Christmas"y" Squares...

These are without hesitation, my favourite Christmas square. And, what's not to love....candied cherries, chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and best of all, condensed milk.....yes, I did say that...should I say it again.....CONDENSED MILK.......yummy.

These look so festive on a mixed tray, or just sitting on the counter waiting to be picked up every time you walk by. They certainly make my holiday a little brighter, and I hope they will for yours too. 

First measure out 3 cups of graham cracker crumbs into a large bowl. I make my own by putting  a sleeve of crackers into a large zip lock bag, seal the bag, and get to work with a rolling pin. It takes very little time, and you can keep any excess in the same bag for another batch....uh, I mean....another time. In a separate bowl, melt 3/4 cup of butter and mix. Then transfer to a glass 9x13. You will find removing the squares from the pan a lot easier if you line the pan with foil first. Patiently press the crumb mix into the base with an off set spatula, and now you are already done step one.

 Next you will need these ingredients to make the square I've posted....

 

1 package of milk chocolate chips

1 package of butterscotch chips

1 cup sweetened dessicated coconut

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

3/4 cup of red candied cherries

3/4 cup of green candied cherries

1 can of sweetened condensed milk

I just used the same bowl for the filling that I made the base in so that I had less dishes to wash. 

 If you don't like the ingredients I've chosen then you can omit or substitute for what you do like. This is a very forgiving square recipe.

I can't, however, say that I've tried many variations of this recipe. Maybe leaving out the nuts, or changing them to pecans...perhaps you want to use white chips, or add skor bits....the options are limitless...you could even use mixed candied fruit instead of cherries. Pick what you like and roll with it.

Now its time to layer. Do not get too fancy with the spreading job. The crust is not a hard pack, so you don't want to plop your topping into a blob in the center of your pan and spread outwards. Try and spoon the mix onto the base evenly to limit how much spreading you do. Also, dont pack this down hard. Kind of, "fluff" it into place as not to disturb the base too much. You could even use a fork if it is easier for you.

Your pre-baked pan should look something like this....Bake in a 350 degree pre-heated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until you have slightlyl browned edges and the squares have smoothed out and bubbled a bit....Like this. Let this cool completely, even overnight in the fridge, before you cut. I know it's hard to wait, but they will look best and cut best when left to cool first. I usually trim the outside edge off before cutting the squares that will be served...and eat the trimmings. 

I hope you enjoy these and make them for your holiday entertaining.

Easy, No-Bake Peanut Butter Squares

So, as mentioned, I`m trying to be more organized with my Christmas baking....as in, NOT leaving it all until the days before and having a big bake day during what is supposed to be Holiday down time.

So here is a great recipe to make a head and will be creamy and rich of your Christmas platter. 

First, prepare your 9x9..line the pan with tin foil and the butter the foil. The tin foil makes removing the squares from the tray go smoothly, and the butter makes removing the squares from the foil easy. I would not use a oil spray, especially one with an olive oil base.. it will change the taste. In this case, butter is best.

Base

 

First melt 1/2 cup of butter in a microwave safe bowl, and add:

2 cups of confectioners' sugar

3/4 cups creamy peanut butter

2/3 cups pf graham cracker crumbs

 Mix by hand with a wooded spoon or firm spatula, until your base looks similar to what I've made. The base will be soft, but very thick....so take your time to spread out an even layer that will span the length of your pan with out cracks. I use an off set spatula, and find that the smaller size works best for me.

You do not need to refrigerate the base before you spread out the topping.....

Topping:

In a microwave safe bowl measure out:

4 1/2 teaspoons of Creamy Peanut butter

1/2 teaspoon of butter

2/3 cups of milk chocolate chips ( I use Chipits)

After microwaving for about a minute and a half, you should be able give your chocolate a good stir and the chips should melt into the butters, leaving a smooth chocolate topping. 

You will have to refrigerate the squares after you spread on the top, until they set. Once set, remove the whole sheet of foil from the pan....either slice in the foil and and remove piece by piece or remove the foil from your squares and slice on a plastic cutting mat.

 

These can be stores in an airtight container in the fridge, served immediately, or  frozen until Christmas! I hope you try, and enjoy these yummy squares.

Pin-spired Pillows...

I'm a bit of a Pinterest Junkie, so as I was standing in the kitchen waiting for my coffee to be ready, I decided to do a little Pinteresting....

I was searching through the DIY board, and I saw this project that was using a cable knit sweater to make a Pottery Barn style pillow cover, and I was Pinspired!

Years ago, Roots came out with this "Work Sock" bedding collection....and being a huge fan of wool socks, especially the work sock, and Roots (I am Canadian, eh?) I couldn't resist! I bought the sheets, the knit blanket and the corresponding knitted work sock pillow shams! I may have gone a little over board on the pillow shams however......six at last count (plus an additional set purchased as a gift for my work sock loving sister).....

So what, may I ask, is a girl to do with so many amazing Roots pillow shams?! Throw Pillow Shams of course! After hoarding them for years, it was finally time to take them out of their packages and convert them into usable style staples in my living room.

I have a stash of down filled Ikea pillow forms that needed a little covering so I used old T-shirts to act as a "undershirt" for my pillow covers so the feathers don't poke through....I just sewed in the sleeves and the bottom of the shirt and slipped the pillow in the neck hole.

 

So, the covers...I used large square pillows for three of my shams and two smaller, rectangular pillows....leaving one sham for me to hoard a little longer!

So here's thing.....I didn't want to cut up the sham...I know, I know....I can't remove the cover to wash it, and I may grow tired of the case and want to change it, but...what if I want to re-purpose the pillow cases again someday? The worst thing I could do would be to cut them..... So yes, there is a better way to cover a pillow, but not if your me, and you love your shams too much to cut them, then there's not.

 

I stuffed my pillow into the sham far enough that I could easily sew shut the opening with some thread that matched the sham. My pillows, as mentioned, are different, which I think will look very cabin-y, and me"ish" once they are finished and sprawled around my living room.....

Then, I went to the button jar.....and I have to say....I was a little disappointed with my findings. So, until I get to the fabric store to find some big ol' wooden buttons, or a thrift store to re-purpose the vintage buttons off some old mans sweater, what I have will have to do.....

I pinned the places I want my buttons to go, then using some wool, I knotted the buttons into place. 

So now I have a partially finished.....but usable project. Just waiting for those perfect buttons, and I can still use the shams in the future for another project...or if they are the shams of a life time....I might just bite the bullet and cut them into removable, washable throw pillow cover.

I hope you feel inspired to make your own, re-purpose-able throw pillow covers.