Homemade Lemonade

December lemons? With this delicious fruit in season I can't help to make lemonade. It will brighten up your drab winter days. So crank up your heater dust off your flip flops serve yourself a glass of lemonade and treat yourself to a summer day in December.

•2 cups freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 cups water
•2 cups sugar
•2 quarts water

1.squeeze fresh lemon
2. Make simple syrup from water and syrup
3.mix 2 quarts water and fresh lemon lemon juice. Add 1-2 cups simple syrup.

Many thanks to a wonderful friend who let me pick her lemons to brighten up one drab winter day. Hot coco just wasn't doing it for me. Pin It

Recipe swap

We want to start your new year off with some new recipes for you. We are doing our first recipe swap. All are invited to join. I'm excited to try all your favorite dishes. January is coming up fast do let us know soon. Pin It

Christmas Party - Cheese Ball

Many of you might have seen this a few months back for football week, but I had to bring it back with a few new ideas I like to use. Last year I brought this to our work party and was asked again to bring it this year! It is a staple of parties, especially during the holidays, in our family. You can't beat a great

Cheese Ball!

But, I am going to change it up a bit below and give you some different options to try with this same recipe. You'll definitely want to try some of the different variations at your next party.

Variations

• Different Cheeses - Sounds simple, but changes everything. Do white cheddar, parmesan, or your favorite cheese. There are 6 cheese blends at grocery stores you can use that taste great that are in a bag.Use smoked cheddar instead of regular and add bacon, real bacon pieces though!!!
• Add pimientos, very simple, but also a wonderful juxtaposition in taste.
• Add smoked Salmon, now you can use smoked cheddar as well. This one is great for a presentation spread. Add to your favorite cracker and serve on a tray versus in the ball form potluck style. Looks amazing and will impress your guests.
• Or just change up seasoning. Use a Ranch packet, or your other favorite dressing. Sure to change it up a bit without any extra work!

• 8 oz package of Cream Cheese Softened
• 1 Cup Cheddar Cheese Grated
• 1/4 Cup Mayo
• 1/4 tsp Worchestershire Sauce
• 1/8 tsp Celery Salt
• 1/8 tsp Onion Salt
• 1/8 tsp Garlic Salt
• 1 Cup Pecans, Almonds or your favorite - amount varies

1. Mix all ingredients together except nuts
2. On wax paper spread out finely chopped nuts
3. Put cheese ball mixture on the nuts spread over wax paper and form into ball or log
4. The nuts keep the cheese ball from sticking to wax paper
5. Chill and we serve with Wheat Thins

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Peanutbutter chocolate brownies with PB&C sauce

Chocolate and Peanut butter. Who does not love this combo? We know that you need a go to dessert for the times you have company. This is as an amazing combo, but so so simple!

Brownies

• 1 box brownie mix - I used Betty Crocker dark or fudge brownies. $.99 at winco!!!
• 2/3 Cup Peanut butter

Sauce

• 1/3 Cup Peanut butter
• Small handful Semi- sweet chocolate chips
• A splash of Half and half
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tbsp butter

1. Make regular brownie mix except oil
2. Take 1/3 cup peanut butter and mix with oil, add to rest of batter and mix
3. Take 1/3 cup peanut butter and fold into batter
4. Bake normal recipe on box

1. Melt 1 tbsp butter
2. Add peanut butter and chocolate chips, microwave just enough to start melting
3. Add powdered sugar, half and half, and vanilla. Mix, should be pourable
4. When brownies are done either drizzle over entire brownies or do it when serving.

Simple yet elegant looking and sure to wow any of your guests. The nice thing is these brownies will taste great even if you don't have time to make the sauce. 

To print Recipe Card Click above image.

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More sticky buns- with puff pastry

Didn't Kevin's Apple Sticky Buns look delicious. They tasted just as good. They reminded me of a similar recipe that I made about a year ago. Now you can have some sticky bun variety to share with your company.

• 1 pkg puff pastry defrosted 

Sauce

• 1 1/2 sticks room temperature butter
• 1/3 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup pecans or any nut

Filling

• 2 Tbs melted and cooled butter
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup raisins

1. Cream 1 1/2 sticks butter and brown sugar together
2. Place 1 Tbs into each of the 12 muffin cups Divide nuts evenly into the 12 cups.
3. Flour wooden board and unroll defrosted puff pastry. Seams left to right.
4. Brush on 1Tbs melted butter- leave 1 inch border
5. Mix filling brown sugar and cinnamon in separate bowl.
6. Sprinkle 1/2 of mixture on pastry evenly. Leave a border.
7. Add raisins.
8. Roll up tightly like a jelly roll. Cut into 6 even pieces.
9. Place in cups on top of pecans
10. Repeat with second sheet of puff pastry for 12 total.

Bake at 400 for 30 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes. Then invert onto cookie sheet.
This recipe is adopted from the wonder Ina garten. What a wonderful cook.

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apple sticky buns

Company in town for the holidays? Serve them these 

Apple Sticky Buns for breakfast. 

* warning: you might need to make multiple batches. They will go fast ! 

      Dough

• 2 tablespoons yeast
• 2 cups warm water
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/3 cup shortening, margarine, or butter
• 2 tsp salt
• 2/3 c nonfat dry milk
• 1 egg
• 5-6 cups flour

      Filling

• 2/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 tablespoon sugar or a little extra
• 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• nutmeg to taste if you want to change it up!

     Sauce

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine
• 1/2 cup corn syrup
• 4 tbsp honey. I did not add this time, but I think it would enhance taste
• 1 cup pecans or your favorite nut - did not add as we were out
• 2 apple finely cubed

1. add yeast to water for 5 minutes
2. add sugar, butter, salt, dry milk, egg to bowl
3. add salt, 2 cups flour
4. kneed with dough hook. Keep adding flour one cup at a time until it pulls away from the bowl 
5. grease bowl a different bowl, turn dough over to cover with grease, place in a warm place to double in size. punch it down.
6. roll out thin or thick depending how you like them. This recipe is large enough to make 24 of these, you can half it for a smaller batch
7. spread butter over rolled out dough
8. add filling evenly
9. roll up tightly and cut in half. Then those two in half. Now in thirds and you will have 12 evenly cut rolls.
10. add all ingredients for sauce into pan and boil until sugar dissolves. 
11. there are two ways to do these, in a 9x13 pan or a muffin pan. Either way add sauce to bottom of 9x13 or evenly to 12 muffin tins. 
12. add rolls to pan and let rise.
13. Bake for 25 minutes or until done. let cool and flip over onto platter and enjoy!

Click above image to print recipe card.

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dress up your holiday treats

Here are some great tips on how to dress up your holiday treats to look fabulous. All you need is your favorite treats, or store bought (one less thing to check off your list :) ), scrapbook or wrapping paper and household containers. 

Snow globe 

 Add left over halloween candy corn and chocolate chips to powdered donuts. 

 Turn over white paper plate and add paper. Cover with clear wrap. 

Envelope 

Pop popcorn and add holiday colored chocolate candy. 

Find a cute envelope and address to your dearest friends. 

Love you brownies 

Bake up your favorite brownie recipe. 

Place in a cupcake wrapper. Cut out any holiday shape in holiday paper and add a bow. 

* a variety of treats can be place in cupcake wrappers. - breads, cookies, nuts ect...... 

Below are some other creative ways to dress up your holiday treats. These were found in 

Better Homes and Garden Magazine 

Add a bow and colored paper to a egg carton and fill 

Cover a paper towel tube, or pringles tube add a ribbon and fill. 

Do you have any other fun way to dress up your treats. Please share. 

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{review} Bi-Rite creamery

My sister is back!!! That means we get to play. One of our favorite things to do is go on food odyssey's  . A few years ago we came across an exotic ice cream dessert called

  Sam's Sunday from Bi-Rite Creamery

in San Francisco, and we went back last week. 

Right away I was drawn to the sam's sunday, due to its  sweet and savory deliciousness. I love that combo. Add an olive oil twist- I could not try it. 

sam's sundae: chocolate ice cream with bergamot olive oil, maldon sea salt and whipped cream

I know it sounds crazy- but it is very very good. While we were there they let us sample many of their delicious flavors. 

• maple walnut
• pumpkin
• candy cane
• ginger
• salted caramel
• honey lavender
• ricanelas (cinnamon with snickerdoodles)

 We also liked the candy cane and cookies and cream combination.

We have enjoyed writing these reviews over the past few months and have decided to continue.
Look forward to more reviews in the future. 

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dulce de leche

Found a can of Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and couldn't help but use it to make a delicious 

Dulce de Leche 

• Water
• Large pot 
• Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk

1. Take a can of Eagle Brand sweetened condensed milk and place in a large pot filled with water 
2.  Low boil for 2 hours for a liquidy caramel and 3 hours for a thicker sauce. This one I did it for 2.5 

Now what to do with this ridiculous easy yummy treat??......

we love to put it on 

brownies 

ice cream 

a spoon 

hot cocoa

apples 

and anything that you want to add a little caramel taste to  

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quick treats to match any party

Having a party and you want your food to match the theme? 
We have some quick and easy solutions for you.  Creative Juice threw a Rock star Potty Party with the colors pink, blue and white. Here is how we helped her out.

Photo property of  creative juice and M Starr Photography 

Fork Drizzled Pretzels 

1. Take pretzels and dip them in white chocolate or buy them already dipped. 
2.  Buy or make frosting to the color that you need. Place amount into bowl and heat in the microwave for 5-10 seconds till semi-melty. 
3.  Lay pretzels out on cookie sheet
4.  Fork drizzle colored frosting over 
5.  Let dry 

Multi Colored Yogurt Parfait. 
Since the party was for younger children I wanted to give them a healthy treat. As I was searching my kitchen for the right blue and pink I came upon go-gurt. The perfect colors. We layered the colors and added coconut on the top. But our homemade granola was pretty tasty with it also. Yogurt comes in many different colors so you could adapt this idea to any party theme.

Popcorn Cups. 
The party needed a touch of white and popcorn is one of my favorite white foods. Its easy to just throw a batch on the stove.

1.  Turn stove heat to medium- high
2.  Cover the bottom of your pot with oil
3.  Add 1-2 T butter
4.  Cover the bottom of the pot with popcorn seeds.
5.  Cover with lid, shake occasionally and wait till you hear popping. Crack the lid and wait til you hear no more popping and your popcorn is done. 
6.  Remove from heat and place in bowl. Add salt and butter to taste.

To glam up your popcorn for a more grownup party make Rosemary Infused Popcorn

1.  Heat up pot with olive oil and a sprig or two of rosemary
2.  Let it heat for a few minutes to infuse the flavor.
3.  Remove 1/2 c - 1c of oil and the sprigs.
4.  Add popcorn seeds and cook.
5. Pour the removed rosemary oil over finished popcorn and enjoy.

- your guest will know that it tastes different but will have a hard time guessing your new secret ingredient.

Hope these three ideas will help you make an impressive themed party. Sometimes you just have to start diving through your pantry and think outside of the box.

Thanks to AMY Atlas Features for showing this wonderful party we got to cook for Pin It

Baby Jack Has Arrived

We want to let everyone know that our third son Jack Burton Wilcox was born on Friday the 21st. He and mommy are healthy and adjusting quickly. Now, I have to step up and make sure I am adding posts of all of our wonderful recipes. Alix has had requests and lately we have made, peanut butter brownies, homemade rolls, banana bread, homemade croutons, and much, much more. I will get the recipes up for all of you to enjoy soon. In the meantime, let us know if there is a food you are dying for. I will make one request a week from scratch for you and post it!

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Tortilla pumpkin crisps

As a kid I always remember that this was a halloween tradition. 

These Tortilla Pumpkin crisps will become a family favorite of yours also. 

• tortillas - flour works the best 
• oil 
• cinnamon/sugar mixture- we add a little brown sugar. 

1. cut up tortillas. we use a butter knife  or for younger children the cookie cutter works well 
2. fry in oil then remove onto a paper towel 
3. add cinnamon/mixture 
4. enjoy your new family tradition. 

 by alix 

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Posts Coming

We apologize to all of you for the lack of posts lately. Lots of craziness with the baby and going to the hospital. Alix and the baby are great, but just some minor complications. We look forward to posting our homemade crouton recipe shortly! It's worth the wait. Have a great weekend!

Sincerely,

Cali Cooking Couple Pin It

Football Week - Divine Cheese Ball

I don't think there is a more perfect Football game day snack then 

Cheese Ball.

My Aunt Christie has been bringing this to games, Christmas, and New Years for decades. It's a staple and only because it is the best I have ever tasted. This simple but very tasty snack is out of bounds!

• 8 oz package of Cream Cheese Softened
• 1 Cup Cheddar Cheese Grated
• 1/4 Cup Mayo
• 1/4 tsp Worchestershire Sauce
• 1/8 tsp Celery Salt
• 1/8 tsp Onion Salt
• 1/8 tsp Garlic Salt
• 1 Cup Pecans, Almonds or your favorite - amount varies

1. Mix all ingredients together except nuts
2. On wax paper spread out finely chopped nuts
3. Put cheese ball mixture on the nuts spread over wax paper and form into ball or log
4. The nuts keep the cheese ball from sticking to wax paper
5. Chill and we serve with Wheat Thins

You will love this recipe. Definitely one of my favorites. Thanks to Christie for this amazing recipe.

by Kevin

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