Nutmeg Sparklers

Nutmeg Sparklers

6 Tbsp. Red colored Sugar

1 tsp. ground Nutmeg, divided

3 cups flour

2 tsp. Cream of Tartar

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/4 tsp. Salt

1 cup Butter

1 1/2 cups Sugar

2 Eggs

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

 

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.  In a small bowl, combine the red sugar with 1/2 tsp. nutmeg.  Set aside.

 

In a large mixing bowl, combined the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and remaining 1/2 tsp. nutmeg.  Set aside.

 

In a mixer bowl, cream the butter and sugar.  Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing well in between.  Mix in the vanilla.  Blend at low speed for about 3 minutes until well mixed.  Gradually add the dry ingredients. 

 

Roll rounded teaspoons of dough in sugar/nutmeg mixture into 1 inch balls.  Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 400 degrees for about 10-12 minutes.  Cool on wire racks.  Makes about 5 dozen cookies.



Making Stuff

I've been busy making stuff today. First, I made this for my dear friend who lives in Florida:

Pretty cute, huh? Just the thing for slipping on with a pair of jeans, and a cute top and being warm!

Then, I made these for me.



Which, if you've been to my house would totally make sense, since I have this thing about elephants.

Lastly, but not leastly, I made these yummy things!


They're super easy, and really delish! Plus they look like they took some work (which they so didn't.)

White Chocolate-Pecan Candies

1 1/2 bags white chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon oil
1 cup coarsely chopped pecans
Some pecan halves (about 30)

Empty the white chocolate chips into a microwave-safe bowl. I used my Pampered Chef Classic Batter Bowl (love it!). Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir. Microwave it for another minute. The chips should be melty by now. Mix in the butter and oil. Mix in the chopped pecans.

Use a small scoop (about 1 Tablespoon) and drop by scoops onto a sheet of waxed paper on a cookie sheet. Press a pecan half into each while it is still soft. Put in the fridge (or cold garage!) until firm.

Makes about 30.

Its beginning to look a lot like.....

Well, it's beginning to look a lot like something, anyway.

We're less than two weeks away from Christmas, and still have no tree. The decorations are all still snug in their boxes yet from last year. I still have the halloween door decoration hanging on our front door. The hubby hung up the lights outside over Thanksgiving, so we aren't completely ignoring the holidays, but it just feels so... unChristmassy.

I suppose part of the problem is I'm doing no holiday baking this year. Now don't get all over me. Look at the ticker at the top of the page. I'm close to losing 25 pounds! I've been walking between 4 to 5 miles at least 3 times a week, and I'm working very hard at regaining my pre-children shape. Baking mountains of cookies runs counter to that goal. Besides, I can't help but eat them. My self-control around them is nil. So no baking.

I've been trying to come up with other holiday traditions that don't center around eating. Like playing and singing music, and the children made and decorated gingerbread houses. I think this year we might go to the "Winter Wonderland" at the Cuneo. Very cool lights!

So if you have any neat ideas to help get into the Christmas spirit, pass them along. I need a little Christmas NOW!

Halloween Fun

Halloween has come and gone at our house. The pumpkins have been carved,


The costumes have been made,


The crafts have been prepared.

Trick-o-treating was a lot of fun too. The kids came home with much candy, and watched movies and ate themselves sick.

Although we love Halloween here, I am thankful that it only comes around once a year.

Lego craziness

Okay, this has got to be the funniest nativity I've seen in a very long time. (ht: Seabird Chronicles) I wonder if my Mom would like one like this. You see, every year my sister and I seem to manage to get my mom a new Christmas decoration. The decorations are usually long on, um, for lack of a better word, Character, and short on taste.

In the past, she's been gifted several really so-cute-they're-ugly nativity sets, various musical Santas, some scary snowmen, and a lovely nativity scene done in clear acrylic, on a mirrored base, that spins and plays music. We've been doing this for the past 15 years or so. At this point, now when my Mom decorates for Christmas, she REALLY decorates. Anyone who comes over to her house around Christmastime has got to think, 1. This woman really loves Christmas; and 2. This woman has absolutely NO Taste. (You're welcome, Mom.)

This year, I think I've got the prize. I found an angel, done is lovely clear acrylic, that, although it does not play music, does light up with LED's and goes through many dramatic color changes. I'd put in a picture of it, but it's already wrapped. Maybe I'll be able to capture her reaction. I'm sure she'll have a good one.

Speaking of somewhat tasteless things, here are some of the WORST Christmas songs ever recorded, just for you.

The Days Are Long, But The Years Are Short...

Ace just had her 11th birthday. Happy Birthday Ace!!

A Green (urp) Christmas

Merry Christmas, a little late. Why a little late? Well, we've been getting past a very virulent stomach virus. It all began with little 4 getting a rotovirus immunization, one featuring live cultures. Deuce then contracted the virus 2 days later (we suspect poor handwashing hygiene after changing her diaper.) The rest, you might say, is history. The virus ran through (no pun intended) Jack, the King, and me. We thought that Ace and 3 might escape, but at the last minute, Ace came down with the virus as well.

To make the matter worse, despite the fact that the kids all seemed fine, we managed to infect my mom and dad and sister, and brother-in-law with the virus as well. Talk about the gift that keeps on giving!! My mom, as a person with a compromised immune system ended up in the ER. Dad and the King went along with her, while I focussed on cleaning up and laundry.

Bleaacchhh. (or perhaps bleach?)

Other than that setback, Christmas was calm, quiet and peaceful. The kids got many of the things they asked for, and were bored only moments later.

Merry Christmas.

Making Cookies with My Boy!!

So for the cookies - we made Black Forest Cocoa Crinkles today, which are sort of like the normal cocoa crinkles, except they have chocolate chips and dried tart cherries in them. Jack helped me out. He really enjoyed the mixing, and the rolling the dough in the powdered sugar. Midway through making them, he told me, "I like cooking. There's good stuff that I don't even know what it is." I think this reference was to the powdered sugar. I found a little lump and put it on his tongue.

Anyway, here is a picture of the little chef rolling the dough in the powdered sugar.


The most important part - the testing!!












I've been putting the recipes to the cookies on my cooking blog: ChefShari

The Great Cookie Marathon

The 2008 Cookie Marathon has begun. This year I am making 11 different types of cookies. Here they are in no particular order:

1. Skillet Cookies - My favorite
2. Christmas M&M Cookies - The King's favorite
3. Almond Crackles
4. Black Forest Crinkle Cookies - Ace likes these.
5. Cherry Belles - An oldie but a goodie
6. Peppermint Swirls - Deuce's favorite
7. Cranberry Walnut Swirls
8. White Chocolate Dream Cookies - white chocolate and orange. Heavenly!!
9. Hawaiian Snowball Cookies
10. Pecan Sandies - Another favorite of the King.
11. Chocolate Caramel Cracker Bars - Three of Heart's favorite.

If I remember, I'll try to post the recipes to these delicious cookies.

Handmade Holidays

As you can see by the little button on the left, I am going to attempt to give handmade gifts this Christmas.

Here is a site that has lots of great ideas - in case you are short of good ideas as to what a person can make for a handmade holiday. I'll be posting more, but I don't want any of my friends (and you, mom) to know what I am giving them for Christmas.

http://www.sewmamasew.com/blog2/

Fun, fun, fun!!