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Friday’s Fresh Five! (1/28/11)

Posted in About me, Helping Others, In The Kitchen, inspiration, Organization, Photography, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on January 28, 2011| 3 Comments »

“Enough birds,” my mom says. “What?” I confusedly reply. “Enough birds,” she reiterates. “Okay,” I say as her meaning sinks in. My mom thinks I’ve posted too many photos of birds in my blog recently. Admittedly, I have become a bit bird crazy. Today’s photo of a Black-chinned Hummingbird is one that took great patience and a little luck to capture, so I have to share it! But I’ll try to give the little creatures a rest and aim my camera elsewhere for a little while . . . .

#1 -A Giving Challenge
“Give one thing away each day for 29 days. Share your stories about how it impacts your life to focus on giving. Join the 29-Day Giving Challenge today. Why? Because to see our world change, we have to do something to change our world. Plus, the best way to attract abundance into your life is to be in a perpetual state of giving and gratitude. Be an important part of the global giving movement that inspires more generosity on our planet.” These are the words on the 29-Day Giving Challenge: Changing Lives One Gift at a Time website that I learned about at a workshop I attended last weekend. Take on the challenge and see if your life doesn’t change!

#2 – Great Quotes and Great Images
Many of my favorite inspirational quotes have been paired up with some great photo images or artwork on the Present Outlook site. Check them out and print some up.

#3 – Get Organized!
According to the National Association of Professional Organizers, January is the official Get Organized Month.

As I sit here in my office, I am surrounded by piles of junk. I impulsively decided to clean my study yesterday. Cleaning and organizing are my favorite forms of procrastination! After spending half a day pulling everything off the bookshelves to sort and dust, I now have a bigger mess than I had before. What to do? Well, right now I’m procrastinating by writing this post instead of choosing to clean up my newly-created mess. It’s a vicious cycle, isn’t it?

If mail clutter seems to be taking over your living quarters, then here’s a tip from a book I found yesterday while cleaning. Sheree Bykofsky author of 500 Terrific Ideas for Organizing Everything says, “Never let your mail sit around. Read your mail as soon as it arrives and sort each envelope into the following categories: pay, answer, file, dump. Then do it. Be selective about what you choose to file; think about whether you’ll ever need to locate that paper again, and if you do, will you really be able to find it? Your time is too valuable to spend constantly filing; and your home shouldn’t resemble the archives of the Library of Congress.”

#4 – Got Lemons?
Got lemons? Do what I do when I’ve got lots of lemons. I freeze some of them, so I can enjoy their flavor throughout the year. One way I like to freeze them is in round slices. After washing the lemons, I slice them with a sharp knife into thin rounds. Then I place the slices in a single layer on a parchment paper-covered cookie sheet and put them in the freezer. After the slices are frozen solid, I transfer them to a freezer-safe container, alternating layers of wax paper and lemon slices. When I have company over and want to serve them a refreshing pitcher of water, I just reach into my freezer and grab a couple of frozen lemon slices and toss them into the water. I also keep lime slices, quartered orange slices, cucumber slices, and melon chunks in my freezer just for that purpose, too!

# 5 – How Do You Say Thank You?
How do you say “thank you” for sunshine or health . . . for clear days or gentle rains . . . for happiness, joy or love? You say it by sharing what you have. You say it by making the world a better place in which to live.
~Thomas D. Willhite~

May you experience joy this weekend!

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Cracked Crab With Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette

Posted in About me, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , on January 24, 2011| 1 Comment »


With Dungeness crab season peaking this month and with two Meyer lemon bushes heavy with fruit in my yard, I simply could not resist making Cracked Crab With Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette for a dinner with friends this past weekend. The fresh and fragrant flavors of lemon, garlic and Italian parsley complemented the delicate and slightly sweet flavor of the Dungeness crabmeat to perfection. Rounding out the meal was a loaf of fresh artisan bread, a colorful green salad, a bowl of hot tagliarelle with truffle butter (recipe to be posted at a later date), and a bottle (or two) of unoaked Chardonnay. There’s nothing like a night of great food and great friends!

Cracked Crab With Meyer Lemon Vinaigrette
from Williams-Sonoma’s San Francisco Cookbook

INGREDIENTS

For the Court Bouillon:
2 yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 carrot, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 bay leaf
12 peppercorns
1/2 cup fine sea salt
1 bottle (24 oz/750 ml) dry white wine

For the Marinade:
1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh Meyer lemon juice
3 tablespoons minced fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley
1 large clove garlic, very finely minced
Fine sea salt

2 large live Dungeness crabs, about 2 lb each

DIRECTIONS

1. To make the court bouillon, combine the onions, celery, carrot, bay leaf, peppercorns, salt, wine, and 8 qt. water in a large pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to maintain a steady simmer, and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes.

2. While the court bouillon is simmering, make the marinade: In a large bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, parsley, and garlic. Season to taste with salt.

3. Return the court bouillon to a boil over high heat. Add the crabs, cover, and cook for 20 minutes (less if your crabs are smaller than 2 lb) after the liquid returns to a boil. Lift them out of the boiling liquid and set aside to cool.

4. Twist off the crab claws and legs and set them aside. Holding each crab from underneath, lift off and discard the hard top shell. Turn the crab over; lift off and discard the triangular tail flap. Pull off and discard the grayish feathery gills along both sides.

5. With a heavy knife or a cleaver, quarter the body. If necessary, rinse the body pieces very quickly to remove the yellowish “butter.” Gently crack the claws and legs with a nutcracker or mallet and put them in the marinade along with the quartered body. Stir well with a spatula and let marinate at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.

6. Alternatively, cover and refrigerate the crab for up to 8 hours, stirring occasionally.

7. Serve the crab at room temperature or, if it has been refrigerated, serve chilled. Provide a nutcracker for each diner and a bowl for the shells.

Serves 4.

Cookbook Notes:
Meyer lemons give the marinade a particularly compelling fragrance, but you can substitute familiar Eureka lemons. The latter are more tart, so you will need less juice.

Linnell’s Notes:
Purchasing live crab is not a necessity, but certainly the fresher the crab the better the outcome. My husband purchased live crab from an Asian seafood market. If using precooked whole crab, skip down to step four.

For any of you who are not familiar with what court bouillon is, here is Wikipedia’s take on it: “Court-bouillon or court bouillon is a flavored liquid for poaching or quick-cooking foods. Traditional uses include poaching fish and seafood, but it is also used for poaching vegetables, eggs, sweetbreads, cockscombs, and delicate meats. Court bouillon loosely translates as ‘briefly boiled liquid’ (French court) or “short broth” because the cooking time is brief in comparison with a rich and complex stock, and generally is not served as part of the finished dish. Since delicate foods do not cook for very long, it is prepared before the foods are added.”

Enjoy!!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (1/21/11)

Posted in Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gift Ideas, inspiration, Photography, Recycling, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 21, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Like Midas, the sun transformed everything it touched into gold as the bride and groom exchanged their wedding vows. “No gifts please,” the invitation read. But what about the beautiful gift they gave to their guests?  Was not the sharing of this glorious golden sunset on their wedding day a gift to others?

#1 – Live Your Life To the Fullest
I found another great list filled with food for thought. It’s from the Personal Excellence Blog and it’s called 101 Ways To Live Your Life to The Fullest. The article starts with this quote from Steve Jobs:

“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.”

This list may seem daunting to some of you, but even if only one or two of the author’s suggestions appeal to you, you are still ahead of the game and closer to living your life to the fullest.

#2 – Reuse It!
If you have a wool sweater that you or someone in your family no longer wears, try making a cute handbag/tote out of it. I’ve not tried making one yet, but I’m definitely going to do it. The whole process seems simple enough. I may even attempt to add lining to my handbag! If you don’t have any old sweaters, search a thrift store for one. Click the link for the 30 Minutes to a Recycled Sweater Bag instructions.

#3 – Recycling Is An Art
This is a fun site to explore and inspire. Browse through the pages of RECYCLART to view ways to reuse and recycle “stuff” in a fun and artistic way. This site proves that with imagination anything can be reused!

#4 – Give Yourself a Time Out!
After I saw this gorgeous photo, I had to share it with you! Give yourself a time out to enjoy it. I guarantee you’ll feel much more relaxed after looking at this incredible sunset. Click on the link, then take a deep breath and simply gaze at the photo. Study the silhouette of the canoe and its solitary passenger. Is it a man or woman? Admire the vibrant colors – did you know that blue and orange are complementary colors? Have your eyes find the horizon and then let yourself sink deep into the warmth of its image. See how the clouds are smaller and fainter at the horizon then at the top and bottom of the photo? Notice the movement of the clouds and appreciate the beauty of their reflected image on the shimmering water. Feel better now?

#5 – Point of View
Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.
Rabindranath Tagore

Enjoy your weekend!
And a Happy Birthday to my niece Stephanie!

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Hate is a Four-Letter Word

Posted in About me, Helping Others, inspiration, Kids, Parenting, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on January 19, 2011| Leave a Comment »

The boy is not yet five-years-old, but he is already developing a terrible and serious affliction. That it’s a life-altering affliction is sad, but that his family is most likely passing it on to him is frightening. His symptoms? Displaying a hardening of the categories. The diagnosis? Developing prejudice. The prognosis? Due to the early onset of symptoms, intervention is critical. Only time will tell the true severity of his affliction.

The back-story: A few days after Christmas my son was in a sporting goods store trying on ski goggles. Looking down while adjusting the fit, he heard a child’s voice address him with these words, “I HATE Asians!” Without even looking at my son’s face and without losing a step in his stride, this child stopped my adult son in his tracks with those ugly words. My son wondered how someone so young could already hate an entire group of people and how this little boy had the nerve to walk up to a stranger and spew hatred. There’s no doubt that this little boy did not develop a hatred of Asians, and who knows what else, all by himself. Like the lyrics from the Rogers and Hammerstein song “You’ve Got To Be Carefully Taught” point out, this child had to be taught to hate. The words from this song seem more pertinent than ever:

You’ve got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You’ve got to be taught
From year to year,
It’s got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You’ve got to be carefully taught.

You’ve got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff’rent shade,
You’ve got to be carefully taught.

You’ve got to be taught before it’s too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You’ve got to be carefully taught!

After hearing my son tell me of his experience in the store, I remembered a scolding I once received from my dad when I was a child. I must have said something in passing to my parents about hating something, because I distinctly recall my dad gently pulling me aside and telling me to be very careful about using the word “hate.” He explained to me that hate was a very powerful emotion and that the word “hate” should never be used casually. “You can dislike someone or something, but don’t ever hate,” he said. I’m proud that my dad, an immigrant, and my parents, both of an ethnic minority, rose above the hurt of prejudice in their lives to teach their children to be more accepting and tolerant of the differences in people.

We need to be more aware of our behavior as we go about our everyday lives. The result of our insignificant actions may have great impact. Often times generalizations are made as a result of a single encounter. In particular, as adults we need to be more careful of what we say or do in front of children and young adults. Soon the future of our world will be in their hands. Prejudice is adopted by children like a bad habit and this cycle needs to be broken.  If we have any hope for world peace, we need to teach by example, on a daily basis, the power of acceptance and tolerance. Let us not define ourselves or others by color, race, age, religion, political beliefs, gender, disability, social class, ethnicity, etc. Let our legacy be based in the hearts and thoughts that bind us together and not in the classifications that we let divide us.

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (1/14/11)

Posted in About me, Creativity, Health, Helping Others, Holidays, inspiration, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , on January 14, 2011| Leave a Comment »

A guessing game: I rarely leave home without it. It’s always in my back pocket. It’s loaded with information that I check during the day. What is it? No, it’s not my cell phone. It’s my pedometer! Thanks to a friend and neighbor, I walk over 10,000 steps almost every day. If not for her, I would be a slug. I used to hate waking up early and walking in the cold or in the rain, but now I actually enjoy it! Everything is always more enjoyable when you can share it with someone!

#1 – 100 Weight Loss Tips
Already blown one of your New Year’s resolutions? All is not lost. Every day of our lives, we have the opportunity to start over. If losing weight is something you’d like to accomplish, then read Dr. Oz’s 100 Weight Loss Tips and start implementing some of his tips today. His list is more helpful than most and I think you’ll agree that it’s never too late to start taking better care of yourself!

#2 – Yarn Bombs
This isn’t earth-shattering news, but I thought it was interesting. I recently read an article in my local newspaper about a yarn bombing that occurred at a newly renovated art museum in town. The museum directors weren’t upset and thought the ruffled strips of yarn wrapped around a pole were rather interesting. It seems some people are going to great lengths (sorry, I couldn’t help myself!) to leave their mark in the world. Yarn bombing is akin to graffiti. People sneak out at night and tag public objects, but in the case of yarn bombing, they leave their mark with knitted or crocheted yarn. Click here to see a few examples of it. Wikipedia states, “While other forms of graffiti may be expressive, decorative, territorial, socio-political commentary, advertising or vandalism, yarn bombing is almost exclusively about reclaiming and personalizing sterile or cold public places.”

#3 – Wax On, Wax Off
Over the holidays, the charming snowmen candles on my kitchen table fell out of favor when they dripped wax on my red tablecloth. With minimal fuss, my tablecloth is as good as new now. Here’s how I removed the wax:

A. Used ice to solidify wax.
B. Scraped off as much wax as possible using a dull knife.
C. Sandwiched wax spots between paper bags – one bag under and one bag over the spots.
D. Ironed spots on medium-high while periodically shifting to fresh areas on bags.
E. After melting off as much wax as possible with the iron, I pretreated the areas with a stain remover and sent it through a warm wash.

#4 – My 50 List
I read in an article that people live for an average of 28,616 days. I don’t have a “bucket list,” but after roughly calculating that I’ve used over 20,000 of my days already, I think it’s about time that I set some additional goals for myself. On the site my50 (Things to do in a lifetime) you are invited to create a list of things you’d like to do during your lifetime. You can add descriptions, pictures, deadlines, and achievements to your list. You can make your list public, to help inspire others, or you can keep it private. Thinking of my life in terms of days versus years, is a perspective that reminds me not to squander any of my time on this earth!

#5 – Recognizing Miracles
“People usually consider walking on water or in thin air a miracle. But I think the real miracle is not to walk either on water or in thin air, but to walk on earth. Every day we are engaged in a miracle which we don’t even recognize: a blue sky, white clouds, green leaves, the black, curious eyes of a child — our own two eyes. All is a miracle.”
Thich Nhat Hanh

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Roast Rack of Pork with Carmelized Maple Onions

Posted in About me, Kids, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on January 12, 2011| Leave a Comment »

Every now and then it’s nice to go out for a good dinner. A couple of weeks ago I was served a flavorful and juicy rack of pork smothered with sweet, caramelized, maple onions. It was cooked to perfection – just a little pink in the center. The name of the restaurant? Well, truthfully, this delicious dish was served to me at my son’s home. He and his girlfriend treated me and my husband to a wonderful home-cooked meal. I love that all my children enjoy cooking and that for a change I can ask them for a recipe! My husband and I purchased an eight-rib rack of pork, which is a relatively inexpensive cut of meat, at Costco and doubled the recipe. We were delighted that the results were just as tasty as the one our son and his girlfriend prepared for us. The moral of the story: Teach your kids to cook!

Rack of Pork with Caramelized Onions
Recipe by Wolfgang Puck

Ingredients:
1 (2-pound) pork rack with 4 bones attached
Salt and pepper
2 ounces olive oil
3 yellow onions, sliced
1-inch fresh ginger, crushed
1/2 stick cinnamon
1 star anise
3 tablespoons sweet butter
4 tablespoons maple sugar
3-1/3 cups apple cider

Directions:
Season both sides of rack with salt and pepper 20 minutes before cooking. Sear in heavy saute pan with olive oil until rack is well caramelized. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In same pan, add sliced onions, ginger, cinnamon, star anise and butter. Slowly cook until onions are well caramelized. Add maple sugar and cook for 2 minutes.

Deglaze with cider, adjust salt and pepper to taste and reduce until glaze forms. Completely cover rack with half of onion compote. Transfer to roasting pan and place in oven. Cook at 20 minutes per pound or until internal temperature is 150 degrees F. Halfway through cooking time, pour over remaining half of onion compote. Remove from oven and let rest for 10 minutes before slicing. Discard the cinnamon stick and star anise.

Serves 4.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. I didn’t have maple sugar, so I used maple syrup instead.
2. Make sure you don’t overcook the pork, unless you like the texture of shoe leather! Is it safe to eat pork that is slightly pink in the middle? According to Wisconsin River Meats: Yes. The bacteria trichina is destroyed at 137 F. Pork cooked to a temperature of 150 F to 155 F will often have a slightly pink middle.

Enjoy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (1/7/11)

Posted in About me, Gardening, Helping Others, Holidays, inspiration, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , on January 7, 2011| 1 Comment »

At first glance they appear to be leaves silhouetted against the pale and bleak sky, but upon closer inspection of the trees, I spy movement. Birds! Dozens of tiny House Finches and Lesser Goldfinches are perched on the tips of the oak trees in my yard. Without realizing it, they are creating a lovely tableau for me to admire on this cold winter day.

#1 – Feed the Birds
It’s so cold outside, yet my bird feeders remain a hub of activity. Seeing this, I decided to do some research on winter bird feeding and on how birds keep themselves warm. Here are links to two good articles that might be of interest to you: Winter Bird Feeding and How Do Wild Birds Keep Warm In Winter. And please remember to keep your bird feeders full all winter long!

#2 – New Year’s Resolutions
I’ve made my list of new year’s resolutions and not surprisingly some of my resolutions are on a top 10 list of resolutions. Lose weight? Check! Fit in fitness? Check! Get organized? Double check! If you have not made any resolutions yet or if you need a little creative assistance, then check out this New Year’s Resolution Generator! Click on the “GIMME MORE” button and resolutions appear!

#3 – 7 Billion
Obviously none of us lives on this planet alone, but did you realize that by the end of this year you will have at least 7 billion human cohabitants sharing the earth with you? View National Geographic’s short, but compelling, video about the numeric trends of our rapidly, growing world population.

#4 – Geography Challenge
With almost 7 billion people and about 195 countries in the world, how strong is your knowledge of the world’s geography? Take the Geography Challenge Quiz from mental_floss and see how well you score.

#5 – Room by Room
We spend January 1 walking through our lives, room by room, drawing up a list of work to be done, cracks to be patched. Maybe this year, to balance the list, we ought to walk through the rooms of our lives… not looking for flaws, but for potential.
Ellen Goodman

Can you find “JOY” in this photo?

My daughter says if you use your imagination, you can make out the letters J-O-Y in the photo. Joy is everywhere!

Wishing all a happy, healthy and prosperous 2011!

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Reindeer Snack Mix

Posted in Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , on December 27, 2010| Leave a Comment »

Santa and his reindeer have come and gone, leaving not a trace of the Reindeer Snack Mix that was set out for them. They obviously needed to fuel their bodies with carbohydrates for the strenuous night that lay ahead! Many versions of Reindeer Snack Mix exist, but this one has just the right combination of saltiness, spiciness, and sweetness so that everyone who comes in contact with it finds it addicting! Why wait until next Christmas to make this Mix? Put it out at your next gathering and watch how fast it disappears!

Reindeer Snack Mix
Taste of Home Test Kitchen recipe

Ingredients:
2 cups Bugles
2 cups square-shaped, cheese-flavored crackers
2 cups pretzel sticks
1 cup Corn Chex cereal
1 cup bite-sized shredded wheat
1 cup pecan halves
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1-1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients.
2. In another bowl, combine the butter, syrup, Worcestershire sauce, Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper. Pour over the cereal mixture and toss gently, but thoroughly, to coat.
3. Transfer to an ungreased 15-inch x 1–in baking pan. Bake, uncovered at 250 degrees F for one hour, stirring every 15 minutes.

Serves 9.

Linnell’s Notes:
1. This recipe lends itself easily to substitutions. I use Crispix cereal in lieu of Corn Chex; pecans, walnuts, almonds and cashews work well individually or mixed; popcorn can be substituted for the shredded wheat (although I feel the shredded wheat absorbs the sauce much better); smaller, stubbier pretzels make it easier to grab a handful than the thin stick ones. I always add more Bugles than called for, because these are the first item to be picked out of the Mix and eaten. I usually double these dry ingredients and mix them in a large roasting pan.

2. In step 2, I add 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder to the sauce mixture. The level of spiciness can easily be adjusted by adding or reducing the Cajun seasoning and cayenne pepper. Make about 1.5 to 2 times the amount of sauce per batch for better coating.

3. I roast the mix in two shallow-lipped baking pans. Don’t try baking it in a deep pan (such as a roasting pan) because the Mix will take longer to dry out.

Enjoy!

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Double Chocolate-Peppermint Crunch Cookies

Posted in About me, Holidays, Husbands, Recipes, Uncategorized, tagged , , , on December 20, 2010| 1 Comment »

Frankly, the holiday critters are getting to me. First there was the Thanksgiving scorpion hiding in my roasting pan and now there is a Christmas rat eating styrofoam cups out in my garage. My exhausting holiday schedule doesn’t leave me the energy to deal with them and since my husband is always yelling at me to delegate, I’ve delegated critter control to him. With him on guard and with most of the shopping and wrapping done, I can relax a bit now and get on with the holiday activities I enjoy – number one, baking cookies!

Rich and refreshing – that’s the only way to describe the taste of peppermint and chocolate together. Each of these flavors on it’s own is very distinctive and bold, yet together they complement one another very nicely. Janet Taylor McCracken’s recipe for Double Chocolate-Peppermint Crunch Cookies from Bon Appetit is a delicious example of peppermint and chocolate sinfully combined. This recipe caught my eye because it uses bittersweet chocolate both in the cookie dough and in the drizzle. Bittersweet chocolate is my kind of chocolate. No sissy milk chocolate for me! Adding to the chocolate side of the flavor scale is cocoa powder and espresso powder. To balance that off, peppermint extract is added to the dough and crunchy peppermint candies are sprinkled on top. My daughter says, “Beware! These cookies are so rich, you’d better have a glass of milk on hand!”

Double Chocolate-Peppermint Crunch Cookies
Janet Taylor McCracken – Bon Appetit

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups bittersweet chocolate chips (do not exceed 61% cacao; 15 to 16 ounces), divided
1- 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 cup natural unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
2 large eggs
4 candy canes or 16 red-and-white-striped hard peppermint candies, coarsely crushed

Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2 large rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir 2 cups chocolate chips in medium metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water until melted and smooth. Measure 2/3 cup melted chocolate; transfer to small metal bowl and reserve for drizzling.

Whisk flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, espresso powder, and salt in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamy. Add sugar and both extracts; beat until smooth. Add eggs; beat to blend. Beat in melted chocolate from medium bowl. Add dry ingredients; beat just to blend. Stir in remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips. Measure 1 level tablespoonful dough; roll dough between palms to form ball. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, spacing cookies 1-1/2 inches apart.

Bake cookies until cracked all over and tester inserted into center comes out with large moist crumbs attached, 8 to 9 minutes. Cool cookies on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment paper to racks to cool completely.

Rewarm reserved 2/3 cup chocolate over small saucepan of simmering water. Using fork, drizzle chocolate over cookies. Sprinkle crushed candy canes over, arranging some pieces with red parts showing. Chill just until chocolate sets, about 20 minutes. DO AHEAD: Can be made 3 weeks ahead. Store airtight in freezer. Bring to room temperature before serving.

Ho! Ho! Yum!
Enjoy!

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Friday’s Fresh Five! (12/10/10)

Posted in About me, Art and Crafts, Creativity, Gift Ideas, Helping Others, Holidays, inspiration, Recycling, Travel, Uncategorized, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on December 10, 2010| Leave a Comment »

The air was damp and the sky was overcast, but still it was a lovely morning for a walk. The half-dressed autumn trees swayed in the breeze and encouraged their leaves to fall gracefully to the ground. As each season arrives and brings its unique character, I pause to breathe deep and say to myself, “This is the best time of the year.” And it always is.

#1 – Bingo, Anyone?
Breathe a little fun into your holiday gathering. On Christmas Eve each place setting on the tables in my house will have a little something extra – a bingo card. I’m making bingo cards and the markers will be holiday m&m candies. Just a little bit of fun before dinner starts. You can either make your own bingo cards using stickers or rubber stamps or go to DLTK to customize your cards and print them up!

#2 – Reuse It!
Breathe easier because here’s another idea for reusing plastic water bottles and saving the world from more trash. How about making cute bracelets out of bottles! Check out Dana’s Fashion Blog for complete instructions and pictorial.

#3 – Looking For a Good Book to Read?
I came across an article on LISTVERSE titled Top Ten Best Novels of the Last 20 Years. At first I was just curious, but as I read the article I became intrigued. A lot of these novels are out of my normal reading comfort zone, but Franz Kafka once said, “I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound and stab us. If the book we are reading doesn’t wake us up with a blow on the head, what are we reading it for? We need the books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea inside us.” That’s intense and it leaves me breathless, but I’m still off to the bookstore to check out those titles!

#4 – Hit the Road
Feel like taking a road trip? MapCrunch is an interesting site where you can “teleport to a random place in the world!” Select a country and click “Go” and an image of a random street in that country appears on screen. Some scenes are breathtaking and some are not. Move your cursor to the lower right-hand corner of the image and you’ll see the address of the scene. A pointer on a map indicates where you are located in that country.

#5 – All Good Things Are Yours
Fear less, hope more; eat less, chew more; whine less, breathe more; talk less, say more; hate less, love more; and all good things are yours. 
~Swedish Proverb

Take a deep breath . . . there are only two more weeks before Christmas!

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