Rolo Pretzel Turtles

Okay... maybe I have a few more Christmas posts in me :) Here's one: Pretzel Turtles. I've made these twice this Christmas season. We took the Elders dinner and the kids made these for their dessert. We also made them for a night of cards with friends. They are simple, delicious and the kids can make them (the best part). If you love turtles... try these :)

Rolo Pretzel Turtles

Small Pretzels

Rolo candies

Pecans or M&Ms

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350. Place small pretzels on a cookie sheet. (Line with foil or parchment for easy clean up) Top each pretzel with a rolo candy. Place in the oven for 3-4 minutes. The rolos will look shiny but still holding their shape. Remove from oven and push a pecan on top of each one. Let firm up for 5 minutes and enjoy!

Recipe Source: TheSistersCafe

Cranberry-Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip

Don't judge this dish based on the name... because it sounds, to be honest, like a gross combination. It's not! I told Doug I wanted to make this for the party we had last night, he wasn't a believer. After some convincing, he reluctantly agreed. From his first taste, he became a believer. He said that we shouldn't take it to the party but keep it all for ourselves! Alas, we did take it and it was a HUGE hit. It's a sweet fruit salsa, on top of cream cheese, served on crackers or chips... yum! It's better than a cheese ball!

Another recipe... as promised :)

Cranberry-Jalapeno Cream Cheese Dip

12 ounces fresh cranberries
5 green onions, chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely diced
1 cup sugar (more or less to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (from about 1 large lemon)
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 (8 ounces each) packages cream cheese, light or regular, softened
Crackers, for serving

Directions:
Pulse the cranberries in a food processor or blender until coarsely chopped (you can also do this by hand). Add the green onions, cilantro, jalapeno, sugar, cumin, lemon juice and salt and pulse until the ingredients are well combined and finely chopped. Transfer the mixture to a covered bowl or tupperware and refrigerate for 4 hours (or up to overnight) so the flavors have time to develop and the cranberries lose a bit of their tartness.
When ready to serve, spread the cream cheese in an even layer on a serving plate or 9-inch pie dish. Top with the cranberry-jalapeno mixture, spreading evenly over the top of the cream cheese.

Refrigerate for up to an hour before serving. Serve with crackers or tortilla chips.

Recipe Source: MelsKitchenCafe

Cream Cheese Pound Cake

Found this recipe on pinterest, and this was the picture that influenced me to make it. YUM! Do not try the batter, you won't be able to stop eating it... :) This was perfect. Simple and delicious, it doesn't have a strong cheesecake flavor but is so moist and, just perfect.

Cream Cheese Pound Cake
Southern Living November 2001

Yield

1 (10-inch) cake

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups butter, softened at room temp
  
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened at room temp
  
• 3 cups sugar
• 6 large eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract

Preparation
Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy (do not over beat). Gradually add sugar, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating until combined. Crack eggs into a bowl first before adding to the mixture to make sure you avoid shells in the cake mix (if you want, I didn't...because I'm that good). Sift 3 cups of flour. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to butter mixture, beating at low speed just until blended after each addition. Stir in vanilla. Pour batter into a greased and floured 10-inch Bundt pan. Smooth the top of the cake or bottom of the cake (depending how you look at it) with a spatula to even it out. Bake at 300° for 1 hour and 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 to 15 minutes; remove from pan, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Here is my picture :) My kitchen has yellowish lighting

Garlic Sirloin

You need to put this one your grilling to-dos before summer over!!

Garlic Sirloin
1 lb sirloin steak
1/2 cup butter
2 TBS minced garlic
1 TBS garlic salt
1 tsp salt

 Melt butter. Mix together butter, garlic, garlic salt and salt. Cut steak meat into about 1.5 inch pieces (cubes).
 Baste butter mixture onto steak pieces. (We put meat and butter mixture in a large ziploc and coated)

Stick steak pieces onto kabob sticks. Grill for about 15 minutes.

 Rotate skewers every couple of minutes, cooking evenly on each side.  Re-baste meat throughout grilling process, because a lot of the flavor will cook off. Check steak temperature when you are done grilling, meat should be 150 for medium well/ or cut one piece open to check the color inside, should be light pink for medium well steak.

You could also use this recipe for cooking steaks this way.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

We had a lot of bell peppers and wanted to use them so we found this recipe! So good!!!!

Makes 6 servings

• 1/2 cup uncooked white rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 1/8 cup minced carrots
• 1/8 cup celery
• 6 bell peppers (any color) stems and seeds removed, cut in half lengthwise
• 1 pound ground beef (*used ground turkey)
• 1/4 pound pancetta or lightly smoked bacon, diced (*used turkey bacon)
• 1 1/2 cups prepared marinara sauce
• 1/4 cup red wine (*used apple juice)
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/3 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2. In a saucepan bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes, or until tender and fluffy; set aside. (Or use rice cooker!)
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Cook and stir carrots and celery until tender. Add ground beef and pancetta, and cook until browned and crumbled; drain off any excess liquid, and return to heat. Add marinara sauce, wine, and red pepper flakes, and simmer for 10 minutes. Stir in cream, half of the Parmesan cheese, and rice. Simmer 5 minutes more, or until most liquid has absorbed.
4. Place peppers in a shallow baking dish, and fill with beef mixture. Drizzle with remaining olive oil and top with remaining Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake, uncovered, for 30 minutes in the preheated oven. Serve hot.

 We just cut up out cooked peppers when they came out to make it easier to eat!

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have tried many different chocolate chip cookie recipes but I always go back to this one. The Russell's have used this recipe for as long as I can remember.

Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup butter
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 cup chocolate chips - one whole bag
Additional options - nuts of any kind

Oatmeal - if you add oatmeal, subtract the same amount from your flour. My sister, Tyre recommends 1/2 cup. (I have also seen some odd people blend their oats before adding them)

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Combine flour, soda, salt - mix together, set aside. In a bowl combine sugars, add butter - mix until creamed together. Add eggs and vanilla - mix. Add flour to sugar mixture - mix. Add chocolate chips - mix. Bake for 22-24 min.

Cafe Rio Barbacoa Pork

If you've never made this YOU MUST MAKE THIS IMMEDIATELY!!  So Kindra's post got me motivated to take pictures this time.  Cafe Rio Pork has been my FAVORITE meal for about a year now. I make it in large quantities so I can enjoy it day after day for 3 meals a day. :)  We triple everything, except the dressing.  There's plenty of that in a single batch.

You can make this into a Cafe Rio Salad or Burrito(same basic ingredients). We make ours with tortillas, beans, rice, pork, cheese, and dressing. You may also include pico, guacamole, sour cream, lettuce, tortilla strips, and coijta cheese. I think the basic combination of flavors is so perfect, I like to keep it simple. We buy the raw tortillas from the grocery store. They are wonderful. If they aren't available in your grocery store(usually by the cheese and such) try this tortilla recipe.

Cafe Rio Pork

Feeds 4-6   Time: 5 hours + Marinade

2 lbs Pork*

1 1/2 + 1/2 + 1/2 cans Coke

1 + 1/4 c light brown sugar

dash garlic salt

1/4 c water

1 can diced green chilies

3/4 (10 oz Can) Old El Paso red enchilada sauce

Marinate Pork, 1 1/2 cans coke and 1/4 c brown sugar in a ziploc bag for a few hours or overnight.

Drain pork and place in a crock pot on high with 1/2 can coke, water and garlic salt for 3-4 hours(or until it shreds easily).

In a blender combine 1/2 can coke, chilies, enchilada sauce, and 1 c brown sugar.

Drain pork again, shred, and place in crock pot with blended ingredients. Cook for 1 more hour.

*I have heard recommendations for several different types of pork. Boneless pork ribs for example, we tried it, tastes great. We've also tried several different types of pork roasts (whatever is on sale, picnic, sirloin, rump, shoulder). They ALL Worked great!! The only kind of pork that I have found that DOES NOT work, is the kind that isn't cooked enough. If your pork won't shred, cook it longer. If you're using a roast, cut it up into baseball sized chunks. It helps it to cook faster. I did about 6 lbs of meat. I cut it up into chunks and it cooked nicely in my crockpot in about 5 hours plus the additional 1 hour. Please keep in mind, I'm not a pork expert. If you're aware of a pork that wouldn't work, don't try it :) But feel free to leave a comment and save someone else the trouble :)





Black Beans

Makes 2 cups

1 T oil

1 t cumin

1 t minced garlic

1 can black beans

3/4 t salt

1 1/3 c tomato juice

3 T chopped fresh cilantro

Heat pan, add oil, garlic and cumin on medium. Heat until the cumin is fragrant. Add beans, salt and tomato juice. Bring to a boil. Simmer on med-low for 20 minutes. Add cilantro before serving.

Cilantro-Lime Rice

Makes 3 cups

1 t butter

1 t minced garlic

1 t + 1 T lime juice

1 c rice

1 1/2 c chicken broth
3 T fresh chopped cilantro

2 t sugar


Heat butter and garlic in pan. Add rice, 1 t of lime juice, and chicken broth. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and cook for 15-20 minutes.  Combine sugar, cilantro and 1 T lime juice in a small bowl.  When rice is finished, add it to the rice and fluff.

Julie's Cooking Variation: Bring 1 1/2c chicken broth to boil. Add 1 c rice. When it comes back to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover and cook for 20min. Combine garlic, sugar, cilantro and 1 T lime juice in a small bowl.  When rice is finished, add it to the rice and fluff. 

Cilantro Ranch Dressing

Makes 1 quart or 32 oz

1 pkg (3T) Traditional Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (not buttermilk)

1 c mayo

1/2 c buttermilk

2 tomatillos, husks removed, diced

1/2 bunch cilantro

1/2 t minced garlic

juice of 1 lime (3 T)

1 jalapeno, diced (remove seeds, if you don't like spice)

Mix ingredients together in a blender.  Refrigerate.  Let it sit overnight, if you have time.

Yum!

Adapted Slightly From Favorite Family Recipes

Naan the Best so Far

Naan

submitted by Mom May 1, 2011

Naan is a type of flat bread, like pita, but softer. I have been looking for a good recipe for Naan for awhile. We love it at our favorite Indian restaurant "Seva".  Dad found this new recipe. July 6, 2019.
 Naan

1 t sugar 

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 c warm water
2 1/4 t yeast
2 1/4 c flour

1/2 cup plain yogurt
1 T oil
3 T melted salted butter

1.  In a small bowl, add the sugar, warm water, and yeast together.  Stir to combine well.  The yeast will be activated in about 10 minutes.
Add dry ingredients and mix.   Add yogurt, yeast and oil. Knead dough until shiny and smooth about 3-4 minutes.  Use bread mixer, ex.  Kitchen Aid.
Cover dough, let rise until double.
2.  Divide dough into 8 equal portions.  Roll dough into a 8" circle using a rolling pin.
3.  Heat skillet( preferably cast iron), over high heat and lightly grease skillet with oil so it won't stick to pan.  Put dough into skillet until it puffs up and browns, then flip and cook other side. Remove.
Brush melted butter on Naan while hot.
   

Cinnamon Rolls

What THACKERAY blog is complete without mom and dad's cinnamon roll recipe? I made these for Douglas' birthday and snapped a few pics. I know you want to make them now... they are calling your name. They are delicious.

Cinnamon Rolls
Printable Version

1 1/2 c. milk
2 T yeast
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. warm water
up to 7 c. flour (just enough to make soft dough... I used approx 6 1/2cups)
2 1/2 t. salt
1/2 c. oil
3 eggs
1/2 c. potato flakes (opt.)

Add all ingredients except flour. Stir in 3-4 c. flour. Stir in the rest of the flour and keep dough really soft. The secret to good rolls is to keep the dough as soft as possible while still being able to knead it. Let rest for 10 minutes. Knead for 10 minutes more. Let raise in a warm place until double. Punch down, let raise for 30 more minutes. Roll out on floured board, thick dough. Spread softened butter, brown sugar, sprinkle cinnamon and sprinkle white sugar. Roll, cut into 12-16 rolls. Let rise. Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes or until done. Makes delicious dinner rolls, too.

Frosting: Powdered sugar, 3T margin, 1 t. vanilla and milk. Mix until the right consistency.

                                                                          Orange Rolls

Using same dough roll out and spread with soft butter.  Sprinkle on white sugar with grated orange peel.

Bake.  Frost as usual.

Breakfast Burriots

I found this recipe not too long ago and I make excuses to eat these multiple times a week. Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. It doesn't matter, they are great any time of day. Try one and you'll never eat a breakfast burrito w/o roasted tomatoes again! Delicious.

 Breakfast Burritos

1-2 cups grape tomatoes, cut in half
1/2 small sweet onion, diced
1 tsp olive oil
salt/pepper

4 large whole wheat tortillas
8 eggs
2-3 Tb milk
salt/pepper/red pepper flakes

grated pepper jack cheese/cheddar cheese
baby spinach leaves
fresh avocado slices

Start out with tossing the tomatoes and onion in olive oil and sprinkling with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 oven for 15 minutes. This step is a MUST! It makes the burrito superior to any other :) They will look like this when they are done:

While these are cooking, scramble the eggs. Crack all the eggs in a bowl, add your seasoning and milk and whisk until well combined. pour into a saucepan and cook slowly at medium heat. When the eggs are almost finished cooking remove from heat and they will finish cooking while you get the tortillas ready.

Heat the tortillas in a fry pan on the stove with a teeny tiny bit of butter (I don't use butter, just heat), for just a few moments on each side. Put the warm and toasted tortilla on a plate, then lay the spinach down the middle. Spoon on some of your roasted tomatoes and onions, scrambled eggs, top with cheese and avocado.

I fold mine up like a taco b/c I don't' think their is a burrito shell big enough to contain it all. If you can roll it like a burrito, do so. If not, get a fork and enjoy what falls out after your breakfast burrito/taco is eaten.

Ultimate Chicken Fingers

I know this recipe is on the back of the Bisquick box but just in case you didn't know how wonderful they are...

Ultimate Chicken Fingers

3 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb), cut crosswise into 1/2-inch strips

2/3 cup Original Bisquick

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp salt or garlic salt

1/2 tsp paprika

1 egg, slightly beaten

3 Tbsp butter or margarine, melted

 HEAT oven to 450 degrees. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray. in 1-gallon resealable plastic bag, mix Bisquick, cheese, salt and paprika.

DIP half of the chicken strips into egg; place in bag. seal bag; shake to coat. Place chicken on cookie sheet. Repeat with remaining chicken. Drizzle butter over chicken.

BAKE 12-14 min, turning halfway through bake time, until no longer pink in center.

My notes: I don't bag it, I bowl it... I like to pack the breading on the chicken. I don't drizzle butter, I just spray cooking spray on the chicken... works the same and it stays on the chicken... the butter just drizzles off the chicken.

Parmesan Chicken

I made this the other day and I thought it was easy and super yummy. I made some alterations though! They want you to put salad on top, but I wanted it more un-healthy and just better, so after I cooked it I put it in a pan, covered it in spaghetti sauce and sprinkled it with mozarella until it melted! Than of course put it over some pasta. I recommend it unless you want your chicken to be more crisp, the sauce will sog it up.

Ingredients
4 to 6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon kosher salt (used regular)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 extra-large eggs
1 tablespoon water
1 1/4 cups seasoned dry bread crumbs
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus extra for serving
Unsalted butter
Good olive oil (used canola)

---- The rest is a receipe for the salad that can go on top, I did not do this but the judging from the reviews they really liked it.

1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (2 lemons)1/2 cup good olive oil 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper In a small bowl, whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Salad greens for 6, washed and spun dry

Directions
Pound the chicken breasts until they are 1/4-inch thick. You can use either a meat mallet or a rolling pin.
Combine the flour, salt, and pepper on a dinner plate. On a second plate, beat the eggs with 1 tablespoon of water. On a third plate, combine the bread crumbs and 1/2 cup grated Parmesan. Coat the chicken breasts on both sides with the flour mixture, then dip both sides into the egg mixture and dredge both sides in the bread-crumb mixture, pressing lightly.*
Heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large saute pan and cook 2 or 3 chicken breasts on medium-low heat for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, until cooked through.** Add more butter and oil and cook the rest of the chicken breasts. Toss the salad greens with lemon vinaigrette. Place a mound of salad on each hot chicken breast. Serve with extra grated Parmesan.

* I double dipped the chicken in all of it so that the crust would be thicker and crispier
**I didn't pound my chicken thin enough, so once it was cooked to how I wanted it I put it in the oven so it wouldn't turn black

Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake

 

Another one of my Paula Deen favorites! These yummies just scream summertime!!

Simply Delicious Strawberry Cake

1 (18.25-ounce) box white cake mix
1 (3-ounce) box strawberry-flavored instant gelatin 

4 large eggs
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup water
Strawberry cream cheese frosting, recipe follows

Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (10-ounce) package frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and pureed
1/2 teaspoon strawberry extract
7 cups confectioners' sugar

Freshly sliced strawberries, for garnish, optional 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease 2 (9-inch) round cake pans.

In a large bowl, combine cake mix and gelatin. Add pureed strawberries, eggs, oil, and water; beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Pour into prepared pans, and bake for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Let cool in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks.

For the frosting:

In a large bowl, beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Beat in 1/4 cup of the strawberry puree and the vanilla extract (The rest of the puree is leftover but can be used in smoothies or on ice cream for a delicious treat.) Gradually add confectioners' sugar, beating until smooth.

Spread frosting in between layers and on top and sides of cake.Garnish with sliced fresh strawberries, if desired.

Wedding Cookies

I didn't make these for a wedding :) This cookie is the last one that I put on our Christmas plates. They are buttery, powdery and melt in your mouth. Delicious.

Wedding Cookies 
Printable Version

1c butter, softened
1/2c powdered sugar
1t vanilla
2 1/4c flour
3/4c finely chopped nuts
1/4t salt
powdered sugar (to roll cookies in)


Heat oven to 400.

Mix butter, 1/2 cup powdered sugar and vanilla in a large bowl. (I used my Bosch) Stir in flour, nuts and salt until dough holds together.

Shape dough into 1" balls. Place about 1" apart on ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake 10-12 minutes until set, but no brown. Remove from cookie sheet. Cool slightly on wire rack.

Roll warm cookies in powdered sugar. Cool on wire rack. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Dreamy Chocolate Mousse Cake

Dreamy Chocolate Mousse Cake
Updated 11/2020 - changes to the recipe to make it easier

2 boxes chocolate cake mix - baked as directed OR Chocolate Cake recipe below

Dreamy Chocolate Mousse
Chocolate Fudge Frosting
Garnish: grated chocolate, chocolate curls

Using a serrated knife, cut cake layers in half horizontally to make 6 layers. Place 1 layer, cut side up, on a cake plate, spread with one-fifth of Dreamy Chocolate Mousse. Repeat procedure with remaining cake layers and mousse. Freeze cake for 1 hour. Spread Chocolate Fudge Frosting evenly over top and sides of cake. Garnish sides of cake with grated chocolate. Garnish top of cake with chocolate curls if desired.

Chocolate Cake Recip
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
1 ½ tsp. baking soda
1 cup milk
1 cup strong brewed coffee
3/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs

Preheat oven to 350°. Grease and flour 3 (9-inch) square or round cake pans. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add milk, coffee, oil, and eggs. Beat at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth.
Pour evenly into prepared pans and bake for 23 to 25 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans for 10 minutes, Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks.

Mousse (Makes about 4½ cups)
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
3 tablespoons cold water
¼ cup boiling water
1 cup sugar Powdered Sugar
½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
3 cups heavy whipping cream

In a small bowl, soften gelatin in 3 tablespoons cold water. Let stand for 2 minutes. Add boiling water, stirring until gelatin dissolves; set aside.

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cocoa powder.

In a medium bowl, beat cream at medium speed with an electric mixer until foamy. Gradually add sugar mixture, beating until stiff peaks form. Stir in gelatin mixture. Cover and chill for 4 hours.

Chocolate Fudge Frosting (Makes about 3 cups)
1 cup sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
5 (1-ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate
10 tablespoons butter
1 cup confectioner's sugar

In a medium saucepan, combine sugar and cream. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat, and simmer for 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; add chocolate and butter, stirring until melted and smooth. Let cool for 10 minutes. Whisk in confectioner's sugar. Let mixture cool until it reaches a spreadable consistency.


Note: When making cake from a box follow box instructions to make all 4 9inch cakes. Slice all 4 in half. I pick the best 6 layers for my cake and toss the lesser desirable 2 layers.

Peanut Blossoms

Another delicious choice for our Christmas plates. These were great. My only caution is: do NOT bake them too long... Yum... Wishing it was Christmas season again and not the season to incorporate more veggies :)

Peanut Blossoms

½ c. sugar
½ c. brown sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 ¾ c. flour
1 tsp soda
½ tsp salt
½ c. butter
½ c. peanut butter
1 pkg Hershey kisses

Cream butter and sugars – adding egg and vanilla. Add dry ingredients. Roll into balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake 8 minutes at 375°. Then put kiss gently on each cookie. Bake 3 minutes longer.

Recipe source: SistersCafe

Peppermint Bark

I promise that I am not trying to wreck anyone's new year resolution to eat healthier. I meant to post these recipes during the holiday and things were a wee busy... :) More recipes to follow...

Ashley, this recipe is for you! :) 

(If we put crushed oreos instead of peppermint we'd make our own cookies and cream candy bars... yum!)

If you like white chocolate and peppermint, this is the holiday treat for you. It's simple, impossible to mess up and goes as a great flavor and aesthetic contrast to the pecan buttercrunch toffee. This recipe is fun b/c it has rice crispies in the white chocolate to give it a light crunch. I love peppermint and white chocolate, so I was a big fan of this. As for my husband... not so much. He said that it's good, but not his favorite. With Doug, it's a triumph to get him to say he liked anything with a mint flavor. Usually he says he's eating toothpaste. Hehe. According to Doug, mint is for freshening breath, not for dessert. I disagree... but each to his own. I let my kids have some, so I didn't eat it all, and they liked it.

Peppermint Bark


1 pound white chocolate, chopped*
2 cups puffed rice cereal
6-10 candy canes, unwrapped and crushed (You can use starlight mints, but they are about 10x harder to crush)
1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil



Spray a 10-by-15-inch rimmed baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray; line with a piece of waxed or parchment paper.


Melt white chocolate. I melt mine in the microwave. Place white chocolate in microwave and cook 1 minute on full power. Stir. Return to microwave for 30 seconds. Stir. Continue stirring every thirty seconds until it's smooth.

Stir in rice cereal and oil.

Transfer mixture to prepared pan; with a spatula, spread to edges of pan.

Sprinkle with crushed candy; with a piece of waxed paper covering the entire surface, press in gently (paper prevents hands from sticking to candy and chocolate). Chill until firm, 20 to 30 minutes (no longer, as candy will begin to soften).

Peel waxed paper off. Break bark into pieces. Store at room temperature in an airtight container, up to 1 week

*Martha Stewart's recipe says not to use chips, but I did... and it was delicious! Use whatever you can melt successfully.