Perfect for the Holidays

                                                                Pumpkin Fudge
                        For Thanksgiving I wanted to make something pumkin-y but
                still sweet, so I made this amazing Pumpkin Fudge with Heath Bar on
                                                                top for a crunch.

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons butter

• 2 1/2 cups white sugar

• 2/3 cup evaporated milk

• 1 cup white chocolate chips

• 7 ounces marshmallow creme

• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin

• ½ tsp cinnamon, ¼ tsp ginger,1/8 tsp nutmeg, 1/8 tsp allspice

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1 package heath bar bits

DIRECTIONS

1. Line a round cake pan with aluminum foil and a circle of parchment paper on the bottom. Place the Heath Bits on the bottom of cake pan and set aside.

2. In a 3 quart saucepan, heat milk and sugar over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon.

3. Mix in pumpkin puree and spices; bring back to a boil. Stir in marshmallow creme and butter. Bring to a rolling boil. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 18 minutes.

4. Remove from heat, and add white chocolate chips and vanilla. Stir until creamy and all chips are melted. Pour into prepared pan. Cool, remove from pan, and cut into pie slices. Store in a cool, dry place.

Adapted from Indigo’s Sugar Spectrum

                                            
                                                       Peppermint Bark Cookies
                      I had peppermint bark in my house, but I also wanted cookies.
      So, i combined them in this amazing recipe, perfect for those winter holidays!

Ingredients:

3 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour


1 teaspoon baking soda


1 teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder


3/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temp.  

2 cups sugar


3 large eggs


1 tablespoon vanilla extract


2 cups peppermint bark, roughly chopped ( I used Trader Joe’s bark)

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375F degrees. Position the racks in the middle of the oven, and line baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.

Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter until light and fluffy, then beat in the sugar until it is the consistency of a thick frosting. Beat in the eggs one at a time, incorporating each fully before adding the next and scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times. Stir in the vanilla until evenly incorporated. Add the dry ingredients in 3 increments, stirring between each addition. At this point you should have a moist uniform dough. Stir in the peppermint bark by hand, mixing only until evenly distributed. Reserve a bit of the bark to sprinkle on top of the cookies after you have dropped them onto the baking sheets.

Drop a heaping tablespoon of dough for each cookie onto the prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart and bake for about 10 - 14 minutes, until golden on bottom and top. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 2 to 3 dozen medium-large cookies.

Adapted from 101 Cookbooks