Sweet Treats for Fun Holidays

Extra time in the kitchen and extra time with family are two hallmarks of the holiday season. This month, we offer suggestions to combine these two activities-easy recipes for holiday treats that you and the kids can make together.

Nested Star Cookies. Decorating holiday cookies is a fun way to spend time with the kids and produce delicious results. First, make a batch of your favorite sugar cookie dough.

Next, using nested star cookie cutters, cut out and bake stars. When cookies are cool, spread large stars with icing or sweetened cream cheese, and place a small star on top. Decorate with jimmies, colored sugar, nonpareils, or any other sprinkle decoration. Let the kids be as creative as they want to be! If you want, put a few drops of different food colorings in the icing/cream cheese filling for almost limitless decorating possibilities.

Hint: The cookie dough is easier to roll out and cut if it is chilled; make the dough the day before you plan to bake, and chill in the fridge overnight.

Cut Glass Hard Candy. This traditional candy is pretty, easy, and delicious (and makes a wonderful gift!). The kids will have fun figuring out flavor and color combinations, and breaking the candy into pieces when it's cool. Be sure to supervise closely while candy mixture cooks to avoid accidents.

Cut Glass Hard Candy

3-3/4 cups granulated sugar

1-1/2 cups light corn syrup

1 cup water

1 teaspoon flavoring oil of your choice

1/2 teaspoon food coloring of your choice

Confectioners' sugar

Sprinkle a 12" x 24" piece of heavy aluminum foil with confectioners' sugar. Combine granulated sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large, heavy saucepan. Stir over medium heat until sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring until mixture reaches 310° F on a candy thermometer, or drops form hard, brittle threads in cold water. Remove from heat; add flavor and color. Pour onto prepared foil. Cool; break or cut into pieces and store in an airtight container.

Hint: Flavoring oils for candy making are very concentrated. Keep them out of kids' reach, and be sure not to get them close to your face.

A fun project to make with this candy recipe is an edible ice-skating scene. Omit food coloring, and pour cooked candy mixture on a large, round tray covered in sugar-sprinkled foil. As candy begins to harden, place "skaters" on the "ice"-gummy bears, animal-shaped graham crackers. Make a pond-side "fire" by arranging pretzel sticks with cinnamon candies on top; you can use dabs of icing to make them stick together. Sprinkle lots of confectioners' sugar around for snow. You and your kids can use your imaginations to make the scene as intricate or simple as you wish!

Chocolate Coconut Candy. Here's another easy and delicious candy recipe that requires no baking. It may not be pretty, but it sure is delicious!

Chocolate Coconut Candy

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 packages (large size) coconut

3-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1 stick margarine, melted

1 can sweetened condensed milk

1-1/2 to 2 pounds semisweet chocolate

In a large bowl, mix together vanilla, coconut, confectioners' sugar, margarine, and condensed milk. Press mixture into two 8-inch square pans. Refrigerate until set.

Melt chocolate (about 1/2 pound at a time) according to package directions and set aside. Cut candy into small pieces and dip in melted chocolate. Place pieces on cookie sheet covered with waxed paper and allow chocolate to harden. Store in cookie tin in refrigerator or cool place.

Chinese Noodle Haystacks Candies -by Kendra Bailey

For a fun party favor, try wrapping these tasty treats in colored tissue paper and putting them in boxes that resemble the take-out containers from a Chinese restaurant.



Makes 25 Pieces

INGREDIENTS

1 cup butterscotch chips

1/2 cup peanut butter

1/2 cup peanuts

2 cups chow mein noodles

INSTRUCTIONS

Microwave butterscotch chips and peanut butter on 50% power for 3-5 minutes or until melted, stirring occasionally.
Add remaining ingredients and blend to coat noodles thoroughly. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper. Let set for a couple of hours or until the butterscotch has hardened.

Candy Bird’s Nests -by Kendra Bailey

This variation on Chinese Noodle Haystacks makes a fun and delicious sweet the whole family can enjoy.



INGREDIENTS



10 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, white chocolate or peanut butter chips

1 tablespoon solid vegetable shortening

1 large package thin chow mein noodles

1 bag jellybeans or coated peanut candies



INSTRUCTIONS

Melt the chips of your choice in a double boiler over moderate heat.
When the chips are completely melted, add shortening and stir to blend.
Add the chow mein noodles to the melted candy and toss to thoroughly blend the mixture. Try to avoid breaking the noodles as you blend.
Working quickly, drop tablespoons of the candy and noodle mixture onto wax paper. Hollow out the center to shape into the form of a bird’s nest.
Immediately place three jellybeans or one coated peanut candy in the center of each nest. Let set for a couple of hours.

Tip: Candies can be made several days ahead of time and stored in an airtight container.



Tip: Use a different flavor of chips for each batch to create different-colored candies.

Beignets -By Deborah Fewell

This simple, tasty recipe sweetens up fried dough, turning this French classic into a holiday and entertaining tradition.

INGREDIENTS

1 12 count roll of raw buttermilk biscuits

1 gallon vegetable oil

Powdered sugar, to taste

Cinnamon, to taste

Sugar, to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a deep fryer, add the vegetable oil and fill to the fill line, set the temperature to 360°F to heat up the fryer.
Cut the biscuits into squares and add to fryer when oil is hot, fry until golden brown and floating, turning to brown on both sides about three minutes total.
Remove beignets from the oil and drain on a paper towel lined platter.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar or cinnamon and sugar.