Christmas is almost here! Peppermint Whoopie Pies Recipe

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I can't believe it's almost Christmas. With so much going on and preparing, I didn't realize that this is it! I'm glad to have my shopping done. I have a Peppermint Cheesecake to make and that's about it! My schedule for the holidays gets complicated because we have so many people to visit. My parents are divorced, as well as Mr. P's. Of course, each part of the family holds their own "traditional party". I can't wait to have kids and use them as my reason to stay home!

Thursday: We will celebrate with my niece, my mom and my grandpa. She will get to open the gifts from us and we'll have dinner and dessert. Of course, Mr. P and I will be late because of his job, but we'll get there and I don't work the next day! Mercedes will go with us, but Cookie will have to stay home.

Friday (Christmas Eve):  Mr. P works until 5pm :( I will hang out with the dogs, catch up on the DVR and bake my cheesecake because I wait until the last minute. We will head to my aunt and uncle's by 6 and get home by 9.

Saturday (Christmas): No work! We will sleep in until 10. Have our coffee, exchange gifts. Let the dogs open theirs :) Then head to Mr. P's dad's (still in pjs) with both dogs! Exchange gifts with him, BIL and SIL. Then go home and get ready for family party. Head to Mr. P's Grandma's by noon, no dogs allowed. Open presents and head home for movie day! There is an additional Christmas dinner we are skipping this year. I'm almost positive Mr. P will weasel his way into trying to go, but I'm going home.

Sunday: Mr. P works extra for extended after Christmas Sale. I will probably go to my dad's alone, with Mercedes to give my little brother and sister gifts. Be home in time for dinner and head to work Monday.

We already held the adult gift exchange for Mr. P's family where only 1 kid showed up. It was a horrible turn out and I hope they cancel it next year. It's really pointless for a $20 gift. I got the best one (IMO), but all the guys exchanged gift cards to home depot and lowe's. I will still have random dinners to attend and I'm not sure when us girls are getting together to exchange gifts. I'm thankful mine and Mr. P's family have separate traditions and we're able to spend both days together.

Here's the Recipe I promised! They are simple, I promise :)

Peppermint Whoopie Pies

 

• 1 pkg Duncan Hines® Chewy Fudge Premium Brownie Mix
• 1 large egg
• 2 tbsp water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 can Duncan Hines® Creamy Home-Style Classic Vanilla Frosting
• 10 crushed candy canes

1. Preheat oven to 375 ºF. Grease cookie sheet.
2. Combine brownie mix, egg, water and oil in large bowl. Stir until well blended and soft dough forms. Drop by level measuring tablespoons about 2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 375 ºF. for 7 to 8 minutes or until cookies are set in center. Do not over bake. Cool for 1 minute before removing to cooling rack. Cool completely before assembling.
4. Spread frosting on half the cookies. Top each frosted cookie with another cookie. Gently press together.
   5. Roll edges of cookies in crushed peppermint so it sticks to cookies.

Thank you all for the support from my post yesterday :) I'm feeling better and more calm today, so hopefully that gives me better energy throughout the day.

I'm planning on baking snowballs for my guys at work. I figure 3-4 in a bag, tied with a pretty ribbon will be their "treat" from me this year. I also need to finish wrapping the last of my gifts, clean up the kitchen and prep my dinner for tomorrow. Tonight we are having corned beef ruebens from the crockpot.Tomorrow will be Cheeseburger Meatloaf with Bacon Gravy, how can you go wrong? I'm going to make it in the crockpot and let it sit until tomorrow night :) We never have gravy at our house (seriously, the calories are horrible) so this will be such a treat for Mr. P. I am also needing to make Peppermint Whoopie Pies for the bake sale this weekend. Oh it just turned into a very busy night, but fun!

Here's the recipe for our dinner tomorrow.

Cheeseburger Meatloaf

Ingredients

• 1 lb lean ground beef
• 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
• 3/4 cup uncooked regular oats
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp. minced onion
• 1 large egg
• 6 strips of bacon, cooked, and crumbled
• 1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. dry mustard
• 1/4 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp. pepper

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl; stir just until blended.
3. Shape mixture into a loaf and place in an ungreased 8×4-inch loaf pan.
4. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 mins until meat is no longer pink in the center.
5. Let stand for 10 minutes.  Drain grease, cut and serve.

Mashed Potatoes with Bacon Gravy

Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients

• 2.5-3-lbs baking potatoes (such as russet or Yukon gold), peeled, if desired, and quartered
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2-3 Tbls. butter or margarine
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8 tsp. ground black pepper
• 1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

Instructions

1. In a large pot cook potatoes, covered, in enough boiling water to cover and the 1 teaspoon salt for 20 to 25 minutes or until tender; drain.
2. Mash with potato masher, fork or beat with an electric mixer on low speed.
3. Add butter, the 1/4 teaspoon salt and pepper.
4. Season to taste with additional salt and pepper.
5. Gradually beat in enough milk to make mixture light and fluffy.

Bacon Gravy

Ingredients

• 3-4 pieces of bacon
• 1/2 cup of heavy cream
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• Pork broth or water (I make my own pork bone broth)

Instructions

1. Cook bacon until crispy.  Remove crumble and return to pan.
2. Stir in flour and about 1.5 cups of broth or water.
3. Cook and stir over medium heat until thick and bubbly.
4. Add cream whisk until fully combined.
5. Cook and stir for 1 minute more.
6. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Both recipes by Domestic Dame

My mouth is watering typing this :)

I am beeehind! And the Dentist

I finished a book I want to review. My house looks like a tornado of papers and toys and Christmas presents, Oh My! I promised Mr. P I would clean tonight, but that was before little Mercedes woke me up every 15 minutes last night. I also need to send out Christmas cards, I am behind!

I have the recipe for Peppermint Whoopie Cookies I will share later this week. I have new found respect for working moms. I only have two dogs and I'm exhausted and it's only Tuesday!

Next year I'd like to boycott Christmas, it's too much work. I only do most of it for my niece. I hope everyone has a less hectic Tuesday then I do!

The positive this week is my dentist was able to squeeze me in tomorrow. Of course he'll spend two minutes peeking around in my mouth before telling me I have one cavity that he will fill next time and his next opening will be Jan 3, after my insurance money restarts for the year :( I did this last year about a week before my insurance was set to stop and that's what happen, so it's probably the cavity I never got filled because he milks my insurance company.