What a Day!

I have the pre-Christmas jitters! In our house, Christmas is not just a day. It's a season. :) And it starts the day that Dad squeezes a hug, beautiful fir tree through our front door. Usually, American Thanksgiving is the day that we try to get our tree, but this year we've had so much going on that we haven't been able to do it yet. So, every day, we wonder "Is today the day?" And every day, we clean the house, and wait with bated breath for the moment when the house will be filled with the scent of a freshly cut tree. The day when a path of fallen needles and sap is made from the van to the porch, from the porch to the living room, and from the living room to the window, where the tree usually sits. It's a good day.

I find myself today very, very jittery. I can't quite get myself into the Christmas mood until we've started decorating, but I can tell that as soon as we DO have our decor, I'm going to be dancing around in a frenzy of Christmas cheer and... baking. :) Can't wait.

And I especially can't wait to start posting on here about it all-- Gingerbread houses, Christmas tree decorating, Christmas shopping, and who knows what all. I love this season. Every moment of it.




Photo credits: Google. :)

Chocolate

Well, I' bet you've been wondering what has been taking me so long to update this blog. Or... maybe you haven't. But, regardless, I'm going to es'plain myself. :) Just 'cause I want to.

Did you know that my family owns a chocolate company? Well, we do. And I am the Chocolatier! I make all of our chocolates, from Fudge to Chocolate Bark to Painted Turtles to Truffles. The picture below is of our Turtle Pretzels, a wonderful variation on the traditional chocolate and caramel dipped pretzel rods.



(F.Y.I.-- The above are one of my favorite things that we make. De-licious.)



So, this is what I've been doing for the past three weeks. Like crazy. I do this all the time, but I figured out that I have made approx. 500 lbs. of fudge alone during the past little while. And, just in case you were wondering, that's a lot more than I usually make in a short period of time. :) Plus a whole whack of other chocolates on top of that.



Thanks for checking up on the blog, and make sure to check back again soon! Pretty soon (ish) I'm going to have a post up about making gingerbread houses with the family (and like this post, photos will be done by of Figgie Photography). It should be a good one!

"Punkins," Pumpkins, and Baking

I remember the days when I was small enough to receive the greeting "Hi, Punkin!" from my dad. Ah, fond memories. :) Actually, we (my siblings and I) have all been called "Punkin" at some point in our lives, I'm sure, and now, since some of us are older... we've taken to calling a great number of small, rosy cheeked young'uns by that term of endearment as well.

So, here I am, posting pictures of the two smallest punkins in the house. This post is basically just a picture post, with captions thrown in here and there. This is what it looks like when I bake cookies with my little siblings! (Most of the time-- sometimes it involves a lot more rolling and cutting than this.) These particular younger siblings are the two youngest girls in the family, Anna and Tabithah. Anna being the taller blond one, and Tabithah being the smaller blond one. Their aprons were a little too big for them, but we made do. :)

Enjoy the pictures! (Poor quality, though they may be.)


Here we go. Measuring...




Mixing...



Mixed!





(I love the look of concentration on her face here.) :)




Watching the cookies bake...



Done! Tabithah was taste testing and posing for the picture AT THE SAME TIME! She's so multi talented.



The finished product!



And now for the afore mentioned pumpkin. :) I've never carved a pumpkin before-- this was my first try. What say you to that? :)

Apples and Cinnamon

This week's entry is going to be about some of my favorite things-- apples, cinnamon, and cider. Fall is definitely my favorite season of the year, and let me tell you, it wouldn't be half so wonderful as it is if it weren't for those three things! The smell of applesauce cooking, apple cider simmering, and cinnamon scenting are three little things that add greatly, I am convinced, to the "Magic" of the season. Oh, and apple cinnamon candles are pretty much the bomb. Just for the record. ;)

What are your favorite things about fall? Do they involve apple picking, cider sipping, and warm, fuzzy blankets? When you think of fall, what kinds of warm memories flood your senses? If you can't think of any, then I'll tell you what to do-- clear your mind by running out the grocery store and getting yourself a jug of apple cider and some cinnamon. Then, grab a nice heavy blanket, cuddle up in your most comfy piece of furniture, and look out the window at the falling leaves whilst you sip this wonderful stuff.

Thomson Apple Cider Recipe

1 gallon cold pressed apple cider (the best you can get)
1 large navel orange
whole cloves
1-2 cinnamon sticks



Begin by slicing the orange into 4 thick slices, and press about 4-6 cloves into each slice. Combine the apple cider, cinnamon, and about 2 of the orange pieces in a large pot, and heat until hot, but not boiling (you can save the other oranges in the fridge for next time). Turn the cider down and simmer for about 1 hour. Remove the oranges and cinnamon. Serve.

Note: Taste the cider to make sure that it isn't too strong at this point. Cloves have a very strong flavor, and should not be left in the pot for very long. If the cider has gotten too strong, you can dilute it by adding more cold pressed cider or apple juice.



And that's it! Enjoy!

(Oh, and did I mention that I finally bought myself this AMAZING machine??! And it's RED!!!)

:D


Photo credits: Google :)