Fruit Dip

Fruit Dip

1 8 oz. package Cream Cheese, softened
1/4-1 cup brown sugar (depending on how sweet you want it)

Mix ingredients with a mixer until sugar is dissolved and mixture is smooth. Enjoy with fruit!

Christmas Crack Chex Mix

Christmas Crack

1 12.8-ounce box Rice Chex cereal
1 12-ponce box Golden Grahams cereal
1 7-ounce bag shredded coconut
1 4-ounce bag slivered almonds
1 1/2 cups butter (3...yes 3...sticks of butter)
2 cups sugar
2 cups corn syrup

Combine Rice Chex and Golden Grahams, coconut and almonds in a large mixing bowl. Stir to combine.
In a large sauce pan, cook butter, sugar and corn syrup to the "soft ball" stage...about 234 degrees on a candy thermometer. Pour over cereal mixture and stir until all is well coated. Pour mixture out onto 2 large cookie sheets to cool. Stir it around occasionally to prevent clumping. Store in an airtight container.

Soft Almond Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cup white sugar
2/3 cup cold butter
2/3 cup shortening at room temp
2 eggs
2 tsp almond extract
2 3/4 cup cake flour
1 cup all purpose flour
1 TBSP cornstarch
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
sugar in the raw (any coarse sugar will do fine)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and prepare a baking sheet.

Cream the sugar, butter and shortening. Stir in eggs and almond extract. Combine flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt and then add to butter/egg mixture. Use electric mixer to ensure dough is thoroughly combined.

Chill dough in fridge for 30 minutes.

Roll 2 tsp of dough into a ball and roll in raw sugar. Place on prepared pan.

Bake cookies for 7 minutes. Remove from oven and gently press rounded tops of cookies flat with the back of a spoon while the cookies are still warm and pliable. the cornstarch will keep the dough from spreading.

Return remaining dough to fridge between baking each batch.

Allow to cool on pan for 1 minute. Remove to cooling rack and allow to cool completely.

Do NOT bake longer than 8 minutes. they may seem under-baked but when they cool they will firm up.