Friday Things
1. My little matching elves! Joseph love, love, LOVES his little brother and if Dominic is snoozing, Joseph feels the need to hover and oversee the situation (which usually leads to an end of said nap). And yes, Dominic’s hair is still ridiculously spiky, so insane!
2. Does anyone have a recommendation for a baby proofing product for lever-style door handles? We have one of these on our basement door and they most definitely do NOT keep Joseph from opening it.
3. Before I had Dominic, I had grand plans of organizing every room of my house during my “maternity leave” since I had tons of recipes for you made ahead of time and wouldn’t be “working”. HAAAAAAAA. (I’m sure anyone with two little ones is laughing at me right now, and deservedly so!)
4. Love this story about Lowes hiring a disabled vet AND his dog!
5. Did you get a new iPhone 7 Plus? I have the 6 Plus and am trying to decide if it’s worth an upgrade now, or to hold off until next fall when there’s supposed to be some anniversary fancy pants phone. I’m hearing awesome things about the 7 Plus camera, so I’m tempted.
6. I made a chocolate babka this week that might be my most favorite thing to come out of my kitchen in MONTHS. I’ll be sharing it with you next week, and unfortunately for the rest of my family, I’m 100% certain my husband and I will have polished it off by the weekend.
7. Do you have any special Christmas traditions? I always love hearing about what other families do around the holidays.
8. Tell me what your favorite Christmas cookie or candy is… sometimes I feel like I’ve tried them all, but I KNOW there are so many out there that I still need to make!
9. What’s your go-to Christmas movie? I love so many of them, but One Magic Christmas reminds me of Christmases as a kid, when we would watch it often… and of course, Elf!
10. TGIF! I hope you have a cozy pre-holiday weekend!
I make Chocolate Mountain Tops every year. They are a family recipe. Last year my aunt told me no one at their house would eat them, so I didn’t need to bring any. I had some at my birthday party and my cousin told my mom that they were her favorite cookie! What? My sons bus driver was so excited when I gave her some. I also make rum balls and buckeyes. I am going easy this year due to my twelve pound weight gain and only ten pound loss over the past year. My clothes still fit and I’d like to keep it that way!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6PJO6-ZK2lI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A4bxqGwSbHc
When my kids were small, we made a Christmas ornament each year. We put up a kids’ tree early in Dec and have always decorated it with their ornaments – ones they’ve made and ones they’ve been given and some things that were not even ornaments (eg small stuffed animals). One of my favorites was when we made a garland out of gingerbread men cut out of sandpaper and decorated with puffy paint. When they set up housekeeping, they’ll now have a few ornaments to start their own tree.
Favorite Christmas movie is Christmas Vacation
Enjoy your littles! They grow way too fast. Brothers
I love the photos of the boys, that includes your fur boy. I love your photos. I’m going to try and make your Italian walnut pillows today. This isn’t a Christmas recipe but, I made your Guinness beef stew this week. It was amazing! Happy holidays!
Our youngest left our house for a walk one Sunday morning at 5am. He was 17 mo. old and we had just moved to a new home. After a neighbor returned him ( he was jogging). We placed one of those slide locks on the door way up high out of his reach. No more weekend walks!!! Lol
These pictures are spectacular. Your sons are so beautiful, God bless them! I cannot wait until your chocolate babka recipe! I’m excited to make it for your family. Thank you for your awesome posts!
I don’t know if you like chocolate mint, but these Andes Mint Cookies from Decor and the Dog (http://decorandthedog.net/decorandthedog/2013/12/20/andes-mint-cookies) are fabulous. They are an unusual method for cookies and are made more like brownies and make a nice rich chewy cookies that have a great mint flavor from just the Andes mint melted on top.. They look great with some Christmas nonpareils sprinkled on the melted mint too.
I also love these Cranberry Streusel Shortbread Bars from Fine Cooking (http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/cranberry-streusel-shortbread-bars.aspx) are delicious, pretty and easy. King Arthur’s Almond Cloud cookies are great too if you like almond. The other cookie I always make for Christmas that Mom made every year too are Russian Teacakes (or snowball cookies, or mexican wedding cakes, or whatever other names they go by!), but we always hid a Hershey kiss in the middle!
Changing to a knob may be your best idea for now. We are having our first grandchild shortly and having new doors in, but decided on standard knobs.
I got the iPhone 7 plus as soon as it came out and use it for ALL the pictures I use on my blog. I don’t bother getting out the Nikon anymore….so I would say it’s worth it to get the 7 plus!! ?? (yes I am really lazy hehehehe– my phone is just so easy to use for pictures!)
The boys are so cute in their matching pj’s. We still haven’t made any Christmas cookies this year but plan to next week..unless a crisis happens.
My grandma used to Sands Cookies (not Sandies). They were similar to a sugar cookie but the batter was whipped for a long time and the end product made the cookies melt in your mouth! They also had almond flavoring!! My sister and I loved these cookies!! My son had hair similar to Dominic’s hair when he was a baby! Now it is really thick and great hair but when he was a baby I tried everything to get it to lay down and nothing worked!
We use these https://www.walmart.com/ip/Safety-1st-ProGrade-No-Drill-Top-Of-Door-Lock/17654519?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=1274&adid=22222222228001113897&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=m&wl3=54704277551&wl4=pla-90034845911&wl5=1027674&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=112561823&wl11=online&wl12=17654519&wl13=&veh=sem
The boys are adorable. And that picture of your furry boy . . . love it! All 3 boys are great! That Lowe’s story is pretty special. So glad that a company supports our veterans and understands the value of a good employee – both of them! My favorite Christmas movie is hard to pick, as I really like It’s A Wonderful Life, Miracle on 34th Street, and White Christmas. It’s really a toss up, but It’s A Wonderful Life would get my vote if pressed hard enough. I’d like to try your Italian Walnut Pillows again (I made them this summer for the cookie table for my daughter’s wedding). They tasted fantastic, but I think my texture was a little off . . . still not sure why, so I think I need to make them again. But pizzelles and Italian knots are 2 of my favorites at Christmas. Just love making them and then eating them with a nice hot pot of tea. Nothing better on a cold night. Have a great weekend, Michelle!
Favorite cookie growing up that my grandmother always made was Hungarian Kifle. Sort of a sugar cookie that has a meringue filling with nuts shaped in crescent form. Hard to make in Florida with all the humidity and 80 degree weather.
The kiddos are adorable! We have never had any luck with child proof door knob locks- they figure them out so fast. We’ve often put hook and eye locks at the top of the door to keep them in. Not that we wanted to put holes in our doors, but we were at our wits end.
As much as I love all your recipes I have to tell you one of the things that draws me to your posts the most are your warm and wonderful family photos. Especially because my own precious little grandsons (3 yr old and 1 yr old) and families live too far away. I work retail so basically the holidays are a black out time for me to travel, so I basically get the one day off and sometimes not even that!
My Nana was my Baking hero and I treasure any of her hand me down recipes. Her sugar cookies were the best! So they would be the one that I would do if no other.
I love so many traditional Christmas favorites but I guess my must see would be “Miracle on 34th Street.”
You asked for suggestions to baby proof a door. Get an old fashioned lift up hook and put it up high enough that he cannot reach it.
Hi Michelle, haven’t commented in awhile. So many great things have came and gone (Einstein):(. Happy to hear that his little soul is still hovering around the house! Animals make this life so much better! Anywho my favorite cookies are Holiday Squares- you know the ones you put cherry pie filling in the middle then sprinkle with powdered sugar on…! Yummy!! Take care, Merry Christmas and thanks for all you do!
Not sure if this will show up for you….maybe one like this will help baby proof your lever handled doors.
http://s7d9.scene7.com/is/image/BedBathandBeyond/69594112241c?$478$
Nut brittle is my favorite candy recipe this year. I rediscovered a microwave recipe that I used to make 30 years ago and fell in love all over again! Soooooo easy and delicious! My microwave is a Wolf and pretty powerful so depending on yours, times may be different. I make batches with spanish peanuts and others with Costco’s Deluxe Nut Mix:
Peanut Brittle
1 cup granulated sugar
½ cup light corn syrup
In a 2 qt glass Pyrex stir to combine with silicone spatula; microwave on high for 3 minutes
1 cup Spanish peanuts
Add and stir to combine with silicone spatula; microwave on high for 2 minutes
1 tsp butter
1 tsp vanilla extract
Add and stir to combine with silicone spatula; microwave on high for 1 minute
1 tsp baking soda
Add and stir to combine; will be foamy. Immediately pour onto parchment paper and spread out with rubber spatula. Work quickly. Let cool; break into pieces. Store in airtight container for up to 3 weeks.
I love Billy Goat Cookies! Huge pieces of pecans and dates…so yummy!
Your boys are just adorable!
Some Christmas traditions: driving around and looking at lights on Christmas Eve. We supply our crew with cocoa and treats for the ride and then attend our Christmas Eve service. Christmas morning we have cookies and cocoa while opening presents and then have panettone for breakfast.
My favorite Christmas cookie is a three way tie between shortbreads, mocha balls, and raspberry bars.
A hook and eye lock up high at gown up shoulder height is the ONLY thing that has kept my three away from the allure of the basement door.
My childhood friend’s mom used to make these little pecan cups for her cookie trays …I miss those SO MUCH
One of my favorite Chistmas movies was The Best Christmas Pageant Ever (TV movie based on the book, with Fairuza Balk when she was, like 8 and the lady from MASH as her mom) I used to think that was HYSTERICAL as a kid. Found it on youtube recently and it made my heart SO HAPPY.
Enjoy your “restful” maternity leave ;) I sometimes go to sit once I get my 3 in bed at night and say, shoot, I have had to pee for a bout 2 hours and haven’t had time to go! – it’s a whole new ball game once you have more than one, right?
My family always did the big Italian Christmas Eve when I was growing up. It isn’t quite the same anymore, but it’s still my favorite day of the year. My two must watch movies are Muppets Christmas Carol and Love Actually :) Have a very Merry Christmas!
All three of your “boys” are so precious. Nutmeg Logs have been a favorite here for over 30 years, but this year I tried Michael Symon’s Eggnog cookie recipe instead because I was too short on time to roll the logs. They weren’t nearly as good though they have eggnog in them. Next year it’s back to the logs.
Have a Merry Christmas!
Our family traditions include daily advent activities, like “Watch a Christmas movie and eat popcorn” or “Make your teacher a present”. My kids love doing a daily Christmas themed activity and watching the days until Christmas countdown. My grandma’s Chocolate Balls are definitely my favorite Christmas candy. They are chocolate dipped balls filled with a creamy, nutty center. Love! My favorite Christmas move is probably A Christmas Story, although Elf would be a close runner-up! Merry Christmas!
All 3 of your boys are adorable! My plans for my maternity leave: to knit Christening outfits for my twin girls. Needless to say, the yarn is still sitting untouched in my “yarn closet” 14.5 years later!!!! Went with store bought dresses.
We had a problem with our lever style knobs too bc both out toddler and our cat could open them. Our solution was to simply change them out to regular round knobs and put the std baby knob cover on there. If you check Target or online,, I think there are baby proof covers for lever style knobs though. Good luck and happy holidays!
Favorite Christmas cookie – Peanut Butter Blossoms
Favorite Christmas movie – A Christmas Story
And a question for you, Michelle! How the heck do you get so much done with two little ones? You probably don’t think you do, but from where I’m watching, you’re Super Blogging Woman! Kudos!
Hi Mary Anne, You’re too kind, and you’re right, I totally don’t think I get much done! I did a lot of advanced planning before I had Dominic so I had some recipes ready to share without having spend much time in the kitchen. I do writing and computer work either while the boys are napping (if they happen to sleep at the same time in the afternoon on a given day) or after they go to bed at night.
Couldn’t possibly choose a favorite cookie–Millionaire bars, lemon bars, maybe Almond bon-bons filled with almond paste and topped with glitter? I’d send a photo if I could. My mom (now age 92) and I have been making Christmas cookies as long as I remember…we have that Italian thing going on! We make 20-22 kinds of fancy cookies and then give most away to friends, to our co-workers, to family. My kids have their favorites and since the boys won’t be home till later next week, I froze some faves for them. Our cookies are pretty much legendary which is a huge compliment. We work hard at it for 3 days, then collapse. I posted some on Instagram @tortamore.
Love the pics of your boys (including Duke and Einstein). So cute how Duke has taken over guarding your boys and how Joseph supervises his brother–just wait til Dominic starts getting into his stuff! Merry Christmas, Michele.
What is that giant pillow the baby is “napping” in? That is really neat and my DIL is pregnant with baby #2 and she might like that!
Buckeyes are a favorite in our house! It wouldn’t be Christmas without them!
White Christmas is a favorite for us!
Hi Colleen, It’s a Leachco infant lounger (http://amzn.to/2i9jT50) – it’s a great little pillow! I can plop Dominic in it on the counter (away from the edge, of course!) while I’m making Joseph lunch or unloading the dishwasher, and he can watch us :) I have also put him in it in the bathroom while I’m getting ready. We’ve also put him in there on the table while we’re eating so he can hang out with us :) It’s a nice little extra to have!
You sons are so adorable! We are expecting a baby boy (our first) Feb 1st, so I love reading all about your little ones! Are those Hannah PJ’s they are wearing in the photo? If so, those are the softest and most comfortable PJ’s ever!
Hi Alexa, Congratulations on your pending arrival! I wish you a healthy rest of your pregnancy and easy delivery. They are Hannah PJ’s! I just adore how soft they are! Hate the price, though, so I buy when they have clearance sales!
The boys are adorable. I don’t know any specific safety guards for lever handle but have had friends that put a safety feature (there are different styles) high on the door (similar to height found on hotel door) to prevent toddler opening.
We make cut out sugar cookies and decorate them with Toba Garrett’s glacé icing with lemon extract. I make lots of pound cakes in loaf pans to give away. Cracker candy is another favorite (saltines, toffee layer, chocolate layer). My mom orders a cake every year from a home baker that is our Jesus’s Birthday cake. Would love to know how to make it. It is 14 super thin cake layers with chocolate fudge icing. I should send you a picture
Merry Christmas!
I love that Lowe’s story too. So glad I am a shopper! I have never ever heard of One Magic Christmas. Please share more about it.
Love your little elves! I have been through several door locks for levers. I currently have the Safety 1st one you have and they’ve worked. I also had this lock, http://www.target.com/p/safety-1st-prograde-lever-handle-lock/-/A-10998382?ref=tgt_adv_XS000000&AFID=google_pla_df&CPNG=PLA_Baby+Shopping&adgroup=SC_Baby&LID=700000001170770pgs&network=s&device=m&location=9005849&gclid=CjwKEAiAvs7CBRC24rao6bGCoiASJABaCt5DYSERtHY8I5NmqSKsxEkLfdezLBGosDkTilHiFPOywBoC8uLw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds. However, you need to use a sticky backing on it, and for high traffic doors, it kept coming off or the mechanism would stick, leaving me unable to open the door. It also left a nasty, sticky ring and ripped the paint from my doors.
Auntie Mary’s cookies have been my family’s favorite for decades. This is the same recipe my mother uses, but we also frost them with buttercream and decorate with sprinkles:
http://www.cooks.com/recipe/r19wl33u/auntie-marys-cookies.html
My son, now 11 (!), had spiky hair as an infant. You know the military cadence, “I don’t know, but I’ve been told'” that soldiers sing while jogging with fully laden backpacks? I used to sing to him, “I don’t know, but I don’t care. I have lots of stick up hair.” Did it mostly to amuse his older sisters. :) Thanks for allowing me the trip down memory lane…Speaking of which, I love Mexican wedding cookies or snowballs as my family called them. I prefer them without a ton of powdered sugar, They’re delicious plain, and pecans are my favorite nut for them. One recent year i didn’t have almond flour on hand so I made some. That was tedious. My mom didn’t use almond flour in hers but I love the extra flavor. Also am a sucker for the thumbprint cookies made with Hershey’s kisses. Merry Christmas!
I made your italian walnut pillows this year for my cookie trays and let me tell you, they are a HIT! I think they will be a new regular!! The other new cookie I tried this year is the chocolate covered cherry cookie, they are quite yummy as well.
Fabulous photos of the boys and Duke.
My favourite Christmas food is Nanaimo Bars. I’m a Canadian transplanted to Australia and I do miss these as well as Butter Tarts (unless I make them) which I won’t this year as I’ve just had bilateral knee replacements 1 month ago. No baking for me for awhile or anything that requires standing in one place. One of my more recent Christmas faves is your Maple Walnut Fudge. It’s now my hairdresser’s and my staff’s fave too. Soooooo good!
My favourite Christmas movies include The Grinch (cartoon version) and Home Alone. I could watch it a million times!
Happy Christmas Michelle, your posts bring regular joy throughout the year.
Chocolate babka is a sweet sound to these ears. Just last week I started craving chocolate marble pound cake. I’m warming the oven as I type!
It wouldn’t be Christmas in our house without my Aunt’s Snickerdoodles or her Peanut Butter Balls, especially the PB Balls:
2 1/4 cups peanut butter (smooth)
1 /2 cup butter(1 stick), melted and cooled
3 cups Rice Krispies
1 LB powdered sugar
Pinch salt
24 oz. chocolate chips(2 bags semi sweet)
Mix all except chocolate chips. Roll into 1″ balls. Place balls on parchment lined sheet and freeze.
Melt chocolate chips in double boiler. Dip frozen balls in chocolate and place on parchment lined sheet. Refrigerate or freeze until set.
Yummy!!!!! I put the frozen balls in a tin and leave them in my freezer. They don’t last long!
oooh I make these but without the rice crispies…gotta try these next time!!!
In addition to my mom’s sugar cookies I love Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cookies. They are really simple- just chocolate chip cookie dough and Reese’s cups! You bake the cookie dough for a bit in a mini muffin pan and then add Reese’s cups..bake a few minutes more and then they are done! Nothing fancy, but delicious for sure!
Dominic’s spiky hair is so cute!! And Joseph is the BEST big brother. Glad to see a picture of Duke, he makes me smile. My husband passed in February and while we were married, we did not really have any traditions, we just played it by ear every year for 39 years. From my childhood though, it wasn’t Christmas unless my Aunt Leia made anise cookies and Pizzelles. She made them for every family, and one year she allowed my sister and I to help. I plan to make Pizzelles this year for the few people that might like them. Not too many people like the flavor of anise. Once I had a recipe for orange ones, do you happen to have a recipe that includes orange or lemon?? Merry Christmas.
My nona made her pizzelles subbing almond extract instead of anise (no one liked anise either). The recipe has vanilla as well and they are delicious. I’ll be making them for our family again this year. I’m sure you could substitute lemon or orange extract.
Love all the cute pics of your kids and Duke! I love One Magic Christmas too but my favorite is It’s a Wonderful Life.
I have never been a fan of Anise Pizzelles so I always make Lemon/Orange ones. I got this recipe from a coworker at my first job out of college (way back in the mid 80’s ?) and have been making them ever since. This is the only recipe I make with Margarine as that it how the recipe was written. I have made them with butter and they just were not the same. I usually double the recipe and use a bottle each of the extracts.
6 Eggs
3 Cups Flour
1-1/4 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Margarine – melted and cooled
1 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 bottle Lemon Extract*
1/2 bottle Orange Extract*
*1 fl ounce bottle of extract
Sift flour and baking powder; set aside. Beat eggs. Gradually add sugar mixing well. Add cooled margarine to egg mixture along with extracts. Add flour mixture gradually mixing well after each addition. Spoon 1 tsp onto heated iron and bake approximately 30 seconds.
Enjoy!
Hi Leia, I am so sorry about your husband’s passing, you have my deepest condolences. I don’t have a recipe for orange or lemon pizzelles, but many people in my family don’t like anise either, so my grandma always used a combination of vanilla and butternut flavoring. My sister does a combination of vanilla and almond extract (but I don’t like almond extract!).