Tis the Season

So, the last twenty four hours, I have been trying to do a little Christmas shopping so that I am not totally stressed out next weekend when school is out. We did a little Christmas shopping after church this morning...can't say that is was extremely successful, but every present is a small victory! Clayton is finished...but we've been buying stuff for her along the way since her birthday. We've gotten my dad's gift and Mark's mom's gift...and Keldan's birthday gift...AND...that's about it!

I decided to have a wild idea last night. Clayton is with my parents until Tuesday because Chay's kiddos have croup and she can't watch Clayton tomorrow...so I thought, we should "make" stuff for our neighbors! Since I am only working part time, we decided that we really couldn't afford the normal $40 gift cards to various places that we usually do...so I decided that we (Mark and I) were going to bake stuff!

Here's what we made: Peppermint Fudge, Peppermint Brittle, Cake Balls, Melt Away Cookies, and some awesome "white trash" that you make with peanut butter captain crunch...after about 2.5 hours in the kitchen we are through and the kitchen is clean...thanks to my wonderful husband!

Here are the recipes if you are interested?!?!

Peppermint Fudge (so easy!)
1 pk. white chocolate chips
1 can of white pillsbury frosting
1 tsp. peppermint extract
4 drops of red food coloring
1/4 cup of crushed candy canes

In a sauce pan, melt white chocolate chips on medium heat. Add frosting and continue to stir. Take off heat and add peppermint extract. Stir it well. Put it in 8 x 8 baking dish. Then, put one drop of food coloring in each corner of the pan and swirl it with a butter knife. Finally, sprinkle with crushed up candy canes and refrigerate until firm. Cut into little squares and serve!

Peppermint Brittle (Mark made this one...we burned it the 1st time and had to "redo")
1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tablespoon of butter
1 tsp baking soda
1 cup of crushed candy canes

Put sugar and corn syrup in microwave safe bowl for 3-4 minutes. Stir and put back in microwave for another 3-5 minutes (until light brown...the original recipe says 4-5 minutes both times, but I am here to tell ya...you will end up with scortched brittle if you do that!!!) Stir and add vanilla and butter and stir...then microwave for another 1-2 minutes. Gentle stir in baking soda and then pour onto greased baking sheet. Sprinkle with crushed candy canes and use a spatula to "press down" a little. Let cool...chop it up and enjoy.




Cake Balls

1 package cake mix (I used red velvet for the Christmas color)
1 container of frosting (I used white and put red food coloring in it)
1 package of almond bark (either white or milk chocolate)

Prepare the cake mix according to box. Cook it in whatever kind of pan you want.
When the cake is done, crumble it (while kind of warm?) in a large bowl.
Stir in the frosting (I used the mixer!)
Put the mixture in the fridge for a couple of hours so that it can firm up
Use a melon baller or scoop of some sort to make the balls. You don't want to make them too big.
Then put them in the freezer for about 30 minutes or so.
Melt chocolate coating in a glass bowl in the microwave
Dip the balls in the chocolate using a toothpick and place them on waxed paper.
After they have dried, you can drizzle the opposite color of chocolate on them...they look amazing and taste awesome!

You can use any combo of cake mix and icing!


Melt Away Cookies

1 cup butter, room temp
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup confectioners' sugar
2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
colored or granulated sugar, if desired


Cream butter until light and fluffy; beat in salt, and both extracts. Gradually blend in confectioners' sugar and then flour. Chill for about 1 hour. Shape dough into rolls about 3/4 inch in diameter, then cut in 3/4 inch lengths. Place ends up, on ungreased cookie sheet; press lightly with the bottom of glass covered with a damp cloth. Add colored sprinkles if you want. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes.


"White Trash"
3 cups of Peanut Butter Captain Crunch
2 cups of Rice Crispies
2 cups of Salted, Dry Roast Peanuts (or whatever kind you like!)
2-3 cups of Marshmallows
1 pk. white chocolate bark

Put all of these ingredients except the bark in a big bowl. Melt the white chocolate bark in the microwave and pour over all of the dry ingredients. Then lay it all out on wax paper. You can either put it in a long "clump" or do it my the spoonful. After it "sets" you can break it up into bite size pieces and serve it in a fun Christmas container.


And there you have it...what Mark and I did tonight. It was fun! I am glad we did it! So, now I've shared my 1st year of Christmas baking recipes with you...

What kinds of fun things to you bake for Christmas?!?! Anyone?!?