This week we tested out the homemade fall potpourri pin and
Oreo truffle balls pin. We decided to
test out the fall potpourri first so that we could hopefully enjoy its sweet
aromas.
To make this you will need:
- one whole orange or just the
orange peel
- 1/2 cup cranberries
- 1 Tbsp. whole cloves (we ended up
using ground cloves since that is what we had)
- 3 sticks of cinnamon or a small
handful of small pieces of cinnamon
- a bit of grated nutmeg if desired
To start, we poured water into a small saucepan and allowed
it to heat a little bit before we added anything to it. We then cut the orange in four pieces and
peeled it. The pin claims that you can
use just the peel or the whole orange but for aesthetics sake (and because we
felt that the peel might be a little more effective), we only used the
peel. We added the peel to the water as
well as the cranberries, cloves and cinnamon.
For this batch we did not add nutmeg.
Just so you all know, when the cranberries heat up they pop
which was not something we had expected at all.
It was startling at first but only lasted a few minutes. As this seasonal combination heats, it gives
off a wonderful aroma that literally goes everywhere. After a while we would walk from room to room
and could smell it wherever we went. You
can leave it on the lowest setting and let it do its thing. Just add more water
whenever necessary and stir occasionally just to make sure nothing sticks to
the bottom.
As we started the Oreo truffle balls we were
certainly feeling the seasonal with the spice and citrus scent wafting through
the air. We were very happy with the way
that this fall potpourri pin turned out and we will definitely be making it
again while we are home for the holidays.
Onto the Oreo truffle balls!
For this no-bake pin you will need:
- 1 (18oz.) package of Oreo cookies
- 1 (8 oz.) package of cream cheese
- 4 oz. of white, milk or dark chocolate bark
To start we put all of the Oreo cookies
into a food processor and ground them up until they were very fine. Again, we wouldn’t advise using a cheap
blender due to the fact that it doesn’t do a very good job. We ended up having to break up what the
blender couldn’t get by hand. Next, we
added melted cream cheese to the finely ground Oreo cookies and blended them
together in the blender until it was thoroughly mixed and had a dough-like
texture. Chill for 15 minutes then form
it into small bite-sized balls and place on a wax paper covered cookie sheet.
Again, chill for another 15 minutes. While
they are setting, melt the chocolate so that when the time is up you can dip
each ball into the chocolate and let set for another 30 minutes.
We jazzed up the pin a little bit by
adding melted chocolate as well as crumbled pieces of Oreo cookie to the
outside. They not only looked good but they tasted delicious too. Yet another recipe that we will be adding to our list of easy holiday
treats. They were very rich
but proved to be worth the wait in the end.
To change it up a little bit you can also buy different types of Oreo
cookies like the mint, peanut butter, birthday cake or chocolate cream filled
ones. You can also add anything to the
outside like nuts or sprinkles.
Have you
tried out this pin, what were your results? Did you do anything differently? We
want to know! Make sure to post a comment below!
- Autumn & Jenessa
To listen to our podcast from this week and weeks prior go to:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/the-truth-about-the-pin/id720732966?mt=2&ign-mpt=uo%3D4