10 Yummy Holiday Treats

I think my favorite part of Christmas is all the yummy treats! So here are 10 of my favorite treats and links to their recipes!

10. Bits and Bites - I think this is my favorite holiday treat! We only make them at Christmastime, so all year I wait for them. Our recipe is a little bit different than this one: www.north-pole-christmas.com/archives/17-Bits-and-Bites.html We don't use warchestershire sauce or corn bran. We also add crispex, pretzels and cheese nips.

9. Shortbread cookies - These are yummy dipped in chocolate, or put a piece of cherry on top! www.joyofbaking.com/shortbreads/shortbreadcookies.html

8. Chocolate covered pretzels - SO ESAY. All you have to do is get a bag or pretzels, and a bag of milk chocolate chips. Melt the chocolate chips using a double boiler. Then dip the pretzels in the chocolate. Lay them on a baking sheet (with parchment paper on it) then once all are covered in chocolate put the pans in the freezer! So easy, so yummy!

7. Moosemilk - I got this one from my friend Joel, his grandfather makes it and it sounds delicious! A couple scoops of vanilla ice cream, add some milk and rum! Sounds yummy!

6. Chocolate truffles - I LOVE truffles. My affair with them started last Christmas when Mom brought some home from work. I've found a great recipe for them, so we can all make them at home! www.joyofbaking.com/ChocolateTruffles.html

5. Gingerbread - Gingerbread men, gingerbread house! I love gingerbread cookies! They're so fun to decorate and eat! allrecipes.com/Recipe/Gingerbread-Cookies-I/Detail.asp

4. Granny's Sugar Cookies - Coming soon.

3. Carmel corn - My sister loves carmel corn. We'll make it, and then eat it right away, it doesn't stay in the house for long! Here's a great recipe: www.scan-taly.com/recipe-19.php

2. Skor bars - My mom makes these a Christmastime and I absolutely LOVE them! They're delicious!! Here is the recipe:
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1 1/2 cup of chocolate chips
soda crackers (approx. 34)

Method: Grease cookie sheet. Line with soda crackers.
In a pot bring sugar and butter to a boil. Stir until sugar has dissolved and mixture has thickened. Pour over crackers.
Bake 350 degrees for 8-10 minutes
Sprinkle on chocolate chips
Wait 5 mins and then spread with spoon.
Freeze one hour
Break and serve

Note: Soda crackers will be liquidy and bubbly when removed from oven.

1. Chocolate mice - Again another holiday favorite made by my mama
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup coconut
1/4 cup softened margarine
2 cup rice crispies
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Square of parafin wax
Semi-sweet chocolate

Method: Mix together first set of ingredients.
Roll balls. Melt square of parafin wax, low heat. Add semi-sweet chocolate, melt.
Dip refrigerated balls into melted chocolate.
Place on greased pan.
Cool.


Honorable mention - Chocolate chip cookies. These are my dad and boyfriend's favorites! Who doesn't like a good ol' chocolate cookie, its always a safe bet!

If I can make these, so can you!

But... if you insist on buying, here are 10 great treats available in stores:
1. Candy Canes (not just classic red and white, but all the special colours too!)
2. Lindor chocolates
3. Turtles
4. Pot of Gold
5. Christmas Mini Eggs
6. Nut mix (ones you have to crack yourself)
7. Toblerone
8. Quality Street
9. Ferrero Roche
10. Life Saver Story Books! (Got these from Santa in my stocking for YEARS!)

Hope you enjoy my Christmas treats as much as I do!!

10 Ways to Spread Holiday Cheer

Hanukkah has started and Christmas is just around the corner! It's time to spread some holiday cheer. I have ten great ways to do just that!

10. Customize your voice mail - I did this for my parent's answering machine at home. It's super easy. Have a Christmas song you like playing and play a little bit of it at the start then say your message (Thank you for calling the Jones, we're not...) and at the end play a bit more of the song! So even when you're not available you can still spread some holiday cheer!
9. Decorate the office or your cubical - If you have your office decorated (or even your cubical) it will get others, as well as yourself, in the Christmas spirit!
8. Always have Candy Canes on hand - Have a bowel of candy canes by your front door, in a mug in your office and in a baggie in your purse! Eat them yourself and offer them to clients or guests at your home!
7. Buy an extra gift or toy - Get an extra gift while you are out shopping and give it to an Angel Tree or a Holiday Toy Drive to help make a child's Christmas extra special!
6. Carry around a pocketful of change - Have extra change to drop in the Salvation Army's Christmas campaign bucket. It feels so great to know you're helping out plus the person collecting will really appreciate your donation.
5. Give small gifts to those who provide services - Give a card or some cookies to your mailman, garbage collectors or the neighbor's kid who always offers to shovel your driveway. It makes those people know they're appreciated all year around.
4. Get your friends together to do a food drive or donate to a local food drive - Donate non-perishable food items or money for the organizations to buy turkeys and other Christmas foods. Knowing that you will be helping a local family will give you a warm feeling that goes right to your toes!
3. Send a Christmas card to family and friends - Customize a holiday card from your family! Take a family Christmas picture, or send a special card to your family and friends. The people from away will love seeing your family picture and hearing what you've been up to the past little bit is nice too!
2. Bake Christmas cookies and give them to friends and neighbors - When giving out your local family, friends and neighbor's Christmas cards bake some extra cookies. You can ask your children to help you bake them or your partner, its a fun way to get all Christmasy!
1. The best way to spread holiday cheer is singing loud for all to hear - Just like they say on Elf. Sing Christmas carols, put on Christmas music in the car or at your home. It will be sure to get you in the holiday spirit!

Now that you have all these ideas get to it! Start spreading some holiday cheer!
Happy Holidays!!

10 Good Ways to Procrastinate for Exams

We all do it. I am talking about procrastinating for those G.D. exams! You're probably thinking, good procrastinating? Well we all get stressed out, so if we're going to procrastinate then it might as well be something that helps you de-stress.
So I thought I would come up with some ways to procrastinate that will -- in the long run-- help you with your studying!

1. Blog - Obviously. Blogging is a good way to get your thoughts out. Plus you can set a limit for yourself. "After I write this I will go back to studying." If you are stressed out about exams, write about them!

2. Make a healthy snack - According to the University of Kansas Medical Centre eating a healthy snack that includes protein - such as cheese or nuts - will help energizer you! Then you will be more energetic and ready to get back to studying.

3. Stretch - Visit www.nwhealth.edu/healthyU/getmoving/officewo.html for a "mini office workout", which we'll call a mini study break workout!

4. Watch Ellen - She always makes me laugh! She'll make you laugh too. Or watch a show that you love. Limit it to one show and not a move, nothing longer than an hour. If you watch an entire movie you may get lazy and not want to get back to work. Laughing is a good stress reliever; you can study on the commercials if you're a keener! Once the show is over you can get back to studying.

5. Clean - Sounds like a drag I know. But if you clean up your study space and have everything organized you'll be able to study better! You'll know where all your notes are, and not have to waste time searching your entire room for them!

6. Rearrange your room - Feng Shui your room! There are many types of Feng Shui for exam studying the best thing to do would be to feng shui for knowledge and wisdom! Here are some easy tips from http://home.ivillage.com. Add blue to your room to increase your brain vibes. Have symbols of mentors or wise people. Like a picture of Gandhi, or someone you admire their wisdom in your study area. As for things to remove from your study space: drugs and alcohol, clutter (give yourself space), unclear stuff (windex your window, clean off your computer monitor).

7. Talk to a friend - Call up your best friend, or head over to his/her house. Take a break with them. Talk about what you’re stressed out about so s/he can offer you solutions to your exam stress problems!

8. Stick notes around your room - Run to the dollar store, or campus bookstore and buy some sticky notes. Write key facts, phrases or stuff you need to remember on them and stick them around your room. On your closet door, beside your reading light etc. You'll look at them a lot and start remembering them for your exams!

9. Exercise - Go for a brisk walk, or head to the gym for a power hour workout! Yoga is a great relaxation technique so if you're feeling really stressed head to a yoga class, or find an instructional video online.

10. Get fresh air - Make sure you get a little fresh air daily! A ten minute walk in the park or to the library will help.

Exam time can be so stressful, and I know everyone procrastinates, so why not do some good procrastinating?

Now that I’m done procrastinating I better get back to my studying!

Good luck on your exams!

Life is never neat - so why do our pictures have to be?

Labeling a pictures as beautiful does not mean you must colour inside the lines. Some of the best pictures are those drawn or coloured by children who haven't yet learned how to stay in the lines.

Just like labeling a life as beautiful does not mean it has to be perfect. The greatest people have made mistakes along the way to becoming great.

I love this motto "colour outside the lines". It is like saying don't be afraid to be yourself, or take a chance once in a while.

I would like my blog to have character, and to take chances. I want to be myself and, to have this creative outlet.

Right now I am busy with school, studying for exams! But once I finish up with that I am going to start focusing more on this, what and how exactly I am going to blog.

For now, that is all.

All the best,

J.