Category Archives: Holidays

by kkregel | December 27, 2010 · 8:01 am

Interactive Crostini Bar

Mix things up with your New Year’s appetizers this year with an “interactive” crostini bar. My sister brought this fun appetizer over for Christmas and the DIY aspect of it made not just tasty but conversation piece as well.

Pre-slice the cheese and meats and dish out any spreads or toppings in a set of small bowls so that guests can create their own combinations. Thinly sliced baguettes and a variety of sturdy crackers make the best bases.

Some of my favorite combos are:
(clockwise from top left)
1. Warm Brie, Prosciutto & Arugula
2. Roasted Red Pepper Hummus & Green Onions
3. Stone Ground Mustard & Applewood Smoked Wisconsin Cheddar
4. Widmer’s Brick Cheese Spread & Prosciutto
5. Smoked Ham & Baby Swiss
6. Bruschetta with Shaved Parmesan

The nice part about the crostini bar is that it requires very little prep time since you can pick up most of the ingredients pre-made from the store. However, if you’re feeling adventurous and have extra time, you could make homemade bruschetta topping or hummus for even fresher flavors.

Happy New Year!

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Tagged as brie & prosciutto crostini, bruschetta crostini, crostini bar, easy appetizer recipes, Easy holiday appetizers, hummus crostini, New Year's appetizers

by Stef | December 23, 2010 · 9:52 am

{Free Download} Christmas Typography Sign

Only one more sleep ’til Christmas Eve, have you finished your shopping? If you are struggling for a last-minute gift or looking to add a little Christmas cheer to your house, we may just have a solution for you.

I’ve been inspired by the many signs I’ve seen in store and online showcasing the wonderful art of typography. Artistic subway signs always seem to catch my eye. So this Christmas, I decided to make one for myself using all of my favorite Christmastime phrases. And now you can have it to…for free!

To showcase this in your house or to assemble it and give it as a gift, simply download the PDF file here. Print it at home or at your neighborhood printer. You can purchase or create your own mat. I bought a red and white mat at Michaels and inserted it into a simple white metal frame. It found its perfect place propped up on my leaning bookshelf amongst some Christmas nesting dolls.

Wishing all of you a very blessed Christmas, from our haute homes, to yours.

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Tagged as christmas subway sign, christmas typography sign, downloadable christmas word sign, free download christmas sign, free download sign

by kkregel | December 20, 2010 · 8:18 am

Salty-Sweet Popcorn & Pretzels

The ever-popular combo of salty & sweet is perfect for holiday entertaining. These two treats are pretty enough to bring to a party but are super easy and can be made at the last minute. Feel free to get creative with the decorations or chocolate dipping/drizzling combos for either option. Dried fruit, candies or other nuts would be tasty additions to the popcorn mix as well!

Dipped Pretzels
almond bark or chocolate chips
pretzel rods
sprinkles or non-pareils

Microwave: Place bark/chips in a small microwave-safe bowl. Heat for 90 sec, stir and heat for another 15 seconds. Reheat as needed.
Stove: Place bark/chips in a small saucepan over low heat until melted.
Cover a cookie sheet with wax paper or parchment paper. Dip pretzels in melted chocolate and swirl to coat one end. Let excess run off. Hold the pretzel over the cookie sheet and coat with non-pareils or sprinkles and rotate. Let cool for 30 minutes.

Chunky Chocolate Popcorn
1 bag microwave popcorn
1/2 C peanuts
3/4 pkg of peanut butter & milk chocolate chip mix

Lay out a large piece of wax paper or parchment paper. Pop popcorn and mix with peanuts on top of wax paper. Melt chocolate/peanut butter chip mix (see directions above). Use a spoon or spatula to drizzle chocolate over popcorn mix. Let chocolate harden for about 30 minutes. Break into pieces and store in an airtight container.

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Tagged as chocolate dipped pretzels, chocolate drizzled popcorn, holiday snacks, homemade gourmet popcorn, salty & sweet snacks, salty-sweet snack recipe

by Stef | December 17, 2010 · 7:53 am

Holiday Wrap Up: Unique Gift Wrapping Ideas

This Christmas, it’s time to get creative with your wrapping. Regular old paper wrapping can be quite pretty and is no doubt fun to tear off a big old box, but why not spice it up a bit? You might even be able to regift some of those Christmas items you’ve never used on top of giving the fabulous gift you purchased.

A bottle of wine or champagne is a staple gift for a hostess at the holidays or any time of year. This year, ditch the curly ribbon or the brown paper bag it came it and cozy up the bottle with a Christmas sock. Simply slip the wine bottle inside of a holiday sock and use craft ribbon to secure a tag in place around the neck of the bottle. Feel free to bring the extra sock along, or double it up, to give to the hostess the matching pair.

*Used socks need not apply.

Have a smaller box or oddly shaped gift to wrap? Use a holiday tea towel or dish towel for a unique unveiling experience. Just wrap the gift and either knot the towel or use craft ribbon to keep it from unfolding. It is a bonus two gift in one!

If traditional wrapping paper is more your thing, there are lots of tricks you can use to mix it up a bit. This year I decided to buy all solid color wrapping and accessorize with ribbons and other extras.

I love scrapbook paper. It is pretty, cheap, and adds color and patterns in a no fuss kind of way. Using holiday scrapbook paper, add an extra piece of paper around the middle of the box to give it some dimension. Using sparkly ribbon, tie a little something extra on the top like a jingle bell or an ornament.

If you have horrible handwriting like I do, I do everything I can to skirt around writing tags. Try cutting scrapbook paper into the recipients initial and tying it on with a ribbon. You can also print homemade tags on the computer.

And last but not least, if you are saving stamps this Christmas and not sending out a Christmas card, why not make and print a few on your printer at home and attach them to the top of your gift?

All together now…awwwww!

There is nothing wrong with regular wrapping paper and a sticky bow (most likely I will have a few of those too)! But it makes the chore of wrapping gifts a little more fun when you throw some creativity into it.

What do you to do spice up your gifts?

Happy Wrapping!

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Tagged as christmas wrapping, gift wrap ideas, holiday gift wrap, holiday gift wrap ideas, ideas for wrapping, unique gift wrap ideas

by Anne | December 15, 2010 · 8:36 am

Cranberry and Toasted Pecan Cheese Ball

It is the time of the year when holiday parties are in high demand and we are all finding ourselves asking, “what can I bring?” This cheese ball recipe might just be the perfect appetizer. You can whip it up in no time and it is very easy to transport. Best of all, you can make it ahead of time so you are not rushing out the door.

Cranberry and Toasted Pecan Cheese Ball

1, 8 oz brick of cream cheese, softened
1, 4 oz log of goat cheese
3/4 cup sweetened, dried cranberries, chopped
1 cup pecans, shelled

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees. Place pecans on a baking sheet and cook about 3-6 minutes or until aromatic. Watch carefully, as they tend to burn once they really start cooking. Take them out of the oven and let cool.

In a large bowl, mix softened cream cheese and goat cheese until smooth. Add chopped cranberries and mix until well combined. Take mixture of of the bowl and, with your hands, shape into a large ball. Cover and refrigerate for about an hour.

Once pecans are cooled, run your knife through them until they are coarsely chopped. When the cheese ball is done chilling, unwrap it and roll in the chopped pecans, being sure to coat the entire ball.

Wrap and refrigerate until you are ready to serve. I served mine with whole grain crackers.

The dried cranberries make this recipe slightly sweet. If you are looking for more of a savory flavor, try adding some fresh chopped herbs or a squeeze of lemon juice to offset the sweetness of the cranberries. Don’t like pecans? Try walnuts or pine nuts instead or swap Gorgonzola for the Goat Cheese. Go ahead and get creative with this recipe and let us know what combination you like the best!

7 Comments

Filed under Appetizers, Cook, Entertain, Holidays

Tagged as Cheese Ball, Cheese Ball Recipe, easy appetizers, Easy holiday appetizers

by kkregel | December 13, 2010 · 9:34 am

Quilled Paper Ornaments

My family is big on ornaments. Growing up our tree was a hodge-podge of vacation finds from around the world, antique pieces and homemade treasures. But for as long as I can remember, these little paper snowflakes made an appearance on my parent’s tree. I’ve always liked the look of them but never knew where they came from until a few years ago.

The History
Turns out, my mom had made these “paper quilling” ornaments when she was first married. With my dad in grad school and my mom a teacher, funds were tight but she still wanted a pretty tree. While only a few are left, they’re now a sweet reminder of the fact that beauty doesn’t have to cost much. Romantic, right?

According to my brief research, paper quilling – or paper filigree – has been an artform for over 500 years. Long ago it was done as a way of embellishing religious documents and later, in the 18th century and Victorian eras, as a suitable artform for proper young ladies(1).

How To:
Paper quilling is fairly easy and mindless, although it can be time-consuming. It’s a good thing to do while watching TV. Basically you just roll the strips of paper into shapes and glue them together. Different shape combos of circles, scrolls, teardrops and such make up different snowflake patterns.

You’ll Need:
1/4″ strips of paper (or a quilling kit)
school glue
a tiny paintbrush, darning needle or something similarly sized

I would recommend buying a kit or two online to get started. They come with instructions, paper and design templates. After you get the hang of it you could make up your own designs.

Bonus Idea!
I’ve also decorated a few of this year’s gifts with my quilled ornaments, which is a fun way to pretty up your gift wrap and give an extra little present at the same time.

(1) Sources: Custom Quilling, Gem State Quilling.

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Tagged as christmas wrapping, holiday gift wrap ideas, paper filigree, paper quilling, quilled paper ornaments

by Stef | December 10, 2010 · 7:50 am

{Decorative} Christmas Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

There is no cookie I love more than a huge bakery sugar cookie with royal icing in the shape of something whimsical, like Elmo or the Cubs logo. It is a great cookie for the holidays, or any time of the year, just pick your shape! Have kids patiently awaiting Santa’s visit? Decorate these cookies and make some to leave for the big guy.

Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing

Sugar Cookie Ingredients

7 TBSP butter
1/3 C. shortening
1 C. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 C. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt

In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, shortening and sugar. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Blend well. Mix in flour, baking powder and salt. Divide dough into 2 balls and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough about 1/4 inch thick. Using cookie cutters, cut shapes and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-9 minutes, or until lightly golden.

Royal Icing Ingredients

3 TBSP meringue powder (I purchased mine at Michaels)
6 TBSP warm water
1 tsp vanilla
4 C. powdered sugar
1/4 tsp cream of tartar

Using a whisk attachment on a stand mixer, mix meringue powder and warm water. Blend well. Add vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar and cream of tartar. Beat on low-speed until glossy and stiff peaks form.

Divide frosting into dishes and add food coloring. Spread on cookies using frosting knife.

Frosting can be put in airtight container and keep for a week or so. Bring it to room temperature before icing.

We hope you’ve enjoyed HAP Holiday Cookie Week! We encourage you to send your favorite cookie recipes our way. If you nothing this week fit your fancy, try one of the other HAP cookie recipes from times past.

Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
Black Pepper Shortbread
PB Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Christmas Mice & Others
Classic Shortbread
Gilded Lavender Butter Cookies

Happy Holidays!

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Tagged as christmas sugar cookies, christmas tree cookies, decorating holiday cookies, holiday sugar cookies, sugar cookies with hard icing, sugar cookies with royal icing

by Anne | December 9, 2010 · 8:29 am

{Traditional} Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

These cookies are a holiday staple at my house. They taste like little brownies rolled in powdered sugar. The best part is they are really easy to make and look impressive!

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies

1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
Powdered Sugar for coating dough, about 1/2 cup

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a small bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar together for about 3 minutes or until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and mix until blended. Finally, add the flour mixture, a little at a time, until fully incorporated.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out dough and roll into a ball. Roll the ball in the powdered sugar until fully coated. Place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies 10-12 minutes or until they are puffed and begin to crackle. Cook completely.

This recipe makes about 24 cookies and was adapted from Williams Sonoma.

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Tagged as easy chocolate cookies, Traditional Christmas Cookies

by Anne | December 8, 2010 · 8:33 am

{Fancy}Valencia Delights

These cookies combine two of my favorite flavors, chocolate and orange. The delicate sugar cookie with a hit of orange is made indulgent by dipping it into a chocolate glaze.

Valencia Delights

Cookies:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
2 cups flour
2 Tbsp grated orange peel

1/3 cup sugar – to roll dough in

Chocolate Glaze
1 cup semi sweet chocolate pieces
1/4 cup butter
3 tablespoons light corn syrup

Beat butter until smooth. Add sugar and beat until combined. Beat in egg, vanilla, baking powder, salt and vanilla. Mix in the flour and orange peel until well combined.

Roll dough into 1 inch balls and roll in the sugar. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a round coffee cup or glass, press down on each dough ball to flatten until the dough is about 1/4 inch thick.

Bake at 375 for about 7 minutes or until the edges just begin to brown. Transfer to a wire rack and cool. While the cookies cool, make the chocolate glaze. Combine the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in a small sauce pan. Heat over low heat, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat.

Dip the cooled cookies into the chocolate glaze. Place on wax paper and refrigerate until chocolate is set, about 15 minutes. Store covered, at room temperature between pieces of wax paper.