My Pinterest Challenge: I'm in the Mood for Holiday Treats!

So, in the spirit of my own Pinterest Challenge that I made for myself last week, I decided to start with some Holiday Treats for my family to enjoy as we approach Winter Break! One of them I followed exactly from Pinterest, and the other one I made my own variation that I thought would be fun for my kiddos!

So, here it goes....

Recipe #1: 

Christmas Crunch {Funfetti Popcorn Christmas Style}

(Click the Link for the Cooking Classy blog with the original recipe and tons of other great ones)

One can make this recipe for basically ANY holiday, just change the colors of M&M's and Sprinkles! You can find an Easter one at Bake 350, she calls it Bunny Bait.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup popping popcorn kernels, or 2 bags tender white popcorn
1 (12 oz) bag Vanilla Candy Melts (such as Wilton Candy Melts)
1 1/3 cups broken pretzel pieces
1 (12 oz) bag green and red Milk Chocolate or Mint M&Ms
Red, green and white Sprinkles (I used Jingle Mix Nonpareils)

Directions:
Pop popcorn in a popcorn popper into a large bowl (or alternately in the microwave if using microwave bags of popcorn) according to manufactures directions.  Remove any unpopped popcorn kernels.  Toss in broken pretzel pieces and M&Ms.  
Melt Vanilla Candy Melts in a microwave safe bowl on 50% power in 30 second intervals, stirring after each interval until melted and smooth.  Drizzle half of melted chips over popcorn mixture, then stir, tossing gently a few times with a rubber spatula.  Then drizzle remaining half of melted chips over popcorn, and gently stir mixture until evenly coated (don't over stir though or your sprinkles wont stick if the white chips begin to set and harden).  Pour mixture into a single layer onto wax paper.  Sprinkle entire mixture evenly with sprinkles (as many as you'd like) before vanilla chips set.  Allow to cool and harden, then gently break into pieces and store in an airtight container. 

Here is Cooking Classy's Picture of                                             

Christmas Crunch:                                                                     

                          

                   

And here is my version:

I did a good job right? This was a HUGE hit at my house...I currently have it in that bowl on the counter top and all three munchkins keep sneaking pieces, I am going to have to put it up where they can't reach it!

Now for Recipe #2: This is the one I adapted from another one and made my own.

Chocolate Mint Christmas Cookies

(I adapted this from Two Peas & Their Pod's Chocolate Mint Oreo Cookies)

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

ingredients:

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup Nestle Tollhouse Cocoa
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups Mint M&M's

Warm water-this dough was way too sticky for me to mix in the m&m's and chips so I had to add some warm water to make it less sticky, I used about 1/4 cup in all, but added it a Tbsp at at time.

directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. In a medium bowl, sift flour, baking soda, salt, and cocoa. Set aside.

3. With a mixer, cream butter and sugars together until smooth. Add in eggs, one at a time. Next, add in vanilla extract. Mix until blended.

4. Slowly add flour mixture to sugar mixture and mix until flour disappears. (this is where I added in the water a Tbsp at a time.) Stir in chocolate chips, mint m&m's. I ha Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons onto prepared baking sheet, about 2 inches apart.

5. Bake cookies for 10 minutes, or until the cookies are set around the edges, but still soft in the center. Don't over bake. Remove from oven and let sit on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes. Move to a cooling rack and cool completely.