Merry Christmas!

Love,

Me, Amy, and the rest of the family here in California!

Literary Bite: Winter Break (Fun) Reading List

Well hello friends! I greet you from the wonderful world of Winter Break, a truly magical three weeks of relaxation during which I anticipate doing not a whole lot and loving every minute of it.

After finishing my exam last Thursday, I wandered around Davis Square, slightly dazed and definitely brain-dead. I meandered my way into a bookstore (I swear there's some sort of magnetic field around bookstores), and was immediately overwhelmed. I wanted to read this one and that one and that one and that one -- basically, starved for fiction, I wanted them all. And then it dawned on me, like a marathoner at a breakfast buffet: I'm a student, school is over (for now); therefore, I can have them all! I smiled to myself (or maybe visibly, like a crazy person/student who just finished exams...same same, right?), anticipating the fiction binge upon which I was about to embark.

And here I am four days later: cuddled on our couch in Tahoe, sipping chai in front of the fire, appreciating the pretty little tree we decorated today, and already almost done with my first book (Atlas of the Unknowns).

It's a short one, just 320 pages to ease me back into the joys of fun reading, and prepare me for the deep depths of the reading rabbit hole I plan to inhabit this vacation. (Ok, pause for full disclosure: I have been reading fun books while in school, they just take me four times longer than normal because so much of my brain-space is occupied by more serious academic endeavors.)

Before leaving Petaluma, my mama stacked a smorgasbord of books for me to sample. I have exactly 17 days until school starts again.

Winter Break Reading List

• Atlas of the Unknowns -- Tania James
• Excellent Women -- Barbara Bym
• East of Eden -- John Steinbeck
• The Art Forger -- B.A. Shapiro
• How it All Began -- Penelope Lively
• A Sense of an Ending -- Julian Barnes
• tinkers -- Paul Herring
• Lunch in Paris -- Elizabeth Bard

Have you read any of these? Any recommendations of other books that should make it onto my list?

Cake of the Week: White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

Ok so I know that Christmas is technically over, and I should be blogging about diet desserts to help us all lose those holiday pounds...BUT you probably have some leftover candy canes hanging around, and might even have another one or two holiday events before the year is up. And I'm not going to sit on this recipe until next December. (Withholiding delicious? Not I!) Plus, what do the Christmas movies all tell us? Keep Christmas with you all through the year. Duh. (Go ahead, listen to that song and feel wonderful.)

All of this justifying is probably unnecessary though. I have faith in my readers. Faith that you don't care what the season is, becuase you know that delicious desserts are delicious -- all year round. So do yourself, your family, your friends, your co-workers (ooh can I work with you???) a favor and make this White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake. 

A small piece...but note the extra space on my plate for all the other things!

I made it this year for the whole family Christmas dinner. In my family, we open stocking and immediate family presents at home in the morning, then alternate years between my aunt/uncle/cousins' house and my parents to host Christmas dinnner. This was their year, so after an eventful (and rainy) morning, we drove down to Menlo Park in the afternoon. 

We chit-chatted over cheese and crackers for a bit until it was time for Round 1 of presents (it sounds like a boxing match, but I swear we're very civil.) (Oh wow, 10 points to me for not actually working that pun. Sister1 would have.) Presents are opened youngest to oldest, so finally, after 16 years of being the starter, my youngest cousin has been displaced by a certain almost-three-month-old Liam! 

Liam in his Christmas jammies.

Then we feast on roast beast! (Not pictured. Desserts are so much more photogenic.)

Cheesecake, Fudge, Almond Cookie, and Fruitcake.

Then we do Rounds 2 and 3 and 4 (and 5? Sometimes there are 5!) of presents. Opening one by one so everyone can see. 

And then, once our stomachs have settled a bit, it's dessert time. Sister1 made a cookie assortment, Auntie Robin makes her famous fudge (Sister2, what's your fudge consumption record?), Grammy Jean rocks the fruitcake (I love fruitcake), and I made this cheesecake. 

It's not very tall, but makes up in flavor for what it lacks in height (says all short people everywhere haha). At first I though the tangy creaminess of cheesecake would be weird with peppermint...but it's not. It may seem like you're adding a lot of mint, but the resulting flavor is actually very light. 

White Chocolate Peppermint Bark Cheesecake

(Adapted from Baked by Rachel)


Crust Ingredients:

• 2C chocolate cookie crumbs (or 22 regular oreos with filling – not double stuffed)
• 3 tbsp butter, melted

Filling Ingredients:

• 3 – 8oz containers or blocks cream cheese, softened
• 1C sugar
• 4oz (about 1/2 cup chips) white chocolate, melted
• 1 1/2 tbsp flour
• 1 1/2 tbsp heavy cream (OR I used half and half)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp peppermint extract
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 batch peppermint bark, made thin or roughly 1 1/2C chunks 
• If you're making the peppermint bark: 
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil divided
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract divided
• 1 medium-sized candy cane, crushed)

Topping:

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• Extra peppermint bark for garnish

Peppermint Bark directions:

1. It’s best to do this step a couple hours ahead. Melt 4oz (about 1/2 cup) chocolate with 1/2 tsp vegetable oil. Mix in 1/8 tsp peppermint extract. Spread thin over a sheet of wax paper on a baking sheet, and sprinkle with half the crushed candy cane pieces. It doesn’t need to be perfect, remember it’s getting chopped up and going in something. Chill for 15 minutes.
2. Melt 4oz (about 1/2 cup) white chocolate with 1/2 tsp vegetable oil. Mix in 1/8 tsp peppermint extract. Spread over chilled dark chocolate. Sprinkle immediately with crushed peppermint candies. Chill for at least 15 minutes. Longer is better. (*when melting chocolate, if using a microwave be sure to use the 30 second 50% power method stirring well after each 30 seconds).

Cheesecake directions: 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 9″ spring-form pan with two sheets of tin foil. In a food processor, blend cookies until only fine crumbs remain. Add melted butter. Give a quick blend. Transfer crumb mixture to spring-form pan. Shake to disperse crumbs. Using a flat bottom cup, press down to create an even crust. Bake crust for 10 minutes. Set aside.
2. Reduce temperature to 325 degrees.
3. Cut up peppermint bark into small pieces. Set aside.
4. Begin melting 4oz (1/2 cup chips) white chocolate. Using a double boiler or heat safe bowl, melt over simmering water. Stir until fully melted. Using the microwave, in a heat safe bowl microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power until fully melted. Stir well after each interval.
5. In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add sugar. Mix well. Scrape bowl well prior to each new addition and as needed. Add melted chocolate, flour, whipping cream, salt and peppermint extract. Mix well. On medium/low speed, add one egg at a time. Mix until smooth and blended well.
6. Add peppermint bark pieces, stir by hand.
7. Transfer spring-form pan and cooked crust to a larger pan, such as a large roasting pan. Pour filling into crust. Add enough hot water to reach half way up the sides of your spring-form pan. Carefully place in center of oven. Bake at 325 degrees for 1 hour. Turn off the oven. Keeping the door shut, leave the cheesecake in the oven for an additional 45 minutes. Remove and allow to sit for at least 1 hour before chilling.

Topping directions:

1. When the cheesecake is completely chilled (you can do this the next day), carefully remove side of spring-form pan. 
2. In a small bowl mix sour cream, sugar, and vanilla until smooth. 
3. Spread evenly over the top of the cheesecake.
4. Before serving, sprinkle with extra peppermint bark pieces (wait to do this until right before serving, otherwise the candy cane bits might bleed into the cheesecake and make the top look like it's spotted pink.)
5. Cut with a sharp knife dipped in hot water before slicing.

ENJOY!

Cheesecake, Fudge, Almond Cookie, Peppermint Pattie Stuffed Chocolate Cookie. (Note that the previously pictured fruitcake has been replaced/eaten.)

Happy Christmas Eve!

Well I'm home again, doing the Petaluma thing (i.e. hanging with the fam, going to yoga, walking my dog) and it's pretty great.

If I saw this man walking down the street, I would freak out like this. Oh please, as if you wouldn't.

Christmas is the same here every year, so I won't walk you through it all again in detail, but let it suffice to say that we saw Santa (with a baby this time!!!), just got back from our Christmas Eve beach walk, and have epic plans of driving around to look at Christmas lights and watching Sesame Street Christmas tonight.

Our living room right now. No presents yet...

Oh HEY peppermint bark!!!

I bought this creche in Niger, where it was 105 degrees in December.

The traditional Dillon Beach walk.

Wherever you are, I hope you're having a wonderful holiday too!

Cake of the Week: Peppermint Pattie Brownies

Every 12 months we remember that mint and chocolate together is a glorious combination. It’s a match made in seasonal dessert heaven -- like Santa and Mrs. Claus, George Bailey and Mary Hatch, the Grinch and Cindy Lou, the kid in A Christmas Story and his BB gun (ok maybe not so much that last one).

Sure, the rest of the year I enjoy an occasional box of Junior Mints at a movie, or a scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream in the summer. But it’s not until Thanksgiving is over that the mint chocolate things come out in full force and have just one month to make their mark.

In light of this deplorably brief minty chocolate window, I say GO HOME AND MAKE THESE PEPPERMINT PATTIE BROWNIES NOW. (Sorry for the yelling, I just feel very strongly about this.) Sister1 made them for me last time I was home, and I re-created them for A Muppet Christmas Carol viewing party last week.

Actual quotes, testifying to the extreme goodness of these brownies:

• Mollie, this is the best thing I’ve had in a while. - LLC
• Ohmygoodddyummmmmmm. Going to get another one. – 6x6
• Ok you can take some of them to work tomorrow…but please don’t take them all? – SpeedyKate

So without further ado, here’s the recipe. Oh and if you want to make things easier, I fully support the cheater option: make box brownies, then do the peppermint pattie topping and ganache. Also, you can crush up candy canes or peppermints and sprinkle them over the top for an extra minty crunch.

Peppermint Pattie Brownies

Printable recipe.  Adapted from How Sweet It Is.
Yield: 9-12 brownies (1 8x8 pan)
Brownie Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 2/3 cup chocolate chips (optional – as in, I was baking late at night and totally forgot to add these…it was fine)

Peppermint Pattie Layer:

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 3 tablespoons evaporated milk (OR regular milk)
• 1/4 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract 

Ganache:

• 3.5 ounces dark chocolate, chopped (about 2/3 cups chocolate chips)
• 2.5 tablespoons heavy cream

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 baking pan with butter or nonstick spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine melted butter with sugar and vanilla extract, whisking until combined and almost smooth. Whisk in each egg one at a time, stirring until a smooth batter forms. Add in flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt, stirring until combined. Fold in chocolate chips. Spread batter in the 8x8 baking dish and bake for 25-30 minutes until set. Remove and let cool completely.
3. While brownies are cooling, add powdered sugar, butter, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla and peppermint extracts to the bowl of an electric mixer or in medium-sized bowl. Beat or wisk until smooth and creamy. Pour over completely cooled brownies and spread in an even layer with a spoon or spatula. Place in the refrigerator until set, about 30 minutes.
4. To make ganache, heat heavy cream until warm (about 30 seconds in the microwave) and pour it over chopped chocolate. Let it sit for about a minute. Stir for a few minutes until totally combined, smooth and creamy. Spread over the top of the peppermint layer and cool to set. 

These brownies are actually best cold, so I suggest refrigerating them until right before serving. To serve, run a sharp knife under hot water (so the ganache doesn't stick to the knife as you're cutting).

Printable recipe. 

Weekend Report: It's beginning to look a lot like...

On Saturday morning, SpeedyKate and I headed down to a local elementary school to pick out our Christmas tree.

In my family, the infamous tree mission can take days, multiple farms/parking lots/stores, and a lot of strong opinions on all sides. Too fat or too thin? Not enough branches or too many branches? Straight or crooked? Tall or short? Do you love it??? SpeedyKate and I, however, settled on literally the first tree we picked up. This one is big and fat. Yup I like it! Done and done.

A few hours later, a couple of dads delivered it to our door (best PTA fundraiser ever!), and our very small apartment that usually smells like two girls, baked something-or-other, and a hint of running clothes (sorry, tmi?), was transformed into an evergreen forest in the middle of winter. Fabulous.

Later that evening, we cranked up the Christmas music, poured a couple glasses of eggnog, pulled out SpeedyKate’s decorations, and worked some magic.  So far, three doors on my advent calendar are open, and I’m getting excited!

Our tasteful yet Christmas-y mantle. Clearly Kate was in charge here. 

And even if you’re not excited about Christmas, you can get excited about winter. On Sunday night I met up with some skier friends to see Warren Miller’s newest ski movie. Going to see a “ski movie” is a thing that most skiers understand, but for the rest of the world, let  me explain: It’s a movie made by skiers about skiers (and some boarders) to get you totally excited about the mountains and snow and the wonderful sport of skiing. Warren Miller Entertainment has released one film a year since 1949, so Flow State is #63.


The movie “brings audiences to a place only recently identified by scientists; a place they now understand skiers and snowboarders achieve where, the faster they go physically, the slower things appear to them mentally. This a place of such singular focus and connection with their environment, they can achieve things previously thought impossible.”

Flow State takes you from Utah to Alaska to Japan to Tahoe to the Arctic. Guys, I seriously almost died of I-want-all-of-that-right-NOW. One of the resorts featured was my home mountain of Northstar (the one with the crazy-good 12-year-old), and I actually know one of the featured skiers!  I may or may not quit my life and become a ski bum…don’t tell my mama.  More likely I will just plan a preliminary ski trip this January.

Hope you had a good weekend too!

Christmas and Yoga on the Beach

Christmas is a big deal at my house. My family loves everything Christmas-y and we have very specific traditions. 

It starts on Christmas Eve. Every year we go for a hike or beach walk. 

This year we went to Dillon Beach, where Sister1 and I did some yoga. She is a much more committed yogi than I am - she and Geoff go almost every day! But I can still throw down a pretty solid standing bow pose, so there's that. 

For the eve part of Christmas Eve, Sister1 and Geoff (to whom I have yet to give a blog nickname...but he's my brother-in-law as of last December) go to dinner with his family. (Sister2 is conspicuously absent this year because she's traveling in Peru, so my parents and I watched some Christmas movies while they were at dinner.)

Then when they return, Geoff drives us all around Petaluma to look at the best Christmas lights. We've been doing this for probably 8 years now, so we've perfected the routes. 

Then we usually watch Christmas Eve on Sesame Street before going to bed, but this year were too tired, so we postponed that viewing. (Feel free to watch it now. You're welcome.)






And on Christmas morning we open presents!

I made a breakfast of Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls (recipe will be posted tomorrow).

Then I went on The Run before returning to the epic prep that is involved in hosing Christmas dinner for the whole family. 

We (i.e. mostly Mama) made shrimp salad, steak, dinner rolls, roasted root vegetables, sauteed asparagus, and leek bread pudding. 

When the whole family arrives (cousins, aunts, uncle, and grandma), we snack on appetizers until dinner time. Then we go around in order of age and open presents. It's pretty fantastic. And then we eat dessert - eggnog bundt cake, pumpkin pie, and many many many cookies!

Merry Christmas! Hope yours was wonderful too!

Cake of the Week: Mocha Coconut Fudge

Every year, my family’s Christmas dinner changes slightly. Sometimes it’s turkey, sometimes beef tenderloin. Sometimes we have roasted root veggies, sometimes green beans. Dessert could be a chocolate torte, pumpkin pie, cheesecake, or any variety of cookies. 

But one thing is constant: Auntie Robin’s Fudge. It’s a once-a-year thing that can only be once a year in the interest of special-ness and pants-fitting-ness. One particularly ridiculous year Sister2 ate something to the tune of 20 pieces of fudge! That girl is impressive. Or something.

Anyway, Auntie Robin’s Fudge is her thing, and I would not presume to re-create it for blogging purposes. But I did make my own fudge – a little more complicated, and (dare I say) a little prettier…Mocha Coconut Fudge. 

It probably won’t become a Mollie-family Christmas dinner staple (some people don’t like coconut or coffee…I know!), but it’s pretty freaking delicious. 

Mocha Coconut Fudge (From How Sweet It Is)

(Go here for the printable recipe.)

makes one 8×8 pan

• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 12 ounces white baking chocolate, chopped
• 1 can (15oz) sweetened condensed milk
• 1 1/2 tablespoons espresso powder (or instant coffee)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons coconut extract
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil (I didn’t have this and the fudge turned out ok)
• 1/2 cup flaked coconut, toasted

Spray an 8×8 pan with non-stick spray.

1. Add semisweet chocolate to a double boiler, and melt completely. 
2. Once melted, add in half of the sweetened condensed milk, the vanilla, the coffee powder and 1/2 tablespoon of coconut oil. Stir with a spatula until combined and fairly smooth, then spread evenly in the bottom of the pan. Mixture will be thick. Place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
3. Add white chocolate to a double boiler and melt completely. 
4. Add in remaining condensed milk, coconut oil and coconut extract, stirring until combined. Remove fudge from freezer and add white chocolate on top, spreading evenly to coat. Top with toasted coconut, then chill in the refrigerator for 60-90 minutes.
5. When ready to cut, fill a large cup with hot water. Dip a sharp knife into the water, then blot on a towel. Use knife to cut fudge into your desired size of squares.

Note: the melting can also be done in the microwave. I suggest melting the chocolate first on medium power in 30 second increments, stirring after each time. Once melted, add in remaining ingredients and stir until smooth. 

(Go here for the printable recipe.)

Weekend Report: Shopping and the Spy Museum

First things first, it is officially 6 days until Christmas. And 10 days until I find myself in Costa Rica! So there’s that.


This weekend marked the end of my Christmas shopping. By 3pm Saturday, all my gifts were purchased, in the mail, or waiting in my suitcase to go home with me. I’m feeling pretty pleased with myself. 


Saturday morning I met 6x6 for a pleasant jog on the Mall (6.2 miles), before heading to Eastern Market with LLC. It was cold, so Eastern Market was not the same pleasant experience of last weekend. We bought a few gifts (which I won’t describe here on EatRunRead since the recipients are readers), then sat down in a warm coffee shop to thaw before venturing to the next leg of our shopping venture: Georgetown. 

Georgetown is usually ridiculously crowded, but it wasn’t too bad. I actually really enjoy Christmas shopping – I love finding the perfect gifts for people! We finished our shopping around 3, got free eggnog cupcakes from Sprinkles (follow them on Twitter, trust me it’s worth it), and headed to my house for a late afternoon Christmas movie. 


We watched The Holiday while eating popcorn (with pepper - have you tried that?) and our cupcakes on my couch. I’d never seen that movie before – it’s cute, but not particularly Christmas-y. Also, it's very strange to see Jack Black in a romantic comedy...he's still Jack Black. 


Sunday started off with a pool run at Wilson. 6x6 and I met at 9am for 90 minutes of fun in the pool...or something like that. Wilson pool is now doing short-course (25 meters) on Sundays, which is a bit of a bummer. I definitely prefer long-course (50 meters), because it means each lap takes a full 5 minutes. Oh well, at least I had company for the workout! (Go here for Wilson's official schedule.)


Sunday afternoon I went to the Spy Museum. I’d never been before, since it’s not a Smithsonian and I don’t usually go to museums that aren’t free. BUT it is one of those DC things you’re supposed to do, so why not? It was pretty ridiculous – cameras hidden in watches, guns in umbrellas, microdots (which remind me of this McSweeney’s article), etc. I think the Cold War is fascinating, so I enjoyed it. There were also exhibits about the history of spying, everything from the Trojan War to ninjas to the American Civil War. 

And that, my friends, is that. And as of 9:30 pm tomorrow I will be back on the West Coast - YAY! :) 

My mama and I were supposed to go skiing, but there isn't much snow, so we may just go up to Tahoe and hike around. 

Weekend Report: Eastern Market and Christmastime!

It could be the cold weather, or perhaps its all the decorations? But let's be real here, most likely it's the fact that about 90% of my weekend's food consumption consisted of cookies, cookie dough, cookie crumbs, and chocolate. 

This can only mean one thing - it's Christmastime!!! And after a Sunday of Eastern Market, Cookie Exchange, and a Christmas party, I am feeling the Christmas spirit. 

My ideal Sunday afternoon involves sitting on a bench in direct sunlight on a chilly-ish December day, sipping a cup of coffee and nibbling on a cookie while working my way through the crossword puzzle. And that is exactly what I did. Kitty-corner from my sunny bench at the entrance of Eastern Market a saxophonist played Christmas carols, and upwind a grove of Christmas trees smelled awesome. 

I know most people love Eastern Market in the summer, but I definitely prefer it in the winter. Instead of feeling trickles of sweat drip down my back and needing an iced coffee for both temperature control and hydration, I could calmly peruse the craft tables and actually enjoy the feeling of a hot coffee cup warming my hands when I eventually sat down.

From my extensive people-watching experience I can tell you that people at Eastern Market on a Sunday afternoon fall into 4 categories: 

1. Small groups of girlfriends meeting up to shop
2. Couples
3. Couples with dogs
4. Couples with children

And there isn’t much variation in clothing. Women wear coats, colorful scarves, and boots. Men are in jeans, fleeces, and hats. Everyone wears sunglasses, and most carry a paper cup from one of the many coffee shops in the area. 

I saw a surprising number of people with timing tags from the race I was supposed to run attached to their shoes. (I made the "smart" call Saturday night not to run…but I’m still a little bummed about this situation.) 

The crossword puzzle beat me at about the same time the sun left my bench. And the saxophonist had apparently come to the end of his repertoire – I’m pretty sure I heard "Away in a Manger" more than twice…so around 2:30 I finished the last of my coffee and headed home.

Retrospectively, I probably shouldn’t have eaten the cookie with my coffee, since my next Sunday activity was a Christmas Cookie Exchange with my three best friends. And we take our cookies seriously. 

We exchanged (and ate) chocolate crinkles, gingerbread with almond frosting and coconut, apricot walnut bars, s’mores chocolate chip cookies, mocha coconut fudge, and oatmeal lace cookies. (I'll post recipes over the next couple weeks.)

After that late-afternoon sugar coma, my Christmas celebrations continued. Four of my roommates are soon to move out, so we planned a house Christmas dinner party complete with a gift exchange, tree to trim, and sugar cookies to decorate. 

(I know, I should probably quit my day job and become a cookie artist...right???)

And here's an update from the Gchats this morning...no name attribution, but YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE! 

8:46 AM 

I ate two gingerbread cookies last night when I got home.

I left all of the baked goods in my freezer, thank God, or else I'd have eaten them all!

At one point last night my internal dialogue went something like this-

"Well you could take the gingerbread out of the freezer but then it would be frozen and you don't have a microwave. but i guess you could put it in a saute pan, that might be weird, but it would work. Okay, put it in a saute pan. No, don't do it..."

And so on and so on.

I ended up not sauteing the cookie...and somehow, that is counted as a victory...NOT sauteeing a gingerbread cookie

This is what we've come to. 

Hope you had a happy holiday weekend!