{ Christmas Look Back, Post One }

Now that Thanksgiving is done and dusted, I'm so ready for Christmas, aren't you? Ok, not ready for CHRISTMAS, but ready for the festive, wonderful season.

I'm going to do a few "Look Back" posts. A post full of things I've done in the past.

Here we go with number one!


Gingerbread houses are so much fun to make, but the kits are super expensive and making them from real gingerbread is, well, it's just plain hard. So, try my tips for making them from graham crackers. Cheap and easy... lots of tips and illustrations in this post.

Gingerbread House Tips & Tricks

Next up is a super fun ornament idea. Here I've used it for Bible verses, but you can use this for numerous ideas. Memories from the year, Baby's firsts, favorite book quotes, etc. Ideas are limitless and I've listed more in the post itself.


Bible Verse Ornament

Here's an idea for Christmas breakfast, inspired by my favorite Christmas movie, Elf.

Maple Coffee Crumb Cake

If you aren't into crumb cake, how about waffles? Liege waffles are, in my opinion, the BEST waffles on this green earth.

Vanilla Bean Liege Waffles

My favorite Christmastime drink is most definitely Wassail! I just love saying it too. Wassail! (Learn about the history of Wassail along with an awesome recipe for it in this post).

Wassail

And to wrap this post up, a delicious winter time treat, Cocoa. You'll find the recipe for several different cocoas in this post. Yummeh.

Homemade Cocoas

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more merriness :)

Tina

{ Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri Smoothie}

I posted about the Peanut Butter Chocolate Dipped Krispie Treats that I made for our Bean's Pool Party the other day. I also made, what I thought was, Strawberry Daiquiris.

Lemme just tell you, I don't know much about drinking. So, what I thought was a daiquiris may not actually be. After a bit of googling, I found out that daiquiris don't take NEARLY as many berries as I was using.

I'd say I'm sorry, but I'm not. These were yummy.

Very strawberry, very cool, very refreshing, and daggone it, not bad for you at all!

Did I say yummy? Cause they were.

So quick and easy, but perhaps not a real daiquiri. So, I changed the name to Strawberry Daiquiri Smoothie.

Call it what you want. I call it good.

Try it.

Tina


Strawberry Daiquiri Smoothie
Recipe by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers


4 cups fresh strawberries, washed and hulled
2 cups ice
1/2 cup lemon lime soda, chillled
teaspoon of lime juice
sugar to taste


This recipe requires a blender that can crush ice.

Add the strawberries, lime juice and sugar into the blender. Pulse until smooth.  Taste mix. If too bitter, add more sugar. Add in ice. Blend until ice is crushed well. Stir in soda, do not blend. Pour into glasses.

Makes 4-6 servings.

{Delicious Summer Drinks}

As the thermometer heads up, you can keep cool with these drinks that I've posted.

They are yummy, and, my favorite thing, EASY.

Easy is especially great on a hot day!

{Disney Inspired Dole Whip}

{Peach Banana Smoothie}

{Frozen Strawberry Lemonade}

{Strawberry Lemonade}

{Layered Drinks}

{Easy to Make Smoothie}

Stay cool, my friends!

Tina

{ Top Twelve of 2012! }

 
2012 was a great year for Sugar Bean Bakers.

I've had a lot of growth on the site, I've made things I always wanted to (especially this), but never tried, celebrated SBB's 2nd Anniversary, I posted my first party ideas, my first non-food tutorials, and my first travel tips.

Not to mention I made a great new friend! My first real food blogger friend!

So, exciting times.

I'm going to post the Top 12 posts of 2012, however, a couple are not recipes. Soo... I'll also post the top 12 Recipes of 2012 (making 14 posts in all).

Are you ready?? 

14. (recipe #12) -Straight from my elementary school cook's recipe book,  

Peanut Butter Cheerio Treats

13. (recipe #11) -For Dr. Seuss' Birthday, I made these crazy tie dye cupcakes.
Because crazy tie dye just screams "Dr. Seuss"!

Happy Birthday, Dr. Seuss

12.  In celebration of my SECOND favorite ginger,  (hey, the Bean is a red-head!), I whipped up this Homemade Cocoa for Ron's birthday

Cocoa for Ron (& you!)

11. I love chocolate and mint together. And, hello? put brownies in the mix and you have a true winner! For St. Paddy's, I made

Mint Oreo Brownie Truffles

10.  When the Bean was little, it was such a PAIN trying to find good Valentine's Day box ideas. You'd think they'd be all over the web, but in my years of searching, I came up with precious few. So, my first non-recipe post makes an appearance in the countdown.

Valentine's Day Box Ideas 

9. Reese's Cups are by far the Bean's favorite candy, so, of course, I had to shove them in a cupcake & then top said cupcake with Peanut Butter Buttercream. It had to be done.

Reese's Cupcakes

   8. Ironically, this cupcake, not the Reese's I just posted, is the Beans F A V O R I T E cupcake.

Of course, Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough + Cupcake + Cookie Dough Buttercream does seem like a no brainer for #1 in his book.

Cookie Dough Cupcakes  

7. A family classic is next. My grandmother in law's (aka Grammy) Strawberry Pie. It's just about hubby's favorite thing in the history of forever.

Grammy's Strawberry Pie

 6. Next is something I THOUGHT I'd created. Of course, I didn't. Darn internet full of darn creative people. Alas, I was pretty proud of myself, and the Bean has deemed them necessary at Easter forever now.

Carrot Strawberries  

 5. This was simply summer day fun that I decided to share with you. I had no idea it'd be so popular! They are super pretty & people really do enjoy them, so, you should definitely try this sometime!

Layered Drinks

 4. This was an idea I found via Pinterest. Simply Peanut Butter Blossom cookies with chocolate hearts instead of the normal Hershey Kisses. Very cute & festive update for Valentine's Day.

Peanut Butter Blossoms the VDay Way

 3.  My other non-recipe post. I'm over the moon stupid with happy that this is such a popular post! A lot of time and love went into this party. It went over in real life amazing, and I'm so excited that it is so popular on my blog too! It makes my geeky little heart go pitta patta.

The Epic Harry Potter Party Post

 

2. I love when my playing around in the kitchen with no real plan works out. This worked out very well. So well, that I make this often now. Very popular with the chocolate & mint lovers in my life! I even did another version of it for Christmas.

Here is the Christmas version- Candy Cane & Chocolate Cupcakes

Here is the original, crazy popular post

Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

 

 And... numero uno is..........

1. This recipe is so popular that since I posted it in August, it has been the number one hit on the blog EVERY DAY.  EVERY. DAY.  So, without further adieu, I give you....

Buckeye Bites: A Peanut Butter & Chocolate Treat 

 

 That's all, folks! The top 12 recipes of 2012!

It's been a great year & I'm looking forward to what 2013 brings.

While it may seem a little selfish, I'm really hoping for more comments this year. The only way I know you like a post is by stats. I get precious few comments on anything. If you like a recipe, please consider popping me a reply.

Thanks so much.

Here's to a sweet 2013!!!!!!!!!!

Tina 

{ Mock Champagne }

Well, we did it! 

Woohoo!!

We made it through Christmas!

I'm not sure how exactly I, personally, did it, with being sick for several days, but I did!

And everyone was happy! 

It was crazy and hectic, but, it was worth it.

This year, the Bean, age 15, was more excited for Christmas than I've seen him in at least 5 years. I'm not sure why. I think, probably because he didn't know what he was getting. He knew a couple things, but the bulk of gifts were a mystery to him. 

He'd get done on the floor nightly and shake his presents. He'd ask me daily if he could open his gifts.

Me: "Sure!"

Bean: "REALLY???"

Me: "You bet!"

<pause>

"On Christmas!".

Bean: grumble grumble grumble

His favorite gifts were a new camera, Dishonored (video game), a Corduroy Blazer, and the Tenth Doctor's Sonic Screwdriver.

My favorite moment from Christmas, however, came on Christmas Eve. We'd just gotten back from Christmas Eve service, and I let him open a box containing a pair of Mickey Mouse PJ bottoms and Arthur Christmas on DVD. Earlier in the day he'd gotten a fox eared hat I had a girl make for him. He was walking around in those PJs and his fox hat, popping popcorn for the movie, and he looks over and says to me:

"This has already been a great Christmas!".

Melt.

Mickey PJs, Fox hat, Popcorn, watching Arthur Christmas. And, yes, cell phone and Kindle.
Teenagers!

So, our Christmas was pretty great. Hope yours was too!

Last New Year's Eve, I posted a mocktail called New Year Rising. 

It was a big hit, so I'm making another this year.

Last year I wanted to make Mock Champagne, but, oops, didn't buy the right stuff. So, this year would definitely have Mock Champagne.

It's SO easy. So. so. so easy.

2 ingredients & embellishment.

Let's start with the embellies.

First, let's pretend this photo isn't blurry, kay?

Kay.

Dip the rims of your glasses in corn syrup.

Then dip that into sugar crystals. This is my most favorite look. It's simply all the leftover colors poured into one container. You can also mix it up if you don't have leftovers. I think it's the prettiest :)

Ta Da! Pretty!

Once the drink is done, I like to pop a few frozen grapes in there as well.

My decoration was made from a swizzle stick, metallic curling ribbon, and tape!

Then add the bubbly!

Honestly, I've never tasted champagne in my life, so I have no idea if this tastes ANYTHING like it. I highly doubt it, but it's fruity and fizzy, and I quite like it. And did I mention.. it's SO easy!

 Be safe on New Year's Eve &

Happy 2013!
May it be blessed & beautiful.

Tina

Mock Champagne

recipe adapted by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

1- 64 Ounce bottle of White Grape Juice, chilled

1- 2 liter of Ginger Ale, chilled

Pour together.

The end!

Add frozen grapes (or other fresh or frozen fruit) and decor if you wish.

*this is a very common mocktail. I adapted the measurements for ease of making.

{ Wassail }

I'm sure you've all heard the song, Here We Come A Wassailing, but do you know what wassailing is?

Singing carols, right? 

Yes. 

Well, kinda.

Wassail (Wah-sail), first began, many eons ago as a greeting to others or as a toast. People would lift a mug of warm cider and say, "Waes hael!". Wassail (Waes hael) is an Anglo-Saxon phrase meaning, "be thou hale", modern translation: "be in good health".

Wassailing began as a celebration the west of England in the cider-producing counties. It was a celebration to waken the cider trees to ensure a good harvest in the Autumn. They would sing songs to the trees, shout, play drums, and generally just make a lot of noise to scare away evil spirits.

The Wassail Queen would be lifted into the branches where she would lay cider soaked toast as an offering.

Traditional Wassail was made of Mulled Ale, roasted apples, eggs, cloves, nutmeg, curdled cream, and sugar.

Um. No and thanks.

This is an easy, modern Wassail.

As much as I love the legend, lore, and romance of Olde England, I'll pass on the eggy, curdled creamy, gonna get me drunky drink.

This will make your house smell AMAZING. AH-MAZE-ING.

*
Here we come a-wassailing
Among the leaves so green,
Here we come a-wassailing,
So fair to be seen:

Love and joy come to you,
And to you your wassail too,
And God bless you and send you,
A happy New Year,
And God send you,
A happy new year.

*

Happiest of Christmases to you and yours! Thanks so much for reading my blog!
I wish you a holiday filled with magic and dreams come true.

~Tina

Wassail Punch

recipe by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

1 Cup apple cider
1 cup water
1/2 cup orange juice
2 cinnamon sticks*
4 whole cloves*
pinch of ground nutmeg

2 (or more) Tablespoons of brown sugar, depending on taste

Apple, orange, & lemon slices

*you can use ground cinnamon (1/4 teaspoon) & ground cloves (just a pinch). You might want to drain it through cheesecloth before serving, however, or you will have all of the spices swirling around in your drink.

Add the cider, juice, and water to a pot. Add in spices & chopped fruit.

for this size recipe, you will only need a couple slices of each. Make sure there are no seeds.

Simmer on low for 1-2 hours

The sugar content is really decided by personal taste. Some ciders & orange juices are more tart than others, requiring more sugar. Taste and decide on sugar for yourself at this point.

Remove fruit & whole spices.

Serve warm.

**you can also add alcohol, I believe it's brandy,

but you might want to look that up.


This recipe is easily doubled/tripled, etc.

{ Homemade Cocoas! }

Today I present to you, cocoa.

When the Bean was little, he'd run outside and play in the snow for all of about 10 minutes. That's all his asthma would allow. In the length of time though, I'd whip him up some amazing place and bake cookies & cocoa from a box. He'd sit down, rosy cheeked and tingly & eat the cookies warm from the oven & drink his hot chocolate happily.

Half of the time I think he'd go out in the snow JUST so he'd get the treats when he came in.

Dirty trickster.

How times have changed though. He no longer runs out to play in the snow. Sad.

However, I no longer make place and bake cookies, so that's a plus! 

I won't say I never make cocoa from an envelope anymore, because that would be a total untruth, but, when it's time for something truly decadent, homemade cocoa is the way to go.

While I have my own Homemade Cocoa recipe here on the blog, I'm using another's today.

I'm starting off with Darla's hubby's cocoa. Darla, as I'm sure you know by now, is the baking genius behind Bakingdom. She's also my mental twinsie, I'm not sure if that is good or bad. Haha.

I'm starting off with his cocoa, actually, but I'm just making 1 cuppa. His recipe makes 4.

Then, I'll make some Snowfall Cocoa... as in White Chocolate Cocoa.

And then, I'll make some Candy Cane Syrup to add to the cocoas, so you can have Candy Cane Cocoa.

I have a lot to type.

I'd better start.

Homemade Hot Cocoa

by Darla of Bakingdom's Hubster

recipe makes 1 cup (easily adjusted to make larger quantities)

1 cup milk (or 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half)
1 heaping tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder
1 heaping tablespoon sugar *
1 scant tablespoon semisweet chocolate chips 

1/4 teaspoon vanilla (or other extract of your choice)

Use 1 1/2 teaspoons of sugar if using a flavored syrup like the Candy Cane Syrup below

Pour milk, and half and half or cream, if using, in a bowl and warm in the microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes (optional).

Transfer milk to small saucepan over medium heat and whisk in cocoa, chocolate chips, sugar, and vanilla.  Continue cooking over medium heat, whisking almost constantly, until it just barely begins to lightly boil, about 10 minutes; remove from heat.

Pour into a mug, throw in some marshmallows, or plop on some whipped cream and sprinkles!

Or make a little Mallow Man, like this

He is simply 3 mini marshmallows on a swizzle stick. His eyes, mouth, and buttons are drawn on with an Americolor Food Writer. You could also just dot on some melted chocolate. His nose is an orange jimmie that I just poked into the mallow, and his hat is a gumdrop that I squished with my fingers. 'Glue' it on with a little melted chocolate.

Now, some Snowfall Cocoa (white chocolate cocoa), you say?

Snowfall Cocoa

recipe by Tina @ Sugar Bean Bakers

1 cup milk (or 3/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup heavy cream or half and half)

2 Tablespoons white chocolate chips

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

*White chocolate is very sweet. I, personally, don't think you need any extra sugar, but feel free to use some if you wish.

Heat your milk over medium heat, whisk in your chips & vanilla. Whisk constantly, until it comes to a very light boil. Remove from heat.

 

 

Pour into a mug and top with whipped cream & sprinkles!

Or............

Make a Mallow Man like this!

He is 2 large marshmallows on a toothpick.

His eyes and mouth are, again, an Americolor Food Writer, but his nose is orange chocolate.

This is actually quite sweet, as I said, and not really to my personal taste, but the Bean LOVES it,
so I had to include it in my post.

Plus Marshy Man #2 had to be seen, right?


But, to get you in the Holiday Spirit a little more, wouldn't you like a little Candy Cane Cocoa?

Ok!

This is a true Candy Cane Cocoa, not just Peppermint.

First we will make a Candy Cane Syrup.

Candy Cane Syrup

recipe adapted from Chica & Jo

2 Candy Canes

1/2 cup white sugar

1/4 cup water

Crush 2 candy canes very finely. Power fine.

To a heavy pan add, 1/2 cup sugar & 1/4 cup water. Over medium heat, whisk this together, then add in your crushed candy cane.

Allow your candy cane to melt, but do not let your syrup boil. If it boils, it will become too thick.

When finished, your syrup will look like this, kind of a cloudy pink.

 Skim off the frothy stuff at the top & fish out any unmelted candy cane.

When it cools it will be a bright red.

Now, you have a Candy Cane syrup to add to your cocoas.

Stir in a bit!

I suggest 1-2 Tablespoons per cup of chocolate & 1 Tablespoon for the Snowfall Cocoa.

Do not add vanilla extract if you are adding the Candy Cane Syrup.

You can also use this syrup in lattes, or maybe poured over vanilla ice cream!

I'm sure you can think of other great ideas!

You can make this in larger quantities as well. Simple syrups like this, and my Homemade Pancake Syrup, just use a 2 parts sugar to 1 part water ratio.

But...

it's Christmas & maybe you aren't the mint and chocolate kinda person (are there people out there like that? Really??).

What about some Gingerbread Cocoa??

Yeah? Yeah.

Head over and see Darla. She, too, is starting with her hub's cocoa as a base and making something truly delish!

You won't want to miss this!

Darla's Gingerbread Hot Cocoa

Happy Christmas!

Tina

{ Layered Drinks: For the 4th }

Yessterday, the drinks I made were red, blue, and yellow,

Since the 4th of July is in a few days, I thought I should substitute the yellow for white!

I was out today, while the Bean was at his Summer Drama Troupe practice and grabbed a Mt. Dew White Out from the gas station.

This is Mt. Dew White Out- 30 grams of sugar

V8 Splash - 14 grams of sugar

Propel (with blue food coloring) 0 grams of sugar

There are also plenty of  Gatorade & Powerade flavors out there with the medium & no/low sugar contents, so they are great for the middle and top layers.

 Full instructions in my prior post here.

Tina

{ Layered Drinks }

I saw these drinks a long time ago. I want to say it was on a TV show, but I could totes be wrong.

I know, I'm just as shocked as you are, but it's been known to happen a time or two (or a thousand).

They are SO cool. Iknowright?

Easy and so much fun.

And yes, that is a jar. I love jars for drinks. This tall, skinny jar is from my favorite olives.

Mmmm... I love those things a big gooey lot. So much love.

But enough about those little green gems, on to the drinks!

All ya need is this: 

• Clear glasses- the taller, the better (or jars if you like)

• Ice, and lots of it

• drinks with differing sugar contents

You can use more than three, but these were what I had in the house at the time.

Just check the sugar grams on the label.


For these I used:

• Mt Dew - 46 grams of sugar (YOWTCH!)

• V8 Splash- 18 grams of sugar

• Propel- 0 grams of sugar 

The Propel is pretty much clear, so I added a dash of blue food coloring.

Then add your ice, allll the way to the top. 

Pour in your heaviest (aka most sugary) drink.

Mt Dew for me

Then pour in your second heaviest drink, the V8 Spalsh in my case, slowly, and through the ice.

Here is another I did with a tiny bit of the 2nd liquid it in so you can see the separation

I've found it's easiest to pour from something with a spout. I used a measuring cup.

Then, pour in your lightest drink (Propel here), again, slowly, and through the ice. You can add a little more ice before adding the last color if you need too. Make sure it's all the way to the top.

As I said, you can add more layers, just make sure each color has a significant sugar difference and ending with the 0 sugar drink. 

This drink has 100% Bean approval. He may have drank 2 of them.

These are great for summer get togethers, parties, holidays, or.. just whenev, ya know.

The Bean thinks I should make these for our Harry Potter party next month. I think I might could do that.

  Potions anyone?

Tina

P.S. If you haven’t already,  you can ‘like’ my Facebook page here, and follow me on twitter here, and you can follow me on instagram here.

shared at:
Everyday Mom's Meals
Mandy's Recipe Box 
Sugar Bee Crafts 
Balancing Beauty and Bedlam 
Michelle's Tasty Creations