New Year's resolution...

I know it's been FOREVER since my last post.  The holidays just sucked everything out of me this year and left me with a New Year's resolution... to post more regularly.  I've decided to change my format since it seems that I have more to share about "easy-peasy" recipes and ideas that help me get through every day life vs strictly Japanese inspired recipes.  So, here's a quickie on some easy holiday ideas I had for this year.  Better late than never! 1st - a cute favor for my kids classes this year.  Sugar free hot cocoa, a candy cane and some miniature marshmallows in a bag with a cute sticker.  Voila!

2nd - an easy hostess gift for friends.  Krusteaz Pumpkin Spice Quick Bread , $1 ceramic mini loaf pans from Michael's all wrapped up in cellophane and fastened with some star wired ribbon - curled with a chopstick.

* Added 1/2 cup of applesauce to the bread mix to make it more moist and it turned out deeelicious!

3rd - the easiest most moist coconut macaroons ever.  My Jewish husband and mother-in-law who know their macaroons thought these were amongst the best they've ever tasted!  Of course, the recipe is from the Queen of easy herself -  Ina Garten!  I dipped mine in Ghiradelli 60% cacao bittersweet chips - melted them in a double boiler, dipped them and let them cool on a cooling rack (you could  put them back on the same parchment you cooked them on to cool too). Definitely use parchment paper on this one - they stuck to my first batch on a Silpat and came off really easy on the parchment paper.  Here's the recipe link: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/coconut-macaroons-recipe/index.html