25 Days of Christmas (15-25)

With Christmas behind us and Boxing Day coming to a close, here my final shots for the 25 Days of Christmas Photo Challenge.

Day 15: Warmth. Parker: providing foot warming since 2009.

Day 16: Ornaments. Self explanatory.

Day 17: Wreath. I missed the fragrant pine scent that a live tree brings. Thankfully, this wreath found at Trader Joe’s did the trick.

Day 18: Giving. Brown Sugar Cookies, all packaged to give away at the office.

Day 19: Reindeer.  Aren’t they cute?

Day 20: Memories. Jelly Nut Wreaths redux. My grandmother used to make these cookies with the center cut out and decorated with nuts. Here is the version my mom makes – good memories all around with these cookies.

Day 21: Cookies. Biscotti. Almond and chocolate chunk. Don’t mind the slightly mangled appearance. These biscotti may look like they’ve lost the chocolate war, but they win on flavor.

Day 23: Sparkle. Nothing like some sprinkles to add sparkles.

Day 24: Christmas Eve. We played some terrible hands of rummy.

Day 25: Unwrapped. A Dove promise, shaped like a snowflake. Unwrapped and ready to delight.

For more photo challenge fun, stop by The Little GSP and see how Annie wrapped up her 25 days! Thanks for following along. Regular food and weekend finds programming will be back shortly!

PS – I hope you all had wonderful Christmases. I certainly enjoy my time with family!

Nutella Fudge

I linked to this recipe a few weekend finds ago. Now that the holidays are here, I’ve found the perfect excuse to make this fudge. Not that making anything with Nutella requires an excuse. Right?

Nutella and I have a long, pleasant history. Growing up in Germany, I was familiar with the chocolate hazelnut spread since…infancy? It’s always had a place in any household I’ve lived in. I’ve eaten in on toast, bagels, crackers, croissants. More recently, in cheesecake. It tastes pretty good paired with banana. I once tried to make hot fudge sauce for ice-cream with it. That experiment didn’t turn out as planned. Today, I’m happy to bring you: Nutella Fudge, with a sea salt sprinkle.

Salted Nutella Fudge, adapted from Toffee Bits & Chocolate Chips

• Greased 8×8 baking dish
• 1 14oz can of nonfat sweetened condensed milk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 8 oz of 60% cocoa chocolate chips
• 1 cup Nutella, at room temperature
• 3 Tbsp butter, at room temperature and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• Large flake sea salt, to taste

Cut parchment paper to fit the baking dish and allow for an overlap. You want enough overlap to be able to pull the solid fudge from the dish.

Place a heat proof bowl of a sauce pan, filled 1/4 to 1/2 with gently simmering water. Combine all ingredients in the bowl, and stir over low heat until dissolved and mixed together. Depending on the temperature of your double-boiler, this could take about 5-10 minutes.

Carefully scrape the warm Nutella mixture into the prepared pan. Cool in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight, until hardened. When ready to serve, lift the fudge out using the parchment paper handles. Run a sharp knife through warm water and cut the fudge into even squares. Sprinkle with sea salt to taste. Enjoy.

PS – this would make a delicious last minute holiday gift.

My final 25 Days of Christmas photo challenge will be posted the evening of Christmas Day.  For some fun Christmas photos until then, check out Annie over at The Little GSP. 

Weekend Finds+

This weekend, it rained. Starting Thursday night, most of the day Friday, and well into Saturday. Today, I woke up to mist in the cemetery across the street. Fifteen minutes later, the mist turned into fog (see second picture).

This weekend find is entirely dedicated to the 25 Days of Christmas Photo Challenge. If you’re interested, visit Annie at The Little GSP to see her days 8-14!

Day 8. Tree – as you learned last week, we don’t have a tree due to Parker’s penchant for climbing. We do, however, have a “fake” tree.

Day 9. Treats – like this would be a tough one. A full post about these lovelies soon (very soon, I promise!).

Day 10. Joy. Oh dear. On Day 10 and 11, I struggled. Here is a photo of a photo collection of my family that brings me much joy.

Day 11: Carols. I wanted to snap a shot of the scene from “Love Actually,” when that one character holds up the sign that reads, “Say it’s carol singers.” Naturally, I didn’t think about it in that moment of watching. So just imagine it. And if you haven’t seen “Love Actually,” I recommend it.

Day 12: Vintage – This tablecloth belonged to my grandmother. It’s about as vintage a Christmas decoration as I own.

Day 13: Festive – perhaps I should have used this photo for “Day 8: Tree”, but I find my in-laws Christmas tree to be particularly festive.

Day 14: Glitter. Speaks for itself, really.

Tart Lemon Yogurt Cake

Well, I haven’t made a Christmas cookie yet. Maybe next weekend. But, I am working my way through those five pounds of lemons (slowly and surely). Here’s a bright cake to have with your tea in the morning or as an afternoon snack (also with tea?).

The recipe came to me through pinterest, that wonderful/horrible online pin-board where I find minutes turn quickly to hours. Now, maybe I’m spending too much time on pinterest, watching TV, or am overloaded with the five books I’m currently reading to quickly meet my 50 in 2012 goal; but, let me tell you, dear readers, that I almost put the cake in the oven with out adding the eggs.

I know. Right?

I’m certain when you make this, you’ll remember the eggs before opening the oven door! I know you’ll enjoy this light, refreshing cake amongst so many heavier holiday treats.

Lemon Yogurt Cake, adapted from Bake Your Day

• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3/4 cup 2% Greek Yogurt (I used Trader Joe’s)
• 1 ish Tbs Lemon Juice
• 1 tsp lavender extract
• Zest of 1 small lemon

Preheat the oven to 325. Grease a loaf pan and set aside.

Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix together with a fork and set aside.

Using a stand mixer, combine butter and sugar and cream until fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Add the eggs. Slowly add the dry ingredients, alternating with the Greek yogurt. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and lavender extract. 

Pour batter into the pan and bake for 45-55 minutes, until the edges brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Coal in the pan for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Lemon glaze is optional.

Weekend Finds+

This weekend has been more of a whirlwind than much else, and I’ve been seriously slacking on the cooking (apologies…food related posts will begin again shortly). Until then, more cook book recommendations for the holidays and an out-take from participating in 25 Days of Christmas Photo Challenge with Annie over at The Little GSP. 

• Part memoir, part cookbook, Luisa Weiss’s My Berlin Kitchen. You can also follow her blog here.
• The candle to burn while sipping your Jane Austen inspired tea.
• Parker is definitely a fan of treats; though, I have to say, this cat is even more so.

25 Days of Christmas Photo Challenge:

1. Lights – you’ve seen this one before, but it’s just perfect enough to post twice!

2.  Decorations

3. Gifts: I’ve just started the wrapping, mainly for this photo challenge!

4. Tradition: Parker – adorable though he is – has a penchant for climbing trees, which is why we don’t have a tree. Over the last three years, our dining room light served as a make shift — sure the ornaments are pretty, but I miss the pine smell.

5. Santa: multiple Santa ornaments adorn our Christmas chandelier.

6. Stockings: Alas, we don’t hang stockings in our house, put Parker would like you to admire his snow-shoe-stockinged feet? 😉

7. Snow: We’re a bit short of winter precipitation here in the Phoenix Metro area, so here  are two favorites from Colorado, January 2012

Weekend Finds

Well, it happened. December arrived and the blogosphere is awash with holiday gift ideas. For this weekend finds, here is one I perused this weekend, in between cleaning out the fridge (oddly exciting) and roasting a chicken.

• a favorite blog of mine, The Smitten Kitchen, now has a cookbook. Perfect holiday gift for any cook. The pictures are gorgeous (as always) and the recipes are delicious (as always). I recently made the slow cook black beans and blitz them into a warming black bean soup on a chilly night. Read lovingly written reviews here and here. 
• A Gift Guide in Parts, by Joanna Goddard from A Cup of Jo. Delightful.
• For the five pounds of lemons you I recently bought at the grocery store (it was only $5; how could I resist?)
• Idea for homemade holiday gift.

And because I can’t resist — Parker thinks he looks handsome with the twinkling lights behind him.