Peppermint Pretzel Bark

My pantry is overflowing with half-full bags of pretzels and lots of chocolate chips. Some festive bark is just the way to use them up.

After reading a bunch of online recipes, I decided that making bark was the next best thing to slaving away over Christmas cookies.

Making this holiday dessert couldn't be easier. (Although my husband will tell you that the crunching sound that comes from breaking up pretzels is disturbing if you're trying to watch TV. LOL)

The bark is also nice to give as gifts when you wrap it up in a cute little box or bag and a bow.

What treats are you making this year?

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Peppermint Pretzel Bark

1 16 ounce package of chocolate or vanilla candy coating
2 12 ounce bags of chocolate or vanilla chocolate chips
1 to 2 cups broken pretzels (any shape) crushed into small pieces
About 12 candy canes, crushed (or buy 2 of the 2 ounce bags of crushed peppermint)

Note: To crush pretzels, place in a gallon size ziplock bag. Smash with the bottom of a metal measuring cup to break into pieces.

Line a large baking sheet or 2 smaller ones with parchment paper.

Place candy coating in a large bowl and microwave for 1 minute. Add chips and microwave another 1 minute. Stir well. Microwave in 30 second intervals, stirring after each one until chocolate is smooth.

Add pretzels and mix well, until all pretzel pieces are coated. Mix in about half of the crushed peppermint.

Pour mixture onto prepared baking sheet and spread out into a layer that is about 1/4 inch thick.

Sprinkle with remaining crushed candy canes and gently press them down with the back of a spatula.

Place baking sheet in refrigerator for about 30 minutes.

Remove tray and break up bark by hand, or use a sharp knife to cut into pieces. Store in airtight containers. 

Grandma's Corn Flake Cookies

These cookies are not gorgeous but oh, are they sinful.

And so full of memories for me. My Grandma used to make corn flake cookies. They never lasted long. After Grandma was gone, we'd often make them at Christmas, but no one in the family ever seemed to know the exact measurements or have notes on the best liner for the baking sheets (parchment!). Figuring it out was always part of the fun.

Talking with my siblings and cousins about the right way to make these cookies always reminds me of our childhood, when our biggest worry was what was for dinner.

A recent visit from my brother made me think about cornflake cookies and I wanted to make them for my boys. We ran out of time to whip up a batch while their uncle was here, but since we had bought all the supplies, I made some this week.

With just 3 ingredients, these treats are super simple to make.  The result? A delicious cookie that is hard to resist.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Grandma's Corn Flake Cookies 
Inspired by Andrea's Grandma Lucy Tortora

1 18 ounce box of corn flakes cereal
2 1/2 cans condensed milk
2 12 ounce bags chocolate chips (we used a holiday variety with red and green chips)
Note: Use your favorite chip. Butterscotch, mint, etc.

Line 2 or 3 cookie sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Pour half the box of cereal into a large bowl. Add 1 can of condensed milk. Pour in the rest of the cereal and the second can of milk. Stir to combine, mixing until all of the cereal is coated in milk.

Let rest for 5 minutes. This helps make the mixture sticky enough so that the chocolate chips don't fall to the bottom of the bowl.

Add chocolate chips and 1/2 can of condensed milk. Stir to combine.

Using two spoons, scoop up some cookie mixture and gently press together. Drop onto cookie sheet and press together again with spoons if needed.

Bake for 8 minutes or until cookies start to brown along the edges. Remove from oven and let cool completely.

Use a spatula to lift cookies from pans. Store in airtight containers.

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Soup

I am loving my slow cooker these days because life is busy and much to my boys' chagrin, I don't want to eat take-out for every meal.

We eat a lot of chili at our house, and this chicken version is a nice change of pace.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Slow Cooker Chicken Chili Soup

Inspired by the Kitchn

1 large yellow onion, diced

2 stalks celery, diced

2 4-ounce cans diced green chili peppers

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons cumin

1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon coriander

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

2 bay leaves

2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts

4 cups low-sodium chicken stock

2 cans pinto beans, drained and rinsed

For serving: Chopped cilantro and green onions, lime wedges, shredded cheese or sour cream

Combine the onions, celery, green chili peppers, garlic, cumin, salt, coriander, oregano and bay leaves in a 6-quart (or larger) slow cooker. Stir to combine. Nestle the chicken into the vegetables. Pour the chicken stock on top.

Place the lid on the slow cooker. Cook for 6 hours on low. 

About 1 hour before the end of cooking, remove the lid of the slow cooker and add the beans. Taste and add more salt or other seasonings as desired. 

Replace the lid and continue cooking.

Remove chicken to a plate and use 2 forks to shred into bite-sized pieces. Remove bay leaves. Stir the chicken back into the soup.

Serve with shredded cheese, wedges of lime, chopped cilantro, and sour cream. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Winter Chutney

I always think of Indian food when I think of chutney, especially mango chutney on salmon. When we took the kids to Disney's Animal Kingdom two years ago, my chutney world exploded.

We ate a meal at the Tusker House and my favorite items were all chutneys – so many different combinations of fruits and spices! I had forgotten about a note I wrote to myself so I could try recreating a mixed fruit compote at home until last week, when I switched purses.

I made a batch last night and it was so good! The husband had seconds and my oldest boy downed a healthy serving.

I served this with pork chops. It would go well with many holidays meals — ham, turkey, chicken, even sweet potatoes.

This recipe makes a lot, so you can serve it at large festive gatherings, use it with those turkey leftovers in the freezer or package in pretty canning jars and give as homemade gifts.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Winter Chutney
Inspired by recipes from Disney and Spice Islands

1 bag fresh cranberries
3 medium apples, peeled, cord and diced
2/3 cup onion, finely chopped
2/3 cup golden raisins
2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced
1 heaping teaspoon fresh garlic, minced
1/3 cup water
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon cloves
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2/3 cup pecans, chopped
2/3 cup dark corn syrup
1/3 cup cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients up to and including nutmeg in a large saucepan.

Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Once boiling, cover and reduce heat to medium-low. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring often.

Remove cover and add pecans, corn syrup and vinegar. Continue to cook for another 15 minutes, stirring every few minutes.

Remove from heat and let rest for 10 minutes or so. The chutney will thicken as it cools. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Stew

Life's been super busy folks, as I'm sure you can relate.

Luckily, the Thanksgiving break freed up some time in the kitchen. This easy beef stew recipe comes from a meal prep class I took at a local grocery store. All of my boys loved it, so I made it again this week (with a few little tweaks) while we still had relatives in town.

A double batch will fit in a 6 quart slow cooker, so that you can feed a crowd or stock your freezer.

And like many stews, this one tastes even better the second day.

Mangia! Mangia!
Andrea

Slow Cooker Beef & Barley Stew
Inspired by a recipe from Hyvee

1 pound beef stew met, cut into bite-size chunks
1 1/4 cups carrots, diced
1 1/4 cup onion, chopped
3/4 cup celery, diced
1/4 cup fresh Italian parsley leaves, chopped
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves, chopped
1 teaspoon sugar
2 tablespoons beef bouillon paste
1/2 cup pearl barley
1 15 ounce can tomato sauce
5 cups water

Combine all ingredients in the bowl of your slow cooker. Cook for 8 to 10 hours on low. Serve with dinner rolls or crusty bread. Refrigerate or freeze any leftovers.