Mint Condition

It's not often Lisa Bralts gets three generations of women in one room (with extra family members) to talk about anything, much less a particular type of homemade Christmas candy they make - candy that is immediately adored by anyone who tries it. But that's exactly what happened when she visited with the Delaney-Snyder women in this episode of In My Backyard.

Mint Patties:

1 (8-oz) package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 teaspoon peppermint oil

2 lbs. powdered sugar
Food coloring (optional)

Beat the cream cheese until creamy, then beat in the extract. Beat in the powdered sugar until well blended.  Depending on your mixer, you may have to use your hands to fully incorporate the sugar.  The mixture will be smooth and like a stiff dough. Add a few drops of food coloring if desired. Pinch off small amounts of dough (rounded teaspoon). Roll into a ball then press flat with your palm or a glass. Place on wax-paper lined baking sheet and freeze, uncovered, for an hour. Melt a 12-oz bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips with small amount of paraffin (1 X 2 inch block) and drop the peppermint patties in one at a time, turning and lifting out with a fork or toothpick. Quickly tap off excess and use another fork or your finger to help slide the dipped patty onto another waxed paper-lined baking sheet. Once all patties are dipped, place baking sheet in refrigerator until chocolate is set, about 15-30 minutes. Store in airtight container and keep refrigerated or frozen.