5 Tips to Hosting the Perfect Coffee and Cookie Swap Party

December 14, 2015 by Jenni 2,390 Comments

Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Folgers Perfect Measures. All opinions, delicious coffee, sweet cookies, girl gossip, and FUN was 100% all my own. #FolgersInIndy

5 Tips to Hosting the Perfect Coffee and Cookie Swap

Do you find that with each busy Christmas season, it just gets harder and harder to spend time with your friends and family? I sure do! There’s an annual tradition that I have with my sister, nieces, and some of our cousins. We spend the evening out shopping and then eating an entire boat load of food at some yummy restaurant. It’s our thing, it’s just what we do every. single. year. I wanted to start another fun tradition this year – so we had our first annual Christmas Coffee and Cookie Swap party!

We had entirely too much fun. It was such a great time and it turned out so well, that I wanted to share my tips on hosting the perfect coffee and cookie swap party!

1. Keep Invitations Super Simple

Create a list of people you want to invite…whether it’s for the girls at work, your sisters, friends, extended family, or your church group. Just whatever you do, make sure that you invite someone that has a super cute baby! Cute babies are a MUST HAVE at any coffee party and cookie swap! Create your own invitations, buy some online, or even search for free printables for cookie exchanges on Pinterest…you’ll find lots of great ideas. OR you can keep it as simple as I did – and create a group message on Facebook to invite everyone.

2. Simple Party Foods

Serving something simple to eat is a good idea. Yes, people are there for the coffee and cookies – but depending on the time of day you’re having your party…people may be hungry. Our party was in the evening, so I made a large pot of broccoli cheddar soup and served it with french bread. Chili would be a fun option too, or finger sandwiches and party appetizers. No worries about dessert since there will be a large variety of cookies making their appearance at your party!

3. Perfect Cuppa Coffee Bar

Nothing goes better with a cookie, than coffee! Have your coffee bar prepared by the time everyone is ready to devour the cookies. I used Folgers Perfect Measures coffee varieties for people to choose from and we made a couple of different pots. Everyone made their own perfect cup of coffee. Folgers Perfect Measures are little round tabs that makes making your coffee a breeze. No more scooping and measuring…just drop in a few tabs to make your favorite pot!

You can find the Folgers Perfect Measures in select cities, including Indianapolis and surrounding areas. Check for them at your local Kroger, Kmart, or Marsh! Make sure to grab this $1.50 off Folgers Perfect Measures coupon before you head to the store!!

For extra fun, I had prizes for those that made the best tasting coffee! Their prizes were containers of the new Folgers Perfect Measures coffee!!

4. Winner Winner, Cookie Dinner

A good idea is to place rows of each cookie on a large tray and then give each persons cookie a number. After everyone has sampled the cookies, have each guest anonymously “vote” for their favorite cookie by writing down the cookie number on a piece of paper and placing in a bowl or container. Whoever has the most votes is the Cookie Swap Winner!! Use something fun, like a cookie platter as a prize. TeAnna was the winner at our coffee and cookie swap with her chocolate covered peanut butter filled cookies. NOM!! Third cookie, over from the left in the photo.

(Cassie and Della were going in after the same cookie)

Cassie and Mikki are super duperly posing for this “heartwarming” cookie exchange moment. It was so funny, I had to share it. Don’t let this photo fool you….these two are a RIOT!

5. Swap Cookies…and Don’t Forget the Selfie

After the party is over, let everyone take extra cookies home. I had some extra cookie platters left over that everyone could take their swapped cookies home on. Sooo….Many….Cookies! Another great idea is to ask your guests to have their own cookie recipes handy in case other guests want to swap recipes. Ohh, and before everyone goes home…make sure to take that RIDICULOUS group selfie, or “ussie” whatever you wanna call it! Such a fun way to capture the memory!

Finally, our ridiculously fun group photo! At this point, we had consumed so much coffee and so many cookies.

Have you ever been to a Coffee and Cookie Swap Party?

4 Tips to Make Christmas Cozy This Year for Family + Give the Gift of Home

November 10, 2015 by Jenni 1,057 Comments

This post was sponsored by Air Wick as part of an Influencer Activation for Influence Central. I received complimentary products to facilitate my review.

What scents remind you of home, and the holidays? There are so many for me. Cinnamon is a big one because my mom, my sisters, and I used to make homemade ornaments each year and we’d pour cinnamon in the salt dough, like there was no tomorrow!

I’m blessed to live in the old farmhouse that I grew up in. Most folks, move away from home and only get to visit every once in awhile. Trying to find those feelings of home and comfort in a brand new place can be really hard…especially during the holidays.

When family comes, we should welcome them with things that remind them that they’re back home. Things they remember from their childhood. Scents can play SUCH a big role in that! Scents spark happy memories! Holiday scents are one of the tips I use below, to help make Christmas cozy for your family and friends this season!

4 Tips to Make Christmas Cozy This Year…

1. Smell good holiday scents.

As soon as we walk through the door, something that smells good is usually the first thing we notice! I love it when someone comes through the door and says, “Oooohhh, what’s that smell?!?!”

With scents like Spiced Apple Crumble, Snowflake Vanilla Cookie, Emerald Woodland, and Berry Cool Winter you can’t go wrong. These are from the Life Scents Collection by Air Wick. Each is available in plugin refills, Freshmatic® Auto Spray Refills as well as candle and wax melts in select fragrances, you’re sure to find something that strikes a chord no matter your home décor.

2. Pretty holiday decor.

Place a few Christmas decorations on your front porch or a wintry wreath on the door! Let some Christmas decor be the first thing they see when they arrive. This instantly puts everyone in a festive mood!

3. Christmas music.

You know it!! Everyone loves a little Christmas music! I have a couple of playlists that are my favorite. Some are just instrumental and others are the oldie classics, like Bing Crosby!

4. Holiday traditional food.

Prepare some of your family tradition food favorites. Maybe it’s grandma’s banana pudding recipe that you only make once a year. Or that fudge pecan pie that your sister in law ooohs and aaaahs over every Christmas! Or the mulled cider recipe that your mom used to make every year!

Give the Gift of Home – Sometimes It’s the Sweetest Gift of All!

Air Wick wants everyone to feel like they’re home and they’ve created this “Give The Gift of Home” video for those who are missing home the most. It’s such a heartwarming video! This video brought tears to my eyes, literally! It’s just amazing to me, how much power there is in the scents that we associate with home.

In celebration of the new Life Scents Holiday Collection, Air Wick is donating $250,000 through a portion of their profits to benefit families in partnership with Habitat for Humanity International!

The new Life Scents Collection from Air Wick smell absolutely wonderful. Each is multi-layered so you get several scents in one. The new Life Scents Collection is also the perfect way to give someone the gift of Home this holiday! If they’re missing home, choose the scents that will remind them of home the most!

What scents remind you of home?

Chocolate Peppermint Truffles | An Easy Holiday Recipe

November 2, 2015 by Jenni 1,294 Comments

This post brought to you by The Hershey Company. The content and opinions expressed below are that of Sweet Pennies From Heaven.

Chocolate Peppermint Truffles

It’s that sweet time of year. The time when the family gets together and makes yummy holiday treats! We spend hours in the kitchen, making our favorite family recipes. This year – I wanted to put a fun spin on one of our faves and I created these chocolate peppermint truffles!

Peppermint and chocolate just go together. Kinda like Lucy and Ethel. Don’tcha think?! I’m thinking Lucy is the peppermint (cause she’s a hot little number) and Ethel is the chocolate. Always consistent. Yeah.

Do you have any family traditions for the holidays? What fun family favorite recipes can you put a twist on? These chocolate peppermint truffles have been family approved, and devoured. They’re for sure a new treat tradition of ours for the holidays!

Since the holidays are the sweetest time for our family, my sister and I usually get together with a ginormous list of treats to create. We head to the grocery store, with lists in hand, and come home with bags and bags of goodies. You can’t plan on baking and treat makin’ without the time tested and ancestor approved baking products from The Hershey Company. They have stood the test of time. From the classic ingredients like Hershey’s Chocolate Chips and Hershey’s Cocoa – even to the iconic Hershey’s Kisses Chocolates.

Hershey’s products help make our treat traditions for the holidays fun and delicious! Take our lead, and let them help you start new sweet traditions with your family this year! If you’re on social media, chat about your new traditions using #NewTraditions! We’d love to see your sweet posts and photos in the kitchen!

Chocolate Peppermint Truffles Ingredients:

2 cups chocolate hazelnut spread
1/2 cup cold butter, cubed
2 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
12 oz. bag of Hershey’s Kisses Candy Cane Mint candies
12 oz. bag of Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1/4 cup shortening
crushed candy canes for dusting the tops of truffles (I used 3 candy canes)

Instructions:

1.) In a large bowl and using your hands, combine chocolate hazelnut spread, confectioners sugar, butter, and vanilla. Combine well. You want the “dough” to be able to hold together well enough to roll into a ball without crumbling. If it’s too dry, add more hazelnut spread. If it’s too moist – add more confectioners sugar.

2.) Scoop out enough dough to roll into a ball (roughly about 1 to 1 1/2 ” in diameter) using your hands. Place ball into your palm, and with your finger or thumb, press down into the ball to create a “pocket” for the Hershey’s Kisses Candy Cane Mint candies to sit into.

3.) Then press the dough up around the candies, and roll into a ball again. Lay them on a wax or parchment paper lined baking sheet.

** Tip: Have the Hershey’s Kisses Candy Cane Mint candies already opened and ready to go. It makes the process much easier. (wink)

4.) Melt the Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips according to the packages melting directions. Add shortening to the melted chocolate, and combine really well. You may need to stick back in the microwave for 15 seconds to finish melting. The shortening thins out the chocolate and adds a nice sheen to the finished product.

5.) Add candy canes to a zippered plastic bag and crush using a rolling pin. Place the candy cane dust into a shallow dish, for easy grabbing in a few minutes.

6.) Dip a truffle into the melted chocolate, using a fork. Roll it around to make sure the whole truffle is coated and then let the excess chocolate drip through the fork prongs. Use a butter knife to scoop the truffle off the fork onto another sheet of wax paper.

I have two baking sheets, so I just transfer them from one onto another. While the chocolate is still wet – sprinkle with candy cane dust. Repeat this process till all truffles are finished. Let dry on wax paper for a few hours or overnight. Yields approximately 2 and 1/2 dozen.

Storing Chocolate Peppermint Truffles:

You have a couple of options here. You can either leave out in an airtight container at room temperature or keep chilled in the refrigerator. I like them at room temp. but my husband likes them cold out of the fridge. The Hershey’s Kisses Candy Cane Mint candies stay hard when kept in the fridge. Make sure to include all of these awesome Hershey products to your shopping list to create your yummy sweet traditions:

Hershey’s Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
Hershey’s Cocoa Powder
Hershey’s Kisses Milk Chocolate chocolates in red, green, and silver foils
Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips
Heath Milk Chocolate Toffee Bits
Hershey’s Kisses Candy Cane Mint candies
Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Chips
Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Chips
Hershey’s Special Dark Cocoa Powder

What are your family holiday baking traditions?

Do you have any new traditions you’d love to create or recreate?