Category Archives: Holidazzle

Tackling my Pinterest List

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I adore Pinterest! I think if I let myself I could spend all day on the site. If you haven’t heard of Pinterest let me tell you about it. It is an online pinboard that lets you create boards that interest you. You pin things that other people have pinned on the site. It feels a bit like Show and Share in my preschool classroom. When I see something I like I can pin it to a board to remember it. My two boards that I pin to daily are Recipes and School Ideas. This weekend I decided to tackle my recipe board.

1. Nutella Puppy Chow- AMAZING! I ended up convincing a friend to make this with me on Saturday morning. We shared it with our friends after our Christmas Eve dinner of Chinese food.

2. Cinnamon Toast Crunch Rice Krispy Treats- two great combinations! Who doesn’t love rice krispy treats + Cinnamon Toast Crunch? This was an easy recipe that you could truly tailor to your choice of favorite cereal.

3. Rainbow Pinwheel Cookies- this was my only recipe that I feel I did not accomplish. It could not be easier to make. ( one box cookie mix, food coloring, and sprinkles) I made the cookies and then divided the dough up into bowls so I could tint it. After tinting I followed the directions and grabbed some dough from each bowl and made the multi colored balls. Then I had trouble.. I could not get the dough to roll into a snake. I might try this recipe again but with homemade sugar cookie dough and not a boxed mix.

Also I couldn’t end this post by not showing off the cutest picture taken this weekend. Leo went for a haircut this weekend at Bubbly Paws. When I picked him up they had attached this handsome Bowtie to his collar.

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Give some cookies… Get some cookies

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Today I went to my first cookie exchange! My friend Anna invited me and about 12 other girls. She told me to pick a type of cookie I would like to make and then bring between 8 to 10 dozen of that kind. I knew right away that I was going to make Ginger Snaps! I got a great recipe a couple of years ago from one of Justin’s parents friends. I ended up quadrupling the recipe. I made the dough during the week and froze it in logs that I wrapped in foil. This was the best idea because all I had to do today was bake the cookies. (super easy) I came home with two tins full of cookies. I ended up giving a tin to a friend and I am sending the other tin with Justin to work. I took some snaps of all the cookies for y’all.

What is your favorite cookie?

I had such a blast making cookies and exchanging them that I got to thinking…

I would like to do a mini cupcake exchange maybe in February around Valentine’s Day.

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Break the fast

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I can’t believe the weekend is over. There were so many things that went on that I completely forgot to share… How we broke the fast. (sorry if I made you think it was something else :) )

This is the second year that Justin and I have hosted break fast. We went with a similar menu to last year but a couple added twists.

I took a couple pictures of the table and of a plate.


(bagel, fried chicken, fruit, cucumber and tomato salad, roadside potatoes, and carrot soufflé)

I did not get a picture of the dessert. Alli made a really yummy chocolate chip coffee cake. The whole thing was gone at the end of the night. I can’t wait to get the recipe because I will be making it soon!

Lots of Love,

Erica

4th of July funfetti!

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Any reason to celebrate means lots of sprinkles and maybe some cake balls. This time I was smart and baked the cake ahead of time. I ended up using 4th of July Funfetti cake (vanilla with red and blue sprinkles), white frosting, red candy coating and tons of sprinkles! Instead of it taking me all day (make cake, let cool, make cake balls, let freeze, dip in candy coating,let harden) it was about an hour :) I was lucky and Justin helped me finish decorating them.

What are you making for 4th of July?


(I ran out of white cake balls which ended the cute pattern.)

Lots of Love,

Erica

Cookie dough dip

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Tonight we celebrated Hanukkah with Justin’s family. We wanted to wait to make sure everyone was in town. I was in charge of making dessert. I ended up whipping up another batch of funfetti dough balls, brownies and a new dessert… Cookie Dough Dip. This might seem a bit odd but it is definitely safe. There are no raw eggs in it. I ended up adding more powdered sugar to it because I thought it needed some more to balance the cream cheese. I served it with animal crackers and teddy grahams.

Here is a link to where I found the recipe.

http://www.howsweeteats.com/2010/12/15/chocolate-chip-cookie-dough-dip/
:)
Surviving in a giant snow globe

Erica

M&M’s + cake balls= best treat ever

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I wanted to make cake balls this past weekend and I wanted to jazz them up. I spied an unopened bag of mini m&ms and thought why not. This could not be easier and I would definitely suggest you make it with/ for kids. I brought half a batch to the people at work and the other half to family dinner.

Ingredients

1 nine by thirteen Betty Crocker cake ( I did a yellow cake)
1 container of frosting ( I chose chocolate)
1 bag mini m&ms
2 bags white chocolate melts.

Directions

Crumble cake into bowl and mix in 3 quarters of the container of frosting. Roll into 1 1/2 inch balls and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Melt the two packages of white chocolate in the microwave in thirty second increments. Make sure to stir with a spoon after each time.

Dip balls in white chocolate and place on wax paper or parchment paper. Carefully stick on m&ms before white chocolate dries. Store in air tight container in fridge.


What desserts have you made this month?

Any suggestions for another topping for the cake balls?

:)
Surviving in a giant snow globe

Erica

M is for Monkey Bread!

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I made Monkey Bread this week with the little girl I nanny for. She absolutely loved it and I thought…. why not share it with my readers. It is super easy and super delish and well not so healthy but… if you invite your friends over then their is your portion control! If you have kids I would definitely suggest making it over the holiday break. I ended up cutting the biscuits into fourths and then I let her roll them into balls and into the cinnamon sugar.

Ingredients

1 cup white sugar

1 cup brown sugar

1 stick butter

2 teaspoons cinnamon

2 cans refrigerator biscuits (8-10 biscuits per can)

cooking spray

 

  1. Turn on the oven to 325 degrees.
  2. Put the white sugar and cinnamon in the pie plate and mix them together with your fingers until they are completely mixed. Remove the biscuits from the tubes. Place each biscuit on the cutting board and cut each one into fourths using a butter knife. Place each piece of biscuit into the cinnamon sugar and shake it all around until it is coated. (You can do a few at a time.)
  3. Put the butter and brown sugar into the pot and heat it over low heat until it is mixed together. Stir it with a wooden spoon. Turn off the heat.
  4. Spray the Bundt pan with cooking spray. Place the biscuit pieces evenly in the Bundt pan. Pour the brown sugar mixture over the biscuits.
  5. Bake for 35-45  minutes. Place the Bundt pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.
  6. To serve, turn the Bundt pan upside down onto the cake plate. The biscuits should fall right out.
  7. Let the monkey bread cool for a few minutes so that you don’t burn your fingers or mouth. Pinch off pieces to eat. Serves about 8

What is your favorite holiday recipe? This might become a regular of mine for entertaining because people literally go gaga over this.

 

 

 

 

The finished product!

 

It’s tradition

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I promised you a great post yesterday and  I am sorry that I had to wait and give it to you today. Everyone has fun family traditions and it keeps us true to who we are. This year I decided I wanted to host  the meal after Yom Kippur (i.e. break-fast) I wanted to take Justins families traditions and my families traditions and intertwine them. Justin’s family always has kugel at their break- fast and my fond memories are of going over to Aunt Mickey and Uncle Stanley’s for Popeyes Fried Chicken after fasting. Yes, you did read that correctly… my family has fried chicken after fasting.  It’s our tradition and I find it absolutely fabulous. So… what did I do yesterday? I made Justin drive with me to the only Popeyes in Minneapolis to get… fried chicken. Thank goodness we remembered to bring cash because fellow Minnesotans: Popeyes does not take credit/ debit cards. Here are some great pictures from our meal. I owe all of you Alli’s  addictive tiramisu recipe. You will fall in love with it as much as I have.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Happy New Year!

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Happy New Year (for all my fellow readers who celebrate)! Well I’m terrible and I will admit it… I worked today and did not go to synagogue…. I guess someone had to make sure the future leaders of our country were doing well in Math, Reading, Social Studies, and Science. :)   As we celebrate another year I felt it only right to share a sweet recipe on a holiday where we wish everyone a sweet new year. Get ready for a dessert that you can easily whip up in 30 minutes as long as you have these ingredients on hand: grahama cracker crumbs, salted butter, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, shredded coconut, 1 can of sweetened condensed milk… yummy: I’m sure your stomach is growling now and if its not… well something is wrong with you :)   

Magic Cookie Bars  1 stick salted butter  

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs  

1 (14 ounce can) Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk (not evaporated milk)   

2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips  

1 cup butterscotch chips  

1 cup flaked coconut  

   

Magic Cookie Bars before being placed in the oven.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees for glass 13 x 9 baking dish. Melt salted butter in oven. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs evenly over butter. Then pour sweetened condensed milk evenly over crumbs. Top with butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, and coconut. Press down with fork. Bake 25 t0 30 minutes or until light brown. Let cool and cut bars.  

Magic Cookie Bars that are cooling before being cut into squares.