Colorful Christmas Swirl Cookies

2 cups flour, plus possibly a few more tbsp


1/2 tsp baking powder


1/4 tsp salt


2/3 cup unsifted powdered sugar


1/4 cup granulated sugar


2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter (cut in chunks)


1 tsp vanilla


1/2 tsp of food coloring of your choice


(and/or 1/2 tsp of any desired extra extracts)


1 1/2 cup holiday sprinkles





1. In a stand mixer, combine flour, baking powder, salt, and sugars with paddle on medium until well blended.





2. Add butter in, gradually, and continue mixing. Add in vanilla extract. At this point, your dough will form a ball on your paddle.





3. Remove all your dough and divide into two equal parts. Return one portion back in to the mixer and add the food coloring and any extra extracts. Or use gel food coloring.


(You could coordinate your colors and flavors, for example green food coloring matched with a mint extract or yellow with a lemon extract, etc. Also, if you are using liquid food coloring, you will need to add a few tbsp of flour to keep the dough from becoming too wet. Mix until the color is spread out evenly.)





4. Roll out each portions of your dough, between two sheets a wax paper until is reaches about 11 x 9 inches and is 1/4 inch thick. Slide both unto a cookie sheet and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.





5. When firm, remove the top sheets of wax paper from both. Brush the uncolored vanilla dough lightly with water using a pastry brush. Then flip the colored dough onto the vanilla uncolored dough so they are stacked atop each other and even. Press the edges lightly with your fingertips to seal them together. Using a small pairing knife, trim the edges of the dough to make straight, even lines.





6. Pour out sprinkles onto a large platter and set aside. Be sure your dough is still cold, but flexible. Once it's ready, begin rolling the long side of dough into a swirl, jelly-roll style. Now, don't get nervous if the outer layer of uncolored dough tears a bit. It's no problem, just pinch and pat those tears and voila, then just keep rolling.




7. Now gently lift your dough log onto the sprinkles and roll away. Cover the log completely with your sprinkles. Wrap the colorfully decorated log in plastic wrap twice. Depending on when you want to bake the cookies, either place the wrapped dough into refrigerator for about 3-4 hours or you can put it the freezer and keep it there for up to 2 months. (If freezing, give yourself time for the dough to defrost in the fridge overnight before cutting.)

8. Slice your dough into 1/4-1/8 inch slices and bake on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 15-17 minutes until edges are slightly golden. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then move them to a cookie rack to finish cooling. Enjoy your whimsical Christmas cookies!





Adapted from Sprinkle Bakes.

Sweetheart Cheesecake

Crust
1 1/3 cup(s) (crushed) chocolate wafer cookies
4 tablespoon(s) (1/2 stick unsalted) butter, melted
2 tablespoon(s) sugar

Filling
4 large eggs, separated
1/2 cup(s) (1 stick unsalted) butter, softened
2 package(s) (8-oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 cup(s) sugar
1 tablespoon(s) cornstarch
1 teaspoon(s) baking powder
1 tablespoon(s) lemon juice

Topping
1 cup(s) sour cream
2 tablespoon(s) sugar
1 teaspoon(s) vanilla extract
1 can(s) (21-oz.) cherry pie filling
3 tablespoon(s) orange juice, or kirsch

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Directions

Preheat oven to 325-degrees F. Stir together crust ingredients and press onto bottom and up sides of 9-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes. Let cool in pan on wire rack.
In small bowl, beat egg whites on high speed until soft peaks form, 1 to 2 minutes. Set aside.
Combine 1/2 cup butter, cream cheese and egg yolks in a bowl. Beat at medium speed, scraping sides, until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add all remaining filling ingredients except egg whites. Continue beating, scraping sides, until well mixed, 1 to 2 minutes. Fold in egg whites by hand.
Spoon filling into pan. Bake for 55 to 65 minutes, or until center is set. Cool 15 minutes; loosen sides of cheesecake from pan with a knife. Leave to cool completely.
Stir together sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Spread evenly over top of cooled cheesecake. Spoon out 2 to 3 Tbsp. cherry sauce from pie filling; drop by teaspoonfuls onto topping. Pull a knife through cherry sauce to form hearts. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. To serve, stir together remaining pie filling and orange juice in medium bowl; spoon over cheesecake.

http://www.delish.com/entertaining-ideas/holidays/valentines-day-recipes/

Kiss Pies

Kiss Pies
1 refrigerated pie crust, thawed
14 Hershey Kisses of choice, I used Mint Truffle today
1 egg white whisked with 1 Tbsp water
Powdered sugar for dusting

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Roll out pie dough onto a lightly floured counter top.

Place 10 kisses around the edges of pie dough, about 2 1/2 inches apart (as in the photo above). Take a knive and cut a 2 1/2-3 inch circle around kiss.

Fold half of pie dough around top of dough and pinch edge around top of kiss.

See Photo, step 1). Now, fold up both sides of remaining dough up to the tip of the kiss pinching edge.

(See Photo, step 2). Now press together edges and form criss cross as shown in photo, step 3. * *Continue cutting dough around kisses until all dough is used up.

I got about 14 rounds cut when I re-rolled my scraps **

2. Brush all little pies with an egg white wash then sprinkle with granulated sugar. Bake for 20-28 minutes or until little pies are golden.

Remove and let cool for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

Dust each with powdered sugar and serve.

Brownie Covered Oreos

1 Brownie mix (or use your own brownie recipe)
1 package Oreos, I used the Holiday ones
White chocolate, melted for drizzle, or Wilton White frosting pen works great
White nonpariels Sprinkles

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Prepare brownie batter according to package directions.

Leave in mixing bowl.

Dip Oreos in brownie batter then place in bottom of cupcake tins that have been generously sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until brownies are cooked through (doesn’t take long).

As soon as you remove, take a plastic knife and run along edges, (this is VERY important so you get the cookie out with brownies not stuck to pan

2. Let cool for 5 minutes, remove drizzle with melted white chocolate or the Wilton White icing pen, sprinkle with nonpariels and EAT!

Enjoy
Makes entire package of Oreos

Frosty the Cheese Ball

Ingredients
16 ounces cream cheese
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
10 raisins for eyes, mouth, and buttons
1 piece of carrot for the nose
4 crackers for the hat (we used Ritz and Dare water crackers)
1 thyme sprig for the hat (optional)
Strips of carrot for the scarf
2 broken pretzels for the arms
1 (1/2-inch) piece of a canned baby corn for the pipe
Toothpick for the pipe

Instructions
In a large bowl, let the cream cheese soften at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Stir in the garlic salt and the onion powder, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 2
hours.
Make the snowman by rolling two thirds of the cheese into a ball for his body and the other third into a ball for his head.
Stack the balls, then add the facial features, clothing, arms, and pipe as shown.
Serve with crackers or mini bagels.

Christmas Package Cheese Snack

Ingredients
8 ounces of cream cheese (softened)
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon salt
Scallion

Instructions
Mix the dried dill, garlic powder, and salt into the softened cream cheese.
Pack the mixture into a rectangular container lined with plastic wrap (you can reuse the cream cheese box).
Refrigerate it for at least 3 hours. Before serving time, set the unwrapped block of cheese on a platter and decorate it with a scallion bow and red pepper polka dots and gift tag.

Sugar Plums

Found this way cute family treat to make at Eighteen 25!

Check out the blog, so many great ideas!

What you'll need:
blue candy melts
lollipop sticks
large marshmallows
3" x 3" clear bags
sprinkles
ribbon (green)
a piece of styrofoam
hole punch

How to do it:
Step One... Follow the directions on the bag for melting the chocolate. Prepare the sugarplums by pushing the sticks halfway into the marshmallows.

Step Two... dip the marshmallows halfway into the chocolate then directly into the sprinkles. Stand the sugarplums up in the styrofoam to set.

Step Three... Once the chocolate is completely set, place the clear bags over them.

Step Four... punch a hole in the middle of the tag. tie a knot around the stick with your ribbon. stick the ends of the ribbon into the hole and then tie into a bow.

Step Five... place a strip of double-sided tape between the two strips of tag and stick them

together

Printable Lables!! (if it doesn't work go to http://eighteen25.blogspot.com/ and download from

that site!

Marshmallow Treats

As pictured: Fudge icing, large marshmallows, Karo syrup (light colored), Rolos, mini Oreos, some black and orange confetti sprinkles (I have some left over from Halloween), and white sparkling sugar. You'll need some wood skewers and a clean paintbrush, and I also added a few things at the end of the project -- toothpicks and mini marshmallows.

Step 1: Take your large marshmallow and with a clean paintbrush, brush some Karo syrup all around the side of the marshmallow

Step 2: Now roll your marshmallow in the white sparkling sugar and set aside. Repeat these 2 steps for all of your marshmallows -- you'll need 3 marshmallows per snowman.

Step 3: Now it's time to add on the cutie pie face. Using your paint brush, dot the back of your confetti sprinkles with a touch of Karo syrup and then apply to your sugared marshmallow.

Step 4: Next, skewer 3 marshmallows together on your wood skewer to make a snowman.

Step 5: Now for the hat. Pry apart your mini Oreo cookie and use the side without the creme attached. With a butter knife, apply a small amount of fudge icing to your Oreo, unwrap a Rolo candy and press it onto your iced cookie.

Step 6: Making the arms. Now take a toothpick and press it through the side of your middle marshmallow on your snowman. Add 2 mini marshmallows at the ends of your toothpick for hands.
And that's all! Quick, cute snowman treats! Great for a fun after school project or even a class holiday party. With little ones, you could even have the pieces of the snowman made first and then let them put them together and add the hat and arms.

Reindeer Food

Reindeer Poem to go with:
Sprinkle on the lawn at nightThe moon will make it sparkle bright As Santa's reindeer fly and roamThis will guide them to your home.

Reindeer Food

Supplies

Raw Oatmeal
Glitter (I use a silver or gold base and mix red and green in with it)
Plastic lunch baggies
Ribbon
Paper or cardstock

How To Make It
Pour about 1/8 cup of oatmeal in baggie. Add some glitter. Close baggie.
Attach with ribbon to the front of the baggie the following message.

"On Christmas Eve, sprinkle this wonderful Reindeer Food on your lawn. The shiny glitter will sparkle in the moonlight and the smell of oats will guide Rudolph to your home."

This makes a great gift to hand out to the kids on Christmas Eve!

Holiday Peppermint Bark

Ingredients

1 (12 ounce) package NESTLE TOLL HOUSE Premier White Morsels

24 hard peppermint candies

Directions

Line baking sheet with waxed paper.

MICROWAVE morsels in medium, microwave-safe bowl 1 minute; stir. Microwave at additional 10- to 20-second intervals, stirring until smooth. Place peppermint candies in heavy-duty plastic bag. Crush candies using rolling pin or other heavy object. While holding strainer over melted morsels, pour crushed candy into strainer. Shake to release all small candy pieces; reserve larger candy pieces. Stir morsel-peppermint mixture. Spread mixture to desired thickness on prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle with reserved candy pieces; press in lightly.

Let stand for about 1 hour or until firm.

Break into pieces.

Store in airtight container at room temperature.

OR TRY THIS ONE

Ingredients:

12 ounces (about 2 cups) dark chocolate, chopped, or chocolate chips

12 ounces (about 2 cups) white chocolate, chopped, or white chocolate chips

8 peppermint candy canes

Preparation:

1. Unwrap the candy canes and place them in a food processor. Pulse on/off several times for 5-10 seconds each, until the canes have been crushed into small pieces. Alternately, place the candy canes in a large Ziploc bag and seal tightly. Use a rolling pin to roll/smash the candy canes until they are the size you desire.

2. Prepare a cookie sheet by covering it with smooth aluminum foil.

3. Melt or temper the dark chocolate. Pour the chocolate onto the prepared cookie sheet and use an offset spatula or knife to spread it to an even thickness, a little more than 1/8" thick. The chocolate does not have to reach all sides of the sheet, as it will be broken up later anyhow. Place the tray in the refrigerator to firm up while you prepare the white chocolate.

4. While the dark chocolate hardens, melt or temper the white chocolate. Stir in most of the candy cane bits, reserving about a quarter of the mixture to put on top.

5. Remove the tray from the refrigerator and spread the white chocolate in an even layer over the dark chocolate.

6. While the white chocolate is still wet, sprinkle the remaining candy cane pieces over the entire surface evenly. Press down very slightly to ensure they stick. Place the tray back in the refrigerator to firm up for 30 minutes.

7. Once the peppermint bark bark is completely set, break into small, uneven pieces by hand.

Roasting Pumpkin Seeds

How to Roast Pumpkin Seeds
1. Rinse pumpkin seeds under cold water and pick out the pulp and strings. (This is easiest just after you've removed the seeds from the pumpkin, before the pulp has dried.)

2. Place the pumpkin seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet, stirring to coat. If you prefer, omit the oil and coat with non-stick cooking spray.

3. Sprinkle with salt and bake at 325 degrees F until toasted, about 25 minutes, checking and stirring after 10 minutes.

4. Let cool and store in an air-tight container.

JUST WANTED TO ADD THIS STORY I READ

Why Carve Pumpkins?

The story of the Jack o'Lantern comes from Irish folklore.

Jack was a crafty farmer who tricked the Devil into climbing a tall tree. When the Devil reached the highest branch, Jack carved a large cross in the trunk, making it impossible for the Devil to climb down. In exchange for help getting out of the tree, the Devil promised never to tempt Jack with evil again. When Jack died, he was turned away from Heaven for his sins and turned away from Hell because of his trickery. Condemned to wander the earth without rest, Jack carved out one of his turnips, took an ember from the devil, and used it for a lantern to light his way. He became known as "Jack of the Lantern."

Halloween Appetizers

cheese finger food

Mozzarella string cheese
Green bell pepper
Cream cheese
Wearing plastic gloves or sandwich bags over your hands to keep the cheese as smudge-free as possible, use a paring knife (parents only) to cut each string in half and then carve a shallow area for a fingernail just below the rounded end of each half.
Mark the joint right below the nail as well as the knuckle joint by carving out tiny horizontal wedges of cheese, as pictured.
For the fingernails, slice a green bell pepper into 3/8-inch-wide strips. Set the strips skin side down on your work surface and trim the pulp so that it's about half as thick. Then cut the strips into ragged-topped nail shapes and stick them in place at the ends of the fingers with dabs of cream cheese.

apple bites

Ingredients
Apples
Slivered almonds

Instructions
Just quarter and core an apple, cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter, then press slivered almonds in place for teeth.
Tips:
If you're not going to serve them right away, baste the apples with orange juice to keep them from browning.

carrot finger food

vegetable dip
4 long carrots
1 medium carrot
softened cream cheese
sliced-almond
baby carrots

To prepare them, just fill a serving bowl with your favorite vegetable dip. Wash and peel 4 long carrots for fingers and 1 medium carrot for a thumb.
With a paring knife (a parent's job), cut a flat, shallow notch in the tip of each carrot. Then use a dab of dip or softened cream cheese to glue a sliced-almond fingernail atop each notch.
Stick the fingers in the dip, as shown, and serve with plenty of peeled baby carrots for dipping.

Edible Eyeballs

Carrots
Cream cheese
Pitted black olives

Instructions
Simply slice carrots into 1-inch-thick chunks, top each with a blob of cream cheese and one half of a pitted black olive, and serve

Spider Cookies and Witches Hat Cookies

My sister in law had this on her blog:

Black string licorice

20 orange creme-filled chocolate sandwich cookies

1 teaspoon chocolate ready-to-spread frosting (from 16-oz container)

40 miniature candy-coated chocolate pieces

1. For each cookie, cut eight 1 1/2-inch pieces of licorice for legs. Insert 4 pieces into filling on each side of each cookie.

2. With frosting, attach 2 miniature chocolate pieces to top of each cookie for eyes.

32 Hershey®'s Kisses® milk chocolates,
unwrapped 1 package (11 1/2 ounces) fudge-striped shortbread cookies
(32)1 tube (4.25 ounces) orange or red decorating icing1.
Attach
1. 1 chocolate candy to chocolate bottom of each cookie, using decorating icing.
2. Pipe decorating icing around base of milk chocolate candy.

Spooky Eyeball Tacos

*1 lb. ground beef
*1 pkg. (1-1/4 oz.) Taco Seasoning Mix
*12 Taco Shells
*3/4 cup Salsa
*3/4 cup Sour Cream
*1 can (2-1/4 oz.) sliced pitted ripe olives

1. Mix meat and seasoning mix. Shape into 36 (1-inch) balls; place in 15x10x1-inch baking pan.

2. Bake at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through. Fill each taco shell with 1 meatball; drizzle with salsa. Top with 2 meatballs dipped in sour cream. Garnish with olives to make "eyeballs."

These were SO EASY and so fun!!!

I found this recipe and the cupcake recipe at http://www.kraftfoods.com/. They have all sorts of fun ideas for Halloween!