A Weekend Pictoral Review

It was a working weekend for me- a sick working weekend at that (booo!)- but we still managed to have a thankful holiday and few good days to follow. Good food, good friends, fabulous family- lots and lots to be thankful for!

We started a new Thanksgiving Eve tradition this year- a little living room  picnic dinner...

...and Christmas movie watching by the fire (a treat for the angelbabies since we usually start up the fire after they are in bed!)

we even made s'mores- my favorite:)

 

I woke up in the morning and the cookie-making began.

This year I went with a new variety- found the article in the most recent Living- Martha had a great spread on a basic butter cookie dough with 30 different variations.  I made the chocolate dough into peppermint thumbprints with chocolate ganache. The recipe follows- soooo delicious!!!

and of course I had to make the classic....crack cookies, otherwise they would not have let us in the door at Auntie Bootsie's house!

Saturday night we went out on the town!  Mom and Dad stayed with the kiddos so we D could finally visit a hot spot in the center- we had fun visiting with Sarah, Austin, Kelsey, Shane, Em, Simon and Annie- I had fun practicing and experimenting with my new camera... (sorry Annie and Simon- no pictures of you two)

D pointing out the "sexy donuts" on the menu...

Sarah and Austin checking it out:)

 It was a nice weekend!

Here's the cookie recipe- try them, they are so easy and classically good. (I, for some strange reason could not find the recipe on line, but I highly recommend getting the magazine because the cookie ideas are endless variations on the basic vanilla dough)

Chocolate Peppermint Thumbprints with Chocolate Ganache

(courtesy of Martha Stewart Living, December 2010 issue)

2 sticks room temp butter

1 cup sugar

1 large egg

2 tsp. vanilla

22/3 cups flour

1/3 cup cocoa

1/2 tsp. salt

Cream butter and sugar together.  Add egg and vanilla, mix until smooth.  Add dry ingredients.  Roll cookies into balls, roll in crushed peppermint candies, place on parchment lined baking sheet, press thumbprint.  Refrigerate 30 min. Bake at 375 degrees, 7 min., take out re-press thumbprint with end of wooden spoon, put bake in the oven for another 7 min. (14 min total baking time).

Cool, and fill with ganache

Chocolate Ganache

simmer 1 cup heavy cream

pour over 8 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate , whisk until combined