We have a standard set of holiday cookie cutters at home. You know, the usual Christmas trees, snowmen and bells and stuff. However, as a geek, this called to me. Plus The Boy is just winding down from a major (and I mean major) StarWars phase.

I’m not an impulsive girl and there’s no way I’d spend $20 for 4 cookie cutters, but these called for me. They even called to Mr. Ng whose wallet is sealed tighter than the Declaration of Independence. So, we left William Sonoma with a box of overpriced cookie cutters.

The Boy loved them and last Saturday we got down to business.

The cookie cutters have lots of nooks and crannies, but thankfully they have those press things on the back to make dough removal easier. However, we did find it easier to dust the cookie cutters with flour a bit. (They’re a bit of a pain to wash, though.)

Oh, wait. You should have a recipe in case you want to play the home game:

Deb’s Sugar Cookies:

Jägermeister Roasted Turkey with Fresh Herbs

• 1 Fresh Turkey 13-15 lbs.
• 1 sweet onion peeled and cut in quarters
• 1 carrot peeled and chopped
• 1 stalk of celery chopped
• A bouquet of sage, parsley and marjoram
• Salt and pepper
• 6 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 Tbsp minced lemon zest
• ¼ cup Jägermeister
• 2 carrots peeled and chopped
• ½ sweet onion chopped
• ¼ cup cornstarch stir in ¼ cup water
• 2 cups chicken stock
• ½ cup Jägermeister
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Fresh sage for garnish

Preheat oven to 325˚F.
Rinse the turkey inside and out and pat dry with a paper towel. Place the onion, carrot, celery, herbs in the turkey and season inside and outside the poultry. Truss the turkey or tie the legs with kitchen string. Place breast side up on a rack in a roasting pan. Spread 2 tablespoons of the butter over the breast. In a small pan over low heat, melt the remaining butter; stir in the lemon zest, ¼ cup of water and ¼ cup of Jägermeister.
Roast the turkey, basting with Jägermeister butter mixture every 20 minutes, until pan drippings have accumulated, then baste with the drippings. After 1½ hours, add the chopped carrots, onion to the pan and continue to roast, basting every 30 minutes. If the breast begins to over brown, cover loosely with aluminum foil. Roast until the thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh away from the bone registers 175˚F, 2½ -3 hours total.
Transfer the turkey to a cutting board, cover with foil and let rest for 30 minutes before carving.
Skim off the fat and juices of the pan, leaving the vegetables. Set the pan over medium heat and scrape up any brown bits. Pour 1 cup of chicken stock and stir for 3 minutes. Add the corn starch mixture and the remaining chicken stock; stir until thickened. Pour Jägermeister into the pan and simmer for 1 minute. Strain the Jägermeister Gravy.
Snip the string, carve the turkey and arrange on a warmed platter. Serve with Jägermeister gravy.
Serve 12, without leftover.

Michael Collins Gorgonzola Stuffed Figs

• ½ cup crumbled Gorgonzola
• 6 figs ripe cut into quarters
• 2 tbsp syrupy balsamic vinegar
• 1 tsp Michael Collins Irish Whiskey Blend
• 6 ounces Prosciutto, thinly sliced cut in small strips
• Fresh basil leaves for garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Mix balsamic vinegar, Michael Collins Blend, salt and pepper in a small mixing bowl.  Brush each fig with mixture.  Press ½ teaspoon of the Gorgonzola into one end of each fig.
Arrange basil leaves on a serving platter.  Place figs on top of leaves and drizzle remaining Michael Collins balsamic vinegar mixture over figs.
Makes 24 pieces.

Vanilla Bean & Honey Crème brûleé (infused with Lavender)

• 2 ¼ cups Heavy Cream
• ¾ cup Milk
• 3 to 4 Lavender Sprigs (or 1 1/2 tablespoons Dried Lavender), plus Lavender Blossoms for garnish
• 1 Vanilla Bean, split and scraped
• 8 Egg Yolks
• ½ cup Sugar plus about 4 tablespoons Sugar for sprinkling
• 2 tablespoons Bärenjäger Honey Liqueur

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the cream and milk in a medium saucepan and add the lavender and vanilla seeds (including the pod). Bring to a boil and turn off the heat. Let the lavender and stems steep for about 15 minutes or until the milk has a lavender flavor. (For a stronger flavor, allow to steep longer.)
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, beat the egg yolks and sugar until smooth. Add Bärenjäger and whisk into the lavender-cream mixture. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve and skim off any foam. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Pour the mixture into 6 ramekins or crème brûleé dishes. Set the ramekins in a baking dish and add enough hot water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Cover the baking dish with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 40 minutes or until set. (Test for doneness by jiggling the ramekins.) Remove the baking dish from the oven and allow the ramekins to cool in the water bath for 5 minutes. Refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
Before serving, sprinkle the tops with a thin layer of sugar and caramelize with a small torch or under a broiler set on high.
Garnish each crème brûleé with lavender blossoms.

Tasting Notes -

Jägermeister - The liqueur is based on a secret recipe, combining 56 different natural ingredients, including select herbs, blossoms, roots and fruits from every corner of the globe

Bärenjäger- Made in Germany, this 70 proof vodka-based honey liqueur is made with premium quality honey from the Mexican province of Yucatan. Each 750ml bottle contains 225 grams of natural honey and a mixture of botanicals resulting in a subtly sweet, spicy and herb edged taste profile. (This a very sweet vodka, like mead, it’s almost over sweet – but I think it is great as an ingredient in a mixed drink or in a dessert.)

Michael Collins Irish Whiskey Blend: A refined blend of malt Irish whiskey and grain Irish whiskey, Michael Collins Blended Irish Whiskey is  double distilled for proper balance of purity and character, and then matured in bourbon seasoned casks from four to twelve years. Aromas of honey, citrus and malt give way to a delicate balance of these flavors with a fresh oak finish.

The time has come to start the Thanksgiving dinner recipes.  Dressing or Stuffing what’s the difference.  Where I came from, everything was called stuffing, here in Ohio, mostly it’s called dressing so I always thought it was a regional thing.  Whatever – you can also call it stuffing if you stuff it, and dressing if you don’t.  Usually I don’t stuff the turkey, I bake the stuffing (or dressing) and serve it as a side dish – because I like it that way.  I love apples and pecans in my dressing (stuffing) and sometimes I throw in some raisins.  Here’s a recipe developed by the Deen Brothers.  Oven dried bread means cube it and toast it on low until the bread is dry enough to use for stuffing.

Southern Apple Pecan Dressing

Recipe created by Jamie and Bobby Deen on behalf of the Grain Foods Foundation

Servings – 8
PreHeat – 350°
Prep Time – 20 min
Cooking Time – 1 hr
Total Time – 1 hr 20 min
Difficulty – Easy

Ingredients

• 10 cups oven-dried white bread, torn into pieces
• 1 sleeve crackers, crumbled (recommended: Saltines)
• 1/2 cup butter
• 3 stalks, roughly chopped
• 1 large onion, roughly chopped
• 2 large red apples, skins left on and cut into large dice
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground sage
• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 4 eggs, beaten
• 1 cup pecan halves, toasted and roughly chopped

Directions

In an extra large mixing bowl, toss together white bread and crackers. Set aside.

In a large skillet over medium heat, melt butter. Stir in celery, onion,apples, sage and poultry seasoning. Cook until onion is translucent. Pour vegetable mixture over bread mixture. Add stock, salt and pepper. Stir to coat. Add beaten eggs and mix well. Stir in Nuts. Pour mixture in a prepared 9×13 baking pan.

Bake until golden on the top and cooked through with a slight jiggle (45-60 minutes).

Tell us, are you a stuffing, or dressing person?  What kind do you like best?

Ok, I’m going to come out and say it. There are plenty of people searching this blog for “healthy Halloween treats.” While this is admirable, let me just state for the record that working hard to have a healthy Halloween sort of defeats the purpose of trick or treating and Halloween parties. Seriously.

Last year my son’s second grade teacher was a health nut. For the class Halloween party she decided that kids eat unhealthy enough and that she would give them all yogurt and fruit for the Halloween party. First of all? It’s not up to my son’s teacher to determine that everything we feed our kids is unhealthy and therefore she must step in to save us all. And Second? The kids thought the party sucked. Exact words were, “yogurt? This party sucks.”

So if you’ve come here looking for healthy Halloween treats and you’re looking for something made with carrot sticks or applesauce, move along. There’s absolutely nothing to see here.

Halloween is the one day of the year we allow our children to indulge and that one day won’t kill them. As for the candy that is leftover after Halloween? It’s up to each and every parent to police their kids’ caloric intake. If you allow them to inhale candy at an alarming rate, well, yeah, you’re going to have some issues. If you set limits and allow, say one piece each day, or only candy on weekends, your kids will learn better habits.

For goodness sakes, let’s not suck all the fun out of life. There’s already a movement to stop having cupcakes for classroom birthday parties, do we need to do away with Halloween treats as well?

Call me a bad mom but on Halloween my son will be trick or treating at every house within a two mile radius. He will come home with a huge bag filled with candy and we will let him have two to three pieces of said candy. And he will have fun, darnit, because he isn’t allowed candy every day. The candy he collects will last the entire year and some of it will be donated to kids who can’t go trick or treating.  In any event, I am allowing him this indulgence.

A few years ago I might have written up a post listing all sorts of healthy alternatives, but why bother when I’m not doing it myself?

Healthy Halloween? Not this year. Not my house.

Roast Leg of Spring Lamb (from From 1080 Recipes)

Pierna de Cordero Pascual Asada

1 leg of lamb, 3 ¼ -4 ½ pounds

2 cloves garlic

¼ cup lard or 3-4 tablespoons sunflower oil

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

Navy bean garnish (see recipe below)

Salt

Serves 6-8

Rub the lamb all over with garlic, spread the lard or brush the oil all over it, and sprinkle with salt. Let stand in the refrigerator for 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 450⁰F. Put the lamb into a roasting pan and roast for 15 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 350⁰F. Roast, basting occasionally, until the lamb is cooked to your liking, allowing about 15-20 minutes per pound. About 15 minutes before the end of the cooking time, brush the vinegar all over the lamb. When the meat is cooked, turn off the oven but leave the lamb to rest in it for about 5 minutes. Remove the leg from the roasting pan and carve, collecting all the juices from the carving, and cook over medium heat, stirring and scraping up any bits from the base of the pan. Garnish the lamb with the navy bean garnish and serve immediately, offering the sauce separately.

Navy Bean Garnish

Judais Blancas de Adorno

1 ¾ cups dried navy beans, soaked for 3 hours in cold water and drained

1 bay leaf

1 small onion, halved

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) butter

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

Salt

Serves 6

Put the beans into a pan and pour in water to cover. Cover and bring to a boil, then remove the pan from the heat, and drain. Return the beans to the pan, pour in fresh cold water to cover, add the bay leaf and onion halves, and cook over medium heat for about 30 minutes. Add 1 cup cold water, bring to a boil, and simmer for 30 minutes more. Do this twice more at 30-minute intervals, then simmer for another 30 minutes (making a total cooking time of about 2 ½ hours). Drain the beans in a large colander. Melt the butter in a skillet and add the beans. Season to taste with salt and sprinkle with the parsley. Do not let the beans brown or they will become hard. These beans go well with roast leg of lamb.

Easter Pie (From The Silver Spoon)

Serves 12

Butter, for greasing

1 pound 5 ounces Swiss chard

10 eggs

1 ½ cups ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, freshly grated

2 tablespoons bread crumbs

Scant 1 cup heavy cream

1 tablespoon chopped fresh marjoram

14 ounces puff pastry dough, thawed if frozen

All-purpose flour, for dusting

Olive oil, for brushing

Salt and pepper

Preheat the oven to 400⁰F. Grease a large pie dish with butter. Cook the chard in salted, boiling water for 10 minutes until tender, then drain and chop. Beat together four of the eggs. Push the ricotta through a strainer into a bowl, add the beaten eggs, parmesan, bread crumbs and cream and season. Stir in the chard and marjoram. Roll out half the dough on a lightly floured surface into two thin sheets. Line the prepared dish with a sheet of dough, letting the edges overhang, and brush with olive oil. Place the second sheet on top and pour in half the chard mixture. Make six small hollows in the chard mixture, and break an egg into each. Season, cover with the remaining chard mixture and smooth the surface with a damp knife. Roll out the remaining dough into two thin sheets. Place one on the filling and brush with oil, then top with the second and crimp carefully around the sides to steal. Prick the surface with a fork. Bake for about 1 hour. Easter pie may be served hot or cold.

Easter Bread with Chocolate and Almonds (From Vefa’s Kitchen)

Easter is the most important traditional feast in Greece. On Easter Sunday, the fires are lit early for the spit-roasting of the Easter lamb, which is often a community affair. After the long fast, all types of food can be eaten during the week after Easter, even on Wednesday and Friday. Special breads, pies, desserts, and dishes with young goat and lamb all form part of the festivities.

4 cups strong white bread flour, plus extra for dusting

1 ½ tablespoons rapid-rise yeast

½ teaspoon salt

4 tablespoons superfine sugar

2 tablespoons grated orange zest

4 tablespoons lukewarm water

5 tablespoons lukewarm milk

2 eggs, lightly beaten

5 tablespoons melted butter, plus extra for brushing

1 egg yolk

Slivered almonds for sprinkling

For the filling

1 egg, lightly beaten

½ cup blanched almonds, roasted

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Sift together the flour, yeast, and salt into a large bowl and make a well in the center. Add the sugar, orange zest, lukewarm water, lukewarm milk, and eggs and gradually incorporate the dry ingredients, kneading to a soft dough. Gradually pour in the melted butter and gently knead into the dough. Cover and let rise in a warm place for 1 -2 hours, until doubled in volume. Brush a cookie sheet with melted butter. Divide the dough in half and roll out each piece into 12 x16-inch rectangle. Cut each rectangle widthwise into 3 strips. Brush each strip with beaten egg and divide the roasted almonds and chocolate chips among them, sprinkling them evenly. Roll into long ropes and pinch the edges to seal. Lay 3 ropes next to each other and braid them, pressing the ends to seal. Lay 3 ropes next to each other and braid them, pressing the ends to seal. Repeat with the remaining 3 ropes. Put the braids on the prepared cookie sheet and cover with buttered plastic wrap. Let rise for about 20 minutes, or until doubled in volume. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400⁰F. Beat the egg yolk with 1 teaspoon water in a bowl, brush the tops of the loaves with the mixture, and sprinkle with the silvered almonds. Bake for 20-25 minutes , until golden. Let cool and store covered.

Makes 2 loaves

Preparation time 3 hours (including rising)

Cooking time 20-25 minutes

This recipe is just a really basic recipe.  I once tried stuffing the lamb with dried fruit, and all the men scraped it off and out before eating, so I don’t do that anymore.  I cook the lamb in a roaster, in order to keep the oven free for other cooking.

Ingredients:

• Leg of Lamb -  about 5 lbs
• 1 onion sliced
• 2 garlic clove sliced
• 1 tsp Thyme
• Rosemary – 2 sprigs or a couple of dry tsp.
• Pepper
• Salt
• Plum Wine

Directions:

Turn on oven to 325 degrees F. Put lamb into roaster, throw in onions and garlic.  Sprinkle roast with thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper.  Pour plum wine over the top of the roast.  Let the roast cook about 25 minutes per pound.  Add more wine about a half hour before it will be done.  Let the roast sit for about 15 minutes before slicing and serving.  You can make up a quick gravy from the juices while it’s resting.

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place almonds in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and toast until fragrant, about 10 minutes, shaking the pan halfway through.Watch carefully, because it can go from nicely toasted to burned quickly.  Line three rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Top two of the baking sheets with cooling racks; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar, water, toasted almonds, and cinnamon. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until sugar becomes golden, then starts to crystallize, and almonds are completely coated, about 8 minutes. Pour the almond mixture onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. Transfer to the freezer or refrigerator to chill for 15 minutes.
3. Place the chocolate in a heatproof bowl and set over a pan of simmering water(I have a double boiler – you can do this in the microwave if you watch it closely). Stir until melted. Add the chilled almond mixture, stirring until nuts are thoroughly coated. Divide between the two cooling rack-lined baking sheets. Separate almonds with a fork. Place baking sheets in refrigerator until chocolate is set, 3 to 4 minutes.
4. Place cocoa powder in a large bowl and add the almond mixture. Toss to coat, shaking off excess cocoa powder. (I put mine into a bowl with a lid and shake it, then shake the excess off).  Store in an airtight container for up to 1 month(a cookie tin, or candy tin works nicely).

• Chop chocolate into chip sized chunks so that it will melt evenly. 
• Put water into the bottom of a double boiler.
• Place chocolate in the top of the double boiler and put the top inside the bottom.
• Slowly stir the chocolate as it melts.
• Separate the double boiler top from the bottom, be careful not to get any water in the chocolate or the whole thing will be ruined.
• Place mold onto a cookie sheet.
• Pour chocolate into the mold.
• Place sticks in chocolate.
• Place cookie sheet into the fridge so that it is flat.
• Later (or the next morning) – pop the chocolates out of the mold and trim.

Chocolate treats are an easy fun thing to do, you can use regular chips, or a really good chocolate bar for this depending on how much you want to spend.  The expensive part is the mold, but I’ve used my molds so many times  over the years and they aren’t really expensive.  He said his girlfriend was surprised and loved the gift – and he proudly told her he made it.  Excuse the chocolate on the sticks, we had a talk about overloading the roses and leaking chocolate.  Not bad for a first try. 

You can find more recipes on the honey.com website, and also they have a Honey Locator to help find local honey (Of course my favorite is Wisconsin Natural Acres).

Bittersweet Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes combine mild honey, sophisticated chocolate and yummy raspberries for a treat that can be shared with all.

Bittersweet Chocolate Raspberry Truffle Cupcakes
- Makes 18 cupcakes –
Ingredients
•   8 oz. 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate, divided
•   2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
•   1/2 teaspoon baking soda
•   1/2 teaspoon baking powder
•   1/2 teaspoon salt
•   1/2 cup butter, softened
•   3/4 cup pure honey*
•   2 large eggs
•   1 cup buttermilk
•   1/2 pint raspberries
Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
1. Cut 2 ounces of chocolate into 18 pieces; set aside. Place 6 ounces of coarsely chopped chocolate in a microwave-safe dish. Microwave 30 seconds on high; stir well. Microwave 30 seconds more on high and stir until all lumps are gone. If more melting is necessary, microwave in 10 second increments and stir until all lumps are gone. Chocolate should not become too warm.
2. Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
3. In a mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Add honey and melted chocolate; mix well. Add eggs, one at a time.
4. Add half of the reserved dry ingredients to the butter mixture; mix on low until just combined. With mixer running on low, slowly add the buttermilk. Add remaining dry ingredients until just combined.
5. Place a Tablespoon of batter in the bottom of each paper-lined muffin tin. Add one piece of chocolate and 2 to 3 raspberries to each cup. Fill muffin tins two-thirds full with remaining batter. Bake 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove to wire rack; cool. Frost with Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting, if desired.
Serving Suggestions
* Any mild-flavored honey such as Clover may be used.

 Bittersweet Chocolate Frosting
- Makes 18 servings –
Ingredients
•   1/4 cup pure honey*
•   8 oz. 60% cocoa bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
•   1 cup heavy whipping cream
•   2 Tablespoons seedless raspberry jam, optional
Directions
1.  Combine honey and chocolate in a medium bowl, set aside. In small, heavy pan, heat whipping cream over medium heat until bubbles just begin to form. Pour over honey-chocolate mixture and allow to stand for 2 minutes. Stir until smooth; cool. Refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours.
2.  With an electric mixer, beat chocolate mixture until frosting is fluffy.
Serving Suggestions
*Any mild-flavored honey such as Clover may be used.

Honey Fruit Truffles create whole-mouth happiness with the scrumptious combination of honey, dried apricots and chocolate.

Honey Fruit Truffles
- Makes 24 truffles –
Ingredients
•   6 oz. unsweetened chocolate, finely chopped
•   1/2 cup pure honey
•   2 Tablespoons butter or margarine
•   2 Tablespoons heavy cream
•   1/2 cup dried apricots, finely chopped
•   1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
Directions
Combine chocolate, honey, butter and cream in top of double boiler. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in apricots. Refrigerate 1 hour, or until mixture is firm. To form truffles, roll rounded teaspoonfuls into balls. Roll each ball in cocoa powder. Store in airtight container until ready to serve.

Delight in two fondues: the velvety and spicy Hot ‘n Honeyed Chocolate Spice Fondue, or the savory Honey Champagne Fondue.

Hot ‘n’ Honeyed Chocolate Spice Fondue
- Makes 6 to 8 servings –
Ingredients
•   8 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
•   1-1/4 cups pure honey
•   1 cup evaporated milk
•   1/4 cup Frangelico liqueur or hazelnut flavored syrup
•   1/4 teaspoon salt
•   1 teaspoon cinnamon
•   1/2 to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, depending on heat preference
•   1 large pound cake loaf, cut into 1-inch cubes
Directions
In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients (except cake) on medium-low heat, stirring until melted. Place pound cake cubes on fondue skewers and toast until lightly browned on hot grill, then dip in chocolate mixture. Pound cake cubes can also be toasted ahead of time on a large cookie sheet in the oven.

 Honey Champagne Fondue
- Makes 2 servings –
Ingredients
•   16 oz. Swiss or Gruyère cheese, shredded
•   4 teaspoons cornstarch
•   1 teaspoon dry mustard
•   1 Tablespoon butter
•   1/4 cup shallot, minced
•   1 clove garlic, minced
•   1-1/4 cups brut (dry) champagne, or sparkling wine
•   1/3 cup pure honey
•   2 Tablespoons lemon juice
•   Pinch nutmeg
•   1/2 teaspoon white pepper
Directions
Toss cheese with cornstarch and dry mustard to coat; reserve. In a heavy pan or fondue pot, over medium heat, melt butter. Sauté shallot and garlic until soft, 2 to 3 minutes. Add champagne and bring to a boil. Slowly add reserved cheese mixture, a little at a time, stirring constantly, until cheese melts. Stir in honey and lemon juice; stir until smooth and continue to simmer 2 to 3 minutes more. Season with nutmeg and pepper. Serve immediately; keep warm.
Serving Suggestions
Dipping suggestions: Crusty bread cubes (French, Rye, Pumpernickel), Granny Smith apple slices, carrots, and steamed broccoli.

Chocolate.com – the be all end all of chocolate – and according to them, the world’s largest chocolate marketplace.

It features products by the country’s best artisan chocolate and candy makers – over 2,000 unique products made by over 90 carefully selected vendors. For the buyer, Chocolate.com makes shopping easy, offering a huge selection of gourmet chocolates and convections from across U.S. For the small chocolate business owner, the site provides a national presence

Some under 30.00 gift suggestions from Chocolate.com

• Valentine’s Day Chocolate Lollipops: Chocolate.com brand of art chocolates: Heart-shaped chocolate lollipops carry sweet notions:  I Love You and Happy Valentine’s Day. Tied with a red bow.  Six chocolate lollipops (3 of each message) $22 plus shipping.
• Short and Sweet: A sweet treat of gaily-iced boxer shorts and heart-shaped cookies – for him! Cookie artists from Vermont make this whimsical collection, with red and white icing. A dozen cookies in a signature box, $28 plus shipping.
• Chocolate and Truffles in a Keepsake Heart-shaped Box:   A mouth watering assortment of chocolates and chocolate truffles in a keepsake red velvet heart-shaped box. 12 ounces of pure delight. $25 plus handling and shipping.

Godiva.com  - More expensive chocolate, but my favorite gift one year was the Godiva tin filled with chocolate candies.

Harry & David – Their truffles are awesome.  I usually buy them in a bag at the store in the mall or the outlet.  Don’t worry about the wrapping here, just go for the exquisite taste of their truffles.  I once introduced my friend to them, and she ate a whole bag of peanut butter truffles in one night and went back the next day to get another, they are so good.  My favorites, the nut flavors, or raspberry.  Divine.

Bloomsberry Chocolate - hate their website, love their chocolate.  It’s chocolate wrapped up in a message.  My son took their emergency chocolate hiking with the boyscouts, so really there is a message to make everyone happy.