Blogs

Hi, everyone!

It occurred to me yesterday that even though we don’t have another YHJ coming up for awhile, I can still blog about holiday recipes and DIY ideas! After all, we’ve still got a few weeks before the holidays and I know so many of you are like me…you’re always on the prowl for fun, new, exciting things to try.

So what do you think of these?!



Aren’t they the cutest things you’ve ever seen? They're called Santa Hat Brownies. Can you imagine how popular they'd be at a holiday bake sale or cookie exchange? Or, if you have a cookie contest at the office, here’s your ticket to the blue ribbon! My kudos go to Daisy from Daisy’s World, who posted a blog with this recipe. And, I thank Pinterest for introducing me to the talented blogger!

To make the brownies, you’ll need:
•    1 pan of brownies (Just make your favorite brownie recipe. Because I don’t always have time to make homemade brownies, I use a box mix. But, if I do have time, I actually make my Amazon Chocolate Cake which is SO yummy!)
•    16-20 fresh strawberries, stems removed, bases cut (so they sit flat)
•    Mascarpone-Buttercream Frosting

Here’s Daisy’s recipe for Mascarpone-Buttercream. If you’re not a Mascarpone fan, you can always substitute it for ricotta or cream cheese.

Mascarpone-Buttercream

Ingredients:
•    1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature
•    8 oz Mascarpone cheese, room temperature
•    3 cups powdered sugar
•    2 tsp vanilla extract
•    Pinch of salt

Directions:
Cream the butter and Mascarpone cheese until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the vanilla extract and salt. Then, add the sugar, half a cup at a time, and continue beating until smooth.

To assemble the brownies, use a small circular cookie cutter to cut the cooled brownies. Place a dollop of cream on top of the brownie (with a piping bag or small spoon), followed by a strawberry. Top each berry with a little glob of icing. The last step is to put the plate of these away in the fridge, so they’re out of sight and out of mind—otherwise you’ll eat the entire plate.

Now that dessert's ready…let’s circle back and talk about your holiday main course. Having turkey for Thanksgiving…and/or Christmas? Do you know the right way to carve the bird?



I know you now know how to set a holiday table. But you know what we didn’t cover? Folding the napkin!



Have a great week—I’ve got to get ready for work! I hope you can join me tonight for Heartfelt Holidays with Valerie Parr Hill at 6pm ET and then my gift favorites from 7-9pm ET. How fun!

From my home to yours,
—Jill