White-Chocolate Cherry Shortbread Cookies

Ingredients
1/2 cup maraschino cherries, drained and finely chopped
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup cold butter
12 ounces white chocolate baking squares with cocoa butter, finely chopped
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 drops red food coloring (optional)
2 teaspoons shortening
White nonpareils and/or red edible glitter (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Spread cherries on paper towels to drain well.

2. In a large bowl, combine flour and sugar. Using a pastry blender, cut in the butter until mixture resembles fine crumbs. Stir in drained cherries and 4 ounces (2/3 cup) of the chopped chocolate. Stir in almond extract and, if desired, food coloring. Knead mixture until it forms a smooth ball.

3. Shape dough into 3/4-inch balls. Place balls 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Using the bottom of a drinking glass dipped in sugar, flatten balls to 1-1/2-inch rounds.

4. Bake in preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until centers are set. Cool for 1 minute on cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let cool.

5. In a small saucepan, combine remaining 8 ounces white chocolate and the shortening. Cook and stir over low heat until melted. Dip half of each cookie into chocolate, allowing excess to drip off. If desired, roll dipped edge in nonpareils and/or edible glitter. Place cookies on waxed paper until chocolate is set. Makes about 60.

6. To Store: Layer cookies between waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Brownies

Ingredients
13 tablespoons butter (no substitutes)
6-1/2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, coarsely chopped
1-1/2 cups sifted cake flour or all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 eggs
2 cups sugar
1-1/4 teaspoons vanilla
1-1/4 cups coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
Directions
1. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside. In a heavy small saucepan, heat the butter and chocolate over low heat, stirring constantly, until chocolate is melted and smooth. Set aside to cool. In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.

2. In a large mixing bowl, beat eggs and sugar with an electric mixer on high speed for 5 minutes or till lemon-colored and fluffy, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Add cooled chocolate mixture and vanilla. Beat on low speed until combined. Add flour mixture. Beat on low speed till combined, scraping sides of bowl. Stir in walnuts. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake in a 325 degree F oven for 30 minutes or until brownies appear set.

3. Cool in pan on a wire rack. Makes 15 servings.

Herb and Cheese Mini Quiches

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
2 3-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup shredded Asiago cheese (1 ounce)
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup half-and-half, light cream, or milk
1/4 cup finely shredded Gouda or Havarti cheese
2 tablespoons pine nuts, toasted and coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon snipped fresh tarragon or 2 teaspoons dried tarragon, crushed
1 tablespoon snipped fresh chives
1/8 teaspoon cracked black pepper
Roasted red pepper, finely chopped
Snipped fresh chives
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. For pastry, in a large bowl, beat the butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Beat in the flour and Asiago cheese until a soft dough forms. Press 1 rounded teaspoon of the pastry evenly into the bottom and up the side of each of 48 ungreased 1-3/4-inch muffin cups.

2. For filling, in a medium bowl, stir together eggs; half-and-half, light cream, or milk; Gouda or Havarti cheese; pine nuts; tarragon; the 1 tablespoon chives; and the black pepper.

3. Spoon about 1 heaping teaspoon of the filling into each pastry-lined muffin cup. Bake in the preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool slightly in muffin cups. Carefully remove from muffin cups; place on a wire rack or serving platter. Top with chopped roasted red pepper and additional snipped chives. Serve warm.

4. Makes 48 mini quiches

5. To Make Ahead: Prepare, bake, and cool quiches. Place in freezer container, seal and label. Freeze for up to 3 months. To use, thaw in refrigerator overnight. Arrange quiches on baking sheet. Heat in a 325 degree F oven for 10 to 15 minutes or until warm

Nutty Carmael Popcorn

INGREDIENTS
4 quarts popped popcorn
1-1/3 cups pecan halves, toasted
2/3 cup whole unblanched almonds, toasted
1-1/3 cups sugar
1 cup butter
1/2 cup light corn syrup
2 teaspoons vanilla extract


DIRECTIONS
Place popcorn in a large greased bowl. Sprinkle pecans and almonds over top; set aside. In a heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, butter and corn syrup; cook and stir over medium heat until a candy thermometer reads 300°-310° (hard-crack stage). Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla. Immediately pour over popcorn mixture; toss gently. Spread on greased baking sheets. When cool, break into small pieces. Store in airtight containers. Yield: about 20 cups.

Chocolate Mini Loaves

INGREDIENTS
1/2 cup butter (no substitutes), softened
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips, melted
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1-1/2 cups applesauce
1/2 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips

GLAZE:
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips
1 tablespoon butter (no substitutes)
5 teaspoons water
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dash salt


DIRECTIONS
In a mixing bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add melted chocolate chips, eggs and vanilla; mix well. Combine the flour, baking powder and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with applesauce. Fold in miniature chocolate chips. Divide batter among five greased 5-3/4-in. x 3-in. x 2-in. loaf pans, about 1 cup in each. Bake at 350° for 30-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. For glaze, combine chocolate chips, butter and water in a saucepan; cook and stir over low heat until chocolate is melted. Remove from the heat; stir in confectioners' sugar, vanilla and salt. Drizzle over cooled loaves. Yield: 5 mini loaves. Editor's Note: Two 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans may be used; bake for 50-55 minutes.

Carmel Brownies

Ingredients:

· 1 box Brownie Mix

· Eggs (per recipe on box)

· Oil (per recipe on box)

· Water (per recipe on box)

· 1 jar caramel ice-cream topping, warmed

· 1 teaspoon almond flavoring

· 3 Hershey's bars, melted

· 1 teaspoon butter, melt with Hershey's bars ·

1/2 cup chopped, sugared pecans (Emerald)
Directions:

1: Make brownie mix as per directions on box.

2: Divide mix into half portions and pour one part into a greased 9'x9' pan.

3: Warm up caramel and pour directly over brownie mix in pan.

4: Cover with second half of brownie mix and bake at 350 degrees F till edges pull from sides of the pan.

5: After brownies are baked and semi-cooled, melt Hershey's bars in a double boiler and add almond flavoring. Pour over brownies, spread evenly, and sprinkle with chopped pecans. Chill in fridge before eating.

Additional Tips:You can substitute the caramel for hot fudge sauce or your favorite filling. Raspberry jelly works great, too!

Turtle Brownies

Ingredients:
· 1 box Duncan Hines German chocolate cake mix

· 1 cup evaporated milk

· 3/4 cup butter

1 pkg. caramels

· 1 cup chocolate chips

· 1 cup pecans

Directions:

1: Place cake mix, 1/2 cup milk, and butter in bowl and mix. Place half of mix in pan and bake 5-6 minutes at 350. 2: Melt rest of milk and caramels. Pour over baked batter, then sprinkle on chips and nuts. Cover with rest of batter. Put small teaspoonfuls of batter and spread carefully.