#3752 - Valentine Popcorn Bark

(by Shirley McNevich)

2/3 cup good quality popcorn kernels (popped but left plain)
12oz. pink candy melts
2 cups broken salted pretzel pieces
1 1/2 cups M&M's (Valentine's colors)
Valentine's colored nonpareils

After popping the popcorn, remove any unpopped kernels and discard them. In a large bowl add plain popped popcorn, broken pretzel pieces and Valentine's colored M&M's--toss gently with your hands to mix. Lay out two large sheets of wax paper on your counter and place one on top of the other so that the long side of one piece overlaps the long side on the other piece by 2". Melt the pink candy melts according to bag directions. Evenly pour HALF of the melted chocolate over the popcorn mixture, then use two rubber spatulas to toss/coat the mixture. Spread the whole popcorn mixture evenly over the wax paper, then drizzle the other half of the melted chocolate over the top of the popcorn mixture. Gently shake some Valentine's colored nonpareils over the popcorn mixture. Cool until chocolate hardens, then break the mixture into pieces.

#3696 - Mocha Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 sticks softened butter
1 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup white sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
1 TBSP instant coffee (dissolved in 1 TBSP boiling water)
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
2 cups M&M's candies

In a mixer add butter, brown sugar and white sugar--beat. Add eggs and vanilla--beat. Add baking soda, salt and instant coffee mixture--beat. Add cocoa--beat. Slowly add flour--beat. Remove bowl from mixer--add M&M's--stir with a wooden spoon. Drop batter by spoonfuls on to greased cookie sheets. Bake at 350 degrees 9-10 minutes. Cool slightly, then place on paper towels to cool.

#3695 - M&M Frosting

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 sticks softened butter
3 cups Domino's powdered sugar
2 tsp. vanilla
2 TBSP milk
1/3 cup Hershey's cocoa
1 cup M&M's candies

In a blender or food processor add the M&M's--blend until coarse. In a mixer add butter, vanilla, milk and cocoa--beat. Slowly add powdered sugar--beat. Add milk--beat. Slowly add crushed M&M's--beat. If frosting is too thick, add a little more milk and beat again. If frosting is too thin, add a little more powdered sugar and beat again.

#3662 - Chocolate Pretzel Hugs

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 bag Hershey's Hugs candies (unwrapped) OR regular Hershey's Kisses (unwrapped)
1 bag waffle shapes salted pretzels
1 bag regular M&M's candies

These are easy to burn, so do ONE first to test the baking time for your oven. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place one waffle pretzel on a cookie sheet (salted side up) and place an unwrapped Hug candy in the center of the pretzel. Bake 1-2 minutes (just enough for the Hug to soften). Remove from oven and press an M&M candy into the softened Hug candy. Once you have figured out the cooking time for your oven, you can do about 20 at a time if you are quick in pressing the M&M candies into the softened Hugs. Cool completely. Refrigerate leftovers. If you have trouble with them sticking to your cookie sheets, use parchment paper to line the cookie sheets.

#3635 - M&M Peanut Butter Cookies

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 cups Jif creamy peanut butter
1 1/2 cups white sugar + extra for rolling
1/2 cup Domino's dark brown sugar (packed)
2 eggs
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 bag M&M's candies

In a mixer add peanut butter, white sugar and brown sugar--beat until mixed, then beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Turn mixer speed to low--add eggs, baking soda, vanilla and salt--beat until mixed. Use a teaspoon and get a heaping spoonful of batter. Place some white sugar in a bowl. Roll the batter into a ball, roll it into the white sugar and place it on a greased cookie sheet. Use a greased fork to press down on the dough ball and make a criss cross pattern. Press 5-6 M&M's into the cookie dough. Repeat with all dough. Bake at 350 degrees 10-12 minutes.