Special Cookie Update

I'm on break now for the next two weeks, so menu planning is taking a back seat to other merriment. And also, I'll have time to go day-by-day and go to the grocery store during daylight hours and stuff like that. But I have been working on some goodies. Thought I'd share.

The big plan this year:

Chocolate-covered peanut brittle

Homemade s'mores

Chocolate caramel cookies

Strawberry jam thumbprints

Here's my peanut brittle recipe. It's made in the microwave, and it uses corn syrup, and while both of those things normally make my spine shriek a little, it is the holidays... I need to let go.

1 c sugar

1/2 c light corn syrup

mix together in microwavable glass dish (I use a giant Pyrex measuring cup)

microwave for 4 min.

add 1c peanuts, stir, cook for 3 - 5 min. more (I do 3:30)

add 1 tsp butter, 1 tsp vanilla, cook for 1 - 2 min (I do 1:30)

add 1 tsp baking soda, stir, pour on greased cookie sheet, cool

Then, later, I melt chocolate and dip the pieces, spread on waxed paper and cool.

The s'mores idea came from the $26 box that is currently selling at Williams Sonoma. It was one of those "I can make that" moments. I haven't yet, but here's the plan:

Make homemade marshmallow.

Cut to graham cracker size.

I'll either dip the whole sandwich in chocolate, or dip just the graham crackers and then sandwich them around the marshmallow. I need to experiment a little.

I might sprinkle some crushed candy cane on top, just for more fun.

The chocolate caramel cookies are Phil's favorite.

The strawberry jam thumbprints are another new thing this year. I was looking for something not chocolate-based, and I have a ton of strawberry jam that I made this summer.

Not currently on the menu, but a good gift option is orange coconut bread. I made some batches of this last week and gave a few loaves away. And it's yummy for breakfast or a snack.

Happy holidays!