Mmm...Christmas Goodies!

We have been baking in the Austin House. Mmmm! Gotta love Christmas treats. We made treat plates to go along with our Christmas Greetings for our new neighbors (yes, we have neighbors!).

1. Peanut Clusters:

3 squares white almond bark
3 squares chocolate almond bark
12 oz salted peanuts with the skins on
1 6oz bag (1/2 normal bag) chocolate chips.
Melt almond bark and chocolate chips. Add peanuts. Drop on wax paper, cool and enjoy. I normally double the recipe, and I make these from the double boiler pan.

2. Sugar Cookies

3/4 c. shortening (part margarine)
1 c . sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp salt
 Mix together. Chill at least 1 hour. Heat oven to 400. Roll dough 1/8" thick and cut with cookie cutters. Bake 6-8 minutes.
Recipe can be doubled (and I usually double it).

Icing:
1 c. powdered sugar
1/4 salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 TBSP milk
Blend together and decorate cookies. Mmmm!

3. Chocolate Spritz

4. Peanut Butter Blossoms

1/2 c. margarine
1 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. milk
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup peanut butter
1 egg
1 1/3 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 bag chocolate stars
Heat oven to 350. Mix above together as you normally do. Roll into balls, roll into sugar and bake 10-13 minutes. These are Chris' favorites.


5. Chocolate covered Pretzels
6.  Chocolate Crinkles

1/2 c. vege oils
4 sq. unsweetened chocolate (melted)
2 c. sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. powdered sugar.

Mix above except powdered sugar. Chill overnight.
Heat oven to 350. Drop rounded balls of dough into powdered sugar. Placed on greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes (it never takes my oven that long). These are a family favorite...but they do not stay fresh for long...so eat up.