One Smart Little Cookie is a collection of everything that brings inspiration, comfort and beauty into my life and home.
I love to create a beautiful home and enjoy it with my family.
It is sharing what I love to do; baking and cooking in a healthier way without sacrificing flavor, crafts,
party planning, activities, organization, and home decor.

Being a "Smart Little Cookie" is not about being perfect, it is about knowing how to enjoy life and family to it's fullest~to your fullest.
Due to my creative process, my home gets messy, my kids play in their jammies-all day sometimes (the terribly relaxed days tend to be my favorite),
and my hubby has become much more patient and supportive over the years with all of this.
In fact, he often has his own creative ideas and we both find ourselves anticipating our upcoming projects together~love him!
Don't get me wrong, I LOVE a clean house, but I've rejected denial, and with a toddler who is a budding creative type herself,
I feel accomplished when the dishes are in the dishwasher before naptime (not mine, hers).
I've accepted the fact that "spotless" cannot mean what I have always envisioned in my mind, at least not with kids,
and I would rather enjoy my kids and beautiful home, than a spotless, sterile home.
I have learned to take each day, one day at a time, and everyday should leave us feeling inspired and more contented.
The day should leave us, whispering in our ear, "the day has been as well as it could have been done, and it has been done well."

Go ahead and take a bite, indulge yourself and try my recipes and crafty creations in your own home.
I hope to inspire you to feel like the "Smart Little Cookie" you are!



Thursday, December 9, 2010

Chocolate Covered Gumdrops and Snow-Capped Gumdrop Mountains



This deliciously fun recipe came from a simple mishap while baking Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies for a holiday party my family and I recently attended.  While reaching for my peppermint extract, I accidentally grabbed the mint extract from my spice cupboard.  Without realizing it, I added it to the cookie batter and noticed it smelled like mint which is quite different from peppermint.  It was too late to fix the mishap, so I went ahead and continued mixing, hoping they wouldn't taste like chocolate-mint flavored toothpaste (I'm now wondering why haven't they marketed that flavor yet?)  Once they were baked, I took a bite and surprisingly they tasted like how I would imagine a chocolate covered gumdrop would taste!  
That's when the idea came to me-Chocolate Covered Gumdrops-Yummy! 

 

 The Recipe

1 Bag Spiced Gumdrops
(I found 2 lbs for $3 at Big Lot's in the holiday candy section)

Bittersweet Chocolate Chips


Melt chocolate chips for one minute at a time, stirring after each minute until chocolate is melted.  Using a toothpick, gently pierce the side of a gumdrop and dip in melted chocolate until completely covered.  Lightly tap against edge of bowl until extra chocolate has dripped away.  Place gumdrop right side up on parchment paper which has been placed on a cookie sheet.  When parchment is filled, transfer to freezer for about 10 minutes, or until chocolate has set.


Snow-Capped Gumdrop Mountains
Dip top of gumdrops into melted chocolate and place right side up on parchment.  Freeze for about 10 minutes, or until chocolate has set.


Smart Little Cookie Tip:
Try using milk chocolate or white chocolate.  I'm sure each would be delish-and look very pretty at your holiday party!


I hope this Christmas Eve you have sweet sugarplum dreams along with chocolate covered gumdrops of course!

Posted by Tiffany at 1:05 PM 1 comments
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