Christmas update: parties No. 3 & 4

We try to make Christmas cookies with our little cousins, Zach and Amanda. Last year, someone was always sick, so we didn't get a chance. This year we choose a few different recipes to make for our party the following night.

The kids made gingerbread cookies, chocolate chip cookies and peppermint bark.

Amanda sifting

The gingerbread had orange zest in them, which was really good.

Zach zesting...

Next we made peppermint bark. I used white and milk chocolate. While I heated the chocolate in a double boiler, Zach happily beat the daylights out of some candy canes.

I laid one layer of milk chocolate on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Once that set, Zach and I folded the peppermint into white chocolate and layered it over the milk chocolate. That set in the refrigerator until the party.

As for the party: A Very Walters Christmas... I'm hoping this will be a new tradition. Kyle and Blair (my sisters' boyfriends) had been working very hard on the front and back yards over the past few weeks in preparation for this party, and they looked awesome. They re-paved the front walk with bricks, hung lights, mulched (more and less), and borrowed a fire pit.

Kelly, Katie and I made a few things, including a party ham, baked brie and marinated mushrooms. But our party guests were awesome, and brought a ton of food. 

baby Nathan

red velvet cake balls

 

meatballz

1- raspberry, rosemary, walnuts, honey

2- spiced mango chutney

Randall sandwich

Hope your holidays were very happy!

Happy 2012, y'all!

m