During the twelve days until Christmas break, the King Street Chronicle will again present staff favorites from the holiday season. This third edition will not include three french hens, but beloved Christmas songs, memories, recipes, movies, and crafts.
Song: “I’ll Be Home for Christmas,” performed by Bing Crosby.
Recipe: Peppermint Bark Brownies
Total Time:
One hour
Quantity:
16 servings
Ingredients:
One and one-fourth cups of all-purpose flour
One teaspoon of kosher salt
One-fourth cup of unsweetened cocoa powder
Two cups of chocolate chips, divided
Two cups of butter
One and one-half cups of granulated sugar
One-half cup of packed brown sugar
Five large eggs
Two teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
One and one-half cups of powdered sugar
One-half teaspoon of peppermint extract
One and one-half cups of white chocolate chips
One-half cup of crushed candy canes
Steps:
1) Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and cocoa powder.
2) Set a large heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water to create a double-boiler. Add one cup of butter and one and one-half cups of chocolate chips to the bowl. Apply heat, stirring occasionally until the chocolate and butter are completely melted and smooth. Remove the bowl from the heat, then whisk in sugars and stir until combined.
2) Add eggs one at a time, stirring well between each addition, then stir in vanilla. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture and fold in dry ingredients with a rubber spatula until just combined. Fold in remaining one-half cup of chocolate chips.
3) Pour batter into prepared pan. Bake for about 30 minutes and let cool.
4) In a large bowl using a hand mixer, beat butter, sugar, and peppermint extract until light and airy. Add white chocolate and salt, and beat until smooth.
5) Spread frosting over cooled brownies and sprinkle with crushed candy canes.
Movie: Last Christmas
“Kate is a young woman subscribed to bad decisions. Working as an elf in a year round Christmas store is not good for the wannabe singer. However, she meets Tom there. Her life takes a new turn. For Kate, it seems too good to be true,” courtesy of imdb.com.
Craft: Mason Jar Christmas Tree
Supplies:
Six glass mason jars of like-sizes
Plastic Christmas ornaments of various colors and sizes
Large jingle bells
Greenery
Shiny garland
Star tree topper
Instructions:
1) Start by filling the mason jars with Christmas ornaments, sleigh bells, and greenery.
2) Then, assemble the jars in a pyramid.
3) Finally, wrap the jars in a shiny garland and top it all off with a star.
Memory: Mrs. Celia Pashley, Assistant Director of Squash and Fitness Center, Upper School Squash Coach
“My favorite Christmas memory is from 2016. I spent it in Lake Placid with Coach [Thomas] Pashley. It had that winter wonderland Christmas feeling. It was my first snowy Christmas. Growing up on a tropical island, I always had Christmas in the middle of summer at the beach. So waking up to snow on Christmas morning was such a great memory.”
Featured Image by Leah Allen ’22