Twas the Night Before Christmas

Twas the Night Before Christmas

By: Sister St. Thomas, B.N.D. de N

Via Domestic-Church via Catholic Pages

Twas the night before Christmas, and all through the town,

St. Joseph was searching, walking up roads and down;

Our Lady was waiting, so meek and so mild,

While Joseph was seeking a place for the Child.

The children were nestles, each snug in their beds,

The grown-ups wouldn't bother, there's no room they said;

When even the innkeeper sent them away,

Joseph was wondering, where they would stay.

He thought of the caves in the side of the hills,

Lets go there said Mary, it's silent and still;

Made pathways of light for their tired feet to go.

And there in a cave, in a cradle of hay,

Our Savior was born on the first Christmas Day!

The Father was watching in heaven above,

He sent angels, His couriers of love.

More rapid than eagles God's bright angels came;

Rejoicing and eager as each hear his name;

Come Power, Come Cherubs, Come Virtues, Come Raphael,

Come Thrones and Dominions, come Michael and Gabriel.

Now fly to the Earth, where My poor people live,

Announce the glad tiding My Son comes to give;

The Shepherds were watching their flocks on this night,

And saw in the heavens and unearthly light.

The Angels assured them, they'd nothing to fear,

It's Christmas they said, the Savior is here!

They hastened to find Him, and stood at the door,

Til Mary invited them in to adore.

He was swaddled in bands from His head to His feet,

Never did the Shepherd's see a baby so sweet.

He spoke not a word, but the Shepherd's all knew,

He was telling them secrets and blessing them too.

Then softly they left Him, The Babe in the hay,

And rejoiced with great joy on that first Christmas Day;

Mary heard them exclaim and they walked up the hill,

Glory to God in the Highest, Peace to men of good will!


Happy Christmas Eve my friends and family! I am sending you love and blessing for a wonderful Christmas. Thank you for blessing my life with your friendships and your wonderful blogs!

Hot Chocolate Gift Basket

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Everyone love hot cocoa when it is chilly outside. Why not create a hot cocoa basket filled with your favorite things to give to family and friends? You could make your own coco mix or purchase your favorite, Godiva is a good choice. Add some marshmallows,  a cute mug, some homemade cookies and you are all set with the perfect gift basket. 

5 Chocolate Pumpkin Favorites

Good evening! Thanksgiving is right around the corner so I thought you might enjoy a few treats on the table that aren't just pumpkin but are chocolate as well. 

Enjoy!

Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

I cannot wait to make this Chocolate Pumpkin Pie  from A Table Full of Joy

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 Chocolate Pumpkin Cheesecake from Will Work for Smiles is a beautiful and delicious addition to the Thanksgiving table. 

These Chocolate Pumpkin Bars from A Treats Affair would be a great treat to make and transport easily. 

Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cake  form Chocolate, Chocolate and More is on my list for Christmas as well. 

I've always wanted to make a roll cake this Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Roll from The Bitter Side of Sweet might just be my first. 

Have a great night!

5 Chocolate Favorites from Sugar Salt Magic, The Chocolatess and More

Good Friday morning to you. I hope that you had a great Halloween. I found some delicious treats this week. I hope that you enjoy them.

I made this Halloween spiderweb cobweb cake this week and it is delicious. I used my favorite chocolate cake recipe from the Fodess and of course my favorite Hershey Frosting then you simply melt marshmallows and let them cool a bit, pull strings of marshmallows and put them on the cake like cobwebs. Add some candy eyes and enjoy. 

The Ultimate Triple Layer Chocolate Mouse Pie from The Baking Chocolatess looks like a great dessert to make for the holidays. 

Red Velvet Chocolate Chip Cookies from The Kitchen is My Playground.

Peanut butter Fudgy Brownies from Just a Pinch, the perfect combination of flavors in my opinion. 

I have never had anything like a Chickito Caramel Slice from Sugar Salt Magic but I will be rectifying that soon.

Have a great weekend 

5 Chocolate Favorites from Half Baked Harvest, Sally's Baking Addiction and More

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A happy Fall Friday to you! I hope that you are finding time to enjoy the beautiful Fall weather, the falling leaves, crisp mornings, and lots of baking. 

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I love caramel apples but often times after a few bites I am satiated and the rest goes to waste. These Chocolate Turtle Apple Slices from Mom Loves Baking solves that problem. 

Half Baked Harvest

How cute are these Chocolate Stuffed Jack o'lantern cookies from Half Baked Harvest? 

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Pumpkin Spiced Truffles from Sally's Baking Addiction would make a great addition to your Thanksgiving dessert table. 

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Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes  from I Am Baker.

Pumpkin Pie White Hot Chocolate

Do you have a favorite Fall chocolate recipe? Please share it if you do, I am always looking for recipes to try. 

Have a great day!

Reese's Peanut Butter Cup Brownies with Peanut Butter and Chocolate Glaze

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Good morning! I don't know about you but I love chocolate and peanut butter, especially when paired together. I recently found a bag of peanut butter cups in my pantry and I thought I why add them to my favorite brownie recipe. Once I did that I thought why not add another layer of chocolaty, peanut butter goodness to the brownies by drizzling melted peanut butter over the top. Then I made chocolate peanut butter and drizzled that over the top as well. The result? Chocolaty, peanut buttery perfection. 

These brownies are fudgy, creamy, moist and filled with peanut butter goodness. You will love them. 

Brownie Base
Recipe from: Baker by Nature

Ingredients

11/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons Hershey's Unsweetened Cocoa
11 ounces dark chocolate, chopped
1 cup unsalted butter, cut into 1 inch cubes
1 teaspoon Espresso Powder 

11/2 cups granulated sugar

1/2 cup brown sugar

5 eggs. at room temperature

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

9 Reese's Peanut Butter Cups chopped

Preheat oven to 350. Prepare a 9 x 13" baking pan with butter or cooking spray, then line parchment paper and butter or spray that as well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cocoa, set aside.
In a heat proof bowl put the chopped chocolate, the butter and the espresso powder, place bowl over a saucepan of simmering water. Stir occasionally until the butter and chocolate are melted and well combined and smooth.
Turn the heat off and leave the bowl over the water, add both sugars and whisk until combined. Then remove the bowl from the water and let cool to room temperature.
Once chocolate mixture is room temperature, 3 room temperature eggs and whisk until combined. Add the last 2 eggs, whisk until combined, then whisk in the  vanilla extract.
DO not over-beat the batter or the brownies will be cake like and not fudgy.
Sprinkle the flour mixture over the chocolate mixture, with a rubber spatula fold the flour mixture into the chocolate, until just a bit of the flour is visible. Fold in the chopped peanut butter cups. 
Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 30 minutes, ROTATE the pan after 15 minutes, then bake for another 15 minutes.
Bake only until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few crumbs attached. Let cool on a wire rack.

Drizzle coold brownies with melted peanut butter, followed by melted chocolate peanut butter. 

Peanut Butter Drizzle

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter melted

Chocolate Peanut Butter

1/4 cup dark chocolate

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

Melt the peanut butter and the chocolate together. 

Then remove from pan, cut into squares and enjoy!

5 Chocolate Favorites from The Cookie Rookie, Browned Butter Blondie and More

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Good morning! I hope you had a great week. I found 5 scrumptious treats that you might want to make this weekend. 

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Chocolate Glazed Pumpkin Donuts from Browned Butter Blondie! I will take them all. 

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This Double Chocolate Ganache Tart from Wood & Spoon would be perfect for your holiday table.

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A Cosy Kitchen  is one of my all time favorite blogs, in fact my FAVORITE chocolate chip cookies are from this blog. I cannot wait to "kick" them up a notch by making Browned Butter Chocolate Chip cookies. 

I love pies, especially chocolate cream pie. Doesn't this chocolate cream pie from The Cookie Rookie look great?

This mummy cake is a fun treat to make with your kids and grandkids for Halloween. 

Have a great day!

5 Chocolate Favorites on Friday from Wild, Wild Whisk, Browned Butter Blondie and More

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Good morning! I found some great chocolate treats for you this week. Each one will be perfect for your Fall parties and gatherings. 

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Salted Caramel Chocolate Espresso Cupcakes from Browned Butter Blondie, these are perfect for Fall parties, game day or even Thanksgiving!

Wild Wild Whisk

I love brownies and am always up for trying a new recipe, this recipe for THE Best Brownies Ever from Wild, Wild Whisk is now at the top of my list. 

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Almond Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies from Browned Butter Blondie. 

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Chocolate Zucchini Muffins  from Healthy Little Cravings is a great way to use some of your summer harvest. 

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No Bake Chocolate Peanut butter Cheesecake

Did you find any scrumptious chocolate recipes this week? Or did you make something? If so, please share. 

Enjoy!

Double Chunk Chocolate Muffins

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Good morning! I have the perfect recipe for you to make this weekend for breakfast, if it is not too hot to bake at your house.  If you don't feel like turning on the oven Pin this recipe for Fall and Winter because these muffins are so easy, chocolaty and delicious you are going to want to make a batch or two to eat or to share. 

Easy Double Chocolate Muffins

Recipe from Sweet C Designs

2 cups of flour
3/4 cup of cocoa powder
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
11/2 cups of sugar
2 extra large eggs
8 tablespoons of butter, melted
1 cup plain yogurt or buttermilk
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
11/2 cups chocolate chunks or chocolate chips

In a large bowl sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa and salt. Whisk together. Toss the chocolate chunks into the dry ingredients to coat with flour. Make a well in the center and add the eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously, then add the rest of the ingredients and mix with a spoon until the large clumps are gone and the batter is mixed consistently, do not over mix the batter or the muffins will be dry.

Cover the batter and refrigerate for 1 hour or overnight.

Preheat oven to 425, fill the muffing cups 3/4 of the way filled. Bake for 6-10 minutes then reduce the temperature to 350 and bake an additional 25-30 minutes and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

5 Chocolate Favorites on Friday

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Good morning! I found some delectable treats to share with you this week. I hope that you enjoy them!

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Peanut butter and chocolate is one of my all time favorite combinations! This Peanut Butter Poke Cake from Sugar & Soul looks like the perfect way to get a little of them both. 

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This Chocolate Dutch Baby from A Cookie Named Desire would make a decadent weekend breakfast or even an easy dessert. 

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I love frosting, maybe even more than the cake sometimes. Beyond Frosting claims this is the best ever. I cannot wait to try it. 

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Chocolate, Berry Banana Bread from Aberdeen's Kitchen is the perfect way to use up some of your extra summer berries. 

Trisha Yearwoods' Brownies are on of the most popular posts on this blog so I thought I would share them again for all of my new followers. 

I hope you enjoy the recipes this week. 

5 Chocolate Favorites on Friday

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Good morning! I have 5 delicious chocolate treats for you this week, I hope that you enjoy them.

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Cherries are my favorite summer fruit, I eat pounds of them during their short season. Sometimes though I buy more than I can eat and I like to make desserts with the extras, this Chocolate Filled Cherry cake with Chocolate Covered Cherries is one of my favorites. 

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I have an Instant Pot that I received for Christmas and I have yet to use it because I am a little afraid of it, I think I could get over my fear for a piece of this Instant Pot Chocolate Cake from My Kitchen Love. 

Image Cookies & Cups

Nutella fans will love these Nutella Stuffed Cookies from Cookies & Cups.

Image Marsha's Baking Addiction

You can never go wrong with a Chocolate Molten Cake, add your favorite summer berries and you have the perfect dessert!

Image Here

I have never made brownies with olive oil, have you? This week I will be making these Olive Olive Brownies from Sugar and Soul.

Will you be baking any chocolate treats this weekend? Please share your recipes if you will.

Have a great weekend!

5 Chocolate Favorites on Friday

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Doesn't this Chocolate Honey Cake from Let the BakingBegin look amazing?

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I cannot wait to make these Brownie Ice Cream Sandwiches from Wood & Spoon.

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This Chocolate Raspberry Dacquoise Cake from Little Sugar Snaps is definitely a cake for a special occasion. 

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I cannot wait to make thisMarble Pound Cake from Cookies & Cups!

There is nothing better on a hot summer day than a big bowl of homemade chocolate ice cream!

I hope that you make one or more of these scrumptious treats. Have a great weekend. 

5 Chocolate Favorites on Friday

Good morning and a Happy Summer to you. I have 5 great chocolaty finds for you this week I hope that you enjoy them. 

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Chocolate Bundt Cake from Also the Crumbs Please

Fudgy Macaroon Brownies!

White Chocolate Macadamia Browned Butter Chocolate Blondies from Brown Butter Brownie blog.

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Quick and Easy Ice Cream Pie from The Genius Kitchen, perfect for a hot summer day. 

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The incredible, Maida Heatters died last week at 102, in her honor I thought I would share this recipe for her Chocolate Mouse Torte

What scrumptious chocolate desserts did you make this week? Please share your favorite.