Extra post! Countdown to Christmas

Now that I'm living on my own, I thought I'd take the opportunity to start my own traditions! I figured I'd start with Christmas because:

A) I don't have any decorations or anything really and need to figure out what to do anyway
and
B) Christmas is just magical, period, so why not?!

One of my favorite parts of Christmas is the Advent Calendar!

Wonder what we'll find inside our calendars, Jack!

My grandparents would always send us grand-kids our very own chocolate-filled, cardboard calendars and it always made me feel like the bee's knees! (Yes, I used that phrase. Deal with it). They still send them, actually, and I still feel awful special, but I couldn't pass up the chance to make my own! (I'm apparently a smidge greedy. Oops). And by make, I mean buy one at Target and fill it with homemade goodies and cute little trinkets! So, that's why I'm here! To share some recipes with you and give you some ideas and inspiration for you own Advent Calendars!

Jack's excited. Get on his level!

Recipe #1: Coconut Macaroons

I love anything coconut and these seemed like the perfect addition to an Advent Calendar. The mounds of coconut end up looking like lovely piles of snow. Perfect for the cold, winter season.

Ingredients:
14 oz flaked, sweetened coconut
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
1/8 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
4 large egg whites, room temperature

Directions:
1) Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2) In a large bowl, mix the coconut, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla together.

Look at this gorgeous shot! I love it too much.

Messy, but worth it!

3) Using a mixer, whip the egg whites and salt together on high until medium peaks form.

Whip it!!!

4) Carefully fold in the egg whites into the coconut mixture until just combined.

It tastes better than it looks, promise.

5) On a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, place 1 - 2 tbsp mounds of the coconut mixture a few inches apart. Bake them for 25 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Baking time will vary based on the size of your macaroons. Just keep an eye on them.

My first batch was pretty big!

6) Let the macaroons cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.

They looked so good!!!

7) And if you so desire, you can melt some chocolate to drizzle on top once they're cool! I added some mini-m&m's to mine as well! I thought it made them look extra festive.

See, instantly more festive.

Recipe #2: Paradise Bark

Another treat that reminds me of the winter landscape, this bark packs a big punch of flavor! It's inspired by tropical flavors, hence the name, and it's a refreshing twist to all of the heavier tasting barks you find this time of year!

Ingredients:
6 oz dried pineapple
2 oz macadamia nuts
7 oz flaked, sweetened coconut
24 oz vanilla almond bark

Directions:
1) Chop up the pineapple and macadamia nuts into smaller chunks.

Chop Chop Chop

Just keep chopping. Just keep chopping. Just keep chopping, chopping, chopping.

2) Mix together the pineapple, nuts, and coconut.

Honestly, I could just eat a bowl of this.

3) Melt the almond bark according to the package directions.

4) Add 3/4 of the coconut mixture to the almond bark and mix until well coated.

5) Pour the mixture onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, smoothing down any big lumps.

It's a snow covered field! If you squint your eyes a little bit. ;-D

6) Sprinkle the remaining coconut mixture onto the bark, pressing it in slightly to make it stick.

I'll take the whole slab, please!

7) Allow the bark to set for a few hours before breaking it into bite size pieces! (You can always stick it in the fridge to speed up the process).

Don't go breaking my bark...

Recipe #3: Peppermint Fudge

A staple around the holidays, this fudge reminds me of delicious peppermint hot chocolate. It's nice and creamy, but the bits of candy cane add a needed bit of crunch. Watch out, you may end up eating all of it before you've tucked it away into your calendar!

Ingredients:
14 oz sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp butter
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup mini-marshmallows
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp mint extract
Candy canes, crushed into small pieces

Directions:
1) In a medium saucepan, bring the sweetened condensed milk, butter, and salt to a boil. Turn the heat down low enough to let the mixture simmer for a few minutes, stirring constantly so that the mixture doesn't burn.

2) Remove the mixture from heat and add the marshmallows first. Mix until it's smooth.

3) Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until smooth. Again.

4) In a pan of your choice (8x8, loaf pan, etc), lined with aluminum foil and coated with non-stick spray, pour in the fudge mixture. Smooth out the top and sprinkle the crushed candy cane pieces over it, being sure to push them in slightly so that they stick!

I used a loaf pan, myself.

5) Place the fudge in the fridge and allow it to set for at least 2 hours before taking it out and cutting it into bite size pieces.

HA. Like that's a serving size. I'm funny.

And there you have it! Just a few ideas to get the ball rolling on your own Advent Calendars. What's YOUR favorite treat to find in a calendar? Do you prefer to make them yourself or buy pre-made candies? Let me know in the comments below!

SANTAAAAAAA. CAN'T WAIT FOR CHRISTMAS.

And, as always, bake on with your bad selves!

Love,
Jackie

Give 'em the old razzle dazzle

Razzle dazzle 'em!

I need more sparkle in my life.

Guys, I did it. I finally did it. I made a traditional pie completely from scratch! There was blood ... sweat ... and tears ... but I did it! (Eh, I may just be a little dramatic). Ned the Pie Maker would be so proud of me. (Let me know if you need an extra hand at the Pie Hole, will ya)?

Couldn't have said it better myself, Ned.

Are you proud of me, dear reader? I hope so! At least a little? And even if you're not, I wanted to share my experience anyway. Because that's what I do. ;-D Besides, right now is the perfect time to make a pie. Thanksgiving is this Thursday and pies are wonderful treats to share! Or eat by yourself. I'll let you make that call.

Now, instead of making an apple pie, like I had originally planned, I decided to make a Razzleberry Pie. (My title makes sense now, doesn't it? Hehe). Razzleberry pie can come with many different berry combinations - strawberry, raspberry, blueberry, blackberry, etc. And as much as I love blackberries, I wanted a smoother, hard seed free, filling. That doesn't mean the pie was any less delicious, though! And if you think my berry combination is weird, you can always come up with your own. Baking comes down to personal taste. You've got the power, after all!

So much powah!!!

Side thought: Does anyone else sing "razzleberry dressing" in a little kid's voice whenever they hear or read razzleberry?

He knows what's up.

No? ... Okay, forget I mentioned anything.

On with the show!

Pie Crust Ingredients:
2 cups flour
10 tbsp salted butter, cold - cut into small chunks
1 large egg yolk
1/3 cup ice water

Razzleberry Pie Filling Ingredients:
2 cups frozen strawberries
1 cup frozen blueberries
1 cup frozen raspberries
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp water

Pie Crust Directions:
I have a confession to make. I had to make the pie crust twice. The first time I made it, it just didn't work out at all. Everything ended up in the trash. Many profanities were muttered. It was great. So, don't feel bad if you have trouble either! Pie crusts are hard to make, guys.

1) Put the flour in a large bowl and cut in the cold butter until you form coarse crumbs. It could take a few minutes.

Look at how nice it looks.

I didn't get a picture of the process. Hard to take pictures with dirty hands!

2) In a separate container, whisk together the egg yolk and water.

3) Make a hole in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the egg mixture.

4) Gradually stir the flour and egg mixtures together. Keep combining until a rough dough is formed. If the dough seems too dry, add 1 tbsp of ice water at a time until it's just saturated enough.

5) Divide the dough in half and form each half into a ball. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap. (Or if you're a doofus like me and ran out of plastic wrap, you can put each ball into a plastic bag. Doh).

All the dough!

6) Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Or even overnight, like I did!

Razzleberry Pie Directions:
1) Preheat your oven to 375 degrees.

2) Put all of the filling ingredients into a medium saucepan and simmer on the stove over medium heat until the filling is thickened. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool to room temperature.

It snowed in my saucepan!

Getting there. Slowly, but surely!

That's what I'm talking about!

3) On a lightly floured surface, roll out one ball of dough to fit your pie tin. Place it in the tin and let it cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.

I used a fondant roller because I don't have a rolling pin... Huh.

4) Once the filling is cool, pour it on top of your chilled pie crust.

Gorgeous, darling!

5) Roll out the other ball of dough to fit over the top of your pie.

6) Place it on top of your pie and crimp the edges together. I didn't really know what I was doing, so mine ended up looking very rustic! Make it as fancy or as simple as you want.

I love the way my pie looked!

7) Prick holes in the top of the pie dough to allow steam to escape during the baking process.

8) If you so desire, you can make an egg wash out of 1 egg and 1 tbsp of water to brush over the pie crust. It gives it a beautiful color when it's all done!

9) Put the pie in the oven and bake until the crust is golden and the mixture is slightly bubbling. With my oven, it only took 40 minutes. It could take a little bit longer for you!
      - If your crust is getting too brown, cover the pie with aluminum foil to finish the baking process!

10) Take your pie out of the oven and let it cool before serving! If you cut into right away, it'll ooze all over the place!

YUUUUUMMMMMM.

And there you have it! A delicious pie to feast upon this coming Turkey Day. Or any day that you feel like making it, really. All days are good pie days. It was very hard to wait to share this with my family. I wanted to dig into it as soon as it was out of the oven!

Dean Winchester is my spirit animal.

What's your favorite pie to make for the holidays? Or even better, your favorite pie just to eat?! Comment with your favorites down below! Please leave any other comments or questions down below, as well!

And, as always, bake on with your bad selves!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Love,
Jackie  

Doctor Who Adipose!

Mini-post today!

My friend, Bobbi, and I made some Rice Krispies Adipose!

The cute little fat creatures from Doctor Who!

And because Bobbi has a Youtube channel called Geeky Girl's Guide to Living a Creative Life (GGGTLACL, for short), she decided to record all of our shenanigans!

Take a gander below!

And remember, don't mind my awkward - that's just how I was made. ;-D

Really, I can't help it.

What kinds of creatures would you make out of oh so delicious Rice Krispies? Let me know in the comments below!

I think next time I'll make some dinosaurs ... and make them go extinct again ... in my mouth. 

...

Too soon?

...

ANYWAY. Leave any other comments or questions below! Be sure to share with your family, friends, enemies, etc.

And, as always, bake on with your bad selves!

Love, 

Jackie

Biscuits Are Love, Biscuits Are Life

I do believe my Southern roots show when I say that I love biscuits.

I'll take 1 of everything, please!

No, not that kind of biscuit! (Though they hold a special place in my heart, too). I'm talking about big, buttery, flaky biscuits.

Mmm. Mmm. Mmm.

The kind that you can't wait to break open while they're still hot so that you can watch the beautiful steam escape into the room around you, filling the space with a wonderfully homey scent.... Mmmm. (Is your mouth watering yet? If it's not, I think you may be sick. You might wanna see a doctor about that. Just sayin').

Hey, look! You saw a doctor. Herp derp. See what I did there?

Mid-fall is a perfect time to make a batch of these babies - the weather is getting colder, the leaves are almost done changing, leaving many trees already bare, and our bodies and minds are starting to gravitate toward heartier foods to keep us going. So, why not utilize that nip of cold in the air to kick start some home cooking during the fall and winter seasons? Let's get to it!

Getting ready to give you a chill.

(Side note: I used whole wheat white flour to make these this time around. I was craving a bit of a nuttier flavor. Feel free to use the usual all-purpose flour instead, if you want)!

Biscuit Recipe:

2 cups whole wheat white flour OR 2 cups all-purpose flour

1 tbsp sugar

3 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tbsp butter, cold

2 tbsp shortening, cold

1 cup buttermilk, cold

Directions: 

1) Preheat your oven to 450 degrees. (It's gonna get hot in here, for sure).

You'll be fine, I promise.

2) Pour all of your dry ingredients into a mixing bowl and whisk together.

My not so action shot. Shhh. Don't tell anyone.

3) Cut in your butter and shortening. Try to do this as quickly as possible, you don't want the fats to melt too much. (That whole warm blooded thing is a nuisance sometimes).

It's gonna be so good!

4) Create a hole in the center of your mix and pour in your buttermilk. Combine all of your ingredients until they form a dough. Try not to work it too much! Also, the dough will be sticky!

It bubbled when I poured it in. It was funny. The end.

5) Place your dough on a lightly floured work surface. Fold the dough over on itself 5 to 6 times, again, trying not to work with it a lot. Shape your dough into a 1 inch thick oval (...ish) piece.

It's kind of an oval? Maybe? ... Use your imagination.

6) Cut out 2-inch round biscuits. Any leftover dough from the first run through can be reformed to make more biscuits. These next biscuits won't be quite as fluffy, but they'll taste just as good. (I was just shy of 12 biscuits! Ah well. Can't win 'em all)!

Flour your biscuit cutter to keep it from sticking to your dough!

7) Place your biscuits on an ungreased cookie sheet. Make sure the edges are just touching.

They look good enough to eat already!

8) Bake your biscuits until they're taller and golden on top, about 10 to 12 minutes. (OR if you have a demon oven like I do, they'll be done in just 7 minutes. I'm glad I was keeping an eye on those)!

Delicious perfection right there.

9) Enjoy!

I swear I didn't eat any right then and there. I SWEAR.

Now, since these biscuits are pretty easy to make, I thought I'd throw in a couple of things to put on top of them. A golden standard in the South, other than good ol' fashioned country gravy (which is delicious), is super simple - butter and honey. It's a party for your taste buds and you don't have to put too much effort into it. (I'm all about the simple life).

Um, yes, sign me up!

If you want to put a little extra effort into making a phenomenal biscuit dish, grab some apples ('tis the season, after all), and whip up some chunky, cooked apples!

Instructions: In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar, 1 cup cold water, and 1 tbsp flour until smooth. Bring that mixture to a boil. Keep cooking and stirring until it's thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 1/4 cup butter, 1/4 tsp cinnamon, and 1/8 tsp salt. Peel 4 large apples (I used a mixture of Fuji and McIntosh) and cut them into chunky pieces. Add the pieces to the mixture and return to the heat. Cook the apples over medium heat until they're soft. Spoon over your biscuits and enjoy!

Turn these ...

Into this!

Add then put it on top! Yum.

You can always use your leftover cooked apples for ice cream, pancakes, waffles ... you name it! (Or if you want to be a rebel, eat it as is! It's sort of (not at all) healthy. ... An apple a day keeps the doctor away? ...)

Except this one, apparently. Moving on!

For something more on the savory side, grab a skillet to make some breakfast sandwiches. There's nothing better than a super filling sammie to start off the day! Eggs, bacon or sausage, cheese ... it's a tried and true favorite, enhanced with the addition of a homemade biscuit.

But, no matter which way you get your biscuit on, you're bound to have a satisfying meal! All that love you put into creating them will shine through and that's something that you and your loved ones will really appreciate.

Even Tom Hiddlestone appreciates it.

What did YOU end up putting on your biscuits? Let me know in the comments below! Leave any other questions or comments below as well!

Y'all come back now, y'hear?! (Sorry not sorry).

And, as always, bake on with your bad selves!

Love,
Jackie