Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Our family is so spread out all over the place that Christmas usually lasts at least a week for us. I'm not exaggerating, we still have to exchange gifts with one set of grandparents and that won't take place until this Friday! So at our house, its technically "Christmas" until New Years. We still watch Christmas movies, we leave our tree up, and we enjoy holiday beverages! I love taking a childhood favorite and turning it into an "adult" drink by adding the Peppermint Schnapps.

This is something I had never heard of doing until this Christmas, even though its so obvious, and its been my favorite warm drink all season! Its so simple and I'm sure many of you have had it before, but just in case there's anyone out there like me who was oblivious, I want to be sure to spread the word. Just make sure the kids don't sneak a sip!

Peppermint Hot Chocolate

Your favorite hot chocolate
Peppermint schnapps

Directions:

You really don't need directions do you?

Chocolate Chip Waffles

We've decided to start a new tradition of making waffles on Christmas morning at our house. We always have a special breakfast, but its changed from year to year. This is not to say that we won't be trying new things in years to come, but waffles will be center stage from now on! I think each year we will experiment with different fillings, toppings and additions to our waffles.

This year I decided to test out some chocolate chip waffles before the big day. Can you imagine a Christmas morning breakfast flop? "Honey, you think McDonald's is open?" These waffles were perfect the first time, so I didn't even need to test them out, but since we had a couple convenient snow days around here I thought waffles were the perfect way to start out a snowy day!

The kids loved these, and I didn't mind them all that much either. ;-) I adapted the recipe slightly from one of my favorite blogs, Annie's Eats. I added half white and half semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of mini chips, just for variety. Also, I know this ingredient list is a little longer than you're used to here on the Pie Hole. You can totally just make Bisquick waffles and throw in some chips, and you'll have chocolate chip waffles all the same. I just wanted to go a little extra step for the holiday, but I probably wouldn't do that any other time of the year!


  Chocolate Chip Waffles

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 3/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg white, at room temperature
• 1 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• cooking spray to grease the iron

Directions:
Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
Separate the 2 eggs and put all of the egg whites (3 total) in a large bowl.
In a large liquid measuring cup or bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, milk, vanilla and 1/4 cup melted butter.  Whisk the milk mixture into the flour mixture until a batter is formed.  Take care not to over-mix the batter.
Whip the egg whites with an electric mixer until they just begin to hold a loose peak.  Scatter the sugar over the whites and continue beating until they hold a soft peak.  Fold a third of the egg whites into the batter to lighten the base, then fold in the remaining whites.  Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
Preheat a waffle iron to medium high.  Spray with cooking spray.  Pour in enough batter to barely fill each hole of the waffle iron (keeping in mind that the batter will spread once the lid is closed).  Close the iron and cook until crisp and the waffle iron stops steaming, about 5 minutes.  Serve as the waffles come off the iron or transfer to a dish in the oven heated to 200 degrees F.  Repeat with the remaining batter.

http://annies-eats.com/2009/01/05/chocolate-chip-waffles/

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Most of us probably have fond childhood memories of making and decorating rolled sugar cookies. Its certainly one of my favorite memories with my mom. I replicate this tradition with my kids each Christmas, but most years its a rather half-assed attempt. I do make the cookies from scratch, but I usually use a store bought frosting and go really simple on the decorations.

Well, not this year. Not when I have a blog to impress. I went all out. We're talking Wilton tips and cake decorating bags and food coloring. Serious decorating equipment, which I have absolutely no idea how to use. I've said it before (but don't worry, I'll say it again) that I'm just not a baker. So, I tend to forget that sugar cookies (even my half-hearted attempts in the past) are messy, tedious, time consuming and freaking exhausting! And its twice as bad when you're doing it 100% from scratch and attempting intricate decorations! I have to laugh though, even my most intense effort didn't result in a product half as cute as some of the blogs I follow. How do you people get your cookies so perfect!?

This is why I should just stick to my comfort zone, the true Pie Hole nature: EASY PEASY. Its worth it in the end to create lasting memories for my children, but I just want to go on record and say that sugar cookies are a PITA! (Love you, kids!)

Since it may never happen again, I made sure to document the whole day (which consisted of about 5 hours on my feet...yep, still whining.).

A-cookie-cutting we go!

And we're off with decorating...

Someone just couldn't wait to do a taste test.

You have your garden variety stars....

 And Christmas trees....

Then we get a little more sophisticated (shut-up) with the snowflakes.

Finally, my true pride and joy (FOUR different frosting colors on ONE cookie, I'll have you know), say hello to Frosty.

So a long hard day of work was all in all a success, anything for the kids, right? I have to admit, they make for pretty pictures (and so do the cookies).

I even made little cookie packages for the kids to take to their teachers. How cute are these? Go ahead and say it, I'm pretty much the most creative person you know.

Rolled Sugar Cookies
Source: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/The-Best-Rolled-Sugar-Cookies/Detail.aspx?prop31=4

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups butter, softened

2 cups white sugar

4 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

5 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Frosting

Ingredients:

• 4C powdered sugar
• 2/3C butter
• 1t vanilla
• 2T milk

Directions:
Beat all ingredients together and pipe or spread onto cookies. It will harden as it sets.

  

Glühwein

On my quest for the perfect holiday drink, my friend, Lia, turned me on to Glühwein. I'd never heard of this beverage before, but was determined to try it after a quick glance of the ingredients. This is the perfect way to warm up on cold winter day, especially after coming in from playing in the snow (for mom and dad of course, don't serve this to the kids!). Not only does it taste heavenly, it fills your house with delicious aromas of cloves and cinnamon. This is definitely going to become a Christmas tradition in our house, and hopefully in yours, too!

Glühwein
source: http://allrecipes.com//Recipe/gluehwein/Detail.aspx

• 3/4 cup water
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 1 orange
• 10 whole cloves
• 1 (750 milliliter) bottle red wine

Directions:

1. In a saucepan, combine the water, sugar, and cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer.
2. Cut the orange in half, and squeeze the juice into the simmering water. Push the cloves into the outside of the orange peel, and place peel in the simmering water. Continue simmering for 30 minutes, until thick and syrupy.
3. Pour in the wine, and heat until steaming but not simmering. Remove the clove-studded orange halves. Serve hot in mugs or glasses that have been preheated in warm water (cold glasses will break.)

Christmas Brownies

Brownies may possibly be my favorite sweet treat. Oh, who am I kidding, I could also say that about red velvet cake or chocolate chip cookies, or peanut butter bars... The truth is, I have an insatiable sweet tooth! I experimented with these brownies in an attempt to Christmas them up. Cookies usually get the Christmas glory, but what about brownies? This is a super easy treat to whip up in no time. Impress your co-workers or your kids' teachers (or yourself, I won't tell)!

No one has to know they came from a box, especially when you'll be adding a couple semi-homemade twists. As far as I'm concerned, if you add one thing to a boxed brownie/cake/cookie mix, it becomes your own creation, and you may therefore claim credit for making it from scratch. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it! Peppermint extract transforms these brownies into a lovely winter treat, and the addition of cream cheese frosting and Christmas sprinkles almost make them so cute you won't want to eat them! Almost. They are delicious without the frosting, but go ahead and indulge...its Christmas!

Christmas Brownies

• 1 box brownie mix (Trader Joe's Truffle Brownie mix is to die for!)
• 1t peppermint extract
• cream cheese frosting
• Christmas sprinkles
• optional: chocolate chips

Directions:
Prepare brownies according to package directions, stirring in 1t of peppermint extract.
Allow brownies to cool (tip: You can cut them when they're hot if you use a plastic knife, I swear its a great trick!).
Frost with cream cheese frosting and add sprinkles!


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