Holiday Gifts

This holiday season, I decided to give my co-workers baked goods. Each box contained chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter blossoms and pretzel peanut bark. I must say these turned out very well and were appreciated by the recipients. I stocked up on holiday tins during the after Christmas sale and will do this again next year. Below are the recipes I used for the blossoms and bark. I must warn you the pretzel bark is insanely delicious and addictive.

Peanut Butter Blossoms

Recipe from Hershey's Kitchen

• 48 HERSHEY'S KISSES Brand Milk Chocolates
  
• 1/2 cup shortening
  
• 3/4 cup REESE'S Creamy Peanut Butter
  
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
  
• 1 egg
  
• 2 tablespoons milk
  
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  
• 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
  
• Granulated sugar
  
• Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates.
  
• Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; beat until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture.
  
• Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on ungreased cookie sheet.
  
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie; cookie will crack around edges. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 4 dozen cookies.
  

Pretzel Peanut Bark

Recipe from Paula Deen

• 18 (1-ounce) squares white chocolate
  
• 3 cups skinny pretzel sticks, broken into small pieces but not crushed, then measured
  
• 2 cups dry salted peanuts
  
  
• Line a rimmed cookie sheet with parchment or waxed paper.
  
• Melt the chocolate in a double boiler over simmering water until smooth, or melt in the microwave in a 2 quart glass dish. Microwave on high (100 percent) for 1 minute, stir, and microwave on high for 1 minute more. If necessary, microwave on high for 10 seconds more, and stir until the chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the pretzel pieces and peanuts. Stir well with a flexible spatula.
  
• Spoon onto the prepared cookie sheet, spreading the mixture out so that ingredients are relatively evenly distributed.
  
• Allow for the chocolate to cool for several hours or refrigerate for about 45 minutes, until firm. Break the bark into irregular pieces, like peanut brittle. Store in cookie tins, or package in Chinese food take-out cartoons lined with waxed paper.