A Jersey Girl

This is Beautiful Madison..Her exquisite beauty and simile are like a kiss of heaven! Michael Borquez, daughter

Are you looking for some Winter Sales!! then, this is your great chance...Laurie is Closing one of her Stores and Everything at 50% off...So take advantage of this great Sale! Here the Link to the Store and Some LO's I did with two of the kits that are on sale!!

During the Winter season one of the little things that I enjoy doing when is NOT windy! is to take a walk after a snow day! Everything is so quite and white is just magical!



Our 1st Show Day of 2009 here in the North Pole..Opps in Jersey!! Almost the same as it is Freeeezing! :)



Our Little Girls Escape to the City! Just love to spend time with U!

Creditis: Made with Kim Hill, Winter Wonders Kit

Today I was thinking about the miracle of Christmas and what it really mean for me in my Life, and the Mary Lou Who Song came to my mind...Where are you Christmas, where I can find you?? at the Mall, under the tree at work....No Christmas is a gift from heaven that we should treasure deep inside our hearts and should live there all year long! After all when was the last time anyone gift there own Son life so you could life and be Saved! Remember the Reason!

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
2 ( 2-inch) cinnamon sticks
1 strip orange peel, about 1/2 inch by 3 inches
10 whole cloves
2 to 2 1/2 cups hot brewed strong coffee
1/4 cup cold heavy cream
Ground cinnamon, for garnish
Cocoa, for garnish

Directions
In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, 2/3 cup of the sugar, and cocoa until smooth. Add the cinnamon sticks, orange peel and cloves and bring to a simmer, stirring, to dissolve the sugar and prevent the cocoa from sticking to the bottom of the pot. Simmer for 2 minutes, then remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 10 minutes.

In a medium bowl, whip the cream with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar until thick and frothy, and peaks form. Set aside.

Strain the milk mixture into a coffee pot or carafe and add 2 cups of the hot coffee (2 1/2 cups for stronger coffee flavor, to taste). Pour into cups or small mugs and top each with a dollop of the sweetened whipped cream.

Serve immediately.

Hi everyone,
At Scrapbook.com they are running a challenge.."Scraplift the Person before you" Always love this challenge! why two main reason...love to see how people take my LO and make yours! and love to do see I can put my own touches when lifting some else LO" For the December challenge I was lucky to scrap a very talented lady "Scrapinfan19" therefore, there was plenty of LO's to get inspiration!

So this My LO


And here is Scrapingfan19 original LO





Credits:
LO was made with Curiosity, Seredipity, little boy, Indigosky Kits from JoycePaul Desings, available st Scrapcat

Cranberry Bliss Bar Recipe

Every year Starbucks create the most delicios treats to go along with their decadence Coffees...Yesterday I stop by and saw this beutiful treat... and of course..I could'nt resist the temtation to try one. Once Igive it my fist bite..Wow..so good..so I soon as I got home I search and search until I found the Top Secret Recipe! of the Starbucks Cranberry Bliss Bar ..and here it is Try it..you will love it tooo!

The tangy cranberries and sweet lemon frosting make this cake bar a holiday favorite that evokes piles of cloning requests when Starbucks stops selling it after Christmas. Now, with this easy-to-make clone, this treat can be a perennial hit. Break out this red and white treat for the gang on this holiday and you might be as popular as the guy in the red and white suit.

Enjoy!

Cake

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 1/4 cups light brown sugar, packed
3 eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup diced dried cranberries
6 ounces white chocolate, cut into chunks

Frosting

4-ounces cream cheese, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
4 teaspoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup diced dried cranberries

Drizzled Icing

1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk
2 teaspoons vegetable shortening


1. Preheat oven to 350°F.

2. Make cake by beating butter and brown sugar together with an electric mixer until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla, ginger, and salt and beat well. Gradually mix in flour until smooth. Mix 3/4 cup diced dried cranberries and white chocolate into the batter by hand. Pour batter into a well-greased 9x13" baking pan. Use a spatula to spread the batter evenly across the pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until cake is light brown on the edges. Allow cake to cool.

3. Make frosting by combining softened cream cheese, 3 cups powdered sugar, lemon juice and vanilla extract in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. When the cake has cooled, use a spatula to spread frosting over the top of the cake.

4. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of diced cranberries over the frosting on the cake.

5. Whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1 tablespoon milk, and shortening. Drizzle icing over the cranberries in a sweeping motion or use a pastry bag with a fine tip to drizzle frosting across the top of the cake.

6. Allow cake to sit for several hours, then slice the cake lengthwise (the long way) through the middle. Slice the cake across the width three times making a total of eight rectangular slices. Slice each of those rectangles diagonally creating 16 triangular slices.

My Beautiful Camilla! In a Xmas Post Card!!

Sugar Cookies!
Are the perfect Companion for the Polar Express Movie with a Big Glass of Milk!! Yummy!!


Ingredients

3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups (or 3 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Coarse Pink Decorating Sugar, optional

Directions
Sift together the flour and salt into a large bowl.

Put the butter into the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, and beat on medium speed until fluffy and light, about 2 minutes. Add the sugar and vanilla, and mix until combined. Reduce the speed to low, and slowly add the flour and salt mixture to the butter and sugar mixture, mixing on low speed until the dough comes together and is smooth. Turn the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Cut the dough into quarters, and wrap each piece in plastic wrap, then chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.

When you're ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 (9 by 13-inch) sheet trays with parchment paper.

Remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften slightly. Using a rolling pin dusted with flour, roll out 1 of the dough quarters, (keeping the others refrigerated until you need them), on a lightly floured work surface, to a 1/4 to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut the cookies into the desired shapes, then use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to 1 of the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle the cookies with decorating sugar, if desired.

Repeat with remaining dough, and bake the cookies until they are light brown around the edges and on the bottom, about 8 to 12 minutes. Cool briefly on the pan, then use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Hello Followers! well as promise..here is the 2nd day of Cookies Recipe..and you need to try this one..is go and it goes perfect with a glass of Milk and "Rudolf the red Nose Reindeer" Try it you will love tooo!!
Dried Cherry and Almond Cookies with Vanilla Icing


Ingredients For the Cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 large egg
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried tart cherries (see Cook's Note)
1/2 cup slivered, blanched almonds, toasted and coarsely chopped (see Cook's Note)

Now the Icing:
2 3/4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
3 tablespoons water, plus extra, as needed

Directions For the Cookies:

In a large bowl, with an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and salt until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes, then beat in the egg. Add the flour and beat on the lowest speed until just blended. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the dried cherries and almonds.

Transfer the dough to a sheet of plastic wrap and shape it into a log, about 12-inches long and 1 1/2-inches in diameter. Wrap the dough in the plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. (Dough can be made up to 3 days in advance).

Arrange an oven rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 heavy baking sheets with parchment paper.

Cut the log crosswise into 1/2-inch thick slices. Transfer the dough slices to the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1-inch apart. Bake until the cookies are golden around the edges and puffed, about 15 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing, about 30 minutes.

Making the Icing:

Put the powdered sugar in a medium bowl. Gradually whisk in the vanilla extract and water, adding more water, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the mixture becomes a drizzling consistency. (Makes about 2/3 cups icing, enough to ice both variations.)

Put the cooled cookies on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. Using a spoon or a fork, drizzle the cookies with the icing, allowing any excess icing to drip onto the baking sheet. Allow the icing to set before serving, about 1 hour.

Cook's Note: To toast the almonds, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake in a preheated 350 degree F oven for 6 to 8 minutes until lightly toasted. Cool completely before using.

Cook's Note Alternative:

Replace the dried cherries with 1/2 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots and add 2 tablespoons of toasted pine nuts. Also, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and omit the almond extract.