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Merry Christmas 2010
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Monthly Archives: December 2010
Dear Santa,
I’ve been a good girl this year. No really, I have! 
I’ve been trying to think of what to ask you for this year. I can’t think of a thing! Sure, there are many things that would be a lot of fun to have. Even some things that would be super helpful (hello king sized mattress!), and yet, I really don’t have any wants. It’s a wonderful thing, to feel like you already have everything you could possibly need.
Family, friends, pets, health… I have them all.
I’ll still leave cookies out for you Santa, so come on in and have a little break; put your feet up and rest for awhile. I would even light a fire for you to sit near, if our fireplace worked, but I’ll leave the heater on so you can warm up before you visit the other good girls and boys.
I’m sure we will be thrilled with whatever you decide to leave under the tree.
Merry Christmas!
Malawi’s Pizza
A new pizza restaurant opened nearby recently. It’s called Malawi’s Pizza, and their motto, “Pizza with a Purpose”, is because for every meal purchased, a meal is donated. Heath and I got a chance to preview their pizza during an event called “Taste of the Riverwoods”, and more recently I was able to enjoy a fun lunch with friends under the tree! I really loved the decor and the style of the restaurant, and the food is beyond yummy.
I ordered this amazing berry dessert pizza to share with the girls. First of all, you should know that it’s the middle of winter here, berries aren’t exactly in season. However, this pizza was incredible! Everything tasted like summer. Heath got lucky, as we were unable to finish it off and I got to bring a piece home to him.
There is just something so lovely about being able to share good food with friends.
Malawi’s Pizza has so many healthy options too. You can choose white crust, whole wheat crust, and they even have gluten free options. The vegetarian pizzas have great toppings like artichokes and zucchini. And of course, there are pastas and more traditional pizzas like pepperoni as well. The personal pizza size is about 10″, plenty to share, or to have leftovers to take home. Knowing that the meal is also going to benefit others makes it even more tasty. I’m getting hungry just writing about it.
Aimee’s Peppermint Bark
The story:
I had never had peppermint bark before in my life! I know, I was truly missing out, but I was convinced that I was allergic to chocolate for 20 years, so there is a lot that I missed out on in the chocolate world. I kept seeing peppermint bark, and I really wanted to try some, but I didn’t want to buy it. It always seemed so expensive. So, I decided to try to make some myself. We love it and find it totally tasty, and it’s still the only kind I have ever had. 
Here is the “recipe”:
- 2 cups of milk chocolate chips
- 2 cups of white chocolate chips
- Crushed candy cane to your hearts desire.
Cover a cookie sheet with parchment or wax paper. In a bowl, melt the milk chocolate chips first. I use the microwave, 2 mins then a stir, and about a min more seems to work the best. Then spread the chocolate out on the paper. While you are spreading, have the white chocolate melting in the microwave (same timing as the milk, or until nice and melty). When it’s melted, pour it on top of the milk chocolate, being careful to spread it around without mixing in milk chocolate in the process. Top with the crushed candy cane.
Then, stick the cookie sheet in the refrigerator for several hours to make sure the chocolate sticks together. I usually make a batch in the evening then let it set in the fridge overnight. Once it’s set, just break it up and eat it.
Making peppermint bark is another Christmas tradition of ours, as we make it for ourselves, my parents, and my aunt and uncle who live in Seattle. This year the peppermint bark traveled to Seattle in high style in an adorable snowman jar:
