Christmas baking! And more DIY gifts.

I call these "Cheater Truffles" because they were so easy to make! They were a HUGE hit too! I got the recipe from Amy on my cross-country team. Here it is:

1 pkg Oreos (regular or mint)

1 pkg of cream cheese (I used the low-fat kind)

chocolate chips (I used all natural dark chocolate for half of them)

Scrap the filling off each oreo into the blender. Put the remaining cookie part into a zip-loc bag. With a rolling pin crush all the cookies as finely as possible. Blend the filling with the (softened) cream cheese. Now mix the filling/cream cheese with the finely crushed cookies. Roll into 1" balls and chill. Melt chocolate (I did it in the microwave) and dip each ball in chocolate. Chill. Pure yumminess. Jason's dad, Jim, called them "Chocolate Resurrection." That's a huge compliment from him!

This is a chocolate-peanutbutter tofu pie. Ya don't think too much about the tofu part. Don't judge it before you try it. Most people, with the exception of Jim (future FIL) can't taste it! I think it's so yummy! Really rich. The texture is almost like a cheesecake. My roommate Kate made this recipe for our nutrition class "recipe make-over" project. The tofu is to replace a cream-cheese type filling and to make it more nutritional.

Here is the recipe:

Crust*-

1/4 cup butter, melted

10 oz pretzels

2 TBS sugar

Preheat oven to 350. Crush pretzels and sugar in a food processor or blender (or use some elbow grease, a rolling pin, and a ziploc bag) until mixture becomes very fine. With a fork, stir in melted butter until crumbs are moistened. Press into bottom and sides of a 9" pie plate. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.

*I cheated. I used a store bought graham cracker crust. And the graham cracker crust is not healthy because it adds hydrogenated oils which are bad for you!! Buuuut i was lazy. And when Kate made the pretzel crust (healthy!! and gluten free for those of you who can't eat gluten!)  it didn't hold together very well and I wanted mine to look pretty. If you figure out how to make it hold together better, let me know! Maybe more butter...

Filling-

1 cup creamy peanut butter (I used Adam's organic)

1 cup dark chocolate chips (60% cacao)

12 oz. extra firm light silken tofu

1/3 cup maple syrup

Blend peanut butter, melted chocolate, tofu and maple syrup in a blender/food processor until thoughouly mixed and smooth. Pour into pie plate. Let chill before serving. Don't tell your victims tasters the secret ingredient until after they eat half of their piece.

A canvas painting I made for Heidi. I love quotes! They make great inspiration for gifts too!

Josie the artist hard at work...

The final product! I watched her draw a nativity scene in church, and I was inspired to have her draw it on a canvas as a Christmas present for my parents. She started to paint it with me too but I had to finish as she got tired of it. I think this is such a precious gift!