Friday Fab Five 23 • Everyday Lifehacks from Barb

I feel like the time flies by. Now is the one time of year I wish it will all slow down, but before you know it I will be packing up the tree, taking down the lights and holding onto the magic the season always brings. Are you the same? Do you love this time of year or do you count down until the clutter is gone? This Friday Fab Five has all my favorites to make the season magical, from hot chocolate to music playlists to Christmas goodie plate favorites.

1. Hot Chocolate Bar

Here she is, in all her glory (I didn’t notice that little rogue marshmallow until I loaded the photo). I kind of love that you get to see real life sometimes, anyhoo…here are the details of our hot chocolate bar…

White Hot Chocolate and Classic Hot Chocolate are both by Ghirardelli. You can also use Peppermint: it’s delicious. Check back on our last FFF to see the recipes we used with this flavor.

Torani Syrups: I have Caramel, Dark Chocolate, White Chocolate I don’t have this Peppermint Bark Syrup, but it’s in the cart and basically on its way. Thanks Amazon!

Let’s talk Sprinkles. I keep it simple (I know, I never keep it simple): I use the Guittard Milk Chocolate Sprinkles from Orson Gygi, and crushed peppermint.

Gingerbread sprinkles are perfect for the egg nog hot chocolate; link is HERE.

To measure the hot cocoa and sprinkles I use THESE rose gold measuring spoons, I also have these GOLD ones that I love as well.

I use apothecary jars for the powders. It helps keep it fresh (love those lids) and clean. (yes, I am singing an old Outcast rap song as I type that).

Gold bell wreath is from Orson Gygi, and can be found HERE.

I also (after the fact in my IG Stories today) showed cinnamon chips, cinnamon sugar and egg nog flavoring, these also all come from Orson Gygi. Also those CHOCOLATE spinrkles that are adorable are HERE. (Use SWEETMACSHOP to get 10% off)

Hope that helps. You can find all of my recommendations HERE, enjoy!

2. Thanksgiving Musts

Do you have favorites? and I am not talking about kids — I am talking about Thanksgiving day food! We have 3 things we make every year like our life depended on it. First, my Grandmother’s rolls. Head to THIS post and snag her dough recipe. (Yes, It says cinnamon rolls, but I use this recipe for rolls as well.)

Sweet Potato Casserole– It’s technically a vegetable but Ive been known to put a scoop of Ice cream on top and enjoy it as a dessert. Its my youngest daughter’s favorite, mainly because it tastes nothing like vegetables and everything like delicious. My favorite food blogger created this amazing recipe as a knock off to the famous Ruth Chris’ casserole. Christy Denney, bless your ever loving heart, and do you follow her? @Thegirlwhoateeverything on IG

Christmas Jello Salad– Another one of my dear Grandmother’s recipes, just ignore the Christmas part. We make it every Thanksgiving. Here is the recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

6 oz package cherry jello
1 can whole berry cranberry sauce (small can)
1 8 oz can crushed pineapple
1 pint sour cream
1 6 oz package raspberry jello
1 bag frozen raspberries

How to Make it:

Dissolve cherry jello in 1 1/2 cups hot (boiling) water. Add can of whole berry cranberry sauce and can of crushed pineapple (drained). Pour into 9×13 pan. Place in fridge to chill completely.

Once chilled (firm) spread sour cream on top of the cherry jello layer, and place back into fridge.

Dissolve the raspberry jello in 1 1/2 cups boiling water, stir in frozen raspberries and spoon over sour cream layer. Place back in the fridge until jello is set. Enjoy!

3. Dealing with Grief

I wasn’t prepared to lose my grandmother last week, but come to think about it, are we ever really prepared to lose anyone we love? Barbara Bickmore Sessions was everything you would want your grandmother to be. Kind, warm, sweet, concerned, you name it. Some of my favorite recipes come from her kitchen. Her style was grace, her message was love and her mindset was always positive. Not sure how the world will survive without amazing women like her in it. I, for one intend to carry on her legacy. Always striving to be positive, to include everyone and to put what matters most, first. She raised 7 incredible children, 56 amazing grandchildren (Some are pioneering in their fields and in their communities) and numerous great-grand children. I was lucky enough to know her, to be loved by her and to have her watching over me in every decision in life. Some of my favorite memories was having the grand girls line up to have her braid our hair, and her fragrance (I don’t know what perfume she used, but she always smelled so good). She would always call you “dear.” she had a pink Kitchenaid (which you know speaks to my soul). She wasn’t afraid of doing the right thing, even if it wasn’t a popular idea; she taught me how to be a strong woman, she raised my mother who raised me and she always always would let you know she loved you. Love you Grandmother.You will be so very missed.

4. All things Holiday

I don’t know but its about at this point in the year that Christmas Movies and music are on repeat in my home. Here is my stylized Christmas Playlist full of all the classics and wonder from Amy Grant, Straight No Chaser and many more (Download it right to your phone if you have Apple Music). Its HERE.

And now for a list of my Christmas Movies:

Silver Bells (A hallmark classic) yes, it ends in romance, obviously.

Family Stone – If you’ve seen it, then you know. “Perpetual throat clearer” (Claire Danes, SJP, Rachel Mcadams, Diane Keaton, Owen Wilsons brother *lol* and so many more, the cast is packed with talent

Klaus – Watch this one on Netflix and have your kids join you. It’s about a mailman in a small town trying to mend relationships, all while delivering mail, or lack of.

The Holiday – Jack black and Cameron Diaz. Switching homes with the amazing Kate Winslet. It’s clean, funny and a must watch.

White Christmas – can you name another movie that you can sing along to or be up in the middle of the night with one of the many songs stuck in your head?

Muppets Christmas Carol and Arthur’s Christmas are some of my kiddos favorites and mine too! What are you watching this season? Share your favorites with me!

5. What’s On the Blog

I love to make holiday goodie plates and we just recently updated these ‘Kiss Cookies‘ as they are truly the perfect Christmas cookies. I’ll start sharing more of the treats of the season, trust me, they are all winners! Every year for the past 21 years we have made Christmas plates to hand out to our closet 50 friends. The lists and goodies have changed over the years but the message of the season hasn’t. I hope you are going into this holiday season feeling loved.