Cocoa for Two!

I saw this one Christmas gift idea on pinterest and said to myself - I have to make this!  So for my leadership team at the office - I decided to make a little gift for them this year!  Cocoa for Two!

All you do - is take a Ball Jar - I had some left over from the snow globes I made so I thought this would be fun!  Once you have the jar, fill half of it with cocoa and top the jar off with mini marshmallows.  Then screw the jar shut and tie a mini-Bailey's bottle to the jar.  It's super easy and cute!  Cocoa for Two - a fun, fast, gift for the holidays!

Yeah for Cocoa!
xoxo Sarah

Scrabble Christmas Ornaments!

This year, my sister and I have been all into playing the game "Words with Friends" on our Kindle/Phone.  Even though we live in different states, its a fun time for us to play a different version of our favorite game to play "Scrabble."

So this year for Christmas, I decided to make her some scrabble ornaments.  I made a search on pinterest and reviewed all the different kinds of Scrabble ornaments that you could make and came up with this method!  I made one spelled "Kateo," "Sisters," and "Up North." for her.  There were such a cute idea that I decided to make ones for my sister-in-laws, my parents, my friend Shannon at work, and also one for us on our tree at home.

They are super easy to make.  Just find an old Scrabble board game - at a garage sale or thrift store.  Then hot glue the tiles together and then hot glue a ribbon to the top of the world.  The other thing I did, was hot glue a piece of brown packaging paper to the back of the word to just have a little more support.  These ornaments are very fragile - but very nice homemade gifts!

Take a look below!

This is the ornament I made for our tree at home!  

Happy Ornament Making!

xoxo Sarah

It's Cookie Time - Part 4!!

The last and final cookie I made for Christmas this year - I promise you,  I wish I had time for more - is Zachary's favorite Christmas cookie - the Madeline.

Zach's mom and I have been making Madeline's for the last several years.  With our busy schedules this Christmas, I didn't get the chance to make the cookies with her, but I tried them on my own this year.  I looked up a recipe for Madeline's and came across Julia Child's recipe HERE.  These are one of the hardest cookies to make.  And my mother-in-laws recipe is different to this as well - but I couldn't remember it off the top of my head.  All I know - is that with this recipe - the most important part is the browning of the butter.

They sell the pans for madelines at most gourmet shops like Williams-Sonoma.  Just remember, you have to make sure you butter/flour the pan good before placing the dough on the cookie sheet.

This lemony cake cookie is perfect for the holidays and for any ambitious bakers out there - this is a cookie you are going to want to try and make!

Happy Madeline Making!

xoxo Sarah

It's Cookie Time - Part 3!!

Sorry guys - took a break for the holidays!!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS - From my family to yours!!!

Source: HERE

It's cookie time part 3 in my books!  I am combining two cookies into one here!  I have had a hard time finding a good gingerbread cookie and sugar cookie recipe for cutouts.  So the best recipe I have actually found are the bagged Pillsbury doughs.  I think to me - they are the best cookie recipes for gingerbread and sugar cutout cookies.  I don't have any pictures of the final products (oops!  I forgot to take a picture - sorry).  But, here is a picture of me making the gingerbread cookies!

Not the most flattering picture of myself but thought I'd share :)

One trick when trying to make any sort of cookie that you need to roll out and cut, use a pastry cloth.  I got a set of pastry cloths for a wedding gift, and every time I have made cutout cookies, I have used them, and they are so helpful!  They make the cookies even and not sticky and help to not create a mess on your table surface that you are using!  

But when looking for a gingerbread cookie or sugar cut out cookie to make, I would highly suggest Pillsbury packages doughs - they work great and are super easy to use!

Happy Christmas Cookies!

xoxo Sarah

It's Cookie Time - Part 2!

Ok - here is the next one I made!  Dark Chocolate bark with pistachios and craisins!

So easy - so simple - so good!

I got this recipe from Skinny Taste.  It's so easy - all you need is 7 oz. of Dark Chocolate, melted (stirring every 15 sec) in the microwave - approx 1 min, then add 4.5 oz of unshelled and coarsely chopped pistachios, and then add 2.5 oz of coarsely chopped dried cranberries!  Seriously - that easy!

Click HERE for the recipe!

This is so easy and delicious - and looks so pretty in Christmas tins!

Quick note - it doesn't make a ton - so I would double or triple the recipe if you want a lot of this!

Yeah for Christmas bark!

xoxo Sarah

It's Cookie Time!!!

Soooo - how many people have been making cookies galore???

I know I have!

I made 4 different kinds of cookies and 1 bark.  There will be more as well I am sure!

But let's start off the cookie posts with my ultimate favorite Christmas cookie... the peanut butter blossom!

My mom makes the best, but this year I decided to get the recipe on my own :)

I got my recipe from JIF, whose peanut butter I use in the cookies.  Click HERE  for the recipe for these cookies!  SO SO SO SO GOOD!

Best Christmas Cookie Ever

Yeah for Peanut Butter Blossoms!

xoxo Sarah

Oh Christmas Tree...

This past weekend, we decorated our tree...here's a sneak peak...

We love the tree decorated with white lights, red bulbs, and silver...plus all the other amazing ornaments that we have collected over the years.  My favorite ornaments have to be my Old World Christmas Nutcracker collection.  It took me years to find all of them - but I did!  I love the Old World Christmas Ornaments.  I collect any and all of them!  I think they are beautiful and just the epitome of what a Christmas tree ornament is.  

Zach really takes Christmas tree decorating seriously - so we do it all out!  Appetizers galore, White Christmas in the background on the TV and champagne!  Take a look at our wonderful spread we had - lobster and fondue and - not shown, Home Run Inn Pizza - a classic Campillo Christmas tree decorating necessity.  

Apps and champagne, and me hanging and ornament!

Have you been waiting in anticipation for the final picture of tree?  Well here it is - We think it turned out pretty beautiful!  What are your thoughts?

I will have to say, that I love coming home from work and it is dark out - but our tree is on!  It's the most beautiful sight!

Yeah for Christmas trees!

xoxo Sarah