Christmas Goodies!

Okay, so I geek out for Christmas/Kwanzaa/Chanukah/Festivus - whatever. LOL!

Every year I make goodies for friends and neighbors. Some years I go savory, some years I go sweet, some years both. Depending on how much time and money I have. One year we fried turkey's for everyone, which was fun and memorable..but never again... Waaay too much work.

Anyways, this year, I feel like I'm cheating. The recipe I found was so easy, so inexpensive and so decadent, it seems too good to be true. But it's not!!! They're *awesome*.

Oreo Truffles:



- one package of Oreo cookies
- one 8 oz. package of Philadelphia cream cheese (room temperature)
- one bag of Girardelli dark chocolate melting morsels (not milk chocolate)
- one bag of Girardelli white chocolate melting morsels

Using a food processor, grind up the Oreos. You want a fine texture, similar to coffee. Fold in the Philadelphia cream cheese until well and evenly blended. Roll into balls about one to one and a half inch in size. Freeze for 10 to 15 minutes. While in freezer, melt chocolate in microwave. A bowl for the dark chocolate and bowl for the white chocolate. About one minute on high for each bowl, no lumps but a smooth, creamy texture...stir well before dipping. Remove the Oreo balls and dip, one at a time, in a bowl of chocolate. Set aside each truffle onto parchment or wax paper. Use the opposite color chocolate to drizzle on top of the truffles as decoration. Let it set.

Total time about 40 minutes. Refrigerate in an air-tight container until ready to use. Makes thirty truffles. So, so easy!

For gift-giving, I put mine in cute little boxes set in mini muffin liners. I'll post a pic later when I make a second batch. I forgot to take a pic of that part prior to delivery.

I'd love to hear what other members make around the holidays. To eat or share. I need ideas for next year...

Nice job, they look professionally made.

We usually do a holiday brunch at my house with all kinds of fun eats but most importantly a Bloody Mary bar.

originally posted by: AugustusMasonicus

but most importantly a Bloody Mary bar.

Oh Gawd - yes. LOL!

a reply to: kosmicjack

Nummies girl !!

I wrote down the recipe, I might give these a go if I have time before next week.

Thanks muchly !





So for I've made:

Whipped shortbread cookies
Thimball cookies
Lemon squares
Matrimonial cake
Mint chocolate chip brownies



Sorry, no pics... everything is in the freezer under lock and key until Christmas eve, and only I have the key (hubby has been sent to the doghouse once thus far for trying to rip it open with a crowbar... I kid you not !). The goodies are for us to pig out on throughout the Xmas to New Years week, as well as taking some to my neighbours as a treat during their dinner celebrations.

For gifts for various family and friends, this year I actually made scented candles (apple pie scent and cranberry orange scent) in cute little 1/2 pint mason jars... rather than baking up a storm like I usually do.

The candles were so easy to make, I think it's going to become my new gift giving tradition every year.

a reply to: CranialSponge

Do tell more about thimball cookies and matrimonial cake?

And scented candles!? I bow to your uber craftiness. Alas, I'm not crafty at all but a no-talent hack.

I have a neighbor who is so fun and crafty. I pronounce her name the way Jerry Seinfeld pronounces "Neuman!" Hand gesture and all.

>jealous<

LOL!

a reply to: kosmicjack

No craftiness needed to make these jar candles... no joke !

You would kick yourself for not making them all these years for how easy (and cheap) it is to make them... lack of creativity be damned !

I did the math and calculated that making these simple candles actually cost less than half of what it would have cost me to do a whole bunch of baking (not to mention a huge time saver). I made 8 jar candles in less than two hours (plus overnight curing time). And then spent another hour the next day decorating the jars with a ribbon and tag.



Thimball cookies are basically like a shortbread cookie, rolled into a ball, then rolled in chopped walnuts. You then push your thumb down in the center to make a small well in the middle, bake them, and then fill it with your favourite jam or jelly.




Matrimonial cake isn't actually a cake per se, it's a date square with an oats/butter/brown sugar crumble bottom and top layer. Even if dates aren't your gig... this square treat is to die for !





If you're interested, I can dig out my grama's recipes for you and post them here.

originally posted by: CranialSponge

Matrimonial cake isn't actually a cake per se, it's a date square with an oats/butter/brown sugar crumble bottom and top layer. Even if dates aren't your gig... this square treat is to die for !

If you're interested, I can dig out my grama's recipes for you and post them here.

I do have a recipe for a similar cookie, just called something different - "thumbprint" cookies here in the southern USA.

But I'd love the recipe for the matrimonial cake. Thanks! It sounds yummy.

a reply to: kosmicjack

Ah yes, I've heard them called 'thumbprint" cookies before, I guess we call it different up here, but they're the same thing.

Okay, I'll dig out the matrimonial cake recipe and post it... when I go back downstairs for another cup of joe in about a half hour (lol).

I think you'll enjoy the matrimonial squares - soft, moist, chewy buttery goodness.

Just typed 'oreo truffles cupcakes' in the search and saw this: Mint Oreo Truffles

Appears that she uses mint Oreos and green candy melts and they taste just like chocolate-covered Oreo cheesecakes...



Also see this search for lots more Oreo truffles ideas...

Also there are several YT vids on this:

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Those look beautiful and delicious! My husband asked me to try those this year, I just haven't gotten around to it yet.

I made some white chocolate peppermint popcorn that is pretty yummy (I'm playing it cool, here, it actually took every ounce of my self control to not devour the entire batch). Here's a link to the recipe I used.

My neighbor gifted me some stuff called Christmas Cookie Bark that was amazing too, I plan to make some of that as well. Christmas Cookie Bark

We'll be having several guests on Christmas, I want to make up a bunch of cutely decorated to-go dessert boxes for them! I might even do your oreo truffles recipe too!

a reply to: Murgatroid

Oooohh...I think I might try that in my next batch! The mint makes it extra Christmas-y. I think that I'll do both though, just to mix it up.

I'd like to try something else too - red velvet cake bite-sized mini muffins with cream cheese frosting and crushed peppermint sprinkles.

The icing uses confectioner's sugar and cream cheese. Sorry, no pic. I can't find a recipe on-line, it's an old magazine cut out I came across. I like to read several recipes before trying something, so I'm a bit nervous about giving it a go.

a reply to: MojaveBurning

You know if you are looking for a cute delivery presentation you can do a peppermint tray:

pizzazzerie.com...

Very easy. Very quick.

You can make any size or shape. Last year I did little six inch circles for individual gifts and rectangle trays for family gifts. I wrapped some slightly larger, same shape cardboard up in foil, put the peppermint tray on it for support (because the candy tray can be breaky) and then placed the food gift on the tray, wrapped it in cellophane and put a bow on it.

My annoyingly crafty neighbor taught me this. LOL! Dammit!

Hardest part is finding a bag of starlight mints at Christmas...that aren't broken.

Okay, here's the matrimonial cake recipe:

Crumb topping and bottom:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 1/2 cups quick oats
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt

Date filling:
1/2 lb of dates (about a heaping cup), roughly chopped into small pieces
1/2 cup cold water
2 tbsp brown sugar
1/2 tsp orange rind
2 tbsp orange juice
1 tsp lemon juice

For the topping/bottom: In a large bowl, mix flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Cut in your butter until you have pea sized crumbles. Spread 1/2 of the crumble mixture into a buttered 9x13 pan, and gently pat down until firm. Save the other half of the crumble to put on top.

For the date filling: In a saucepan, add in dates, water, orange rind, and sugar, bring to a slow boil over medium heat, stirring regularly until thick and smooth (about 10-15 minutes). Remove from heat and add in the orange and lemon juices - you can add in a little extra water or juices if the filling is too thick. Allow to slightly cool before spreading onto your crumb bottom.

Sprinkle the remaining crumb mixture on top of the date filling.

Bake at 350 for about 30-35 minutes or until just nicely golden brown. It's okay to slighty "underbake" these squares to make sure you don't "over brown" your crumb bottom and topping if you have a finicky oven.

Cut squares while still hot, and then let them completely cool in the pan before removing.

a reply to: CranialSponge

Hey thanks for taking the time to write that up. It sounds wonderful.

I actually prefer the Girardelli dark chocolate also...

She also has a golden oreo version that people are raving about on her blog as well.

One of the readers gave a good suggestion for the dipping:

I was having trouble keeping the white chocolate coating “pretty” too. Came up with this method which worked well for me: stick the tip of a chopstick into the frozen ball just enough to hold it there, spin the ball in the white chocolate to cover everything, then hold the chopstick vertically with the ball at the top and use the tines of a fork to lift the ball off the chopstick and set on your parchment paper. It keeps the smooth chocolate shell untouched, with only the bottom of the ball (which is hidden anyways) with any marks. Making these again today and will be using this easy method!

No-Bake Golden Oreo Truffles

Someone else mentioned using the seasonal gingerbread Oreos.

a reply to: Murgatroid

So glad to know about the toothpick trick - dipping was a touch tricky, especially with the white truffles and getting an even coat - without fork marks.

Thread subscribed.

I want to gorge on it all.

a reply to: zazzafrazz

Hey Crazy Cat Lady...your kitteh has nipped out. LoL!

a reply to: kosmicjack

I'm just off screen to the left in a pool of Oreo truffle crumbs.

Great Days
Great Days.