This is the journal of my endeavours to grow a range of fruit, veg and flowers from seed, grow organically, and my attempts to create a personal paradise with 1/2 acre of maintained gardens and 1/2 acre wild meadows. Northern Ireland's average daily high temperatures are 18 °C (64 °F) in July and 6 °C (43 °F) in January. Soil type: Clay

Saturday 25 December 2010

Happy Christmas goodies

What to do when the ground is frozen and its the holidays...

Here's what I've been up to...

Making gingerbread houses is loads of fun especially with kids! The icing is confectioner's sugar (icing sugar) mixed with a little water & it makes a great edible 'glue'.
These were pre-bought kits that get assembled - an entire village of five little buildings. So much fun!
This is one of the little houses that came in the gingerbread house kit.
Also on the agenda this week, by popular demand (my brother loves these) - peppermint bark. Just melt white chocolate, drop it onto wax paper in cookie shapes and top with crushed candy canes. Let harden and enjoy. Quite nice!
One of my favourite treats - pretzel sticks dipped in white chocolate and topped with festive sprinkles. Again, so easy to make. Pretzels don't seem to be very popular in the UK but Americans seem to love pretzels, I know I do - and even better dipped in chocolate!
Another holiday favourite - making sugar cookies. This is a Bettery Crocker recipe. It's so fun to cut the dough into different festive shapes. The kids love helping.
Sugar cookies baked and ready to decorate.
This is where the fun really begins. Icing sugar is so yummy and a tiny drop of food colouring makes the colours. Sprinkles of choice!
They taste yummy and Santa seems to enjoy them!

Did you know.. In the UK we eat on average of 9,000 calories on Christmas day! Might as well enjoy the cookies too!

Happy Holidays, Happy New Year!
& Happy Blogging!

5 comments:

  1. I see evidence of the family heritage here! Looks like you had some fun with that icing...
    I probably DID eat 9000 calories yesterday - it certainly felt like it.

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  2. Wow, all that sugar! Bet it tasted good, tho. I think my 9000 calories came on Boxing Day - think I was too busy cooking on Christmas Day to eat much!

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  3. Kelli; Have you got water? We have been hearing all sorts of dire stories about the problems with water supply in NI.

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  4. Looks like you've been having lots of fun. We've had those gingerbread houses here before, the kids enjoyed decorating them. Hope your water supply is ok, it looks horrendous on the news in N.I. at the moment, I sincerely hope you're not one of the unfortunate ones. Happy New Year, Kelli. Wishing you a happy and healthy 2011.

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  5. Unfortunately we have had some water problems and a bit of flooding from a burst pipe. Hope it will all be sorted very soon. Snow/cold weather looks pretty... but causes alot of problems.

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