Another weekly round of the daily advent calender which means we are another week down and another week closer to Christmas!! We are now inside the 12 days of Christmas. How exciting. Are you prepared for the big day? I must say I am not doing too bad and ALL the presents are wrapped under the tree. I went out for a birthday lunch on Wednesday and my two and three year old decided to break into their advent calenders and eat all their chocolates so now they are on the naughty list!! I must say I did something similar when I was a kid, well I opened the doors, ate all the chocolate and closed the doors again. Oops! I hope you have been enjoying my daily postings and taking advantage this festive season by downloading a book or two or trying one of the many Christmas treats. If you have missed any of them, there's no need to worry because here they are, in one fell swoop, everything that has been posted in the last 7 days. Take a moment, feast your eyes over the ebooks and lick your lips at the delightful recipes and whilst you do that, listen to the Christmas jingles and have a sing along too. Enjoy! 
Bah, Humbug UK link
Bah, Humbug .Com link
****Strawberry Santa's****
A delightful
Christmas recipe that only takes 10 minutes to prepare and will brighten up any party buffet.
Ingredients ~
10 large
strawberries
200g cream cheese
2 tsp sieved
icing sugar
1 tsp pure
vanilla extract
Poppy seeds, to
decorate
Method ~
Thoroughly rinse
the strawberries and cut around the top of the strawberry.
Remove the top
and dig out the inside of the strawberry with a paring knife. Keep the tops as
these are used for the Santa hat.
Add the cream
cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla extract into a mixing bowl and beat until
creamy.
Add the cream
cheese mix to a piping bag with the corner snipped off. To make the Santa face
add the mixture to the top of the base of the strawberry. Then add 2 small
buttons to the front.
Add a small amount
of the mixture to the top of the strawberry and place the tops of the
strawberries back on. Decorate them with poppy seeds as eyes.
8th December Christmas Jingle (two of my most loved male singers together!) ~ Winter Wonderland - Michael Buble and Rod Stewart
A very short festive read published 10th Dec 2013 and free to download. I am looking forward to reading this.
Christmas Wish - Carole Matthews UK link Kindle
Christmas Wish - Carole Matthews .Com link Kindle
9th December Christmas Jingle (don't worry I am not a Justine Bieber fan despite my 10 year old's best efforts but I must say that his Christmas album is good, especially this song as it features Tinie Tempah who I am a fan of) ~ Drummer Boy # Justine Bieber ft Tinie Tempah
Today's festive ebook suggestion consisted of 5 downloads for 99p/$1.62 each. Here are the links ~
Christmas Carol UK link
Christmas Carol .Com link
Christmas with Mr Darcy UK link
Christmas with Mr Darcy .Com link
Wish upon a star UK link
Wish upon a star .Com link (only available in paperback & audio)
Christmas List UK link
Christmas List .Com link
Christmas at the Crescent UK link
Christmas at the Crescent .Con link
Christmas Wish - Carole Matthews UK link Kindle
Christmas Wish - Carole Matthews .Com link Kindle
****Calling all Oreo Lovers****
OREO BALLS
How tasty do these look? They are so simple to make (apparently) with on only 3 ingredients in 5 simple steps. Here's how ~
Ingredients ~
1 package Oreo
Cookies
1 block cream
cheese, softened
1 pack Cooking
Chocolate (Hershey's Semi sweet chocolate chips the best)
Method ~
1. Place Oreo
Cookies in a bag/blender and smash/blend until it is the consistency of dirt.
2. Mix the
softened cream cheese into the smashed oreos.
3. Roll the
mixture into balls.
4. Melt chocolate
in the microwave.
5. Cover balls in
chocolate then leave to set in the fridge.
9th December Christmas Jingle (don't worry I am not a Justine Bieber fan despite my 10 year old's best efforts but I must say that his Christmas album is good, especially this song as it features Tinie Tempah who I am a fan of) ~ Drummer Boy # Justine Bieber ft Tinie Tempah
Christmas Carol UK link
Christmas Carol .Com link
Christmas with Mr Darcy UK link
Christmas with Mr Darcy .Com link
Wish upon a star UK link
Wish upon a star .Com link (only available in paperback & audio)
Christmas List UK link
Christmas List .Com link
Christmas at the Crescent UK link
Christmas at the Crescent .Con link
****Christmas Pudding Lovers****
Mini Christmas Puddings
I am in love with these and I am not even a Christmas pudding lover. Mini Christmas
puddings are so simple to make, look delicious and are a perfect bite-sized
treat. Not only are they quick to
put together, they are cheap to make and don’t require cooking. That's a win-win no?
Ingredients ~
1 800g premade
fruit cake
2 tablespoons of
brandy
100g white
chocolate
100g milk
chocolate (optional)
5 Red raspberries
10 mint leaves or
green sugared jubes
Method ~
Firstly, to save
on the mess pop on some disposable gloves.
In a large mixing
bowl, break fruit cake into crumbs with your hands, add brandy and mix
together.
As an optional
extra, I like to add 100grams of melted milk chocolate.
Using your hands
roll a tablespoon of the mixture into a firm ball and place on a tray covered
with baking paper. Once completed pop the balls into the fridge.
Cut raspberries
into small pieces and slice the mint leaves into small strips. I tend to just use the outside sugared areas
as they look the best.
In a small bowl,
melt the white chocolate and using a teaspoon drizzle a small amount over each
ball. Press the red raspberry pieces in
the middle of the chocolate and two green ‘leaves’ either side.
10th December Christmas Jingle (Any Elvis fans out there? This is for both my Nan's!) ~ Elvis Presley - Blue Christmas
Book 1 & 2 UK link
Book 1 & 2 .Com link
Book 3 & 4 UK link
Book 3 & 4 .Com link
Book 5 & 6 UK link
Book 5 & 6 .Com link
Book 7 & 8 UK link
Book 7 & 8 .Com link
Book 9 & 10 UK link
Book 9 & 10 .Com link
Book 11 & 12 UK link
Book 11 & 12 .Com link
****I'm dreaming of a white Christmas****
Fancy a change from the norm? Then why not try this white Christmas cake.
Ingredients ~
3 cups of rice
bubbles
1 cup icing sugar
1 cup coconut
1 cup milk powder
1 teaspoon
vanilla
½ cup of chopped
glacier cherries
½ cup sultanas
½ cup chopped
apricots
225g copha
Method ~
Line a slice tin
with baking paper and set aside.
Melt copha and
set aside to cool
Place the rice
bubbles, coconut, chopped fruit, icing sugar and milk powder into a large bowl
and mix together. Pour the melted copha
(which is vegetable shortening) over the mixture and combine.
Using a large
metal spoon, press the mixture into the slice tin and press it down firmly..
Place the tray
into the fridge to set. I often decorate the top by sprinkling coconut over the
top or even some melted white chocolate.
Cut into squares
and enjoy!
11th December Christmas Jingle (I really like this song and I think Christina does a pretty good cover) ~ Christina Aguilera - Chestnuts Roasting On An Open Fire
Being a Carole Matthews fan, I am looking forward to reading this one. I previously read Cottage by the Sea and very much enjoyed it. I also have her free download The Christmas Wish still to read. I am undated with festive novels but I love it. I may read these when I have finished my current read.
Calling Mrs Christmas by Carole Matthews UK link Kindle £2.99/Paperback £3.80
Calling Mrs Christmas by Carole Matthews .Com link Kindle $4.89/Paperback $9.26
****Italian Christmas Cookies****
How nice do these look? A festive and simple Christmas cookie that will be enjoyed by everyone. I know I wouldn't mind biting into one of these!
Ingredients ~
4 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
2 tsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cup flour
4 tsp. baking powder
Method ~
Sift dry
ingredients. Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs; add vanilla and dry
ingredients.
Knead and add
flour as needed to keep dough from sticking to hands. Pinch off dough, roll in
your hands to form a log and then twirl into shape. Place on greased cookie
sheets. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes.
Icing
2 cup sifted
confectioner’s sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
6 tsp. water
Stir until creamy
Dip cookies into
icing and sprinkle with trim. Place on wire rack with wax paper on counter to
collect the dripping icing and sprinkles.
12th December Christmas Jingle (I know there's a few covers to this song but Band Aid 20 is my fav because quite frankly you cannot beat a bit of Robbie Williams and Dizzy Rascal!) ~ Do they know it's Christmas - Band Aid 20
Today's download is a festive romance for just £1.00/$1.64
NO recipe as
such...Start with hulled out strawberries dipped in melted chocolate and filled
with whatever you’d like ~ vodka, archers, whisky, tequila, with some chocolate
syrup for a delicious shot in an edible glass. Take your shot and eat it too. Perfect for any party!
13th December Jingle (I'm not a Leona fan but I do really like this!) ~ Leona Lewis - One More Sleep
A story of Christmas miracles in this magical short story eBook exclusive! Only 99p/$1.60
A Vintage Christmas by Ali Harris UK link
A Vintage Christmas by Ali Harris .Com link
A story of Christmas miracles in this magical short story eBook exclusive! Only 99p/$1.60
A Vintage Christmas by Ali Harris UK link
A Vintage Christmas by Ali Harris .Com link
****Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes****
Back to Strawberries because we LOVE strawberries, don't we? It's amazing how many wonderful tasty treats you can make out of just a strawberry! These are Strawberry Surprise Cupcakes!
Ingredients ~
1 package cake mix, chocolate
1 package strawberries, cleaned and hulled
1 package pudding, chocolate
Fresh mint sprigs,optional but awesome
Method ~
1. Prepare cupcakes according to package and let cool. Using a paring knife, core out a well down into each cupcake, for your strawberry to fit into. Prepare your pudding according to the package. Let set until nice and pudding-y (solid - wet gloopy pudding will ruin the cupcakes, so don't be in a rush, let the pudding firm up!)
2. Stick the strawberry pointy side down into your cupcakes. Take the piece of the cupcake that you cut out, and place it on top of the strawberry, after you push it down into the cupcake.
3. Top liberally with pudding in leu of frosting.
4. Add a sprig of mint if you like. I think it adds a certain something, and my neighbor had some growing in her kitchen and shared…but don’t go out and buy some.
5. Cut each cutcake in half and set it on a plate, because presentation is everything with these suckers. They are DELICIOUS and super easy!
14th December Christmas Jingle (I think Alexandra Burke is the best winner to come out of Xfactor (along with this year's James Arthur) and I like this Christmas song. It's different to the rest) ~ Hallelujah - Alexandra Burke
Remember you can check in every day at Kerry Frith Author Page
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