Spritz Cookies

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (can substitute Earth Balance to make dairy free)
1 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. almond extract
a few drops food coloring (optional)
¼ tsp. salt
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cream butter and sugar well. Add egg and almond extract and mix until light and fluffy. Add food coloring if desired. Mix in salt and flour. Fill cookie press; press onto cool ungreased baking sheets. Add sprinkles if desired. Bake at 375 for 5 minutes or just until set. Cool on wire racks.

Jam Thumbprint Cookies

Ingredients:
¾ cup butter, softened
½ cup white sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 egg yolks
¼ tsp salt
1 ¾ cups AP flour
½ cup jam or preserves, any flavor

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla and egg yolks. Mix in salt and add flour a little bit at a time until a soft dough forms. Roll dough into 1 inch balls. If dough is too soft to work with, refrigerate for 15-20 minutes. Place balls 2 inches apart on cool ungreased baking sheets.

Use your thumb or the handle of a wooden spoon to make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Spoon your jam into a sandwich bag and snip off a tiny corner of the bag. Use this to pipe about ½ tsp. of jam into each indentation. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown on the bottom. Cool on wire racks.

Leftover Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:
2 c. sifted flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
1 c. sugar
2/3 c. shortening (I use Earth Balance, a butter substitute)
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. cooked oatmeal

Directions:
Sift dry ingredients together. Add shortening and eggs and beat until creamy (about 2 minutes). Stir in oatmeal. Drop from teaspoon onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes. Yield: 4 dozen.

Cooked Oatmeal Scones

taken from Seasonal Ontario Food

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons butter - (dairy-free Earth Balance turned out just fine)
2 tablespoons honey
1 cup cooked oatmeal
2/3 cup milk - (rice milk was just fine)
1 3/4 cups soft whole wheat flour (or a bit more)
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Melt the butter and honey together, and mix them into the cool, cooked oatmeal. (If you are really on top of making these, you can mix the butter and honey into the oatmeal while it is still warm, and set it aside until it is moderately cool.)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Mix the milk in with the oatmeal, half at a time.

Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. You may wish to adjust the salt depending on how much was used in cooking the oatmeal- I am assuming not very much, if any.

Mix the flour into the oatmeal. If the mixture seems too moist, add a little more flour. (This will depend on how moist your cooked oatmeal was. When enough flour has been stirred in, the dough will form a rough ball.)

Roll out to 1" thick and cut in wedges, or scoop it out with an ice cream scoop and flatten it to 1" with dampened hands. Bake on a greased and floured sheet - or parchment paper is easier and neater - at 350°F for 15 to 20 minutes.

Cranberry Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups AP flour
2 cups WW flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tbsp. orange peel
dash salt
1 cup walnuts, chopped
12 oz. bag cranberries, rinsed & chopped
1/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups orange juice

Directions:
Blend flours, baking powder, baking soda, orange peel and salt in processor. Place in large mixing bowl. Add walnuts and cranberries to bowl. In processor, blend butter and sugar. Add eggs and juice. Turn into bowl, and blend til just mixed. Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Or, make 24 muffins and
one mini loaf pan. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes.

White Chocolate - Cranberry Cookies

Ingredients:
4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 (3.4 ounce) packages instant vanilla pudding mix
4 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups WHITE chocolate chips
2 cups dried cranberries ("Craisins")

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Sift together the flour and baking soda, set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. Beat in the instant pudding mix until blended. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Blend in the flour mixture. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips and nuts. Drop cookies by rounded spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Edges should be golden brown.

Oh, and definitely, definitely use parchment paper!!!!!!! For ANY type of cookie. It makes the bottoms perfect and clean-up easier!!

Homemade Cocoa Mix

Ingredients:
2 cups nonfat dry milk powder
3/4 cup white sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
1/2 cup powdered non-dairy creamer
dash salt

Directions:
Blend well. Store in tightly covered container. Makes 15 to 16 servings. To make a single serving, combine 1/4 cup mix and 3/4 cup boiling water in mug, stir to blend.

Orange Raspberry Smoothie

Ingredients:
3 cups orange juice
3 cups frozen (individually) raspberries
3 tbsp. white sugar
1 1/2 cups milk (good with soy, rice or almond milks)

Directions:
In blender, blend juice, raspberries and sugar. Pour through a strainer to remove seeds. Stir in milk and serve. Garnish with an orange slice.

Sugar Cookie Frosting

Ingredients:
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 to 2 tbsp. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
food coloring

Directions:
Using a hand mixer, blend above until fluffy.

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup butter, softened
1 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
2 3/4 cups AP flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp salt

Directions:
In processor, blend butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla, blend till light and fluffy. Add remaining and mix well. Chill 1 hour or till firm.

On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4 in thickness. Cut with cookie cutters. Using a floured spatula, place cookies on ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle
with toppings (or frost after baking). Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes, or till lightly browned. Cool on wire racks.

Cream Cheese Mints

Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
1 to 2 tsp peppermint extract
powdered colors (not liquid food coloring)
2 lbs powdered sugar
white sugar

Directions:
Mix cream cheese, flavoring, color, and powdered sugar by hand til it resembles pie dough. Roll into small balls and roll in white sugar. Flatten or press into small molds and pop out immediately. Can be eaten immediately or will store indefinitely
in refrigerator if stored in covered containers.

Makes about 150.

Peppermint Bark

Ingredients:
1 lb. vanilla candy coating
3/4 cup crushed candy canes or crushed round striped peppermint candies

Directions:
Line a cookie sheet with wax paper. In a saucepan, heat candy coating over low heat until melted, stirring constantly. Stir in peppermint candy, spread on wax paper. You'll want it about 1/4 inch thick - too thick and it won't break, too thin and it'll splinter. Cool; break into bite size pieces.

Chocolate Pretzels

Ingredients:
small round pretzels
plain Hershey's kisses
M&Ms

Directions:
Place pretzels on large cookie sheet. Put a kiss in the center of each. Place in 225 degree oven for about 4 minutes or til soft. Remove and quickly press an M & M in the center of each. Chill.

Turtles

Ingredients:
1 lb caramels, unwrapped
2 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. water
12 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 tbsp. water
4 cups pecan halves

Directions:
In a double boiler, combine caramels, butter, and 1 tbsp. water until melted and smooth. Keep over boiling water. In another pan, combine chocolate, corn syrup and 2 tbsp. water until melted and smooth. Keep warm. Line cookie sheets with wax paper, drop tablespoons of caramel mixute on wax paper. Place 4 pecan halves on caramel, extending out from center. Top with chocolate mixture. Refrigerate til ready to serve. Store in fridge.

Chocolate Toffee

Ingredients:
1 cup butter (2 sticks)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

Directions:
Heat butter and sugar in saucepan to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil 6 minutes. Pour into buttered 9 inch square baking pan; let stand 3 minutes. Sprinkle chips over top. Let stand 5 minutes. Spread chocolate over top. Sprinkle with walnuts, press down slightly. Chill til firm. Break into bite size pieces. Store in fridge.

Cocoa Fudge

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter
3/4 cup cocoa
5 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)

Directions:
Melt butter in saucepan, add cocoa. Cook over low heat 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add sugar and vanilla, heat through, stirring constantly. Add milk, stir til smooth. When smooth, add pecans. Pour into foil lined 8 inch square pan, chill and store in fridge.

Quick Fudge

Ingredients:
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 cup evaporated milk
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)

Directions:
Grease 8 inch square pan. In pan, stir corn syrup and milk. Add chocolate. Stirring constantly, cook over med-low heat til chocolate is melted. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla; add powdered sugar. With wooden spoon, beat til smooth and creamy. Stir in nuts, spread in pan. Chill and store in fridge.

Fudge

Ingredients:
18 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips (3 cups)
14 oz. sweetened condensed milk
dash salt
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped (optional)
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
In heavy saucepan over low heat, melt chips with milk and salt. Remove from heat, stir in nuts if desired and vanilla. Spread evenly into waxed paper lined 8 inch square pan. Chill 2 hours or til firm. Peel off paper and cut into squares. Store covered in refrigerator.

Caramel Corn

Ingredients:
6 quarts popped corn
1 1/3 cups brown sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
Remove all unpopped kernels from popped corn. Place popcorn in a large bowl. In a pan, combine sugar, butter, and corn syrup; bring to boil. Boil 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat, add vanilla. Pour over popcorn, stir to coat. Place on 2 greased cookie sheets to dry, about 1 hour. Store in an airtight container.

Note: can add chopped walnuts or almonds.

Mo's Toffee

Ingredients:
35 saltine crackers
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
1 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped

Directions:
Line a 15x10x1 jelly roll pan with foil. Arrange crackers in one layer to cover foil. Set aside.

In a saucepan, combine butter and sugar. Stir over low heat for 1-2 minutes or until well combined. Spread evenly over crackers. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and sprinkle with chips. Let stand 2 minutes, then spread chocolate evenly over the top. Sprinkle with nuts and press gently into the chocolate.

Cool for about 20 minutes. Chill in refrigerator until firm. Break into pieces. Store in refrigerator.