Holiday Baking - Cookies Tomorrow

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Last Minute Holiday Baking... Are you done yet?
Thanks to Julie's Eats & Treats I have a NEW Salted Nut Roll recipe. Julie's version is made up using a yellow cake mix and it tastes and holds together so much better. I even had compliments at our Family Christmas Party last Saturday. I hope Julie doesn't mind but I'm going to share her recipe here (with a few tips added in) so I don't lose it in the future - but she get's the credit for this little bar of yumminess!

Salted Nut Rolls

from the Kitchen of Julie's Eats & Treats

1/2 stick of margarine, melted

1 box of yellow cake mix (w/ pudding is fine)

1 egg

Mix together and pour into a 9x13 greased pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes (be sure to NOT burn the crust!).

Pour almost all of the bag of Mini Marshmallows over the HOT crust and return to the oven - be sure to turn OFF the oven first. Let marshmallows puff up in the oven for 2-3 minutes only. If you do it longer they get over hot and too chewy.

Topping - Melt in a saucepan & mix together completely:

1 stick of butter

1 bag peanut butter chips

1/2 c corn syrup (the clear kind)

1 tsp vanilla

Melt completely and then stir in:

2 cups rice krispies

2 cups of salted peanuts (note be sure to by shelled, salted peanuts - WITHOUT the little brown papery stuff on them - it's a REAL hassle to remove those!)

Pour the topping over the cooled marshmallow & crust and spread out. Put in the fridge and let set up. I didn't have any problem cutting these up the next day - just let it sit out at room temperature and then cut it with a knife or I use a metal spatula. Cut into about 1" pieces - they won't last long and freeze great if you want to make them up in advance of the holidays. =D

Yum Yum!

The other recipe I'm making tomorrow is Taste Of Home's Nutty Orange Snowballs. I haven't made these yet - but I bought the ingredients tonight so now I have to make them. LOL. Saturday is another family get together so these and the Salted Nut Rolls is for that group. The only ingredient I couldn't find at Walmart or HyVee was the finely chopped hazelnuts - so I'm planning on using pecans. Hopefully it'll work - but then I've never had hazelnuts so I guess I'll never know. =D

Nutty Orange Snowballs

1 cup butter, softened

1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, divided

1 teas grated orange peel

1/2 teas orange extract

1/2 teas Spice Islands pure vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/4 teas salt

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

1/2 cup finely chopped hazelnuts

In a large bowl, cream butter and 3/4 cup powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in orange peel and extracts. Combine flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in nuts.

Shape into 3/4 inch balls. Place 1" apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake @ 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.

Place remaining powdered sugar in a large resealable plastic bag. Add cookies, a few at a time, and shake to coat. Store in an air tight container.

3 dozen cookies