We've made it to day 18. It's officially time for questioning why did I ever commit to 25 days of activities and posts!? It's been mostly fun doing this Advent calendar/Christmas countdown but I'm feeling a wee bit like a South Pole elf as I'm taking food photos in the 7 am hour...

Regardless, here we are! Day 18 included making chocolate saltine bark. I'm too impatient to bake so this recipe for melting things is a winner. I made two pans: one with mint chips and chocolate chips, another with butterscotch and chocolate chips. The mint chocolate bark turned out great, while the butterscotch chocolate bark was a total bust! You'll see that we still picked at the butterscotch mess, despite it being a wreck. 

Last night we invited friends to our house and got busy testing a recipe for Christmas dinner. I learned the basics of ravioli making in Sorrento, Italy, earlier this year. Thankfully my friend Resham is an experienced dough maker and has her own pasta machine.

Last summer I found this recipe in a Bon Appetit magazine and I made it no less than 5 times! It keeps very well and tastes even better a day or two after its made. I made a double batch and it quickly became our favorite meal on a long weekend of camping. 

The grilled Halloumi cheese and fresh corn take this salad to the next level. If you're unfamiliar with Halloumi, "the grilling cheese," this is a great way to try and fall in love with it!