Have a Crafty Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Hello, happy 2012! Christmas was a blast and I got some awesome things to make more sweet treats than ever before, including an ice cream maker and a dehydrator; woohoo to homemade ice cream and trail mix! I don't know about anyone else, but I have a tendency to go overboard on gifts for my parents and my sister to the point where I lack funds for gifts for everyone else in my family. This year, instead of stressing over figuring out what to buy my extended family and worrying about the amount of money I spent doing so, I decided to make it a crafty Christmas! I found these awesome mason jars and filled them with all kinds of sweet holiday treats; chocolate peppermint pretzel sticks, chai-spiced cookies (the recipe is from wholefoods.com and it is amazing!), frosted cranberries, raspberry jam bowtie cookies, a nutella twist on the classic rum balls, and tied with a candycane. Of course, once I started baking, I could not stop! So I made some brownies, and a coffee cake (which I did not take a picture of for some reason), and sugar plums. I was a baking machine. I was not the only

 in my house with baking fever either; my mother made coconutty bars and almond crescent cookies and other delicious cookies for everyone to enjoy! I had some baking mishaps along the way; my bowtie cookies did not stay bowtied; the sugar plums were a hot mess to make (I blame Alton Brown for making the look so damn easy on Good Eats); but in the end, it all came together nicely.

Because the chai-spiced cookies and the nutella balls were my favorite, I am sharing the love!

Nutella Balls:

- 1 box vanilla wafers

- 1 1/4 cup chopped hazelnuts; separated

- 1/4 cup Nutella

- 1 cup powdered sugar

- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

- 2/3 cup Frangelico

- 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips; melted 

                      * I used 60% cocoa dark chocolate for a rich, more flavorful palette pleaser.

First, like any rum ball, crush the vanilla wafers in a food processor, or by hand, into a large bowl. Add 1 cup of the hazelnuts, the nutella, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and Frangelico; mix until moist.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out mixture and roll into approximately 1 inch balls*, dip into melted chocolate, place on parchment paper, and sprinkle remaining hazelnut on top.

Last step, refrigerate.

*After making the recipes and trying them myself, they are amazing, but I am thinking next time I make them, I am going to use a teaspoon and make them smaller and slightly more poppable for easier eating; the tablespoon sized ones are definitely a two biter.

Another note, I wish I could take credit for this delicious little recipe, but I can not. I found it on foodgawker.com and when I went to search it again, could not find the blog in which to give these amazing little treats credit for.

Chai-spiced Cookies:

NOTE: these are not a soft cookie. They are almost like an Italian cookie; not too sweet, but full of flavor.

yields about 30 cookies

- 1/2 cup unsalted butter; softened

- 1/4 cup sugar

- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 cup all-purpose flour

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

- 1/4 teaspoon salt

- 3/4 cup powdered sugar; sifted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cream butter and sugar. Add vanilla; mix well.

Stir in flour, spices, and salt.

Scoop about 1 teaspoon worth and roll into ball; place on parchment paper about an inch apart.

Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bottoms are slightly browned.

Allow to cool for approximately 5 minutes then roll in powdered sugar; let cool completely. Store in air tight container.

The best thing about these cookies; 1) they do not spread when baking; 2) for how small the cookie is, there is so much flavor. (They are the ones in the upper right hand corner of the picture. )

 Needless to say, it was a tasty Christmas!

I do not think I have ever really made a new year's resolution; this year is not really different, although I have adapted a slogan for it: "What are you waiting for?" Basically, this is the year to do everything I want because I am young and why not? And now...........

This is my cat; he is silly. Enjoy!