Mint Chocolate Bark

Mint Chocolate Bark

16 oz white chocolate wafers

1 tsp mint extract

Green food colouring

16 oz semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

1 4.67 oz box of Creme de Menthe thins, coarsley chopped

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

Melt the white chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Remove from heat, add the mint extract and a few drops of food colouring and stir until well combined. Add more or less food colouring until the desired colour is achieved. 

Spread the white chocolate mixture onto the prepared cookie sheet in an even layer and refridgerate for approximately 15 minutes or until set. 

Melt the semisweet chocolate over a double boiler or in a microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Pour over the white chocolate layer and spread evenly to cover. Sprinkle with the  chopped mints and press lightly into the chocolate layer. Refridgerate for at least 30 minutes or until set. 

Cut bark or break into uneven pieces.  Store in an airtight container in the refridgerator. Keeps for at least 2 weeks 

Crispy Wontons

Crispy Wontons

1 lb ground pork

6 green onions, finely chopped

1 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp soy sauce

2 tsp sesame oil

1 pkg wonton wrappers

Cooking oil

Kosher salt

In a medium bowl mix together first five ingrediants. 

Lay 1 wonton wrapper on work surface. Place approximately 1 1/2 tsp of pork filling in the centre of the wrapper. With wrapper placed as a diamond brush top upside down V with water. Fold up bottom of the diamond to form a triangle. Press edges firmly together to seal. Bring opposite corners together under filling and press firmly together. Repeat with remaining filler and wrappers keeping filled wontons covered with a damp tea towel. You should have approximately 40 wontons depending on how much you use in each one. 

In a medium sized pot, add enough oil to measur approximately 2 inches deep. Heat oil to 375 degrees over medium high heat. 

Carefully add wontons to hot oil making sure not to crowd them. I do 6 at a time based on the pot I use. Fry for 2 minutes and turn over wontons and fry an additional minute or until lightly browned. Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined plate to drain off the excess oil. Sprinkle with a small amount of salt.

OR

Brush each wonton with oil and cook in Air Fryer for 10 minutes at 375 degrees, turning once halfway through or until golden.  

Continue until all wontons are cooked and serve. 

Christmas Cookie Bark

Christmas Cookie Bark

14 whole Christmas Oreos, broken up

1 1/2 cups straight skinny pretzels, broken

1 cup Christmas coloured plain or peanut M & M's

1 lb white chocolate wafers

Christmas sprinkles

Line a baking sheet with waxed paper. 

Mix on the sheet the Oreos, pretzels and 3/4 cup of the M & M's. 

In a double boiler melt the white chocolate wafers or melt in 30 second intervals, stirring in between in the microwave until melted and smooth. Drizzle over the candy mixture and top with the rest of the M & M's and sprinkles. 

Allow to cool and set at room temp or in the refridgerator until hardened. 

Break into pieces and store in an airtight container. 

Coconut Macaroons

Coconut Macaroons

2/3 cup flour

5 1/2 cups sweetened coconut, shredded

1/2 tsp salt

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp almond extract

4 oz chocolate wafers 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper. 

Stir flour, coconut, salt together. Add in sweetened condensed milk and both extracts and stir until well combined. 

Drop 1 heaping teaspoon of dough onto prepared cookie sheets. Crowd them together as these do not spread. Wet hands and push down any sticking up or single pieces of coconut as they might burn. 

Bake for 11 minutes until the bottoms are golden and the tops start to turn the tiniest bit golden. Cool completely before dipping. 

Melt chocolate wafers in a double boiler. Dip,the tops or bottoms of each macaroon in the chocolate and allow to dry completely on a waxed paper lined cookie sheet. 

Makes approximately 4 dozen. 

Turtles

Turtles

1 lb pecans

1 1/2 cups corn syrup

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar, packed

1 cup sweetened condensed milk

2 lbs chocolate wafers

Spread pecans over the bottom of a greased 9 X 13 inch pan. 

Combine syrup, butter, sugar and condensed milk in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat stirring constantly. Reduce heat to low and continue to boil, stirring often for approximately 25 minutes to medium hard stage at 250 degrees on a candy thermometer. 

Pour over pecans and cool. Cover cookie sheets with wax paper and spoon out pecan mixture in small clumps. Freeze until firm for easy dipping. 

Melt chocolate wafers in a double boiler. Dip pecan clumps and place on wax paper to set. Once chocolate has set place in an airtight container and refridgerate or freeze. 

Makes approximately 5 dozen. 

Irish Cream Truffles

Irish Cream Truffles

3 tbsp Irish cream liquor

10 oz bag of semi sweet chocolate chips

2 tbsp butter

1/2 cup whipping cream

Christmas sprinkles

Place chocolate chips in a medium sized bowl and set aside. 

In a small saucepan bring the butter and cream to a gentle boil over medium heat. Once it begins to boil, pour over the chocolate and let stand for approximately 2 minutes. 

Mix the chocolate and cream stirring thoroughly. The heat of the cream should be enough to melt the chocolate. If not heat in the microwave on high for 20 second intervals until melted and thoroughly combined. Stir in the Irish cream and refridgerate overnight or until firm, at least 3 hours but not so hard that you can't scoop it out. 

Use a melon baller or similar sized scoop and wearing disposable gloves roll between your hands and create a small ball. If it seems to hard, don't worry, the heat from your hands will melt the chocolate slightly to allow you to shape. 

Roll in sprinkles and refridgerate or freeze in an airtight container. 

Grand Marnier Balls

Grand Marnier Balls

3/4 cup whipping cream

1/4 cup butter

3 tbsp sugar

3 tbsp Grand Marnier

7 semi-sweet chocolate squares, melted (1 oz/ 28 gram size)

3 cups chocolate graham cracker crumbs

Chocolate sprinkles

Put cream, butter and sugar into a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Remove from heat. 

Add Grand Marnier, chocolate and chocolate graham cracker crumbs. Mix well and shape into 42 balls. 

Roll in chocolate sprinkles. Chill or freeze. Makes 3 1/2 dozen. 

Brandy, rum or condensed orange juice can be easily substituted if you prefer. 

Christmas Pretzel Buttons

Christmas Pretzel Buttons

Square pretzels

Hershey's Hugs

Plain Christmas  M & M's

Preheat oven to 200 degrees. 

Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. 

Place the pretzels on the parchment paper in a single layer and top with the Hugs. 

Bake for 4 - 5 minutes until the chocolate is shiny and soft, but not melting. 

Remove from oven and carefully place an M & M in the centre of each Hug, pressing down gently to spread the chocolate. 

Allow to cool completely and enjoy.

* Can easily be adapted to any season or holiday by changing the colour of M & M's used.