Christmas recipes and ideas

Oreo Suckers

Take a double stuff Oreo & insert a lollipop stick into the filling. (Very carefully, or they come apart!) Dip into melted chocolate almond bark. Set on waxed paper to firm up. Drizzle with vanilla almond bark. Let sit until completely set. Wrap with cellophane and tie with a curly ribbon.

Variations- Instead of Oreos, substitute Rice Krispy Bars or marshmallows dipped into caramel, then chocolate.

Chocolate Spoons (to use as hot cocoa stirrers)

Use good quality plastic spoons (red and green are pretty). Melt chocolate almond bark. Dip spoons into bark, then sit on waxed paper to set up. If desired, you can add crushed peppermint candies or colorful spinkles while the chocolate is still melted. After they are cool, drizzle with vanilla almond bark. Wrap in cellophane, and tie with curly ribbon.

Variations- Use flavored chocolate chips (mint, butterscotch, etc.) or add a few drops of flavored extracts to the chocolate.

Best Ever Fudge

1 pound butter
1 pound Velveeta cheese
1 cup cocoa
4 pounds powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Melt butter and Velveeta together. Add cocoa and powdered sugar. Add vanilla. Cool and slice. (Optional- you can add nuts to taste when you add vanilla.)

M&M Dipped Fudge

Make any recipe of chocolate fudge. Pour half of the fudge into a 9x13 pan which has been lined with waxed paper and greased. Sprinkle a layer of mini m&m’s on top of the fudge, and pour remaining fudge on top. After fudge has set up, cut fudge into small squares, and dip into melted chocolate candy coating. Put an m&m on top of each piece, then drizzle with melted vanilla candy coating. This freezes very well.

Christmas Confetti

Melt 1 1/2 pounds almond bark. Add 12 ounces candy canes, crushed. Spread onto waxed paper lined trays. Chill until hardened, then break into pieces.

Chocolate Covered Candy Canes

1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. shortening
16 candy canes
crushed candy canes

Melt chips and shortening together. Dip top 1/2 of candy canes into chocolate and place onto waxed paper. Set two minutes, the roll in crushed candy canes. Let set until hard, then wrap individually in cellophane and tie with curly ribbon.

Cookies and Cream Bark

1 pound vanilla almond bark
2 cups chopped Oreo sandwich cookies

Melt almond bark, and stir in Oreos. Pour onto waxed paper lined cookie sheets. Chill until hardened. Break into pieces.

Dipped Candy

1/2 pound butter
4 pounds powdered sugar
1 can sweetened condensed milk
Chocolate or white almond bark
Flavorings, nuts, coconut, peanut butter, etc.

Mix butter, milk, and 2 pounds sugar. Divide into bowls and add flavorings , nuts, coconut, or peanut butter. Add more powdered sugar as needed so it is firm. Roll into small balls, and dip into melted almond bark. Place on waxed paper until firm. Drizzle with additional almond bark or sprinkle with nuts, as desired.

Tiger Butter

Melt 1 pound almond bark and one jar peanut butter until melted. Mix well. Spread on a waxed paper lined jelly-roll pan. Melt 1 pound semi-sweet chocolate chips. Pour over almond bark. Swirl with a knife. Chill until firm, and cut into pieces.

Marble Bark

1 pound semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 pound almond bark
2 cups toasted coconut

Melt chocolate chips and almond bark in separate bowls in microwave. Stir 1 cup coconut into each bowl. Alternately spoon melted chocolate and almond bark onto wax paper lined jelly roll pan. Swirl together with a knife. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.

Boiled Candy Cookies

2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup butter
3 Tbsp. cocoa

Mix in a large pan and bring to a boil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat and immediately add:

3 cups quick cooking oatmeal
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
1/3 cup nuts (optional)

Mix well. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Cool.

Gift baskets are great for Christmas, as well as for other holidays. Easy gifts for hard to shop for people!

Hot Chocolate Lovers
Put shredded tissue paper in the bottom of the mug. Add all the goodies, then wrap with cellophane. Tie with curly ribbon.

• Christmas mug
• 2 Individual packages of gourmet hot chocolate
• Chocolate spoons (recipe above)
• 2 Oreo suckers (recipe above)
• candy cane (to be used as a stirrer for the cocoa)
• small baggie of mini marshmallows
• a handful of Hershey's Kisses or other chocolate Christmas candies

Cookie Basket
Wrap up everything in a mixing bowl, or on a cookie sheet.

• Cookies in a Jar Mix
• wooden spoon
• metal spatula
• potholder

For cookies in a jar recipes, go to CookieRecipe.com

M&M Ornaments

My mom always did this when I was a kid. Put about 1/4 cup of M&M's on a square of saran wrap, gather up edges and tie with curly ribbon, hang with ornament hooks on the Christmas tree. When you have holiday company, let the children (or adult) guests look for an M&M bag off the tree as a favor. My mom would always hide some way back in the branches, so there would be some harder to find. And these are just beautiful looking while they're hanging there too!

”Crystal” Ornaments

20 Mule Team Borax laundry booster
Boiling water
Pipe cleaners
fishing line
Add 3 Tbsp. Borax per 1 cup of boiling water. Pour into a cup. Shape pipecleaners as desired, and hang by a length of fishing line from a pencil laid across the top of the glass. Do not let the ornament touch the sides or bottom of the glass. Let sit overnight. It will grow crystals as it cools. Remove from water, and hang 24 hours to dry. Hang on your Christmas tree or in your window.