Visions of sugar plums

Last year I was laid up on bed rest and wasn't able to make anything for the holidays. At the time it was the least of my worries. But THIS year - we have LOTS to celebrate and even though I converted to Judaism (and parted ways with my santa cookie cutters...) I still insist on making holiday treats. You can take the Christianity out of a girl -- just not out of her thighs!

Jeremy and I have a fun tradition of making candy together for the holiday. We represent the OH-IO with dark chocolate buckeyes. My mom and I made over 300 of these for our wedding and I really thought she was going to go postal. Needless to say, it takes time and patience -- but they are so worth the trouble.

A steady surgeon's hands dip PERFECT buckeyes.

{Puppy Chow!}

This year I made two new things. First were Trader Joe's rice cereal treats. If you haven't had these - they.are.amazing (and amazingly easy).

1 cup Brown sugar
1cup Organic Blue Agave Sweetener (buy at Costco, super cheap)
7 cups rice (krispy) cereal
1 cup peanut butter
1/2 bag chocolate morsels
Heat agave and brown sugar until just before boiling to dissolve sugar. Remove from heat and mix in PB. Pour mix over krispies and chocolate - stir well.  Spoon into 9x13 dish and pat. Refrigerate to set.
See? EASY.

The other new thing I tried was a version of THIS.  I always have left over chocolate in the double boiler after making buckeyes and rather than pouring it into my mouth waste it I wanted to do something else. We dipped a few Oreos and then I remembered the Sugar Plum post. I grabbed a few marshmellows, put them on a stick and dipped away. Topped with festive sprinkles. I didn't have any styrofoam so I poked holes in a brownie box and angled the sticks to dry. Set in the freezer for few minutes and then wrapped in celophane. HOW CUTE ARE THESE?? I think they look like little Frosty the Snowmen. You know, when frosty wears his b-dazzled hat to the office Christmas party :)

When I was making these I couldn't help but think about Owen. I pictured him as a little first grader complete with backpack and yellow pencils. I will stay up after he's gone to bed and make these tiny, kid-sized treats and then tuck one into his lunch box the next morning. What a sweet surprise for my sweet boy!

Now on to the cookies...