Mama - put this on your blog...

Gingerbread House Building...

Every year at First Steps Preschool, a nice German lady comes in to teach the children how to build Gingerbread Houses.  I love her accent and how she encourages all of the Type A moms to let the children make their houses themselves.  The moms needed to hear that while the gingerbread houses might not be what we would build ourselves, but their creation would be perfect in their little eyes.  I love this.  Apparently some of the moms (like the one across from me and next to me) didn't hear - one "had to have more pretzels" because she "had to finish her gate..." 


Building Materials ... you won't find these at your local hardware store...

Every good builder knows he must inspect his materials before getting started...

Cover your milk carton "house" in royal icing...



It is important to test the quality of your products along the way...  Quality is very important...

After covering the entire house in royal icing, add on the exterior - graham crackers, then cover with more royal icing...

Add some "snow" on the roof. 

Stand back and inspect everything...



Add a few more details...

This is a custom Gingerbread House, you see...

More snow ...

It looks like we can move right in!

Proud builder...

Pretty smile, but the house in a little blurry... Love him love him!

A little more clear...

Teacher Gifts...

Owen and Miles' teachers got Praline Bites and Chocolate Covered Peanuts for Christmas.  I have this innate desire to feed people - all the time and especially on holidays...

I packaged them in cute little "quilted" jelly jars - with handmade tags (because I am insane like that.)

 

And of course I had to give some to Mrs. Lynn too because we LOVE Mrs. Lynn...

Amy Jones Chocolate Covered Peanuts...

First, Amy Jones is phenomenal.  This tiny woman speaks to my soul!  She sees my "deer in the headlights" crazed, panicked look, and completely understands.  That is rare.  Because I don't want to be "fixed" - I just need someone who understands - and then maybe even says "Candace, are you suuuuure you want to do all of that?"  Don't we all need a little understanding?  So that is what she does for me.  I hope that I have somehow been as a good a friend to her as she has been to me.  Amy Jones is good stuff. 

(See this is where I would normally start the recipe, but because I adore Amy Jones so much and miss her because she moved to Anderson, I feel the need to give her the 2nd paragraph too.)  So back to how fabulous she is ... She is a little thing - full of spunk and has this recurring habit of downplaying what she can get done.  While we really don't want to have to get anything done, life happens and man can she move it move it!  So back to the recipe...  Around this time of year, several of us are very lucky to receive a bag or two full of these little gems.  (Some of us hide the bags from our husbands so we don't have to share....) I wonder who would do that?!  ha ha ha ha!

Here is what you need: 
(Important note - while you see two blocks of chocolate almond bark and two bottles of peanuts here, I only used one of each for this recipe, because it makes THAT much.)

Ingredients:
1 large bottle of dry roasted peanuts - Great Value Brand works superbly - save those pennies!
1 block of chocolate almond bark

Tools:
1 crocky (aka crock pot, slow cooker)
1 crock pot liner
Some wax paper or parchment paper (or in a pinch, tin foil will work too.)

Now, it is important to note here that Amy Jones swears she has not made this recipe in her crocky before - and my memory is short and vague, so I still tried it and it works like a CHARM, I tell ya!

Chop up the chocolate almond bark - with a BIG and SHARP knife.  Find a man, if you can, because this is man work.

Now, comes the tricky part - to get your chocolate quickly melted like the picture below - and because I was in a hurry, I put my big crocky insert into the microwave (and turned off the turntable.) Microwave at 30 second intervals for about 3 minutes to get the melting process off to a fast start.  Then I transferred the crocky insert back into the crockpot bottom and turned the temp to the "warm" setting and it stayed nice and melty the entire time!  (Yes, that is a crock pot liner you see here - I am a smart girl.)

When your chocolate is nice and melty like this, start adding in the peanuts.

Yum!

(Do you like my pale blue spatula?  My mom bought these for the two of us from Jennifer Birdsbill's Dove Chocolate Tasting Party - you get two in a pack.)  Want to host a Dove Tasting Party?  Let me know - our girl, Carrie Michlig would LOVE to come to your house and tempt your friends!  It is divine!

So back to the peanuts...

Give it a good stir...

When it looks like this - you are reading to start dipping...

I used a plastic spoon because I thought the chocolate covered peanuts might slip off the spoon better.  That didn't happen - so use whatever spoon you like best.

So you dip and drop, and dip and drop... onto waxed or parchment paper, not on your counter...

And drop and drop and drop...

Ready to see just how smart I am?  Watch this...

Oh yeah, baby!

Praline Bites - Addictive. Period.

 

It was a 4th of July party at my neighbor's house and while perusing the buffet table, I came across a humble plate of smallish pecan encrusted cookies.  Ho hum, I thought - and began to wonder how I would get my dessert fix for the day.  Still, not one to turn anything down in the food family, I tossed one into my mouth and began to step away.  Oh dear Lord, were they GOOD!  I ate another and another and then showed them to Jim because I needed an accomplice - and he loved them too and so began my obsession with these tiny little wonders.

Here is what you need:

2 sticks Land O' Lakes butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup finely chopped pecans
24 half sheets graham crackers (or 12 whole sheets)

Here is what you do:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Chop the pecans in a food processor - because why would anyone do this by hand?  Place the sticks of butter in a small saucepan and melt, then add the brown sugar.  Bring to a boil and keep it at a boil for 2 minutes. 

While waiting for the butter/sugar mixture to boil, Line a large cookie sheet with foil.  Lay the graham crackers in one layer on the foil, then snug the foil around the crackers.  What you are trying to do here is to make sure that the foil is very close to the crackers to make sure that the brown sugar mixture doesn't run out - we want every bit to adhere to the crackers.

Once the butter/sugar mixture has boiled 2 minutes, pull off heat.  Quickly sprinkle the chopped pecans over the graham crackers. 

Immediately pour butter/brown sugar mixture over the crackers.  

Quickly spread over the pecans and graham crackers making sure every little inch is covered in pecans and the glorious butter/sugar mixture.

Bake for EXACTLY 10 minutes - only 10 minutes - even if the butter still looks runny (and it will!) Do not overbake - you will be sooo disappointed if you do.

Pull out of the oven and let cool completely,

Then transfer foil and cookies to a cutting board and cut with a large, sharp knife or break apart with hands.

Christmas Tags

This was today's craft project.  I forgot to photograph the finished tags - they were quickly attached to gifts, boxed up and taken to the post office to mail.  I will do better tomorrow!  (I am secretly hoping that if I keep taking pictures with my phone, it will result in a speedy purchase of a Nikon D5000.)

Almost just as good!

Our after-the-closing celebration treat - mocha latte- less than $3 from McDonald's. YUM!

Terms of Endearment...

I've seen this movie over and over and over and over and over again.  I guess it became the theme-movie of my highschool years.  My best friend then was Shannon Phillips.  We'd watch Terms of Endearment on weekends when we'd spend the night at each others houses.  She'd make a batch of biscuits (from scratch!) and we'd drink RC Cola.  Years and years later, it still baffles me how a 17-year old girl from Marco Island, Florida, could make biscuits like that!  I am not quite sure why we were so attached to those tear jerker movies back then.  The best and worse part was the scene of Debra Winger's character, Emma, dying of cancer and telling her older son Tommy, "I know you love me.... I know you love me, Tommy." 

Tonight, as I was watching video from the Heidt Trial, I thought of this movie and high school and low and behold I found the theme song on YouTube.  As I began to type and the song began to play, I got a little bit teary remembering the movie and Shannon and wondering how people grow apart.  So, dear reader, I encourage you to Google a song from your past.  Listen to it and let the memories wash over you.  Isn't it funny how songs are connected to memories - and those memories are connected to our hearts?

Today, we are visiting the Effingham Nursing Home - well, the preschoolers are and us mamas are there to watch!  Later, Gingerbread Boys - Sandra Lee style!  Check back!

So excited about my newest book...

Kelley McNeal, a "local celebrity" that I work with at FlightSafety, introduced me to this book.  (Sorry, Kelley - had to just put that one in print! ha ha!)  She was so sweet to print out a flyer for the book signing that was hosted at a local shop downtown.   I missed the book signing, but kept the flyer and I finally have the book!

I love the subtitle  "And Other Delightful Mysteries of Raising Boys" - which speaks volumes to me!  I'm excited to learn the secrets of this mother of 5 boys and finally, one little girl!

Fair Food Part I: Fried Oreos

Fair food is a passion for some.  So much so that I thought I might even call up the executives at Food Network and pitch the idea of a new show - a spoof of sorts off of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives."  We'll call our show "Fairs, Festivals and Everything Fried."  I guess I might be one of those Fair Food People (a full-fledged member of the FFPA - Fair Food People Anonymous.)  We even have a running joke with our friend, Keith Tyler - a pipe dream that could any day turn into a reality because Keith is all about a venture.  Among other get rich quick schemes - we'd buy an ice cream truck and sell ice cream, of course, but more than that - funnel cakes and fried oreos!  Keith found a few trucks on eBay and now we are just trying to work out the logistics - who will drive and when.  We have found it difficult to work out the driving schedule - we've all been quite busy getting kicked out of various Mexican restaurants in the Southeast.  Once our schedules calm down a bit - you'll be seeing us around your neighborhood!  We will be easy to recognize because we'll have our anthem "Chicken Fried" blaring over the speakers instead of the overly-used nursery rhyme songs you would typically hear from an ice cream truck.  Come and get it!

Fried Oreos a la Ice Cream Truck
I recommend doing this at home before you take it on the road.

Ingredients:
2 quarts vegetable oil for frying
2 large eggs
1 cup milk (maybe a bit more to thin out)
2 cups Bisquick
1 tsp vanilla
1 (18 ounce) package Oreo cookies
Confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

Directions:
Heat oil in deep-fryer or stock pot to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

Whisk together the eggs, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Stir in the pancake mix until no dry lumps remain.

Dip the cookies into the batter one at a time...

And carefully place into the hot frying oil.  Fry only 4 or 5 at a time to avoid overcrowding.

Cook until the cookies are golden-brown, about 2 minutes. Drain quickly and toss into a bowl of confectioners sugar ...

Cover with the sugar...

Completely ...

If you want to be devilishly sinful, you can drizzle with hot fudge or Hershey's syrup - but I forgot about all of that once I did this...

Oh my!