Mr. Hedin and I have been re-hydrating on these cocktails all week. Since this is our last weekend on the islands, let's all toast together with a little rum + fresca. Plus, we can't figure out a good name for it. Do you have one?
:: Go Shopping ::
::
Gorgonzola Apricots Recipe on Alexandra Hedin's Website
::
::
{also available at Metropolitan Market} ::
::
Chocolate Meringues from Martha Stewart
::
Pepparkakor and Christmas go hand in hand in our family. I have been scared off from making them in the past because of how stiff the dough is and the massive quantity of cookies this recipe makes. Instead of seeing that as a problem, this year I took it head on and saw it as a challenge. How can I make this a more approachable recipe? How can I make them taste as delicious as the ones from my childhood? Can I roll them thin enough?
After MANY MANY MANY batches of Pepparkakor I landed on a recipe and a technique that created the perfect cookie. And then I sandwiched some Eggnog Ice Cream between two of them… I think I know what we're leaving out for Santa this year!
2 cups sugar
1 cup butter, room temperature
½ cup
2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup hot water (110 degrees)
4 cups flour
2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground cloves
¼ teaspoon salt
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter and sugar until fluffy. Add ljus syrup and egg yolks and mix until incorporated. Measure hot water into a glass measuring cup and stir in baking soda. Pour soda mixture into the bowl of the stand mixer and slowly mix in.
In a separate bowl, sift together remaining ingredients. With the mixer on low, slowly add the dry ingredients and beat until the batter just comes together.
Divide dough into quarters and roll each section out on floured parchment paper until ¼ inch thick. Stack rolled dough {with parchment still on the dough} on a cookie sheet and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Remove one sheet of dough at a time, cut one inch circles with a cookie cutter. Bake 7-8 minutes. Watch them very carefully as they will burn quickly. Repeat with remaining dough.
Makes about 48 one-inch cookies.
This is the original recipe from Mr. Hedin's grandmother and great-grandmother. I tweaked it.
Check out the other posts in this series…
Pumpkin Pancakes for Thanksgiving Morning
About Fresh Holiday Traditions…
I’m teaming up with my friends
,
and
to bring you eight fresh holiday DIYs. This is the last week of our weekly Christmas party. I hope you've enjoyed it!
Last month my friend Jenny came over to shoot her super cool tissue paper fringe and asked me to create a cocktail to go along with it. I'm completely obsessed with anything cranberry this time of year, so a cranberry cocktail seemed like a good idea. Plus, it's a great color with her fringe.
I'm also a little obsessed with making a punch. It's usually super simple to create and then your guests can help themselves - which means you aren't having to play bartender all night. I used
and P
interest to brainstorm a punch that was a great color, great tasting, and would be easy to serve a crowd.
1 cup fresh cranberries
3/4 cup pomegranate juice
1/2 cup sugar
4 cups bianco vermouth
2 cups Aperol
2 cups soda water
In a saucepan, combine cranberries, pomegranate juice, and sugar. Simmer over medium heat until berries begin to pop. Let cool.
Pour vermouth, Aperol, and soda water into a punch bowl. Stir in cranberry mixture.
Garnish with sliced oranges and fresh cranberries.
This is my actual search for 'cranberry cocktail' - SO MANY PICTURES!
Click here to see Jenny's post on Hank & Hunt!
I'm required to disclose a sponsored partnership between our site and Bing. I have been compensated in exchange for this post in the form of payment, product or experiences.
What are you doing with your pumpkins that are probably still lingering around the house? Have you tried roasting it and making a puree? This is literally your breakfast, lunch and dinner - all from a little roasted pumpkin. A perfect toast to fall!
::
I just discovered the magic of the cheese ball. I uncovered a recipe from 1978 that my mother had clipped and saved - then I tweaked it just a little to accommodate those of us who aren't living in 1978. This is a perfect appetizer for Thanksgiving.
3 cups freshly shredded cheddar cheese
1 ounce cream cheese, room temperature
1/4 cup butter, room temperature
1/2 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/3 cup beer
1 teaspoon dry mustard
In a food processor, combine cheddar cheese, cream cheese and butter until smooth. Add worcestershire sauce, mustard, and beer, and pulse until well combined. Roll into a ball-ish shape and refrigerate about one hour.
Remove from refrigerator and shape into a smooth ball using parchment paper to guide it - and to keep your fingerprints off.
Here are three reasons why I love a cheese ball ::
1. You make it ahead. So it's done before you need to serve it, just pull it out of the fridge and you're done. You can also freeze it! FREEZE! That means, you can make one now. Freeze that business. Then pull it out an hour before you need to serve it. You look fancy. You are fancy.
2. It's crazy simple ingredients. Ten bucks says you have them already.
3. It's retro. We love retro.
This is the perfect alternative to a huge turkey if you only have a few people to serve. Or, if you aren't hosting Thanksgiving and won't end up with leftovers, this is a great way to end up with a little turkey the next day.
::
::
Do you make pumpkin pancakes in your house? We do ALL THE TIME! Not only are they tasty, but pumpkin packs a ton of fabulous health benefits. And when hidden inside a pancake, are eaten by even the pickiest eaters. Today, my friend Jennifer is sharing her traditional Thanksgiving breakfast of pumpkin pancakes in our Fresh Holiday Traditions series.
Click over to Classic Play to check it out
!
If you don't follow me on Instagram and Twitter then you missed my rabid excitement on Friday when my super simple sailor costume was featured on
! Head on over to
and see how darling Judson is as a sailor. {Hot Tip :: You can make this costume in any size, like grown up size, and have a fabulous costume!}
And if you aren't following me on
and
, get on it! Let's be friends!
{Click here to see the costume on Martha Stewart's Website!}