Phew, we did it. Made it through the holiday season. Well, most of it anyway. There's still tonight, but a lot of advanced prepping and a few bottles of Prosecco tell me that the stresses of the holiday season are basically behind me.
But no rest for the weary (and oh hell, am I weary), it's also the time to start thinking ahead to next year. No I'm not one of those people who are already working their way down their 2020 gift shopping list. What's on my mind isn't buying (yeah, I can just hear Hubs' sigh of relief), I'm thinking about selling. Especially since, I'm sorry to say, I haven't even made my first million yet. So I'm working on some products for next holiday season. Since everyone else is doing it, I'm jumping on the giving-the-elf-on-the-shelf-a-run-for-its-money bandwagon.
Not for the first time, either. I had a thought many years ago, even wrote a post called Menorah on the Door-ah. I was on the right track, since there's now a Mensch on the Bench which, I have to admit is a much better idea than the ones I had. I mean, a menorah on your door may give you a concussion, but turns out that's not the bad behavior deterrent moms are looking for at holiday time {{sigh}}. So close and yet so far.
But this year sold me on trying again. I mean if someone's making money selling Snoop on a Stoop and DeVito on a Dorito, even I have a chance wouldn't you say? Easy peasy.
I just need one little thing from you. No, I'm not looking for investors (although if you want to volunteer I won't turn you away). I'm actually asking for assistance of the market research type. You know, like you're my control group. Here's the situation, I've narrowed it down to my top 3 options. Two target parents with a specific need and the third for those parents who reach the end of their rope during holiday season (yeah, I can see you nodding your head). It makes sense, though, initially anyway, that I'm going to have to focus on just one, the one that will best encourage those kids to behavedammit. Take a look at my prototypes and then let me know, which one is my ticket to the millionaires' club?
1. For those moms whose kids need to be reminded to tell the truth, there's KellyAnne in the Frying Pan.
2. For those families whose children know right from wrong, but appear to be having issues in the execution, there's Bill Barr in a Car (going far).
3. This one's for all those moms who are at the tearing-your-hair-out stage, and aren't ashamed to scare the bejeezus out of those kids if that's what it takes. Come on, don't judge, I'm not alone here. This guy is the epitome of knowing when the little ones have been bad or good because he sees you everywhere! No more calls from the teacher, the neighbor, the coach . . . Clown on the Town is on the job.
While you're contemplating your vote, I'm off to cook some apples for tomorrow afternoon's Apple Pie Eggnog Milkshakes. Wishing a safe New Year's Eve and a happy and healthy 2020 to you and yours.
But no rest for the weary (and oh hell, am I weary), it's also the time to start thinking ahead to next year. No I'm not one of those people who are already working their way down their 2020 gift shopping list. What's on my mind isn't buying (yeah, I can just hear Hubs' sigh of relief), I'm thinking about selling. Especially since, I'm sorry to say, I haven't even made my first million yet. So I'm working on some products for next holiday season. Since everyone else is doing it, I'm jumping on the giving-the-elf-on-the-shelf-a-run-for-its-money bandwagon.
Not for the first time, either. I had a thought many years ago, even wrote a post called Menorah on the Door-ah. I was on the right track, since there's now a Mensch on the Bench which, I have to admit is a much better idea than the ones I had. I mean, a menorah on your door may give you a concussion, but turns out that's not the bad behavior deterrent moms are looking for at holiday time {{sigh}}. So close and yet so far.
But this year sold me on trying again. I mean if someone's making money selling Snoop on a Stoop and DeVito on a Dorito, even I have a chance wouldn't you say? Easy peasy.
I just need one little thing from you. No, I'm not looking for investors (although if you want to volunteer I won't turn you away). I'm actually asking for assistance of the market research type. You know, like you're my control group. Here's the situation, I've narrowed it down to my top 3 options. Two target parents with a specific need and the third for those parents who reach the end of their rope during holiday season (yeah, I can see you nodding your head). It makes sense, though, initially anyway, that I'm going to have to focus on just one, the one that will best encourage those kids to behave
1. For those moms whose kids need to be reminded to tell the truth, there's KellyAnne in the Frying Pan.
KellyAnne in the Frying Pan
2. For those families whose children know right from wrong, but appear to be having issues in the execution, there's Bill Barr in a Car (going far).
Bill Barr in a Car (going far)
3. This one's for all those moms who are at the tearing-your-hair-out stage, and aren't ashamed to scare the bejeezus out of those kids if that's what it takes. Come on, don't judge, I'm not alone here. This guy is the epitome of knowing when the little ones have been bad or good because he sees you everywhere! No more calls from the teacher, the neighbor, the coach . . . Clown on the Town is on the job.
Clown on the Town
I think this one may just be it. Covers all the bases, doesn't he?While you're contemplating your vote, I'm off to cook some apples for tomorrow afternoon's Apple Pie Eggnog Milkshakes. Wishing a safe New Year's Eve and a happy and healthy 2020 to you and yours.
Apple Pie Eggnog Milkshake
PS: I'd like to ask you one more favor. Whether you've liked my Baking In A Tornado FB page or not, can you just check it? Friends are reporting (and I've seen) that FB is deleting "likes" from me. These are friends and family who know they've liked the page, even still get notifications of my posts in their news feed, but have found when they look, that they do not currently register as liking it. So if you want to support the blog, please go to my page and be sure the "like" button and "thumbs up" are blue and says "liked". Thank you.
Apple Pie Eggnog Milkshake
©www.BakingInATornado.com
Ingredients (makes 3 - 4):
2 apples, cored, peeled and sliced
1 TBSP butter
3 TBSP brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP caramel sauce (ice cream topping)
1/2 cup eggnog (can substitute milk)
4 cups vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup Fireball Whiskey (can omit)
OPT: whipped cream and/or caramel sauce for serving
Directions:
*Melt the butter over medium heat in a saute pan. Add the apples, brown sugar and cinnamon.
*Cook, stirring now and then, until the apples are soft, about 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from heat, mix in the caramel sauce and the eggnog. Set aside to cool a little, about 10 minutes.
*Once the apple mixture has cooled a little, place the ice cream, whiskey (if using) and apple mixture into a blender. Blend until smooth. Move the blender jar to the freezer and freeze for one hour or until it thickens to your preferred consistency.
*OPT: top with whipped cream and/or caramel sauce for serving.
2 apples, cored, peeled and sliced
1 TBSP butter
3 TBSP brown sugar
3/4 tsp cinnamon
2 TBSP caramel sauce (ice cream topping)
1/2 cup eggnog (can substitute milk)
4 cups vanilla ice cream
1/4 cup Fireball Whiskey (can omit)
OPT: whipped cream and/or caramel sauce for serving
Directions:
*Melt the butter over medium heat in a saute pan. Add the apples, brown sugar and cinnamon.
*Cook, stirring now and then, until the apples are soft, about 10 - 15 minutes. Remove from heat, mix in the caramel sauce and the eggnog. Set aside to cool a little, about 10 minutes.
*Once the apple mixture has cooled a little, place the ice cream, whiskey (if using) and apple mixture into a blender. Blend until smooth. Move the blender jar to the freezer and freeze for one hour or until it thickens to your preferred consistency.
*OPT: top with whipped cream and/or caramel sauce for serving.