Winter Break in Wisconsin

Makai spent almost a week of winter break with Mom and Dad and Aunt Connie in Wisconsin.

They made cookies.

Dad helped Makai make his pinewood derby car.

Played with Lola, mom and dad’s new dog (that makai named!). Also, Jess stayed over one night on the way home from college.

And learned to play World of Warcraft with Aunt Connie.

Uncle Richard and Jill gave Makai an Advent Calendar again this year and Makai brought it with him and opened a door each morning. This year was a Marvel Lego theme and it was really cute.

Mom and Dad’s neighbors made tamales and Makai loved them!!! And of course, a lot of time playing with and taking care of Lola!

13th Annual Cookie Party

This weekend, I hosted my annual cookie party. I didn’t have a party last year because of covid, so it was nice to get one of our annual traditions back after such a tough year. I kept the party small by only inviting about a dozen people and no kids, but we still had a good time.

Makai went up to Wisconsin on Saturday to stay overnight so that Dallas and I could go out and celebrate his birthday. Jill then drove Makai, mom and my Aunt Connie, down to Chicago for the party. The night before I was going to leave after dinner. Then I was going to leave at 10. I ended up getting home at midnight. That is always a mistake!

In addition to the sweets, I made dill dip and veggie tray. I also made a cheese ball that everyone loved! Finally, I made some prosciutto/fig/ricotta crostini. Liz had made them the weekend before and they were so pretty and delicious, I totally stole it.

I did not make jingle juice. I tried a Hot Ruby (citrus/cranberry) with prosecco to make a mimosa. I also tried to make a mulled wine. I don’t think either were grand slams (note for next year!)

This year Kelly coated ice cream cones in chocolate and used them for shot glasses. We named them The Three Wise Men Shot because it was Rumchata, Whiskey and Kahlua! It was delicious!

These were all the tasty treats we sampled:

  • Fudge – Jen
  • Nutella Rice Krispie Treats – Aunt Connie
  • Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookies – Christine
  • Snowballs – Liz
  • Chocolate Peppermint Cookies – Mom (actually Aunt Connie)
  • Hot Cocoa Cookies – Rachelle
  • Three Wisemen Shots – Kelly
  • Gnome Cookie Cups – Jill

As for the voting, there was a tie between Hot Cocoa Cookies and Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookies. Right as I was about to have a vote-off, we noticed that Johanna hadn’t voted yet! Without saying anything about who was in the tie, we asked her to complete her vote (no pressure!). And with her vote, Christine won the contest with her Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookies. So close!

 

13th Annual Cookie Party Recipes

Here are the recipes from the the 13th Annual Cookie Party. See also, recipes from other years:

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

1st Place
Bourbon Chocolate Chip Cookies
by Christine

Christine had texted me earlier in the day saying she wasn’t sure her cookies turned out at all… and here she is the winner!

  • 2 sticks of butter
    (melted but not hot)
  • 3/4 c. brown sugar
  • 3/4 c. sugar
  • 1 Tbsp. bourbon vanilla
    (from Trader Joe’s)
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 2 c flour
  • 2 c semi-sweet chocolate bark

Mix all ingredients together.
Bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

 

 

 

 

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

2nd Place
Hot Cocoa Cookies
by Rachelle

  • 2 3/4cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup instant cocoa mix (about 4 standard packets)
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1 tsp. table salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cups milk chocolate chips
  • 1 1/1 cups miniature marshmallows
  • 1 (4-oz.) milk chocolate baking bar, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 350°. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.

Whisk together flour, cocoa mix, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.

Using an electric mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Add sugars, and beat on medium-high speed until creamed, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and vanilla extract, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute, scraping down sides as needed.

Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, beating on low speed until combined. With mixer on low speed, add chocolate chips, beating until combined. Shape dough into balls (about 1½ tablespoons per cookie), and place balls 3 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Bake until edges are firm, 10 to 11 minutes.

Remove baking sheet from oven, and place 4 or 5 marshmallows on top of each cookie. Return to oven, and bake to slightly melt marshmallows, about 1 minute. Allow to cool on baking sheets 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, place chopped chocolate in a microwavable bowl; microwave on high until smooth, stirring every 15 seconds. Drizzle melted chocolate over warm cookies. Allow chocolate to set completely, about 20 minutes.

Makes: 38 cookies
Active time: 20 minutes
Total time: 40 minutes, plus cooling time

From Sally’s Baking Addiction

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Fudge
by Jen

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Grease a 9×13-inch pan.

Mix sugar, margarine, and evaporated milk in a large, heavy saucepan over medium heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Bring mixture to a full boil for 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

Remove from heat and stir in chocolate chips until melted and thoroughly combined. Beat in marshmallow creme, walnuts, and vanilla extract. Transfer fudge to the prepared pan and let cool before cutting into squares.

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Nutella Rice Krispie Treats
by Aunt Connie

  • 4 Tbsp. butter
  • 1/2 c Nutella
  • 10 oz. bag marshmallows
  • 6 c crispy rice cereal

Melt butter in microwave. Add marshmallows and Nutella. Microwave 1 minute. Stire to combine. Add Rice Krispies, stirring to combine. Transfer to greased 9×13 pan. Cool and cut into bars.

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Snowballs
by Liz

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
by Mary/Connie

Cookies:

  • 1 box Devil’s Food cake mix
  • 2 eggs
  • 6 Tbsp. vegetable oil

Topping:

  • 3-4 bricks white almond bark
  • 1 c. Andes peppermints, crushed

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare cake mix. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls and bake. Cool cookies on a wire rack. Melt white almond bark. Dip half of each cooled cookie and place on wax paper. Sprinkle each cookie with peppermint pieces.

:: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: :: ::

Gnome Cookie Cups
by Jill B.

  • Refrigerated sugar cookie dough (I like the break and bake kind)
  • White Icing (grab one that comes in a tube and save the step of using a pastry bag)
  • Fresh Strawberries
  • Pink candies (I used Skittles “smoothie” flavors for these)

Bake the Sugar Cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a mini muffin pan with cooking oil spray. It’s important to be sure the pan is well coated as these cookies like to stick. You can also use mini cupcake liners if you have them.

Place one cookie into each muffin cup. You don’t need to flatten or roll them. Just drop them in, easy peasy!

Bake cookies and place pan on a wire rack to cool.

While the cookies are still warm, take a small scoop to gently press the cookies into a cup shape. Then cool completely before removing from the pan.

Bake cookies and place pan on a wire rack to cool.

While the cookies are still warm, take a small scoop to gently press the cookies into a cup shape. Then cool completely before removing from the pan.

Decorate your Gnome Cookie Cups
Take a fully cooled cookie cup and pipe frosting into the cup. You want to be a little generous here. Then push a strawberry on top of the icing and add a pink candy nose just under the strawberry. Take a toothpick to spread some of the icing to create the white beard. And you’re done!

Prosciutto Ricotta Crostini
Recipe from Liz

  • Baguette (brush with olive oil – or dip – and toast in the oven)
  • Whole milk ricotta mixed with honey, salt and pepper. To taste.
  • Top the toast with a dab of cheese mixture, prosciutto, a light sprinkling of dried thyme and pomegranate seeds.
  • Optionally, you can add fig jam to the toast before the ricotta.

Onion Cranberry Pecan Cheese Ball

  • 8 oz. cream cheese softened
  • 2 cups sharp white cheddar shredded
  • 1 cup Craisins
  • 1/2 cup green onions chopped
  • 1/4 cup chopped parsley
  • 1 cup pecans chopped and toasted and cooled completely

  1. stir together the cream cheese and cheddar until it’s evenly combined
  2. mix in the Craisins, green onions, and parsley
  3. spread toasted pecans onto a baking sheet
  4. form the cheese into a ball shape
  5. roll the cheese ball around on the pecans to completely coat the outside of the ball
  6. completely cover with plastic wrap and store overnight or at least 4 hours to allow the flavors to mix

Jen’s Birthday Bonanza

For Jen’s 50th birthday, we wanted to do something fun, but with Covid we couldn’t really travel. We thought about quick road trips, but ended up renting a few hotel rooms downtown. It was like being tourists, since no one was working downtown any more. I hadn’t been downtown or in a hotel for so long!

Chad surprised us by treating us all to three rooms for two nights for the seven of us: Jen, Jill, Kristin, Catie, Diana, Wendie and me at The Langham. This was one of the nicest hotels I’ve ever stayed in! Two of the rooms were adjoining and one was just down the hall. I stayed in the room down the hall and Kristin was my roomie.

Wendie knocked it out of park with cookies, flowers and decorations for Jen’s room.

I hadn’t been downtown for so long, I was taking photos of buildings I used to walk by every single day!

Our Uber seemed to have a dress code!

We took a cooking class at Naveen’s Cuisine. We learned to prepare an Indian meal and then ate it for dinner. It was so fun. We got Jen birthday cupcakes for dessert!


Kristin arranged for us to get breakfast at Hendrickx Belgian bakery. We had so many delicious pastries! I enjoyed my chocolate croissant and coffee in our room overlooking Trump Tower and my old office (444 N Michigan)!

We spent the day in different indulgent ways. Some went to the Chuan Spa in The Langham. I hung out at the pool most of the day!

I also walked over to Michigan Avenue for an eyebrow waxing appointment at the Benefit bar at Ulta. It was surreal to pass by my old office and walk on a street I’d been away from for so long! The stores on Michigan Avenue were in such weird states. A lot of them had restrictions on how many people could be inside and had long lines outside! I grabbed lunch at Chick-fil-A and got back to the hotel before a downpour!

For dinner, we headed to Beatrix in River North. We ate outside. One thing I’d heard of during Covid, but hadn’t seen, was that Clark Street was totally blocked off to car traffic so that restaurants could provide a ton of outdoor seating for guests.

Hadn’t seen Marina Towers / Marina City for so long!

Our last celebration was Sunday brunch at RPM Seafood, which was AMAZING. The food was sooo good, the view was amazing and the service was impeccable. Perfect way to end a super fun weekend.

Spring Break with Grandma and Grandpa C

We hadn’t seen Kathy and George for about 16 months (since 2019!) and it was great to spend a week with them!

Reading a Korean picture book at bedtime.

Tons of treats from Hawaii!
Kimchi Stew
Pajeon – scallions and crab!
Easter Cookies
Makai has been asking for some time to make Monkey Bread so today we did.
Spring break mid-day sunny snooze outside.
I told Makai not to be so rough with Grandpa C and Makai told me that Grandpa C had put him in a full nelson a couple times that day. Game on!
Opening Easter surprises from Grandma and Grandpa B.
He’s already obsessed with these new comic books! Thanks, EB.
Makai to a neighbor in the park: Do you know who drew all these bunnies? It must have been the Easter Bunny! This must be the “bunny trail!”

Dying eggs with Grandma C

Danny, Caroline, Rory and Johnny came to visit Easter weekend. We hadn’t seen them for soooo long. The kids had so much fun and it was great to see Danny and Caroline again.