Decorating for the holidays is a tradition in our home. My favorite part is opening the box of ornaments I've collected over the years. Every ornament has sentimental value to us, otherwise it doesn't get hung on our tree. My favorites are the pictures of family members I make every year through Kodak Gallery and the original "crafty" school projects I usually have to mend. Hanging the vacation ornaments of places we've been always get us reminiscing about the good (and bad) times we've experienced. The collection of angels and crosses gets bigger every year as does the addition of a bible verse or quote I like to focus on. The tree is complete when the burgundy and gold-trimmed hydrangeas are placed throughout and edible See's Candy Climber Canes get hung on the branches. 
These really are the easiest and gooeyist brownies, EVER! Easy, because they only require TWO items to make. 
FOR CHOCOLATE GANACHE TOPPING or FILLING
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup milk chocolate chips
1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Garnish with an almond for the cupcakes filled with the coconut filled.
To make cream cheese frosting—
Beat the cream cheese and butter in a mixer bowl until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, alternating with heavy cream. Beat in the salt, coconut flavoring, and vanilla extract. Continue beating until mixture is smooth and spreadable. Add additional confectioners’ sugar if necessary to thicken the frosting, or more cream to thin. Fold in the shredded coconut.
To make chocolate ganache—
In saucepan bring whipping cream to boil over high heat. Pour hot whipping cream over chocolate and stir until chocolate melted. You can add more cream if your ganache is too thick to spread.
NOTE: reserve some chocolate only as some people do not like coconut.
This has inspired me to make other cupcakes out of my friends favorite candy bars. I'm thinking Reese's Cupcakes. What would you make?
equipment: silpatCook's Note: using a silpat makes it easier to remove the cookies from the sheet tray.
Position an oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F.
On a half sheet tray, spray a silpat with nonstick spray. In a medium bowl whisk egg whites until foamy. Add the flour, sugar, almond extract, water, and salt to the egg whites and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds. Pour or spoon 1 tablespoon of batter onto prepared silpat and spread with the back of a spoon into a very thin 4-inch circle. Repeat on the other half of the sheet, making only 2 cookies per sheet tray. Bake the cookies on middle rack of oven until golden brown around edges, about 8 minutes. Remove from oven and working very quickly, with an offset spatula, remove cookie from baking sheet and place a fortune in the center of the round. Fold to create a half circle. Bend pointed edges of cookie toward each. This should be done quickly since the cookie will become hard and brittle within 10 seconds. Let cool.
Crockpot Chili
