Here are the recipes I am making this year ... I will try to add some pictures once everything is all complete! This is only about a quarter of what I usually make, but time and money are both tight this year so here is what we are having.
Velveeta Fudge
- 3/4 pound Velveeta cheese, cut up
- 1 cup butter
- 6 squares unsweetened baking chocolate
- 1 TBSP light corn syrup
- 2 pkg. powdered sugar (32 oz. total)
- 1 TSP vanilla
Place Velveeta, butter, chocolate and corn syrup in a large microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high 2 minutes; stir. Microwave an additional minute; stir until well blended. Add chocolate mixture, in batches, to sugar in a large bowl, beating with an electric mixer on medium speed until well blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour into greased 13X9 pan. Smooth top with a spatula; cover. Refrigerate several hours or until firm. Makes 96 pieces.
(We'll see how this tastes this time ... I forgot the corn syrup!)
Double Layer Mint Fudge
Fudge Layer:
- 1 bag semisweet chocolate chips (12 oz.)
- 1 can creamy chocolate frosting (16 oz.)
Peppermint Layer:
- 1 bag white vanilla baking chips (12 oz.)
- 1 can creamy vanilla frosting (16 oz.)
- 2 drops red food color
- 1/2 cup finely crushed peppermint candy
- 2 milk chocolate candy bars, chopped
Line 13X9 pan with foil so foil extends over the sides of the pan; lightly butter foil. In a 3-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips over low heat, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from the heat. Stir in chocolate frosting. Spread in pan. Refrigerate 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a 3-quart saucepan, melt vanilla chips over low heat until smooth. Stir in vanilla frosting and food color until well blended. Fold in crushed peppermint candy. Spread carefully over chilled chocolate layer. Sprinkle chopped candy bars over top; press in lightly. Refrigerate until set and cut. Makes 96 pieces.
For this one, I usually add just a little bit of peppermint flavoring to the mint layer to make it more "minty".
Fudgy Mint Cookies
- 1 pkg. devil's food cake mix
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 1 TBSP water
- 2 eggs
- 2 TBSP confectioner's sugar
- 2 pkg. chocolate covered thin mints
In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, butter and water. Add eggs; mix well. Shape into 1-inch balls; roll in confectioner's sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until set. Immediately press a mint into the center of each cookie. Cool for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about 3 dozen cookies.
JELL-O Pastel Cookies
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1 TSP baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 pkg. JELL-O, any flavor, divided
- 1 egg
- 1 TSP vanilla
Preheat oven to 400. Mix flour and baking powder; set aside. Beat butter in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sugar and 1 pkg. of the dry gelatin, beating until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until well blended after each addition.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place, 2 inches apart, on ungreased baking sheets. Flatten with the bottom of a clean glass. Sprinkling with remaining dry gelatin.
Bake 8-10 minutes or until tops are lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets to wire racks. Cool completely. Store in tightly covered container at room temperature.
Cake Balls
- 1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13X9 cake)
- 1 can cream cheese frosting
- 1 pkg. chocolate bark (regular or white chocolate)
- wax paper
After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into a large bowl. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together but be warned it will get messy.) Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on a cookie sheet. (Should make about 45-50.) Chill for several hours (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.) Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. Only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken.
For this, you can use any combination of cake and frosting that you like. For Christmas, I decided to buy the funfetti cake mix and frosting. We'll see how it works.
Nutter Butter Balls
- 1 pkg. Nutter Butter cookies (broken, use the cookie with the cream center)
- 1 8 oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
- 1 pkg. chocolate bark
Finely crush all but 5 cookies in a food processor or place them in a ziploc bag and crush into a fine consistency. Combine with cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together. Roll the mixture into 1" balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. Once dry, refrigerate and enjoy. makes about 30 balls.
Carol's Caramels
- 1 cup butter
- 1 pound light brown sugar
- 1 cup light corn syrup
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk
Combine all ingredients. Bring to 244 degrees. Add vanilla after removed from heat. Pour into foil-lined and buttered 9X13 pan. Refrigerate until firm and cut.
and just for good measure ...
Tricia's Chocolate Chip Cookies
- 1 cup butter-flavored Crisco
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 TSP salt
- 1 TSP vanilla
- 2 eggs
- 1 TSP baking soda
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1 bag chocolate chips
Cream together Crisco, both sugars and eggs; add salt, vanilla and soda until well blended; add in flour one cup at a time; once well mixed add chocolate chips; bake at 375 until golden brown.
For this recipe I typically double it and use a mix of chocolate chips, butterscotch chips and white chips. This was my grandma's and my sister's recipe.
