My MIL found the recipe that I had left at her house last year. Here it is for anyone that would like to try it: INGREDIENTS; Cookie Base: 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 3/4 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly 3/4 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar 2 tablespoons water 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups (9 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips TOPPING; 1 1/2 cups ( 9ounces) semisweet chocolate chips 3/4 cup (about 5 ounces) crushed peppermint candy ( crush with a rolling pin into smal pieces) DIRECTIONS: Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Have ready two baking sheets. Prepare the cookie base. In a medium bowl, stir the flour, baking soda and salt together. Sift the cocoa powder onto the flour mixture and set aside. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer on low speed, mix the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, water and vanilla until smooth, about 30 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing. Add the flour mixture, mixing just until the flour is incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips. Leaving a 3-inch border empty on all sides, use a thin metal spatula to spread half of the dough on one baking sheet into a rough rectangle that measures about 11 by 8 inches and is about 1'4 inch thick. Use the palms of your hands to help pat it into an even layer. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough on the second baking sheet. Bake one baking sheet at a time until the top looks dull, not shiny, and feels evenly firm at the edges and center, about 14 minutes. As soon as each baking sheet comes out of the oven, sprinkle 3/4 cup of the chocolate chips over the cookie slab. Let the chocolate chips sit for 5 minutes to soften and melt, then use a small metal spatula to spread the melted chocolate over the cookie, covering most of the cookie. While the chocolate is still warm. sprinkle half the peppermint candy evenly over the slab. Let the cookie bark cool on the baking sheets on a wire rack until the chocolate topping is firm, about 2 hours. Or, to speed the cooling, cool the cookies on the baking sheets for about 30 minutes, then refrigerate them, still on the baking sheets, just until the chocolate topping firms, then remove from the refrigerator. The cookie bark will become crisp as it cools. Break each cookie slab into about twelve 5 to 6 inch long irregular pieces. The cookies can be stored layered between sheets of wax paper in a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

We went to the International Chocolate Show in NYC two weekends ago and two trends were all over the place - dark chocolate combined with with various types of hot peppers and chocolate with ginger. It might just have been my taste but most of the chocolate/pepper products were barely edible. On the other hand, the ones with ginger were wonderful. We also saw and tasted many chocolates with green tea and wine as flavorings. We saw a cooking demonstration by pastry chef Jansen Chan of Oceana using chocolate and Grand Marnier and that's still a delicious combination. They were also introducing ideas for using a new vanilla flavored Grand Marnier. Bumblebeez, don't think of chocolate mousse as dated but rather as a revival of a classic, like South Pacific at the Lincoln Center Theater.

Check the first one below. Here is a link that might be useful: Candy Cane Pie

well, we do the traditional seven fish dinner on Christmas Eve for 27 people! Start with shrimp cocktail then the pasta: stuffed calamari in red sauce/gravy and anchovies sauteed in garlic, S&P, and evoo, both served over linguine... a red and white pasta then the fish course: crab imperial, scallops, smelts and salmon, this is served with garlic bread, an olive tray with mozzarella balls and roasted peppers, cooked greens, broccoli rabe & baked artichokes. then dessert: cannolis, red velvet cake, cheesecake, cookie trays and chocolate cream pie. coffee and espresso good wine served throughout!! For our Christmas dinner, just us 5 traditional thanksgiving dinner, but DH & DS want some beef, so they have filet steaks. dessert: leftover from the night before the feast of the seven fishes originated in southern italy and you can have 7, 9 12 or 13 fishes. from what i read and heard, there really is no set number. it can range from 7 for the days of the week or the seven sacraments. 9 im not sure, 12 - for the 12 apostles, 13 - for the 12 apostles and Jesus. you can have any type of fish, depending on availability. if anyone has any other info that would be great or if i am wrong, just let me know. i hope everyone has a peaceful and joyous holiday season. enjoy your family and make special memories to share with your future generations!!!