Jennuine

These delicious treats are ridiculously easy, make a lovely presentation, and are always the first to go at parties and bake sales. There are only three ingredients: One package of oreos, one 8 oz. package of cream cheese, and chocolate candy coating. Sprinkles are optional. Chocolate Dipped Oreo Truffles Here is my favorite source for Nonpareils:  BETTERBYEZ ON EBAY And my favorite source for fancy sprinkles:    FANCY FLOURS NEXT UP...CLASSIC DARK CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

These fun and easy chocolate dipped treats combine two things that most people go nuts for:  chocolate and stuff-on-a-stick !  For the December Lyceum class, the kids and I dipped marshmallows, rice krispie treats, and s'mores.  Oreos and Nutter Butters are fun too ~ just be careful inserting the stick.  They have a tendency to crack.  In the following tutorial, we're using the Chocolate Transfer Sheets.  You need not use Transfer Sheets to make festive looking chocolate dipped treats, however.  One of the things my girls most enjoy is when I melt some white chocolate, place it in a ziploc freezer bag (or pastry bag), snip the tip, and allow one to drizzle the chocolate over the candies, while the other shakes on the sprinkles. Chocolate Dipped Treats DIY

Another technique the kids and I had fun experimenting with was applying texture to chocolate.  This technique is similar to the Chocolate Transfer Sheets , but rather than applying a cocoa butter image, we are simply embossing a pattern.  What I love about this technique is that your kids can often find patterns to use on things you already have around the house.  As long as it's flat, plastic, and clean, you can probably use it to emboss a pattern on chocolate.  Bubble wrap, a corrugated plastic liner from a food container, and a dish drying matt all have interesting patterns and can be suitable for texturing chocolate. Special texture sheets for chocolatiering can be purchased at some cake decorating stores and online.  They're relatively inexpensive, are easy to work with, and are reusable.  There are many fun patterns available such as lizard skin, wood grain, and crocodile! Here's my favorite source for Texture Sheets:  Bake Deco Use Texture Sheets the

Ricart chocolates. Photo: Mkrigsman, Flickr. Every wonder how those famous chocolatiers get those fabulous edible patterns on their fancy schmancy chocolates? It’s actually the result of a very simple process using Chocolate Transfer Sheets . Chocolate Transfer Sheets consist of a sheet of thin acetate that is embossed with an edible ink comprised of cocoa butter and powdered food coloring ~ that’s all. The sheets are available in hundreds of patterns: from animal prints and floral designs, to mod geometrics and celebratory text like “Happy New Year”.  Transfer sheets can be cut down to fit any chocolate dipped confection, or can be cut and coated with chocolate to wrap around a cake.  Here are some of my favorite sources for Chocolate Transfer Sheets: Fancy Flours Custom Chocolate Shop Beryl's    Chocolate Transfer Sheets are very easy to use provided that you follow some basic guidelines:   Always store in a cool dark place. They’re made from cocoa

In the first week of December I had the opportunity to meet a wonderful group of kids through the Lyceum of Monterey where I taught a two-day class in Chocolatiering. It was fun; a learning experience for all; and very chocolatey! I’m hoping that the kids will feel inspired to carry forth with the “Wonkateering” (as we called it) at home. In this spirit, I am authoring a series of posts featuring the recipes we used in class, some tutorials and techniques, and resources for where to buy the tools and specialty items. The first class focused largely on chocolate dipping and the use of texture and transfer sheets . We’ll start with my personal favorite: The Indoor S’more. Indoor S'More on a Stick Please feel free to ask questions and comment in the field below.  Recipes, Tips and Resources will continue to be posted throughout today and this weekend.

Season's Greetings SITSTAS , Readers, Blogger Pals, Non-Blogging Friends...EVERYONE!   If you've visited the Rookery before, you may well recall my affinity for vintage photographs; especially those passed down from my family.  So, it's probably no surprise that I've chosen one of my absolute favorites as the official Rook No. 17 Holiday Card:

12/7/09 UPDATE:  Another free and easy opportunity to share your handmade goods, or get unique and meaningful gift ideas~ Share photos of your handmade items in the Rook No. 17 Gift Guide Gallery on Facebook (be sure to put a link in the description box) ARE YOU A SMALL BUSINESS OWNER? --or-- DO YOU HAVE AN ETSY OR ARTFIRE SHOP? --or-- ARE YOU AN ARTIST OR CRAFTER SELLING ON YOUR OWN WEBSITE? Or maybe you've just had enough of all the mass-produced, disposeable junk out there and want to give your family and friends something quality...something meaningful....something special this year, but need some direction? IF YOU CAN IDENTIFY WITH ANY OF THESE, PLEASE READ ON... THE BACKSTORY:  The microphone on my cell phone went kaput last Thursday, so I was off to the mall to buy a new one (of course, my contract isn't yet up, but that's another story).  I was absolutely shocked, that at 1:45 on a Thursday, our little mall was jam packed with cars -- so much so

Small Town...Small World... Well, the Facebook Fairy did it again ~ through the magic of networking, she reconnected me with one of my brother's friends from our school days here in Pacific Grove.  I feel blessed and honored to say that I now consider her a dear friend too.  This amazing mom, creative force, fellow foodie, and all-around "good-egg" has opened an Etsy store ( Arco Iris ), launched a blog ( Till Death Do Us Art ) and website with such talent, creativity, and gusto ~ all in the time it takes me to decide on a post title!  Amazing!  Now get this ~ As Holly (from 504 Main ) and I were driving up to the Alameda Point Antiques Fair this past weekend, we got to talking blogs (fancy that!) and happened upon the subject of Iris's beautiful jewelry (which Holly had just purchased!).  As with any online purchase, Holly provided her shipping address and...HOLY SMOKES... Iris used to live in the same house (way back when).  Small World, indeed! Oh,

We try our best not to overindulge our children, yet despite our best intentions they still have toys coming out their ears! Come Christmas and birthdays it seems like our tiny house is going to burst with all the plastic pieces, excessive packaging, and generously gifted glut! So, this past September when my daughter turned 8, we came up with a new concept ~ The Party With a Purpose . First, we chose a cause near and dear to HER heart: Animals . We arranged with our local humane society (SPCA) to have a party on their premises. Guests were asked to bring a gift of blankets, towels, toys or treats for the animals, instead of a gift for my daughter. The generosity was overwhelming. The SPCA gave a wonderful presentation and slide-show and then took everyone on a tour of their facilities. After we had a brownie sundae bar (served in doggy dishes of course) on a sunny deck outside the education center, overlooking the barn where two baby goats had been born earlier in the week. I

A few weeks ago I was approached by the folks at POM Wonderful ~ the makers of that delicious (and antioxidant rich) 100% pomegranate juice ~ and was asked if I would like try to create some culinary magic using a complimentary case of their product.  I jumped at the opportunity to work with something new!  I've enjoyed POM Wonderful before ~ straight out of the bottle and mixed in cocktails ~ but being given creative license to create my own POM recipes sounded like the perfect holiday kitchen challenge!  So, with holiday parties and open-houses in mind, I created a cozy cocktail to ward of the winter chill, and evoke the essence of what we cherish most about the holidays.  Here the gold of the apple cider and the crimson of the pomegranate juice mingle to create a jewel-toned toddy that nearly glows with holiday warmth and sentiment.  It takes only minutes to prepare a large batch, perfect for parties and large gatherings. Sandro Botticelli - Virgin of the Po

"When Joseph's favorite overcoat gets old and worn, he makes a jacket out of it. When the jacket is more patches than jacket, Joseph turns it into a vest. When the vest's number is up, Joseph makes a scarf. This thrifty industry continues until there's nothing left of the original garment. But clever Joseph manages to make something out of nothing! (And that's the foreshadowed moral of the story.)" ~ Amazon Book Review JOSEPH HAD A LITTLE OVERCOAT is at once fanciful and wise, thought-provoking and engaging, and a most wonderful book to give a young person this holiday season.   It's at the top of my list of books that every child should have in their home library.  Here's the background on what inspired this post and the recommendation: I've been struck several times this week by an almost overwhelming THANKFULNESS, brought on by some simple acts that so many of us take for granted: shopping for groceries for the holiday, purchas