Chocolate Coffee Spoons With Peppermint

Materials:

ü       2 cups white chocolate chips

ü       10-15 drops peppermint candy flavoring

ü       ¾ cup peppermint candies

ü       35 to 45 heavy-duty plastic spoons

ü       2 teaspoons solid shortening (optional)

ü       2 large cookie sheets

ü       waxed paper

ü       quart-sized food storage bag

ü       glass 1 cup measuring cup

Instructions:

• Cover the cookie sheets with waxed paper.  
• Unwrap and place peppermint candies in food storage bag.  Crush the candies with rolling pin.  Place crushed candy in a medium size bowl.
• Place one cup of white chocolate chips in glass measuring cup. 
• Microwave chocolate chips at 50% power for 1 minute.  Stir the chips gently.  Continue microwaving at 50% power, stirring every 30 seconds, until chocolate is melted and smooth. 
•  Important Note: Do Not over-heat the chocolate.
• Add 5 or 6 peppermint candy drops to each cup of chocolate and mix thoroughly. 
• Important Note:  If you wish to thin the chocolate simply stir in thoroughly 1 teaspoon solid shortening per cup of chocolate chips.  
• Dip plastic spoons in melted chocolate to cover the bowl of the spoon. 
• Important Note: If the chocolate thickens in the measuring cup, return it to the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power. Stir gently.
• Immediately press the chocolate covered spoon into the crushed peppermint candy, holding the spoon at a diagonal.
•  Place the spoon on the wax covered cookie sheet and let cool.
• Repeat the entire process with second cup of chocolate chips.
• Let the spoons cool thoroughly before wrapping individually with cellophane paper and a ribbon.
• Makes 35 to 45 chocolate coffee spoons.
•  Excellent Christmas gifts for any coffee lover!

Chocolate Popcorn

Ingredients:

ü       12 cups popped popcorn

ü       2 ½cups salted peanuts

ü       1 (11.5 ounce) package milk chocolate morsels

ü       1 cup light corn syrup

ü       ¼cup butter or margarine

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 300º F. Grease a large roasting pan. Line a large bowl with waxed paper.
• Combine popcorn and nuts in greased roasting pan.
• Combine morsels, corn syrup and butter in medium, heavy-duty saucepan.
• Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture boils.
• Pour over popcorn; toss well to coat.
• Bake, stirring frequently, for 30 to 40 minutes.
• Cool slightly in pan; remove to bowl lined with wax paper.
• Store in airtight container for up to two weeks.

Christmas Chocolate Kiss Tree

Materials:

ü       One 12" X 4" Styrofoam cone

ü       1 yard red or green 1" wide ribbon

ü       Aluminum foil

ü       Glue (low heat gun, non-toxic craft glue, glue stick or confectioner's glue)

ü       7 (8 oz) bags of HERSHEY KISS®* Chocolates -- Holiday colors

Instructions:

·         Cover foam cone with foil.

·         Decorate cone with green foil HERSHEY KISS®* Chocolates by gluing their flat

            side against the foil covered cone.

·         For ornaments, use the remaining silver and red HERSHEY KISSES™*.

·         Insert one end of a toothpick into the side of each HERSHEY KISS.

·         Insert other end into the foam cone, filling in the gaps between the green foil HERSHEY KISSES™*.

Completed craft is for decorative purpose only and candy should not be eaten.

Gingerbread Cookies in a Jar

This is a nice gift! It is Gingerbread Cookie Mix layered in a one quart canning jar.

Place a circle of ‘christmassy’ fabric between lid and ring, and then tie a gingerbread man cookie cutter onto jar with ribbon!  
  
Ingredients:

ü       2 cups all-purpose flour

ü       1 teaspoon baking powder

ü       1 teaspoon baking soda

ü       1 cup packed brown sugar

ü       1 ½cups all-purpose flour

ü       2 teaspoons ground ginger

ü       1 teaspoon ground cloves

ü       1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

ü       1 teaspoon ground allspice
  

Instructions:

·         Mix 2 cups of the flour with the baking soda and baking powder.

·         Mix the remaining 1½ cups flour with the spices.

·         In a one-quart, wide-mouth canning jar layer the ingredients starting with

        the flour baking powder mixture then the brown sugar and finally the flour

        and spice mixture.
 
Attach a card to the jar with the following directions: 

                                      Gingerbread Cookies
 1. Empty contents of jar into a large mixing bowl. Blend together thoroughly.
 2. Add ½ cup softened butter or margarine, ¾cup molasses and 1 slightly beaten

     egg. Mix until completely blended. Dough will be very stiff so you may need to use

   your hands. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

3.  Preheat oven to 350ºF.

  4. Roll dough to ¼inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes with a  

       gingerbread cookie cutter.

5. Place cookies on a lightly greased cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.

6. Bake at 350ºF for 10 to 12 minutes. Finally, decorate as desired. 

                              Yields approximately 18 cookies

Magic Reindeer Food

Mix up a batch of magic reindeer food to leave out for Santa's reindeer. This is a great gift idea for school parties.  Magic Reindeer Food leaves a glittering path to Santa’s reindeer to your home on Christmas Eve. 

In a small zipper food storage bag mix the following ingredients:

ü       1/2 cup oatmeal

ü       1/2 cup sugar

ü       1/4 cup red or green sugar crystals (used for cake and cookie decorating)

Print the poem below. Cut it out and staple the tag to the top of the magic reindeer food baggie. 

Reindeer Poop

Materials:

ü       ½cup butter or margarine

ü       2 cups granulated sugar

ü       ½cup milk

ü       2 teaspoons cocoa

ü       ½cup peanut butter

ü       3 cups oatmeal (not instant)

ü       ½cup chopped nuts (optional)

Instructions:

• In a large saucepan, mix butter, sugar, milk and cocoa together.
• Bring the mixture to a boil while stirring constantly.  Boil for 1 minute.
• Remove from heat and stir in the remaining ingredients.
• Drop by the teaspoon-full onto wax paper and allow to harden.
• They will set up in approximately 30-60 minutes.
• This will keep for several days without refrigerating, up to 2 weeks refrigerated and 2-3 months frozen.

Pack into ziplock sandwich bags. Print the poem below. Cut it out and staple the tag to the top of the baggie. 

 Reindeer Poop

I woke up with such scare when I heard Santa call…

"Now dash away, dash away, dash away all!"

I ran to the lawn and in the snowy white drifts,

those nasty reindeer had left "little gifts".

I got an old shovel and started to scoop,

neat little piles of "Reindeer Poop!"

But to throw them away, seemed such a waste,

so I saved them, thinking-you might like a taste!

As I finished my task, which took quite awhile.

Old Santa, passed by and he sheepishly smiled.

And I heard him exclaim as he was in the sky...

"Well they're not potty trained, but at least they can fly!"

Snowman Soup

Warm the hearts of little boys and little girls with Snowman Soup! 

Assemble in a small zipper food storage bag mix the following ingredients:

ü       1 individual pack hot chocolate mix

ü       3 Hershey's chocolate kisses

ü       10-15 mini-marshmallows

ü       1 small candy cane

Print the poem below. Cut it out and staple the tag to the top of the Snowman Soup baggie.