Tag Archives | Christmas

Too Cute Tuesday: Candied Pecans

By on December 22, 2010 in Too Cute Tuesday

Too Cute Tuesday is a craft, a cocktail, and friends. To learn more check out the Facebook page or check out the cooking related Too Cute Tuesday posts in the archives.

Candied pecans cooling on the sheet, absorbing their own deliciousness.

Candied pecans cooling on the sheet, absorbing their own deliciousness.

Jen and Dorrie taste our wares, and Sparks hopes they'll drop something.

Jen and Dorrie taste our wares, and Sparks hopes they'll drop something.

Twas the week before Christmas, and everyone was stressed, so we gathered in Dorrie’s kitchen to make a mess.

The sugar was melted on the stove with great care in hope that tasty nuts soon would be there.

Soon all were gathered to sample the treats, so crunchy so tasty, salty yet sweet.

OK, I’ll stop rhyming now. But the nuts were great and something we’ll do again I’m sure.

Materials
Pecans
Sugar (brown or white)
Salt
All spice, cloves, and nutmeg
Vanilla extract
Parchment paper
Cookie sheets, wood spoons, and pans

Cocktail of the Night: Modified Black Santa (Creme de cacao, peppermint schnapps, Baileys)

1. Queue up the recipes.

Nut recipe #1: Candied nuts from Cafe Johnsonia

Nut recipe #2: Candied walnuts from Simply Recipes (we used brown sugar instead of white to change it up)

Nut recipe #3: Sugared and Spiced Nuts from Cooks.com (Jen added nutmeg to the mix and *gasp* didn’t measure

Recipes one and two need to have the pecans seperated quickly so have the parchment paper, forks, and helpful friends ready.

Recipes one and two need to have the pecans seperated quickly so have the parchment paper, forks, and helpful friends ready.

2. Cover three cookie sheets with parchment paper.

3. Roast nuts in a 350 degree oven for about five minutes. We used pecans but Dorrie made a batch of almonds after the fact for her dad and they were also great.

4. Prepare coating of your choice. Coat and separate on a cookie sheet. Let dry. Yum.

Of the recipes, #3 had the best coating and overall consistency. Number 1 was clumpy and not so uniform and number two was better if only because we roasted the nuts in the oven precoating (note: this does make a difference).

Anyway, these nuts can almost make a salad tolerable and they make good presents when you put them in little jars. Aren’t you crafty, and festive?

Happy Holidays from the Too Cute Tuesday crew!

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Too Cute Tuesday: Paper Mache Ornaments

By on December 15, 2010 in Too Cute Tuesday

Every Tuesday, we craft, have a cocktail, and enjoy each other’s company at Too Cute Tuesday. To learn more, check us out on Facebook, check out our archives, or start a Too Cute Tuesday chapter in your town.

While I was on my vacation, I got an email from Dorrie about a great Christmas craft for when I got back: paper mache Christmas ornaments.

Sam has some nice paper mache ornaments, though one is in a slightly less than traditional shape for the holidays.

Sam has some nice paper mache ornaments, though one is in a slightly less than traditional shape for the holidays.

Dorrie layers on the magic... but we'll have to let things dry before we pop the balloon.

Dorrie layers on the magic... but we'll have to let things dry before we pop the balloon.

I had some fun stories to share from Vegas (not everything stays there!) and while I was gone, apparently some of my Too Cute Tuesday friends won door prizes at our local merchant’s sale. Good luck all around!

These were super easy and fun. The link above will take you to the original craft but we of course modified it. You know, because we can’t follow directions. And you know, not in a bad way…

Materials
Balloon
Newspaper
Flour and water mixture (paper mache mix)
Tissue paper
Embroidery Floss
Glitter, paint, markets, etc. (optional)

My ornament dries on Dorrie's tree.. and almost looks like it belongs there!

My ornament dries on Dorrie's tree.. and almost looks like it belongs there!

1. Blow up a balloon in a smallish, roundish shape.

2. Using the paper mache mix, dip newspaper and/or tissue paper and slowly cover the balloon.

3. Tie the floss around the balloon nub (Nicole patented term) and cover that with paper mache.

4. Let your product dry (or expedite the process by using a blowdryer). Add glitter, markers, and other decorations to finish things off.

Once dry, you can pop the balloon and hang in your tree… or pass this off as a Yankee Swap gift or ornament swap, like I will try to do later this week.

Aren’t you crafty? And festive for the holiday season!

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Too Cute Tuesday: Christmas Cookies Reprise

By on December 1, 2010 in Too Cute Tuesday

Too Cute Tuesday logoToo Cute Tuesday is a weekly event involving a craft, cocktail, and friends. To learn more, check out toocutetuesday.com or check us out on Facebook at www.facebook.com/toocutetuesday.

Every year, we make Christmas cookies from Dorrie’s grandma’s recipe for annual sale at Dorrie’s store.

Here is the recipe: http://breakingeveninc.com/blog/too-cute-tuesday/too-cute-tuesday-grandma-labiancas-holiday-cookies/

And here are some photos from last night of our annual tradition:

DSCF2388 DSCF2390 DSCF2392 DSCF2393 DSCF2395 DSCF2396 DSCF2397 DSCF2398 DSCF2400 DSCF2401

P.S. Notice how there is much less of an emphasis on the cocktail as of late? Turns out Sue is pregnant! Congrats to Sue and Andrew! Back to cocktails next week now that the cat is officially out of the bag. :^)

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Too Cute Tuesday: Christmas Candies

By on December 15, 2009 in Too Cute Tuesday

Yeah Christie, just sweep it up quick and Sue won't notice all the kitchen spills!

Too Cute Tuesday is a weekly event on the Breaking Even blog that involves, friends, crafting, and cocktailing. Every week it’s a different and inexpensive craft to make and a different cocktail to keep things social. If you have an idea for a craft or otherwise want to participate, contact Nicole.

It was back to the regular format this Too Cute Tuesday of friends getting together for a craft and a cocktail.

Tonight, we did a little Christmas baking, which was Christie’s idea. Note that coincidentally Christie is having a holiday party on Saturday with hors d’oeuvres, so I get the sneaking suspicion that she’s going to serve her share of treats at this social event. And in addition to saving Christie some work, we all have our fair share of sugar and chocolate to tide us over into the next year.

This week, we had a new TCTer. Jordanne joined Christie, Sue, and I for a Christmas sweet cooking extravaganza. Both of these recipes are from our very own Christie.

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Too Cute Tuesday: Grandma LaBianca’s Holiday Cookies

By on November 25, 2009 in Too Cute Tuesday

I’m not sure what it was about today but it kicked my butt. It just seemed like one thing after another, and talking with friends, it doesn’t sound like it was just me that was having issues with November 24th.

Enter Too Cute Tuesday, always the perfect antidote to a crummy day. We forwent the cocktail in favor of chocolate mint oolong tea. Because alcohol is a depressant, folks and sometimes, a gal just needs a cup of tea and to whine with a friend.

I told Dorrie to give me a little Donna Reed here. I think baking and drinking tea made us both feel quite proper.

This week continues our TCT Month of Giving. Dorrie requested we help her make Christmas cookies so she could serve them at her store during the annual Midnight Madness Sale in Bar Harbor. (Bonus this week is we can eat our mistakes!)

This recipe comes from Dorrie’s Grandma Dora LaBianca. Not quite a sugar cookie, not quite shortbread, this is a cookie that’s slightly sweet and gets better as it ages. Just like us! Awesome!

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Too Cute Tuesday: Salt Dough Ornaments

By on November 11, 2009 in Too Cute Tuesday

This month, Too Cute Tuesday is changing up its usual format of cheap crafting and cool cocktailing and helping some of our regular crafters with projects around their houses.

This first week, it was Christie’s turn. Christie is super-excited about having a Christmas tree in her apartment but was bummed to know she didn’t have enough ornaments to decorate it (and doesn’t have lots of money to throw at the problem). Enter the TCT team and salt dough ornaments!

A perfect pairing with our November Christmas craft was ‘Early Christmas’ suggested by our TCT cocktail consultant.

 

Dorrie's specialty shape was the candy cane while Nicole specialized in randomness like mittens and martini glasses.

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