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Cappuccino Cheesecake

Here is that bad-boy I made the other night on Christmas Eve..I had some cream cheese leftover from a holiday baking spree {made lots of goodies for the neighbors and friends}  so I decided to recreate {make} it for a neighbor friend of mine.  Hope they enjoyed it.

 
Here are the list of ingredients you'll need. 

2 packages of cream cheese{ 8 oz.}, softened

1/2 cup of granulated sugar

1 envelope of mocha cappuccino mix or 1/4 cup

2 eggs, lightly beaten

1/4 cup of milk

1 extra serving size graham cracker crust {9 0z.}, I made my own this time, it was very easy to do.  I just used one "block" of graham crackers.  I put it in a plastic zip lock bag and smashed it with a rolling pin.  I melted some margarine and mixed it all in a bowl and then pressed it into a pie tin..easy peasy.

Directions:  In large bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar and cappuccino mix until smooth.  Add eggs and milk, beat  just until combined.  Pour in crust.  Bake at 325 degrees for 40-45 minutes or until enter is almost set.  Cool for one hour on wire rack.  Refrigerate for 3 hours or overnight. 

If you would like to garnish it you can, you'll need.  1/4 cup of semisweet chocolate chips and 1/2 teaspoon of shortening.  In small bowl melt the chips and shortening, stir until smooth.  Spread into a 4 in. square sheet of waxed paper.  Let stand at room temperature until firm, about one hour.  Using a cookie cutter of any shape, heart or hand or star.  Use cutter to cut out 8 shapes and top each serving with shape.  Serves 8 servings. 

This recipe was really easy and very tasty.  It came from my Taste of Home cookbook, fast fixes with mixes I got at my daughters Book Faire!! 

 

 

Christmas Eve

 
For the last several years we have spent Christmas Eve at my friend Renee's House.  Along with her husband and two kids they love to entertain and they have the perfect house for it!  Remember last year...she has the most gorgoeous home and it just sparkles this time of the year..

 
Here is a cloche which encloses a small sleigh and a picture of her when she was little and her relatives from her Mom's side of the family.  Her home is filled with heart-felt decorations that have been passed down from family to family.

 
My two girls and her son and daughter and another guests' daughter played the WII Dance Party 2 until the WEE hours of the morning.  I made a Cappuccino Cheesecake {which I failed to take a picture of} which I do say so myself was pretty darn good!  Now...I'm kicking myself for not doing it.  I also made my classic Clam Dip...my mother's recipe, always a hit.  We had Ham, Smoked Samon and of course Tamales!!  Yum!  Yum!  After consuming the Cheesecake and 3 cups of coffee when I got home...I could NOT sleep, I still had some wrapping to do but I found myself washing the dishes and mopping the floor at 3 IN THE MORNING!!!!  yep,  3 am!!  Who does that?  Someone who has had Cappachino Cheesecake and 3 cups of strong family...needless to say I was dragging Christmas Day......

 

From "OUR" House to Yours...

 
Wishing you and your family the Warmest of Holiday Cheers!

The Stockings were hung "without" a chimney with care...

 

Aren't these Burlap stockings adorable and oh soooo roomy.  Last year my daughters purple and pink stocking were done...they had big holes in them from Santa stuffing them so much with goodies for the girls.  I ordered these from here at Bella Inspirations and they were here last week faster than Santa could lay a finger to his nose.  They match my burlap tree skirt too, if you look real close under the tree. 

"How Lovely are your Branches"...

 
This is our "Tannebaum" this year.  We went for a Nostalgic tree.  It is actually one of my favorites.  I have three sets of ornaments..like I said in previous posts.  I have a Rustic Snowman Tree , very countryish and Classic All Santa Tree, which for the last several years the girls have voted to put that one up.  This year they voted on my "Victorian" ornament tree.  It has lots of lace, pearls, gold, glitter, whites, silver  and this year I added the Silhouettes of our family.  I have some of my parents  that they had done years ago at Disneyland I would love to add them to our tree but I bought all the frames at our local Aaron Brothers, so I'm on the hunt for another Aaron Bros to put their silhouettes in when I get the chance. 

 
 
 
 

 
Eventually I would like to have my In-laws silhouettes on the tree also, so in essence it is a "Nostalgic Family Tree"....

 
You might of remembered from this post that my husband's grandmother passed away recently and while my father-in-law was combing through her things he came across this beloved crystal spider.  As long as my husband can remember, when he went to his Grandparent's Home "the Spider" was on the tree and all the grand-kids took to locating "the spider".  Now she resides in a new home on our Christmas Tree.  It is really nice to have a bit of Lady Ponka with us on this Holiday. 

There is a story that goes with the Crystal Spider...

Once upon a time in Germany long ago, a gentle mother was busily cleaning her house for the most wonderful day of the year.  the day on which the Christ Child was to come and bring the gifts on Christmas Eve.  Not a speck of dust remained.  Even the spiders had been banished from their cozy corener in the ceiling.  To avoid the housewife's busy cleaning, they finally fled tot the furthest corner in the attic.

Twas Christmas Eve at last; the tree was decorated and the children were delighted, but the poor spiders were frantic for they could not see the tree nor be present for the Chirst Child's visit.  The oldest and wisest spider suggested that perhaps they could peek through the crack in the door to see him.  Silently they crept out of the attic and across the floor to wait behind the crack in the threshold.

Suddenly the door opened and a wee bit and the spiders quickly snuck into the room. The tree towered so high they couldn't see the oranments at the top.  In face, their eyes were so small they could see only one ornament at a time.  They scurried up the tree trunk and out of all the glittering beauty.  every place on the tree they went they left a trail of dusty grey web..  When at last they had inspected every bit of the Christmas tree, it was completely shrouded in silky web.

The Chirst Chile smiled as He thought of the happy spiders seeing his tree.  But, as He thought of how broken-hearted the mother would be over the web-covered tree, He reached out His hand and touched the web and blessed the spiders.  They all turned into shimmering, sparkling silver and gold.  The tree glistened in greater beauty than ever before.     

And so it became a custom to have a spider among all the decorations on Christmas trees.

Isn't that the sweetest story?  Our li'l spider fits in well with our Tannebaum.

 

Tis the Season Giveaway

What a beautiful Giveaway over at Pretties and Posies Melanie has selected the most beautiful things from Iron Grate.  Head on over you will not be disappointed....

 

Upstairs....of Old Yellow..

 
 
 

So let's head up the carpeted stairs..which I think should be ripped up to expose the beautiful hardwood underneath...
 
 

Here we have one of the two bedrooms upstairs.  Every door has so much vintage character with the recessed panelling and the crystal doorknobs.
 

MacKenzie looking out at the wonderful dormer windows....ahh..could you not see a quaint window seat tucked in there?
 

The built in closet in this bedroom which saves on lots of space.
 

Two little windows that look out at the big backyard with lots of fruit trees.
 

Down the hallway we go..on one side was built in drawers and a linen closet and on the other side the Main Bathroom.  I think the only downfall of this house is not having a full bath downstairs.  The bath on the first floor had only a toilet and sink, not even a shower.
 

Between both bedrooms is the main bathroom.  It was good-sized and also had a nice window for light.
 

Ok...let's head out of "MacKenzie's" room down the hall....
 

Here is Madison in her "room", the girls decided this was her room because of the built in drawers...all the hardwoods were in great shape. 
 

The rooms each have a total of three windows each to let in lots of light and here you see another dormered window....melt my heart.
 

The chunky baseboards are in both rooms of the upstairs, lots and lots of detailed mouldings.  Adore it.
 

This chandelier looked old but all the "crystals" were made of plastic, I'm not a big fan of plastic...but I do like the shape of the tiered layers.
 

Another antique fixture with cut crystals..this I like..one thing about old houses they did not skimp ont he details, that is why I think they are so popular.
 

All the crystal doorknobs in the house..I guess you probably didn't know I'm in love with crystal doorknobs..nah? wink, wink. Hope you enjoyed this Historic Tour of my "Dream" home....I wish we could put a bid on it but I'm a dreamer but I'm also a realist...I hope who ever gets to be the keeper of this beautiful home will love and cherish it and take good care of her, I wish that person could of been me but I dont' think will be.  But we did put another offer in on another house. It has a lot of potential and I think we could cottagy it up a bit....I have lots of ideas for that house..my head is spinning. 

 

"Old Yellow" you had me at Hello!!

After  finding out we lost the Cape Cod I felt completly deflated, mostly because the real estate agent representing the bank deceived us, she told us we were the only bid and then later came back saying we are the "better of the two bids" going up against the bank so I was LIVID...but my husband said, "let it go" so we decided to go LOOK at "Old Yellow"....remember her from this post?  Yes, I'm sure she had you at "hello" too!!! 

 
Old Yellow is a historic house built in 1901. It is in foreclosure and it was just reduced from $393,000 to $340,000 just out of our "budget".  We went to check her out and contemplate putting a bid on her.  She has multi-offers coming in, she is gorgeous!!  Just absolutely gorgeous!  My dream house, really. I could see myself giving Historic Whittier Tours every October.  I could see having Grand-kids coming over for Thanksgiving Dinner and sitting by the fireplaces, roasting marshmallows, but....I know in reality that at that price someone will out bid us. That IS the reality and sometimes I live for a moment in a dream world.  My husbands sometimes says, "I would LOVE to live in your World"....but for a moment let's "pretend" we could move in..sha'll we? Come on in the door "was" open...

 
 
Seriously the door was left open we could just walk in...here is the foyer looking down from the stairs....

 
Nice sidelights on each side of the front door...

 
Coming in the front door and to the left we have the ginormous front living room with gorgeous hardwood floors and huge windows letting in ample light.

 
One out of two fireplaces...yes TWO fireplaces......

 
Nice big chunky beams up in the ceiling in the living room and family room.

 
Going through the living room we have a added on family room with another brick fireplace...with lots and lots more windows....

 
Coming off the foyer to the left is the all white, very generous sized kitchen, I really like white tile...the only thing I think this kitchen needs is a Farmhouse Sink with a patterned curtain underneath ...and some new bronzed knobs.

 
Some new hardwood floors in the kitchen too and replaceing the fan with a old schoolhouse fixture or a barnlight of somesort.  Some beadboard up along all the walls and a built in bench-seat over at the Breakfast Nook, you can't see it?  the one by the windows...that looks out at the back deck and dreamy pool.  

 
Off of the kitchen near the breakfast nook is a small entryway, great for a mudroom/laundry room.  This door leads to a deck in the backyard and the laundry room/bathroom.  Yes, that is the thing about old houses, things are a bit quirky. I'd somehow rework the two and get the washing machine out of the bathroom, at least it isn't in the kitchen where I've seen it in some houses.

 
Yep...this is the door that leads to the master bedroom that is off of the Laundry Room/Bathroom....pitter patter, pitter patter that is my heart beating at the look of those doors!! OMG!! The whole house had them....I almost fainted walking through the house....

 
Here is the master bedroom, you can see to the right the door that leads into the room from the Laundry room and the other door to the left is from the foyer.  Not sure I'm a fan of lavender but I think a Robin's Egg Blue or gray would be nice in here. 

Tomorrow....I'll share the upstairs...with you!  Don't want any of you fainting all in one day!   Glad you guys could come along for the tour with me.... 

It is not to be....

I guess I jinxed myself.  We didn't get the house.  I'm contemplating "scaring" the buyers by making up some story about a crazy murder taking place back along time ago in this house that should of been ours. I know all the history of the house because my cross the street neighbor knew the original owners so I'm going to sick her on them.." Telling the owners that I couldn't believe the sellers never disclosed this info to you type gag. "   Oh well...I guess something better will be around the corner..I hope. 

 

The Mantle...what would you do?

 
The house that we are dreaming of to become our  "dream" home has a fireplace, one or our deal breakers.  The above picture shows the Fireplace Mantle! Falalala lalala.   That's joyous music to your ears...sorry I'm off key.  I wanted to be in the house before Christmas but at the rate it is taking to do it doesn't look like it is going to happen.  Soooooo How would you decorate it for the holidays if it were up to you?  I'm going to link up to Layla over at the Lettered Cottage who is having a Mantle Holiday Party....so head on over for inspiration and stop and leave a comment here to tell me what you would do to mine{maybe mine}.  Hope I'm not jinxing {meself}....

 Also check out the other parties that are coming up in the next couple of weeks...to get some Ole' holiday inspired....