Holiday Recap

For today's Christmas post I wanted to share a quick recap of some of my favorite holiday moments over the past month.  I've shared posts covering an array of holiday activities and now that I am officially done with all of my preparations, I can sit back, enjoy the fruits of my labor and of course this very merry holiday!  

Trimming My Christmas Tree

My husband and brother both announced that this year's Christmas tree is my best to date.  I would have to agree!  I love the way this "Woodland Chic" - themed tree glitters in my living room and I can't tell you what a difference it has made using green floral wire to aid in decorating my tree.  I think you should always push yourself do your very best.  Even though I am taking a moment to enjoy the way this beautiful tree came together, I have to admit that I have already started thinking up new ideas for next year!

Christmas Tablescape

I hosted a Christmas dinner for both my parents and my in-laws this past Wednesday.  We had a delicious dinner complete with Beef Tenderloin, Scalloped Potatoes Au Gratin, Roasted Asparagus and a Sticky Toffee Date Cake soaked in a bourbon sauce for dessert.  While the dinner was a big success, I have to say that I was especially proud of my Christmas Tablescape.  It was pretty, festive and the only new pieces I purchased to create this scape came from the grocery store (flowers, ribbon, peppermint candies)!  It was a good lesson for me to keep in mind with future tablescapes-- assess what you already have before going out to the store to buy more merchandise you may not even need.  

The second and probably most important lesson I learned from hosting this most recent dinner party is to refrain from taking on too much.  Yes, I ended up hosting a lovely and delicious party, but I was a little bummed that I wasn't able to spend as much time being with my family because I was too busy in the kitchen.  When hosting a party in the future, I am going to make a conscious effort to keep it both simple and delicious so that I can have more time to spend with the people who matter most. 

My Holiday Baking Marathon

From my homemade peppermint bark recipe to the dozens upon dozens of bourbon balls I rolled for my colleagues at work, this month has been quite the baking marathon.  So happy to have successfully delivered all of these treats and to finally have the many delicious temptations out of my house (cookie intervention please)!  

Homemade Eggnog

Last night I served this recipe for holiday eggnog while we opened up gifts.  Whatever feelings you may have had about eggnog, just forget them because this recipe is fabulous and a definite must try.  

While my holiday hostess duties may finally be complete, the holiday celebrating continues!  My husband and I are currently on our way to Utah for a fun and snowy ski adventure with my sister and brother-in-law.  Stay tuned for Redefining Domestics "Utah Edition" coming to the blog next week!  

Have a wonderful Christmas everyone!

Holiday Hot Cocoa Bar

Growing up (i'm sure like a lot of families) my siblings and I would gather in the living room on Christmas Eve to hear my dad read "The Night Before Christmas."  It has always been a favorite tradition of mine, but what always seemed to make it extra special was the tray of hot cocoa my mom would serve us while we listed to my dad read the book.  Talk about a special and delicious evening!  I have to admit that even though I am a fully grown adult, I still enjoy this tradition.  I still have the same copy of the The Night Before Christmas that my dad used to read to us, and while I still incorporate the hot cocoa aspect, I have taken it up a notch and now serve up a Christmas Eve Hot Cocoa Bar with all of the fixings.  Here is how I go about creating this delicious holiday treat:  

Hot Chocolate Bar Suggestions

• Williams Sonoma Classic Hot Chocolate
• Gourmet Marshmallows (here and here)
• Peppermint Sticks or Chocolate Peppermint Stirrers
• Chocolate Shavings (to garnish)
• Whipped Cream (see this recipe)
• Marshmallow Cream
• Gingerbread House Mug Toppers
• An Assortment of Cookies (I love this homemade recipe)
• Godiva Chocolate Liqueur (for those age 21+)
  • Here are a few additional ideas for Adult Hot Cocoa
• Hot Cocoa Mugs (here and here)

Whether you are reading a classic Christmas story to the kids before bed or looking for a fun dessert idea to serve at your holiday party, a Hot Cocoa Bar is always a crowd pleaser. 

Holiday Entertaining: A Few Fun Extras

Since Christmas is exactly a week from today, I wanted to share a few fabulous entertaining accents that I will be incorporating into my holiday entertaining repertoire this year.  Sure there are the larger planning tasks, like determining your Christmas dinner menu and finishing up your holiday shopping that most definitely take priority over the fun little extras.  However, in the off chance that you are ahead of schedule and do have a little extra time/bandwidth, these fun and very festive holiday accents can definitely bring your party to the next level!  These are simple and affordable touches that I love and will definitely be incorporating into my holiday entertaining this year.  

Christmas Crackers

This 19th Century British tradition is one that my family has been enjoying for as far back as I can remember.  Christmas crackers are cylindrical shaped gifts with poppers built into both ends of the package, so that when you pull your cracker to open it, you experience a lively and festive popping sound followed by a cascade of tiny gifts.  Contents of the Christmas cracker traditionally include: a paper crown, old fashioned game, a joke and sometimes a trivia question.  The jokes tend to be a little cheesy, but everyone always has fun opening their Christmas cracker and sharing the contents with everyone at the dining table.  Traditionally my family has used these Christmas crackers, but this year I am trying out these crackers just to mix it up a bit.  

Mini Santa Party Hats

I love a fun and unexpected touch of whimsy when I'm hosting a party, so when I came across these fabulous mini santa hats I was sold on site!  Whether you have kids, pets (yes, Dolly will be wearing one) or simply feel inclined to have a festive moment, these party hats are too cute to resist!  Unfortunately these hats are no longer available for sale online, but you can still find them in stores!

Peppermint Candy

From table gifts to coffee table decor, peppermint candy canes are a fabulous holiday accent.  Classic candy canes placed in a small bud vase are a great way to accent almost any space with a festive pop of holiday red. In addition, these candy cane ornaments from Hammonds are going to look divine on my Christmas dinner table this year.  These classic christmas candies are a fun, festive and very affordable holiday accent that I absolutely love to use (and snack on) during this time of year.  

Festive Paper Napkins & Guest Towels

What would this post be without a nod to my favorite cocktail napkins and guest towels this holiday season!?!  For guest towels, I am completely over the moon for these Caspari Wild Christmas Guest Towels.  As for cocktail napkins, I actually found these Papyrus "Holiday Cheer" napkins in the checkout aisle at Whole Foods and had to have them.  One last paper napkin that will be part of my entertaining ensemble this year are these Caspari Wild Christmas Luncheon Napkins. Thanks to a fabulous suggestion from a co-worker, I am going to be setting up a Panini Bar on Christmas Eve to serve my family for lunch. How much fun will that be!?!  

Next week I will be revealing my Christmas Tablescape along with a few other fun ideas for celebrating Christmas, so stay tuned!!!

Tips for Making a Delicious Holiday Cheesescape

Tis the season….For attending and hosting holiday parties!!  Over the years I have hosted my fair share of holiday parties with an array of themes, menus and guest lists.  One common element from my parties over the years has been the inclusion of a holiday cheesescape.  It's a party food that is really easy to make and always a crowd pleaser.  Today I wanted to include a few tips/ideas for how to assemble a unique, delicious and festive cheesescape that your guests are sure to love!

Think Outside of the Box

In addition to my classic assortment of cheeses, I also like to include a cheese that has a homemade touch.  This recipe for Goat Cheese Bites from Martha Stewart is fabulous!  Really easy to make and I love that you can coat these bites in an array of flavors.  For this spread I have opted to use chopped fresh chives, but other great flavor ideas include chopped dried cranberries, pistachio pieces, fresh cracked pepper, etc.  For those of you who are curious, here is a list of the other cheese included in this scape: 

• Cypress Grove's Midnight Moon
• Cypress Grove's Truffle Tremor
• Vermont Creamery's Double Cream Cremont
• Uniekaas Yodeling Goat Gouda

Add a Little Luster

The holidays are all about sparkle and festive decor.  Opt for a cheeseboard that suits the yuletide season, like my metallic cheese board pictured in this post (similar here). 

Go Seasonal

Pomegranates and figs are in season right now, making them easy to find in most grocery stores.  Since these seasonal fruits pair beautifully with an array of cheeses, they make for perfect additions to any holiday cheesescape.  In addition, during the holidays certain food companies release limited edition flavors, like Virginia Chutney Company's Cranfiggy Chutney, which is absolutely fabulous and quite festive.  Capitalizing on the array of unique seasonal cheesescaping acoutrements during this time of year will really help you to create an outstanding finished product.  

Festive Color Scheme

Be mindful of the overall color story on your cheesescape.  Subtle touches of red (pomegranates, chutney, figs and even cured meats) and green (fresh chive encrusted goat cheese bites and an assortment of fresh herbs) can really help you to achieve that festive and delicious holiday cheesescape.  There are so many fabulous natural flavor options available in stores that can really help to bring a holiday-esque aesthetic to your cheesescape, so definitely keep this aspect in mind when assembling your board.   

Holiday Baking: My Two Favorite Cookie Recipes

As many of you may or may not know, blogging is actually just my "Mornings/Nights/Weekends Job."  During weekday business hours, I have a full-time job working in healthcare.  Since my company is a non-profit, I have to be mindful of gift giving around the holidays (meaning, gifts of any significant monetary value are not really appropriate workplace gifts).  In an effort to be mindful of these parameters, while still wanting to do something thoughtful for my colleagues during the holiday season, giving homemade baked goods as gifts to my colleagues has been the perfect solution.  

Over the years I have baked an array of treats for my colleagues (Ina's Sour Cream Coffee Cake, My Rum Bundt Cake, Peppermint Bark, etc.).  Last year I decided that it would be a nice gesture to give everyone a cookie sampler consisting of both Kentucky Bourbon Balls and Spritz Cookies wrapped in little cellophane treat bags.  This ended up being a major hit with all of my friends/colleagues at work, so I have decided to repeat this popular cookie combination again this year.  Below is a breakdown of how I go about making both of these cookies, along with a few baking tips and links to my favorite recipes.  

Bourbon Balls

A southern classic and honestly, a personal favorite.  This is a no-bake cookie recipe with a "spirited" (aka slightly inebriating) kick!  Of the various takes on how to make this confection, I have found this recipe from Food Network to be the best.  It is easy to make and almost impossible to eat only one.  A few notes to keep in mind when making these cookies-

• If you are making this recipe for a large group, I would suggest processing the pecans and vanilla wafers in bulk.  Having these ingredients on hand and ready to go makes it really quick and easy to whip up a batch in a snap.  Simply store at room temperature in gallon-sized Ziploc freezer bags.   
• You can roll these bites in either confectioners sugar or granulated sugar.  Personally, I am a fan of granulated sugar because I think it gives the cookies a nice crunch and is slightly less messy than using the confectioners sugar.
• The dough for this recipe should be moist in order to properly roll into bite-sized balls.  If the dough appears to be dry, don't hesitate to rehydrate with splashes of bourbon or water (1 Tbs at a time).
• Rule of Thumb- Use a bourbon that is good enough to drink by itself.  I suggest Wild Turkey.
• Since there is a certain amount of uncooked alcohol in this recipe, it goes without saying "Always Enjoy these Cookies Responsibly!"

Spritz Cookies

The second cookie that has recently become a baking tradition during the holiday season in my house is the spritz cookie.  The spritz cookie, at its core, is a butter cookie.  I had originally gotten the idea to make these cookies after watching an old Martha Stewart Christmas episode, where she and her niece Sophie had made these cookies for the Yale Alley Cats (see this video).  

I was so excited to finally have an opportunity to use the cookie press that my mom had given me and decided to make a full experience out of my first spritz cookie baking session.  I prepped the Martha Stewart Basic Butter Cookie Dough Recipe, poured a glass of wine and turned on the Martha Stewart cookie episode to really get in the baking spirit.  As I went to squeeze the dough out of the cookie press and onto the baking sheet, I was met with the most incredible resistance.  I checked the press to make sure that there wasn't anything obstructing the disks (there wasn't) and proceeded to try again to press the cookies.  

Long story short, I ended up sweaty and frustrated from the unsuccessful cookie press attempts.  Naturally, I figured that my cookie press must be broken.  My very sweet husband offered to run to the store to pick up a new cookie press in hopes of trying to salvage this cookie baking experience for me.  Using the new cookie press and same dough, I was met with the same resistance.   I finally realized that it was not the press that was the problem, but rather it was the dough (way too thick and not enough butter).  So I rolled out Martha's dough recipe and made little gingerbread men shaped cookies dipped in chocolate and finished with crushed peppermint (definitely a lemonade from lemons moment).  

After salvaging the first dough, I decided to go through the cookie press instruction manual to see if I had missed a key step.  It was then that I saw the suggested cookie dough recipe for making spritz cookies (completely different ratios than the recipe Martha had used).  I have it one last college try, made the OXO Spritz Cookie Dough and voila!  Cookie perfection was finally achieved!  Now while it could be that Martha's recipe works best with the cookie press featured in her Christmas episode with her niece Sophie, the best dough recipe for the OXO Cookie Press was the one they provided in the box.  Lesson learned!

Spritz Cookie Baking Tips:

• Make sure your butter and eggs are at room temperature.  The dough needs to be quite soft in order to push through the press with ease, so it is important to have all of your dairy ingredients at room temperature.
• I highly recommend using the spritz cookie recipe that comes with the OXO cookie press.  The ratio of butter to flour was perfect and the cookies turned out beautifully.
• Decor- if you plan on decorating your spritz cookies with colored sugar, brush the tops of the unbaked cookies with either milk or an egg wash and then apply desired decorating sugars.