Elf Beers

Just in time! I had a merry little Christmas party over the weekend and these little beers were a big hit!!

A friend introduced them to me at a party a few years ago. I remembered them a few days before my party so I made a another stop at the liquor store to get a bottle of 43. I also stopped at Party City to get those little clear plastic shot glasses you use for jello shots. Well....the morning of my party it came over me that I NEEDED to go to my Goodwill.  You all know how I looooove my GW! I wasn't dropping  anything off or on the hunt for anything in particular....just wandering around when I came across the tiniest little beer mugs. PERFECT for  my elf beers!!!!!!! They make me so happy :) Just pour the 43 in and top them off with a tiny bit of heavy whipping cream.  They taste just like vanilla ice cream.  One of the things on the code of elves list is "The best way to spread Christmas cheer is singing loud for all to hear".......and I am adding... Then passing around elf beers! :)

Peppermint Cream White Chocolate Cheesecake Cups

These cutie patooties were a BIG hit at the Christmas parties I went to this past weekend. They were soooooooon super easy....but look like you spent all day :)

So here we go!

Filling ingredients:
24 Athens mini Phyllo cups
3oz white chocolate- melted
8oz cream cheese- softened
1 tsp peppermint extract

Topping ingredients:
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp peppermint extract
1/2 cup powered sugar
Crushed candy canes

Open up the packages of the cups and set them aside. Melt white chocolate,  then mix in softened cream cheese. Add peppermint extract.  Stir until smooth
That's the filling.....fill the cups and place them in the fridge until you're ready to top.

For the topping I used Minnie...My pink mixer.  Whip the heavy whipping cream with the vanilla,  peppermint extract and powered sugar. Spoon into a piping bag and decorate with pretty swirls. Top them off with the crushed candy canes just before serving. Keep refrigerated.

Yield 24  12 servings

Cherry Pie Moonshine

I'm makin Moonshine!!! I've been seeing it everywhere....the liquor store, Pinterest, bars, parties.....so I thought it would be fun to try. Well......It's really suuuuuuper easy. I  mean it! 10 minutes easy. 

You just need a few things....The recipe calls for Everclear....but I made the executive decision that 100 proof vodka was strong enough, 2 cans of cherries, 2 jars of cherry juice, and a half of cup of sugar.

You just bring the cherries, juice and sugar to a boil in a large pot, then add the bottle of Vodka. 

And pour it into Mason jars. One batch makes about 8 8 ounce jars. You can drink it right away....but it tastes best after a few weeks. Drink it straight.....in little sips :) Or with a mixer....Sprite or Club soda. 

I gave a few jars away to my Soul Sisters.....I'm happy to share my Moonshine! 

A Soul Sister Birthday Luncheon and Some Beeswax

How blessed I am. Really blessed. To have these wonderful girls as my Soul Sisters. Thank you, thank you for such a wonderful birthday luncheon Marzipanmom!!! A delicious greek salad with grilled chicken and warm flat bread to go with it.....and THEN CAME THIS GORGEOUS DESSERT!!!! I'm not even going to attempt to say their name :)   But I will just call them Heaven Here on EARTH....topped with whipped cream and berries. Yuuuuuuuuuuuuuuummmm!!!

Jennifer Juniper and Marzipanmom all smiles on her gorgeous porch. It felt like a 5 star hotel. Honestly....it really did. I could move right in.

And Ms. Joy, another birthdaygirl. 

My gift to Joy was homemade Limoncello, a framed print and cute little apertif glasses from the Goodwill.

Jennifer and I love Salt Power Yoga....so I made her some yoga straps, cute bracelets...and added a little lucky bamboo.

Just when I thought the fun was going to end....Joy announced she had a quick little craft for us! Yeah....you know how we soul sisters love our crafts :)  She brought beeswax from her husbands bee boxes and we made lipbalm and cuticle cream.

Really super, duper EASY!!!!!!!!

Just warm up vitamin E oil, coconut oil and the beeswax until they are liquid and pour them into the containers.

My new FAV lipbalm!!!!!!!!!!!! Burt....watch out! Thanks again for the lovely day!!!!!!!!!!!!

Pretty Pink Peonies

Trying saying that 3x fast! Just look at these lovelies :) They make me so happy....perfectly simple in a Ball canning jar.

Gluten free chocolate cake with dark chocolate ganache

This was hands down one of the easiest,  most decadent desserts I've ever made! !!!! You use ONE bowl. I didn't even have to get my mixer Minnie out :) My first ever gluten free thing too. We were invited to dinner to celebrate my nephews girlfriends graduation, and I volunteered to bring the dessert. Trust me....This one's a keeper. I found it on Pinterest.... Here's the link http://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/one-bowl-gluten-free-chocolate-cake/   Hurry up and try it...I guarantee it will be a big hit!!

Happy Easter, Peeps!

I think Spring may have finally arrived around these parts. There are buds on the trees, the birds are chirping, things are starting to bloom, and I'm getting the urge to wash my windows :)

I also treated the kiddos to these sugar loaded Peep donuts!!!! Yuuuum! Happy Easter everyone :)

Make Your Own Coffee Creamer

I saw this on Pinterest and wanted to try it. I use a lot of Coffeemate French Vanilla creamer and was thinking about all of the chemicals in it. This recipe has only 3....compared to 15+ in the Coffeemate.

It's just 3 cups of whole milk, 1 can of fat free sweetened condensed milk and 1/3 cup of a flavored syrup. My family really likes it and I won't be buying Coffeemate any more. Try it and let me know what you think....

Vail!!

 

Chip's company had a meeting in Vail last month and of course I had to tag along :)  I haven't been out to visit my sister in FOR.EVER....so it was the perfect get away. My mom came up from Florida to stay with the kids. The temperatures were frigid the whole time she was here....She didn't appreciate them at all.

Sister has been living in Vail for over 20 years and I wish I could get out there more often. It is sooooo beautiful in the mountains! We took a few hikes and the skies couldn't have been bluer.

Chip got to hang out with us for a few days before his meetings started.

 

I have two cousins who live in Colorado now....and they both had babies this past year. It was great to spend a day with them and visit!!!

Here I am with Sister the day we went skiing. If I lived out here I would definitely get heated mittens and boots like hers :)  The day couldn't have been more perfect!!!

And NO. This isn't a postcard....It's a real picture I took. Gorgeous, huh?

Here is the covered bridge in the village. The snow was really coming down....They got 4 ' the day/night before we were supposed to leave. Yep....you read it right. Four feet. Of snow. For real. We got stuck for 2 extra days. But I loooooooooved it. You know the Treatgirl loves a good storm. I spent the time doing a little more knitting and organizing Sister's kitchen. May sound boring to you....but not to me. Can't wait to go back.