Christmas Inspiration

This recipe sounds awesome, I would love to add it to our holiday cookie line up. Anyone else have seasonal favorites that we could possibly add?

White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge
original recipe from Taste of Home

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Butter, softened
2 cups Sugar
1/2 cup Sour Cream
12oz White Baking Chocolate, chopped
1 jar (7oz) Marshmallow Creme
1/2 cup Ground Candy Canes (I use a magic bullet)
1/2 tsp Peppermint Extract

1. Line a 9 inch square pan with foil. Coat foil with thin layer of cooking spray or butter; set aside.

2. In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, sour cream and remaining butter. Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Bring to a rapid boil; cook and stir until a candy thermometer reads 234F (soft-ball stage), about 5 minutes.

3. Remove from the heat; stir in white chocolate and marshmallow creme until melted. Fold in ground candy canes and extract. Pour into prepared pan. Chill until firm.

4. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut fudge into 1-inch squares. Store in the refrigerator.

Makes 2 Pounds (81 pieces)

Also up on the Christmas Craft wishlist is this Glittery Banner spelling out Merry Christmas, and more to come.

My favorite flavor

Yummy! Yup I'm talking about something with Pumpkin in it! Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe I found on another person's blog.

Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:
CRUST:
1-1/2 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/3 cup Maple Sugar or Granulated Sugar
1/2 cup Butter, melted
FILLING:
3 pkg (8oz each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Maple Sugar or Granulated Sugar
1 cup Canned Pumpkin
1 Tbsp Heavy Whipping Cream
1-1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract
3/4 tsp Ground Allspice
3 Eggs, lightly beaten

Preheat oven to 325F. For crust, in a medium bowl combine cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press crumb mixture onto the bottom and up the sides of an ungreased 9 or 10 inch spring form pan. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from oven and cool on a wire rack.

For filling, in a mixing bowl beat cream cheese, sugar, pumpkin, whipping cream, vanilla and allspice with an electric mixer on medium speed until combined. Add eggs and beat on low speed until just combined.

Preheat oven to 325F. Spoon filling into crust-lined pan. Bake about 1 hour or until center appears nearly set when gently shaken.

Cool in spring form pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Loosen crust from sides of pan with a thin-bladed knife and cool 30 minutes more. Remove sides of pan; cool 1 hour. Cover and chill at least 4 hours.

***Carefully transfer cheesecake to plate or platter and place in a freezer bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw frozen cheesecake in the refrigerator for 24 hours before serving.***

Inspiration for me

Thank you I am Momma hear me Roar! I love this tutorial and it has inspired me to create my own but so far it's only in my head. Hopefully on Monday I will be able to head into town and buy the supplies needed to make one of these super cute headbands. Wish me luck I'll be working with a glue gun and I have horrible luck with those. I would love to do one with peacock feathers and a very pretty button, and maybe some black lace?

Feeling crafty

I've been looking all night and yesterday night looking for homemade spa ideas. Found several really good ones - including one made with oatmeal & brown sugar. Sounds yummy but I'll let you know how it all turns out. Also up on the crafting block making my own lamp, & this totally awesome petal pillow. I'm thinking something in my signature color - Pink! Sorry babe - I'm on a girly kick. I think that this would look great on the bed & it's large enough that it won't look silly on a king size bed. Really looking forward to my adult sleepover next week with my bff Kelly.

School woes, moving?, and life

The last few days have been especially hectic as at the semi last minute we have decided that the girls and I will be moving a wee bit earlier then we originally had planned. Wee bit as in a bit more then three weeks versus a year and three weeks-ish. The good news is that we finally have a signed leave chit so John can help us with the assorted trials and tribulations assorted with driving cross country with children, and animals. The last time we did this was four years ago and we just had the two monkeys (aka the girls) with Smaug our cat. Now at least they'll be older 

Countdown to some romance???

Tomorrow when John gets off of work we are taking off. Fingers crossed that is because the powers that be have deemed during their TIME OFF *yes I know I'm yelling on purpose cause I'm a grouchy mama* the crew has to come in for even more training! We have plans for all 2.5 days before his next shift starts & we barely see more of him then hi & bye. 
Our original plans were to stay in the Charleston Place hotel because it has a saltwater pool and looks really nice. But mostly for the saltwater pool. I've always said for our dream house that I've wanted one and now we are going to go test it out. Pictures will be posted soon after or perhaps even during depending if I bring my laptop or not. Next on the agenda was two or three movies that we could only go see without the monkeys. More pool time, and we hadn't decided if it's room service or a dress up for dinner. The next day on our actual anniversary we're taking the monkeys and mom to meetup with a couple of guys from crew & another wife (yay another wife) to go shooting at some range. I'm super stoked about this since the last time I got to do any shooting I was pregnant with Gigi and she's turning 8 this October so it's been awhile.
Friday has us hopefully fingers crossed getting our new couch & coffee table. It's on its way right now and it drives me nuts that I don't have a tracker for it. The company is suppose to call 24- 48 hours prior to delivery to set up a time so now I'm just thankful that my "home" phone is a cell and I can take it with me where ever I go. Better finish packing & fingers crossed we can actually accomplish all our plans before John's recalled.

Menriv Plantation

The girls and I took the grandparents to the plantation on base. We were planing on taking pictures on the landscape and trying to get a few family portraits, however, that is not what happened. Within two minutes of pulling over by one of my favorite trees there was a security truck pulling in behind me reading me the riot act for actually daring to take a photo of a tree. I understand that some areas of base are off limits but where we were was in the middle of a park. Now I guess I will have to track down this camera pass. But for your viewing enjoying here is a picture of the kidlets & grandparents looking at one of the ponds.

New Year's Resolutions

Hear it is the last day of 2009 and I am looking forward to 2010. What would I like to work on for the upcoming year well mostly myself. I'd like to be more patient, become a better photographer and write in this sorely negleted blog more.