Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs,
Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Bloody Maria
c/o Fogged in Lounge

Ingredients

• 32 oz tomato juice 
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 Tbs cacao
• 1 tsp ground cayenne
• 1 tsp ground chipotle
• 1 tsp sweet paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground true cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1 clove garlic, crushed

Directions
Gradually incorporate dry ingredients with a little of the tomato juice at a time until smooth enough to stir with the remaining liquid. Add lime and garlic. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

My preferred tomato juice, Knudsen, has some lemon in it to begin with, so you may want to add more lime for snap. For the cacao, it’s worth finding the dark, smoky, complex Valrhona. And I’m thinking a half teaspoon of cloves wouldn’t hurt a thing.

Reposado tequila is nice with this. But it’s a grownup drink on its own without the spirits, so if you have a Virgin Maria in your party, she won’t feel left out.

Avocado BLT Pasta Salad
c/o Emily Bites

Ingredients

• 8 oz uncooked pasta (I used cavatappi)
• 8 slices center cut bacon
• 6 oz of avocado, mashed (for me 6 ounces was the weight of one avocado after removing the skin and pit)
• 1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice
• ¼ cup low fat mayonnaise (I used Hellmann’s)
• 1 ½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes (I sliced mine into quarters)
• 2 cups shredded or thinly sliced romaine or green leaf lettuce

Directions

1. Cook the pasta according to package directions and drain. Rinse the pasta in a colander under cold water until the pasta is cooled and drain. Transfer the pasta to a large mixing bowl.
2. Cook the bacon according to package directions and drain and cool on paper towels. Slice or crumble the bacon into small pieces.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine the mashed avocado and the lemon juice and stir until thoroughly combined. Add the mayonnaise, vinegar, salt and garlic powder and stir until well combined and creamy. Add this avocado dressing to the pasta in your large mixing bowl and then stir until the pasta is coated.
4. Add the crumbled bacon, chopped tomatoes and shredded lettuce to the coated pasta and toss to combine. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Sugared Pretzel Cookies

c/o Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

1 large egg, hard-boiled and cooled
10 tablespoons (140 grams or 1 1/4 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon (80 grams) granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (this is halved from the original)
1 cup (125 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (45 grams) rye flour (medium or white will work)
1 large egg white, lightly beaten with 1 teaspoon water
4 teaspoons turbinado or clear sanding sugar

Directions

Place butter, sugar and salt in the bowl of stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Crack egg and peel shell. Separate yolk from white; add white to your next sandwich or egg salad. Press yolk through fine-mesh strainer and into mixer bowl with other ingredients. Beat mixture on medium speed until light and fluffy, scraping down sides of bowl and beater with spatula as needed. Add vanilla, mix until combined. Add flours and mix at low speed until just combined. Using rubber spatula or your hands, reach into bowl and knead dough a few times into a cohesive mass.

Divide dough in half; place each half on a square of parchment paper. Form each into a log about 6 inches long (it will be about 1 3/4 inches in diameter) and wrap tightly with parchment, twisting ends to seal. Chill logs for 30 minutes, until semi-firm. (If you chill them longer, you’ll want to warm them up a bit or it’s difficult to work them into pretzel shapes.)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Slice 1/4-inch off first chilled log and roll slice into a ball in the palm of your hands; this softens the dough. On a counter, roll ball into a 6-inch rope. Pick up each end of rope and fold turn it into the center, pressing it into a pretzel shape. Transfer to baking sheet. Repeat with remaining dough, placing cookies one inch apart on prepared sheets.

Brush each pretzel cookie with egg white wash, then sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake cookies until they have golden brown edges, about 13 to 15 minutes. Remove from oven but let firm up on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to cooling racks.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs,

Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Rosewater Manhattan

c/o Country Cleaver

Ingredients

1 cup Sugar, for simple syrup

1 cup Water, for simple syrup

1/4 tsp Nielsen-Massey Rose Water, for simple syrup

1/4 tsp Nielsen-Massey Vanilla Extract, for simple syrup

Angostura Bitters

3 Ounces Whisky

Jarred Bing Cherry or Maraschino Cherries

Sliced Oranges

Ice

Directions

In a saucepan, combine water and sugar. Bring the mixture to a simmer so the sugar dissolves completely, about five minutes. Stir occasionally. Remove from the heat and place in the fridge to cool. When cool, stir in the Nielsen-Massey rose water and vanilla extracts. Set aside.

In a cocktail shaker, fill with ice, add in 1/2 ounce rose water simple syrup, 3 ounces whiskey, and three dashes of bitters. Add in one slice of orange and one cherry. Top shaker, and shake vigorously. Pour cocktail into glasses. Top with additional slice of orange, and cherry. Serve immediately.

Turkey Enchilada Stuffed Poblanos Rellenos

c/o Skinnytaste

Ingredients

For the poblanos:

• 4 large fresh poblano chiles
• 1 1/4 cups homemade enchilada sauce
• 1/2 cup Colby-Jack shredded cheese blend
• cilantro sprigs or chopped scallions, for garnish

For the turkey:

• 12 oz 93% lean ground turkey
• 1/4 cup onion, finely chopped
• 2 cloves minced garlic
• 1/2 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/4 cup bell pepper, finely chopped
• 2 tbsp cilantro
• 2 oz canned tomato sauce
• kosher salt
• fresh ground pepper
• 3/4 tsp ground cumin
• 1/8 tsp oregano
• 1 bay leaf

Directions

To roast the peppers:

1. Lay the poblano peppers on a work surface so they sit flat naturally without rolling.
2. Using a small, sharp knife, cut a lengthwise slit along one side of each of the poblano peppers, then make a small cross-wise slit along the top to create a T-shaped slit, careful not to cut the stem off. Carefully cut out and remove the core, then scoop out the seeds.
3. Using tongs, roast the poblano chiles over an open flame such as the grill, broiler or stovetop, turning often until the skin is completely blistered.
4. Transfer to a plastic bag (or place in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap) and let steam for 10 to 15 minutes to loosen the skins. Once they are cool enough to handle, use a butter knife to scrape away the charred skins and discard, careful not to tear the peppers.
5. Set the roasted poblanos aside.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F.
7. Pour 1-1/4 cups of the sauce into the bottom of a 9 x 12-inch casserole dish.

To make the turkey:

1. Meanwhile, brown the ground turkey on medium heat in large sauté pan and season with salt and pepper. Use a wooden spoon to break the meat up into small pieces.
2. Add the chopped onions, garlic, pepper, tomato and cilantro and continue cooking on a low heat.
3. Add cumin, oregano, bay leaves, and more salt if needed. Add tomato sauce and 1/4 cup of water and mix well, reduce heat to low and simmer covered about 15 minutes.
4. Carefully stuff about 1/2 cup of the turkey mixture into each poblano pepper.
5. Place the peppers seam side up over the sauce in the baking dish and top each with 2 tbsp of cheese.
6. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake in the oven until hot and bubbly, about 30 minutes.
7. Serve hot topped with cilantro or scallions on top.

Strawberry Summer Cake

c/o Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons (85 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for pie plate
• 1 1/2 cups (188 grams) all-purpose flour (can swap 3/4 cup or 94 grams all-purpose flour with 3/4 cup or 75 grams of barley flour, see Note)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1 cup (200 grams) plus 2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 cup (118 ml) milk
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1 pound (450 grams) strawberries, hulled and halved

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Butter a 10-inch pie pan or 9-inch deep-dish pie pan (what I used). This cake does not work in a standard 9-inch pie pan; it will overflow. Big apologies to anyone who learned the hard way! This cake would work, however, in a 9- or 10-inch springform or cake pan. The 10-inch would make a thinner cake than pictured.

Whisk flour or flours, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. In a larger bowl, beat butter and 1 cup sugar until pale and fluffy with an electric mixer, about 3 minutes. Mix in egg, milk and vanilla until just combined. Add dry mixture gradually, mixing until just smooth.

Pour into prepared pie plate. Arrange strawberries, cut side down, on top of batter, as closely as possible in a single layer (though I had to overlap a few to get them all in). Sprinkle remaining 2 tablespoons sugar over berries.

Bake cake for 10 minutes then reduce oven temperature to 325°F and bake cake until golden brown and a tester comes out free of wet batter, about 50 minutes to 60 minutes. (Gooey strawberries on the tester are a given.) Let cool in pan on a rack. Cut into wedges. Serve with lightly whipped cream.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday!
Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Rhubarb Collins
c/o Epicurious

Ingredients

• 1 (4 ounce) stalk rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 1/2 -inch pieces (about 3/4 cup total) or 3/4 cup frozen rhubarb chunks
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 ounces gin
• 1 ounce lemon juice
• 2 to 4 ounces Champagne or soda water, chilled

Directions

1. In a small pot, combine the rhubarb and sugar with 3/4 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to moderately low and simmer until slightly thickened and bright pink in color, about 20 minutes. Let the syrup cool then pour through a fine-mesh sieve set over a bowl. Press down gently and discard the solids. DO AHEAD: The rhubarb simple syrup can be made in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
2. In a cocktail shaker, combine 1 ounce of the rhubarb simple syrup with the gin and lemon juice. Fill the shaker with ice and shake vigorously until completely mixed, about 20 seconds. Strain into a highball glass and top with Champagne or soda water.

Skillet Chicken in Tomato Chipotle Sauce with Avocado Crema

c/o Skinnytaste

Ingredients

2 (1 pound total) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, halved

3/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/2 teaspoon cumin

Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Olive oil spray

1 teaspoon olive oil

1/2 small onion, sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup tomato sauce

1/2 cup low sodium chicken broth

1 tablespoon chipotle pepper in adobo

Juice of ½ lime

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

• AVOCADO SAUCE

1/4 cup low fat sour cream

1 ounce avocado

2 tablespoons fresh cilantro leaves

½ small jalapeno pepper, seeds and membrane removed

1 small garlic clove

1 tablespoon lime juice

1/8 tsp kosher salt

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

1  tablespoon water, as needed

Directions

Place the chicken breast halves between 2 pieces of plastic wrap or parchment and lightly pound to even thickness.  Season both sides with ¼ teaspoon salt and pepper.

Heat large non-stick skillet over medium high heat.  Spray with olive oil spray, add chicken breasts and brown each side, 2 minutes each.  Remove chicken from pan and set aside on a plate.

Reduce heat to medium, add oil and onions and sauté, scraping brown bits with a wooden spoon, about 3 minutes or until onions are tender.  Add garlic and sauté 30 seconds more.  Add tomato sauce, chicken broth, ½ teaspoon salt, cumin, chipotle pepper and adobo sauce, stir and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to medium low, return chicken to pan, cover and cook 8 to 10 minutes more or until chicken is cooked through. Add lime juice.

Meanwhile, to make the avocado sauce combine all sauce ingredients in a small blender and process until smooth and uniform in color.

To serve: Top each chicken breast half with tomato sauce mixture, avocado sauce and garnish with cilantro.

The Browniest Cookie

c/o Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

1/2 cup (4 ounces or 115 grams) unsalted butter
4 ounces (115 grams) unsweetened chocolate, chopped
1 cup (190 grams) dark or light brown sugar
2 tablespoons (25 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
1/2 cup (45 grams) unsweetened cocoa powder, any kind will work
1 cup (130 grams) all-purpose flour
2/3 cup (115 grams) chocolate chips or bitter- or semisweet chocolate, chopped into chunks

Directions

Melt butter and unsweetened chocolate together — you can do this on the stove over very low heat, stirring constantly, in a double-boiler or in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each — and taking the chocolate out when it’s almost, but not fully, melted. Off the heat, stir until it is. 

Whisk sugars into melted butter and chocolate, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla. Whisk in baking soda and salt. If your cocoa powder is lumpy, sift it right onto the surface of the batter, other wise, just add it to the bowl. Add flour, too, and then stir until just combined. Add chips or chocolate chunks and stir until combined.

Place bowl in the fridge for about 30 minutes, and up to a few days. Shorter than 30 minutes, you can bake it right away but they keep better shape once chilled and are easier to scoop. Longer than 30 minutes, they become difficult to scoop, but you can let them warm up slightly before you do.

Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). 

Scoop into about 1 1/2- to 2-tablespoon sized mounds and space evenly on parchment- or nonstick baking mat-lined baking sheets, allowing room for them to spread a little. Bake for 11 to 12 minutes, at which point they will still definitely look underbaked, but you should take them out if a fudgy-centered cookie is your goal. (Of course it is!) Let set on baking sheets for a few minutes before carefully transferring to a rack to cool the rest of the way before eating.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday! Here are my favorite recipes this week. 

Pomegranate Grapefruit Paloma
c/o Smitten Kitchen

Directions

• 2 thin slices or small wedges grapefruit
• Kosher salt for rim, if desired
• 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 1 teaspoon honey, sugar or agave
• 1/4 cup white tequila
• About 3 medium-sized ice cubes
• 1/4 cup club soda or seltzer

Directions

If you'd like to salt the rim of you glass, put a little kosher salt on a small plate. Swipe the rim of your glass with a wedge of grapefruit (or a wedge from the emptied grapefruit you've just juiced) and place the damp rim in the salt, twisting to coat it.

Place both juices and honey or sugar in the bottom of your glass and use a long spoon to stir it until combined, and/or until the sugar has dissolved. Add tequila, stir to combine. Add ice then club soda or seltzer. Garnish with additional grapefruit slices and pomegranate arils. Repeat as needed.

Apricot Rum Glazed Ham

c/o Skinnytaste

Directions

1 (6 to 8 pounds) Hickory smoked fully cooked spiral cut ham

3 tablespoons apricot preserves

3 tablespoons dark rum

Ingredients

Preheat the oven to 325F.

Place the ham on a rack in a roasting pan with 1 cup water and bake on the lower rack for 1 hour.

While ham bakes make the glaze by combining the preserves and rum in a small saucepan, cook medium heat and whisk until it gets bubbly, about 5 to 8 minutes.

After an hour, remove the ham from the oven and brush with the glaze. Return the ham to the oven and cook about another 50 to 60 minutes.

Brown Butter Sea Salt Butterscotch Bars

c/o Country Cleaver

Ingredients

2 cups Oats

1 1/4 cup Flour

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/2 tsp Salt

3/4 cup Butterscotch Chips +1/4 cup for Drizzle

1 cup Unsalted Butter, browned and cooled

1 cup Brown Sugar +2 Tbsp for Drizzle

1 Egg

2 tsp Vanilla Extract

1/2 tsp Sea Salt for Drizzle

1 Tbsp Milk for Drizzle

1 cup Walnuts, chopped *optional*

Directions

In a medium saucepan or skillet, heat over medium heat and brown butter. Allow to cool slightly - or place in fridge unti the butter sets, about 20 minutes. Prepare other ingredients while cooling.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 13x9 inch baking dish with non stick spray, then line with parchment paper, and spray again with non stick spray to adhere to the bottom of the pan.

In a bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

In another bowl, whisk together egg, vanilla, and brown sugar. Pour in the flour/oat mixture and combine. Add in butterscotch chips, and chopped walnuts.

Pour mixture into the baking dish, press in to evenly distribute through the dish. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs on it. When done, set on a cooling rack.

For glaze, in a microwave safe bowl or cup, melt together remaining butterscotch chips, brown sugar, and milk. Heat in increments to ensure the butterscotch chips do not scorch. Stir to form a glaze. Drizzle over the top of the cooling bars. Sprinkle with sea salt. Cool completely, then slice and serve.

Friday Foodday

Happy last weekend in March! Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Baja Margarita
c/o Country Cleaver

Ingredients

3/4 to 1 cup Sugar

1 1/2 cup Water

1/2 cup Lime Juice

1/2 cup Tequila

Directions

*Adjust the amount of sugar you like for your margaritas in this step. Add more sugar for a sweeter margarita, or use less for a more tart margarita* In a small saucepan, whisk together the sugar and water. Bring the mixture to a rolling boil. reduce the heat and simmer for several minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved completely. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside to cool. Once cooled, stir in the lime juice until combined.

If you want to make the mixture a Pour-Over Drink Mix:: Add the 1/2 cup of tequila into the margarita mix after you add in the lime juice. Stir to combine. Shake and pour over ice for instant margaritas.

Chicken Scarpariello

c/o A Dish of Daily Life

Ingredients

• 2 lbs skinless, boneless chicken thighs
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• all purpose flour or cornstarch for dusting (can substitute cornstarch if you are gluten free)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 lb sweet Italian sausage
• 1 medium onion, sliced thin into rounds
• 1 large red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 8 cloves of garlic, thinly sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh sage leaves, finely minced
• 4 sprigs of fresh rosemary
• 1 cup Peppadews, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup pickling juice from Peppadews
• 2 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1 cup chicken stock

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Season chicken with salt and pepper.
3. Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. I like to use a cast iron pan with enamel coating that I can put right into the oven to finish the dish.
4. Dust chicken with flour (or cornstarch, for gluten free).
5. Brown chicken on both sides; transfer to a plate.
6. Add sausage to same pan the chicken was cooked in, and brown on both sides.
7. Remove sausage and drain on paper towels, then cut into slices.
8. Return pan to heat, and add onions and bell pepper. Scrape browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon while the onions and bell pepper are cooking. Once they start to soften, add the garlic, sage, and rosemary, stirring to combine. Cook for about a minute.
9. Add the Peppadews, Peppadew liquid and white wine. Continue to stir and cook until the liquid is reduced by about half, about 2 minutes.
10. Add the chicken stock and fresh lemon juice, stir to combine. Return sausage and chicken to pan.
11. Transfer pan to oven and cook for 30 minutes, until chicken is tender. Serve immediately.

Peanut Butter Swirled Brownies

c/o Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

PEANUT BUTTER BATTER

• 3/4 cup (190 grams) smooth peanut butter
• 2/3 (135 grams) cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extra
• A few pinches of flaky or coarse sea salt

BROWNIE BATTER

• 3 ounces (85 grams) unsweetened chocolate, roughly chopped
• 1/2 cup (115 grams or 4 ounces) unsalted butter, plus extra for pan
• 1 1/4 cups (250 grams) granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky or heaped 1/4 teaspoon of coarse sea salt
• 2/3 cup (85 grams) all-purpose flour

TO FINISH

• 1/4 cup (40 grams) semi- or bittersweet chocolate chips

Directions

Heat oven: To 350°F (175°C). 

Line an 8-inch square baking pan with parchment and coat the bottom and sides with nonstick cooking spray or butter. 

Make peanut butter batter: Whisk all ingredients in a bowl until smooth.

Make brownie batter: In a medium heatproof bowl over gently simmering water, melt chocolate and butter together until only a couple unmelted bits remain. Off the heat, stir until smooth and fully melted. You can also do this in the microwave in 30-second bursts, stirring between each. Whisk in sugar, then eggs, one at a time, then vanilla and salt. Stir in flour with a spoon or flexible spatula.

Assemble brownies: Spread a thin layer of brownie batter (about 1/3 of total batter, but no need to be exact) in bottom of prepared baking pan. Dollop peanut butter batter all over in big spoonfuls. Dollop remaining brownie batter in pan, aiming, if you can, between the peanut butter dollops. Use a butter knife to swirl the batters together in loose figure-8s. Sprinkle chips all over.

Bake: For 30 to 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out batter-free.

Friday Foodday

Happy Friday lovebugs! Here are my favorite recipes this week.

Pomegranate Grapefruit Paloma
c/o Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients

• 2 thin slices or small wedges grapefruit
• Kosher salt for rim, if desired
• 2 tablespoons grapefruit juice
• 2 tablespoons pomegranate juice
• 1 teaspoon honey, sugar or agave
• 1/4 cup white tequila
• About 3 medium-sized ice cubes
• 1/4 cup club soda or seltzer
• A few pomegranate arils (for garnish)
• Directions
• If you'd like to salt the rim of you glass, put a little kosher salt on a small plate. Swipe the rim of your glass with a wedge of grapefruit (or a wedge from the emptied grapefruit you've just juiced) and place the damp rim in the salt, twisting to coat it.
  Place both juices and honey or sugar in the bottom of your glass and use a long spoon to stir it until combined, and/or until the sugar has dissolved. Add tequila, stir to combine. Add ice then club soda or seltzer. Garnish with additional grapefruit slices and pomegranate arils. Repeat as needed.

Cauliflower Fried Rice
c/o Skinny Taste

Ingredients

1 medium head (about 24 oz) cauliflower, rinsed

1 tbsp sesame oil

2 egg whites

1 large egg

pinch of salt

cooking spray

1/2 small onion, diced fine

1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots

2 garlic cloves, minced

5 scallions, diced, whites and greens separated

3 tbsp soy sauce, or more to taste

Directions

Remove the core and let the cauliflower dry completely.

Coarsely chop into florets, then place half of the cauliflower in a food processor and pulse until the cauliflower is small and has the texture of rice or couscous – don’t over process or it will get mushy. Set aside and repeat with the remaining cauliflower.

Combine egg and egg whites in a small bowl and beat with a fork. Season with salt.

Heat a large saute pan or wok over medium heat and spray with oil.

Add the eggs and cook, turning a few times until set; set aside.

Add the sesame oil and saute onions, scallion whites, peas and carrots and garlic about 3 to 4 minutes, or until soft.Raise the heat to medium-high.

Add the cauliflower “rice” to the saute pan along with soy sauce. Mix, cover and cook approximately 5 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the cauliflower is slightly crispy on the outside but tender on the inside.

 Add the egg then remove from heat and mix in scallion greens.

Oreo Peppermint Cookies
c/o A Taste of Home Cooking

Ingredients
1 box yellow cake mix 
1 stick butter, melted 
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
8 Oreo cookies, crushed into pieces
1 package Andes mints, crushed (or 1 cup Andes Peppermint Crunch pieces) 
1/2 cup chocolate chips

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. 

Combine the cake mix, melted butter, egg, and extracts in a large bowl. Using a hand mixer, beat until a soft dough forms. Add the softened cream cheese and beat in gently until combined. Stir in the Oreos, peppermint pieces and chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, divide the dough into 36 balls. 

Bake on an ungreased cookie sheet for 9 minutes. These didn't spread at all, so I was able to fit 8 dough balls on each sheet. The cookies will be very soft and look under done. Let them sit on the hot cookie sheet for 2 minutes, then gently remove them with a spatula to a cooling rack. Very gently tap the tops of the cookies with the bottom of the spatula to even out the tops. Let them sit until completely cool. Store in an airtight container.