Holiday baking and candy-making

I hope you had a break from your usual routine and had a chance to enjoy the Holidays. I had a chance to take a little time off to spend with family. I was also busy making cakes and candies though for all these family visits too! There is no way I can show up empty-handed or I could be in danger. :-P I had to take a day off of work to ensure I had time to get candy made for some Christmas gifts.

A family tradition each year are Ohio State Buckeye Candies...the perfect combination of chocolate and peanut butter. Here is a quick picture after dipping them and then another after I started to cover up the hole left by the toothpick.

Another candy I like to make and gift each year is Peppermint Bark! A quick and easy recipe and it is always a big hit. I found the recipe in a Martha Stewart book. The recipe is still available on her website here.

I also make puppy chow each year - I think that is MY favorite. Another favorite is a simple snack - peanut butter crackers - but then dipped in white chocolate, yum!

Here is a mix of all the candies together.

This year, at the request of my niece, cake pops were added to the mix. I used a spice cake with cream cheese icing.

I love the holidays and all the baking that comes with it, but now I need to get back on the treadmill to burn some of the calories from all the puppy chow I've eaten. :)

Happy Baking!