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"Life isn't about finding yourself... it's about creating yourself."

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Cakepops Galore!

So I decided I really wanted to make cakepops for Christmas! Little did I know, they are quite a process to make! They took 3 days!! They came out really yummy! They weren't perfect looking, but they tasted mmm mm good!

 I have shared the recipe below in case you want to attempt them! 

Enjoy :)














Cake Ball Mix

What you need:
1 batch of cake (I made vanilla cake, but you can do whatever kind you want!)
8 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
4 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon milk (or more, as necessary)
Bake the cake and let it cool completely on a rack. This is a very moist cake, which is ideal for this recipe. It's best to let it cool overnight at least. When it is completely cool, break the cake into a large bowl. Crumble it with forks or your fingers until it is in fine crumbs.
In a separate bowl, whip the cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and milk together until smooth. Pour into the cake crumbs and mix with a spoon. Then continue mixing with your fingers, kneading and mixing until fully incorporated into the cake. Check to see if it will roll into a ball. It should: this makes a very malleable, easy-to-handle cake mixture. But if it needs a little extra moisture, add milk a spoonful at a time.
When the mix is completely done, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm. You can leave the mix refrigerated for several days at this point. I left mine in the fridge for about three days before making the balls. You could probably also freeze this.


Making Cake Pops

What you need
Lollipop sticks (found at Michael's, JoAnn's, or other craft stores)
12 ounces chocolate chips
12 ounces white chocolate bark
Edible wax, optional
Colored sugars, candies, and other decorative sprinkles

How to make the balls
 Prepare two large baking sheets by covering with wax paper or parchment. Take a bit of the cake mixture and roll it into a smooth ball. If you want to use the lollipop sticks, stick one into the end of each ball, pointing upward, as you put the ball back down on the sheet. [Note: I cut the long lollipop sticks in half; they seemed a little long for the size of the balls.] Repeat until you've used up all the mixture. As each sheet fills up, put it in the freezer so that the balls harden.

How to decorate the cake pops
Melt chocolate or white chocolate in a double boiler on the stove. If you want to make the coating a little more resistant to melting, add a small square of wax to the pot and let it melt too. Stir well. Dip each ball into the chocolate until covered.

Dip in sugar, coconut, sprinkles, or anything else you'd like to decorate with. 
Put it back on the sheet to harden.
Don't refrigerate these; it will cause the coating to weep or melt. They can be frozen, however.

Enjoy! :)

Monday, December 26, 2011

Christmas & Wigilia!

Merry Christmas!
I had a wonderful whirlwind of a Christmas - spending it between NY and MA with my family and Mike's. We drove up to Cairo NY on Friday after I got out of school. Friday night we went to Joe's brothers house for a get together. It was a lot of fun and a lot of sangria and buffalo chicken dip. Saturday I got to celebrate Wigilia with Mike's family. This is their Christmas Even celebration - the Polish version of Christmas Eve. We had a delicious fish dinner (everything Mike's mom cooks is delish), wine and presents. Sunday morning we woke up early to drive back to my parents for presents & breakfast with my family. After hours of gift opening (we open one at a time) we got ready and headed to my aunts. Things always get silly and wild after a few hours when we're all together. We played would you rather, and somehow, not unlike Thanksgiving, wound up wearing fake mustaches again. I took only a few pictures all day, as I was trying to soak in the moments. Therefore, I only have a few moments to share with you....

 Christmas nails.

 Gingerbread lattes.

Beautiful tree.

 Christmas in the mountains.

 Christmas peach.


 Great new tunes.


New nametag for my desk at school. Love.




Uncle Mike & McKenna & her new purple hippo!

 New rocking giraffe.


 Moment captured.



Auntie Meg and Peaches. :)



Putting ornaments on the tree.

My beautiful sissies.


Opening presents with the princess.

My favorite present, everyday.

How was your Christmas? Hopefully filled with love and family <3

Friday, December 16, 2011

Wednesday, December 14, 2011

McKenna's Christmas Photoshoot









I did a photoshoot for McKenna's Christmas card picture over the weekend.
Do I really need any words?
Precious lil babe.

Sunday, December 11, 2011

Holiday fun

Yesterday we spent the day in Boston at one of our favorite markets: SOWA holiday market. SOWA has open markets every Sunday from April to the end of October outdoors in the South End of Boston. Around the holidays they hold an indoor market, with a ton of vendors, christmas music, and treats. It really got me in the Christmas spirit yesterday walking around the cobblestone streets of the South End, hearing Christmas music, seeing all the Christmas lights once the sun went down, sipping on flavored lattes, holding hands.... just taking it all in. I feel an immense amount of love for New England around the holidays. Although I often dream of living on the West Coast or in the south where it is warm -- I cannot imagine wintertime not being in Boston. I love all of the lights, bundling up, seeing my breath outside. Of course it can get painfully cold, but there is nothing better than cuddling up inside in front of a fire and watching the snow fall.... 







What do you like about winter where you live?

XO