During the 12 days until Christmas break, the King Street Chronicle again presents staff favorites from the holiday season.  This second edition will not include two turtle doves, but beloved Christmas songs, memories, recipes, movies, and crafts.

Song: “Drummer Boy” performed by Mr. Justin Bieber featuring Mr. Busta Rhymes.

Recipe: Peppermint Mocha Cookie Bars 

Total Time: Two hours and 15 minutes

Quantity: 16 

Ingredients For Cookie Bars:

White Chocolate Frosting:

• One-half cup white chocolate chips
• One-third cup heavy cream
• One-eighth teaspoon peppermint extract

Cookie Bars:

• Two tablespoons instant espresso powder
• Two tablespoons hot water
• One cup all-purpose flour
• One-fourth cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• One-half teaspoon salt
• One-half teaspoon baking soda
• One-half teaspoon baking powder
• One-half cup unsalted butter, softened 
• One-half cup white sugar
• One-fourth cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• One large egg, at room temperature
• One and one-half teaspoons vanilla extract
• One-half teaspoon peppermint extract
• One-half cup dark chocolate chips
• One-fourth cup finely crushed peppermint candy canes, plus more for decorating

Steps:

• Place white chocolate chips, heavy cream, and one-eighth teaspoon peppermint extract into a microwave-safe bowl.  Microwave at fifty percent power in thirty second intervals, stirring after each interval, until melted and combined.  Place mixture, uncovered, in the refrigerator until completely chilled, about one hour.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius).  Line an 8×8-inch square pan with enough parchment paper to have overhang on all sides.
• In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir espresso powder and hot water together until dissolved.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder until thoroughly combined.
• Beat butter, white sugar, and brown sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.  Add in egg and beat until thoroughly combined.  Add in espresso mixture, vanilla extract, and one-half teaspoon peppermint extract and mix until combined.  Pour in half of the flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Add in the remaining flour mixture and mix until just combined and dough is somewhat thick.  Stir in chocolate chips and crushed candy canes.  Spread dough into the prepared pan in an even layer.
• Bake in the preheated oven until the bars look just set, 25 to 30 minutes.  Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely in the pan, about 30 minutes.
• Remove chilled white chocolate mixture from the fridge.  Whip on medium-high speed with an electric mixer until mixture holds stiff peaks.  Spread white chocolate frosting in a thin even layer over the top of the cooled bars and sprinkle with additional crushed candy canes.  Cut into 16 bars.

Movie:  The Christmas Chronicles

“Siblings Kate and Teddy Pierce hatch a scheme to capture Santa Claus on Christmas Eve.  When the plan goes awry, the kids join forces with a somewhat jolly Saint Nick and his loyal elves to save the holiday before it’s too late,” courtesy of rottentomatoes.com

Craft: Yarn Trees

Supplies: 

• Ball of yarn
• Hot glue
• Fabric

Instructions: 

• Holding hands flat, wrap green yarn around four fingers 15 times.  Slip the loops off the four fingers and use a piece of yarn to tie the loops together.  Repeat, wrapping the yarn around three fingers and then around two fingers, so that there are a total of three loops of yarn.
• Cut the loops opposite of where they are tied.
• Lay the largest group of yarn flat on a work surface.  Place the middle-size grouping on top of it, going the opposite direction, and glue it in place.
• Place the smallest tassel on top of the middle tassel, going in the opposite direction, and glue it in place.
• Cut stars and ornaments from fabric and glue to the front of the tree.  Glue a loop of yarn to the top for hanging.

Memory: Ms. Sarah Caro

“Before my grandmother passed, she hosted Nochebuena at her house every year.  Her home was our holiday hub that brought all of my family who lived in different pockets of the States together.  We would play classic Christmas songs on her vintage radio, and she would cook a Puerto Rican feast as everyone else gathered in her living room, exchanging old stories.  My grandmother would call me into the kitchen each year to be her secret “taste-tester” to try the pernil before everyone else would eat.  It was a running joke within our small family and one of my favorite recurring tender moments with her.  She is the reason Christmas is my favorite holiday.”

Featured Image by Eloise Liggitt ’26