Novel Christmas treats

Following last week’s War on Xmas, I thought I’d show that I’m not a complete Grinch and talk about some long lost or novel Christmas treats. The recipes are on my website, but I’ll give you a short run down of each of my Christmas treat selections.

#10 Egg Nog Pie

A new edition to my holiday festivities is a take on a classic holiday tradition, made into a pie! Who knew? Five simple ingredients turn a classic drink into a light and fluffy pie. Thank you Sis for the recommendation.

#9 Corn Pudding

Once a nationwide Christmas staple, it’s now almost exclusively a Southern recipe. Sweet, light, and savory, it might remind you of custard pie.

#8 Rum Balls

This was a treat I loved on our Christmas table. My mom did all of our Christmas baking, but there’s no baking in this simple recipe. I felt so naughty eating rum cookies.

#7 Snowflake Salad

A “salad” with no kale? Say it ain’t so! This Southern classic is called Snowflake because it has a dreamy appearance with a fruity taste to celebrate the season. Perfect for your entertainment table.

#6 Gingerbread

Notice I didn’t mention cookies. This recipe has more of a brownie consistency than a hard snap cookie. Tasty and smells so good.

#5 Peanut Butter Kiss Cookies

Possibly my all-time favorite cookie. A simple PB cookie with Hershey Kisses planted in the middle. Now that kisses come in a variety of holiday flavors, you can make the cookies distinctive.

#4 Chocolate Peppermint Crinkle cookies

Classic holiday flavors but the way the cookies split makes them look like snowflakes, and then you sprinkle lots of powdered sugar on them!

#3 Hot Chocolate

A play on words, I started this a couple of years ago when I had a bumper crop of hot peppers. I mix ground up peppers in white, milk, or dark chocolates and spread it out on a cookie sheet. Once hardened, I snap it like peanut brittle and you have “hot chocolate.” This year I added peanuts.

#2 Ha’ Penny Snacks

Another staple of my childhood, this simple snack isn’t sweet, instead it balances all that Christmas sugar.

#1 Christmas Butter Cookies

Simple butter cookies, cut out in Christmas shapes, then colored with food paint. It gave us kids the Christmas spirit. And we left a few out for Santa to enjoy.

What are some of your favorite Christmas treats?

Kelly Burke was born in Knoxville where he spent his younger years, followed by high school years in Atlanta where he graduated from Georgia Tech, and Mercer Law School. He has been in private practice, a magistrate judge, and an elected district attorney. He writes about the law, politics, music, and Ireland. He and his wife enjoy gardening, playing with their Lagotto Ramanolo named George Harrison, and spending time with their grandchildren. To see this column or Kelly’s archives, visit www.kellyrburke.com. You can email Kelly at dakellyburke@gmail.com.