Chocolate Rum Hedgehogs

The nondescript lump of cookie dough I previously blogged about has blossomed! After allowing it to mature in the fridge for three days, I worked on it this evening. Voila! Chocolate rum hedgehogs - the perfect touch of whimsy and indulgence for the adults who remain kids at heart.



While the hedgehogs were chilling in the fridge, I assembled a bunch of supplies to package them. I thought about poking holes in the plastic baggies to let the hedgehogs breathe, but decided it might not be a good idea to let the rum vapours escape! All done and ready to be handed out tomorrow!


A forlorn hedgehog, waiting to meet its new owner...

A Cookie Teaser...

This is one of my favourite holiday recipes. Hence, I prepped a double batch of it this weekend!!! For optimum results, the mixture needs to hang out in the fridge for a couple of days before consumption. Rats. I'm not a patient person, and I'll admit that I've been sneaking a few bits, erm, for quality control reasons...obviously.

A Sprinking of Powdered Sugar...

Does wonders! It transforms mounds of pale, ugly cookies into snowballs! These cookies are also known as Russian Teacakes! For this batch, I chose finely chopped pecans as the nut component in the cookie mixture. In the past, I've experimented with finely chopped almonds, pistachios, and walnuts. Honestly, I can't pick a favourite out of the lot...they're all good!

Pecan Crusted Chicken Tenderloins

This was the weekend for holiday baking (more on that later) and when the madness died down, I realized that I had a cup of finely chopped pecans left over from the morning's activities. After checking the contents of my freezer, I decided on a baked chicken dish. The chicken tenderloins were given a liberal coating of mayo before they were dredged in a mixture of pecans and seasoned breadcrumbs. While the chicken was cooking, I whipped up a dipping sauce of spicy brown mustard, honey, and mayo (yes, I love mayo). All looked well, and I was feeling rather smug. Well, all was NOT well. As I started putting away the condiments, I dropped my newly purchased 32 oz of mayo on my kitchen floor. Thankfully, the jar was plastic. Unfortunately, it still shattered. Is it any wonder I eat out as frequently as I do?!?

Tofu and Minced Meat Stir Fry

Last night's dinner. Simple. Nourishing. Hits the spot.