Holiday greetings from Nashville! We made it to BNA on Wednesday night right before the airports got craaazzzyyy with Christmas travelers.
Having a Monday/Tuesday Christmas works out great for those who have traditional 9-5 jobs as it’s like a fun extended weekend without having to use all your vacation days in one go. Though I suppose by now most have probably used them all as 2019 is a mere 9 days away! (WHAT IS HAPPENING?)
We definitely encountered some longer lines, but for Reagan Airport that’s pretty standard as they are perpetually busy with business people in and out of the capital.
LeBraun and I know Christmas is only a few sleeps away and yet it doesn’t feel like Christmas quite yet. The trees are lit, the halls are decked + the holiday music has been playing non-stop. Well today we figured it out—IT’S 52 DEGREES OUTSIDE! Yes 52 degrees three days before Christmas.
I know Nashville’s not known for white Christmases, but I always remember it being at least hovering around freezing. When all I have to wear is a long sleeve shirt and light jacket in late December…that just doesn’t seem right.
I’ve always loved winter—the calm of a snowy day, the crisp air, the hot chocolate + the layers! I love layering. I know y’all are thinking “stop talking about it because it’s probably going to drop over the next few months and be miserable, “ but that’s what the seasons are all about, am I right?
Plus when it’s chilly outside you get to enjoy more soup and hot chocolate (preferably not together)! Either way since outside has not quite caught up with the fact that it is now officially winter, LeBraun and I have been coming up with ways to make it feel more Christmas-y inside. And one way we’ve done that is by spiking everything with peppermint!
How can you get more seasonal than that?! The red and white striped sticks are literally overflowing everywhere. In fact even after Christmas you’re going to need some way to use up all those leftover candy canes and this recipe would be perfect!
Now peppermint and chocolate have always been a winning combination, but the addition of crunchy, salty pretzels kicks each bite up a notch!
It’s all about balance. These flavors and textures are simply meant to be.
I mean they made peppermint chocolate and they make chocolate pretzels so it only makes sense to put all three together. You can’t disagree until you give them a try, and if you do try them I doubt you’ll be opposed. :)
GLUTEN-FREE, VEGAN PEPPERMINT PRETZEL BARK
Ingredients
- 1 (8 oz) bag of vegan chocolate chips (like Enjoy Life)
- 1/3 tsp peppermint extract
- 1/2 of a 14 oz bag of Glutino Pretzel Twists, broken
- 5-6 candy canes, coarsely crushed
Directions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Melt chocolate in double boiler, gently stirring until completely smooth.
- Stir in peppermint extract.
- Pour half of the chocolate onto prepared baking sheet and spread evenly with spatula.
- Sprinkle broken pretzel pieces and crushed candy canes across chocolate and gently press in.
- Top with the remaining chocolate and spread to cover.
- Place in fridge until chocolate has hardened.
- Break into pieces and serve.
