Holiday Peppermint Bark

Love, love, love this recipe! Everyone who's tried it loves it too!



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Adapted from:
http://www.parenthacks.com/2006/12/holiday_pepperm.html
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1710,149175-243199,00.html and
http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1613,155169-227194,00.html

Equipment:

• cookie tray and no-stick spray
• spatula
• waxed paper
• something to chop up chocolate if not using chips
• something to crush peppermint

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. white chocolate (chopped or use white chocolate chips)
• 1 c. peppermint crunch (you can also use crunched peppermints or candycanes)

Instructions:

• Spray a large cookie tray with non-stick spray and then line it with a piece of wax paper.
• Take several large candy canes or a bag of peppermint candies and crush them into small pieces. (How much peppermint flavor you like should determine how many you chop up.)
• On the stove, melt two bags of white chocolate chips at a low temperature. (Recommend using a double-boiler.)(Can also be melted in the microwave.)
• When melted, add most of the crushed peppermint and stir it in.
• Pour the mixture onto the cookie tray and use spatula to spread over the tray until flat and even.
• Sprinkle the remaining peppermint pieces on top, pressing them in with a spatula.
• Let it cool. (Some recommend cooling in the freezer for about 3 minutes.)
• Peel off wax paper and break into pieces.

Store in air-tight container. (Candy-cane pieces may absorb mositure otherwise.)

Oprah's Five-Minute Fudge Wreaths: Chunky Chocolate Fudge Wreath with Walnuts and Currants

I didn't heat the ingredients long enough, so there were still some solid chips in the fudge, that gave it an interesting crunch. The fudge didn't set completely... perhaps that will resolve with sufficient heating next time. Personally, I'm not so fond of the butterscotch taste in the fudge. Your mileage may vary.

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from http://www2.oprah.com/foodhome/food/recipes/food_20051123_wreath.jhtml

INGREDIENTS

* 12 ounce package semisweet chocolate chips
* 1 cup butterscotch chips
* 14 ounce can sweetened condensed milk (save the can)
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 8 ounce can walnuts, plus more for topping
* 1/2 cup raisins or dried currants (a couple of handfuls)
* candied red and green cherries to decorate top (like holly)
* softened butter to grease an 8 inch round cake pan


1. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan with softened butter. Pour the chocolate and butterscotch chips, condensed milk and vanilla into a medium saucepan. Put the pan on the stove and turn the heat to low.
2. Cover the empty condensed milk can with plastic wrap and put it in the center of the round cake pan.
3. Stir the chips and milk until they melt together, about 3 minutes. Stir in nuts and raisins. Scoop the fudge into the cake pan all around the plastic-covered can in the center to form a wreath or ring shape. Let it be all bumpy on top. Keep pushing the can back to the center if the fudge moves it away from there. Cut the red cherries in half with scissors and the green cherries into quarters. Use the green pieces to make leaves and the red to make holly berries. Decorate the fudge with several groups of holly berry sprigs made from the cherries and garnish with walnuts between the sprigs.
4. Put the fudge in the fridge and chill until firm. Remove the can from the center, then loosen the sides and bottom of the fudge with a spatula. Cut the fudge into thin slices to serve.

To give the wreath as a gift-wrap in cellophane and secure with a bow or ornament.

Variations:
White Chocolate Wreath with Pistachio
and Cranberry

* Substitute the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips, 1 1/2 ounce bag plus 1 cup.
* Substitute 1 to 1 1/2 cups of shelled natural pistachio nuts for walnuts.
* Substitute 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries for currants.

Goober and Raisinette Wreath

* Swap butterscotch for peanut butter chips
* Swap large whole peanuts for walnuts used in original recipe (such as peeled Virginia Peanuts)
* Swap 1/2 cup large raisins for currants in original recipe

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake (Oreo crust)

(Recipe orignally seen by me on the back of an Eagle Brand label. Also found here.)

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Equipment:

• 9" springform pan (I use the medium pan in my set of three)
• food processor (to chop up the Oreo cookies for the crust)
• hand-held beater to mix cream cheese

Ingredients:

Crust:
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 1/2 cups Oreo cookie crumbs (about 18 cookies) (I find the boxed "crumbs" don't taste as nice as chopping up the actual cookies)

Filling:
3 packages (250g / 8 oz. each) cream cheese, softened
1 can sweetened condensed milk (Eagle Brand)
3 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 cup mini chocolate chips
1 teaspoon flour

Directions:

Crust:
Combine butter and Oreo cookie crumbs. Press into the bottom of a 9" springform pan.

Filling:
In a large mixer bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Add sweetened condensed milk and beat until smooth.

Add eggs and vanilla and mix well.

In a small bowl, combine 1/2 cup of chocolate chips with the 1 teaspoon
flour. Toss to coat. Stir into the cheese mixture. Pour over crust.

Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips over top.

Bake for 1 hour at 300 degrees F, or until cake springs back when lightly touched. Cool to room temperature and then chill until serving.

Notes to self:

• after cheesecake is cooled (room temperature) open springform pan
• put cheesecake (and sides of springform pan) in the freezer
• when frozen, pry cheesecake off the bottom of (non-stick) springform pan with spatula
• cheesecake is now ready to travel to destination. It will thaw on the way and is OK to sit on the counter in the host's kitchen. Will be ready to eat!

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