Treats to delight your holiday guests
Festive Popcorn Trees
- 10 cups air-popped popcorn
- 10 ounces miniature marshmallows
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Green decorating sugar
- Blue decorating sugar
- 1 tube white frosting with decorating tip
- Assorted small colorful candies or sprinkles
- Sugar cookies for serving, optional
- Shredded coconut for serving, optional
Place popcorn in large bowl.
In medium saucepan over medium-low heat, stir marshmallows and butter until marshmallows are melted and mixture is smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in vanilla extract. Pour mixture over popcorn in bowl. Toss well to coat popcorn evenly.
Line baking sheet with foil. Spray hands with nonstick cooking spray then scoop about 1 cup popcorn mixture. Shape mixture into cone, keeping base flat. This forms one tree. Sprinkle tree with green and blue decorating sugars; place tree on baking sheet. Repeat to make additional trees.
Pipe frosting on trees to make garland then decorate with colorful candies and sprinkles.
Christmas Cinnamon Cookies
- 1 2/3 cups self-rising flour
- 2 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 stick butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons water, optional
- 1 cup powdered sugar, optional
In mixing bowl, combine flour, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, sugar, brown sugar, butter and egg to make dough. If dough is too dry to form into ball, add water. Form into log and wrap in parchment paper. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Roll dough out and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Place on cookie sheet covered in parchment paper and bake 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on rack then dust with powdered sugar, if desired.
Pecan Snack Mix
- 1 cup pecan halves
- 1 cup rice squares cereal, wheat or cinnamon
- 1/2 cup pretzels
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/2 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
In large, microwave-safe bowl, add pecans, rice squares cereal and pretzels. In small, microwave-safe bowl, add butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, salt and nutmeg. Microwave butter mixture 1 to 2 minutes until melted then pour over dry mix. Toss well to combine.
Microwave snack mix in 45-second intervals, about 4 to 5 intervals total, until mix is fragrant, golden and toasty.
Cool mix completely then stir in cranberries and dark chocolate chips.
Marbled Cherry Cheesecakes
- 18 chocolate sandwich cookies
- Two 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 21 ounces cherry fruit filling, divided
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line muffin tins with 18 paper liners. Place one chocolate cookie in bottom of each paper liner. In mixing bowl, beat cream cheese, sugar, eggs and vanilla until light and fluffy. Fold in half of fruit filling.
Fill each muffin liner about 3/4 full with mixture. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until done. Cool. Top each cheesecake with spoonful of remaining fruit filling.
Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
- 1 envelope unflavored gelatin
- 1 can pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 cup whipped topping plus additional for serving, optional
- 1 graham cracker pie shell
In saucepan, mix gelatin, pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, salt and sugar. Whisk in egg and milk. Bring to boil over medium heat while stirring.
Set aside and let slightly cool then whisk in 1 cup whipped topping. Pour into pie shell. Refrigerate overnight.
Serve with additional whipped topping, if desired.
Christmas Cranberry Punch
- 1 package fresh cranberries
- 1 can pineapple chunks
- 3 to 4 rosemary twigs
- 6 cans lemon-lime soda, divided
- 64 ounces cranberry juice
- 20 ounces orange pineapple juice
- 1 orange
Place four cranberries, two pineapple chunks and a few rosemary sprigs in each hole of silicone muffin pan or ice tray. Cover with 1 can lemon-lime soda and freeze. Chill remaining soda, cranberry juice and orange pineapple juice overnight.
In punch bowl, mix remaining soda, cranberry juice and orange pineapple juice. Slice orange into 5 to 6 slices. Add lemon-lime soda ice cubes, handful of cranberries and orange slices to serve.