Cookie Houses

Items needed:

    ^6 Hostess Coconut Bar Cookies (per house) - 24 cookies in a pack

    *White Almond Bark (Approx 2 lbs of chocolate for 8 houses)

    Foil Wrapped Cardboard (10"x10")

    Small Candies (see below)

Cut one end of 2 cookies to a peak, from the middle of the small end to approx 3/4 inch down the side for the ends of the house.  Use the melted chocolate to 'glue' the house together and to secure it to the foil covered cardboard.  Place the peaked ends inside the side walls, so the roof won't fall in.  'Glue' the candy on the house and foil to decorate it. Can use toothpicks for snow men's arms.

Suggested candy: (enough candy to make 10-20 houses)

    *Mini Marshmallows

    *Holiday Mini M&M's - 2-3 tubes

    *Skittles - 1 bag

    ^Smarties - 1 bag

    *Gum Drops - I container 

    ^Peppermint Wheel - 1 small bag

    *Red Hots - 1 box

    *Chocolate Chips - 1 bag

    *Cake Decorating Sprinkles - 

    *Mini Candy Canes - at least 2 per person

    *Lifesavers - 1 bag

    *Pretzels (sticks) - 1 bag

    *Twizlers Pull n' Pull (Licorice rope) - 1-2 bags

    *Cinnamon bears - 1 container

    ^A chocolate Santa or snowman - 1 per person

    *Graham Crackers - 1-2 boxes

Where to buy the candy: *= Walmart, ^=Dollar Tree

Christmas Trees:

    *Candy bag w/ kisses and both size of Reese’s (makes 24 candy trees)

Hersey kisses, 2 mini/fun size Reese's, and regular Reese's.  To assemble stack mini, regular, mini the kiss on top.

Candy Train:

    *Fun Size Snickers

    *Hershey Kisses

    *Peppermint wheels, lifesavers, smarties (see above)

Use fun size snickers.  For the engine cut one snicker in half and place on top on one end of another snickers. Place a Hershey kiss on the top of the cut snicker.  For the caboose take the other half of the snicker and place it on top of a snicker in the middle.  Use Peppermint wheels, lifesavers or smarties for wheels. 

It cost roughly $50 to buy everything you need for the houses.

From: Jolene Cressall

Marshmallow Fondant

1/4 C. Butter
1 16 oz. Package Miniature Marshmallows
1/4 C. Water
1 tsp. Vanilla
2 lbs. Powdered Sugar (divided)

Directions:
Microwave Marshmallows on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute. Once melted mix in water and vanilla. Stir the mixture until it is smooth. Slowly beat powdered sugar 1 cup at a time into the mixture until you have a sticky dough. Reserve 1 cup of powdered sugar for kneading.

With butter on your hands begin to kneading the dough. The dough with become workable and pliable. Turn the dough out onto a working surface dusted with powdered sugar. Continue to knead until the fondant is smooth and no longer sticky. Should take 5-10 minutes.

Form the fondant into a ball then wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight. To use allow it to come to room temp and roll out onto a flat surface dusted with powdered sugar.

Chocolate Fondue

Tips:

- Make sure everything is prepped before you turn the stove on.  

- Don't try and make the fondue in the pot. Do it on the stove first and transfer to the fondue pot after it's prepared.

- Do not leave the chocolate unattended after you've started - it will either clump, scorch or curdle if you walk away - don't know why, but it always happens to me. 

Ingredients:

2 ½ Cups Chocolate Chips

2 Cups Heavy Cream

1 Tbsp. Vanilla

Directions:

1. Combine the chocolate and the cream and heat over medium until the chocolate is melted, STIRRING CONSTANTLY.  Do not leave unattended!   

2. Add the vanilla off heat and stir until smooth.

3. Transfer to fondue pots and serve with:

Pound Cake

Fresh Fruit 

Bananas

Kiwi

Strawberries

Pineapple

Pretzels

Candy

Marshmallows

*The basics of this fondue is a chocolate ganache, all you would need to do to make truffles is scoop up little balls and roll it around in powdered sugar.  Add more cream and you can then chill the whole thing and whip it and it becomes chocolate mousse.

S'mores Dip

Ingredients:

1. 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
2. 8 large marshmallows; cut in half (You can use mini marshmallows as an alternative)
3. Graham crackers for dipping

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.
2. In a small cast iron skillet, put chocolate chips in an even layer.
3. Arrange the marshmallows on top of the chocolate.
4. Bake in the oven for 6-8 minutes, until marshmallows are lightly browned.
5. Remove from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes.
6. Serve with graham crackers for dipping. Skillet will be hot!

Vanishing Rolls

Ingredients:

•  2 Tbsp Melted Butter
• Large Marshmallows
• 1 can of crescent rolls (8) or rolls
• 2 Tbsp White Sugar
• 1 Tbsp Ground Cinnamon
• Cupcake Liners

Directions:

1.     Melt butter in a small bowl on low heat in microwave. Mix together the sugar and cinnamon.  

2.     Roll a marshmallow in butter then coat in the cinnamon sugar. 

3.     Stretch a roll out and place a marshmallow in the middle. 

4.     Pinch the roll shut making sure there it is completely sealed. 

5.     Place rolls into the cupcake liners in a muffin tin with the pinched side down.  Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes.

Resurrection Rolls for Easter:

v  Crescent roll represents the cloth that Jesus was wrapped in after he died.

v  Marshmallow represents Jesus body. (John 19:38)

v  Melted Butter represents the oils of embalming. (John 19:39)

v  Cinnamon Sugar represents the spices used to anoint the body. (John 19:39)

v  Wrapping the Marshmallow represents the wrapping of Jesus body after death. (John 19:40)

v  Oven represents the tomb Jesus was buried in. (John 19:41)

v  When the rolls have cooled open your rolls and discover that Jesus is no longer there. This represent the empty tomb.  HE IS RISEN! (Luke 24:6)