Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies

Red Velvet Sandwich Cookies
From the Kitchen of Emma Caro, brought to you by: bakerella.com

They are sweet and red and a perfect little treat to give on the 14th. And even better, they are super-easy!

All you need is:

1 Box red velvet cake mix*
1/2 Cup butter, softened to room temperature
2 Eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix ingredients until combined.
Drop spoonfuls of cookie batter onto baking sheet about two inches apart.
Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Cool.

Cream Cheese Filling

1/2 Cup butter, softened to room temperature
1 8 oz. Package cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 1lb. Box of confectioner’s sugar
1 tsp Vanilla

In a mixer, cream butter, cream cheese and vanilla.
Gradually add sugar and mix until smooth.
Makes about 24 cookies or 12 cookie sandwiches

***you can also split the frosting in half and dye part of it green so that you have red and white cookies and then also red and green cookies!***

Happy Baking!

Pecan Cheese Ball

Pecan Cheese Ball
From: Souther Living Christmas Cookbook via Susan Reid

2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese...softened
1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple, drained
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
2 TBSP finely chopped onion
2 tsp seasoned salt
2 cups Chopped pecans, toasted and divided

Combine first 5 ingredients; stir in one cup pecans. Cover and chill until firm.

Shape mixture into ball; roll in remaining 1 cup of pecans. Place cheese ball on a serving platter; serve with crackers and strips of bell pepper (red and green recommended). Cheese ball will be about 5 inches in diameter.

MOM’S CHRISTMAS MORNING EGG RECIPE

MOM’S CHRISTMAS MORNING EGG RECIPE
from the kitchen of Mary Hyatt

Recipe is for ½ pan, double for full 10x13

1 lb cooked bacon or whatever meat

13 oz. can PET milk

1 ½ slices of bread torn up

5 eggs

2 cups grated cheese
Beat eggs and milk together

Add rest of ingredients & mix

Put in refrigerator overnight

Bake uncovered 350⁰ - 1 hour

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.

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

Mashed Potatoes

Mashed Potatoes
From the kitchen of Melissa Williamson

This recipe is very easy and pretty much all done "to taste."

Desired number of baking potatoes
Peel and quarter. Cook covered in boiling water or 20-25 min. till tender. Drain and mash

Add: butter, milk (or cream etc.), pepper, salt, garlic powder, sour cream to taste

Mix all together

“Aunt Sherry’s Creamed Corn”

“Aunt Sherry’s Creamed Corn”
From the kitchen of Margot Bass

8 ears/ 4 c. Corn 1/3 c. H2O
1/2 cup butter
2 TBSP Flour ¾ c. Sugar
½ tsp salt ¼ tsp pepper
1 ¾ c. milk 6 beaten eggs
1 tsp baking powder

1. Cook corn in boiling H2O
2. Drain corn, add butter and stir
3. Mix – flour, sugar, salt, pepper
4. Add dry ingredients
5. Stir in milk
6. Beat eggs and stir in slowly
7. Add baking powder last
8. Pour in a greased 9x13 pan
9. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes

Holiday Surprise Sugar Cookies

Holiday Surprise Sugar Cookies
by: Betty Crocker

Prep Time: 1 hour 15 min
Total Time: 1 hour 45 min
Makes: 4 dozen cookies

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/3 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
2 tablespoons Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
Red and green food colors
16 thin rectangular crème de menthe candies, cut into thirds
Assorted Betty Crocker® colored sprinkles, sugars, decors and decorating gels

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, egg and flour until dough forms. Divide dough into thirds. Tint one-third red and one-third green with food colors; leave one-third plain. Keep dough covered tightly until ready to use.
2. On floured surface, roll each third of dough until 1/8 inch thick. For round cookies, cut with 1 1/2-inch cookie cutter; for square cookies, cut into 1 1/2-inch squares using sharp knife. (Dip cutter or knife in flour for easier cutting.)
3. On ungreased cookie sheet, place half the cookies 1 inch apart. Place 1 candy piece on center of each cookie; top with another cookie. Gently press edges together to seal, using tines of fork. To decorate before baking, sprinkle cookies with colored sprinkles, sugars or decors as desired.
4. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Decorate with gels as desired.

Variation
Instead of the crème de menthe candies, use one of the following in each cookie:
Piece of a milk chocolate candy bar (1.55 ounces), separated into small rectangles, each cut into thirds (larger baking or candy bars will be too thick)
Small round chocolate-covered creamy mint
1/4 teaspoon toffee bits.

Special Touch
Surprise someone special with a box of these holiday cookies.

Nutrition Information:
1 Cookie: Calories 70 (Calories from Fat 30); Total Fat 3 1/2g (Saturated Fat 1 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 10mg; Sodium 35mg; Total Carbohydrate 10g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 6g); Protein 0g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 0%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 0% Exchanges: 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1/2
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Candy Cane Cake

Candy Cane Cake
by: Betty Crocker

Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 2 hours 20 min
Makes: 12 servings

Cake
1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix
Water, vegetable oil and egg whites called for on cake mix box
1/2 teaspoon red food color
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract

White Icing
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon milk or water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla, if desired

Decoration
Crushed candy canes or crushed hard peppermint candies, if desired

1. Heat oven to 325°F. Generously grease and flour 12-cup fluted tube cake pan. Make cake batter as directed on box. Pour about 2 cups batter into pan. Into small bowl, pour about 3/4 cup batter; stir in food color and peppermint extract. Carefully pour pink batter over white batter in pan. Carefully pour remaining white batter over pink batter.
2. Bake as directed on box or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes. Turn pan upside down onto cooling rack or heatproof serving plate; remove pan. Cool cake completely, about 1 hour.
3. In small bowl, mix icing ingredients. If necessary, stir in additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, until smooth and spreadable. Spread icing over cake. Sprinkle top with crushed candy. Store loosely covered.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Follow High Altitude cake mix directions for 12-cup fluted tube cake pan.

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole

Slow Cooker Sweet Potato Casserole
by: allrecipes.com

Prep: 30 mins
Cook: 4 hr.
Ready in: 4 hr., 30 mins

Ingredients

2 (29 ounce) cans sweet potatoes, drained and mashed
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 tablespoon orange juice
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons butter, melted
Cooking Instructions

Lightly grease a slow cooker.

In a large bowl, blend sweet potatoes, 1/3 cup butter, white sugar and 2 tablespoons brown sugar. Beat in orange juice, eggs and milk. Transfer this mixture to the prepared casserole dish.

In a small bowl, combine pecans, 1/3 cup brown sugar, flour and 2 tablespoons butter. Spread the mixture over the sweet potatoes. Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours.

Nutritional Information per Serving
Calories 408cal Total fat 14g Cholesterol 78mg Sodium 133mg
Carbohydrates 66g Fiber 4g

Candied Yams and Cranberries (crockpot)

Candied Yams and Cranberries (crockpot)
by: cd kitchen

Yields enough for 6

Ingredients:
6 medium yams or sweet potatoes
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup light brown sugar
2 cups fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Wash yams or potatoes; drain but do not dry. Set in crockpot. Cover and cook on low for 4 to 6 hours. Peel and cut into quarters. Place in 2 quart casserole.

In medium saucepan, melt butter; add sugar, cranberries, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium heat until cranberries pop and sugar dissolves.

Pour over yams in casserole. Cover and bake in 350 degree oven for 30 minutes.

Sweet Potatoes and Pears

Recipe for: Sweet Potatoes and Pears
Serves: 4
From the Kitchen of: Janelle Pelkey

Preheat oven: 350
Cook Time: 20-30 minutes

Ingredients
4 cans (15oz each) cut sweet potatoes, drained
3 pears, peeled, quartered, and cored
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup chopped pecans
3 tablespoons flour
3 tablespoons butter, melted


Instructions
Preheat oven to 350. In an 8 inch square baking dish, combine sweet potatoes and pears. In a small bowl, combine pecans, brown sugar, flour and butter to make a paste. Crumble mixture over potatoes and pears. Bake for 20 to 30 minutes.

Gingerbread Cookies

Gingerbread Cookies
by: Taste of Home: Light Cooking

Preheat oven: 350
Cook Time: 8-10 minutes
Yield: 5 dozen.

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
3/4 cup molasses
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon salt
Vanilla frosting of your choice
Red and green paste food coloring

DIRECTIONS:

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and molasses. Combine the flour, ginger, baking soda, cinnamon, cloves and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight or until easy to handle.

On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until edges are firm. Remove to wire racks to cool. Tint some of the frosting red and some green. Decorate cookies.

NUTRITIONAL FACTS

1 cookie equals:
77 calories
2 g fat (1 g saturated fat)
10 mg cholesterol
69 mg sodium
13 g carbohydrate
trace fiber
1 g protein

~~~TASTY TIP~~~

To have make-ahead cookies that taste and look fresh-baked, make your holiday cutout cookies ahead and freeze them without frosting. When you need them, simply thaw and frost.

Hot Mulled Apple Cider

Hot Mulled Apple Cider
by: South Beach

Everyone loves a warm cup of cider (known to many as wassail) during the holidays. This recipe gets a boost of flavor from oranges. Since the oranges are left whole and not eaten, this recipe is fine for every Phase of the South Beach Diet.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
Sugar-free apple cider drink mix
1 quart (4 cups) water
4 cinnamon sticks
1 whole nutmeg
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 oranges
2 teaspoons cloves, whole

Instructions
1. Following the directions on the package, combine the appropriate amount of sugar-free apple cider drink mix with 4 cups of water in a large, heavy saucepan.
2. Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, lemon juice, and lemon peel. Keep the oranges whole and leave the peel on. Press 1 teaspoon of cloves into each orange and add them to the pot. Bring to a simmer over high heat; simmer 10 minutes.
3. Remove from heat; let steep 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, lift out oranges and discard.

Nutritional Information:
2 calories
0 g fat
0 mg cholesterol
0 g carbohydrate
0 g protein
0 g fiber
5 mg sodium

Christmas Chex Mix

Christmas Chex Mix
by: Mary Hyatt

preheat oven: 250
bake: 2 hours

Great for Parties

Large can of  peanuts
12 oz Mini Shredded Wheat Cereal
10.5 oz Cheerios
Large box of Crispex
5.5 oz of Pretzel Sticks
2 cups veg. oil
2-4 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1-2 tbsp garlic salt


1. Mix all the dry ingredients
2. Then mix oil, worchester sauce and garlic salt in a dish and poor over and stir mixture
3. Place in oven
4. Stir every 15-30 minutes until done

Christmas Scent

Christmas Scent
by: Mary Hyatt

3 cups water
15 whole cloves
4 cinnamon sticks
1 tsp nutmeg
1 tsp vanilla


Simmer in pot or crock pot on low to let aroma fill your home


***DO NOT CONSUME***

Veggie Christmas Tree

Veggie Christmas Tree

This is really cute and tasty too if you like veggies :)

Candy Cane Cookies

Candy Cane Cookies
by: Dana Walter

Preheat oven: 375
Makes: 3-4 dozen
Cook Time: 9 minutes

1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup confectioners sugar
1 egg
1.5 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla
2.5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red rood coloring
1/2 cup granulated sugar


1. Mix together butter, shortening, confectioners sugar, egg, and flavorings.
2. Blend in flour and salt.
3. Divide dough in half
4. Blend red food coloring in one half
5. Shape 1 tsp dough from each half into 4 inch ropes. (for smooth even ropes, roll back and forth on lightly floured board)
6. Place ropes side by side and press together lightly & twist
7. Complete cookies one at a time
8. Place on ungreased cookie sheet (curve top to form candy cane)
9. Bake 9 minutes
10. Immediately sprinkle with a lot of sugar once pulled out of oven