Peppermint Bark

http://www.food.com/recipe/peppermint-bark-345124?photo=29873 

• 12ounces chocolate chips
• 1lb white chocolate chips
• 1⁄2teaspoon peppermint extract
• 1⁄2cup peppermint candy, crushed

1. Preheat oven to 250. Line a 9x13 pan with foil, letting it hang over the sides. Spray foil. Pour the chocolate chips in an even layer on the foil. Place in oven for 5 minutes or until almost melted. Remove from oven, smooth with an offset spatula or knife. Place in refrigerator until cold and firm, about 20 minutes.
2. Melt white chocolate chips in a double boiler or in a metal bowl over simmering water (don’t let bottom of bowl touch water), until chocolate is almost melted. If you are daring, you can use your microwave. Remove bowl from water and stir until completely melted, stirring in extract. Let cool a little bit so it doesn’t melt the chocolate layer when you pour it on top. Pour this over chocolate layer, and, working quickly, spread to cover. Sprinkle with crushed candy (I pressed the candy in just a bit).
3. Chill until both layers are firm. Lift foil out of pan and shake off excess candy. Trim edges. Cut into 2” wide strips. Peel bark from foil and cut each strip as desired. Chill in covered container. Makes about 2 pounds.

Minty Deliciousness!

Since I am so far behind let's talk about Christmas...............in February! For the past few Christmases I have made boxes of cookies for neighbors and our priest at Church. For the past few years I have been using the same basic cookies and then usually added one new recipe to the box. This year I was craving some chocolate and mint (for some reason mint means the holidays to me!)

Aunt Nettie's Cookies

Thumbprint Cookies

SOFT MINT CHOCOLATE COOKIES
Source: all recipes)

INGREDIENTS:

1/2 cup butter (no substitutes)
3 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

DIRECTIONS:

- In a microwave or heavy saucepan, melt butter and chocolate; stir until smooth. In a mixing bowl, beat sugars and egg; add buttermilk and peppermint extract. Beat in chocolate mixture. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to sugar mixture. Let stand for 15 minutes or until dough becomes firmer.

- Drop by tablespoonfuls 3 in. apart onto ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks.

Simply Devine Truffles!

My admin at work made these fantastic truffles so ofcourse I had to get the recipe and add them to my Christmas Cookie box! These were sooooooooo simple and absolutely delicious. I made two batches one regular batch with white chocolate melted and sprinkled on top. With the second batch I couldn't resist adding some peppermint extract, I love anything with peppermint and chocolate and these came out sensational.

When I did the second part and coated them in the chocolate I melted the chocolate in batches and one time I didn't need all the squares and another time I used all. So I recommend just doing them in 4 to 6 squares at a time.







SIMPLY SENSATIONAL TRUFFLES
(Source: http://www.kraftfoods.com/kf/recipes/simply-sensational-truffles-107529.aspx)

INGREDIENTS:

2-1/2 pkg. (20 squares) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 tsp. peppermint extract (optional)

DIRECTIONS:

- MELT 8 chocolate squares. Beat cream cheese with mixer until creamy. Blend in melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm.
- SHAPE into 36 balls. Place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet.
- MELT remaining chocolate. Use fork to dip truffles; return to baking sheet. Decorate, then refrigerate 1 hour.

Minty Delicious Bars!

I love Andes Mints and a few months ago I made Brownies with them but when I found this recipe it seemed like a perfect December recipe to me, I always associate mints and chocolate with the Holidays. These came out soooooooooooo much better then I could have expected, it somehow got around the office that I had them and people were randomly stopping by the office for them. These were excellent!!

The only caveat I would say is that the recipe says to bake the first part for 12 to 15 minutes; however, I think mine were in for almost 30 minutes...just keep checking on them and make sure they don't get hard and are still soft! I used just a regular rectangluar pan.




ANDES MINT BARS
(Source: cooks.com)

BASE:

1 c. butter
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
3/4 tsp. peppermint extract
1 c. flour

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter and chocolate; set aside to cool. Beat sugar, eggs, peppermint and flour, add chocolate mixture. Pour into a greased 10 x 15 inch pan. Bake for 12-15 minutes; do not over bake. Allow to cool.

FILLING:

6 tbsp. butter
3 c. powdered sugar
3/4 tsp. peppermint extract
2 drops green food coloring
3-4 tbsp. milk

Mix butter, sugar, peppermint and food coloring. Add enough milk to make desirable spreading consistency. Spread over cooled base. Chill for 15 minutes.

GLAZE:

4 oz. chocolate chips
4 tbsp. butter

Melt chips and butter. Allow to cool. Carefully spread over filling. Chill. Cut into squares. Makes 30.

Peppermint Patty Cupcakes!

I love chocolate and mint together!!! For my officemate's birthday this week I decided I wanted to try and make a Mint Cream Cheese Frosting; unfortunately, I couldn't find a recipe for it so I combined different ones and made one up. I hate cooking because a lot of times it is just a pinch of this and a pinch of that but baking is very precise and so I was a little nervous on making this recipe up. However, everyone loved it - even the non cupcake lovers. They were Devils Food Cupcake and with the Mint Cream Cheese Frosting they tasted like a Peppermint patty and they were perfect for a December birthday!!

I have to apologize the recipe below is not exact measurements on sugar or milk. But you can play with it and see. I remembered the next day that I did have a regular mint frosting recipe that I could have used but o well it turned out okay!




Mint Cream Cheese Frosting

INGREDIENTS:

- 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 teaspoon peppermint extract
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar - totally play this by ear because I didn't measure it
- 4-6 tablespoons of Milk

DIRECTIONS:

Beat cream cheese, butter, and peppermint together until smooth and fluffy. Add confectioners' sugar and milk. Beat until creamy. Add more icing sugar or milk as needed for easy spreading.

Mint Love and Cupcake Obsession

Washington D.C. has a slight obession with cupcakes and stores keep popping up everywhere...I actually don't think some of them are that good but I recently had a devils food cupcake with mint frosting and it got me thinking are mine better then these $3 a piece cupcakes? I already love my Devils Food Recipe and I just needed to find a good Mint Frosting recipe and I think I did....it is very minty!!!

Note the recipe below NEEDS to be doubled to make enough icing for all of the cupcakes!






MINT FROSTING
(Source: Cooks.com)


INGREDIENTS:

1 1/2 c. confectioners sugar
2 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. shortening
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. pure mint or peppermint extract
2 to 3 drops green food coloring (optional)

Combine all ingredients in the order listed in small mixing bowl. Beat until spreading consistency. Additional sugar may be needed if frosting is too thin.