DIY 100-Calorie Packs! (Cash-Saving HG Exclusive!)

Love this article/DIY from HG today.

Christmas Crunch from Bakerella

*finally* got caught up on Bakerella's blog today
maybe because I was reminded by these

that were used in the center pieces @ recent Stake Women's Conference (Jan 30, 10)?
don't know why, but feel an urge to make these

yes, I know it's not Christmas anymore
but something about the combination of sweet & savory is sounding really good to me

Taste of Home Top-10-Recipes of 2009

lists can be found here

including these categories:

• Taste of Home
• Simple & Delicious
• Healthy Cooking
• Food Gifts

Free Snowman & Reindeer Poop Idea

thought this was a really cute idea, if you still need last minute gifts

not sure how long it'll be available though . . .

Free Christmas Recipe Cards

Free Recipe Cards & Peanut Butter Cow Patties Recipe

image is linked
want to try this pb version of this no-bake cookie

(a version of the "original" chocolate one can be found here & here)

in case you don't already know this about me, I <3 pb

Magic Mint Chocolate Bark

really want to try this recipe, but will probably use the pretzel variation
if nothing else, so can try the limited edition morsels!

thinking of making this for the neighbor Christmas get-together
or maybe for the Primary Presidency to snack on while we're putting together the teacher/worker gifts

we're still irked that M&M reformulated their seasonal MINT M&Ms
you can tell that the difference because the new ones have a thicker shape than the old ones

this was recipe 4 on my full-day baking day

could use more practice making pretty swirls in the melted chocolate

have I mentioned that we really like mint flavor this time of the year?

M&M's Happy Holiday Crispies

using this recipe as the basis
am planning on making this for Jon's dessert
@ the Ward Christmas Party on Saturday, December 19th
that way, we know there will be @ least one dessert that he can have!

again with the no-bake!  :)

don't really like/use white chocolate chips @ our house though
so will sub with peanut butter chips, which we do like/use!

am thinking of subing mini semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of the M&Ms . . .
I did buy Christmas peanut M&Ms, since that's Jon's preferred ones, but wonder if they'll be too big?

this was recipe 3 on my full-day baking day

did use the mini chips but topped each square with a peanut M&M
the squares didn't stay together as well as I would've hoped

Primary Workers Christmas Appreciation Gifts

we (The Primary Presidency) are getting together this Friday, December 18th @ my house to do a cookie exchange of sorts--not for ourselves, but for all the wonderful Primary Workers.

am planning on making a batch of these using mint oreos & white bark

and these, except that I'm using peanut butter oreos & dark bark
(which, I guess if you're keeping track, is pretty much the same as above?)

really loving the idea that these are "no-bake"
hope that the dipping won't get too labor intensive/messy
again, this is a method that can be tweaked to no end

this was recipe 1-2 on my full-day baking day yesterday

I was able to get about 27 cookies from each batch--but I did end up having a lot of the garnish topping left, which I'm thinking would be really good on ice cream!

my magic bullet sure was handy to help crush the cookies up

Thinking I really should try it with nutter butters though--would get a totally lighter colored filling & maybe a more intense peanut butter flavor?