Holiday Challenge - Making Peppermint Butter Mints

Happy Holidays! Every year since 2014 I've challenged myself to do something creative and make something I've never done before for the holiday season. 

It started when my friend Ariel shared Disneyland's recipe for Gingerbread Cookies, and I thought to myself "I've never made homemade gingerbread. I should try it!" Since then, I've been making different treats every holiday season that I've never attempted before! Things like Homemade Candy Canes (2015), Fudge (2016), Peppermint Marshmallows (2017), Figgy Pudding (2018), Eggnog (2019), A Holiday Yule Log (2020), English Toffee (2021), and Pepperidge Farm Cookies (2022). In 2023, I branched out and instead of making something to eat, I made something to wear. With some help from my mother, I learned how to sew a Santa Hat (2023), so I made a few for me and even more for the rest of the family.

This year, we're back to the tasty treats. While I was pondering what I would attempt this year, my Facebook feed must have known what I was thinking about, and showed me recipes for butter mints. Hmm. I know some butter mints are peppermint flavored, and my Dad loves (and seeks out) the soft peppermint candies.  

Oreo Coca-Cola soda and Oreo Coca-Cola sandwich cookies taste test comparison

It's time for a new Oreo cookie taste test! And not just an Oreo cookie taste test, another Coca-Cola Creations lab taste test as well, this time, flavored like Oreo cookies! How strange! But we always like trying strange and bizarre new creations. Our taste buds might not always like them, but it's still entertaining to try them!  

We also have lots of Jacob's family here, which is the perfect opportunity to try new things with a big group. 

We've tried a few things that have come out of the Coke Creations lab already. Dreamworld Coke, Starlight Coke, and Marshmello's Coke. How will this new Oreo flavored soda fare? 

And I think we've tried similar Oreos as well when we had Cherry Cola Oreos with Popping Candy. I remember liking it then. Will I like them again now? 

Celebrating Ethan graduating from college!

Today is a big day! Today we get to celebrate Ethan and his accomplishments, graduating from the University of Michigan! 

Getting into the Christmas Spirit

How do you get into the Christmas Spirit? This December, we've had plenty of ways to help us get into the holiday mood! 

Why not start out with Peppermint Milkshakes from Chick-fil-A! You can even get a Chocolate Peppermint Milkshake which is better!

Dannon Light + Fit REMIX yogurt taste test

Wandering around Meijer in Michigan, Theresa found a new yogurt offering from Dannon. It's called Light + Fit REMIX and it consists of Fat Free yogurt, but to add a little pizzazz you get some tasty mixins! 
We've done something similar when we tried the Chobani Flips. How will these compare? 

Chobani had over 20 different flavors of Flips. Checking the Dannon website it looks like there's just 3 flavors of Light + Fit REMIX. Is that right? Just 3? Well I guess we're tasting them all today! 

We have Strawberry Cheesecake, Key Lime Pie, and Brownie Sundae. 

Pineapple Infinite Swirl Mountain Dew taste test - Jupiña Pineapple soda taste test

Time for more Mountain Dew! And it's flavored with my favorite flavor! Pineapple! Not to be confused with Maui Burst Mountain Dew, Baja Flash Mountain Dew, or Tropical Sunrise Mountain Dew, which are all also flavored with Pineapple. This particular version is called Infinite Swirl Mountain Dew and is flavored with Pineapple Berry Flavor. 

Infinite Swirl Mountain Dew is also exclusive to 7-11 and I had no luck finding it at the stores I visited. Luckily Patrick was able to pick something up at the 7-11 near him!

(gotta wear the proper shorts for a taste test like this!)

And since we've already got one pineapple flavored soda, why not try out a few more? 

We've previously had Pineapple Pepsi from Little Caesars, but this year, they're selling them in bottles! 

And finally, there's Jupiña pineapple soda that we found in the international section of the grocery store. 

Holiday Toasted Peanut M&Ms taste test comparison

It's time for another special holiday treat, this time from M&M.

They change their regular candy bags to Red and Green M&Ms for the holiday, but keep the flavors the same. To go along with the Plain and Peanut M&Ms, this year they have released a Toasty Holiday Peanut flavor! 

Instead of the usual Red and Green for the holidays, the Toasty Holiday Peanut M&Ms have added Yellow to the mix. I like how they've dressed up Yellow for the holiday, both as a nut vendor and having him tangled in Christmas lights.