Santa's Tired of Cookies

I know it is hard to believe that after thousands of years and millions of homes around the world, that Santa might be tired of eating cookies, but it's true.  In fact, he left us a note two Christmases ago telling us this was the case.

It is important to keep Santa happy, so last year we made my top secret, amazing, stupendous, everything-a-red-velvet-should-be, Red Velvet Cupcakes.  You know, the real ones?  Where the red hue is caused by a chemical reaction between the cocoa and the buttermilk?  Yep, those.

Santa was quite pleased.

So, if you want to stay on the nice list (not that the naughty list isn't fun at times), I suggest you spice things up this year.  Make brownies.  Make truffles.  Make whatever you (or your husband) like best!

If you want to make my Red Velvet Cupcakes, there are a couple of things you should know.

1.  They aren't really mine.  The recipe belongs to Ellen Sternau and Beth Pilar owners of How Sweet It Is Bakery in Manhattan.  It was published in Runner's World Magazine.  They are geniuses and it is sublime.

Tell me these aren't beautiful!

 2.  Please pipe your frosting.  I cannot tell you what a difference this one step can make in your overall look. I can, however, show you...

Adorable, right?

For these I did a double star. One star crisscrossing on top of another. I like the haphazard look. If you prefer more uniformity, go for swirls, or perpendicular lines.  Throw on a few sprinkles.  Perfection.

Whatever you choose, I promise, Santa will be pleased.

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Christmas Cork Wreath

For years I have wanted a cork wreath for Christmas.  

I saved my corks, and saved my corks, and saved my corks, and saved my corks, and saved my corks...  and then I sold my house, moved cross country and gave all my corks away!  

Trust me, you part with a lot of prized posessions when your entire life has to fit in an 8x8x16 foot Pod.

The idea of starting over was daunting.  I had years invested in this process.  So instead, much like the rest of my life, I decided to make something lovely out of what I had on hand.

My very fancy work station.  Yes that is a Domino's box.  Don't judge me.

I bought this grapevine wreath at Michaels.  It was $7.99.  Added the roughly 30 corks I have accumulated since the move.  Plugged in the hot glue gun, and Voila!  

Rustic Christmas Cork Wreath.  

The best part is that I can continue to add to it over the years.  And somehow, when it is all said and done, this is really much more me!

The Best Under 10 I have found in a long, long time!

My mom was not much of a drinker.  She never had alcohol in the house unless my grandfather was coming to town, and then there was usually a bottle of wine, chablis to be exact.  Now Ray enjoyed a good bottle of wine, I believe there was a bottle of Opus One on his 70th birthday, but he was also unafraid to say he liked something if it was cheap.  Maybe I get my love of good cheap wine from him.  But this post is about my mom.  Or maybe it is really about both of them, and me.

Every year Ray would fly out to see us on December 26th.  The anticipation for his arrival, put Christmas to shame.  Mom's Daddy was the light of her life, and of ours.  He always brought mom a box of Godiva Chocolates (the big one), we always went by the water (the beach), and sometimes we would stop at the liquor store and he would buy Mom a bottle of Chateauneuf du Pape.  Ray said it was her favorite.

I never had the opportunity to share a glass of wine with my mom.  She was taken far to young by a beast called Melanoma.  But when I completed my college degree I found myself working in a field that required knowledge of wine.  That knowledge led to a life long love affair, and funny enough my favorite is Chateauneuf du Pape.

Most Chateauneuf du Papes average well above my $15 everyday wine cap ($30+).  They are collectors.  Savey-Saveys as we call them in our house.  Usually, Santa is generous and I find one in my stocking.  It is placed with it's brothers to sleep and wait until such time as we have gathered a group of good, wine loving friends, and it is ready.

So imagine my surprise a couple of weeks ago, as I was doing my Thanksgiving shopping at Trader Joe's and I came around a corner to see, "Chateauneuf du Pape, The wine of Thanksgiving, $9.99" 

$9.99?!  Are you kidding?  Shocked as I was, $9.99 was worth the gamble.  We opened it a few days after Thanksgiving, and to my surprise it is quite good.  Don't get me wrong, it will not be resting with it's brothers, waiting for just the right time to be opened. 

No.

So far I have enjoyed it while cooking dinner and wrapping presents.  I have given it as a hostess gift and a Christmas gift. 

It is light, yet still has that bigness I expect when I drink Chateauneuf du Pape, and I swear there is a slight pepper on the finish, but that just might be me.

Regardless, I highly recommend it.  It is hands down, the best under $10 I have found in a very, very long time!


I swear these aren't all for me!

Val de la Pierre
Chateneuf du Pape
2009
Found at Trader Joe's
$9.99

Maybe tonight I will raise a glass to Mom and Ray. 

Maybe I better go buy another bottle first!