Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup shortening
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup sugar
2 eggs (beaten)
2 tsp vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 package chocolate chips

Cream shortening and sugars together. Add eggs, vanilla and rest of ingredients. Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes.

Gingerbread Muffins

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 beaten eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 cup light molasses
2 cup sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspooon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions:
Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a lage bowl, cream the shortening. Beat in the sugar until fluffy. Add the eggs, milk, and molasses. Mix well. In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, giger, and salt. Stir into the molasses mixture. Blend well. Fill greased muffin tins. Bake 15 minutes or until a tester inserted into the muffins comes out clean. Makes one dozen muffins.

*These muffins can be topped with vanilla frosting and served for dessert.

Gourmet Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies

From Natalie Littlefield

Ritz Crackers
Peanut Butter/ or Nutella (Hazelnut Spread) or if you have a peanut allergy you could try frosting.
White or Regular Almond Bark

Make sandwiches with crackers and peanut butter- set aside.
Melt Almond Bark in glass bowl in microwave. Start 1 minute, then 30 seconds until melted.

Wax paper- dip peanut butter sandwich in almond bark pick up with a fork scraping the bottom on the side of the glass bowl, place on wax paper. Use the opposite color of almond bark to swiggle on top of cookie.

Shrimp on a Ritz

Ritz Crackers
Whipped Cream Cheese
Shrimp
Cocktail Sauce
fresh parsley flakes

Soften cream cheese and put in a pastry bad with decorative tip. Squeeze on ritz cracker. Place shrimp on top. Top with cocktail sauce and a parsley flake.

From Natalie Littlefield.

Bacon Wrapped Smokies

This came from a friend of mine who is a caterer here in Las Vegas. Her name is Natalie Littlefield.
Smokies
Sliced Bacon
Brown Sugar

Cut bacon down the middle then down each middle creating 4 sections of bacon. Wrap each smokie with a piece of bacon, place on a cookie sheet, spread brown sugar on top and bake at 350 degrees until done. Serve with tooth picks.

Chicken Tortellini Soup

I found this recipe here.

2 tbsp. olive oil
4 large chicken Breasts
1 large onion
2-3 stalks celery chopped
2-3 carrots chopped
1 clove garlic mined
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/4 tsp. thyme
1/4 tsp. sage ( I didn't have sage and didn't put it in. It was fine without it.)
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can chicken broth
1 c. beef broth
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 small pkg. tortellini
grated parmesan

Saute chicken pieces in olive oil and brown. Add celery, onions, and carrots. Cook till soft. Return chicken to pan; add garlic, spices, tomatoes, broths, and tomato sauce. Simmer 1 hour. Meanwhile, cook tortellini in boiling water. Rinse and drain. Add tortellini to soup. Cook 3-5 minutes. Salt and pepper to taste. Garnish with Parmesan cheese. Makes 6-8 large servings.

Lindsay's Princess Belle Birthday Cake

I made this cake for Lindsay's birthday party tomorrow. She was so funny. She said, "Oh my gosh it looks just like Belle." Then a few minutes later she said to me, "How did you do that?" She is so excited for her party tomorrow. I am pretty excited myself.

Cute Christmas gift idea!

My really good friend Anne gave me this today, and I thought it was such a cute idea, so I thought I would share it. I figured it's an idea for next christmas, and Tara since your so good at planning ahead now you can have next year's Christmas done before this one arrives! Just kidding. So Anne gave me this really cute pillow case, and attached to it was this poem

"December the first starts a magical time,
with all sorts of colors, ribbons, and ryhme...
Sugar plum fairies will dance in your head....
If you put this special pillowcase on your bed.
The reason it's special, as you will soon see
Is that it's been dusted with Christmas Fancy!
Visions of candy canes, santa, and treasures
Will fill each dream with sweetness and pleasures.
When the time comes for it to be washed
Do it quickly so no magic is lost!
Merry Christmas"