Peanut Butter Snowballs

2 c powdered sugar
1 c creamy peanut butter
6 Tbs softened butter
1 pound white or milk chocolate almond bark 

Combine sugar, peanut butter and butter, mix well and form into 1 inch balls. Place on wax paper and chill until firm. Meanwhile melt almond bark over a double boiler, dip peanut butter balls in a few at a time keeping remaining ones chilled. Let set on wax paper.

Snowman Cocoa

Snowmen in a jar!
An easy cute gift for the holidays!
Click HERE for more photos and this recipe
and click HERE for more recipes for cocoa

Double Chocolate Cherries

Drain 1 10 oz jar of maraschino cherries with stems over a colander for one hour. Then place on paper towels to finish drying.
 Fondant
3 Tbs butter, softened
2 Tbs light corn syrup
1 oz unsweetened chocolate melted or 1 tsp cocoa
2 tsp half and half, milk or cream
2 c powdered sugar
Cream butter, corn syrup, chocolate and half and half until smooth.
Add powdered sugar, mix in and then knead until smooth. Shape a spoon full (about 1/24 of mixture) around cherry and place on wax paper. When cherries are covered refrigerate 1-2 hours.
Dipping
When ready to dip, chop 1 pound of almond bark  or use 2 bags of Wilton candy melts  and melt over double boiler or in microwave, Dip cherries and return to wax paper, let set, drizzle with extra chocolate.
Tip- reserve cherry juice and add to hot cocoa.

Home made Vanilla and Cranberry Liqueur

 Holiday gift giving or for your own cooking you can make your own vanilla and liqueur with ease.
Cranberry Liqueur
Heat 3/4 c sugar with 3/4 c water until dissolved, set aside to cool.
Finely chop 2 c whole fresh cranberries
Add sugar water and cranberries to 2 c vodka and place in jar or bottle, seal and store in cool dark cupboard shaking every other day. Allow at least 3 weeks until use.

 Vanilla
Split one large vanilla bean lengthwise and add to approx. 2 c vodka.
Shake a few times a week and allow 10-12 weeks. You will see the vanilla grow darker until it reaches a rich color. Photo below is about 4 weeks in for the vanilla and the very day liqueur was made.

Vanilla beans will be sold at better grocery stores or in a natural foods section. They are usually around $3.00 each. Bottles were purchased at TJ Max.
Here is an online source for bottles -Specialty Bottles.

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