What would the holidays be without food? To get your Christmas spirit up, here are ten recipes of my favorite treats to make, serve, and eat with my family during the winter season.

Christmas Peanut Butter Blossoms

Ingredients

• 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) peanut butter cookie mix
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 egg
• Sugar
• 36 milk chocolates kisses, unwrapped
• white decorating gel
• holiday candy sprinkles
• red decorating icing

Directions

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, oil, water and egg until dough forms.
2. Shape dough into thirty-six 1-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until light golden brown. Immediately press 1 chocolate in center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, about 20 minutes. Decorate as desired using remaining ingredients.
   

Puppy chow

Ingredients

• 9cups Chex cereal (any kind)
• 1cup semi-sweet chocolate chips or 6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips, melted
• 1⁄2cup smooth peanut butter, melted
• 1⁄4cup butter, melted
• 1 -2teaspoon vanilla
• 1 1⁄2cups powdered sugar

Directions

1. Measure cereal in large bowl.
2. Set aside.
3. Microwave chocolate chips, peanut butter and butter for 1 minute on high.
4. Stir.
5. Cook for 30 seconds longer or until smooth.
6. Add vanilla.
7. Pour mixture over cereal, stirring until coated.
8. Pour mixture into large Ziploc bag and add powdered sugar.
9. Shake until well coated.
10. Spread on waxed paper to cool.
11. Store in Ziploc bags or large sealed bowl.
12. Recipe Note: It helps to add cereal mixture a little at a time if you only have small bags.

Peanut brittle

• Unsalted butter
• 2 cups sugar
• Pinch of salt
• 1 1/2 cups salted peanuts
• 7 ouncesVegetable oil

Directions

1. Butter a rimmed baking sheet; set aside. Stir together sugar, 1/2 cup water, and the salt in a medium saucepan. Cook over high heat, without stirring, until sugar begins to melt and turn golden, about 3 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until sugar has melted and mixture turns golden amber, about 10 minutes.
2. Remove pan from heat. Stir in peanuts. Immediately pour peanut mixture onto buttered baking sheet. Quickly spread mixture to 1/2 inch thick using an oiled metal spatula. Let cool completely, about 15 minutes. Break brittle into pieces. Brittle can be stored in an airtight container, up to 2 weeks.

Classic sugar cookies

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 cup butter, softened

• 1 1/2 cups white sugar
• Market Pantry Granulated Sugar – 4lbs
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Oreo Truffles

Ingredients

• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, softened
• 36 OREO Cookies, finely crushed, divided
• 4 pkg. (4 oz. each) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

Directions

• MIX  cream cheese and 3 cups cookie crumbs until well blended.
• SHAPE  into 48 (1-inch) balls. Dip in melted chocolate; place on waxed paper-covered baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.
• REFRIGERATE  1 hour or until firm. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator.

Chocolate Marshmallow Bars

• 2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 1 2/3 cups (11-oz. pkg.) Butterscotch Flavored Morsels
• 1/2 cup creamy or chunky peanut butter
• 9 cups (16-oz. pkg.) miniature marshmallows
• 1 cup dry-roasted peanuts

Directions

LINE 13 x 9-inch baking pan with foil.

MICROWAVE semi-sweet morsels, butterscotch morsels and peanut butter in large, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 2 minutes; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring until melted. Cool for 1 minute. Stir in marshmallows and peanuts.

SPREAD into prepared pan. Refrigerate until firm. Cut into squares.

Dipped pretzels

• 1 cup (6 oz.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate, Milk Chocolate or Premier White Morsels
• 1 tablespoon vegetable shortening
• 16 pretzel rods
• Semi-Sweet Chocolate Mini Morsels and/or sprinkles, (optional)

Directions

1. Microwave a cup of morsels and vegetable shortening in small, dry, uncovered, microwave-safe bowl on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 1 minute; STIR. The morsels may retain some of their original shape. If necessary, microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, stirring just until morsels are melted.
2. Dip pretzel rods about 3 inches into melted morsels, tilting bowl to easily dip. Use side of bowl to remove excess. Sprinkle with morsels or sprinkles. Place on prepared baking sheet. Refrigerate for 20 minutes or until set. Store in airtight container at room temperature. Best when eaten within a few days.

White chocolate fudge

Ingredients

• 2/3 cup evaporated milk
• 3/4 cup butter
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 jar marshmallow fluff
• 1 package white chocolate chips
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cup M&M’s, divided

Directions

1. Butter or grease a 9 x9 inch pan. Set aside.
2. Mix the sugar, butter and evaporated milk in a large saucepan. Heat over medium heat until a rolling boil. Boil for about 3 minutes, until 234 degrees. Make sure to calibrate your thermometer and adjust accordingly. Also, you can test in a bowl of cold water, and it should come together in a soft ball.
3. Remove from the heat. Add the chocolate chips and marshmallow cream, mix until well combined. Stir in the vanilla. Fold in 1 cup M&M’s
4. Pour into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup M&M’s over the top. Gently press into the fudge.
5. Let set until it hardens, approximately 90 minutes.

Reindeer Munch

• 2 cups crispy rice cereal squares (such as Rice Chex)

• 2 cups thin pretzel sticks
• 1 cup cocktail peanuts

• 1 cup candy-coated milk chocolate pieces (such as M&M’s)
• 1 (12 ounce) package white vanilla baking chips

Directions

1. Stir cereal squares, pretzel sticks, peanuts, and milk chocolate pieces together in a large bowl.
2. Melt the vanilla baking chips in a microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring after each melting, for 1 to 3 minutes (depending on your microwave). Drizzle melted chips over cereal mixture. Pour mixture out onto a large piece of aluminum foil and cool for 30 minutes. Break into bite-size pieces.

Gingerbread cookies

Ingredients

• 1 package sugar cookie mix
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup melted butter
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 cup dark molasses
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 large egg whites or 5 tablespoons meringue powder
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
• Food coloring, if desired

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large mixing bowl, blend all ingredients together and chill for up to 1 hour. Roll dough out on floured board about 1/8-inch thick. Cut desired shapes with cookie cutters and place onto sheet pan. Bake for 8 minutes in preheated oven.

For Icing:

With a hand mixer, beat the egg whites with the lemon juice or extract until frothy. Add the sifted powdered sugar and beat on low speed until combined, smooth, and shiny. Turn to high and beat approximately 5 minutes till stiff and glossy. Add food coloring, if desired, and transfer to a pastry bag to pipe onto cookies.

For more ideas look for Black and Redgister’s Food/Recipe board on Pinterest!