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Happy birthday to Elizabeth Helen Miscavage!

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Average gas prices for Dec. 8

It’s holiday party time and whether it’s a friend’s an office’s or your own you’re unlikely to go empty handed.

Cookies go hand-in-hand with parties, so here’s an idea for a holiday tray that’s festive and edible, courtesy of Pinterest.

All you need are hard peppermints, red, green or both varieties, parchment paper and a round cake pan or flat cookie sheet, depending on what size tray you’d like to make.

Wegmans sells individually wrapped peppermints for less than $4 a pound. Depending on the size of the tray you want to make, one pound of candies should be sufficient.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Take a sheet of parchment paper and line your baking pan or sheet. Try to get the paper as close to the edges as possible. You may need to make a few folds to make this happen. Once the parchment paper is set, begin unwrapping the peppermints.

Place the mints, touching one another, in the pan to form a circle (or a rectangle or square if using a cookie sheet).

Once you have your shape the way you want it, place the pan into the oven for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the candy so it doesn’t burn.

When you take the candy out of the oven, let it cool completely before touching it. It’s extremely hot. Once it’s cool, carefully take the candy tray out from the pan and stack your cookies. Once the cookies have been eaten, encourage guests to break apart the tray for a minty treat.

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<img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_tray1.jpg" />
<div class="neCaption">Line up the peppermints into the shape of the pan or into a shape of your choosing. The peppermints should touch. When they melt, they will fill in any gaps.</div>
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<div class="metaInfo">https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_tray1.jpgLine up the peppermints into the shape of the pan or into a shape of your choosing. The peppermints should touch. When they melt, they will fill in any gaps.</div>
<div class="neFile">

<img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_peppermintshorizontal.jpg" />
<div class="neCaption">Unwrap about a pound of peppermints to make a tray.</div>
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<div class="metaInfo">https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_peppermintshorizontal.jpgUnwrap about a pound of peppermints to make a tray.</div>
<div class="neFile">

<img class="neImage" src="https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_trayfinal.jpg" />
<div class="neCaption">Bake in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Keep watch so the peppermints don’t burn.</div>
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<div class="metaInfo">https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/web1_trayfinal.jpgBake in a 350 degree preheated oven for about 15 minutes. Keep watch so the peppermints don’t burn.</div>
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<div class="metaInfo">Present holiday goodies on this festive candy tray</div>
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By Sarah Haase

shaase@www.timesleader.com

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<strong>INGREDIENTS:</strong>

About 1 pound of peppermint candies

Parchment paper

Baking pan or cookie sheet

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Do you have a holiday cookie recipe you want us to test? Send it in to ae@www.timesleader.com or mail it to A&amp;E Dept. 15 N. Main St. Wilkes-Barre 18701.

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Test Kitchen: Present holiday goodies on this festive and easy-to-make candy tray