Baby Bottles

This recipe makes 2 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1.5 cups cake flour
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• White, pink and blue icings

Method:

1. Beat butter, sugar, egg and vanilla in large bowl at medium speed of electric mixer until creamy. Stir in flours and baking powder until well blended. Form dough into ball; wrap in plastic wrap and flatten. Refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on floured surface. Cut out dough with 3-1/2-inch baby bottle-shaped cookie cutter. Place cutouts 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Repeat with remaining dough and scraps.
3. Bake cutouts 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool on cookie sheets 1 to 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
4. Decorate cookies with white, pink and blue icings as shown in photo or as desired. Let stand until icing is set.

Bloodshot Eyeballs

This recipe makes about 2.5 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

• 2.75 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 container (16 ounces) white frosting
• Green or blue gummy candy rings
• 1 tube (0.6 ounce) black decorating gel
• 1 tube (0.6 ounce) red decorating gel

Method:

1. Combine flour, baking soda and salt in small bowl. Beat together butter and both sugars in large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in vanilla. Add flour mixture gradually; mix well. Divide dough into two oval discs. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill at least 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness. Draw oval “eye” shape (about 4X2 inches) on piece of cardboard. Cut out shape and use as stencil for cutting cookie dough. Place cutouts 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to wire racks; cool completely.
3. Spread frosting evenly over cooled cookies. Use candy rings to form an “iris” on each cookie. Fill in pupils and make eyelashes with black decorating gel. Decorate cookies with red decorating gel for bloodshot effect.

Molded Crab Mousse

This recipe makes 32 servings.

Ingredients:

• 2 cans (6 ounces each) crabmeat or 2 cups fresh shelled crabmeat
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Colby cheese
• 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red bell pepper
• 1/4 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup chili sauce
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons cold water
• 1 tablespoon unflavored gelatin
• Cucumber slices (optional)
• Fresh dill sprigs (optional)

Method:

1. Lightly spray 1-quart fish-shaped or other shaped mold with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Pick out and discard any shell pieces or cartilage from crabmeat; place in large bowl. Add cheese, celery, onion and bell peppers; toss gently.
3. Combine sour cream, mayonnaise, chili sauce and lemon juice in small bowl. Pour cold water into small saucepan; stir in gelatin. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thoroughly dissolved. Stir quickly into sour cream mixture.
4. Fold sour cream mixture into crab mixture; spoon into prepared mold. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate 3 hours or until set. Unmold onto serving platter. Garnish with cucumber slices and dill sprigs.

Worm Cookies

This recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 tube white frosting

Method:

1. Combine flour, sugar, cocoa and salt; set aside. Combine butter and vanilla in large bowl. Beat with electric mixer at medium-low speed until fluffy. Gradually beat in flour mixture until well combined. Cover and chill dough at least 30 minutes before rolling.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F. Form dough into 1-1/2-inch balls. Roll balls gently to form 5- to 6-inch logs about 1/2 inch thick. Shape into worms 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 12 minutes or until set. Let stand on cookie sheets until cooled completely. Create eyes and stripes with white frosting.

Bride of Frankenstein Treats

This recipe makes 12 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 can (6.4 ounces) green decorating icing with decorator tips
• 12 prepared crisp rice cereal treats
• 12 black jelly beans
• 12 small red licorice strips
• 24 green jelly beans

Method:

1. Pipe stripes of icing across short end of crispy rice treat to create hair.
2. Cut black jelly beans in half; attach to treat using small amount of icing to create eyes. Attach one licorice strip using small amount of icing to create mouth. Attach one green jelly bean using small amount of icing to each side of one treat to creat bolts. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Five-Minute Ice Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1/2 cup (125ml) milk, cream, or half and half
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract (or other flavouring)
• 6 tablespoons salt
• Enough ice to fill the gallon-sized bag halfway
• 1 gallon-sized Ziploc bag
• 1 pint-sized Ziploc bag

Method:

1. Fill the gallon-sized bag halfway with ice.  Add the salt (ordinary table salt will work but salt that has larger crystals, such as kosher salt or rock salt, will work much better).  Mix the salt around in the ice and set aside.
2. Pour the milk, sugar, and vanilla extract into a bowl or other container and mix.
3. Carefully pour the milk mixture into the pint-sized bag.
4. Close the bag, making sure it is completely sealed.
5. Put the pint bag into the gallon bag.
6. Make sure the pint bag gets buried in the ice. Seal the gallon bag. Shake the bags vigorously for five minutes. You might want to use a towel to hold them, since they will be very cold and slippery from condensation.
7. Remove the pint bag, open it up and grab a spoon.

Pesto Cheese Logs

This recipe makes 2 logs.

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup (80ml) walnuts, toasted
• 1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
• 1/3 cup (80ml) prepared pesto
• 1/3 cup (80ml) crumbled feta cheese
• 2 teaspoons cracked black pepper
• 2 tablespoons finely shredded carrot
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• Assorted crackers

Method:

1. Process walnuts in food processor, using on/off pulsing action until walnuts are ground, but not pasty. Remove from food processor; set aside.
2. Process cream cheese, pesto and feta cheese in food processor until smooth. Spread 3/4 cup cheese mixture on waxed paper and form 4-inch log. Wrap waxed paper around cheese log. Repeat with remaining cheese mixture. Refrigerate logs at least 4 hours, until well chilled. Roll each chilled log to form 5-inch log.
3. Combine walnuts and pepper. Roll 1 log in nut mixture to coat. Combine 2 tablespoons carrot and 2 tablespoons parsley. Roll remaining log in carrot mixture to coat. Serve immediately, or wrap and refrigerate up to a day before serving. To serve, thinly slice log and serve with crackers. Garnish as desired. 

Pesto Cheese Wreath

This recipe makes 16 to 24 appetizer servings.

Ingredients:

• 3 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup (60ml) whipping cream or half-and-half
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon onion salt
• 1/3 cup (80ml) chopped roasted red peppers or pimiento, drained
• Pimiento strips and Italian flat leaf parsley leaves (optional)
• Assorted crackers and cut-up vegetables

Ingredients for Parsley-Basil Pesto:

• 2 cups (500ml) fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup (60ml) pine nuts or slivered almonds
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Method:

1. Process all ingredients for the Parsley-Basil pesto except oil in food processor or blender until finely chopped. With machine running, add oil gradually, processing until mixture is smooth.  Set aside.
2. Beat cream cheese and mayonnaise in medium bowl until smooth; beat in whipping cream, sugar and onion salt.
3. Line 5-cup ring mold with plastic wrap. Spoon half of cheese mixture into prepared mold; spread evenly. Spread Parsley-Basil Pesto evenly over cheese mixture; top with chopped pimientos. Spoon remaining cheese mixture over pimientos; spread evenly. Cover; refrigerate until cheese mixture is firm, 8 hours or overnight.

4. Uncover mold; invert onto serving plate. Carefully remove plastic wrap. Smooth top and sides of wreath with spatula. Serve with assorted crackers and/or vegetables.

Spring Daisy Cake

This recipe makes 12 servings.

Ingredients:

• 1 package (2 layer size) yellow cake mix
• 1 package (4 serving size) JELL-O Lemon Instant Pudding
• 3 cups (750ml) thawed COOL WHIP whipped topping
• 1/2 cup (125ml) flaked coconut
• 1 to 2 drops yellow food coloring
• 2 cups (500ml) JET-PUFFED miniature marshmallows
• 2 small bug-shaped candies

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Farenheit.  Prepare cake batter as directed on package; blend in dry pudding mix.  Pour about half of the batter into greased 4 cup ovenproof bowl.  Pour remaining batter into greased 9-inch round cake pan.
2. Bake 9-inch round cake layer for 23 to 25 min, or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.  Bake batter in bowl for 33 to 35 mins, or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.  Cool each for 10 min.  Remove from pan and bowl; cool completely on wire rack.
3. Cut 9 inch layer into 16 wedges.  Place inverted “bowl” cake onto large serving board.  Arrange cake wedges around “bowl” cake to form petals.  Frost completely with whipped topping.
4. Place coconut in resealable plastic bag.  Add food coloring.  Close bag; shake to evenly tint coconut.  Press tinted coconut onto whipped topping centre cake.  Press marshmallows onto tops of each flower stem.  Place bug-shaped candies on daisy as desired.

Note:

This recipe was extracted from KraftCanada.

Marinated Cheese for Crackers

This recipe makes 15 servings, 2 each.

Ingredients:

• 1 (8 oz) mozzarella cheese, cut crosswise into 15 slices
• 1/4 cup (60ml) sun dried tomato dressing
• 30 crackers
• 60 slices pepperoni

Method:

1. Cut each cheese slice crosswise in half.  Place in shallow glass dish.  Pour dressing over cheese; cover.  Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to marinade.
2. Remove cheese from marinade just before serving; discard marinade.  Top each cracker with 2 pepperoni slices and 1 slice of cheese.  Serve immediately.