vacation: re-visited

It's time for my obligatory Christmas vacation trip re-cap. Of course, the food was incredible, and amazing and was one of the main focuses of my trip. I'm going to post all the photos and names below. If you guys want any of the recipes that aren't linked, let me know which ones, and I'll try to coax them from my Mom. The only one I know for sure that she won't give up is the Special Christmas Torte She Holds Sacred So Don't Even Ask. (All the photos taken by my phone, mostly with Instagram.)

Whole Wheat Waffles with fruit and yogurt and a sauce from the Clinton Street Baking Company cookbook (which I covet greatly - remember how I ate there in New York?). 

 Citrus Wassail (recipe here)

My adorable Mom writes out a menu for the time that I'm home.  

Winter Fruit Salad with Pomegranates (recipe here) 

Butterhorn Dinner Rolls (recipe here) 

Roasted Beets 

 Pork Tenderloin with Apricot Compote

Special Christmas Torte She Holds Sacred So Don't Even Ask 

The best Eggs Benedict In The World, made by my Mom. 

Fig Prosciutto Pizza with Spinach, adapted from this recipe 

Prosciutto wrapped Water Chestnuts

Chocolate Dipped Salted Caramels with Fluer De Sel, adapted from this recipe

Apple Pan Dore. Recipe adapted from Mama's Cafe 

Fancy Hot Chocolate. (You whip cream with cocoa and chocolate syrup then put in in warm milk then drink it!)

One of my favorite things to eat of all time. Croque Madame from Cafe De La Presse in San Francisco.

Chocolate Malted Crunch Ice Cream from Thrifty's. (My favorite!) 

Blackberry Cobbler, made by 2.0. Recipe from Joy of Cooking.

christmas gifts part 4: chocolate truffles

on the hunt for more christmas food gifts, i found this recipe via foodgawker. these are way easier to make than one would think, but just be prepared for the delicious mess when rolling them out. on singforyoursupper, where this original recipe is posted, she splits up the chocolate to make different kinds. i was lazy/in a hurry/didn't have some of those things but had more crushed peppermint, so i did just plain chocolate rolled in candy canes.

here is the recipe

1 cup heavy cream
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup sugar (I like mine a little sweeter)

bring the cream and sugar to a boil over low heat, pour over the chocolate and stir until smooth. cover and chill the chocolate for at least 4 hours or overnight. roll into walnut size balls then refrigerate again for at least 20 minutes. roll in crushed peppermint candy. store in refrigerator.

guest posting: homemade marshmallows

my latest post on your heart out also makes a great gift. homemade marshmallows.

melt in your mouth delicious.

peanut butter bon bons

i gave some of these away at work and to a few friends. these are candies that my family loves that we got from my brother's friend's mother. got that? anyway, these are a better take on a lot of the "buckeye" or peanut butter bon bon recipes i've looked up. the use of rice krispies adds a great texture.

1 stick unsalted butter
2 c. peanut butter (i like to use one cup creamy, one cup crunchy)
1 lbs. powdered sugar
2 c. rice krispies (crushed)

12 oz. choc. chips (i used more than that, and it helps to melt a tiny bit of shortening with the chocolate to make it melt better and to look shiny)

roll peanut butter into balls.


once the peanut butter balls are formed, it helps to put them in the freezer first so they are easier to handle and set up better once you dip them in the chocolate.

to melt chocolate, i just put the chips and shortening in a heat safe bowl and melted it over boiling water, and if you keep the chocolate over that hot water, it stays easy to handle. but can be a bit hot. so be careful.

this is a really blown out picture of my hand dipping the chocolate. once they are dipped and chilled, i like them best kept in the refrigerator so that they are really crunchy.

i don't have a finished product picture, unfortunately because i had to give them all away. but they are pretty and so good to eat.