Oreo Truffles

Ingredients:

1 pkg. Oreo Chocolate Sandwich Cookies, finely crushed

1 pkg. (8 oz.) Philadelphia Cream Cheese, softened

2 pkg. (8 squares each) BAKER'S Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

Directions:
1. Finely crush cookies to a fin crumb
2. Mix 3 cups of the cookie crumbs and the cream cheese until well blended. Shape into 42 (1-inch) balls.
3. Dip balls in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. (Any leftover melted chocolate can be stored in tightly covered container at room temperature and saved for another use.) Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs or other decoration such as holiday sprinkles or nuts. 4. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Store any leftover truffles in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Rating: Soooo yummy! If you are a chocolate lover then you will go crazy for these. These disappeared quickly at my Christmas party.

Grandma's famous baked stuffed mushrooms

This blog is only recipes on baking...since I'm not much of a fan of cooking, BUT I've been getting requests to post the recipe to my grandma's famous Thanksgiving stuffed mushrooms..so I asked her for the recipe. Some of her measurements were done by eyeballing it since she never uses measuring cups, lol, but I converted her system into regular measurements. Please let me know how yours turn out if you make them :)


Ingredients:
20 medium whole mushrooms
handful or 1/3 cup Italian style bread crumbs
3 tbsp butter
1 tbsp oil
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 clove garlic
(1/3 cup cooked spinach if desired)

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2.Remove stems of each mushroom(to base) and set the mushroom tops/caps to the side
3.Chop mushroom stems into small pieces
2.Get out a pan and set burner to medium high
3.Once pan is hot put in 2 tbsp of butter and 1 tbsp olive oil
4.Crush garlic and stir in pan with the butter mixture for about 4 minutes. make sure not to burn garlic.
5.Throw chopped mushroom stems into pan, make sure they are covered in butter and all the way cooked through
6.Turn off heat and set the pan onto a COOL burner.
7.Grease a cookie sheet and place mushroom tops face up.
8.Add bread crumbs to the pan of mushroom stems(make sure they are Italian style..regular will taste bland), combine thoroughly. (if the mixture seems dry add a tiny bit more melted butter or even chicken broth)
9.Add in 3/4 cup shredded cheese (the cheese should melt slightly after combined with stuffing mixture)
10.Fill each mushroom cap with stuffing mixture (about 1-1.5 tablespoons per mushroom)
11.Top each mushroom with a pinch of shredded mozzarella
12.Melt remaining tbsp of butter and brush the top of each mushroom
13.Place into oven for 15-25 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbling on the top of each mushroom

Gourmet Caramel Apples

Ingredients:
4 crisp apples, firm, unbruised
12 ozs. soft and fresh wrapped caramels
1 Tbsp. hot water
12 ozs. good-quality chocolate chips
About 1 c. chopped nuts

Directions:
1.Wash and dry apples well, and set out at room temperature for at least 30 minutes. This is especially important if the apples have been refrigerated; they must not be refrigerator cold when dipped.(or caramel will harden too quickly)
2. Insert wooden popcicle sticks into stem end of each apple. cover cookie sheet in parchment paper
3.Place caramels in saucepan and melt over low/medium heat until completely smooth
4. Dip apples into caramel until evenly coated(use spreading knife to coat sides) let excess drip and scrap off the extra on the bottom. place on pan. Refrigerate for about 20-3o minutes.
5. Melt chocolate on low heat, after completely melted take off heat and use spreading knife to cover apples completely. Quickly roll apples in chopped peanuts and lightly press in. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Snowflake sugar cookie cut-outs

Ingredients:
17.5-ounce package dry sugar cookie mix
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract or other flavoring
1 cup all-purpose flour

Royal Icing:
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon meringue powder
Water, for icing consistency

Directions:
1.Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2.Combine the cookie mix with the cream cheese until crumbly. Mix in the eggs and flavoring until well combined. Add enough flour to make a firm dough that can be rolled out. Roll dough out on lightly floured board to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut out snow flakes, doves, or other desired shapes.
3.Place on ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 8 minutes.
4.While the cookies are baking, make the icing by combining powdered sugar and meringue powder. Add 1 teaspoon of water at a time until it reaches desired consistency.
5.Decorate cookies with royal icing. Allow to dry for 1 hour.

Rating/comments: (8.5/10)-the cookies are yummy but the icing may be too overpowering

Peppermint bark

Here is an easy and yummy recipe to make for the holidays :)

Ingredients:
1 (12oz) bag white chocolate chips
1 box pepermint candies

Directions:
1.Line baking sheet with waxed paper.
2.Microwave morsels in medium, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-high (70 percent) power for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth.
3.Place peppermint candies in heavy-duty plastic bag. Crush candies using rolling pin or other heavy object. While holding strainer over melted morsels, pour crushed candy into strainer. Shake to release all small candy pieces; reserve larger candy pieces. Stir morsel-peppermint mixture.
4.Spread mixture to desired thickness on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with reserved candy pieces; press in lightly. Let stand for about 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces. Store in airtight container at room temperature.