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You should make these cookies immediately if you:

• Breathe
• Like the combination of chocolate and peppermint
• Are addicted to Trader Joe’s Chocolate Peppermint Joe Joe’s
• Have long curly-hair and live around the corner from me
• Happen to be my best friend who lives in Texas

After planning a cranberry dessert for Mr. Darcy, my sister and I set our minds to find something less fruit-flavored as a second offering.  We decided to give my new cookbook a test run with this recipe for Peppermint Patty Cookies.  Lovely, lovely goodness, and not at all difficult.  Just give yourself an extra hour to chill the dough. Well, hurry, you’ll need to get started now if you’re going to eat them soon.

Don’t let the title, Peppermint Patties, fool you. I don’t even like peppermint patties. Think Peppermint hot chocolate cookie.  Get your beaters ready.

Peppermint Patties(or Peppermint Oreos)
from the The Farm Chicks in the Kitchen

• 14 tbs unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup packed light-brown sugar
• 1 large egg yolk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 2 tbs
• 1/4 cup Dutch-processed cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
• 1  1/2 tsp peppermint extract
• 1 tsp milk or light cream
• 2 cups milk chocolate chips(or bittersweet bar, such as Scharffen-Berger)

Prepare the dough:
Cream 10 tbs butter in large bowl. Add granulated and brown sugars until fluffy.  Beat in egg yolk and vanilla. Add flour, cocoa powder, and salt with the mixer on low speed, beating until combined.  Roll the dough into a 10 x 2 inch log, wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Bake the cookies:
Preheat 375 degrees.  Cut dough into 1/4 inch slices.  Place 1 inch apart on sheet(they will not spread).  Beat until just firm to the touch, 7-8 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to cool(cookies will break if you allow them to cool on cookie sheet).

Fill the cookies:
Cream the remaining butter, confectioner’s sugar, peppermint extract, and milk in a small bowl with mixer until blended. Sandwich the cooled cookies with filling.

(We almost skipped this next step, but decided at the last minute to dip a handful of them and they really completed the taste.)

Dip the Cookies:
Melt chocolate of choice, dip half cookie in melted chocolate and place on parchment or wax paper until chocolate is firm.

Notes: We added the green and red tint to the cream for added snap to these cookies.  Next time, to mimic the TJ’s cookies that we love so much, I’ll crush a few candy canes or peppermints into tiny pieces and mix it into the filling before adding to the cookies.

We’re late this year.  Late on planning presents, behind on digging in to Advent, and tardy at getting our annual thank you gifts made and delivered.  For the past few years we’ve been making a little treat to pass out to those in our community who’ve served and blessed us over the year.  Our favorite librarians, our hard-working girl scout leaders, and friends who share our day to day lives.

Last year we made granola, which was a big hit and also a lot of time in the kitchen.  This year I just couldn’t decide what to do.  Finally I realized all of those tempting recipes for biscotti and handmade ornaments just weren’t practical for our family this Christmas, and I needed to look for simple.

This week I got inspired by an email from Family Fun, a treat most of us have probably sampled, but I’ve never made.  With relief I told my husband we could probably get this done in an hour or two.  My plan was to put 8 pieces in each bag, about 15 bags total. Then Mr. Darcy added on 22 more bags for his co-workers.  Could we still pull this off within a few hours?

Over 300 pieces later, the answer is yes!  My 4, 7, and 9 year old were able to do every part without a problem. From peeling the kisses, spreading out the pretzels, adding the m and m’s, to placing them in the bags.

For the recipe, head over here.

Notes: Try milk chocolate, hugs, or candy cane kisses.  A variety looks pretty in the bag.  The waffle shaped pretzels do work well, but because they were butter flavored, I actually liked the salty taste of the regular shaped mini pretzels better.

Mookie chose Peppermint bark for her holiday recipe of the week.

Most of the recipes I found online used only white chocolate, but I think the bark with a dark chocolate layer is more appealing, to the eye and to the tastebuds.

1. Melt 1 bag of good quality semi-sweet chocolate chips.  We didn’t have a full bag, so I threw in some Scharffen Berger chopped as well.

2. Once chocolate is melted, pour onto a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.  With spatula, spread chocolate into a thin layer.

3.Place in freezer until firm, about 5 minutes.

4.Melt 1 bag good quality white chocolate chips.  Once chips have melted, stir in 1/2 tsp to 1 tsp peppermint extract, according to taste. Remove cookie sheet from freezer and pour white chocolate onto the chocolate layer. Spread with spatula.

5.Place candy canes in plastic bag, use rolling pin to break candy canes into small pieces.  You might want to do this before you start the first steps, the white chocolate can harden quickly.  Sprinkle peppermint pieces across white chocolate, press with hand so that candy will set with the chocolate as it hardens.

6. Place in freezer until firm.  About 15 minutes.

7.Remove from freezer and break into smaller pieces.  Try to save a little bit for friends.

Here’s the cake my daughter envisioned for her 9 year old birthday.  I hemmed and hawed, tried steering her a different direction, and then folded.  I’m thrilled that I did because her vision was right on and we were able to capture it.  I’d like to point out with respect to Mookie that this is not a princess castle cake. More like an adventure castle cake.  She was very emphatic about this point. I’m just passing it on.

The second best thing about this cake was the frosting(the first being the above mentioned visionary daughter). We made a chocolate cake with peppermint frosting(tinted blue) and I see quite a future for me and this frosting.

In the near future I see brownies, topped with this frosting(maybe white, maybe red or green) and crushed peppermint candies.

Peppermint Frosting

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1(16oz) powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup milk
• 1/2 to 1 tsp peppermint extract(or 1/4 tsp peppermint oil)

Beat butter at medium speed until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with milk, beginning and ending with powdered sugar. Beat after each addition at low speed. Stir in peppermint extract. Lick all mixing utensils. Save some frosting for your cake or brownies.

Since the arrival of our newborn, I’ve been taking the dairy-free road.  Having walked this path once before with her older brother, I have a few recipes tucked away.  Particularly, recipes for chocolate goodness.

This chocolate cake is dairy free, but I think anyone would like it.  Besides,you can scare your family by getting the vinegar out and telling them you’re making chocolate cake!  Or, if you deliver meals often to friends, keep this as a recipe to pull out and surprise a dairy free friend.  She’ll be delighted to get something sweet she can actually eat!

I made this recipe into mini muffins for a bite-size chocolate treat.  Well, I also added in an extra tablespoon of cocoa for good measure!

Wacky Cake

• 1 1/2 cups flour
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 Tbsp. cocoa
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 5 Tbsp. oil
• 1 cup cold water

Preheat oven to 350. Mix dry ingredients in a bowl. Add vanilla, vinegar,
oil, and water. Blend well and pour into ungreased 9×11 pan. Bake 25-30
minutes. Or using a muffin tin with liners, bake into 12 cupcakes and bake
for 20 minutes. 

Note: I also used apple-cider vinegar instead of balsamic-either will work.   If the vinegar still worries you, trust a chocolate lover, it all turns out fine!

No picture of the cookies, so this seemed like the next best visual.

Unless I’m in the mood for the the old time Nestle Tollhouse Cookie recipe, this one right here is my favorite.  It’s on the “not so bad for you” scale and of course, I use Ghirardelli semi-sweet or 60% cocoa chips.  The dough and the cookies-yum.  If the ingredients seem odd for you, just read below the recipe for suggested substitutions with more familiar ingredients.  Today’s batch went to a friend in need, and only a few for us to munch.

Chocolate Chip Cookies

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup Sucanat w/ Honey
• 1 cup Sucanat
• 2 Eggs
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla
• 2 cups fresh Hard White Wheat Flour
• 1 cup Oatmeal
• ½ cup milled Flax Seed
• 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 ½ cups nuts, chopped(optional)
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups Chocolate Chips (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350⁰.
2. Cream butter, Sucanat, and Sucanat w/Honey making a grainy paste. Add eggs and vanilla and beat well. Mix dry ingredients and stir into creamed mixture. Add nuts and Chocolate chips. Make into 1″ balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet 2″ apart.
3. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
4. Makes about 5 dozen cookies.
5. from the Breadbecker’s Recipe Book

Aimee’s Notes: We use freshly milled hard red wheat flour.  You can also substitute with store bought whole wheat or white whole wheat flour.  I recommend the king arthur brand-which is more finely ground than the other whole-wheat choices out there.  Sucanat can be replaced with white sugar and Sucanat with honey can be replaced with brown sugar.  I cut both sugar measurements to 3/4 cup each instead of 1 cup each.

Otherwise known as a mouthful of yummy chocolate-y goodness!

These are super easy, but they taste rich and sinful.

I made them for my mom friends tonight and all of them stared at them with fear and determination not to be tempted!  Some gave in and some did not.  But who went away a little happier in their taste buds?

The Recipe

• 2 cups oatmeal
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, melted
• 1/2 package chocolate chips
• 1/4 cup natural peanut butter

1. Mix oatmeal, butter, and brown sugar.  Pat into square pan.  Bake at 425 for 10 minutes.  
2. Meanwhile, melt chocolate and peanut butter together.  As soon as the mixture in the pan is done, remove from oven, and spread chocolate mixture on top.
3. Let cool and then cut.

Aimee’s notes: I used Ghiradelli’s 60% cacao chocolate chips-if you try them you’ll never go back. I like to stick these in the fridge to get the chocolate to harden. Then I pull them out and cut them a few minutes before serving.