Peppermint Bark

Somehow the Christmas season has flown by as per usual, and now a meager few weeks remain until that celebration begins. Shopping has become the usual circus, treats are showing up left and right at work and home, and what should be a happy, thankful time puts many people in a real seriously grinchy mood. The approach I take towards the holidays is that I don't want to be stressed. So I go out of my way to find shortcuts on certain things, like the obligatory holiday baking to make time for the other important things I need to do. Like sleep.

The odds are, yourself and everyone you know feels compelled to feed a small army with Christmas cookies. Just ask family members and friends what kinds they plan to make, and make a couple of your family favorites to share, so you won't be eating them until June. For me, the ones that must happen every year are Peanut butter blossoms, fudge, m&m cookies and peppermint bark. Luckily, fudge and peppermint bark are some of the easiest, fastest ways to make a lovely holiday snack, so you've got more time for whatever other goodies you want to whip up.

Peppermint Bark

-2 lbs white chocolate ( I use Ghiradelli white chocolate chips)

-2 candy canes, crushed

-1/2 t. peppermint flavoring

Directions: In a double boiler on stove  carefully melt white chocolate chips over low simmering water, stirring constantly. Stir in oil when melted. Microwave can also be used, melting chips 30 seconds at a time and stirring until melted. Pour white chocolate onto parchment lined baking sheet, and sprinkle crushed candy canes on top. Refridgerate 45 minutes, until hard. Bang or cut to break into pieces. Can be stored covered on counter up to 3 weeks or in freezer longer.

Easy, lovely and tasty additions to the cookie trays, just what I want during this crazy time of year. I was skeptical at first about how this combination would taste, but after trying it, I never looked back.

I've experimented with different colored and flavored candy canes, like blueberry and lemon, and they were delicious too. Almost every color looks pretty against the pure white of the chocolate. They make a good present too if you stack up a few chunks and wrap them in crisp plastic with a bow. Plus, thumping candy canes to chunks is a great stress reliever! (As long as the bags don't open and shatter all over creation!)