goodies as gifts

So how many of you can go the season without a little peppermint bark? When I was in corporate America we would get huge tins of it from vendors, so believe me… my family has eaten their weight in it over the years. So when I thought of giving gifts “from the heart” and from the kitchen this year, I thought of peppermint bark. Here are the ingredients from MarthaStewart.com: (This makes about 2 ¼ lbs.)

• 2 pounds white chocolate, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
• 12 large candy canes
• 1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil

And easy steps:

1. Line an 11-by-17-inch baking sheet with parchment, and set aside.
2. In the top of a double boiler, melt white chocolate, stirring constantly.
3. With a chef’s knife or meat tenderizer, cut or pound candy canes into 1/4-inch pieces.
4. Stir pieces of candy canes and peppermint oil into the melted chocolate. Remove from heat, and pour the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet; spread evenly. Chill until firm, 25 to 30 minutes. Break into pieces, and serve. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.