Issa Was Here

Happy Holidays from the ladies at the UCC! Biz should make an appearance soon while she's home (in Pittsburgh) to spend Christmas with her family before heading back to Dublin, so get ready! I've been busy getting gifts, mailing everything, and baking cookies for Hanukkah/ Christmas/ the New Year.

Here is what Amanda and I got Nathan (Amanda's little brother/ one of my favorite cooks):

Can you be jealous of a gift you got someone else? I am. I want the Flavor Bible too.

This is what our dining room looks like right now ... kinda scary ...

Our neighbor Amalea (Otto's mom!) gave us a poinsettia, which we are using to decorate our liquor shelf.

Amanda's mom Julie (Xango seller/ food sampler extraordinaire) mailed us a Christmas tree from Boise, Idaho along with decorations for our apartment since Amanda won't be home until January to celebrate with her family.

So I've been baking. And not baking. The "cookie" recipe that follows are no-bake cookies. Consider them a Coastal version of the Mid-western "no bakes" Kevin and my other middle American friends have been teaching my urban Eastern self about recently. These have been a holiday favorite of mine for a few years. They're incredibly simple to make, they go in the freezer, and everyone loves them.

Chocolate Cranberry Crisps

1 1/2 cups of rice krisipies cereal
12 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries
1/3 cup chopped almonds
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, mix together the rice cereal, cranberries, almonds, and vanilla extract. In a microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate chips and stir until smooth. Pour the melted chocolate into the mixing bowl and quickly mix so that the chocolate coats the cereal mixture. On a baking sheet, place a sheet of wax paper. Using two spoons, spoon out the mixture and plop it onto the wax paper. Once the wax paper is full of little gooey blobs of chocolate, put the baking sheet into the freezer for 10 minutes or so that the cookies can set. Once the cookies are set you can pull them off the wax paper pretty easily. I wrapped a batch up for Andy's parents (who I adore!).

I'm sure there will be many more holiday posts coming up. I will probably do a little something festive for Hannukah this week and I will be dividing my Christmas between my grandmother's and Ashley's. I am also gearing up to make two birthday cakes (!) for one very special person and for a low-key New Years that will involve helping Ashley recover from surgery.

For everyone reading this - Have a very Happy Hannukah, a very Merry Christmas, and a Safe and Healthy New Year!

Love & Happy Eating!

-Robin-