Sugarfoot Eats

Baking. Blogging. Being...in Austin, TX

Watching: Made for TV Christmas Movies 2015

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It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

My love of cheesy Christmas movies has not wavered.

I have scoured ABC Family, Lifetime, and the Hallmark Channel to bring you my 3 recommendations to watch this year.

Tis the Season for Love TV movie

‘Tis the Season for Love — Girl returns to her small hometown, always a classic Christmas TV movie storyline.

Ice Sculpture Christmas TV movie

Ice Sculpture Christmas — The female lead is a chef, which is what drew me in. She learned how to do ice sculptures in culinary school. Is that really taught in culinary school?! DON’T OVERTHINK IT. That’s not the point of TV Christmas movies.

A Gift Wrapped Christmas TV movie

A Gift Wrapped Christmas — Personal shopper helps young widowed father. The widowed father seems to be a popular storyline this year. This movie wins Julie’s Best Made for TV Christmas Movie of 2015!

Happy Holidays!!

Slice of Life: Christmas 2012

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For Christmas this year, I stayed in Austin. My parents came down to spend the holiday with me and my aunts & uncles.

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Haley loves visitors!

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Family brunch at Kerbey Lane Cafe. Everyone loved it!

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My aunt & uncle at the Armadillo Christmas Bazaar

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Every arts & crafts fair should have a live band!

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Shopping at the Domain

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Dad & I taking a break from shopping to sit outside & enjoy a beer.

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Love this new dish towel that my aunt Ann got me!

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My Dad asked if we were going to have our breakfast date at Whole Foods to get coffee and a muffin like when they visited this summer. Yes yes! A new tradition! 🙂

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Brunch at Magnolia Cafe

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I made Christmas Eve spaghetti & meatballs!

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New owl nightlight lamp from my parents! My owl obsession is going strong!

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My cousin Kristy has had a great 2012….getting fit! I’m so jealous proud of her!

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My cousin-in-law makes a great turkey!

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Mom & Ann

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I made fudge for the first time!

Thanks again Mom & Dad for making the long drive down to spend Christmas with me. But next year…leave the flu at home. 🙂

Slice of Life: 4th of July recap

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Frozen strawberry margarita!  I was already well into this one…

UNO Attack!  Sadly, I didn’t win any rounds.

Loved this quinoa salad and….

…this Asian slaw!

I love these little poppers things so much.  The only things I love more are…

…my beloved Killer Beez!!

See ya next year, fireworks!

4th of July Recipes

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Do you have big 4th of July plans??  I’m going over to my aunt & uncle’s for a BBQ.  I’m planning on bringing a dessert and some sort of side dish.

Do you have ideas for me??  I will reciprocate with some ideas for you!

Sharing is caring.

Appetizer:

Sour Cream & Bacon Stuffed Tomatoes — so tasty!!

Tortilla Pinwheels — I may very well make these for 4th of July tomorrow myself.  They are a proven crowd pleaser!!

Drink:

9 times out of 10, I’m beering it at a BBQ.  But if fruity is more your taste, try a:

Bay Breeze

Side Dish:

Patti LaBelle’s Mac N Cheese — Patti knows her mac & cheese!!!!

Entree:

BBQ Pulled Chicken Sliders

BBQ Pulled Beef Sliders

Dessert:

Vanilla Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies — Cookies are a great BBQ dessert since people graze all night long.  They’ll want dessert, but may not have the stomach room for a whole piece of cake/pie.

Brownie & Marshmallow Crunch Bars — I haven’t made these gems in over a year, but they were so good.  Maybe they’ll be at my aunt & uncle’s tomorrow too!!

What’s on your menu tomorrow??

Easter Egg Hunt Cupcakes

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Last year, I…er…I mean, the Easter Bunny hid eggs in my parents’ backyard for my nephews to find.  I hid them about 30 minutes or so before my nephews arrived.  And it was pretty warm out that day.

Do you see where this is going?

Melted chocolate in the Easter eggs!  Oops!!  The Easter Bunny really screwed up on that one.

I got my act together more with these cupcakes though.

Easter Egg Hunt Cupcakes

Recipe from Betty Crocker

Ingredients:

1 box of white cake mix + ingredients specified on the back of the box

1 can of white whipped cake frosting

light green sprinkles (I found mine at Joann Fabrics.)

jelly beans (I used Lifesavers pastel colored jelly beans)

You really can decorate however you like!!!!

Instructions:

Bake and frost the cupcakes according to directions on box.  Decorate your heart out!  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

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You know those people that listen to Christmas music before Thanksgiving???

GUILTY!

I started listening to Christmas music before Halloween.

I can’t help it.  It makes me happy!  It makes me smile!  It makes me want to eat Christmas cookies.

Julie’s Top 5 Favorite Christmas Songs:

5.  All I Want for Christmas is You; Mariah Carey
4.  Last Christmas; Wham
3.  Silent Night; Michael Buble
2.  O Holy Night; Celine Dion
I’m not afraid to admit it!  Celine is fab!  Celine can BELT out this wonderful song.
1.  O Come All Ye Faithful; Josh Groban & the Mormon Tabernacle Choir
This song!  This song!  THIS SONG!  Love!  You NEED to get Josh Groban’s Noel album from iTunes if you don’t have it already.

Christmas music is great to listen to whilst baking too.

Let’s bake!  Shall we?

Peanut Butter Stuffed Chocolate Cookies

Recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe

Yields approximately 26 cookies

Ingredients:

For the Chocolate Cookie Dough
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
Turbinado sugar, for rolling

For the Peanut Butter Filling
3/4 cup smooth peanut butter
3/4 cup powdered sugar

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375.  Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside.

To make the chocolate cookie dough:

Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl.  Set bowl aside.

Beat together the sugars, butter, and peanut butter in a bowl until smooth. Add in the vanilla, whole egg, and egg yolk.  Beat until combined.  Stir in the dry ingredients to the wet.  Blend well.

To make the peanut butter filling: Stir together the peanut butter and powdered sugar until smooth.  Using your hands, roll the filling into 26 small balls.  Place flour on your hands if they become sticky.

To shape the cookies: Using a cookie scoop, scoop out 26 balls of chocolate cookie dough.  Make an indentation in the center of the chocolate ball with your finger.  Place one of the peanut butter balls into the indentation.

Bring the chocolate cookie dough up and over the filling to cover the peanut butter inside.  Roll the cookie in the palms of your hand to smooth it out. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling. Roll each rounded cookie in turbinado sugar.  Place prepared dough on baking sheets.  Use a flat surface to flatten each cookie to about 1/2 inch thick.

Bake cookies for 7 to 9 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool on a wire rack.

Pumpkin Chocolate Bread Pudding

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Happy Thanksgiving!!!

Are you already hard at work in your kitchen this morning??

Take a deep breath.  Have a cup of coffee.  Remember that today is about being with loved ones and giving thanks.

Today is also about consuming yummy goodness.

Pumpkin Chocolate Bread Pudding

Recipe from Michael Symon

Ingredients:

pinch of salt
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup canned pumpkin
3/4 cup 2% or whole milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
6 cups day-old bread cut into cubes
1 cup toasted pecans
1 stick unsalted butter, melted
1 cup dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 325.

In a bowl, combine the salt, cream, pumpkin, milk, sugar, eggs, and spices.  Set bowl aside.

In another bowl, toss the bread cubes and pecans together with the melted butter.  Fold in the chocolate chips.

Add pumpkin mixture to the bread.  Toss to coat.

Transfer to a 9×9 inch square baking dish.  Bake until set,  about 45 minutes.

This bread pudding is good hot or cold!  You can serve it by itself or with a side of ice cream or cool whip.

Now, stop reading food blogs on Thanksgiving and go give your loved ones a hug!!!

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