Quick and Easy Peppermint Fudge

This is a recipe from the Pioneer Woman.  I was looking for just a little something sweet to add to my christmas baking this year.  This did the job.  Done in minutes!  I'll make this again I am sure!

Quick and Easy Peppermint Fudge
Source:  Food Network, Ree Drummond

Ingredients
Cooking spray for spraying foil
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Red peppermint candies, crushed, for topping (I used candy canes)

Directions
Line an 8X8 in square baking pan with aluminum foil.  Spray the foil with cooking spray.

In a medium saucepan over low heat, combine the chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk and stir until it's all melted and smooth.  Pour into prepared pan and spread to even out the surface.  Sprinkle on the crushed candies.  Refrigerate for 2 hours.

Lift the foil out of the pan and peel off the fudge.  Cut into small squares.

Mimi's Breakfast Casserole

I always like to make a breakfast casserole to have for Christmas morning.  The one I had been making was a bit complicated.  I ran across this one randomly on the internet.  Not sure who Mimi's is but I liked the casserole.  Very simple to make.  Pretty good.  I'd make it again.
Serves 4

Ingredients
4 slices of bread with crusts removed
2-3 oz. shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
2-3 oz. sharp cheddar cheese
4 eggs, beaten
1 1/4 cup skim milk
1.5 - 2 oz crumbled bacon pieces

Directions
Spray a 9X9 baking dish with nonstick spray.  Cover the bottom of the dish with the bread slices
Spread the cheeses evenly over the bread.
Mix the eggs and the milk well.
Pour slowly and evenly over the bread and cheese.
Sprinkle the bacon pieces evenly over the top.
Refrigerate overnight.
In the morning, bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until cooked through and fluffy.

Appetizer Wreath

The world of Pinterest has sparked my creative interests.  Recognizing with the time I have I must also find creative things that don't require too much time....  So this recipe is perfect for upcoming Christmas Parties.  I usually make a veggie pizza at some point to take somewhere.  This little spin on the veggie pizza was perfect and very festive.

Ingredients
2 (8 oz each) tubes of refrigerated crescent rolls
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup sour cream
1 tsp dill weed
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 cups chopped fresh broccoli florets
1 cup finely chopped celery
1/2 cup finely chopped sweet red pepper
celery leaves

Directions
Remove crescent dough from packaging (do not unroll).  Cut each tube into eight slices (I'd try 10 maybe next time).  Arrange in a circle on an ungreased pizza pan.

Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown.  Cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing to a serving platter; cool completely.

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder until smooth.  Spread over wreath; top with broccoli, celery and red pepper.  Form a bow garnish with celery leaves.
Yield 16 servings.

Candy Cane Kiss Blossoms

I was looking for something fun & different for a cookie exchange.  Candy Cane Kisses - brilliant!  Festive & yummy!  I really liked these cookies and I would definetly make them again.

Candy Cane Kiss Blossoms
Yield 2 1/2 Dozen Cookies
Source Recipe Girl

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 1/4 cups butter, at room temperature
1 tsp. peppermint extract, optional
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup Candy Cane flavored Hershey Kisses finely chopped
granulated sugar
additional, unwrapped Candy Cane Kisses, about 30

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Make room in either refrigerator or freezer for your cookie sheet.

2. In large mixer bowl, combine powdered sugar, butter, extracts and egg. Beat at medium speed, scraping bowl often until creamy (2-3 minutes). In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Add to wet mixture and beat, scraping bowl often until well blended (1-2 minutes). The mixture will be a bit crumbly. Stir in chopped Kisses.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch to 1-inch balls; roll in granulated sugar. Place 1-inch apart on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set. As soon as they come out of the oven, press a Candy Cane Kiss in the center of each cookie. They'll crack a little around the edges, so just use your fingers to kind of hold the cookie together while you set the kiss inside. Put cookie sheet (with cookies) immediately into the freezer (preferred) or refrigerator so that the Kisses will set quickly. As soon as you press them into the cookie, they will begin to soften... so if you can get them into the freezer then they will keep their Kiss shape.

4. Store in a covered container- at room temperature for up to a week. In the freezer they should be ok for a couple of weeks.

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (Homemade Oreos)

Another Browneyed Baker recipe! And another hit! My husband loved these. He was mad I was taking them to a cookie exchange. Another batch may be on the horizon. The recipe was slightly time consuming but done in stages. Oreo lovers give them a try!

Chocolate Sandwich Cookies (Homemade Oreos)
Source: Brown Eyed Baker
Yields: About 3 dozen sandwich cookies

IngredientsFor the Dough:
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup Dutch-process cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the Filling: (I'd probably double this next time)
½ stick (2 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
¼ cup vegetable shortening
2 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Garnish: Decorative sugar (optional)

DIrections

1. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt.

2. Beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in yolk and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture in 3 batches just until a dough forms. Divide dough in half and form each piece into a 6-inch square, then chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, 2 to 3 hours.

3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease two baking sheets or line with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

4. Roll out 1 piece of dough between sheets of parchment paper into a 14×10-inch rectangle (1/8-inch thick). Slide dough in parchment onto a tray and freeze until dough is firm, about 10 minutes. Repeat with remaining dough.

5. Cut out as many rounds as possible from first chilled square with a 2-inch fluted or round cutter, reserving and chilling scraps, then quickly transfer cookies to a buttered baking sheet, arranging them ½ inch apart. (If dough becomes too soft, return to freezer until firm.)

6. Sprinkle half of cookies with decorative sugar (if using), then bake cookies until baked through and slightly puffed, 10 to 12 minutes. Cool on sheet on rack for 5 minutes, then transfer to rack to cool completely (cookies will crisp as they cool).

7. Make more cookies with remaining dough and scraps (re-roll only once).

8. To make the filling, beat the butter and shortening together at medium speed until combined and smooth. Reduce the speed to low and gradually beat in the sugar and vanilla. Increase the speed to high and beat for 2 to 3 minutes until the filling is light and fluffy.

9. To assemble the cookies, pipe a heaping teaspoon of filling onto the flat side of the plain cookies. Top with the sugared cookies to make sandwiches. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Peppermint Bark

I have always wanted to try to make Peppermint Bark. I knew it was easy but for some reason it always intimidated me. Well, I was intimidated for no reason ~ it was easy. And really yummy. I'll probably make every Christmas as it looks really festive ~ and tastes great too. Thanks Browneyed Baker for the recipe ~ and for some tips from my cousin Heather!

Peppermint Bark
Source: Browneyedbaker

Ingredients
1 lb dark chocolate - (1/2 semisweet & 1/2 bittersweet)
1 lb. white chocolate
6 oz. (1 regular package) candy canes, crushed

Directions
1. Melt the dark chocolate over a double boiler until smooth. Spread (with an offset spatula) in an even layer on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Place in freezer to harden, approximately 30 minutes.
2. Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler until smooth. Spread (with an offset spatula) on top of the dark chocolate layer. Working quickly before the white chocolate set, sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top and gently press into the chocolate. Refrigerate until completely hard and set, at least 2 hours.
3. Break into pieces! (I used my meat mallet)