12 Days of Christmas: Day 2

Hello everyone!

Happy Holidays to you all! Hope you are enjoying the season and finding time for family, friends, and remembering the true meaning of Christmas!

This year, I discovered something new. Something INGENIUS! And something so addicting! If you haven't yet discovered it, you will. My new favorite thing is Pinterest. This is a site that can't be discribed quickly. So what I will share with you is a few of the Holiday Treats that I made this year with my family with recipes I found on Pinterst!

The first is a Sweet N' Salty treat using pretzels, Kisses & M&M's, the recipe is found HERE. Holiday Pretzel Treats

Bite-size, Holiday Shaped Pretzels
Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug
M&M's candy

Instructions
1. Heat the oven to 170F. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug.

2. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss.

3. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes. Place handfuls of the candies in clear plastic bags and tie on colorful ribbons.

(Picture from Source)

My next treat is Candy Cane Blossoms, recipe found HERE or on a bag of candy cane hershey kisses.Candy Cane Blossoms

1 bag Hershey;s Kisses brand Candy Cane Kisses
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 tablespoons milk
Red and Green colored sugar

1. Preheat over to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Remove wrappers from candies (approx. 35)

2. Beat butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg in large bowl until well blended. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; add alternatively with milk to butter mixture, beating until well blended.

3. Shape dough into 1 inch balls. Roll in red and/or green colored sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.

4. Bake 8 - 1o minutes or until edges are lightly browned and cookies is set. Remove from oven; cool 2 to 3 minutes. Press candy piece into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

Yields approximately 35 cookies. (Picture from source)

Chocolate/Peanutbutter Ricecrispy Cake & Chocolate Chocolate Cupcakes

Hey everyone! Happy Wednesday! Hope you have a gorgeous day!!!

I wanted to share with you the cake I made this past weekend for my 2nd son's birthday party!!! He will turn 2 tomorrow, but we were able to celebrate this past weekend with a GORGEOUS day!!!

Here is the cake & cupcakes...The top cake is chocolate ricecrispies with peanutbutter and then frosted...I added polls and ribbon for an old fashioned look...love how this turned out! Super nummy nummy!!!For the Rice Crispy Treat Cake:

3 Tlb. Butter
1-10 oz. Bag of Marshmallows
1/2 c. Peanut Butter
6 c. Chocolate Rice Crispies

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add marshmallows and stir until melted. Add peanutbutter, stir until creamy. This process will take about a minute...once you have your marshmallow/peanutbutter cream, add the rice crispies until well combined. Spread or mold into a well greased pan. For this, I used an 8" cake pan that was 6" tall...Allow to cool completely before frosting!!!

Choccolate Buttercream:1/2 c. Butter @ Room Temp
2 Tlb. Shortening
1/2 c. Cocoa Powder
1 tsp Vanilla
Pinch of Salt
4 c. Powdered Sugar
2-4 Tlb. Heavy Cream, Half & Half or Water

Cream together, butter, shortening, cocoa powder, salt & vanilla until nice and smooth. Add powdered sugar. Add 1 Tlb. of cream at a time until desired consistancy. Frost & Enjoy. Makes enough for 18 cupcakes that are heavily frosted.

Chocolate Cake: Adapted slightly from I Am Baker
1/2 c. Veggie Oil
3 Large Eggs @ Room Temp
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 c. Sugar
1 c. Buttermilk, well shaken
1-3/4 c. Flour
3/4 c. Cocoa Powder
1 tsp. Salt
2 tsp. Baking Powder
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 c. Freshly Brewed Hot Coffee

Preheat oven to 350 degrees & prepair and line cupcake pans.

In a stand mixer, cream oil, eggs, vanilla and sugar until well combined and creamy, don't overmix.

In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients. Add alternately to stand mixer with buttermilk. Use paddle attachment until well combined, then add hot coffee. Batter will be thin.

Fill cupcake liners 3/4 full with batter and bake 18-22 minutes until toothpick comes out clean. Makes 24 cupcakes. (Also makes 1-9" 3 layer cake, bake cakes in a 350 degree oven for 30-35 min.)