~hot cocoa bar~

I'm hosting events three of the next four days, 

so I thought a hot cocoa bar would be enjoyed by all my company.

I set out cups and spoons,

cocoa mix and add-ins.  

Guests can chose to make a cup of coffee, cider

or cocoa and then add anything they like to their cup!

I'll probably leave it up through New's Years just to enjoy myself. ;-)

~christmas baking~

christmas breakfast casserole

gingerbread scones

christmas scones

cranberry crumb muffins

cinnamon quick bread

italian biscotti

~christmas cookies~

cranberry noels

chocolate cherry thumb print cookies

double drizzle pecan cookies

gingerbread men cookies

~simple christmas decorating~

"snow" candles

simple center piece

clove fruit

~homemade gifts in a jar~

Love, love, love giving gifts in mason jars.

Here are a few ideas of things I've gifted in jars over the years - enjoy!

sugar scrub, lotion, and bath salts

peppermint hot cocoa mix

mocha hot cocoa mix

soup mix

cowboy cookie mix

s'mores mix

candy apple jelly

~christmas tree for feathered friends~

Sure wish I had the time this year to decorate a Christmas tree for the birds.

I had so much fun with this a few years back and wanted to share the ideas again.

Maybe I'll decorate a tree for my feathered friends in January! :-)

Here  are all the how-to's!

~christmas candy~

What is Christmas without yummy, special, "only at Christmas-time" homemade candies??

I think I make more candy during the month of December

than probably the whole rest of the year combined!

I make the simple kinds, no candy thermometer involved. ;-)

Here are some faves...

buckeyes

chocolate peanut butter candy

christmas coffee bean candy

chocolate chip cookie dough truffles

christmas oreo truffles

easiest fudge ever

And last, but not least, 

our very favorite Christmas candy will always be

chocolate billionaires!

I've been making them for sixteen years now 

and I think they have become my signature candy. :-)

I made 6 dozen this evening to share with co-workers!

Happy candy making from my kitchen to yours!

~peppermint candy ornaments~

I'll be honest I was really thinking these might be a "Pinterest fail..." ;-)

But they worked!

I followed the instructions here.

I used a bit of shortening on the cookie cutters

instead of the cooking spray the original instructions suggested.

I also used a straw instead of a toothpick to poke the holes in the ornaments.

(I found if you wait a minute or so after they come out of the oven it is easier to make the holes.)

The whole process took just a little more than 30 minutes.

They harden back up really quickly.

I put some red ribbon on to hang them with,

and added them to my kitchen Christmas tree.

I thought they really turned out cute!

I would have made more, but only had a dozen peppermints on hand.

I put the star one on the top of the tree! :-)

More peppermint!

peppermint oreo truffles

peppermint biscotti

peppermint bark