"Lumps of Coal"

This recipe is great for kids of Christmas morning. Instead of leaving cookies for Santa, Santa can leave a joke gift of "lumps of coal." I found this recipe one day while perusing Pinterest, it's from a blog all about recipes for different kinds of rice krispie treats, which I thought was cool! Here's the link to the blog, Mallow and Co. http://mallowandco.blogspot.com/2012/12/coal-rice-krispy-treats.html

Ingredients

3 tbsp butter
6 cups marshmallows
1 tsp vanilla
5 cups of cocoa Rice Krispies
1 cup crushed oreos
black food coloring

Directions

Pour Rice Krispies and Oreos into a large mixing bowl. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium-high heat until melted. Turn the heat all the way down and add marshmallows. Stir until all marshmallows are melted. Then, add in the vanilla and black food coloring. Once all is melted, remove from heat and pour over Rice Krispies. Keep stirring until everything is black. Spoon out chunks of mixture and place on cookie sheet. Place in refrigerator for at least 20 min. Serve cold.


photo and recipe courtesy of http://mallowandco.blogspot.com/

Fruit Pizza

This "dessert" is perfect for non-chocolate lovers. Me being the chocolate lover I am, don't have many recipes on here without chocolate, but this is a great option. My advice is to use the best in-season fruit you can find. Frozen fruit is fine, but everything is better fresh.

Ingredients

1 pouch sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter
1 egg
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup cream cheese frosting
3 1/2 cups of assorted fresh fruit- strawberries, blueberries, kiwi, rasberries, grapes

Directions

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Stir sugar cookie mix, melted butter, and egg. Press dough into a bottom of a pan. Bake 10 to 15 minutes. Cool completely, this will take 45 minutes. In a different mixing bowl, beat whipping cream until small peaks form. Next, gently stir in frosting. Spread over cooled sugar cookie. Arrange fruit. Store in refrigerated setting and serve cold.

"Skinny" Cupcakes

I found this recipe and tried it and have fallen in love. It "supposedly" only has 110 calories per cupcake serving which is good enough to convince me.

Ingredients

1 package of Pillsbury Funfetti Cake Mix (won't use the recipe)
1 12 oz. can of Sprite
1 8 oz. container Fat Free Cool Whip
1 package of fat free Vanilla Jello Instant Pudding (won't use the recipe)

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. First, mix the cake mix and 12 oz. can of Sprite in large mixing bowl. You want to mix so the batter has no lumps. Pour 1/4 of batter into cupcake holders. Bake for 20 minutes. In a mixing bowl, whisk cool whip and Jello mix until smooth. When the cupcakes have completely cooled, frost. Enjoy, try not to eat too many in one sitting!

Gobble Gobble

These are one of my favorite holiday cookie ideas. My aunt makes them every year, and as tedious as they are, they are always the talk of the party. I know there are plenty of people in the kitchen on Thanksgiving so rally up an assembly line, and get to making! These turkey cookies are perfect to keep kids busy and out of the way when they are begging to help.

Ingredients

1 jar of chocolate frosting
1 small bag of red hots
1 bag candy corn
1 bag Reece's Peanut Butter Cups
1 package Keebler's Fudge Stripe Cookies

Directions

Take the fudge stripe cookies and spread them across a large cookie sheet. Next, smear a small amount of frosting on the bottom of each unwrapped Reece's Peanut Butter Cup and place in the middle of the cookie. Next, smear a tiny amount onto one side of a piece of candy corn and place on top of the peanut butter cup. Lastly, frost two red hots and place on the cracker, up against the peanut butter cup. You can always add eyes with frosting if you want to be precise.

Another idea, is to use Rolo Chocolate Cups instead of Reece's Peanut Butter cups if you prefer. Both work great. Everyone will get a kick out of these adorable desserts!

Not Your Usual Chocolate Covered Strawberries

I love the holidays, but mostly because of the food associated with them. Usually strawberries are a summer treat, but if your like me and you get to enjoy some warm weather over the holidays, these are a great option for dessert.

Ingredients

1 carton large strawberries
1 package bakers white chocolate
green sugar
red sugar

Directions

Wash and dry large strawberries. Do not cut off tops, it looks more appealing and is easier to dip. Heat white chocolate over low-medium heat. Wax paper is again needed to let the strawberries dry on. Dip the strawberries halfway in the white chocolate. Then dip the strawberries a quarter of the way in sugar. Place on the wax paper and let dry. Then, place the strawberries in the refrigerator and let cool for a couple hours. These are best served cold.

Feel free to get creative with the sugar. I normally use a color that reflects the holiday, orange for Halloween or red and green for Christmas. Blue is also really cute for Fourth of July because then the strawberry is red, white, and blue. Enjoy!

Chocolate Pretzels

Another recipe perfect for treats and easy to make, are the original chocolate covered pretzels. The perfect mix of sweet and salty all in one bite. This is a great snack to have for on the go. And takes as little as 20 minutes to make. Who doesn't love that?

Ingredients

1 bag pretzels of your choice
1 package of baker's chocolate

Directions

Heat up chocolate on the stove top on medium-low heat. Set out wax paper to place pretzels on for cooling. It is easiest to use a fork or tongs when dipping the pretzels into the chocolate I have found out. Place the pretzels on the wax paper after they have been completely emerged in the chocolate. Let dry and then place in freezer.

Similar to the chocolate covered marshmallows, you may add sprinkles or color dyed sugar for visual appeal.

Chocolate Covered Marshmallows

Forgot you needed to bring a dessert to a work party? Need a simple holiday treat for neighbors even kids can help make? Chocolate covered marshmallows with pretzels is your answer. It tastes like a mini s'more without the hassle of a camp fire. This recipe sounds as easy as it is to make.

Ingredients:

1 Bag Large Marshmallows
1 Bag Pretzel Sticks
1 Package baker's milk chocolate

Directions:

Take pretzel sticks, and place one stick into one marshmallow. Make sure the stick is at least halfway through the marshmallow for the most stability. Follow instructions to heat baking chocolate and dip the marshmallow completely into the chocolate. Place on wax paper. For added appeal, pour sprinkles over chocolate covered marshmallows while cooling.

You have a cute, easy treat that any chocolate lover will love. Time to devour!

Margarita Cake

I know it may be a tad out of season, but I have made this the past couple of years for Cinco de Mayo festivities and it is perfect. It's a light, fluffy, cake perfect for warm weather. Let's all pretend we are not in this cold winter weather and are instead in Mexico on the beach right now, and if you are, stop reading my blog and go enjoy the beach!

Ingredients for Cake

1 2/4 cup granulate sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
3 large eggs
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 1/2 cups flour
1 cup lemon flavored yogurt

Directions for Cake

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, butter, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and beat until blended. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until blended well. Then mix the lemon zest and lemon juice. Then add flour and yogurt at small increments alternating, beating well. Pour the batter into a 9x13 in pan. Bake for 25 to 30 min.

Ingredients for Frosting

1/2 cup very fine granulated sugar
2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp tequila
whipped cream
lime slices (optional, more for presentation)

Directions for Frosting

Combine sugar, lime juice, and and water in a saucepan and mix well. Cook until sugar dissolves on low heat. Then mix in tequila. Frost cake

Frost cake while warm. Then add a dollop of whip cream to each slice. Add a small lime slice on top for a cuter presentation. Enjoy!

picture and recipe courtesy of recipegirl.com 

Puppy Chow (With a Nutella Twist)

For all of those Nutella loving people out there, you will eat this recipe up, literally. It combines a couple of my favorite things, puppy chow and Nutella. For all of you new to Nutella, is a delicious chocolate hazelnut spread.

Ingredients

1/2 cup peanut butter
1 cup Nutella
3/4 cup chocolate chips
3/4 cup white chocolate chips
2/3 cup hazelnuts
3 cups powdered sugar
Box of Chex

Directions

Preheat oven to 350. Roast hazelnuts for 8-10 minute. Remove the skin of the hazelnuts as much as you can, it's easiest to do with a towel. You can grind the hazelnuts in a food processor. Over medium-low heat, place the butter, chocolate chips, and white chocolate chips. Stir constantly until completely melted. Then, add Nutella and mix in hazelnuts. Stir completely. Pour box of cereal into a large bowl and pour mixture over. Carefully stir with your hands. Then, dump cereal and powdered sugar into ziploc baggie and shake until cereal is covered with powdered sugar. Place back into bowl and serve. If desired, place mixture into the refrigerator for a couple hours and serve cold.

Monster Cookies

Monster Cookies are a kids favorite. I'm not sure if it's because of the name or all of the candy inside of them, but they are a great cookie to make for occasions. With the holiday season around the corner, there are plenty of parties. Here's what you will need:

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 cup cooking oats
3/4 cup m&ms
1/4 chocolate chips
1/4 peanut butter chips

You may add nuts if desired.

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Start by mixing butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Then add peanut butter. Stir. Add egg. Stir. The vanilla extract is next. Stir again. The flour and baking soda can be added at the same time and all mixed. It doesn't need to be stirred well at this point. Then add the oats, m&ms, chocolate chips, and peanut butter chips. Stir well. I found it easiest to roll the dough into about 2 in balls and place on cookie sheet. I then flattened out the balls to make them even. Bake for about 9-10 minutes and enjoy!