Candy Castle Dreams: December 2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Friday, December 30, 2011

Thursday, December 29, 2011

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

The Setting....

Note: Items from our collection are from Crate and Barrel 2011 holiday season: Plates, coasters, candle with holder,martini shaker and sparkler picks pictured in clear vase.

Monday, December 26, 2011

Sunday, December 25, 2011

Saturday, December 24, 2011

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight....

......Merry Christmas from all of us at Candy Castle Dreams.

Note: Items from our collection include pillow and throw from Pottery Barn. Pillow so far has been featured in Pottery Barn for two years in a row.

Friday, December 23, 2011

Winter has begun....

Thursday, December 22, 2011

KARL LAGERFELD: Impulse shop at Macy's

LOOK AT WHAT I FOUND ONE DAY WHILE SHOPPING AT MACY'S! I GRABBED THESE ITEMS AT UNBELIEVABLE BARGAIN PRICES!

Tuesday, December 20, 2011

REASON FOR THE SEASON

Don't forget the reason for the season: DONATE- GIVE - DONATE

This year we gave to St. Jude's Childrens Hospital.

Smells from Christmas past....

One of the favorite smells to experience during the holiday other than the smell of the Christmas tree in your home is the smell of baking coming from the kitchen. You enjoy the scent of warm sugar cookies baking in the oven or your favorite pie. This year I decided to reach back into Christmas past and try once again recipes long forgotten like rice pudding or a warm gingerbread cake with warm lemon sauce. I decided on the gingerbread cake, it smells delicious.

Gingerbread Cake:
2 cups (260 grams) all purpose flour
1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 cup 113 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature
1/2 cup (105 grams) light brown sugar
2 large eggs
Zest of 1 lemon (outer yellow skin of lemon)
1/2 cup (120 ml) unsulphured molasses (To prevent the molasses from sticking to the measuring cup, first spray the cup with a non stick vegetable spray.)
1 cup (240 ml) milk
Lemon Icing: (Optional)
1 1/2 cups (150 grams) sifted confectioners' (powdered or icing) sugar
2 - 2 1/2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/GingerbreadCake.html#ixzz1h3wSPqYM

Gingerbread Cake:
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ginger and cloves.
In bowl of your electric mixer (or with a hand mixer), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the lemon zest and molasses and beat to combine. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add the dry ingredients and milk, alternately, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Beat just until incorporated.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula. Bake for 40 - 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes before removing cake from pan. Let cool completely and then, if desired, frost with the Lemon Icing.
Lemon Icing: Mix together the sifted confectioners' sugar and lemon juice until smooth. (The icing should be thick but still spreadable.) Pour the icing onto the center of the cake and spread with an offset spatula. Some of the icing will drip down the sides of the cake.
This cake will keep for several days at room temperature. Can serve with softly whipped cream, lemon curd, or slices of apples sauteed in a little butter and sugar.
Makes one - 9 inch (23 cm) cake

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/GingerbreadCake.html#ixzz1h3wGoCd8 Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C) and place rack in center of oven. Butter and flour a 9 inch (23 cm) round or square cake pan with 2 inch (5 cm) sides.

Monday, December 12, 2011

What to do with Christmas stockings...

When you are finally finished shopping for all the people on your list and all the gifts are tucked under the tree, now is the time to tackle the task of filling those stockings. For some it's a challenge and for others it can be a daunting task especially if you do this year after year and you don't want to repeat the same gifts over and over again. I've heard a lot of negative comments about gift cards, but believe me these can be little jewels packing a lot of punch in your stockings. Just think about the person receiving the gift card. Is it someone who has spent the entire holiday season cooking and baking? If so, nothing is more welcoming in January than a gift card for the person's favorite restaurant, where they can now sit back and enjoy a meal. Or how about if the person who decided to skip online shopping and shopped at the Mall. Well, this person might enjoy the gift of a back rub or pedicure at the spa with a Spa Finder gift card. Do you have teens or a music lover in the family? Give an itunes gift card. Do you know of someone who partied and ate their way through the holiday? Then a gift card to a gym will come in handy once those new year resolutions are made. Happy Stocking Stuffing!