Favorite Holiday Season Deserts.

The last couple of years, my mother in laws chocolate peanutbutter fudge and a wonderful peppermint bark recipe I found have been our favorites. They have been big hits. I have even made the fudge for the cookie walk at the annual toys and greens sale. Although these will continue to be big hits and I will make them again, this year I made what's called a chocolate salami. It came from a magazine from Hannaford called Fresh - home for the holidays issue. It's a truflle like mixture studded with almonds and cookie crumbs, making it look like salami. The recipe can be halved and it can be frozen. Very simple and a new holiday favorite. Here is the recipe. Also, an added bonus : ). The bark and fudge recipes are also below.

Recipe for Chocolate "Salami"

1 12 pkg semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, sliced
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups vanilla wafer cookies crushed into crumbs
1/3 cup of sliced almonds. I grinded mine up in my mini chopper.

Instructions:
1. melt chocolate using a double boiler or a metal bowl or saucepan that will rest on top of a bottom saucepan. Fill the bottom pan halfway with water. Place chocolate and butter in the top pan. Heat the water over medium low heat. Gently stir the chocolate and butter after about 1 minute. Keep stiring. When it's about 80 percent melted, take off stove and let it continue to melt.
2. stir in vanilla, cookie crumbs and almonds
3. put the pan in the freezer until mixture is slightly firm. 5-10 minutes or so.
4. spray a large sheet of plastic wrap with vegetable cooking spray or use parchment paper (which I did). Spread the chocolate mixture evenly along one long side. Roll to form a log shape about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in diameter and 10 to 12 inches long. Place in freezer until fully firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
5. Remove log from freezer 2 hours before you plan to serve. Cut into slices. You can garnish with strawberries, whipped cream ect. on the side if you want.


Peppermint Bark: Here is another wonderful recipe that I have found and used from Boston Chefs blog over at http://bostonchef.blogspot.com.
The recipe can be found here:

Chocolate PeanutButter Fudge:
1 lb white chocolate
1 lb milk chocolate
16 oz jar of cream peanutbutter

Melt chocolate
stir in peanut butter
pour into 9X13 pan lined with parchment paper and refrigerate.