Many Names of Jesus Christ - Homemade Christmas Ornaments

This year is the first year that we are having Christmas with just a my husband, baby, and I. The expense in living on the east coast has made it so we can't go to home to oregon this year (where our hearts are). We are excited to start our own family traditions.

The main thing that we like to focus on this Christmas Season and all Christmas seasons is The Ultimate Gift! Not the movie (though it is a good one) but that of our Savior, Jesus Christ and the great blessing of his birth. Here are some links that express my love for Jesus Christ.

#sharethegift The largest Nativity music video My brother Jacob Schwarz was the director for this video. His Youtube site is this.

#heisthegift

Our house will be decorated with things that remind of our Savior, even our Christmas tree.

When I was visiting family in oregon the month of November my mother had a Christmas Ornament project for us and weekly we would discuss the names of Christ and their meaning.

Here is the project.

Step 1: Cut thin pieces of wood to the size that you wish and drill two small holes in two of the corners.

Step 2: Print the names of Christ (list found here) on a variety of decorative paper and cut to the size of wood. We discovered that thinner paper was easier to work with in the end. 

Step 3: Pour elmers glue in bowl and get a sponge brush and paint a thin coat of glue on one side of the wood. Thin quickly add the cut out of Christ's names.

 Step 4: Allow to dry for a day or two.

 Step 5: After dried get a fine grade sand paper sheet and proceed to the edges of the ornament. There was overlap of the paper in the wood. Some pieces we found that cut off with scissors first then sanding was easier.

 Step 6 : Antiquing time with slightly dampened paper towel or dish towel. Pat on the pad and rub on wherever you want a bit of antique look. Some I patted on the paper, some I did darker, just take some artist license here.

 Step 7: Once finished antiquing get some thin gauged wire cut to desired length. Here I did three different methods or attaching the wire. Some of the paper was too thick to push the wire through so I just applied glue to the ends and stuck in the holes and allowed to dry for a day. The two other methods I pushed the wire through the paper and either twisted in a circle to prevent it going back through or I wrapped the wire around itself on top.

Done I love the look of these ornaments and also that with a 15 month old around constantly taking them off the tree I am not worried about them breaking.

Homemade Peppermint (Mint Chip or Candy Cane) Ice Cream - With No Machine

As requested here is my Candy Cane Ice Cream recipe. Be sure to also check out my Rocky Road Chocolate Ice Cream recipe. 

The base for this recipe is vanilla recipe from this site. So you can get creative with it and add whatever flavor you want. I have made both Mint Chip Ice Cream and Candy Cane Ice Cream

Peppermint Ice Cream Recipe

·       1 cup Whole Milk

·       A pinch of salt

·       3/4 cup Sugar or Honey (the honey adds a bit for flavor and even creamier texture)

·       2 ½ cups heavy cream

·       5 large egg yolks

·       10 drop Peppermint Essential Oil

·       2 PEPPERMINT Tea bags or Fresh Peppermint leaves (optional)

·       For MINT CHIP add either chocolate chips or melted chocolate

·       For CANDY CANE add 10-12 crushed candy canes

·       For richer custard, you can add up to 3 more egg yolks. For less-rich custard, substitute half-and-half for the heavy cream, realizing that the final texture won’t be as rich or as smooth as if using cream.

Step 1: Heat the milk, salt, and sugar (or honey) in a saucepan.

Step 2: (OPTIONAL) Add the tea bags or peppermint leaves to the milk. Cover, remove from heat, and infuse for one hour.

Step 3: Pour cream into a freezer safe bowl and set a strainer over the top.

Step 4: In a separate bowl, stir together the egg yolks. Re warm the milk and remove tea bags or leafs then gradually pour some of the milk into the yolks, whisking constantly as you pour. Scrape the warmed yolks and milk back into the saucepan.

Step 5: Cook over low heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom with a heat-resistant spatula, until the custard thickens enough to coat the spatula or temperature reads 170 F on a candy or instant read thermometer.

Step 6: Strain the custard into the heavy cream. Stir and add the peppermint oil, then refrigerate to chill thoroughly. Preferably overnight.

Step 7: Freeze the custard in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer’s instructions. From here you have two options to use an ice cream machine or to not. I do not have a machine yet, so the first option you have is without the machine.

Step 8 (option 1): Remove mixture from the refrigerator and stir with a rubber spatula. Transfer the mixture to a deep freezer-safe bowl or container and place in the freezer for 45 minutes. As it starts to freezer near the edges, remove from the freezer and stir vigorously with a fork or whisk, being sure to break up any frozen sections. Return it to the freezer. Continue to check every 30 minutes, stirring vigorously as it’s freezing. When it starts to thicken either add candy canes or chocolate (the candy canes will turn the ice cream red). It is estimated that it will take 2-3 hours for the ice cream to sufficiently frozen and ready.

Crush the candy canes with a little help.

When it starts to thicken add the candy canes.

Step 8 (option 2): Then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. At some point add the candy canes or chocolate (If the cold mixture is too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.)

Homemade Rocky Road Chocolate Ice Cream - Without an Ice Cream Machine

When people ask if I like ice cream I reply “only good ice cream.” I am lactose intolerant in that my body can only handle a certain amount of lactose (a sugar found in dairy products). What does this have to do with ice cream? Well ice cream most of the time will upset my stomach a little eve if I have been avoiding dairy all day, so if I am going to have a bowl it better be DELICIOUS or it is not worth it.  This recipe (that I found here) is worth it. Technically it is not ice cream but rather a gelato.

INGREDIENTS:

2 1/2 cups Heavy Cream

3 tablespoons Unsweetened Cocoa Powder

5 ounces Bittersweet or Semisweet Chocolate, Chopped

1 cup Whole Milk

¾ cup Sugar or Honey (I use HONEY, yum)

Pinch of salt

5 Egg Yolks

½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1 cup Miniature Marshmallows

1 cup Chopped Nuts, Walnuts, Almonds, or Pecans

DIRECTIONS:

Step 1: Warm 1 cup of the cream with the cocoa powder in a medium saucepan, whisking to thoroughly blend the cocoa. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer at a very low boil for 30 seconds, whisking constantly.

Step 2: Remove from the heat and add the chopped chocolate, stirring until smooth. Then stir in the remaining 1 1/2 cup cream. Pour the mixture into a large bowl, scraping the saucepan as thoroughly as possible, and set a mesh strainer on top of the bowl.

I love Trader Joe's chocolate bars for all my baking needs. taste great at a decent price

Step 3: Warm the milk, sugar (honey), and salt in the same saucepan. 

Step 4: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly pour the warm milk into the egg yolks, whisking constantly, then scrape the warmed egg yolks back into the saucepan.

Step 5: Stir the mixture constantly over medium heat with a heatproof spatula, scraping the bottom as you stir, until the mixture thickens and coats the spatula (and reaches 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer).

Step 6: Pour the custard through the strainer and stir it into the chocolate mixture until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Stir until cool over an ice bath or at room temp till cool.

Step 7: Chill the mixture thoroughly in the refrigerator (overnight). From here you have two options to use an ice cream machine or to not. I do not have a machine yet, so the first option you have is without the machine.

Step 8 (option 1): Remove mixture from the refrigerator and stir with a rubber spatula. Transfer the mixture to a deep freezer-safe bowl or container and place in the freezer for 45 minutes. As it starts to freezer near the edges, remove from the freezer and stir vigorously with a fork or whisk, being sure to break up any frozen sections. Return it to the freezer. Continue to check every 30 minutes, stirring vigorously as it’s freezing. It is estimated that it will take 2-3 hours for the ice cream to sufficiently frozen and ready.

Keep Stirring every 30-60 min.

After a while it will thicken up, this is when you will had your nuts and marshmallows. Great thing about making your one you can add as much as you want!!!!

Toasted Almonds

And store in whatever you have available. I like to save store bought gelato containers (sturdy plastic), but here I was as my parents house. 

 Step 8 (option 2): Then freeze it in your ice cream maker according to the manufacturer's instructions. (If the cold mixture is too thick to pour into your machine, whisk it vigorously to thin it out.) Once the ice cream has finished churning, fold in the marshmallows, walnuts and chocolate chips.