8 Days of Christmas - #1 Peppermint Bark

Can you believe it?  Only 8 days left until Christmas, where has this year gone?

I was going to do the 12 days of Christmas to stick with tradition but I've been so busy around here that I haven't really had a chance to sit down and compose a post.

I've been baking and baking and baking some more, not only for us here at home but for gifts for friends and teachers and so forth.  It's been crazy busy but there's nothing more pleasant than a Christmas Kitchen.

So here we go folks.....the 8 Days of Christmas.   From today until Christmas Day, I will posting a recipe for goodies, who knows maybe it will inspire some of you to get into your kitchens and whip up some delicious gifts for those you love.

First on the list............Peppermint Bark.  Oh yeah, you know I wouldn't let that one go.  This is so so so easy to make and so so so easy to eat too LOL

Use dark, milk or white chocolate, whichever you prefer, I used White chocolate for this batch but my next one is Milk Chocolate.

8 Days of Christmas #1 - Peppermint Bark

 

Peppermint Bark

1 bag of white chocolate chips

1 tablespoon shortening (don't have to use it, I actually learned this trick from my friend Jen and it really does make the chocolate melt easier)

10 or more candy canes

Place white chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl.  Microwave for 30 seconds...stir.  Microwave for another 30 seconds...stir again.  Repeat until white chocolate is melted.

Crush candy canes, remember to leave some big pieces.   Place the candy cane pieces into a metal strainer and shake them into the melted white chocolate, stir.  

Line a cookie sheet (jelly roll pan) with wax paper.  Pour the white chocolate onto cookie sheet and sprinkle the remaining candy cane pieces on top of the white chocolate.

Place in the refrigerator until firm.  Break into chunks.

Watch hit disappear!  My first batch is GONE!  Now I have to make the second one.  

Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

Hot out of the oven, there is nothing better than an oatmeal cookie, whether it's paired with chocolate chips or raisins or cinnamon.

I made these this afternoon as an after school snack for my kids.  The house smelled divine.

My favorite way to eat these? Warm and dipped into a glass of milk. *drool*

Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

Credit:  Taste of Home

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon Spice Island® Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 cups quick-cooking oats

Directions

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in oats.
• Shape into 1-1/2-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
  
  
  
  
  Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks. Yield: 4 dozen

Bread Rolls

I love my KitchenAid, I use it pretty much every single day, no matter what I'm making.

I think my favorite recipes to make though are for bread dough, I love that I don't have to sit there and knead and knead and get all messy, though I DO once in a while still make bread that way, just because I love the whole process.

I found this recipe online while looking for a quick and easy way to make rolls.  These turned out pretty good.  I had a bit of a hard time when it came to adding the 1/2 cup flour increments and waiting for it to pull away from the sides of the bowl.  It just seemed like I added an enormous amount of flour and the rolls turned out a bit too doughy for my liking.

BUT they're still delicious and the kids and I slather on some butter and strawberry preserves while they were still warm.  Yum!

Molly's Rolls
Credit: Real Mom Kitchen

Ingredients:

• 1 cup warm water
• 1 cup warm milk
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 package yeast(2 1/4 teaspoon)
• 1/3 cup oil
• 1/2 T salt
• 1 egg
• flour

Directions: In mixer combine yeast, sugar, and warm water; let grow until bubbly(about 5 minutes). Add milk and mix. Mix in oil and egg. Slowly add 2 cups flour, mix and then add salt. Add 1/2 cup flour at a time until it comes away from side of bowl. Let rise in mixing bowl for about 30 minutes. Form rolls as desired and place on a greased cookie sheet. Let rise and additional 30 minutes. Bake at 400 degrees for 10-12 minutes. (Rotate pans after 7 minutes.) Brush hot rolls with melted butter.

Menu Plan - Week December 6th

Keeping things extremely simple and quick this week, it's such a busy time of the year and I needed a break from anything that would keep me in the kitchen for too long.

Here we go, nice and simple:

*Monday*

Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes and Veggies

*Tuesday*

Chicken Curry

*Wednesday*

Bean and Ham Soup

*Thursday*

Chili Dogs w/ Seasoned Fries

*Friday*

Impossibly Easy Taco Pie

*Saturday*

Pork Roast with Buttered Spaghetti Noodles

*Sunday*

Honey Ham, Mashed Potatoes

Basic Pie Dough

Pie dough is one of those things that a lot of people, including some very good bakers, shy away from, they seem to find the whole concept intimidating.  I used to feel the same way, it would really freak me out just thinking that I needed to make a pie, so I would do what a lot do, run to the store and by a ready made pie crust.

There are a lot of opinions and thoughts when it comes to making pie dough, some people swear by shortening and only shortening.  I've tried a few versions here and there and have always pretty much come up with the same kind of pie dough, but this version I'm about to share with you is the one I always come back to.

It's easy, it uses ingredients that I always have on hand and I end up with a delicious flaky pie crust that everyone enjoys.

Basic Pie Dough

Adapted from Williams Sonoma

Yield: 1 9-inch pie crust*
Ingredients:
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
3 tbsp. very cold water


Directions:
Combine the flour, sugar and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Mix briefly to blend.  Add in the butter pieces and mix on medium-low speed to cut the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse sand and the largest butter pieces are not much bigger than peas.  Mix in the cold water on low speed just until the dough comes together.

Shape the dough into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.  (This dough can be frozen for up to 2 months.)

 Remove from the refrigerator.  Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface.  Use as directed in your desired pie recipe.

*Double the recipe for a double crust pie.