Off the Wall Expressions

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

It's a New Year....better get myself together.

It is a new year. The holidays are over. My mind is still spinning. Unfortunately we did not have a relaxing holiday season, we haven't for several years. Somehow, due to a series of events, we are unbelievably busy at Christmas time. This is partly due to the business (that's a good thing). But the biggest reason for the busyness/stress is due to many family members moving away over the years, and then when they 'come-home-for-Christmas' we end up doing all the hosting!(that's a bad thing). I really tried to simplify things this year, and that didn't really work out......so I have come to the conclusion that we cannot host any parties next year. It simply is someone Else's turn.

So I am behind, and need to 'get myself together'. Mick and the kids went back to work/school today....and I am trying to catch-up (and not be overwhelmed!). One positive: we got a membership at the new pool/fitness center in N. Manchester (the old one was torn down a few years ago due to a structural problem). We worked out frequently during the last two weeks, and I am hopeful we will keep it up! I went today by myself and worked out for an hour and a half! (I rock!). The Christmas decorations are still up, the business needs lots of attention, tax info needs gathered so Jake can file the FAFSA, and he needs to apply for countless scholarships, and volleyball tourneys start for Delaney next weekend. I guess one thing at a time....I am working on several 'to-do' lists!

I made an astonishing amount of food over the past three weeks, and the fridge is full of leftovers to prove it! My favorite recipe of the season was one I created (more or less), so I decided to share it!

Chocolate Peppermint Crunch Ice Cream Pie

Ingredients:

Chocolate Wafers or Candy Cane Sandwich Cookies
I got the candy cane sandwich cookies from Aldi's. They are a seasonal item.
1/3 c. Butter-melted
Hot Fudge Topping
Candy Crunch-Red and Green Peppermint
From The Country Kitchen
Chocolate Ice Cream-softened
Peppermint Ice Cream-softened
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1/4 C. Powdered Sugar.

Gather the ingredients.

Place chocolate wafers or peppermint sandwich cookies in food processor. Process until you have 2 cups fine crumbs. (I used a mix of wafers and cookies, but all peppermint cookies would be the best!).

Add the melted butter, and stir. The crumbs should be wet, and clump together.

Using your finger tips, press the crumb mixture in the bottom and sides of a pie plate to form the crust.

Spread the softened chocolate ice cream inside the cookie crust. Fill about half-way up.

Pour the hot fudge topping over the chocolate ice cream. I softened the topping in the microwave slightly first. Spread over the ice cream.

Sprinkle with Candy Crunch. Put in freezer for one hour or until firm.

Take frozen pie from freezer and spread softened peppermint ice cream on top. Place back in freezer.

To make the whipped topping: Mix the heavy cream with the powdered sugar with a mixer on high speed until it forms stiff peaks. (note: in the picture the whipped cream has not yet reached stiff peaks). For best results make sure the bowl and beaters are ice cold (put them in the freezer) before starting.

Spread whipped cream on top of pie and sprinkle with more candy crunch. Loosely cover with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for one hour or more.

In the time it has taken me to finish this blog post (while waiting on photos to load), I have taken down one Christmas tree! Yeah me! Only one more tree and 20+ boxes of other decor to go!

How was your holidays? Restful or stressful?

Wednesday, December 7, 2011

My Top Ten Favorite Christmas Books for Kids

My cousin Brenda recently posted on Facebook that she had numbered all of her children's Christmas books (using her Cricut) to do a 'countdown' to Chrismas by reading a book each night. (Yes, Brenda..I stole your picture from FB!).

I see several that we have in our own collection!

This reminded me of something similar I did with my kids when they were little. I wrote down the title of each Christmas book that we own on little slips of paper and then put the slips into a jar. Each night the kids would pull a slip of paper out of the jar, and I would read that book aloud to them. As they became readers, they started to do some of the reading to us. Eventually we had so many Christmas books (35) that the countdown started quite early. A few of the books have several stories in them, so we just chose our favorites out of each one of those. The kids are past wanting to do the Christmas countdown. (I would do it until they were old and grey if they would let me!) We still get the books out of the attic each year and display them in a large basket....and we each have our favorites!

Here are my favs!

First let me say...as I started to search for pictures of these books, I was amazed how many are out of print or have changed in some way (like the covers or size). I actually have several first editions! I believe all of these books (except four) are availble in some form from Amazon.

10. Olive, the Other Reindeer.

9. If You Take a Mouse to the Movies.

8. Who is Coming To Our House?

Out of print. Available new (as high as $135!) and used in various places online.

7. The Polar Express

6. Arthur's Christmas

This is the version we have: Notice Arthur's face is long...it changed after the cartoon aired on TV

5. Jacob's Gift

Out of print.

4. The Crippled Lamb

3. How The Grinch Stole Christmas!

2. The Night Before Christmas

Ours is the Little Golden Book edition. Out of Print. (1975, I must have gotten it at a garage sale.)

And my favorite is:

1. The Very Best Christmas Present.

Out of Print. Find new (for as much as $235!) and used in various places online.

My Grandma gave this book to Jacob for Christmas when he was 18 months old. Grandma passed away in 2000.

Old Mr. Floogle ends up with a stray cat for a few days, but is desperate to get rid of it because 'he just doesn't like cats'. The cat keeps coming back. Eventually he sends the cat to the North Pole....and it doesn't come back. Mr. Floogle dreams about the cat, realizing just how much he misses it. On Chrismas Eve, Santa brings the cat back to Mr. Floogle, who almost says 'I just don't like cats'....but then exclaims..Yes-yes! It is my cat! I'm not sure why exactly...but this is the family favorite!

Honorable Mention:

It's A Wonderful Life for Kids

Written by Jimmy Hawkins who played Tommy Bailey in the 1946 classic It's A Wonderful Life. He wrote this to commerate the 60th anniversary of the movie.

Out of Print.