. I prefer 2-3 teaspoons of vanilla but start with one and see how you like it. If icing is too thick you can always add a tiny bit of milk to thin it out.

You can use as much icing as you like but make sure not to ice the cookies unless they are fully cooled.  They are not meant to be refrigerated so keep in tupperware or plated at room temperature.

May you find these cookies as BLISSFUL as I did. ENJOY!

Red Velvet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I used to think that Red Velvet cake is just chocolate cake with red food coloring... I was completely WRONG!


Red Velvet Cake is very special buttermilk cake with southern roots and I have found this recipe to be one of my personal favorites. You can use this recipe to make a basic sheet cake, a three layer tiered cake, cupcakes or as the base for cake pops. The recipe will make either 3, 9-inch cakes for layering or approximately 24 cupcakes or 60-80 cake pops depending on the size of the pops you make. 

INGREDIENTS:


FOR THE CREAM CHEESE FROSTING:
Three 8-ounce packages of cream cheese softened to room temperature
5 cups confectioners sugar 
1 1/2 cups UNSALTED butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract


FOR CAKE:
2 Tablespoons UNSWEETENED cocoa powder
5 cups cake flour - make sure this is not self-rising cake flour
2 teaspoons KOSHER salt
3 cups sugar
3 cups canola oil
4 large eggs
4 Tablespoons red food coloring or one 2-ounce bottle - use food coloring to your color preference
5 teaspoons distilled white vinegar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups SHAKEN buttermilk
1 Tablespoon baking soda

How to Make your RED VELVET CAKE:


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Determine what types of pans you want to use and spray all pans with non-stick spray to prep pans. I personally think they turn out better if you spread Crisco in all pans and dust cocoa powder, taping out the excess cocoa
3. In one bowl, whisk together: salt, cocoa and flour.
4. In a separate bowl: mix sugar and oil at a medium speed with an electric mixer with a paddle attachment until it is all combined and smooth. Add eggs, one at a time and well mix after adding each one. Mix in the vanilla and the food coloring to your own personal color preference.
5. Add the flour mixture from #3 in 3 separate batches, alternative adding buttermilk between each addition of the flour mixture and mix/beat well after each addition scraping down the side of the bowl as needed. 
6. Stir together baking soda and vinegar in a separate small NONREACTIVE bowl. Add the baking soda mixture to the batter, mix at medium speed for 10-30 seconds.
7. Divide the batter equally among the pans you decided to use. Tap the pans after cake batter is added to remove bubbles.
8. Bake Cake until tester, such as toothpick, inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean. Typically the baking process is 32-40 minutes. 
9. Cool pans on a rack for at least 5 minutes before transferring anywhere. I personally like to cool cakes completely before frosting and sometimes if I have the time I will cover with tin foil and refrigerate for about 24 hours before frosting. 
10. To make the frosting - in a standing mixture with the same paddle attachment or handheld electric mixer in a large bowl, mix the cream cheese and butter at a low speed until it is mixed. Add the sugar and vanilla, increase speed to high and mix until frosting is light and fluffy. I like mixing for about 6-8 minutes. Place frosting in the refrigerator prior to frosting cake or cupcakes for at least 15 minutes and up to 24 hours. It is important not to freeze this frosting prior to putting onto the cakes because the texture will change. 
11. Add frosting and decorate - let your creative juices flow here and I am sure this will be a hit to your family  as much as it has been to mine. 

close up

Cupcake Tree used for a baby shower

No two cupcakes are alike - get creative!

I HOPE YOU ALL LOVE THIS SPECIAL SOUTHERN TREAT!

Cake POP Center

Thanksgiving 2010

Thanksgiving 2010

There are so many things I am thankful for this year so here are a few. I am thankful I am a child of God and He loves me more than I could probably every comprehend. I am thankful I have a family who supports me in times of weakness and strength. Thankful my puppy is still alive and praying for many more years with her. I am thankful my brother married the most incredible woman who is such a great fit for him an loves him because she brings out the best in him and selfishly I have always wanted a sister. I am thankful for my true friends who are not afraid to encourage me to be the best version of myself and who love me no matter what. I am thankful for family vacations - they are a tradition in my house and I hope that never changes because some of my favorite memories are spent in Coronado Island with my family. Although our trips have evolved from surf lessons and body surfing to lounging and wine tasting, they are all special to me. I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to save many families from foreclosure this year. I am so blessed to have my parents so committed to their marriage and our family that they have been together married for 33 years in January. Their love and commitment for family are something I will forever treasure! I am so blessed to be able to work with one of my best friends. I am blessed in so many ways this year and I have so many relationships that make me smile from the inside out daily. I will say that I am also thankful for all of God's blessings in my life and I have so much to look forward to because of his continued blessing and protection over my life and my world. I think it is easy to sometimes take for granted the little things in life like waking up to fresh brewed coffee and having the ability to drive to a job I love and have lunch with people I enjoy and have family dinners and happy times at happy hour with my girlfriends. But this year - I am reflective and grateful for all of the little things and I feel like my perception is clear and my eyes are wide open to the possibilities that 2011 will bring us all! Thank you Jesus for my perception and clear vision! I am so thankful that we have our first Grand baby Maloof Edie this year to celebrate and my cousin Stephanie just got engaged and I know that this will be a great year for our family. Throughout the year I have met with so many people who are unemployed or struggling financially due to our economy, housing market, job market, illness, divorce and so many other reasons. Although so many of the stories tear my heart up I am really feeling peace and blessings in abundance for all of them. I think it is so easy to get focused on the things of this world that are negative but my hope is in the Eternal. Resting in Him this Thanksgiving day and seriously reflective on the blessings I have been given in this world and the people who I have developed deep relationships with. Today I will be celebrating Thanksgiving with several different families who have welcomed me into their homes and I am grateful for that. For years, in the Jones family, Thanksgiving was a time when my mom cooked a magnificent feast and we invited anyone and everyone who didn't have others to share it with and every year looking around the table was different faces. The one thing that has always been constant was this day was for peace and where anyone was welcome to share in the blessing. So many years were spent with our wonderful neighbors and the nights usually ended with me trying to take someone's money in poker and we will miss the Dameron's this year! This year I am happy to be have such rich friendships and I am thankful that we we will be celebrating together. Blessings to all of you who have enriched and blessed my life this year and given me so many reasons to be THANKFUL! 

    

WHIP Cream Martini

WHIP CREAM MARTINI - with a twist

Typically I like to line the rim of the Martini with Vanilla sugar. You can buy Martini Rimmer at most liquor stores and Bevmo and Total wines have really good selection. This combination can also be used as a shot or cocktail so don't limit yourself to martini's if you like it!

Combine the following ingredients into a stainless steel martini shaker filled with ice.
* 2 ounces - WHIP Cream Vodka. I use Pinnacle and it can be found at any Total Wine Store or Bevmo.  

* 1 ounce - Vanilla Vodka - I use three olives but you can use Absolut or Stoli depending on your preference.
* 3-4 ounces club soda. If you prefer a stronger martini, use less club soda.
* Splash of cream - you can use half and half or heavy cream whatever you have at home but just a splash

SHAKE it all up! Poor into a martini glass, top with Whip cream and serve.
For an extra twist top with whip cream that is infused with Vodka. There are two brands I recommend Whipahol and Whipped LIGHTNING! For more information go to www.whippedlightning.com and I like the vanilla flavor for this cocktail.

Yogurt-Marinated Chicken with Paprika for a little KICK!

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoons paprika
1/2 Tablespoons crushed red pepper
1 cup plain whole milk greek yogurt or honey if you prefer (8 ounces)
3 Tablespoons Extra virgin olive oil
2 Tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 Tablespoons tomato paste
2 teaspoons course kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
6 garlic cloves crushed
2 unpeeled lemons thinly sliced into rounds or wedges
1 tablespoon sugar
2 and 1/4 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts pounded so they are thin.

In a large bowl place paprika and crushed red pepper and mix in 1 tablespoon WARM water. Let stand until thick paste forms which will probably take about 5 minutes. Add yogurt, olive oil, red wine vinegar, tomato paste, coarse salt, black pepper, white pepper to the paprika paste and mix thoroughly. I like to use a spoon to mix but some use a whisk. Use whichever you prefer. Stir in garlic, sugar and lemons and then add the chicken. Typically i will either add everything to the bowl and chill and cover for an hour or put the chicken in a zip lock bag and pour the marinade over the top and refrigerate. You can marinate this chicken up to one day ahead of time if you prefer. If you do plan to marinate for more than 2 hours I would suggest using a little more sugar because you don't want the marinade too lemony or garlicky and it cuts that a little.
To cook - you can barbecue the chicken if you want but it will get a little messy so i suggest putting foil down. I prefer to use olive oil and sauté the chicken until it is golden on a moderate heat level and I don't like to flip it very often because it can lose its marinade. I also like to get it almost crispy and keep the chicken moist. I think this recipe is great paired with salad or a potato dish. You can also serve this recipe as Kebabs and add vegetables in between the chicken on the skewers.

ENJOY

Pumpkin Cheesecake

This Recipe combines two of my favorite desserts: New York Style Cheesecake & Pumpkin pie!

INGREDIENTS:
Crust:
1 & 1/2 cup gram crackers
1/2 cup ginger cookies
2-3 tablespoons of white granulated sugar (use sugar to taste)
3 tablespoons unsalted butter (melted)
3 tablespoons regular butter (melted)

Cheesecake:
2/3 cup light brown sugar
1 pound cream cheese
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 & 1/4 cup pumpkin puree (canned or homemade are fine)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt

Topping:
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup granulated white sugar

Whip cream:
Heavy cream (COLD)
powder sugar to taste - usually I use 2-3 tablespoons
pinch of cinnamon
pinch of nutmeg

PUMPKIN CHEESECAKE: Preheat oven to 350 degrees and place 1 oven rack in the middle and place another one on the bottom of the oven. Prepare the spring form pan with either butter or non-stick spray.

For Crust: use a cuisanart or food chopper and combine graham crackers, ground ginger snap cookies, sugar and melted butter. Place crust mixture in the bottom of the spring form pan and smash down so it is firm. Place spring form pan with crust in refrigerator and cover with foil while you make the cheesecake. You want to make sure the crust is nice and cold when you put the cheesecake mixture into it.

For Cheesecake: in a seperate small bowl combine sugar, cinnamon, cloves, ginger and salt.

In a bowl that can be used with an electric mixer or inside your kitchen aid mixer, beat cream cheese on low speed until it is completely smooth, gradually add the sugar mixture and beat until smooth, add eggs one at a time and beat for one minute each or until creamy, beat in vanilla and pumpkin puree and scrape down the sides with a spatula to make sure all ingredients are being mixed together smoothly.  I personally like to mix a little longer so the cheesecake is a little lighter and creamier.

Pour the cheesecake filling over the chilled crust. Place a cake pan 1/2 full of water on the bottom shelf of the oven. This is to keep moisture in the oven but you do not need to bake this cheesecake in the water bath.
Once you put the cake pan of water on the bottom shelf, place the cheesecake on the middle shelf of the oven. Bake for 30 minutes and then reduce the heat to 325 degrees and bake for another 15-20 minutes. You want to make sure that the etges of the cheesecake are puffed but the center jiggles when you shake the pan.

While the cheesecake is baking, mix together sour cream, vanilla and sugar. Pour the sour cream mixture over the top of the baked cheesecake. Return the cheesecake to the oven for 10 minutes to set the topping.

Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place on a wire rack to cool. Loosen the cake from the pan by running a sharp kitchen knife around the inside edge of the pan - this will prevent the cheesecake from cracking. Place a piece of tin foil over the cheesecake pan so the cheesecake will cool slowly. When the cheesecake is completely cooled, cover and refrigerate for 8-12 hours. I prefer the cheesecake to be refrigerated for at least 24 hours before serving.

Before serving make whip cream and cover the cheesecake with a layer of whip cream toping and refrigerate for another hour before serving. Do NOT use cool whip or make the wrip cream too sweet because then it will over power the cheesecake.

This cheesecake serves 10-12 people and some prefer to serve with extra whip cream or vanilla ice cream.
Taste and enjoy this special dessert!

Cheddar Bay Cheesey biscuits

INGREDIENTS:
2 & 1/2 cups Bisquick baking mix
3/4 cups whole milk
5 tablespons cold butter
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 packet hidden valley ranch dressing packet
1 & 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese

BRUSH ON TOP: (MELT TOGETHER)
1/2 stick butter melted (4 tablespoons)
1/2 packet hidden valley ranch dressing packet
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
pinch of salt
2 cloves minced Fresh garlic

1. Preheat oven to 400
2. combine Bisquick with cold butter in a medium bowl using a pastry cutter or fork (DO NOT OVER MIX). There should still be chunks of butter when you are done.
3. Add Cheddar Cheese, ranch packet, milk and garlic powder. Mix by hand or fork until combined but DO NOT OVER MIX. You want the biscuits light and fluffy and if you over mix they will end up hard. I personally don't like them to feel like hockey pucks so make sure not to over mix.
4. Drop 1/4 cup portions of the dough onto UNgreased cookie sheet using an ice cream scoop or by hand - roll into ball shaped biscuits.
5. brush lightly with butter mix.
6. Bake 14-17 minutes or until the tops of bisciuts begin to look brown.
7. When you take them out of the oven brush with the melt together mixture.
8. Serve and enjoy!

This recipe makes about 10-12 biscuits.