Caramel and Chocolate Dipped Pretzels

Ingredients:

Pretzel rods

Caramel (optional)

Vanilla A’peels or candy melts (any color(s))

Method:

Melt caramel in microwave in a skinny deep microwave container (glasses or tall mugs work great) stir occasionally so it doesn’t burn. Dip pretzels in the caramel and let excess drip off. Lay onto parchment paper, repeat with remaining pretzels. Let cool slightly, shape the caramel around the pretzels a few times as cooling so it’s not so spread out. Once caramel is cooled and hardened, melt the A’peels in the microwave, again in a skinny deep microwave container. Dip the caramel pretzels into the vanilla A’peels. Place back onto parchment to let set. Once set drizzle with a different color of A’peels or candy melts. Enjoy!

Tips: Use milk, semi-sweet or white chocolate chips in place of A’peels. Instead of drizzling with a different color roll freshly dipped pretzels in chopped peanuts. Have fun and be creative with the color choice! (The white pretzels have caramel and the red ones are just plain)

Chocolate Peanut Clusters

Ingredients:

4 cups chocolate A’peels

4 cups Spanish peanuts

Method:

Microwave the chocolate in a large glass bowl until melted, stirring several times so it doesn’t burn. Once the chocolate is completely melted, stir in the peanuts. Scoop out small spoonful’s of chocolate coated nuts onto parchment or wax paper. Let harden. Enjoy!

Tips: Substitute peanuts with your favorite nuts (or do some of each). I have done cashews, pecans, and almonds. You may use fewer nuts when substituting so just add them in sections. It’s equal parts chocolate to peanuts so make more or less depending on what you need.

Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup molasses

¾ cup shortening

½ cup water

2 eggs

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1 heaping teaspoon ginger

2 cups wheat flour

4-5 cups all-purpose flour

Method:

In a large bowl combine the sugar, molasses, shortening, and water, mix well. Add in the eggs, stir. Add in all the dry ingredients, starting with 4 cups of all-purpose flour and adding a little more if needed. Mix until well combined. Form dough into a ball, wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Divide dough in half. Roll out dough, on lightly floured surface, to about ¼ inch thick and cut out with cookie cutters, place cut out cookies onto a parchment lined cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake for 9-12 minutes, or until just firm to the touch. Cool completely on wire racks. Decorate however you like. Enjoy!

Tip: Decorating is lots of fun with the kids! This recipe makes a lot of cookies! Also spray your measuring cup with cooking spray that you use for the molasses, makes it all come out and a lot easier clean up! Be creative in decorating, use broken ones for different things and turn men upside down for reindeer! Find my frosting recipe here: Sugar Cookies

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

12 candy canes

3 cups milk chocolate Apeels (or chocolate chips)

3 cups vanilla Apeels (or white chocolate chips)

¼ teaspoon peppermint oil (1 teaspoon peppermint extract)

Method:

Open the candy canes and place in a large zip top bag. Seal, removing all air, place bag into another zip bag. Break candy canes into small pieces using a hammer or rolling pin. Set aside. Heat the milk chocolate in the microwave until melted, stirring several times. Pour onto a parchment lined jelly roll pan. Spread evenly onto the entire pan. Let harden, until just barely tacky. Melt vanilla apeels in microwave, stirring several times. Once melted, stir in the peppermint oil. Spread evenly over milk chocolate layer. Sprinkle the candy cane pieces evenly over the vanilla layer; press them in gently so they will stick. Let harden. Break into small pieces. Enjoy!

Microwave Peanut Brittle

 Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1 cup raw peanuts

½ cup light karo syrup

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 teaspoon baking soda

Method:

Add sugar, raw peanuts, and karo syrup to a microwave safe bowl (preferably glass). Microwave for 2 ½ minutes, stir, and return to microwave for 2 ½ more minutes. Stir, and microwave for 2 ½ minutes more (so a total of 7 ½ minutes). Add in the margarine or butter, stir until melted. Return to the microwave for an additional 2-3 minutes or until candy is nicely golden. Add in the vanilla and baking soda, stir very fast. Pour hot candy out onto a greased cookie sheet using a greased rubber spatula spread candy into an even layer. Let candy cool and harden. Break into pieces. Enjoy!

Tip: Candy is extremely hot and the bowl will be too, use hot pads when removing the bowl to stir and also to pour out the candy. When pouring out the candy, and spreading evenly work fast because it will harden pretty fast. Also the candy won’t fill the cookie sheet so don’t try to make it. Use a hot pad to transfer the baking sheet once candy is on it, it too will get very hot. When we make it we place the cookie sheet outside in the snow (or cold cement if there isn’t any snow) to cool faster.