A day of baking....yummy!

Today was baking day...started about 12 hours ago...and I am finally done...phew!

White Chocolate covered pretzels with some red sprinkles...

Peppermint bark (recipe from Sutton Grace)

Caramels

Yummy bars (recipe below)

Luscious fudge (another Sutton Grace)

Nut balls (recipe below)

Chocolate crackles (recipe below)

On to the packaging....

The caramels went in these cute little mittens...

(I got them last year after Christmas at Tai Pan Trading for cheap)

and the rest got packaged up on some cute plates (Target last year after Christmas). I totally forgot to take a pic of the plates...to busy trying to get them loaded and wrapped...

Yummy bars:

1 cube butter, melted

1 1/2 C graham cracker crumbs

1 1/4 C mini marshmallows

6 oz chocolate chips

6 oz butterscotch chips

1 C coconut

1/2-3/4 can sweetened condensed milk

1 C chopped nuts (optional...I never opt:)

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine butter and graham cracker crumbs and loosely pat in the bottom of a 13X9 pan. Add remaining ingredients one at a time to pan. Pour condensed milk over entire pan (you can use the whole can, but it's a bit too gooey for my liking). Bake for 20-25 minutes. Cut these in small squares so they go farther...trust me...you'll gobble them up!

Nut balls:

(my uncle makes these in his bakery and I LOVE them)

1 C melted butter

1 tsp. vanilla

4 T conf. sugar (heaping)

plus additional conf. sugar for shaking the cookies in

2 C flour

1 C chopped nuts (a must...I use walnuts)

Combine all ingredients and shape into balls. Bake at 375* for 15 minutes. Cool and shake in confectioners sugar.

Chocolate Crackles

(I'm not sure what I love more...how these look...or how delicious they are)

8 oz bittersweet chocolate coarsely chopped

1 1/4 C flour

1/2 C cocoa powder

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1 stick unsalted butter (at room temp.)

1 1/3 C packed lt. brown sugar

2 large eggs

1 tsp. vanilla

1/3 C milk

1 C. powdered sugar

Melt chocolate in heat proof bowl (I do it over boiling water)...set aside and let cool slightly.

Sift Flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, salt in separate bowl (very important to sift)

In Electric mixer, beat butter and brown sugar for 3-4 minutes. Add eggs & vanilla, beat until combined. Mix in melted chocolate.

Add flour mixture alternately with milk.

Lay out a sheet of plastic wrap and dump all the dough on...fold it over and seal it up...press it flat and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350*. Use heaping teaspoon of dough and roll into a ball. Roll in powdered sugar and cover completely (no chocolate showing through). Place 2 inches apart and cook for 12-15 minutes.

**couple hints when touching the dough...(it gets very messy): Take off any jewelry. Wash your hands often using VERY cold water, as this will help the dough not get soft so fast. If you need...throw it back in the fridge to harden up again.

***Linkin' to...

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