Holiday Pretzel Treats

Salty pretzels combined with sweet chocoalte for these fun treats that make a yummy gift few can resist.

Ingredients
Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels
Hersey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug
M&M's candy

Instructions
*Heat the oven to 170 degrees. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hersey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug.
*Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocoaltes feel soft when touched with a wooded spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss.
*Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place then in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes.

*A DDVB favorite*

Peanut Butter Buckeyes

Kids will have a ball making these rich treats. Although the centers are traditionally creamy, you can add graham crackers to the mix if you prefer crunchy. Makes about 7 dozen buckeyes.

Ingredients
1 1/2 cups peaut butter
6 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 whole graham crackers, pulverized into crumbs (optional)
4 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions
*Line a cookie sheet with waxed paper; set it aside. Using a wooden spoon, mix together the peanut butter, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, adn graham crackers, if desired, in a large bowl. (The dough will look dry).
*Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. Set them on the prepared cookie sheet and insert a toothpick into each ball. Chill them in the freezer until hard, about 30 minutes.
*Melt the chocolate chips in a heatproff bowl set atop a pot of simmering water over medium-high heat. Stir continuously until smooth. Remove the pan from the heat. Using the toothpick as a handle, dip the balls into the melted chocolate, leaving a small circle at the top uncovered. Place the dipped candies back on the cookie sheet and refrigerate until the chocolate is set, about 2 hours. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

O Christmas Treat Pizza

This Christmas pizza treat will require and adult's assistance, but the kids will love trimming the "tree" with spinach and feta snowflakes.

Ingredients
1 package frozen, chopped spinach
Yellow, red, and orange bell peppers
Olive oil
Cornmeal
Pizza dough for one 12-inch round pizza
1 cup tomato sauce
1/4 to 1/3 cup grated Romano cheese
Feta cheese

Instructions
*Heat oven to 450 degrees. Cook the spinach, drain, and press it to squeeze out excess liquid. Set aside
*Use tiny cookie cutters to shape circles and stars from the peppers, set aside.
*Coat a 12-inch pizza pan with olive oil, then sprinkle on the cornmeal. Roll the dough into a circle and place on the pan, pushing the edges to the rim.
*Spread the tomato sauce on the dough and sprnkle on the grated Romato cheese. Top with the chopped spinah and then drizzle olive oil over the spinach. Sprinkle the crumbled feta over the spinach and arrange the pepper circles.
*Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the bottom of the crust is browned. Cut the pizza into triangular slices and then trim the crust to form a trunk. Finally top each slice with a yellow star. Makes one 12-inch pizza.

Wrap 'n' Stack Sandwich Tree

Can't decide what to bring to a tree-trimming party? Bring this edible tree. Made from mini sandwiches and trimmed with colorful vegetables. It can serve as a healthy alternative to the usual array of holiday sweets.

Ingredients
1 16-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce
4 large (9 or 10 inch) spinach-flour tortillas
Mayonnaise
3/4 pound thinly sliced Monterey Jack or American cheese
3/4 pound thinly sliced smoked turkey
1/2 head green-leaf lettuce
Toothpics
Red and yellow bell peppers
Cocktail onions, for garnish

Instructions
*Spoon the cranberry sauce into a food processor and pulse it briefly.
*Then lay teh tortillas on a flat working surface and lightly spread them with mayonnaise. Now your kids can top each tortilla with a layer of cheese and turkey. (Tip: When stacking ingredients, leave an inch margin along the top of the tortilla. Roll the bread toward that edge to keep the filling from falling out.)
*Spread cranberry sauce on the turkey layers adn cover them with lettuce. Snugly roll up the sandwiches, ending with the loose edges underneath.
*With a serrated knife, cut each roll-up into 1 1/4 inch wide pinwheels and insert a toothpick to hold each one together.
*On a serving platter, arrange the pinwheels in rows to create a Christmas tree. Garnish with pepper-star ornaments (cut out with a small cookie cutter) and cocktail-onion lights.