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••••LITTLE COOKIE HOUSES••••

*CHRISTMAS COLLECTION*

These are adorable!!!

•Assorted large crackers and cookies (such as Wasa Crisps and Social Teas) for building, plus sugar wafers and round, scalloped butter cookies for decorating

•1 batch ready-to-use decorator icing-1 tub (16 ounces)

•Assorted decorations and colorful candies, including pretzel sticks, ice cream cones, Necco wafers, Starlight mints, M & M's, gumdrops, Mike & Ike candy, mini Chicklets, and cinnamon red candies

1. Assemble houses or other structures from large crackers or cookies, attaching pieces with frosting. Spread frosting on cookie edges; hold edges together for a few minutes until set. (If small children are present, you may want to assemble some houses before they arrive.)

2. Decorate as desired. For log cabin, ice outer walls and attach pretzel sticks. For church, make steeple from iced sugar wafer, with pretzel cross at top; make doors from sugar wafers trimmed at top with knife. Decorate roofs with assorted candies. For Necco-wafer shingles, spread roof generously with frosting. Starting at bottom of roof, arrange wafers so they overlap slightly. Use upside-down ice cream cones for castle turrets: Spread with frosting and multicolored nonpareils. Attach decorations with frosting.

(Source: Good Housekeeping A Very Merry CHRISTMAS Cookbook & photo also)

••••MULLED WINE RECIPE••••

*CHRISTMAS COLLECTION*

•32 oz. cranberry juice cocktail

•12 oz. apple cider

•12 oz. dry red wine

•1/4 cup light brown sugar 

•1/4 cup apricot flavored brandy

•1 oz. (generous 1/4 cup)

•+Mulling Spices

Stove Top or Crock Pot Method

•Combine the cranberry juice, apple cider and red wine in a large crock pot or large sauce pan. Add the brown sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Place spices in a muslin bag provided. Close the bag by pulling the strings and tying them in a bow. 

•Place the bag of spices into the juice and wine mixture. Cover the crock pot or sauce pan and heat the mixture until hot over a medium setting on your crock pot or medium heat on your stove top. Do not boil. 

•Reduce the temperature to low and simmer for 30-60 minutes. Stir occasionally to make sure the brown sugar has dissolved completely. Taste the mulled wine occasionally. Remove the spice bag when the desired amount of "spice" is reached. Just before serving add the apricot flavored brandy and stir until combined. Ladle the hot wine into mugs and serve with a cinnamon stir stick. Makes seven 8 ounce cups.

*Save the muslin bag for future batches of wine. Discard the spices, rinse the bag and let it hang to dry.

(Source: Bisschopswijn.com/recipes & google+ photo)

••••HOMEMADE EGGNOG :)••••

*CHRISTMAS COLLECTION*

•2 pasteurized eggs

•One shake of salt

•2 teaspoons vanilla

•2 cups milk

•Beat eggs until fluffy. Add salt and vanilla, beat until very thick, add milk, beat. Chill if desired, garnish with nutmeg and serve. Makes two servings.

(Source: Regina Johnson-Dahlberg (family cookbook) & google+ photos)

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••••HOLLY COOKIES :)••••

*CHRISTMAS COLLECTION*

•My mother-in-law Elizabeth would always make these every year as CHRISTMAS gifts!!!

•30 marshmallows

•4-1/2 cups Corn Flakes

•1/2 tsp vanilla

•1 cube of margarine

•1-1/2 tsp green food coloring

•Cinnamon red candies

•Melt marshmallows and margarine, add vanilla and food coloring, then stir in corn flakes until covered. Drop on globs on wax paper, add red candies, while hot.

•Can be shaped into wreaths by buttering your hands and working quickly.

Variation: Press warm cereal mixture into buttered 5-1/2-cup ring mold or shape into ring on serving plate. Remove from mold and dot with red candies. Slice to serve.

(Source: Elizabeth (Betty) Greer from a family cookbook & Publications International, LTD. & google+ photo)

••••SPINACH-TOMATO SALAD••••

*CHRISTMAS COLLECTION*

•1 package (8 ounces) Complete Spinach Salad

•2 medium tomatoes, halved and cut into thin wedges

•1/2 medium cucumber, thinly sliced

•1/2 small onion, thinly sliced

•1 can (14 to 16 ounces) low-sodium kidney or garbanzo beans, drained

•Toss spinach, croutons and bacon from salad bag with tomatoes, cucumber, onion and beans in medium serving bowl.

•Pour dressing from packet over salad; toss to coat evenly.

Makes 4 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

(Source: Publications International, LTD: Favorite Brand Name Best-Loved Holiday Recipes & photo also)

••••EVANA'S SANDWICH SURPRISE••••

*CHRISTMAS COLLECTION*

My friend EVANA found about this sandwich from a sandwich place that closed down :( This is her favorite sandwich HANDS DOWN!!!

•Use French or Hoagie Rolls-toasted

*Layer ingredients in order:

•Mozzarella

•Pepperoni

•Pizza sauce

•Mozzarella

•Black Olives

•Mushrooms

*Put sandwich together, lay open faced in oven, toast until cheese is melted. Put it together, slice in 2 inch slices. Can be used as an appetizer for the holidays.

*Can add any ingredients that you choose, just make sure pizza sauce is in the middle so it doesn't get the bread soggy.

(Source: EVANA & google+ photos)

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••••XMAS FOOD IDEA••••

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••••MASCARPONE CHEESECAKE••••

*CHRISTMAS COLLECTION*

INGREDIENTS:

CRUST:

•2-1/2 cups finely ground graham cracker

•10 TB unsalted butter, melted 

FILLING:

•20-oz. cream cheese

•8-oz. Mascarpone

•3/4 cup sugar

•3 eggs

•1 tsp vanilla

•1 tsp lemon juice

•1/4 tsp salt

TOPPING:

•1 cup sour cream

•1/4 cup sugar

•1 tsp vanilla

•1 tsp lemon juice

•1/4 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter springform pan. Combine graham cracker crumbs & butter. Press crumb mixture into bottom and sides of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes, then cool the crust.

2. In a mixer beat cream cheese, mascarpone & sugar until fluffy. Beat each egg in slowly. Add vanilla, lemon juice & salt - only mix until incorporated. Pour mixture into the cooled crust & bake 25-30 minutes. Center will not set up while baking but will as it cools. Let cake cool for 20 minutes. For topping stir together all ingredients (if you want, add flavoring of your choice to this topping mixture). Gently spread over top of cake making it thinner towards the outside. Bake another 10 minutes. Cool cake completely before chilling. Chill for 2 DAYS!!! Yes, it really takes that long - if you want it to be really good you'll wait!! ENJOY!!

"absolutely the best cheesecake you will ever have."!

(Source: Huckleberry's ad••Sharon Degg ,BIstro Cook & google+ photos)

••••MORE CHRISTMAS TO COME••••

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••••HAPPY 60th BIRTHDAY CRAIG••••

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••••HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN•••

*PUMPKIN PIE SPICE*

•Combine 1/4 cup ground cinnamon

•2-1/2 TB ground ginger

•2 tsp ground cloves

•2 tsp ground allspice

•2 tsp freshly grated nutmeg or ground

•1 tsp ground or grated cardamom

1. Combine all ingredients to make the spice.

(Source: Unknown•Courtesy of EVANA & google+ photo)

••••FIG, LEMON AND HONEY CHEESECAKE••••

*CHRISTMAS COLLECTION*

SERVINGS: 12

CRUST:

•1 cup graham cracker Graham's

•2 TB granulated sugar

•3 TB butter, melted 

•1 cup chopped stemmed Figs

CHEESECAKE:

•1-1/2 pounds (three 8-ounce packages) cream cheese

•3/4 cup granulated sugar 

•1/4 cup sour cream

•2 teaspoons lemon zest

•1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

•3 large eggs

•1 lemon, thinly sliced (for garnish)

SAUCE:

•1/2 cup water

•1/2 cup honey

•1/3 cup lemon juice

•1-1/2 teaspoons cornstarch mixed with 1 TB water

•1 cup sliced, stemmed CALIFORNIA Figs 

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat oven to 325 degrees.

2. For crust, mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar, stir in butter. Press into bottom of buttered 9-inch springform pan. Bake 8-10 minutes, till edges are golden. Remove from oven and sprinkle evenly with figs.

3. For cheesecake, beat cream cheese with electric mixer on medium-low speed until smooth, scraping bowl as needed. Gradually beat in sugar, then sour cream, zest and vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Scrap filling into pan over figs. Bake on middle rack for 45-55 minutes, until almost set in center. Cool. Chill 4 hours or overnight.

4. For sauce, in small saucepan, combine water, honey and lemon juice. Stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a simmer. Add cornstarch solution and stir for a few seconds, until thickened. Remove from heat and stir in figs. Cool. Chill until serving time.

5. To serve, run thin knife around edge of cheesecake and remove side of pan. Cut into wedges and top each with sauce. Garnish with thin slices of lemon, if desired.

(Source: Spokesman Review•pinch & google+ photo)

••••CHRISTMAS IS COMING••••

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