On the Home Stretch

Wow...two more days 'til Christmas. I can't quite believe it but I am sure getting excited! The shopping is done, the presents are wrapped, packages have been mailed and some have been delivered, photo sessions are wrapped up, pictures have been edited (not all made it to the blog--figured it was best use of time to get them finished up for people!), cookies and ornaments have been exchanged, weight has been gained--so that must definitely mean that it's Christmas!

With all of the big stuff out of the way, I got a chance to do a few fun little projects that I'd been hoping to get to this year. I'd seen an idea for some rolled paper glass ornaments some time last year, I believe, and have had the idea just sitting in my head hoping I could actually make some this year. So I made one for an ornament exchange last week and had so much fun making them, I wanted to make one for every single soul I'd ever met! :) But since that wasn't possible (because even if I'd made that many, there's no way I could get them all to you!), I decided to at least make some for all of my Young Women and a few friends and a few for me... It was such a great way to use up a bunch of Christmas-ish scraps of paper that I have loads of plus rub-ons and ribbons. I will definitely be making more next year. So here are a few of the many that I made.



And next on the list was to make Lexi's mint oreo truffles. She made some last year and I was lucky enough to sample them and I'd dare say they were one of the most delicious things I'd ever tasted in my life and I have craved them regularly since last year. So...I demanded that she give me the recipe, which she was nice enough to do, and I tried my hand at making some. Mmmm, yum! These will definitely be going on my regular holiday goodie making list.


Mint Oreo Truffles

1 pkg. Oreos - Cool Mint Flavor
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
1 lb. Baker's Semi-Sweet chocolate

1. Finely crush the cookies in a food processor or a ziploc bag with a rolling pin, set aside 1/2 cup (for sprinkling on top of the truffles after they are dipped in chocolate).
2. Stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together completely.
3. Roll the mixture into 1" balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.
4. Place covered in freezer or refrigerator for a few minutes to help retain shape when dipping in melted chocolate.
5. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. Sprinkle some of the crushed oreos (that were set aside) on top, before the chocolate completely sets up.
   
6. Refrigerate and enjoy

Makes about 30 truffles.
And would you look at this! I have gained a second helper in my kitchen these days. So now it is a fight over the stool in my kitchen since Tyler AND Sam both insist on watching my every move. And maybe it's kind of sad that Sam usually wins that battle (maybe because I kind of let him because otherwise he just screams if Tyler's on it and he's not?)...
He is cute, not very helpful really, and definitely still in his pajamas at noon. Don't we all need a day like this every once in a while???

And next up was caramels. I can't go a holiday without making caramels. So that was definitely on the list this week. And I find that everyone has "their" recipe and I have mine too--it is my mom's recipe that she always used. So, of course it's my favorite! Isn't that how it usually works? Your favorite way to make something is usually the way your mom made it when you were growing up? So the caramels were made yesterday and I have been asked for the recipe a few times, so I figured I'd go ahead and post it here.
CARAMELS
1 cup butter
2 1/4 cup brown sugar
dash salt
1 cup light corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter in heavy 3 qt. saucepan. Add sugar and salt, stir thoroughly. Stir in corn syrup and mix well.
Gradually add milk, stirring constantly.
(I personally think it is the sweetened condensed milk that makes me like this recipe so much...)
Cook and stir over medium heat to firm ball stage (245 degrees), about 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla. Pour into a buttered 9x13 pan.
Cool and cut into pieces and wrap in wax paper. And then you've got caramels!
And in the midst of all of this, I also made a pan of peppermint bark and a batch of Pioneer Woman's chocolate candy cane cookies (they were just OK, in my opinion--I don't know if I'll be making them again. They were cute, though, so that has to count for something!). And I made a big huge double batch of caramels on Saturday hoping to take some to Young Womens with me...I used a candy thermometer which I usually don't use (I generally just do a cold water test) and the candy thermometer failed me BIG time. I kept thinking they were cooking for an awfully long time, but was trusting what it was telling me. Low and behold, they were so hard, I threw the entire pan away. So I won't think about the wasted pound of butter, pound of brown sugar, bottle of corn syrup, and two cans of sweetened condensed milk. Ugh! So the second go round (where the pictures were taken), I went back to my old method and they turned out beautifully. Definitely learned my lesson!

And that's a wrap of holiday projects for 2008 (I think...). And tomorrow we'll just be preparing for the Big Guy to make his appearance. It's getting pretty exciting around here! Wishing you all a Merry Christmas!