Party Home Tour and a Recipe

I'm excited to share a couple of things with you today.  If you've read the "about me" section of this blog, you know that I am a licensed real estate agent.  Well, I just got my license in March and I did it because my sister-in-law and her family were going to be moving here and we all wanted me to get the commission.  So, we found this AMAZING 7,000 sq ft REO (bank owned) house with a huge yard and everyone fell in love.  Fast forward to a couple of weeks ago and we were invited to a Christmas party in the house.  I helped my SIL set up and she let me take some pictures. It's not a full home tour (I'll talk her into that later), but it is a tour of our party area.

Here's the entryway.  Don't you love the banister?  And the vaulted ceiling?  I do.  

(This picture is with the flash and actually more true to color -- but I'm not a huge flash fan)

 

Here is the formal living room just off of the entryway.  

Here's the kitchen.  To the back is the family room.

This is the formal dining room, also known as the dessert room.  

My contribution: Oreo truffles. Awesomeness. (recipe below)

Southern Lovely's Oreo Truffles 

Ingredients:

1 package Oreo cookies

8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature

1 bag milk chocolate chips or dipping chocolate

optional: white chocolate chips or white dipping chocolate

Directions:

Yields: 40-60 truffles

1. Using a food processor, grind cookies to a fine powder. In a medium bowl, blend cookie powder and cream cheese until thoroughly mixed (there should be no white traces of cream cheese). Refrigerate mixture for 10-15 minutes
2. Roll into small balls and place on wax-lined cookie sheet. Freeze for 15 minutes.
3. Line another cookie sheet with wax paper. In microwave melt milk chocolate for 2 ½ minutes stirring every 30 seconds. Hint: Put a small amount of shortening in your chocolate chips to make it smoother and easier to dip (or use a melting pot).
4. Using sturdy toothpicks dip balls and coat thoroughly. Lightly shake excess chocolate off. You can also lightly tap the toothpick on the side of the bowl to remove the excess chocolate. Place on wax-paper-lined cookie sheet. Remove the toothpick and cover the small hole with the melted chocolate. Hint: You may have to refreeze the balls as they cool down to make dipping them easier.
5. Store in airtight container, in refrigerator (or freezer).
6. Optional: Melt white chocolate and drizzle over truffles. Using shortening in the white chocolate chips will ensure that it will stay smooth.