Happy.

It's finally here. Presents wrapped, the grocery shopping is done, Christmas Eve table is almost set, caramels made, fudge done.... (exhale) Now just time to enjoy my family and cook. My favorite part. I just want to wish you and your families a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New year!! Fill your days with love, peace, and laughter.

Xoxo
d

Mexican wedding cookies {Egg & nut free}

This is our first Christmas holiday season knowing about Olivia's allergies. It is met with a little anxiety I must admit. With all of the baked goods, candies, and royal icings swirling around I worry. I do know that all the worry leads no where and I am just better to be prepared, so I have been trying new versions of much loved recipes so that from this year forward we can continue the traditions in a safe way for the entire family. Because no one likes to be left out, especially that she is now aware of her allergies and asks if things have egg or nut in them at only 23 months old.

I have learned that in addition to an egg replacer, sunflower seeds are a nut allergy moms bff. They can be substituted almost always for nuts to deliver a crunch and nut "like" flavor. We use them in our granola, muffins, pesto....everything.

Mexican wedding cookies have always been a favorite of mine sweet with an unexpected crunch. And are an easier fix because this type of cookie typically does not call for eggs due to their dense texture.

Mexican Wedding Cookies

makes about 4 dozen

1 Cup Unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/4 Cups Confectioners sugar

1 tespoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flower

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cardomum, optional

1 cup ground roasted sunflower seeds

In a large bowl using an electric mixer on high speed, cream the butter until fluffy and pale yellow. Add 1/2 cup of confectioners sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add the vanilla and salt and beat on low speed until blended.

Sift the flower cardomum, and cinnamon together and add to butter mixture and mix on low speed or stir with a wooden spoon just until blended. Stir in sunflower seeds (for traditional wedding cookies use ground almonds) until just blended. Cover and refrigerate until chilled, about 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350.

Shape into 1-inch balls. Place on a parchment or silicone lined baking sheets 1 inch apart.  Bake cookies until golden brown on the bottom, 10-12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the pans on wire racks or your burner for 5 minuted before removing them one at a time and rolling them in the remaining powdered sugar. Let cook completely on wire racks.

Enjoy

xoxo

d

PS. did you check out our virtual progressive dinner party yet here?

A decor holiday how to ~ Anthropologie style

A few weeks ago I was strolling around Anthropologie with my big girl, looking for gift ideas. She spotted these cute little globes made out of mason jars. First of all I love mason jars. We pretty much use them for everything from painting to wine drinking. I knew that I could re-create them at home for much cheaper. The idea is so simple! All you need to do is round up some supplies:

Mason jars - we used various sizes for height
Hot glue gun
Snow - I like the glittery snow, usually a few bucks a bag at Michael's.
Holiday objects - trees, animals, Santa, pine cones (we glued pine cones together), garland trim....
Brown painters paper - this is my all time favorite thing to have around the house. For $10 at Home Depot and a roll lasts forever. Easy clean up for projects, gift wrap, rustic table runner....just like the mason jars, endless possibilities..

How to:

Heat up your glue, glue the figures to the inside of the lid, and fill with snow. That's it!

  

We found the trees from the mission building section at our craft store for only a dollar each and used garland trim to decorate them.

cute huh?

I think that they turned out great, and the kids love gazing into them. We did manage to get glitter everywhere in the process, but that was part of the fun right?

Hope you all had a great holiday weekend!

xoxo
d

Chocolate cranberry-pecan tart.



{me all week, photo}



I think I fell of the face of blogger earth for a while. Jeez I missed you all dearly! I think the holidays gave me a bit of a scare, as I am unprepared thus far, and I fell into a holiday induced coma. I GOT NOTHING DONE. Yikes. I have now "slapped" myself out of it (anyone watch cougar town this week? You will get it.) and hope to be back on holiday track beginning with this wonderful holiday recipe exchange. Hosted by the even more wonderful pretty mommy. Thanks again Michele for setting this up. If you would like to sign up, there is still room to do so here.

Since I've got it together (fingers crossed) I am now able to share the delicious cranberry-pecan tart that we had for thanksgiving. Did I mention it has a chocolate crust? Need I say more? It delivers a delicious carmely, cranberry bliss in every bite. Pretty delicious if you ask me. This would make a super holiday dessert and can be made ahead of time since it takes a bit of time. This recipe is from the editors of Cook's Illustrated Magazine. Which I seriously love and would like a subscription to (hint hint).

Cranberry-pecan tart

Tart dough

1 large egg yolk
1 tablespoon heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup flour
1/4 cup dutch-processed cocoa powder
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) butter, chilled and cubed

**Make the dough up to a month ahead and freeze or 2 days in the refrigerator

Filling

1/4 cup water
1 cup sugar
2/3 cup heavy cream
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cubed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups pecans, toasted and chopped
1 1/2 cups cranberries, fresh or thawed frozen (make sure to freeze your leftover fresh cranberries for a cranberry cake)

1. For the dough: Whisk yolk, cream, and vanilla together in a small bowl. Process flower, cocoa, confectioners sugar in food processor until combined. Scatter butter pieces over top and pulse until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 15 pulses.
2. With machine running, add egg mixture through feed tube and continue to process until dough just comes together around blade, about 12 seconds.
3. Turn dough onto sheet of plastic wrap and flatten into 6-inch disk. Wrap dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Let sit on counter for ten minutes to soften prior to rolling out.
4. Roll out to an 11-inch circle on a lightly floured counter. Fit into a 9-inch tart pan (Tip: I like to sprinkle cocoa powder in the bottom of the pan instead of flower for an extra chocolate kick). Freeze tart for 30 minutes.
5. Heat oven to 375 and position rack to the middle. Fill tart with pie weights (I skipped this and was fine) and bake until set, about 30 minutes.
6. For the filling: Reduce oven temp to 325. Measure water into a medium sauce-pan, then pour sugar into the center of the pan (don't let reach sides). Gently stir sugar with clean spatula to wet it thoroughly. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook without stirring until sugar has dissolved and has become a faint golden color. About 6-10 minutes.
7. Reduce heat to medium-low and continue to cook until caramel has a dark amber color, stirring occasionally (1-3 minutes). Off heat, slowly whisk in cream until combined. Stir in butter, vanilla, lemon juice, and salt until combined. Stir in pecans and cranberries and mix gently to coat. Pour caramel mixture into cooled tart shell. Bake 25-30 minutes until set (will still be slightly jiggly).
8.) Cool tart. Serve with fresh whipped cream. I think a bourbon spiked whipped cream would be perfect. I will have to try this next time.

I hope you enjoy the recipe as much as I did! You can now print my recipes thanks to Torrie at a place to share. Thanks Torrie! If you want this feature, find it here. Since the only kind of planning I seem to be good at is meal-planning, menu planning, and party planning; i thought I would share with you on Monday
my "party ready" pantry for the holidays. Stay tuned and have a lovely weekend. And if you want the tips e-mailed directly to you, submit your e-mail address in the subscribe box up top. I'd love to send you the info!

xoxoxo
d