I swear I’m not on strike, though! I’m just waiting for my energy to return, and for some lingering nausea to subside.

What’s that? Oh, yes… we’re expecting our second child! I’m due September 9.

I found out on New Year’s Day and within a few days, my life was turned upside down thanks to debilitating nausea and exhaustion. First trimester is no joke, folks! I’ve finally found a magic cocktail that helped with the nausea and vomiting, and now I’m just waiting to regain some of my lost energy. My house is a disaster area. I live in yoga pants and camisole tops. And we’ve already covered my family’s current diet.

I’ll be back to normal soon, though! I have hope! I’m just past 12 weeks and coming up on second trimester, which is when things should get even better. Or so they say!

I admit that I’m cheating, but here’s a wrap up of the 10 Day You Challenge.

Six Places ~ I long to see…
1. Italy
2. France
3. California
4. Hawaii
5. Australia
6. (nerd alert!) The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Five Foods ~ That I want to master in 2012.
1. Flour Tortillas
2. Buttermilk Biscuits
3. French Macarons
4. Pastry Cream
5. Naan

Four Books ~ That I couldn’t finish…
1. The Mermaid Chair, Sue Monk Kidd
2. Love Walked In, Marisa de los Santos
3. Austenland, Shannon Hale
4. Lipstick Jungle, Candace Bushnell

Three Films That I loved in 2011…
1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part II
2. The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo
3. The Help

Two Songs That I can’t get out of my head…
1. Dominick the Italian Donkey
2. Moves Like Jagger, Maroon 5

One Picture of Myself

Our Christmas card

Our three kitties! Luna, Minerva, Raven

Depending upon when you’re reading this, I could be doing any number of things:
1. Watching my daughter open her presents and stocking
2. Watching the cats attack the wrapping paper
3. Enjoying brunch with my Mom’s side of the family, noshing on killer egg casserole and chicken salad
4. Groaning because I ate too much
5. Playing games with the family, laughing hysterically ’cause we are some seriously funny peoples
6. Eating cookies
7. Groaning because I ate too many cookies
8. Basking in the warm glow that family time brings me
9. Passed out

No matter where I am or what I’m doing, I know I’ll be having an absolutely delightful day cloaked in love and gratitude. I hope you’re doing the same, and I’m wishing you the best this holiday season!

Some of my favorite ornaments

The husband and daughter topping the tree

My kitchen decor plus card display

Gingerbread House Night at school

Holiday Program Night at school

And finally, Luna, the latest addition to our family! In early December I took a trip to the local humane society to drop off some donations, and while there, made the unwise decision to visit all the animals. My heart broke for those sweet babies in cages and pens, eager to love and be a part of some family’s home. If I could, I’d take them all, especially the kitties!

This particular girl, named Iman at the time, caught my eye immediately. You may have noticed from the first image in this post that I have an affinity for tuxedo cats? She was the only tuxedo there that day, and as I opened the cage to pet her, she immediately began purring and loving on me. By the time I left an hour later, I was head-over-heels in love with her and sending pictures to my husband. Later that night he said “so, when are you bringing her home?” and I squee-ed and flailed in delight.

The next day I took my husband and daughter with me to meet her, and we came home with her that afternoon. Adding her to our 2 cat household was an adventure, as our Raven-girl is quite territorial and has spent a lot of time growling and hissing. Minerva wasn’t too sure at first either, but he’s slowly come around. As for Luna, she made herself at home right away and spends a lot of time next to me or on me. At night she sleeps with my husband and I, often right between us or on our pillows. She’s playful, silly, fearless, and so very friendly that one can’t help but adore her. I am so glad I found her at the humane society, and I feel lucky to call her a part of our family.

I was going to give thumprint cookies a shot last year, but they were a casualty of the annual Too Many Cookies, Not Enough Time struggle, during which I shed items from my list and hope to get back to them another time. This was the time!

I stumbled upon a Raspberry Almond Thumbprint recipe that sounded like a delicious starting point, but I knew I’d want to change it up a bit. I’m not a fan of almonds or almond flavoring, so I intended to switch to vanilla extract. And raspberries are delicious, but strawberries are my favorite, so I wanted to change up the jam flavor.

I ended up making a double batch of these and once my husband starting munching on them, and couldn’t stop, I was glad I’d made that choice! This is a great basic recipe that you can easily switch to fit your desired flavor profile. My husband suggested the Nutella drizzle, and it’s an incredible accompaniment to the cookie!

Strawberry Nutella Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies
Adapted from Bakergirl, who lists the source as Sunset Magazine, December 1998

2/3 cup sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup strawberry jam
Nutella, chocolate, or basic glaze – optional

In a large bowl, beat together sugar, butter, and vanilla extract until fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and gradually add the flour. Beat until thoroughly combined, about 2-3 minutes.

Cover and chill the dough for at least 1 hour. (Mine was refrigerated for 2 full days and had to be softened a bit at room temp to work with it, but it was fine otherwise!

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350*.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place 2-inches apart on foil, parchment, or Silpat-lined cookie sheets. Use thumb to make indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill the indentation with about 1/4 teaspoon of jam.

Bake for 14-18 minutes or until the edges begin to brown. Allow cookies to stand on sheets 1-2 minutes, then remove to wire racks and allow to cool completely. If desired, drizzle with melted chocolate, Nutella, or a basic glaze.

Oreo Truffles are like magic. They’re comprised of three ingredients, couldn’t be easier, and are like crack. They are So.Good.

But I hate making them. I don’t own a food processor, so crushing a package of Oreos to a fine crumb is an exercise in frustration. Beating the crap out of them with a rolling pin is cathartic, but the Ziploc bag inevitably splits and I still can’t get them as fine as they need to be. This year I grabbed our coffee grinder after crushing them in the Ziploc bag, and rant hem through there in very small batches until the consistency was what I was looking for. By that point I had Oreo crumbs all over my kitchen and myself.

I’m not making these endearing, am I? Please re-read the deliciousness claimed above. They really are delicious, and if you have a food processor (or can borrow one!), you won’t have the aggravation that I did!

Grasshopper Truffles were a variation on the standard Oreo Truffles that I made with my chocolate-mint-loving-husband in mind. The Turtle Pretzels were something I’ve seen a few times and were too easy to pass up, plus my sister loves turtle candies, so I knew she’d dig these at Christmas brunch.

Oreo Truffles
Adapted from Kraft

8 oz cream cheese, softened
16.6 oz Oreo cookies, finely crushed
16 oz of melted chocolate or candy melts

Mix softened cream cheese and cookie crumbs until well blended – no more streaks of cream cheese should appear in the mixture. I’ve tried this with various utensils but always come back to using my hands – it’s messy, but far more effective.

Shape into 48 1-inch balls, placing on wax (or foil or parchment) lined cookie sheet. Pop into freezer for at least 60 minutes to firm up. When ready, melt chocolate or candy melts and dip truffles, placing back on lined sheet. If desired, decorate with sprinkles, non-pareils, drizzled chocolate in contrasting colors, etc. Refrigerate for at least an hour to firm up coating.

Store truffles in sealed container in the refrigerator.

Grasshopper Truffles
Adapted from Confessions of a Cookbook Queen, who adapted the original Kraft recipe

9 oz box of Thin Mints or Keebler Grasshopper Cookies, finely crushed
4 oz cream cheese, softened
Dark chocolate almond bark or dark chocolate candy melts (I used green because I had it and it’s festive, but dark chocolate would definitely be better!)

Mix softened cream cheese with crushed cookies until no streaks of cream cheese remain. Again, using your hand will be the quickest route.

Roll into 24 1-inch balls, placing on a wax (or foil or parchment) lined baking sheet. Freeze for 60 minutes until firm.

Melt chocolate or candy melts, dip truffles, decorate if desired, and then refrigerate or freeze until set.

Turtle Pretzels
Adapted from AllRecipes

Small twisted or wheel-shaped salted pretzels
Rolo candies, unwrapped
Pecan halves

Preheat oven to 300*. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or foil. Go through pecan halves and weed out broken pieces – it will save you time later.

Place pretzels in a single layer on cookie sheet and top each one with a Rolo. Bake for 4 minutes. Immediately upon removal from the oven, press a single pecan half on top of each now-softened Rolo. Cool completely (pop in refrigerator of your home is warm) before storing.

*Amount of ingredients needed depends upon how many candies you wish to make. My bags of Rolos averaged 52 candies each. I used 3 bags of candies, one standard bag of pretzels and one 4-cup (large) bag of pecan halves. I had pretzels and pecans left over.

This recipe has two big things going for it: it’s SO easy to make (the other recipe requires a lot of time stirring at the stove) and it’s creamier! It’s just like the peanut butter fudge I get on vacation, and being able to make it at home is both a blessing and a curse. After I made the first batch I immediately made two more batches so that I could gift this fudge far and wide – it’s just that incredible!

Peanut Butter Fudge
Adapted from Annie’s Eats, who credits Alton Brown

8 oz. unsalted butter, plus more for greasing pan
1 cup creamy peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
16 oz. confectioners’ sugar

Line an 8×8-inch baking dish with foil or parchment paper, then lightly grease with butter.

In a medium-sized microwave-safe bowl, combine butter and peanut butter. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Remove, stir, and microwave for 1 minute. Repeat, microwaving for 1 minute more.

Note: Annie calls for two 2-minute sessions in the microwave, but I had issues with the mixture boiling over because my bowl was too small. Just watch it and do what works best for you.

To the now-melted peanut butter and butter mixture, add confectioners’ sugar and vanilla extract. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until the mixture has evenly combined and no white from the sugar remains. It will be thick and no longer shiny.

Pour mixture into the prepared pan and spread into an even layer, smoothing as you go. Top with another piece of parchment or foil and refrigerate at least 2 hours. Use a sharp knife to cut into 64 1-inch pieces.

Fudge will keep for up to 1 week in airtight containers.

In addition to decorating, sending holiday cards, and shopping for presents, I’ve spent a lot of time in the kitchen. As always, my To Make list dwindled as I was baking and began to lose steam, but I’m thrilled with everything I’ve made so far this season.

This first cookie is a new one to me, and it embodies one of the classic flavors of winter: peppermint! The cookies themselves are a basic sugary-buttery confection that’s brightened up with some peppermint extract and crushed candy canes (or, in the case of my batch, crushed peppermints). The cooled cookies are then drizzled with a sweet glaze and sprinkled with some more crushed mints. A rich dark chocolate drizzle would probably pair well, too, if you’re so inclined! Chocolate+peppermint=yumtastic.

Candy Cane Snowballs
Adapted from Cooking During Stolen Moments

3 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon peppermint extract (can replace with more vanilla if desired)
1 egg
3 cups flour
1 Tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cups finely crushed candy canes or peppermints, divided
2-3 Tablespoons milk

Preheat oven to 350*. Line cookie sheets with foil, parchment, or a Silpat and set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and the butter until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Add the extract(s) and egg, and beat until the dough is thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add to the mixing bowl in increments, beating until thoroughly combined. By hand, mix in 1/2 cup of crushed candy canes.

Roll dough into small balls, about 1 teaspoon of dough each. Bake for 10-12 minutes, then cool completely on wire racks.

Once the cookies are cool, stir together remaining 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar with 2 Tablespoons of milk. You’re looking for the consistency of a thick glaze, so if needed, add more by the 1/2 Tablespoon until the desired consistency is reached. Drizzle glaze over cookies, then sprinkle with remaining crushed candy canes immediately.

Our Thanksgiving meals are heavy on tradition. We eat Stove Top and canned-food-galore green bean casserole, and we don’t want people fancying them up or messing with them. It’s foodie blasphemy, but then again, we don’t claim to be foodies. We like the things we like! But I do like the chance to try new dishes now and then, and I look at family get togethers and parties as the perfect opportunity to dig into my files and find something fun, decadent, or both.

I’m not a huge fan of standard pies – pumpkin, apple, peach. I’ll pass if those are my options. So when I was deciding on my contributions to Thanksgiving dinner, I decided to try to find something that was a fun twist on the standards (which would be provided by others in attendance). It’s no surprise that I found what I was looking for in the wealth of deliciousness over at Annie’s Eats.

This pie is delicious and decadent, and a nice improvement on the standard apple pie that we see everywhere in the fall and winter months. There are multiple parts, but it came together easily and it was all worth it in the end. My family loved it, and I can easily see myself making this again in the future.

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Pie
Adapted from Annie’s Eats

1½ cups graham cracker crumbs
3 tbsp. sugar
½ tsp. cinnamon
5 1/3 tbsp. unsalted butter, melted
½-¾ cup caramel (Annie has a recipe for homemade; I used store-bought without complaint)
5 tbsp. unsalted butter
½ cup light brown sugar, tightly packed
¼ tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
5-6 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
8 oz. cream cheese
¼ cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice
¾ cup heavy cream
3-4 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
½ cup caramel

To make the crust
Preheat the oven to 375*. Line the bottom of a 9-inch round Springform pan with parchment paper and set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracked crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter, tossing with a fork until the crumbs are moistened and evenly mixed. Pour mixture into the prepared Springform pan and press the crumbs into an even layer across the bottom and about halfway up the sides of the pan.

Bake for 6-8 minutes, until golden in color. Allow to cool for 10 minutes. Pour a layer of caramel into the bottom of the crust and refrigerate while you prepare the filling.

To make the apple filling
Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Mix in brown sugar, salt, and cinnamon, and cook for 1 minute until bubbling. Mix in apple slices, tossing well to coat with the butter mixture. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until the apples are tender and most of the liquid has been reduced – about 15-20 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes, pour into prepared crust, set aside.

Reduce the heat of the oven to 350° F.

To make the cheesecake layer
Combine cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl and beat until smooth, about 1 minute. Add the vanilla, egg, and lemon juice until smooth and incorporated. Spread the cheesecake filling over the cooked apples in an even layer. Bake the pie until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-40 minutes.

Place pie, sill in pan, on a wire rack and allow to cool to room temperature (this may take awhile – leave yourself plenty of time!). Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving. When ready to serve, remove the sides of the Springform pan.

Using the whisk attachment of your electric mixer, beat the heavy cream and confectioners’ sugar on medium-high until stiff peaks form, being careful not to over-beat. Spread the whipped cream over top of the chilled pie. Top with dollops of caramel and swirl with a knife to create a marbled effect. Slice with a long thin knife.

Sign-ups began and I didn’t even hesitate to throw my hat into the ring, one of over SIX HUNDRED people who joined what is bound to have been the biggest cookie swap ever. We each vowed to make 3 dozen cookies, sending 1 dozen to each of our 3 matches, which were coordinated and distributed by Lindsey and Julie. My 3 lovely matches were Tiffany from A Clove of Garlic, a Pinch of Salt; Jen from My Kitchen Addiction; and Darla of Bakingdom. Sadly, two of my lovely ladies have yet to receive the packages I sent off to them, but I’m hoping they’ll show up ASAP.

I’ve been lucky enough to receive cookies from Naturally Ella and Carly Klock so far, and the third batch seems to be lost in the wind. The post office says it was delivered, but I’ve not actually received them yet. Ah, the postal services and the holidays. What a mess! I hope the delicious-sounding biscotti from Mercer and Sage show up soon!

Delivery issues aside, the entire cookie swap has been an absolute blast and I’m eager to participate again next year. I’ll make different shipping choices, but otherwise, it seemed as though everything has gone off without a hitch – an impressive feat when you’re talking about 22,000 cookies winging their way across the country! If you’d like to participate in next year’s swap, please head here to sign up for the mailing list and you’ll be notified when Cookie Swap 2012 begins to gear up. I hope to see you there!

Now… about those cookies I made for the swap? Well. I didn’t make them. Not exactly.

You see, I have a terrible procrastination problem. Ask my mother, who often found me frantically finishing a class project the morning it was due, and threw her hands up in utter exasperation at my inability to begin my work earlier. So, in true procrastinator fashion, I’d put off making my cookies until the last moment and, of course, I got sick. I had horrible congestion and a cough and the idea of digging my hands into cookies that were going to others was horrifying to me.

The answer to my problem? Sous chefs.

My husband went to the store, bought all of the supplies, and then with our daughter, mixed up the dough and made the balls for baking. He was so very patient with her and she was utterly delighted to be able to help in the kitchen.

They did an incredible job, banging out a double batch of cookies that I could then bake and cool, and later, with LOTS of hand-washing, I assure you, package up for shipping to my recipients. Thanks to the congestion, I didn’t actually get to taste these cookies, which bothered me a great deal, but my husband swears that they were tasty!

Chocolate Cake Reese’s Peanut Butter Chunk Cookies
Adapted from Picky Palate

1 box devils food cake mix
8-10 Tablespoons butter, melted
1 large egg
2 cups chocolate chips
25 mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, crumbled (unwrap, stick in a Ziploc, and using your fingers, crumble them – you want big chunks)

Preheat oven to 350*. Line a large baking sheet with parchment or a Silpat and set aside.

Place all ingredients into a large bowl and mix until combined. Use 8 Tablespoons of melted butter to begin with, and add more if the dough seems too dry and crumbly. This is a very thick dough, and mixing by hand will be messier, but so much easier.

Using a scoop or your best guesstimate by hand, measure out your cookie blobs and place onto sheet about 1 inch apart – they will spread! Use your fingers to press the dough ball down a bit before baking.

Bake for 13-15 minutes until cooked through. Allow cookies to rest for 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring to cooling rack.

Makes 3 dozen cookies

2. The Complete Friday Night Lights Series DVDs – I fell in love with FNL this year, devouring all five seasons in a matter of weeks, and I’m ready to watch it all over again!

3. Swarovski Large Harley Earrings – I’ve been on the hunt for a lovely, simply, day-to-day bit o’ bling to wear in my ears, and have finally found something that I love. I saw these in person in the Swarovski store and immediately fell head-over-heels! As a bonus, they’re half the cost of the other pair I was eying up elsewhere!

4. OPI “Warm & Fozzie” Polish – I don’t know why I love this color so much, but it caught my eye the moment I saw the preview for “The Muppets” polish collection by OPI. There are a slew of other colors I’d like from the same collection, but this one’s definitely top of the list.

5. Outlander 20th Anniversary Edition – The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon is in my top 5 favorite books that I’ve ever read (I cheat and lump the series together), and I’ve read a lot of books. This year marked the 20th anniversary of the first book in the series, and to commemorate, this special hardcover was released.

6. Fold Over Cuff Boot – I was in Lane Bryant recently and overheard a woman in the shoe section raving about some shoes she was trying on that “felt like slippers!” I was intrigued, since I’m all about comfort in my shoes (a stiletto girl, I am not), I meandered my way over to check it out. She had a pair of these boots on her feet and raved about them, so I snagged a pair in grey and tried them on… and I was sold. Literally. I left with them and have worn them more often than not since that day! I need the black ones to round out my closet.

7. Paterson White Desk from Crate & Barrel – I’ve had this on my wish list for over a year now, but the price has prevented it from becoming mine. It’s the perfect desk for the vanity I long to have in my bedroom, and I have yet to find anything else that comes close. The height is ideal, the area is perfect, even the slim drawer is great for storing makeup. Here’s hoping that someday it will be mine.