dana's favorite things: christmas 2010 #11

christmas yum-yums.

whether its giving or receiving, holiday goodies are always welcomed. and hey, everyone expects everyone to pack on a little "winter insulation", so indulge a little. it only comes once a year!

here's some treats i got from one of my neighbors. i have only talked to her once (to apologize for my dogs bombarding her dog), but she made us some treats. it was so sweet! and they were oh so good!

the white pretzel things are (what i can guess anyway): white chocolate bark containing crushed m&ms and pretzels. mmm! the brownies have (top to bottom): brownie, ooey gooey fudge, marshmallow, more brownie, and then pecans. heavenly.

and so sweetly presented! thanks joe and carlee!

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here's a recipe for one of my favorite treats: holidays or any other time of year. every time i make them they are gone in an instant. they are very easy (but very tedious--not something to throw together in an hour).

oreo balls:

step 1: take one package of oreos and dump the whole thing in a food processor (or take 2 trips to the blendor). or if you're like me and have neither, you triple-walmart bag it, put on your cowboy boots, and stomp those suckers into a fine power. see above.


step 2: take one package of softened cream cheese and add to oreo "powder"

step 3: mix cream cheese and oreo "powder" until you have one giant lump of oreo "dough"


step 4: roll the dough into millions of tiny balls, about the size of quarters (ok so it's not a million, but it feels like it!). place the dough balls in the frig or freezer until the next step is ready

step 5: while your balls are cooling off in the frig (no snickering, please!) double boil or microwave chocolate of your choice. white chocolate is in the classic recipe, but i've done white, dark, and milk. they're all great. note: if your makeshift double boiler isn't quite fool-proof, just mircowave them on half-power. i got water in my mixture, and water in chocolate ruins it...found that out last night.

step 6: remove the dough balls from their cooling place. they should be firm so that they stay on a toothpick without sliding off (very important). spear yourself a ball, dip it in your melted chocolate, and place on non-stick foil or wax paper to dry. it's best to promptly remove your toothpick to prevent cracking (as seen above). for whatever reason, white chocolate dries harder than others.

step 7: enjoy!

merry christmas! we're getting closer!