Cookies and Cream Fudge

Printable Recipe

Cookies and Cream Fudge
3 cups granulated sugar
3/4 cup butter
2/3 cup (5 oz can) evaporated milk
2 cups (12 oz pkg) white chocolate chips
1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
1/2 cup finely crushed Oreo cookies
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup crumbled Oreo cookies

Line a 9-inch square pan with foil. Combine sugar, butter, and evaporated milk in a medium, heavy-duty saucepan. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring constantly. Boil, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips, marshmallow creme, finely crushed cookies, and vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle crumbled cookies on top. Using a knife, gently swirl cookies into fudge without touching the bottom of the pan. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Lift foil out of pan and cut into squares. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator.

Recipe source: Very Best Baking

Past Recipes:
One year ago: Spiced Pumpkin Cupcakes
Two years ago: Homemade Caramels

Favorite Christmas Treats

I love this time of year, especially all of the yummy Christmas treats. I thought I would share some of my favorites with you. Enjoy!

Homemade Caramels

Andes Mint Cookies

Oreo Truffles

Chocolate and Caramel Dipped Pretzel Rods

Almond Roca Toffee

Chocolate Pretzels

Homemade Snickers Bars

Grasshopper Mint Chocolate Bark

Peanut Butter Truffles

Peanut Butter Truffles

This recipe has been moved to The Traveling Circus.

Click the link below for the recipe

Peanut Butter Truffles

Grasshopper Mint Chocolate Bark

Printable Recipe

Grasshopper Mint Chocolate Bark
16 oz (2 2/3 cup) white chocolate chips
1 tsp mint extract (not peppermint extract)
green food coloring
16 oz (2 2/3 cup) milk chocolate chips
2/3 cup Andes mints, coarsely chopped

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Melt white chocolate over a double boiler (or in the microwave for 30 second intervals). Stir in mint extract. Add a few drops of food coloring and stir to mix well. Spread evenly into pan. (I only used about half of the pan.) Refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Melt chocolate over a double boiler (or in the microwave for 30 second intervals.) Pour over white chocolate and spread evenly. Sprinkle Andes mints over chocolate layer. Lightly press down. Refrigerate for 30 minutes or until set. Break into uneven pieces. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Recipe adapted from Brown Eyed Baker

Past Recipes:
One year ago: Pumpkin Cake Bars with Cream Cheese Frosting
Two years ago: Za Zoom Meatballs

Spinach Salad with Honey Dressing

Printable Recipe

Spinach Salad with Honey Dressing
3 cups spinach
3 cups romaine lettuce, chopped
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 red apple, diced
2/3 cup caramelized almonds *
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

Dressing:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup sugar
2 Tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
2 Tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp honey
1/2 tsp celery salt
1/2 tsp onion salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1/2 tsp lemon juice

Toss together spinach, romaine, onion, mandarin oranges, and apple in a large bowl.  Sprinkle with almonds and bacon.

Whisk together all ingredients for dressing. Microwave for 45 seconds. Toss salad with desired amount of dressing.

*To make caramelized almonds, combine almonds with 5-6 Tbsp sugar in a non-stick skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and almonds are caramelized.

Recipe adapted from Taste of Home

Chocolate Pretzels

This is a really fun way to make chocolate pretzels. It's a great Christmas treat. I made them with rolos, candy cane kisses, and reese's peanut butter cups. But you can make it with any candy you want. The possibilities are endless! I was surprised that my favorite was the peanut butter cups.

Printable Recipe

Chocolate Pretzels
waffle type pretzels
rolos, kisses, or peanut butter cups
m&ms

Preheat oven to 350. Place pretzels on a baking sheet. Top each pretzel with chocolate candy. Bake for 3 minutes until chocolate is softened, not melted. Remove from oven and top each chocolate pretzel with an m&m. Lightly press down to flatten chocolate to cover pretzel. Cool completely.

Christmas Goodies

I love Christmas!!! This is my absolute favorite time of the year. There's just something so wonderful and magic about it. I especially love all of the holiday treats. I can never get enough. I decided to share some of my favorite Christmas treats that I've already posted. I hope you enjoy. Merry Christmas and Happy Baking!!!

Andes Mint Cookies

Caramel Crunch Bars

Homemade Caramels

Oreo Truffles

Chocolate and Caramel Dipped Pretzel Rods

Almond Roca Toffee

Cheesecake

Cashew Salad

This recipe has been moved to The Traveling Circus.

Click the link below for the recipe

Cashew Salad

Breakfast Casserole

Every year we have breakfast at my parents' house on Christmas morning. I wanted to find something that can be made the night before so we don't have to make anything Christmas morning. My husband's cousin made this for her son's mission farewell about a month ago and I thought it was so good. I thought it would be perfect for Christmas morning.

Printable Recipe

Breakfast Casserole


12 eggs
1 cup evaporated milk
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 pkg. frozen shredded hashbrowns, thawed
2 cups cheddar cheese
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium green pepper, diced
1 cup ham, cubed

Whisk together eggs. Add salt, pepper, and milk. In a separate bowl, combine hashbrowns, cheese, onion, green pepper, and ham. Pour into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Pour egg mixture over hashbrown mixture and mix together. Cook uncovered at 350 for 45-55 minutes.

*This can be made the night before.

Cheesecake

My husband made cheesecake for his family on Christmas Eve. He has a large family so he made 3 cheesecakes. He was pretty much baking all morning. This is the best cheesecake ever!  I'm a cheesecake lover so it's not very hard to please me. But after trying this cheesecake I'm always disappointed by other cheesecakes. It's that good!  Cheesecake is always a little time consuming to make and I've heard a lot of people say they've made it and it hasn't turned out right. If you follow this recipe it will turn out great. It's so good. My mouth is watering just thinking about it.

Printable Recipe

Cheesecake
adapted from Barefoot Contessa, Food Network

Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs (10 crackers)
1 Tbsp sugar
6 Tbsp (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted

Filling:
2 1/2 lbs cream cheese, at room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
5 whole eggs, at room temperature
2 egg yolks, at room temperature
1/4 cup sour cream
1 Tbsp grated lemon zest
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:
frozen berries, thawed (any kind)
sugar to taste

Preheat oven to 350. To make crust, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter until moistened. Pour into a 9-inch springform pan. Using your hands, press the crumbs into the bottom of the pan and about 1-inch up the sides. Bake for 8 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

Increase oven to 450. To make filling, mix together cream cheese and sugar using a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium and add the eggs and egg yolks, 2 at a time, mixing well. Reduce the mixer to low and add the sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla. Mix well and pour into the cooled crust.

Bake for 15 minutes. Turn the oven down to 225 and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Turn the oven off and open the door wide. The cake will not be completely set in the center. Let the cheesecake sit in the oven with the door open for 30 minutes. Take the cheesecake out of the oven and let sit at room temperature for another 2-3 hours, until completely cooled. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

When ready to serve, remove the cheesecake from springform pan by carefully running a hot knife around the outside of the cake. To cut cake, make sure the knife is hot by running hot water over it. If the knife is cold it will tear the cake.

To make topping combine thawed berries and desired amount of sugar. Serve over cheesecake.

serves 12-15

Almond Roca Toffee

I think I've gone a little overboard with making Christmas treats this year. One of my biggest weaknesses is Christmas treats. If they're in my house I can't stop eating them. I have no self control. Here is another yummy treat for you to enjoy!

Printable Recipe

Almond Roca Toffee
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

1 cup salted butter
1 cup sugar
2 (3 oz) pkg slivered almonds
1 pkg milk chocolate chips
1 (3 oz) pkg sliced almonds

Line a 9x13 baking dish with foil and spray with cooking spray. Melt butter over low heat. Add sugar. (If you are using unsalted butter add 3/4 tsp salt) Stir until sugar is dissolved, about 5-6 minutes. Increase heat to medium. Stir until mixture is golden brown. Add slivered almonds. Once mixture comes to a boil, clip a candy thermometer on the side of the pan. Continue stirring over medium heat as mixture darkens and reaches the hard crack stage which is a temperature of 300 degrees. Immediately take off stove and spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle chocolate chips on top and let melt. Put a foil tent over the pan to keep in the heat. Once the chocolate is melted, smooth with a spoon. Sprinkle almonds on top. Cool in fridge and crack into pieces.

Chocolate and Caramel Dipped Pretzel Rods

One of my favorite things about the holidays is all the yummy treats. Chocolate covered pretzels is one of my very favorites. When I saw this recipe for chocolate and caramel pretzels I was sold. This is something that I will probably make every year. So good!!!

Printable Recipe

Chocolate and Caramel Dipped Pretzel Rods
adapted from My Kitchen Cafe

1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
dash of salt
pretzel rods (about 40)
chocolate for dipping (I used 1 1/2 bags of milk chocolate chips and 1/2 bag of white chocolate chips for drizzling)

In a heavy pan, combine butter, brown sugar, corn syrup, condensed milk, and salt over medium heat. Bring to a rolling boil. Stir continuously until it forms a soft ball in cold water (about 15 minutes). Take off heat. Use spatula to smooth over pretzels. Place on parchment paper or wax paper sprayed with cooking spray. Let set for about 20 minutes. Melt chocolate in microwave for about 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds. Pour chocolate in a tall glass and dip caramel covered pretzels into chocolate. Place on wax paper. Refrigerate to let chocolate set. Melt white chocolate and drizzle over pretzels.

Oreo Truffles

This recipe has been moved to The Traveling Circus.

Click the link below for the recipe

Oreo Truffles

Homemade Caramels

Ever since I can remember, my favorite treat in the whole world has always been homemade caramels. That's a pretty big statement because I definitely have a sweet tooth. This is definitely a "must have" treat for the holidays. It's fairly simple to make but wrapping up each caramel is a little time consuming. But it's totally worth it because it's so delicious!

Printable Recipe

Homemade Caramels


1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
dash of salt

Combine all ingredients in a heavy pan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil and continue stirring over medium heat until soft ball forms in cold water, about 10-15 minutes from the time it starts boiling. Pour into a greased 9x13 pan. Cool completely. Cut into squares and wrap in wax paper.

makes about 75 pieces

Andes Mint Cookies

This recipe has been moved to The Traveling Circus.

Click the link below for the recipe

Andes Mint Cookies

Pretzel Jello Salad

My kids wanted to eat the pretzels and I told them they couldn't because it was for the jello. Then my 6 year old said, "Pretzels in jello! I'm not trying that." I know it sounds weird but it is seriously so good. The pretzels make the crust and with the cream layer it kind of tastes like white chocolate covered pretzels. Yum! Whenever I make this for my husband's family everyone goes crazy over it. It's my favorite jello recipe ever. It's technically a jello salad but it actually tastes more like dessert. It's perfect for holidays like Thanksgiving and Christmas but it's great any time of the year.

Printable Recipe

Pretzel Jello Salad


2 cups pretzels, crushed but not fine
3/4 cup melted butter
1 cup plus 1 Tbsp sugar, divided
8 oz cool whip
8 oz cream cheese
1 1/2 cups boiling water
2 (3 oz) pkg strawberry jello
20 oz frozen sliced strawberries

Mix pretzels, butter, and 1 Tbsp sugar. Smooth out in a 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 400 for 12 minutes. Cool for 1 hour.

Beat 1 cup sugar, cool whip, and cream cheese. Spread over cooled pretzels.

Mix boiling water with jello. Reduce heat to low and add frozen strawberries. Stir for about 2 minutes. Spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Buttermilk Syrup

This recipe has been moved to The Traveling Circus.

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Buttermilk Syrup