Yule treats

Chocolate mice Or Chris-mouse

Kids will love these and they are whimsical and fun. Cute chocolate mice rolled in icing sugar or chocolate cookie crumbs are very realistic. I use them around a yule log cake as part of the dessert center piece.

Mice:
1 block (100g) dark chocolate, broken into pieces
4 tablespoons sour cream
1¼ cups chocolate cookie crumbs
For Decorating:
4 tablespoons chocolate cookie crumbs
4 tablespoons icing sugar
24 silver (balls for eyes) decorations
¼ cup (24 pieces) sliceded almonds
a dozen 5cm lengths red or black liquorice

Melt the chocolate, and combine with sour cream. Stir in chocolate cookie crumbs. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
Roll by level tablespoonfuls of mixture into balls. Mold to a slight point at one end (the nose).
Roll dough in icing sugar (for white mice), and in chocolate cookie crumbs (for brown mice).
On each mouse, place eyes in appropriate spots for eyes, almond slices for ears and a liquorice string for the tail.
Refrigerate for at least two hours until firm

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Reindeer Punch

The kiddies ~ young and old ~ will love this

2 cups orange juice
2 cups lemon juice
2 cups grenadine syrup
3 quarts ginger ale
1 pint of quartered strawberries or sliced fruit in season.

Mix all ingredients. Pour over block of ice to chill. Just before
serving, add ginger ale and fruit.

*****

Jingle bell salad

1 1/2 cups cranberry-apple juice drink
2 (3-oz.) pkg. sparkling wild berry flavor gelatin
2 cups sparkling water, chilled
1 (15-oz.) can mandarin orange segments, drained
Lettuce leaves

1. Oil 7-cup mold. In medium saucepan, bring cranberry-apple juice drink to
a boil. Add gelatin; stir until dissolved. Refrigerate 15 minutes.
2. Stir in sparkling water. Refrigerate 40 minutes.
3. Fold orange segments into gelatin. Spoon into oiled mold. Refrigerate 4
hours or until firm.
4. To serve, line serving platter with lettuce. Unmold gelatin onto lined
platter. Cut into wedges to serve

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Holiday cheese ball

3 tablespoon finely chopped pecans
1 package (8 ounces) Neufchatel cream cheese (room temp)
3 green onions (finely chopped with tops, 1/3 cup)
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper sauce
1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese (4 ounces)
1/4 cup minced parsley


Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spread out the pecans in
a small pan. Bake, tossing once, for 8 minutes or until
toasted. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, place the cream cheese,
onions, mustard, red pepper sauce, and garlic. With an
electric mixer at moderate speed, beat for 3 minutes or until
well blended. Stir in the cheddar cheese. Wrap the mixture in
plastic wrap, shape into a 4-inch ball, and chill for 15
minutes. On wax paper, toss the toasted pecans with the
parsley. Unwrap the cheese ball and carefully roll it in the
parsley mixture, coating it completely. Rewrap in plastic wrap
and refrigerate until time to serve. Place the ball on a
serving platter and surround with an assortment of crackers.

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Angel Creme busciuts

These are light and simply the best biscuits ever

1 package quick active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (105°F to 115°F)
1 tablespoon sugar
2 cups Original Bisquick® mix
1/4 cup half-and-half

1. Dissolve yeast in warm water in medium bowl. Stir in sugar.
Stir
in Bisquick mix and half-and-half until dough forms.
2. Turn dough onto surface generously dusted with Bisquick mix;
gently roll in Bisquick mix to coat. Shape into ball; knead 10
times.
Roll 1/2 inch thick. Cut with 2-inch cutter dipped in Bisquick
mix.
Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Cover and let rise in warm place
about 30 minutes or until soft and puffed.
3. Heat oven to 425ºF. Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until golden
brown. Serve warm.