Mitten Sandwiches

Mitten Sandwiches

1 boneless beef chuck roast (about 2 pounds)

1 loaf (1 pound) frozen bread dough, thawed

Red liquid food coloring

1 egg

1 tablespoon water

1 cup barbecue sauce

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup grape jelly

Place the roast in a 3 quart slow cooker. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or until the meat is tender.

Meanwhile, divide bread dough into eighths. Tint two portions with red food coloring; divide red portions into thirds. Roll each into a 3 inch rope; set aside. For each mitten, flatten one white portion into a 4 inch oval. Place on a greased baking sheet. With a sharp knife or kitchen shears, make a 1-1/2 inch diagonal cut into side of oval toward the center for the thumb. Tuck tip under to form a round thumb; spread thumb and mitten apart.

For cuff, place a colored rope below each mitten; pinch edges together and flatten slightly. In a small bowl, beat egg and water; brush over dough (dough does not need to rise). Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.

Remove roast from slow cooker; discard juices. Shred beef with a fork and return to slow cooker. Add the barbecue sauce, brown sugar, ketchup and jelly; heat through. Split mitten rolls; fill with shredded beef.

Recipe and picture from TasteOfHome.com

Ginger Ski Men

Ginger Ski Men

30 fruit flavored ring shaped gummy candies (from 7 ounce package)

10 (2-1/2 inch) gingerbread man cookies (from 5 ounce package)

1 roll chewy fruit snack in three foot rolls (from 6 roll box)

20 pretzel sticks

1 cup white vanilla baking chips

20 red cinnamon candies

20 miniature chocolate chips

10 gingersnap cookies (from 16 ounce box)

20 (3 inch) candy canes

Cover work space with large sheet of waxed paper. Gently stretch 1 candy ring, and pull over top of 1 gingerbread man’s head to make hat; repeat 9 times. Unroll fruit snack; cut into 5 inch pieces, separating along perforations. Wrap 1 (5 inch) piece around neck, twisting in center of each, to make scarf. Gently press to stick. Place 1 candy ring near 1 end of each pretzel stick to make ski poles.

Place white vanilla baking chips in small resealable freezer plastic bag. Microwave on high 45 seconds, turning bag over after 30 seconds. Squeeze bag until chips are melted and smooth (if necessary, continue microwaving, 15 seconds at a time, until smooth). Cut small tip off one corner of bag.

Using melted chips as glue, squeeze small dot in middle of face; attach 1 cinnamon candy to make nose. Squeeze 2 small dots above nose; attach 2 miniature chocolate chips to make eyes. Squeeze small amount to hold candy rings onto pretzels at bottom. Squeeze small amount on top of head to hold candy ring; place cinnamon candy on top. Squeeze small amount to make each hand, and attach pretzel ski poles, setting outward to fit outside skis. Drizzle over top of round gingersnap cookie, and set 2 miniature candy canes 1/2 inch apart, with hook ends standing up. Repeat for remaining ski men. Allow to set, about 30 minutes.

When set, microwave chips in bag to melt again, about 30 seconds or until smooth. For each ski man, squeeze small amount on top of candy cane skis; stand gingerbread man on each; allow to set, about 30 minutes.

Recipe and picture from Pillsbury.com

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

Hot Chocolate Cupcakes

1/2 box devil’s food cake mix (about 1-2/3 cups)

1/2 cup water

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1 egg

1 cup whipped vanilla frosting

1/2 cup marshmallow creme

1/4 teaspoon unsweetened baking cocoa

6 miniature pretzel twists, broken in half

Heat oven to 350 degrees (325 degrees for dark or nonstick pans). Place paper baking cup in each of 12 regular size muffin cups.

In large bowl, beat cake mix, water, oil and egg with electric mixer on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed 2 minutes, scraping bowl occasionally. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups.

Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.

In small bowl, mix frosting and marshmallow creme. Spoon into small resealable food storage plastic bag; seal bag. Cut 3/8 inch tip off 1 corner of bag. (Or spoon mixture onto cupcakes instead of piping.)

Pipe 3 small dollops of frosting mixture on top of each cupcake to look like melted marshmallows. Sprinkle with cocoa. Press pretzel half into side of each cupcake for cup handle. Store loosely covered.

Recipe and picture from BettyCrocker.com

Thanksgiving Drumsticks

Thanksgiving Drumsticks

3 tablespoons butter

1 package (10 ounces, about 40) regular marshmallows

-OR-

4 cups miniature marshmallows

6 cups rice krispies

Peanut butter

Cocoa rice krispies

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

Add rice krispies cereal. Stir until well coated.

Cool slightly. Using butter hands shape mixture into twelve small drumsticks.

Spread peanut butter on large end of each drumstick, then dip in cocoa krispies cereal. Refrigerate until firm. Best if served the same day.

Recipe and picture from RiceKrispies.com

Pilgrim Hat Cookies

Pilgrim Hat Cookies

1 cup vanilla frosting

7 drops yellow food coloring

32 miniature peanut butter cups

1 package (11-1/2 ounces) fudge striped cookies

32 pieces orange mini Chiclets gum

In a small shallow bowl, combine frosting and food coloring. Remove paper liners from peanut butter cups.

Holding the bottom of a peanut butter cup, dip top of cup in yellow frosting. Position over center hole on the bottom of cookie, forming the hatband and crown. Add a buckle of Chiclets gum. Repeat with remaining cups and cookies.

Recipe and picture from TasteOfHome.com

Cute Turkey Cookies

Cute Turkey Cookies

1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

8 fudge striped shortbread cookies

8 fudge covered graham crackers

8 miniature chocolate covered peanut butter cup candies, unwrapped

1 roll (1.7 ounces) round chewy caramels in milk chocolate, unwrapped

24 pieces candy corn

1 tube (0.68 ounces) black decorating gel

In small resealable freezer plastic bag, place chocolate chips; seal bag. Microwave on high about 1 minute or until softened. Gently squeeze bag until chocolate is smooth; cut off tiny corner of bag. On work surface, lay shortbread cookies flat, with stripes vertical, in a row. Squeeze bag to pipe a line of melted chocolate across bottom of each cookie, crosswise over fudge stripes. Center longer side of 1 graham cracker on chocolate line; hold until chocolate begins to set. Repeat with remaining cookies and graham crackers. Allow to set up, about 30 minutes.

if necessary, reheat chocolate in microwave on high 10 to 30 seconds. Gently squeeze bag until chocolate is smooth. Pipe about 1/2 teaspoon melted chocolate on wider end of 1 peanut butter cup; place over hole on 1 shortbread cookie, resting against graham cracker. Repeat with remaining peanut butter cups.

Pipe about 1/2 teaspoon melted chocolate on bottom of 1 round caramel; place on 1 peanut butter cup (for turkey body). Repeat with remaining round caramels. Allow to set up, about 15 minutes.

Turn cookies so graham crackers are flat on work surface and you are looking at the shortbread cookies (turkey feathers). Pipe small amount of chocolate on one side of 1 candy corn piece; center on round caramel and peanut butter cup for beak. Hold in position until chocolate begins to set, 1 to 2 minutes. Repeat with 7 more candy corn pieces.

Pipe small amount of chocolate on one side of 1 candy corn piece; place 1 candy corn piece on chocolate, graham crackers against body, on either side for turkey legs. Repeat with remaining candy corn pieces. Using black gel, add eyes on each candy corn beak. Let stand until set, about 1 hour.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Fruit Gobbler

Fruit Gobbler

Bosc pear (head)

Melon (body)

Cheese (beak and tail feathers)

Red pepper (snood, feet and side feathers)

Raisins (eyes)

Grapes (tail feathers)

Stabilize the melon body by cutting a shallow slice off the rind to form a flat base. Using a section of bamboo skewer, attach a Bosc pear head to the melon.

Cut a cheese triangle beak and red pepper snood. Attach both, along with raisin eyes, to the head with sections of toothpick.

Cut red pepper feet and set them in place. For tail feathers, skewer cheese cubes and red grapes, then insert the skewers. Pin pepper side feathers in place with toothpicks.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Corny Cookies

Corny Cookies

1/2 cup butter

1 cup sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

Vanilla frosting

Green fruit leather

M&M’s or Reece’s pieces candies

Using an electric beater, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix well. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix in the flour a little at a time until the ingredients are well combined. Chill the dough for several hours or overnight.

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Divide the dough into 3 parts. Working on a floured surface with one part at a time, roll out the dough to a 1/4 inch thickness. Using a knife, cut out corncob shapes about 4 inches long. Place the cookies on ungreased baking sheets and bake for 9 minutes or just until the edges brown. Let the cookies set on the sheets for about 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Frost the cooled cookies. Next, use kitchen shears to cut husks from the fruit leather to fit the sides of each cookie. Press the husks in place atop the frosting, with the tips down a bit. Now fill in the middle with candy kernels gently pressed into place.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Gobble Me Up

Gobble Me Up

Apple

Clementine or navel orange

Pear

Dried apricot

Peanut butter or cream cheese

Mini chocolate chips

Nut (cashew)

Dried cranberry

Arrange apple and clementine or navel orange slices on a plate as shown, and lay a cored pear half on top.

Use scissors to halve a dried apricot, then snip small triangles from each half and tuck them under the pear to form the feet.

Finally, use peanut butter or softened cream cheese to attach mini chocolate chip eyes, a nut beak, and a dried cranberry snood.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats

Marshmallow Pilgrim Hats

24 chocolate striped shortbread cookies

12 ounce package of chocolate chips

24 marshmallows

Tube of yellow decorators’ frosting

Set the chocolate striped cookies stripes down on a wax paper covered tray, spacing them well apart.

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler.

One at a time, stick a wooden toothpick into a marshmallow, dip the marshmallow into the melted chocolate, and promptly center it atop a cookie.

Using a second toothpick to lightly hold down the marshmallow, carefully pull out the first toothpick.

Chill the hats until the chocolate sets, then pipe a yellow decorators’ frosting buckle on the front of each hat.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Pretzel Tailed Turkey Treats

Pretzel Tailed Turkey Treats

3 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 package (10 ounces about 40) marshmallows
-OR-
4 cups miniature marshmallows
6 cups rice krispies
Creamy peanut butter
Cocoa krispies cereal
Pretzel twists
Pretzel sticks
Canned frosting or decorating gel
Assorted candies

In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat.

Add 6 cups cocoa krispies cereal. Stir until well coated. Cool slightly. Cut warm cereal mixture into two different sized circles using two sizes of circle cookie cutters for the turkey bodies (depending on size of cutters). Cool.

Spread peanut butter on bottom of the smaller circular pieces; attach this to a larger circular piece to form the turkey body. Insert pretzel twists into body for tail feathers. Insert pretzel sticks for legs. Use frosting to attach candies for eyes and beak. Best if served the same day.

Recipe and picture from RiceKrispies.com

Edible Indian Corn

Edible Indian Corn

4 tablespoons of butter

4 cups of mini marshmallows

5 cups of puffed corn cereal

1-1/3 cups diced dried fruit (raisins, papaya, cranberries, and apricots)

Fruit leather

In a large pot, melt butter and mini marshmallows over low heat (about 5 minutes).

Remove the mixture from the stove and use a wooden spoon to stir in puffed corn cereal and diced dried fruit. Allow the mixture to cool for about 10 minutes.

Using buttered hands, shape each treat by pressing 1/3 cup of the mixture around a Popsicle stick. Add fruit leather husks to the bottom of the ear, slightly moistening them to help them stick if needed.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Thanksgiving Turkey Cookies

Thanksgiving Turkey Cookies

Ready to bake sugar cookies (24 cookies)

1 container (16 ounces) chocolate creamy frosting

Candy corn

Orange decorating icing

Black decorating gel

Miniature candy coated chocolate baking bits

Bake cookies as directed on package. Cool completely, about 10 minutes.

Spoon chocolate frosting into plastic bag; seal bag. Cut off tiny bottom corner of bag. On each cookies, pipe frosting on outer edge of half of cookie. Arrange candy corn over frosting for feathers.

Pipe orange icing onto each cookie to resemble turkey face and feet. Use orange icing to attach baking bits to turkey face for eyes. Pipe black gel on baking bits for centers of eyes.

Recipe and picture from Pillsbury.com

Teeny Turkeys

Teeny Turkeys

Cocktail pumpernickel bread

Vegetable cream cheese

Decorations

Peas (eyes)

Red pepper

Pepperoni

Cheese

Cashew

Slivered almond

Parsley

For each sandwich, spread vegetable cream cheese between 2 slices of cocktail pumpernickel bread.

For the head, use a small drinking glass or round cookie cutter to cut a circle from another slice of bread, then stick it to the top of the sandwich with a dab of cream cheese.

Likewise, add facial features such as pea eyes, a red pepper or pepperoni snood (above the beak), and a pepper, cheese, or cashew beak. Finally, wedge pepper, slivered almond, or parsley sprig feathers between the bread slices.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Handprint Turkey Cookies

Handprint Turkey Cookies

1/4 cup shortening

1/4 cup butter, softened

1 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2-2/3 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/2 cup sour cream

Glaze

5 cups confectioners’ sugar

3 to 4 tablespoons water

2-1/4 teaspoons light corn syrup

3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Red, yellow, orange, green and brown gel food coloring

In a large bowl, cream the shortening, butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; add to the creamed mixture alternately with sour cream. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until easy to handle.

Trace a child’s hand onto a piece of cardboard with pencil and cut out for a pattern.

On a well floured surface, roll out dough to a 1/2 inch thickness. Use a sharp knife to cut around the cardboard hand to cut out hand shapes. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 425 degrees for 7-9 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

In a small bowl, combine the glaze ingredients and beat until smooth. Set aside 1 teaspoon of white glaze for eyes. Place 1/4 cup of glaze into each of four bowls. Tint one red, one yellow, one orange and one green. Place 1 tablespoon of glaze in another bowl and tint dark brown. Tint the remaining glaze light brown.

Frost he palm and thumb of each cookie light brown. Frost each finger a different color, using red, yellow, orange and green.

Place the remaining yellow glaze in a pastry or plastic bag. Cut a small hole in the corner of bag. Pipe a beak on each thumb.

Repeat with dark brown glaze to pipe a pupil in the center of each eye and to pipe wings on the center of each cookie.

Use remaining red glaze to pipe wattles on each thumb. Let dry completely.

Recipe and picture from TasteOfHome.com

Spuds McTurkey

Spuds McTurkey

Large brown potatoes

Assorted fresh and dried fruits, nuts, vegetables, and mini pretzel sticks and twists, for decorating

Peanut butter

Favorite trimmings

Tail feathers: carrots, bell peppers, and summer squash cut into long strips

Wings: wedges of red onion, apple or orange or lemon peel

Eyes: raisins, dried cranberries, or googly eyes

Wattle: wedge of red pepper or radish, or a dried cranberry

Beak: cashew or almond, pistachio shells, or the tip of a lemon

Feet: carrot slivers or pretzels

To stand each potato upright, create a tripod by pushing three toothpicks into the bottom, leaving 1/2 inch protruding (later, you can attach feet over the toothpicks to conceal them).

Designate the top of the potato as the head, or attach a separate, smaller potato head with toothpicks.

Attach hard items, like nuts and pretzels with peanut butter. To add pistachio shells, cut small, curved slits into the potato and push them in. Stick on googly eyes with peanut butter.

Recipe and picture from FamilyFun.go.com

Thankful Turkey

Thankful Turkey

1-1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon chocolate frosting, divided

24 fudge striped cookies

72 pieces candy corn

24 milk chocolate kisses

24 red hot candies

Spread 1-1/2 cups frosting on the bottoms of cookies. For feathers, insert three pieces each of candy corn in a fan shape into frosting. Place a chocolate kiss on each cookie for the body. For wattles, attach a red hot to the side of each kiss with a dab of remaining frosting.

Recipe and picture from TasteOfHome.com