(photo-kappboom wallpaper)

••••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)

(photo-kappboom wallpaper & Matthew Greer Xmas card)

••••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)

••••GUM DROP COOKIES••••

*CHRISTMAS COLLECTION*

•1 cup shortening or butter

•1 cup white sugar

•1 teaspoon baking sods

•1 teaspoon vanilla

•2 cups oatmeal

•1 cup chopped gum drops

•1 cup brown sugar

•2 eggs

•1 teaspoon baking powder

•2 cups flour

•1 cup coconut

1. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla. Mix dry ingredients, add a little at a time until well mixed. Drop by teaspoon on a cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.

(Source: Marilyn Olson (family cookbook), Originated from a radio program in the "30"'s. & kappboom wallpaper photo)