(this seems like it should be a thread already but i couldn't find anything so here i go...)

what is your favorite easy holiday recipe? i'm looking for ideas. i'm not that great in the kitchen so it can't be too complicated.

here's my favorite:

chocolate covered pretzels

some large twist pretzels
1 package of that chocolate you use to make candy--looks like chocolate ice-cubes (I think it's called almond bark) Use regular chocolate or white chocolate or both!
1 box of wax paper
optional: one shaker of sprinkles in your color of choice.

Spread wax paper over every available flat surface.

melt half the package of chocolate in a pan on the stove or in a shallow dish (like a glass pie pan) in the microwave.

Using tongs, dip pretzels in chocolate until covered and put on wax paper to dry. If you want to be fancy, sprinkle with the sprinkles before the chocolate dries.

repeat until you are out of chocolate or pretzels.

tip: do not, i repeat, DO NOT get water in the melted chocolate. do not use any utensils that have water on them. it makes the chocolate get all lumpy and weird.

enjoy! this is messy but it's fun

I like the pretzel thing too but I do mine a little different. I buy those big thick pretzel sticks (like the length of a pencil but thicker), dip most of one end in melted white or milk chocolate stuff, and prinkle some holiday colored sprinkles lightly on the chocolate stuff before it totally hardens. I like these because I can tie a budle together for a gift or stand them up in a vase or tall coffee mug for display or giving.

The other thing we do that is quick and easy is sugar-and-spice nuts. Separate an egg and plop the white in a mixing bowl. Throw in some plain nuts (unsalted) like walnuts, almonds, pecans, whatever and smoosh them into the egg white with your hands until they all seem pretty well-coated (it's surprising how far one little egg white will go!). Mix up some granulated white sugar with ground cinnamon and/or ground ginger, ground cloves, whatever and toss into the egg white and nuts mix again tossing with your hands to evenly distribute the stuff. Spread the coated nuts on a lightly greased cookie sheet and bake in the over until their surfaces are nice and dry (I do something like 250-300 F degrees and keep checking at 5 minute intervals - scooch them around with a spatula while they bake if you want). Remove from over, allow to cool, store in an airtight container. We have relatives who now expect these treats each year. I may try some more unusual spices this year to maybe make the nuts hotter (spicier) or maybe more of an East Indian flavor? We'll see..

http://discuss.gromco.com/mwforum/topic_show.pl?id=6932

I am planning on doing the pretzel thing for my gift boxes this year.

arg i am so search inept! prolly because i can't spell. thanks lilly blue

I also like to make chocolate covered marshmallows. Very yummy. Just take dipping chocolate and melt it. Cheat use the micro, just keep an eye on it. Use clocolate that comes in blocks not disks, the disks are to waxy. Freeze your marshmellows for a couple minutes and dip into melted chocolate. Don't worry about the top. Let set on wax paper. After the first dip has set re-dip from the other end. Voila yummy chocolate coverd marshmallows.

I'm doing pretzel rods for some of my people, too!

Another variation: dip them in caramel before chocolate...mmm.

siwrl

Yum! This stuff sounds so good! Another delicious and easy to make snack also uses the almond bark cubes, either chocolate or butterscotch, whichever you prefer. You take two Ritz crackers, put peanut butter on one of them and make a little cracker-peanut-butter sandwich, then dip that in your melted almond bark. Make sure to thouroughly coat it. Set your cookie on wax paper to cool and harden, and there you have an easy, super-good treat that looks like it took a lot more time than it actually did. Enjoy :-)

This thread is making me salivate! I've got to try out those chocolate pretzels....

I got my easy Christmas recipe accidentally from a Halloween idea. This is a link to "Kitty Litter Treats" that I made for my Halloween party. This no bake cookie recipe rocks! Chocolate, oatmeal and peanut butter: you can't beat it with a stick!
>http://www.makestuff.com/cat_litter_treats.html

My favorite almond bark treat is to melt down the white chocolate bark and add uncooked chow mein noodles. YUM! :) You get these little bird nest-looking drops, but they are very good. :)

Happy Melting,
Kerri

I remember seeing somewhere where they took the straight pretzels stuck them in marshmellows then dipped the marshmellows in chocolate and then rolled in coconut, or chopped nuts, or candy sprinkles....yum!

lissa

i had some chocolate covered prezels during thanksgiving that also had some toffee sprinkes on them. they were soo yum. anyone know where one can get small bits of toffee?

i think that they make something like "heath bar bits" to be used in cookies and stuff. if you can't find anything, i would suggest a heath bar and a hammer.

jessica

I got lucky this week and was given a huge block of pure chocolate - can it be used as is for stuff like chocolate pretzels? The lady who gave it to me at work said she adds paraffin wax when she melts it to dip for certain recipes. What do you guys think?

OH! I had these great things at a party this weekend.
They were mini-cupcake sized brownies with a peanut butter cup in the middle.
Basically fill the mini-cupcake liner about 3/4 full, put a mini peanut butter cup in and smoosh it down so the brownie mix comes up on the sides, then put a dollup of brownie mix on the top.
When cooked and cooled, sift some powdered sugar on top.

Ohmigawd, jaimek!
Those sound SO good!

I help my roommate out @ the holidays, she gives really amazing boxes of baked goods (homemade baklava, choc. chip cookies, brownies, small cakes, etc.) and since I help, she makes me a couple of boxes to give away.

For my contribution, I make chocolate dipped dried apricots and homemade peanut butter cups. This year I want to make chocolate dipped potato chips. I've had them b4 (a place in Hollywood used to sell them, but they've closed) and i don't think they'll be that hard.

I'll let you know how they turn out - feel free to steal the idea, they're great for when you can't decide between sweet and salty!

here's something easy to try...

Peppermint bark

In a ziploc bag, crush up peppermint candy canes.

Take white choc chips (3-4 bags per cookie sheet)or white chocolate cooking bar and melt it in a bowl, but watch it every step of the way or it will burn. Stir with a spoon until all chips or bar pieces are thoroughly melted.

Spread white chocolate on an ungreased cookie sheet with a spatula. Proceed to sprinkle on your crushed candy cane on top. Place in fridge for about 20 minutes, take out and using a knife lift corners off cookie sheet and begin to break the white chocolate into bite-sized pieces. Wrap about a handful into the colorful, holiday Saran Wrap and tie with red ribbon and give as gifts. :)

sassiecass: I know there is not much to it, but I found this recipe on http://www.justchocolaterecipes.com

Chocolate Covered Potato Chips

8 oz Sweet or milk chocolate chopped finely
24 Thick sliced,ridged potato chips


Melt 6 ounces of chocolate.Remove from heat.While chocolate is still hot,mix the reamaining 2 ounces of chocolate into the melted chocolate,in 3 additions,stirring until each addition is completely melted before adding the next. Dip the potato chips,1 at a time,in the chocolate. Coat completely and lift with a small fork. Shake off excess chocolate by rapping the fork on the edge of the bowl lightly. Remove any drips from the bottom by running the fork across the edge of the bowl. Slide the chips onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment or wax paper.A llow to cool until solid. Let chips sit at room temperature or in the refrigerator.

Makes two dozen chips about 12 servings

lissa

YUM! Chocolate and caramel dipped pretzels! http://www.justchocolaterecipes.com/snack/snak0013.shtml

Chocolate crispy peanutbutter balls! MMM!>http://www.christmas-cookies.com/recipes/recipe.phtml?catid=2&recid=207

oh man. you have NO idea how good those chocolate covered potato chips are. there's a shop on the boardwalk in wildwood new jersey that sells them..they're AMAZING.
-eryn

My sister-in-law and I just made these Rocky Road Clusters! So fast and easy! We doubled this recipe and it made about 88 bite-sized clusters. MMMMM..:)

Rocky Road Clusters

1 package (12 ounces) semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated milk)
2 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 cup coarsely chopped nuts
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine chocolate chips and sweetened condensed milk. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- 20- second intervals, stirring until smooth.

Stir in marshmallows, nuts and vanilla. Drop by heaping tablespoonfuls (we used regular spoons) in mounds onto waxed paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm. Yield: 2 dozen (with a double recipe we made 88)

*note* the first time we tried it we melted the chips at longer periods which kept the chocolate too hot and promptly melted the marshmallows! The second time we heated the chocolate right, and then poured it over the nut/marshmallow mix and it stayed clustery. :)

lissa

hot damn, this all sounds so good! I'm just printing this whole thread and putting it into my recipe binder...{:9

-S

bump -- there's gotta be more; come on girls!! :)

-S

Hot & Spicy Peanuts:

Heat 2 teaspoons of oil in a large skillet. Add 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoons of cayenne pepper (ground red pepper). Stir it up so that is "dissolves". Stir in 2 cups of dry roasted peanuts. Keep stirring for about 2 minutes; the nuts should be evenly coated and warm.

I made these yesterday as part of my Christmas gifts. They are really good. I could only eat one at a time, though, cuz I'm a weenie when it comes to hot/spicy foods.

:o)