Mint and chocolate are meant to be together, and this Instant Pot Peppermint Crio Bru is here to prove it! Feel free to enjoy this warm, comforting, and healthy chocolate drink all day, every day.
I'm a cheesy, over-the-top Christmas lover and darn proud of it!
- Mannheim Steamroller music in July, CHECK!
- Christmas Caroling at my neighbors (AKA mom), CHECK!
- Watching Hallmark Christmas movies since October 31st, CHECK!
- Turning my car into a Polar Express, CHECK! (Although that only lasted a year because my kids were not impressed with my train conductor impersonation).
With the exception of too many predictable snowball fights in said Hallmark movies . . . I LOVE IT ALL!
It only felt fitting to roll out a quick TIDBITS Talk this month to talk Christmas, traditions, food, and snow fun. THIS IS:
TIDBITS TALK – CHRISTMAS AND WINTER EDITION
And yes, this is my best effort for a Christmas card this year 🙂
This year has felt heavy, no doubt about that. I'm going to suggest we dump some good ol' Holiday Cheer over the world right now and just relish in jingle bells, Santa Clause, sugar cookies, etc.
Who's with me!?
I told you I was a Christmas weirdo . . . YAY FOR AN EXCUSE TO ACT LIKE A CHILD AGAIN!
Since my flavor palate goes to everything peppermint at Christmas time (anyone else?), I thought it was fitting to share the Crio Bru flavor we make the most at my home:
Peppermint Crio Bru. Candy Cane Crio Bru if you're an elf.
It's warm and cozy, with a kick of cooling peppermint and arguably the greatest Crio Bru flavor of all time
IMPORTANT ITEMS OF BUSINESS FOR TODAY
- Favorite Christmas memory. What's yours?
- How to decorate Christmas cookies without it turning into a war zone.
- Your kid wants a phone for Christmas. DON'T PANIC! I've got your solution.
- Cheap Christmas tree decoration ideas.
- Sledding – where are the helmets!?
- Homemade gift ideas for kids.
- If you're local, DON'T MISS THIS!
- Christmas Breakfast – Fancy and lets you be lazy too.
- Things I'm lovin' lately – Chocolate and some other things, but mostly chocolate.
Now get yourself a cup of hot Crio Bru and let's talk Christmas!
1) FAVORITE CHRISTMAS MEMORY
What is your favorite Christmas memory? I'm sure you have many, but what is the first one that just popped into your head?
Mine was on the Salt Lake City Front Runner – Christmas 2019.
My kids and I prepared 8 goodie bags loaded with candy and a homemade plastic ball ornament with a tag that said, “You are Loved.”
I planned a 2 day Christmas getaway to Thanksgiving Point that included using the Front Runner as our form of transportation. This brought a little extra adventure to our mini getaway.
On the Front Runner the kids were given the task of giving a Christmas goodie bag to the people they felt needed it most. They took this task very seriously and watched every person on the train for signs that they needed a lift in their day.
What started out as a train full of disconnected, technology absorbed people, quickly turned into smiles, laughter, and chatting as my kids would stand in front of a stranger and yell, “MERRY CHRISTMAS!” and stuff a gift bag into their lap.
My kids were like little Christmas Angels, beaming with joy and light, and turning a boring train ride into a joyful, memorable afternoon.
The scene is permanently imprinted in my memory and my kids still talk about it like it was the greatest event of the year.
2) CHRISTMAS COOKIES – KEEPIN' IT FUN FOR MOM TOO
Nothing gives me more anxiety than kids hovering around a table full of sprinkles, sugar cookies, and 10 bowls of frosting that undoubtedly have had spoons licked then stuck back into them.
OH, THE GERMS!
Germs aside, it is a seriously exhausting project getting all of the supplies, cookies, and frosting ready to go as well.
Well, it took me a few years to figure out how to make it easy, but I DID IT! Let's break it down:
- THE COOKIES: If you like to bake, Mel's Sugar Cookie recipe is my favorite of all time. My only extra tip is to refrigerate them for an hour or so before you bake them. This will help keep the shape of what you intended it to be (instead of your star turning into a blob). Want to make it super easy? Call a local bakery. You can buy the cookie dough to roll out and bake at home, or simply tell them what shapes of cookies you want and pick them up baked and ready to decorate.
- THE FROSTING: I really, REALLY do not like making frosting, especially 7 different colors of frosting. Instead, call the local bakery again, tell them what colors of frosting you want and ask them to divvy them into piping bags. Last year I had them make me 4 piping bags of each color and it was AMAZING! It really helped control the frosting licking, smearing, wiping on clothes situation. I like to order Royal Icing because it will harden so I can stack the cookies, but cream cheese and butter cream frosting will likely be an option too.
- THE SPRINKLES: Instead of handing over ALL THE SPRINKLES, I keep them at my side. When a child wants one, I pour a little bit into a condiment cup and hand it to them. Again, sprinkles don't get thrown into the air like “it's snowing” and I maintain my Christmas cheer.
- NEXT LEVEL: I love to take the extra step of outlining and flooding the cookies with white frosting. It creates a beautiful white canvas for the other colors and the kids feel like rockstars when they see their final product. Here is an incredibly helpful tutorial on how to do this. Again, I used to make homemade royal icing, but I've found that I can take the bakery Royal Icing and simply add a little water if it's too stiff to “flood” the cookie border I made. If this doesn't make any sense, check out the tutorial and you'll know exactly what I mean.
Lay down plastic, disposable table cloth, set up a station of 2 plates for each kid (one for unfinished and finished cookies), place the frosting piping bags in the center on a large piece of foil (so you can throw it and get a clean piece if it gets really messy), place the sprinkles out of reach, and you are ready to decorate some epic Christmas cookies!
What are your cookie decorating tips?
3) KIDS AND PHONES, AKA, THE OTHER “TALK” PARENTS DON'T WANT TO HAVE WITH THEIR KIDS
I bought my daughter a Gizmo watch thinking I'd avoid the topic of phones until she was approximately 25. Well, she started 5th grade this year and apparently “everyone” has a phone.
Now to be clear on 2 things:
- I know her claim is absolutely not true
- I do not think a phone is essential for a 5th grader
Still, there were times I thought, “it would be really nice if I had a phone for the kids.”
I was aware of the Gabb phone but after seeing it used by my niece, there were a few things I wasn't a fan of. So I kept researching, and that's when I discovered Pinwheel.
Pinwheel's mission is to teach kids how to use a phone as a helpful tool instead of a mind-numbing, reality escaping, addictive toy. I spent an hour reading over the entire site, watching their videos, and using their live chat button to ask the associate a million questions. By the end of all that, I was dying to try it out.
In a word: It's GENIUS.
To see my in-depth tour of the phone, check out my Instagram story, but I'll detail a few things I love most about it here.
- ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS: No internet, social media, ads, or spam calls. Hallelujah!
- CONTACTS: I get to create a list of contacts for the phone. Only these select few can call and receive calls/texts from the phone. This means I have the essentials (mom, dad, grandma, aunt) plus a few of her best friends.
- PARENT PORTAL: With a Pinwheel phone, all changes have to be made from the Parent Portal that only I have access to from my computer. Here I can add contacts, apps, chore reminders, etc. I can also control what features of the phone can be accessed and when. For example, I turn off all apps, texting, and calling when the phone is in bedtime and homework mode. Then in the evening, the phone is in “everything mode” so she can call and text her friends. Note: even when all features of the phone are turned off, she will always have access to call/text the emergency contacts (me and her dad). Again, GENIUS!
- NO WORRYING: From the parent portal I can see who she's called and read her texts. Even if she deletes the texts from her phone, the entire conversation remains in my parent portal. I'm not sure what some might think of this, but in this crazy world, I consider that information 100% my business.
- APPS: The only apps allowed on the phone are apps that promote learning and responsibility. No escaping into addicting mindless apps with this phone! And again, the parent controls what apps are downloaded. The child can't do it from the phone.
Screenshot of my Parent Portal
There is so much I like about it, I could go on and on, but the Pinwheel website does an incredible job explaining everything, so head over there for all the details. I particularly liked the video from this page and this Gabb phone comparison.
Bonus: Use the code TIDBITS-TEN to get 10% off your phone.
4) CHEAP CHRISTMAS TREE DECORATIONS
All of the pretty ornaments I collected before I had kids have one by one been destroyed by my young kids over the years. I put my tree up this year and realized 3 things:
- Wow, this is one naked looking tree
- Hey! My kids are past the “toddler throwing glass ornaments at the cats” phase!
- I'd rather spend my Christmas tree ornament money on actual Christmas presents
2014: The year of the triple tree destroyers (notice the bottom of the tree?)
Help! Aside from candy canes, what are some super cheap Christmas tree ornament ideas? Bonus if they can be a SIMPLE homemade project to do with my kids.
5) SLEDDING AND HELMETS
Okay, so we want our kids to wear helmets on a bike, on a motorcycle, when they ski, in sports, etc. But somehow flying with abandon down a steep mountain with little to no control over where a flimsy plastic sled is taking you requires no helmet? Mostly I'm slipping this topic in today to hear other people tell me they make their kids wear helmets when they sled so I can tell my kids, “See? SEE!” I recently bought these warm winter helmets and have been insisting that “If you want to go fast, you wear the helmet.” Tell me, have I gone too far?
Note: I'm wearing a full face helmet because we were also snowmobiling here – just in case you thought I was taking things a little too far on the helmet rule 🙂
6) HOMEMADE GIFTS FOR KIDS
My kids LOVE making homemade gifts for the masses at Christmas time! We've made Instant Pot Crayons, Instant Pot Chocolates, and homemade plastic ball ornaments, but I'm looking for some new ideas, preferably non-food ideas for this unique 2020 year. Do you have any tried and true ideas?
7) LUMINARIA – LIGHT SHOW OF MY DREAMS
This is for any local Utah folks. If you want a fun outside activity that will fill your soul with childlike wonder, DO NOT MISS LUMINARIA AT THANKSGIVING POINT. I took my kids for the first time last year and it was positively dreamy. Go see it!
8) CHRISTMAS BREAKFAST
Growing up, my mom wrapped everything on the breakfast table. Cereal boxes, milk, utensils, plates, EVERYTHING! Every year I consider doing this, but by that point, I undoubtedly suffer from “I cannot, will not, wrap one more thing!” syndrome.
To make it so I can stay present and enjoy Christmas morning, I make German Pancakes, Fruit Whip (basically unsweetened whipped cream with various chopped fruit, freeze-dried grapes, and a handful of granola), and Crio Bru. It's easy, healthy, and doesn't add “Sugar Rush” to their “Christmas Eve Insomnia”.
What do you do for breakfast on Christmas morning? If your answer is “Christmas Stocking Candy” no judgment here, just don't tell my kids that's a thing 🙂
9) THINGS I'M LOVING LATELY
You got a triple dose of all the things I love recently in my gift guides for Instant Pot People, Creative, High Energy Kids, and Rockstar Women, but allow me to place emphasis on the things that make me the happiest right now.
- My Comfy: I have the first version of the Comfy, but this new one is the softest, coziest, happiest thing in the world. It's kind of goofy, kind of weird-looking, but when you put it on, YOU JUST DON'T CARE.
- Alter Eco Chocolates: Expensive chocolate alert! Sorry, but not, because there is simply no better chocolate on the market right now. The Mint Creme and Super Dark are my favorites, and yes, I buy these only for me, no kids allowed.
- I Love You Books: These books are cheap and full of happy tears. My kids LOVED filling these books out for grandma, dad, and myself, and it's a treasure I will keep forever.
- Electric Frother: I've owned a few frothers, but this one outshines them all! It will froth even almond milk! My new favorite thing is to brew a very concentrated batch of Crio Bru, then fill a mug with 1 part Crio Bru concentrate + 2 parts almond milk, heat it up, and froth it to the top of the rim. Be sure to leave a solid 2 inches at the top for lots of froth. Use the TIDBITS10 code for 10% off.
CRIO BRU FLAVOR OF THE MONTH – PEPPERMINT CRIO BRU
Mint and chocolate undeniably belong together. If you don't agree, well, why not?
Warm, dark cocoa bliss with a refreshing blast of mint . . . I can safely say this is my favorite flavor combo.
Bonus: As always, a cup of Crio is 1000x healthier than a cup of hot chocolate and can be drunken any time of day without a caffeine or sugar buzz.
HOW TO MAKE PEPPERMINT CRIO BRU
- Add Crio Bru grounds, water, almond milk, vanilla extract, and peppermint extract or oil to the pressure cooker pot
- Cook for 5 minutes
- Pour through a fine mesh strainer, add maple syrup, and enjoy!
MORE CRIO BRU FLAVORS TO TRY
I love to hear your thoughts! I laugh, cry, and smile through every single one!
Talk to you soon!
Pressure Cooker Peppermint Crio Bru
Start your day out with a comforting cup of peppermint Crio Bru!
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Total Time: 30 mins
- Yield: 8 cups 1x
- Category: Drinks
- Method: Pressure cooker
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- ½ cup Crio Bru Ground Cocoa Beans, any flavor
- 6 cups water
- 2 cups milk (I use unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
- ⅓–½ cup maple syrup or agave
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1–2 teaspoon peppermint extract (or 1 drop of peppermint essential oil)
Peppermint Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
Instructions
- Add Crio Bru, water, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and peppermint extract to the pressure cooker pot. Secure the lid and turn pressure release knob to a sealed position. Cook at high pressure for 10 minutes.
- While Crio Bru is brewing, whip all of the whipped cream ingredients with a high speed blender or hand mixer until thick. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
- When cooking is complete, use a natural pressure release for 10 minutes and then release any remaining pressure.
- Place a fine mesh sieve over a bowl and pour Crio Bru through the sieve to filter out the grounds (this also works well in a nut milk bag).
- Serve immediately with a dollop of peppermint whipped cream. Can also be stored in the refrigerator in a mason jar. Enjoy cold or pour into a microwave safe mug and warm for 1-2 minutes.
Notes
- Important: Use a fine mesh sieve or nut milk bag to filter out the grounds. A regular strainer isn't fine enough to use as a filter.
- Adjust the intensity of peppermint flavor to your liking. I prefer 2 – 3 drops of peppermint essential oil for a powerful minty punch.
- I prefer almond milk because cows milk tends to foam more. If using cows milk, wait to add it until after you've cooked and strained the Crio Bru.
Keywords: instant pot drink, chocolate drink, healthy hot chocolate
That sprinkle tip is so simple, but it may have just changed my life. 😂 I love reading your tidbits talks!!
Just got my crio brew today and was SO excited to make this recipe tonight! All went well and my home smelled amazing! I noticed, however, a faint smell of chili coming from my instant pot when I opened the lid. I poured myself a cup and took a sip only to realize that I was drinking liquid peppermint chili. The last thing I made in my instant pot was chili and apparently I hadn’t cleaned the ring well enough. BLAH! It was so sad. Have you ever had this happen? Is there a way to clean the ring so it doesn’t happen again or should I just purchase an additional one? Now I am afraid to make it again and waste more ingredients. Any thoughts?
Ashley, oh no! I’ve done that with refried beans before, yuck! I have a ring I only use with sweet foods to prevent this. I’ve never been able to get the savory smells out of the seals permanently so I just have a separate one to use instead. The seals are cheap and definitely worth having!
I was just gifted a french press and a bag of Crio brew at a favorite things lunch with my running group. How have I not heard of this until now???? I love dark, rich chocolate, but hate the way hot chocolate makes me feel. The sugar high and crash are the worst. I got online to search for recipes and things to add to Crio brew and found your website. I can’t wait to try your instant pot method and your recipes look amazing – especially the peppermint and golden milk versions! Next on my list is a frother. That would add such a fun element to an already yummy warm drink!
Besides the Crio Bru, your idea of a simple Christmas tree with homemade decorations resonated with me. We have done similar, with paper snowflakes or chains, little reindeer clothes pins (the single piece ones, not the ones with the spring), frosted pine cones, etc. They were great to make with the kids and provided a tree that was memorable. Good luck everybody with the giveaway!
Elizabeth, I love these ideas! Thank you. I love frosted pine cones and we can go on an adventure to fine them too.
My most favorite Christmas memory was when I was small, my mother and my grandmother and I were making Christmas cookies. It got very late and we got so silly that we were just laughing the entire night. It is such a wonderful memory to me, a night that I can remember as if it were yesterday, and I hope to never forget.
Karenann, so simple, so perfect. I love this 🙂
After a 5pm trip to urgent care with my 12yo for 6 chin stitches, the helmet looks like a good idea, though it probably wouldn’t have helped with that injury.
Melissa, Ha! We’ve had a few of those trips! I even stiched my son up on my coffee table once!
To add to your list of things I am loving lately…Force of Nature cleaner. It’s as powerful as Clorox but without the caustic chemicals.
I am a die-hard Crio Bru fan (thanks to you!) and drink it every morning. The first recipe I ever tried was your peppermint recipe and it’s still my family’s favorite! Thanks for the chance at a giveaway!
Jenny, thank you for telling me about Force of Nature! My son gets horrible headaches with cleaners, this will be great!
Crio Bru is my morning buddy, I’m glad you love it.
I’m new to CIO Bru. I love it and will be ordering more
Carol, so happy you love it!
We grew up i a small house. There were six kids, and the tree was upstairs in a little nook. So, all the wrapping paper went down the stairs and formed a carpet of sorts. I remember how much fun it was to have such a magical day.
We also made cookies at some point–not pretty, but delicious!
Clarissa, Wrapping paper carpet! Love it!
Christmas cookies are my favorite holiday tradition. They aren’t pretty by any means, but the fun we have making and decorating them are memories I will cherish with my kids forever!
Gina, my favorite part of baking with kids, they aren’t picky when it comes to looks 🙂
I have always loved giving homemade gifts from my kids to relatives. My kids are in their 20’s now but past hits include
1. Homemade fudge
2. No sew fleece blankets
3. Clear glass ornaments swirled on the inside with metallic paint
4. Decorated picture frames filled with pictures taken by the child
Susan, my kids love doing this as well. Thank you for a few more ideas!
What a great post. So many sweet stories. Love that Christmas breakfast was wrapped. Have never tried Crio Bru but sounds wonderful, warm and frothy. Have a wonderful holiday.
I just ordered the double choc & caramel flavors last week. I can’t wait til they arrive! I am going to use the double choc to make the peppermint hot choc recipe above on Christmas day when all the family comes over.
My favorite Christmas was when we gotour kids a puppy for Christmas. It was the best Christmas memory for the whole family. Growing up over the years, when asked to write about their best Christmas ever, all 5 ov them have written papers about that Christmas, when they were little, and they got thier 1st puppy. Each Christmas I love reading each of those stories. We all share that favorite memory together. They don’t remember any other gift they got that year except their puppy. That wonderful dog passed a couple year ago, but is still talked about all the time. He became a best friend to my kids for many wonderful years. The kids are mostly grown now, and another sweet wonderful dog shares our lives, but has never been able to completely replace the 1st one.
Dany, they are my favorite flavors yet! Let me know what you think. My kids are begging for a puppy, now you have me reconsidering my answer just a little bit. Your story warmed my heart 🙂
I enjoy reading all of your ideas. The Crio Bru sounds wonderful, and I like the idea of the frother as I have never had one and it would be the perfect touch to these drinks. Fun reading your other holiday ideas–your mom who wrapped everything on the breakfast table–that is a new one and I bet was a lot of fun.
Frances, it was so fun! There was wrapping paper everywhere at Christmas 🙂
I just started drinking Crio Bru and I love it! I make a big batch in the instant pot (thank you!) and I keep it in the fridge. Here’s my favorite creation: I pour a ready to drink, chocolate protein shake (premier protein) in a big 30 oz stainless steel tumbler. Then I add some cold Crio Bru, A little peppermint mocha creamer and ice. I sip on that all morning. Delicious! Thanks for the chance to win. I’d love to try the new flavors! Merry Christmas!🎁🎄
Melody, ooooh! I love that idea! I’m definitely going to try this, thank you!
I just love all the creative ideas and tips you share! I want to try Crio Bru as an alternative to coffee. The peppermint version has me drooling!
One of my favorite Christmas memories as a child was baking Christmas cookies with my Mom. We would make all kinds-cutouts, shortbread and several different fancier rich bar cookies and candy canes. One year we made festive cookie plates to give as gifts to all our relatives and many friends. We must have made thousands of cookies that year. The cookie plates were a hit!
Mom is gone now, but I still make some of her recipes each year. Last Christmas season I invited two girlfriends over and we made cookie plates for them to take home. We made a day of it, stopping for lunch, and sampling cookies as we laughed and baked together. I think we will make it a yearly tradition!
Merry Christmas!
Donna, I don’t think you’ll miss your coffee one bit! Your tradition sounds magical, straight out of a Halmark movie 🙂
Loving the Crio Bru info. Also loved the list, I’ve never heard of a comfy before or that chocolate. Would love to win the giveaway – frothing Crio Bru sounds amazing. How concentrated is it?
Sarah, I’ve been playing with the concentrate. 1/2 cup crio bru to 2 cups of water is pretty great.
I’d be interested to know more about the very concentrated Crio Bru you are making for frothing. Just how concentrated are you brewing it? I want to try a frothed version but will need to get that frother!
Maybe you could add a Gingerbread Crio Bru recipe to your create list someday (hint hint). I love gingerbread and a Crio Bru version with ginger and molasses might be tasty.
I’m sharing the Pinwheel phone with friends who have kids ages 6-13. It sounds like such a great solution.
You’ve given us another great Tidbits Talk. Thank you for sharing with us. Happy Holidays!
Candice, I’ve been playing with the concentrate. 1/2 cup of grounds brewed with 2 cups of water seems right. I wish it could be a tad stronger, I might try brewing it longer.
I have never thought of doing a molasses version! Genius!
Thank you for being here Candice, I love having you around 🙂
I have been eyeing a Comfy since last year, now it sounds almost too good to pass up! The Same with Crio Bru, I just know I’m going to break down and try it soon, your descriptions are just too tempting. And if I had kids around, your ideas for making cookie making lots less stressful for Mom, I’d jump on that in a heartbeat!
Wishing you and yours a very happy and healthy Christmas season!
Wyn, I’m trying to buy one for my daughter and now they are all sold out! Dang! Try the Crio Bru! It’s one of my most favorite things 🙂
Thank you for the Christmas greeting and a special pepperminty recipe to try! I so enjoyed seeing your beautiful family, the pictures, an extra bonus. Christmas memories, oh so many, but one that came to mind which might make all those Santa’s out there smile, is a story from probably 50 years ago. Oh my, how can I be that old? When I was about 7 years old, Santa brought me a beautiful wooden dollhouse and he gave my little sister a baby doll. My mother tells the story that all Christmas Day I carried around and loved on my sisters doll. Well, on December 26, my mother called all of us to the front door, stating that something must have fallen out of Santa’s sleigh. Sure enough, there in the front yard, partially covered in snow, was a wrapped package. We all ran out to see. It had MY name on the package. To my surprise the package that fell out of Santa’s sleigh was a beautiful Madame Alexander doll dressed in a pink organza dress and a winter coat and hat. Santa DID bring me a baby doll. It had just fallen out of his sleigh. To this day I still have that doll. Maybe I should go take her out of the attic and have a cuddle. If only I had some peppermint Crio Bru. May the magic of Christmas be with you and yours this year. Merry Christmas to all. ~Jamie
OH Jamie! That story was the best thing ever this morning. How I love such memories. Now I want to do something similar with my kiddos. Have a beautiful Christmas full of love and more amazing memories 🙂
Best Christmas memory before we had a family of our own. My husband and I dressed as Mr. & Mrs. Claus to surprise 5 nieces and nephews. They were the worst outfits and the fakest breard and wigs. But, the five kiddos absolutely loved it as well as we did. Looking forward to when we have grandchildren and can up our game.
Peppermint is my absolute all time favorite. I’ve never heard of brio so I’ll need to review the instructions a few times. I’ve never grinded beans as coffee has never appealed to me. I’ll need to find some alternatives to create this with out purchasing additional gadgets.
Thank you for sharing all that you do while balancing an active family.
Denise
Denise, that memory made me giggle! It just doesn’t matter how weird santa looks when you’re a kid, haha! You’ll have to try the Crio! If you love coffee, you’ll love Crio.
I have a few favorite Christmas memories. Every year, my family had a family over for our big dinner on Christmas Eve. One year, a while after that year’s family went home, we loaded the car with big bags of flour, sugar, and other non-perishable items and made a secret drop off at their house. While we were doing our family Christmas thing the next morning, they called to ask if we had left the food—and my parents acted like they had no idea about any of it.
The second memory was probably really tough for my mom—but we kids thought it was fantastic! That year, my mom was experiencing a pretty bad period of postpartum depression after my youngest sister was born. She didn’t have it in her to do the normal food preparations, so we went to Pistol Pete’s Pizza for Christmas Eve. We had so much fun!
The final memory happened just a few years ago when every night from Dec 1-24, a piece of a nativity and a scripture showed up on our doorstep. Some nights, it seemed like magic how the piece would appear in the 5 minutes between me checking the door and my husband arriving home from work. It’s was such a significant experience for me—I felt so loved by someone, though I never discovered who! Every year when I get that nativity out, I feel that same feeling of love all over again.
Amanda, oh the secret drop offs :). I loved that as a kid and continue to do it with my kiddos, it’s so exciting and memorable! And how wonderful for your mom to know that that turned into one of the most memorable holidays. And I adore the nativity memory. And to be able to relive it every year is just incredible!
Is it strange to admit that I have never heard of Crio Bru? Well, I’m just going to have to follow your link and your recipe. You have never steered me in the wrong direction! I’ve started making extracts, thanks to you, and this year I’m actually going to gift some. I love all parts of Christmas: decorating, making all of my mom’s cookie recipes that I remember making with her, and the Hallmark movie addiction (another thing my mother got me hooked on). I think I’ve bought more garland every year thanks to Hallmark! LOL. I asked my daughter if I had created a tradition with her. As she is now an adult, I feel like I missed so much, but apparently she says I haven’t. Her favorite tradition to this day is Prime Rib dinner, so that makes me feel happy. Thanks for all you do.
Barbara, Try the Crio! I love it with my whole heart! What extracts are you gifting? I wonder what my kids would say about our traditions. Every year I feel like I’m doing something different, perhaps it’s time to nail down a few special ones. Thanks for the reminder!
And yet again, I am transported to my happy place while I read your blog and think about how much I love you!! I can’t WAIT to try the peppermint whipped cream recipe, and just got two bags of crio bru I haven’t tried at the store this week! So super excited!!
Helmets and sledding – definitely for older kids careening down the hill! A kid died sledding on Old Main Hill while I was in college, and I haven’t been “real” sledding since. If I don’t go sometime in the future, my ski helmet will be on my head for sure. While my kiddos are little and only go down hills that are about 5 feet in length, I’m ok without the helmets.
Salt dough ornaments for the tree! I’ve yet to make them because my littles still break a bunch of ornaments every year, but it’s my plan for when my youngest is 4. You can paint them, stamp them, you name it!
On that note, BRILLIANT ideas for decorating cookies!! I will be using the flooding and piping and sneak a try at that cookie recipe too! Thanks Marci!
Um the phone?? GENIUS!!! It’s like all I’ve ever wanted as a parent! Give them independence in a protected way. I LOVE it!
But I must ask, what is a Gizmo watch?? My little is going to all day school next year and my anxious heart needs something for her to have to get ahold of me if she ever needs. Tell me more!!
Love this post!!
Xox Steph
Stephanie, I’m so glad I could transport you to happy land, haha! Just seeing your face does that for me 🙂
I always get a little freaked out while sledding. I’m just gonna wear my full-face helmet and look super cool from now on, haha.
I bought myself some clay! Less messy, I love the stuff!
Send me a picture of your cookies if you make them. I’m trying to get my sisters together to do them this weekend.
You would love the Gizmo watch. It only has the contacts on it that you put on there and I loved that it was always on her wrist and not getting left who knows where. I actually wish she’d still use it, but apparently its not as cool when you’re 10. I think it’s genius and I’ll be passing it on to one of my boys. Oh I miss you! May the world bring us back together soon!
I love the idea of helmets for sledding. If I lived where my sister lives, in NE Washington, and spent half the winter sledding (which I would definitely do), I would definitely buy a helmet. Very very smart and should be required.
I’ll be making the Crio Bru in the Instant Pot today. It’s been only “okay” in the coffee press. Thank you for all your Instant Pot recipes. They are very useful!
Barbara, Yes! Another vote for helmets that I can throw at my kids :). Let me know if the Crio was stronger for you, I never make it any other way.
My favorite Christmas memory was years ago. My mom and I gave my sister a bird cage and a bird. My sister was like a kid in a candy store at Christmas, she was born blind and that bird brought her the most joy because she loved to her the chirps. She couldn’t see the bird but loved to hear the bird sing-oh how I miss them both.
As for Christmas breakfast, I always fix an overnight sausage breakfast casserole that I prepare the night before and is ready to bake on Christmas morning.
I love your website and recipes. Thank you and Merry Christmas.
Tammy, Oh, that just warms my heart. How beautiful is that.
I would like to try that type of breakfast. I never have but it’s all of my favorite breakfast foods in one.
Thank you Tammy, Merry Christmas to you too!
I love your pictures, your recipes, your down to earth, this is real posts. My favorite memory is my mom peeling navel oranges for me and my brother while sitting in front of the fire–a wood burning fire, and the Christmas tree my mother meticulously decorated all the way down to the individually place icicles on each branch. We also had a ceramic lighted Christmas village which I loved to sit and view and pretend I was walking around and visiting each business, home, park and skating rink. And last my not least, we always watched It’s a Wonderful Life. What great memories!!! And oh, how I want to try a crio brew. YUMMY
Sherri, Oh what beautiful memories. You described it so well, I felt like I was there. Thank you for telling me all about it.
No special Christmas breakfast for me when I was young. We had to wait for my dad to go milk our cow that was boarded at a friend’s farm on the edge of town, so Mom would make our usual breakfast of hot cereal while we waited, usually oatmeal or cracked wheat. She was really into healthy food, and I am sure that I’m a healthier adult because of it. My stocking had only a small amount of candy and an orange in with the small toys it contained, but the home baked goodies we had during the rest of the day were very yummy.
I have to thank you, Marci, for your cheesecake recipes! I was beginning to despair of ever being able to make a successful baked cheesecake, but thanks to you, I make them often. My favourite is the key lime cheesecake, but I have tried several and all are great!
Vivian, How wonderful that your mom instilled in you such wholesome habits, I love that. Home-baked treats are such a thrill to my kids, it’s fun to do it more at Christmas.
And I Love that you’ve conquered cheesecake! I didn’t even hardly make it before the Instant Pot, and now it is so fun to come up with new flavors because I know they will work.
What a beautiful and sweet memory you and your family shared together. These are the times that they will always remember. Back in the early 70’s our beloved 100 year old home burned down a few weeks after Thanksgiving. We moved into a new home and my dad and I went into the woods and cut down a Christmas tree. He shared stories of his youth and the happy Christmas memories of his youth. We returned home and set the tree up
Mom and my siblings all joined in to decorate the tree and the Christmas spirit came on us. Sweet memories that I will always treasure. ❤
Beth, Ironic how tragedy can lead to some of the sweetest memories. I know this crazy year has taught me that one! The memories that bind us together 🙂
Where did you get those beans? Can I use any beans??
Susan, I always buy Crio Bru, I’m not sure I would know what to do with whole, unroasted cacao beans.
Oh Marci! I love this post! Let’s see my favorite Christmas memory…my parents gave us a time we could wake them up Christmas morning, but of course we’d wake up an hour or so ahead if time and gather in one of our bedrooms, whispering and giggling until the official time. Lol, my parents would definitely hear us so they didn’t get extra sleep. I think the anticipation shared with my sisters was just magical (somehow the boys weren’t a part of this-ha)…I wish that phone had existed when my children were young. We held out until high school but this is pure genius! And yum! Chocolate and peppermint – perfect combination and I need to try this recipe. Oh I need a frother! Going to drop a bug in my husband’s ear…sounds like a perfect stocking stuffer. 😉
Have a great weekend! Hugs,
Cecilia
Cecilia, That sounds like my kids! I always tell them if someones not awake yet, leave them alone so they’re not tired and grouchy all day. It never works ;). All of us girls were on the same floor growing up so this definitely sounds like my childhood. I’m very grateful for this phone. I’m afraid my kids may not have gotten one as long as they were in my home without this technology, haha! A frother is a wonderful, inexpensive treat for sure!
THANK YOU for sharing this amazing recipe!! I love everything chocolate and peppermint; why had I never thought to try this?! I will be making some later this week. Thanks for sharing about your daughter’s cell phone as well. I have 5 year old twins so they shouldn’t need a cell phone yet, but sadly they’ve already asked for one. I’m very happy to know there is an option out there for when they are older! I don’t need internet zombies for kids… 😉
OMG, I absolutely love this recipe. So easy and tasty!. I am having it for breakfast. Made it with coconut milk and honey and it is amazing. Thanks for a wonderful recipe and for introducing me to CrioBru.
★★★★★
Sandra, yum, coconut milk makes the best Crio Bru. It’s gonna be a good day for you 🙂
Okay, this might be a funny question…but, I’ve been making crio bru once a week all winter, and your elderberry juice often, and everything I use to strain them into is a huge mess to pour them OUT of. I have a couple of big measuring cup/batter bowls, and they don’t pour well at all. I’m just wondering what you use to strain liquids into, and then to pour out of into your mason jars?? Thanks! I love these recipes!
Aubri, I’ve had mine for so long I had to look and see what the label said. It’s from Tupperware http://www.tupperware.com/mix-n-stor-pitcher-5954.html. I recently bought this set on amazon and it works good for pouring and has any resisted staining https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002USB586/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Thanks for the suggestions!
Just got my first Crio Bru from Amazon!! So excited to try it. Couple of questions though – any idea how long it keeps in the fridge? I might be the only one drinking it. Also, have you tried this recipe using non-peppermint crio?
Diane, when I make my own, I don’t sweeten it so I’m the only one that drinks it so I’ve had the jars in the fridge for up to 10 days at least. And yes, I’ve done that recipe with the Ghana light roast flavor many times and I love it! The peppermint Crio Bru never seemed very strong in peppermint flavor to me anyways. I’m so excited for you to join my obsession!