No Bake Cookie Balls

No Bake Cookie Balls
from Taste of Home

60 ServingsPrep: 20 min. + standing

Ingredients
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1-3/4 cups crushed vanilla wafers (about 55 wafers)
1 cup chopped walnuts, toasted
1/3 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
Additional confectioners' sugar

Directions
In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt chocolate chips; stir until smooth. Stir in the confectioners' sugar, vanilla wafers, walnuts, orange juice and corn syrup.
Roll into 1-in. balls; roll in additional confectioners' sugar. Store in an airtight container.
Yield: 5 dozen.

Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies

Butterscotch Gingerbread Cookies
from Taste of Home

24 ServingsPrep: 15 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min. + cooling

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 packages (3-1/2 ounces each) cook-and-serve butterscotch pudding mix
3 teaspoons ground ginger
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Directions
In a large bowl, cream the butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs. Combine the flour, pudding mixes, ginger, baking powder and cinnamon; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with lightly floured cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets.
Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Decorate as desired.
Yield: about 2 dozen.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cookie equals 194 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 38 mg cholesterol, 144 mg sodium, 29 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Pumpkin Oatmeal

Pumpkin Oatmeal
from the kitchen of Susan Reid
(link where recipe originated is attached to title of recipe)

1 cup old fashioned oats, not quick cook
1 Tbs whole flax seeds, optional
2 1/2 Tbs brown sugar, packed
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp lemon zest
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 tsp butter, softened
3/4 cup pumpkin puree
3/4 cup milk

Topping:
1/4 cup pecans, chopped
2 tsp butter, softened
1 Tbs brown sugar

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Grease 4 individual sized ramekins. Set aside.

Combine the oats through salt in a medium sized bowl. Stir well. In a separate bowl, combine the vanilla, butter, pumpkin, and milk. Whisk thoroughly. Pour the pumpkin mixture into the oats. Stir until combined.

Divide mixture evenly between 4 individual sized ramekins. Place ramekins on a baking sheet (this makes it easier to move in and out of the oven.). Bake at 375 degrees F for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, combine the ingredients for the topping: chopped pecans, butter, and brown sugar. After the oatmeal has baked for 10 minutes, remove and divide topping mixture evenly between the ramekins. Bake and additional 7 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes before serving. Top with a splash of milk and raisins, if desired.

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Bars

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Bars
from the kitchen of Cassie Carpenter

PREP: 15 min
COOK: 30 min
YIELD: 1 1/2 dozen bars

2 cups finely crushed oreo cookies (the mint ones are yummy too)
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, melted
1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 (14 oz) can sweetened condensed milk
2 eggs
1 Tbs. peppermint extract
1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 teaspoons shortening
14 creme de menthe thin candies, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 325. In medium bowl, combine cookie crumbs and butter; mix well. Press crumb mixture firmly on bottom of 9-inch baking pan. Bake 6 minutes. Cool.
2. In separate bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Gradually beat in sweetened condensed milk, eggs and peppermint extract until smooth. Pour over cooled cookie base and bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool 20 minutes; chill.
3. Just before serving, in heavy saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening. Drizzle over top of chilled cheesecake bars. Sprinkle chopped chocolate mint candies over the top. Cut into bars. Refrigerate leftovers

Almond Crescents

Almond Crescents
from the kitchen of Oriana Montani

There are always a big hit when I make them. Don't forget to really pile the powered sugar on at the end while they're still a little warm.


1 1/4 cups almonds unblanched
1 cup butter (2 sticks) - room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups sifted flour
powder sugar for dusting

Grind almonds fine (but not to a paste) in processor
Cream butter and sugar together
Stir in ground almonds, vanilla, salt and flour
Chill dough until firm

Set oven at 350 degrees.
Lightly grease baking sheets.
Break off walnut size pieces of dough. roll pieces into sticks 1/2 inch thick.
Bend stick into crescent shapes.
Place on prepared baking sheets leaving space between crescents

Bake 15 minutes until crescents are dry but not brown.
Cool slightly. Roll each cookie in powder sugar.
Makes 36 cookies

Christmas Ice-Cream Cake

Christmas Ice-Cream Cake
from Patty Santos

2 boxes of vanilla ice cream sandwiches
1 1/2 tubs cool whip
5-6 crushed heath bars
green sprinkles
red sprinkles
carmel syrup

layer bottom of a 9 X13 baking pan with ice cream sandwiches
spread ample amounts of cool whip, crushed heath bar and carmel syrup
repeat for another layer.
finish with red and green sprinkles