Appologies, Catch Up and ideas!

Firstly everyone I am so so sorry for the delay in posting over the last little while my cold turned into a scinus infection combined with hayfever I have been running sooo far behind it's crazy but slowly catching up on things and house doesn't look so bad...still messy but still looking better.

Over the next few days I will be playing catch up with everything.

I have been Christmas Baking well trialing over the last few days and have come up with the following including photos and recipies.  For both of these I have used my new favourite baking helper..My little ice cream scoop pictured below.

Photo to come

Chocolate Chip Cookies from taste.com.au

240g softened butter
300g (1 1/2 cups) firmly packed soft brown sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
300g (2 cups) plain flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
350g chocolate chips

Pre heat oven to 190C and Line 2 large baking trays with baking paper.
Place the butter and sugar in an electric beater and beat on high for 5 mins until pale.  Add the egg and vanilla and beat for a further minute. Sift the flour, baking soda into the bowl.  Add a pinch of salt then use a wooden spoon to carefully mix in the flour until well combined.  Fold in the chocolate chips.  I used my small cookie/ice cream scoop.  You can then flatten the balls like this photo following or i got the same result from just balls of dough.  Allow room to spread.  Bake for 15-20 mins (the biscuits should have started to darken at the edges but will still be soft).  Remove from the oven and I let cool on tray for a few mins then transfer to wire rack to cool.



Chocolate Peppermint Candycane Whoopie Pies - inspired by recipie from taste.com.au

125g softened butter
3/4 cup caster sugar
2 tsp peppermint essence or to taste
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups plain flour
1/3 cup cocoa
1 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 cup buttermilk

Preheat oven to 180C.  Line baking trays with baking paper.  Using electric mixer beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy and then add in essence and mix again.  Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition.  Meanwhile sift flour, cocoa, baking soda and baking powder into a large bowl.

Add half the flour mix and stir to combine into butter mixture.  Then half the butter milk and then stir to combine and repeat with remaining ingredeints until just combined.

Drop, Pipe or use small scoop of tablespoons of mixture onto tray about 5cm apart.  Bake for 8-10 mins or until puffed and cooked through. Stand ont rays for 2 mins and then transfer to wire racks.

When cold sandwich together with your favourtie butter or creamcheese frosting with peppermint essence in it then roll each sandwich in crushed candy canes.

Another alternative to rolling the edges of the Whoopie Pies in the crushed candy cane is to mix the crushed candy canes into the frosting.

Following are some awesome things which have been purchased to come into our home to go towards Christmas Gifts.

File folder was from Typo and I will alter this with Patterned Paper and personalise for the recipient.

These awesome wooden Red Apples were from Typo as well and are awesome for Teacher's Gifts.  I am going to put 1 each of these with gifts for David's main 2 teachers that he's had this year.

The following awesome box is also from Typo and I am going to use the following Print that I have found to go on the top with modge podge and will fill this for my Father in Law with seeds and hand cream for gardeners.

Photo to Come

The following box is from Spotlight ad I will use the following print and modge podge it to the top to decorate and fill with chocolate bars for one of Richard's work colleagues.

Photo to Come

Friday night we will be announcing the Family that will be getting some extra Christmas cheer this year with a Christmas Tree and Decorations where they normally wouldn't have one...

I am working on some ideas for Christmas Crackers to help out David's Teacher and Class...The kids have no idea but when they come into class on Monday Morning there will be a Christmas Tree set up with a few decorations.  I found this awesome glittery red and also green crepe paper yesterday so using that for the crackers - looks great.

Is there anyone else that wants to join with our Handmade Gift/Decoration Swap?  Close off date is tomorrow and then I will be emailing everyone on Friday.

Appologies that there are a few photos to come the photos weren't co-operating.

Take care everyone and see you all in December...Lots to share tomorrow!