Twelve Days of Goodies

On the first day of holiday prep, I made some chocolate acorns.

Saw these on Pinterest and immediately put mini Nutter-butters on my grocery list.   Assembly is easy-peasy:  Melt chocolate chips and use them as the 'glue' to stick a Hershey's kiss onto a Nutter-butter.  Use another dab of 'glue' to stick a chocolate chip to the opposite side.   Edible acorns!

On the second day of holiday baking, I made an overnight cheese bread.  So different, so easy, so delish.  It serves 6-8, but I know I could eat the whole thing by myself.  

You hand-stir the dough, then let it rest overnight.  Next morning, knead in some cheese.  Plop it in a hot, covered casserole dish and bake it (no peeking.)  This bread is on my holiday menu from here on.  Here's the recipe:  LAZY WHOLE WHEAT CHEESE BREAD.

On the third day of holiday prep...Christmas trees.

We're on our third year of not putting up a Christmas tree.  We decorate the piano.  (For that story, CLICK HERE.)  In lieu of a live evergreen, we have sugar cookie evergreens.  Except they're not always green, as you can plainly see.  And they don't last forever, because we're pigs when it comes to grandma's sugar cookie recipe.

We also have sugar cookie bells, which I made on the fourth day of prepping. 

Can't you just hear Carol of the Bells?  (CLICK HERE and you will.)

On the fifth day....golden rings with lingonberry jelly (or whatever jelly I have.  The cookie doesn't care.)  

For every M&M I placed....I ate one.  I had to get that off my chest.

On the sixth day of baking, I made a mess with oatmeal and coconut and puffed rice and chocolate mint.

                     

These are Meemaw's Kitchen Sink Christmas Cookies from Paula Deen - with my own variations.  For this recipe CLICK HERE.  My three variations:

1.  I used mint chocolate chips instead of toffee bits.
2.  I used green buttercream frosting, instead of white chocolate.  And I drizzled the frosting instead of dipping the cookies in frosting or chocolate.  We try to watch our sugar intake around here.  Not.
3.  I eliminated the crushed candy canes, because I used them in another treat.

On the seventh day of baking, I made swans-a-swimming dressed in white buttercream feathers.

                       

This sparkly one posed for a picture.  Shortly after the picture, her head was snapped off and eaten. 

On the eighth day of baking...pretzel buttons.

These little gems are everywhere on Pinterest.  Little waffle pretzels topped with Hershey's kisses or Rolos.  Melt a few minutes in the oven, then top with a nut or M&M.  Recipe here: PRETZEL BUTTONS.  A perfect salty/sweet treat.  I've gained five pounds since I've joined Pinterest.  I've also learned how to make a pencil holder from a cheese grater and hang a picture using a soda pop top, so I'm expanding my mind as well as my behind. 

On the ninth day of maniacal baking, a three-year old helped me.  We made peanut-butter reindeer.


Somebody got carried away with the red-hots.   A couple cyclopses ended up on the cookie sheet as well.  Everyone is welcome here in the Ballpark kitchen.  For these body-less creatures, make balls of dough using any peanut-butter cookie recipe.  Press mini-pretzels into the dough for antlers, and use chocolate chips and red-hots for facial features.   Add as many noses as you want.

 On the tenth day of baking...snowy candy canes.  

Living in the Sunshine state, I've not really seen snow in twenty years.  I'm pretty much OK with it, because I never want to drive on ice again.  But, snow dots are pretty on cookies, so there ya' go.

On the eleventh day of baking, I lit up the place with old fashioned tree lights.

I love this cookie cutter because it's small, and, unfrosted, these little lights are for those who just want a tad of something sweet.  If you want more, you can eat ten of 'em.  It's not important how I know this.

On the twelfth day of baking...dreamy, creamy Oreo cookie/peppermint bark. 

Chunk up 1/2 - 3/4 bag of mint Oreos.  Spread them out on greased cookie sheet, using only half the pan.  Crush 4-6 candy canes in a blender/food processor until desired consistency (we like ours fine.)  Gently melt 2 bags of white chocolate chips.  (I melt mine in the microwave, using the "auto defrost" button, stirring every 30 seconds.)

As soon as the chocolate is very smooth and pourable, drizzle it over the cookies.  Gently fold a bit as needed to coat the cookies well.  Smooth out the mixture to desired thickness.  Sprinkle the candy crumbs over the top, and place the sheet pan in the refrigerator. 

When the chocolate is set, break the bark into chunks and share with everyone you know.  If you eat it all yourself, it will put you in a coma until Easter. 

I am so going on a diet come January. 

What are you gaining weight on this holiday season?