Holidays | Sam Eats Her Nutrients

Ming Gets Ready for Santa

Ming loves holidays! This year marks her fourth Christmas! On her first Christmas she was the gift that arrived under the tree, and the holidays without her would be like Christmas without cookies.

Ming gets ready

Although she is not a fan of dog sweaters like her little sister Lily (who loves them), she doesn’t mind a loose T-shirt.

I completely understand the power of comfortable cotton over a bulky, hot and possibly itchy sweater. She also has a double coat, as all fawn pugs do. So, when she does wear a extra coat of clothing, it is to go outdoors for a walk in brisk weather, or to please a human family member, who wants her to look “nice”. 🙂

Elf in Training

There is one blaring signal she wants it off. If you try out a new fashion accessory on her and she is displeased with it, she will promptly go to a corner and sit, refusing to budge, until the offending object is removed restoring her to her original good humor.

Nonetheless, she is a good spirit when it comes to Christmas. I am sure if she had the opportunity to be an Elf in Training she would embrace it with enthusiasm. There would be all those bright colorful toys, soft stuffed objects, and other gifts in the making to feast her eyes upon, and maybe chew, roll or lay on when Santa wasn’t looking.

But seriously, how can I tell Ming loves the holidays other than having more opportunities to bark at delivery people? She loves the excitement of the bustling home, kitchen smells, and extra company. It gives her more opportunities for scratches, hugs, tricks, conversation, and treats, and what self-respecting pug wouldn’t love that?

Very Vanilla Truffles

Truffles are such a treat for holidays! These truffles have just the right creamy mouth feel when you bite into them, with a little bit of salty and sweet and a hint of rum, which raises them to a whole new level of delicious! The cocoa butter melds perfectly with the almond butter to give you the creaminess everyone desires in a truffle. I love them as a special treat, and I think you will too. They are beautiful to give as gifts in mini muffin papers and then placed in a decorative tin, and equally enticing served on a pretty tray at a party. So, lets get to it! They aren’t difficult, but they are fancy!

Very Vanilla Truffles

Very Vanilla Truffles

Ingredients:

1/2 Cup Cocao Butter (chopped)

1/2 Cup Almond Butter (no sugar added)

1/4 Cup Clear Honey

1 Vanilla Bean (split and seeds removed then pod discarded)

1 Tablespoon Light Rum

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract (SCD Legal no additives)

1/4 Teaspoon Himalayan Pink Salt

1/4 Cup Toasted Pecans, finely chopped for rolling the truffles

Preheat your oven 350º degrees. Place the pecans on a baking sheet and toast in the oven for five minutes until golden brown. Set aside to cool.

In a double broiler (You can also use a saucepan and a metal bowl for this to substitute as a double broiler) place approximately 2 inches of water and bring the water to a simmer. In the top part of your double broiler or a metal bowl that will fit on the saucepan without touching the water below, place the almond butter, cocoa butter, honey, vanilla bean and Himalayan Pink Salt. Put the bowl of ingredients over the simmering water and stir with a wire whisk to melt and incorporate the mixture thoroughly. When the cocoa butter is melted and the ingredients well combined, remove from the water and stir in the rum and vanilla extract. It will be quite liquid at this point. Refrigerate the truffle filling in the refrigerator for 1 1/2 to 2 hours until it becomes firm enough to scoop and roll into balls, but not too firm. Meanwhile, finely chop your cooled pecans. I use a Mini Ninja Express Chop for this because it is fast and easy to clean up. When the filling is set enough to roll, scoop the filling with a tablespoon cookie scoop, roll into balls and then roll into the finely chopped pecans. Put them in mini muffin cups and keep in the refrigerator. These will keep for at least two weeks.