White Chocolate Peppermint Cookies!

Recipe found here and images found here.

Although November has just begun, winter in South Florida isn't really....felt. We stay with 85 degree weather and it doesn't feel like Fall or Winter at all. To lighten up the mood and make these few months feel somewhat seasonal, these few holiday recipes help a ton!

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 1/2 ounces (5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• 8 large candy canes or 30 peppermint candies, crushed
• 2 pounds white chocolate, coarsely chopped

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed for 1 minute. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add egg, then yolk, beating well after each addition. Beat in peppermint extract. Slowly add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Shape dough into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour (or up to 2 days).
2. Roll out 1 disk of dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out circles, and place 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes. Repeat with remaining disk.
3. Bake until cookies are dry to the touch, about 12 minutes. Transfer parchment, with cookies, to wire racks, and let cool. (Undecorated cookies will keep, covered, for up to 3 days.)
4. Sift crushed candy, and separate larger pieces from dust, reserving both. Melt chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over a pot of gently simmering water. Remove from heat. Dunk cookies into melted chocolate. Using a fork, turn to coat, let excess drip off, and gently scrape bottom against edge of bowl. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, and sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon of either candy pieces or dust on top. Repeat, sprinkling half the cookies with pieces and the rest with dust. Refrigerate until set, up to 3 hours. Decorated cookies are best served the same day.

Gingerbread Snowflakes

The recipe is again, from Martha Stewart and can be found aqui. The images are from aqui.

Ingredients

• 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for work surface
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
• 1 cup packed dark-brown sugar
• 4 teaspoons ground ginger
• 4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cloves
• 1 teaspoon finely ground pepper
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup unsulfured molasses
• Royal Icing
• Fine sanding sugar, for sprinkling

Directions

1. Sift together flour, baking soda, and baking powder into a large bowl. Set aside.
   
2. Put butter and brown sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; mix on medium speed until fluffy. Mix in spices and salt, then eggs and molasses. Reduce speed to low. Add flour mixture; mix until just combined. Divide dough into thirds; wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until cold, about 1 hour.
   
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to a 1/4-inch thick. Cut into snowflakes with a 7- inch snowflake-shape cookie cutter. Space 2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper, and refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
   
4. Bake cookies until crisp but not dark, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.
   
5. Put icing in a pastry bag fitted with a small plain round tip (such as Ateco #7). Pipe designs on snowflakes; immediately sprinkle with sanding sugar. Let stand 5 minutes; tap off excess sugar. Let icing set completely at room temperature, about 1 hour.
   
   
   

PEPPERMINT MARSHMELLOWS!

This recipe is PERFECT for fall and winter! Recipe from marthastewart.com and images from one of my favorite blogs, cupcakesandcashmere.com :

Ingredients

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 3 (1/4-ounce) packages unflavored gelatin
• 1/2 cup cold water
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pure peppermint extract
• Confectioners' sugar, sifted, for coating

Directions

1. Lightly spray a 9-by-9-inch baking pan with cooking spray. Line pan with plastic wrap, leaving a 2-inch overhang on all sides; set aside.
2. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, sprinkle gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water; let stand for 10 minutes. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, and 1/4 cup water. Place saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a boil; boil rapidly for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and, with the mixer on high, slowly pour the boiling syrup down the side of the mixer bowl into gelatin mixture. Add salt and continue mixing for 12 minutes.
3. Add peppermint extract and mix until well combined. Spray a rubber spatula or your hands with cooking spray. Spread gelatin mixture evenly into pan using prepared spatula or your hands. Spray a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place, spray side down, on top of marshmallows. Let stand for 2 hours.
4. Carefully remove marshmallows from pan. Remove all plastic wrap and discard. Cut marshmallows into 2-inch squares using a sprayed a sharp knife. Place confectioners' sugar in a large bowl. Working in batches, add marshmallows to bowl and toss to coat. Marshmallows can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days.

Homemade peanut butter cups!

So, I was recipe hunting tonight and I found this great recipe for homemade peanut butter cups. Link found here. The following images are from the Brown Eyed Baker's blog, whom made this recipe. Check her out!

Our win vs Alabama!

MIAMI (Nov. 3, 2012) – The FIU football team pulled out a 28-20 victory on the road against the South Alabama Jaguars Saturday afternoon at Ladd-Peebles Stadium in Mobile, Ala. The win was the first victory for the Panthers against the Jaguars, who FIU played for the first time in school history.
The Panthers were led by running back Kedrick Rhodes who rushed for 149 yards on 27 carries. On the defensive side of the ball, Jordan Hunt led FIU with 11 total tackles and a game-clinching interception with less than 10 seconds to play in the game. Jake Medlock was effective under center, throwing for 153 yards and two scores while rushing for 34 yards and a score to account for three total touchdowns.
After a fumble by Medlock led to a South Alabama touchdown on the opening drive, the Panthers responded on their next possession with a 26-yard pass from Medlock to Willis Wright to knot the game up at 7-7. Greg Hickman and Giovanni Francois then helped force a three-and-out on the next Jaguars possession with a nifty third-down stop. FIU scored again through the air at the 51-second mark in the first, this time Medlock hit Jacob Younger for a 26-yard score to take a 14-7 lead. The scores were both the third of the season for Wright and Younger.
At the start of the second half, Johnathan Cyprien halted a USA drive with an interception at the Jags’ 19-yard line. The interception was the sixth of his career, moving him into sole possession of fourth place on the FIU career interceptions list. However, FIU couldn’t capitalize on the turnover, going three-and-out to force a Josh Brisk punt.  
Medlock flashed his wheels and made it a 21-7 FIU lead when he scampered 19 yards to paydirt on a designed quarterback run at the 7:45 mark in the second quarter.
After controlling the ball for much of the second quarter, the Panthers took a 28-7 lead with 1:07 remaining in the stanza. Rhodes capped off a 10-play, 74-yard drive, with a two-yard touchdown jog off tackle for his third score of the season. The touchdown sent FIU into the locker room with a 21-point advantage.
At the half Rhodes led all players with 132 yards on the ground and FIU had a 303 to 149 advantage in total yards.
The Jags’ came out of the locker room hot when Ross Metheny hit Corey Besteda for a 75-yard touchdown, the longest play in South Alabama history. Shortly after an FIU three-and-out near its own goal line, South Alabama connected on a 39-yard field goal to open the third quarter on a 10-0 run and cut the FIU lead to 28-17.
The Panthers caught a huge break late in the third quarter when a down by contact call was overturned to a Sam Miller fumble recovery to give FIU life in South Alabama territory. The Panthers would wind up going three-and-out, giving way to a 37-yard Brisk punt, resulting in a touch back.
Early in the fourth quarter, the Panthers defense held steadfast on a goalline stand only allowing a USA field goal to cut into the FIU lead at 28-20.
With 5:17 left in the game, Jordan Hunt broke up a pass on a big third-and-four play at the Panthers 6. South Alabama then went on to miss the ensuing field goal attempt, keeping the FIU lead at eight points.
Hunt factored in on the final play of the game, picking off a Metheny pass with seconds left in the game to secure FIU’s second victory of the season.
The Panthers will return to the gridiron on Friday, Nov. 16, when they travel to face intra-state rival Florida Atlantic at FAU Stadium in Boca Raton, Fla. The game will be broadcast live on ESPNU at 8:00 p.m. ET.
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About FIU Athletics: FIU Athletics is home to more than 400 student-athletes in 18 different sports. Athletic events are played in seven different venues on FIU's campuses (Modesto A. Maidique and Biscayne Bay), including U.S. Century Bank Arena and Alfonso Field at FIU Stadium.

Hey!

Hey everyone!

I'm excited to be starting a new blog for entertainment during my downtime from university. Here's a little bit about myself:
My name is Honey. I'm a 21 year old biology major in south Florida. I currently work at two different medical offices and I'm going to start blogging as a hobby.