Celebrate the season with foods that bring families together year after year.

PHOTOS AND RECIPES BY MELISSA SPELTS

Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

These peanut butter cups are made with natural sugars that make the sweetness not-so-overwhelming. I love dark chocolate, and it has less sugar, but you can use whichever chocolate is your favorite. When I make these, I keep them in a container in my fridge and eat one when I need a little treat!

Melt in a microwave safe bowl in 30 second intervals, stirring until melted:
1 bag (10 oz.) 60% cocoa chocolate chips
2 Tbsp. coconut oil

Combine in a bowl:
1⁄2 cup peanut butter (my favorites are Skippy
creamy peanut butter or almond butter)
1⁄4 cup of agave
Pinch of salt

In lined muffin tins add a thin layer of the melted chocolate mixture. Then place in the fridge for 10 to 15 minutes until it has hardened. Next, add a tablespoon of your peanut butter mixture in the middle of your chocolate base. Cover with another layer of chocolate until the peanut butter is completely covered. Once all layering is complete, place in your fridge again. Let cool for an additional 15 to 20 minutes until the outer chocolate layer has hardened.

Christmas Quiche

After I married into the Spelts family I found myself enjoying their holiday traditions. One that I looked forward to a lot was quiche on Christmas morning. If you’re going to make this on Christmas morning for your family, I have some tips to make it a quicker process!

1⁄2 cup cheese (Swiss, pepper jack, or cheddar)
3⁄4 tsp. salt
1 1⁄2 cup sausage and/or 10 bacon slices, crumbled
4 eggs
2 cups cream (1 cup milk and 1 cup heavy cream)
Pinch of sugar
Pinch of nutmeg
Dash of cayenne pepper
1⁄2 tsp. pepper
Butter pie shell

The night before, precook sausage and/or bacon, shred cheese, place them inseparate baggies and put in the fridge.

In a container add eggs, cream, milk, sugar, salt,pepper, nutmeg, a dash of cayenne pepper and placein the fridge. In the morning pull out your store-bought pie shells and dump the egg concoction, cheese and sausage and/or bacon in the shell (pour carefully). Mix well together and place shell on a cookie sheet to prevent spillage in your oven.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place in oven, reduce heat to 400 degrees for 12 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees for 20 to 30 minutes more.

Do a toothpick check to check for doneness. When the toothpick comes out clean it is ready.