Mint Cheesecake Morsels

Ingredients

3 cups cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (40 cookies)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
6 drops green liquid food coloring
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1 teaspoon shortening

Directions: Stir together cookie crumbs and butter; press mixture into bottom of an aluminum foil-lined 13- x 9-inch pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in peppermint extract and food coloring. Spread cream cheese mixture over prepared crust. Bake at 300° for 35 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours. Place chocolate morsels and shortening in a small heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal. Submerge bag in hot water until chocolate melts; gently knead until mixture is smooth. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of plastic bag; drizzle chocolate over cheesecake in a crisscross pattern, if desired. Cut into squares.

Tip: You can also use white chocolate with red or green food coloring to make it more festive!

Creamy Christmas Brownies

by Beth Hatch

Ingredients:
1 pkg favorite brownie mix (et all ingredients)
1 container whipped cream
1 can chocolate frosting
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 pkg red and green M&Ms

Bake the brownie in a large rectangular pan as directed. Cool brownies and frost with chocolate frosting. Beat together cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Cover with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with M&M's on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Poached Pears in Cranberry Sauce

Submitted by Amy Parshall

1 qt (4 cups) cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup Karo light corn syrup
8 slices (1/4 in thick) unpeeled fresh ginger
2 cinnamon sticks
8 slightly ripe pears

In a heavy 4 qt sauce pan, combine cranberry juice, corn syrup, ginger, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Peel pears, leaving stems attached. Add to cranberry liquid; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until pears are tender. With slotted spoon, transfer pears to a shallow serving dish. Remove ginger slices and cinnamon sticks. Discard all but 2 cups syrup in saucepan. Bring to a boil for 10-12 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly. Spoon sauce over pears. Makes 8 servings, depending on pear size.

"If you like presentation, a couple leaves of mint and cranberries can rest on the outskirts of the cranberry sauce mixture. It brings out a whole new flavor."

Beth's Party Taco Dip

1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1 can Hormel chili
1 can green chilies
1 cup mild salsa
1/2 cup shredded cheddar
1/2 cup sour cream
2/3 cup shredded lettuce
1 bag of restaurant style tortilla chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Put softened cream cheese, chili, and chilies into a deep dish pie plate. Mix together and heat in oven for 10-15 minutes or until bubbly. Put shredded cheddar over top, heat for 3 more minutes, or until cheese is melted. On top, layer salsa, lettuce, and sour cream. For the best taste, place tortilla chips on a large cookie sheet and heat for 3-4 minutes. Serve and enjoy.

This dish is great for parties or get-togethers. I made it yesterday for a football appetizer, and it was delicious. I put the salsa, lettuce, and sour cream into a separate dish for people who didn't want the veggies.

Beth's Very Berry Pie

Splenda Recipe! Only 7 grams of Sugar per Servings (from fruit)

1 pkg (16oz) frozen blackberries
1 pkg (16 oz) frozen raspberries
1 sm pkg pitted cherries
1 pkg Pillsbury pre-made pie crust
1/2 cup cornstarch
1 cup Splenda
1 tbs butter

Thaw berries; drain. Reserve 1 cup juice. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix cornstarch and Splenda in a medium saucepan. Pour juice in slowly and stir. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly. When starting to thicken, add butter. Keep stirring until boiling. Add remaining fruit. Stir thoroughly. Turn off heat. Place 1 pie crust into a 9" pie plate, pressing firmly into bottom. Fill the crust with filling. Top the filling with the other pie crust and press edges together. Cut 4 slits into the top to let steam escape. Bake pie for 45 minutes.

Let cool completely before serving. Tastes great with Breyer's Carb Free Vanilla Ice Cream. This is a delicious treat for those of you trying to watch your diet around the holidays, but still want to feel like you are indulging a little bit. It tastes just as good as regular berry pie, only with loads less sugar!

Mom's Easy Chicken Pot Pie

3 cooked, chunked chicken breasts
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 bag of mixed vegetables
1 package Pillsbury Pie Crust

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook chicken and cut into chunks. Mix soup, vegetables, and chicken together. Prepare pie crust by place one layer on the bottom of a pie plate. Fill the pie crust with mixture. Place the other pie crust on top, pinching edges together. Cut three or four small slits in the top of the crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes. Serve and Enjoy!

This warm comfort food is good for those cold winter days!

Gingerbread Cookies w/ Frosting

Cookies
1 cup butter
1 1/2 eggs
2 tbsp light molasses
3 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cloves
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger

Cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs and molasses and mix well. Mix in flour and spices. When finished, put in the refrigerator overnight.

Roll out on a floured board or wax paper about 1/4 inch thick. Spray the cookie sheet or use parchment paper. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Frosting
1 1/2 tbsp flour
1/2 c milk
1 lb powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 c butter

Cook milk and flour until lumpy, then cool with the lid on. Beat in sugar, butter, and vanilla. Then, divide and add any food coloring you want.

Tip: I like to add cinnamon candy buttons! Make different shapes using different cookie cutters.