Florentines

Have you ever had Florentines? I never had but decided to make them this year for some gift baskets. They were super-de-duperly easy and quick! Not to mention DELICIOUS!

1 3/4 Cup Almonds 3T. Flour

1/4 t. salt 3/4 cup Sugar

2 T. heavy cream 2 T. corn syrup

5 T. unsalted butter 1/2 t. vanilla

Orange Zest, about 2 T.

*Almond bark, melted for drizzling*

Preheat oven to 350. Spray baking sheets. Pulse almonds in food processor until finely chopped. (We don't have a food processor so I just chopped them as finely as I could) Stir together nuts, flour, zest and salt in bowl. (I didn't have unsalted butter so I skipped adding the salt and just used salted butter) Put the sugar, cream (I used hald and half) corn syrup and butter in small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until boiling and sugar is completely dissolved. Continue to boil for one minute. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla, then pour over almond mixture and stir. Let cool till workable, about 30 mins. (I put it outside on my window ledge in the freezing cold so it was workable within 15 mins, for me)

Take 1/2 t. sized amount and put six to a pan. (The original recipe I followed said teaspoon sized but that was way to big for my pans. You can test one or two to determine the size you want to make them at and just to see how the cook adn how much they actually spread out. ) Bake about 5 mins (the recipe told me to bake for 10 - 12 but that was way too long, ovens vary) until flattened and brownish in color. Process is rapid so be sure to keep an eye on it. Let cool on pans for a minute before moving to cooling rack. Make sure you are careful with them as they are delicate/brittle. Drizzle with melted chocolate as a finishing touch... Enjoy!

A Christmas Bloom

This is a picture of my Christmas cactus that my friend gave to me for my 22nd birthday! Yes, its getting quite old! It has even survived a move half way across the country! It had a little rough spell when it first moved here but since then its gotten some new spoil, a new pot and a new spot closer to the window. I am SOooo happy that it bloomed this year. It hasn't every year so when it does it's super exciting!

Da,da-da, dum. Da, da-da, dum...

"...merry, merry, christmas!" "Christmas is here..."

Two days before Christmas Dom and I ventured to Kansas City and saw the Trans Siberian Orchastra. It was a sold out show and let me tell you...there were a TON of people there!

We had seats on the floor (which we decided next time it wasn't worth the extra couple dollars cause everyone one the floor is at the same level so ....if your' short like me then its not that cool!) We were cozily sandwhiched between some folks in our row - the seats on the floor were veery close together and seamed smaller than your normal sized floding chair. lol Anyway, the show beagn and we were awed (well I wasn't so much but everyone else seemed to be) with lights and long haired musicians (yes, guys and girls with very long hair)! They are known for thier light show - I wasn't too into crazy laser lights but it was an interesting spin on thier...group. Personally, I thought they went a little over board with the lights but thats just my opinion! I wasn't so keen on the constant hair flipping (by both guys and girls) while playing but again just a little off the scale for me... They music was good, for the most part - definitely A LOT heavier in person than I have heard on the cd or radio. Thier new album I guess they are putting out is called Night Castle (this is only their second album, yes they have been popular off thier one cd for the past 15 years...!) and they gave us a sampling of it and thats kinda when I was like, ok when is this going to be over....they had a stage full of flames that were sycronized to the music, but its just....not my style. Not sure if any of you have heard them or even like them but I thought I did and they still do have a couple songs on the cd that are nice but I would not be one of those people that go and see them every year. I saw them once and would not care to see them again. I know Dom enjoyed the lights and he enjoyed them but in the end, its just not quiet my cup of tea. (but I am glad I saw them because now I have wanted to see them in the past when they had come to Syracuse and whatnot - now I know)

Here's Dom and I at the show...He took a picture even though they were very admint about taking pictures. (some people werent even allowed in with thier cameras ...thankfully the security guard that checked our pockets just said don't take them out...bad Dominic... it was only one ;) )

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year ! ! !

Hope you all had a blessed Christmas and have had a good and holy start to the New Year! Life definitely picks up its pace during the holidays. This Christmas was another "first" for Dom and I as it was our first Christmas together. Some of you may know that we tried last year but due to the snowy weather in Syracuse and surrounding areas, I was un-able to fly out to spend the holiday with Dom - thats ok though. It made it even more special for us this year. :)

On Christmas Eve it began to snow about 11 o'clock in the morning and continued snowing all day and all night... in fact, I believe it snowed continually till the day after Christmas! For all those singing, "I'm dreaming of a white...Christmas!" you definitely got your wish this year! I had to admit, I was hoping for a white one as well. On our way to Mass we got stuck but thanks to some friendly folks passing by gave us a hand and we (well Dom) were able to help some others when Mass was over. It was definitly an added twist on the excitement of Christmas! Anyway, to make a long story short we had Christmas dinner at the parental units house and everyone was able to make it... so yes, it was a full house! It was a wonderful Christmas....

Next came New Years and my dear friend Meg was in town so we got to celebrate the end of the year with her and some other friends and then ventured back to town here and brought in the New Year with a holy hour at the Church - what better way to end a year and bring in the new one, right?

In the past, back in the younger days, I would always take a piece of Bristol (a thick paper) and draw the highlights of that year on it... I think I have about four of them. I would spend new years eve thinking of all the wonderful and sometimes not so wonderful things that had happened. This year was very easy for me... I got married to not only the LOVE of my life, but my BEST friend... It simply was the best of the year!

I hope you all have had a wonderful end of the year 2009 and hope that this new year of 2010 will bring you much happieness and will be a year of holiness and good health.

May our tiny King, born in the bitter cold, and for Whom there was no room at the inn, find a place in our hearts and fill our lives with gratitude and the gift of joy!

"O Christmas Tree, O..."

Last night Dom & I went on another "first" adventure - It's so much fun having "firsts"....(even though the numbers are slowly dwindling! :/ ) We got our first Christmas Tree together... Its still very bare but we are letting it rest and the branches fall. We are going to move it in front of our window. I will let you know what it looks like once it is all decorated and ready to be lit to celebrate the Birth of Our Lord!

Pretty White Lights

I was cleaning up some dishes on Wednesday evening, the day before Thanksgiving, and I happen to turn and glance out the window to find pretty white lights outlining the shops in town on the main street! I was simply estactic as I love christmas lights! This is a view from our window of the pretty white lights! We hung a strand of colored lights in our window to help add a little Christmas decor to the streets of St. Marys! :)