Frosty the Bagel

Brrr-ing an open-faced bagel to life with veggie earmuffs and a colorful smile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ingredients

• mini bagel
• cream cheese
• 1 baby carrot
• sliced black olives

• sliced red pepper
• celery
• broccoli

 Instructions

1. Spread half a mini bagel with cream cheese, then add a baby carrot nose, sliced black olive eyes, and a sliced red pepper mouth.
2. For the earmuffs, simply curve a thinly sliced piece of celery along the top of the bagel as shown and hold it in place with a broccoli floret at each end.

Source:  familyfun.go.com 

Photograph by Ed Judice 

Candy Cane Punch Recipe

Peppermint ice cream makes this beverage taste—and look—more like a dessert than a punch! “I’ve mixed the sipper many times for ladies’ lunches and buffets,” shares Neva Schnauber of T. Collins, Colorado. “It’s a great way to start a gathering.” For a fun garnish, Neva adds, you can hang mini candy canes around the punch bowl and cups.

 14 Servings

• Prep: 10 min. + chilling

Ingredients

• 2 jars (10 ounces each) strawberry jelly
• 2 liters lemon-lime soda, divided
• 2 quarts peppermint stick ice cream
• Miniature candy canes, optional

Directions

• In a large saucepan, melt jelly with 2 cups soda. Chill the jelly mixture and remaining soda. Just before serving, place 6 cups ice cream in a punch bowl. Gently stir in jelly mixture. Add remaining soda. Add remaining ice cream by scoopfuls. Garnish with candy canes if desired. 

Yield: 3-1/2 quarts.

 Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 cup) equals 270 calories, 8 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 29 mg cholesterol, 73 mg sodium, 48 g carbohydrate, 0 fiber, 2 g protein.

Originally published as Candy Cane Punch in Country Woman November/December 1999, p28

Photo by: Taste of Home

Christmas Pudding Cookies

We’re bringing this medieval tradition to the 21st century! Soft marshmallow cookies topped with almond bark and candies combine to create a melt-in-your-mouth taste that’ll make your taste buds stand up and sing carols for more.

Ingredients

• Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Cookies
• White Chocolate Almond Bark
• Green Gumdrops
• Red Cinnamon Imperials

Directions

1. Melt the white chocolate almond bark according to the directions on the package.
2. Place the melted white chocolate almond bark into a Ziploc® plastic bag making sure bag is securely closed. Cut a small hole in one tip of the plastic bag.
3. Pipe the melted white chocolate almond bark onto the chocolate covered marshmallow cookies. (Caution: bag may be hot from the melted almond bark!)
4. Cut the green gumdrops into fourths. Use the melted white chocolate almond bark to adhere the green gumdrops and red cinnamon imperials to the cookies. Allow time for the almond bark to set.

Source:  www.freefunchristmas.com

Christmas Tree Cones

What’s Christmas without a tree? Now you can make sure all your family, friends and holiday party guests can get a taste of that timeless Christmas tradition with these easy-to-make Christmas tree cones. Try letting everyone decorate their own tree so each treat is one-of-a-kind!

Ingredients

• Sugar Cones
• Green Gel Food Coloring
• White Frosting
• Sprinkles
• Candy

Source:  www.freefunchristmas.com

The Elf Christmast Training School

Holly Hairpin takes special care with hairstyles for the Elves

 

 

 

 

Captain Hutch Holiday teaches the Elves in Flight School

 

 

 

 

Doctor George Gumdrop takes care to teach the Elves how to take care of their sweet teeth

 

 

 

Trainer Artic Blast gets the Elves ready for hectic Christmas season

 

 

 

 

Find videos, games and holiday cheer at http://www.elfontheshelf.com/

Mini Sausage Wreath

 

Christmas isn’t complete without a wreath. Better yet, why not make it a wreath you can eat? A must-have recipe for holiday gatherings, this mini sausage wreath is simple and quick to make and is a marvelous centerpiece for your table of Christmas hors d’oeuvres. 

Ingredients
Mini Sausage
Refrigerated Crescent Dough Rolls
Red Bell Pepper
Diced Rosemary
1/3 cup Butter
1/2 cup BBQ Sauce
1/2 cup Whole Berry Cranberry Sauce

Directions
1. Preheat the oven to the temperature specified on the package of Refrigerated Crescent Dough Rolls.  Drain the liquid off the mini sausages.
2. Unroll the crescent dough and separate at the perforations to create 4 rectangles.  Press together the remaining perforation in each rectangle.  With a knife or pizza cutter, cut each rectangle lenght-wise into 8 strips making a total of 32 strips.
3. Wrap one strip of dough around each mini sausage.  Lay out the cresent-wrapped sausages with their sides touching on an ungreased cookie sheet in a circle forming a wreath shape.
4. Bake for 11-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Melt 1/3 cup of butter and brush the butter on tops of the crescent-wrapped sausages.  Sprinkle the rosemary on top of the butter. 
5. Cut a red bell pepper into a bow shape for garnish.  Combine the BBQ sauce and cranberry sauce in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring until heated through.  Serve with wreath for dipping.

Source:  www.freefunchristmas.com

Sweet Sugarbelle’s Chistmas Cookie Ideas

Source: http://www.sweetsugarbelle.com

Santa Crackers

 

These delicious appetizers may have you believing in Santa Claus all over again. Fun to make and even more fun to eat, these are a must-have addition to your table of goodies for filling family, friends and your Christmas guests with a heaping helping of ho-ho-holiday cheer!

Ingredients

• Round Butter Crackers
• Pepperoni Slices
• Ricotta Cheese
• Capers
• Celery

 Directions

1. Cut the pepperoni slices into triangles. Place the ricotta into a Ziploc® plastic bag, making sure the bag is securely closed. Cut a small hole in one corner of the plastic bag. Attach the pepperoni to the cracker with a dab of the ricotta.
2. Pipe the ricotta along the bottom of the pepperoni “hat” and to form the beard. Use the ricotta to adhere the capers to the cracker for eyes.
3. Slice the celery and adhere to the cracker for the moustache and a dab of ricotta for the nose.
4. Store covered in the refrigerator.

Source:  www.freefunchristmas.com

Sledding Teddies

 

“I’ve been making these special holiday cookies at Christmastime for almost 30 years,” says Linda Nealley of Newburgh, Maine. “They take a while but are worth it, because the teddy bears are so cute and taste delicious.”

 

8 Servings

Prep: 3 hours + chilling

Bake: 15 min./batch + standing

Ingredients

• 1 cup butter, cubed
• 2/3 cup packed brown sugar
• 2/3 cup molasses
• 1 egg
• 1-1/2 teaspoons Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground ginger
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips
• FROSTING:
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon Spice Islands® pure vanilla extract
• SLEDS:
• 16 candy canes (about 5-1/4 inches)
• 8 whole graham crackers
• 8 red-hot candies
• 8 cake decorator hearts

 Directions

• In a small saucepan, cook the butter, brown sugar and molasses over medium heat until sugar is dissolved. Pour into a large bowl; let stand for 10 minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and cloves; gradually add to butter mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
• For big bears, shape dough into eight 1-1/4-in. balls, eight 1-in. balls, sixteen 1/4-in. balls, sixteen 1-3/4-in. x 1/2-in. logs and sixteen 1-1/2-in. x 1/2-in. logs. Set remaining dough aside.
• For bodies, place the 1-1/4-in. balls on three ungreased baking sheets; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Position the 1-in. balls for heads; flatten to 1/2-in. thickness. Attach two 1-3/4-in. logs for arms and 1/4-in. balls for ears. Do not attach 1-1/2-in. logs for legs; place separately on baking sheets. Add chocolate chips on each paw and on heads for eyes.
• For small bears, shape the remaining dough into eight 1-in. balls, eight 3/4-in. balls, sixteen 1/4-in. balls, sixteen 1-1/4-in. x 3/8-in. logs and sixteen 1-in. x 3/8-in. logs. Position bears and logs on two ungreased baking sheets as for the big bears; add chocolate chips.
• Bake small bears and logs at 325° for 11-13 minutes, and big bears and logs for 14-16 minutes or until set. Cool for 10 minutes before carefully removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• In a small bowl, combine frosting ingredients. For sleds, use frosting to attach two candy canes to the bottom of each graham cracker; let stand until set.
• Trim bear bodies so the bottom edge is flat. Using frosting, attach a big bear to the back end of each sled. Attach small bears in front of big bears. For legs, attach big logs in front of bears and small logs on top. For noses, attach red-hots to big bears and hearts to small bears with a dab of frosting. Let stand until set. Yield: 8 servings.

Source:  www.tasteofhome.com