A Holiday Treat! #holidaybaking #mockthinmintcookies

......Happy holidays everyone!
......I wanted to let you know that for the next few days my blog will be quiet as my family and I celebrate the holiday. But I also didn't want to leave you hanging, so I'm sharing a treat with you all!
......Growing up I didn't like to cook all that much, but I was big on baking. As an adult, my baking time took a hit due to other responsibilities. Over the past year though, I've been getting into cooking, experimenting with new meals, and returning to creating delectable treats. Thing is I'm still a 'it has to be fast and easy' type of girl. So, how can one make cookies and not spend an inordinate amount of time in the kitchen? A bit of a quandary.
......Then I remembered...
......Back when I'd been in real estate, an agent I knew gave me the recipe for mock Thin Mints. Bingo! A quick and easy cookie. Three ingredients. A baking sheet and wax paper and voila! Only problem is they're so addicting and easy to eat you may need to make more than one batch. ;)

....First ingredient is Chocolate. I decided on this brand because one: I like it, two: it says no tempering is needed & three: the darker chocolate seemed closer to the real cookie's chocolate.






....Second ingredient is Peppermint Oil. There are lots of

recipes out there with varying ideas on this. Most use extracts. You could, too, if you can't find the oil, but oils do give a cleaner flavor and are stronger. Also, don't use extracts if you plan on tempering the chocolate. Extracts have water and alcohol which will cause the chocolate to seize. (Info on tempering chocolate and why can be found HERE.) If you're going to use the same chocolate I used, oil is a must since these chocolates shouldn't have any water mixed in. If you only can find an extract, feel free to use a bag of chocolate chips*.
....Third ingredient... Ritz Crackers. Yes. Ritz. Use the regular brand for the utmost in buttery, salty, chocolately, minty cookie goodness.

....Tools you'll need -- a bowl or double boiler to melt your chocolate; a silicone spatula to stir the melting chocolate; a fork; a baking sheet covered in wax paper

....Melt chocolate according to package directions.








....Once melted, add in 1/8 teaspoon to 1/4 teaspoon of the

peppermint oil. Do this to your taste but don't over do it right off the bat. If you put in too much, you won't be able to correct it, and you'll have mouthwash flavored chocolate.

..Dip a cracker into the minty chocolate mixture. Use the fork to remove it by lightly scooping it up from the underside. Allow excess chocolate to drain off through fork tines or gently shake the cracker so the excess comes off a little faster. Transfer the cookie to the baking sheet.
..Repeat until all the chocolate is used. A 12 oz bag of chocolate yeilded about 36 cookies.
..Enjoy!

......Happy holidays from my home to yours.
......C.R. Moss

......(* = chip/extract recipe from Kraft HERE or Group Recipes HERE.)