Today was a first annual cookie exchange with some of my coworkers. We are very optimistic that we’ll be able to pull off another one next year, thus the “annual.” There was a wide array of cookies and a couple confections. One of the tastiest and best presented was the French chocolate bark. My coworker, Louella, found this recipe by Ina Garten on the Food Network website (http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/ina-garten/french-chocolate-bark-recipe/index.html). Below is a picture of the French chocolate bark. The bark was strategically arranged by Louella in small green bread pans and each attendee received one.

French chocolate bark

Our coworker, Ron, brought his wife, Mary, to work for the exchange. For an after-lunch treat, Mary brought a tray of Christmas mice, which were made of chocolate covered maraschino cherries and Hershey’s Kisses. They each had ears of corn flakes and a tiny nose and eyes made of frosting. Below is a picture of one of the mice and the directions provided by Mary. Not only were the mice cute (this picture doesn’t do it justice), but they were also tasty. My 16-year old daughter was the taste tester of the one pictured and she gave it a nod and a smile, which means it was really good. The recipe for the mouse follows.  ~merry carter~

Christmas Mice Recipe

Ingredients and Preparations

• Honey Corn Flakes (Or Frosted Flakes) pour out on a plate and find pairs of flakes that are similar size, set aside
• Hershey’s Kisses (unwrap)
• Maraschino cherries with stems (rinse, lie on paper towels and pat dry)
• Baker’s Dipping Chocolate (follow directions exactly, my micro required 3- 30 second rounds)
• Decorating Gel (red or white) small tubes next to frosting
• Wax or parchment paper (line a tray)

Directions

Do all preparations above and create assembly workspace. Holding the stem, dip a cherry into chocolate until covered, lift, let chocolate run off for a few seconds. Place cherry on its side on wax paper; press and hold Hershey kiss onto the opposite side from stem (this is the head of the mouse); let go, if kiss stays, move on to the next one; dip cherry, place on tray, press kiss into place.  After 10 mice are ready, dip the edges of a pair of corn flakes into the dipping chocolate; place flakes between the kiss and the cherry, hold for a few seconds until they stay in place. Repeat. After all mice are assembled, snip top of gel tube and squeeze gel onto a plate until you have a nice flow of gel. Now add two dots of gel onto the Hershey kiss for eyes, and one dot onto the tip of the Hershey Kiss for a nose. Do not refrigerate. Store in container where neither plastic wrap nor a lid will touch the mice.