Nibbles of Tidbits, a Food Blog

Nibbles of Tidbits gets to decorate a lot of Cookies — Our Christmas Cookies this year seem to look a little better than those decorated last Christmas.  The Cookies don’t need to look perfect, because the most fun is had decorating them with friends.

The Sugar Cookies start out naked as you can see, but gave permission to be posted here.  🙂

When starting with a blank canvas it’s hard to envision how to decorate some Cookie shapes, thus it’s helpful to view others’ Christmas Cookies for ideas.  We post our Cookies each year to remind ourselves of the possibilities and to assist you with the same.

Our family, friends and co-workers appreciate the Cookies of our labor — We like hand delivering the decorated Sugar Cookies, Chocolate Dipped Oreos & Graham Crackers, and molded White Chocolate Peppermint Cottages to awaiting smiles.

Our holiday Cookie decorating tradition is always a great time — We suggest you do the same with your friends.  The Nibbles of Tidbits ‘Official Cookie Crew’ includes all pictured below l-r, Michelle, Loretta, Kim, Nora, Patty (aka Tricia) and Shelly (aka Me).  Merry Christmas ALL!

Decorating Christmas Cookies is one of our new traditions, thanks to my great friend, Loretta, who makes all the goods.  As previously reported, the rest of us simply show up to decorate, eat and take home our works of art.

Not only do we get to take home our Cookies, but on this occasion we enjoyed, White, Milk and Dark Chocolate dipped Oreo Cookies, Milk Chocolate dipped Graham Crackers, and White Chocolate Peppermint Bark and molded cottages.  As you can see, all look so professional.

The cellophane bags magically turn our labors into gifts.  My office enjoyed much of the above.  Thanks to my wonderful friends for the laughs and goodies.  And Merry Christmas to ALL!

Be sure to check out the related links for more Cookie ideas and to read the story behind the messy apron (above).

Related Links:

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1214

http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1548

Back together again decorating Cookies and Cupcakes in 2013.

With the Cookie Gang, minus member taking the photo — We wish you a Merry Christmas!

Naked Cookies frosted to become Snowmen, Reindeer, Christmas Trees and more.

Happy Birthday Jesus and Happy New Year to you — There’s much to appreciate throughout.

Good tidings we bring to you and your kin — Good tidings for Christmas and always.

Merry Christmas — Searching for appetizer or dessert ideas?  I like the Veggie Platter above.

Laugh, eat, love and remember… Jesus is the reason for the season.

Nativity scenes made of Sausage, Bacon and Kraut (or anything else) shouldn’t be banned.

Reindeer need to eat too, and so does Santa, visibly — Merry Christmas from Nibbles of Tidbits!

Note: The WINNER of the OC Fair New Year’s Eve Block Party Tickets will soon be announced.  Closing odds are 29/1 — We’ll update this post with the results or write a new one. 🙂

Update: Congratulations “amelieinparis7” and Happy New Year.  We have a gift to send you.

Every first Friday of December, I host a Girl’s Christmas Party and this year was my 15th annual.  Guests are asked to bring an appetizer, salad, soup or side dish and a $25 value gift for a crazy gift exchange.  A prize and ribbon are awarded to the person bringing the best voted appetizer.  This year’s winning appetizer is posted above and the runner up is below.

In addition to the winning appetizers, we’ve posted several others to provide a few ideas for your Christmas Party.  Everything was yummy and I’m much appreciative for all contributions.

We enjoyed baked Bruschetta with Mozzarella, Tomato, Basil and Balsamic Vinegar, homemade Guacamole and Chips, Antipasto, Vegetables with Ranch Dip, Chips and Onion Dip, Chicken Wings, Hummus with Pita Chips, a Chopped Salad, Spring Rolls, Buffalo Mozzarella with Tomato and Basil, and much more.  Some dishes aren’t pictured due to photo quality.

Dessert preparation is deligated to the best baker in the bunch, Loretta of Nibbles of Tidbits’ Cookie Decorating fame.  She made a few of our old time favorites for all to enjoy.

Dessert included a homemade Chocolate Cake with Frosting piped using my favorite decorating tip (hair tip), Magic Bars and Lemon Squares.  Loretta receives a prize every year for her amazing efforts.

The past couple years money was saved on a tree, due to the display of our adorable Charlie Brown Christmas Tree.  Champagne flows along with the availability of a semi-full bar and lots of Bottled Water.  And poster boards are accessible to view party photos from all previous years.

This year I pulled out an American Idol Microphone to facilitate the party along.  We (I) had a fun time with it — It’s a great way to get your guest’s attention to coordinate the games, the gift exchange and appetizer vote submissions.  We usually end the party with a group photo to be viewed on next year’s poster board.  Unfortunately two left before we remembered to take our 2009 photo.  To view last year’s par-tay highlights, click here.  Merry Christmas!

These Valentine’s Day Cookies are the masterpieces (if you will) of five fabulous friends together again decorating Sugar Cookies made by Loretta, the intrinsic Orange County Baker.  We’re decorating our way through the 2009 holidays.  It’s a fun way to spend time and our families love it when we bring home trays of yummy Cookies — And Candies, to be posted HERE soon.

More Valentines: http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=2273

Christmas Cookies: http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1551

Halloween Cookies: http://www.ineedtext.com/FoodBlog/?p=1214

Thanks to my cherished friends (and sis) for delivering the wonderful Appetizers and Desserts to my 14th Annual Christmas Party.  It was a blast like always.  Michelle’s Pesto Loaf (above) was voted Best Appetizer.  Congratulations!  The recipe is linked below.

And every party needs a Fresh Vegetable Platter — Ours was over the top good with Yellow and Red Bell Peppers, Cherry Tomatoes, Cucumbers and more.  And continuing on down (L-R), this year we enjoyed Artichoke Dip and Chicken & Lemongrass Spring Rolls.

Chicken Tamales with Colorado Chili Sauce, Salami, Brie and Smoked Cheese with Crackers, and Fresh Homemade Salsa and Tortilla Chips.  The Salsa deserves an honorable mention for its restaurant quality flavor.  I’ve got to get the recipe.

Egg Rolls, Pesto Loaf, and Cream Cheese with Blueberry Preserves and Crackers.  Then moving on to the bakery quality Desserts prepared by Loretta — She took the prize for that category with her Lemon Bars, Chocolate Cake with Vanilla Icing, Magic Cookie Bars, and Chocolate Dipped Oreos and Graham Crackers as the Cake presents.

We had more than pictured here, but some photos didn’t quite make the quality cut.  I do appreciate ALL the food!  We mostly enjoyed Champagne, Chardonnay, Juice and Bottled Water, but many options were available.

This year I have a Charlie Brown Christmas Tree — It’s cute, don’t you think?  Here we are in a rare people picture on Nibbles of Tidbits.  I didn’t get my friend’s approval for the posted photo so it could come down if someone doesn’t like the way they look.  You know how some girls can be – HA. 🙂

Related Link:

Winning Appetizer Recipe (Pesto Loaf) – pesto-dip-appetizer

It’s already December — Another year flew by too fast and my computer just went kaput.  This month starts with a test of my new computer and return to Nibbles of Tidbits’ Food Coloring Series, featuring the relevant colors of Red & Green, and timely food ideas that spotlight them.

Most dishes can be deciphered without a recipe or tailored to your taste.

Previous Food Coloring Series posts are linked here — Blue, Green, Yellow, Orange, etc.

Some dishes start off festive, but once the Peppers and Cucumbers get eaten, then what?

If looking for more Red & Green Food Ideas, they’re linked here.

Merry Christmas to me from my new computer.

More to test and explore, after Shrimp Cocktails and picture-perfect Christmas Cookies.

An impressive Snowman Fruit Bowl that’s perfect for the season and looks easy to make.

Credits and additional instructions may be linked: Crostini’s, Shrimp Cocktails, Christmas Cookies, Christmas Wreath Vegetable Platter, BLT Salad, and Snowman Fruit Bowl.  Happy Holidays!

You can probably skip this Cookbook — It’s Williams-Sonoma New Healthy Kitchen: Starters (2006).  I’ve finally gotten around to utilizing it.  The colorful recipe photos are beautiful and offer so much promise, but when gettin’ down to wanting to make any of them, the pickings are slim.  Some recipes are impractical, others don’t even sound good, and ingredients should be altered in the pictured recipe I made.  It’s the Purple Bell Pepper & Goat Cheese Terrine (p. 33) substituting Red Bell Pepper, since Purple Bell Peppers are hard to come by.  Other than that, I followed the exact recipe and thought my unveiled terrine to be too runny and salty.  If you still want to make this recipe after this report, it’s recommended that you use half the Salt and Milk that’s listed, and possibly replace the Shallot with chopped Green Onion or Chives.

* I also have Williams-Sonoma New Healthy Kitchen: Desserts and will post what we ultimately make from it.  I hope it’s better than this Starter.  If you cannot view the enlarged recipe well enough to prepare a better version of it, tell us in a comment.

If you have time, please vote for me on Foodbuzz.  My messiest apron has Christmas Cookie Frosting applied with a little help from my friends.  I get by with a little help from my friends. 🙂

Food buzz is offering a prize for the messiest apron.  Could this be the one?  Check out the full story and picture on Foodbuzz.  Buzz it.  Related Link:  http://www.foodbuzz.com/photos/us/california/costa_mesa/680683-yikes-my-messiest-apron-so-far–

Nibbles of Tidbits’ Food Coloring Series continues with a combo platter aka its first popular color combination — Red & Green in time for December.  Have you seen our series?  FOOD in magnificent shades of orange, purple, yellow, green, blue, red, white, black, brown and pink, have previously been celebrated here.  See respective links.  The Red & Green Color-Combo begins with Chocolate Cups filled with Whipped Cream, Raspberries and Kiwi.  A nice start.

Do I want to go back to Paris?  The above might make me think so, but… Let’s continue on.

Tomatoes, Buffalo Mozzarella, Basil, Olive Oil and Balsamic Vinegar is all that’s needed.

Watermelon Jellies — Similar to Shelly’s Jellies.  Wait, Shelly’s Jellies are better!

Though the painting looks like Black Olives to me, it’s Green Apples.  Either way, I like it.

I plan to make Caramel and Salted Caramel soon and love it best with Apples and Ice Cream.

Can you find the FOOD above?  A table filled with homemade goodness awaits inside.

Strawberries at a Christmas Party.

Life is short indeed, but I’d opt for King Crab Legs and Filet Mignon — More savory than sweet.

Though a basic, easy dessert to make, it takes time to wait before adding the next layer.

Christmas Cupcake and Cookie decorating ideas.

Looks like a table set for a Christmas Brunch in California — Photo Credit.

Apples and Grapes I didn’t paint, but would give it a try.

It’s Red & Green Season and it’s good for our hearts too — Eat up!  What Color-Combo should be covered next?  Black & White?  Red, White & Blue?  Silver & Gold?  Let us be told.

Circa 10+ years ago, I was subscribing to all the popular gourmet cooking magazines — Gourmet, Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, Saveur, Cook’s Illustrated, etc.  And for Christmas my Grandma got me a subscription to Taste of Home.  I hadn’t known of it and remember her saying… “It’s not a fancy gourmet magazine, but I’ve liked it for a long time.”  She was indeed on to something, because it turned out to be one of my favorite magazines too.  My Grandma (now 89) and I have enjoyed many recipes from Taste of Home magazines over the years.  Thanks Grandma.  And now Taste of Home is having a CONTEST you could possibly win.  It’s a Win-Win Contest, as you’ll learn by reading below.

WIN UP TO $20,000 FOR YOUR SCHOOL, PLUS ANOTHER $20,000 FOR YOU!  ENTER THE TASTE OF HOME TEACHERS RECIPE CONTEST PRESENTED BY BOOKS ARE FUN™

Bake sale blockbusters, popular potlucks, teachers’ lounge favorites, fabulous finger foods, delicious desserts, good for you goodies… The stomach often rules the mind at school. Now, Taste of Home, the world’s most popular cooking magazine, and Books are Fun™ have teamed up to put some money where that food goes with the Taste of Home Teachers Recipe Contest.

Books Are Fun will award more than $70,000 in cash and prizes for the best original submitted recipes chosen by the staff at Taste of Home, with $20,000 awarded to BOTH the grand prize winner and the affiliated school.

“Taste of Home is thrilled to work with Books Are Fun to celebrate our teachers and all the wonderful people who help make our schools so special,” said Catherine Cassidy, editor-in-chief of Taste of Home. “We’ve all heard the news stories about budget cuts. This is a chance to do something positive for schools.”

The Taste of Home Teachers Recipe Contest has six categories for submissions: 

• Appetizers & Snacks – Finger foods are always popular in the teachers’ lounge.  Pick the spreads, snack mix, and other savory bites that keep the staff happily munching!
• Soups, Salads and Sides – What recipe do you grab for your potluck?  We’re looking for dishes that travel well and steal the show, like salads and pasta creations among others!
• Entrees – What’s your best main course outside of school?  We want to see your bubbling casseroles, slow-cooked specialties, family-favorite main dishes and even party subs!
• Desserts – Enter everything from cakes and pies to trifles and tortes in this tooth-tingling category!
• Bake Sale – Send us your favorite cookies, cupcakes, bars, brownies, spiced nuts and home-made jams, whatever clears bake-sale tables the quickest!
• Healthy Recipes – Healthy is huge in school these days.  Submit your favorite recipe that is so good, no one ever guesses it’s lower in fat and calories.

 The Taste of Home tasting panel will pick three winners from all of the submissions. The grand prize winner will win $20,000 and $20,000 for the school affiliated with that winner, plus a free one-year subscription to Taste of Home magazine for all paid full-time teachers and staff at the school. The second-place winner will win $10,000, plus $10,000 for the school. Third place will take home $5,000 plus $5,000 for the school. 

Entry forms and rules can be found at www.tasteofhome.com/teacherscontest or www.teacherscontest.booksarefun.com.  Completed entries must be received by 11:59pm (CT) on November 30, 2010.

My Grandpa, Vaughn Moomey passed away this week at the age of 90.  We are going to miss him so much, but we’re also content that he is in a better place with the Lord. 

For many years he worked hard as a Butcher for Von’s Grocers.  I remember having long talks about the various cuts of Beef — It’s a lot more complicated than I imagined.  He was a very gentle, patient and loving man.

And he still looked handsome at 90.  We love you Grandpa, Dad and PaPa.  Thanks for being such a Great Man!

Merry Christmas in Heaven this year Grandpa.  We miss you very much, but we’re glad you’re in peace with God.  Uncle Doug carved your name in the tree.  I hope we don’t get you kicked out. 🙂

Related Links:

http://www.downeygoodshepherd.org/newsfile15550_1.pdf

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beef

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butcher

http://www.farmersmeats.com/images/meat%20cuts.gif