Wine and chocolate

Posted on February 29, 2016 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

Last month my sister invited me to the Animal Welfare League of Trumbull County (Ohio) Annual Wine and Chocolate Event. This event raises money to help run the animal center and promotes animal adoptions. Over 300 people were in attendance and I’m sure everyone had a great time!

A wide variety of gift baskets (at least 50) were donated for a silent auction.

50/50 drawing (No, we didn’t win.) and raffles for a gift cards and another table full of wines, chocolates, glassware, and fun goodies.

Wine

Food,

food,

and more food…

Chocolate,

chocolate,

and more chocolate.

Yum!!

And the best part was spending the weekend with my sister!

Peppermint Pig

Posted on January 19, 2016 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

Christmas 2014 and 2015 were great opportunities to find a new and fun tradition for friends and family. Enter the Peppermint Pig™.

The tradition of the Peppermint Pig™ started ages ago in the 1880’s with candy makers in Saratoga Springs, New York. Victorians thought that the pig represented good health, happiness and prosperity. Candy makers of the time fashioned the pigs out of hard peppermint candy each year during the holiday season and appropriately colored them a very festive pink!

When families gathered together at Christmas for the holiday meal, the tradition was to break the Peppermint Pig™ after dinner (inside a small cloth pouch) using a miniature hammer. All family members would then share in eating the sweet candy pieces, hoping for good fortune in the coming year.

As far as I know these pigs are only made in Saratoga Springs, NY and only available during the Christmas season. The Peppermint Pig™ may also be purchased through other retailers.

These delicious pigs are about 4-5 inches long and come with a tiny hammer and a red “velvet” pouch.

Place plastic covered pig inside the “velvet” pouch and give it a healthy whack! We like to place a hot-pad under it to protect the table from errant hits.

Pass the hammer and pig to the next person to take a whack at it and continue around the table until the pig is in small enough pieces for you and yours to enjoy.

As we take a piece of the now shattered pig, we share something we are thankful or grateful for and something we hope for or wish to achieve in the coming year.

It’s a fun tradition that I plan to continue. And the peppermint is really good, too!!

Carrot cupcakes

Posted on April 9, 2015 by Patti_is_knittinginflashes

The hardest part?

Grating the carrots.

But I used my food processor this time. The grated carrots were a larger grate than I wanted but the cupcakes still turned out fine.

Actually the hardest part is not eating all of them at once!

Recipe:

2 c. flour
2 cups sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups cooking oil
3 cups grated carrots
1/2 cup walnuts (optional)

Add eggs and oil to all dry ingredients. Beat till smooth. Add carrots and nuts, if using. Place in a greased 9×13 pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Cool before icing.

For cupcakes: Fill cupcake pans with liners and fill 3/4 full. Cake is dense and doesn’t rise as typical cupcakes. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

Cream cheese icing:
1 pound powdered sugar (approx. 4 cups)
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup butter, softened
2 tsp. vanilla

Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth. Add powdered sugar and beat until fluffy. Ice cake or cupcakes.

For icing carrots and stems: reserve 1/4 cup icing and add orange (5 drops yellow, 1 drop red) food coloring and place in a zip bag. Cut small hole in a corner and make carrots. For stems: take 1 tablespoon icing and add 1-2 drops green food coloring. Place in zip bag and pipe two stems at the top of the carrots.