Salty all the way- Nuts and Bolts I only make them at Christmas and can't keep my paws off them.

I put doctor's orders on pause for the holidays dang high blood pressure. LOL

This post was edited by CLBlakey on Fri, Dec 21, 12 at 13:15

Hmmm. Chex mix. No, fudge. No, it's craftyrn's cuccidati.

This year, though, I've only made the fudge, I've been running about crazily and gotten pretty much nothing done. Plus, now with Madison and Jackson, we have two December birthdays too!

Annie

Annie, What is craftyrn's cuccidati?

Do you have a lot of snow up there? We have some snow and crazy wind! Great baking weather!!!!

Karen

I make cracklings. Cracklings and beer, wonderful treat.

The way I make crackling is basically fatless.

dcarch

Karen, craftyrn was a prior poster that I miss. Cuccidati is her version of Italian fig ookies, like a homemade fig newton, full of figs and nuts and orange. Amazingly yummy, I love them. good thing I didn't have time to make them!

Oh, and they are easier than they sound.

Annie

dcarch, Okay I want some of those cracklings along with the beer. Does it mail well????? LOL

Annie, I don't have time to make them this year but they sound really wonderful.

Karen

Normally during the holidays I crave plain old sugar cookies. This year, however, it's pretzel twists with the Rolo candies melted on top with a pecan half pushed into them. Oh my!

Pat, I forgot about those, they are so yummy and easy!
Nothing better than sweet and salt together.

Karen

If you like sweet and salty together, try Peppermint Bark Popcorn. I don't add the chocolate drizzle at the end.

Peppermint Bark Popcorn
Recipe by Our Best Bites

Ingredients
16 C popped popcorn* (fresh, or about 2 bags microwave popcorn)
1 lb almond bark
1 6 ounce box candy canes, crushed (about 1 generous cups, Bob's brand are best!)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint oil or 2 teaspoons peppermint extract**
3/4 cup semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips

*if you're using microwave popcorn, try to find an unbuttered or "natural" kind because this looks much prettier if the popcorn isn't bright yellow! Lightly salted is fine, I actually like a little salt in there, but avoid heavy buttered.

** If you can find flavored oils, like you would use for candy making, use them as they will best combine with the almond bark. If using extract, it's not unusual for it to cause the almond bark to seize, but just stir quickly and pour immediately on popcorn. Once distributed it will be just fine.

Instructions
Place popcorn in a very large mixing bowl.

Melt almond bark according to package instructions. When completely melted, add extract or peppermint oil. If using extract, it's normal for the almond bark to seize (get lumpy) which is okay, just stir very quickly, the more you wait the more it will seize.

Pour melted almond bark mixture over popcorn and pour crushed candy canes on top. Stir to evenly coat. Pour popcorn out onto waxed paper, parchment, or foil and spread out.

Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl and heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over popcorn mixture. Let mixture dry completely until chocolate and almond bark are hardened. You may place in the fridge to speed process along.

When chocolate is hardened, use your hands to break up popcorn into chunks. Toss in a bowl, a jar, a cute package, or in your mouth :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Peppermint Bark Popcorn

I like crunchy best.

Sweets for sure, esp if they involve chocolate. Though last year I did make the white choc chip, cranberry and macadamia nut cookies which were soooo yummy.

I've been going for the sweets, lately, even though I don't have much of a sweet tooth. I've been making cookies, and the one I've craved the most is Lar's Danish Butter Cookies. I make those every year. Normally, I'm strictly a chocolate person, but I make an exception for those and for Annie's Molasses cookies.

The recipes for both cookies have been posted here before, so I won't duplicate unless someone wants me to, and I'll be happy to re-post them.

Sally

Salt topped homemade caramels. Winter, having dry air, is the only time I get to indulge since here in the South the weather is quite humid most of the time. Same with Divinity - yeah for winter.

Nancy