A Delicious Mess/Holiday Baking

So...I'm a pastry chef by trade.  Have I mentioned that?  Well, seeing as I don't believe I have any strangers reading my blog, all of you already knew that.  Anyway...come time time of year the apartment becomes a mess of flour, brown sugar, chocolate and all things delicious.

Over the years I've made TONS of holiday goodies.  My family has a set list that we make every year, but as I'm never home Thanksgiving weekend when all the baking is done, I've missed out on that for pretty much the entire last decade.  Some years I just make a little fudge and call it good.  Other years I've been commissioned (because that's what you call it when artists are hired, and I am an artist after all) to make platters of cookies for many cookie exchange parties...usually the one taking my goodies has given me credit...or so they say...

This year, apparently I took out all the stops without even realizing it.  I've made so many things I can't even keep track...but just for you loyal readers, I'll figure it out.  I'll post a few recipes every few days leading up to Christmas in case you have any last minute needs...all of them are easy and most importantly, delicious.

Here are the first two (click photo for link to recipe):

Puppy Chow: This isn't the exact recipe I used, though its close.  I couldn't find the one I used.  But it simply added 1/4 C butter to the peanut butter/chocolate mixture.  It is delicious!  

See...I actually attempted the Peppermint Crunch Puppy Chow here because it looked amazing and I thought it was a nice holiday twist on the standard.  It turned out disgusting.  I don't know if I did something wrong, but the candy cane bits DID NOT stick to the cereal pieces like they do in this photo...so basically it was bland rice cereal coated in gross white chocolate and powdered sugar...yuck!  Let me know if anyone else has luck with this recipe...

Toffee Pretzels: Seriously, these COULD NOT be easier!  And super delicious!  I followed the recipe exactly except I only used the semi-sweet chocolate as I wasn't up for another white chocolate disaster after the puppy chow incident...though I do love white chocolate pretzels...next time.

Stay tuned for more recipes and I'll post some pics of the gift baskets I made using all these goodies!