We Are Cooking!

We've been doing some Christmas baking around here! My youngest LOVES to help and wants to do it all! She even said, "Mom, I'm working hard!" She is making her Grand Mimi proud! These are some easy recipes from some dear friends!

This has got to be the easiest sweet treat and fun to take to parties! We received this idea from a Joyful friend attending a Super Bowl Party with us several years ago.

You put square shaped pretzels on a baking sheet and top each with a Rolo candy. Put them in a 350 degree oven for five minutes and immediately place a pecan half on top.

Sparkling Toffee Cookies

(full of Green Love!-recipe is from S.Green)

1 1/2 stick butter (softened)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 cup toffee bits (or to taste-I put in the whole bag!)

Sugar for top to taste

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla in mixer bowl. Beat @ medium speed until creamy. Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, reduce speed to low. Beat until well mixed. Stir in toffee bits. (I refrigerate the dough for an hour) Shape into one inch balls. Roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Flatten with bottom of glass or fork for criss cross pattern. Bake 9-11 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Sprinkle with sugar while warm.

I only make this next recipe around Christmas time. The sweet friend I received it from has made it an all occasion treat by changing the color on the covering. Pink and Blue at a baby shower was my favorite one she had made. These treats are only about half a sweet and rich in goodness as my friend, S. Cray.

My kids call them Snow Balls (on the Internet you can find them under Oreo balls)

I think the recipe is easier if you have a food processor but we do not. As is it is a fun and easy one for my youngest to help with.

We take a whole package of oreos (12 cookies at a time-all my blender can handle) and crush them in a Ziploc freezer bag. Then we put them in a blender and set it to chop! We do this over and over until the whole package of oreos is exhausted.

In a bowl we combine the pulverized oreos, (2) 8 oz cream cheese (softened) and a 1/2 cup powdered sugar. I put the dough in the refrigerator for one hour. Roll dough into small balls. Refrigerate for another hour. Coat with white almond bark.

Patterson Love all wrapped up and ready to deliver!

Amish Friendship bread pictured but not blogged about, perhaps another time!