NomNom: Chocolate Covered Peppermint Popcorn

Happy Monday everyone! First, I want to apologize for the lack of posts last week. Some unexpected things came up in my personal life last week and I've been trying to deal with it one day at a time, so blogging was honestly the last thing on my mind. I blog because I enjoy sharing things I love with you, not because it's my job or I have to keep a "blogging schedule," so with that said, my personal life will always comes first. Social media falls after. Although blogging is such an open space to allow random people to peek into your life, I am very much a private person. The irony, right?

Be patient with me. Please and thank you.

Over the weekend, I started to slowly bounce back into my social life and get back into things that make me happy, such as being in the kitchen. Every year, around this time I make something that deals with peppermint candy because not only does it get me in the holiday spirit, but I just love the cool minty flavor when it's mixed in baked goods. This popcorn was an easy-no-BS-once-you-start-to-eat one-you-can't-stop type of recipe that also required very little thinking which is exactly what I needed.

The recipe calls you to crush/whack peppermint candies. I did so with a rolling pin. It was therapeutic.

I then decided to add another layer of chocolate at the end because….I felt like it. I mean, why stop at the white chocolate? It's the holidays so you mine as well go big. Worry about the calories after the holidays.

We'll deal with it together. Xo.


Ingredients
1 bag lightly salted microwave popcorn
1/4 cup crushed peppermint candy (~12 small candy canes)
8 ounces of white chocolate (I used Ghirardelli)
4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips


Procedure
1. Pop your popcorn and transfer to large mixing bowl.

2. Unwrap candy canes and put them in a zip lock bag. Put the bag on top of kitchen towel and whack with a rolling pin to crush peppermint candies.

3. Melt the white chocolate in 30 second increments in the microwave until completely melted and smooth. Add the crushed peppermint candies to the melted chocolate and mix well.

4. Pour melted chocolate/candy mixture to the popcorn and stir well to evenly coat the popcorn.

5. Spread the popcorn mixture evenly on lined baking sheet (I used parchment paper).

6. Melt the semi-sweet chocolate chips in the microwave in 30 second increments until completely melted and smooth.

7. Drizzle the melted chocolate over the popcorn with a spoon.

8. Let it set until the chocolate hardens. You can also pop it in the fridge (~15 minutes) to expedite the process. Once it's hardened, break up the popcorns into chunks and enjoy. Store in airtight container for 2-3 days but trust me, it will be gone by then.

NomNom: Copycat Williams Sonoma Peppermint Bark

I am so, so excited to share with you today's food post on these perfect holiday treats that taste exactly like Williams Sonoma peppermint bark. If you've been following my blog for awhile now, you may have noticed that I have lots of love for anything peppermint based around the holidays. Last year I made these scrumptious peppermint bars and this year I've made these rich chocolate peppermint sandwiches so far. Have you noticed the theme going on here?

When I came across the page in the December issue of Food Network magazine, which boldly stated Copycat: Williams Sonoma Almost Famous Peppermint Bark, I was floored. I eat these things every year around this time but they are severely addicting as well as pricey. They're so popular that it's not that surprising to know they sell out before Christmas. They have a cult following and I am shamefully a follower but, not anymore because the recipe is now in my hand, thanks to the geniuses at Food Network!!

I love you Food Network. Really, I do.

I was excited to test this recipe out to see if it really would be close to the real thing and let me tell you, the people at Food Network are brilliant. I honestly can't tell the difference between theirs and Williams Sonoma and that's saying something. Now, if you've never had peppermint bark it tastes very similar to Hershey's York Peppermint Patties but with the crunch of the cool, peppermint candies. Gosh, it's so darn good.


This right here is magic happening. Wait patiently for the chocolate to harden up--this is probably the toughest part of the recipe. I probably could've crushed up more of the candy canes but I actually liked mine with that extra crunch. Feel free to break it up to your liking.

The crazy thing about this recipe is that it is so simple and only requires very basic, but quality ingredients. What's not to love?

I'll be leaving for NYC this weekend with the family to visit my sister and will definitely be toting these along with me on the trip. I might have to hide these in the trunk so I don't get tempted to eat them before it gets to my sister. Precautionary measures. I'm just saying.

Wishing you a bright and wonderful holiday surrounded by lots of love and good food. As always, thank you so much for visiting.

Happy Holidays and have a great weekend. Xo.


Ingredients (Adapted from Food Network magazine Dec '12): Yields 2 lbs 
12 ounces good-quality semisweet chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (I used Baker's chocolate)
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
1 pound good-quality white chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces (I used Lindt)
3 candy canes or 12 round hard peppermint candies, crushed

Procedure
1. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with aluminum foil, shiny-side up; smooth out any wrinkles. Heat 1 inch of water in a saucepan over low heat until steaming.

2. Put all but 3/4 cup of the semisweet chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Set the bowl over the saucepan of steaming water (do not let the bowl touch the water) and stir until one-third of the chocolate is melted. Remove the bowl from the saucepan; keep the steaming water over low heat. Gradually stir the reserved 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate into the bowl, a few pieces at a time, until all of the chocolate is melted. Return the bowl to the saucepan, 5 to 10 seconds at a time, to help melt the chocolate, if needed. Do not rush this step: It may take up to 10 minutes to melt the chocolate.

3. Wipe off any moisture from the bottom of the bowl. Stir 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract into the chocolate, then quickly pour into the prepared baking dish and spread in an even layer. Firmly tap the dish against the counter to remove any air bubbles. Set aside at room temperature until almost set, about 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, put all but 1 cup of the white chocolate in a large heatproof bowl and repeat the melting process over the steaming water; dry off the bottom of the bowl. Stir in the remaining 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract; pour over the semisweet chocolate and spread in an even layer. Sprinkle immediately with the crushed candy canes, gently pressing them into the white chocolate. Set aside at room temperature until firm, about 1 hour. Lift the bark out of the pan using the foil and break it into pieces. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.

NomNom: Chocolate Peppermint Sandwiches

The month of December means that we are now entering peppermint flavor galore. I love anything with the hint of peppermint flavor, which means my all time favorite holiday treat (white chocolate peppermint bark) will be consumed in masses. So thankful that I have a gym in my building for seasonal situations such as this.

I mentioned in my last weekend snapshots that I bought the latest America's Test Kitchen magazine which focuses on Holiday cookies and tell me why page 2 had this glorious picture of these chocolate peppermint sandwiches.

I was intrigued. Interest was peaked. This was gonna get baked.

Earlier this week, I took one of my girlfriends out for a birthday brunch and decided to wake up a little earlier that morning to bake these for her. She has kids so I thought that they would love these little holiday treats as well. I wasn't sure what to expect with this dessert since I've never made them, but after taking a bite, or two, or three, into these sandwiches, I was sold. The sandwich texture is the perfect  hybrid of a brownie and a soft chewy cookie. The filling is sweet on its own but having it in between the chocolate sandwich offsets the sweetness and gives the sandwich a great balance. There's also just the right amount of peppermint hint to these fillings that doesn't overwhelm the chocolate flavor. It's pretty much awesome.

When my friend took a bite into these, she laughed and said something along the lines of "this might be really hard to share with my kids." I'm sure she was kidding.....

I hope you're enjoying the month of December and taking in all the holiday festivities that come along with it. If you're in a holiday baking stump, try making this dessert--I promise it will become a seasonal dessert you'll keep coming back to.

Oh, and you can find the interview Washington Life magazine did on me HERE regarding the Military Lady outfit post. Have a great weekend. Xo.


Ingredients (Adapted from America's Test Kitchen: Christmas Cookies): Yields 18 cookies
1 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup packed (5 1/4 ounces) light brown sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 tablespoon water
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons whole or low-fat milk
1/8 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 cup (2 ounces) confectioners' sugar
Red or green food coloring (optional)

Procedure
1. Adjust over racks to upper-middle and lower-middle poitions and heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper

2. Whisk flour, baking soda, and salt together in medium bowl. Heat chocolate chips, brown sugar, 5 tablespoons butter, and water in medium sauce pan over medium heat, stirring until smooth. Transfer chocolate mixture to large bowl and whisk in egg until incorporated. Stir in flour mixture until just combined.

3. Working with 2 tablespoons dough at a time, roll into balls and space them 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake until puffed and edges are set but centers are slightly soft, 8-10 minutes, switching on rotating sheets halfway through baking. Let cookies cool on sheets for 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire rack and let cool completely, about 45 minutes.

4. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons butter, milk, and peppermint extract together in medium bowl until combined. Add confectioners' sugar and mix until smooth. If using food coloring, add 3 drops and mix until combined. Spread 1 teaspoon filling over bottoms of half of cookie then top with remaining cookies to form sandwiches before serving.

NomNom: Rice Crispy Heart Pops

So, Valentine's day is coming up in 4 days. That's like, soon. The men got lucky this year because they have the whole weekend to plan something for their significant other if they're a last minute planner. I don't fall under this category because I have a somewhat Type A personality and like to plan ahead and know my schedule ahead of time (minus the occasional surprises). Yeaaa I don't have the 'go with the flow' type of attitude and I blame that for growing up as an East Coast girl. The boy is from California so he's quite the opposite but that's...cool. I dunno.

The boy likes chocolate so I've been racking my brain as to what kind of fun Valentines day themed dessert I could make him and kept staring at my heart shaped cookie cutter for inspiration. Yea, I know...as if the cookie cutter would speak to me.

I initially thought of baking heart shaped chocolate chip cookies but then the idea didn't really stir my soul. I was mindlessly going through some celebrity gossip website last week (I'm a celebrity gossip knowledge queen--ask me who's dating who and I'll tell you in a heartbeat) and they featured several Valentines day themed recipes. I came across one that made these cute chocolate covered rice crispy pops and well I was sold.

Sometimes I swear the food gods just shine their light on me and answer my food prayers. It's easy, tastes delicious, and is super cute! Win!

I mean, they taste like you would image it to literally taste like..rice crispy treats covered in delicious, melted chocolate. Buuut I wanted to use good chocolate chips for this recipe. Don't get me wrong, I like and usually use Nestle chocolate chips when baking cookies but since I knew I'd be covering a big surface area (yea, that's the nerd in me talking) with chocolate I decided to spend a little more money and buy Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips. Oh my, please use these. They taste so smooth, rich, and creamy that I may have ate 20 or so chips along the baking process.

I think any dessert that has a stick in it is automatically deemed as cute. Cake pops? Cute. Marshmallow pops? Cute. Rice crispy pops? Cute!!

On another unrelated note, I have some big news to share with you! The March issue of Elle magazine, which is on news stands now featured some of my outfit posts on an article written about Washington, DC fashion. So exciting!! I'm feeling very, very humbled that they would notice little ol' me and include me in their article. My awesome photographer friend (who now has a website up and running!) and I try to work hard to (hopefully) give you quality content, so to be recognized from a nationally well known fashion magazine is extremely rewarding. When I started my blog 5 months ago, I never would have imagined  that I'd be featured in anything, let alone a popular fashion magazine that I actually read myself.

As always, thank you so much for reading. Whether it be from occasionally grazing through or being a follower of this little blog, I am extremely thankful for your support.

Ok, ok, enough of all that sappy talk. Now go make those super easy rice crispy pops and enjoy them while reading that Elle magazine! Yea! Have a great weekend.

Recipe (adapted from www.koreanamericanmommy.com)
1/2 Stick unsalted butter
1 package of mini marshmallows
8.5 cups of Rice Krispie Cereal
24 White sticks about 5 inches long
1 package of Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Chips

Procedure
1. Heat up a large pan and melt the butter over medium/low heat. Add the marshmallows and melt completely. Combine the rice krispie cereal to the marshmallow/butter mixture and mix thoroughly.
2. Line a 9x13 pan with parchment ot wax paper and place the rice krispie mixture and spread out evenly. Press down firmly and evenly. Allow to sit for about 10-15 minutes at room temperature.
3. Grease a heart cookie cutter and press down evenly on the rice krispie mold and remove the heart shaped rice krispie treat. Take your stick and carefully pierce the bottom of the heart shaped rice krispie and stop when you have about 2.5 inches of stick remaining. Press firmly on a flat surface with your palms on each sides of the heart to secure the stick. Also, press the sides as well.

4. Microwave the chocolate chips in 30 second increments until completely melted.
5. Dip the heart into the chocolate sauce and using a butter knife smooth out the surface also removing access chocolate. Place on a lined baking sheet and allow the hearts to set in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes.

NomNom: Chocolate Covered Pretzels

February is finally here and before we know it, that lovey dovey holiday called Valentines day will be around the corner. Whether you have a significant other or not, it's a day to appreciate the loves in your life and make them feel extra special. Making something for that special someone doesn't have to involved numerous ingredients (unless that's what you wanna do) but can be broken down to being simple, cute, and still be tasty, which is where these chocolate covered pretzels come in.

I've always loved chocolate covered pretzels because of the sweet and salty component it has but it can be overpriced at the grocery store for what you're actually getting. Why spend money on that (save it for nail polish!) when you can make these yourself? I'm almost embarrassed to call this a recipe because it's just so easy. There are only 3 ingredients involved. Just three. If you're really lazy you can just use chocolate (which would make it 2!!) and opt out of the sprinkles, but, hey this is for valentines day so we have to step up our game a little.

I used Lindt's chocolate but you can use any white chocolate.

Make sure you tap of any excess chocolate...otherwise you will have a gooey, chocolatey mess..hmmmm...

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin

Now I know Valentines Day isn't for another week and a half but I figure it doesn't hurt to start thinking about what you wanna do. I have another super easy recipe fitting for Valentines day (heart shaped and all) I'll bake and post for next week but in the meantime, I tested this on the boy and he really enjoyed it so this was a win for me!

Package them individually in a cellophane bag and give it your honey, friends, parents, or whoever else you wanna impress. Just don't tell them how easy it was;) Have a great weekend.

Recipe

Bag of pretzels (I used rods but feel free to use regular shaped pretzels)

White chocolate

Sprinkles

Wax paper

Procedure

1. Microwave your chocolate in 30 second increments then stir. They won't melt entirely so put them back in the microwave for another 30 seconds.

2. Dip your pretzel in the bowl and using a spoon cover the area of the pretzel you want. Gently tap or hold it an angle so excess chocolate drips off.

3. Sprinkle the chocolate area of the pretzel while it' still wet over a plate, so you don't get sprinkles all over your work area.

4. Gently sit them on wax paper and let them rest so the chocolate hardens. You can put them in the refrigerator to speed up the hardening process or if you're in a rush.

Weekend Snapshots

This weekend I...

1. Received my first pair of Alice+Olivia shoes I ordered from Saks. Bows+Sparkle=Sold. I was a bit unsure when I initially saw them online but fell in love instantly when I saw these beauties in person. Love love love.
2. Made hot spinach dip using Martha Stewart's recipe for my friend's NYE potluck. Will post recipe soon.
3. Celebrated NYE with several of my good friends at a friend's place. Her bf cooked pork tenderloin (not pictured--ate too fast) using their sous vide machine and the meat was unbelievably tender and delicious. For those of you who are unfamliar with sous vide, it's basically a method of cooking food in a sealed plastic bag in a water bath for a long time (usually 72 hrs) at a precise temperature, which allows the food to cook evenly. You can only imagine how incredibly good a steak will turn out using this thing. I love how my friends enjoy food just as much as I do. Our love of food is one of the things that brings us together.
4. Drank a lot of wine at the party.
5. Finally watched The Girl with a Dragon Tattoo. I've read the book and was not disappointed at how the movie turned out. So, so good. I have a major girl crush on Rooney Mara now. She had the ability to look fierce/tough with all her piercings, tattoos, and punk rock haircut yet exude femininity with her flawless skin and tiny physique. There's a quiet vulnerability in the character she portrays from the book and Mara executed that beautifully in the movie.
6. Painted my nails to fit the New Years holiday. Black and silver are the common colors I see in NYE party favors/decor so I used similar colors on my nails with a twist on the french manicure.

How was your weekend?

Weekend (Holiday) Snapshots

This weekend I....

1. Celebrated Christmas with the family and finally used my DIY glitter candle I tweeted about last week. I used double sided tape on the candle for the glitter to stick haha! Easiest DIY ever.
2. Watched my faaaaaavorite holiday movies, Elf and The Holiday. It doesn't feel right if I don't watch those movies around this time of year.
3. Was gifted a beautiful pots and pans set from my generous parents. This cookware is supposed to be the top of the line in non-stick stainless steel so I can't wait to use this in the kitchen.
4. Went to eat at my favorite DC steakhouse, The Capital Grille. I've been to Mortons, Ruth Chris, Smith & Wollensky, Lost Society, and Rays the Classic, but nothing really compares to The Capital Grille. Service is always stellar and their porterhouse just melts in your mouth.
5. Tried a peanut butter and bacon pop tart from Ted's Bulletin located in Washington, DC. My dear friend  brought me some knowing I would love that combination and he was right. It's nom nom worthy and I'm tempted to try and recreate it. My only gripe about the pop tart is that I wish there were more bacon bits on it but that's the fattie in me talking.
6. Bought and painted my nails a new polish color (what else is knew?) The color is Essie's "Sexy divide."

How was your weekend?

Holiday Office Sparkle

 

Photos courtesy of Sung Shin 

Blouse-Ann Taylor Loft

Cardigan-Ann Taylor

Skirt-Express

Belt-Banana Republic

Shoes-Pour La Victoire

Purse-Chanel

Ring-David Yurman

When it comes to office holiday parties, there are things you can do to change your outfit to make it look more festive.  Some ladies like to either change their shoes or add an accessory to their outfit and still look work appropriate. I mentioned in my previous outfit post that I wanted to show you a couple of different ways to style a sequin skirt and today's post is a follow up from that and how you can incorporate it into work, after hours obviously. Changing from a conservative pencil skirt/trouser into a sequin skirt can help give an outfit a fun, flirty, but still work appropriate look. 

I love wearing cardigans because they are thin enough that I could stuff in my purse for that extra layer I need at times and it's just a staple item that won't go out of style. Some may say that cardigans make you look dull or should only be limited to older women, but a stylish way to wear it is to tuck them into your skirt/pants. For me, it looks more polished and pulls the overall look together without appearing sloppy.

Ladies, do you have any fun ways to dress up your outfit for your office holiday party?

NomNom: Peppermint Bar Cookies

Every year around this time, I look forward to seasonal treats such as ordering a skim white chocolate peppermint mocha from Starbucks, baking gingerbread cookies, and treating myself to peppermint bark from Williams-Sonoma. Oh Lordy, don't get me started on those...

I had a Christmas party to attend to last weekend and the guests were asked to bring an appetizer or a dessert. I always have a hard time with those requests because the first thing I want to make is always some appetizer dish, but than the ones I want to make are best when eaten hot out of the oven and the lazy part in me doesn't feel like bringing ingredients to assemble at the party house. So I chose a dessert. Again. I have to confess that this was my first time baking these cookies and was crossing my fingers and toes that they would turn out tasty because a) I'd be screwed for the party and b) wouldn't have a holiday post to share with you. But crossing my toes must've worked because they turned out to be fabulous. These are a twist on the usual peppermint bark because it involves marshmallows and sugar cookie dough but that's okay because sometimes you need to mix things up a little. Change is good.

These sugar cookie bars are topped with marshmallows, white chocolate and crushed peppermint candies. It's like Christmas in your mouth, no joke.

For some reason this picture makes me smile. The marshmallows and white chocolate morsels look so cute together.

What is it about the flavors of peppermint and white chocolate together that makes it taste so good? It's like a burst of fresh holiday air every time you bite into these. Sigh. So major.

Oh and one more thing. This recipe is easy. Like baking for dummies easy. It calls for the ready-to bake sugar cookie dough so basically you don't have to really make anything...more like assemble. I was in a time crunch so this recipe was kinda perfect and hopefully it'll work out for you too if you don't have time to slave in the kitchen. Just pretend like you did when you bust out these peppermint bars. Have a great weekend.

Recipe (adapted from Sandra Lee Christmas 2010 magazine)
1 (16.5-ounce) package refrigerated ready-to-bake sugar cookie dough (I used Pillsbury)
1 cup miniature marshmallows
1/3 cup white chocolate morsels (I used Nestle)
1/3 cup crushed hard peppermint candies

Procedure
1. Preheat oven to 350. Line a 9x9-inch baking pan with aluminum foil, allowing foil to extend over sides of pan. Spray with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Using your hands, press dough evenly into the bottom of prepared pan.
3. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Remove from oven, and immediately sprinkle with marshmallows and morsels. Bake for 3 to 4 minutes longer, or until marshmallows are puffed. Sprinkle with crushed candy. Cool completely in pan (about 1 hour).
4. To serve, lift foil to remove uncut bars from pan. Place on a cutting board. Fill a pitcher with hot water. Place a long, sharp knife in pitcher. Using warm knife, cut into 9 large squares. (Mine yielded 14 squares).