My pup

Champagne Truffles

Yummy chocolate champagne filled truffles are the perfect complement to a nice glass of champagne on New Year's Eve.

Yields: 25 to 30 truffles

Ingredients:

• 6 ounces semisweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup butter, cut into small pieces (no substitutes)
• 3 tablespoons whipping cream
• 1 beaten egg yolk
• 3 tablespoons champagne

Combine semisweet chocolate, butter, and the 3 tablespoons whipping cream in a heavy, medium saucepan. Cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted, stirring constantly. Gradually stir about half of the hot mixture into the egg yolk, Return entire mixture to the saucepan.Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Remove from heat. Stir in champagne. Transfer truffle mixture to a medium mixing bowl; chill about 1 hour or until mixture is completely cool and smooth, stirring occasionally.

Beat cooled truffle mixture with an electric mixer on medium speed about 1 minute or until color lightens and mixture is slightly fluffy. Chill about 30 minutes more or until mixture holds its shape. Scrape a small ice cream scoop, melon baller, or spoon across the surface of the cold truffle mixture, forming 1-inch balls. Place balls on a baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate until very firm.

Truffles can be covered in chocolate candy melts or rolled in unsweetened cocoa powder or sifted powdered sugar.

Candied Citrus Peels

These Candied Citrus Peels from Martha Stewart are really delicious. They can be consumed as soft jelly candy or added to breads or desserts.

Makes 2 1/2 cups

• 2 grapefruits, 3 oranges, or 4 lemons
• 4 cups sugar, plus more for rolling
• 4 cups water

Directions

1. Using a paring knife, make 6 slits along curve from top to bottom of each citrus fruit, cutting through peel but not into fruit. Using your fingers, gently remove peel. Reserve fruit for another use. Slice each piece of peel lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips. Using a paring knife, remove excess pith from each strip and discard.
2. Place strips in a large saucepan, and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then drain. Repeat twice.
3. Bring sugar and water to a boil, stirring occasionally until sugar dissolves. Stop stirring. Wash sides of pan with a wet pastry brush to prevent sugar crystals from forming. Add strips to boiling syrup, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer gently until strips are translucent, about 1 hour. Remove from heat, and let strips cool in syrup. (Strips in syrup will keep, covered and refrigerated, for up to 3 weeks.)
4. Using a slotted spoon, transfer strips to a wire rack placed on a rimmed baking sheet. Wipe off excess syrup with paper towels, then roll strips in sugar. Arrange in a single layer on a wire rack, and let dry for at least 30 minutes. Sugared peels will keep, covered at room temperature, for up to 2 weeks.

Softies

This year I decided to hand make as many Christmas gifts as possible. I thought my niece and nephews would appreciate a little warm creature to snuggle. My favorite, the elephant, is made from a pair of socks and is from Sock and Glove by Miyaki Kanamori. I had seen her things on the Martha Stewart Show and was very excited when my sister sent me the book. The other creatures are from Softies, a Penguin book featuring collections from various craft blogs.


By special request, Lisa's monster.

Wine Cork Reindeer

While wine tasting in Temecula earlier this year, I discovered the most precious way to recycle wine corks. These cork reindeer are so cute and made wonderful gifts for our friends and family.


After a days work, we had a little army of cork reindeer plus little Syd and Max ornaments too. These homemade Christmas tree ornaments also looked great on our tree.

Lazy Sunday

This pic was not staged. They really do like one another, sometimes. Maybe Max was just cold. After the click of the camera, Sydney promptly jumped off the couch.

Halloween 08