Christmas Candy Bar Cookies

• 1/2 tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough, softened
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 24 miniature Snickers candy bars
• Red and green colored sugar

Directions: (you ready…..it’s REALLY hard! You better take notes!)

In a small bowl, beat cookie dough and flour until combined. Shape 1-1/2 teaspoonfuls of dough around each candy bar. Roll in colored sugar.

Place 2 in. apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks.  There you have it…the easiest, most tasty Christmas treat ever!

Christmas Peppermint Bark

1 lb. chocolate bark
1 lb. white chocolate bark
6 oz. (1 regular package) candy canes, crushed

Directions:

1. Melt the chocolate in a saucepan over low heat until smooth, stirring frequently. Spread 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 low heat until smooth, stirring frequently. Spread on top of the chocolate layer. Working quickly before the white chocolate sets, sprinkle the crushed candy canes on top and gently press into the chocolate. Refrigerate until complete hard and set, at least 2 hours.

3. Break into pieces and enjoy!

** A couple of other ways you can make this recipe:

• White chocolate bark and crushed up oreos (one of my favorites!)
• Chocolate and broken up chocolate covered toffee candy bars (like Skor or Heath bars) (my all-time favorite!)
• Chocolate and pecans/almonds

Peanut Brittle

• 1 Cup Peanuts
• 1 Cup Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Corn Syrup
• 1 tsp. Butter
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• Cooking Spray (Pam)

Directions:
Spray a 9X13 cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

This recipe is done completely in the microwave on High power. Stir sugar and corn syrup in a large microwave save bowl. Cook on High for 4 minutes. Stir in peanuts. Cook on High for 3-5 minutes. Add the butter and vanilla and blend well. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the baking soda and stir until foamy. Spread the mixture on cookie sheet and let cool for 1/2 hour (be careful…mixture is hot!). Break up with a butter knife or fork and serve.

**I plan to get a little adventurous this year and make cashew brittle. I bought some not too long ago and I really liked it. I guess you could pretty much use any nut you desire!

Peppermint Cake

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (2-layer size) chocolate cake mix (you could use any flavor)
1 pkg. (3.9 oz) Jell-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
4 eggs
1 container (8 oz) Sour Cream
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup water
4 squares Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
18 small candy canes, coarsely crushed (about 1 cup), divided
1 tub (8 oz ) Cool Whip, thawed

Directions:
Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans. Beat first 6 ingredients in large bowl with mixer on low speed just until moistened, stopping frequently to scrape side of bowl. Beat on medium speed 2 min. Stir in chopped chocolate and 2 Tbsp. crushed candy. Spoon into prepared pans.

Bake 35 to 40 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool 10 min. Loosen cakes from sides of pans with spatula or knife. Invert cakes onto wire racks; carefully remove pans. Cool completely.

Fill and frost cake with Cool Whip. Sprinkle with remaining crushed candy just before serving. Keep refrigerated.

**Red Velvet Cake would be pretty with this cake too!

Puppy Chow

• 8 Cups Chex Cereal
• 6 oz. Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 Cup Creamy Peanut Butter
• 2 Cups Powdered Sugar
• 1 Stick Margarine

Directions:

Melt peanut butter, margarine, and chocolate chips together over Med.-Low heat in saucepan, stirring constantly. Place 1/2 Chex cereal in a large bowl and pour 1/2 chocolate chip mixture over it. Then add the remaining Chex and chocolate mixture. Stir until well coated. Place in a large Zip-Loc bag with powdered sugar. Fold bag and shake well. Store in airtight container. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Pretzel Rods

These are fun to make, whatever the occasion. You can easily dress these up for Christmas by putting them in cute gift bags and tying with ribbon, using food coloring in white chocolate bark and drizzling red and green over them, using red and green sprinkles or mini M&M’s, etc. They’re always a hit!

Ingredients:
1 28 oz jar of peanut butter (creamy or crunchy, whatever you prefer)
1 pkg chocolate almond bark
1 bag of pretzel rods (about 34)
Crushed peanuts, if desired

Directions:
Melt chocolate almond bark in a saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently. Spread peanut butter on pretzel rod, spoon chocolate over it, lay on aluminum foil, sprinkle with nuts. Easy!

**There are a number of ways you can decorate these…..the crushed peanuts, you can drizzle white chocolate over them (I melt a little bit of white chocolate bark, put in a small zip-loc bag, snip a corner and drizzle), sprinkles, mini M&M, the list is endless.

Hot Spinach and Artichoke Dip

2 cups monterey jack cheese - shredded
2 cans rotel – drained
1 package frozen spinach – cooked according to pkg directions and drained
1 small jar artichoke hearts – drained and coarsely chopped
8 oz. cream cheese – room temperature
3/4 cup half & half
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp salt

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl. Pour into a shallow dish (if too thick, the top will burn before the middle gets done – I have used a pie plate and a small rectangular casserole dish). Bake at 350 for 45 - 50 minutes or until top is a light golden brown.

I prefer to serve with plain pita chips. Tortilla chips are great with it as well.