Taking Christmas treats to the cabin

Well, Thanksgiving is wrapping up. I completed my Thanksgiving ritual of putting the leftover turkey in the freezer. I will get it out and make soup or something in a few weeks. I never did like the whole ordeal of figuring out 39 creative ways to use turkey so the fam doesn't get tired of eating it for days on end after Thanksgiving. So I just package it up and pop it in the freezer and we don't think about turkey at all. In due time, it will show up in a soup or enchiladas or something and everyone will think it's chicken and won't even care.

ANYWAY, now we're off to our first Christmas celebration of the season: a weekend with family at the cabin. I am bringing along some Christmasy, chocolatey, minty treats. They are easy and they freeze well. I love this recipe both for feeding a crowd and also for freezing. I just get them out of the freezer and thaw them at room temperature when I have guests, the kids need a dessert in their lunches, or  when I simply have a chocolate craving (which is often). Hubby even likes them when they're still frozen, so I save the thawing step when I am serving him!

I went a little crazy with the green food coloring-- they look a little BRIGHT, but that always makes the kids love them even more (!).

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Bars
makes 2-3 dozen

4 oz. unsweetened baking chocolate, chopped
1 stick butter  plus 2 T butter, divided
2 c. granulated sugar
4 eggs, divided
1 1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 c.  plus 1 T all-purpose flour, divided
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1 T cornstarch
14 oz can sweetened condensed milk
3/4 t. peppermint extract
green food coloring
1 c. semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 c. whipping cream
3 oz  crushed peppermints (5 or 6 candy canes)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9x13 pyrex baking pan. In large saucepan, melt baking chocolate with 1 stick of butter over low heat, stirring until smooth.  Remove from heat. Add sugar, 3 eggs, vanilla, and flour. Stir until blended and spread in prepared pan. Bake for 14 minutes.

Meanwhile, beat together cream cheese, 2 T butter, cornstarch and 1 T flour until fluffy. Slowly stir in sweetened condensed milk, 1 egg, peppermint extract, and food coloring. Pour mixture over hot brownie layer and return to oven. Bake for 30 minutes.

Combine chocolate chips and cream in small saucepan. Cook over low heat until smooth, stirring constantly. Spread over mint layer. Sprinkle with crushed peppermint. Cool completely. Refrigerate several hours or overnight. Do not cut into bars until completely cooled. Store covered in refrigerator or freezer.

Enjoy!