Christmas Traditions!

I LOVE CHRISTMAS!!! I could live at the North Pole, work for Santa and be the happiest person in the world!!! I can't get enough of Christmas. I start planning the week after for the following year...yeah ok so that's a bit much, but hey....it's one of my secret indulgences.

Now that I have kids, I am trying to keep some of the traditions that I remember growing up. Especially the baking!!! I LOVE CHRISTMAS BAKING!! It's the only time of year that I do mass baking and instead of freezing it, it goes right into the cookie jar or on to a Christmas themed serving plate and on the table. This year, I have decided to just do a small amount of baking, since I am not having the Turkey dinner at the house there really won't be that many people around and with my Cruise and trip to Mexcio less thatn 3 months away, I don't want to indulge to much and have to work overtime on the treadmill or live at the gym!

This year when deciding what to make, I obviously inculded homemade Nuts & Bolts. I use the same recipe that Aunty Janelle uses. It never fails. It fills my large roasting pan, and even though you can freeze it or store it in tupperware type containers to keep for awhile, it never lasts more than a week or so around my house. My kids and husband LOVE it!

The recipe calls for:

1 box of Cheerios

1 box of Shreddies

1 bag of Peanuts (I use Planters Salted Cocktail Peanuts)

1 bag of Preztels (I use Rold Gold Sticks)

1 cup of butter or margarine

2 tbsp Seasoning Salt

1 tbsp Onion Powder

1 tsp Garlic Powder

Mix Cheerios, Shreddies, Peanuts & Pretzels in large roasting pan. In saucepan melt butter, add seasoning salt, onion powder, garlic powder and stir until mixed together/almost dissolved. Pour over Cheerio mix. Roast in oven at 250 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, mixing every 20 mins. I like Aunty Janelle, double the seasoning recipe (including the butter) to get more flavor.

Also this year when searching for things to bake, I came across a Betty Crocker Recipe for Layered Peanut Butter Bars....anything with peanut butter and chocolate is AWESOME and this recipe does not disappoint!

Cooke Base:
1pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® peanut butter cookie mix
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 tablespoon water
1 egg

Filling:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups powdered sugar
2 teaspoons milk

(sorry I forgot to take a picture of what it looked like before the Chocolate went on top)

Frosting
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup butter

1.Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.
2.In large bowl, stir all Cookie Base ingredients until soft dough forms. Press dough in bottom of pan using floured fingers. Bake 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3.In small bowl, beat all Filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over cookie base.
4.In microwavable bowl, microwave all Frosting ingredients on High 30 seconds; stir until smooth. (I used a quick double boiler becuase my microwave died last week and we haven't bought a new one)Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until set. For bars, cut into 9 rows by 4 rows.

(adapted from Betty Crocker)

THESE BARS ARE AWESOME!! THEY TASTE JUST LIKE A PEANUT BUTTER CUP!!! They are defniatley on my list of things to make over and over again!

ENJOY!!!

MERRY CHISTMAS EVERYONE!!!

UPDATE: I AM NOW HAVING CHRISTMAS DINNER AT MY HOUSE....SOOO MORE BAKING AND COOKING IS NOW IN ORDER......!!