Runners Up

In my opinion, these two treats might have been even better than the candy balls I posted below.  The chocolate-hazelnut thumbprints were a decadent treat, and the Maple-Chile popcorn was the perfect blend of sweet and spicy.  Yummy.

CHOCOLATE HAZELNUT THUMBPRINTS

Yield: 28 cookies (serving size: 1 cookie)

Ingredients

• 4.5  ounces  all-purpose flour (about 1 cup)
• 1  cup  powdered sugar
• 1/3  cup  unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  cup  butter, softened
• 2  large egg yolks
• 1  teaspoon  instant espresso (optional; I used a packet of Starbucks Via)
• 1  teaspoon  vanilla extract
• 2/3  cup  finely chopped hazelnuts, toasted
• 1/3  cup  hazelnut-chocolate spread (such as Nutella)

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°.

2. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place butter in a large bowl, and beat with a mixer at medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Stir egg yolks with a whisk, adding espresso, if desired. Add the yolk mixture and vanilla to butter; beat well. Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat at low speed just until combined.

3. Turn dough out onto a sheet of wax paper;  Mine was REALLY crumbly; knead 6 times or until smooth and shiny. Shape dough into 28 (1-inch) balls. Roll sides of balls in nuts, pressing gently. Arrange balls 1 inch apart on baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Press thumb into center of each cookie, leaving an indentation. Bake, 1 batch at a time, at 350° for 10 minutes. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks. Spoon a scant 1/2 teaspoon hazelnut-chocolate spread into center of each cookie.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 104

Fat: 6.5g (sat 2.7g,mono 2.3g,poly 0.4g)

Protein: 1.6g

Carbohydrate: 10.9g

Fiber: 0.8g

Cholesterol: 23mg

Iron: 0.6mg

Sodium: 46mg

Calcium: 11mg

AND.....

MAPLE-CHILE POPCORN

Yield: 16 servings (serving size: 1/2 cup)

Ingredients

• Cooking spray
• 8  cups  popcorn (popped without salt or fat; I used Steplanie's brown bag trick)
• 1/2  cup  maple syrup
• 1  tablespoon  butter
• 1/2  teaspoon  salt
• 1/2  teaspoon  ground red pepper

Preparation

Preheat oven to 300°.

Coat a 15 x 10-inch jelly-roll pan or other large rimmed baking pan with cooking spray.

Place popcorn in a large metal or glass bowl lightly coated with cooking spray.

Combine syrup, butter, salt, and pepper in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a boil, stirring just until combined. Cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes. Pour syrup mixture over popcorn in a steady stream, stirring to coat.

Spread popcorn mixture in an even layer into prepared pan. Bake at 300° for 15 minutes. Remove from oven, and cool completely in pan.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 48 (17% from fat)

Fat: 0.9g (sat 0.5g,mono 0.2g,poly 0.1g)

Protein: 0.5g

Carbohydrate: 9.9g

Fiber: 0.6g

Cholesterol: 2mg

Iron: 0.2mg

Sodium: 79mg

Calcium: 7mg