Christmas With Sam

Christmas continued at our home today with a visit from Little Sam..

Sam is four months old and the son of my son's very dear friends, Melanie and Lyle.  They recently moved back to their hometown from Pittsburgh where Melanie attended Chatham College For Women in Pittsburgh for her graduate degree.  We were so excited for their visit since "I" haven't seen Sam since he was born.  My son is "Uncle Jere" to Sam and Sam is just in awe of Jere when he holds him...its so darn cute.  

Here are a few pictures from today's visit with Sam and his gift Uncle Jere got for him.

It's a play station that is age appropriate now for Sam that quickly snaps into a walker the child stands behind and pushes, it helps the child to take steps with stability.  Sam will be able to use it as a walker in not too long.  He is so inquisitive...I love watching him interact.

Up right position

Folded flat

 Look at that face...this was a big winner!

 We had a fun time with Sam and his parents..!  After the gifts and a few bottles and cereal, Sam's daddy and uncle Jere went for some pizza for us grown ups.  I'm so proud of this Young Family, it's not easy having a small child and working towards your Graduate Degree.  They have shown it can be done by working together and keeping the focus.  

I for one am very happy they are back in the area, now I can see more of Little Sam:)

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve, I can't believe how fast the Holidays came and went and I'll be busy preparing food for tomorrow night's festivities with family and friends. If your heading out, please be careful and have fun!

Thanks for stopping by and a very blessed and happy new year..!

K

 

Snowman Hats

This picture makes my heart sing...

Three Little Elves happy to receive the Goodies I sent along with their Gma for them.

 Below is a clear picture of the Snowman Hat treats

You take a large Marshmallow, Oreo Cookie and Coating Chocolate.

Melt your chocolate, add a dollop of chocolate on top of the cookie and place the marshmallow on top of the chocolate.  Let the chocolate set so the marshmallow is sitting firmly on top.  Holding the marshmallow, dip the cookie only into the melted chocolate and place on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper.  Let the chocolate set.  After the chocolate is set on the cookie, hold the chocolate coated cookies up side down and dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate and place back on cookie sheet for chocolate to set.   I then used canned green icing for the decorations and placed a Red M&M in the center of the green decoration.  You can use whatever you desire for the decorating.  Also, I placed the Hat in the refrigerator between chocolate coatings and after the Hat was decorated.  This allows the Hat to set well and stay fresh.  

This fun treat can be made any time during the Winter Season,

It's fun and easy and even more fun to eat! 

Happy New Year

 

Here is the last of the baking for the season..!

My dear family friend asked me to bake some festive cupcakes for her and her daughter's birthdays that are both on Christmas Day...How special is that!!?

 

 

Tomorrow is a Holiday Lunch with my very dear friend and  her husband. The giving of Time is what I have learned to be the most important gift you can give and receive.  I am so fortunate and blessed to have wonderful and caring true friends. Whether it's time given in person or chatting on the phone.  Later in the day tomorrow we will attend Christmas Eve Services with an invite to a family gathering after the services.  Christmas will be very relaxed this year, a large ham with all the fixins will be prepared.  There are a few movies showing I would like to attend.  That may be on the agenda for later in the day.  Whatever we decide to do, it will be time well spent..!

 

Have A Wonderful Christmas Eve and Day...!

Enjoy your time together

 

 

 

Well here it is the last weekend before Christmas and the Jolly Old Man comes to visit...

 With so much sadness in the world, it's hard for the Spirit Of The Season to fill your heart and soul with Joy.  At times I feel guilty when I have that moment of a Joyous feeling of the Season, because I'm quickly reminded of all the Sad Events on a personal level and worldly that have come to be this past year.......Faith has really been tested for me on a very personal level this past year, but I know in my heart God is always in control and we must let him handle it all!  

So with the Holiday Season in full swing, 

Won't you join me on a Christmas Tour of my Hometown of Lititz, PA!  All decorated for the Season....

 We'll start at the town square where you'll find the Nativity, which is owned by the Moravian Church.  Lititz was founded by Members of the Moravian Church in 1756. For a century only Moravian's were allowed to live in Lititz.

 Now we'll take a walk down Main Street....

Here you find the Spirit of the Season in every store front

 This next picture is of the side entrance into the Moravian Church.  To the left of the photo is the Court Yard of the Moravian Church along Main Street.  The buildings in the far end, (behind the white pillar) is Linden Hall, the Oldest Girl's School in America.

 Now we are heading North of the Town Square, this building is the Tomato Pie Cafe'.

A very old and original building in Lititz.

This next photo was taken in 1945 after World War II.  Lititz celebrated the end of the War and the local Heroes who served by placing illuminated wooden stars on all the lamp posts on Main and Broad Streets.  The very same wooden stars shine brightly to this day..!

I hope you enjoyed this little Christmas Tour of my Hometown....

I never get tired of driving through town looking at all the beautiful lights and decorations!

Santa below, Yes...one of "Our" own....

I was lucky enough to capture a photo of him waving to me as I drove through town a few years past. You will find him at this very spot in front of the train station at the park every Christmas Season in "My" hometown. 

 Merry Christmas and a very Blessed New Year my Friends!

Focus People....Focus!

One of our family traditions was always getting a picture taken in front of the Christmas Tree.  This was done for many years since my son was born.  A tradition I carried over from my childhood.  Since my son is now in his mid 20's, the picture does not always get taken every year.  The recent years the picture was taken, the photo shot was not always in front of our Christmas Tree.  Why you ask??  I do not always decorate a tree at Christmas time:(....Last year I purchased a Northern Pine Tree and added a few decorations, it served it's purpose:)  I'm sure the day I become a grandmother all the tree fixins will find their way out of the many containers where they are safe and neatly packed away.  Until then, I keep it very simple...this year the Family Christmas Photo was taken at a local Greenery where they have some Christmas Photo Op Displayes.  In the past the displays were much nicer, not sure if they have a new person creating them or lack of personnel.  The price tags were showing on all the items displayed and the displays themselves were cramped with not much room for a nice photo and/or the back ground area of the store which was not decorated could be seen.  It's a shame these "little" things are not taken into consideration,  because they would really benefit sales with the customer traffic.  After we somewhat rearranged the display...*snicker*

we did manage a few good shots.  Here are a few that DID NOT make the cut in the final decision for our Family Christmas Card.....

This picture cracks me up.....I thought my son was directly behind us!

And I must say, that is the Ugliest Reindeer I have ever seen..!! I know, beggars can't be choosey..!

The gal who took the pics and my son were having way too much fun with the camera taking pictures of each other.  I deleted those pics, I wish now I would have saved them to share so you know what all I was up against....never a dull moment!  

Here is the picture I chose for our Christmas Card

The guys insisted that darn Reindeer be in the picture.  They don't know it yet, but I was able to crop it out of the picture a bit for the card...hahaaaaha

Have a great week, friends!

K

POOPED....Holiday Style

What a fun day was had by all baking and laughing....these times with good friends are just priceless!

Here are a few pictures from today's fun

Both my cameras were as dead as a door knob, so we had to use our cell phones. 

Some of our baked goodies....

Kathy getting her chocolate chip dough onto the baking pans

Me dividing up goodies

Two of my Besties, Kathy and Linda

 We finished off two bottles of wine, a large pot of chili and many cookie samples...

I love my Besties..!

Holiday Fun Baking With My Besties

ONE of my favorite holiday activities is baking holiday cookies....

This was an annual tradition with my Mother, just as it is with many others this time of year.  After my mother passed and my son became past that age of wanting to help with the annual baking (it has been so long since he helped I can't remember when he stopped:(..)  I have scaled back only baking a small amount for gift giving and to have a few on hand during the season. Some years I purchased a large tray of homemade cookies from a family member who bakes a large assortment.  In recent years my best friend and I have joined together to bake.  We each pick two of our favorite cookies for that year,  pick a date and meet up at my home for a fun day of baking.  We each mix up a double batch of each recipe before the baking date, so the day of we're all ready to bake.  After all the cookies have been baked, we divide them up between us. 

This year we'll be baking two kinds of chocolate chip, sand tarts, pecan tassies and peanut butter blossoms.  

I made a big pot of chili to snack on while we bake and I have three bottles of wine on hand:))

This year another good friend will be joining us....

By the end of the day we'll be on a sugar high from all the sampling and wine, and puckered out from all the silliness and laughing.  It's a good thing we all know our way around the kitchen and know how to bake, I would be a bit scared of the baking outcome..:0)

If I remember to take pictures, I will post some of our labor of love for Christmas Cookies...

Have a fun and safe weekend!

K

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

I started my Saturday by making some Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins.  I have become a big fan of using boxed cake mixes for some yummy sweets and treats.  Growing up, all things "sweet" were made by scratch.  My Mother only used a boxed mix for one Cake Recipe, which is a Devil's Food Cake Mix with Chocolate Ice Cream added to it.  It was/is the Bomb!  She finished the cake off with a cooked Icing....it was a family favorite cake and frequently requested by many when we had dinners and gatherings.  

Today's Recipe is simple and easy...

One Yellow Cake Mix

One Large Can of Pumpkin or 2 Cups of Fresh Pumpkin

1/4 Cup Of Canola Oil

3/4 Bag Of Chocolate Chips

Mix Pumpkin and Cake Mix together

Add the Canola Oil

Fold in Chocolate Chips

Spray a muffin pan and fill pan 3/4 full 

Bake at 350 for 20 mins 

My fresh pumpkin was frozen and thawed, to which I did not drain my pumpkin before mixing it into the cake mix. By not draining the pumpkin, the natural juices gave the right amount of moisture needed for a good texture for a muffin batter.  *I no longer cook/steam my fresh pumpkin for my favorite recipes.  I bake it.  I have found baking the pumpkin keeps the pumpkin true to taste and not bland, more firm in texture and there is no loss of the natural juices.  Simply place a clean pumpkin on a cookie sheet, bake at 300 degrees until the pumpkin is soft when inserting a butter knife.  Remove and cut down the middle of the pumpkin and peal the skin away.  Be careful, the pumpkin will be very hot, but its easier to peel the skin away and seal in the juices while the pumpkin is still hot.  Place pumpkin into a glass bowl until cool and divide into containers for freezing or store in an air tight container up to 3 days in the refrigerator. 

I was able to get 6 Jumbo Muffins with this mix...

Notice the plate only has 5 muffins on it :)) 

And the coffee, was my second cup...

The coffee mug is my FAVORITE! I purchased this mug several years ago during one of my many trips to Florida while we were out and about near Port St Johns.  We happened to stumble onto some quaint shops where I found this awesome mug..!  As you can see, its been with me for a long while and I plan on having my coffee from it for many years to come.....

Thanks for stopping by and enjoy your weekend, my friends!

K

 

Thanksgiving Sweets

If your making Thanksgiving dinner for your family and friends this year and your anything like I am when it comes to preparing a Holiday Meal,  your scanning all dessert recipes trying to decide which one you want to try for this years festivities....

I'll be having 7 or 8 for dinner this Thanksgiving, and even though my dessert is covered by one who is joining us for dinner, I may make "one" dessert also.  Here is a recipe from Paula Deen I thought would be a nice addition to the dessert table.

Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

Ingredients

Cake:

• 1 (18 1/4-ounce) package yellow cake mix
• 1 egg
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted

Filling:

• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 8 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1 (16-ounce) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon nutmeg

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the cake mix, egg, and butter and mix well with an electric mixer. Pat the mixture into the bottom of a lightly greased 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
To make the filling: In a large bowl, beat the cream cheese and pumpkin until smooth. Add the eggs, vanilla, and butter, and beat together. Next, add the powdered sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mix well. Spread pumpkin mixture over cake batter and bake for 40 to 50 minutes. Make sure not to overbake as the center should be a little gooey.
Serve with fresh whipped cream.
Variations: For a Pineapple Gooey Cake: Instead of the pumpkin, add a drained 20-ounce can of crushed pineapple to the cream cheese filling. Proceed as directed above.
For a Banana Gooey Cake: Prepare cream cheese filling as directed, beating in 2 ripe bananas instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.
For a Peanut Butter Gooey Cake: Use a chocolate cake mix. Add 1 cup creamy peanut butter to the cream cheese filling instead of the pumpkin. Proceed as directed above.
Recipe By Paula Deen

Fudgy Chocolate Cream Pie

I'm always looking for a good and easy chocolate cream pie recipe...

Here is a recipe from "Oh So ShSabby" that looks like it meets the requirements.

Fudgy Chocolate Cream Pie

Ingredients

1 9 inch)pie crust, baked
1 1/4 cups white sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
4 egg yolks

2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
In medium saucepan, combine sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt. In a medium bowl, beat milk and egg yolks until smooth. Gradually stir into sugar mixture. Stir constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and comes to a full boil. Boil and stir for one minute.
Remove from heat and stir in chocolate, butter and vanilla.
Stir until melted. Pour into pie shell. Place plastic wrap over filling to prevent skin from forming and chill for several hours.
Top with meringue or whipped cream and chocolate curls if so desired

My Grandmother always made a large bowl of homemade Chocolate Pudding for Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners.  She had a mile high of Fresh Whipped Cream on top.  Every year for both dinners, all 6 of us Grandchildren would try to sit beside Grandpa, because he was the one who decided when we attacked the desserts and he had the first helping of the chocolate pudding...so to sit beside him meant only one thing, you had the second helping of the insanely good chocolate pudding.  My cousin and I often reminiscence about Thanksgiving and Christmas Dinners on the Farm and how we all waited for Grandpa to have that first helping of chocolate pudding as we anticipated our serving....

I'm not sure why I prefer the Pie over a large bowl of pudding...maybe because my Grandmother was the best darn pie maker...ever!  And it brings me back to my childhood and all those wonderful memories made sitting at my Grandparents large oak table. 

Chocolate Cake Brownies

Cake Brownies

Ingredients:
•Brownie Ingredients:

•1 cup butter, softened
•1 cup granulated sugar
•4 large eggs
•1 tablespoon vanilla extract
•1 cup all-purpose flour
•1 teaspoon baking powder
•1/4 teaspoon salt
•6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
•1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
•.
•Chocolate Frosting:
•4 ounces butter
•4 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
•1 pound (about 3 1/2 cups) confectioners' sugar
•1/2 teaspoon vanilla
•5 to 6 tablespoons evaporated milk or half-and-half, heated

Preparation:

Grease and flour a 9x13x2-inch baking pan. Heat oven to 350°.
In a mixing bowl, combine butter and sugar; beat until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in vanilla.

In another bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and cocoa. Add dry mixture to the first mixture, stirring until blended. Fold in nuts. Spread in prepared pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean.

Cool in pan on rack.

Frosting:
Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat; stir in cocoa until smooth. Sift confectioners' sugar; add to the cocoa mixture along with vanilla and enough hot milk or half-and-half to make the mixture soft and spreadable. Spoon evenly over brownies and spread to cover thoroughly.

Hello Friends....

I have to share my Goodies I received from my dear friend, Tricia at Hillcrest Home Prims...

Tricia and I met through blogging to which we became good friends...

Tricia shared she purchased a second Santa for herself, so we have one of the same:)

The candle I am hoping will fit in my Date Candle Holder.  This candle lights with batteries, love it!

The  Christmas Stockings will be placed on my Northern Pine Tree I purchased last year and has grown well over a foot from last December...I received several mini ornaments this past year for every holiday season.  I am thinking I will make the Northern Pine an "All Season" Tree and place all the ornaments on and keep them on all year round.  I do need to transplant the tree into a larger pot, very soon!

Thank You, Tricia!  What a sweet and loving Friend..!!

Hoping you all are doing well and remembering our friends who have been effected by Hurricane Sandy..

Continue prayers and give support any way you can...

Hugs my Friends...

K

Spectacular Fall Day In Pennsylvania

Today started with three appointments on the agenda with the last scheduled mid-afternoon.

The first appointment concluded timely, so I called my family practitioner's office where I was scheduled for a flu injection in the afternoon, asking if they had availability within the hour for the injection, to which my practitioner's nurse said to come right in.  I recently transferred to a new family practitioner within my hometown, and I can't say enough good things about the staff and providers...!  So, after my flu injection was completed, I ventured to my third scheduled appointment to which I was too a bit early, I was completely finished by 11:30am with what I thought was going to be a dragged out day of one appointment to the next....!  I was one Happy Gal knowing my day had just become a little less stressful and had the afternoon free!  My tummy was telling me it was lunch time, so I headed over to a favorite sandwich shop, ordered a sandwich to go and made a bee-line to the park.  The above picture is the one view I had from the picnic table I sat at to eat my lunch.  My hometown park is one of the most beautiful parks!  There were so many  people out and about in the park enjoying these last days of  warm Indian Summer temperatures.  After lunch I headed back towards home with a quick stop at my Salon.  One of our clients recently returned from a trip back home to Switzerland.  When I entered the Salon, she was there for the first after her trip.  I was so happy to see her, (you miss your clients after you haven't seen them for a while) and It was quickly shared with me a gift was in the refrigerator brought back from Switzerland...of course I got bugged eyed with delight knowing Switzerland is known for its rich chocolate...and I was right...!  Our client had brought back a box of REAL Belgian Chocolate for me and my manager..))  I couldn't wait to get home and break open that box of chocolates...the print on the box was written in French, which may be a good thing not knowing the ingredients and calories.....my personal review of this box of Belgian Chocolates, Damn Good!  I tasted all four flavors in the box....and could have eaten more, but my discipline took control...this time.

Here are a few pictures of the "Gold" Chocolate... 

 If all goes as planned, I'll have at least four more days of this luscious chocolate.

Thanks for stopping by and have a fun and safe Halloween

The Great Pumpkin

Now that Fall is in Full Swing...

It was time to bake the Pumpkin for some yummmy pumpkin recipes.

Yesterday I made a new recipe of

Pumpkin Sweet Rolls with Pumpkin Cream Cheese Icing

Here are a few pictures of the final results

You can see the pumpkin in the cream cheese icing...

O...it's so good!

Recipe

Two Containers of Crescent Rolls

4 oz of soft Cream Cheese

1/4 cup of  Brown Sugar

1/2 cup of Cooked Pumpkin

1/4 tsp of Cinnamon

1/8 tsp of Nutmeg

Mix the cooked pumpkin with electric mixer until very smooth, add the cream cheese and mix the pumpkin and cream cheese until smooth.  Add the brown sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Mix until all incorporated and smooth and set aside.

Prepare the Crescent Rolls on a cookie sheet by placing four in a row pinching the sides together making a rectangle.  Spread the pumpkin cream cheese mixer on the top of crescent rolls leaving an inch boarder.  Carefully roll the crescent rolls into a "jelly roll" form.  Cut 1 inch rounds and place in a 9in sprayed round baking pan.  Leaving the middle open.    Bake at 350 for approx 15-20 mins.  

Let cool slightly and spread the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Icing on top of warm buns.

Icing Recipe

4 oz of soft Cream Cheese

1 Tbsp of cooked Pumpkin

1/2 Cup of Powdered Sugar

1 Tsp of Vanilla

Mix cream cheese and pumpkin together until smooth, add powdered sugar and vanilla...mix til smooth and top rolls with icing....

Have a fantastic week, my friends...!

K

Here's Where The Sun Is..!

Pittsburgh, PA

My son is currently in Pittsburgh on Business and sent me this beautiful skyline picture of one  of many Bridges where the Three Rivers come together.  The weather here in Central PA has been so drab the past several days of cold and dampness.  I welcomed the picture of sun shinning that warms the heart...

How far off is Spring??

 

 

 

 

Summer Fruit Appetizer with Chocolate Ganache

I made this Appetizer  during the summer months for an All Ladies Gathering at a dear friends home and forgot to post it at that time.  I had the Ganache frozen which was leftover from the chocolate cake I made for the clam bake earlier in the summer.  When it comes to sauces and icing, I try to make more than I need for one recipe so I have leftovers I can freeze and pull out in a whim when I need a quick dessert. 

This plate of sweetness has fresh strawberries, kiwi and dried apricots for the dipping...

It was so good...I could have eaten the ganache with a spoon:))

This Appetizer could be made for any occasion and time of year by mixing up the fruit...

Any things goes with Ganache, Right!!

Have a fun and fantastic week..!

K

What Comes To Mind When The Calendar Turns To October...?!

I made this "New" Gingerbread Recipe and it is a Winner..!

The topping is fresh heavy cream I had on hand and needed to use, so I whipped it up to top the Gingerbread while it was still warm from the oven.  Yummmmmo!

Below the Gingerbread recipe is a recipe for Lemon Sauce that was shared from a Lady from my church.  Her daughter requests Gingerbread for her birthday cake every year topped with the Lemon Sauce.

Gingerbread

2 ½ cups flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground ginger
½ cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup molasses
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup boiling water
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs, well beaten

Preheat oven to 325F

Butter a 9x13 cake pan or two loaf pans and line with parchment paper. Butter the parchment.

Combine flour, baking powder, and ginger together and set aside.

Cream shortening and brown sugar until fluffy, then add molasses, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Mix well. Add baking soda to boiling water and mix into molasses mixture. Fold in reserved flour mixture and combine. Add beaten eggs and mix well.

Pour into pan(s) and bake about 50 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean. Serve warm.

Lemon Sauce

Old-Fashioned Lemon Sauce. Combine in saucepan 1/2 c. butter, 1 c. sugar, 1/4 c. water, 1 egg, well beaten, 3 T. lemon juice (1 lemon) and grated rind of 1 lemon. Cook, over medium heat, stirring constantly, just until mixture comes to a boil. Makes 1 1/3 cups

Thanks for stopping by for a visit...!

As always, have a fantastic week my friends....

K

 Here is a sneak peek of the cakes I made for my very dear friend's wedding this weekend..

They both are very big Steeler's Fans and the one must have for the cake was an emblem of the Steeler's be placed on the cake.  The other must have requests, Chocolate Cake with Peanut Butter Icing!

Their requests and 'must have's' were granted:)

The cakes are both my signature chocolate cake recipe with PB icing and decorating.

I tried to make the colors close to the colors on the Emblem and keeping with a nice Fall Color....

The small cake will be placed in the freezer for their first anniversary and the larger one will be taken to the restaurant they're having a small dinner after their nuptials...

I'm so happy for my friend, Linda and her soon to be husband, Tom!

And honored they asked me to make their cakes and be apart of their special day:))