Holly Jolly Buckets and Bark

Every year I try to put together either Thanksgiving/Fall or Christmas/Holiday home baked goodies for our nearby neighbors.  Last year I had my act together a little earlier and made everyone my Pumpkin Bread.  This year...not so much.  I really struggled for what seemed like eternity with what, how and when to fit it all in before the holiday gets away from me.

Finally figured out some easy recipes that looked festive, along with the help of my daughters.  I proceeded with my Holly Jolly Bark and Holiday Cake Cookies.

As luck would have it, my daughters had some extra "Treat Sleighs" that they made for their Leadership Group.  So, away we went with a plan, ingredients and fun gifts for our neighbors.
I found perfect size chalkboard/galvanized buckets and labeled them in fun holiday chalkboard markers.

The boys even joined in, but between their "spa day",

 holiday baking, wrapping gifts and fitting in all the other weekend 

household duties, they couldn't stay awake another minute.

Looks like they "just settled down for a long winters nap".

Holly Jolly Bark

16 whole "Christmas edition" Oreo cookies with red filling, broken up
1-1/2 cup pretzels (long, skinny ones), broken up
1 cup red and green Christmas M&M's
1 lb. white chocolate bark
Christmas colored sprinkles

Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.

Lay out the broken cookies, pretzels and M&M's

Melt the white chocolate bark according to package directions.

Pour melted chocolate over cookies, pretzels and candies.

Use an offset spatula to spread chocolate evenly and

add the holiday sprinkles over chocolate.

Let set for at least 6 hours, so chocolate can set.

Cut into bite size pieces and package in holiday bags.
(Use any leftover scraps from the sides as
topping for ice cream -Yummy!!)

Have a Holly Jolly Christmas

One Year Ago: GGMa's Lemon Shrimp

Two Year's Ago: Thumbprint Cookies