Christmas Treats to Give and Eat - Part Two

In these weeks leading up to Christmas, I'm sharing some favorite holiday treats from the Obi house. Treats that are fun to share with your family, BUT will also bring joy to others. And this week we're continuing to keep things simple with Pretzel Turtles.

When I was growing up, Turtles were one of my favorite candies and every Christmas my Dad would buy a box for him, my mom and me to share. Now I can make my own to share with others.

Here's what you'll need:

• Pretzel Squares (if you can't find the squares, you can use the mini twists)
• Pecan halves
• Individually wrapped soft caramels, unwrapped (I use Werther's)
• Milk chocolate for melting (or dark, if you prefer)

Notice that I didn't give any amounts. That's because you can make as many or few as you like. Just be sure to have equal amounts of pretzels, pecan halves and caramels.

Lightly toast your pecan halves either in a skillet on the stove or it the oven. Roughly 4-6 minutes, just be sure to toss them a time or two and watch them so they don't burn. Once they're toasted, set them aside to cool.

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

On a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper, lay out your pretzels and top each with a caramel.

Bake 3-5 minutes, until caramel is soft, but not oozing.

Immediately press a pecan half into each melted caramel.

While those are cooling, melt your chocolate. I put mine in a measuring cup then microwaved it in 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until smooth. You can also melt them on the stove top with a double boiler or nonstick pan over low heat.

Once the pecan-topped caramels are cool, remove them from the pan. Spoon a 1 to 1 1/2 teaspoon puddle of melted chocolate onto the silicone/parchment then carefully drop a pecan-topped pretzel into the middle like so.

Continue until all pretzels are nestled in chocolate.

Cool completely before serving.

These really are to-die-for. Dare I say, even better than the originals. They're sweet and salty chocolatey perfection.

For gift giving, simply place several in a festive tin or a cellophane bag tied with a pretty ribbon. Or simply serve them on a pretty plate. Trust me, your loved one(s) won't care once they bite into these delicious treats.

Will you be giving any gifts from your kitchen this year? If so, what's on your list?

Award-winning author Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, two sassy pups, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com

Chocolate-Butterscotch Holiday Treats

 with Missy Tippens

Thought I'd re-share a post from 2016! It's great to make for gifts. One of my favorites. Enjoy again!

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Missy's Chocolate-Butterscotch Treats

I started with Mindy's recipe for Chocolate Peanut Bliss: click here. But I doctored it up, mainly to make it stretch further.

1 pack vanilla almond bark

1 pack chocolate almond bark

1 pack (4 oz) Baker's German Sweet Baking Bar (I'm convinced this is the secret ingredient making it so yummy)

1 bag semi-sweet chips (12 oz)

1 bag butterscotch chips (12 oz I think)

32 oz. dry roasted peanuts

½ of a large bag Chow mein noodles

Chop the chocolate bark and bar. This was taking me forever, so I just started digging the tip of the knife into the chocolate to break it up in chunks.

Toss all the chocolate and chips into the Crock Pot. I turned it on high to start the warming but then turned it down to low.

While the chocolate melted (stirring occasionally), I gathered the other ingredients along with my silicone baking sheets and parchment paper.

When the chocolate was melted (don't over-cook it!), I used a whisk to smooth it out (some of the chips didn't want to melt really well).

Once smooth, stir in the nuts and noodles. Then spoon onto the paper/silicone mats and let sit until hardened. This step took a couple of hours, so be sure to leave time--especially if you're planning to pack them up as a gift.

These are definitely something kids can help make. I guarantee everyone will love them!

Merry Christmas y'all! I hope you enjoy the time with friends and family. And also remember the Reason for this season. 


www.missytippens.com

More Pantry Cooking - Chocolate Fried Pies

Lately, we're all doing a lot more cooking and relying on what's in our pantry, freezer and fridge to get us through, so I thought I'd go back in the Yankee-Belle archives and share a dessert recipe that has been a favorite in our house for as long as I can remember.

When I was a young bride, God placed two special women in my life that were very influential. Without my girls' grandmother and great grandmother I might never have learned how to make biscuits from scratch. Or cornbread. And who would have taught me to make fried chicken or chicken fried steak? 

These two born and bred Texans introduced this transplanted northerner to a whole new way of cooking. One I heartily embraced. And though these woman have both passed on, I am proud to help carry on their culinary legacies.

One of the things Greatmom was know for most was her fried pies.

She made these little chocolate hand-pies whenever the grands would visit. And she rarely paid them a visit where she wasn't required to make a batch.

Greatmom came from "the greatest generation." She grew up during the depression and sent a husband off to WW II while raising four little ones. Money was something that was always scarce, but that didn't stop her from making great meals and treats, even on a shoestring so thin it broke if you tugged on it.

You may have heard me talk about her biscuits before. Love them! But her basic biscuit recipe also served as dumplings (click here for her chicken and dumpling recipe) and the basis for her fried pies.

First for the biscuit recipe.

In a mixing bowl, combine:

• 1 1/2 cups self-rising flour
• 2 Tbsp. vegetable or Canola oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk

Mix well, turn onto floured surface and knead until no longer sticky.  

Form into ball and set aside.

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup cocoa and 1 cup sugar. Set aside.

Pinch off a small ball of dough.

Roll ball into a 5 to 6-inch circle.

Spread flat with softened butter. Don't be too chintzy, but don't be heavy-handed either.

Sprinkle with two tablespoons of sugar/cocoa mixture.

Fold in half and--here's Greatmom's trick for sealing the edges--roll a saucer or small plate around the edges to both trim and seal.

 

They're ready for frying.

Greatmom usually fried hers in a small amount of butter. Since I didn't have enough, I used canola oil, which actually made them puffier.

Brown first side, then flip over and cook until other side is golden brown.

Greatmom's little chocolate pies. See the chocolaty center oozing out? 

When the kids are around, these things are gone in no time. They eat them as fast as I can make them. One of life's simple pleasures.

What are some of your favorite simple pleasures?

Three time Carol Award finalist Mindy Obenhaus is passionate about touching readers with Biblical truths in an entertaining, and sometimes adventurous, manner. She lives on a ranch in Texas with her husband, one sassy pup, countless cattle, deer and the occasional coyote, mountain lion or snake. When she's not writing, she enjoys spending time with her grandchildren, cooking and watching copious amounts of the Hallmark Channel. Learn more at mindyobenhaus.com