Happy Holidays

I adore the holiday season! I love seeing places decorated and decked out in lights. Even if we're not shopping, making a trip downtown is always a festive treat.

This year, Eaton Centre added these lovely reindeers. To me, they look like Harry Potter's Patronus charm. Think happy thoughts, the stronger they are, the stronger your Patronus will be!

Here's an up close shot of what the reindeer's are really made of.

Did I tell you how much I like polar bears?

The holiday display windows at the Hudson's Bay Company. Forget caroling, that little figurine has it right.

Yes, there are some annoyances with this time of the year. Mainly the crowds, line-ups, and traffic. You'll meet the odd grumps and Grinch's, but for the most part, everyone is pretty understanding and full of good cheer. Be fair, considerate, and nice.

At home, it means I get to decorate our windows with star lights. I love the warm glow it gives my workstation.

Don't forget the holiday parties! Whether it's the company ones or the ones with close friends and family.

I had a great time at the company parties this year. My company treated us to a great lunch (or should I say feast judging with all the leftovers?) at a cozy Italian restaurant. We started with an assortment of cold cuts and cheeses, paired with the bread basket - so tasty! Then, a simple salad with tomatoes and cheese tossed with balsamic vinaigrette. We shared various pasta dishes - tomato sauce, garlic, and basil; spicy sausage, smoked provolone, garlic, and tomato sauce; and zucchini, roasted cherry tomatoes, red onions, and bocconcini in a light tomato sauce. We still had an assortment of pizza to share. I loved how we passed each dish around the communal table. It really did feel like a family meal. And for dessert, Bacetti! Bacetti is a gelato bite covered by a thin coat of chocolate. Some of the gelato flavours we had were vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, lemon, and roasted nuts. A perfect bite to finish a meal.

Howard's company invited family, so I got to tag along and tour their new building. Howard's actually in the social committee at work (hehe) and helped planned the holiday party. When I arrived, he was still wrapping empty boxes to be used as decoration. I can see that his managers and colleagues are really great people to work with.

Then there are the parties where people let loose. Every year, our friends Kurt and Diana host a holiday party. It's a potluck, this year Howard made pad Thai and I brought peanut butter and chocolate cupcakes. We're putting their wedding cupcake stand to good use!

We also play a game called White Elephant. The theme this year was to bring a guilty pleasure from $5-$10, wrap it, and don't tell anyone what's inside. We draw numbers, I got number 1! We go around in the order we drew. The rules are simple. You can either choose a gift from the middle or steal one that someone has already picked (doesn't pay to go first). A gift can only be stolen twice. The person who gets their gift stolen can choose to pick again or steal someone else's. It's quite amusing to watch since we don't know what the gifts are yet. Until the last gift is picked, we open them. This year, there was a lot of alcohol and chocolate....

I was quite pleased with my box of Ferrero Rocher. I had given away a dessert cookbook and two romance novels. Howard got a Slap Chop because someone's guilty pleasure was watching food infomercials!

We hope you have a fun and memorable holiday!

Tu-Lu's Gluten-Free Bakery

Tu-Lu's Gluten-Free Bakery
338 E 11th Street
New York, NY 10003
(212) 777-2227

They are on twitter and facebook too!

Tu-Lu's Gluten-Free Bakery was another of those I-happened-to-stumble-upon bakeries. We were walking to a shop on the same street when I saw the sign above the door. Yes, a spatula and the colour pink will always catch my eye. I was very lucky that I didn't just walk into the blackboard sign.

Mini cupcakes! Chocolate with chocolate, chocolate with peanut butter, and vanilla with chocolate. What to pick, what to pick?

Chocolate with peanut butter icing will do!

Eeee! The art on their wall is so adorable!!

REESE'S Pieces Cupcakes

I have some REESE'S Pieces...

...and chocolate and peanut butter cupcakes.

I think you know how to do the math here! To create your REESE'S Pieces cupcakes, use your favourite chocolate cupcake and the peanut butter frosting below.


Peanut Butter Buttercream
(Makes enough to frost 24 cupcakes)

250g of cream cheese
1/2 stick of unsalted butter
4 cups of icing sugar
2/3 cups of peanut butter

1. Make sure your cream cheese and unsalted butter are at room temperature. Leaving it out for 1-2 hours will work too.
   
2. Using a stand mixer, combine the cream cheese and butter until combined.
3. Add in 2 cups of icing sugar, mix well. Add the remaining 2 cups of icing sugar and mix until combined. This way the icing sugar doesn't fly out of your bowl!
4. Finally, add in the peanut butter and mix until the buttercream is smooth. Pipe the frosting onto your cupcakes and top with a REESE'S Pieces.

If you also live in Ontario, we hope you had a yummy Simcoe Day!

We're off to visit New York City in a couple of weeks. *So excited!* What do you suggest we do for sightseeing? Most importantly, where do you recommend we eat? I've started making a list of bakeries, let me know if there are any you recommend!