Quick & Easy Christmas treats - *UPDATED* - compiled recipes - Page 53

[Donnaksmj]

You guys have the best ideas...thanks

[KLAIT]

Just made the white chocolate popcorn...Oh my goodness, it is gooood. When I dumped the popcorn onto the wax paper, I sprinkled with Christmas sprinkles and sort of lightly pressed them in..makes them look very festive.

Don't know a recipe that is any easier than this and it is also very cheap. I plan to make several more batches. This was my tester batch and will bring to work tomorrow, will make a batch for my sons school party and will also make a batch for my Christmas Day company...Woo Hoo...Thanks a million!

[grlpwrd]

I'm not making these this year, but I recall colored snack popcorn as a favorite snack and gift in Hawaii (they come in bags, not in ball-form) so I went hunting in online archives of the local newspaper:

Rainbow Popcorn

5 to 6 cups freshly popped popcorn
1 tablespoon butter (not margarine)
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Food coloring of choice (use red for one batch and green for another for a Christmas theme)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Place popcorn in a shallow pan and place in oven to keep warm.

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and add sugar, water and salt; stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil about 20 minutes, until syrup just begins to color (about 275 degrees on a candy thermometer; hardball stage). Watch syrup carefully once it reaches 250 degrees; it will darken quickly if it gets too hot. To test: Syrup should form a firm ball when dropped into cold water.

Add vanilla and food coloring. Stir well. Pour in a stream over warm popcorn and quickly stir to coat each piece. Pour popcorn onto a sheet of baking parchment paper and separate each kernel. Be careful; syrup will be hot. Coating will harden as popcorn cools. Store in an airtight container.

Nutritional information unavailable.

Clean-up tip: Soak syrup pot, popcorn pan and utensils in water after use. When the syrup cools it will harden stubbornly onto any surface. After a good soak, though, you can just rinse it out; no scrubbing.

Other notes by the chef: The technique here is to make a sugar syrup, color it and use it to coat the popcorn. Vigilance is the key: Undercook the syrup and it won't do the job; overcook it and it will become too dark and hard.

[The chef's] tip is to keep the popcorn warm in the oven while the syrup is under way. This makes the popcorn easier to coat and keeps it from cooling faster than you can separate the kernels - so you don't end up with popcorn balls.

Depending on how accomplished you are with the syrup, the sugar coating on your popcorn may get a bit grainy as the popcorn sits, so it won't quite match the store-bought variety. "Who cares?" my daughter, the snack food queen, said. "It tastes exactly the same."

Here's a pic of some made for Halloween:

http://image.inkfrog.com/pix/grlpwrd/art1b.jpg

:wizard:

[momto2]

My Grandmother called this "White Trash"

1 bag white morsels
pretzel sticks (I break them in 1/2)
cocktail peanuts

Melt the white chips. Mix in the pretzels and peanuts. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper and let harden. So yummy!!!

Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

You do mean the little sticks, right? Do you melt the chips in the micro? Also How many does this make? Thanks so much.
Merry Christmas!

[Disney_1derland]

Just improvised a batch of my version of the white chocolate popcorn, it's AMAZING! I mixed the popcorn with rice chex, nuts and chocolate chips. I poured the white chocolate over it and mixed it and spread it on the wax paper and cooled it. Then I drizzled dark chocolate over the top of one batch and caramel over another.

YUM YUM YUM! Thanks for a great suggestion that has so many variations I can hardly wait to change it for every holiday! Taking it to coworkers today so I'm expecting rave reviews! :teeth:

[threeboysmom]

Oh my! I just made the toffee bars with the saltine crackers yesterday. SOOOOOO delicious! And incredibly EASY to make. I agree with whoever said these are addictive! YIKES!! Trying to find someone to give them to because I don't want my family (meaning me!) eating an entire cup of butter and cup of sugar in such a short time! We ate about half the pan yesterday until I covered them and hid them away! LOL!

[duckyfordonald]

Just improvised a batch of my version of the white chocolate popcorn, it's AMAZING! I mixed the popcorn with rice chex, nuts and chocolate chips. I poured the white chocolate over it and mixed it and spread it on the wax paper and cooled it. Then I drizzled dark chocolate over the top of one batch and caramel over another.

YUM YUM YUM! Thanks for a great suggestion that has so many variations I can hardly wait to change it for every holiday! Taking it to coworkers today so I'm expecting rave reviews! :teeth:


What type of caramel did you use? Did you melt caramel pieces or use caramel topping or something else? This sounds very yummy! :flower:

[Grumpy's Gal]

a question about the choc covered popcorn -- when you stir it - doesn't the popcorn all break apart?

[sanilacjack]

but all of you seem like great bakers.

I had a recipe for a bar type cookie that called for a crust made with a white or vanilla cake mix. It was so easy. Add a couple of items for the mix flatten in a 9x13 pan, add toppings and bake.

I lost the recipe and can't remember what to add to the cake mix.

Anyone have this recipe?

Many thanks-
Kim

PS Great gift ideas.....much appreciated!!

[mommy2emmersNmo]

a question about the choc covered popcorn -- when you stir it - doesn't the popcorn all break apart?

It does break apart a little but it also sticks together when it cools.

[KLAIT]

With the chocolate popcorn, I folded it in gently with a spatula...not much break apart at all.

I brought a batch into work today and you would have thought I slaved over a hot oven all night by the reaction of these people. Gone in about 10 minutes at 8 in the am!

[barbeml]

Oh my! I just made the toffee bars with the saltine crackers yesterday. SOOOOOO delicious! And incredibly EASY to make. I agree with whoever said these are addictive! YIKES!! Trying to find someone to give them to because I don't want my family (meaning me!) eating an entire cup of butter and cup of sugar in such a short time! We ate about half the pan yesterday until I covered them and hid them away! LOL!

LOL!! It is a dangerous time of year!

[d4est]

For those who have made the pretzel wreaths...how long did they take to set? I made all I could from a bag of hugs. Then I moved on to the choc covered popcorn (2 batches). The choc wreaths are still soft. Just curious.

I tried a little of both. VERY YUMMY!

[bengalbelle]

For those who have made the pretzel wreaths...how long did they take to set? I made all I could from a bag of hugs. Then I moved on to the choc covered popcorn (2 batches). The choc wreaths are still soft. Just curious.

I tried a little of both. VERY YUMMY!
My first batch was still a little soft after being in the refrigerator about 15-20 minutes, but they did set overnight.

My second batch was set when I took them out of the fridge.

[Minnie116]

These are my families favorites and have become my signiture at parties. ....I just made15 dz. last night for a Christmas Shop at DD's school..
To make it even easier, I bake the PB Cup with the cookie. They taste exactly the same...Also, another hint. If you don't have a cookie press to make the indentation, the cap from a water bottle works great, just the right size. And to avoid the cookie dough sticking to whatever your pressing with dip it in flour after every couple of uses.
Thank you to everyone for all these great ideas. My Girl Scout troop is going to have a field day next week making treats for their families.


We don't even make an indentation, we use mini muffin cups lined with candy papers, then as soon as they come out of the oven, we just push the peanut butter cup right into the hot cookie.

[jennafo3]

Question regarding the chocolate popcorn - what kind of microwave popcorn has everyone used? I just got home from the store with the almond bark and realized that I only have movie theatre butter popcorn and kettle corn... would these work???? REALLY don't want to have to go out again!!

Thanks!

[Donnaksmj]

where do you find almond bark....I have never heard of it....I tried stop and shop and walmart today and no luck.

[jennafo3]

What I found at walmart, was called "almond bark" - was next to the choc chips - but it seems to me to be just a big "hunk" of chocolate... you have to add the almonds to it yourself. I got 12 oz for about $1.50 - they had choc and vanilla

[dragonfly18]

These are so good, I have actually had people offer to pay me to make them for them. They are so easy though, I couldn't accept.

Spread peanut butter on a Townhous Cracker and put another one on top to make a sandwich. Dip and coat in melted White Almond Bark (can be melted in microwave). Set on wax paper to harden.

These will become some of your favorite cookies!!!

[Imzadi]

These are so good, I have actually had people offer to pay me to make them for them. They are so easy though, I couldn't accept.
Are you kidding? If people are willing to pay you to do it, it could be the start of a little mini side business for you. :cool1: One that wouldn't take much time at all to do. Just get some celophane bags or the colored Reynolds Plastic Wrap & a ribbon to tie the goodies up with. Between that recipe and a few of the other simple ones off this thread, you can have a "Simple Treats" business or something. :cheer2:

Remember, not everyone wants or has the time to do it themselves. I remember someone at a crafts fair hung up a sign that read: "Sure you could make it yourself. But WILL you?" Sold quite a bit of items when people actually realized, No, they wouldn't do it themselves.

Smaller businesses have started out with simpler ideas, like the "Chip Clip."

[Imzadi]

Dump bag of popcorn into bowl of melted almond bark and stir until the popcorn is covered. Pour over wax paper to harden and then break apart and put into clear gift bags with beautiful ribbon and your teachers will think you've gone gourmet on them!!! :teeth:
Okay, I can't picture this done. Maybe I just have to do it. :rotfl: How much do you spread out the chocolate popcorn & how much do you break it up? Do you flatten it out into a sheet, like the original bark or like chunky peanut brittle & break it up into smaller sheets? Or do you leave it kind of fluffy & break it up so it come out looking like caramel corn?

Also what's considered 1/2 of pkg almond bark? I thought the bark came in various size chunks. Can you have too much chocolate? :confused3

[cstraub]

Subscribing for later. Baking tom.

[d4est]

Okay, I can't picture this done. Maybe I just have to do it. :rotfl: How much do you spread out the chocolate popcorn & how much do you break it up? Do you flatten it out into a sheet, like the original bark or like chunky peanut brittle & break it up into smaller sheets? Or do you leave it kind of fluffy & break it up so it come out looking like caramel corn?

Also what's considered 1/2 of pkg almond bark? I thought the bark came in various size chunks. Can you have too much chocolate? :confused3
I didn't spread it out "all the way." I left it kinda thick. It broke up easily, into nice sized "chunks."

The almond bark I used (from walmart) was like a giant chocolate bar, like how a hershey bar has places (lines?) to break it. I just broke it directly in half. I made two batches.

I used butter flavor microwave popcorn...boy scouts brand. (DS is a Wolf scout, we have plenty)

[gemjoy]

I made the white chocolate popcorn last night...... and I melted a huge symphony bar with the toffee in it and drizzled it on top of the popcorn once it was spread out on wax paper ~ OMG!!! It is to die for and looks totally beautiful! I put it in clear cellophane bags and tied them with a cranberry colored organza ribbon with gold trim ~ I would actually pay good money for these if I saw them in the store!!! And soooo easy and inexpensive too! I also used the trails end (boy scouts) butter flavored popcorn and got the huge symphony bars at big lots for .99!!!! Yeah! Thanks for the great recipes everyone!!! Happy Holidays!!

[Queen of 3 princess]

I tryed several of these easy recipes. My families favorite was the pretzel wreaths. My kids couldn't get enough of them. They were the easy thing I have ever made. I used parchment paper instead of foil because thats what I had on hand. I also let the pan cool but noticed that they weren't hardening so I put the whole pan in the freezer for a couple of minutes and they hardened right up. Thank you all the for great recipes.

[bengalbelle]

I wish all of you who still have Boy Scout popcorn would stop talking about it. You're killing me!!! :teeth: I just tried it for the first time this year and it's the best popcorn I've ever had. I wish I could get more now.

I'm going to try the popcorn recipe today.

[luvmy2sams]

For those of you suffering from fireplace withdrawal....

large marshmallows
chocolate almond bark
crushed graham crackers

Melt almond bark and dip marshmallow (using a toothpick) until completely coated. Roll in graham crackers and let harden on wax paper. They're yummy!

Subscribing to this great thread finally...

[Goofy Mom]

Wow, First time here and there are SO many great things that I want to try.
They all sound so Yummy!!!
Just a quick tip I found last night when dipping pretzel rods until 11:30 PM so I could bag them up and put them in pretty tins for school gifts.
Anyways, I tried for the first time using paper dipping containers that you can microwave the chips in. Think I paid $1.69 for them at AC Moore for a pack of four. They were wonderful as they made cleanup so easy. Believe me, I did not want to wash out dishes so late last evening. Just tought I'd add my two cents in should it help anyone at such a busy time of year.

[Tinkerbell_Girl]

Thanks for all the great and yummy recipes! Me, MIL AND SIL'S are going to have a baking day on Sat. and I want to try the white chocolate popcorn! But I have a question- How much of the white choc. do you need? How many ounces?

[Imzadi]

I made the white chocolate popcorn last night...... and I melted a huge symphony bar with the toffee in it and drizzled it on top of the popcorn once it was spread out on wax paper ~ OMG!!! It is to die for and looks totally beautiful! I put it in clear cellophane bags and tied them with a cranberry colored organza ribbon with gold trim ~ I would actually pay good money for these if I saw them in the store!!! And soooo easy and inexpensive too!Just improvised a batch of my version of the white chocolate popcorn, it's AMAZING! I mixed the popcorn with rice chex, nuts and chocolate chips. I poured the white chocolate over it and mixed it and spread it on the wax paper and cooled it. Then I drizzled dark chocolate over the top of one batch and caramel over another.

You guys are killing me with these descriptions! :goodvibes I sell my handmade pottery at craft fairs. I've often wanted something simple to make & bag & leave out on display in one of my big pasta serving bowls. Some fairs, it's hard to simply make back the booth fee - and nervewracking and depressing at that. :rolleyes:

These sound so simply, inexpensive to do the night before, yet unusual to buy, that they sound like they'd be snapped up in a jiffy & would help cover the booth fee!

I think I'll try these, the "smores marshmallows" luvmy2sams posted above & another simple treat for variety. :Pinkbounc

And if you see me at any fairs, do NOT give away how easy these recipes are! :teeth: :rolleyes1

Also, if you coupon, ACT II popcorn often has coupons out. Walgreen's has sales for it every few months, making the popcorn nearly free! :cool1:

[Imzadi]

Anyone know where to get the white chocolate almond bark in Manhattan, NY? We don't have a Walmart here in the city.

[txgirl]

How much of the white choc. do you need? How many ounces?

1/2 a block per 1 bag of popcorn

Yummy!

[alikat99]

OK, I had my mom pick up almond bark at Walmart today. I just made the white chocolate popcorn and it's cooling, but boy is it tasty!!! (and easy!!!)

[msdznyduck]

I couldn't find the chocolate bark, but we have a Rag Shop that has a section of candymaking supplies. You can get a pound of Wilton's chocolate melts for $1.99. I used Orville's movie theatre butter popcorn. (Costco...probably could have used cheaper kinds.) I used 2 bags of popcorn per pound of melts. I have a large stainless steel mixing bowl, that I put in a pot of water, since I don't have luck melting chocolate in the microwave....it always seems to scorch. Anyway....I have made about 20 batches, and finally am done. BIG HIT!!
I also made some milk chocolate, but liked the white better....the white goes great with the buttery popcorn.

Thanks again for such a great idea.

[Deesknee]

just subscribing. Yummy.

[ntink]

We had our brownie troop over yesterday to do the Make It/Eat It Try-It. From the book we made baked apples & fruit punch and from this board we made pretzel wreaths, butterscotch haystacks (my favorite) and peanut butter surprise cookies (sugar cookie dough with a mini pb cup inside). Thanks for the great recipes everyone!! We all had a great time and each girl was able to take home a tin of treats for their families.

[Imzadi]

peanut butter surprise cookies (sugar cookie dough with a mini pb cup inside).
How do you get the cookies to lie flat? Or do they flatten out during baking? :scratchin

[ntink]

They flatten out during baking. I flattened a piece of dough then put a mini pb cup in the middle, covered it with the dough and rolled it into a ball. I forgot to add that as soon as the cookies came out of the oven, we sprinkled them with chocolate shaving but you could sprinkle with powdered sugar and/or drizzle on melted chocolate.

[Imzadi]

They flatten out during baking. I flattened a piece of dough then put a mini pb cup in the middle, covered it with the dough and rolled it into a ball. I forgot to add that as soon as the cookies came out of the oven, we sprinkled them with chocolate shaving but you could sprinkle with powdered sugar and/or drizzle on melted chocolate.
Thanks. I'm snipping this and adding it to the Cookies from Cake Mix! (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=681495) thread. :cool1:

[msdznyduck]

Thanks txgirl...........now that I have made about 20 batches of white chocolate covered popcorn (and eaten at least 3 by myself). The puter is on the dining room table, and the bag of 'our' popcorn is just sitting there saying........"here I am". It's so hard to resist !

[rie'smom]

Thanks everyone for all the recipes. I made the 2 ingredient fudge, the graham cracker toffee, the peppermint bark, the ritz cracker sandwiches dipped in both white and regular chocolate, the pretzel wreaths, the white chocolate popcorn, the crushed oreo balls(in red chocolate),the coconut macaroons, the condensed milk fudge and the peanut butter cookies wrapped around the mini reese's cups-whew! I did this because I hosted my annual Christmas coffee. Everyone raved and was very impressed. They also got a huge kick because I've always been voted most likely not to need a kitchen appliance. My friends tease me and say the only appliance I need in the kitchen is a telephone. :rotfl: Merry Christmas everybody!!!

[txgirl]

Thanks txgirl...........now that I have made about 20 batches of white chocolate covered popcorn (and eaten at least 3 by myself). The puter is on the dining room table, and the bag of 'our' popcorn is just sitting there saying........"here I am". It's so hard to resist !

Your quite welcome! I'm so glad it has been loved as much as it is here. I have a big platter with pretzels and the oh' so easy fudge out on the counter and everyone is making themselves sick eating it! :rotfl2: I LOVE IT! My goal is to help everyone put on the extra 5 that I put on two weeks ago when I started this baking frenzy!!! :goodvibes

[kuusimo]

Thought I would post here- went to Super Target today and in the grocery section they were clearancing almond bark. 1 1/4 pounds (20 oz) for 37 cents. I bought 62 for $22.92. :banana: I bought some for my mom as well, but I am going to seal it and save it for next year, and probably the year after that. With all of these recipes to try we may use it throughout the year too! :cool1:

[marthachick]

Could you freeze it to keep it longer? I wondered. Also, if you want, you could make valentine's candy. There are lots of candy molds you could use. Even Halloween, & other holidays.

[kuusimo]

You could freeze it, but between my two freezers though I don't have enough room for that much chocolate. I had thought about Valentines day. I also have an egg mold that I could do a chocolate egg with flowers on it. It acts as a candy dish, so you can put kisses or jelly beans inside. Make a very cute gift. My boys love chocolate, so I don't think using it will be a problem. Eating it will be the problem!

[Suz D]

I'm just bumping this because it was such a fun thread. Anyone have any other ideas to contribute? We like treats year 'round.

[Tiinkerbelle]

I know this thread is old but the food looks so good!

Have any of you tried to make the desserts from the Disney cooking book volume 2? It's beyond words! I'll have to try it for Christmas :) a special time.

[MerryPoppins]

These all sound so good. I'll try to find something to add.

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

subscribing...! :wave:

[dbogen]

This is great why didn't I find this last holiday season. Well lets call it Christmas in July, just what I need with a prediction of close to 100 tomorrow.

Thanks to Imzadi on the CB for mentioning it.

Deanna :bored: :cat:

[jenr812]

Oh my this thread looks incredible. I love Christmas treats - it is a huge production in our home to do our Christmas baking :) I can't wait til I have some time to read through this thread. Thanks to all who have brought it back up!

[merekc]

I just glanced through the thread so I'm sorry if this is a duplicate.

I take this dessert everywhere. It is so easy to make and very delicious. I've even been proposed to because of it (unfortunately, I am already married). :rotfl:

Bake one plain brownie and let it cool. Make 2-3 boxes of instant chocolate pudding (I typically only need 2).

Layer them in a triffle bowl (about $10 at Walmart or Target) or a deep dish. Put a layer of crumbled brownie, a layer of pudding, 1/3 of a cool whip and 1/3 of a package of toffee chips (Heath or whatever). Do these layers three times.

It is delicious.

[Imzadi]

Death by Chocolate Triffle

I just glanced through the thread so I'm sorry if this is a duplicate.

I take this dessert everywhere. It is so easy to make and very delicious. I've even been proposed to because of it (unfortunately, I am already married). :rotfl:

Bake one plain brownie and let it cool. Make 2-3 boxes of instant chocolate pudding (I typically only need 2).

Layer them in a triffle bowl (about $10 at Walmart or Target) or a deep dish. Put a layer of crumbled brownie, a layer of pudding, 1/3 of a cool whip and 1/3 of a package of toffee chips (Heath or whatever). Do these layers three times.

It is delicious.

I'd say this is appropriately named! Death by Chocolate Triffle It sounds yummy. :goodvibes

As raspberry chocolate trifle is one of my favorite desserts, I'd add a layer of raspberry preserves! :banana:

Also, I just discovered canned pie fillings, so any flavor would make a great layer for those who want an added layer of fruit. :thumbsup2

[Belle2667]

Chili and Cheese dip
Spread 1 8oz package of cream cheese in the bottom of a 8x8 cake pan.
Spread 1 can of Hormel chili on the top
Sprinkle shredded chedder chhes over that and bake at 350 until bubbly and cheese is melted...I think about 15 minutes.
Dip tortilla chips into this and enjoy.


I take this one step further. I mix 1 packet of taco seasoning into the cream cheese before spreading it on a platter. I always have these ingredients on hand in case of impromptu get-togethers!! YUM!!

[leaannk]

Just subscribing.

These ideas sound great!

[finz2left]

We love making peppermint bark and then substituting the bark for chocolate chips in cookies. DECADENT and easy!

[jacksmom]

I am really enjoying all of these ideas! :wizard: I like to take pretzel rods and dip in white choc. bark about 2/3 way up and roll in red and green sugars or crushed peppermints! They are pretty and festive! :rotfl: I have also dipped in choc. and rolled in nuts! Both ways are really good! :banana:

[bear74]

Bumping as we are getting closer to this time of year.

[mrp4352]

someone was asking for punch recipes (ok, so they were asking last December and here it is Sept, but better late than never!!).

equal parts sprite and white grape juice, then add a colored juice to make it pretty. We use this regularly, cran-apple makes a beautiful blush colored punch (movie quote: "My colors are blush and bashful."), but you could also use blue kool-aid for a baby boy shower.

Also, for crafty people, peanut butter cup Christmas Trees are super easy.

The bottom of the tree is a wrapped Rolo, topped with 3 upside down wrapped mini Reece's Peanut Butter Cups, topped with one right side up wrapped Kiss - just use a little glue to hold them all together.

(just thinking aloud here: you could probably unwrap everything and use chocolate to hold them together, then 'decorate' with colored melted chocolate, sprinkles, etc. But I haven't ever tried it...)

OK - I'm about to break out the Christmas music!!!!

[jenr812]

I just love this thread. I am starting to get excited for Christmas ;) Especially since almost all of my shopping is already done!!! :Pinkbounc More time to focus on the important stuff!

[hollyb]

Tammy - what a great idea to use the candy wafers. The Hershey Hugs can get pretty expensive, and unwrapping them takes forever (and if I ask for help, my helpers eat about 1/2 of the Hugs). I will be using the candy wafers from now on. Thanks for this tip!


GREAT idea!!!!!! :banana: :thumbsup2 It takes forever to unwrap all the kisses.

[tinytink]

everything sounds really good. For the chocolate covered pretzel rods you could try the ice cream topping that hardens when it is exposed to cold or air. This saves time on the melting just pour over the pretzel rod. good luck and happy cooking

[run4me]

Thanks for the ideas :thumbsup2 :yay:

[bevtoy]

I just glanced through the thread so I'm sorry if this is a duplicate.

I take this dessert everywhere. It is so easy to make and very delicious. I've even been proposed to because of it (unfortunately, I am already married). :rotfl:

Bake one plain brownie and let it cool. Make 2-3 boxes of instant chocolate pudding (I typically only need 2).

Layer them in a triffle bowl (about $10 at Walmart or Target) or a deep dish. Put a layer of crumbled brownie, a layer of pudding, 1/3 of a cool whip and 1/3 of a package of toffee chips (Heath or whatever). Do these layers three times.

It is delicious.
We make this too, its a family favorite that we take to carry in meals at church. Delicious is right!:cool1:

[dbogen]

Did anybody else notice that in the back of the new Kraft Food magazine is the recipe for the oreo truffle things. Now I really have to make them. Thanks for all the goodies.

Deanna :bored: :cat:

[mommybear318]

yyyuuuummmmmyyyyyy!!! Subscribing!!

[mommybear318]

thanks guys!! My dh is a police officer so these are great ideas to make up to give to all his coworkers w/ out spending an absolute fortune and trying to pick out something that they would like!!!! Keep them coming!!! Im also having the kids make up the Cinnamon/Applesauce ornaments to put in a gift basket to go along w/ alot of these goodies!!!


Can you share your recipe please? I tried in the past, but the recipe I used did not work well.

[kellypooh]

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Squares

2 tubes (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar DIVIDED
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Unroll 1 tube of crescent rolls and place dough in a lightly greased 13x9 pan. With finger tips, press the seams and perforations together to seal. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over dough in pan.

Unroll remaining tube of crescent rolls and place over cream cheese mixture, stretching to fit. Brush melted butter over top. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool. Cut in squares.

I have changed these up sometimes by spreading a can of pie filling between the cream cheese layer and top layer of dough. We've tried apple, cherry and blueberry -- all are yummy!

[rie'smom]

I just glanced through the thread so I'm sorry if this is a duplicate.

I take this dessert everywhere. It is so easy to make and very delicious. I've even been proposed to because of it (unfortunately, I am already married). :rotfl:

Bake one plain brownie and let it cool. Make 2-3 boxes of instant chocolate pudding (I typically only need 2).

Layer them in a triffle bowl (about $10 at Walmart or Target) or a deep dish. Put a layer of crumbled brownie, a layer of pudding, 1/3 of a cool whip and 1/3 of a package of toffee chips (Heath or whatever). Do these layers three times.

It is delicious.


We make this but add caramel ice cream topping sauce and Hershey's cocoa fudge icing as layers. It's really good if you heat the caramel and drizzle on top.

[katymae]

I'm gonna print like heck!! What a great post! :thumbsup2

[tinkerbell13]

I did not read through all twenty-something pages, so sorry if this is a repeat.

Take popcorn-any kind, microwave or make it yourself(but make sure to salt it)I prefer the microwaved, and the colored candy-melts, melt them and pour over the popcorn and stir! Let harden on wax paper. I do red and green for Christmas and orange for Halloween. Yummy combo of salty and sweet.

[louey]

great ideas, subscribing :)

[Kimkimba]

Subscribing so I can find these yummy treats!

[DisneyObsession]

Yummy mix...

1 cup m&m's
1 cup peanuts
1 cup pretzel sticks
1 cup Crispix cereal
1 cup rice chex
1 cup wheat chex
1 bag white chocolate chips

Melt choc chips in bowl in microwave - stir in stuff and mix well. Drop by teaspoon-fulls on wax paper or even just spread it out and let it harden. Break into pieces and you're done! My kids FAVORITE!


I have a friend who makes this every year at Christmas and she calls it "White Trash". Don't know where she got the name, but it is delicious!
:hippie:

[kritter]

subscribing..thanks.........

[CajunDixie]

I didn't read all the way through. :blush: But the other day I saw a recipe for basically Peanut Butter Rice Crispy Squares. All they did was add 1/2 c. Jif Creamy PB to the butter/marshmallow step after you remove it from the stovetop.

[twingle3]

great thread. just watned to subscribe and start getting ready for the baking season.

[KDIPIAZZ]

subscribing too - never too early to start thinking about goodies

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

Can you share your recipe please? I tried in the past, but the recipe I used did not work well.

Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

I've never made these; in fact I didn't even know what they were. I found this link after doing a search. The link has 4 different recipes. If anyone makes them, I'd love to hear how they turn out.

http://www.handmadecountry.com/ezine/cinnamon.html

[MerryPoppins]

I used the recipe with glue to make applesauce ornaments with Cub Scouts a few years ago. It was pretty easy and we didn't have any problems. Hope that helps. When dry, these smell really good.

[Karalynn]

Cinnamon Applesauce Ornaments

I've never made these; in fact I didn't even know what they were. I found this link after doing a search. The link has 4 different recipes. If anyone makes them, I'd love to hear how they turn out.

http://www.handmadecountry.com/ezine/cinnamon.html


My daughters pre-school class did this for our gifts. They did different shapes and tied ribbon thru a hole to hang. I still have them, and I think they still smell good, we'll have to see. ;)

[mommy2emmersNmo]

Cinnamon Cream Cheese Squares

2 tubes (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar DIVIDED
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Unroll 1 tube of crescent rolls and place dough in a lightly greased 13x9 pan. With finger tips, press the seams and perforations together to seal. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over dough in pan.

Unroll remaining tube of crescent rolls and place over cream cheese mixture, stretching to fit. Brush melted butter over top. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool. Cut in squares.

I have changed these up sometimes by spreading a can of pie filling between the cream cheese layer and top layer of dough. We've tried apple, cherry and blueberry -- all are yummy!

These are too die for! So yummy and pretty easy to make. :thumbsup2

[ckmommy]

I can't believe no one has posted this yet and it is soooo easy.

One bag microwave popcorn
1/2 of pkg almond bark

Cook popcorn and make sure you remove all the uncooked kernels. Melt white almond bark in large bowl (I do this in 45 second intervals so as to not scorch)

Dump bag of popcorn into bowl of melted almond bark and stir until the popcorn is covered. Pour over wax paper to harden and then break apart and put into clear gift bags with beautiful ribbon and your teachers will think you've gone gourmet on them!!! :teeth:

Seriously I hate giving this recipe out to people who I have given the popcorn to because I feel like I've cheated or something! It is sooo incredibly yummy and as far as almond bark is concerned it's much cheaper and the taste is wonderful. I keep these items on hand ALL the time so I can whip up a quick batch for church, school, kids, etc. You can sprinkle with colored christmas sprinkles and make it really festive!


A variation of this:

Maui Corn

Add toasted coconut and macadamia nuts to the popcorn and chocolate. I think it is heaven--but full of calories!!

[Breakfast@Tiffany's]

What did I do wrong? After reading all the reviews about how good the chocolate covered popcorn is, I thought I would try making it, you know, give it a "test run" before making it as gifts this holiday, and I wasn't happy with the flavor at all! Granted, it's chocolate, so obviously it was edible (lol), but I wanted the salty/sweet combo to be more distinct. It tasted more like I was eating a Hershey's miniature. I used half a bag of chocolate chips to one bag of microwave popcorn and the popcorn wasn't entirely covered in chocolate. Should there be more of a drizzled effect?

I kind of feel silly asking about this - half of the fun should probably be experimenting with the chocolate/popcorn ratio, but I don't want bowls of it sitting around calling out my name!

[ckmommy]

I have only used white chocolate--not regular chocolate. When I do this this recipe I pop a pan full of popcorn (about 2 or more bags of microwave popcorn) and use about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of melted white chocolate.

Maybe give it another try??

[suzannews]

subscribing!!

[Imzadi]

Use more chocolate. It should completely coat the popcorn, like the way caramel corn is. Also use regular bars of chocolate, not chips. The chips firm up too much when they cool, (unless you add oil or milk to it to soften it. :confused3 ) Also, did you use white chocolate? Maybe brown chocolate is too overpowering for the popcorn.


NOTE: For people wanting to subscribe, just click on Thread Tools at the top of the page, scroll down & click on Subscribe to this Thread. Of course, posting bumps this very popular thread back to the top, :teeth: but we'll end up with a lot of unnecessary posts in the thread as this is archived. This thread is definitely a keeper! :thumbsup2

[Mommyof2Sweetpeas]

Thanks to everyone for sharing!!! I was in need of some ideas!!

[rie'smom]

I made tons of sweets from this thread last year at Christmas time-13 gift baskets for aunts,cheer coach,school secretaries! The treats come in handy for drop in company during the holidays. My dad loved the oreo balls so much that he requested some for his birthday present.

[lynn71092]

I have only used white chocolate--not regular chocolate. When I do this this recipe I pop a pan full of popcorn (about 2 or more bags of microwave popcorn) and use about 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of melted white chocolate.

Maybe give it another try??

What kind of popcorn? Just regular or butter flavored? :confused3

[ah1126]

Thanks so much for the ideas. I will put my thinking cap on so I can add some ideas! :)

[ckmommy]

What kind of popcorn? Just regular or butter flavored? :confused3


I pop it the old fashioned way with oil in a large kettle--I do not add butter or salt to the popped corn. I have read other people using lite or butter flavored microwave popcorn. Good luck to you!!

[disneyfanfamily]

I have used full buttered microwave popcorn. It was yummy. Extra calories, but hey, it is the holidays.....almost....

I have also mixed full buttered microwave popcorn with regular non buttered stove top popcorn.

Both batches tasted the same to me.

And I used white almond bark instead of real white chocolate. Cheaper and tastes pretty good.

[plummer925]

DD's teachers and our neighbors will love these treats !!!! Thanks ya'll.

I've read that a LOT of you are planning on homemade goodies for teachers. I HIGHLY encourage you to check with the school about policies of homemade goodies - most schools in my area do not allow homemade goodies due to security. You should see the teachers lounge on the day before christmas break - all those goodies in the trash...

Please check with your children's teachers before just sending the goodies - it's not fair to you - or them - to have them be just put into the trash!

[sconnell]

I've read that a LOT of you are planning on homemade goodies for teachers. I HIGHLY encourage you to check with the school about policies of homemade goodies - most schools in my area do not allow homemade goodies due to security. You should see the teachers lounge on the day before christmas break - all those goodies in the trash...

Please check with your children's teachers before just sending the goodies - it's not fair to you - or them - to have them be just put into the trash!
Wow, how sad. That is a good point. Our public schools here may have that policy, but not the school my DD is in. It's more like a big family. :grouphug:
Thanks for mentioning this.

[sconnell]

We make chocolate popcorn for an extra special treat in the evenings. (After the kids are in bed, lol.) We take a Hershey's Special Dark bar, half of the large one (though any dark chocolate would do, this just seems to be on big time sale a lot recently) and break it up into the sections, pulse it in the food processor until it's almost like sprinkles. THEN pop the corn (we just do microwave) and as soon as it's done popping, dump it into a large shallow dish (like a 9x13 glad container) and IMMEDIATELY sprinkle the chocolate on top. I let it sit for ~10 seconds and then start mixing. (Usually with my hands.) It's great!
I've done lots of variations. Peanut Butter chips mixed with the chocolate is a favorite version. (just about a 1/4 of a bag of chips, for some reason these were left from something else. lol)
I imagine that you could do something similar for holidays and add in some drizzles of colored candy melts and let it harden well.

[Deesknee]

Okay, I sound silly, but, can we post some pictures. I am not very imaginative. I need visual. :rolleyes1

I am really interestd in the pretzel wreaths. I tried this last year, but could not find round pretzels. Is it perhaps traditional pretzels (twisty types)?

There are so many creative & yummy looking recipes. I want to try them all, but I am supposed to be dieting to get ready for the holiday clothes!

[Glynis]

Okay, I sound silly, but, can we post some pictures. I am not very imaginative. I need visual. :rolleyes1

I am really interestd in the pretzel wreaths. I tried this last year, but could not find round pretzels. Is it perhaps traditional pretzels (twisty types)?

There are so many creative & yummy looking recipes. I want to try them all, but I am supposed to be dieting to get ready for the holiday clothes!

I did these last Christmas, and I couldn't find the round pretzels, either. I used regular small pretzel twists, and they turned out fine. Sorry I don't have any pictures, but you really should try this anyway. It's so easy. My 9 year old daughter made several dozen as gifts for her friends, and they were a huge hit!

[TEXASPRINCESSES]

love these ideas--bring on more!!!

[ClarabelleCowFan]

Subbing!

We always make haystacks:

1 bag butterscotch morsels
1 can chow mein noodles
Peanuts (optional)

Melt the butterscotch morsels - we do it in the microwave in a big glass bowl in 45 second increments and stir until fully melted. Stir in noodles and peanuts. Drop spoonfuls onto wax paper covered cookie sheets. Refrigerate until hard.

YUMMY!

[pbharris4]

I do the pretzel thing too, but I use the mini twists, white chocolate wafers and Xmas M&Ms. They look like reindeer noses! You can do them at Easter too if you can find oval (egg) shaped pretzels.

[Tiinkerbelle]

I did these last Christmas, and I couldn't find the round pretzels, either. I used regular small pretzel twists, and they turned out fine. Sorry I don't have any pictures, but you really should try this anyway. It's so easy. My 9 year old daughter made several dozen as gifts for her friends, and they were a huge hit!
I had to go to various grociery stores to find the round pretzels.

[52plan4]

Such a dangerous thread for a girl with a sweet tooth! Yum :thumbsup2

[MerryPoppins]

Our little neighbor boy came by selling Scout popcorn today. I told DH to order a bunch of microwave popcorn so we could experiment with the chocolate popcorn recipes. I'm hoping to play with several of the recipes posted here for gifts this year. :thumbsup2

[disneyfan551]

Thanks for all the recipes! :thumbsup2 I made the microwave fudge, oreo bark & white trash popcorn for a baby shower this weekend! It all turned out great & very easy to make! I tried to make the red/green cookies, but had a terrible time with them, and ended up trashing them after they refrigerated! :sad2:

btw...The popcorn turned out ADORABLE!!! I sprinkled the popcorn/almond bark with pink sprinkles & pink m&m's. Then I broke it up and put it in clear cellophane treat bags, tied off with a wired ribbon. On the front was a "thank you/shower poem" taped on. They were a hit! There's alot of options for Christmas gifts with this recipe too... :teeth:

[Deesknee]

Thanks. I'm going to try the wreath with twist pretzels this w/e. I'll let you know how they turn out.

[BethR]

My daughters pre-school class did this for our gifts. They did different shapes and tied ribbon thru a hole to hang. I still have them, and I think they still smell good, we'll have to see. ;)

I have done the cinnamon ornaments several times and they are so easy, turn out very nicely, and last FOREVER (well, figuratively speaking.) Just be sure to give yourself enough time for them to dry. You can also decorate them with glitter glue or paints. But truthfully, sometimes the simplest things are the nicest. ::yes::

[left210]

I tried to put all of the recipes listed in this thread thus far. Sorry if I missed any. Hope it helps others.

Pretzel wreaths
Ingredients
Pretzel rings (round shaped pretzels)
Hershey's Hugs
Christmas M&M's
Easy release aluminum foil

Line a cookie sheet with easy release aluminum foil. Place the pretzel rings flat on the cookie sheet. Place one Hershey Hug in the center of each pretzel ring. Put the cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 3 minutes (just until the Hug gets melty). Remove from oven and place an M&M on top of each hug, and press the M&M down so the melted Hug fills the center of the pretzel ring. Let cool for 5 minutes (until the Hug has set up a bit) and remove from pan. Place on wax paper to completely cool.

**NOTE – We use candy wafers (I like vanilla) from the candy section of the craft store. You can buy a bag for around $1.70. Much cheaper than Hershey Kisses and much easier than unwrapping all the candy. They also come in different colors.
----
Almond toffee squares:
12 whole graham crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
Assorted nuts and/or chocolate chips as desired

Preheat oven to 400
Line a cookie sheet with foil and lay out graham crackers on top
Stir together butter and brown sugar on the stovetop until boiling. Boil 1 minute.
Pour butter mixture over graham crackers. Put in the oven
Bake 3-6 minutes until bubbly.
Remove from oven. Cool slightly. Sprinkle on toppings as desired (I used crushed pecans, semi-sweet chocolate chips and heath brickle bits.
Cool completely. Break each cracker into 4 sections.
Makes 48 squares. (rectangles)

Christmas bark
Last year I made it with
melted white chocolate chips and broken up candy canes- just line a pan with the easy release Reynolds wrap- pour on the melted white chocolate and sprinkle the top with the candy cane pieces. Let harden and break into chunks.
This year I am adding a bottom layer of chocolate-

I don’t have a cute name for it, but I like taking big pretzel sticks, sticking them into melted almond bark (about 3/4 in, leave a little bit of pretzel for a handle), and then sprinkling them with whatever (crushed candy, sprinkles, etc) and leaving on waxed paper to harden.

She took a bag of chocolate chips and a bag of butterscotch chips and melted them together and then added Spanish peanuts. You then just put spoonfuls of the mixture on wax paper on a cookie sheet and place them in the fridge til they harden. Not only are they super easy they taste wonderful!
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Muddy Buddies or Puppy Chow

9 C. Chex cereal (rice ones are best for this recipe)
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1/4 C. margarine
1/4 t. vanilla
1 1/2 C. confectioner's (powdered) sugar

Put the powdered sugar in a plastic bag or big bowl with lid and set aside. Melt choc chips, peanut butter & margarine in microwave. Add vanilla & mix thoroughly and then stir in cereal until coated. Work quickly - before the mixture cools off too much! Add the chocolate coated cereal to the bag/bowl of powdered sugar and shake until all pieces are coated with sugar. Dump/spread out onto a baking sheet and allow to cool/set. Store in air-tight container.
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Yummy mix...

1 cup m&m's
1 cup peanuts
1 cup pretzel sticks
1 cup Crispix cereal
1 cup rice chex
1 cup wheat chex
1 bag white chocolate chips

Melt choc chips in bowl in microwave - stir in stuff and mix well. Drop by teaspoon-fulls on wax paper or even just spread it out and let it harden. Break into pieces and you're done! My kids FAVORITE!
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Eggs & Bacon

Pretzel Sticks
Almond Bark
Yellow M&M's

Lay pretzel sticks usually 2-3 next to each other on wax paper. Melt the almond bark and drizzle 1 tbsp over each grouping of pretzels. Enough to make the pretzels "stick" together, set a yellow m&m on top of the white almond bark. Once it is hard, you can take off the paper. It looks like bacon sticks, the melted bark looks like eggs and the m&m is the yolk of the egg. They are so cute.

These are super easy. Similar to rice krispy treat, but made with cornflakes so they look like wreaths. The kids like putting on the red hots.
-----
Cornflake Wreath Cookies

1/2 cup butter
4 cups miniature marshmallows
1 teaspoon green food coloring
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups cornflakes cereal
1 (2.25 ounce) package cinnamon red hot candies

1. Microwave marshmallows and butter on High for 2 minutes. Stir, then microwave on High for 2 minutes more. Stir. (This can be done in a double boiler if one doesn't have a microwave.)
2. Add and mix quickly the coloring, extracts, then cornflakes. Drop by spoonfuls in clumps on greased wax paper and decorate with 3 red hots each.
3. Once cool, transfer to lightly greased serving/storage tray with lightly greased fingers.

butterscotch haystacks
These rock! They are so tasty. It makes plenty to share

INGREDIENTS:
1 (11 ounce) package NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Butterscotch Flavored Morsels
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 (5 ounce) cans chow mein noodles
3 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows

DIRECTIONS:
LINE baking sheets or trays with waxed paper.
MICROWAVE morsels in large, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70 percent) power for 1 minute; stir.
Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Stir in peanut butter until well-blended.
Add chow mein noodles and marshmallows; toss until coated.
Drop by rounded tablespoon onto prepared baking sheets. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

DOUBLE BOILER METHOD: MELT morsels over hot (not boiling) water; stir until smooth. Remove from heat; stir in peanut butter. Transfer to large bowl. Add chow mein noodles and marshmallows; proceed as above.
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This past weekend I made a few of the fudge wreaths from Oprah when Rachel Ray was on. I made it for our Church fair and they sold it all within an hour. There were a few pieces cut up for samples and then they cut the remaining wreaths up for sale and bagged them. I already have had 5 calls requesting the recipe, so I thought I'd share it here:

1 bag semi sweet chips
1 cup butterscotch chips (or peanut butter or caramel chips)
1 small can condensed milk (14 oz)
1 tbls vanilla

Melt this all in a pot and when done, throw in handfuls of raisins, peanuts and marshmallows (R.R. did walnuts and raisins) and mix. Scoop it into a cake pan with the condensed milk can in the center (wrapped in plastic wrap) to make it shaped like a wreath. Stick it in the fridge for about 1/2 hour or so and it's done.

I am in Physical Rehab for a THR and am going to make a choc. peanut butter version and a white chocolate caramel version for them for the holidays
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Spread peanut butter in between two Ritz crackers, and then dipped them in melted chocolate almond bark. My sister loves those!

Another Ritz treat.....add peppermint oil to melted chocolate bark and dip the Ritz in the chocolate. They are similar to the Girl Scout thin mint cookies.......
------------
A really simple treat for peanut butter lovers.

1 pkg refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough
1 bag miniature peanut butter cups
powdered sugar

Take enough dough to wrap around a peanut butter cup, make into a ball, and place on ungreased cookie pan, bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with powdered sugar and drizzle with melted chocolate if desired.

First line a microwaveable plate with wax paper and line with little pretzels or pretzel squares. Top with rolo candy cut in half (carmel UP). Microwave for 30-45 sec and press pecan half into soft chocolate to slightly flatten. WALA instant Turtles.
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Second, this one taste just like Twix
1 sleeve saltine crackers
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
chocolate chips as desired

Preheat oven to- 400
Line a cookie sheet with foil and lay out crackers on top
Stir together butter and brown sugar on the stovetop until boiling. Boil 1 minute.
Pour butter mixture over graham crackers. Put in the oven
Bake 3-6 minutes until bubbly.
Remove from oven. Cool slightly. Sprinkle on semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Cool completely. Break each apart and store.
-----------
World's Easiest Peanut Butter Fudge....(and tastes great too!)

1 regular size container white cake frosting
1 regular size jar of peanut butter

Spoon contents of each container into a microwave safe large bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments until the mixture can be thoroughly mixed (it takes 2 - 30 second increments in my microwave) After mixing completely pour into a Pam sprayed glass 9X9-inch pan. Will harden completely in the refrigerator.
--------

Peppermint Bark

1 24 oz pge almond bark
1 c. crushed candy canes
1 T. Crisco
Touch of red food coloring, opt.

Melt almond bark w/Crisco in microwave 6-7 min. or in double boiler. Add crushed peppermint & food coloring. Pour out onto foil lined cookie sheet & cool. Break into pieces to serve.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup roasted, salted peanuts
1 tsp margarine or butter
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda

Butter cookie sheet. In 1 1/2 Qt. microwave safe casserole, combine sugar & corn syrup. Microwave on high 4 minutes. Stir in peanuts. Microwave on high for 3 - 5 minutes or till light brown. Stir in margarine & vanilla; blend well. Microwave on high for 1 - 2 minutes (peanuts should be lightly browned). Add baking soda & stir gently till light & foamy. Pour onto buttered cookie sheet. Let cool 30 minutes. Break into pieces to serve.

Thin Mints

1 lb. semi sweet chocolate (best from specialty bake shop but can use chocolate chips)
1/8 tsp peppermint oil (not extract)
melt chocolate with peppermint oil. Dip approx. 1 sleeve Ritz crackers in it and cool on wax paper. Taste like Thin mint Girl Scout cookies!
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Stained Glass Windows

Melt a bag of chocolate chips and a stick of butter in a large pan. Let cool for about 15 minutes. Stir in a bag of colored miniature marshmallows -plain, white works too but not nearly as pretty in the end.

Form the mixture into 3 logs on waxed paper. Sprinkle with chopped nuts, coconut or powdered sugar. Roll up and put in the refrigerator until firm. These are really pretty when sliced.

These are extra yummy if you also stir in a spoonful or 2 of peanut butter into the chocolate mixture and top with chopped peanuts.
------------
Our favorite holiday punch recipe is to mix 1/2 gallon of Lime Sherbet (or any other flavor of sherbet) with 7-Up. Just put the frozen sherbet in a punch bowl, and pour the 7-Up over top of it. As the sherbet melts and mixes with the 7-up, it makes a refreshing, frothy punch. We start by adding a 2 liter bottle of 7-Up, then we add more 7-Up (pouring it over top of the still frozen sherbet) as needed. Yummy!
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Punch – Mix the following

1 can frozen lemonade concentrate
1 can frozen orange juice concentrate
2 - 2 liter bottles of clear soda (usually diet squirt and diet sprite)

As the punch bowl gets low, add 1 can either concentrates and 1 bottle of either soda at a time to replenish. No reason to wait until it is all gone to make a whole batch, it always tastes fine!
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G'ma started the tradition of punch for every holiday. This is how she taught us to make it.

Mix:
1pkg. black cherry kool-aid
1pkg. cherry kool-aid
2 cups of sugar
1 qt. of water
1 large can of pineapple juice
Pour into an empty ice cream bucket and freeze.

When ready to serve, tip out of the bucket into the punch bowl and pour 7-up over top. The 7-up will cause the "ice" to get slushy. It is very good but will stain.
------------
Coconut Macaroons-
1 lb coconut
1 can sweetened condensed milk
2 teaspoons vanilla

Mix together, drop by teaspoon on greased cookie sheet
Bake 350 for 12 minutes Yield: 4 dz small or 2 dz large
---------
Toffee-
2 sticks butter
1 rounded cup sugar
2 1/2 Tablespoons hot water
package of chocolate chips
chopped nuts- put in 9x13 dish

Heat sugar in pan, add hot water and butter. Cook until it turns color of brown paper bag. Stirring constantly. Pour over nuts. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and spread over hot toffee. Top with more nuts, if desired. Break with knife when cooled. (Pieces will not be uniform in size)
------------
Five-minute fudge:
1 2/3 cup sugar
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Combine sugar, evaporated milk and butter in a pan. Bring to a boil. Boil 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Stir in marshmallows and chocolate chips. Pour into a buttered 9x13 pan. Yield: 10
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Here is a hot holiday punch:
1 gallon cranberry juice
2 cups pineapple juice
2 oranges, sliced
6 cinnamon sticks
8 whole cloves

Combine everything in a large saucepan. Bring to boil. Strain into a heatproof punch bowl. Yield 16
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Peanut Butter/Chocolate Cookies (tastes like Reese's)

1-Cup Peanut Butter
1-Cup Sugar
1-Egg

Mix together and form into balls. Use a fork dipped in sugar to flatten the cookies (criss-cross). Cook at 350 for 8-10 minutes. When you take them out of the oven, place a Hershey's Chocolate Kiss in the center of each cookie. Let the cookies cool totally before removing them from the cookie sheet, they are a bit fragile. There are very good!

I saw another great idea on TV last night. Make your favorite Sugar Cookies (or use the ready made). Cut into large stars and then cut a smaller star out of the middle. Crush 'Life Savers' (place in plastic bag and beat them ). Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper. Place the stars on the cookie sheet and fill in the middle star with the crushed candy. You can do all one color or mix them. Bake cookies at 350 for about 8 minutes and let them cool completely before removing them from the parchment paper. They look like stained glass and are very cute!!
-------------
Chocolate Chip Cheese Ball-

1 (8oz) cream cheese
1/2 c real butter
1/4 t vanilla
3/4 c powdered sugar
2 T brown sugar
3/4 c mini choc chips
3/4 c finely chopped pecans

Mix first 6 ingredients and form ball. Roll in pecans. Chill--serve with chocolate graham crackers--the "stick" kind work good.
-------------
Cookie Dough Truffles

Take refrigerated store-bought chocolate chip cookie dough (it's safe to eat without cooking), pinch off some little bits, roll into small balls, dip in melted chocolate, place on wax paper to dry. Very easy! Then refrigerate until you're ready to eat! These freeze really well, too. YUM!
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OREO
1 package Oreo cookies
1 package cream cheese (room temperature)
chocolate for dipping

1. Chop Oreos in a food processor until nothing but crumbs remain. Put crumbs in a large bowl and mix thoroughly with cream cheese until dough like. Roll into balls about 1 inch in diameter and chill.
2. After chilling, dip the Oreo balls in melted chocolate and let dry on waxed paper. An optional decoration would be to drizzle white chocolate across the top or dip the Oreo balls in white chocolate and drizzle with dark chocolate. (In the picture they did them in red chocolate and brown chocolate drizzle. They look incredible.)
---------
The Easiest and Best Fudge ever!!

I make this every year- I have fun changing the recipe around.

1 container of chocolate frosting
1 12 ox bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
3 snickers bars, chopped

Melt choc chips (stovetop or microwave)- remove from heat. Stir in frosting.

At this point you can either: mix in chopped candy bar or put the mixture into a pan and sprinkle with candy bars. I prefer to mix it in-

Add to a 9" square pan- refrigerate until cooled. Remove from pan and cut into squares. Tips: Line the pan with alum foil for easy removal. Add any kind of candy bar you like...change the chips- last time I used peanut butter chips...yum!
I like this recipe because you do not need to refrigerate (only to cool) it like many fudge recipes. Enjoy!!
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Fake Butterfingers...super easy!

1 14 oz Big Cheez-It Crackers (have to use the BIG ones)

Creamy peanut butter (any brand…I ended up using a no sugar added Peter Pan and it worked just fine)

1-24 oz. package chocolate bark (I think Wilton’s chocolate discs might work too)

Spread a cracker with creamy peanut butter and place another cracker on top to make a sandwich. Melt the chocolate bark in the microwave for 90 seconds. Stir. If the bark hasn't all melted, return to the microwave for 20 seconds. Dip "sandwiches" into the melted bark and coat thoroughly. Allow to set/harden on waxed paper. Voila...they taste like Butterfingers! This makes about 5 dozen.
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Death by Chocolate:

1 box of Devils Food Cake mix
1 large box of instant chocolate pudding
1 large container of Cool Whip
1 bag of Oreo cookies

Make cake according to directions and let cool. Make pudding according to directions. In a large bowl layer the ingredients. Crumbled cake, pudding, crushed Oreo cookies, Cool Whip. Do this three times. Put in refrigerator overnight. You can add other ingredients such as chocolate syrup, sprinkles, different flavored cookies, tinted Cool Whip to coordinate with the holiday, etc. Best if made and put in the refrigerator overnight. Delicious!
--------
Chocolate & Peanut Butter tarts:

Make your favorite peanut butter cookie recipe (or use the refrigerated kind if you need super easy!) and roll dough into 1 inch balls. Place in greased miniature muffin tins. Press dough evenly on the bottom and up the sides of each cup. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until set. After removing them from the oven, place a mini peanut butter cup in each muffin cup and press down gently. Cool completely--I like to give them a jumpstart by putting them in the fridge for 10 minutes so the chocolate doesn't melt as much as if you were to let them cool on the counter for the entire time. These are great and are just the right size and very easy.
---------
Chili and Cheese dip
Spread 1 8oz package of cream cheese in the bottom of an 8x8 cake pan.
Spread 1 can of Hormel chili on the top
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over that and bake at 350 until bubbly and cheese is melted...I think about 15 minutes.
Dip tortilla chips into this and enjoy.
------------
Cupa Cupa
This sounds gross but is absolutely wonderful. I am positive that there aren't enough Weight Watcher points on earth to cover this! LOL

1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup of onions
1 cup of mayonnaise

mix together and bake for ~ 20 minutes in a 350 degree oven. (Cheese will be bubbly) Serve with Breton crackers or any that you like.

(I use only about 1/3 cup of onions and probably 1 1/2 cups of cheese)
------------
Hot Crackers (this is what my kids call them)
Line a cookie sheet with tin foil.
Place Triscuits on the foil....use as many as you'll want to eat
Place a piece of jalapeno cheese on each triscuit.
Put on a 350 degree oven until cheese is melted. YUM
-------------
Easiest ever fudge....
1 1/2 cups chocolate (or any other variety chips)
1 can carnation sweetened condensed milk.
Toppings if desired. (like nuts or candy pieces)

Stir together chips and milk on the stovetop until melted and glossy. Pour into an 8 by 8 or 9 by 9 pan. Top as desired. Chill until firm. Cut into squares.
------------
Another option for pretzel rods

Pretzel Rods
Caramel
Chocolate Almond Bark

Make a snake out of the caramel. Wrap the caramel around the pretzel like a candy cane. Dip in Chocolate Almond Bark (you could use better chocolate, but everyone likes it with the almond bark too). Then you can leave the chocolate alone, or dip in nuts, sprinkles, crushed candies, etc.
----------------
Fruit Dip (My family loves this)

1 Large Jar of marshmallow cream
8 oz. Cream Cheese
2 Tbsp. Orange Juice.

-------------
Charcoal
White Chocolate Almond Bark
Crushed Oreos

Mix together. Pour on aluminum foil or parchment paper. Let dry. Crumble up like charcoal. Great for school parties!
__________________

I make fudge similar to this one. We call it microwave fudge. It's so easy and really great tasting.

1 12oz pkg (=2cups) chocolate morsels
1 14oz can sweetened condensed milk (NOT evaporated milk)
1 tsp vanilla extract

Combine the morsels and condensed milk in microwave dish (I use a large glass measuring cup). Microwave on high 3 minutes. Stir until mixture is smooth. Stir in vanilla and any additions. I like mine with nuts but always make half without nuts for other family members. Spread mixture evenly into a lined or greased 8X8 (9X9) pan and chill until firm. I line my square pan with wrap so I can lift the entire thing out when set up. It makes it easier to cut.

For Rocky Road fudge just add 1 C mini marshmallows and 1/2 C chopped nuts. For Black Forest Fudge add chopped red candied cherries, mini marshmallows, and chopped almonds. You can experiment with different mixtures depending on your family's favorites.
-----------
Peanut butter cups
You need:

1 pkg of graham crackers crushed (1/3 of the box)
1 cup peanut butter (I like the crunchy for added texture)
1 box powdered sugar
2 sticks melted butter/ margarine
1 12oz bag chocolate chips melted for the top

Mix in bowl the powdered sugar, graham crackers some big pieces okay, 1 cup peanut butter, and melted butter. Press into pan. Melt chocolate chips and pour over the top. Let chill till chocolate is hardened.
--------------
Toffee crackers:
2 sticks of butter
1 cup of sugar
1 sleeve of saltines
1 package of chocolate chips - melted
Crushed nuts, coconut, or whatever other topping you might like.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Lay out all of the saltines on a cookie sheet. Melt the butter, add the sugar, and bring to a boil. Boil for one minute, and then pour over the saltines. Bake for +/- 12 minutes. Cool off for a few minutes, then spread the melted chocolate over them, and cover with coconut, nuts, etc.

------------
Red and Green cookies:
1 cup butter
1/2 cup sugar
2 cups flour

Mix all ingredients well. Roll into 3 logs on wax paper, then roll the logs in colored sugar. Chill in the fridge until solid. Slice onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 3-5 minutes (they cook VERY quickly - when the bottom edge starts to spread, they are done)

Another pretty easy one is to take your favorite snicker doodle recipe and instead of rolling the cookies in cinnamon and sugar, roll them in red sprinkles and sugar and green sprinkles and sugar.
----------
7 Layer Cookie (actually 6 layer in my house b/c we don't like nuts)

layer the following in a baking dish (9x14):

-one stick of melted butter (I usually just put the butter in the baking dish in the oven til melted)

-graham cracker crumbs to cover bottom of dish (enough to absorb the melted butter)

-one bag of chocolate chips

-one bag of butterscotch chips

-nuts (optional)

-one small bag of coconut

-one can of condensed milk (drizzle over coconut, try to cover all)

Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes or until coconut is toasty brown.
Let cool completely before cutting, you can refrigerate to speed up the process.
-----------
Toffee
1 cup pecans, chopped
3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup butter
1/2 package of chocolate chips

Butter a square pan (9x9) Spread pecans in bottom of pan. Heat butter and sugar to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, 7 minutes. Immediately spread mixture evenly over nuts in pan.

Sprinkle chocolate chips over hot mixture. Place baking sheet over the pan so contained heat will melt chocolate. Spread melted chocolate over candy. While hot cut into pieces. Chill until firm.
----------
One bag microwave popcorn
1/2 of pkg almond bark

Cook popcorn and make sure you remove all the uncooked kernels. Melt white almond bark in large bowl (I do this in 45 second intervals so as to not scorch)

Dump bag of popcorn into bowl of melted almond bark and stir until the popcorn is covered. Pour over wax paper to harden and then break apart and put into clear gift bags with beautiful ribbon and your teachers will think you've gone gourmet on them
-----------
-Soft Ginger Cookies

Ingredients:

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp ground ginger
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup butter, softened (or margarine)
1 cup white granulated sugar
1 egg
1 Tbsp water
1/4 cup molasses
2 Tbsp white granulated sugar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 cup sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg then stir in the water and molasses. Gradually, stir in the sifted ingredients into the molasses mixture. Refrigerate for 1/2 an hour.

Use cookie scoop or hands to shape dough into walnut-size balls, and roll them in a bowl of white granulated sugar (the 2 Tbsps). Place the cookies 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and flatten slightly.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes one batch at a time. Sprinkle more sugar on top. Let cool. Store in airtight container.
----------
Roll-Out Cookies

1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla
2 tsps baking powder
3 cups flour

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer in a large bowl. Beat in egg and vanilla. Mix baking powder and flour, add one cup at a time mixing after each addition. The dough will be very stiff, blend last flour in by hand (if dough becomes too stiff, add water, a teaspoon at a time). Do not chill dough. Divide dough into 2 balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approx 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 in thick. Dip cutters in flour before each use. Bake cookies on an ungreased cookie sheet on top rack of over for 6 to 7 minutes or until cookies are lightly browned. Hint: I roll cookies between 2 sheets of wax paper, no need to add a lot of additional flour when rolling. Makes 20-24 average size cookies.
---------
Spiced Nuts
Ingredients:
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt

Mix these 3 ingredients in a small bowl. In a large bowl beat 1 egg white gently with a fork. Add 1 pound of nuts (I use almonds but my sister is going to try it with pecans). Stir until coated. Add the cinnamon/sugar/salt mixture and stir to completely coat. Pour onto a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 300 for 20 mins. Put on waxed paper in a single layer to cool.
-------------
-Peanut butter balls
1cup PB
1cp icing sugar
1 cup crashed corn flakes
1/2 cup crushed walnuts
chocolate wafers melted

combine ingredients and roll into balls and dip in melted white or milk chocolate place on a sheet of wax paper til chocolate hardens/cools **** We make these but use rice krispies slightly crushed instead of the cornflakes and don't put nuts in them.
----------
Oh Henry Chocolates
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup corn syrup
Microwave on high for 2 minutes stir

In bowl mix 1 1/2 cups corn flakes
1 1/2 cups rice krispies
1 cup salted peanuts

Mix both together and press into a 9 by 11 pan chill until set.

Melt together 1 pkg milk chocolate chips and 3 TBS margarine. Cut bars into bite sized pieces and dip in chocolate.
---------
My Grandmother called this "White Trash"
1 bag white morsels
pretzel sticks (I break them in 1/2)
cocktail peanuts

Melt the white chips. Mix in the pretzels and peanuts. Drop by spoonful onto wax paper and let harden.

just made a version of this today, but my recipe is as follows:

3 bags white choc. chips
3 TBSP oil
5 cups Cheerios
5 cups Corn Chex
2 cups cocktail peanuts
1 bag M & Ms
1/2 bag mini pretzels
Melt the white choc. chips & oil together (I usually do this in the microwave). Mix the other ingredients together, then mix the melted choc. in. Once all the ingredients are well coated with white chocolate, spoon the mixture onto waxed paper (on a cookie sheet or lg. baking dish). Refrigerate til it hardens.
This makes a huge amount, and I usually buy some of the pretty Christmas treat bags or the containers to divide it up. I also store this in the 'fridge
---------
-Rudolph Cookies

4 (1 ounce) chocolate candy coating squares
96 pretzel sticks
1 (16 ounce) package Nutter Butter cookies
64 M&M's in green, blue, or brown chocolate pieces
32 red M&M's or Red Hots

Microwave chocolate candy coating in a small shallow glass dish at HIGH 3 minutes, stirring once.
Place 2 pretzel sticks in peanut butter filling of each sandwich cookie, forming large antlers. Break remaining pretzel sticks in half, and place 1 half pretzel stick next to each long pretzel stick, forming smaller antlers.
Dip 1 side of green, blue or brown M&M's in melted candy coating, and place on cookies for the eyes. Dip 1 side of of red M&M's in candy coating, and place on cookies for the noses.
-----------
Chili and Cheese dip
Spread 1 8oz package of cream cheese in the bottom of an 8x8 cake pan.
Spread 1 can of Hormel chili on the top
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over that and bake at 350 until bubbly and cheese is melted...I think about 15 minutes.
Dip tortilla chips into this and enjoy.
----------
Butterscotch Crunchies

1 12 oz pkg butterscotch chips
½ cup peanut butter
6 cups corn flakes

Melt butterscotch and peanut butter on medium low. Remove from heat. Stir in corn flakes. Drop teaspoonfuls onto baking sheet lined with wax paper. Put into refrigerator until hardened. Makes 4 ½ dozen cookies
------------
Super-fast turtles
Ingredients:
square or round checker pretzels (I used Rold Gold Butter Checkers)
Rolo candy
pecan halves

Place a layer of pretzels on cookie sheet.
Top each pretzel with a Rolo candy.
Top each Rolo candy with a pecan half.

Bake in 250-300 degree oven for just a few minutes. Press down on a pecan and if it goes down, it's ready. Take out of oven a press each pecan down to squish the Rolo out to the edges of the pretzel.
------------
Here is the recipe for stained glass cookies. !/2 cup margarine or butter, softened.1/2 cup of sugar.1/2 cup of honey. 1 egg. 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. 3 cups of all-purpose flour. 1 teaspoon baking powder. 1/2 teaspoon baking soda. 1/2 teaspoon salt. 5 (1.14 -ounce) roll Life Savers Five Flavor Roll Candy. 1. beat butter, sugar,honey,egg and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer until creamy. Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cover; refrigerate at least 2 hours. 2. roll dough on lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut dough into desired shapes with 21/2- to 3 inch floured cookie cutters. Trace smaller version of cookie shape on dough leaving 1/2 to 3/4-inch border of dough. Cut out and remove dough from center of cookies; set aside. Place cut-out shapes on baking sheets lined with foil. Repeat with reserved dough. 3. Crush each color of candy separately between the layers of wax paper with mallet. Spoon crushed candy inside center of cut-out cookie shape. 4. bake at 350 for 6 to 8 minutes. cool
----------
Rainbow Popcorn

5 to 6 cups freshly popped popcorn
1 tablespoon butter (not margarine)
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
Food coloring of choice (use red for one batch and green for another for a Christmas theme)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees.
Place popcorn in a shallow pan and place in oven to keep warm.

In a heavy saucepan, melt the butter and add sugar, water and salt; stir until sugar is dissolved. Boil about 20 minutes, until syrup just begins to color (about 275 degrees on a candy thermometer; hardball stage). Watch syrup carefully once it reaches 250 degrees; it will darken quickly if it gets too hot. To test: Syrup should form a firm ball when dropped into cold water.

Add vanilla and food coloring. Stir well. Pour in a stream over warm popcorn and quickly stir to coat each piece. Pour popcorn onto a sheet of baking parchment paper and separate each kernel. Be careful; syrup will be hot. Coating will harden as popcorn cools. Store in an airtight container.

Clean-up tip: Soak syrup pot, popcorn pan and utensils in water after use. When the syrup cools it will harden stubbornly onto any surface. After a good soak, though, you can just rinse it out; no scrubbing.
-----------
I made the white chocolate popcorn last night...... and I melted a huge symphony bar with the toffee in it and drizzled it on top of the popcorn once it was spread out on wax paper ~ OMG!!! It is to die for and looks totally beautiful! I put it in clear cellophane bags and tied them with a cranberry colored organza ribbon with gold trim ~ I would actually pay good money for these if I saw them in the store!!! And soooo easy and inexpensive too! I also used the trails end (boy scouts) butter flavored popcorn and got the huge symphony bars at big lots for .99!!!! Yeah! Thanks for the great recipes everyone!!! Happy Holidays!!
--------
Smores

large marshmallows
chocolate almond bark
crushed graham crackers

Melt almond bark and dip marshmallow (using a toothpick) until completely coated. Roll in graham crackers and let harden on wax paper. They're yummy!
--------
Chili and Cheese dip Spread 1 8oz package of cream cheese in the bottom of an 8x8 cake pan.
Spread 1 can of Hormel chili on the top
Sprinkle shredded cheddar cheese over that and bake at 350 until bubbly and cheese is melted...I think about 15 minutes.
Dip tortilla chips into this and enjoy.-
I take this one step further. I mix 1 packet of taco seasoning into the cream cheese before spreading it on a platter. I always have these ingredients on hand in case of impromptu get-togethers!! YUM!!
------------
Cinnamon Cream Cheese Squares

2 tubes (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent rolls
2 (8 oz.) pkgs. cream cheese, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar DIVIDED
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 stick butter, melted
1 teaspoon cinnamon

Unroll 1 tube of crescent rolls and place dough in a lightly greased 13x9 pan. With finger tips, press the seams and perforations together to seal. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, 1 cup sugar and vanilla until smooth. Spread over dough in pan.

Unroll remaining tube of crescent rolls and place over cream cheese mixture, stretching to fit. Brush melted butter over top. Combine remaining sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over top.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Cool. Cut in squares.

I have changed these up sometimes by spreading a can of pie filling between the cream cheese layer and top layer of dough. We've tried apple, cherry and blueberry -- all are yummy!

[antmaril]

Left210:

I'm sure I speak for everyone who has subscribed to this thread, when I say THANK YOU VERY MUCH for consolidating all of these great recipes. :thumbsup2

It was very nice of you to take the time to do this :goodvibes

[cinmell]

Left210:

I'm sure I speak for everyone who has subscribed to this thread, when I say THANK YOU VERY MUCH for consolidating all of these great recipes. :thumbsup2

It was very nice of you to take the time to do this :goodvibes

:thumbsup2 :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

[Tree-via]

subscribing - Great recipes!!

[Emme]

Left210,
Thank you so so much for all your hard work and effort. I am busy printing... Here is a big hug :grouphug: Thanks again!

[hegs65]

A quick simple but delicious recipe is brownie peanut butter cup bites. I prepare a regular box of brownies but instead of putting the batter into a pan, I spoon it into lined mini muffin tins (fill to about 1/2 way) and then I push a mini reeses peanut butter cup into the center. I usually bake them for 8-10 mins and then keep checking them until I think they are done. They are super yummy and are gone in minutes!

[hegs65]

Left210, I cannot thank you enough for consolidating all these wonderful recipies! You're the best!!

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

EASY MAPLE FUDGE

1 cup butter (no substitutions)
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups icing sugar

Directions:
Boil first 3 ingredients on low for 2 minutes, remove from heat. Add vanilla and icing sugar, whip for 3 minutes. Place mixture in greased 8 x 8-inch pan. Refrigerate until cooled. Cut into squares. Store in airtight container in the fridge.

[fivefordisney]

EASY MAPLE FUDGE

1 cup butter (no substitutions)
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups icing sugar

Directions:
Boil first 3 ingredients on low for 2 minutes, remove from heat. Add vanilla and icing sugar, whip for 3 minutes. Place mixture in greased 8 x 8-inch pan. Refrigerate until cooled. Cut into squares. Store in airtight container in the fridge.

Is icing sugar also called confectioner's sugar?

This sounds delicious! Thanks!

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

:wave2: Yes, I believe it is the same thing (powdered sugar). They are really yummy (and easy)! :thumbsup2

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

CLODHOPPERS

4 cups Golden Grahams cereal, crushed
1 cup unsalted cashews, chopped
2 cups white chocolate melting wafers, melted

Directions:
Pour chocolate over cereal and cashews, stir to coat evenly. Spread mixture onto wax paper, let cool. When hard, break into pieces.

[Debbie]

:thanks: :thanks: :thanks: :thanks: :thanks:

[Karalynn]

Left210...... YOU ROCK!!! :woohoo:

That must have taken a lot of time, thank you for all your effort!!

I copied and pasted to a word document, it was, are you ready? 19 PAGES!

I'm definately going to try some of these for gifts this year. Everyone is so creative!!

[plummer925]

Left210 Thank you SO much! I had tried to copy and paste them all, but apparently had missed several since my pages were about 12 and when I pasted your list over it, it went up to 16! Yay, now I have them all!! :cool1:

Thank you again!!!

[tuckerkeys]

drizzle popcorn

makes white chocolate & peanut butter popcorn &
chocolate & peanut butter popcorn

you'll need:
microwave popcorn- KETTLE CORN
bag of milk choc chips
bag of white van. chips
bag of peanut butter chips

pop bag of popcorn in microwave. make sure it is kettle corn. we use the orville redenbachers one.

spread popcorn out onto cookie sheet. pick out unpoped kernels.
melt white chocolate in double boiler. you'll need to TEMPER this chocolate to make sure it hardens again on the popcorn.( if not sure how to do this basically you melt 2/3 of bag completely on the double boiler then remove from boiler & put the remaining 1/3 of choc. in melted stuff & melt this by mixing it around off the heat) once all melted, use a fork to drizzle white chocolate onto the popcorn. then do the same with the peanut butter chips- melt them & drizzle... the peanut butter chips DO NOT need to be tempered. only chocolate ones... white OR dark...

for popcorn with the chocolate, follow above directions and use the choc chips ( temper also) as well as the peanut butter.

once all is drizzled, place in fridge for @ 20-30 min & then take out & use a spatula to break up off the sheet. store in a large plastic bag until ready to transfer into smaller decorative gift bags. my local dollar tree has perfect xmas gift bags that we use & tie with a pretty ribbon.

sometimes we also ADD unsalted peanuts to the popcorn mixture before drizzling ( but only if i get them on sale) it is just as good w/o the peanuts

[tranquil14]

Subscribing - wonderful ideas!

[Kellyscrapbooks]

Keep them coming!

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER BARS

No-bake bars that taste like the peanut butter cups!

2 cups peanut butter
4 cups icing (powdered) sugar
1 cup margarine, melted
2 cups graham wafer crumbs

Mix well. Pat into jelly roll pan. Chill.

Melt together:
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 tablespoon margarine

Spread over peanut butter mixture. Cut into bars.

[Disneynutbsv]

bumping up for this year! :Pinkbounc

[dean556]

subbing

[Buzz & Woody]

to this thread. Looks good

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

I'm in....already thinking of the holidays!

[luckey-lasvegas]

I made the chocolate covered popcorn to sell at my DD skate competition today for the Syncro Team's bake sale. It was a pretty big hit ! :thumbsup2

[hollyb]

Great thread!!!! :cheer2: I am going to make some of the candie for a Halloween party at work. YUMMY!!!!

[mom2jacob]

Subscribing....can't wait to make some of these for Christmas

[lywilliams0]

Anyone have an easy recipe for banana bread?

[Cindi0511]

My sister made this, and it's good and very quick!

1 can refried beans
1/2 cup salsa
8 oz (1 cup) sour cream
1/2 packet of taco seasoning
1 bag iceberg lettuce shreds
1 large tomato, diced
1 can sliced black olives
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

In a pie plate (whatever size you have -- I use a 10-inch) mix refried beans mixed with salsa, add a little more if needed to make it spreadable. Spread evenly over the bottom of the pie plate. In a separate bowl, mix sour cream with taco seasoning, and spread over the bean mixture. Top that layer with the iceberg lettuce shreds, and add diced tomatoes, diced/sliced black olives and top it all off with shredded cheddar cheese. I'm sure 8 oz. will do for most people, but I'm a cheese-a-holic, so I add more! :thumbsup2

Serve with veggies or tortilla chips!

[jchick]

Here's an EASY fudge recipe:

1 cup peanut butter, crunchy or regular (your preference)
1 container of chocolate or vanilla ready made frosting

Melt frosting in microwave for about 40 seconds, then spoon in peanut butter and mix together. Pour into small container and chill until set.

Believe it or not, it makes a wonderful fudge! You can get creative with it and do lots of add ins. Try it, you won't believe it!

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

Anyone have an easy recipe for banana bread?
This makes great gifts, and it is our favorite banana bread recipe! Banana Bread (http://allrecipes.com/recipe/banana-nut-bread-baked-in-a-jar/detail.aspx)

[summerrluvv]

This thread is soo long and I haven't read the replies, but last year we made chocolate covered pretzels and drizzled them with red and green chocolate. We also did pretzel rods and put sprinkles, etc. on them. I used the Cook's Essentials Chocolate Melter on QVC, which is AWESOME! We ended up giving the goodies to his teachers, etc. along with some non-edible goods. I don't know if they actually ate them, but they were fun to make :thumbsup2

[sulleyfan]

I just made the almond bark covered popcorn as a test run, I made it using the white almond bark and microwave kettle corn....YUM :cloud9: ....This thread is great!!

[Donnaksmj]

just wondering where to find almond bark....I looked for it last xmas when I started reading about it on this thread and was never able to....

[Pixieshouse]

:rotfl2: Too funny!!! :rotfl:

LOL, my brother did the same thing when we were kids. He was convinced I was forcing him to eat dog food!

[txtink17]

World's Easiest Peanut Butter Fudge....(and tastes great too!)

1 regular size container white cake frosting
1 regular size jar of peanut butter

Spoon contents of each container into a microwave safe large bowl. Microwave in 30 second increments until the mixture can be thoroughly mixed (it takes 2 - 30 second increments in my microwave) After mixing completely pour into a Pam sprayed glass 9X9-inch pan. Will harden completely in the refrigerator.

This is VERY good, and I was skeptical.....

What if you used chocolate cake frosting? I'd bet that be even yummier! :Pinkbounc

[Joyful19]

Subscribing!

[love~disney]

subscribing... I love recipes. Thanks for all of your yummy ones so far. popcorn::

[txtink17]

Black Forest Trifle:

1 box devil's food cake mix or bought chocolate cake/cupcakes
2 cans cherry pie filling
2 small boxes chocolate pudding or 8 snack-size pudding cups
1 tub Cool Whip

Directions: Either bake a chocolate cake or buy one. A great idea is to make cupcakes and give some to the kids to snack on while you use the rest to make your trifle. Crumble the cake/cupcakes to make a bottom layer in the bowl. Then spread a layer of pudding on top. Next layer the cherries. Repeat with the crumbled cake, pudding and cherries. Finally, top with the Cool Whip and enjoy! This makes a great looking dessert for Christmas, especially in a glass dish. :santa:

[txtink17]

1 bag Kraft caramels
1 bag Hershey kisses or chocolate candy discs
1 bag pecan halves

Directions:
Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper. Place 3 pecan halves with ends touching like a 3 leaf clover. Place one caramel on top, then a chocolate kiss or disc on top of the caramel. Bake at 350 degrees just until the candies melt. Let cool and you have instant turtles! :cool1:

[txtink17]

Drumsticks

Pretzel rods
Giant marshmallows
Chocolate or Bark for dipping
Sprinkles, nuts, etc.

Directions: Stick one marshmallow on pretzel rod, then cover in chocolate. Leave plain or roll in sprinkles, nuts, etc. Now you have drumsticks. You can stick these in lollipop bags they sell at Walmart in the Wilton candy/cake section in crafts.

[txtink17]

Christmas Pops

Refrigerator Cookie Dough
Popsicle sticks
Red or green candy melts
Sprinkles

Directions: Cut the roll of cookie dough into thick slices. Lay them on the cookie sheet and stick the popsicle sticks into them. Bake and let cool. Melt the candy melts into a bowl, then dip only the top half of the cookie pop into it. Immediatly sprinkle with red or green sprinkles. These make great gifts for the kids. :Pinkbounc

[txtink17]

Rice Krispie Treats (1 pan made)
Melted chocolate or red and green candy melts
Holiday m&ms

Make one pan of Rice Krispies treats, then let cool. Turn the pan over onto the counter or large cookie sheet. Cut the square into a giant triangle (tree shape), keep one leftover piece for later. Melt chocolate candies and put into a freezer baggie, cut off tip of baggie to make small hole. Drizzle chocolate on tree like tinsel. Stick m&ms on drizzle before it dries for tree decorations or lights. Cut the saved leftover into a square. It will be the tree's stump. Attach it to the bottom of the tree with icing or melted chocolate like glue. You can even use some of the smaller leftover pieces and cut them into smaller squares to make gifts under the tree. Put bows on them with icing. :thumbsup2

[txtink17]

This will work for Christmas or Valentine's Day!

18 small candy canes (there a little over 2 inches)
Vanilla flavored candy melts or almond bark
crushed candy canes

Directions: Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Lay the small candy canes in groups of two with ends touching to make a heart. Microwave candy melts or bark until smooth. Spoon into centers of hearts and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Let cool 30 minutes or put in fridge to speed it up. Makes cute heart shaped peppermint bark. :p

[atisikitabasket]

Ok the first recipe can be changed up a little we call them home made turtles

Rolo's
mini pretzels
pecan

Place one unwrapped rolo on a mini pretzel square cover cookie sheet with these then bake on about 200 for 5 minutes until they are soft but still holding their form. Remove from oven. Take one pecan half and push ontop of rolo till it flatens out a bit let sit then eat them up! :Pinkbounc

** Sorry if this was already posted I didn't read every page!!

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

Chocolate Dipped Licorice - I haven't actually made these yet, but I am going to try them this Christmas. A local candy store makes these, and they are yumma!!! It is just red licorice (Twizzlers, etc) that has been dipped in melted white or milk chocolate until about 3/4 of the licorice is coated in chocolate. You could then also roll the chocolate covered licorice sticks in sprinkles, crushed nuts, or crushed candy canes, etc., or leave them plain with just the chocolate!

[dny1112000]

I didn't make this but my friend did. She took a bag of chocolate chips and a bag of butterscotch chips and melted them together and then added spanish peanuts. You then just put spoonfuls of the mixture on wax paper on a cookie sheet and place them in the fridge til they harden. Not only are they super easy they taste wonderful!


Try some mini marshmallows in the mixture sometime!!!

[txtink17]

Any more treats? :bitelip:

[zippeedee]

I love all these ideas. I hd good luck with a bunch of them last year.
I haven't seen anyone mention the cake mix cookies that everyone loved last year. I made a variation of them tonight that are SO good.

1 box Pillsbury Pumpkin bread mix (you can use banana bread mix instead)
1/2 cup raisins (I used Craisins)
1/4 cup chopped crystalized ginger
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted

Mix it all together in the order listed, roll into 1 1/2" balls, mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl and roll each cookie in the cinnamon/sugar. Bake in a 350 oven for 12-15 minutes. They are really rich and yummy. It's supposed to make 20 cookies but I got a few more.

Patti

[Imzadi]

I love all these ideas. I hd good luck with a bunch of them last year.
I haven't seen anyone mention the cake mix cookies that everyone loved last year. I made a variation of them tonight that are SO good.

1 box Pillsbury Pumpkin bread mix (you can use banana bread mix instead)
1/2 cup raisins (I used Craisins)
1/4 cup chopped crystalized ginger
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted

Mix it all together in the order listed, roll into 1 1/2" balls, mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl and roll each cookie in the cinnamon/sugar. Bake in a 350 oven for 12-15 minutes. They are really rich and yummy. It's supposed to make 20 cookies but I got a few more.

Patti

My thread for: Cookies from cake mixes! Super Easy! (http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=681495) is on the Cooking board. :)

Patti, the pumpkin cookies sound great. :thumbsup2

[Breakfast@Tiffany's]

I like to make chocolate raspberry bread pudding around the holidays, it's made and served in a crock pot and very easy to assemble.

1 angel food cake (approx 6 cups), cubed
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 pint fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained
1/2 c milk
4 eggs
1/2 c cream
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Place half of cake cubes in a heavily buttered crock pot. Sprinkle half of chocolate chips and raspberries over cake cubes. Cover with remaining cake cubes, top with remaining choc chips and raspberries. In a bowl (or blender), whisk together cream, milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla until blended. Pour evenly over the cake mixture in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high heat setting for approx 2 hours, until set.

[swilshire]

I like to make chocolate raspberry bread pudding around the holidays, it's made and served in a crock pot and very easy to assemble.

This sounds wonderful. Is it hard to find fresh raspberries in the winter?

Have you tried it with any other type of berry?

I guess frozen ones would make it soggy?

Sheila

[magiroux]

So glad this ended back on page 1 again. Tried to find it the other day thru search feature with no luck, so now I'm subscribing.....great stuff here

[GavinsMom]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this thread!!!
I was up all night last night reading, copying and pasting recipes from here!!!
I am so excited to bake all these for Christmas this year!

Thanks everyone for sharing all your GREAT Recipes!!!

[twingle3]

just subscribing......great!!!!

[disneyfanz04]

I like to make chocolate raspberry bread pudding around the holidays, it's made and served in a crock pot and very easy to assemble.

1 angel food cake (approx 6 cups), cubed
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 pint fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained
1/2 c milk
4 eggs
1/2 c cream
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Place half of cake cubes in a heavily buttered crock pot. Sprinkle half of chocolate chips and raspberries over cake cubes. Cover with remaining cake cubes, top with remaining choc chips and raspberries. In a bowl (or blender), whisk together cream, milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla until blended. Pour evenly over the cake mixture in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high heat setting for approx 2 hours, until set.


I think I may have to give this one a try!!! IT sounds awesome...

[Breakfast@Tiffany's]

swilshire-I've only made it with fresh raspberries, frozen would make it too soggy, I think, but any fresh berries would be good, though. I can find fresh raspberries at a local high-end grocery store, they're just a little more spendy than in the summer. *

[It's A Happy Day]

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this thread!!!
I was up all night last night reading, copying and pasting recipes from here!!!
I am so excited to bake all these for Christmas this year!

Thanks everyone for sharing all your GREAT Recipes!!!

For those of you who haven't cut and pasted everything check out page 24!!! **LEFT210** did an incredible job creating an updated list (19 pages off my printer) of posting them all. THANK YOU!!!

[sharkB8HooHaHa]

And a great BIG thank you goes out to LEFT210 again for all that work :thumbsup2

You made our lives SO much easier!

[NotSoLittleMermaid]

I like to make chocolate raspberry bread pudding around the holidays, it's made and served in a crock pot and very easy to assemble.


This sounds fantastic! :thumbsup2 What size crock pot do you use? Thanks!

[PaulDavid's mom]

I have got to try that popcorn! :thumbsup2

[thompson princesses]

Anyone try to substitute chocolate frosting for vanilla in the easiest fudge recipe? Seems like it would be good too! I try to add chocolate to all my food for nutritional value!!! :rotfl:

[sulleyfan]

Just a head's up for those that use the chocolate melting discs, Michael's had them on sale for $1.99/bag through today.

[Passions71203]

:thumbsup2 :thumbsup2 Thank you Left210 For the list of treats!!!
I think I will be all set for xmas this year!

[DisneyForLife]

How can I not subscribe to this thread!!!
Thanks everyone.

[kellypooh]

Just wanted to let you all know -- I tried the pretzel wreaths using the original recipe and they ARE fantastic. However, I can't just leave a recipe alone -- gotta experiment!! :thumbsup2 Our local Real Deals (it's a dollar store) had Hershey's Peanut Butter Kisses....at a buck a bag, who can resist? I made the wreaths with the peanut butter kisses and peanut butter M&M's.....they are incredible!
I make candy every Christmas-time to sell at work and am always looking for new ideas -- the white chocolate popcorn has proven to be a HUGE seller for me so far this year. I'm finding baskets, buckets with lids and tins at the dollar store to package it in and these crazy people are paying over 7 bucks for a batch!!!! I don't think that's bad for something that's only costing me about 1.29 in materials! (not counting the tin, of course)

[ZipaDeeDooDah]

Okay, I hope left210 doesn't mind, but I thought I would go ahead and consolidate all of the recipes from pages 24 to 29. For left210's list of the recipes from pages 1 to 24 click here -> Quick and Easy Christmas Treats (http://www.disboards.com/showpost.php?p=15040284&postcount=358) - thanks again left210!!!


A quick simple but delicious recipe is brownie peanut butter cup bites. I prepare a regular box of brownies but instead of putting the batter into a pan, I spoon it into lined mini muffin tins (fill to about 1/2 way) and then I push a mini reeses peanut butter cup into the center. I usually bake them for 8-10 mins and then keep checking them until I think they are done. They are super yummy and are gone in minutes!


EASY MAPLE FUDGE

1 cup butter (no substitutions)
2 cups brown sugar
1/2 cup whipping cream
1 tsp vanilla
3 1/2 cups icing sugar

Directions:
Boil first 3 ingredients on low for 2 minutes, remove from heat. Add vanilla and icing sugar, whip for 3 minutes. Place mixture in greased 8 x 8-inch pan. Refrigerate until cooled. Cut into squares. Store in airtight container in the fridge.

CLODHOPPERS
4 cups Golden Grahams cereal, crushed
1 cup unsalted cashews, chopped
2 cups white chocolate melting wafers, melted

Directions:
Pour chocolate over cereal and cashews, stir to coat evenly. Spread mixture onto wax paper, let cool. When hard, break into pieces.


Drizzle Popcorn
makes white chocolate & peanut butter popcorn &
chocolate & peanut butter popcorn

you'll need:
microwave popcorn- KETTLE CORN
bag of milk choc chips
bag of white van. chips
bag of peanut butter chips

pop bag of popcorn in microwave. make sure it is kettle corn. we use the orville redenbachers one.

spread popcorn out onto cookie sheet. pick out unpoped kernels.
melt white chocolate in double boiler. you'll need to TEMPER this chocolate to make sure it hardens again on the popcorn.( if not sure how to do this basically you melt 2/3 of bag completely on the double boiler then remove from boiler & put the remaining 1/3 of choc. in melted stuff & melt this by mixing it around off the heat) once all melted, use a fork to drizzle white chocolate onto the popcorn. then do the same with the peanut butter chips- melt them & drizzle... the peanut butter chips DO NOT need to be tempered. only chocolate ones... white OR dark...

for popcorn with the chocolate, follow above directions and use the choc chips ( temper also) as well as the peanut butter.

once all is drizzled, place in fridge for @ 20-30 min & then take out & use a spatula to break up off the sheet. store in a large plastic bag until ready to transfer into smaller decorative gift bags. my local dollar tree has perfect xmas gift bags that we use & tie with a pretty ribbon.

sometimes we also ADD unsalted peanuts to the popcorn mixture before drizzling ( but only if i get them on sale) it is just as good w/o the peanuts.

REESE'S PEANUT BUTTER BARS

No-bake bars that taste like the peanut butter cups!

2 cups peanut butter
4 cups icing (powdered) sugar
1 cup margarine, melted
2 cups graham wafer crumbs

Mix well. Pat into jelly roll pan. Chill.

Melt together:
2 cups milk chocolate chips
1 tablespoon margarine

Spread over peanut butter mixture. Cut into bars.


Easy Taco Dip
My sister made this, and it's good and very quick!

1 can refried beans
1/2 cup salsa
8 oz (1 cup) sour cream
1/2 packet of taco seasoning
1 bag iceberg lettuce shreds
1 large tomato, diced
1 can sliced black olives
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

In a pie plate (whatever size you have -- I use a 10-inch) mix refried beans mixed with salsa, add a little more if needed to make it spreadable. Spread evenly over the bottom of the pie plate. In a separate bowl, mix sour cream with taco seasoning, and spread over the bean mixture. Top that layer with the iceberg lettuce shreds, and add diced tomatoes, diced/sliced black olives and top it all off with shredded cheddar cheese. I'm sure 8 oz. will do for most people, but I'm a cheese-a-holic, so I add more!

Serve with veggies or tortilla chips!


Here's an EASY fudge recipe:
1 cup peanut butter, crunchy or regular (your preference)
1 container of chocolate or vanilla ready made frosting

Melt frosting in microwave for about 40 seconds, then spoon in peanut butter and mix together. Pour into small container and chill until set.

Believe it or not, it makes a wonderful fudge! You can get creative with it and do lots of add ins. Try it, you won't believe it!

___

This thread is soo long and I haven't read the replies, but last year we made chocolate covered pretzels and drizzled them with red and green chocolate. We also did pretzel rods and put sprinkles, etc. on them. I used the Cook's Essentials Chocolate Melter on QVC, which is AWESOME! We ended up giving the goodies to his teachers, etc. along with some non-edible goods. I don't know if they actually ate them, but they were fun to make.

___

Black Forest Trifle:
1 box devil's food cake mix or bought chocolate cake/cupcakes
2 cans cherry pie filling
2 small boxes chocolate pudding or 8 snack-size pudding cups
1 tub Cool Whip

Directions: Either bake a chocolate cake or buy one. A great idea is to make cupcakes and give some to the kids to snack on while you use the rest to make your trifle. Crumble the cake/cupcakes to make a bottom layer in the bowl. Then spread a layer of pudding on top. Next layer the cherries. Repeat with the crumbled cake, pudding and cherries. Finally, top with the Cool Whip and enjoy! This makes a great looking dessert for Christmas, especially in a glass dish.

Easy Turtles
1 bag Kraft caramels
1 bag Hershey kisses or chocolate candy discs
1 bag pecan halves

Directions:
Line a cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper. Place 3 pecan halves with ends touching like a 3 leaf clover. Place one caramel on top, then a chocolate kiss or disc on top of the caramel. Bake at 350 degrees just until the candies melt. Let cool and you have instant turtles!

Drumsticks

Pretzel rods
Giant marshmallows
Chocolate or Bark for dipping
Sprinkles, nuts, etc.

Directions: Stick one marshmallow on pretzel rod, then cover in chocolate. Leave plain or roll in sprinkles, nuts, etc. Now you have drumsticks. You can stick these in lollipop bags they sell at Walmart in the Wilton candy/cake section in crafts.

Christmas Pops

Refrigerator Cookie Dough
Popsicle sticks
Red or green candy melts
Sprinkles

Directions: Cut the roll of cookie dough into thick slices. Lay them on the cookie sheet and stick the popsicle sticks into them. Bake and let cool. Melt the candy melts into a bowl, then dip only the top half of the cookie pop into it. Immediatly sprinkle with red or green sprinkles. These make great gifts for the kids.

Rice Krispie Tree
Rice Krispie Treats (1 pan made)
Melted chocolate or red and green candy melts
Holiday m&ms

Make one pan of Rice Krispies treats, then let cool. Turn the pan over onto the counter or large cookie sheet. Cut the square into a giant triangle (tree shape), keep one leftover piece for later. Melt chocolate candies and put into a freezer baggie, cut off tip of baggie to make small hole. Drizzle chocolate on tree like tinsel. Stick m&ms on drizzle before it dries for tree decorations or lights. Cut the saved leftover into a square. It will be the tree's stump. Attach it to the bottom of the tree with icing or melted chocolate like glue. You can even use some of the smaller leftover pieces and cut them into smaller squares to make gifts under the tree. Put bows on them with icing.


Candy Cane Bark Hearts
This will work for Christmas or Valentine's Day!

18 small candy canes (there a little over 2 inches)
Vanilla flavored candy melts or almond bark
crushed candy canes

Directions: Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper. Lay the small candy canes in groups of two with ends touching to make a heart. Microwave candy melts or bark until smooth. Spoon into centers of hearts and sprinkle with crushed candy canes. Let cool 30 minutes or put in fridge to speed it up. Makes cute heart shaped peppermint bark.


Home Made Turtles
Rolo's
mini pretzels
pecan

Place one unwrapped rolo on a mini pretzel square cover cookie sheet with these then bake on about 200 for 5 minutes until they are soft but still holding their form. Remove from oven. Take one pecan half and push ontop of rolo till it flatens out a bit let sit then eat them up!

Chocolate Dipped Licorice - I haven't actually made these yet, but I am going to try them this Christmas. A local candy store makes these, and they are yumma!!! It is just red licorice (Twizzlers, etc) that has been dipped in melted white or milk chocolate until about 3/4 of the licorice is coated in chocolate. You could then also roll the chocolate covered licorice sticks in sprinkles, crushed nuts, or crushed candy canes, etc., or leave them plain with just the chocolate!

___

I didn't make this but my friend did. She took a bag of chocolate chips and a bag of butterscotch chips and melted them together and then added spanish peanuts. You then just put spoonfuls of the mixture on wax paper on a cookie sheet and place them in the fridge til they harden. Not only are they super easy they taste wonderful!
*Try some mini marshmallows in the mixture sometime!!!

___

I haven't seen anyone mention the cake mix cookies that everyone loved last year. I made a variation of them tonight that are SO good.

1 box Pillsbury Pumpkin bread mix (you can use banana bread mix instead)
1/2 cup raisins (I used Craisins)
1/4 cup chopped crystalized ginger
1 egg
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter or margarine, melted

Mix it all together in the order listed, roll into 1 1/2" balls, mix 1/4 cup sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon in a small bowl and roll each cookie in the cinnamon/sugar. Bake in a 350 oven for 12-15 minutes. They are really rich and yummy. It's supposed to make 20 cookies but I got a few more.

___

I like to make chocolate raspberry bread pudding around the holidays, it's made and served in a crock pot and very easy to assemble.

1 angel food cake (approx 6 cups), cubed
1 cup chocolate chips
1/2 pint fresh raspberries, rinsed and drained
1/2 c milk
4 eggs
1/2 c cream
1/4 c sugar
1 tsp vanilla
Place half of cake cubes in a heavily buttered crock pot. Sprinkle half of chocolate chips and raspberries over cake cubes. Cover with remaining cake cubes, top with remaining choc chips and raspberries. In a bowl (or blender), whisk together cream, milk, eggs, sugar and vanilla until blended. Pour evenly over the cake mixture in the crockpot. Cover and cook on high heat setting for approx 2 hours, until set.

[Imzadi]

It would be great if we could get the mods to delete the posts where people are just subscribing, (without unsubscribing them.) We'd probably lose a good 10 pages that way.

BTW: Anyone can subscribe to a thread without posting by just clicking on Thread Tools
on the top right of the screen, above the top post,
then click on Subscribe to this Thread. :thumbsup2

[Hedy]

Made the milk&chips fudge-it was good but sticky. Beware.

[gdulaney]

We recently attended an Octoberfest celebration --- and of course, we had to go in the candy store. Next to the chocolate dipped pretzels (which looked pretty tasty) were chocolate dipped marshmallows. Three-four big marshmallows, dipped in chocolate... some were then rolled in nuts or sprinkles. They looked really tasty and easy to make. They also had chocolate dipped bananas and some really great candied apples and caramel apples. So, if you're already dipping pretzel rods...you might try some of the other dipped items too.

Ginny

[fivefordisney]

Made the milk&chips fudge-it was good but sticky. Beware.

Yes, mine did not really "harden" to a point where you could cut it in cubes. It was a bit sticky... still tasty though!

[SunKat]

Wow, I love all these recipes everyone is sharing. Here's mine.

MIDNIGHT MERINGUES (they "bake" while you sleep!)

2 egg whites (room temperature)
Pinch of salt
1/2 tsp. cream of tartar
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 tsp. creme de menthe or other mint flavoring
few drops green food coloring
1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 275. Grease 2 cookie sheets. Beat 2 egg whites with pinch of salt and 1/2 tsp cream of tartar until foamy. Gradually add 3/4 cup sugar. Add 1/2 teaspoon flavoring and a few drops of food coloring. (For Christmas I make pink and green meringues - for the pink ones use red food coloring and a raspberry flavoring). Beat until stiff. Stir in chocolate chips. Put by teaspoonfuls on cookie sheet. Put in oven and TURN OFF IMMEDIATELY. Leave in 6 hours or overnight. Make approximately 5 dozen.

For gifts, I place pink and green meringues in a glass canister type jar and tie a ribbon on top. Everyone loves these!!

[pbharris4]

I tried the Choclate Peanut Butter Ritz today. They turned out great. I would use saltine crackers next time. There's a candy store from my home state that does it w/ saltines and it's just as good.

Here's a quick one:

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

A Huge Bag of Ruffles Potato Chips (they work best because of the small, closer together ridges). Only use whole or bigger pieces of chips.

Dip or coat (if easier) both sides of each chip and place on wax paper. Place in fridge for a few minutes to set and you're done. They really are good!

[It's A Happy Day]

Has anybody done dipped and frozen banana's? I know it's relatively easy and would love to make this as a snack for my kids and nieces and nephews (not necessarily christmas but I suppose I could then dip them into red & green sprinkles) but am wondering how long they keep in the freezer and exact process. I know if you leave a banana out unpeeled too long it gets gross and they don't thaw well sooooo.....ideas?

[figgy4me]

:surfweb:

[gillenkl]

subscribing

[disneyfan61]

Loving these recipes!!! I have a list for Walmart tomorrow!! :thumbsup2

[lynn71092]

I tried the Choclate Peanut Butter Ritz today. They turned out great. I would use saltine crackers next time. There's a candy store from my home state that does it w/ saltines and it's just as good.

Here's a quick one:

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

A Huge Bag of Ruffles Potato Chips (they work best because of the small, closer together ridges). Only use whole or bigger pieces of chips.

Dip or coat (if easier) both sides of each chip and place on wax paper. Place in fridge for a few minutes to set and you're done. They really are good!



What kind of chocolate do you use?
Melted chocolate chips?? :confused3

[It's A Happy Day]

Refrigerated canned biscuits
Cinnamon and sugar, mixed together for coating
Deep fryer with oil (350-375 degrees)

Directions:

Take a small film container and press it into the center of each biscuit making donut and hole... then put into heated oil to fry. Turn donuts after the first side is browned nicely. When done, remove from oil immediately and coat in cinnamon sugar. I put mine in a plastic zip bag and shake well to coat.

These are best eaten the same day.

[pbharris4]

What kind of chocolate do you use?
Melted chocolate chips?? :confused3

I either use the Wilton chocolate wafers or I order from Wilbur choclates in Litiz, Pa. My mom used to make candy (centers, crackers, mints, all sorts of stuff) and sell it from our house. I used to help her when I was little. Everyone loved her candy and she was going to open a candy store, had some of the displays, etc., but I never know why she didn't. Then she passed..so I may do it some day! Anyway, she would use Wilbur Chocolate a lot.

[Passions71203]

I tried the Choclate Peanut Butter Ritz today. They turned out great. I would use saltine crackers next time. There's a candy store from my home state that does it w/ saltines and it's just as good.

Here's a quick one:

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

A Huge Bag of Ruffles Potato Chips (they work best because of the small, closer together ridges). Only use whole or bigger pieces of chips.

Dip or coat (if easier) both sides of each chip and place on wax paper. Place in fridge for a few minutes to set and you're done. They really are good!


Are the chips really good? :confused3 They sound kindda gross!

[love~disney]

We got choc. covered potato chips as a gift and they were very good. It's the perfect mix of sweet and salty.

[pbharris4]

couldn't have said it better. and they give it a good crunch too. i'd use Ruffles because the ridges are tighter together and it's a stronger chip.

[MagicalMom]

Subscribing! I have to try some of these! :)

[lynn71092]

I either use the Wilton chocolate wafers or I order from Wilbur choclates in Litiz, Pa. My mom used to make candy (centers, crackers, mints, all sorts of stuff) and sell it from our house. I used to help her when I was little. Everyone loved her candy and she was going to open a candy store, had some of the displays, etc., but I never know why she didn't. Then she passed..so I may do it some day! Anyway, she would use Wilbur Chocolate a lot.

So do you coat the entire potato chip with the chocolate or just drizzle it?
How much chocolate would I need? I've never used the Wilton or the Wilbur so I don't know how much to buy.
Thanks again!! This sounds like something I can take when I'm invited over for Thanksgiving dinner. party:

[kristin1724]

subscribing! ; )

[PaulDavid's mom]

I finally got around to making the chocolate coated popcorn. Y-U-M-M-Y!

[beattyfamily]

Again, you do NOT have to post to a thread to subscribe to a thread!! Its just wasted space and also a pain to read for those of us already subscribed.

You can subscribe to a thread without posting by just clicking on "Thread Tools" on the top, right side of the screen, above the first post,
then click on "Subscribe to this Thread". :thumbsup2

[ratherbeindisney]

You said that you would put a layer of chocolate this year. Will that have to cool first before putting the next layer of white chocolate one? I am just thinking if it is set and you put the white whocolate on will it remelt and mix? Any insight would be great!!

[love~disney]

You coat the entire potato chip. We usually take a package of white almond bark and melt it with a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips. Then we put in dip the chips in it to coat them.

[pbharris4]

I'd use Milk Chocolate. You could use 2-3 bags of the Wilton candy wafers and you can get them at a Michael's craft store. I haven't seen them at AC Moore. (I don't like the Make and Mold choc. they have.) Or you could use almond bark or chocolate chips. I'd coat the potato chip first and then dip it..you don't want to break it or you'll have a huge mess.

[Chicago526]

:) Just wanted to subscribe! I'll see if I can dig up my mother's cookie recipe's and contribute later on!

[lynn71092]

I'd use Milk Chocolate. You could use 2-3 bags of the Wilton candy wafers and you can get them at a Michael's craft store. I haven't seen them at AC Moore. (I don't like the Make and Mold choc. they have.) Or you could use almond bark or chocolate chips. I'd coat the potato chip first and then dip it..you don't want to break it or you'll have a huge mess.


What do you mean, coat them first?? :confused3

[dbogen]

I have to agree with the above poster. What do you mean coat first? With what? I thought that coating the chip was dipping it. Now I'm confused.

Deanna :bored: :cat:

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

LOVE this thread!!!

[barbmouse]

BUMP ................................
I will soon need to begin thinking about Christmas goodies!!!

[pfp258]

Have you ever tried a pretzel ring with a ROLO candy in the middle. Place in oven (about 250 degrees) for 6-8 minutes. Add a pecan half on top, let cool and you have a crunchy, chocolatey, carmely, nutty snack.

[Tiinkerbelle]

I took 2 instant white chocolate puddings, mixed them in different bowls, added red food dye to one, and green to the other. In 8 small glass mini bowls put a bottom layer(2 tablespoons) of red, then a layer of green (2 tablespoons), then another layer of red, and green. You can either leave it like that or take the end of a spoon and stir a little so it looks swirled.
A great touch to your pretzels is, get white chocolate chips, melt them and add 3-4 drops of green dye. Get a spoon full of the chocolate (to keep the chocolate warm, use a bigger bowl full of hot water and place your chocolate bowl into it), and drizzle over the pretzel rings. As the chocolate starts to harden on your pretzels start to push it into an O shape and sprinkle red, and white sprinkles onto them. Once they are completely hard take those gel decorating tubes for cookies and cake and draw a bow on the bottom.

[pbharris4]

I have to agree with the above poster. What do you mean coat first? With what? I thought that coating the chip was dipping it. Now I'm confused.

Deanna :bored: :cat:

Sorry about that..I was confusing myself :rotfl: I was reading the other persons post and thought they dipped in chocolate then vanilla when I think they mixed the chocolate. :confused3 Anyway, you can "coat" dipping with a candy fork or coat by drizzling, holding the chip and spooning it over whatever is easier. Did I make sense? I'm not that great at explaining.

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Something easy and fun that my DD loves to do:
(AND this idea :idea: was just featured in FAMILY CIRCLE!!)

We bought a small package of those Brownie Bites at SAMS (little brownies shaped like cupcake bottoms!!)

Then I put a little glob of whip cream on them and DD decorates them with sprinkles, gum drops, smashed candy cane fragments! and voila instant cupcakes!!

IT's sooo fun and super easy for the younger kids! we usually do a station of these at family parties, to involve the kids in something!

[pbharris4]

Hey..what a great idea! You could pipe on icing as well.

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

YUP! i would love to do the icing :teeth: but DH is a whipped cream fan and gags whenever i mention icing! hahaha!!

[mom2cookies]

Eggs & Bacon

Pretzel Sticks
Almond Bark
Yellow M&M's


Lay pretzel sticks usually 2-3 next to eachother on wax paper. Melt the almond bark and drizzel 1 tbsp over each grouping of pretzels. Enough to make the pretzels "stick" together, set a yellow m&m on top of the white almond bark. Once it is hard, you can take off the paper. It looks like bacon sticks, the melted bark looks like eggs and the m&m is the yolk of the egg. They are so cute.


hi i am not the OP with this but my DD and i made them last night and she is taking them to a party tonight. I thought perhaps ya'll like to see a picture of them. We used Reese's pieces... i figured we get more yellow candies then if i bought M&M's. Also i used white chocolate chips.

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l39/mom2cookies/homeshots020.jpg

[Reese]

Christmas Meltaway Mints.

1 package of cream cheese
4 cups (or more) icing sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract

In a mixer mix the cream cheese until soft and smooth. Add the icing sugar a little at a time until it becomes firm enough to handle. Sprinkle icing sugar on surface and knead in the peppermint extract. Divide into four and roll into ropes. Cut into pieces and let dry in the fridge over night.

You can add food colouring or add other flavours to mix it up. I like to divide it into half and make lemon mints and orange mints, just add 1/4 tsp mint and 1/4 tsp lemon extract or other flavour.

[MazdaUK]

Those bacon and eggs look really fun! I might make some for the school Christmas bazaar coming up.

Anything else you can a) make ahead and put in bags and b) won't cost a fortune? I've got some clear bags with holly leaves printed on and I'm looking for small cookies/sweet treats I can put in there for the homebake stall.

[Hedy]

Something easy and fun that my DD loves to do:
(AND this idea :idea: was just featured in FAMILY CIRCLE!!)

We bought a small package of those Brownie Bites at SAMS (little brownies shaped like cupcake bottoms!!)

Then I put a little glob of whip cream on them and DD decorates them with sprinkles, gum drops, smashed candy cane fragments! and voila instant cupcakes!!

IT's sooo fun and super easy for the younger kids! we usually do a station of these at family parties, to involve the kids in something!
I may need to borrow this for Xmas eve with the family, it'll keep everyone out of trouble. ;)

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Love that white chocolate pudding idea!!!

[UP Disney]

I am loving this thread. I have many pages to read yet but wanted to post a couple. Sorry if they were already posted.

Holiday Hot Cider

1 gallon apple cider
2 pkg. cherry koolaid w/ nutrasweet
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t cloves
cinnamon sticks to float - optional
orange rind to float - optional

Mix and warm. We mix up the whole batch and then put it back in the gallon container (minus our taste tests, of course) and into the fridge. When we want a glass, we pour it and pop it in the microwave to warm it up. It smells wonderful while it is warming on the stove.

Pistachio Pudding Salad

12 oz cool whip
1 small instant pistachio pudding
1 lg. can crushed pineapple

Mix together pudding & pineapple. Do NOT drain pineapple. Mix in cool whip.

Shrimp Dip

1 soft cream cheese
1 jar shrimp sauce
1-2 cans tiny shrimp

On dinner plate, spread the cream cheese evenly. Then do the same with the shrimp sauce. Top with shrimp. Use crackers for dipping.

Easy Fruit Dip

1 soft strawberry cream cheese
Orange juice (have also used pineapple juice)

Leave cream cheese out to soften. Add orange juice to dipping consistency. Serve with any kind of cut fruit. Kids love this.

[UP Disney]

WARNING: Hard to resist these, so beware!

These literally take less than 5 minutes to whip up and then bake them for 20 mins while you are doing something else.

Spiced Nuts
Ingredients:
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt

Mix these 3 ingredients in a small bowl. In a large bowl beat 1 egg white gently with a fork. Add 1 pound of nuts (I use almonds but my sister is going to try it with pecans). Stir until coated. Add the cinnamon/sugar/salt mixture and stir to completely coat. Pour onto a baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 300 for 20 mins. Put on waxed paper in a single layer to cool.

I put these in festive cellaphane bags with a bow and a hand stamped Christmas tag (also great for Valentines day). They are DELICIOUS!!!

I love buying almonds made this way. I can't wait to try this recipe. Thanks!

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Thanks for the NUT recipe!!!! i LOVE LOVE LOVE these when i buy them! now let's hope i can make them too! :teeth:

[bear74]

Something easy and fun that my DD loves to do:
(AND this idea :idea: was just featured in FAMILY CIRCLE!!)

We bought a small package of those Brownie Bites at SAMS (little brownies shaped like cupcake bottoms!!)

Then I put a little glob of whip cream on them and DD decorates them with sprinkles, gum drops, smashed candy cane fragments! and voila instant cupcakes!!

IT's sooo fun and super easy for the younger kids! we usually do a station of these at family parties, to involve the kids in something!
sounds yummy.

[bear74]

I took 2 instant white chocolate puddings, mixed them in different bowls, added red food dye to one, and green to the other. In 8 small glass mini bowls put a bottom layer(2 tablespoons) of red, then a layer of green (2 tablespoons), then another layer of red, and green. You can either leave it like that or take the end of a spoon and stir a little so it looks swirled.
A great touch to your pretzels is, get white chocolate chips, melt them and add 3-4 drops of green dye. Get a spoon full of the chocolate (to keep the chocolate warm, use a bigger bowl full of hot water and place your chocolate bowl into it), and drizzle over the pretzel rings. As the chocolate starts to harden on your pretzels start to push it into an O shape and sprinkle red, and white sprinkles onto them. Once they are completely hard take those gel decorating tubes for cookies and cake and draw a bow on the bottom.
sounds cool

[bear74]

I am loving this thread. I have many pages to read yet but wanted to post a couple. Sorry if they were already posted.

Holiday Hot Cider

1 gallon apple cider
2 pkg. cherry koolaid w/ nutrasweet
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t cloves
cinnamon sticks to float - optional
orange rind to float - optional

Mix and warm. We mix up the whole batch and then put it back in the gallon container (minus our taste tests, of course) and into the fridge. When we want a glass, we pour it and pop it in the microwave to warm it up. It smells wonderful while it is warming on the stove.

Pistachio Pudding Salad

12 oz cool whip
1 small instant pistachio pudding
1 lg. can crushed pineapple

Mix together pudding & pineapple. Do NOT drain pineapple. Mix in cool whip.

Shrimp Dip

1 soft cream cheese
1 jar shrimp sauce
1-2 cans tiny shrimp

On dinner plate, spread the cream cheese evenly. Then do the same with the shrimp sauce. Top with shrimp. Use crackers for dipping.

Easy Fruit Dip

1 soft strawberry cream cheese
Orange juice (have also used pineapple juice)

Leave cream cheese out to soften. Add orange juice to dipping consistency. Serve with any kind of cut fruit. Kids love this.
Vicki those sound great.

[suzannews]

DD and I just made peppermint bark. Yum!!

I melted half a bag of light cocoa chips and spread it out thin on parchment paper. Put in the freezer for a minute to harden. Then melted half a bag of white chips and crushed 10 peppermint candies and mixed in. Spread over the hardened chocolate and put back in the freezer for a minute. Cut into bite size pieces. Looks great!

I took pictures so if I can get DH to upload them, I will post.

[UP Disney]

Anyone have an easy recipe for banana bread?

I don't know if this is easy but it always goes fast at family reunions. If there is other banana bread there, this is always gone before any more of theirs is touched.

Great Aunt Bess' Banana Bread

Mix:
1 1-1/2 cups sugar
1/2 cup shortening
2 beaten eggs
4 T milk
dash salt

Add:

3 soft bananas
1 t soda
2 cups flour
1 pkg chopped nuts (optional)

Line bread tins with aluminum foil and pour in mixture 3/4 full. Bake at 350 degrees for 50-60 minutes. Depending on size of bananas, baking time might be longer. It is done when toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean. Makes one large loaf.

[pbharris4]

I love that shrimp dip!!! With Ritz crackers.......yum! That peppermint bark sounds good too! We should post pictures of the finished products (kind of like the Dining Photos aka Food Porn thread).

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

That fruit dip sounds fabulous! thanks!!
----

Just a tip for those that want to print!

I keep open Microsoft Notebook and i copy and paste all the recipes i like so that when i print i only get recipes and not the comments and siggies, like this one!! :teeth:

[marshallandcartersmo]

I am quite cooking/baking challenged, but I think that recipe with dipping pretzel rods into melted chocolate sounds foolproof!! Will be cute for the kids in DS's Kindergarten class............Can I use just Nestle's chips for that? Then dip them into crushed M&M's/candies/whatever...........

Do you let them harden in the fridge or room temp? thanks!!

[shopgirl72]

HI ALL! WHAT PAGE NUMBER WAS A LOT OF TREATS CONDENSED ON? HELP APPRECIATED!!!!! :thanks:

[bear74]

I think 21 then again on page 29 for the pages between.

[pbharris4]

That fruit dip sounds fabulous! thanks!!
----

Just a tip for those that want to print!

I keep open Microsoft Notebook and i copy and paste all the recipes i like so that when i print i only get recipes and not the comments and siggies, like this one!! :teeth:

I'll have to try that, thanks for the tip!

I just thought of (and they already do this at WDW) when we go down again in the summer buying mickey pretzels (non-chocolate ones) and then decorating them with chocolate and colored suage or whatever. I wonder if unopened pretzels keep for a few months?

[barbnbrian]

Just subcribing so I can come back again later! Thanks for sharing.

[RIDisneyFan]

I'm going to try several of these recipes :stir: and take a big tray into work - we've been working a lot of overtime recently and I think we deserve a treat.
However, there are a few people in the office that are on diets - they've been working very hard at losing weight (and doing great so far :yay: ) so I want to have something for them as well. Anyone have any low fat recipes or at least something a little lower in calories??? :confused3

[scoutsmom99]

:thumbsup2 :thumbsup2 :thumbsup2

Yum I can hardly wait to try out all of these reciepes...especially the popcorn with almond bark.

[UP Disney]

I'm going to try several of these recipes :stir: and take a big tray into work - we've been working a lot of overtime recently and I think we deserve a treat.
However, there are a few people in the office that are on diets - they've been working very hard at losing weight (and doing great so far :yay: ) so I want to have something for them as well. Anyone have any low fat recipes or at least something a little lower in calories??? :confused3

I know that my friends that are on diets like to have fruit & fruit dip if you can come up with a low fat version of a dip. You could get the low fat strawberry cream cheese and add a little orange juice for a quick dip.

[kuusimo]

I know that my friends that are on diets like to have fruit & fruit dip if you can come up with a low fat version of a dip. You could get the low fat strawberry cream cheese and add a little orange juice for a quick dip.


Another really good fruit dip is lemon yogurt with cool whip mixed into it. You can get the fat free kind with both. I know that it is a hit whenever it is brought.

For a veggie dip- we get fat free sour cream and mix in dry ranch dressing.

[pbharris4]

A quick Fat Free, Sugar Free, Low Cal but REALLY yummy fruit dip recipe I made up:

(this is for an individual serving..if you want more just adjust the amounts)

2-3 Big scoops of Frozen Cool Whip Free (it HAS to be frozen)
1 small packet of Splenda

Zap in microwave for 10-12 secs. stir really well until the consistency of marshmallow topping (like the kind on a sundae). Dip your fruit. It's really good with blueberries! Kids love this as well. You can probably add a little juice for more flavor, but I've never done that.

It tastes just like marshmallow, but w/o all the extra sugar. Ironically, I happened to have reg. marshmallow topping in the fridge. Cool Whip Free and the topping had the exact same ingredients except the fat and sugar. The difference is in the consistency.

[CindyD]

From my Southern Living Christmas 2006 book:

Slow-Cooker Candy!!

Triple Chocolate-Nut Clusters

1-16oz jar dry roasted peanuts
1- 9.75oz can salted whole cashews
2- cups pecan pieces
18 (2 oz) chocolate bark coating squares, cut in half
1- 12 oz package semisweet chocolate morsels
4- 1 oz bittersweet chocolate baking squares, broken into pieces
1- tablespoon shortening
1-teaspoon vanilla extract

Combine 1st 7 ingredients in a 5-quart slow cooker, cover and cook on LOW 2 hours or until chocolate is melted. Stir chocolate and nuts, add vanilla, stirring well to coat.
Drop candy by heaping teaspoonfuls onto wax paper. Let stand at least 2 hours or until firm. Store in airtight container. Yield: 6 dozen

White Chocolate-Peppermint Jumbles

2- 16 oz packages vanilla bark coating
1- 12 oz package white chocolate morsels
1- 6 oz package white chocolate baking squares
3- tablesppons shortening
1- 16 oz package of pretzels nuggets (Synder's Sourdough Pretzel Nuggets)
1- 8 oz package animal crackers (3 cups)
1-cup coarsely crushed hard peppermint candies

Combine 1st 4 ingredients in a 6-qt slow cooker. Cook, covered on LOW for
90 minutes or until vanilla bark and chocolate look very soft. Uncover and stin until smooth. Stir in preztels, crackers and crushed peppermint candies. Drop candy by heaping tablespoonfuls onto wax paper. Let stand 1 hour or unitl firm. Yield: 8 dozen

Both sound yummy and easy!!! Although I have not yet tried either one!

[Tigger7570]

Hi:
I have a question about the microwave popcorn with the chocolate. I tried making this yesterday and I must have done something wrong. I made a bag of microwave popcorn, melted hershey's dark chocolate baking bits and dumped the popcorn in the bowl with the melted chocolate then spread it out on the wax paper, but mine didn't harden. The popcorn had a sogginess to it. Is it possible the chocolate wasn't hot enough? I didn't want to overdue it, but I obviously did something wrong. Any help would be great. Thanks so much.

[Suz D]

Thanks for the NUT recipe!!!! i LOVE LOVE LOVE these when i buy them! now let's hope i can make them too! :teeth:

I'm glad someone was interested in these. I posted it last year and it still is by far my favorite gift item. SO incredibly easy and they're yummy! Happy munching!

Suz

[MEM]

I'm glad someone was interested in these. I posted it last year and it still is by far my favorite gift item. SO incredibly easy and they're yummy! Happy munching!

Suz

Found it, thanks! Would it work with cashews?
Can you please guide me to your original post with the recipe? Thanks!

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

Just figured i would post the list that i have so far of the faves i have!! :teeth:

The NUT recipe is here!


recipes:


Originally Posted by Tiinkerbelle
I took 2 instant white chocolate puddings, mixed them in different
bowls, added red food dye to one, and green to the other. In 8 small
glass mini bowls put a bottom layer(2 tablespoons) of red, then a
layer of green (2 tablespoons), then another layer of red, and green.
You can either leave it like that or take the end of a spoon and stir
a little so it looks swirled.

A great touch to your pretzels is, get
white chocolate chips, melt them and add 3-4 drops of green dye. Get
a spoon full of the chocolate (to keep the chocolate warm, use a
bigger bowl full of hot water and place your chocolate bowl into it),
and drizzle over the pretzel rings. As the chocolate starts to harden
on your pretzels start to push it into an O shape and sprinkle red,
and white sprinkles onto them. Once they are completely hard take
those gel decorating tubes for cookies and cake and draw a bow on the
bottom.

Holiday Hot Cider

1 gallon apple cider
2 pkg. cherry koolaid w/ nutrasweet
1/4 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 t cloves
cinnamon sticks to float - optional
orange rind to float - optional
Mix and warm. We mix up the whole batch and then put it back in the
gallon container (minus our taste tests, of course) and into the
fridge. When we want a glass, we pour it and pop it in the microwave
to warm it up. It smells wonderful while it is warming on the stove.

Easy Fruit Dip
1 soft strawberry cream cheese
Orange juice (have also used pineapple juice)
Leave cream cheese out to soften. Add orange juice to dipping
consistency. Serve with any kind of cut fruit. Kids love this.

We bought a small package of those Brownie Bites at SAMS (little
brownies shaped like cupcake bottoms!!)Then I put a little glob of
whip cream on them and DD decorates them with sprinkles, gum drops,
smashed candy cane fragments! and voila instant cupcakes!!
IT's sooo fun and super easy for the younger kids! we usually do a
station of these at family parties, to involve the kids in something!

Originally Posted by Suz D
WARNING: Hard to resist these, so beware!
These literally take less than 5 minutes to whip up and then bake
them for 20 mins while you are doing something else.
Spiced Nuts
Ingredients:
1/2 c. sugar
1 T. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt
Mix these 3 ingredients in a small bowl. In a large bowl beat 1 egg
white gently with a fork. Add 1 pound of nuts (I use almonds but my
sister is going to try it with pecans). Stir until coated. Add the
cinnamon/sugar/salt mixture and stir to completely coat. Pour onto a
baking sheet in a single layer and bake at 300 for 20 mins. Put on
waxed paper in a single layer to cool.
I put these in festive cellaphane bags with a bow and a hand stamped
Christmas tag (also great for Valentines day). They are DELICIOUS!!!

Christmas Pops
Refrigerator Cookie Dough
Popsicle sticks
Red or green candy melts
Sprinkles
Directions: Cut the roll of cookie dough into thick slices. Lay them
on the cookie sheet and stick the popsicle sticks into them. Bake and
let cool. Melt the candy melts into a bowl, then dip only the top half
of the cookie pop into it. Immediatly sprinkle with red or green
sprinkles. These make great gifts for the kids.

Easy Taco Dip
My sister made this, and it's good and very quick!

1 can refried beans
1/2 cup salsa
8 oz (1 cup) sour cream
1/2 packet of taco seasoning
1 bag iceberg lettuce shreds
1 large tomato, diced
1 can sliced black olives
8 oz. shredded cheddar cheese

In a pie plate (whatever size you have -- I use a 10-inch) mix
refried beans mixed with salsa, add a little more if needed to make
it spreadable. Spread evenly over the bottom of the pie plate. In a
separate bowl, mix sour cream with taco seasoning, and spread over
the bean mixture. Top that layer with the iceberg lettuce shreds,
and add diced tomatoes, diced/sliced black olives and top it all off
with shredded cheddar cheese. I'm sure 8 oz. will do for most people,
but I'm a cheese-a-holic, so I add more!
Serve with veggies or tortilla chips!

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

a few more :teeth:



=======
----------

Pretzel wreaths
Ingredients
Pretzel rings (round shaped pretzels)
Hershey's Hugs
Christmas M&M's
Easy release aluminum foil

Line a cookie sheet with easy release aluminum foil. Place the pretzel
rings flat on the cookie sheet. Place one Hershey Hug in the center of
each pretzel ring. Put the cookie sheet in a 350 degree oven for 3
minutes (just until the Hug gets melty). Remove from oven and place an
M&M on top of each hug, and press the M&M down so the melted Hug fills
the center of the pretzel ring. Let cool for 5 minutes (until the Hug
has set up a bit)remove from pan. Place on wax paper to completely cool
**NOTE – We use candy wafers (I like vanilla) from the candy section
of the craft store. You can buy a bag for around $1.70. Much cheaper
than Hershey Kisses and much easier than unwrapping all the candy.
They also come in different colors.

--------

Muddy Buddies or Puppy Chow

9 C. Chex cereal (rice ones are best for this recipe)
1 C. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 C. creamy peanut butter
1/4 C. margarine
1/4 t. vanilla
1 1/2 C. confectioner's (powdered) sugar

Put the powdered sugar in a plastic bag or big bowl with lid and set
aside. Melt choc chips, peanut butter & margarine in microwave. Add
vanilla & mix thoroughly and then stir in cereal until coated. Work
quickly - before the mixture cools off too much! Add the chocolate
coated cereal to the bag/bowl of powdered sugar and shake until all
pieces are coated with sugar. Dump/spread out onto a baking sheet and
allow to cool/set. Store in air-tight container.
----------

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

A good kids punch recipe!

Equal parts white grape juice and club soda! it's bubbly & fun! Dsis and i used to think we were cool when our parents served it in a champagne glass (plastic of course!!)
I like to add strawberry slices too!!-+

=================

A fun tip for hot chocolate!

After pouring it and adding a dollop of whipped cream, during the holidays i like to add some candy cane fragments on top! it looks great and adds a bit of flavor!!

(i just take a candy cane and crush it with a meat tenderizer!)

=======

YUUUMMMY SANGRIA recipe:

1 liter of club soda
1.5 cups of sugar
1 bottle of red wine

Mix together and add fresh fruit slices!!!

I find this a GREAT use for cheap red wine that i wouldn't otherwise like the flavor of :teeth:


ENJOY!!!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!

[Reese]

I just tried the Reese bars and they are great. My DD, 6, and me made these last night and they took ten minutes for an entire cookie sheet.

[taraprather]

These all look so delicious. I plan on going shopping tomorrow and baking this weekend. I'll let you know how everything turns out..

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

:moped:

[mommytomy3]

My dd likes to give these out-
chocolate covered oreo cookie lollipops
Stick a lollipop stick through a double-stuffed oreo , dip in melted chocolate, decorate with sprinkles for the holiday, let harden (sometimes we make these on Valentines day and use pink or white chocolate/candy wafers, and sprinkle with hearts/lips... you can do any color chocolate and so many different holiday sprinkles.. st. patricks, etc)
place in clear lollipop bag and tie with a ribbon.

Here is a great site for different holiday recipes
http://www.northpole.com/Kitchen/Cookbook/

[curlybop]

Chocolate covered cherries
60 maraschino cherries(about three 10oz jars)
3 TBSP maragarine or butter(whichever you prefer)
3 TBSP light corn syrup
2 C sifted powdered sugar
1 bag wiltons candy melts.

Drain cherries thoroughly on paper towels to remove all moisture. Combine butter & corn syrup. Stir in powdered sugar; knead mixture till smooth(chill if too soft to handle)
Shape about 1/2 tsp of your "fondant" around each cherry. Place onto baking sheet lined with waxed paper and chill about 1 hr or until firm.(Don't chill too long or your fondant will begin to dissolve) I always check after 45 mins.
Melt your chocolate melts and by holding the stem, dip your cherries. Set onto a waxed paper lined baking sheet and let chocolate set up.
These are best left in the fridge for a week or two before eating so the fondant can soften and liquefy a little.


Chocolate Phyllo Cookies

Buy frozen Phyllo dough and plan Hershey's candy bars (milk or dark chocolate) ... break candy appart into individual squares. Brush Phyllo with melted butter or spray with spray butter. Cut strips of Phyllo a bit wider than the candy. Place a piece of chocolate on a strip and fold like a flag into a triangle. Bake at 375 till lightly golden brown and then cool ... dust with powdered sugar &/or cocoa &/or cinnamon.

[PaulDavid's mom]

I either use the Wilton chocolate wafers or I order from Wilbur choclates in Litiz, Pa. My mom used to make candy (centers, crackers, mints, all sorts of stuff) and sell it from our house. I used to help her when I was little. Everyone loved her candy and she was going to open a candy store, had some of the displays, etc., but I never know why she didn't. Then she passed..so I may do it some day! Anyway, she would use Wilbur Chocolate a lot.


How much of the wilton chocolate wafers do you use for one bag of popcorn? is it one bag popcorn and one bag wafers? TIA

[GDUL]

These are very popular around our house at Christmas:

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

2/3 cup of sugar
1 cup butter softened
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
seedless raspberry jam (for filling)

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
2 -3 tsp water


Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, and extract. Beat at medium speed until creamy - 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add flour. Continue beating until well mixed - 1 to 2 minutes. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. With thumb, make indentation in center of each cookie (edges may crack slightly). Fill each indentation with about 1/4 tsp of raspberry jam. Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Let stand 1 minute - remove from cookie sheets.

In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and extract. Gradually stir in enough water to make a thin glaze. Drizzle over warm cookies (hint: put glaze into a zip lock bag and cut a tiny corner off and use bag to spread glaze).

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

[It's A Happy Day]

These are very popular around our house at Christmas:

Raspberry Almond Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies

2/3 cup of sugar
1 cup butter softened
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 cups all purpose flour
seedless raspberry jam (for filling)

Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 tsp almond extract
2 -3 tsp water


Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine sugar, butter, and extract. Beat at medium speed until creamy - 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add flour. Continue beating until well mixed - 1 to 2 minutes. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. With thumb, make indentation in center of each cookie (edges may crack slightly). Fill each indentation with about 1/4 tsp of raspberry jam. Bake 14 to 16 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Let stand 1 minute - remove from cookie sheets.

In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and extract. Gradually stir in enough water to make a thin glaze. Drizzle over warm cookies (hint: put glaze into a zip lock bag and cut a tiny corner off and use bag to spread glaze).

Makes about 3 1/2 dozen cookies.

OMG!!! These are one of my favorites!!! I have never made them but I have eaten a ton :hyper:

[DisneyMommyMichelle]

The new additions sound fabulous!

[karenbaco]

subscribing

[Imzadi]

I'm watching this show on the Food Network right now & they showed this woman who took the simple chocolate covered pretzels she made & after dipping, covered them up with some festive toppings like multi-colored sprinkles, or chopped nuts, or rice crispies, shredded coconut, mini m&m's, then drizzled them with white & dark chocolate, etc. The more colors & variety the better!

It looked sooo easy! :thumbsup2 You just need enough sprinkles & toppings to lay out in a big wide bowl or cookie sheet to literally bury the chocolate covered pretzels in. They looked so colorful, festive and not your ordinary pretzels.

In between the twisted pretzels, she covered thick pretzel rods, (not the little sticks,) then twisted them into the toppings. She wrapped a few up together into a colorful pretzel rod "bouquet" with a ribbon. It looked yummy!

Here's a link to the woman's website:
http://www.pretzables.com/

Here are pics of her finished pretzels. (Not my own pretzels.)

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/Imzadi102/pretzelrods.jpg http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/Imzadi102/pretzeltwists.jpg

http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/Imzadi102/pretzelspeanutbrchips.jpg http://i98.photobucket.com/albums/l267/Imzadi102/pretzelsfishbowl.jpg