Tuesday, December 18, 2012

One More Week. . .

I. .
LOVE. .
CHRISTMAS!!
I always have. .
and I hope I always will. .
This year feels different. .
I'm slower, a little less excited, and a little more reflective. .
I find myself straying from "the plan". .
you know, if you've been around this blog very long. .
that there is ALWAYS a plan. HA!
I finally mustered up the time and the energy for my favorite Christmas activity. .
COOKIN!
I cooked for TWO solid days this past weekend. .
Cookies, candies, snack mixes, seasoned nut mixes. .
Cami and Devin helped some. .
And Tristan cut caramels like a trooper. .
I finally made toffee that is pretty. .
after HOW many years. .
(my new secret?
I didn't use chocolate chips. .
I used melting chocolate and put it on when the toffee had cooled). .
and look!! Gorgeous!
And yummy!
With most of the cookies in the freezer waiting for holiday gatherings and surprise last minute give aways. .
and the majority of the candies already repackaged and given away. .
That leaves us with a few nibbles here and there of our favorites!
Which, dear friend Sue. .
is what keeps us from getting fat :-)
I've had a little project in the back of my mind for several months now. .
And I even found a little time to work on it over the weekend too. .
With a little help, of course!
I hope to be able to show you the finished project soon. .
Mostly, because it surpassed my expectations!
And, because I think some of you would enjoy doing it yourself!
The BIG deal of the weekend, however. .
was this. .
Grant and his dad, after 1 1/2 years of working on it. .
Had finally gotten a motor installed. .
and the body work done on Grant's pickup. .
And the paint went on!
It is now a joke between Grant and I, that I think the paint looks like primer. .
but he LOVES the way it turned out. .
And he was right, in the sunlight. .
it glistens a lovely shade of sparkly silver. .
They think in a few more weekends of putting down carpet, placing windows, putting the hardware back in, and installing the gauges. .
it will be ready for it's maiden voyage to school. .
The boys will then have to argue about who is driving. .
and who has to buy the fuel!
We had a little rain shower the other night. .
and a really heavy fog yesterday morning that froze on the trees. .
We are hoping for some more moisture soon. .
I thought it would be nice to share one of the cookie recipes from the weekend. .
I've made these a time or two before, but not for a few years. .
They have been Cami's favorite treat this season. .
And are just enough different than your average cookie,
that they make a welcome gift for someone special!
One week left until we mark that special day commemorating the birth of Jesus. .
I can hardly wait. .


Festive Chocolate Mint Cookies

1 ½ sticks butter
1 ½ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp water
2 cup chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 ½ cup flour
1 ¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
50-70 Andes mint candies
assorted sprinkles

Melt butter, sugar, and water.  Add chips until almost melted.  Let cool 10 minutes.  Beat eggs into mixture 1 at a time.  Add dry ingredients.  Chill dough for at least one hour. Roll heaping teaspoons or small cookie scoop into ball.  Bake at 350 on ungreased pan for 12-13 minutes.  Place a mint on each cookie; swirl candy as it melts with a knife and add sprinkles.

5 comments:

  1. Love Grants truck! I bet he just can't wait to drive that bad boy to school!

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  2. I seem to get more reflective each year, probably just a sign that I am becoming ancient....lol! I love the pick-up, but the paint does look like primer. I would have gone for metallic scarlet myself, but who am I the ancient to argue with the younger generation eh? And as for all of those cakes and things, well, as soon as I can raise the plane fare I am over there and raiding your fridge!

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  3. I am requesting that Grant give me a ride in his truck...it looks amazing!!

    I have used more butter and sugar in the past few weeks than should be legal. But I sure enjoy it. I have tried a TON of new recipes this year and I think I might add these cookies to my list of baking to do the rest of this week. I LOVE Christmas too!

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  4. My goodness your whole family is being productive and festive! Yum-O on the cookies. I decided no baking this year--I'll let you in on why later. Not that we're lacking for treats. Goodies keep finding us at work or we buy a few from the bake sales in town. All decked out here and most presents ready. The gatherings start Saturday! Glad for any moisture. You got a little "Christmas look" with the fog. Hoping our snow pans out tomorrow. Dreading the wind in the forecast. I got your comment earlier and totally had a lapse and deleted it before it got to the blog. Sigh. Sorry. Can't wait to hear about the 'project.'

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  5. 1. Oh my..the toffee. Yum.

    2. Ok, I thought it was primer. Don't tell him.

    3. Snow! I miss snow. sigh

    Merry Christmas!!!!

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