Recipes

Okay I guess I will share my tried and true recipes for the Holidays! I am teasing a few people have asked for these in the past and I haven't given them up; because I did not want them to know how little work it was to make them. LOL!

Glazed Mint Brownies
2 squares (1 ounce each) unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup butter(no substitutes)
2 eggs
1 cup sugar
1/2 all purpose flour

Filling:
3 Tablespoons butter, softened
1 1\2 cups confectioners sugar
2 Tablespoons milk
3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
3 to 4 drops of green food coloring, optional

Glaze:
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tablespoons butter

In heavy saucepan or microwave, melt chocolate(squares) and butter. Cool slightly. In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, sugar, and flour. Stir in the chocolate mixture. Pour into a greased 9 in. square baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
In a mixing bowl combine the filling ingredients; beat until creamy. Spread over brownies.

For Glaze, melt chocolate chips and butter; stir until smooth. Spread over filling. Refrigerate until filling and glaze are set. Yield: 12-16 brownies.

Mint Sandwich cookies aka Grasshoppers
1 can of vanilla frosting (16 oz) do not use whipped
1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract
3 to 5 drops of green food coloring (optional)
72 or more Ritz crackers
1 pound of dark or semi-sweet chips
1/3 cup of grated Parowax (sealing wax)

In a bowl, combine the frosting, extract, and food coloring. Spread over half of the crackers; top with remaining crackers. Place chocolate chips in a double boiler; mix in the Parowax until smooth. ( I started using the parowax four years ago and haven't scorched chocolate since!) Dip the cookies in the chocolate and place on wax paper until the chocolate is completely set. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. (these do freeze well for a few days until you can get the rest of your baking done to make up plates to pass out...LOL)

Peanut Butter balls or cups
1 1/2 cups peanut butter
2 cups icing sugar/powdered sugar
1/4 cup butter/margarine, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup grated Parowax

1. Mix first 4 ingredients together. Shape into 1 inch balls(I sometimes use a melon baller). OR
(Put a small amount in a mini baking cup...(be sure to put a small amount of chocolate in first) then cover with chocolate. Let cool and harden)

2. Melt chocolate chips and wax in double boiler. Dip peanut butter balls, drain. Set on wax paper; let them harden and cool.

Peanut Brittle from the Betty Crocker Big Red book
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon water
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 cup water
1 cup light corn syrup
3 tablespoons butter or stick margarine
1 pound of unsalted raw peanuts ( I use about half though)

1. Heat oven to 200 degrees. Grease cookie sheets 15 1/2 X12 inches, with butter, keep warm in oven. (keeping the cookie sheets warm allows the candy to spread 1/4 inch thick without setting up) Grease long metal spatula with butter, set aside.

2. Mix baking soda, 1 tsp water and 1 tsp vanilla; set aside. Mix sugar, 1 cup water, 1 cup corn syrup in a 3 quart sauce pan. Cook over medium heat, about 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, to 240 degrees on candy thermometer or until small amount of mixture is dropped into very cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from water.

3. Stir in butter and peanuts. Cook, about 13 minutes, stirring constantly, to 300 degrees or until a small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water separates into hard, brittle threads. Immediately remove from heat. Quickly stir in baking soda mixture until light and foamy.

4. Pour half of the candy onto each cookie sheet and quickly spread about a 1/4 inch thick with buttered spatula. Cool completely at least an hour. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container.

New this year
Pretzel mint rods

I made these cute pretzel rods this year. Really easy and fun!
11oz bag of pretzel rods
white almond bark
peppermint and spearmint candies(crushed)
Put the crushed candies on wax paper so you can roll the coated pretzel in the candy.
Take white almond bark and melt in microwave. Careful not to scorch the white chocolate and stir well. Then dip a pretzel in the melted chocolate and let excess drip off. Roll coated pretzel in the candy and place on a piece of wax paper. Repeat with remaining pretzels.

Usually I make peanut butter balls but this year I decided on cups... Kids keep eating them all so I guess they are a hit... I made close to 200 of these! OH MY!

These are my chocolate chip cookies! People ask me to make them all the time! Each batch I make I give away at least 10 percent I call it my cookie tithing! Too funny!