Perfect Peppermint Chocolate Holiday Biscotti

Who doesn't love crunchy biscotti alongside a cup of afternoon coffee?  Drizzle that biscotti with dark chocolate and it becomes irresistible.  But for the holidays?  Dip that chocolate drizzle into crushed candy cane and we have pure peppermint perfection.

Inspired by Liv's girlfriend, Piper, who made the peppermint suggestion last year, I'm only sorry I waited an entire year to make these beauties.

But not before finishing our holiday season with these chocolate dipped biscotti sprinkled with festive crushed candy cane.  Twice baked for a perfect bite, biscotti works as an lovely afternoon treat and just as well as in the morning alongside a cup of steaming hot cocoa.  And... I'm thinking I know a certain world traveler who would love a few of these cookies on a plate by the fireplace as a midnight snack. :)

Irresistible Orange Sweet Potatoes with Almond Streusel

Some dishes only come around a few times a year.  And while I  really can't think of a good reason to wait an entire year for something so good, we do.  While we do eat Sweet Potatoes often, these orange laced, incredible, awesome, fabulous, luscious, irresistible, exquisite, heavenly, sumptuous sweet potatoes usually only find their way to or table around the holidays and I savor each and every bite.  Why I wait all year to make something I love so much I don't know, but, a holiday tradition for years, these sweet potatoes are something I can't have Thanksgiving without.

Laced with the essence of orange and enhanced with a generous splash of my beloved Grand Marier, this sidedish is low on added sugar and butter and relies on fresh ingredients to bring that luscious mouth-feel and flavor to the plate.  Sprinkled with a toasted streusel of almond and a touch of paprika, these sweets aren't your over the top ooey-gooey marshmallow topped sweets of your childhood.  They're so much better.

I'll admit I've tried for the last 3 years to bring a decent photograph to you, and even though I'm still not thrilled with this year's shots, I've decided this recipe is just too good not to share.  My favorite Thanksgiving dish of all time, I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!  Happy Holidays my friends!!

Ten Treats and Temptations for your Easter (or any!) Special Dinner

While I love the baking and cooking that comes with the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday season, it's Easter and springtime holidays that really have my heart.  Markets overflowing with the beginnings of our spring crops boast tables filled with ripe strawberries and fragrant citrus.  With flavors so fresh, your meal brings happiness to any special day.

Today we bring you some of our favorite spring treats.  Bright with flavor and perfect for any holiday table, let us know if you give any of them a try, we love hearing your thoughts and experiences.

Liv Life's 10 Treats and Temptations for Spring and Easter

(Click the titles to go directly to original post with recipes!)

Lemon Cornmeal Olive Oil Cake

Sweet, tangy and with a perfect crumb, I'd suggest making two of these cakes as one just doesn't seem to last very long...

Spinach Salad with Orange Vineagrette and Prosciutto

Simply filled with baby spinach, fresh orange and onion, the salad is dressed with a bright orange vinaigrette that whips together in a flash.

Chocolate Espresso Orange Cheesecake with Grand Marnier Ganache

Spiked with pure espresso grounds and Kahlua, the coffee flavors complement the rich chocolate filling along with flavors of pure orange from the juice and peel.

Asian Sesame Salmon

Easier than it looks, this salmon is perfect for an everyday dinner or a special holiday table.

Lemon Lime Gelato

Expect "Bold" and enjoy the tracings of zest and fresh juices that give this gelato its character!

Vanilla Cheesecake With Strawberry Grand Marnier Sauce

Vanilla Bean Cheesecake gets a flavor boost from sweet strawberries and a splash of Grand Marnier.

Grilled Greek Chicken and Zucchini Skewers

Infused with lemon and flavored with oregano and garlic, these skewers will please the whole family.

Limoncello Lemon Cheesecake Squares

Better the second day, this luscious lemony cheesecake becomes a spectacular grand finale.

White Bean Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

Garden fresh ingredients tossed with Cannellini Beans and a lemony vinaigrette give you a side salad in a matter of minutes.

Peanut Butter Oatmeal Easter Candy Cookies

A new favorite this season, these beauties have been requested for our Easter Table.

What's on  your holiday table??  Happy Spring 2013!!

DIY Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix... the perfect homemade holiday gift

Liv adores a nice steamy cup of Hot Chocolate on a chilly day, and she swears that the silky chocolate eases a winter cold and soothes her sore throat.  Watching her prepare a cup, though, leaves me wondering if it's actually the chocolate drink she likes or the mounds of whipped cream she layers on top.

Last week's cold once again required a medicinal dose of Hot Chocolate and this version sang holiday praises with the addition of a decent dose of peppermint.  And low and behold, a little internet research informed me that my girl is not so far off.  Site after site recounted statements similar to the following:

The decongestant, expectorant, antiviral and astringent properties of Peppermint may help soothe sore throats and relieve dry cough, cold and nasal congestion.

So there we have it!  Straight from current medical journals, peppermint really does help ease symptoms of the common cold.

Peppermint also brings a little joy to our holiday season with it's bright, fresh flavors, and we've put together a simple Peppermint Hot Chocolate Mix, placed it in a pretty jar and added a bright red bow for the perfect small holiday gift.  Add a fun mug, a peppermint stir stick, and you have a lovely homemade gift that is sure to bring a smile, or perhaps ease a cold.

Candy Cane Peppermint Truffles

Peppermint seems to be one of the ultimate Christmas flavors, and with red and white spiraled candy canes used as decorations for the yard to the tree, the humble candy cane shines as a sweet tradition of the season.  While I adore looking at the canes, peeling the wrapper off and eating one is not my thing.  Too sweet and a sticky mess, I find them better left on the tree than in my hand.  That being said, a candy cane or peppermint candy crushed and used in a recipe has become one of my favorite holiday ingredients.

Two years ago, Wendy of the Weekend Gourmet, and I discovered a recipe for Peppermint Truffles floating around the web.  I've since forgotten where I saw the original post, however the inspiration comes from a recipe on the Kraft website called Easy Oreo Truffles.

Wendy and I have both adapted our versions to suit our tastes, with my favorite featuring Trader Joe's holiday ingredients.  Though the recipe is simple enough, the dipping part can take a bit of time. With an elf to help you, though (mine is named Liv), and a few time saving tips, we'll have you looking a hero in no time.

Trader Joe's Candy Cane Joe Joe's provide the base the these fabulous treats, and we use a block of low fat cream cheese as a binder.  My favorite part is the addition of the crushed candy cane or hard peppermint candy.  Bringing an ever so slight crunch to the creamy truffle, the peppermint candies leave the truffles simply bursting with holiday flavor.

Now a tradition in our holiday season, I'd say you can't go wrong with these Candy Cane Peppermint Truffles.  Perfect on your holiday cookie tray, a welcomed personal hostess gift or simply as a nibble before breakfast, I can't get enough of these holiday confections.

DIY Vanilla Extract... the perfect holiday gift (includes instructions on sealing and labeling).

Planning ahead for the holidays is not usually my style.  As a matter of fact, I've been known to do (not finish... but, do) my Christmas shopping on December 23rd.  Nothing like waiting till the last minute!  Occasionally though, I surprise myself as well as those around me, and make an ultra-organized move that makes me smile as it comes to fruition.

Such was my organizational move this year to prepare DIY Homemade Vanilla Extract (See our September post for details on getting things started).  Three months ago boxes of bottles and vanilla beans arrived at my door and had my husband raising an eyebrow at my latest project.  This project though, couldn't be easier, and while you may be a little behind, you are not too late to put it together for holiday gifts this year. 

Vanilla extract comes together as one places sliced vanilla beans (we got our from Beanilla) into a clean bottle and then covers with alcohol - different alcohols and different vanilla beans bring varying flavors.  This year our extracts feature one of two different beans.  My personal favorite, the light and floral Tahitian Bean, lends a lovely lighter vanilla flavor to any recipe, while the more traditional Bourbon Bean brings a touch of richness and a slightly bolder, traditional note to the table.

Filling most of our adorable little bottles (we got them for a good price at Specialty Bottle Company) with a good quality Vodka, the vanilla began to extract with in mere hours.  Days later the liquid turned a light golden hue, and today, three months later, the bottles are ready with the deeper colors we expect from Pure Vanilla Extract.  Note that the Bourbon beans seem to be bringing a richer, deeper flavor as well as color.

Our hours old extract!  Instagram from September....

Filling a few additional bottles with Maker's Mark Bourbon, this vanilla takes on an even greater depth as the bourbon alcohol brings notes of vanilla from the start.  Rich and dark, this pure extract is wonderful in a recipe where you want the vanilla flavors to really shine.

Our bottles closed with corks, and over the three months we did notice a bit of evaporation in a few.  As such, a little online research showed me how to cover the bottle tops with a bottle wax providing a moisture-resistant coating which also preserves freshness, flavor and fragrance as well as giving our bottles a beautifully finished look.  My research let me to Midwest Home Brewing and Wine Making Supplies out of Minnesota where we chose the burgundy color, but the little wax beads come in a multitude of colors for your every occasion.

To make the wax easy to remove, Liv and I wrapped a bit of baker's twine around the cork and around the top of the bottle, and then down the side, leaving enough to have a bit of twine hanging below the wax.  Securing the twine with tape (to make dipping easier) our bottles were ready to dip, and we found the twine to work wonderfully as a little "pull tab" to cut through the wax when one is ready to open the bottle.

Attempting to ease clean up, we poured the wax beads into a clean and dry can and placed it over medium heat on the stove in a pot of water.  Similar to melting chocolate, the boiling water was enough to melt the wax, though you might note that it took about about 10 minutes for the wax to become completely liquid.  Please take great care when using the hot wax as it can cause serious burns if spilled onto the skin.

Once melted, carefully remove the wax can from the water and place on a sturdy surface, like a counter.  Check to make sure your corks are very secure and then dip the bottle into the wax as far as desired, then remove slowly keeping the bottle facing downward so the wax does not drip down the sides of the bottle.  Alternatively, turn your bottle upright and tilt and twist to allow the wax to drip down the sides.  Once the wax stops dripping, place the bottle on your counter to set.  We gave ours a second dip for a thicker wax coating.

Next up, a nice finishing touch is a label.  While I designed and printed labels directly from my computer onto packing labels, templates are available online with a little searching.  I did find that our labels stuck beautifully onto the glass bottle for about 20 minutes, then corners began to lift, and before I knew it, the labels were popping off all over.  My best idea had me placing a piece of clear packing tape over the labels giving a nice water proof cover and a good stick, but not the most beautiful finish.  Next year I hope to have a better labeling idea!  If a label is not your thing, a piece of baker's twine with a little card hanging off the cork could be an alternate decorative and festive way to go.

Our vanilla extract "brewed" for about 3 months, and while I felt it was ready, I wouldn't mind it a touch stronger.  To beef up the vanilla strength, our extract uses 2 beans to about 4 ounces of alcohol, and if you want to give these welcomed little gifts this year, you could simply write a little note saying explaining that the extract will be ready in March.

Easy, tasty, and from the heart, Homemade Vanilla Extract works beautifully as gifts for any holiday or occasion, or maybe as a little present to yourself...

The Holiday Table... An Inspired Plate Photography Challenge

I love the look of beautifully set holiday tables.  You know the ones, the ones with the lovely matching holiday china, gleaming polished silver, perfectly pressed linens and sparkling stemware.  The serving platters would be filled with superbly cooked food... tender and juicy meats, warm crusty breads, and roasted vegetables on the side.  Sparkling wines would glimmer in my sparkling stemware, and a sideboard would hold all of my beautifully decorated desserts.

China, linens and silver...

Reality, though, sometimes throws a wrench onto my perfectly set holiday table.   China and silver do not line my shelves, my linens sometimes have wrinkles, and occasionally the stemware has a spot or two that gets wiped away at the last minute.  Holidays for us are occasionally celebrated on alternative days to suit my airline pilot husband's traveling schedule, and on occasion I've overcooked the meat.

What I've come to realize over the years though, is that none of that matters.  It's not the table that makes the holiday, it's the people.  And I'm so thankful to have been blessed with a multitude of friends and family over the years who have made our holidays extraordinarily special.  From just next door to up the coast to across the country, our table has been graced with smiling faces I will never forget.

This month's Inspired Plate Challenge held the title "The Holiday Table", and I truly enjoyed the opportunity to try to shoot my actual table, albeit during that completely mad moment just between getting the turkey out of the oven and the vegetables in.  As mom and Liv worked to get our gravy put together, my husband carved our bird, and my dad filled the water glasses.  Stealing a few moments, my aunt and I worked together to shoot our holiday table 2012.  The shot at the top of our post gives you a glimpse of our setting only minutes before the turkey arrived.

Liv and I enjoy putting our table together, and over the years we've come up with a few easy tips to make the holiday table festive and fun.

Holiday Table Tips

Visions of holidays past...

• A tablecloth always adds a touch of elegance.
• Bring in the outside... our centerpiece is a grouping of Giant Sequoia pine cones (don't tell anyone we picked up a few on our last visit... the sign said that was not allowed!) set among a few candles.  Or how about a few fall colored leaves or a sprig of holly?
• Keep the centerpieces fairly low, and not too large.
• Something as simple as a bowl full of glass Christmas Tree balls will bring an additional festiveness to the table (Use different colors for different holidays).
• Chargers under the plates bring a sense of something special.
• Cloth napkins along with napkin rings always spruce up a table.  Don't have formal rings?  It's a perfect project for the kids to make!
• Name cards also add a special touch... how about a card pinned to a little pumpkin for decoration?
• Decorate with food... for example, place a candle in a hurricane and fill halfway with cranberries or un-popped popcorn.  Fill a bowl with fruit - clementines, pomegranates and a few fresh cranberries along with a few citrus leaves if available.
• Make a peppermint stick vase.
• Serve homemade or store bought desserts layered on a simple platter.

The ideas are endless!  One can decorate without needing to invest a great amount of money, and with just a few special touches your table can be festive and bright.

For more fabulous holiday table shots, follow our Inspired Plate (we have a Facebook Page!) Clog circle, next up we head across the country to my friend and fellow TIP member, Tiffany Dahle of Peanut Blossom.

Holiday table 1968... this is what it's all about.  (That's little me on the left!)

Butternut Squash and Beet Quinoa Salad

Some 20 years ago I cooked my very first Thanksgiving, and from that day forward my collection of family favorites evolved into a menu that has remained almost constant for the last few years.  This year however, I daringly changed things up and thankfully was met with resounding success. 

With our schedules somewhat of an issue, Liv Life celebrated our 2012 Thanksgiving last Friday with a simple family affair featuring most of my traditional dishes plus a little something new.  Bringing in my latest obsession, quinoa, was a bit risky.  The kids have not been as receptive to quinoa as I would have hoped, and as their vegetable eating habits (like my husband's...) are also a touch, shall we say, lacking, adding two of my other favorites, butternut squash and beets, to the quinoa added even more risk.

Roasting the vegetables with drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of oregano, the house took on the aroma off autumn in no time.  The beets turned a beautiful crimson red as they roasted, while the butternut took on hues of brilliant pumpkin.  Enhanced with chunks of onion, the veggies were tempting enough to eat on their own, however tossing them with quinoa and arugula added the protein/flavor punch I was looking for.

Dressing the concoction with a simple oil and white balsamic vinegar combo brought a delightful tang, and the sprinkle of pomegranate contrasted beautifully with the savory flavors.  Feta and walnuts added additional texture, and the only other thing needed was a fork.

Beautifully jeweled hues had the salad looking the epitome of autumn, but it was the mixture of flavors and textures that had me weak at the knees.

My Dad's eyes lit up at the list of ingredients, however the rest of the family hesitantly scooped small servings next to their traditional mashed potatoes and turekey.  Dad and I gushed about the dish, and keeping my eye on everyone else, I was thrilled to see nearly everyone reach for the new dish for a larger helping after their initial tastes.

A perfect Thanksgiving dish that can be made ahead of time, this healthy addition is one you can feel good about serving whether your meal is simple or formal.  Flavorful and filled with textures, my only advice is to make extra... it also makes a fabulous day after Thanksgiving breakfast.

Grand Marnier Cranberry Sauce for Mom and World Diabetes Day

See below for a Sweet Giveaway!!
(giveaway now closed...) 

Over the years, cooking Thanksgiving Dinner for my family has become more and more challenging.  I have a treasured list of traditional recipes made up of everyone's favorite requests.  However, the health factor of said recipes has, on occasion, been questionable.  Years ago I would think, "No worries... it's only one day.  We can worry about eating healthy next week.".  Lately though, "no worries" has become "not an option.".

Last year's dinner had me catering to the following:  1 quadruple by pass, 1 lactose intolerant, 1 lactose sensitive, 2 high blood pressure, 1 congestive heart, and 2 diabetics.  Oh, and add in the one who doesn't like onions, and my traditional recipes have required some work.

The turkey?  Luckily, he's not an issue.  Sweet potatoes?  Reducing fat was easily managed by reducing the butter.  Mashed Potatoes and the bread?  We adapted those to be dairy free with a little trial and error.  But the cranberry sauce?  That I struggled with...

With the high in sugar (but oh so wonderful...) Grand Marnier Cranberries being my Mom's favorite part of the meal, her recent diabetes diagnoses had her last year spooning just a taste onto her turkey.  As her diabetes is relatively mild, it has been easily controlled through oral meds and dietary changes, and this year I was on a mission to find cranberries she could eat with abandon.  Or at least eat a decent share of without issue.

As is many times the case, timing is everything.  An email a few weeks ago from my fellow food blogger, Carolyn Ketchum, of  All Day I Dream About Food, made me aware of November's special status of Diabetes Awareness Month, and that today, November 14th, is World Diabetes Day.

If you know Carolyn, you know that she is one of those amazing people who manages to care for 3 young children in combination with producing a fabulous blog filled with gorgeous photos and her own low carb and mostly gluten-free recipes while making it all look so easy.  Carolyn was diagnosed with gestational diabetes in her third pregnancy, and when the diabetes decided to stick around, she embraced lifestyle changes in order to continue her lifelong passion of baking and cooking.

Today, Carolyn has put together over 40 food blogger friends who are posting their own diabetic friendly recipes to bring awareness to World Diabetes Day.  I highly recommend taking a gander over to Carolyn's site to check out her KitchenAid Mixer Giveaway, in addition to perusing the rest of the diabetic friendly links that she will put you in touch with.  And as luck would have it, Carolyn has put many of us in touch with Swerve, an all natural sweetener she swears by that measures cup for cup like real sugar.  The people at Swerve have kindly offered us an opportunity to do a Swerve giveaway of our own (see below!).

I will admit to being hesitant in the past to trying sugar replacements filled with chemicals and other "stuff", and have instead opted to either reduce sugar, replace with honey or agave, or not make the recipe at all.  Swerve though, is made from a unique combination of ingredients derived from the fibers of fruits and vegetables, and the fact that Swerve contains no artificial ingredients, preservatives or flavors, enticed me to give it a try.

Not being able to find the ingredient in my local West Coast stores, I used my preferred shopping method of online shopping, and had a box on my doorstep in mere days.  They even sent me an email confirmation saying, "Thanks for your order Sweetie!"  which had me smiling from the moment I met them.

Have your cake and Skinny Jeans Too!

While my immediate family has no diabetes issues, Liv does have a fairly strong sweet tooth, and as a wee one had been found on more than one occasion with a unapproved spoon in the sugar bowl for a snack.  As such, I do whatever I can to try to reduce the sugar in her diet, and little does she know, she has been eating Swerve all week long in her muffins, pancakes and cookies.

This week I've made recipes for her and our car pool girls, and I asked pointedly how they liked the snacks.  Happily receiving a resounding, "Awesome!" as an answer along with requests for more, I also asked if the recipes were sweet enough (a common complaint with the girls as I'm always reducing sugar), and every girl answered yes.  Quite a testament, I'd say.

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, my next project turned to Mom's cranberries.  Making my usual recipe of our favorite Grand Marnier Orange Cranberries, I simply subbed 1 cup of Swerve in place of 1 cup of granulated sugar.  While the consistency proved to be slightly different, not quite as "jelled" as with the regular granulated sugar, the taste was just the same, heavenly.  As mom can have some sugar, we did add the usual amount of orange juice to the recipe, so the recipe is not "sugar-free", but it is greatly reduced, and will work beautifully into her meal.

Liv Life's Sweet Swerve Giveaway

Swerve Sweetener has earned its place in the front of our pantry this week, and I'm eager to share a fabulous gift pack of two 1 lb. Swerve Sweetener packages along with an adorable Baking Kit (Liv's eyes lit up when she saw the one they sent to us!) including spatulas, cupcake wrappers, measuring cup and spoons, along individual Swerve Sweetener packets, all packaged in a cute little lunch box.  (Liv has actually taken hers to school where she had everyone asking "Where did you get that??").

ZERO CALORIES  |  NON-GLYCEMIC  |  ALL-NATURAL  |  GLUTEN FREE  |  KOSHER CERTIFIED

Instagram I shared to make my friends envious!!

Here's how to enter (ie:  the small print)

1.  Leave us a comment telling us your favorite Thanksgiving can't live with out dish!

2.  Like Swerve on Facebook for an extra entry

3.  Follow Swerve on Twitter for an extra entry

4.  Pin a pin from this post on Pinterest for an extra entry

Our winner will be chosen at random at 3 PM PST on Tuesday, November 20th and will be notified by email (please leave your email if your comment does not link to it).

Good luck, and thanks for joining us in supporting World Diabetes Day!

Homemade Vanilla Extract

Homemade Vanilla Extract - One to two beans pre 4 oz. bottle.  This extract has been steeping for 1 week

Entering Costco last week, a glittering snowman surrounded by strings of blinking Christmas lights greeted my empty cart.  With our September San Diego temps and humidity boarding on my beloved tropic level, I have to admit that the snowman gave me no pleasure whatsoever, and even had me thinking of boycotting the looming holidays altogether.

With visions of shopping, wrapping, organizing and decorating filling my head, a shudder ran through my body, and I moved on to the safer grounds like the produce section - thankfully still bearing tree-ripened peaches and pallets of summer watermelons.  Avoiding the objectionable showman on my way out of the store, all holiday thoughts were pushed far from my mind.

Or were they...?  Reflecting on the amount of shopping I will need to do, I felt that little tightening in my stomach of, "What am I going to do?".  With so many little gifts needed throughout the season, I usually try to put together something homemade, something that I hope the teachers, neighbors, hostesses, etc will appreciate.  We've done tins of candy, nuts and/or cookies and breads.  Liv has given gifts of homemade jams and hot chocolate mixes, and we've made greeting cards and calendars from photos we've taken throughout the year.

But so far this year, I had nothing.  No ideas at all.  That's about the point that I reached into my pantry for vanilla extract for Liv and her brother's pancakes, only to find my bottle empty.  And there I had it, Homemade Vanilla Extract...

4 oz. jars, 1-2 beans per jar, filled with Vodka

Internet searches turned up very similar "recipes", or procedures.  A bottle, a vanilla bean and some sort of alcohol.  However, that's where some of the variances came in.

How long should the vanilla bean steep in the alcohol to be proclaimed "done"?  With recommendations ranging from 3 weeks to a minimum of 6 months, I already feel behind the power curve.  And what sort of alcohol should we use?  While most versions used vodka, some used bourbon or even rum.

And where would I find bottles at a reasonable price that still remained attractive enough for gift giving?  And last but not least, with vanilla beans in the local markets costing upwards of $5 per bean, how could I do this project and still keep my costs in check?

For the moment, the recipe will remain a work in progress, the beans and bottles were both found online, though, and at reasonable prices.  A tip for Beanilla Trading Company had both bourbon and my precious Tahitian vanilla beans in the mail for about $18 per 25 beans.  Shipping was not outrageous, and it was fast.  (Edited 10/21: I've since found plump Organic Vanilla Beans on Amazon! )

Vanilla Extract - 3 hours.

More internet researching brought me to these round bottles, that make the cutest gifts (here's where I'll admit to having a bit of a bottle/jar obsession...).  Comparison shopping for alternate ideas, I found these fun swing top bottles that I just ordered.

The rest was easy... with a full bottle of vodka in the cabinet, vodka became my alcohol of choice, though we may give a try to bourbon with a few of the leftover beans.

Slicing each bean down the center, I opened the bean (but did not scrape the seeds), allowing the alcohol to flow over the seeds as it steeps.  Placing the whole bean (or two) into the bottle, we filled the bottles with vodka, and sealed.

Setting up the bean and vodka filled bottles for an impromptu photo shoot, I loved the look of the beans in the clear liquid, but after snapping a quick shot or two, carpool duties took over.  Returning my focus to the bottles several hours later, Liv and I commented how the liquid had already begun pulling the vanilla ever so slightly from the beans giving a soft, light amber glow to the bottles (see instagram shot above - find us at: kimlivlife).

Tahitian Vanilla Extract - 1 week

Now, a week into our vanilla extract project, the liquid has taken on a lovely golden hue, and has a somewhat modest vanilla aroma.  With one week under our belt, I'm thinking that longer is better for the steeping process, but we will continue checking weekly to record the progress.

As such... if you are contemplating making vanilla extract for your 2012 holiday presents, I suggest getting going now, allowing a few months for optimum results.

So far I'm thrilled with the progress of our holiday experiment, and I'm eager to research sealing the bottles with wax and finishing with pretty ribbons or embellishments.  While I'm definitely not feeling "holidayish", visions of holiday gifts are beginning to fill my head.

To be continued... 
(Click here to see the finished product along with instructions on bottle sealing and labeling!)

Cereal Treat Round Up - Living Life

Perusing many of my favorite foodie blogs over the last few days, I've been thrilled to see the red, white and blue proudly displayed in everything from salads to frozen pops to cakes.  I, however, am with Liv in hot, hot, hot Las Vegas for the dance season finale, Nationals.

Liv & Vanners prepare for a group number

Sitting in the audience, I often find myself moved to tears as I watch Liv and her teammates perform their hearts out.  The confidence these young dancers show is phenomenal, and when combined with the skill that comes with those hours of practice, I simply sit in awe at the sheer talent.

As we made our way from San Diego to Vegas, Vanners, whom you may remember from our Sleepover Special, and Liv began reminiscing about the Fruity Cereal Treats - Vegas Style, that they prepared and styled at last year's Nationals.  Fruity Cereal Treats quickly turned into thoughts of Cinnamon Krispie Treats which just happened to be packed in the cooler for our long weekend.  Digging through the mounds of costumes, shoes, accessories, etc, that us dance moms have become all to familiar with, the girls found the Cinnamon Treat package, and I'm afraid there is not much left to share.

Liv!

What we do have to share though, are some of our favorite Krispie Treats which have accumulated on Liv Life over the years.  Not a fan as a youngster, it was my son who prompted another Krispie Treat attempt years after his first taste with the addition of Peanut Butter.  And he liked them.  So did I.

Inspiring somewhat of a Krispie Treat obsession, we've used Nutella, Reese's Pieces, Cinnamon, and multiple layers of peanut butter fudge and ganche to provide mouthwatering treats that are anything but average.

Peanut Butter Krispie Treats with Mini Peanut Butter Cups

Cocoa Marshmallow Krispie Treats

Cinnamon Marshmallow Krispie Treats with Cinnamon Glaze

Triple Peanut Butter Krispie Treats with Peanut Butter Fudge and Peanut Butter Ganache

Holiday Krispie Treats
Use different color candies for different holidays

Nutella Krispie Treats

Fruity Cereal Treats

Vanners!

Vanners takes the stage!