White Chocolate Dipped Peppermint Chocolate Cookies

 

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups (237g) all-purpose flour (scoop and level to measure)

1 cup (98g) unsweetened cocoa powder (scoop and level to measure)

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened about halfway (it should be fairly firm still)

1 1/4 cups (250g) granulated sugar

3/4 cup (160g) packed light brown sugar

2 large eggs

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp peppermint extract

16 oz. white chocolate, broken or chopped

1/4 cup (approx) finely crushed peppermint bits (I used the King Leo ones)

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
• In a medium mixing bowl whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda and salt for 20 seconds. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment cream together butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar until well combined. 
• Mix in eggs one at a time then blend in vanilla extract and peppermint extract.
• With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined.
• Scoop dough out by a rounded tablespoon (about 25 grams each) and shape into balls (if dough is sticky you can chill as needed but mine wasn't sticky at all).
• Space on cookies sheets 2-inches apart. Flatten cookies slightly. 
• Bake one sheet at a time in preheated oven about 8 minutes (cookies should appear slightly under-baked). 
• Let cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool 5 minutes then transfer to an airtight container to fully cool. 
• Once cookies are cool, melt white chocolate in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power in 30 second increments, stirring between intervals until melted and smooth. 
• Dip half of each cookie in white chocolate then transfer to parchment paper and sprinkle with peppermint bits. Chill to let chocolate set about 10 minutes. 
• Store cookies in an airtight container.

No Bake Energy Balls (So good!!)

 

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups no stir creamy peanut butter
• ½ cup honey
• 1 ⅓ cups old fashioned oats (rolled oats)
• ½ cup vanilla protein powder
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup mini dark chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Add the no stir creamy peanut butter, honey, rolled oats, vanilla protein powder, salt, and mini dark chocolate chips to a mixing bowl and use a rubber spatula to mix until the batter is combined
2. Use a mini cookie scoop or a spoon to drop energy balls with a spoon onto a wax paper covered cookie sheet. They should be around 1 inch in size.
3. Roll the energy balls with your hands to form the shape
4. Place cookie sheet with the energy bites on it in the fridge for 1 hour, or until the balls are hardened
5. Transfer energy balls to a ziploc bag and store in the freezer

Christmas Potpourri

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh cranberries
• 1 orange (sliced)
• 4 cinnamon sticks (broken in half)
• 1 TB cloves
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 2-3 cups water

Directions:

Combine ingredients in a small pot and simmer over low heat for as long as desired. Add more water if it gets low. Enjoy the holiday scent!

Recipe Found here. 

Rainbow Jell-O

Ingredients

Small boxes of Jell-O (red, orange, yellow, green, blue, purple)

Cool Whip

Sour cream

Directions

1. Put the glass pan in fridge to chill

2. Add one packet of Jell-O to 1 cup boiling water. Dissolve completely.

3. Pour 1/4 cup the Jell-O into a bowl and add 1T sour cream and 2 T cool whip. Whisk together until melted.

4. Pour into chilled pan and spread evenly. Return pan to fridge for 15-20 min. 

5. Pour the remaining Jell-O into the pan and return to fridge for 15-20 minutes.

6. Repeat steps 2-5 for all the colors. Set up times will decrease as the layers increase.

7. Top with Cool whip.

8. Serve and enjoy

Sausage, Spinach and Potato Soup

 

(PHOTO AND RECIPE FOUND HERE

 

INGREDIENTS:

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 pound spicy Italian sausage, casing removed
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes, optional
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 5 cups chicken broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 pound red potatoes, diced
• 3 cups baby spinach
• 1/4 cup heavy cream

DIRECTIONS:

1. Heat olive oil in a large stockpot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add Italian sausage and cook until browned, about 3-5 minutes, making sure to crumble the sausage as it cooks; drain excess fat.
2. Stir in garlic, onion, oregano, basil and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring frequently, until onions have become translucent, about 2-3 minutes; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
3. Stir in chicken broth and bay leaf, and bring to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender, about 10 minutes.
4. Stir in spinach until it begins to wilt, about 1-2 minutes. Stir in heavy cream until heated through, about 1 minute; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
5. Serve immediately.

Christa's BEST Fudge

 

Ingredients:

4 c sugar
1 can canned milk
4 c little marshmallows
1 c butter, cubed
20 oz chocolate (combination of German chocolate, milk chocolate chips, dove candy, etc.)
1 lb walnuts

Instructions:
Bring sugar, milk and marshmallows to a boil.
Boil for 6 minutes.
Pour over chocolate, butter and nuts.
Stir until melted and smooth.(A really long time.)

Cranberry Salsa

 

(Recipe found here)

•  Chips OR Club Crackers
• 12 ounces fresh cranberries, rinsed and drained
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 jalapeños, ribs and seeds removed, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup green onions, finely sliced
• 1 tablespoon orange juice, freshly squeezed
• 1 tablespoon lime juice, freshly squeezed
• 8 oz Cream cheese, softened (optional...but not really. It's so good!)

1. Add cranberries to your food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Do not puree you want to have small pieces of cranberry.

2. Place the chopped cranberries in a bowl and add the sugar, stirring to combine.

3. Add jalapenos, cilantro, green onions, orange juice, and lime juice. Stir to combine.

4. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to let the flavors combine. 

5. I typically pour over a block of cream cheese and eat with club crackers, but you can eat this plain with chips

As You Like It

 

 Crust:

1 c flour

1/2 c butter

2Tbs Sugar

chopped pecans

Combined. Press into bottom of glass pan. Cook at 350* until brown. (10-15 min). Cool

Cream Filling:

1 1/2 pkg cream cheese

1 large tub of Cool Whip

1 1/2 c powdered sugar

Whip the cream cheese until it is fluffy and smooth. Add all ingredients other ingredients to cream cheese. Add on top of the cooled crust.

Pudding Topping:

2 pkg chocolate pudding

Top with cool whip and toasted coconut or mini chocolate chips and pecans. Refrigerate to set for a few hours.

Grandma Lee's Never Fail Pie Crust

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c Shortening

4 c flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 c boiling water

2 Tbs milk

Instructions:

1-Pour boiling water over shortening in electric mixing bowl. Whip until looks like whipped cream.

2-Add salt and milk. Beat some more. 

3-Dump in flour. Stir until mixed in. 

4-Take enough dough to make into a shell. Mold into a good round "gob."

5-Roll out between wax paper. 

6-Fit to pan.

(Grandma usually doubles the recipe and freezes the round gobs in separate sandwich bags and use later.)

Angie's Delicious Easy Dinner Rolls

Ingredients:

2 T yeast

1/2 c water

2 c warm milk

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c butter

2 t salt

7 c flour

2 eggs

Instructions:

1- Put yeast in the warm water.

2- While yeast proofs, melt butter in a pan.

3- To melted butter add milk, sugar and salt.

4- Pour milk mixture, eggs, flour into the yeast and combined.

5- Knead for a little while. 

6- Let it rise for about an hour.

7- Shape into rolls.

8- Let rise again.

9- Bake at 400* for 10-15 minutes.

Amber's Salsa (AKA Aunt Stef's Salsa)

 This is my friend's salsa recipe. It really is the best homemade salsa I have had. I braved up and made it today. I was not disappointed. 

 
6 (14.5 oz) cans of diced tomatoes

1 bunch cilantro

2 bunches green onions

3 anaheim peppers

5-7 jalepenos (depending how spicy you want it)

minced garlic

4 tsp salt (Sometimes I use less b/c the chips have salt.)

1. Roast the anaheim peppers and jalepenos in a skillet until the skins are blackened. 

2. Chop the cilantro and green onions until very fine. 

3. In a food processor or blender, blend 3 cans of the tomatoes, peppers, and jalepenos until thoroughly blended. 

4.Slightly blend the remaining 3 cans of tomatoes depending on how chunky you want the salsa to be. 

5. Add about a tablespoon of minced garlic (I just used the canned minced garlic). Add salt to taste. 

6. Chill in the refrigerator. Enjoy!!