Day 14

green and red socks with a skating polar bear on them. So cute!

Last night, I made the chocolate snowballs, but they didn't turn out right. After rolling out a dozen of the really dry balls, I melted another stick of butter to add to the mix. They are way tastier now and a little more stickier but still not the same. I decided to omit the maraschino cherries as they are just loaded with way too many chemicals so thought maybe that had something to do with the lack of stickiness. Only in talking to my sister, did I realize it was the quick oats that did me in. They sucked up all the moisture. They still taste alright, but are missing the glueyness they would have had if I'd used regular oats.

For anyone who may be interested, here are my favourite Christmas baking recipes:

Recipe: Skor bark
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit

Saltines (or any type of salted crackers)
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
350g. Milk Chocolate Chips (1 regular sized package)

-cover cookie sheet with saltines, salted side up
-melt butter and brown sugar, stir until completely combined
-pour butter and sugar mixture over saltines
-bake approximately 6-10 minutes to caramelize
-sprinkle chocolate chips on top & wait approx. 30 seconds until they begin to melt, then spread chocolate to cover candy mixture
-Place in freezer for at least one hour.
-Break into pieces & store in fridge.

Recipe: xmas chocolate snowballs
In a saucepan, bring to a boil:

1 ½ cups granulated sugar
½ cup unsalted butter
1/3 cup cocoa
1 teaspoon salt
½ cup milk

Cook over medium heat until mixture is thickened (about 5 minutes)
Remove from heat and blend in:
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla

Then stir in:
2 cups rolled oats
2 cups unsweetened coconut
1 cup halved miniature marshmallows
½ cup chopped maraschino cherries

Shape into 1 inch balls.
Roll in:
Coconut (sweetened or unsweetened depending on how sweet you prefer)

Recipe: xmas shortbread
1 cup butter (beat until fluffy)

mix in:
1/2 cup cornstarch
1/2 cup icing sugar
1 cup flour

mix all together
form into balls
flatten with fork (press fork in flour to keep from sticking to cookie dough)
garnish with glazed fruit
bake in 300 degree Fahrenheit oven for approximately 15 minutes (give or take a couple of minutes depending on the size of cookie and efficiency of oven).

Do NOT let brown.