Fa-la-la-la! Do you think there is such a thing as Christmas Song Attention Deficit Disorder? Baking away today I’d find myself singing one song and before I knew it I was on a totally different song.

But it’s not a bad thing to have happy songs running through your head. For two days in a row we (in Phoenix) had temperatures that were in the 60s. It’s Holiday-time Folks! Yippee!

Peppermint was the flavor of the day.

Peppermint Mocha Bark

Crushed candy canes, to yield 1 cup
1 pounds semi-sweet chocolate
Peppermint flavorings, optional

Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Combine candy cane chunks with chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point if desired.) Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.)

To make the Peppermint Mocha Cupcakes I made a mocha cake recipe from Hey There Cupcake, used a white frosting and placed a piece of bark on each cupcake.

 Black Friday. I’ve always heard about it, but quite honestly, I’ve never paid attention to it. My participation in Black Friday shopping was always watching people go crazy on the local news channel. I’ve never ever thought about actually leaving a kitchen full of left-overs to go shopping.

Part of my lack of participation could be that I’ve already got my tree up and presents wrapped.

This morning I’m enjoying a cup of coffee and slice of my favorite pie. It’s a recipe my Moo Moo gave me years ago and it quickly toppled over pumpkin, and pecan pies. I always fuss over my pie crusts. For whatever reason, I can’t seem to get the ridges on mine to fold evenly. I recommend a pie plate that’s pretty enough that you don’t have to do the work.

Buttermilk Pie

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 tablespoon flour
1/2 tablespoon grated lemon zest
4 large eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1 stick butter, melted
1 unbaked 10-inch basic pie crust shell

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, combine the sugar, flour, and lemon zest. Whisk in the eggs, 1at a time. Stir in the buttermilk and melted butter. Pour the buttermilk mixture into the pie shell and bake until the top is lightly browned and the center sets, about 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temperature. Slice the pie into individual servings.

Sponsoring a family. Homeward Bound helps women who have found themselves in a cycle of domestic abuse or drug dependency break away from their current situations and move themselves and their families into a new positive direction.

This week I volunteered with several of my girlfriends to help organize donations for Thanksgiving. Here’s how it works. You (a group, church, organization) sign up to sponsor a family. And by sponsoring, it means that you for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Whatever commit to helping this family have a holiday celebration they might not have been able to afford or offer their family this year.

Sponsors got a shopping list; It included a turkey, roasting pan, veggies, dessert, napkins and side dishes. You put it together in a box and the receiving family has Thanksgiving in a Box. It’s all ready to go with a recipe book.

I can’t tell you enough about this organization and all the services they provide to the families who are still living on campus or who have been able to successfully leave the program.

I hope that you and the amazing families I had an opportunity to meet this week have a very safe and very happy Thanksgiving.

One volunteer project a month. I’ve come to realize that I need some big heaping doses of goodness. This year is one that has been full of changes and realizations and I’m taking what has at times been overwhelming emotional struggles and trying to learn.

I have a necklace that carries on it a small quote, “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.”

And its me looking at what’s behind me and what maybe before me and I’ve realized that I share this big blue ball with all of you and I could do more to impact my neighbors and influence the few people who read this blog. And that’s where I came up with one volunteer project a month.

Last month, it was helping out at the Arizona Science Center. I was in charge of the ‘Snot Station.’ Hahahaha. You can call me Queen Snot. It was tons of fun making gooey slime with the little ones. The event was totally free and safe.

I usually find my volunteer opportunities through a special volunteer group in which I’m a member. It makes it ‘easy’ (which is code for less intimidating) to know a core group of people and go ‘make good’ together.

This month I have an opportunity to work with Homeward Bound putting together Thanksgiving baskets. In December, I’m going to work on my first Habitat for Humanity project.

If you’re surfing or inspired to see what volunteer opportunities are in your neighborhood (USA) check out the website for VolunteerMatch.

If you’re anything like me around the holidays, your schedule is full, your days are busy and you’re enjoying the hustle and bustle of the season. The other night I was out for sushi and guess what was on the radio all ready…you guessed it…Christmas music.

And this is the time of year when my spice rack gets a lot of use. Nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves go in almost everything I cook. I never really thought about spices going bad. It wasn’t until I saw an episode of Good Eats, that I had ever considered that the tin of cinnamon I’ve had since 1996 couldn’t possibly still be good.The thought of replacing all my spices (and the expense) doesn’t sound like a good time to me either. But there was some good advice that I think I can incorporate from this point forward.

• Buy smaller quantities. There’s really no purpose in buying Sam’s Club bulk spices. Not unless you’re feeding a small army on a regular basis.
• Check the ingredients. A lot of the ‘pre-made’ season blends have a higher sodium content. If you can’t live without your Creole seasoning like me, just note that you shouldn’t add more salt to the dish. There’s enough already in there.
• Keep these in your pantry. Cinnamon, Cumin, Pepper Corns, Sea Salt, Ginger, Nutmeg, Chili Powder.

Spices in mind I whipped up a breakfast this morning with something else that is ALWAYS in my pantry: Lots of canned pumpkin. Today, I made a batch of Pumpkin Pancakes. These have more baking powder than other pancake recipes I’ve tried. That made the fluffier and lighter.

No pictures of these guys either. I was towards my last batch when I finally got a few cakes that weren’t butchered. I’ve been dating the idea of getting a griddle, but I haven’t made any commitments yet. Until then, I’ll have to deal with tasty, but not pretty pancakes.

Pumpkin Pancakes
Serves 6/ 10 min Prep/ 20 min Cook

2 cups all purpose flour
4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground allspice
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 cups solid pack pumpkin
3 eggs
1 cup milk
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 oz. chopped pecans (optional)

PREPARATION:
Sift dry ingredients and set aside. Using a large bowl, combine pumpkin, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla. Add dry ingredients and stir until blended; stir in pecans just before ready to cook.

A medium heat greased griddle is best for cooking pancakes.

Are you surfing the Internet today? Thinking about shopping? Only 3 paychecks till Christmas. No pressure.

A volunteer group I’m involved in has created a partnership with an online store portal. Here’s the scoop:

What is FundLink?
Welcome to the Junior League shopping mall, where your purchases benefit the Junior League of your choice and The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. All transactions made on this site are handled directly by the merchants, not by AJLI or by any Junior League.

What is the web site for FundLink?
http://ajli.fundlinkllc.com/

Here’s how I used it today.

Purchasing air travel.
When booking a trip, renting a car or finding a hotel, you can use FundLink as your ‘jumping off point’ to start shopping. For example:
1. Log into http://ajli.fundlinkllc.com/
2. Select the travel web site you prefer (i.e. I use Orbitz)
3. Select Junior League of Phoenix from the drop down menu
4. Navigate through your preferred travel web site as you normally would

What’s in it for me?
There isn’t a simpler way to help contribute to the Junior League of Phoenix. If you’re already booking air fare, renting a car or reserving a hotel room for anytime this holiday season, do it through FundLink.

Use this link for all your online shopping!

Firstly, the rules:
Link to the person that tagged you, and post the rules on your blog.
Share seven random/weird facts about yourself.
Tag seven random people at the end of your post, and include links to their blogs.
Let each person know that they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment on their blog.

1. My dad named me after his favorite (aka cutest) high school English teacher, Keesha.
2. I can wiggle my little toe on both feet. Seriously, I can make it whale about as if it’s disconnected from my foot.
3.  My clothes are in color order R.O.Y G. B.I.V.
4. Christie N and I watched Dirty Dancing every day the summer of my fifth grade year.
5. I jump up every time I’m in an elevator that’s going down.
6. I hate eggs, but always order them for breakfast.
7. Sometimes I think I’m answering somebody’s question, but I’m having the whole conversation in my head.

I’m tagging my two favorite blogs this week:
David

Geggie

I’ve said it before. I don’t like breakfast all that much, but I somehow am incapable of skipping a meal. I’m always shocked when I hear someone say, “I was too busy and I forgot/didn’t have time for lunch.”

Or my favorite skipping a meal excuse, “Oh, I had some almonds and some trail mix.” Really, and you counted that as a meal?

How does that happen? Doesn’t your tummy start to growl? At some point, do you get little hunger pangs and STOP what you’re doing to EAT?

These Chorizo Black Bean Pepper Jack Cheese Empanadas were good enough to have for breakfast and I packed two for lunch.

 Chorizo Black Bean Pepper Jack Cheese Empanadas

12 oz chorizo, cooked and drained

8 oz Pepper Jack Cheese, shredded

15 oz can spicy black beans, with juice

1 small yellow onion, diced, grilled

2 boxes ready made pie crust

1 egg, mixed

1 5′ bowl

Saute the chorizo and place on a plate with a paper towel to drain. Reserve 1 T of the chorizo oil and grill yellow onion in the same pan. About 8 minutes. Add the black beans, cook another 8 minutes or until the juice in the beans starts to thicken.

Allow the meat and the bean mixture to cool and shred in the cheese. Mix well.

Use a 5′ diameter bowl for a guide and cut out circles in the pie crust. Place about 1/4 cup mixture in each crust, use a fork to pinch the edges and brush with an egg. You should get about 12 empanadas.

Place on a prepared baking sheet and bake in 400 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Excitement is contagious! I spent this weekend with five amazing women from the Junior League in Phoenix. We attended a conference in Anaheim to help us learn and share ideas on creating more impact in our group and how to make a difference in our community. I shared time with:

• A former Miss New Mexico
• A fundraiser coordinator for Make a Wish Foundation
• 2 women who spent a week in New Orleans rebuilding homes

Wow, right? One girl, Ann, was high energy and passionate about her job. She represents Niman Ranch they are a group who encourages and distributes meat that is organically and humainly raised. What a novel concept! Paying ranchers to raise animals free of hormones, growth agents and free range. While browsing the new Whole Foods in Chandler today, I asked the butcher if they had Niman Ranch products. He didn’t have anything in the case, but he did direct me to the frozen food section where there was a frozen dinner by Grace’s Kitchen; It was Niman Ranch Pork with Balsamic Peaches. For $9, it was worth a go and can I tell you the portion size was perfect, the directions produced a juicy clean tasting main dish.

The angle of the picture is deceiving (although this spinach, radish salad was quite delicious too). I’m excited to find out more about this group. If you’re in Northern California, you’re lucky, it seems that most of your nicer restaurants proudly serve Niman products.

2 weeks in a row, y’all!

I had my first drawback to riding the bus to work this past Thursday; I forgot my planner at home! There’s no going back once you’re on-board, no whirling around to run back into the house, you’re stuck and in my case I had 20 minutes to obsess about it.

I also need to start considering how I’m packing and prepping for my Bus Ride Thursdays. I totally want a BuiltNY lunch bag and maybe I need a checklist, something to help me remember my house keys, purse, pants and planner.

Oh, and while browsing the Valley Metro site, I noticed a contest only for people who are registered alternative mode transportation users. For every week I use a car pool or bus, I get an entry into a contest to win $250 bucks!

Also, I’m back in town and got lots of cooking on my list for this week. Look for posts on:

• Organic Pumpkin Breakfast Muffins
• review of Niman Ranch pork
• Chorizo Empandas
• online shopping that benefits not for profits