Mint Chocolate Chip Rocky Road Bars

Mint Chocolate Chip Rocky Road Bars ~ This holiday cookie bar won’t crack or crumble in the mail. In fact the walnut graham cracker bottom will stay nice and crisp while the top remains soft and chewy. Throw in an extra hit of mint chocolate chips for the holidays and you have yourself a new Christmas cookie to add to your repetoire.

Mint Chocolate Chip Rocky Road Bars
Mint Chocolate Chip Rocky Road Bars

These bars are extremely fast and easy to make. Thank goodness for that because in the last month I went from having no job, to looking for a job to starting a job—yeah, life has been hectic. Throw in the family, a non-stop talking, always-on-the-move toddler, the holidays, baking, blogging—and my life “training” has me shedding pounds faster than a feather weight contender.

Needless to say I’m trying to simplify my baking this year. Some of my labor intensive cookies have been nixed from the holiday line-up while fast and easy cookie bars like this have been added.

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Sage, Sausage and Butternut Squash Stuffing

Sausage and Butternut Squash Stuffing ~ This is my standard issued holiday stuffing. Whether I’m traveling or hosting a holiday, the expectation is this stuffing will be on the table.

Sausage and Butternut Squash Stuffing
Sausage and Butternut Squash Stuffing

As I previously mentioned, I don’t ever prepare the main course for the holidays. The stuffing is about as main course as I get. Call me lazy, but I don’t want to be saddled to an oven on a holiday. The trade-off is I usually do the majority of the sides and desserts and my mother-in-law does the turkey, which works out great because her turkey is terrific.

That said, I like to make my stuffing the evening before and then let the flavors absorb and develop over night. This year my Le Creuset 5 ¾ qt Oval Casserole with Lid made things even easier. I love how it can withstand extreme temperature changes that allows it to go from oven to fridge the day of baking and for overnight storing; from fridge to oven for reheating; and finally from oven to table where its elegance can easily be placed alongside all the other dressy serving platters.
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Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies ~These are one of my favorite Christmas cookies. I love the beautiful snowy white layer of powdered sugar crackled against a black chocolatey background.  These cookies are as beautiful as they are yummy. Wrapped in a crisp exterior these crinkle cookies have a chewy brownie-like inside and for some added holiday cheer I kicked up this classic holiday cookie recipe with some peppermint flavoring.

Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies
Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle Cookies

I don’t know about you, but I love the holidays. I love the Christmas music, the food, the baking, the decorating and the wrapping. What I don’t like is any stress or drama related to it. So a while back I started shopping early. By that I mean July-early so that by Halloween I’m 90% done. The last ten percent is reserved for last minute Cyber Monday deals.

I know, annoyingly anal, right? But hey, it works for me. Life can be stressful enough that I try to minimize the stresses that I can control. That means shopping early and preparing holiday food that can be completed the night before and reheated the day of. Before you go sighing on me, I should mention – I don’t do turkey or ham. I do everything but, like appetizers, side dishes and desserts. So whether I’m hosting or traveling this allows me to enjoy family and friends.

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