Peppermint Bark

This December I have been really into peppermint. Peppermint mochas, peppermint hot chocolates, candy canes....and so on. I wanted to add some minty flavor to my holiday baking baskets and decided that bark was going to be a perfect balance to all the soft and chewy goodies. This is so easy! You can even melt the chocolate in your microwave, just make sure to stop every 10-20 seconds to stir the chocolate to prevent burning.

Peppermint Bark
Yields: 2 pounds candy/bark, Serving Size: 4oz bark
Nutritional Info (per 4oz serving): Calories 686, Fat 36.3g, Saturated Fat 22g, Cholesterol 15.9g, Sodium 101.8mg, Carbohydrates 85g, Fiber 0g, Sugar 84.91g, Protein 7.4g

Ingredients
12-14 Crushed candy canes, (to yield 1 cup)
2 pounds white chocolate
2 -4 tsp Peppermint extract (to desired taste)

Directions
Place candy canes in a plastic bag and hammer into 1/4-inch chunks or smaller. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler. Combine candy cane chunks with chocolate (add peppermint flavoring at this point if desired.) Pour mixture onto a cookie sheet layered with parchment or waxed paper and place in the refrigerator for 45 minutes or until firm. Remove from cookie sheet and break into pieces (like peanut brittle.)

Source: Paula Deen at Food Network

Caramel Chocolate Pecan Bars

These are probably my favorite out of our Christmas Treats for our Baskets. Be careful these bars are extremely addicting!

Caramel Chocolate Pecan Bars
Recipe Yields: 36 bars, Serving Size 1 bar
Nutritional Info: Calories: 160 Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 15mg Sodium: 70mg Carbohydrates: 18g Dietary Fiber: 0g Protein: 1g

Crust Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter, softened
1 cup pecan halves
Caramel Layer Ingredients:
2/3 cup LAND O LAKES® Butter
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
Topping Ingredients:
1 cup real semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup buttersctoch chips

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Combine all crust ingredients except pecans in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until mixture resembles fine crumbs.
2. Press onto bottom of ungreased 13x9-inch baking pan. Place pecans evenly over unbaked crust.
3. Combine 2/3 cup butter and 1/2 cup brown sugar in 1-quart saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until surface of mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking, stirring constantly, 1 minute. Pour mixture evenly over pecans and crust.
4. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes or until entire caramel layer is bubbly. (DO NOT OVERBAKE.) Remove from oven. Immediately sprinkle with chocolate chips; allow to melt slightly. Swirl melted chips over bars leaving some whole for marbled effect.
5. Cool completely. Cut into 36 squares

Source: Land O' Lakes Recipes

Jeweled Thumbprint Cookies

To balance out all the chocolate and ginger in our Christmas Cookie Baskets my mom and I searched for a good cookie with some fruit filling or jam. We stumbled across these thumbprint cookies that are so good. The cookie tastes more like a shortbread that will pair well with any jam. Also, we found the best way to fill them was to use a melon baller. Use the back of the baller to push the indent back in (cookies rise/spread while baking) and use the baller to scoop the jam and set it neatly in the cookie.

Jeweled Thumbprint Cookies
Recipe yields: about 6 dozen, Serving Size: 2 cookies
Nutritional Information (will vary with different jams): 78 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 16 mg cholesterol, 39 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
1 egg yolk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fruit preserves (I usually do apricot & raspberry)

Directions:
1. In a bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in egg yolk and extract. Gradually add flour. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.
2. Roll into 3/4-in. balls. Place 1 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each ball.
3. Bake at 350° for 12-14 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. Fill with preserves.

Source: Taste of Home

Cocoa Crinkle Cookies

A cute little chocolate cookie with an extra sweet kiss from the powdered sugar.

Cocoa Crinkle Cookies
Recipe Yields: About 4 dozen cookies. Serving Size: 1 cookie
Nutrional Info: Calories 80, Saturated Fat 0.5g, Cholesterol 20mg, Sodium 55mg, Carb 11g, Sugar 6g

Ingredients:
2 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup HERSHEY'S Cocoa or HERSHEY'S SPECIAL DARK Cocoa
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Combine granulated sugar and oil in large bowl; add cocoa, beating until well blended. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir together flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to cocoa mixture, beating well.
2. Cover; refrigerate until dough is firm enough to handle, at least 6 hours.
3. Heat oven to 350°F. Grease cookie sheet. Shape dough into 1-inch balls; roll in powdered sugar to coat. Place about 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet.
4. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until almost no indentation remains when touched lightly and tops are crackled. Cool slightly. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Source: HERSHEY's Recipes

Secret Kiss Cookies

Another classic recipe from our Christmas cookie baskets. One year we found unwrapped Hershey Kisses pre-packaged for baking. That was the only time we have seen it. Ever since we go on a hunt to find those again, but the outcome is the same. We stay up till midnight unwrapping hershey kisses. :-)

Secret Kiss Cookies
Yields: about 3 dozen cookies Serving Size: 1 cookie
Nutritional Info (per cookie): Calories 132.9, Total Fat 8.7g, Saturated Fat 4.3g, Cholesterol 14.9 mg, Sodium 4.7mg, Potassium 24.4mg, Total Carbohydrate 13.6g, Dietary Fiber 0.5g, Sugars 8.4g, Protein 1.4g


Ingredients:
1 c. butter
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1 3/4 c. unsifted flour
1 c. finely chopped walnuts
1 (6 oz.) pkg. Hershey's Kisses (the almond kisses are good too)
Powdered sugar

Directions:
1. Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla in large bowl. Gradually add flour and nuts. Beat on low until well blended.
2. Chill dough for 1 hour or until firm enough to handle.
3. Mold 1 tablespoon of dough around an unwrapped Hershey's kiss and roll to make ball. Bake on an ungreased sheet (I usually line mine with parchment paper) at 375 degrees for approximately 12 minutes. While still warm, roll in powdered sugar.

Source: Hershey recipes

Chocolate Cookie Bark

My mom started making this about 2 years ago and added it to our Christmas cookie bundles. It was a huge hit and now she gets asked to make it year round.

Chocolate Cookie Bark
Serves: 14 Nutrition Information Per Serving:
Calories 190/Total fat 11 g /Saturated fat 6 g /Cholesterol 0 mg/ Sodium 60 mg/ Carbohydrate 23 g /Dietary fiber 2 g /Sugars 18 g /Protein 2 g


2 Tbsp. Peanut butter
1 pkg. (6 squares) BAKER'S White Chocolate, melted
10 OREO Cookies, crumbled, divided
1 pkg. (8 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, melted

Place semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate in separate medium microwaveable bowls. Microwave until completely melted, following directions on package. Add peanut butter to white chocolate; stir until well blended. Crumble half the cookies over chocolate in each bowl; mix well.

Drop spoonfuls of the chocolate mixtures onto wax paper-covered baking sheet, alternating the colors of the chocolates. Cut through chocolate mixtures several times with knife for marble effect.

Refrigerate at least 1 hour or until firm. Break into 14 pieces. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.

Source: Kraft Foods

Buckeyes

My mom and I make these every Christmas as a part of our huge baking assortment. These are always a favorite and their "buckeye appearance" always leaves a lasting memory.

Buckeyes
Yields: about 60 balls
Nutritional Info (per ball):Calories 94.6, Total Fat 6.3g, Saturated Fat 3.0g, Cholesterol 8.3mg, Sodium 20.6mg, Potassium 29.9mg, Total Carbohydrate 9.2g, Dietary Fiber 1.1g, Sugars 8.0g, Protein 1.4g


INGREDIENTS
3 c. Powdered Sugar
1 c. Peanut Butter
1 bag Chocolate Chips (12oz bag)Semi-Sweet
2 sticks Unsalted Butter

DIRECTIONS
1.Beat butter in mixing bowl. Add peanut butter and sugar.
2.Refrigerate dough for 1 hour.
3.Form balls on wax paper and refrigerate again (1 hour or until firm).
4.Melt chocolate chips in microwave (stirring often). Using a toothpick dip balls in chocolate. Place chocolate spot on top to cover toothpick marks.


Source: Kathy Smith

Smith Family Fudge

A staple in the Christmas Baking is this fudge! Easy to make, easier to eat!

Smith Family Fudge
Yields: 64 squares (cut pan 8x8), Serving Size: 1" square bar
Nutritional Info (per 1" square): Calories 46.8, Total Fat 2.0g, Saturated Fat 1.3g, Cholesterol 1.6mg, Sodium 6.3mg, Potassium 0.1mg, Total Carbohydrate 7.0g, Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 6.6g, Protein 0.5g


INGREDIENTS
3 c. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 can Sweetened Condensed Milk
1 ½ tsp Vanilla
Dash Salt

DIRECTIONS
1.In a saucepan melt chips and condensed milk. Add a dash of salt.
2.Take saucepan off burner. Add vanilla and stir.
3.Spread mixture in a foil lined pan (8 inch square), and refrigerate.
4.When cold and firm cut into bite sized pieces.

Source: Anne and Kathy Smith