Christmas Chex Mix

 Christmas Chex Mix

Ingredients:

• 3 cups Cheerios 
• 3 cups Rice Chex 
• 3 cups Wheat Chex 
• 2 cups Corn Chex 
• 1 cups Pretzel Sticks 
• 2-3 cups m&m’s 
• 24 oz White Chocolate

Directions: 

1. In a large bowl combine the Cheerios, Chex, Pretzels and m&m’s. Mix them up a bit, making sure that everything is evenly distributed. 
2. Meanwhile, over a double boiler, melt the white chocolate according to the directions on the package. Once the chocolate has melted and is a smooth consistency, drizzle the chocolate over the cereal mix and combine with a wooden spoon or hands. Make sure all the cereal is covered in chocolate. If you need to melt the extra white chocolate to cover all the mix then go right on ahead! 
3. Once the entire batch has been combined, lay it out to dry on a large sheet of parchment or wax paper. Let dry for 1 hour so the chocolate is cooled and hard. 
4. Break it up into medium pieces and store in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer

Source: https://whatsgabycooking.com/wprm_print/chex-christmas-mix

 Italian Rainbow Cookies

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs separated 
• 1 cup sugar divided 
• 7 ounce tube of almond paste 
• 2 ½ sticks salted butter softened 
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups all-purpose
• Red and green food coloring
• 10 ounces seedless raspberry preserves warmed
• 12 ounces semisweet chocolate

Directions: 

1. 
   
2. Prepare the sheet pans. Position a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350 F. Grease, flour, and line the bottoms of three 9x13 (quarter sheet pan) with parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang.
3. Beat egg whites. In the bowl of a standard electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat 4 egg whites at medium-high speed until they just hold stiff peaks. 
4. With the mixer running on high speed, add ¼ cup sugar a little at a time, beating until whites hold stiff, glossy peaks, about 2-3 minutes. Transfer to another bowl, and wipe the bowl dry with a paper towel.
5. Mix sugar and almond paste. Switch the mixer to the paddle attachment and beat together the almond paste and remaining ¾ cup sugar until well-mixed, about 3 minutes. Start with the mixer on slow, then increase speed to medium, otherwise the mixture will fly out of the bowl. Incorporate butter.
6. Add 2 ½ sticks softened butter and beat until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
7. Add 4 egg yolks and 1 tsp almond extract and beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Reduce speed to low, then add 2 cups flour, mixing until just combined. 
8. Fold in egg whites. Fold half of the egg white mixture into the almond mixture to lighten, then fold in remaining whites gently but thoroughly. 
9. Divide batter among 3 bowls. We recommend weighing the batter on a food scale, then dividing equally in thirds into three separate bowls. Color the cookies. Stir 6-8 drops of red food coloring into one bowl and 6-8 drops of green food coloring into another, leaving the third bowl plain. Different food colorings have different intensities. Keep in mind the batter will bake up darker than it looks raw. Pour the batter from one of the bowls into one of the prepared pans. Using a small offset spatula, spread the batter into an even layer. It will be extremely thin, but there is enough!
10. Bake the individual layers. Bake the layer for 12-18 minutes, until just set. Repeat with the remaining bowls of cake batter and sheet pans, transferring each baked cake to a wire rack to cool completely. Assemble the layers with preserves.
11. When all the layers are cool, invert the green layer onto a parchment- or wax paper-lined baking sheet. Peel off the paper from the layer and brush on half of the heated preserves. Flip the white layer on top of the green layer and peel off the paper. Spread with remaining preserves. Invert the red layer on top of white layer and discard the paper.
12. Chill overnight. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and place another quarter sheet pan on top, right side up. Evenly distribute a heavy weight on top of the sheet pan — I place heavy cookbooks on top! — and place in the fridge to chill for at least 8 hours or overnight.
13. Bring the cake to room temperature. Remove the weights and plastic wrap and let the layer sit on your counter for a few minutes to come to room temperature. Melt the chocolate wafers in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second increments, until smooth. Pour on melted chocolate.
14. Trim the edges of the assembled layers with a long serrated knife to even them out. Use a small offset spatula to quickly (like REALLY quickly) spread half of the melted chocolate in a thin layer on top of the cake. Place the cake back in the fridge to firm up the chocolate, about 10-15 minutes. Place a sheet of wax paper on top of the chocolate layer, place another quarter sheet pan on top, then invert the cake and remove the paper. Quickly spread with the remaining chocolate. Freeze the chocolate-covered cake until just slightly firm, about 10 minutes.
15. Slice cookies. Cut lengthwise into 6 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 16 pieces. The cookies are much easier to cut when cold, but if they're completely frozen solid (like you forget them in the freezer and came back to them the next day), allow to thaw slightly or the chocolate will crack as you slice into it. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer.

Source: https://www.wellseasonedstudio.com/wprm_print/foolproof-italian-rainbow-cookies-recipe