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

Sweet Dreams (Layered Sweetness)

Today is very bittersweet for me...

So very happy that it is my grandmother's (a.k.a. GGMa) birthday and she is still here with us celebrating every day.  The sad part of today is that it marks the passing of Jodi, my sister-in-law.

My grandma is in her 80's and you would never know it.  She is a fireball that just keeps on going.  Still famous for her Snickerdoodles and her beautiful homemade cards that I continue to use to this day.  She has a heart of gold, a solid faith foundation and not afraid to let you know what's on her mind, in the most kindest way.  I am so blessed to have a grandmother like her in my life.

Our GGMa, so "pretty in pink".

Jodi was the sister that I never had and not a day goes by that I don't think about her.  As two girls who both grew up in families with just one brother, we had a lot in common as we got to know each other in this very large family we married into.  I miss cooking together, our over-the-top entertaining that we loved to do and having a glass of wine with so many laughs together.

Jodi, leading our team of sisters in the kitchen.

To cheer me up today I made a little sweetness this morning.  It actually reminds me of a dessert that Jodi used to make for us during her favorite family holiday, Easter.  I'm pretty sure that my grandma also has a very similar recipe as well, since she has quite the repertoire of desserts.

Delicious fruit and Jello layered on a pillow of fluffy cream cheese and Cool Whip.  I love the combination of sweet and salty with the added pretzel crust.

Sweet Dreams 

6 oz package Raspberry or Strawberry Jell-O
2 cups boiling water
2 cups pretzels
¼ cup sugar
1 stick butter
1 (8oz) package cream cheese - softened
1 (8oz) package Cool Whip - thawed
1 cup sugar

1 cup shredded, sweetened coconut
1 bag frozen mixed berries - thawed in refrigerator

Pre-heat oven to 350°F.

Combine 6 Oz packet of Jell-O with 2 cups of boiling water and set aside to cool to room temperature.

Crush 2 cups of pretzels in a ziploc bag, using a rolling pin.

Melt 1 stick of  butter than add ¼ cup sugar in saucepan. Add pretzels and mix together.

Lightly press pretzel mix into a 13x9 -inch dish (prepped with non-stick spray) and bake for 10 minutes at 350°F, then cool to room temperature (about 20 minutes).

While pretzel mix is cooling down, beat 8 oz of cream cheese and 1 cup sugar on medium/low speed until well-combined.

Next, stir in Cool Whip using a spatula and mix until well combined.

Spread mixture over cooled pretzels and go all the way to the edges of the dish to create a seal. You don't want the jello to leak into the pretzels. Sprinkle with shredded coconut.  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes.

Place mixed berries evenly on top of the cream filling..

Pour Jell-O over mixed berries and refrigerate until jello is set.

Jodi's favorite wine that Rick left for us during his visit.
We will definitely have a toast to her (after Lent) on Easter Sunday.