Christmas Treats

Our Christmas plates this year looked something like this - a few old favorites and a few new things I tried.  I had a definite favorite, but everything turned out delicious.  I was going to dip pretzel rods in caramel and milk chocolate and drizzle with white chocolate, but I ended up buying chocolate covered pretzels and drizzling them with white chocolate instead.  The peanut butter cookie recipe is here.  Here's the rest of the yummy goodness.

Holly's Scrumdiddilyumpscious Pumpkin Bars

Cake:

2 c flour

1-1/2 c sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 c oil
4 eggs, beaten
1 (16 oz) can pumpkin

Cream Cheese Frosting:
1 (3 oz) pkg cream cheese
1/4 c butter
1 tsp vanilla
2 c sifted powdered sugar

Sift together dry ingredients.  Combine wet ingredients and beat together.  Add dry to wet and beat until combined.  Spread butter in an ungreased 15 x 10 inch baking pan.  Bake in a 350 degree oven for 20-30 minutes.  For the frosting, mix cream cheese, butter and vanilla until light and fluffy.  Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until smooth.  Spread over cake and enjoy.  I like to use a double batch of frosting (use a whole 8 oz package of cream cheese).  You can also make this in a 9 x 13 for more of a cake dessert instead of bars with a single batch of frosting.

Chocolate-Dipped Coconut Macaroons
1 (14 oz) pkg flaked coconut (5-1/3 c)
2/3 c sugar
6 Tb flour
1/4 tsp salt
4 egg whites
1 tsp almond extract
1 pkg (8 squares) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

Mix coconut, sugar, flour and salt in large bowl.  Stir in egg whites and almond extract until well blended.  Drop by teaspoonfuls onto greased and floured cookie sheets.  Bake 20 minutes or until edges of cookies are golden brown.  Immediately remove from cookie sheets to wire racks and cool completely.  Dip cookies halfway into melted chocolate.  Let stand at room temperature or refrigerate on wax paper-lined tray 30 minutes or until chocolate is firm.  Makes about 3 dozen cookies.  Store in tightly covered container up to one week.

German Chocolate Bars

2/3 c butter, softened

1 pkg German chocolate cake mix

1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tub coconut pecan ready-to-spread frosting

1/4 c milk

In a medium bowl, cut butter into cake mix.  Press half of the mixture (about 2-1/2 cups) in the bottom of a lightly greased 9x13 pan.  Bake 10 minutes at 350.  Sprinkle chocolate chips over baked layer.  Drop frosting by tablespoonfuls over chocolate chips.  Stir milk into the remaining cake mixture and drop teaspoonfuls of this batter on top of the frosting.  Bake 25-30 minutes or until cake portions of the surface are slightly dry to the touch.  Cool completely.  Cut into squares.  Cover and refrigerate.

Toffee-Top Cheesecake Bars - my favorite - SO SO SO good

1-1/4 c flour

1 c powdered sugar
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa
1/4 tsp baking soda
3/4 c butter
1 (8 oz) pkg cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1-1/2 c (8 oz pkg) English toffee bits, divided

Combine flour, powdered sugar, cocoa and baking soda; cut in butter until mixture is crumbly.  Press firmly on bottom of ungreased 9 x 13-inch baking pan.  Bake 15 minutes.  In a separate bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy.  Add milk, eggs and vanilla; beat until smooth.  Stir in 1 c English toffee bits.  Pour mixture over hot crust.  Bake 25 minutes or until set and edges just begin to brown.  Remove from oven.  Cool 15 mimnutes.  Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c English toffee bits evenly over top.  Cool completely. Refrigerate several hours or until cold.  Store leftovers covered in refrigerator.