Christmas Update

Hurry up everyone! Christmas is almost here and we hope you’re all set in a festive spirit. If not it’s time to give yourself a Christmas update. Here are a few ideas to get you into holiday spirit.

Cookies/Plätzchen

Oh dear, as you all know I love the sweet treats! Isn’t the best part about christmas, all the naughty food that’s just waiting to be eaten?

If you’re lazy you could buy your cookies in the supermarket but I would really recommend you making them yourself! Honestly, one of the best things about cookies is the smell of those little, crunchy, soft,… OK, I’m definitely digressing. If your baking skills are close to non existent you can buy fresh dough instead of making it from scratch, the only thing you have to do is cut it and bake it and you will still have the amazing smell of fresh baked sweets. For all you others, here is a simple, always working and super delicious cookie recipe.

• 300g Flour
• 200g Butter (room temperature and cut into pieces)
• 100g Sugar
• 1/2 Teaspoon salt
• 1 Egg (room temperature)
• 1 Package confectioners sugar
• 1 Lemon
• Sprinkles of choice

Mix all ingredients up until you have a rather firm dough. Cover the dough with cling film and put it in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Roll out the dough and start cutting it into pieces. You can use cutters or just form shapes with a knife. Bake it at 180*C until they turn slightly brown (about 12 minutes).
Mix the lemon juice with the confectioners sugar until it thickens. Paint your cooled off cookies with the icing and add sprinkles.

Mulled wine/Glühwein

…or in other words, drinking “christmas in a cup”. It could not be any easier or more tasty!

The worst thing about winter is cold days and very few hours of sun, but don’t you dare complain! You just got yourself two great reasons to start drinking earlier. First of all, it will heat up your body very fast and you’ll forget about the cold outside in no time. Second of all, the earlier it’s dark the more legitimate it seems to drink. If I’m honest I’m a little bit telling a fib here, since we from Eyeslovetosee.de are all German – in Germany it is always legitimate to drink, believe me, just google “Frühshoppen” – but I’m still excited for everyone else. If you don’t have Glühwein at home or you prefer a challenge then make it yourself, it is easy as pie.

• 750 ml red wine (it doesn’t have to be a super fancy one but stay away from the cheapest)
• 1 lemon’s cest
• 80 g sugar
• 2 sticks of cinnamon
• 6 cloves
• juice of 2 orangens
• 125 ml orange liqueur

Just mix all the ingredients in a pot and heat it up. Be careful not to boil it, or you will loose all the alcohol. (Just test with your finger, if it is uncomfortable hot to hold it into the wine, turn down the heat). Stir every now and then. Cook it for 15 minutes, turn off the heat and wait a few more minutes to let the wine soak in the spices. Et voilà! Enjoy the buzz.

Christmas Tunes

By now you should be fed up with sugar and feel a little tipsy, all you’re missing is the perfect Christmas tune. Although the 80’s were a hell of a time (I know many disagree) Wham! managed to gift us with the worst nightmare ever, “Last Christmas”.
Thank god Frank Sinatra and Ella Fitzgerald recorded Christmas songs that are classy and always a pleasure to here.

Check out our Eyeslovetosee Top 10 favorite Christmas tunes.

Enjoy the holidays, celebrate and eat as much as you can!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Ps. We’d love to see a pic of your festive favorites! Post in the comments, mark us on Instagram or tweet it @eyeslovetosee.

Bilder: splitshire.com, Stephanie Schuldes