Chocolatey Holiday Goodness

I went to a Cookie Swap this past weekend and brought these...

Oreo Truffles

1 package oreo cookies (divided… use entire cookie, including the cream center)
1 8oz. package cream cheese (softened)
white chocolate bark, or dark chocolate bark, or any variety of chocolate chips

1.Use a food processor to finely crush the Oreo cookies (or hand-crush the cookies in a ziploc bag).
2. Stir in softened cream cheese. Use the back of a large spoon to help mash the two together.
3. Roll the mixture into 1" balls and place on wax paper covered cookie sheet. Freeze the balls for at least an hour, allowing them to set well.
4. Melt chocolate as directed on the package and then dip balls into chocolate, tap off extra and set aside on wax paper covered cookie sheet to dry. If you are using chocolate chips, I like to add a teaspoon or so of vegetable oil to loosen them up a little bit.
5. You can add cookie crums, or colored sprinkles (or whatever!) on top for decoration.
6. Once dry, refrigerate and let set again.
7. Enjoy! (and enjoy again and again!)
(This makes around 40 truffles.)

Delaney, who is my very picky eater, gave the Truffles the thumbs-up endorsement by proclaiming, "These are wonderfully delicious."

I brought a few extras home and they disappeared rather quickly. And I've been asked to make them again real soon!

There were other wonderful treats at the Cookie Swap...like gingerbread cookies, and chocolate chip cookies, and cheesecake bites, and butterscotch haystacks, and orange balls.

But my other favorite treat there was Allison's Homemade Hot Chocolate. When I saw that she was starting it with--get ready!--chocolate ganache, I knew it was going to be really delicious. And it was!

She had a pot of Chocolate Ganache...

6 ounces chocolate, finely chopped (if you're using chocolate chips, this is 1 cup)
1/3 cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract or your favorite flavoring
(Allison also added in a little bit of honey)
In a microwave-proof bowl, heat all ingredients at full power for 30 to 45 seconds. Stir and heat again at full power in 15-second increments, stirring each time, until fully melted. Remove from microwave. (You can also do this over a double boiler on the stove; just be sure and watch it so it won't burn.)

(This recipe here makes 1 generous cup of ganache.)

Allison then had a pot of warm milk sitting by on the stove. To make the hot chocolate she put a heaping spoonful of the ganache into a cup and added warm milk. She also had peppermint and butterscotch schnapps to mix in.

It was--as you can certainly imagine--absolutely delicious!