Festive Chocolate Treats

1 package semi sweet chocolate chips (like Hershey's morsels)
Several peppermint candy canes ( if I use the small ones usually about 15 or so)
1 tbsp. canola oil

First put candy canes in a ziplock bag, sometimes I double the bag so no pieces fall out! Take a kitchen mallet and smash the candy canes into little bits. If you have children that like to help this would be a good job for them! Melt chocolate chips in microwave. Not too long or they will burn, just keep checking them periodically! Stir til smooth, add the crushed candy canes and the oil and mix together! On a cookie sheet lined with waxed paper spread the mixture out. You can play with how thick or thin you want it to be! Then put this in the fridge for about an hour to harden up! After an hour remove from the fridge and break into different size pieces! They look very festive on a nice crystal dish! Ready to serve! I
I also package these up in cellophane bags and tie with a christmas ribbon. Sometimes I add a little tag that says "Candy Cane Bark"

Candy canes came about around 350 years ago. Candy makers made hard sugar sticks. The original color was white and they were straight sticks of candy. Somewhere around the 17th century European Christians began using Christmas trees as part of their festivities. They would decorate them using cookies and sugar stick candy. The legend has it that a choirmaster had a candy maker bend the sugar sticks into a cane shape ro resemble a shepherds crook. The clergymen handed out these treats to the children during christmas services. This tradition spead throughout Europe and then eventually came to America around the 1800's. The candy canes were still only white at this time! It was approximately 50 years or more later when candymakers started adding stripes and peppermint flavours to the canes and this became a popular tradition!

This chocolate fondue is great for parties. The recipe can easily be doubled!

Chocolate Fondue

Ingredients:

3 squares semi-sweet chocolate chopped
1 cup of heavy cream
1 1/4 cups brown sugar
1 tbsp. creme de cocoa liquer
Sprinkle of salt

In a double boiler over low heat, mix all ingredients until smooth. Transfer the mixture to the fondue pot on low - med. temp. (you don't want it to scortch)

Then just cut up ingredients to dip! Fruit, pound cake, marshmellows, ect.

You can find these products in my zazzle store.
zazzle store

Here are some fun aprons to help inspire the cooking and baking!

A pretty package accents this baker's apron!

Here's a great apron for Grandma's that love to cook and bake for the family!

A fun apron for the holiday season!

Here's a fabulous site with this great simple recipe for Chocolate Pretzels. Uses Hersheys Huggs and Kisses. A perfect recipe to do with the kids or grandkids! Simple and fun! Adds a nice touch to your cookie plate!
Festive Chocolate Pretzels

Here is another fabulous recipe for an easy to make Chocolate Bark. This one uses cranberries and pistachios...mmmm for that little crunch! This recipe has some great reviews as well. Check it out to add to your holiday baking!

Chocolate Bark with Cranberries and Nuts

This is one of my favourite recipes, you can use it all year round! At Christmas I like to make it with white chocolate as well for a special treat! Here's my recipe!

Strawberries - medium size
Semi- sweet milk or dark chocolate pieces or 'Hershey Chips' (1 bag)
White chocolate Hershey chipits (1 bag)
10 small christmas candy canes

Wash strawberries with stems left on, then pat dry with a paper towel and place them on a cookie sheet to air dry! In a ziplock bag crush the candy canes in to fine little pieces. Melt chocolate in separte bowls, you can do this in the microwave, usually about 2 mins. for a bag of the chocolate chips! Stir occassionally. Then dip some of the strawberries holding the stem about 1/2 way up in the dark chocolate and place back on cookie sheet! Dip some of the strawberries in the white chocolate
and then roll in the crushed candycanes, then place on cookie sheet to dry! These will keep for a few days in the refrigerator. They look very festive and lovely on a fancy cakeplate or silver serving dish! Enjoy!

This is a recipe that I have made for years, it's so easy that you almost don't need a recipe!

1 bag of chocolate chips (any brand, but I usually use Hershey's)
1/2 cup of peanuts

Melt chocolate chips in microwave, usually about 2 mins. check often as heating times can vary in different microwaves. Stir until smooth! Add the peanuts and stir! On a baking sheet lined with wax paper drop the mixture by teaspooonfuls onto the wax paper. Let them harden, for quicker setting you can place the cookie sheet in the fridge for awhile! Then just put them in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. They will last for easily a week or more if your family doesn't eat them up first!
For a variation I sometimes use raisins instead of the peanuts! A yummy treat!

Here's a great recipe for these festive munchies to serve to your guests or just for a family treat!
Maple Nut Popcorn Recipe