Reindeer and Homemade Peanut Butter Cups

Have you ever seen a real reindeer?  I couldn't seem to remember it if I had and Georgia certainly hadn't seen one.  So you can imagine how excited we were when Kerri chose to take a trip out to Laughing Valley Ranch in Idaho Springs in celebration of her Winter Birthday.  Georgia now thinks Kerri should choose all birthday celebrations from here on out....I have to agree, she knows how to keep her imagination alive.  Our plans diverted when we realized that the Ranch is only open in the off season.  Seems obvious now that we think about it.  This time of year those Reindeer are hard at work.....touring.  Yep, touring... like Florence and Mary without Diana.  Exciting but kinda missing an essential element.  No offense to Florence and Mary or Donner and Blitzen for that matter.  We were told that they were scheduled to appear at the Hyatt Denver Convention Center on the front lawn....which led me to wondering where the "lawn" would be in front of the Hyatt in downtown Denver.  We swung by to meet Kerri and walked to the 16th Street Mall and on to the Hyatt.  The front lawn was a small corner of concrete near the valet.  Nothing says Christmas like two reindeer on a slab of concrete downtown munching out of a kitty litter container.  All of this aside, they were pretty much even more precious than I had imagined all these years.  

Kerri's Favorite
Are these hooves amazing?
It's as if they have furry leg warmers on.

This gal was near a panic attack, Bless her heart.
We hope the off season is more relaxing for her.

Check out her rack...that's right!  Her.

According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while both male and female reindeer grow antlers in the summer each year (the only member of the deer family, Cervidae, to have females do so),  male reindeer drop their antlers at the beginning of the winter, usually late November to mid December.  Female reindeer retain their antlers till after they give birth in the springs.

Therefore, according to every historical rendition depicting Santa's reindeer, every single one of them, from Rudolf to Blitzen....had to be female.
We should've known this when they were able to find their way.

David and Kerri

Georgia was showing her how to get the reindeer to come over.
Making friends everywhere she goes.

Happy Birthday Kerri!
Make a Wish.


HOMEMADE PEANUT BUTTER CUPSVIA THE JOY OF BAKING

Set out 36 cups.
Make sure little fingers aren't curious what it feels like to
crush them...

Also....make sure that your darling little
one doesn't sneak into your bathroom to
put her face on.....If she does, call her
back in and have her...

Fill a half cup with Peanut Butter.
If you do this she will probably ask to lick
her fingers.
This is ok.

Melt your butter and peanut butter in the microwave stirring
every twenty seconds until it is melted.
Mix in your powdered sugar and it should look like
this.  If your man is a peanut butter cup connoisseur and asks
to test it to make sure it is sweet enough it is
safe to allow it.  It's up to you.
But he may ask for a dash more powdered sugar...

Get your double boiler ready.
Toss half semi sweet half milk chocolate with a tbs. of shortening.
I know...shortening.  Am I the only person on the face of the
earth that didn't know that these delectable little morsels contained
this evil stuff?  I am?  Ok, it's cool.

Get your water simmering.
I'm impatient and put my chocolate on premature.
It still worked out ok.

Keep an eye on that kiddo....she's tossing chocolate chips
like they're....chocolate?

You can run to the ladies room, toss clothes in the dryer,
or change your Pandora station.  But quickly!

Or snap a picture of the love in your life while he saves
the world via Xbox.

I could have lapped this up but it may have not been very
lady like....so I opted for a photo.
Purdy, isn't it?

Now, the cups I found where in between the teeny and the cupcake size.
I dolloped a tsp. of chocolate in the bottom and rolled little
balls tsp. size of the peanut butter and plunked on top.

Yummers, is that a Rachel Ray thing?
Ick. 

Ta DAAA.
I had to mix up a bit more chocolate to compensate my
larger cups.  I then told EVERYONE to keep they're grubby
little hands off....even when my precious girl offered to make sure they weren't poisonous.

Peanut Butter Cups:

1/2 cup (125 grams) creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, room temperature

1/8teaspoonsalt

1/2 cup (55 grams) confectioners (powdered or icing) sugar

Chocolate Coating

9 ounces (255 grams) semi sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

9 ounces (255 grams) milk chocolate, coarsely chopped

1 tablespoon (10 grams) shortening

Peanut Butter Cups: Line 36 miniature muffin cups with paper liners. Place the peanut butter, unsalted butter, and salt in a microwaveable bowl, and heat in the microwave for about  one minute or just until soft, but not melted(check and stir the ingredients every 20 seconds). Stir in the  confectioners sugar. Melt the chocolates and shortening in a heatproof bowl placed over a saucepan of simmering water. Drop a teaspoon of the melted chocolate into each of the paper lined miniature muffin cups. Top with a scant teaspoonof peanut butter mixture. Then top with another teaspoon of melted chocolate. Refrigerate until  set. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Makes about 36 peanut butter cups.

Happy Faces All Around!
Merry Christmas!
Onto more baking!