11-30-10

Chocolate Dipped Apples

These are unbelievably good and even better with a little bit of carmel to add to it.

* 2 tablespoons lemon juice
* 2 cups water
* 3 large apples, cored and cut into 1/2 inch wedges
* 1 cup chocolate chips
* 3 tablespoons butter or
* 1 bottle prepared hardening chocolate sauce (such as Magic Shell)

Preparation:

* 1) Line a baking sheet with waxed paper.
* 2) In a large bowl, combine lemon juice and water. Place apples in lemon juice mixture. Toss to coat apples with lemon juice mixture. Set aside.
* 3) If you don’t have a microwave, skip this step and use hardening chocolate instead. Place chocolate chip and butter in a microwave safe dish. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir well. If chocolate is not completely melted, microwave on high for 20 seconds more and stir. Repeat until chips are melted.
* 4) Place apple slices on a paper towel and pat dry with another paper towel.
* 5) If you made your own chocolate sauce, dip apple slices halfway into chocolate mixture and place on baking sheet. If you are using hardening chocolate sauce, arrange apple slices on baking sheet and drizzle with chocolate.
* 6) Refrigerate apple slices for about 1 hour or until chocolate has set.

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PEANUT BUTTER RICE KRISPIES

• 3 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows
• - OR -
• 4 cups miniature marshmallows
• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 6 cups Rice Krispies®

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. Stir in peanut butter until melted. 2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated.
3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.


MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS:
In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Add peanut butter, stirring until combined. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.


Note

For best results, use fresh marshmallows.
1 jar (7 oz.) marshmallow crème can be substituted for marshmallows.
Diet, reduced calorie or tub margarine is not recommended.
Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

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Peppermint Bark

Makes 36 pieces

• Nonstick cooking spray
• 1 pound white chocolate, chopped (do not use chips)
• 2 cups puffed rice cereal
• 1 bag (7.5 ounces) hard peppermint candies, unwrapped

Directions

1. Spray a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; line with a piece of waxed paper. Crush candies (see note below).
2. Place white chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a saucepan of simmering water. Heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, 4 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in rice cereal.
3. Transfer mixture to prepared pan; with a spatula, spread to edges of pan.
4. Sprinkle with crushed candy; with a piece of waxed paper covering the entire surface, press in gently (paper prevents hands from sticking to candy and chocolate). Chill until firm, 20 to 30 minutes (no longer, as candy will begin to soften).
5. Peel waxed paper off. Break bark into 2-inch pieces. Store at room temperature in an airtight container, up to 1 week.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Peppermint Bark - Martha Stewart Recipes

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DIY: S’mores Kits

These looked cheap and simple enough to make.
Not sure where you would get the little boxes to put them in
but I would think you could put them in some sort of
plastic wrap or bags as well.
Put them in the gift bags below.

Lunch Bag Favors

Here's a brief tutorial of how to print
on paper bags using your printer.
Cut out a decorative design along top edge of
lunch bags. Fold top over and punch two holes
parallel to one another. Insert ribbon from front to
back and tie bow to hold flap down.
. .
.
.

These are Halloween bags but you get the idea
of what you could do to make bags
for some Christmas cookies.

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.

Holiday Pretzel Treats

Salty pretzels combine with sweet chocolate for these fun treats that make a yummy gift few can resist. (In fact, you may want to make some extras for yourself!)

Ingredients

Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels

Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug

M&M's candy

Instructions

Heat the oven to 170F. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug.

Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss.

Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes. Place handfuls of the candies in clear plastic bags and tie on colorful ribbons.

Rolo candies could be used in place
of the Hershey kisses and a pecan placed
on top instead of an M&M.

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Dressed in colorful candy scarves and top hats, these stylish, easy-to-make snowmen are sure to liven up any holiday gathering.

Ingredients
bag of 8-inch pretzel rods
1 cup white chocolate chips
mini chocolate chips
orange decorators' gel
fruit leather (various colors)
gummy rings
gumdrops

Instructions

1. To make a batch, melt 1 cup of white chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler.

2. One at a time, dip one end of an 8-inch pretzel rod in the melted chocolate and use a plastic spoon or knife to spread the chocolate two thirds of the way down the rod.

3. Set the pretzels on a sheet of waxed paper and press on mini chocolate chips for eyes and buttons. Use orange decorators' gel to add a carrot nose.

4. When the chocolate has hardened, stand the pretzels in a mug or glass and tie on strips of fruit leather for scarves. For each hat, stretch a gummy ring over the narrow end of a gumdrop and secure it on the pretzel rod with a dab of melted chocolate.

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Chocolate Toffee Graham Treats

Ingredients:

Yield:

22 22

22

Servings Size

• treats

treats

• 11 whole honey graham crackers, broken into squares
• 1 cup butter
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
• 1 -2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Change Measurements: US | Metric

Directions:

Prep Time: 10 mins

Total Time: 25 mins

1. 1 Preheat oven to 350*.
2. 2 Arrange graham crackers in a single layer in a 15 x 10 baking sheet.
3. 3 Combine butter and sugar in saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly until butter melts; then boil 2 minutes.
4. 4 Remove from heat and stir in pecans.
5. 5 Pour mixture evenly over crackers and spread carefully to edge of pan, covering crackers completely.
6. 6 Bake for 10 minutes.
7. 7 Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with chocolate chips; when chips melt, smooth evenly to cover top.
8. 8 Cool in pan for 5 minutes; carefully separate and transfer squares to a wax paper lined cookie sheet.
9. 9 Refrigerate until chocolate hardens.

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Wouldn't it be cute to do up some of those
lunch bags above, decorating them like
a Santa outfit and adding ribbon for the
suspender handles.
.
.

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These cookies below would work great with
an empanada maker like I picked up at the
thrift store awhile back for about .90 cents!
It had about 3-4 different sizes in the box.
I've always wanted to try it out and have
been looking for recipes for it.

I don't know how much Nutella is at Kroger
but I do know they have a Kroger brand.
I also saw Nutella at Big Lots for $3.00 a jar.
. .

Nutella Pocket Cookies

Makes 40 cookies

1 cup unsalted butter, softened plus 2 more tablespoons, melted.

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

1 cup granulated sugar plus 1\4 cup for sprinkling

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 1/2 cups Nutella

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the 1 cup of butter, cream cheese, and 1 cup sugar until smooth, light, and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Gradually add the flour to the creamed mixture and mix well. Divide the dough into two portions; cover and refrigerate until the dough is firm and easy to handle. An hour should be good enough.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Remove one portion of dough from the refrigerator. On a floured surface, roll out one portion of dough until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Using a circle cookie cutter that is approximately 3 inches in diameter, cut circles out of the dough and place them on an ungreased cookie sheet. Repeat this with the rest of the dough.

Place approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons of Nutella on the center of each circle.

Fold each circle in half so that the edges meet and lightly press the edges to seal.

With a fork, seal the edges more securely. Lightly brush melted butter on the tops and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake the cookies for 10 – 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. Leave the cookies on the cookie sheet for 2 – 3 minutes before removing them to wire racks to cool.

Enjoy!

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Don't know what it is about this dreary weather
we've been having but it's been making me tired.
I've been in slow motion.

I'm ready to get out of the house tomorrow
and do a little shopping at Kroger
and the thrift store to try and boost my
energy up. Shopping in the morning's on
weekdays is great when compared to
evenings or weekends.
Currently getting a little list done up
to get a few of the basic things along with
baking things.

Thinking about making some
chocolate mint rice krispies and/or
chocolate mint covered apples
(use either andes mints or peppermint patties melted down)
& the empanada nutella cookies.