Reindeer Poop

By Stacey Lehn

*Most Unique Cookie Award*

Melted chocolate flavored candy melts

spooned on top of almond slices.  Bag and
present with poem:

I came wide awake when I heard Santa call,
"Dash away, Dash away, Dash away all".
Grabbing my robe, I ran out to the lawn,
But reindeer and Santa were already gone.
So with my shovel I started to scoop,
look what I found..
.....gourmet REINDEER POOP!

The BEST Chocolate Chip Cookies

By Salena Thomas

1 c sugar

1/2 c brown sugar
1 c butter flavored Crisco
2 eggs
12 - 24 oz chips of choice
2 tsp vanilla
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/4 c flour
1 c chopped nuts of choice (opt)

Cream Crisco and sugars until light and fluffy.  Add eggs and flavoring.  Add dry ingredients and blend thoroughly.  Mix in chips and nuts.  Shape into walnut shaped balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Flatten slightly with palm of hand.  Bake at 350 for 9 - 10 minutes or until slightly golden.  Let stand on cookie sheets for several minutes before removing to cooling rack.  Makes 3 dozen.
To make extra special dip half the cookie into melted chip of flavor.  I dipped these in melted peanut butter chips and drizzled melted chocolate over the top.

Peanut Clusters

By Minerva Gural

Semi Sweet Chocolate

Salted Peanuts

Melt chocolate for one minute in microwave.  Stir and microwave in 15 second intervals stirring until chocolate is melted and smooth.  Mix in peanuts.  Drop by spoonfuls onto waxed paper and allow to set.

Chocolate Mint Truffle Cookies

By Joni Page

*Prettiest Cookie Award*

1/4 c butter

1 c semisweet chocolate chips, divided

1 egg

1/3 c sugar

1/3 c packed brown sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla

1/4 tsp mint extract

1 c flour

1/3 c cocoa

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/8 tsp salt

1 pkg (4.6 oz) Andes mints, chopped and divided

2 tsp shortening, divided

1/2 c white or vanilla chips

In a small microwaveable bowl melt butter and 1/2 c chocolate chips until melted and smooth.  Cool slightly.  Stir in egg, sugar, and extracts.  Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt.  Stir into chocolate mixture.  Stir in 3/4 c chopped Andes mints.  Roll rounded tablespoons of dough into balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake at 350 for 8 - 10 minutes or until tops appear slightly dry.  Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small microwaveable bowl melt 1 tsp shortening, remaining chocolate chips and andes mints.  Stir until smooth.

In another small bowl melt 1 tsp shortening and vanilla chips until smooth.

Dip half of the cookies in melted chocolate mixture;  dip remaining cookies in melted vanilla chips.  Immediately sprinkle with toppings of chopped nuts, crushed candy canes, sprinkles, etc.  Let stand until set.

Snickers Salad II

By: Salena Thomas

Sounds wierd but think of it as a gourmet apple on a fork.

6 granny smith apples, peeled and cubed

6 snicker candy bars, chopped

12 oz cool whip

1/2 package vanilla pudding (4oz pkg)

Mix cool whip and vanilla pudding. Mix in apples and candy. Eat.

Snickers Salad I
By: Roz Brown

5 apples cubed, not peeled
6 snicker bars, cubed
1 cup sour cream
8 oz whipped topping (I used cool whip)
1/2 cup cocktail peanuts

mix all together and refrigerate, serve within a few hours

Donauwellen Kuchen

By: Becky Sanchez

Cake:
1 cup sugar

7/8 cup butter

vanilla

5 eggs

2/3 cup plus 2 T. flour

2 tsp baking powder

2 Tbsp cocoa

Mix all to a dough. Take half of the batter and add 2 Tbsp cocoa. Put white and then dark batter into greased baking dish (13x9). Put a glass of cherries on top (not marachino cherries). Bake 25 min. at 360 degrees.

Custard:

750 ml milk

4 Tbsp sugar

2 small pkgs vanilla pudding

3/4 c butter

Combine in sauce pan milk, Tbsp sugar, small packages vanilla pudding. Bring to boil and then let cool.Beat butter until creamy. Carefully stir pudding mixture tablespoon by tablespoon into creamy butter. Put custard on cooled cake.

Chocolate topping:

1 c semi-sweet chocolate chips

1/4 c cocoonut fat (I used butter)

1 tbsp oil (I left this out)

Melt all together. Spread carefully on top of custard.

Rich Chocolate Cake
From Becky Sanchez

Makes 8 cups batter
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature, plus more for pans
3/4 cup Dutch-process cocoa powder, sifted, plus more for pans
3/4 cup boiling water
1 cup whole milk
2 1/4 cups granulated sugar
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
4 large eggs, room temperature
3 cups sifted cake flour (not self-rising)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter pans. Line with parchment cut to fit. Butter parchment. Dust with cocoa. Tap out excess.
Stir together cocoa and boiling water. Add milk, and whisk until smooth.
Beat butter with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Add sugar in a slow stream, and beat well, about 3 minutes. Beat in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add the flour mixture in 3 additions, alternating with the cocoa mixture.
Pour batter into pans, and bake until a few crumbs remain on testers (batter amounts and cooking times follow). Let cool in pans on wire racks for 45 minutes. Unmold, and remove parchment. Let cool completely on wire racks. Batter Amounts and Cooking Times for 2-Inch-Deep Pans 5-inch: 1 1/4 cups batter, 45 minutes 7-inch: 2 1/4 cups batter, 45 minutes 9-inch: 4 cups batter, 50 minutes 11-inch: 6 cups batter, 50 minutes

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
(I did half this recipe with semi-sweet chocolate and half with white chocolate to make 2 different frostings.)
Makes enough for 15 cupcakes (about 3 cups)
2 cups sugar
1 cup egg whites (about 6 large)
1 1/4 cups (2 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
16 ounces dark chocolate, melted and cooled slightly

Place sugar and egg whites in the bowl of an electric mixer set over (but not touching) a pan of simmering water. Whisk constantly until mixture is heated and sugar is dissolved. Attach bowl to an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment and continue whisking until cooled and stiff peaks form, about 7 minutes.
With the mixer running, add butter, one piece at a time, until completely incorporated. Continue whisking until a light, fluffy cream has formed. Stir in chocolate until well combined.

Chocolate Ganache Filling
Makes 1/2 cup
6 Tablespoons heavy cream
1/2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1.5 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, finely chopped

Bring cream and corn syrup to a simmer in a small saucepan. Place chocolate in a food processor. With the machine running, add the cream mixture in a slow stream. Process until smooth and shiny.
Refrigerate in an airtight container, stirring occasionally, until thick enough to spread. Use immediately, or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Andees Candy's Brownies

From Lorie Caless

1 box brownie mix
1-2 boxes Andees chocolate mints

Make any brownie mix as usual. While they're baking, unwrap a box of Ande's candy mints. As soon as you pull the brownies out of the oven, lay the mints on top in rows. By the time you're done with the last row, the first rows will be melted enough to start swirling with a knife to spread all over the top. When cooled, it will harden again like the candy. The cherry Ande's candies are also great at Christmas time.

Choco-Chip Cookie Bars

From Stacy Lehn

2 - 8oz cream cheese
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 batches of chocolate chip cookie dough OR
2 rolls of chocolate chip cookie dough

Mix everything except cookie dough together. Spread 1/2 to 2/3 cookie dough across the bottom of a 9x13. Pour cream cheese mixture on cookie dough. Sprinkle the top with remaining cookie dough. Bake at 350 for 35 - 40 min. Cool and eat.

Mint Oreo Truffles

From Salena Thomas

I got this from Bakerella

1 pkg. Cool Mint Double Stuffed Oreos
use 22 cookies with cream centers included
use 10 cookies with cream centers discarded
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream cheese, room temperature
chocolate bark or candy coating*

Finely crush the cookies in a food processor or a ziploc bag with a rolling pin. Stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together completely. Roll the mixture into 1" balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet.
Place covered in freezer or refrigerator for a few minutes to help retain shape when dipping in melted chocolate. 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. Refrigerate.
(Learn from Salena's mistakes...don't warm the cream cheese in microwave to bring to room temp. It makes it too soft. And don't use the food processor to combine the cookies and cream cheese. It makes the wrong consistency.)

Best Chocolate Mess
From Roz Brown
Especially for single moms with no time to spare

Devil’s Food Cake Mix
Chocolate instant pudding mix
Cool Whip
Heath Crunchies

Bake cake as directed. Make pudding as directed. Crumble cake in bowl. Pour the pudding on top. Slap on the cool whip. Sprinkle on Heath crunchies. Smile real big and eat just a little.