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Holiday Eats: Six Easy, Delicious Recipes Perfect for the Holidays!

It’s holiday time—time to eat far too many cookies and sweets with the knowledge that you’ll be hitting the gym hard in January (maybe). But creating these temptations doesn’t have to take up all of your valuable time. Try our fast and easy recipes for Peppermint Bark, Roasted Holiday Nuts, Cookie Sandwiches, Chocolate/Caramel Popcorn, and Cider—and add in some Mini-Meat Pies for a protein punch to combat the sugar rush.

Your guests will be duly impressed with your culinary skills. And don’t forget to leave out some peppermint bark for the reindeer.

Cookie Sandwich

Ingredients:

• Cookies (2 each)
• Food coloring
• ¼ cup vanilla icing (each)
• 1 tsp sprinkles

Bake your favorite refrigerated cookie dough – or buy your favorite cookies. Add food coloring to 2 large scoops of vanilla icing to make it red or green and ice 1 cookie on the bottom. Add top cookie and decorations around the side.


Chocolate/Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients:

• 1 popcorn package
• ½ caramel
• ¼ cup chopped pecans    
• Pinch of salt

In a large bowl, add popcorn and stir in hot caramel. Lay on a tray and let cool. Serve.


Awesome Cider

Ingredients:

• ¾ gallon apple cider
• ½ gallon 100% cranberry juice
• 10 cinnamon sticks
• 2 chopped apples
• ½ tbsp. nutmeg

Add cider and cranberry juice to crock pot (1/2 gallon of each). Prepare extra ingredients: slice an apple, add cinnamon sticks. Add everything together, wait for flavors to blend, and serve .


Mini-Meat Pies

Ingredients:

• 1-2 cans of biscuit dough
• 1 can of stew
• 1 cup shredded cheese

Put refrigerated biscuit dough into greased muffin tins. Add your favorite stew or thick soup. Add cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 mins or until golden brown.


Roasted Holiday Nuts

Ingredients:

• 2 cups nuts
• 1 cup water
• 1 tbsp vanilla
• ½ cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar

Soak favorite nuts in water and vanilla. Dust with cinnamon, white sugar and brown sugar. Roast in the oven for 5-10 minutes and serve.


Easy Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:

• 1 Bag chocolate chips
• 15-20 crushed peppermints
• 1 bag white chocolate chips

Melt chocolate chips (1 bag) and pour into cookie cutters, filling halfway. Let harden. Crush peppermints (15-20). Melt white chocolate chips (1 bag) and mix in most of the crushed peppermint. Pour into cookie cutters and fill, adding more crushed peppermint on top and let harden. Pop out of cutters and serve.

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