Caramels

This is my favorite holiday recipe. I make these every year for friends and family. The hardest part of making these, is not eating them all before you deliver them

1 cube margarine
1 cube butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup Eagle Brand Milk

Microwave margarine and butter until melted. Add remaining ingredients. Cook in microwave 15 minutes, stirring 4 times (at 12, 9, 6, and 3 minutes remaining). I test the caramels when there is about 2 minutes remaining, run a small spoonfull under cold water and see if it is hard enough, if not cook remaining 2 minutes. Every microwave cooks different, so just keep an eye on them.

Good tip: I use a very large microwavable glass dish, because they do boil, and if your glass dish isn't large enough you will have a big mess. I use the Pampered Chef glass measuring dish, that is 8 cups. That works really well.

Enjoy!

Confetti Pinwheels

1 can (8 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1/4 cup nacho cheese dip
1/3 cup finely chopped red bell pepper (1/3 medium)
1/3 cup chopped green onions (5 medium)

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. Unroll dough and separate into 4 rectangles; firmly press perforations to seal.
2. Spread cheese dip over each rectangle to within 1/4 inch of edges. Sprinkle with bell pepper and onions.
3. Starting with one short side, roll up each rectangle; press edge to seal. With serrated knife, cut each roll into 6 slices; place cut side down on ungreased cookie sheet.
4. Bake 13 to 17 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet. Serve warm.

Christmas Package cheese snack

RECIPE INGREDIENTS:
8 ounces of cream cheese (softened)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Scallion
Red bell pepper
1. Mix the dried dill, garlic powder, and salt into the softened cream cheese.

2. Pack the mixture into a rectangular container lined with plastic wrap (you can reuse the cream cheese box).

3. Refrigerate it for at least 3 hours. Before serving time, set the unwrapped block of cheese on a platter and decorate it with a scallion bow and red pepper polka dots and gift tag.

Popcorn Truffles

Popcorn Truffles

Add M&M's just before shaping the balls to keep the chocolate from melting.

1 microwave bag of popcorn, popped

1 cup roasted cashews

1 3/4 cups light corn syrup

2 Tbs. butter

1 Tbs. white vinegar

1 tsp. salt

1/2 cup M&M's Minis



Place popcorn and cashews in a large bowl. In a saucepan, combine corn syrup, butter, vinegar, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat; boil 6 minutes. Pour mixture over popcorn and mix with a large spoon to coat. Let mixture rest until cool enough to handle.

Lightly coat hands with vegetable cooking spray. Place a few M&M's in the palm of your hand, and combine with some popcorn mixture. Gently shape into a 11/20 ball. Repeat with remaining popcorn mixture and M&M's. Makes about 4 dozen.

Santas Sandwiches

Ingredients
1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon mint extract
Filling:
2-1/2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
2 tablespoons milk
1/2 teaspoon mint extract
Red, green food coloring

Directions
1. Sift together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt into bowl; set aside. In large bowl, beat sugar and butter until smooth. Beat in egg, then vanilla and mint extract. On low speed, beat flour mixture into butter mixture. Divide in half; shape each into a log about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate 4 hours.

2. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Cut each log into slices, about 1/8 inch thick; place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 375 degree F oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until almost firm. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool.

3. Filling: Beat confectioners' sugar, butter, milk and mint extract in bowl until spreading consistency. Tint half with red food coloring, and other half with green. Spread flat side of one-quarter of cookies with red filling; another quarter with green. Top each with a plain cookie. Chill.

Candy Cane Sticks

Ingredients
1 tube (16.9 ounces) refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/2 cup finely crushed peppermint candy canes
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with nonstick foil. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, knead together cookie dough, 1/4 cup of the crushed candy canes, the peppermint extract and flour to incorporate all of the ingredients.

3. Break off a level teaspoon of dough and roll into a 41/2 to 5-inch-long rope. Transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing each rope at least 1 inch from the others. Repeat until sheet is full; refrigerate dough in between batches.

4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 7 minutes, until puffed and just beginning to color. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

5. Stir together confectioners' sugar and 4 teaspoons water until smooth to form a glaze. Brush glaze over wands and let dry. With a small paintbrush, use remaining glaze to paint stripes diagonally across wands, spacing about 1/2 inch apart. Sprinkle wet stripes with some of the remaining crushed candy to resemble a candy cane. Let dry completely. Store in airtight container up to 2 weeks.


Note: If you cannot find peppermint sugar, you can crush candy canes and use those instead: You will need 1/4 cup crushed canes for the dough and 1/4 cup to make the stripes (8 canes total).

Caramel and Fudge Sauce

1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons light or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons water
3/4 cup heavy cream
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 ounces good quality bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Pinch salt

Put the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a medium saucepan. Cook over medium-high heat, brushing down the sides of the pan as needed with water, until the sugar dissolves. Continue to cook, swirling the pan but not stirring, until the sugar is amber in color, about 8 minutes. Pull pan from the heat and carefully add the cream and butter. Take care; it may spatter. Whisk until smooth.
Stir the chocolate, vanilla, and salt into the hot caramel until smooth. Serve sauce warm.

Store in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat slowly, in a microwave at 30 second intervals, stirring, until warm and saucy. Be careful not to over heat or butter can separate from the caramel sauce.

Chocolate Cheesecake Candy Cane Bars

Crust:
20 chocolate wafer cookies
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground coffee beans
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Filling:
8 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs, room temperature

Glaze:
4 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon light or dark corn syrup
2 tablespoons sour cream, room temperature
1/2 cup crushed candy canes (see Cooks Note)


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line an 8-inch square baking dish with foil.
For the crust: Process the chocolate wafers in a food processor with the butter, sugar, coffee, and salt until fine. Evenly press the crust into the prepared dish covering the bottom completely. Bake until the crust sets, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the filling: Put the chocolate in a medium microwave-safe bowl; heat at 75 percent power until softened, about 2 minutes. Stir, and continue to microwave until completely melted, up to 2 minutes more. (Alternatively put the chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Bring a saucepan filled with an inch or so of water to a very slow simmer; set the bowl over, but not touching, the water, and stir occasionally until melted and smooth.)

Blend the cream cheese, sugar, and sour cream together in the food processor until smooth. Scrape down the sides, as needed. Add the eggs and pulse until just incorporated. With the food processor running, pour the chocolate into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

Pour the filling evenly over the crust. Bake until filling puffs slightly around the edges, but is still a bit wobbly in the center, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool on a rack.

For the Glaze: Put the chocolate, butter and corn syrup in microwave safe bowl. Heat glaze in the microwave at 75 percent power until melted, about 2 minutes. Stir the ingredients together until smooth; add the sour cream. Spread glaze evenly over the warm cake and scatter the crushed candy canes over top. Cool completely, then refrigerate overnight.

Cut into small bars or squares. Serve chilled or room temperature.

Store cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Cook's Note: To crush the candy canes, remove wrappers and place in a resealable plastic bag. Use a rolling pin to roll and break the candy up into small pieces, about 1/4 inch or so

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