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Saturday, December 17, 2011

Baking with my holiday helpers

We had a (CE)2 pop-and-pizza party Friday afternoon to kick off Winter Break. Instead of buying desserts, I spent all week baking... with my students! It was so much fun :)

On Monday, Andres and I made peppermint bark:

(recipe from Kraft)
6 squares semi-sweet baking chocolate
6 squares white baking chocolate
1 cup crushed peppermint candies/candy canes

Microwave to chocolate in separate bowls until melted, stirring halfway. Stir 1/2 cup of peppermint candies into each bowl. Alternately spoon melted chocolates onto a wax paper-lined cookie sheet. Swirl chocolates together with a knife to marbleize.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces and eat!

Tuesday, Cherese and I made fudge:
(the recipe from the marshmallow creme jar)

3 c sugar
3/4 c butter
2/3 c evaporated milk
1-1/2 pkg. (12 squares) Baker's Semi-Sweet Chocolate, chopped
1 jar Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme
1 c chopped walnuts (we skipped the nuts)
1 t vanilla

Line a 9-inch square pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Bring sugar, butter and evaporated milk to full rolling boil in 3-qt. saucepan on medium heat, stirring constantly. Cook 4 min. or until candy thermometer reaches 234°F, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Add chocolate and marshmallow creme; stir until melted. Add nuts and vanilla; mix well.

Pour into prepared pan; spread to cover bottom of pan. Cool completely. Use foil handles to lift fudge from pan before cutting into squares.

Wednesday, I made
eggnog muffins:

Thursday, Gloria and I made brownies and German Chocolate Bars:
Brownies from Jiffy Mix - my favorite!

German Chocolate Bars:
2/3 c butter or margarine, softened
1
box German chocolate cake mix
1
c chocolate chips
1
can coconut pecan frosting
1/4
c milk

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease or spray the bottom and sides of 13 x 9-inch pan.


2. In medium bowl, cut butter into cake mix until the mixture looks like fine crumbs. Press half of the mixture (2 1/2 cups) into the bottom of pan.

3.
Bake 10 minutes and then sprinkle chocolate chips over the baked layer. Drop the frosting by tablespoonfuls over chocolate chips. Stir milk into remaining cake mixture and drop by teaspoonfuls onto the frosting layer.

4.
Bake 24 to 28 minutes or until the cake portion is slightly dry to touch. Cool completely and then refrigerate until firm. Store loosely covered.

Friday morning, Ian and I made green Rice Krispie Treats:
Ian was in charge of the food coloring and red sprinkles for the top!

(from the Rice Krispies box)

3 T butter
4 c mini marshmallows
6 c Rice Krispies
Green food coloring
Red sprinkles

1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and food coloring and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

2. Add cereal and stir until well coated.

3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 13 x 9 x 2-inch pan coated with cooking spray. Top with red sprinkles. Cool. Cut into 2-inch squares. Best if served the same day.

We had a really good time hanging out in the kitchen and learning new baking skills. And the desserts were all excellent - everyone was happy :)

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