Common Cuisine |

• 12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
• 12 oz. white chocolate chips
• 1 tsp. peppermint oil
• 1/2 crushed peppermint candy (candy canes)

Line a jellyroll pan or cookie sheet with foil. Have a wooden spoon and a rubber spatula on hand.

In a double boiler, melt semisweet chocolate chips over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. As soon as it is fully melted, remove from heat and stir in peppermint oil. Pour mixture onto lined pan and use spatula to spread to about 1/4″ thickness. Place in refrigerator or freezer to harden.

Wash double boiler pot and utensils, and dry carefully. A drop of water can spoil a batch.

Melt white chocolate chips over medium heat, stirring constantly. Remove pan from freezer and pour white chocolate on top. Spread quickly. Sprinkle crushed candy over top. Return to freezer.

When hard, break bark into 1″ x 2″ pieces. Makes 1-1/2 pounds bark.

from the kitchen of Valerie Mace

• ½ C flour
• ½ C butter, melted
• 2 Tbsp cocoa
• ½ C powdered sugar
• ½ C pecans, chopped
• ½ jar fudge topping
• 1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese
• 1 C powdered sugar
• 1 C cool whip
• 2 C milk
• 2 pkgs instant pudding (any chocolate flavor)
• 1 C. cool whip
• Chocolate shavings

Preheat oven to 350.

Mix flour, butter, cocoa, ½ C powdered sugar and pecans in medium bowl. Spread evenly in 9 x 13 dish. Bake 15 minutes. Cool completely.

Mix pudding powder and milk, and set aside.

Spread fudge topping over crust. Combine cream cheese, 1 C powdered sugar, pudding mixture and cool whip, and gently mix. Spread evenly over fudge topping.

Top with final 1 C cool whip and chocolate shavings.

from the kitchen of Brandee Faughn

• ½ C butter, melted
• ½ C peanut butter
• ½ C granulated sugar
• ½ C brown sugar
• 1 egg
• ½ tsp vanilla
• 1 ¼ C flour
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375.

Cream together butters and sugars. Add egg and vanilla, then dry ingredients. Beat well.

Roll dough into balls, then create criss cross pattern with fork, and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake for 8 minutes.

from the kitchen of Gracie Hinton

• 1 C light brown sugar
• ½ C shortening
• 1 egg
• 1 ½ Cups flour
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 C chopped unpeeled apple
• Whole pecan halves (optional)

Cream together sugar and shortening. Beat in egg. Sift together dry ingredients and add to mixture. Beat until well blended. Stir in apples. Drop in the shape of a ball on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle cinnamon and pecan on top.

from the kitchen of Gracie Hinton

• 2 ½ C sifted flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice
• ½ C sort shortening
• 1 ¼ C brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 28oz can pumpkin
• 1 C chopped walnuts
• 2 pkgs (12 oz ea) semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 ½ C quick cooking oats
• butterscotch morsels (optional)
• Heath Bar crumbs (optional)

Cream shortening. Add sugar and eggs one at a time. Add pumpkin and mix well. Stir in all dry ingredients, then oats. Gradually stir in nuts and chocolate chips. Drop by Tablespoons on greased cookie sheet. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes. Sprinkle butterscotch morsels and Heath Bar crumbs on top.

from the kitchen of Wendy Patranella

• 1 pkg yellow cake mix
• 1 C chunky peanut butter
• 1/2 C butter, melted
• 2 large eggs
• 1 C (1 oz) semisweet chocolate morsels
• 1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl. Beat a medium speed with electric mixer 1-2 minutes. Press half of mixture into bottom of ungreased 9 x 13 pan. Bake for 10 minutes; remove from oven.

Sprinkle with chocolate morsels and drizzle with condensed milk. Sprinkle with remaining cake mixture.

Return to oven for 30 minutes. Let cool, and cut into bars. Makes 24 bars.

This kid-friendly treat is a beautiful jewel on a plate of homemade cookies, and is so full of fruit and nuts it could practically count as a serving of fruit.

• 1 C dried dates
• 1 C golden raisins
• 1/2 C dried cranberries
• 1/2 C dried apricots
• 1 Tbsp Orange Juice
• 1/2 C white chocolate chips
• 1/2 C walnut pieces
• Granulated sugar

In a food processor, place dates, raisins, cranberries and apricots. Pulse several times until fruits are well chopped. Add Orange Juice to help with mixing.

Add white chocolate and nuts to mixture. Pulse a few more times until mixture has a slightly chunky consistency.

Roll mixture into 1″ balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar.

Serve in individual candy cups. Makes about 40 sugar plums.