Community Cookbook: Holiday bites and desserts sure to please the masses

An extra helping of energizing enthusiasm often accompanies the preparation of homemade snacks and desserts during the holiday season. More so, I think, than any other season of the year. Here are recipes for several, just in time for the Christmas week rush.

Triple Chocolate Pie is a lighter version of the original but doesn’t fudge at all on flavor. Sporting three different types of chocolate, it’s the most decadent dish in today’s lineup. Over the years, Mom evolved her methods and tips for making the famous Ritz sandwich cookies. Today’s recipe is the culmination of her ideas for these delicious and popular cookies.

Jalapeño peppers are a little disappointing nowadays. Far too many fall short on the heat. If you’re lucky enough to find the spicier ones, these treats can be smoking hot; that’s the way I like them. Almond Crispies are a version of the popular Rice Krispy Treats created for almond fans.

And, finally, with some help from a well-known literary work, here’s a Christmas wish for the world: May there be peace on Earth and good will toward others.

Triple Chocolate Pie (A Lighter

Version)

My original Triple Chocolate Pie is good, but it’s rich and heavy. Here’s a lighter version with fewer calories and less fat. It has a lighter texture and is as delicious as the original. There’s a bonus, the filling also doubles as a luxurious pudding.

1 (8-ounce) carton lower-fat, lower sugar whipped topping

1 (8-ounce) package lower-fat cream cheese, softened

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, melted

⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar-free chocolate syrup

⅓ cup lower-fat milk

1 baked 9½- to 10-inch deep dish pie shell

Additional whipped topping for garnish

Chocolate shavings for garnish

Thaw the topping according to carton directions. Beat the next four ingredients (through milk) in a medium bowl until thoroughly blended. Fold 8 ounces of topping in, stirring until well-blended. Spoon the filling into the pie shell to the desired level (some filling may be left over). Garnish with additional topping and chocolate shavings and chill in the refrigerator for four to six hours.

Notes: A microwave oven is perfect for melting the chocolate chips. Cool the melted chips to 100 degrees or lower before using. In a hurry? Toss the pie into the freezer (carefully) for an hour. Refrigerate for another two hours to firm everything up.

Yields: Eight servings

Mom’s Chocolate and Peanut Butter Cookies

Mom always made her chocolate and peanut butter cookies around Christmas time for our family’s Christmas gatherings. She also included the cookies in her decorative tins filled with all sorts of homemade Christmas goodies she gave out as gifts. These cookies were everyone’s favorite. I don’t know anyone who hasn’t raved about them after eating one. They’re pretty simple to make and are delicious.

1½ cup creamy peanut butter

96 Ritz round snack crackers or equivalent

20 ounces chocolate almond bark

15 ounces vanilla or white almond bark

Spread 1½ teaspoon of peanut butter evenly on the side of a cracker with the most pronounced holes (this helps the coating adhere better). Place another cracker with the same side facing down on top and press lightly to form a sandwich. Repeat with the remaining crackers and peanut butter. Break the bark into large chunks and place in a medium microwavable glass container. Heat on high power until fully melted and hot, stirring as needed (be careful not to overheat it). Using tongs or a fork, dip each sandwich into the bark. Shake the excess back into the bowl, then place on wax paper (with paper underneath) or aluminum foil to cool.

Notes: Mom often made these using chocolate almond bark alone, though she preferred the blend. Reheat the bark if it cools too much. A double boiler also can be used to melt the bark. Top the cookies with candy sprinkles, if used, while the coating is hot. Mom recommended storing the cookies in the refrigerator when fully cooled to keep them fresh, then serving them at room temperature for the best flavor. They freeze very well. The recipe can be halved.

Yields: 48 cookies

Jalapeño Poppers

I’d never eaten jalapeño poppers until I went to work on this recipe. They’d been on my recipe to-do list for a long time. Jalapeño poppers are excellent snacks or appetizers. They can be hot, depending on the peppers. Jalapeño poppers are a north-of-the-border invention, probably inspired by the Mexican classic, chile rellenos or stuffed chiles.

4 ounces softened cream cheese

¾ cup shredded medium Cheddar cheese

¼ teaspoon garlic powder

¼ teaspoon onion powder

¼ teaspoon paprika

⅛ teaspoon ground cumin

⅛ teaspoon cayenne pepper

6 large jalapeño peppers

½ cup dried bread crumbs

To make the filling, thoroughly combine the first 7 ingredients (through cayenne pepper) in a medium bowl. Cut the stems off of the peppers, leaving the ends intact. Slice in half, lengthwise, and scoop the seeds and veins out of the halves with a spoon (leave ⅛ inch of the vein intact on the stem ends). Place the bread crumbs in a medium bowl. Stu ff the pepper cavities with filling (heat the mix slightly in a microwave oven if too stiff to spread). Press the filled sides of the peppers into the bread crumbs and place, filled sides up, in a single layer on a 9-by-13-inch shallow baking pan. Bake on a rack in the middle-low position of an oven preheated to 350 degrees until the filling is slightly bubbly along the edges, about 25 minutes. Serve warm.

Notes: Reheat jalapeño poppers in a microwave oven.

Yields: 12 appetizers

Almond Crispies

There are many creative variations of the cherished Kellogg’s original out there. Here’s yet another – a delicious almond version. Tightly covered and under armed guard, they can last several days.

4 tablespoons butter or margarine

½ cup slivered almonds

½ teaspoon almond extract

10 or 10½ ounces miniature marshmallows

5½ cups Rice Krispies or equivalent cereal

Lightly oil the inside of a 13-by-9-by-2-inch baking pan. Melt the butter or margarine in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the almonds and extract. Add the marshmallows and reduce the heat to a lower medium. Stir constantly until the marshmallows melt. Cook for an additional minute or two, stirring constantly. Remove from the heat. Quickly add the cereal and stir with a large, rigid spoon until well-mixed (it will momentarily seem like a disaster in progress). While still hot, spoon the mixture into the baking pan. Lightly oil a spatula or several fingers on one hand and press the mixture until leveled. Refrigerate until cooled, then cut into 2-inch squares with a butter knife.

Notes: To serve warm, let stand 15 minutes before slicing. Marshmallow crème can substitute for marshmallows. Lightly toast the slivered almonds before using them to enhance their flavor. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple of days. Refrigerate for longer storage. Freeze, wrapped tightly, layers separated by wax paper, for six to eight weeks.

Yields: 24 squares

Contact Dick Sellers at dickskitchencorner@outlook.com.