{Make} - Holiday Cocktails

Candy Cane Martini

Makes one cocktail

1 candy cane, crushed, for garnish

2 ounces strawberry vodka

4 dashes white creme de menthe

2 1/2 ounces cranberry juice

ice cubes

1. Place crushed candy canes on a small plate or saucer. Wet the outside rim of a chilled martini glass with water. Holding the glass by the stem, rotate the rim to coat with candy.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine vodka, creme de menthe, cranberry juice, and ice; shake until well combined. Strain into prepared glass; serve immediately.

Reindeer Martini

2 parts vodka
1 part Frangelico
1 part Malibu
splash of cream

Shake over ice and strain to serve straight up in a martini glass, garnished with a cherry and two cinnamon sticks for antlers.

Kentucky Eggnog

- 

1 liter Maker's Mark bourbon
-1 quart milk
1 quart heavy cream
 2 dozen eggs
1 1/2 cups sugar
Garnish: nutmeg

Separate eggs and beat yolks until creamy. Whip sugar into yolks. Beat whites until they stand in peaks, adding 1/2 cup additional sugar, if desired. Beat yolks and bourbon together. Add whites, beat cream. And add cream and milk to mixture. Add nutmeg to taste and garnish each cup with nutmeg. 

{Inspire} - Cookies & Cocktails

{Images Via Pink Party Girl}

I recently had the pleasure of working with the wonderful Miss Cindi from Pink Party Girl and designing a custom invitation for her fabulous Cookies & Cocktails party. With a frosty snowflake theme in red, silver and white the whole party had a glam vibe with just a touch of bling, the perfect sophisticated setting for their new "cookie thing". Head on over to the Pink Party Girl blog for more details and photos.

{Celebrate} - How To Host A Cookie Exchange

Holiday cookies seem to be a timeless tradition that hold a special place in everyone's heart, but with today's busy schedules it's hard to find the time to whip up a variety of holiday treats. Why not simplify your holiday baking this year with a cookie exchange? It's the ultimate multi-purpose holiday party...you can get together with your friends, have a few cocktails, share holiday spirit and most importantly walk away with a delightful assortment of goodies for the upcoming holiday season. 

{Image Via Grace Printables}

1) Start by sending out invitations well in advance so each guest has a chance to bake her offering. Ask each guest to bring a certain quantity of cookies as well as copies of her recipe and containers or plates to take her goodies home.

2) Decide what type of cookie to bake and try to coordinate ahead of time to avoid duplicates by having guests RSVP with their cookie flavor.

3) At the exchange it helps to know which cookie is which so put folding cards in front of each variety with the cookie's name on them and who it's from.

4) Have a large table clear for displaying and sampling the cookies.

5) Eat & enjoy! Every guest will leave with a variety of delicious holiday cookies and not have to lift a finger for the rest of the holiday season...well almost.

{Shop} - Etsy Undiscovered

Freshly discovered on Etsy, here are a some fantastic items to add to your holiday list from a new shops awaiting their first sale.

Sugar Plum Satin Rosette $23.95 by Gorgeous and Company // Patchwork Embroidered Owl Cushion $19 by Homeware UK // Swinging Girl Earrings $28 by Zakworld // The Penny Farthing $96 by Clocks And Locks

{Bake} - Holly Cupcakes

{Image Via Martha Stewart}

So I may have be slightly partial to these cupcakes because they celebrate my namesake, but also because they are so deliciously simple to make and offer a cheerful addition to any holiday dessert table. The full tutorial for these sweet little treats can be found here.

{Shop} - Etsy Undiscovered

Freshly discovered on Etsy, here are a some fantastic items to add to your holiday list from a new shops awaiting their first sale.

Happy Needle Felted Snowman $15 by Just Felt Like It// Facebook Twitter Me Ponytail Set $4.50 by Quebee// Illustrated Colorful Tree Print $17 by Kuko The Brave//  Brown Mirage Mohawk Beanie $20 by Happy Hippo Boutique

{Bake} - Candy Cane Cupcakes

{Image Via Cupcakes Take The Cake}

Chocolate and mint is my favorite holiday combination. (Peanut butter and chocolate is the all time favorite.) The rich smell that always fills the house whenever I'm baking a tasty treat with this flavor combination makes my mouth water. So of course I was drooling the minute I stumbled across this delectable cupcake recipe and wasn't disappointed when I tested it out either. Thanks to  Cupcakes Take The Cake and JavaCupcake for this ultimate holiday treat!

A dark chocolate mint cupcake topped with peppermint buttercream & candy canes

Makes approx 2 1/2-3 dozen cupcakes

Cupcakes

1 cup sugar

1 cup brown sugar (not packed)

½ cup canola oil

2 eggs, room temperature

2 tsp vanilla

6 oz baking chocolate 100% cacao

3.5 oz bar of Lindt Intense Mint Dark chocolate bar

2 cups flour

1 1/2 tsp baking soda

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup milk

½ cup boiling water

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F and line pan cupcake liners.
2. With an electric mixer and a paddle attachment, mix together the sugars, oil, and vanilla.
3. Add eggs one at a time, mixing between each egg.  Beat until smooth.
4. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler.  Add the melted chocolate in a slow stream to the egg/sugar mixture.  Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix until well incorporated.
5. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda & powder and the salt.
6. On low speed, add the flour mixture to the wet mixture in thirds.  Between each addition, add ½ cup of milk. MIX ONLY UNTIL INCORPORATED. Scrape the sides of the bowl
7. Add the boiling water and fold together by hand.
8. Fill cupcake lines ½ full.
9. Bake at 375 degrees for 9 minutes.  Rotate pan 180 degrees, lower temperature of oven to 325 degrees and bake an additional 4-6 minutes.
10. Cupcakes will be done with a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

Frosting
4 cups powdered (confectioners) sugar, sifted
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1-2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream

1. In an electric mixer, cream the butter until smooth and well blended.
2. Add the vanilla extract and blend.
3. With the mixer on low speed, gradually beat in the sugar. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
4. Slowly add the cream.
5. Beat on high speed until frosting is light and fluffy for 4 minutes.

Garnish
1 box candy canes
Star tip & piping bag full of frosting

1. Unwrap the candy canes and set aside half.
2. Break half of the candy canes into ¾-1 inch pieces
3. Put the second half into a zip loc bag.  Place on a flat, hard surface and pound with the flat side of a large wooden spoon until there are no more big chunks left.  You should have a fine powder with a few small pieces left for dusting the tops of your cupcake.
4. Pipe frosting onto cupcake.
5. To garnish, sprinkle candy cane dusting onto piped frosting.  Place a candy cane piece on top.