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It's hard not to lick your fingers when chocolate is involved.

Isn't that what fingers are for??

I didn't get around to making the Cracker Candy or other confections that came to mind. I had wanted to make an actual toffee, like an Almond Roca but didn't do that either. I figured the 3 candies were more than enough and decided to make a type of fruitcake that my
ex-MIL used to make. I've never like fruitcake & nobody else I know likes it either, but this one is very different and oh so yummy. I had asked ex-MIL for the recipe years ago and she told me what she put in it. I've made it before but it's been several years and this is what I remember.....

Not Your Average Fruit Cake

3 boxes Spice Cake mix
1 box Gingerbread mix
1qt applesauce
1 C chopped dates
1 C raisins
9 eggs
8oz each red & green candied cherries, can be chopped or halved (optional, for color)
1 C chopped walnuts, (optional)

Mix all ingredients & pour into prepared pans. Bake @ 350 40-60 minutes or toothpick test comes out clean.


I made this & got 3 loaf pans & 1 bundt pan. Can also do cupcakes or???

Hubs & I delivered 'Thank You' packages of goodies to a few of our neighbors that had went out of their way to help us out this past year. It was the least we could do in return. *sigh*

I love getting home baked goods for Christmas. I am sure that they loved it.

I agree. Not many people make homemade stuff anymore. I wish I'd get homemade goodies for Christmas!

I made 4 batches of flourless peanut butter cookies with fudge filling, 4 batches of fudge filled regular peanut butter cookies(180+ cookies in the 4 batches) 2 batches of oatmeal raisin cookies(I cheated and pressed the dough into my professional half sheet pan and made bar cookies out of them), 2 batches of melting moments cookies(yummy but a lot of work hand forming them), a batch of gluten free kolacke, 3 pans of fudge and a batch of caramel pecan clusters for gift giving this year. I also made a batch of gluten free pierogi and a batch of gluten free potato dumplings for our Christmas Eve dinner.

I agree, not many make homemade goodies any longer. I prefer to get and give homemade gifts.

Wow, you did a ton of baking Patrice! It all sounds delicious! The flourless peanut butter cookies sound good, do you have a recipe you can share?

Sure calendula, it is 1 cup peanut butter, 1 cup sugar (I use less), a large egg, and 1 tsp vanilla extract.

Mix together and drop by rounded tablespoon onto cookie sheet. Bake at 375*F for 12-15, until lightly browned around the edges.

I added a tablespoon or ultra gel to the dough and it helped keep them softer longer.

And that is the BEST peanut butter cookie recipe ever. I will testify to it!

It's even better with some fudge filling added to it.

I make a well in the center of the cookie then pipe in a simple fudge filling made from sweetened condensed milk and chocolate chips melted together.

Awhile back #3 & I were at Walmart and seen the beginnings of Christmas stuff showing up and we were talking about the coming holidays & as I was just about to say that I was thinking about not doing the goodies this year.....he walks up and stands over me with this stern look and in his deep baritone and says 'Mom, you HAVE to make those peanut butter chocolate bars and the Chex Mix like you do. Those are the best. And don't forget the Cheetos in the mix, you've got to include Cheetos'. I just looked at him with raised eyebrows (ya know, looking out of the top of my head, cause I'm about 5'6-ish and he's 6'4") and said 'Is that so?' With a squeak, he replies "yes, please Mom. They're so good'

I've since been thinking about other holiday goodies to make and wondering/worrying about how I'm going to stay on the healthy path during the season. Then it dawned on me, that in the past when I've made goodies I would be lucky to get any of the finished product cause it was gone before I could clean up the kitchen from my efforts. HA Maybe I'll do okay after all.

So here's my list of things to make and a few new ones to try.
1. Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars
2. Peppermint Patties
3. Christmas Reindeer Crack-(found this on FB and looked sooo good)
4. Chocolate Covered Raisins
5. Not Your Average Fruitcake---if I can figure out a smaller version. If not then a Gingerbread Cake
6. My version of Chex Mix---the sauce & process is the same, but I'll throw in whatever sounds good that we like in a salty snack mix. I usually add the Chex's, Cheerios, pretzels, cheese puffs, bagel chips, mixed nuts, etc. I've even added popcorn before.





Christmas Reindeer Crack!

Ingredients
⦁ 3 cups salted pretzels
⦁ 2 cups bugles
⦁ 2 cups fritos
⦁ 1 cup Chex mix
⦁ 1 cup roasted peanuts
⦁ 1 1/2 cups M&Ms
⦁ 1 pack of white chocolate bark or melting chocolate (i used Ghirardelli melting chocolate)

Instructions
1. In a Large bowl pour your Pretzels, Fritos, Bugles, Chex Mix, Peanuts & M&M's..
2. Place the melting chocolate or bark in a bowl & microwave for 90 seconds. Stir and, if needed, heat an additional 15 seconds until it’s smooth and creamy. watch it closely, keep stopping to stir , it burns easily if you use this way! I recommend using a double boiler, easier and you always get perfect melted chocolate.
3. Drizzle melted chocolate over the mixture in the bowl and mix around to coat it all.
4. Once fully coated, take a large cookie sheet and pour coated mixture onto the sheet and spread it out and allow to cool completely.
5. Once cooled, break into pieces.
6. Store in an air tight container- does NOT need to be refrigerated.
7. ENJOY!


As I just copied/pasted this....I was thinking how some crushed/broken candy canes/peppermint sticks would taste mixed in or topped