Tag Archives: peppermint

Under The Mistletoe

Just wanted to pop in and share a cute holiday gift that I’ve been working on ~ Mistletoe Survival Kits.

I’ve been hoarding all things candy cane & peppermint for the past couple months.

Last year I saw this cute idea and wanted to put my own spin on it to give as gifts this year.

mint

Each kit will include about 4 of the goodies shown and will be nestled in a small gift bag.

The majority of these things were only about a dollar so this makes a nice, inexpensive little gift.

1. Candy Cane Green Tea ~ Trader Joe’s

2. Socks ~ Target

3. Mug on the left ~ 99¢ Only

4. Mint Chocolate Chip mask ~ Wal-mart

5. “Pur” gum ~ Albertson’s

6. Mug on lower right ~ Dollar Tree

7. Ghiradelli peppermint hot chocolate mix ~ Wal-mart

8. Minta soda ~ Ralphs

9. Peppermint hot cocoa spoon ~ Wal-mart

10. Candy Cane Chapstick ~ Wal-mart

11. Candy Cane mini Oreos ~ Wal-mart

12. Peppermint tissue paper ~ Dollar Tree

Not pictured: EOS sweet mint lip balm and LUNA minis in Chocolate Peppermint Stick {both from Target}.

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These will make sweet gifts for teachers, aides, hairstylists, babysitters, etc.

Now off to make my Thanksgiving shopping list ~ less than a week away.

Happy Friday!

Peppermint Dreams

Hello!

Is all your holiday baking done, packaged up all pretty and ready to be delivered?

We still owe some of the special people in our lives some sweet goodies so we’ll be cranking out more confections and delivering them until the eleventh hour, that’s for sure.

Earlier this week I made some Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars for the teachers, office staff and yard duties {if there is a newer more politically correct term, please share…I feel like [yard duty] is the equivalent of [stewardess] which we now call flight attendants}.

I packaged them up as the {nice} counterpart to the {naughty} Oreo lumps of coal.

It’s no secret that over this year I have made several batches of sugar cookie bars. I did make the pumpkin spice version this Fall and was underwhelmed. BUT, this festive candy cane version with peppermint buttercream is to-die-for.

 

Peppermint Sugar Cookie Bars

 

{via The Busty Baker}

sugarcookie

Cookies:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup crushed or chopped after-dinner butter mints {used Ralphs brand and only included the white, pink and green ones in the batter ~ sorry yellow!}

Frosting:
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
½ teaspoon peppermint extract
Pinch of salt
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 to 4 tablespoons milk
Food coloring, if desired {I used just 2 drops of red}
½ cup crushed peppermints or candy canes {processed in my Cuisinart}

1. Preheat oven to 375F. Grease a large 11X17-inch rimmed baking sheet. Line with parchment paper and grease paper as well; set aside. {I just used a flat cookie sheet lined with parchment paper}
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add in vanilla. Add in flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Stir in butter mints.
4. Spread batter evenly onto prepared baking sheet, smoothing top. Bake until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 to 25 minutes. {I baked mine for 18 minutes, turned off the oven and left them in for 2  more minutes. You don’t want to overcook these…they get too dry, in my opinion} Transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
5. While cookie is cooling, make frosting; in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add peppermint extract and salt. Add confectioners’ sugar, a little at a time, beating until well combined. Add milk, a tablespoon at a time, until frosting is smooth and fluffy. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired.
6. Spread frosting over cooled cookie, sprinkle with crushed peppermints, then cut into bars. {I like to cut them into triangles}

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If you like all things peppermint, you NEED to make these. I love the pastel colored mints running through the bars…not to mention the light pink buttercream peppered with crushed candy canes!

You will dream about these….

Promise.

List Making, Etc.

Hello friends and Happy Wednesday!

I don’t know about you, but I have several lists going on right now…

1. Next week’s grocery list

2. Thanksgiving Day grocery list

3. List of holiday goodies to bake

4. List of folks to deliver the holiday goodies to

5. List of gifts to buy and send

Etc.

I’m a list making fool these days.

Trying to pin down the treats I’m going to make this year for neighbors, teachers, office ladies, yard duties, lunch ladies, pediatrician’s office…

Etc.

I think I’ve come up with a few contenders and I wanted to share them with you in case you have NO idea what to bake, either…

{cake batter fudge}

With red, green & white nonpareils, of course!

 {lumps of coal ~ no-bake Oreo/marshmallow bars}

Not that anyone has been bad this year…..

{peppermint sugar cookie bars}

And you KNOW I’m going to make these!

How’s that for narrowing down all the gazillions of holiday treats on Pinterest?

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Have you entered my blogiversary giveaway yet? Tomorrow night at midnight is the cut-off, so please take a peek and enter before it’s too late!

Have a wonderful, blessed, productive, {Etc.} day!

XO

Smells Like Christmas!

I’m like a big candy cane during this time of year. If it’s labeled “peppermint”, I’m in. Sign me up. All over it.

I’ve been loving my cheap Suave Peppermint Bliss shower gel, Coffeemate Peppermint Mocha creamer and Yankee Cranberry Peppermint candle.

This morning, after all my errands were run, I treated myself to my first CBTL Peppermint Ice Blended of the season. I didn’t think about the caloric intake, I just delighted in every sip that came up the trademark purple straw! Ahhh, pure joy!

peppermint

This afternoon I made espresso brownies for Jay’s work potluck tomorrow.

No, there’s no mint involved, but these are beyond good. That’s all I will say. You should really see for yourself!

Here are the ingredients:

before

Here is the final yumminess:

after

Here is the recipe:
Espresso Brownies

Perhaps next week I will try these:
Peppermint Brownies

…with crushed candy canes on top, of course!