My calendar is soon going to change to 2011 and as tradition demands New Year's resolutions are the question of the day. As of today, there is nothing that can be done for all that I did or did not do in the year 2010. But, the prospect of another year to set new standards in my life totally leaves me, well, torn. I'm all for self improvement, but history shows that I am not one for discipline. The annual resolution is to lose weight. So far my only consistent discipline is to avoid weighing myself at all costs. Before you know it another year has gone and that speculated goal of determination compromises into next years list.
No, this year I am NOT going to make any New Year's resolutions. I am going to make New Month's resolutions. I'm really not good at math at all. But, if I make a resolution every month, after twelve months I will have made a year of resolutions without all that demand of daunting consistency. This way if I succeed or fail I always have next month to set new goals or the same goals.
So for January 2011 I will strive to lose weight by going to the gym two to three times a week, even if only for just using the hot tub. I will try to make healthier choices of what I eat, and drink more water. I will write more with the goal of writing that second children's book that everyone is waiting for before their children reach adulthood. Actually, I think I could write while in the hot tub and just sitting in water has got to have some hydrating qualities to it. As far as eating stuff that is healthy...when you heat something to a hot enough level it kills germs. So, just imagine how much better something is for you if you fry it in hot oil.
It's good to take it slow at first. There's always next month.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Tis The Season Top Treats of 2010
I always enjoy discovering and or inventing new recipes for holiday parties, family, and friends.
This year the top three are:
Oreo Cookie Truffles
Lunch Box Cookies
Pina Colada Parfait
Oreo Cookie Truffles
In food processor whirl together one package of Oreo cookies till fine. Then mix in one package of room temperature cream cheese. Form into small balls. Chill.
Get some milk or dark chocolate for melting. I find the easiest way to melt chocolate is to put it in a wide bowl and then place that bowl in a pie pan of hot water. Now you can nuke it in the microwave without the risk of burning and ruining the chocolate. Nuke to melt and stir to smooth. Allow to cool enough for dipping. Dip chilled Oreo balls into melted chocolate and place pan with parchment paper on it. Dip two fingers into the melted chocolate and goop over on top of freshly dipped Oreo truffle ball. This makes a fancy chocolate topping that will look like it was store bought. Chill. These can be left out for eating but not much more than two days because of the cream cheese inside.
And, for those people that don't like chocolate you can use the vanilla Oreos and white chocolate.
Pina Colada Parfait
1 container marshmallow creme
1 large container Cool Whip (thawed)
1/2 bag white chocolate chips (melted - see above recipe for easy melting directions)
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
2 tablespoons coconut pudding powder
1/4 cup Malibu Rum
1 medium size can of crushed pineapple (drain and squeeze)
Graham cracker crumbs with some sugar mixed in
Whip together the marshmallow creme, Cool Whip. Now whip in the coconut extract, rum, pudding powder and crushed pineapple. Finally whip in the melted white chocolate chips.
In a wine or Champagne glass plop in some of the mixture. Hand sprinkle a thin layer of Graham cracker mix. Plop on another layer of the whipped mixture. Sprinkle with Graham cracker mix. On top of that plunk one centered dollop of the whipped mixture. Finish it off with a Maraschino cherry (with or without stem) and a little fancy drink umbrella.
Lunch Box Cookies
I had a cookie like this once from a bakery in Winfield, BC. It is pretty much a shortbread type cookie. I'm not one to like those candied cherries like the ones in fruit cake, but in this cookie they are surprisingly good. I searched out a recipe that was like the cookie and then tweaked it by adding the candied fruit.
1 cup room temperature butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/3 cup flour
1 cup quartered green and red candied cherries
Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla extract. Stir in the chopped cherries. Dump in the flour and with your hands work it in to form a soft but stiff dough. Now, place onto a sheet of parchment paper and mold it lengthwise to form a long roll. Roll the parchment paper around it completely. Chill for at least four hours.
Set oven to 325. Put a piece of parchment paper on cookie pan. Unroll the parchment from the cookie dough and with sharp knife cut 1/2 inch slices. Place slices onto cookie pan and bake for about 11 minutes. Just like shortbread cookies, do not allow to brown. Cool and serve.
This year the top three are:
Oreo Cookie Truffles
Lunch Box Cookies
Pina Colada Parfait
Oreo Cookie Truffles
In food processor whirl together one package of Oreo cookies till fine. Then mix in one package of room temperature cream cheese. Form into small balls. Chill.
Get some milk or dark chocolate for melting. I find the easiest way to melt chocolate is to put it in a wide bowl and then place that bowl in a pie pan of hot water. Now you can nuke it in the microwave without the risk of burning and ruining the chocolate. Nuke to melt and stir to smooth. Allow to cool enough for dipping. Dip chilled Oreo balls into melted chocolate and place pan with parchment paper on it. Dip two fingers into the melted chocolate and goop over on top of freshly dipped Oreo truffle ball. This makes a fancy chocolate topping that will look like it was store bought. Chill. These can be left out for eating but not much more than two days because of the cream cheese inside.
And, for those people that don't like chocolate you can use the vanilla Oreos and white chocolate.
Pina Colada Parfait
1 container marshmallow creme
1 large container Cool Whip (thawed)
1/2 bag white chocolate chips (melted - see above recipe for easy melting directions)
1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
2 tablespoons coconut pudding powder
1/4 cup Malibu Rum
1 medium size can of crushed pineapple (drain and squeeze)
Graham cracker crumbs with some sugar mixed in
Whip together the marshmallow creme, Cool Whip. Now whip in the coconut extract, rum, pudding powder and crushed pineapple. Finally whip in the melted white chocolate chips.
In a wine or Champagne glass plop in some of the mixture. Hand sprinkle a thin layer of Graham cracker mix. Plop on another layer of the whipped mixture. Sprinkle with Graham cracker mix. On top of that plunk one centered dollop of the whipped mixture. Finish it off with a Maraschino cherry (with or without stem) and a little fancy drink umbrella.
Lunch Box Cookies
I had a cookie like this once from a bakery in Winfield, BC. It is pretty much a shortbread type cookie. I'm not one to like those candied cherries like the ones in fruit cake, but in this cookie they are surprisingly good. I searched out a recipe that was like the cookie and then tweaked it by adding the candied fruit.
1 cup room temperature butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/3 cup flour
1 cup quartered green and red candied cherries
Beat butter and sugar till light and fluffy. Whip in vanilla extract. Stir in the chopped cherries. Dump in the flour and with your hands work it in to form a soft but stiff dough. Now, place onto a sheet of parchment paper and mold it lengthwise to form a long roll. Roll the parchment paper around it completely. Chill for at least four hours.
Set oven to 325. Put a piece of parchment paper on cookie pan. Unroll the parchment from the cookie dough and with sharp knife cut 1/2 inch slices. Place slices onto cookie pan and bake for about 11 minutes. Just like shortbread cookies, do not allow to brown. Cool and serve.
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