Monthly Archives: December 2013

New Year’s Eve Party Appetizer

Posted in extras, things we like to eat by

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These appetizers are amazing! We made them for Thanksgiving and they were a hit! I actually got the recipe from my friend Laura, but I have no idea where she got it. We make ours with Cambozola cheese, which is a flavorful soft cheese. Apparently it is a combination of French soft-ripened triple cream cheese and Italian Gorgonzola. But it’s made by a German cheese company. Go figure.

It sort of reminds me of Brie, but with a much stronger flavor. We normally buy Cambozola at Costco and we also found it at Safeway, but for a lot more money per pound. It is quite expensive, however you don’t need huge quantities of the ingredients since they are so flavorful. The appetizers are best served immediately. They are just so pretty, aren’t they?

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New Year’s Eve Party Appetizer

1 loaf of crusty French bread, cut into rounds

1 8 oz. container of raspberries

About 1/2 a pound of Cambozola, sliced into small wedges with a sharp knife. Cut straight out of the fridge (the rind on the outside is totally edible by the way).

A small handful of fresh basil, thinly sliced

Honey for drizzling

 

Place sliced cheese on top of pieces of bread and place in the toaster oven, or regular oven until melty. Watch it carefully- it should only take 2 or 3 minutes. Smoosh raspberries on top of melted cheese and then sprinkle a few slivers of fresh basil on each appetizer. Drizzle a small amount of honey over the top of each.

Cindy & Jordan

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Leftover Ham and Potato Bake

Posted in breakfast, main dishes, things we like to eat by

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Raise your hand if you have leftover ham. Now raise your hand if you’re sort of tired of cooking.

I’m not completely sick of cooking, but at times like this I sure wish we had pizza delivery available. This super easy recipe came from my desire to use up leftover ham from Christmas dinner, and my desire for an easy dinner. I also had to consider the fact that we had 6 people to feed, 4 of whom are big eaters. We served ours with asparagus, salad and rolls.

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Leftover Ham and Potato Bake
1 – 32 ounce bag frozen hash brown potatoes, I used the southern style
2 – 10 3/4 ounce cans Cream of Potato soup
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 to 1 1/2 cups cooked ham, diced
1 cup diced red and/or green peppers
4 to 5 diced green onions
1/4 tsp black pepper, more or less to taste

Topping
1 cup Panko bread crumbs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 375*
Mix together all the ingredients, except the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese. Pour into a greased 9 x 13″ pan. Mix the bread crumbs and the Parmesan cheese together and sprinkle over the top of the casserole. Bake at 375* for approximately 1 hour, until golden brown and bubbly.

Cindy

Fashion Friday- Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Posted in Fashion Friday, obsessions by

I hope that you all had an amazing Christmas! We had a great day and ate lots of yummy food 😉

76445bb36eedad1dd051d31b6b35fe8bAnd now in honor of being thankful for the gifts and blessings we just received, here are all the clothes that I would love to go out and buy this very second 😉 Just kidding! But seriously, here all of the cute clothes that I picked for this week’s Fashion Friday!

Long- Sleeve Crepe Blouse

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In a weird way this looks a bit like something a clown may wear, but somehow it’s still adorable.

Starry Night Dress

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A dress in sweats material? Yes please.

Meridian Park Rucksack

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Doesn’t this seem like the perfect back-pack?

Perfect Day Mint Dress

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It’s a little off-season for anyone not experiencing this 80 degree California weather, but so cute none the less.

Sparkle Feather Earrings

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Said Yes Tulle Skirt in Rose

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So whimsical and ballerina-ish! Wouldn’t this be so fun to wear? I’d always be twirling 😉

Boyfriend Snap-front Cardigan

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Another cozy, over-sized sweater- love it. It’s perfect just like in the picture- tights, boots, dress and long cardigan.

Soho Lock Crossbody

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Love the color and structured shape.

Skip a Beat Dress

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Never underestimate the power of a simple black dress 🙂

Jordan

Peppermint Fudge

Posted in sweets, things we like to eat by

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Merry Christmas! Hope that you and your loved ones have an amazing Christmas together, celebrating the birth of our Savior!

This recipe has been in my Christmas binder since 2010. Then I was looking through an old magazine from 2012 and found the exact same recipe. I decided it was about time that I tried it. The recipe was simple and quick and made a lot. The fudge was rich, creamy and delicious. I decided to cut the fudge into small squares and place inside tiny foil wrappers to make it look a bit more impressive.

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But it was great straight out of the pan. This fudge is a bit different than many recipes I’ve seen with the same name. This is really more like dark chocolate fudge with candy cane pieces on top.

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I have a hard time with freezing desserts- I’m always afraid that they won’t taste as good later. Plus, we eat the stuff so fast, who has time to freeze it? So fudge is a perfect treat to make since it keeps in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. Make sure that you keep it in an air-tight container, or the candy canes will get sticky.

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Peppermint Fudge
4 cups bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips (2-12 ounce packages)
2 – 14 ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
2 T cold unsalted butter
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup crushed candy canes, approximately 8

Line 2 – 8″ square baking pans with parchment paper or foil, leaving an overhang on two sides

In a small saucepan, combine the chocolate chips and condensed milk. Cook over low heat, stirring often, until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth. Add the butter, vanilla and salt, and stir until the butter has melted.

Spread the chocolate mixture evenly into the prepared pans and sprinkle with the crushed candy canes, gently pressing into the top of the fudge. Refrigerate until firm, about 3 hours and up to two weeks.

Using the foil overhangs, transfer the fudge to a cutting board and cut into squares.

Cindy

Treat of the Month- Christmas Edition

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You might have noticed that I didn’t post a Treat of the Month for November. I was late, but I finally made Danae apple crisp, which was super yummy. But I never got around to posting the recipe- sorry!

To make up for it, here’s the yummy December Treat of the Month recipe. These are so delicious and simple! A perfect treat to wrap up and give instead of Christmas cookies.

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White Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

1 bag of pretzel rods

1 bag of meltable white chocolate pieces

sprinkles

Melt chocolate on low heat in microwave- I heated it for 30 seconds at a time and stirred in between- it took a bit, but I felt like it was easier than doing it on the stove-top.

Once chocolate is completely smooth, dip individual pretzels and sprinkle with sprinkles. Place on wax paper lined cookie sheet and refrigerate until chocolate hardens.

Jordan