White Chocolate & Peppermint Popcorn

Submitted by Kristi Jarvis

16 oz. white chocolate (can use white chocolate baking morsels) or almond bark
1 cup finely crushed (like sand) peppermints (about 10-12 candy canes or 40 mints) - I crush my peppermints in my food processor. The mints will scratch the plastic.
4 quarts popped popcorn (about 1/2 cup corn kernels) - I used this to pop my corn, so it had salt. If you are using air popped corn, throw in a pinch of salt when you sprinkle in the crushed peppermints.

Slowly melt white chocolate or almond bark in the microwave or on stove-top with double boiler. Stir often to keep chocolate from burning. Stir 1/2 cup crushed peppermints into the white chocolate. Place popped corn into a large bowl. Pour melted white chocolate and peppermint mixture over the popcorn. Gently stir to coat popcorn while sprinkling remaining crushed peppermints over the popcorn. Pour out onto parchment paper and allow coating to harden.

Cookie Salad

Submitted by Julie Ingermanson

1 small package instant vanilla pudding
1 c. buttermilk
1 container Cool Whip
1 can pineapple, drained
1 large can mandarin oranges, drained
1/2 package Keebler Fudge Stripe Cookies

Mix pudding & buttermilk (will be thick). Fold in Cool Whip. Add fruits & broken cookies.

Sugar Cookies

 

Dough:
1 c. butter
2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
4 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
4 1/2 c. flour

Mix together and refrigerate over night.

Frosting:
1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. Crisco
milk
powdered sugar
vanilla
salt

Mix butter and Crisco and then add the rest to taste.  Bake dough at 350 for 10 minutes.  Makes 55-60 cookies.  ENJOY!

Sweet & Salty Almonds

Submitted by Melissa Maxwell
From Seven Bums Kitchen

2 c. raw almonds
1/4 c. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt (my favorite is using sea salt)
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
2 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. water
2 tsp. vegetable oil

Spread raw almonds on a large baking sheet so that they are just one layer. Put in a cold oven, then turn the oven on to 350 degrees. Roast the almonds for about 15 minutes or until you can smell them.

While the almonds are roasting, put the honey, water and vegetable oil in a large skillet. Whisk until everything is combined, then put it on medium heat. Let it bubble for a few minutes, then add the roasted nuts to the skillet. Coat the almonds with the honey mixture and heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. (You shouldn't have any liquid left in the skillet when the almonds are done.)

Mix the sugar, salt, and cinnamon in a small bowl. Put about 1/4 c. of the mixture into a 9 x 13" baking dish. When the almonds are coated with the honey mixture and are done cooking, transfer them to the 9 x 13" baking dish. Pour the rest of the sugar/salt/cinnamon over the almonds and stir everything up so that all the almonds get coated with the sugar mixture. Transfer the almonds back to the baking sheet and spread them out in one layer again to cool. After they've cooled, break them up a little bit.

Eat them all.

Gingersnaps

Submitted by Rachel Mecham

¾ c. shortening
1 c. sugar
1 egg
¼ c. molasses
sugar (for rolling dough in)
2 c. flour
2 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon

Mix wet ingredients first. Then mix dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Combine dry with wet ingredients. Form into balls and roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 8 - 15 min. at 350 degrees F. Makes about 30-40 cookies.

Snowball Cookies

 Submitted by Laura Hintze

1 c. margarine, softened
½ c. powdered sugar + extra to roll cookies in
1 tsp. vanilla
2 ¼ c. flour
¼ tsp. salt
¾ c. nuts, finely chopped
 
Mix margarine, ½ c. sugar, and vanilla thoroughly. Sift flour and salt together and stir into mixture. Stir in nuts by hand. Chill dough 3-4 hours. Roll into 1-inch balls. Place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until set but not brown, about 8-10 minutes. While warm, roll in powdered sugar. Cool. Roll in powdered sugar again.

Yield: 35 cookies