Holly Jolly Chocolate-Dipped Pretzel Rods

With just a handful of days to go until Christmas, many of us are shuffling to get everything done that needs done during this crazy time of the year. The shopping. The gift-wrapping. The decorating. The party-planning. The baking. {And, the list goes on.} So, it's helpful to have a few quick shortcuts in our arsenal. Perhaps the kids need something for a holiday class party. Or, you need some simple goodies to hand out to co-workers, neighbors, etc. ... these festive sweet and salty snacks just may be the perfect solution.

They utilize minimal ingredients and come together rather easily. No baking is required. They require that very little - if any - dishes be dirtied up. I, literally, did not dirty one dish while making these. {I used wax paper to lay the chocolate-dipped pretzels on. I used a plastic spoon to help coat the pretzels. And, the chocolate came packaged with a melting tray that popped right into the microwave as-is.} So, it's a pretty easy project. And, it's one, too, to get the kids or grandkids involved with.

{Just be ready to grab the broom to sweep up all those sprinkles that'll inevitably end up on the floor by the end of the task, however.}

Yields 30 pretzel rods.

Cranberry Chocolate Bread Pudding with Citrus Butter Sauce

I always delight in taking an old-school recipe and giving it a twist. Bread pudding is no exception. I have several different versions here on the blog like, my Pumpkin Bread Pudding with Apple Cider Butter Sauce, my Blueberry Vanilla Bean Bread Pudding and my Apple Pie Croissant Pudding with Caramel Butter Foam Drizzle. In this version, fresh cranberries, chunks of chocolate and fresh oranges come together to make the ultimate holiday bread pudding that can be served for breakfast, brunch or even as a dessert.

What I love most about bread pudding is that the options are pretty endless with regards to the type or types of bread used. I've made it with leftover raisin bread, a day-old French loaf, croissants and sandwich bread. I actually prefer a combination of something hearty and something soft. So, in this recipe, I used mostly day-old French bread cubes with a few slices of soft sandwich bread cubes.

To prepare this recipe, the bread cubes get placed in a greased baking dish. Then, you'll be making a quick custard in a mixing bowl. After sprinkling on fresh cranberries and chocolate chunks, you'll pour the custard over it all. Next, you'll want it to soak for twenty minutes, at least, but you can store this in the fridge at this point - covered - until you're ready to bake it. {I have kept it overnight in the refrigerator at this point for an easy pop-in-the-oven breakfast option.} After baking, the bread pudding will need to rest slightly while you whisk up a quick, buttery, orange-infused powdered sugar sauce. This will get poured over the bread pudding at the time of service.

The result is a perfectly-spiced, custard-y center with a slightly crisp top. The cranberries impart a slightly tart component while the chocolate lends just the right amount of sweetness - it's a beautiful flavor balance between the two. And, the citrus-y sauce packs a magical punch of brightness and sweetness to finish everything off.

Yields 6 - 8 servings.

Holiday Hot Cocoa Chocolate Stir Sticks

I'm always looking for fun, simple and unique DIY edible gifts during the holiday season. These Holiday Hot Cocoa Chocolate Stir Sticks totally fit the bill. They are inexpensive to make, fun to have the kids help with and make great little gifts. They'd be awesome tucked into a new Christmas mug along with a candy cane and a small packet of hot cocoa for gift-giving.

These little chocolate stirrers totally amp up the flavor and richness of a basic mug of hot cocoa ... the result is like, next level hot chocolate.

To put these together, you'll need an ice cube tray (I used a square-welled silicone one) or a mini muffin tin. You'll need, also, to decide on some type of "handle" to insert (I used striped paper straws that I cut in half). Popsicle sticks or lollipop sticks would work great, too.

Then, you'll melt down a bag of chocolate chips and spoon the melted chocolate into the tray wells. Once your "handle" is inserted, embellish with whatever you choose (crushed candy canes, chopped chocolate mints, sprinkles, finishing sugar, etc.) Once the chocolate hardens in the fridge or freezer, you're all set to serve them up or package for gifting.

If you look closely in the photo above, you'll notice that I placed one stirrer in a small, clear bag along with some mini marshmallows. I finished the package with some festive ribbon.

Note that the number of stir sticks you'll get will fully depend on the size of the wells of your ice cube tray or mini muffin tin. One twelve-ounce package of semi-sweet chocolate chips yielded twelve stir sticks in the tray that I used (size shown in photo above).

Holiday Gift Giving with UncommonGoods

It's such a fantastic, fulfilling feeling to find and give the perfect gifts to our loved ones during the holiday season. Something unique. Something memorable. Something that you just know suits them. Something they will cherish. And, something that will just make their eyes lights up.

Whether you're needing something special for the moms on your list, that crazy uncle of yours, your helpful neighbor or the hard-to-buy-for women in your life, one such company can help with all of your gift-giving needs.

I've partnered up this season with UncommonGoods, a company offering beautifully-designed, mostly-handcrafted and uniquely creative products. Based in Brooklyn, New York, UncommonGoods is an online marketplace that brings customers a vast array of fun, artisan items that are often made by hand and often crafted using recycled/upcycled materials. They meet a high standard on a number of issues - as a B Corporation - including environmental impact, wage levels and community involvement. You can read up on their history and story on their website.

From their Christmas Gift Collection, I've selected several products that I think you'll go crazy for. Take a look at what I'm showcasing here, but then hop on over to their site to browse through their entire selection of items that I'm sure will inspire you as you make your way through your list of gift recipients this year.

Candy Cane Crunch Peppermint Puppy Chow

 

Holy moly, friends, this stuff is totally addicting and oh, so yummy!  I've made traditional Peanut Butter and Chocolate Puppy Chow for years.  And, I made (and admittedly devoured) Cake Batter Puppy Chow for the holidays last year.  But, this version just screams Christmas to me!  I am a peppermint junkie, so this is right up my alley.

I use melted white chocolate chips that I flavor with peppermint oil for this recipe, but I am wondering about simply using the Andes Peppermint Crunch Baking Chips that I've seen recently in stores for my next batch.  Alternately, if you're not a fan of white chocolate (or, you're an even bigger fan of regular chocolate), these would be great with milk or semi-sweet chocolate flavored with peppermint oil.  The mix just wouldn't be totally white, however, and would more-resemble traditional puppy chow in appearance.

This would be so fun to package up for coworkers, neighbors or teachers.  But, I'm not quite sure that your batch will last long enough to give away!  I know mine sure didn't!

FREE Printable Christmas Gift Tags

Happy Holidays to all of my friends here at Joyously Domestic!  I've created some FREE printable gift tags for you to use and enjoy this Christmas season.  They can simply be attached to wrapped gifts and packages, but are, also, so adorable hung with string or ribbon from homemade treat containers or mason jars filled with goodies.  Print and use as many as you'd like.

Just right-click the image(s) you'd like to use.  Save to your computer and print.  They are created in high-resolution jpeg format.  Just be sure to print as a full-page.  For personal use only.

Dill Oyster Crackers

When I think back to the Christmas snacks of my childhood, this is the first thing that comes to mind.  My grandmother on my mom's side always made these Dill Oyster Crackers.  I remember her big, yellow Tupperware bowl sitting on the counter filled to the brim with these seasoned crackers during Christmastime.  She would sit out little dainty dishes of the crackers all around her house during holiday gatherings for everyone to nibble on.  They were one of my favorite Christmas snacks ... more-favored than the fudge, cookies and candies!

Many recipes call for a packet of dry Ranch dressing to be added.  Our family recipe doesn't.  (I find that the Ranch makes it way too salty and is very over-powering.)  Also, these don't have to be baked once prepared, but I find that a little time in the oven gives these crackers a deeper, crisper flavor and texture.

What is so great about this recipe is that it makes a large quantity with little expense.

101 Fun Stocking Stuffer Ideas

Christmas is just around the corner!  Happy Holidays, dear friends.

Here are some fabulous stocking stuffer ideas to keep in mind as you do your holiday shopping.  Some apply to just kids (of all ages) and some are for the grown-ups.  A lot of these would, also, be great ideas for Secret Santa at work or for mini gifts to attach to a larger gift.

The Holiday Season - A Reminder of What It's All About

It's funny how kids have a way of bringing us all back down to earth and really knocking a little sense into us from time-to-time. 

Sometimes we get so busy going through the daily grind that we overlook the parts of life that should matter most.  We can get so focused on housework and bills and getting dinner on the table and work and errands and well, life in general.  (Yes, I realize that was a major run-on sentence!)

This time of year as we enter into the holiday season, all of the mayhem and craziness often compounds ten-fold.  There's the holiday shopping, the decorating, the family gatherings, the gift-wrapping, the classroom treats to make, the homemade cookie-making, the time spent on treats or crafts for gift-giving, the traveling, the visits to Santa and so much more!  (So much more, in fact, that it can make our heads spin!)

My dear, precious children have endured years of my craziness during birthday and holiday seasons in our household.  I am fanatical about everything being just-right.  I make lists way in advance and act like an insane person when planning and preparing for a specific event or occasion. 

I am often a lunatic in the days and hours prior to a party.