christmas gifts part 4: chocolate truffles

on the hunt for more christmas food gifts, i found this recipe via foodgawker. these are way easier to make than one would think, but just be prepared for the delicious mess when rolling them out. on singforyoursupper, where this original recipe is posted, she splits up the chocolate to make different kinds. i was lazy/in a hurry/didn't have some of those things but had more crushed peppermint, so i did just plain chocolate rolled in candy canes.

here is the recipe

1 cup heavy cream
12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
1/4 cup sugar (I like mine a little sweeter)

bring the cream and sugar to a boil over low heat, pour over the chocolate and stir until smooth. cover and chill the chocolate for at least 4 hours or overnight. roll into walnut size balls then refrigerate again for at least 20 minutes. roll in crushed peppermint candy. store in refrigerator.

guest posting: homemade marshmallows

my latest post on your heart out also makes a great gift. homemade marshmallows.

melt in your mouth delicious.

christmas gifts part 3: chocolate sauce

this is supposed to be a secret recipe but, since i'm posting it on the internet, i think that just went out the window. i'm not positive where this recipe originated from but i got it from my mom and let me tell you, it's pretty legit. i'm not a huge ice cream person and i almost always choose caramel over chocolate sauce but i'd eat ice cream just to have this sauce (tough life, right?) so, my gift to you—internet, is this recipe...


2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2/3 cup butter
1 cup whipping cream
1 cup chocolate chips
1 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 3 teaspoons water (this is a new addition of mine to make it slightly thicker)

in medium saucepan, combine brown sugar, butter and whipping cream.
bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. reduce heat;
simmer 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. add chocolate chips; stir
until melted and smooth. add cornstarch mixture, mix well. serve warm
over ice cream or dessert.

christmas food gifts: part 2

this is a fantastic food gift. it makes a lot, it's in bar form so it's not messy, and there aren't too many who would turn down two kinds of chocolate and peppermint on a cookie. also, everyone at work liked them so, that's proof, right?

2 cups all purpose flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg yolk
6 oz. bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup finely chopped red-and-white striped hard peppermint candies or candy canes (about 3 oz - i beat up 6 medium sized candy canes to get this amount)
2 oz. high-quality white chocolate (i used white chocolate chips, cause that's all they had at the grocery store)

preheat oven to 350. spray 13x9x2 inch baking pan with nonstick spray. line bottom of pan with long strip of 9 inch wide parchment paper, leaving overhang on both short sides of pan.

whisk flour and salt in medium bowl. using electric mixer, beat butter in large bowl until creamed, about 2 minutes. gradually beating sugar. continue beating until mixture is light and fluffy, stopping occasionally to scrape down sides of bow, about 3 minutes. beat in vanilla, then egg yolk. gradually add flour mixture, beating on low speed just to blend.

drop dough by tablespoonfuls into prepared baking pan, spacing evenly. using moistened fingertips, press dough to form even layer over bottom of pan. pierce dough all over with fork.

bake cookie base until light golden brown and slightly puffed and edges begin to come away from sides of pan, about 30 minutes. place pan on rack; immediately sprinkle bittersweet chocolate over. let stand until chocolate softens - about 3 minutes. using small offset spatula, spread bittersweet chocolate over top of cookie in thin even layer. immediately sprinkle chopped peppermint candies over.

stir white chocolate in metal bowl set over saucepan of simmering water - (with 2 tablespoons cream) - until melted and smooth. remove from over water. using fork, drizzle white chocolate all over cookies. chill until white chocolate is set - about 30 minutes. (make sure to make the white chocolate right before you use it or it will thicken up too much to drizzle)

using paper overhang as aid, lift cookie from pan and transfer to work surface. using large knife, cut cookie into irregular pieces (i just cut them in squares.)


**i got this recipe from my mom who got it from someone else, i'm not sure who the original source is, so i apologize.

christmas food gifts: part 1

with so many people to give to and the fact that i'm not rich, i'm giving almost everyone food gifts this year. i just hope everyone likes sugary foods as much as i do...

here is a foolproof food gift.

spritz cookies. easy, cute and perfect.

tomorrow: i'll share the chocolate peppermint bark cookies i made for work gifts.

ok, i've been crazy swamped so i haven't had time to make things and blog and take pictures, etc. but i did make this pumpkin black bean soup last night and it's delish! i highly recommend it. all i want to eat is soup lately, so i love finding new recipes.

also, i really, really want to make/eat this gingerbread apple upside cake. but i think i'll try it with pears. dreamy!

ok, i'll try to blog soon. i'm already dreaming of all the christmas food that is awaiting me when i visit home later this month.