Peppermint Bark for the Holidays

I got a request to post this recipe.  It's not new, but I've done it for the past 3 years.  Two full bags of chips will give you plenty for the season.  You can make this quicker than it takes to heat the oven!

I got this on the back of the peppermint chip bag one year, but I'm not sure what the brand was the first time I made it.

Peppermint Bark
1 bag peppermint (green) chips - usually in your grocery store the week before Thanksgiving and stays through Christmas; otherwise can be found at Michael's year round
1 bag dark chocolate chips
1 C pecans, chopped

1. Place foil on a cookie sheet.
2. Place 1/2 the bag of each the peppermint and dark chocolate chips, mixing a little (make in 2 batches or save the other half of each bag for another time)
3. Place in an oven at 200 degrees for 5-10 minutes (you want them to be glossy)
4. Take a knife and swirl the chips together.
5. Sprinkle nuts on top.
6. You need to get the nuts to sink into the chocolate mixture.  I have tried pressing them in with a spatula, but you can also just pick up the cookie sheet and drop it a few times to get them to sink in.
7. Immediately put in the freezer to harden for at least 30 minutes.
8. Break into pieces using a kitchen tool or the foil it sits on.  Do not use your bare hands, it will melt.
9. Keep in an air tight container in the freezer.

You can east straight from the freezer as needed!

Breakfast Treats

I was making this as a mid-morning treat for myself, but the kids gobbled up about half of it before I could finish it.  The little chefs ate it straight out of the oven!  I let them do it because they didn't seem to mind they were eat fruit!

From Comfort Food

Granola Biscotti

1/4 C butter, softened
3/4 C sugar
1 egg
1 egg white
1/4 t almond extract
1 1/3 C flour
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t salt
3/4 C reduced fat granola (I used Kashi cinnamon granola)
2/3 C dried cranberries

1. Beat butter and sugar until crumbly, about 2 minutes.  Beat in egg, egg whites and almond extract.  Combine dry ingredients except granola and cranberries and gradually add to butter mixture.  Stir in cranberries and granola.  Make sure you go through the granola so there isn't any big lumps.
2. Divide dough in half and shape each portion into 12 in x 1.5 in rectangle.  Use flour to keep the dough from sticking to your hands.  Place each on a cookie sheet coated with pan spray.
3.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.  Remove to cool on baking rack for 5-10 minutes (until slightly crispy....watch out for the little hands!).
4. Transfer to cutting board, cut with a serrated knife into 3/4 inch slices.  Place the cut side down on cookie sheet and bake for another 5 minutes.  Turn and bake for 5 more minutes.  Remove to baking racks and cool.

As an added treat, I combined 1 C powdered sugar and 2 T of milk to drizzled some light glaze over them after they cooled.