Friday, December 14, 2012

Mistletoe Madness Blog Hop


Hey all! When one hop ends, another begins. (Though if you're reading this on Friday the 14th, the Evernight Publishing holiday blog hop is still open, so you should hit my last post and enter that one too!) 




With the business end of things done... hi! And happy holidays!

I was going to do this really informational post about the history and mythology of mistletoe. Then I realized no one really cares about that sort of thing. You know what people DO care about? 

Cookies.
And booze. 

So instead of boring you with what people know of how druids harvested and blessed mistletoe, I'm going to feed your need for the good stuff. Oh, people also like sex, so while you're enjoying your cookies and martini, don't forget to pick up a copy of the holiday anthology, Vanilla-Free Christmas, and get your kink on this holiday season. But first up, cookies!


Nut Butter Cookies (I'll explain the name in a bit) 
The Nutella is the spread out one.
1 c. margarine (my sister uses butter, but mine always turn out softer, so I recommend margarine)
1 c. nut butter (I use this recipe with either peanut butter or Nutella, but I would guess any nut butter would work)
2 c. packed brown sugar
2 eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1 t salt


Mix the margarine, nut butter, and brown sugar until well blended (it doesn't get smooth, per se, but it should be pretty creamy)

Add the eggs and beat well.

Mix the dry ingredients together then add slowly to the butter mixture. 

If using peanut butter, roll into balls, place on greased baking sheet and flatten slightly with a fork. (I recommend chilling the dough for an hour or two as it makes it easier to work with.)

If using Nutella, the dough will NOT hold a shape, so don't bother trying to roll it. Just scoop up about a teaspoon full and spoon it onto the tray.

Bake at 350 (Fahrenheit) for 10-12 minutes, but check them at 8. 

The peanut butter cookies should hold their shape if very lightly touched. (Alternatively, the crosshatches of the fork marks should be a little browner than the rest.) 

The Nutella cookies will spread out, and if left in the oven too long will start to look NOT done in patches. When those start showing, take the cookies out--they're done. (I know it seems counter-intuitive, but it's true.)

You'll have to experiment with other nut butters for both shaping and how to tell when they are done. 

Teaspoon size cookies work out to about 55 calories each. 


And now, some booze-y goodness. I just invented this one for the blog. Don't you all feel special?

Hit the Slopes Martini

4 oz chocolate milk (I Nes-quicked some regular milk)
1 oz vodka
1 oz peppermint schnapps
crushed candy cane to rim your glass

Shake the milk, vodka, schnapps, and ice in a martini shaker. Pour into candy-cane rimmed martini glass and enjoy!



Lastly, there's one more thing! You already know how to enter to win the Kindle Fire, but I'm giving away a prize too! 

These are mine & I know you don't want my
cooties, so you get a different color :P
I know how cold my hands get during the winter, but I need my fingers free for typing or I never get anything done. Enter the wonder of fingerless mittens! And I'm making a pair right now to give away on the hop (this is US only, sorry. However, if you enter to win and are international, we'll work something else out, okay?) This is the pattern I'm using, but they won't be this color (since I don't have anymore of the yarn left). They will be wool, but it's a soft wool (I promise. I can't deal with scratchy stuff, so I don't buy it). So it'll be a bit of a surprise in your mailbox if you win. To make entering easy (and give you opportunities to increase your chance of winning, I give you the Rafflecopterinator. (Sorry, we were listening to the Phineas & Ferb Christmas album today.)
a Rafflecopter giveaway

68 comments:

  1. Sweet! Love the idea of hand-made fingerless mittens!

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    MERRY CHRISTMAS

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    Replies
    1. DOH! Pecan pie has always been one of my favorite holiday foods, but that Hit the Slopes martini may give it a run for the money!! lol

      Delete
    2. Thanks for clarifying that you didn't plan to eat the mittens. I was a little worried O.O

      (Kidding, in case that didn't come through)

      Delete
  2. My favorite holiday snack is mashed potato candy...if someone else makes it from here on out! Tastes delicious! I hope fellow blog hoppers can enter for your prize because those are the cutest mittens! Good luck everyone!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Seleste, I can't find my printed recipe for it but if you do a search for "Mashed Potato Candy" you'll find it. The mashed potatoes are just part of the batter but I think the recipe called for a cup of powdered sugar and I swear I had to use two whole bags to get the right consistency! Needless to say, a little bite went a long way!

      Delete
  3. Great mittens Seleste. Thanks for the opportunity.
    My favorite is the Italian cookies we make every Christmas.
    Carol L
    Lucky4750 (at) aol (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mmmmm anything Italian is usually good (Best food in the world <3)

      Delete
  4. My favorite snack is my mom's ginger creams. She only makes them at Christmas.
    usignolc(at)yahooDOTcom

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  5. Love this, =) my favorite about the holidays is all the yumminess we can eat without feeling bad, =) and the food coma in the sofa afterwards LOL
    Bummer i´m not in the US, i´d love a pair of those mittens.
    Happy Friday!
    //Linda

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The food coma is the best!

      Remember, you can still enter. We just might need to work out a different prize.

      Delete
  6. I want to know what potato candy is too. But my favorite snack is homemade peanut brittle, which I eat so much of, I don't want anymore for a whole year. sockerjo@aol.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I tried to make brittle once. I turned out horribly. So I leave that to other people now LOL

      Delete
  7. Caramel Macadamia tarts.

    If I win I want the gloves even though I'm international. I don't mind until I see you at RT :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lol fair enough, Megan. I know I'll see you in a few months :)

      Delete
  8. Does chocolate count as a snack? In all it's forms: bars, cakes, brownies, drink -- ^_^

    Thank you for the great giveaway! Happy holidays!

    - Tin

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    Replies
    1. I spent all of Friday making chocolates with my friend Michelle. My favorite is pretzels with caramel and peanut butter dipped in chocolate. My sister is addicted to them :)

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  9. Favorite snack is chex mix. I love the gloves but my my Mom would lovvvvve them!
    Merry Christmas!

    ReplyDelete
  10. My mom makes coconut balls for Christmas. I love those. They taste just like Mounds candy.

    amysmith98@gmail.com

    Merry Christmas

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I can't do coconut personally, but I know some people LOVE coconut balls :)

      Delete
  11. I love anything with sugary goodness that will add 10 pounds to my butt:)
    Happy Holidays!
    ajcraig77@comcast.net

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL if there are leftovers, you can come to my place after the holidays. I made seven different kinds of cookies *dies*

      Delete
  12. I love cookies, all types. Thanks for the receipe.
    Happy Holidays

    ReplyDelete
  13. I love peffernusse, only make them this time of year.

    ocanana@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I've never tried to make peffernusse. I wonder if my family would like it...

      Delete
  14. I love the seasonal sugar cookies :)
    Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
    cassandrahicks1989@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  15. Yum, thanks for the Hit the Slopes martini recipe. I will definitely be trying that out this holiday!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hope you like it! I think it'd be really good if you happen to have Pinnacle chocolate vodka (just saying... :P)

      Delete
  16. YUM! Cookies and booze, here I come - for Christmas I love eggnog and struffoli, an Italian Christmas treat!

    Felicia
    mrschopchop@verizon.net

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  17. Chocolate covered pringles, oh yea and Springlers!
    Kimbre15

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  18. I love the Turtle Cake that my mom makes for Christmas dinner. I love to drive around and look at the lights. Thanks for the giveaway!

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  19. We leave cookies and beer for Santa but maybe this year he would like that martini

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  20. I love spiked eggnog! Thanks for the recipes; I look forward in trying them.

    Happy Holidays!
    Tracey D
    booklover0226 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  21. These are great recipes! My favorite holiday recipe is my father's cheesecake!

    liljrSanchez(at)hotmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  22. Merry Christmas! Thanks for the recipes and a chance to win a kindle fire.

    jackiebriere[at]shaw[dot]ca

    ReplyDelete
  23. As a quadriplegic who can't move her fingers, these gloves word work perfectly! I'd actually be able to get them on with no fuss! Thanks for the yummy sounding recipes that make me want to party!

    joderjo402 AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Forgot to say that decorated sugar cookies are my fave!

      Delete
  24. Oh wonderful! I love my drinks. ;) I have to have Eggnog, and Baileys to help get through the season. lol

    But I think I miss not having snow these days too. :(

    Have fun!

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  25. My favorite holiday drink is Apple Cider. Favorite treats homemade fudge.

    Rafflecopter Name: Dawna Newman

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  26. I've always enjoyed a glass of eggnog.
    I'm so envious of your knitting skill - I just couldn't get the hang of it.

    sallans d at yahoo dot com

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  27. Thanks for the great recipes. My favorite goody is iced sugar cookies. yummy I could go for some right now.
    scrtsbpal at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  28. My favorite treat is white fudge covered Oreos.
    Merry Christmas!!
    koonie2888 at yahoo dot com

    ReplyDelete
  29. My favorite holiday memory involves cookies. Making cookies, eating cookies, or sharing cookies. There is just something comforting about fresh, gooey cookies.
    planterofhope at aol dot com

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  30. Happy Holidays,thanks for the chance to win.

    dragonkeep62(at)gmail(dot)com

    ReplyDelete
  31. I really love eggnog.

    JYL22075 at gmail dot com

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  32. My favorite is creme caramel
    bituin76 at hotmail dot com

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  33. My favorite holiday yummy is my great grandmother's fruitcake recipe. It is so yummy and good, I have had many converts over the years whenever I take it to work.

    Merry Christmas and thanks for the blog stop.

    Bookworm (dot) judy (at) gmail (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  34. A cocktail named Tom and Jerry :D
    alinutza4u2004[at]yahoo[dot]co[dot]uk

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  35. your cocktail sounds kinda like a grasshopper... which is my favorite in drink form and icecream cake form lol.

    Merry Christmas

    j.m.platt83@gmail.com

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  36. My favorite snack is sugar cookies.

    ReplyDelete
  37. Hello, thanks for the giveaway!

    skizzles_22_hju@yahoo.com

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  38. I like chocolate chip cookies.

    Happy holidays!

    bn100candg(at)hotmail(dot)com

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  39. I like Hot Apple Cider, my aunt makes a favorite for those who drink, Hot Buttered Rum. I love to go sledding. Merry Christmas.
    z
    seawitchreviews at yahoo dot com

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  40. Snack - currently it is saltine crackers. I know very weird but I like the salt. Pastime - I am making holiday gifts: a quilt, sewing some blue jean bags and I knitted the heel on the 2nd sock last night. I love knitting. I've never made fingerless gloves but my niece wants some.

    ReplyDelete
  41. I love any kind of cookies. Thanks for the hop.
    magic5905 at embarqmail dot com

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  42. My favorite is hot coco with homemade sugar cookies! Yum! :) Great hop & awesome giveaway! Thank you!! Happy holidays to you all! Best wishes and many blessings!
    shadowluvs2read(at)gmail(dot)com

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  43. My favorite is now peanut butter chocolate chip cookies. :)

    smurfettev AT gmail DOT com

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  44. Thanks for the giveaway and awesome recipes! COOKIES!!!!

    mrs.hildebrand AT gmail DOT com

    ReplyDelete
  45. My favorite holiday treat is definitely fudge :D

    Thanks for the giveaway!

    Jess
    Romanceaholic at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  46. My favorite holiday treats are the homemade cut-out sugar cookies :) Thanks for the giveaway! Happy Holidays!
    flava_sava_chick@yahoo.com

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  47. i love chocolate covered strawberries from michale moontz can only get on holidays
    kaholgate at ymail dot com

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  48. Thanks for stopping by everyone. Sorry I didn't keep up the individual comments. I ended up getting the flu this week and I was severely down for the count :( Hope to see you next year!

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  49. Hope you feel better, Seleste! Thanks for the great hop post. Cheers to next year!

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