This is Dedicated to You

Today's post is dedicated to you, my friends and followers. Earlier this year, in May, when I started my blog, I had no idea the amount of joy it would bring into my life through the comments and friendships that blossom along with each posting. As we are nearing the end of 2011, I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart to you for letting me post about my interests, randomness and sometimes deeper thoughts. With your friendships, you have encouraged me to know that I am not some girl behind a desk at work, but a girl who loves to bake, do DIY crafts, and share with you the laughter in my life. So with this, I sign off on 2011 and see you all in 2012 for even greater and deeper friendships! 

Source: stylemepretty.com via Megan on Pinterest

Christmas has come and gone...

Why is it hardest to feel any motivation in the days following Christmas? Doesn't the time seem to go much slower, the pace of life is just crawling by? Ugh, these days can be such a pain. I hope all of you had a great Christmas, receiving some great gifts, eating lots of yummy food and spending quality time with your friends and family.
I had a great Christmas and sad to be back in the routine of normal life. We had a great trip, all four of us, Sean, Kip, Kimbia and myself up to the central coast. On Friday, I got to see my aunt, uncle and two cousins and their significant others (one husband, the other boyfriend) for dinner, always a great time whenever I see them, which isn't nearly enough.
While up there, we went for some runs, did some wine tasting, met up with friends, went to church, celebrated Christmas of course with the family. Just a photo re-cap of our trip.  A trail run with the dogs and some gorgeous views!

And our Christmas morning!

Merry Christmas friends!

As we gather around the Christmas tree this morning, open up presents and spend time with family and friends, I wanted to give you a special Christmas blessing and greeting from the Henning household.

Source: poppiesatplay.blogspot.com via Van on Pinterest

Luke 2:6-14, While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born,  and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby, keeping watch over their flocks at night. An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ^[a] the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” Suddenly a great company of the heavenly host appeared with the angel, praising God and saying, “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to men on whom his favor rests.” (NIV)

Christmas Morning Treat - Eggnog and Cranberry Scones

Merry Christmas Eve!!
What says holiday more than eggnog and cranberries? Ok I am think of a few Santa, presents, Christmas tree, but seriously when you think food, what is the first Christmas item you think of? Well if you are still needed a Christmas breakfast treat then check out these yummy treats, eggnog and cranberry scones. They are so easy to make, and only take 15 minutes at the maximum to bake so you don't have to wake up super early to pop these puppies in the oven and then your family will be filled with eggnog and cranberry goodness all day long!

So while the children are unwrapping their gifts, get the coffee brewing and munch on these!  Enjoy!

Eggnog-Cranberry Scones

First, gather together your ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, 3 tablespoons sugar, 5 tablespoons cold butter, cut into 1/4 inch cubes, 1/2 cup dried cranberries, 1 cup eggnog, 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg.

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

In your food processor, add the flour, the baking powder, the sugar then add in the cubes of butter and mix it a good mix.

In a larger mixing bowl,  pour in the eggnog, dash of nutmeg and chopped up dried cranberries. 

 Pour in the flour mixture into the larger mixing bowl, and mix all the ingredients well but don't over mix. 

On your counter, already floured so the dough doesn't stick, gently knead the dough and then pat it out into a circle about 1/2 inch thick. Then cut the dough into 8 parts.

Place your scones on a silpad on your baking sheet and give them a wash of eggnog on the top. I sprinkled some scones with sugar, cinnamon and then cinnamon-sugar both after the eggnog wash.

Cook the scones in the oven for 12-15 minutes or until they are golden brown and look like this when they come out of the oven!

Serve them on a fancy Christmas plate and enjoy!

recipe found here

All Wrapped Up with a Bow

Its Friday and I am up at my parents-in-law's place in central California, ahh to get out of the LA smog and enjoy the beautiful scenery up here. Why can't my vacation be longer so I can spend some more time up here amongst these gorgeous views and family and friends. However, I will be thankful for the blessings I have and not wish for more, because I have plenty as is! I do have a few scheduled posts up tomorrow and then a Christmas post but other than that I will be a bit quiet in responding, need a bit of a bloggy break!

Christmas is almost here and between the wrapping of presents, spending time with family, it was a little hard to remember to take photos of my outfits but I did take a few. Plus I wanted to give my blog a break from all the holiday baking, etc. although you will get one more baking recipe tomorrow :-)

First I wanted to start with this week's Friday Fancies of snowy white and I titled my outfit, all wrapped up with a bow (very Christmas appropriate, right?)

And a few outfits of my own. I apologize they are a mix of work outfits and weekend or after work outfits. Some days I really wish, especially work days, I could wear my jeans. I just feel my jeans outfits are so much more cute than my work outfits, but then I would be fired if I wore jeans and that would be no-bueno!

This is one work outfit.

These are my lace boot socks, ok no technically socks more like knee-highs but I love the lace look. Location of tight socks: Target.

This was an outfit to meet friends in one evening after work.

And lastly, an outfit that I wore to our church's Christmas program. Girls, that orange sweater, I found on ebay for $10 and it is Anthropologie, score!

I also asked my husband to participate with an outfit and this is what he came up with :-)

He felt rather sleuthy in the second outfit. Actually these were taken in Macys when we were out Christmas shopping. He is modeling the very chic 3 in 1 wrap :-) Oh honey, I love you!

Christmas Gift Food Ideas

First you make peppermint bark and then you make candied pecans. Lets start with the peppermint bark, a personal favorite (and won't cost nowhere near the Williams-Sonoma price).

Gather, 6 oz (3/4 cup) semi-sweet chocolate (chopped), 6 oz white chocolate (chopped), 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract, crushed up peppermint sticks to sprinkle on top. I used chocolate chips, which works equally as well as the bar and you don't have to chop it up.

Line your square or cake pan with tinfoil. 

In a double boiler or make-shift double boiler like I had to do (take a metal bowl, fill a pot with water and put it on a burner). In the small bowl, add your semi-sweet chocolate, 1 tablespoon oil and 1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract (a little of this stuff goes a long way!)

Melt the chips and stir while the chips are melting. 

Then pour out the chocolate onto your tin-foiled baking pan. Place the chocolate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden slightly.

After 30 minutes, take your pan out of the refrigerator and complete the same process as before except leave out the peppermint extract. Place your white chocolate and 1 tablespoon oil in a small bowl to metal over a pan of boiling water. 

Once it is melted, pour all of the white chocolate onto the semi-sweet chocolate, spread the white chocolate around the pan.

Then sprinkle the crushed up peppermint sticks and refrigerator it for at least 30 minutes before you even think about eating it or giving it away as gifts :-)

 Once the chocolate is completed harden, pull off the tin foil and break it up into pieces, don't worry if the pieces aren't uniform, it looks better that way.

Ok second, really easy peasy food gift item you should have on hand always during the holiday time!

Sugared Pecans

First gather your ingredients: 2 cups pecans, 2 egg whites (beaten), 1 cups granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon ground clove.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and ground cloves and mix these ingredients together.

In another bowl, whip up the egg whites until foamy.

Pour the pecans into the egg whites and coat them thoroughly. Then pour in the sugar mixture over the nuts and toss the nuts in the bowl to make sure the nuts are completely coated!

In a foiled line baking sheet, spread the nuts out evenly and bake 1 hour. Break up pieces after 1 hour if the nuts are not completely cooked, meaning there is no stickiness or gooeyness from the egg whites. After the nuts are completely cooked, take the pan out, break out more pieces if need be and set the nuts aside to cool.

I actually did have a last minute Christmas dinner Sean and I had to attend and gave both of these as a gifts.  Enjoy!

And when you have that unexpected gift giver and you didn't have anything in return except the bark and nuts, then you will thank me!