holiday.goodies

The Christmas holiday is right around the corner and many are traveling to see loved ones, as my husband is. But I'm left at home because it's my year to work the Christmas holiday. So the ones of us who will be working & delivering little miracles into the world have decided to have a Christmas celebration of our own. Everyone will be bring some kind of dish, appetizer or sweets and an ornament to exchange with a coworker. I signed up to bring a cheeseball, but I wanted to do something extra too... [see receipes below]

Cranberry & Cheddar Cheeseball
{adopted from Martha Stewarts cheeseball receipes}

8 oz block of cream cheese
8 oz shredded cheddard cheese
2 tbsp peach chutney
1 1/2 tbsp softened margarine
4 dashes of tabasco sauce
1/2 tsp worcestershire sauce
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp black pepper
few dashes of salt
1 cup dried cranberries chopped

Mix all above ingredients except cranberries in a medium size mixing bowl. Be sure all ingredients are well blended. If mixture is to soft at this point, let it stand in the refrigerator for an hour. Then roll into ball like form. Roll cheese ball in a bowl full of chopped dried cranberries to form a layer on outer surface of ball. Or be creative and make your cheeseball into something festive using the dried cranberries as decor.

Here's my ornament cheeseball:

 { funny story: my husband thought this was a real ornament when i sent him the picture & he came home looking for it on the tree! }

 

 

Chocolate Peppermint Pretzels

12oz bag of Hersheys Special Dark chocolate morsels (or any you prefer)
5 large candy canes crushed
your preference of pretzels (i like the mini ties)

Add 6 oz of chocolate morsels to a microwavable bowl. Microwave on 60% power for 30 second increments. Each time stir and add an ounce more of morsels. Do this until all morsels have been used and chocolate is smooth. Dip half of pretzel in chocolate, tapping extra off. Then lay on parchment paper. After doing several take time to sprinkle crushed peppermint over chocolate side. Once all pretzels are complete move to refridgerator to harden. Takes about 30 minutes.

Then they're ready to serve! Mmmm!

Hope everyone has a Merry Christmas Eve & Merry Christmas!!