Snow Much Fun

Even though they occur at the same time each year, the holidays always seem to sneak up on us. The new "Pillsbury Family Christmas Cookbook" is now available wherever books are sold to help plan your holidays with great recipes, gift ideas and tips to make this holiday a warm, family celebration.

The book includes advice to relieve holiday stress. One tip: Don’t be afraid to ask for help from friends or family. Here are several great ideas that the family can get together and make. Not only will you get the piano teacher, babysitter and neighbor checked off your gift-giving list, but by involving the family, you will also be creating a new tradition that focuses on what the holidays are really about: family, friends and fun.

Developed in the Pillsbury Kitchens, Home of the Pillsbury Bake-off, the "Pillsbury Family Christmas Cookbook" also has recipes for party appetizers, holiday breads, casual entrees, Christmas day entrees, desserts, candies and cookies.

Prep Time: 25 minutes (Ready in 1 hour 25

minutes)

5 open metal 6-inch cookie cutters

1 (12-ounce) package (2 cups) white vanilla chips

1 (16-ounce) can vanilla ready-to-spread frosting

½ teaspoon cherry extract

Decorating icing

Colored sugar

Candies

Cellophane or plastic wrap

Ribbon

1. Line large cookie sheet with foil; spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Generously spray open metal 6-inch cookie cutters; place on sprayed foil lined cookie sheet.

2. Melt white vanilla chips in medium saucepan over low heat, stirring frequently until smooth. Remove from heat. Stir in frosting and cherry extract.

3. Fill each cookie cutter with 1/2 cup melted mixture. Refrigerate about 1 hour or until firm. Decorate as desired.

4. Wrap each filled cookie cutter gift with cellophane; tie with ribbon. Store in refrigerator.

Yield: 5 gifts; 4 servings each

1 cup vanilla ready-to-spread frosting (from 16-ounce can)

3 ounces vanilla flavored candy coating or almond bark, chopped

20 creme filled vanilla or chocolate sandwich cookies

1 tablespoon miniature semisweet chocolate chips

10 small gumdrops

2 orange slice jelly candies, flattened slightly

Red decorating gel

1. Line cookie sheets with waxed paper. In small saucepan, combine 3/4 cup of the frosting and the candy coating. Melt over low heat, stirring occasionally until smooth. Remove from heat.

2. With tongs, dip each cookie in melted frosting mixture, coating completely. Lay cookies flat on

waxed paper lined cookie sheet. Let stand about 10 minutes or until set.

3. Meanwhile, place remaining 1/4 cup frosting in small resealable food storage plastic bag. Cut tiny hole in bottom corner of bag.

4. On each sandwich cookie, use small amount of frosting to attach chocolate chips for eyes. Cut each gumdrop in half; attach cut sides with frosting to sides of cookie to resemble earmuffs.

5. Attach small wedge cut from slightly flattened jelly candy for nose. Draw mouth with red decorating gel. Let stand until frosting is set before storing.

Yield: 20 cookies

Prep Time: 15 minutes (Ready in 1 hour 45 minutes)

10 ounces vanilla flavored candy coating or almond bark, cut into pieces

1/3 cup light corn syrup

4 food colors (recommend paste form instead of liquid)

2 teaspoons assorted small candies

1. Line 8-inch square pan with foil; spray foil with nonstick cooking spray. Place candy coating in medium microwave safe bowl. Microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir; continue to microwave in 15-second increments until coating can be stirred smooth.

2. Add corn syrup; blend well. Spread candy coating mixture evenly in sprayed foil lined pan. Let stand at room temperature for 20 to 60 minutes or until dough is firm enough to handle.

3. Spray inside of 4 food storage plastic bags with nonstick cooking spray. Divide dough into 4 sections. Squeeze each section with hands until workable. To color each section, place dough in sprayed bag. Add food color as desired (about 1/8 teaspoon for 1/4 of dough); knead dough until color is well blended. Turn bag inside out; scrape out dough. Let stand 15 to 30 minutes before sculpting.

4. Cut each section of clay into 3 pieces. Sculpt clay as desired. Decorate with small candies. Candy clay will harden when exposed to air. (Store unused clay in sealed plastic bag. Before sculpting, knead with hands to soften or microwave several seconds.)

Yield: 12 candies