Happy Birthday Jesus!

Lucy's preschool teacher asked me to make the "Happy Birthday Jesus" cupcakes for the Christmas program.

She likes to set the cupcakes around her sweet Nativity ornament. So sweet!

These are Lucy's best friends, Claire and Avery.

They are so adorable together! Always so many giggles, I love it!

Teacher Christmas Gifts

Ethan wanted to give these to his teachers for Christmas.

FroYo gift card with a treat. We have done these before and it never gets old. "Thank you froyo hard work!"

Chocolate and Peanut Butter Bark

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups (250 g) milk chocolate chips (I used Ghirardelli brand) 
• 1 1/2 cups (250 g) peanut butter chips (Reese's brand)
• 3/4 tsp. coconut oil 
• 1/2 cup (250 g) skor toffee bits (I ended up using more because thats my favorite part- I just sprinkled until I was happy)
• Instructions
  • Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • In a microwave safe bowl melt the milk chocolate chips on medium heat for about 1 minute, check the chocolate by stirring it, if not melted you can turn on again for 30 seconds. Check and stir again. Repeat if necessary. The chocolate should be smooth.
  • In a second microwave safe bowl combine the shortening and peanut butter chips and microwave on medium heat for 1 minute, check the peanut butter chips by stirring it, if not melted you can turn on again for 30 seconds. Check and stir again. Repeat if necessary. The peanut butter chips should be smooth.
  • Spoon each one alternately in lines on the pan you line with parchment paper. Just add it randomly, doesn't need to be any rhyme or reason to it. Continue until all the melted chocolate and peanut butter is on the sheet. Now take a butter knife and start to pull it through the colours to create a marble effect. I like to do mine in lines and pull straight through. I like the look of it. But design yours any way your little heart desires. It sets up quick so you may want to do this halfway through the process.
  • Toss the skor toffee bits on top. Then use your hand and press the bits into the chocolate a little so you don't lose them all when you break it up.  That's why I like to add more!
  • Place the cookie sheet in the fridge for about an hour to set up.
  • Remove from the fridge and break into pieces.

We put this together for Wyatt's teacher. He loves books so we got him a Barnes and Noble gift card with all the snacks and Sweet Tea that he loves! Mr. Estrada is up there with the greatest teachers of all time. He left his Corporate America job to become a teacher like his wife. He is an incredible artist and thinks outside the box to help Wyatt with all his learning disabilities. He is truly amazing and is making a difference. 

This is what Lucy wanted to give to her preschool teachers. Super simple-movie tickets with theatre candy. 

Christmas cookie exchange

I made these for a Christmas cookie exchange. Cookies are not my favorite thing to make unless they are sugar cookies but I wasn't in a decorating sugar cookie kind of mood.
So I decided to make cookie balls instead and I had a great time. 

Nutter Butter Heath Balls: I used my Blendtec (a food processor would also work) to crush Nutter butters, I then added peanut butter and mixed until it was a dough consistency, dipped in almond bark and covered with Heath bits (found in baking isle.)

Mint Oreo Cookie Balls: I crushed the mint Oreos, added softened cream cheese until it was a dough consistency, dipped in almond bark, and added crushed candy canes on top. 

If using an entire package of mint Oreos you would add 8 oz of cream cheese.

**Let's talk about dipping. So the key to dipping anything starts with the consistency. you don't want it too dry or they will fall apart, too wet and the chocolate won't stick. Think dough consistency.

I usually use my wilton chocolate melt container or you could set your bowl on a grill set at 200 degrees with a kitchen towel over the grill to prevent your bowl from getting too hot.

Drop your cookie ball or truffle into the bowl of melted chocolate, use a spoon to cover the ball with chocolate, then use a fork to get it out of the bowl, get the excess chocolate off by tapping your hand holding your fork lightly with your other hand (Bakerella's suggestion), scrap your fork on the side of the bowl and then use a toothpick to slide the ball off the fork onto wax paper.

Oreo Balls: I used regular Oreos and cream cheese for these. Once the almond bark was dry I used white almond bark to add a drizzle.

Nutter Butter Snowmen: Nutter Butters and softened cream cheese.  For each package of nutter butters you would need 8 ounces of cream cheese. 

Snowman hat= mini Oreo cookie and mini Reese's peanut butter cup, Scarf= airhead extreme licorice cut into strips, Face= piped on frosting, colored black and orange.

I used M&M's for the earmuff and an airhead extreme licorice cut into strips for the part that connects the earmuffs. Make sure to put the strip on first so you know where to put the M&M's. 

I seriously love any treat with a face. They are so fun to create and I feel like they have a personality! It makes it all worth the effort!

This is how I displayed them. I labeled each flavor with Washi tape.