Reindeer Donuts

I told my daughter that Santa's elfs left her a special breakfast this morning, she was soooo excited!! 

You Need:

As many chocolate donuts as you like

1 red M&M per donut

1 pretzel per donut

Directions:

Cut pretzel in half & place at the top of the donut as it's antlers. Then place the M&M in the hole of the donut for it's nose.

Enjoy :)

Reindeer Sandwich

You Need:

Heart cookie cutter 

2 slices of bread

2 pretzels 

2 brown M&Ms 

1 red M&M

Your choice of sandwich fillings (we love peanut butter & honey)

Directions:

-Make sandwich however you like. Then use the cookie cutter & cut out a big heart in the sandwich. 

-Place 1 pretzel at each hump in the heart for the ears of the reindeer, then place the brown M&Ms for eyes & the red one as the nose. 

Enjoy :) 

"Candy Cane" snack

Just slice up 1 small banana & 2 strawberries, then rearrange them on a plate like a candy cane. Makes a fun Christmas treat for your kids! 

Cranberry Bliss Bars

This is my favorite winter treat from Starbucks! My sister Bridgette tried this recipe on Christmas and she said everyone loved them! Enjoy :D

Recipe From: The Girl Who Ate Everything

Blondie Layer:

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter, cubed
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cranberries
6 ounces white baking chocolate, coarsely chopped

Frosting:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
6 ounces white baking chocolate, melted
1/2 cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon grated orange zest (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.

2. Prepare the blondie layer: In a medium bowl, melt butter for one minute in the microwave or until melted; stir in brown sugar. Pour the butter and sugar into a large bowl and let cool to room temperature. Use an electric mixer to beat in the eggs and vanilla. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt and cinnamon; gradually add the dry mixture to the butter mixture. Stir in the cranberries and chopped chocolate (batter will be thick).

3. Spread the blondie batter into the prepared pan. Bake for 18-21 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (do not overbake). Cool completely on a wire rack.

4. Prepare the frosting: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until combined. Gradually add half of the melted white chocolate; beat until blended. Frost brownies. Sprinkle with chopped cranberries. Drizzle with remaining melted white chocolate. Let the frosting set (speed this up by throwing them into the fridge) then cut into bars- square or triangle-shaped. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Award Winning Chocolate Ritz Cookies

Recipe From: Amanda

Ingredients:
100 Ritz crackers
1 1/2 Cup peanut butter
1 Jar marshmallow cream
1 package of almond bark - melted

Directions:
Microwave peanut butter and marshmallow cream for 30-45 seconds and stir well. Put into a Ziploc baggie and cut off the corner. Squeeze about a TBS of mix onto Ritz cracker then top with another cracker and dip in melted chocolate

Makes 50 cookies

Overnight Baked Blueberry French Toast

Jessica said this recipe is to DIE FOR!! Every time she goes home her family wants her to make this! I think it sounds perfect for Christmas morning!! Thanks Jess :)

Recipe From: Jessica

Makes 8 Servings

For the French Toast, Process:
1 8oz. package of soft cream cheese
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp. minced orange zest
10 slices thin-sliced cinnamon swirl bread (like Pepperidge Farm)

Whisk:
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. almond extract
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg

For The Topping Sprinkle:
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Melt:
4 Tbsp. unsalted butter
1/4 cup packed brown sugar

For The Syrup, Combine:
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
2 Tbsp. fresh orange juice

Directions:
1. Coat a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.

2. For the French toast process: cream cheese, 1/4 cup brown sugar and zest in a food processor until smooth. Line bottom of baking dish with bread slices, cutting pieces to fit. Spread half cream cheese mixture over bread. Continue layering bread and cream cheese, ending with bread.

3. Wish together eggs, milk, almond extract, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pour over top of bread. Then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 8 hours or overnight. (After adding the egg mixture, the French toast will look soupy. Don't worry, all of it will be absorbed.)

4. Preheat oven to 375. Remove plastic wrap from dish.

5. For the topping, sprinkle 1 cup blueberries and almonds over the top of French toast. Melt together butter and 1/4 cup brown sugar, drizzle over French toast. Bake until bubbly and set - about 45 minutes. Then remove from oven and set rest - about 15 minutes.

6. For the syrup combine 1 cup blueberries, maple syrup, and orange juice in a small sauce pan. Simmer syrup until heated through, about 10 minutes, then serve over French Toast.

{Sneaky} Sugar Christmas Cookies

Ones of the best childhood Christmas memories I have is making what seems to be hundreds of my Mom's delicious sugar cookies. She would let us help decorate them and it was so fun doing that with her. I wanted to make some goodies for Eric's boss and secretary but with a busy 8 month old and no babysitter I didn't have time to make the real deal like my Mom would - I had to cheat and go the easy route once again! But I have to say they taste exactly the same and it saved me time and money so I will definitely be doing them this way again!

Makes approx. 20 cookies

You Need:

1 package of Betty Crocker Sugar Cookie Mix
Almond Extract {this is what makes them SPECIAL!!}
1 Egg
1 Stick of butter or margarine - softened
1 Tablespoon of flour
Plus some extra flour (see below)
Christmas Cookie Cutters
Cute Christmas Sprinkles
Red and Green Food Coloring
Rolling pin
Cookie Sheet
Frosting ... you can use THIS recipe (it's more of a glaze) or I just wanted to be super lazy today so I bought the kind in a tub - 1 tub was enough to frost all my cookies and more!

Directions:
1) Heat oven to 375°F.

2) In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, soft butter, 2 cap fulls of Almond extract, flour and egg until soft dough forms.


3) On floured surface (this is that extra flour you needed above - you just need enough to cover the surface), roll dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. If your dough is sticky just work some more flour into it and roll it back out. If it's still sticky do it again. You can't hurt it. Do it until it's not sticky. Make sure you dust your rolling pin with flour before you roll the dough out or it may stick to your dough. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheets, about 1/2 inch apart.

4) Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

5) Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Decorate as desired with icing, sprinkles and sugars.

Note: I added food coloring and 1 1/2 cap fulls of Almond Extract to my tub of frosting!! Then placed it in a ziploc baggie, cut a small hole in one of the corners and used it as a pastry bag (get an idea of what it should look like here) because that is how my Mom does it :D I also put crushed candy canes on some cookies and not sprinkles.

SUPER EASY & FAST Peppermint Bark

I seem to just be making things up today - I have never made peppermint bark - I didn't use a recipe so I have no idea how other people would make it, but this worked for me and it was delicious!!! Not to mention it took less then 5 minutes!! You'll see below I used candy melts - for a couple reasons - I then didn't have to buy peppermint extract (because they are candy cane flavor & like I would ever use that whole bottle, plus it's spendy!) and the candy melts have red flakes in them, which was an added cuteness!

What You Need:

Baker's White Chocolate (4 squares - the box has 6)

Candy Canes (as many or little as you like)

Candy Cane Colorburst Candy Melts (You can find these at Target & JoAnn Fabrics)

Small cookie sheet

Aluminum Foil

Pam cooking spray

Directions:

1) Cover the top of your cookie sheet with the foil. Lightly spray with cooking spray - set aside.

2) Place the candy canes in a bag and smash them with a rolling pin :D - transfer to a small bowl.

3) In a medium pan - over medium heat - add the Baker's white chocolate squares and the candy melts. Continuously stir the pot until melted. Be careful to not over cook it because it will burn and turn colors. It will melt very fast! If you think they are cooking you can remove the pan from heat, continue to stir and they will still melt.

4) Dump the chocolate onto your cookie sheet. With a rubber spatula spread the chocolate thin - about 1/8" thick - Immediately sprinkle with crushed candy cane.

5) Place in fridge until hardened. Break the bark into pieces. Store in airtight container.

Christmas Rolo Pretzel Sandwich

First to make these you need my original Rolo Pretzel Sandwich recipe {* CLICK HERE TO GET IT *}

To make these extra special for Christmas you also need some milk chocolate cooking chips and some cute Christmas sprinkles, in addition to the original ingredients.

You follow the original recipe but once they are cooled off you melt your milk chocolate (I just put mine in a pan over medium heat because it's fast that way). Once the chocolate is melted drop your pretzel sandwiches in (I did 3 at a time) and with a fork make sure they are covered with chocolate. Remove and set on wax paper. Immediately put sprinkles on them. Cool again and enjoy ~ they are sooooo GOOD!!

Peppermint Popcorn Bark

I know Halloween will be here in a few days, but I'm already thinking Christmas! I found this cute/yummy idea from a website called Plain Chicken ... Enjoy!

Ingredients:
2 bags microwave popcorn, popped (18-20 cups)
1 6oz box candy canes, crushed
1 package Almond Bark
1 tsp peppermint extract or a few drops of peppermint oil


Directions:
Place popcorn in a very large bowl - the biggest one you have. Pour crushed candy canes on top of the popcorn. (I crush my candy canes in the food processor - it is quick and it pulverizes the candy canes!) Melt almond bark according to instructions on the package. Add the peppermint extract or oil to the almond bark and pour over popcorn. Stir until all the popcorn is coated. Pour popcorn on wax paper and allow to harden. Once the popcorn has hardened, break into pieces and enjoy!

Holiday Cookie Frosting

Ingredients:
2/3 Cup unsalted butter, softened
2 2/3 Cups confectioner's sugar
2 to 3 Tablespoons milk
3/4 teaspoon almond extract
Food coloring (red, green or just leave it white)


Directions:
Beat butter, sugar, milk & almond with a mixer until smooth. (If frosting is too thick add a little more milk.)

Divide frosting into several small bowls. Add a different color of food coloring into each bowl. Mix. Glaze cookies!

Festive Fruitcake Cookies

Recipe From: http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/

Prep Time: 15 Minutes

Cook Time: 20 Minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Servings: 24

Ingredients:FOR THE COOKIES:
3 teaspoons Milk
3 teaspoons Baking Soda
1 stick (1/2 Cup) Regular (salted) Butter, Softened
1-⅓ cup Packed Brown Sugar
2 whole Eggs
1 cup Brandy
1 Tablespoon Vanilla Extract
2 cups Flour
¾ cups Finely Chopped Pecans
8 ounces, weight Candied Pineapple, Roughly Chopped
4 ounces, weight Candied Red Cherries, Roughly Chopped
4 ounces, weight Candied Green Cherries, Roughly Chopped
½ cups (additional) Flour
_____
FOR THE GLAZE:
½ cups Brandy
½ cups Packed Brown Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine milk and baking soda and stir. Set aside.

Cream butter and brown sugar. Add eggs and mix lightly. Add milk/soda mixture and mix. Add 2 cups flour and mix until just combined. With mixer on low, pour in brandy and vanilla and mix until combined. Add nuts and combine.

Sprinkle 1/2 cup additional flour over the chopped fruit. Toss to coat. Add fruit and any excess flour to mixing bowl Mix until just combined. *Batter will be very wet*

Spray baking sheet with baking spray (or use baking mat.) Drop heaping tablespoons of batter, then bake for 20 minutes or until just golden brown. Do not overbrown!

Mix glaze ingredients in a bowl, then spoon 1 to 2 teaspoons of glaze over each warm cookie. Allow to cool. These cookies get better with age! (Well…within reason.)

Rolo Pretzel Sandwich

Recipe From: Kim A.

What You Need:
Rolo chocolate candies
Square Pretzels

Directions:
*Preheat your oven to 350

*Unwrap your Rolos. Place pretzels on baking sheet. Top with a Rolo.

*Bake in oven for 3-5 minutes, until the chocolate just begins to melt. The Rolo should be soft but not completely melted.

*Remove from oven, immediately squish the chocolate with a pretzel, nut, or M&M candy (which ever you prefer). Place on a plate to cool. Enjoy!!