The Christmas Collection: Peanut Butter Balls and Coconut Bon-Bons

These may be my two favorite Christmasy recipes. That is because they BOTH involve chocolate. My grandma, we call her "Mamaw", lives in Tennessee and used to make these for us every year at Christmas. :) And not only would these be great at Christmas, but also for a New Year's party or anytime.

--Quick Note: When making candy, I always sift the powdered sugar, just so that the candy will come out smooth and without lumps, but it's totally up to you. Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Balls
Yields: Around 2 dozen

1 cup peanut butter
3 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
Chocolate for dipping, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds, melted

Melt the peanut butter and butter together in the microwave. Add the powdered sugar in small additions. Mix thoroughly, you do not want streaks of sugar. Wrap the mixture in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. Once firm, roll into small balls and then refrigerate again until hard. Now dip the balls gently in the chocolate and cover completely. Allow them to set on baking paper or a clean counter. Store in the fridge for, at most, 1 week.

Coconut Bon-Bons
Yields: Around 2 dozen

7 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup butter, melted
1 can sweetened condensed milk (400 grams)
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups grated coconut
White chocolate, for dipping, about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds, melted

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar, sweetened condensed milk, and vanilla. You may need a little more powdered sugar to get a sticky, smooth consistency. Add the coconut and mix well. Form small balls and refrigerate until firm. Dip the balls gently in the chocolate, covering completely, and allow them to set on baking paper or a clean counter. Store in the fridge for, at most, 1 week.

The Christmas Collection: Banana Nut Bread and Peppermint Bark

In my opinion, the Christmas season is pretty much the best time of the year. So this year I've decided to blog my family's favorite Christmas treats! I call it The Christmas Collection. I hope you guys will try some of these recipes and let me know what you think. Hopefully by Christmas I'll have five or six recipes posted. So stay tuned as the baking and confectionery making begins, and Merry Christmas!

Banana Nut Bread
 Yields: 1 loaf
 
10 tablespoons butter, softened
1 cup mashed ripe bananas
1/2 sour cream or greek yogurt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups white flour
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons castor sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup walnuts, pecans, or similar nuts

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius. In a food processor, blend the bananas, sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Next, in a mixing bowl, place the flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the butter to the bowl and beat with a hand mixer until blended, about 30 seconds. Now add the banana mixture in three batches, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Gently fold in the nuts. (Optional: Before baking, you can also sprinkle additional nuts over the top of the batter.) Pour into a lightly greased loaf pan and bake for about 1 hour. When done, the bread will be lightly browned and bounce back when touched. Cool and enjoy!

This next one is the easiest Christmas candy recipe ever! With only two ingredients, this recipe hardly takes 15 minutes to make.

Peppermint Bark
 Yields: About 10 servings

About 1 pound of white chocolate
Candy Canes or Peppermint disks, crushed (enough to sprinkle over a 9x9 or8x8 pan of chocolate)

Melt the white chocolate in 20 second increments in the microwave. Cover a 9x9 or 8x8 pan with aluminum foil or baking paper (optional). Pour the chocolate onto the pan and even it out. Sprinkle the peppermint candy over the chocolate according to your taste. Refrigerate for 10 minutes or until set. Break into shards and serve.

Variations:  
-You could also use milk or dark chocolate in place of white.
-You could substitute peppermint candy for sprinkles or other hard candies.