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.

Peanut Butter Cookies

I love peanut butter cookies, and I have this great recipe I love. I love them plain, but there's no better food combination than peanut butter and chocolate, so we like to dress them up a little, too. Here are two of our favorites that we like to make for FHE. I love getting the kids involved in the kitchen. They love making these and of course eating them, too!

Peanut Butter Cookies
1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1 egg
1-1/4 c flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt

You know how to make cookies. Cream the butter and sugars. Add the egg. Sometimes I add vanilla, too. Mix the dry ingredients and mix them in with the wet. I love to add chocolate chips (I prefer milk chocolate) to make the best chocolate chip cookies EVER. This batch makes about 2-1/2 dozen tablespoon-size cookies.



Peanut Butter Kisses
I know everyone knows how to do this, but I thought it was worth mentioning anyway because it's so-o-o delicious. Unwrap kisses and press them into the cookies when they come out of the oven. Don't put them on the cooling rack first unless you want to poke a kiss-sized hole all the way through your cookie. With all the varieties of Hershey kisses available, you can easily find a taste combination you adore.


Peanut Butter Cup Cookies

For this one you need mini muffin tins and mini peanut butter cups. Roll a ball of dough about an inch in diameter. (I use the Pampered Chef small scoop to measure the dough, and the kids roll them into balls.) Place ball in mini muffin cup and press up the sides. Repeat until you run out of dough or muffin cups. Bake at 350 for approx. 10 minutes. As soon as they come out of the oven, press peanut butter cup into center of cookie. Carefully remove from muffin tins and cool.

Lion House Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love cookies loaded with oatmeal and nuts, but sometimes I crave a basic, no-frills chocolate chip cookie. If you're in the mood for a simple, smooth, chewy and delicious chocolate chip cookie, this is it. Don't forget the milk!

Lion House Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 3/4 cups softened butter
1 3/4 cups brown sugar
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs
5 1/2 Tbs water
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp soda
3 cups chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugars. Add eggs, water, and vanilla and mix until creamy. Add the flour, salt, and soda. Mix well. Gently fold in chocolate chips, mixing only until chips are evenly distributed. (Overmixing results in broken chips and discolored dough.) Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until golden brown. Makes 5 to 6 dozen 3 1/2-inch cookies.

Notes: Be sure to pay attention to the 5-6 dozen yield. If you're making this only for your immediate family, I strongly recommend halving the recipe. These cookies are also great for making ice cream sandwiches. They stay moist for a long time and are even better cooled than warm in my opinion, so they are ideal for making ahead of time for a get-together.