I want to share with you the easiest Christmas treat ever! They are so quick and fun to make! This is one you can get the kids involved in! I got this from my mom who got it from a neighbor. I am not sure I like the name, matter of fact, I think they made it up….

If you have any good ideas, let me know and we will rename this yummy, fun holiday treat! As fast as I make these, they disappear!! I hope your family & friends enjoy them!.

INGREDIENTS: 1 bag of small pretzels, 2 bags of Rollo candies, 2 bags pecan halves

DIRECTIONS: Pre heat oven to 250. Take a large cookie sheet and cover it with foil or non stick spray. Lay out the pretzels & top with a Rollo. Bake for 4 minutes. Remove from oven, (note: the Rollo will not melt, they get soft but don’t melt) place 1 pecan half on the Rollo and push down into the pretzel. Let cool on the counter and then place in refrigerator for 10 min. This will help them to set. I like to let them set out at room temperature after that to let them get a little softer and chewy before I serve them.

This is the new favorite treat in our house this season. Let me hear from you!

We all have so many things to attend during this time of year: office parties, neighborhood get-togethers, Christmas parties, family gatherings, and the list goes on and on, and on! Sometimes, it may start to feel like we spend more time in the kitchen preparing for these blessed events (not to mention keeping track with all of our regular day to day duties) than we actually do enjoying the time with our friends and family. Have no fear - Katie’s Kitchen is here!

As you all know, I’m all about spending my precious time with the people I love the most and that means keeping things super simple in the kitchen. However, it just isn’t Christmas without special sweet treats! So, I’d like to share a few of my very favorite quick and easy holiday candies that will be huge hits at all your holiday activities - not to mention the perfect midnight snack when you’re up making those lists…and checking them twice!

What are some of your favorite quick and easy holiday treats? Let us know!!!

PEANUT BUTTER BARK

UTENSILS: 2 qt w/ Double Boiler, 2 Medium Mixing Bowls, 1 Large Cookie Sheet

INGREDIENTS:

2 Sticks Melted Butter, 6 Cups Graham Cracker Crumbs, 8 Cups Powdered Sugar, 4 Cups Crunchy Peanut Butter, 6 Cups Chocolate Chips, 2 Cup Butterscotch Chips, 4 TBSP Peanut Butter

INSTRUCTIONS:

Place 2″ of water in the 2 qt saucepan; pop the double boiler into the pan and add the chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, and 2 TBSP of Peanut Butter. Cover, whistle open, and cook on medium heat. When the whistle sounds (it will take longer than normal with the double boiler), uncover and stir. Recover and reduce the temperature to Medium low. Continue to cook for 7-10 more minutes or until the mixture is melted. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in one mixing bowl, combine the butter and graham cracker crumbs. Press into the bottom of the cookie sheet. You may need to add more butter - the mixture should be moist - to form a crust.

In the other mixing bowl, mix the crunchy peanut butter and the confectioner’s sugar until well blended. Spread the peanut butter mixture over the graham cracker crust.

When the chocolate mixture is completely melted, pour over the peanut butter layer and spread out evenly.

Place the cookie sheet in the refrigerator overnight to set up. The next day, remove and allow to stand at room temperature for about 20 minutes before cutting into bars.

7-LAYER COOKIE BARS

UTENSILS: Small Mixing Bowl, 14 x 10 baking pan

INGREDIENTS:

1 ½ cups Graham Cracker Crumbs, 1 Stick of Butter, 1 pkg Butterscotch Chips, 1 pkg Milk Chocolate Chips, ½ Pkg Heath Bar Pieces,  1 Cup Shredded Coconut, 1 Cup Walnuts (or Pecans), 1 Can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk

INSTRUCTIONS:
In the small mixing bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs and the melted butter. Press into the baking pan to form a crust.

Sprinkle on the Butterscotch Chips, Chocolate Chips, and Heath Bar pieces.

Pour on the can of Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk.

Sprinkle on the coconut and the walnuts.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes. Allow to cool completely before cutting.

CHOCOLATE OATMEAL NO-BAKE COOKIES

UTENSILS: 2 qt, Wax Paper

INGREDIENTS:

1 Cup of Peanut Butter,2 Cups Sugar, ½ tsp Vanilla,½ tsp Salt,½ Cup Evaporated Milk,¼ Cup of Cocoa,2 - 2 ½ Cups of Uncooked Oatmeal

INSTRUCTIONS:
Lay out several pieces of wax paper on a flat surface.

In the 2 quart saucepan, add the peanut butter. Heat on Medium Low until it melts. Add the sugar, vanilla, salt, evaporated milk, and cocoa. Stir on Medium heat until it begins to simmer (stir constantly to prevent scorching). Allow to simmer for 5-7 minutes (this is VERY important - the cookie won’t set unless the mixture simmers for at least 5 minutes!). Add the oats and mix well.

Gather the mixture by the Tablespoon and spoon onto the wax paper. Allow to set up for 2 hours before placing in an air-tight container.

CINNAMON CHIP OATMEAL COOKIES

UTENSILS: Medium Mixing Bowl, Electric Hand Mixer, Large Cookie Sheet, Cooling Rack

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup butter (2 sticks) - softened, 1 cup packed light brown sugar, ½ cup Granulated White Sugar, 2 eggs,k 1 ½ tsp Vanilla, 1 ½ Cups Flour, 1 tsp Baking Soda, 2 ½ Cup Quick Cook Oats, 1 ½ Cups Hershey’s Cinnamon Chips, ½ Cup Hershey’s Mini Chocolate Chips, ¾ Cup Raisins

NOTE: Cinnamon Chips are seasonal at some (not all) grocery stores - you may want to stock up when you find them. Otherwise, you can order a variety of different brands off the Internet - they are a MUST HAVE for holiday baking - they are fantastic in all sorts of muffins, breads, and cookies (especially Molasses Ginger Snaps!).

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350.

Beat Butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a bowl until creamy. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat well.

Combine the flour and the baking soda and then add it to the butter mixture, beating well to combine.

Stir in the oats, cinnamon chips, chocolate chips, and raisins - the batter will be stiff.

Drop by heaping teaspoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until they are lightly browned.

Let cool on a wire rack for 5-10 minutes before removing.

Yields 3 ½ to 4 dozen cookies.

Well, ladies, as I was rushing around running Christmas errands…shopping, getting things decorated, getting things together for my family, etc…I found myself just going through the motions of Christmas. Not until I had a moment to sit down in front of my window in my living room and look outside did I realize that Christmas is and should be so much more than hustle and bustle.

I know it sounds like a cliché but I found myself like Cindy Lou Who from The Grinch trying to find out what Christmas Spirit is/was. I have felt it before but over time, it sometimes goes away. I thought about giving and being grateful. I thought about life and family. Then, I began to have this warm and delightful feeling come to my heart…my heart was full of gratitude, love, and compassion.

I am most fortunate for my family. Not until my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer did I realize how quickly something could be taken away.  Now, she only has two more treatments and she will be done, YEAH!  Though the possibility was there that she could be taken from this life, I have found myself through this process. I have found how to be a better person, to treat others with respect, to serve others, to find happiness in life and to more importantly a way to love to love! I know it sounds crazy but I love to say “Love to Love.”

Don’t wait to realize there is one thing that has No Price, Can’t Be Taken From You, It Can Grow and Grow, and is it’s very nature to affect lives more than anything else: LOVE.  So, no matter what your status is in life, take the challenge of love to love.  It can and will change your life.  This, my dear friends is what Christmas Spirit is, a love to give and share. May this Christmas season bring you much Love and Happiness!

My special Tara’s Touch to help your busy holiday schedule is to share my favorite little goody to give the postman, trash man, teachers, neighbors etc.  That is Christmas Trail Mix; it is fast, good, and you will most definitely want to put this into your Christmas Goody Idea File! Enjoy!

May Your Days be Merry & Bright,

CHRISTMAS TRAIL MIX

INGREDIENTS/UTENSILS: 1 Gallon zip lock bag, 1 Large bag of Christmas M&M’s, 1 Large can of mixed nuts (or peanuts, your preference), 1 Large box of raisins

TO MAKE: Put all ingredients in the zip lock bag, seal it and shake it up. Now, this is very important, the key ingredient to making it with love, I like to sing the song: Shake, shake, shake senora, shake it all the time, shake, shake, shake senora, shake it all the time! I encourage you to sing - it’s good for the soul! Hehe!

TO DECORATE: Just put into a cute baggie & tie with a ribbon and put a gift tag! Ta-Dah!

I know we all love the quick and easy holiday favorites, but sometimes, Christmas just calls for a little extra effort to add those special touches that build traditions and memories for generations to come. Every year, my grandma gets Santa Claus cookies from an old-time favorite local baker. Each one is individually wrapped and is the treasure of our stocking stuffers. When we all see those cookies, our mouths start to water, and we just can’t wait to taste the sweet, buttery cookie that we all covet so very much - they really are the very best cookies ever!

This year, my grandma has moved in with my Aunt and Uncle and as it’s very far from our precious cookie baker, I’ve become disheartened at the thought of the absence of those cookies on Christmas morning! As this precious holiday wiggles its way closer down the calendar, I’ve begun to test and try my hand at those cookies and I think I’ve finally got it down! They’ve been such a special part of our family’s Christmas stocking stuffer tradition that I just can’t bear the thought of never tasting a Santa Cookie again and now I won’t have to!

I hope you take the time to make your family these special little treats this Christmas, and, who knows, you’ll probably start a Santa Cookie tradition of your own!

SANTA SUGAR COOKIES

UTENSILS: 2 Large Mixing Bowls, Electric Mixer, Rolling Pin, Plastic Wrap, Butter knife, 2 Large Cookie Sheets, Icing Decoration Kit (bag and tips)

INGREDIENTS:

COOKIES:1 ½ Cups Butter, 2 Cups White Sugar, 4 Eggs, 2 tsp All-Purpose Flour, 2 tsp Baking Powder, 1 tsp Salt

2/2/2/ ICING: (double for this recipe) 4 Cups Butter, Softened, 4 Cups Confectioner’s Sugar, 4 tsp Vanilla

DECORATION: Red food dye or Red Sugar Crystals, Mini Chocolate Chips, Red Hots, 1 Icing Bag, Scalloped Pipe Tip, Small Straight Writing Tip, and Mini-Marshmallows (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS:

**MAKE THE DAY BEFORE** ~ COOKIE DOUGH: In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill the dough for at least one hour (or overnight). ICING: Cream together the butter, sugar, and vanilla. Cover and allow to set up in the fridge over night.

TO BAKE:

Preheat the oven to 400. Roll out the dough on a floured surface ¼ to ½ inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. (we will use a Santa-Head shaped cookie cutter for this project - but you could use any shape for any occasion)

• Place the cookies 1 inch apart on a buttered cookie sheet.
• Bake 5-7 minutes and cool completely before icing.

TO DECORATE:

• Remove about 1 ½ cups of icing into a small mixing bowl; sprinkle the red food coloring in it and mix until it is crimson red. Use this icing for the hat. Using a butter knife, gently fill in the hat section of the cookie. Repeat on all cookies. (you could also use red sugar crystals to color the hat instead of dying the icing)
• Fill an icing bag with the reserved white icing and use a scalloped tip. Pipe on the hat trim and the ball at the end of the hat. (you can get creative here and use a mini marshmallow for the ball of the hat)
• Pipe on the beard, leaving a little space for the mouth section. Repeat this on all cookies.
• Change the tip to a straight dot tip. Make two small dots for eyes; place one mini chocolate chip on each dot to adhere it to the cookie.
• Make one small dot of icing for the nose; place a red hot on that dot to make the nose.
• In the moth section, make a small dot of icing for the mouth. Cut a red hot in half and adhere it to the dot to make the mouth. Repeat on all cookies.

Check back all next week for our Simplicity Gourmet’s Quick and Easy Homemade Holiday Treats!

Christmas Blessings,
Katie�

As the economic times are tough, it just makes more sense to “Go Green” with your Christmas gifts.  But the more I thought about it, it shouldn’t be just because times are tough. How wonderful would it be that instead of getting caught up in trying to buy the perfect gift you truly give a gift from the heart by giving a Go Green Gift (3XG).  Now this will take time and planning, but how meaningful a gift this gift will be?!?

I would love to have a Christmas were everything was handmade and I tried to recycle as much as I could.  It’s not only a cool idea but you would be challenging yourself and developing new talents.  Now, to me, this is worthwhile because you are getting a 2 for 1 deal (you learn new talents + you made a gift for someone for Christmas = 1 heck of deal) HA!  Seriously though, I am trying the 3XG this year for my husband’s work and for my friends.

I am making Christmas Trail Mix and Baking Pepperoni Rolls.  I am going to make the Christmas Trail Mix and use that as my cute little gift bag and then I will make the pepperoni rolls and put them in some foil and cover with some Christmas fabric.  Now, this will take me time but as my Mother-In-Law says, “There is no better way to a person’s heart than through their stomach” LOL!  I don’t know about you, but I am all about some Holiday Goodies!  Below are some other 3XG ideas for your Christmas this year!  Be Creative, Be Happy, and Be Green.  Enjoy!

*Homemade Dry Soup Mix in a Jar with Homemade Biscuits

(you have to make the biscuits before you take)

Friendship Soup Mix in a Jar

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup dry split peas
• 1/3 cup beef bouillon granules
• 1/4 cup pearl barley
• 1/2 cup dry lentils
• 1/4 cup dried onion flakes
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 1/2 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 cup uncooked alphabet pasta

DIRECTIONS

1. In a 1 1/2 pint jar, layer the split peas, bouillon, barley, lentils, onion flakes, Italian seasoning, rice, and bay leaves. Wrap the pasta in plastic wrap, and place in the jar. Seal tightly.
2. Attach a label to the jar with the following instructions: Friendship Soup ADDITIONAL INGREDIENTS: 1 pound ground beef, black pepper to taste, garlic powder to taste, 1 (28 ounce) can diced tomatoes - undrained, 1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste, and 3 quarts water. TO PREPARE SOUP: Remove pasta from top of jar, and set aside. In a large pot over medium heat, brown beef with pepper and garlic; drain excess fat. Add diced tomatoes, tomato paste, water, and soup mix. Bring to a boil, and then reduce heat to low. Cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Stir in the pasta, cover, and simmer 15 to 20 minutes, or until the pasta, peas, lentils and barley are tender.

*Homemade Coffee Table Runner

Take some of your old Christmas Placemats and sew them together and add some rick rack or fringe on it to make someone a vintage table runner.

*Homemade Christmas Cinnamon Candle

You will need to buy any size or shape candles, cinnamon sticks, raffia, craft glue, toothpicks.  You will first need to break the cinnamon sticks into equal lengths, about half the size of the candle. Then, apply craft glue to the back sides of the cinnamon sticks using a toothpick and carefully arrange them around the candle. Allow the glue to dry completely.  The second is to tie the raffia around the candle. This will secure the cinnamon sticks to the candle. Make a bow in the front of the candle with the raffia.