Coconut Kiss Cookies

Cream together:
1/3 c. butter
8 oz. cream cheese
3/4 c. sugar
Mix in:
1 egg yolk
2 tsp. almond extract
2 tsp. orange juice
Mix in one at a time:
1 1/4 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
5 c. coconut (mix in 3 cups and then the last 2 by hand - if needed.

Roll into 1" balls and poke an almond Hersery's kiss in the center of each one.

Bake at 350 for 10 to 12 minutes, or until done.                                 - Tricia

Peppermint Meltaways

cookies:
1 c. real butter
1/2 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. peppermint extract
1 1/4 c. flour
1/2 c. cornstarch

frosting:
1 1/2 c. powdered sugar
2 T. softened butter
2 T. milk
1/4 tsp. peppermint extract
2 to 3 drops red food coloring

crushed candy canes or peppermint candy

Combine butter, p. sugar and pep extract. Beat until creamy. Add flour and cornstarch and beat until well mixed. Cover and refrigerate until firm 30 - 60 minutes.
Heat oven to 350. Shape rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into 1 inch balls.  Place onto ungreased cookie sheets and bake for 12 to 15 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Let stand 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely, then frost with icing and sprinkle tops with crushed peppermint candy.                                                                                          - Tricia

Mini Cheesecakes

3 8 oz. pkg cream cheese
2/3 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
vanilla wafers
1 can cherry pie filling or fresh strawberries or raspberries

Mix first four ingredients. Line muffin tin with cups. Place one vanilla wafer in bottom of each cup. Fill each muffin cup 2/3 full with cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 for 15 - 18 min. Remove from oven, cool and top with fruit filling.                                                             - Tricia

Chinese Noodle Cookies

1 12 oz. pkg semi sweet chocolate chips
1 12 oz. pkg butterscotch chips
1 5 oz. can chow mein noodles
1 c. peanuts
1 1/2 c. rice krispies
1 c. mini marshmallows

Line mini muffin tins with cupcake papers. Melt chips together in microwave. Add rest of ingredients carefully, trying not to break, adding mini marshmallows last. Drop into muffin cups with spoon and let set up.  These are Mary's favorite!                                                            - Tricia

Peppermint Bark Popcorn

aprox. 16 c. popped popcorn
1 lb. white almond bark
1 box candy canes (smashed)
2 tsp. peppermint extract
3/4 c. semi-sweet chocolate chips

Melt almond bark and then mix in peppermint extract. Pour over popcorn, along with candy canes. Mix until well coated. Spread popcorn out on wax paper and drizzle melted semi-sweet chips over top. Let cool and chocolate set up, then break up and eat.                                    - Tricia

Raspberry and Almond Shortbread Thumbprints

1 c butter, softened
2/3 c white sugar
1/2 tsp almond extract
2 c flour
1/2 c seedless raspberry jam

For icing:

1/2 c confectioners' sugar
3/4 tsp almond extract
2 or more tsp milk


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F

2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and white sugar until smooth. Mix in 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Mix in flour until dough comes together. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Make a small hole in the center of each ball, using your finger, and fill the hole with preserves. I use a pastry bag to fill the jam

3. Bake for 14 to 18 minutes in preheated oven, or until lightly browned. Let cool 1 minute on the cookie sheet.

4. In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar, 3/4 teaspoon almond extract, and milk until smooth. Drizzle lightly over warm cookies. Again works best with a pastry bag - Tricia

Peppermint Bark

Melt in microwave 16 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips
Carefully mix in 2 c. rice krispies
Spread as thin as possible onto wax paper and let cool and firm up
Melt 16 oz. white chocolate chips and spread on top of cooled chocolate krispie layer
Sprinkle a pkg of crushed candy canes on top of unset white chocolate layer
Let completely set up and break into bark
- Tricia