Saturday, December 17, 2011

Christmas Presents

Ever since high school I have made little Christmas boxes with various cookies and candies for all of my friends. To be honest, I do it for two reasons: it's a lot cheaper than buying individual gifts for everyone. Hell, I'm a broke college student! And second, I really enjoy making them! I don't get to bake that often while I am away at school, so really.. any excuse is a good one. [Ironically enough.. as I am typing this blogpost, a Christmas episode of Friends came on and Monica, the character my friend Justin tells me I am exactly like, comments: "Cookies say that people care! Okay, we are broke.. But cookies do say that!" How oddly appropriate..] Every year I try to have a different theme for the things I make in the box. This year was Peppermint! I never used to enjoy candy canes or anything minty, but I have really started to like it after falling in love with the Mint Chip ice cream from Scooped (my job). It's the best and, quite frankly, the only mint chip ice cream I have ever liked! 
This year, my friend Sarah let me borrow her Nikon D3000 camera to try out because I've been considering buying my own for my trip to Italy. Oh my, I loved it and really want one now!! I decided to try out my skills and take some 'artistic' photos with the camera... [**Update: I purchased a Nikon D3100 and treat it like my child, mostly because it costs enough to be treated as such. I'll hopefully post about it soon.]


Anyway, this year I had a huge list of things I wanted to make for the boxes. I debated between:
-Chocolate Chip & Candy Cane Pie Pops
-Peppermint Meringues
-Peppermint Joe Joes Truffles
-Candy Cane Biscotti
-Chocolate Fudge
-Peppermint Bark
-Candy Cane Lollipops
-Peppermint Marshmallows 

If I had the time, I would have made them all, but I ended up making some yummy White Chocolate Chip and Andes Peppermint Cookies, Candy Cane Biscotti, some yum-o fudge that I make every year, and homemade Candy Cane Lollipops. Now, that was the first time I had ever made lollipops.. and my last. Well, not really.. but I just didn't realize how fast you have to move and how hot everything gets!
Some of the lollipops totally lost their shape.. this one ended up looking like a bison. ;)
I hope my friends loved their boxes! I really enjoyed making them, despite the minor burns on my fingertips from the lollipops! Here are a few random photos I took while trying out the new camera:
I'd like to thank my mom for buying these.. yum yum!
This picture makes me oddly happy. :)
The biscotti.. before they were dipped in white chocolate and more candy canes!
A picture of the inside of the box
A box.. with boxes

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