Christmas Ribbon Jell-O

This is so good! To be honest, I couldn't wait to get my hands on this recipe! I think it is a good one for church outings, family get - togethers or something extra on the table.

1 large box raspberry jello
1 larg box lime jello
1 small box lemon jello
1/2 pint whipping cream
8 ounces cream cheese, softened

Prepare raspberry jello using 3 cups boiling water & no cold water. Pour into 9x13 pan. Refrigerate until firm. Mix lemon jello with 1 cup boiling water. Put in a bowl, allow to set until thick. Cream softened cream cheese, then mix into thickened lemon jello. In a separate bowl whip whipping cream until firm and then fold into cream cheese mixture. Pour on top of raspberry jello. Refrigerate until very firm. Prepare lime jello using 3 cups boiling water & no cold water. Let cool to room temperature and then pour on top of cream cheese layer and chill until firm. Be sure the lime jello is cool or it will sink into cream cheese layer.

Taken from the kitchen of Erica Buckwalter!!! Thank you! Yum!

A to Z bread

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups A-to-Z ingredients (choose from list below)
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
***A-TO-Z INGREDIENTS:***
Apples, peeled and shredded
Applesauce
Apricots (dried), chopped
Banana, mashed
Carrots, shredded
Coconut
Dates, pitted and chopped
Figs (dried), chopped
Grapes (seedless), chopped
Oranges, peeled and chopped
Peaches, peeled and chopped
Pears, peeled and chopped
Pineapple (canned), crushed and drained
Prunes, pitted and chopped
Pumpkin, canned
Raisins
Raspberries, unsweetened fresh or frozen
Rhubarb, chopped fresh or frozen
Strawberries, fresh or frozen
Sweet potatoes, cooked and mashed
Zucchini, peeled and grated 

Directions:

In a mixing bowl, combine the sugar, oil and eggs; mix well. Stir in A-to-Z ingredients of your choice and vanilla. Combine flour cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into liquid ingredients just until moistened. Stir in nuts.

Pour into two greased 8-in. x 4-in. x 2-in. loaf pans, or 5 mini loaf pans. Bake at 325 F for 55-65 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

I got this recipe from the Casper 3rd Ward cookbook printed in 2004.  The recipe was submitted my Nancy Gerlock.  When I first made it I made pumpkin and banana mini loaves.  I made sure to thank Nancy and even gave her one of each for submitting the recipe.  This is SO easy that at 32 weeks pregnant, amid Christmas rush, I am still baking 1-2 batches of this bread for friends.

Divinity

This is my all-time favorite Christmas candy! I think one year I made 8 batches of it... and I don't recall that we gave very much away! Here's a fun hint if you don't like the traditional recipe, instead of vanilla, try mint, spearmint or almond extract. Also add colored flavoring for decorating purposes.  You could also add broken peppermint candy canes for some extra umph!

2 2/3 cups sugar
2/3 cup light corn syrup
1/2 cup water
2 egg whites
1 teaspoon vanilla
2/3 cup nuts, broken

Stir sugar, corn syrup and water over low heat until sugar is dissolved. Cook, without stirring, to 260 degrees or until small amount of mixture dropped into very cold water forms a ball. In mixer bowl, beat egg whites until stiff peaks form. Continue beating while pouring hot syrup in a thin stream into egg whites. Add vanilla; beat until mixture holds its shape and becomes dull. (Mixture may become too stiff for mixer.) Fold in nuts. Drop mixture from tip of buttered spoon onto waxed paper.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Balls

This recipe came from my mother in law.  She started making them when my hubby was a kid for Christmas treat baskets and in the stockings.  When I joined the family I fell in love with them and have added them to the family treats my mom made for years.  I have started making them 3 months in advance and freezing them till Christmas  

Ingredients

• 1 cup crunchy peanut butter
• 1/4 cup margarine or butter, softened
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 cups Krispies cereal
• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening (I use wax instead, they set faster, you can find baking wax in baking aisle)
• 54 mini-muffin paper cups

Directions

In large electric mixer bowl, beat peanut butter, margarine and sugar on medium speed until thoroughly combined. Add Krispies cereal, mixing thoroughly. Portion mixture, using rounded teaspoon. Shape into balls. Place each ball in paper cup. Refrigerate.

Melt chocolate morsels and shortening in small saucepan, over low heat, stirring constantly. Spoon 1 teaspoon melted chocolate over each peanut butter ball. Refrigerate until firm. Store in airtight container in refrigerator.