Truffle pops

This makes a great treat for any special occasion. I passed these out at my cookie exchange and I think I will be making them for Valentines Day too!

Ganache:

• 8 ounces (1 1/2 cups) bittersweet (60 percent cacao) chocolate chips (recommended: Ghiradelli)
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 2 cups (12 ounces) bittersweet (60 percent cacao) chocolate chips (recommended: Ghiradelli)

Toppings:

• 1 cup finely chopped nuts, such as pistachios or walnuts
• 1 cup mini-chocolate chips
• 3 (1.4-ounce) milk chocolate-toffee candy bars, such as Heath or Skor, finely chopped
• Special equipment: 18 (4-inch) wooden pop sticks, a 1-ounce cookie scoop

Directions

For the ganache: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a medium stainless steel or glass bowl, combine the chocolate chips and heavy cream. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted and the mixture is smooth, about 6 minutes. Whisk in the cinnamon. Refrigerate the ganache until very firm, about 2 hours. Using a 1-ounce cookie scoop or a round tablespoon measure, scoop the ganache into 18 (1-inch) round pieces and arrange on the prepared baking sheet. Working quickly, with dry hands, roll the mixture into balls. Put a pop stick into each ball and freeze, stick side up, until firm, about 30 minutes.

Add the 2 cups of chocolate chips to a medium stainless steel or glass bowl. Set the bowl over a saucepan of barely simmering water and stir occasionally until the chocolate has melted, about 4 minutes.

Put the chopped nuts, mini-chocolate chips and chopped candy bars in 3 small bowls.

Dip the pops in the melted chocolate, allowing the excess chocolate to drip off, and then dip into the toppings until coated. Arrange the pops, stick side up, on the baking sheet. Refrigerate for 30 minutes until the chocolate has set. Let the pops stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

Store the pops, refrigerated, in an airtight container.

Cook's Note: If the scooped ganache is too sticky to roll into balls, put the pan in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes to harden.

Peppermint cloud brownies

I make this at every cookie exchange I have..its great!! And, I love saying that I made brownies from scratch! Its just about as easy as opening the box!

1 stick butter, plus more for pan
2 oz semi sweet chocolate
1/2 c unsweetened cocoa
3/4 c packed brown sugar
2 lg eggs
1/2 c flour
1/4 t salt
2/3 c chopped pecans
1/3 c milk
1 t vanilla
1 1/3 c mini marshmallows
3 T crushed peppermint sticks

Heat oven to 350*. Butter an 8 in square pan and line with a strip of parchment overhanging on two sides. Butter parchment; set aside. In saucepan melt butter, chocolate and cocoa on low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in sugar, flour, salt nuts, milk and vanilla until combined. Spread batter into prepared pan. Bake until set, about 20 min. Remove from oven and top with marshmallows and bake until marshmallows are puffed, another 5 min. Immediatly sprinkle with peppermint. Loosed edges and lift brownies from pan using parchment. Cut into squares and store in an airtight container up to 1 day.

Peppermint Bark

Everyone is raving about this stuff this holiday season, and I will admit that it was the easiest thing ever to make! I actually stumbled onto the recipe by accident. I was rummaging through my spice cabinet and saw the Peppermint Extract and tried and tried to remember what I had originally bought it for, and I couldn't! So, I turned it over and saw the recipe for this on the back and just happened to have the ingredients on hand, so I decided why not?

1 bag of wilton candy melts, white
1t. peppermint extract
8-10 drops of red food coloring
1/2 c crushed peppermint candies

Line a lg baking sheet with foil. In saucepan, melt chocolate. When nearly melted, remove from heat and add extract. Gently stir until smooth. Spread onto baking sheet and smooth out. Add food coloring and with a wooden skewer, swirl color into bark. Top with candy, pressing with spatula so they stick. Let set and break into pieces! DONE!

Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies

by Carol McClain

2 Cups butter

2 Cups sugar

6 Eggs

4 tsp. vanilla

6 tsp. baking powder

7 Cups flour

Cream together, then add flour mixture. Roll out dough & cut.

Bake @ 350 for 8-10 min.

Frost and decorate

This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe.

Pumpkin Cookies

Pumpkin Cookies
Talia Hudson

2 boxes Spice cake mixes
1 Large can pumpkin
1 bag chocolate

Mix together, then add chocolate chips.

Bake at 350 for 16-18 min.

Frost after cooled with Betty Crocker cream cheese frosting.

YUMMY!!!!!!

Refreshing Fruit salad

This is all I eat lately! Its so satisfying in the summer!

1 pint blueberries
1 pint blackberries
1 pint raspberries
1 sm container of strawberries
2-3 t. mint
1T. lemon juice

*Wash all berries and put in large bowl. Add lemon juice and minced mint. Top with fresh whip cream! YUM!

Oreo truffles

by Stephanie Reece
These little things are so tasty. Be careful though, they are very rich!

1 pkg. oreo cookies, finely crushed
1 8oz block of cream cheese
2 pkg (8 squares) semi-sweet chocolate melted

-Mix cookie crumbs and cream cheese together until well blended. Shape into 42 (1in) balls and place on wax lined baking sheets. Put in freezer of fridge to "firm" up.
Dip balled in melted chocolate; place on wax paper. Return to fridge for 1 hr or until firm. Store in tightly sealed container in fridge. For an added look, drizzle white chocolate on top.

**warning: this is really messy to make. Make sure NO ONE needs you when you are rolling the balls!**

Chocolate Peanut Butter filled cookies

By Stephanie Reece
These are perfect cookies for those Christmas cookie exchange parties! They make a lot, and are cheap!

1 pkg chocolate chips
1 Tbsp Crisco
Ritz crackers
Creamy peanut butter

-Make PB sandwiches with crackers and place on parchment lined cookie sheets. Place in fridge or freezer to firm up. On low heat put chocolate chips and Crisco in pot to melt. Stir to remove lumps. One at a time using tongs dip cookies into chocolate and place on parchment lined cookie sheets. When sheet is full place back in fride. For an added touch, drizzle white chocolate over the tops!

Cheesecake

Cheesecake Supreme
Tecia Brinkerhoff


1½ cups finely crushed graham crackers
1 Tbsp. Sugar
½ cup butter, melted

For crust, in a bowl combine graham crackers, the 1 Tbsp. Sugar. Stir in melted butter.
Press crumb mixture onto the bottom & 2 in. up the sides of an 8- or 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside.

3- 8-oz pkgs. Cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp. All-purpose flour
1 tsp. vanilla
¼ cup milk
3 slightly beaten eggs

For filling, in a large mixing bowl beat cream cheese, the 1-cup sugar, flour & vanilla with an electric mixer until combined. Beat in milk until smooth. Stir in eggs.

Pour filling into crust-lined pan. Place pan in a shallow baking pan. Bake @ 375° for 40-45 min. for an 8-inch pan, about 35 min for a 9- inch pan, or until a 2 ½-inch area around the outside edge appears set when gently shaken.

Cool in pan on a wire rack for 15 min. Using a sharp small knife, loosen the crust from sides of pan; cool for 30 min. more. Remove the sides of the pan; cool cheesecake completely on rack. Cover & chill at least 4 hours before serving.

Chocolate Krinkle Cookies

Chocolate Krinkle Cookies
Grandma Orton
I remember making these with my Grandma all the time

½ Cup Shortening
1/3 Cup milk
1-2/3 Cup Sugar
2 tsp. Vanilla
2 Eggs
½ Cup cocoa
2 Cups flour
2 tsp. Baking powder
½ tsp. Salt

Chill dough three hours then roll into balls. Then roll balls in powder sugar and bake @ 350°. Large cookies 15 min. & small cookies 12 min.

Peanut Butter Bars

Peanut Butter Bars
By Judy Ferguson


1 ½ Cup butter
1 Cup sugar
1 ¼ Brown Sugar
2 Eggs
1 Cup Peanut butter
1 ½ tsp. Soda
¾ tsp. Salt
1 tsp. Vanilla
1-Cup flour
3-4 Cups oats
Mix together and spread over a cookie sheet. Bake @ 350° until top is brown.

**1 ¼ cups peanut butter – spread on top while still warm

Frosting:
½ Cup softened butter
¼ cup milk add slowly
4 cups powder sugar
½ cup Cocoa
¼ tsp. Vanilla

Chocolate chip cookies

Stephanie Reece

These are just the right taste and texture! MMMM....Good!

1 3/4 c flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 c butter
1/2 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar (packed)
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 pkg choc. chips

* Heat oven to 375*. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in medium bowl, set aside. Beat butter and sugars together until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla; beat well. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto cooking tray. Bake 10-13 min or until golden brown. Enjoy!

Aunt Judy's Sugar Cookies

These are my Aunt Judy's sugar cookies and I absolutely LOVE them! They bake up like cake cookies are incredibly soft and are easy on the wallet, as they have Crisco, not butter! Hope you all enjoy them!

Sugar Cookies

1C. shortening (preferably butter flavor)
1C. sour cream
2 eggs
1 1/2tsp baking soda
1 1/2tsp baking powder
2C sugar
1 1/2tsp vanilla
5-6C. flour

-Combine and mix shortening, sour cream, eggs, vanilla and sugar. Slowly add in remaining dry ingredients. Chill for at least 1 hr. Roll out to approx 1/4 in. and cut into desired shapes. Bake at 350* for 10-12 min. Enjoy!

Frosting
1/2 c shortening
1/2 c butter
1tsp almond extract (optional, but why leave it out?!! Its so good!)
1tsp vanilla
4 c powdered sugar
2 tbsp. milk
-cream butter, shortening until smooth. Add sugar 1 cup at a time. Add milk and food coloring if wanted.

Lemon Bars

It's Sunday & I always love to make treats on Sunday so I thought I would add one of my all time favorites from growing up.

1 Cup Margarine or Butter
½ Cup Powder sugar
2 Cups Flour
1/8 tsp. Salt

Blend together until moist. Press into a greased 9 x 13 pan & bake 15-20 min. @ 350 °.

Combine & Mix:

4 Eggs
2 Cups Sugar
4 T. Flour
5 ½ T. Lemon Juice

Pour over cooled baked crust. Then bake again 25 min. @ 350°. Make sure lemon juice mixture is settled before removing from oven. Sprinkle with powder sugar when cooled, cut into squares & serve.