Peanut Butter Truffle Brownies

Start to Finish: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients:   


Brownie Base:

1 box (1 lb 6.5 oz) brownie mix

Water, vegetable oil, and eggs called for on brownie mix box

Filling:

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

2 cups powdered sugar

2 teaspoons milk

Topping:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1/4 cup butter

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease bottom only of 13X9 inch pan with cooking spray or shortening.
2. In a medium bowl, stir brownie mix, pouch of chocolate syrup (if included), water, oil, and eggs until well blended. Spread in pan. Bake 28 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 2 inches from side of pan comes out almost clean. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
3. In medium bowl, beat filling ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Spread mixture evenly over brownie base.
4. In small microwaveable bowl, microwave topping ingredients uncovered on high 30 to 60 seconds. Stir until smooth. Cool 10 minutes; spread over filling. Refrigerate about 30 minutes or until set. Cut into squares. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Notes: I made this as one of the first treats this Christmas season and by the time we had the other treats ready to hand out these were almost gone. They are really good.

Servings:36

Estimated Price: $4.50

Source: www.bettycrocker.com
Nutrition Facts per serving: 203 cal., 11.9 g total fat (4.7 g sat. fat), 104 mg sodium, 23.1 g carbo., 2.4 g pro. Daily Values: 3% vit. A, 2% calcium, 3% iron

Christmas Crunch

Start to Finish: 20 minutes
 

Ingredients:

1 (24 oz) package white bark coating

1 box of Corn Chex

1 large bag of mini pretzels

1 large jar of salted dry roasted peanuts

1 package of plain M&Ms (you can use the holiday varieties at any time of the year)

Directions:

1. Cover a large space of your counter space with wax paper and tape it down.

2. In a very large bowl combine the Chex, pretzels, peanuts, and M&Ms. You might have to work in smaller batches if you can't fit everything in one bowl with room to mix. Dump the peanuts and M&Ms in last so they don't all sink to the bottom.

3. In a smaller bowl melt your bark coating in the microwave in 30 second intervals and stir in between. Don't let it go for too long at once or it will scald and you will have to toss it out and start over. 

4. When the bark coating is melted, gently pour into the larger bowl and toss with the dry ingredients. You can adjust the amount of coating you use based on your preference. 

5. Working quickly, dump the mixture out onto your wax paper and spread out a thin layer to dry. Once it is dry, break it into pieces and store in an airtight container or divide into decorative cello bags to give away.

Variations: You can use anything you want to substitute in this mix - Cheerios, Reese's Pieces, butterscotch chips, chocolate chips, etc. Be creative!

Notes: This is REALLY good. I may just bypass making all treats and just make this to give away for Christmas. It is extremely easy to make and absolutely delicious. It also really does make a lot. I had to half the recipe with the biggest bowl I had (which was pretty big) and store it in 4 separate medium sized bowls to have enough room.

Servings: 42

 

Estimated Price: $9.00

Nutrition Facts per serving: 309 cal., 14.3 g total fat (6.2 g sat. fat), 346 mg sodium, 39.7 g carbo., 2.2 g fiber, 7 g pro. Daily Values: 4% vit. A, 4% vit. C, 10% calcium, 26% iron

Oreo Truffles

Start to Finish: 1 hour 30 minutes
 

Ingredients:

1 (16 oz) package oreo cookies, divided

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese

2 (oz) packages semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted

Directions:

1. Crush 9 of the cookies to fine crumbs in food processor; reserve for later use. (Cookies can also be finely crushed in a resealable plastic bag with a rolling pin).

2. Crush remaining 36 cookies to fine crumbs; place in medium bowl.

3. Add cream cheese; mix until well blended. (Should appear smooth, like cookie dough).

4. Roll cookie mixture into 42 balls, about 1-inch in diameter.

5. Melt chocolate according to directions on package (microwave is easiest).

6. Dip balls in chocolate; place on wax paper covered baking sheet. (Any left over chocolate can be stored at room temperature for later use).

7. Sprinkle with reserved cookie crumbs.

8. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour. Store leftover truffles, covered, in refrigerator.

Variations: Use mint or peanut butter oreos.

Notes: Rich and full of chocolate, but delicious.

Servings: 42

Estimated Price: $5.00

Nutrition Facts per serving: 127 cal., 7.1 g total fat (3.8 g sat. fat), 77 mg sodium, 14.3 g carbo., 0.7 g fiber, 1.8 g pro. Daily Values: 2% vit. A, 3% calcium, 4% iron

Peanut Butter Balls

Start to Finish: 2 hours 30 minutes

Ingredients:
1 Cup Butter or Margarine

1 Lb. Confectioners Sugar 

1 Lb. Peanut Butter

12 oz Chocolate Chips

1/3 Bar Paraffin

Directions:Stir together butter, powdered sugar, and peanut butter. Form into balls and refrigerate. Melt together chocolate chips and paraffin into double boiler. Dip balls in chocolate mixture using toothpicks. Put balls on waxed paper and refrigerate.

Variations: Chunky or crunchy peanut butter. You can drizzle with white chocolate and sprinkle for more decoration as well.

Notes: This is my husbands favorite. Every Christmas he gets excited when I start making the peanut butter balls.

Servings: 48

Estimated Price: $5.00

Source: High Family Cookbook
Nutrition Facts per serving: 164 cal., 10.7 g total fat (4.9 g sat. fat), 76 mg sodium, 15.5 g carbo., 0.8 g fiber, 3 g pro. Daily Values: 3% vit. A, 2% calcium, 2% iron