Snowball Cupcakes

INGREDIENTS

Cupcakes

• 1 box (18.25 oz) Devil's food cake mix with pudding
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 eggs
• 1 package (3 oz) cream cheese, cut into 24 cubes

Frosting

• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 tablespoons water
• 2 egg whites
• 1 jar (7 oz) marshmallow creme
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2cups coconut

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 24 regular-size muffin cups with paper baking cups. In large bowl beat cake mix, water, oil, sour cream and eggs with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, scraping bowl occasionally. Beat on medium speed 1 minute.
2. Spoon batter into muffin cups. Place 1 cube cream cheese in center of each cupcake; press down into batter almost to center (top of cream cheese will still show).
3. Bake 18 to 24 minutes or until toothpick inserted near center of cupcake comes out clean (test between cream cheese and edge). Remove cupcakes from pan to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
4. In 2-quart stainless steel or other non-coated saucepan, mix sugar, water and egg whites. Cook over low heat, beating continuously with electric hand mixer at high speed until soft peaks form, about 4 minutes. Add marshmallow creme; beat until stiff peaks form. Remove saucepan from heat. Beat in vanilla.
5. Spread frosting evenly over cupcakes; sprinkle each with generous tablespoon coconut. Store cupcakes in refrigerator.

• Save time by frosting these retro cupcakes with whipped topping instead of the marshmallow frosting.

• Add sparkle to each snowball by sprinkling with edible glitter or decorating sugar.

Cheesecake Christmas Trees

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup chocolate wafer crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
• 2 packages (8 oz each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 28 paper lollipop sticks or flat wooden sticks with round ends
• 3 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips (from 24-oz bag)
• 3 tablespoons shortening
• 2 oz vanilla-flavored candy coating (almond bark), chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 1 to 2 drops green paste food color, if desired

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat oven to 300°F. Line 8-inch pan with heavy-duty foil so foil extends over sides of pan. In small bowl, mix wafer crumbs and butter. Press in bottom of foil-lined pan.
2. In large bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Beat in sour cream, vanilla and eggs. Pour over crust.
3. Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until edges are set (center will be soft but will set when cool). Cool in pan on cooling rack 30 minutes. Cover; freeze 2 hours. Meanwhile, cover 1 large cookie sheet with waxed paper.
4. Remove cheesecake from pan by lifting foil. Cut lengthwise into four long pieces. Cut each piece into 7 triangles, working with 1 long piece at a time (keep corner pieces for snacking). Insert sticks into bottoms of triangles. Place on waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Freeze 30 minutes. If making ahead, cover and freeze until ready to coat with chocolate.
5. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, melt chocolate chips and shortening over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until smooth. Place in medium bowl.
6. Working in 2 batches of 14 (keep remaining in freezer until ready to coat), dip each tree quickly into melted chocolate to coat, letting excess drip off. Use knife or spatula to spread chocolate around stick entrance. Place crust side down on waxed paper.
7. In small microwavable bowl, microwave candy coating and oil uncovered on High 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds, until melted. Stir in food color. Spoon into 1-quart resealable food-storage plastic bag. Seal bag; cut tiny hole in corner of bag. Pipe melted coating over trees to look like garland. Store covered in freezer.

Triple Layer Cookie Bars

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup margarine, melted
• 1 cup chopped walnuts
• 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips
• 3/4 cup butterscotch chips
• 1 1/2 cups flaked coconut
• 1 1/3 cups sweetened condensed milk

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a 9 x 13 inch pan pour in melted margarine. Sprinkle the graham cracker crumbs evenly over the margarine. Next place the chopped nuts over the crumbs, and spread the chocolate and butterscotch chips over the nuts. Add the coconut over all, and pour the milk evenly over the top.
3. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until lightly brown on top. Cool at least 20 minutes then cut into desired sized bars.

Beef & Swiss

Ingredients

• 2 multi grain wraps
• 2 tablespoons Neufchatel cheese
• 2 leaves romaine lettuce
• 1 cup fresh spinach
• 6 slices deli sliced roast beef
• 2 slices reduced-fat Swiss cheese
• 6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• ground black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Heat the wraps in the microwave on High for 30 seconds.
2. On the right side of one wrap (the side that will fold in last), spread 1 tablespoon Neufchatel cheese about 2/3 of the way down that side. Layer half of the romaine, spinach, beef, Swiss cheese, and tomatoes in the center of the wrap, leaving 1/3 of the wrap open at the bottom. Fold that third up over the bottom of your fillings, then fold in the left side and roll toward the right, letting the Neufchatel seal the wrap together. Repeat with the second wrap.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cups

Ingredients

• 1 (16.5 ounce) package NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Refrigerated Chocolate Chip Cookie Bar Dough
• 1 cup NESTLE® TOLL HOUSE® Peanut Butter & Milk Chocolate Morsels

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease or paper-line 24 mini-muffin cups.
2. Place squares of dough into prepared muffin cups; press down lightly in center to make a well.
3. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set. Cool in pans on wire racks for 5 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely.
4. Microwave morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag on MEDIUM-HIGH (70%) power for 30 seconds; knead until smooth. Microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut tiny corner from bag; squeeze chocolate into each cup.

Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar for decoration

Directions

1. In a large bowl, beat butter with 1/2 cup sugar and almond extract until light and fluffy. With wooden spoon, stir in flour until smooth and well combined. Divide dough into 2 parts. Refrigerate, covered for 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
3. On lightly sugared surface, roll out dough, one part at a time, about 1/2 inch thick. Using a 1 1/2 inch round cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Place 1 inch apart, on ungreased cookie sheet. With end of wooden spoon, or cookie press, make an indentation in center of each cookie.
4. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, or until light golden brown around the edges. While still warm, roll in sugar. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 (1 pound 1.5 ounce) pouch Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 1/4 teaspoon mint extract
• 6 drops green food color
• 1 egg
• 1 cup creme de menthe baking chips
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks

Directions

1. Mix cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg in bowl, until soft dough forms. Stir in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks.
2. Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
3. Bake at 350 degrees F for 8 to 10 minutes. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Makes about 36 cookies