Home remedies, recipes, and VooDoo.

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon butter, room temperature
• 3 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
• 3 tablespoons molasses
• 1/4 teaspoon allspice
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 12 ounces white chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup crushed peppermints

Instructions

1. Combine butter, brown sugar, and molasses in a large mixing bowl; beat with an electric mixer on medium speec until light and fluffy. Add spices and salt and mix well. Add flour, 1/4 cup at a time, and mix until the dough comes together in large crumbles. Set aside.
2. In a microwave safe bowl, microwave chocolate chips at half power for 2 to 3 minutes, or until chocolate is almost fully melted, stirring every 30 seconds. Remove from microwave and stir until smooth. Pour onto a parchment or Silpat lined baking sheet, spreading into an even layer. Chill for 10 minutes.
3. Repeat with the white chocolate. Before white chocolate sets, sprinkle with cookie dough and crushed candy, pressing lightly to adhere. Chill until set, then break or cut into pieces. Refrigerate until ready to eat.

Servings: 1 • Calories: 73 • Points: 1.5 pts

Ingredients:

• 2 shots espresso or 1/2 cup of strong concentrated coffee
• 1/4 cup skinny eggnog
• 1/4 cup nonfat milk
• additional sugar or sweetner to taste (extra pts)
• nutmeg
• *optional reduced fat whipped topping

Directions:

Brew coffee or espresso.

Heat eggnog and combine with milk. Use frothing wand slowly up and down, side to side until eggnog and milk is thick and foamed. (Or put in blender if you don’t have a frothing wand).

Pour coffee or espresso into mug, sweeten to taste and pour hot eggnog mixture over the top. Sprinkle with nutmeg and enjoy!

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup prepared hot cocoa, cooled
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips

For the donuts

For the topping

Add sprinkles before the candy melt sets.

Ingredients:

Directions:

Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper of Silpat baking mats. Fill a large bowl with ice and water. Set aside.

Combine the sugar, corn syrup and 1/4 cup water in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Attach the candy thermometer to the interior of the saucepan.

Increase the heat to medium-high to bring the mix to a boil, stirring until the sugar has disolved. Using a small pastry brush dipped in water, wash down the sides of the saucepan to prevent crystals from forming.

Boil the mixture for 5 to 7 minutes until it reaches 310ºF (hard-crack stage) on the candy thermometer. Immediately transfer the saucepan to the bowl of ice water, carefully submerging the sides but ensuring no water seeps into it. Swirl the pan for 10 to 15 seconds to help the mixture cool then remove the saucepan from the bowl of ice water. If you’re using an extract, carefully swirl it into the mixture immediately after you remove the saucepan from the ice bath.

Working quickly, pour the syrup onto the baking sheets to form circles that are 2 to 3 inches in diameter. (Space the lollipops 3 to 4 inches apart to guarantee they don’t run into each other.) Immediately press in the lollipop sticks and sprinkle the lollipops with your sprinkles or candy, lightly pressing the garnishes into the syrup. Let cool completely until fully hardened then carefully peel the lollipops off the baking sheet.

• 12  (5-inch) peppermint sticks
• 7  ounce(s) white chocolate, melted
• 1/4  cup(s) white nonpareils

Directions

1. Dip peppermint sticks, one at a time, into melted chocolate. Transfer to a baking pan lined with parchment paper.
2. Allow chocolate to set slightly, about 5 minutes. Roll chocolate end of peppermint sticks in nonpareils. Return to lined pan and let stand at room temperature until chocolate hardens.

Cranberry Orange Drizzle
2 cups fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cups fresh orange juice (about 2 oranges)
1/2 cup sugar

Directions:
Combine cranberries and orange juice in a medium saucepan.  Simmer for about 10 minutes or until cranberries burst.  Remove pan from heat and stir in sugar.  Stir until all sugar is dissolved.  Allow to cool.  Once cranberry mixture has cooled, place in a food processor or use an immersion blender to puree.  I used the immersion blender to save on clean-up.
Once pureed, measure out 1/3 cup for cupcakes.  Then place remainder in a decorator bag or plastic bottle to use as drizzle.

Cranberry Orange Cupcakes
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
3-4 oz. Greek vanilla yogurt, full fat is best
1/3 cup cranberry puree
zest of 2 oranges (juice can be used for drizzle)
1/2 cup butter, unsalted
1 cup sugar
3 eggs

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  In a medium bowl, combine the yogurt and cranberry puree.  Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand-up mixer, cream the sugar and butter together at medium speed until light and fluffy.  Add in the orange zest.  Continue mixing on low speed and add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition.

Alternately add half the flour and mix until just combined.  Add yogurt and cranberry mixture and mix until incorporated, scraping sides of bowl.  Add the last portion of the flour and mix just until combined.

Using a medium cookie scoop, portion the batter into 12 lined muffin cups. Bake in 350° oven for 18 minutes.   Remove when toothpick inserted comes out clean.  Cool on wire rack.  When completely cool, frost with orange cream cheese frosting.

Orange Cream Cheese Frosting
8 oz. cream cheese
1 stick butter, unsalted
2 tbsp fresh orange juice
6-7 cups sifted powdered sugar

Directions:
Cream the butter and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer.  Slowly add the sifted powdered sugar.  Continue to add powdered sugar and begin to add orange juice as necessary until frosting is desired consistency.  I like my cream cheese frosting to be a little stiffer for decorating.  Place frosting in decorator bag with desired tip and frost cupcakes.

• 1 bag semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 lb. white chocolate chips (I used 12 oz. Nestle chips)
• 1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
• 1/2 cup crushed candy canes

Line a 9×13 pan with foil and spray with cooking spray.  Pour the chocolate chips in the pan and set them in the oven at 250 degrees for 5 minutes or until they’re almost melted.  Use a spatula to smooth out the chips over the bottom of the pan.  Let sit for about an hour.

Melt the white chocolate in a double boiler.  Stir in the peppermint extract.  Pour the white chocolate over the dark and smooth with a spatula.  Sprinkle with the crushed candy canes.  Refrigerate until firm.  Peel off the foil and cut into pieces.

1 cup butter or margarine, softened 1/2 cup granulated sugar 4oz bittersweet baking chocolate, melted, cooled 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract 2 1/4 cups Gold Medal® all-purpose flour 1/3 cup unsweetened baking cocoa

1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons unsweetened baking cocoa 1 to 2 tablespoons milk2 tablespoons chopped miniature peppermint candy canes

• 1  Heat oven to 325°F. Spray 2 (9-inch) glass pie plates with cooking spray.
• 2  In large bowl, beat butter, granulated sugar, chocolate and peppermint extract with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. On low speed, beat in flour and 1/3 cup cocoa. Divide dough in half. With lightly floured hands, press dough evenly in pie plates.
• 3  Bake 22 to 24 minutes or until edges just begin to pull away from sides of pie plates. Cool in pie plates 5 minutes. Carefully cut each round into 16 wedges. Cool completely in pie plates on cooling rack, about 30 minutes.
• 4  In small bowl, mix powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons cocoa and enough of the milk until glaze is smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle glaze over wedges; sprinkle with candies.