A box of Leonidas Belgian Chocolates comes in 1 lb, 1.5 lb and 2 lb sizes. The pretty box already comes wrapped and with a bow!

If this Chocolate Gift Basket were the only thing under the tree for me this year, I would be one happy camper! It comes complete with Ghirardelli chocolates, truffles and truffle cookies, hot chocolates and candies.

Produced by Scharffen Berger, the Essence of Chocolate cookbook would be a fun addition to any chocolate lover’s cookbook collection.

One of my most favorite movies, Chocolat starring Johnny Depp and Juliette Binoche is one I never get tired of watching. Check out the novel, too.

Who wouldn’t love a box of candy bars? This package of 30 bars from M&M’s/Mars could be divvied up for stocking stuffers or just wrapped and put under the tree!

Timothy’s has a box of White Hot Chocolate made specifically for the Keurig coffee brewer. The two-pack comes with 22 K-cups each.

Chocolate-covered pomagranate seeds would make a perfect stocking stuffer. I didn’t even know these existed but it’s been added to my wishlist!

I could totally make room on my counter for a hot chocolate maker. I’ve already got an electric kettle, though, so I don’t know if I could justify another similar appliance!

You don’t have to drink chocolate to keep warm! How about a Snuggie in chocolate brown microfiber?

Every day can be delicious, even if you’re kicking off 2010 with a diet! This 2010 wall calendar features a decadent chocolate treat for every month.

[images: amazon]

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~ Chunky Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies with Chocolate Drizzle from Kacey’s Kitchen

~ Egg-Free Double Chocolate Chip Cookies at Art of Dessert

~ Toffee S’mores Candy Cup from Timeless Gourmet

~ Cocoa Meringue Cookies at Inn Cuisine

~ Nanaimo Bars from Playing House

~ Just Fudge at Inside the Kaganoff Kitchen

~ Chocolate Peanut Butter Torte from Pennies on a Platter

~ Spicy Chocolate Bacon at Culinary Escapade

~ Tart Chocolat from Fresh New England

~ Chocolate and Candied Ginger Cake at Flagrante Delicia

~ Chili-Choco Sweets from Green Kitchen Stories

~ Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake at Mike Lesiuk

[image: flickr]

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I like the idea of making these for friends and family and arranging them on a platter in the shape of a Christmas tree or even a wreath. Dying the coconut red or green is also a nice touch! These would be great for Valentine’s Day, too, come to think of it!

Chocolate Cherry Christmas Creams

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/3 cup evaporated milk
1 1/2 cup sifted powdered sugar
1/3 cup chopped nuts
1/3 cup chopped maraschino cherries, well drained
1 1/4 cup coconut OR chopped nuts

~ Melt chocolate and milk over low heat. Remove from heat. (Can also be melted in the microwave – check every 15 to 25 seconds.)

~ Stir in powdered sugar, nuts and cherries, mix well.

~ Chill until cool enough to handle.

~ Shape into 1-inch balls and roll in nuts or coconut.

~ Chill at least 4 hours. Keep chilled.

~ Makes 24 pieces.

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~ S’Mores Cookies from Framed

~ The Twilight Saga: New Moon Heart’s Desire Sky Bar Review at Candy Blog

~ Chocolate Caramel Cookie Bars from Elizabeth’s Edible Experience

~ Old Fashioned Chestnut Cake at Menu Turistico

~ Chocolate Custard Tarts from Almost Bourdain

~ Earl Gray Truffles at Shortbread

~ Chocolate Cream Caramel from Blog Resipi

~ Chocolate Pumpkin and Pecan Brownies at The Good Mood Food Blog

~ ‘Throw it all in’ Chocolate Fudge from Natalie’s Killer Cuisine

~ Bittersweet Chocolate Walnut Fudge at Peanut Butter and Julie

~ Chocolate Orange Peanut Bark from The Urban Spork

~ How to Make Ganache at Country Living, City Style

~ Pistachio Chocolate Marshmallow from A Table For Two

~ Chocolate Hazelnut Souffle at The Salty Cod

~ Brownie Tart with Chocolate Ganache Dots from Zoom Yummy

[image: flickr]

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If peanuts are a no-go, you can substitue chopped pretzels or even Rice Krispies.

Rocky Road Halloween Treats

1 (12 oz.) pkg. semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 (14 oz.) can sweetened condensed milk
2 tbsp. butter
2 cup dry roasted peanuts
1 (10 1/2 oz.) package white mini marshmallows
Assorted Halloween candy pieces such as candy corn, M&M’s, gummies, etc.
Wax paper or Halloween decorated paper cupcake or candy cups
13″ x 9″ Pan

~ In top of double boiler melt chocolate, condensed milk and butter.

~ Remove from heat.

~ In a large bowl, combine nuts and marshmallows. Combine with chocolate mixture.

~ Line a 13×9 inch pan with the waxed paper.

~ Pour the entire mixture in and press it down or scoop into prepared cups.

~ Top with candy pieces.

~ Chill until firm and cut into squares. Store at room temperature.

[image: flickr]

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The cute chocolate pops pictured above are available at The Chocolate Vault, and the mold designs range from cute to creepy, with spiders, spiderwebs, ghosts and even haunted houses cast in milk, dark and white chocolate.

If you don’t feel like purchasing the pops, you can make some yourself with cute molds like this brain (use pink tinted white chocolate!), mouse and rat molds (all three chocolates would work well), witches, skulls and Frankenstein, or check out this selection of molds that work with pretzel rods. Wilton also has an entire kit complete with molds, sticks and candy melts.

[images: chocolatevault.com]

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This is my chocolate drawer. We moved into this house six months ago and had more drawers and cupboard space in the kitchen than we’d had at our last house, and while unpacking I just stuck my treats and chocolate in this drawer to get them out of the way and that’s where they’ve stayed. It’s a step up from the box stuffed into a cupboard that I used at the last place! If we ever need the drawer these’ll get shuffled off to a different spot but it works for now.

Anyway, this is the stuff that’s “mom’s and dad’s only” — the kids’ treats are in a cupboard and handed out sparingly as a special snack, etc, now and then. Some of the stuff in the picture are things I’ve gotten for reviews, some have been given to me and some are just treats I’ve picked up here and there at the grocery store to try out (or from my favorite place ever, World Market).

I’m not terribly picky either, as you can see. When I want just a quick chocolate snack and don’t care where it comes from I’ve got the Hershey’s or Chex Mix Dark Chocolate, but if I’m really needing some good chocolate I’ve got the good stuff tucked up into the corner. This is also where the seasonal treats that I end up buying weeks in advance and open anyway end up (don’t tell the kids).

What does your chocolate stash look like?

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Snack giants Keebler, Little Debbie, General Mills and Austin are recalling peanut butter treats in the wake of the salmonella-tainted peanut butter scare from last week.

Though there have been no complaints about illnesses from the Little Debbie snacks specifically, the company is still recalling peanut butter toasty sandwich crackers and peanut butter cheese sandwich crackers made since July 1.

General Mills is recalling their popular LARABAR Peanut Butter Cookie and JamFrakas Peanut Butter Blisscrisp snack bars.

The Hy-Vee supermarket chain is recalling bakery products that contain peanut butter, and Ralcorp Frozen Bakery Products, which sells through Wal-Mart has recalled several brands of peanut butter cookies. ZonePerfect Chocolate Peanut Butter bars and Peanut toffee bars have also been added to the list.

South Bend Chocolate Co. has also issued a voluntary recall of certain candies manufactured with possibly tainted peanut butter.

Many other snack and candy companies are coming forward to say their treats are safe, such as Mars, Tastykake, and Hershey.

There have been nearly 500 cases of illness and six deaths linked to the salmonella outbreak.

Basically, steer clear of ready-made peanut butter snacks for a while (jarred peanut butter is not affected by any recalls — yet).

[image: flickr]

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• Chocolate Mint Bûche de Noël at Apple, Pie, Patis & Pate
• French Yule Log at Use Real Butter
• Easy Christmas Truffles at Shaved Ice Sundays
• Red Velvet Yule Log at Big Red Kitchen
• Martha’s chocolate chip cookies at Slow Like Honey
• French Yule Log at Lemonpi
• Dark Chocolate and Orange Tart at Kiss My Artichoke
• Chocolate Banana Cake at Chowtimes
• Chocolate Crackle Cookies at Butter and Sugar
• Graham Cracker Toffee at Eat Boutique
• Cookie Dough and Oreo Truffles at Good Eats ‘N Sweet Treats
• Chocolate Covered Cherry Cookies at Lovin’ From the Oven

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Williams-Sonoma has a ton of delicious-looking treats currently on sale!

If you don’t have a W-S close by you can easily order online as well. We’ve got one in the next city over (that I know of), but this is not a weekend I feel like venturing out. Not to mention I’d probably get so distracted by everything else in there that I’d forget what I went in for.

Just look at the Chocolate Peppermint Gâteau, Five-Layer Mousse Cake, and Recchiuti Chocolate Apple Slices. I still have a week until the diet starts, right?

[heads-up from cybele; image: williams-sonoma.com]

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