Here's a couple simple things that sell like hot cakes at our craft shows; Diane's Home Cookin 4.8 Chapter: Candy White Trash =========== 3 Cup chex type cereal 3 Cups cheerios type cereal 2 Cups salted Peanuts 1-1/4 Pounds White Dipping Chocolate (melted) . Mix first 3 ingredients. Pour melted white chocolateover mixture-toss to coat. Spread into waxed paper and cool. Break up clumps. I package this in sandwhich sized ziplock baggies & sell for $1.25---also do Moose Droppings Buy a lrg bag of caramel popcorn from the bulk section of groc store---melt a bag of chocolate dipping wafers & toss with the caramal popcorn-spread out to cool & break up clumps--package & sell like the White Trash. WE also do plain white popcorn ( salted) covered with melted white chocolate & use the colored candy coating wafers to do brown, orange & yellow at our Fall shows, white-- green & red at our Christmas shows. And small ziplock bags (3 x 4 inches)of Tiger Bark sell well at $1.25 Diane's Home Cookin 4.8 Chapter: Candy Tiger Bark =========== 1 Cup milk chocolate chips 2 Cups (12 ounces) vanilla milk chips or almond bark 2 Cups peanut butter chips 1/2 Cup chopped peanuts . Line jellyroll pan with foil. In microwave, melt 3 types of chips separately, stirring until smooth. Pour melted peanut butter chips into prepared pan, spreading level. Sprinkle on peanuts. Pour melted vanilla and chocolate chips on top, drizzling each randomly. To marbleize, use knife to pull through chocolate in wide curves. Refrigerate until set. Break into pieces.

Some of my personal favorites: SNICKERS FUDGE Bottom Layer: 1 cup milk chocolate chips (6 oz.) 1/4 cup butterscotch chips 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter Filling: 1/4 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1/4 cup evaporated milk 1-1/2 cups marshmallow cream 1/4 cup peanut butter 1 tsp. vanilla 1-1/2 cups chopped salted peanuts Caramel Layer: 14 oz. pkg. caramels 1/4 cup whipping cream Icing: 1 cup milk chocolate chips (6 oz.) 1/4 cup butterscotch chips 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter Combine the first 3 ingredients in a small saucepan; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Spread onto the bottom of a lightly greased 13X9X2 in. pan. Refrigerate until set. For filling, melt butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat. Add sugar and milk. Bring to a boil; boil and stir for 5 min. Remove from heat; stir in the marshmallow crème, peanut butter and vanilla. Add peanuts. Spread over first layer. Refrigerate until set. Caramel Layer: Combine caramels and cream in a saucepan; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Spread over the filling. Refrigerate until set. Icing: In another saucepan, combine chips and peanut butter; stir over low heat until melted and smooth. Pour over the caramel layer. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Cut into 1 in. squares. Store in the refrigerator. Recipe from Kellie at NanaÂs Kitchen. SPICY WALNUT BRITTLE 1 cup sugar 1/2 cup light corn syrup 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 1 tsp. margarine or butter 1 tsp. vanilla 1 tsp. baking soda MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS: Butter cookie sheet. In 8-cup microwave-safe measuring cup or medium microwave-safe bowl, combine sugar and corn syrup; mix well. Microwave on HIGH for 4 minutes. Stir; microwave on HIGH for 3 to 5 minutes or until light brown. Stir in walnuts, cinnamon, margarine and vanilla until well blended. Microwave on HIGH for 1 minute. Add baking soda; stir until light and foamy. Pour onto buttered cookie sheet. Cool 30 minutes or until hardened. Break brittle into pieces. Store in tightly covered container. Recipe posted at NanaÂs Kitchen by MsFitz 5/21/03.

I usually start making cookie dough now and then freeze it until a few days before I bake when I remove it from the freezer and place it in the fridge to thaw. I wrap each dough in wax paper, then place it in a zip lock freezer bag. You can place more than one in a bag and label each dough. I've kept them frozen for several months before baking them and they turned out fine. I don't recommend that for special occasions, but for your own use they should be fine. I included a note in the recipe that I don't put in the freezer; they might be OK, we just haven't tried it with that particular cookie. Basically, butter-based cookie recipes do well in the freezer. Cranberry Lemon Cookies A wonderful cookie I discovered at Gail's Recipe Swap. It is now one of the "must have" cookies in our family at Christmas time. They freeze well, but you should thaw them before you frost them. * 1/2 C butter * 1/2 C sugar * 1/3 C brown sugar * 1/2 tsp. lemon zest * 1 egg * 2 tsp. vanilla * 1 C flour * 1 tsp. baking powder * 1/2 tsp. cinnamon * 1-1/2 C chopped pecans (I use walnuts) * 1-1/2 C chopped fresh cranberries Cream butter, sugars, and lemon zest. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and cinnamon. Gradually beat into butter mixture. Stir in nuts and cranberries. Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart on greased baking sheets. Bake at 350F for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden. Let cool slightly before removing to cooling racks. Frost when cool. ICING: Whisk together 1 C confectioner's sugar, 2 Tbsp milk, and 1/4 tsp. lemon zest. *********************************************** Walnut Acorn Cookies Hubby remembers his mom making these cookies when he was a kid in Ohio, and it remains as one of the "must have" Christmas cookies in his family. * 1 C melted butter * 3/4 C brown sugar, firmly packed * 1 C finely chopped walnuts (chop first, then measure 1 cup) * 1 tsp. vanilla * 2-3/4 C sifted all-purpose flour * 1/2 tsp. baking powder * 1 C (6 oz.) semi-sweet chocolate chips Stir together melted butter, brown sugar, 3/4 C walnuts and vanilla. Sift flour with baking powder and stir into butter mixture; blend well. [At this point, I let it cool then wrap it in waxed paper and then a freezer bag and keep in the fridge until ready to bake. Let come to room temperature before forming into cookies.] Shape cookies by pressing dough firmly into a teaspoon (not a measuring spoon), slightly mounding the dough to form the shape of an acorn. Be sure the dough is firmly formed on the spoon. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet in 375F oven about 13 minutes, until light golden brown. Cool. Meanwhile, melt chocolate over warm water in double boiler. Dip large end of cookie in melted chocolate, then in remaining walnuts. Cool on wax paper. Store in air-tight containers. Makes 4-5 dozen cookies. **************************************************** Mexican Wedding Cakes A tender, buttery cookie rolled in powdered sugar. * 1 C softened butter * 1/4 C confectioner's (powdered) sugar * 1/8 tsp. salt * 2 tsp. vanilla * 2 C sifted flour * 1 C chopped pecans or toasted almonds Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add salt, vanilla, flour and nuts; blend well. Shape into roll, 1-1/2" in diameter. Wrap in wax paper and chill. Slice in 1/4" slices and shape. Place on ungreased cookie sheet, bake in 400F oven 6-8 minutes for slices, 8-10 minutes for balls. Roll in confectioner's sugar while still warm. ************************************************* Happy baking! :-) Jen

I usually post on The Diet Chat, but since these aren't diet-friendly LOL, I am posting them here. They are quick and easy and look good. PECAN CARAMEL BROWNIE CUPS 18-22 individually wrapped choc. covered caramels (Milky Way Chocolate Covered Caramels work best!) Mini-fluted foil or paper baking cup liners ½ C butter (1 stick) 3 ounces unsweetened chocolate, chopped (I use the pre-melted NestléÂs*) 1 C sugar 1 tsp. vanilla 2 large eggs ½ C flour ¼ tsp. salt Pecan halves 1 bar (1.55 oz.) milk chocolate (optional) 1. Preheat oven to 350º F. Unwrap caramels and cut each in half with sharp knife. Line mini muffin tins with paper or foil liners. (Make sure to use liners in muffin cups; brownies will stick to pan, even if well greased.) 2. In large microwave-safe bowl, melt butter with unsweetened chocolate in microwave oven on High 1 minute; stir until smooth. (*30 sec. On high if using the pre-melted choc.) 3. With wire whisk, beat sugar, vanilla and eggs into melted chocolate mixture until blended. Whisk in flour and salt until smooth. Spoon batter by rounded measuring teaspoons into prepared muffin-pan cups. Top each with a caramel half and a pecan half (or quarter), lightly pressing caramel into the batter. 4. Bake brownie cups 10-12 minutes or until brownies are firm when lightly pressed. Do not over cook or they will be dry. Cool brownies in pan on wire rack 10 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on rack. 5. In microwave-safe cup, melt milk chocolate in microwave oven on High 45 seconds; stir until smooth. Cool slightly. Place brownies on wax paper lined cookie sheet. Pour milk chocolate into small self-sealing plastic bag. Snip 1 corner to make a 1/16-inch opening and drizzle chocolate over brownies. Refrigerate brownies 30 minutes or until chocolate is set. Store brownies in tightly covered container, with waxed paper between layers, at room temperature up to 1 week, or in freezer up to 3 months. Makes 36  44 mini brownie cups. You could melt white chocolate to drizzle over the top to give them a different look. Or tint the white chocolate green or red for a festive look.