Christmas Cheer

JohnDB

JohnDB

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I got Christmas production started today.

I made orange creme centers, peppermint Patty centers and some Gran Marnier centers today. I got blackberry (Chambord) and raspberry creme to go...
(Whitman's samplers...bah humbug)

I'm working on Gran Marnier with ginger and regular liquor liquid centers for chocolates.

I've got some more work on the liquid liquor centers yet...the first batch wasn't perfect. Too crystalized...not enough liquid. So that means I have to add more booze to the syrup.
And then we start adding different types of booze to the syrup recipe. (Meaning more failures)

The homemade caramels (first batch) turned out better for chocolate coating than for plain eating...but there will be more batches. I'm thinking about turtles....hummm

The cookie list for this year will be
Toll House
Agression
Butterscotchies
Various shortbreads (checkerboards and sandwich)
Chocolate white chocolate chips
Chocolate mint chips
Chocolate cherry (white chocolate chips) or orange.
Peanut butter
Oatmeal-raisin
Gingerbread

Christie's ain't got a chance next to me.
 
JohnDB said:
I got Christmas production started today.

I made orange creme centers, peppermint Patty centers and some Gran Marnier centers today. I got blackberry (Chambord) and raspberry creme to go...
(Whitman's samplers...bah humbug)

I'm working on Gran Marnier with ginger and regular liquor liquid centers for chocolates.

I've got some more work on the liquid liquor centers yet...the first batch wasn't perfect. Too crystalized...not enough liquid. So that means I have to add more booze to the syrup.
And then we start adding different types of booze to the syrup recipe. (Meaning more failures)

The homemade caramels (first batch) turned out better for chocolate coating than for plain eating...but there will be more batches. I'm thinking about turtles....hummm

The cookie list for this year will be
Toll House
Agression
Butterscotchies
Various shortbreads (checkerboards and sandwich)
Chocolate white chocolate chips
Chocolate mint chips
Chocolate cherry (white chocolate chips) or orange.
Peanut butter
Oatmeal-raisin
Gingerbread

Christie's ain't got a chance next to me.
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*Chipmunk voice* (don't ask lol) Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy!! I'm SO excited about Christmas!! I can't wait to eat all of the cookies and candy and spend time with my family and friends yep! Yep! Yep! (Okay, now I'm sounding like Ducky from The Land before time LOL!! I'm sorry, I'm extremely wound up right now because Christmas is coming up and I'm going to see the new Fantastic Beasts movie tomorrow night with a friend so bring on the popcorn!! :popcorn) Anywho, speaking of Christmas and chipmunks,.. I think it is that time again to sing our special song! Are you guys ready? I say that I am! Yep, let's sing it now! Alvin are you ready? Alvin?? Alvin,... Alvin!!! Dang nappit has anybody seen Alvin? :confusedWait a minute, there he is!


 
JohnDB, that's a lot of busy work, but I kinda think you enjoy it. I will make my traditional fruit cakes as I have two brothers that love them. Best part of the dinner is all the goodies for desert.
 
for_his_glory said:
JohnDB, that's a lot of busy work, but I kinda think you enjoy it. I will make my traditional fruit cakes as I have two brothers that love them. Best part of the dinner is all the goodies for desert.
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I was looking online at specialty candies like I make...
$4 per piece seems to be the going rate. My jaw about dropped when I seen that.

A 12 count box sells for right at $50.
The only difference is that they put it in a pretty box...I just lay mine out in a tray.

Some of them are a tad different...but not enough to make it matter. But I liked the idea of one candy...fudge with caramel and dipped into chocolate. Kinda easy peasey...but ok.
 
JohnDB said:
I was looking online at specialty candies like I make...
$4 per piece seems to be the going rate. My jaw about dropped when I seen that.

A 12 count box sells for right at $50.
The only difference is that they put it in a pretty box...I just lay mine out in a tray.

Some of them are a tad different...but not enough to make it matter. But I liked the idea of one candy...fudge with caramel and dipped into chocolate. Kinda easy peasey...but ok.
Click to expand...

The price of store bought candies and cookies is ridiculous. Nothing beats the homemade goodies. I bet your house smells so good this time of year.
 
WOW...you're --intense--.

i got egg nog on sale today and thought I was Mister Christmas, LOL. my new place has some Christmas decorations up...Christmas lights that turn on when I flip a switch (yes, I"m actually 5 years old, inside...these things amaze me...). but...

dude, you really do go all out don't you? and, fhg...fruit cakes are a dying art. I live in The Southland, so there's still some popular, old school varieties available in stores and such...I've taken a liking to the darker/golden variety. :-)
 
Christ_empowered said:
WOW...you're --intense--.

i got egg nog on sale today and thought I was Mister Christmas, LOL. my new place has some Christmas decorations up...Christmas lights that turn on when I flip a switch (yes, I"m actually 5 years old, inside...these things amaze me...). but...

dude, you really do go all out don't you? and, fhg...fruit cakes are a dying art. I live in The Southland, so there's still some popular, old school varieties available in stores and such...I've taken a liking to the darker/golden variety. :)
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I have two things that cause me to work all year long... mission trips and Christmas.

I've even quit jobs just for the month of December to make all the cookies and candies and attend all the parties.

I definitely quit jobs for mission trips... usually do.

I save money all year long and plan things for Christmas... every year.

I don't receive much in the way of presents... because...well just because. But I get to see the kids all covering gingerbread houses that I made with candy and frosting and they love it. My one son is grown. He's busy...too busy for me these days.

But it's fun stuff to sit and chew on a cookie with friends and drink some coffee and have a great time watching children have a blast while creating memories that will last a lifetime.
 
Lots of chocolate covered candies made today...also some centers made for the liquid liquor centered candies. (Got to wait until tomorrow to cover them)
I got 5 dozen peppermint and 6 dozen caramels. Tomorrow I got more to go.

Orange ginger liquor centers to make and then the other 2 creme centers.

Then come Monday through Friday it's all cookies every day.
 
Christ_empowered said:
who can sprinkle the world with sunshine?

the candy man...the candy man can....
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ROFL...
Yeah I'm so gonna be ready to be done with chocolate.
It gets messy...it gets everywhere.

And several of the candies have sprung a leak...aaaaarrrrrgggghhhhhh.

But...
Soon I shall be finished with tempered chocolate for candies and start working with chocolate for cookies.

This type of chocolate is mostly real chocolate but I use some of that almond bark chocolate to stabilize it and make it appear tempered...but it drops the cost considerably considering how many pounds I will use to coat the cookies.

A four ounce bar of good chocolate costs $2.70. making the good chocolate about $10.80/lb.
I can purchase almond bark chocolate for $1.25/lb.

I'll use over 10lbs of chocolate on cookies alone. With the mixture mostly being real chocolate no degradation of flavor is realized. (And tastes much better than plain almond bark chocolate) The texture is a tad off as the chocolate won't have that sharp snap...but it's negligible while eating a cookie.


And yes HeIsRisen2018 ...we have a fake tree for similar reasons.
 
Hey JohnDB my online bff!! I'm glad you're still here! Cause I just finished watching Christmas With The Kranks with my mother and you can come to my Christmas party now if you want to. :) That goes for anybody reading this,.. it's time to rock those jingle bells!! :sohappy
 
Oh and btw I put a star on top of the tree just in case you guys are wondering. :) Seriously guys, there's one heck of a party with wonderful tunes going on in "It's The Most Wonderful Time of The Year" Christmas party! With classic tunes like "Away In a Manger," "Mary Did You Know," 'Jingle Bell Rock" and "Rocking Around The Christmas tree." Santa's come to town guys! (which is another one of the songs as well) What are you waiting for!? There's going to be clips of classic Christmas movies and shows too. :biggrin
 
JohnDB said:
Yes, Mary knew...
Read Luke chapter two.
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Ha, ha, ha very funny. Say what's up with your homepage right now? I just came back really quick to talk to Jeff, (my name is Jeff lol) and I had to go to my bookmark lounge because the homepage wanted me to install something. I'm going to go write this issue in feedback I just wanted to know if you knew that.
 
StoveBolts said:
You better give it back then! Some little kid is gonna be awfully upset otherwise!
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*slaps forehead* Ha, ha, very funny. :rolleyes I meant the picture! :wall (Although I'm pretty sure that this is a joke. :lol)
 
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