Christmas Cookies

Oh dear god....I cannot believe that I am finally done. I have been working what feels like an eternity trying to get a bunch of cookies done for family back on the east coast. Everything from Vanilla Sugar to Dark Chocolate to Spritz and even Peanut Butter. A little bit of everything for the folks back home.

I really wish I had had more time to make more and send out to even more people but between a time crunch and finding out the hubby's position at work is no more come Jan 1st, things are getting much tighter around here.

(Thankfully though he has a temp position with the company down in Oregon for a month to help give us time for him to find a perm one and to move. So fingers crossed people, we need a Christmas Miracle for this family.)

Anywho, back to cookies!

Finally finished them last night. They were all dry this morning, so spent the last 4 hours wrapping them up in plastic wrap, bubble wrap, padding, boxes, then in more boxes.... Ugh!

Well over 100 hand decorated cookies are done. Thank god! I did everything from Snow flakes to mittens to snow men, houses and even made Santa (Out of a Pumpkin cookie cutter no less! Thank you Sugarbelle!)

I did take a few pictures of some of the cookies but I did not take pictures of most of them since my family reads this blog. I didn't want all the designs to be shown, no surprises then!

Granted these pictures are just of the general cookies, the ones I didn't take pictures of were some more specialized one for certain people in the family having other big life events this time of the year. LOL.

But I can at least post a few here for everyone to see. Very proud of these.

Merry Christmas to all!

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The Polar Express

Well here we are, just a little over a week till Christmas and many all over are running around like Chickens with their heads cut off. I am no exception. Thankfully though I have one more thing crossed off my - GET DONE NOW! - list. The Polar Express Cake for the 1st Grade Classes Christmas Party. Just gonna leave you with some notes on it and pictures. I am BEAT.

Cake - Second design since I could not get the cake pan I needed in time.
Flavor - Vanilla and Chocolate Fudge swirl
Frostings - Chocolate and Almond Butter Creams
Icing - Royal Vanilla
Fondant - Vanilla and Chocolate
Train - Molded out of Dark Chocolate
Luster - Gold and Silver Lusters
Disco - Red Dust

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Eggnog French Toast

Oh yay! It's December! Which means all those out there that normally don't do a lot of cooking and baking are revving into high gear and those of us that normally cook a lot are trying to find new ways to kick it up a notch as it were. Why not start with a wonderful French Toast!

And I am not talking your mama's french toast. This is an exquisite overnight French Toast that will make all those that try it think you slaved to make it. In all reality it is almost effortless!!! Which I know all can appreciate.

Just tried this recipe last night, tweaked it a little and served it to the family. It is not my original, just one I found and tried and then tweaked till I felt it was as good as it could get, lol. My husband about had a foodgasm, my daughter huddled over it like Gollum with a precious and my eldest son jump huggled my leg over it. So I would say it went over well, lol. Honestly I thought it was divine and I know this is going on the Holiday Treat list from now on.

So, let us get started!

Eggnog French Toast

Ingredients: 


4 Cups Eggnog
4 Large Eggs
1.5 Teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
1.5 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1 Loaf of Home Baked Bread, cut into 1 inch thick slices




Now, before I begin, if you do not have home baked bread, go to the store and get bread that is uncut from the deli, something that is a dense bread. Thin sliced and general Texas toast will not hold up for this recipe.





Directions:


1. In a large mixing bowl pour in the eggnog.
2. Add in the eggs, nutmeg and cinnamon.
3. Mix on medium for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides as needed.
4. Take 2 deep baking pans and lay out the bread slices in a single layer. Do not stack!
5. Evenly pour all the eggnog mixture over all the slices.
6. Cover each pan with plastic wrap.
7. Refrigerate overnight.
8. Preheat the oven to 450 F.
9. Next morning remove each slice carefully and place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
10. Bake for 15 minutes.
11. Remove from oven and carefully flip over each slice. Be cautious, the slices can rip.
12. Return to oven and bake another 5-10 minutes or until golden brown.
13. Remove from oven.
14. Top with families favorite toppings and enjoy!!!

My family adores this recipe sprinkled with powder sugar and topped with chocolate shavings and syrup or with a Cranberry-Apple Compote.

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