Valentine’s Day White Chocolate Lovers: White Chocolate Dried Cherry Pistachio Bark

This three ingredient recipe was one I made for Christmas, but since there are so many white chocolate fans, I thought I would feature it again for Valentine’s Day. It’s so easy, quick and delicious. It also can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three weeks. I used Nestle semisweet morsels, and it worked great! Happy Valentine’s Day! Enjoy!

Dried Cherry and Pistachio Bark

Feel free to double or triple this recipe.

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 1 minute

Yield: 11/2 pound

Ingredients

1 (12-ounce) package white chocolate morsels or any white chocolate

1 cup pistachio nuts, shells removed and toasted

1 cup dried cherries or cranberries

Preparation

1. Place white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl, covered with wax paper on HIGH 1 to 2 minutes or until melted, stirring once. Add pistachios and cherries, stirring well. Spread on large baking sheet covered with parchment paper.

2. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break bark into pieces. Store in a tightly sealed container in refrigerator up to 1 month. Pack in decorative boxes or tins lined with wax tissue paper or colored cellophane for gift giving.

Christmas Cake-Eggnog Rum Cake

My family really loves eggnog-even the kids! Last year, I developed an Eggnog Pound Cake, and they loved it. This year, I was asked to do another pound cake for a party, but I got so swamped with kids, work, holiday parties, after-school activities and more work, I decided to attempt to create a recipe using a boxed cake mix. I had 1 1/2 hours before the party, and I threw this together, and it worked like a charm. I used dark rum (and 1/2 cup seems like a lot), but the cake was very moist, flavorful and delicious. I hope you will enjoy this simple cake as much as they did at our holiday party.

Eggnog Rum Cake

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 65 minutes

Yield: Makes 16 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons butter, softened

1/2 cup sliced almonds

1 (18.25-ounce) package yellow cake mix

1 cup eggnog

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup run

3 eggs

1/2 teaspoon nutmeg

Preparation

1. Heat oven to 325F. Grease a 12 cup Bundt pan with 2 tablespoons butter. Press almonds on bottom and sides of pan.

2. In a large mixing bowl, mix all remaining ingredients. Mix on medium speed 2 minutes. Carefully spoon into prepared pan.

3. Bake at 325F for 55 to 65 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan; cool completely on wire rack.

Christmas and Hanukkah Homemade Gifts-Chocolate-Covered Popcorn

Since the White Chocolate Popcorn recipe was so popular, I thought I would try it with a mixture of milk chocolate and semisweet. It turned out even better than I thought. “Fabulous”, said some of my friends. Everyone will love receiving this food gift, but make plenty because once you start eating it, you won’t be able to stop.

Chocolate Popcorn

Feel free to double this recipe.

Prep: 5 minutes

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients

1 /2 (12-ounce) package milk chocoolate morsels (I used Nestle Milk Chocolate Morsels)

1/2 (12-ounce) package semisweet chocolate morsels (I used Nestle Milk Chocolate Morsels)

6 cups popcorn (popped without salt or fat)

Preparation

1. Place chocolate morsels in a microwave-safe bowl on HIGH 1 to 2 minutes or until melted, stirring once. Combine chocolate and popcorn in a large mixing bowl, tossing gently. Spread mixture on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper; refrigerate until chocolate gets hard. Store in an airtight container.

Two Ingredient Food Holiday Gift Idea-White Chocolate Popcorn

Caramel popcorn can be a popular holiday gift. We usually receive several tins of it every year, and my kids devour it. As a Recipe Developer, I sometimes try to take a popular concept and give it a new twist. Since I had some extra white chocolate on hand, I thought I would develop a simple new recipe for White Chocolate Popcorn, and it worked great! This recipe takes no time at all and has only two ingredients. Best, of all, there’s hardly any mess.

White Chocolate Popcorn

Feel free to double this recipe.

Prep: 5 minutes

Yield: 6 cups

Ingredients

1 (11-ounce) package white chocoolate morsels (I used Ghiradelli white chocolate or Nestle Milk Chocolate Morsels)

6 cups popcorn (popped without salt or fat)

Preparation

1. Place white or milk chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl on HIGH 1 to 2 minutes or until melted, stirring once. Combine chocolate and popcorn in a large mixing bowl, tossing gently. Spread mixture on a large baking sheet covered with parchment paper; let cool and store in an airtight container.

Homemade Food Gifts-Chocolate Butterscotch Bar Cookie Mix

Homemade treats and gifts are so comforting during the holidays, and who wouldn’t love a gift that looks like this? I made a few of these, and everyone went nuts over them. I couldn’t make them fast enough. Not only is this the easiest gift in the world to make, but the finished product is beyond awesome (and when I say that, it’s good). You can find one-quart jars almost anywhere, but if you’re having trouble, check Walmart or your local grocery store. These recipes can be made ahead, and don’t forget to make a few extra batches to keep on hand for family munching, drop-in guests, or any time of the year.

Chocolate Butterscotch Bars

Prep: 5 minutes

YIeld: 3 dozen

Ingredients

11/2 cups graham cracker crumbs

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels

2 cups (12 ounces) butterscotch morsles

1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Preparation

1. Layer all ingredients in a 1-quart jar in order given; tightly seal. Makes 1 gift jar.

Chocolate Butterscotch Bar Cookies: Combine Chocolate Butterscotch Bar Mix and 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk. Press into a greased aluminum foil-lined 9-inch square pan. Bake at 350F for 30 to 35 minutes. Cool completely and cut into squares.

One of My Favorite Food Blogs-Bakerella

Cupcake Lollipops by Bakerella.

As a Food Professional and Recipe Developer for national food magazines and corporate food clients, you could say I am pretty picky. So when I tell you that one of my all-time favorite food blogs that I absolutely love and look forward to is “Bakerella”, I mean it. Bakerella has a baking blog unlike no other. She enjoys baking and creating sweets for others to enjoy. In 2007 she took a cake decorating class, and since then she has been trying to improve her decorating skills, and oh, does, she have some incredible skills… I love her creativity, photography, style, and I can’t wait to see what she posts next. Check out her blog at http://bakerella.blogspot.com and recipe for Cupcake Pops above.

Cupcake Cake Bites by Bakerella.