Day 2: Gingerbread Cake Balls

Have you ever made cake pops? While they are fun, they are very time-consuming. Here's a simple solution - cake balls. No worrying about getting the balls to stay on the stick, watching for the drips, or run-a-way cake balls floating in the candy coating.

I saw this fun Christmas twist on cake balls floating around Pinterest, and knew I had to try it.

Almost like a truffle, these cake balls have the perfect blend of sugar and spice, just right for Christmas. They're perfectly sized for a quick sweet treat any time of the day.

And one of the best things about cake balls? They keep very well! The cake balls stay super fresh because they're sealed inside the candy coating. Which is then sealed inside whatever container you store them in.

I tried a new type of candy coating this time, Mercken's. And it is SO much easier to work with than any of the other varieties I have purchased at Meijer or Hobby Lobby. It melts so smoothly, and sets up so beautifully. I will never go back. It does cost a bit more money, but it's definitely worth it.

Servings/Yield

36 cake balls

1 box gingerbread cake mix
ingredients called for on box
½ can cream cheese frosting
2 lbs. candy coating, color/flavor of your choice

Method

Prepare cake mix and bake according to package directions. Let cool completely.

When cake is cool, crumble into fine crumbs. Stir in 1/2 can frosting until evenly combined. Roll cake mixture into 1-inch balls and place on parchment-lined baking sheet. Place in freezer for 10-15 minutes to firm up. (Or refrigerate 1-2 hours.)

Prepare candy coating according to package directions. Remove cake balls from freezer and dip in candy coating. Place cake balls back on parchment-lined baking sheet to harden completely. Garnish as desired. (I like to drizzle different colors of candy coating over the top of the original coat.)

Source: Pinterest

Hot Off the Press... [Chicken Bacon Bleu Panini]

So I totally forgot to post a panini recipe last Thursday... whoops. I'm sure you were all waiting with bated breath and were very disappointed. Well, never fear, because I've got a fabulous panini recipe tonight! Tangy bleu cheese and salty bacon come together to form a delectable sandwich. It comes from the panini cookbook I received for Christmas, 200 Best Panini Recipes (thanks Mom!) . The Chicken Bacon Bleu panini : grilled chicken, crisp bacon, and bleu cheese on sourdough with a spread of barbecue sauce and sliced red onion. I had never thought of putting bleu cheese on a panini before I saw this recipe. I feared there wouldn't be enough ooey gooey cheese! But bleu cheese actually melts pretty nicely. It's no Velveeta, but it added a great tang to the sandwich. First, spread the bottom piece of bread with a bit of barbecue sauce, and top with some grilled chicken. I actually used my panini press to grill my chicken for the first time, and it wa

The Arrival of Something New...

Woo hoo for the last Friday of the school year! And only one more day of school next week. (And then a couple teacher workshops...) Another reason to be excited? Our fridge came today!! Isn't she a beauty? It is so nice to have a fridge again. You don't realize how much you miss a full-size refrigerator until you go a couple weeks without it. A bit bare... but that can be solved easily. Bottom-drawer freezer, containing the essentials: moose tracks & Diet Dew trying to get cold asap. Anyways, I'm just popping in to share my beautiful new appliance. The baking monster has taken over, and I'm in the midst of making 150 cupcakes for a graduation party tomorrow. First big baking project in the new kitchen! I'm loving all the counter space. Mmm... chocolate buttercream! Making good use of the baking nook! :) Adios!

Boston Marathon, week #3

Last week was a great week for training - lots of easy runs, a V02-max workout, and my first long run that actually felt 'long'. The goal was to get in 50-55 miles, and I ended up with 56ish, so right on target. Saturday's long run was glorious ! Temps in the 50's in January (!) makes me a very happy runner. I headed out for 16-17 miles and ended up with almost 18. And I remembered to bring fuel! I tried out the blueberry-pomegranate Gu chomps, and they weren't my favorite. I ate one every 2 miles once I hit the 8-mile mark and they left a strange aftertaste. Pretty much as soon as the aftertaste went away, it would be time to eat one again. I'm thinking I will try something else next time. This was the week of the 8's... what a monotonous bar graph. I'll try better next week to make it a little more exciting. Weekly Rundown 1.7.2013-1.13.2013 Mon - 8.2 miles easy Tues - 8.3 miles easy Wed - 4x1200m @ 4:29 (4:32, 4:31, 4:31, 4:34);

Livin' the Dream in Lima

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