Coated Cookie Drops

I've got one more cookie we make at Christmastime, but it could be made at any other time of the year.

Coated Cookie Drops

Ingredients: 

 1 pkg (20 oz) oreos (1 pkg, plus another 1/3)
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 bags of candy coating, coarsely chopped for dipping
1 bag of candy coating, coarsely chopped for drizzle

 Place the cookies in a food processor; cover and process until finely crushed. In a small bowl, beat cream cheese and crushed cookies until blended. Roll into 3/4-in. balls. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt candy coating for dipping, stirring until smooth; dip the balls to completely coat. Place on waxed paper until hardened. Melt and drizzle remainder candy coating over balls. Store in the refrigerator.

Servings: about 7-1/2 dozen.

Recipe Given By: Taste of Home

These are the first to be eaten!

Snowmen Cookies

Here's a highlight of Christmas baking day 2012.

The gang is working on Snowmen cookies, probably their favorite creative "dish" of the season.

Why do you ask?

Because over the years our snowmen have morphed into aliens, cartoon characters and even Ipods.  There's rarely a snowman among the creations. I think the snowman 2nd from right bottom row was Grandma's.  The clown (center) was a new idea this year. Thank you, Rhett.

This recipe is basically candy-coated Nutter Butters. How can you go wrong with that! It's snowman season for the next couple of months; these would make a fun treat.

Snowmen Cookies 

Ingredients:

(16 ounces) Nutter Butter cookies
1-1/4 pounds white candy coating, melted
Miniature chocolate chips M & M's
minis Pretzel sticks, halved
Orange and red decorating gel

Using tongs, dip cookies in candy coating; allow excess to drip off. Place on waxed paper. Place two chocolate chips on one end of cookies for eyes. Place M & M's down middle for buttons. For arms, dip ends of two pretzel stick halves into coating; attach one to each side. Let stand until set. Pipe nose and scarf with gel or frosting.

Servings: 32 cookies
Recipe by: Taste of Home

F - French Potatoes

We always serve these potatoes on the holidays we serve ham. I couldn't imagine eating ham without french potatoes. They are so creamy and onion-y. Yummm!! 

French Potatoes

Ingredients:

10-12 serving of instant potatoes  (make according to box directions)
4 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. container French onion dip (size like a tuna can)

Mix cream cheese and French onion dip into warm potatoes. Put in glass dish (I use an 8x11) and refrigerate overnight. Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes.

Recipe Given By: Nancy Underhill
Hint: I very rarely think ahead in time to get this dish in the fridge overnight so I just add a little extra potatoes (like 1/2 C more) before cooking. It's turns out the same, in my opinion.

Fabulous Caramel Clusters

I used to make this delicious crispy snack only at Christmas time to share with friends and family, but I recently added it to the care packages shared with Ashley and her friends at college. It's great any time of year!

Fabulous Caramel Clusters

Ingredients:

1 pkg (14 oz or 48) caramels
¼ C water
6 C bite-size rice cereal squares (Chex)
2 C pecan halves (or favorite nut)

Heat oven to 300 degrees. Melt caramels with water in a stock pot over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Add cereal and pecans; mix lightly until well coated. Spread into greased cookie sheet (large.) Bake 25 min., stirring after 15 min. Turn out onto greased waxed paper. Cool thoroughly; break apart.

Serving: about 10 cups
Recipe Given By: I don't know where I got it, but you can see a web copy here.

Christmas Cookies

Here are the highlights of Christmas baking with the kids - such a fun tradition!

Rolling out sugar cookies with Grandma!

Nutter Butter "Snowmen" (most look like aliens - on purpose!)

Mom made me Date Nut Balls - delicious!

The kids made cream cheese mints. How these came to be a Christmas tradition, I'll never know.

Drizzling the Coated Cookie Drops! What a fun mess!

These are always the first to go!

Sugar Cookies (cut-out)

Ingredients:

2/3 C shortening
¾ C sugar
½ t. grated orange peel
½ t. vanilla
1 ½ t. baking powder
1 egg
4 t. milk
2 C flour
¼ t. salt

Preheat oven to 350-375 degrees. Thoroughly cream shortening, sugar, orange peel & vanilla. Add egg; beat until fluffy. Stir in milk. Sift together dry ingredients; blend in creamed ingredients. Divide dough in half, flatten somewhat into circle, cover in plastic wrap and chill 1 hour. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8” Cut in desired shapes with cookie cutters. Baked on greased cookie sheet about 6-8 min. Cool slightly. Remove from pan. Cool and then decorate.

These are good without frosting!

Serving: 2 dozen
Recipe Given By: Mom Underhill

Date Nut Balls

Mix and bring to a boil, then cool:

1 stick butter

¾ C sugar

1 lb. dates, cut

Mix together:

1 beaten egg

1 t. vanilla

1 T. milk

½ t. salt

Then add to the above mixture, boil 2 min.

Add:

½ C nuts

2 C rice krispies

Form balls and roll in flaked coconut.

Recipe Given By: Mom Underhill/Amy Richardson