Coffee Filter Wreath

I haven’t posted a food related craft in a while so here’s a perfect one that doubles for holiday’s like Christmas and Valentine’s Day. It would even look good for a wedding or bridal shower. I think I’m gonna make another one with brown coffee filters like Centsible Savings made for more of an all year look. Best thing is you can add anything you want to personalize them from glitter to snowflakes to any trinket you can find.

I first saw this craft on Martha Stewart then I saw Sandra Lee had one in her December magazine. I decided to go with Sandra Lee’s idea using a foam wreath instead of Martha’s using a rim of a paper plate.

Coffee Filter Wreath
(Adapted from Sandra Lee Christmas)

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Foam Wreath
White Crepe Paper
Coffee Filters
Ribbon
Hot Glue Gun
Glue Sticks

Wrap wreath form with white crepe paper to create a white background.

Pinch the centers of coffee filters to create blooms.

With a hot glue gun, adhere coffee filter blooms around the front of the wreath. Continue until wreath is covered.

Hang wreath with white ribbon attached to the back. (I wrapped the ribbon around the foam wreath before I attached the coffee filters.)

Oh and before I forget I thought I would send out a shout out Thank You for all my lovely gifts over Christmas from family. Here’s a peek at a few of the items I got and can’t wait to use…

Have a safe and happy New Year’s I’ll see you next year!!

Eggnog Dip and Cooked Custard Eggnog

Today is all about one of my favorite things about the holidays……eggnog! Not the healthiest drink of choice but in small amounts it’s pure bliss. My mother in law had the right idea about the flavored ones out this year. Just buy the original eggnog then add your own flavors to each glass. For pumpkin eggnog add some pumpkin pie spice, for cinnamon add cinnamon, get inspired and try a new flavor!

Christmas eve we had a block party and one of the request was home made eggnog. Me being the adventurist type accepted the challenge and it turned out to be a huge hit. I doubled the recipe so the pictures will look like a little more then the recipe shows. I also brought this eggnog dip that was eaten up quite fast. We preferred the pound cake with it because you could taste it better, the strawberries seemed to over power the flavor. Get inspired and try your favorite drinks in a new way!

Cooked Custard Eggnog

(Adapted from Martha Stewart)

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3 1/2 cups milk
5 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
2 cups heavy cream
1 cup dark rum
Grated nutmeg

Prepare an ice-water bath. In a medium saucepan, scald 2 cups milk.

Meanwhile, with an electric mixer on medium-high, whisk 5 large egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar until very thick and pale yellow, 3 to 5 minutes.

Add half the scalded milk to the yolk mixture, and whisk until blended.

Stir into remaining milk, and cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon.

Remove from heat, and immediately stir in 1 cup heavy cream.

Pass the mixture through a sieve into a medium mixing bowl set in the ice-water bath. Let stand, stirring from time to time, until chilled.

Stir in another 1 1/2 cups milk and 1 cup dark rum.

Transfer eggnog to a punch bowl or to individual glasses. Whip 1 cup heavy cream to soft peaks. Top each serving of eggnog with a dollop of whipped cream, and sprinkle with grated nutmeg.

Eggnog Dip

(Adapted from Sharon MacDonnell)

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1 ½ cups eggnog
2 tablespoons cornstarch
½ cup sour cream
½ cup heavy whipping cream
1 tablespoon sugar
½ teaspoon rum extract
Assorted fruit and pound cake cubes

In a saucepan, combine the eggnog and cornstarch until smooth.

Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in sour cream. Cool completely.

In a mixing bowl, beat whipping cream and sugar until stiff peaks form.

Fold into eggnog mixture with extract if desired. (I added the extract to the whipping cream.)

Cover and refrigerate overnight. Serve with fruit and pound cake.

Avocado Ranch Dip

I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas! I know we had a good one. Finally got a cold front to cool it down a little and make it feel a little more like winter time.  I’ll do a Christmas recap this week, but first I wanted to share a yummy dip recipe you’ll want to try.

I’ve been on a dip hunt for a while trying out some new things for parties and I think I’ve found my new favorite one. Super easy to make just dump it all in a food processor and it’s ready. What I like most about this dip is it’s really creamy and nice and thick none of that watery stuff. I munched on some 2 days later and the avocados hadn’t made the dip turn brown so you could easily make this a day in advance. I’m not sure where this recipe came from, I had found it on the side of a holiday dip container box.

Avocado Ranch Dip

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1 (16 ounce) container sour cream
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (1 ounce) package ranch dressing mix
¾ teaspoon hot sauce
1/4 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 teaspoon celery salt
2 avocados, peeled and pitted

In a food processor, mix together all ingredients except  avocados.

In a bowl, mash the avocados, and then gently stir into the sour cream mixture until well blended.

Cover and chill.

Finished Baskets and a Pumpkin Pie Martini

As I finish up the last of the gift baskets I found these super cute baskets to put all my goodies in. I however didn’t think of the glitter factor! They are super cute, but they make a mess with all the glitter.

If you don’t want to hunt down some baskets you can always find a nice colander or mixing bowl to tuck some goodies in.

I hope I’ve inspired you to make something homemade as a gift this year. And after all that hard work you must treat yourself to a martini! If you like pumpkin pie then you’ll really like this drink.

Pumpkin Pie Martinis
(Adapted from Taste of Home Christmas 2010)

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1 vanilla wafer, crushed
ice cubes
2 ounces vanilla flavored vodka
2 ounces milk
2 ounces heavy whipping cream
1 ounce simple syrup*
1 ounce hazelnut liqueur
⅛ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
dash of ground cinnamon

If a cookie-crumb rim is desired; moisten the rims of two cocktail glasses with water. Place cookie crumbs on a plate and dip rims in crumbs. Set aside.

Fill mixing glass or tumbler three-fourths full with ice. Add the remaining ingredients; stir until condensation forms on the outside of glass.

Strain martini into two chilled cocktail glasses.

*You could also substitute pumpkin flavoring syrup for the simple syrup found in the coffee section of our grocery store.