Holiday Recipe Spectacular - Christmas Swirl Chocolate Bars 12/16/11

How gorgeous are these?  Great for a party, family get together, to take to co-workers...whatever!

Ingredients

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 7 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 2 14 ounce cans sweetened condensed milk
• Pinch salt
• 10 ounces semisweet chocolate, chopped
• 4 ounces white chocolate, melted
• Red and green food coloring
• Red and green mini M&M candies
• Red and green fruit leather

Directions

1. Make crust: Heat oven to 350 degrees F; place rack in center. Line a 13-by-9-inch baking pan with parchment paper, allowing paper to extend on two sides.

2. In a mixer bowl, beat together butter and confectioners' sugar on medium speed until light, about 2 minutes. Beat in extract, then flour and salt until combined well. Press along bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of prepared pan. Bake until just golden brown around edges, 12 to 18 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let cool completely.

3. Make filling: Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, combine butter, brown sugar, milk and salt. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and gently simmer, stirring constantly, until thickened and a deep caramel color, about 15 minutes. Pour over crust and spread evenly; refrigerate until completely cool, about 1 hour.

4. Melt semisweet chocolate; let cool slightly. Using a spatula, evenly spread over filling (for swirled top, see below). Refrigerate until set, about 1 hour. Using a knife, score chocolate layer into 1-12-inch squares.

5. For swirled top: Divide white chocolate into three parts. Tint one part red and one part green. Leave remaining part white. Dollop red, green and white chocolates over semisweet layer. Using a toothpick, gently swirl together colors.

6. For decoration: Using white chocolate, adhere candies to squares, making holly or wreaths. Using a small, clean paintbrush, make a snowman out of white chocolate; decorate with candy.Let stand until set, about 20 minutes.

7. Run a sharp knife under hot water; dry. Following score marks, cut into squares. Wipe knife after each cut (run under hot water and dry as needed). (Can be made ahead. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator up to 1 week.)

Holiday Recipe Spectacular - Naughty Christmas Coal

A fun joke for the hubby or for the kids!  And yummy too!

Ingredients:

• One 16 oz package of Oreo Cookies
• 5 cups large marshmallows
• 4 tablespoons butter

Directions:

1. Butter an 8X8 inch baking pan. Line the baking pan with parchment paper letting the paper extend up two sides of the pan and overhang slightly on both ends. Butter paper; set pan aside.
2. In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade, pulse Oreos  until ground.
3. In a large, microwave safe bowl, melt butter and marshmallows in the microwave until puffed, about 1½ – 2 minutes. Stir in ground Oreo Cookies until combined. Transfer to prepared baking pan. Using a piece of wax paper, press rice mixture evenly into prepared pan.
4. Let set up for at least 10 minutes. Cut into bars and serve.

Holiday Recipe Spectacular ~ Peppermint Bark

What a yummy recipe & fun activity for you and the kiddos to do together.  Of course, I LOVE peppermint so it's a no-brainer.

• 2 2/3 cups bittersweet chocolate bar, chopped into coarse pieces
• 3 to 5 drops peppermint oil (baking aisle)
• 2 cups white chocolate bar, chopped into coarse pieces
• ¼ cup peppermint crunch or finely chopped hard peppermint candies

directions

1) Gently melt the dark chocolate, heating it on very low heat or over hot water until it barely melts

2) Stir in the peppermint oil, then spread it into an 8" x 12" oval on parchment paper or foil.

3) Allow the chocolate to set, but not harden completely.

4) Melt the white chocolate the same way, and mix it with about half the peppermint crunch.

5) Spread the white chocolate over the dark chocolate.

6) Sprinkle the rest of the peppermint crunch on top, pressing it in gently.

7) Allow the candy to cool until hardened, then break or cut it into chunks.

8) Store airtight at room temperature for up to a week; freeze for longer storage.

Yield: about 2 dozen pieces.