Holiday Fun with Eden

EDEN HAMBY

Part 1: Holiday Recipes

*Scroll down for DIY Christmas Gifts.

Hello Sugarplum Siblings! The holiday season is fast approaching, and some of you may still be scratching your heads thinking of what to bring to holiday dinner. Have no fear! Here are two suggestions – one savory and one sweet – that may satisfy all your family and friends this holiday season. Remember, if you are using a dorm kitchen to make these treats, please follow all the rules of your specific dorm and ask permission from your RAs. Happy Cooking!

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

½ pound of white CandyQuik OR 16 oz white chocolate morsels

1 cup crushed candy canes

1 tablespoon coconut oil

⅛ teaspoon peppermint extract (optional)

1. Place candy canes into a plastic baggie and crush into small pieces until you yield 1 cup. (This is very therapeutic!)
2. Over a double boiler, melt the CandyQuik or white chocolate morsels along with the coconut oil. Once it is completely melted, add the peppermint extract if you are using it.
3. Remove from heat, then add the crushed candy canes. Stir well.
4. Working very quickly, pour the mixture onto a lined cookie sheet. Spread evenly into a layer.
5. Place the cookie sheet into the fridge and allow to cool. This may take anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.
6. Once the bark has completely cooled, remove from the fridge and separate bark from lining. Break the bark into 1 to 2 inch pieces. Enjoy!

You can also use dark chocolate for this recipe to make dark chocolate peppermint bark! Let your creativity flow!

Mama Hamby’s Buffalo Chicken Dip

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts, boiled and shredded

3 stalks of celery, finely chopped

2 blocks of cream cheese at room temperature

1 bottle of ranch dressing

1 bottle of your choice of hot sauce

1 bag shredded cheddar cheese

Tortilla chips

Salt

Pepper

1. Boil the chicken breasts with salt and pepper until juices run clear. Allow to cool, then shred.
2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, chicken, celery, ranch and hot sauce. You can adjust the amount of hot sauce to your personal tastes, but Mama Hamby likes to use the whole bottle! Stir well (it will require some muscle!)
3. Pour the mixture into an oven-safe dish. Top with the cheddar cheese. Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is well melted. Remove from oven and stir melted cheese into the dip.
4. Serve warm with tortilla chips!

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Part 2: DIY Christmas Gifts

Are you still wondering what you should give the important people in your life for the holidays? Are you strapped for cash? Do you have a Big who’s hard to shop for? Want to give a more meaningful gift this year? Well, look no further! Here are 3 DIY holiday gifts to help the special people in your life relax and provide some relief for your wallet.

DIY Candy Cane Epsom Salts

You will need:

Epsom Salts

Red food coloring

Peppermint essential oil

A container

1. Measure out how much epsom salt will fit in your desired container.
2. Add several drops of peppermint essential oil and mix well.
3. Split the salts in half, and color one half red with food coloring.
4. Gradually add the epsom salts in layers, alternating between white and red until you fill the container. This will give the candy cane stripe effect!
5. Decorate the container as you choose and this gift is ready to give!

DIY Marbled Coffee Mugs

You will need:

White mugs

A disposable aluminum pan

Nail polish

Mod Podge

Hot water

1. Fill the aluminum pan about 2-3 inches deep with hot water.
2. Working VERY quickly, pour the nail polish into the hot water. When you have a decent amount poured in, quickly dunk the bottom of the mug into the polish. Remove the mug immediately. Do NOT allow it to sit in the water. The result should be a colorful marbled effect on the bottom half of the mug.
3. Turn the mug over and allow it to dry completely.
4. Once the mug is completely dry, coat it in a thin layer of modge podge to prevent the polish from flaking off.
5. Once the mod podge dries, this gift is ready to give! It is recommended that these mugs be carefully hand-washed after use, so be sure to let your recipients know.

DIY Bath Bombs

You will need:

½ cup Epsom Salts

½ cup cornstarch

½ cup Citric acid

1 cup Baking soda

1-2 tablespoons coconut oil, or another neutral scented natural oil

Essential oil or fragrance of your choice

Water

A spray bottle

Food coloring

A mold (silicone works best)

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the epsom salts, cornstarch, baking soda and citric acid. Stir well.
2. Add the coconut oil and knead with hands until you reach a consistency similar to pie crust.
3. Next, add food coloring and essential oils. The amounts of these can be at your own discretion, according to how bright you want the color to be and how powerful you want the scent to be. Knead well with your hands.
4. Once you have reached the color and scent strength you wish, add water to the spray bottle. Spray 1-2 spritzes of water into the mixture, constantly stirring and kneading as you go. The citric acid will immediately begin to react upon contact with water, so it is very important to neutralize the reaction by stirring well upon each spritz of water.
5. Keep spraying water and mixing until the mixture can stick together on it’s own. To test this, grab some of the mixture in your hand and squeeze lightly. If the mixture crumbles, keep adding water. If the mixture sticks together in the shape on the inside of your fist, it is ready.
6. Carefully pack the mixture into your mold, making sure not to leave any air bubbles. Leave to dry overnight.
7. Once the bath bombs are dry, pop them out of their molds and give them to all of your friends! To use them, simply drop them in a hot bath and watch the magic!