Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Christmas. Show all posts

Monday, January 10, 2011

Christmas in Barbados


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


I wanted to share some photos from our Christmas celebration in Barbados. Having never been there at this magical time of year, we weren't sure what to expect. But, in true Bajan (&Dad) style, we were not disappointed.

We stay at my Dad's condo while we're there. When you walk in the front door, this is the view you are greeted with:

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Not exactly a bad way to start your vacation.

Dad had all his holiday decorations out, including his collection of nutcrackers:


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Decorations definitely made it feel more "Christmas-y"... even though it was 86 degrees out.

A real Christmas tree costs a couple hundred dollars in Barbados, but I thought his little fake one looked real enough to me!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Love this little guy


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

The sunset was beautiful, as always.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Our gifts had both a Bajan and French-Canadian flare to them. This little lady bug chocolate is apparently very popular in France.


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Saturday, December 18, 2010

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Wrap Up

I would call the First Annual Holiday Treats-a-palooza a success, wouldn't you? Lets review what we made this week:



Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Chocolate Covered Everything




Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Cheesebake Bars (my personal favorite!)


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Gena's amazing sugar cookies


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cookies



Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved
Nutella Sugar Sandwich Cookies

Happy holidays & happy baking everyone! Now off to the gym....

Wednesday, December 15, 2010

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Chocolate & Peppermint Bark Cookies


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

These are a great spin on traditional chocolate peppermint bark!

Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen via the Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. high-quality white chocolate
1/2 cup finely chopped red & white candies or candy canes (about 3 ounces)

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment, letting it hang over the sides of the pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Gradually beat in sugar. Continue to beat for an additional 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla extract and egg yolk. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture, until just combined. Do not overmix.

Scatter the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan and gently press it, with slightly moistened fingers, to form a flat layer. Prick all over with a fork.

Bake the cookie layer until golden brown and slightly puffed, and edges are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, 25-30 minutes.

Place on a cookie rack and immediately sprinkle chopped bittersweet or semisweet (or a combination of the two) over the cookie layer. Let the chocolate sit for about 3 minutes. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into an even layer over the surface of the cookies. Immediately sprinkle 3 ounces crushed red and white peppermint candies, or candy canes, over the chocolate layer.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Place chopped white chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over a simmering pot of water. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Using a fork, drizzle the white chocolate over the peppermint candies. Chill for approximately 30 minutes.

Gripping the overhanging parchment paper, lift the cookies out of the pan and place on a work surface. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the cookies into irregular pieces. This can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for one week.

Chocolate & Peppermint Bark Cookies
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 oz. high-quality white chocolate
1/2 cup finely chopped red & white candies or candy canes (about 3 ounces)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9x2-inch baking pan with cooking spray and line the bottom of the pan with parchment, letting it hang over the sides of the pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour and salt. Set aside.

In the bowl of a mixer, beat butter until creamy, about 2 minutes.
Gradually beat in sugar. Continue to beat for an additional 3 minutes, until the mixture is light and creamy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in vanilla extract and egg yolk. Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually beat in the flour mixture, until just combined. Do not overmix.

Scatter the dough over the bottom of the prepared pan and gently press it, with slightly moistened fingers, to form a flat layer. Prick all over with a fork.

Bake the cookie layer until golden brown and slightly puffed, and edges are beginning to pull away from the sides of the pan, 25-30 minutes.

Place on a cookie rack and immediately sprinkle chopped bittersweet or semisweet (or a combination of the two) over the cookie layer. Let the chocolate sit for about 3 minutes. Using an offset spatula, spread the chocolate into an even layer over the surface of the cookies. Immediately sprinkle 3 ounces crushed red and white peppermint candies, or candy canes, over the chocolate layer.

Place chopped white chocolate in a medium metal bowl set over a simmering pot of water. Stir constantly until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Using a fork, drizzle the white chocolate over the peppermint candies. Chill for approximately 30 minutes.

Gripping the overhanging parchment paper, lift the cookies out of the pan and place on a work surface. Using a large, sharp knife, cut the cookies into irregular pieces. This can be stored in an airtight container in a refrigerator for one week.

Previous treats-a-palooza:
Monday - chocolate covered everything
Tuesday
- Gena's sugar cookies

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Gena's Sugar Cookies


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

These amazing sugar cookies come from a recipe from one of my best friends, Gena. She adapted the recipe from one her grandmother taught her, which originally called for the use of lard. See, you don't feel so bad about using butter & Crisco now, do you?

Gena is an amazing baker, so I'm glad to be able to share this recipe with all of you!

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
2 tbsp milk

Directions
Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

Pull out one of these (a hand mixer would also work):

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
2 tbsp milk

Directions
Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

Pull out one of these (a hand mixer would also work):

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Blend all ingredients in mixer until they form a ball.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Turn ball on floured surface & knead lightly.

Roll out dough on floured surface & cut cookies with cookie cutters.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are slightly browned.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Frost with icing (if desired). A major icing shout out to Brad, who iced the amazing cookies above. All 55 of them (minus the two I broke while attempting to ice).

Gena's Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
2 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter-flavored Crisco
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup butter (melted)
2 tbsp milk

Directions
Pre-heat oven at 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Blend all ingredients using a stand mixer, hand mixer or elbow grease until they form a ball.

Turn ball on floured surface & knead lightly.

Roll out dough on floured surface & cut cookies with cookie cutters.

Bake 8-10 minutes until edges are slightly browned.

Frost with icing (if desired)

Previous treats-a-palooza:
Monday: chocolate covered everything

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Holiday Treats-a-palooza: Chocolate Covered Everything

It has been tradition in my family ever since I was little to make chocolates. And by chocolates I mean melting yummy milk/dark/white chocolate & dipping everything & anything you can get your hands on into it. It's super easy & always makes impressive (& yummy!) holiday gifts! Here's how I do it:

I like to use Wilton Candy Melts. They're available at Michael's or other craft-type stores. I have used other bulk chocolate discs before, available at candy supply stores, but D.C. seems to be seriously lacking in candy supply shops.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

The chocolate melts looks like this when they're dumped out of the bag (no, the irony is not lost in this picture - I am making chocolates, while Brad's protein powder, banana's & water bottle hang out in the background)

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Before you get started with your chocolate-ing, prep your chocolate dipping area. This year, I covered our dining room table with waxed paper, which worked very well.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Melt your chocolate on a double boiler or the lazy way: in the microwave on 50% power, stirring every 15-30 seconds. When your chocolate is melted, it will look like this (resist the urge to lick the spoon).

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Now you're ready to dip. Oreo's are always a hit, so I tend to make a whole bag or two of those.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

You can keep melting chocolate & dipping Oreo's until your heart is content.

If you want to move onto something else, may I suggest nutmallow, or as Martha would call them, "rocky road bars." Melt a bag of chocolate discs, toss in a half a can of cashews, & 1/2 - 3/4 of a bag of mini-marshmallows (I went overboard this year & used almost the whole bag). Give the mixture a good stir, so it's evenly coated & dump the whole mixture into a baking dish lined with wax paper. Then stick it in the fridge!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

White chocolate also presents lots of fun dipping opportunities. Just be careful when melting though, as it tends to burn more easily than milk or dark chocolate.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Dunk that Oreo right in... don't be afraid to get any on your fingers!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

White chocolate is also good for drizzling over milk or dark chocolate. Melt some white chocolate, take a small fork & dip the ends in. Then shake the fork back & forth over whatever you're drizzling. If the chocolate isn't melted enough & sticks to the fork or comes off in big blobs, stick it back in the microwave (or over the double boiler) for a few seconds.

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

There's really no end to the treats you can make!

Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved

Friday, December 10, 2010

New York City at Christmas

It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was sitting at my desk this morning, when suddenly the urge came.

New York City.

Christmastime.

I simply must go.

Unfortunately, New York City, especially at Christmastime, is expensive & our holiday schedule is already jammed.

So since a trip isn't in the picture this year, I thought I would blog about it instead. Enjoy!


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved


Photo (c) Christina Saull - All Rights Reserved