2012

It's 2012 + 1 minute in New York City
Times Square is alive!!!!!!

However, here in West TN, we will have to wait an hour for the big event.

Marshmallows curing overnight:

Happy New Year!

Welcome 2012

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Merry Christmas

Santa's Hat Christmas cocktail

...a long awaited visit with a friend
...on Christmas Eve Eve

We enjoyed a feast and sat by the fire remembering years of friendship, while listing to Christmas music on the radio.

Sausage balls from a friend

Homemade vegetable beef soup

Homemade cornbread

Homemade Cheese Biscuits
Homemade (shaken) Santa's Hats (recipe at end of this post)

Homemade Sugar Cookies
Homemade Hot Chocolate

Buche de Noel (yule log) (chocolate filled chocolate glazed chocolate!!) (from Fresh Market)

Angel, watching the festivities

...after all that, it was time for a long winter's nap!

Santa's Hat Christmas Cocktail

(makes 1 cocktail)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon water
• 3 teaspoons sweetened flaked coconut
• 3 oz cranberry juice
• 1 oz Cruzan coconut rum
• 1 T grenadine

Mixing:

1. Combine powdered sugar and water; brush onto rim of glass
2. Dip rim of brushed glass into coconut (spread on a saucer for easier dipping)
3. Sit glasses aside to dry if you have time; otherwise, continue with recipe
4. Combine cranberry juice, coconut rum, and grenadine in cocktail shaker with ice.
5. Shake / Pour into coconut rimmed glasses
6. Add a candy cane

Enjoy!!!!

Thank You to everyone who stopped by to read my blog during the past years.  I enjoy reading your  comments and I thank you all for taking a few precious moments of your time to visit bakingpictures.

"For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord."

Merry Christmas!

Gale

iPhone photos and Camera + app

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gingerbread espresso latte

Don't let the "stuff' of the holidays get you down...

...follow the Star
("for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him;" Matthew 2)

2 tablespoons gingerbread spice simple syrup

add 3 oz steaming espresso

and the best part...steamed, fluffy, light and airy whole milk

dusted with cinnamon

Gingerbread Spice Simple Syrup

(adapted from here)

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup water
• 1 tablespoon molasses
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3-4 thinly sliced pieces of fresh ginger 
• 8 whole cloves
• 1/2 teaspoon peppercorns
• 1/2 teaspoon whole allspice

Mixing:

1. Mix all ingredients together in pan
2. Heat slowly to melt sugar
3. Bring to rolling boil, then reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes.
4. Remove from heat, strain into container, and cool
5. Store covered in refrigerator

Gingerbread Espresso Latte

• 2 tablespoons gingerbread spice simple syrup
• 3 oz espresso
• 4 oz whole milk, heated and frothed
• dusting of cinnamon
• (add a drizzle of chocolate syrup if you need an extra ahhhhhh......)

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Cookie recipe can be found HERE.
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from www.coffeefacts.org
(maybe this recipe is cappuccino and not latte; it's good by either name)

Cappuccino

This blend is basically a mixture of 1/3 of espresso, another 1/3 steamed milk and the rest of the ingredients are frothed or foamed milk. It is known because of its thick layer of milk foam which is its significant identifier. Compared to its latte counterpart, this blend is quite stronger in terms of its taste. You could actually order two sub-types of this blend which are the wet or dry. Dry blends have more foam mixture rather than the steamed milk while wet blends are those with more milk than froth.

Latte

There are different foreign term for this blend specifically in French, German and Spanish which means it is likewise known and loved worldwide. This coffee type is often a great breakfast beverage. The recipes on how to make this blend include double shots of espresso and garnished with steamed milk and NOT foam or froth.  This is actually a very filling drink due to the generous amount of milk in its serving. In some baristas or café, you would see froth or foam on top of the coffee which is only used for presentation sake. The usual artistic toppings for latte are the leaf or heart shape.