I had a great feeling about Platinum Chef this year since we started planning in January. I knew my team was awesome, I felt great about our theme, and everything came together perfectly on competition day; almost as if it were meant to be. To celebrate our victory, I planned a little party for my hard-working team. Mini sandwiches, baked potato salad, and cupcakes were on the menu. I also decided to make some old fashioned cream cheese mints to help make the party extra special. They're easy, quick, and the perfect addition to any event! Cream Cheese Mints 3 ounces cream cheese - softened 1/4 tsp peppermint extract 3 cups powdered sugar granulated sugar for rolling food color (optional) 1. Using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. 2. Add peppermint extract and mix well. (Make sure you use peppermint extract, not mint extract. I made this mistake once and what resulted was brownies that tasted like they were iced with toothpaste. Yikes!) 3. Gradually add powdered sugar while beating until smooth. Transfer to a powdered sugar dusted surface for kneading. I typically add 2-2 1/2 cups powdered sugar and then knead the rest in. 4. Knead dough until smooth and no longer tacky. You may also knead in food color at this point if you would like. I like to use the Wilton gel colors; use a toothpick to apply a small amount and knead until evenly distributed. 5. Pinch off small sections and roll into small balls. Roll each ball in the granulated sugar. 6. Place on a plate or wax paper and press with the tines of a fork to create a decorative finish. Mints can also be placed in a candy or chocolate mold to be shaped. 7. Allow mints to "dry" at room temperature for about 30 minutes (the sugar will create a crust-like texture). Transfer mints to an airtight container and refrigerate until serving. These can also be made ahead of time and frozen for several months. Take them out to thaw about 30 minutes before serving. We had a lot of fun celebrating our success! It's crazy to think how much our ideas evolved from where we originally started months ago. Maybe some things are just mint to be.
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