How I Managed to Make Peppermint Truffles

I really love peppermint and dark chocolate together. When I was a kid, my grandma made this peppermint ice cream dessert at Christmas, and that's probably what started my love of this flavor combination. We called this Christmas-time dessert "pink dessert," and it consists of chocolate-covered rice crispies and peppermint ice cream. She would laugh and laugh about how much we all liked it saying "it's such a simple recipe."

As soon as Starbucks transitions from Pumpkin Spice Lattes to Peppermint Mochas, I become a frequent customer. I can't get enough! This flavor combination reminds me of Christmas at my grandparents' farm with my dad's family. But it's also plain old super-delicious!

My sister pinned a recipe for four ingredient peppermint truffles, and it caught my attention. You can find the recipe at http://houseofyumm.com/peppermint-truffles/. So earlier this week, I thought I'd try making them. The recipe promised to be easy, and I had some time.

However, as this was my first attempt at making any kind of truffles, I ran into some problems. At first, the middle of the truffle (the ganache) was way too hard. There was no way I was going to be able to scoop it and make little peppermint balls. And I also thought it needed more peppermint. A lot more peppermint. So I added more heavy cream and more peppermint extract. Then the ganache was not firm enough. Ugh. So I added more white chocolate. Finally, I had the right consistency!

I borrowed a melon baller from my mom, which made the truffles just the right size. Also, since these truffles are supposed to be kept in the refrigerator, I didn't want the chocolate to turn white like it does when it has been heated and then refrigerated. That meant added coconut oil - a staple in my pantry.

Here's the 5-ingredient recipe I ended up with for Peppermint Truffles:

• 4 teaspoons peppermint extract
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 10 ounces white chocolate chips (weigh it - it's about 1 3/4 cups)
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (dark chocolate would also be really good)
• 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil

1. Using a double boiler, melt the white chocolate chips. Add the peppermint extract and heavy cream. Stir until all chips are melted and ingredients are combined.
2. Transfer peppermint ganache to a bowl and refrigerate for a couple of hours or overnight.
3. Remove the ganache from the fridge.
4. Melt the semisweet or dark chocolate chips in a double boiler. Add the coconut oil and mix well.
5. Scoop one truffle center at a time and dip into the melted chocolate. Place the chocolate-covered peppermint ball onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Once all the peppermint ganache has been used and dipped, put cookie sheet back into the fridge until the chocolate has hardened.
6. Transfer the truffles to a sealed container and store in the refrigerator.

I got 16 truffles from this recipe, but the first two I made were quite big. I'd think you would end up with between 16 and 18, depending on how big your balls are. Let me know if you make them!

Jesse Tree

One of my fondest Advent memories from childhood is doing the Jesse Tree with my family. The five of us would gather together for this daily devotion time. Even before I could read, I could participate! We would read a Bible passage, have some discussion about the passage, put an ornament on the Jesse Tree (my job, especially before I could read), and say a prayer.

The Jesse Tree from my childhood that I'm using with my own kids now.

If you are unfamiliar with the Jesse Tree, it is a really awesome way to get ready for Christmas. Each day, you read a Scripture passage and add an ornament to the Jesse Tree. The cool thing is that the whole point of the Jesse Tree is to connect Jesus to the Old Testament, so almost all of the readings are from the Old Testament. The first day, you read Isaiah 11:1-10, which talks about a shoot from the root of Jesse and prophesies the Messiah, Jesus. You also read 1 Samuel 16:1-13, about David being chosen as king. This sets up the idea of the Jesse Tree and allows you to talk about the idea of a family tree. Then, you jump back to the story of creation and make your way through some of the highlights of the Old Testament.

Even though Advent started on Sunday, November 27, it's not too late to start doing the Jesse Tree! You can find the daily readings here. (Most of the readings can be found in the Spark Story Bible, which is the one my son has. That makes it really easy to use with my young children.) There's also a really good description of the Jesse Tree on Feels Like Home. She has a free e-book available for download, which includes an explanation and suggestions for how to do the Jesse Tree. Her e-book also can be re-used each year, despite Advent having a different number of days year, and she explains how to do that.

You can make your own Jesse Tree, or you can find one on Amazon. Whatever you use, it's great to trace Jesus' lineage.

Greek Chicken

About a year and a half ago, I had a friend stop through town on her way from Chicago to Minnesota. She made dinner for my family and me. We liked the recipe so much that we asked her for it. She said, "Oh, I found it on Pinterest. I'll send it to you." It was called Marinated Greek Chicken Skewers, and it was supposed to be made on the grill. Unfortunately, the day she came, it was cold and rainy, so she had to adjust her plan and made them on the stove in a skillet instead.

Greek chicken cooking in the skillet

My husband and I make the recipe fairly often, but we've never made it on the grill. We also tend not to plan ahead well enough to allow us to actually marinate the chicken. One of these days, we'll include that step. In the meantime, here is our version of the recipe:

Greek Chicken
1 1/2 lb. chicken breast, boneless, skinless
3 bell peppers, any color
Marinade ingredients:
2 tablespoons cold-pressed olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (we use the organic lemon juice from Costco)
2 teaspoons dried oregano
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
4 cloves garlic, minced (we use jarred minced garlic)

1. Mix the marinade ingredients together and set aside.
2. Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
3. Put the marinade and chicken into a zippered plastic bag and set aside for 30 minutes. (This step can be skipped, if you don't have time for it.)
4. Wash the peppers and cut into bite-sized pieces.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and marinade. When the chicken is cooked on the outside, add the peppers.
6. Cook until the chicken is done - about 10 minutes.
7. Enjoy over rice!

Post-Thanksgiving Watching

Yesterday was Thanksgiving, and I spent the day with my family at my parents' house. It was a pretty relaxing day with delicious food and good company. I even managed to not overdo it at dinner!

I spent some time yesterday and today thinking about Thanksgiving from years ago. And I was reminded of two pretty awesome videos. Whatever your plans are today, you should take the time to watch these. You won't be sorry.

"The Peanut Killer" is a short slasher movie that my nieces, nephew, brother, husband, and I made on Thanksgiving Day in 2007. I'm sure the nieces and nephew are going to be thrilled that I'm posting it here, but seriously, it's a pretty decent story.



The other video is from 2008, and is about a special Thanksgiving festival. This video was made by Tweedee Productions, a video production company where I used to work. I think I helped edit this video, but I don't really remember. You may not want to be eating while you watch this one.




Enjoy! And now that Thanksgiving is over, I can start listening to Christmas music!

Salmon Burgers

My family usually eats pretty healthy meals. We use whole food ingredients, and we try to avoid processed foods as much as possible. With our busy schedule, though, it is sometimes difficult to eat as healthy as I'd like. Last night, I didn't start making dinner for my husband and me until 8:30pm! Yuck. I don't like eating that late.

However, I was able to whip up these delicious salmon burgers and have them on our plates in about 15 minutes. I was so hungry and tired, that I didn't even take a picture!

I served them with some leftover sourdough bread and steamed broccoli. They would've been delicious with a creamy dill sauce, but I'll have to try that another day. This recipe could easily be doubled or tripled.

Easy Salmon Burgers
1 can (6 oz.) skinless boneless salmon
1 large egg, beaten
1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs (I used what I happened to have in the cupboard, but you could easily use quick oats.)

Mix all ingredients together and form two patties. Heat 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook until heated through, about 3 minutes per side.

What is your go-to quick meal for busy nights?

Christmas Wish Lists

When I was kid, my parents would ask my sister and brother and me for Christmas Wish Lists. My parents used our lists to help with their Christmas shopping. They would share the lists with our grandparents, too. The best part of this, as a kid, was that I always received gifts that I wanted. At some point, I stopped providing these Christmas wish lists; I'm not sure why. My parents and friends had to work a lot harder to determine what I wanted for Christmas (or my birthday).

Now that I have kids of my own, I want our Christmas celebration to be joyful and centered around the reason for the season. It's so hard to avoid getting sucked into the commercialism of the holiday. It's really fun to give and receive gifts, so I still want that to be part of our celebration. But I do like the idea of being more thoughtful with our requests and with our gifts. An idea I've heard a lot in the last few years is to give each child four gifts: something wanted, something needed, something to wear, something to read.

I really like this idea. I like this idea so much that I created a PDF template for kids to fill out. You can download it for yourself right here.

What do you do in your house to help keep the focus on the birth of Jesus?

Coconut Chocolate Chip Scones

My kids have a book by Mercer Mayer that says the most important ingredient in any recipe is love. So, when I make something for my family and they respond positively, I often ask if I put enough love in it. This is especially fun when both of the kids have helped me make something and we are seeking feedback from Einar.

One of our favorite breakfast treats is chocolate chip scones. Years ago, my sister shared her recipe with me. She got it from her Betty Crocker or Joy of Cooking or some other fairly standard cookbook. We really like this recipe - it's easy, quick, and most importantly, tasty!

Over the past year and a half or so, my husband and I have been using coconut oil more regularly, and so I thought I'd try using coconut oil instead of butter in this recipe. Now, I am not a huge fan of coconut, but I do like coconut milk-based curries. I was hesitant to use unrefined coconut oil because of its mild coconut flavor. We were delighted to discover that using unrefined/virgin coconut oil gave a nice hint of coconut flavor, which was a nice complement to the semisweet chocolate chips I use.

If you want to experience these delicious scones for yourself, gather up extra love and follow the recipe below.

Coconut Chocolate Chip Scones
1/3 cup unrefined/virgin coconut oil (I use Spectrum brand)
1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1 egg, beaten
1/3 cup miniature chocolate chips
4 to 6 tablespoons half-and-half

Heat oven to 400 degrees.
Measure flour, sugar, baking powder, and sea salt into a medium bowl. Cut coconut oil into these dry ingredients with a pastry blender until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
Stir in the egg, chocolate chips, and just enough half-and-half so the dough leaves sides of bowl.
Lightly knead 10 times. (I do this right in the bowl.)
Divide into 8 equal pieces. Gently form each piece into a ball and then flatten to about 1/2" thick.
Place on ungreased baking stone, leaving room between each scones.
Bake until golden brown, about 17-19 minutes. (If using a cookie sheet instead of a baking stone, decrease cooking time to 10-12 minutes.)

Enjoy with a cup of coffee or glass of milk.

Good news and four jobs

Well, the good news is that my father-in-law's metastatic kidney cancer is responding well to treatment. After 8 weeks of drug therapy, all the tumors in his lungs have shrunk about 30-40%. In 8 weeks!! Can you believe it?!? God is GOOD!

I, on the other hand, struggle to remain positive about job prospects as the date of my last day at Tweedee approaches. I have added a 4th job to my arsenal: server at The Grumpy Troll. I'm only working 1-2 shifts/week right now, but I'm hoping that I can add at least one more there and one more at Mariner's Inn after I'm done at Tweedee. People have been assuring me that I'll qualify for unemployment benefits, but I don't think those benefits will cover our expenses, and I know they'll be adjusted based on my part-time job earnings. I'm going to try to figure that out before the end of June, but if my initial calculations are correct, I'll have to continue to work 3 part-time jobs until I can find one full-time job that pays me enough to have only it. And then? Well, then we'll celebrate! After we get our finances back in order, of course.

Genetics

Several years ago, one of my dad's brothers told us that he had a genetic marker that increased the likelihood that he'd develop colon cancer (which he already had) as well as several other cancers. His doctor suggested that his siblings get tested for this genetic marker, and if any of them had it, that their kids also be tested. Since my dad had already had colon cancer three times, it was assumed that he had the genetic marker, and my siblings and I had to decide whether or not to get tested.

There are two thoughts on genetic testing. One side believes that knowledge is power and by knowing, you can take steps to prevent illness or catch it early. The other side believes ignorance is bliss and by not knowing, you can enjoy life and let whatever is going to happen, happen. (The two sides are much more complicated than this, of course, but this is the easy simplification.)

I decided to have the test done. I have the genetic marker that significantly increases my risk for colon cancer. So, I've been getting an annual colonoscopy since I was 31. Not exactly my favorite annual event, but I'd rather do that than develop late stage colon cancer, when it is often too late to treat successfully. This genetic marker also increases my risk for developing some other cancers, including ovarian, uterine, endometrial, and stomach. Again, knowing these risks allows me to be proactive with screening.

What do you think about genetic testing? Is it a good idea? Would you want to know if you're predisposed to developing a disease?

He's no April Fool!

HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?!?!

Today my big brother celebrates his 40th birthday. If you know him, send him birthday wishes if you haven't already.

Grandma Carlson

Last Thursday, March 11, would've been my Grandma Carlson's 97th birthday. That doesn't seem right, but I've double-checked my math, and it is, in fact, correct. It also doesn't seem possible that it's been over 5 years since she died. She had a massive stroke in the early morning hours of my 30th birthday, and she died 6 days later, surrounded by her husband and children. I was really missing her last week. I've made "cook 'n' serve" chocolate pudding a couple times over the past month. I reminds me of Grandma's chocolate cream pies. Yum! When I lived in Colorado, I'd often stop for an overnight with Grandma and Grandpa when I'd drive back to Wisconsin. More often than not, Grandma would have made one of her chocolate cream pies for my visit, knowing how much I liked them. That always made me feel so loved!

I had a job interview last week. It was for a half-time office assistant job in Fitchburg. I think it went well, at least from my end. They said they'll be making a decision sometime this week, so I won't have to wait too long to find out if I got it. If so, I'll be quitting the cleaning job (yippee!!) and possibly adjusting my schedule at Tweedee. I'll still have to wait tables a few nights a week, but it's a step in the right direction.

I heard back from the Department of Public Instruction about my application for Wisconsin teaching licensure. I need to take 6 credits (probably just 2 classes) of continuing education coursework in order to get my license, unless I have a job offer from a school district. If I get a job offer, they will grant me a one-year license, during which time I'll need to earn those 6 continuing education credits. I need to call them to find out what sort of classes I should take. Perhaps I could get one of those classes taken care of this summer.

Oh! And I ran the Shamrock Shuffle 5K yesterday. My time was 31:23, which I was happy with, for the most part. The route is fairly hilly, so I shouldn't be too disappointed, but I always want to finish in under 30 minutes. Maybe next year.

March forth!

When I was a kid, every year on March 4th, my mom would remind me that it's the only day of the year that's also a command, and she would send me out the door to march forth. I look forward to it every year! It seems like I should spend March 4th working toward social justice. And I've missed my chance this year. But perhaps, starting next year, I will make March 4th a personal volunteerism day.

I finally got all of my teaching license application components completed and mailed. According to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction website, it will take 12-16 weeks for my application to be processed. And that doesn't guarantee that I'll be approved for a license. *sigh* At least I'll know before the last minute job postings come along.

My training for the Lake Monona 20K continues to go fairly well, although I've been having a hard time fitting the weekday workouts into my schedule. Luckily, the training program I am following only requires 2 weekday runs, and I've made sure I fit them in. But I've been a bit lax about the cross-training workouts. I'd really like to find a good at-home strength training workout to do on those cross-training days. This Saturday, I'll be running 9.5 miles with a friend of mine. We did 7.5 a couple weeks ago, and it went really well, so I think 9.5 will be just fine, too. And it's supposed to be relatively warm and sunny on Saturday morning, which always makes running more enjoyable.

Forgotten Suitcase

Last Thursday, I rushed home from work so Einar and I could make the drive to the U.P. to visit my sister and her family. We had decided to make pb&j sandwiches to take with us for supper to eliminate a stop. I got home, finished putting a few things into the suitcase and went to the kitchen to make our sandwiches. Einar added a couple last minute things to the suitcase and then came and talked with me while I finished up the sammies. And we hit the road.

The drive was going along just fine - clear roads and an awake driver and passenger. After being on the road for 5 (of the 5 and 1/2) hours, Einar said that we didn't have the suitcase. I thought he was joking. No joke!!

I had assumed he had taken the suitcase out to the car and so hadn't asked about it. He had put his stuff in the suitcase and then left it, figuring I wasn't done yet.

Anyway, we ended up going to ShopKo to buy some underwear, socks, and toothbrushes, and Goodwill for a couple shirts. Kind of an adventure. And by Friday morning, it was even funny!

We managed to have a great weekend, even without all of stuff. We got to watch our nephew play basketball Friday night. That was fun, even though they ended up losing. My sister went for a 6.5 mile run with me on Saturday morning, and then we got to see all the amazing snow sculptures that were part of the Michigan Tech Winter Carnival. It's incredible what they are able to do with snow!

It's September!

I know that people are always saying things like, "Where did August go?" when it seems like time is flying. But really, where did August go? It is September 1st today, and the Madison public schools are back in session. I guess August went by so quickly for me because Einar and I spent 1/3 of it on vacation in the Northwest.

We had a great time visiting our brothers and brother-in-law in Seattle and Vancouver. We saw a lot of sights, sampled some local beer and ice cream, and genuinely enjoyed our time. I've posted some pictures below.

Unrelated to our vacation, since Einar and I now have health care coverage (thanks, GHC!), we went in for physicals last week. Nothing too exciting - just wanted to meet our doctor and get a check-up. We both got Tdap boosters (Tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis), which resulted in each of us having a sore shoulder for a few days. Other than that, we are healthy. I, of course, got a referral for a colonoscopy. Fun times. I'm waiting to hear from the clinic about scheduling that. It feels good to have health insurance!!

View of Seattle from West Seattle (Alki)

It's the Space Needle!


View from the Space Needle.

Snoqualmie Falls

This was taken on the way to Whister, at Shannon Falls.

This was taken near the base of Shannon Falls.


Erik and I are imitating Dad's reaction to cold mountain creeks!

Einar contemplates his next step as he crosses the creek.


Lost Lake at Whistler

Lost Lake again.


By the suspension bridge in North Vancouver.

On the suspension bridge.

Look, it's a tiny door!

Lions Gate Bridge is behind us.


At Queen Elizabeth Park in Vancouver - mountains in background

A good Norwegian man

My grammy tells everyone that I married a good Norwegian man. Though this is true, he is Norwegian-American rather than from Norway. It's his birthday today. His first birthday as a married man. I'm excited to get to take him out for dinner (after getting our church directory picture taken!) and give him his gifts. We'll have a family celebration on Sunday. I love birthdays! But I love nothing more than I love Einar!

Bella Tori

This picture was taken the night we brought Bella home. She was 2 days shy of being 8 weeks old. We met the breeder and 2 of her sisters at the big truck stop where I-90/94 and I-39 split. We really liked all 3 of the puppies we met, but Bella was the one we felt the best about. When we got her home, she fell asleep on the towels by the door.




This picture was taken one Bella's 8-week birthday. She was curled up on the couch while Einar and I got ready for work. We have since decided that she will not be allowed on the couch unless we invite her. Since she's gonna be a big dog, we don't want her to think the couch is hers. Humans first! She sure is cute, though!



This picture was taken the day after the picture just above. We were at Einar's parents' condo for a wonderful Mexican dinner prepared by a visiting cousin. It was the first time Einar's family got to meet Bella, and she was a big hit! Well, except with Chino (the Shih-Tzu). Chino wasn't sure what to think of Bella, so she pretty much just hid and tried to go unnoticed.



I will try to get more pictures taken one of these days - I keep forgetting to charge the camera batteries. She is already noticeably bigger. We are working really hard on getting her housebroken, and for the most part, she's doing okay. She just doesn't have a very big bladder yet, so her accidents tend to happen when we're at work (although I'm going home a couple times a day to let her out) or overnight. She'll get it. We're starting a puppy class on May 13 for 6 weeks. We can hardly wait!

Belated

Yesterday was my sister-in-law's birthday. We'll be gathering with her and other family members on Saturday to celebrate her birthday. I'm excited to spend some time with everybody and to get to have some food off the grill! Last year, Ingrid and I had a super-fun time going to the Maple Bluff Community Garage Sale, and we just decided to do it again this year. Of course, that means that I need to figure out when that's happening, but I'm definitely looking forward to it. Get some coffee or chai and a scone from Manna and hit the sales!
This picture was taken during the formal pictures for the wedding. They were all waiting around for their turn, and Ingrid hams it up!

Missy Karie

Today is my sister's birthday. I can't remember the last time I got to celebrate her birthday with her, but last weekend, she and her family were in Mount Horeb visiting our parents, and we had a little family celebration. It was great to be able to be together. Plus, I got to surprise her with some chocolates from her favorite chocolatier in Madison.

This picture is from last spring, when she and her family came down for the Steve Earle concert and stayed at my house.

Eek!

Today is my brother's birthday. I've been fortunate that for the past several years, I've gotten to celebrate his birthday with him in person, either in Chicago or Mount Horeb. In fact, the first time I met his husband was when I was in grad school and went into Chicago to have dinner with him on his birthday. This year, however, I'll be celebrating with him in spirit since he now lives in Vancouver, BC. This year, I'll be celebrating him! Happy birthday, Erik!This is one of my favorite pictures of Erik as well as one of my favorite pictures from our wedding.

March 21

March 21 was a big day: Disa turned 12, and Hannah and Noble both competed in their regional History Day competition and will advance to the state competition at the end of April. Hooray for the nieces and nephew!

It seems like this is a busy week, but I don't think it's any busier than normal. I worked at the restaurant on Monday night, and Einar had band rehearsal. Last night we met some friends for dinner and then played a trivia game on their PlayStation3 (super fun!). Tonight, I work at the restaurant again, and Einar has band rehearsal. They usually only practice once a week, but they have a gig on Friday and want to be ready. I might work tomorrow night - if Bryce needs me to cover his shift. Then, Friday night I have off so I can go see Einar's band perform. Club Tavern in Middleton, 10pm. I've never seen them play, so I'm really looking forward to it.