Thursday 15 July 2010

CIJ day 15



Welcome to CIJ day 15 (29C out there)!
Recipe for today - Hazelnut - mocha sauce (gift in a jar)

Prep: 15 minutes Cook: 8 minutes

This is fairly easy to make, although you really have to watch that it doesn't burn or clump on the bottom of the pot while boiling/simmering. Tastes great and looks beautiful in little jars for Christmas basket gifts!

Ingredients
· 1 12-oz. pkg. semisweet chocolate pieces
· 1 13-oz. jar chocolate-hazelnut spread
· 1 12-oz. can evaporated milk
· 1/2 cup sugar
· 3/4 cup coffee liqueur, such as Kahlua, or strong coffee
· 2 cups coarsely chopped toasted hazelnuts (optional)

Directions
1. In a large heavy saucepan melt chocolate pieces and chocolate-hazelnut spread over low heat, stirring occasionally. Add evaporated milk and sugar, stirring until smooth. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring constantly; reduce heat. Cook, uncovered, for 8 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and stir in coffee liqueur.
2. Spoon mixture into 6 clean half-pint jars, leaving 3/4-inch headspace; cover and refrigerate. Divide hazelnuts, if using, between 6 small plastic bags. Decorate jars and plastic bags. To serve, reheat sauce, spoon sauce over ice cream; sprinkle with nuts, if desired. Makes 6 half-pint jars.

Craft of the day - pinecone lighted basket
Things You'll Need:
Large, sturdy pinecones
Wide woven basket
String of white mini lights
Clear spray paint
Gold glitter
Step 1
Spray the pinecones with the clear spray paint. This should be done outside if possible, and, at the very least, in a well ventilated area.
Step 2
Sprinkle the pinecones with the gold glitter. Some of the glitter will stick to the wet spray paint and give your pinecones a little extra sparkle. If you want lots of glitter, then use a glitter glue pen to add thick lines of glitter along the edges of the pinecones' petals.
Step 3
Pile the pinecones in the basket among the mini lights. Make sure that you leave enough electrical cord hanging out of the back of the basket for the lights to reach an outlet so that they can be plugged in. As you place pinecones in the basket, weave the mini light string around the edge of the inside of the basket so that the lights appear to come from within the pile of pinecones. They will also shine through the weave of the basket.
Step 4
Plug the basket in. Make sure you like the way the lights and the cones work together in a dimly lit room. If not, then pull the entire array of components of the basket out and reassemble to fit your idea of what you want the basket to look like.Read more: How to Make Lighted Pine Cone Baskets eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_4549299_make-lighted-pine-cone-baskets.html#ixzz0tkYHO06o


Joke of the day : I told Santa you were good this year....andHe hasn't stopped laughing since!

2 comments:

  1. The sauce sounds delish - what a great gift it would make.
    Love the joke - I have said the same thing to my kids many times, only I wasn't laughing!!

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  2. I have a wagon that my parents made out of cola crates that we put in pinecones and white lights thru out. Also I have a big pickle jar that we put pinecones and lights in. So pretty to have the lights off and just the Christmas lights on.

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