No-Bake Chocolate Cheesecake

This is one of those recipes I clipped out of a magazine I don't know how many years ago and am very happy I finally got around to trying it. It's decadent in taste, but simple in preparation.

2 pkg. (8oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened (I used low-fat)

4 squares Semi-Sweet Baking Chocolate, melted

1/3 cup sugar

1 tub (8 oz.) Whipped Topping

1 ready-to-use chocolate flavor crumb crust

Mix cream cheese, chocolate, and sugar with electric mixer until well blended. Gently stir in whipped topping. Spoon into crust. Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

Holiday Bark

I was introduced to this wonderful concoction by my friend Kristi, who made it for Halloween, but when I saw Berry Oreos and Valentine candy corns I just had to try it out for a Valentines treat. Not only is it fun to look at, it's super yummy! Salt meets sweet as crunchy meets chewy.

1 bag vanilla chips or candy chocolate chips (usually found in craft stores)

1 hand full candy corns

10 Oreos, broken into pieces

2 hand fulls of pretzels, broken into pieces

holiday sprinkles

Mix dry ingredients and lay on a cookie sheet lined with wax paper. Melt chocolate in a microwave safe bowl for 30 second intervals until melted, stirring frequently. Slowly pour chocolate over dry ingredients and careful spread over all, then quickly shake sprinkles over all. When the chocolate has dried break into pieces.

No-bake Cheesecake

Simple. Easy. Delicious!

Crust:

1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 20 squares)

2 Tbsp sugar

1/3 cup butter, melted

Crush graham crackers, add butter and sugar, and press into a 8" pie pan. Bake for 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Filling:

1 (8 oz.) pkg. Cream Cheese (low-fat works great)

1/2 cup sugar

1 (8 oz.) tub Cool Whip

Beat Cream Cheese until smooth. Add sugar and Cool Whip. Pour into cooled pie crust. Refrigerate until ready to serve then top with your favorite fruit pie filling.

Soft Caramel Popcorn

This is the perfect soft caramel popcorn! And it makes a lot! After overdosing on the stuff, I made gift bags full for the ladies I visit teach. www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

3 bags microwave popcorn, popped
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter (I like to use salted butter since the rest of the popcorn is so sweet)
1 cup light brown sugar
1 cup light corn syrup
1 can sweetened condensed milk

Pop popcorn according to package directions and make sure you get rid of any unpopped kernels. Kim prefers the movie theater popcorn but it's good with really any kind of popcorn. This seems like a lot of popcorn but trust me it will get eaten! Place popcorn in a large bowl...larger than you think you will need.

In a large saucepan melt together the butter, brown sugar, and corn syrup. Bring mixture to a boil. Once it comes to a boil, reduce to medium heat and add the can of sweetened condensed milk. With the rubber spatula, stir constantly for 5 minutes scraping the sides and especially the bottom of the pan to
prevent any burning. The longer you cook it the firmer the caramel will be. I like mine a little on the soft side so I like to cook it shy of 5 minutes...around 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

Pour caramel over popcorn and stir until coated. This will take a lot of stirring to get it all incorporated. It's great warm or at room temperature. Feel free to add in M&Ms, nuts, or drizzle it with chocolate. I like it plain and classic. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars

I recently went to Utah for two weeks during the kids Fall break and among many things I enjoyed an extensive food tour of all my favorite places: JCW's (twice), Zupa's, Cafe Rio, Chuck-A-Rama (that was for my Grandparents), Pei Wei's, and a yummy tapa restaurant, Eva's, in Salt Lake. I also helped myself to peach cobbler, BYU mint brownies, BYU ice cream, Costco cake, more brownies, and Smart Cookies laying around the house. So of course I came home feeling a little heavy and recommitted to eating more healthy. I am proud to say I did so for 3 days! Then the unexpected happened. It snowed. And really is anyone expected to diet while it's snowing? I think not. You're suppose to stay inside, watch the snow fall, and bake delicious food. In this case, being October, I felt a pumpkin dessert was the perfect reward to my 3 days of eating animal crackers instead of all the fall desserts I wanted. I collected this recipe from a favorite site, www.twopeasandtheirpod.com

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
1 package (12 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking pan and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt; set aside.

2. With a stand or electric mixer, cream butter and sugar on medium-high speed until smooth; beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Add pumpkin puree and mix well. The mixture will look somewhat curdled. Reduce speed to low, and mix in dry ingredients until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips.

3. Spread batter evenly in prepared pan. Bake bars for 35-40 minutes or until edges begin to pull away from sides of pan and a toothpick inserted in center comes out with just a few moist crumbs attached.

4. Cool bars completely in pan. Cut into squares and serve.

Apricot Cake

This is a favorite recipe from my Grandma Morris. I often requested it for my Birthday cake as a teenager and decided to make it for my Birthday this year. I did have to call Grandma to get the penuche icing recipe which turned out to be a fun conversation with her but a lesson to everyone out there: collect recipes before your 80+ Grandmother is going blind and can't remember where the recipes are. At least I still have my sweet Grandma with me! I love her baking advice, her witty sense of humor, and her unconditional love.

APRICOT CAKE

Cream:

1 cup sugar

1 cup oil

2 eggs

Add:

2 cups flour

1/2 tsp cloves

2 tsp cinnamon

2 tsp soda dissolved in 1/4 cup hot water

1 pt. apricots - juice and all

1 tsp salt

Mix together and pour in 9x13 greased and floured cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes.

Penuche Frosting

1/2 c. butter

1/4 c. milk or cream

1 c. brown sugar

2 c. powdered sugar

Melt butter, then add sugar. Boil over low heat 2-3 minutes, until bubbly, stirring consistantly. Add milk. Bring to a boil again while stirring, then while luke warm add powdered sugar, whisking until it's completely dissolved.

Raspberry Lemonade Cake

I grew up in the same house in Orem, Utah from age 2 until I left home for college. Across the street lived the Mickelsen's, who moved in about the same time with a 2 year daughter of their own. Melissa and I are 2 weeks apart and are life long friends. I've realized now as a mother what the saying "it takes a village to raise a child" means. The Mickelsen house was my 2nd house. Just one trait I love about them is cake on Sunday. I don't know if they made a cake every Sunday, but I remember many good cakes from their kitchen. Now I love to make a cake once in a while on a Sunday afternoon. This delicious recipe comes from Betty Crocker and is a perfect expression of summertime!

1 cup very hot water

1 box (4 serving size) raspberry-flavored gelatin

1 box White cake mix

1/2 cup frozen (thawed) lemonade concentrate - I used yellow

1/4 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

4 egg whites

1 container Whipped vanilla frosting - I used the extra large container

1 cup frozen (thawed) whipped topping

1 1/2 cups fresh raspberries to garnish

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, mix hot water and gelatin until gelatin is completely dissolved; cool slightly. Meanwhile, beat cake mix, 1/4 cup of the gelatin mixture, 1/4 cup of the lemonade concentrate, the water, oil, and egg whites with mixer on low speed for 30 sec, then medium speed for 2 minutes.

Bake in prepared pan for 30 to 35 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Poke warm cake with bamboo skewer or bottom of a wooden spoon. Remove 1 Tbsp of the reserved gelatin mixture, and mix the largest portion with 1/4 cup remaining lemonade concentrate; pour slowly over cake. Cool completely.

In medium bowl, fold together frosting and whipped topping; frost the cake. Microwave 1 Tbsp gelatin mixture uncovered on High 10 seconds to liquefy. Using 1/4 tsp measuring spoon, place small drops of gelatin mixture over frosting; with spoon or toothpick, swirl gelatin into frosting. Garnish each piece with raspberries and lemon peel strips, if desired. Store covered in refrigerator.

Lemon Poppy Seed Cake

This cake would be the perfect dessert for any spring or Easter dinner. The cake was light, but rich with lemon flavor, and I especially loved the lemon cream cheese frosting!

1 lemon cake mix

1 (3 oz.) box lemon gelatin

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 cup oil

4 eggs

1/4 cup poppy seed

1/2 cup (12 of 8oz container) Cream Cheese Spread

2 Tbsp butter, softened

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

2 Tbsp shredded peel and 1 Tbsp juice form 1 lemon, divided

Heat over to 350 degrees.

Beat first 5 ingredients in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Stir in poppy seed. Pour into well-greased and lightly floured bundt pan.

Bake 50 min or until toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool in pan 30 min. Loosen cake and invert onto wire rack. Cool completely.

Beat cream cheese spread and butter with mixer on low speed until well blended. Gradually beat in sugar and lemon juice. Spread over top of cake. Garnish with peel.

Tres Leches Cake

Tres Leches means three milks, which is what this cake was infused with to make it moist, rich, and delicious. It was the perfect pair with fresh strawberries and cream, but come August I'm going to have to try it again with fresh peaches.

1 yellow cake mix with pudding

4 eggs

1/2 cup oil

1 1/4 cup milk

1 (12 oz) can evaporated milk

1 (14 oz) can sweet and condensed milk

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1 Tbsp vanilla

Mix cake mix, milk, oil, and eggs in a large mixing bowl. Then bake cake in a prepared 9x13 pan for 35-40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Meanwhile, make the syrup whisking together the evaporated milk, sweet and condensed milk, heavy whipping cream, and vanilla. Then when cake is done and cooled, cover the cake with holes using a wooden skewer or fork. Then spoon the milk syrup over cake, letting it soak before spooning on more. Continue spooning the syrup over the cake until all of it has been used.

Cover cake and refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving. Then garnish with whipping cream and fresh fruit.

Chocolate Pudding Tarts

I served these fun little tarts when I hosted book club this month reviewing "The White Queen." I was looking for a tasty English dessert. Thank you to my sister-in-law, Natalie, who gave me the cute pastry molds and easy tartlett crust recipe!

Pastry Crust:
1 C. butter
1/2 C. sugar
3 C. flour
1 egg

Combine sugar and flour. Cut in butter - or pulse in a food processor). Beat egg and add to mixture; blend in with fork or hands. Press in tartlett shells. Bake 10-15 minutes at 350 degrees.


Chocolate Pudding:
1 cup white sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups milk
2 (1 ounce) squares unsweetened chocolate, chopped
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in milk and chocolate. Cook, stirring constantly, until chocolate melts and mixture thickens (several minutes). Remove from heat and stir in egg yolks. Return to heat and cook 2 minutes more. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Chill before serving.

Vanilla Filling
I used Paula Deen's filling, omitting the bananas, for her "Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding" posted under desserts.

It's a Sugar Cookie Revolution!

My family LOVES sugar cookies. The problem - they love to eat them - and that's about it. I feel like the Little Red Hen whenever I make them. I combine the ingredients, I chill the dough, I cut the cookies out, I bake the cookies, I decorate the cookies, I do all the dishes and clean up. I don't really even eat them. I myself am not a huge fan of sugar cookies, but I think that it's because by the time I'm done with them I don't want anything to do with them anymore! This Valentines Day, however, I surprised my family with a fun Valentines Day Mystery dinner including these delicious sugar cookies bars that were a breeze to make. 1 pan. No chilling. No waiting. I actually might be a converted sugar cookie lover! Thank you to http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com

Sugar Cookie Bars

1 cup butter, room temperature
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
5 cups flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp lemon zest (optional)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking soda and stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (use a 13 x 18 pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean (they won't look done so do the toothpick test). Cool completely and frost.

Frosting
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 of an 8 oz block) softened
1 tsp vanilla (I used almond extract for half of the frosting)
¼ tsp salt
4 cups powdered sugar
5 Tbsp milk
Food coloring (if desired)

For frosting combine butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk a little at a time and mix until smooth and spreading consistency. You may not need all the milk! Spread over cooled cookie bars.

Our fun Mystery Dinner Menu

Dutch Oven Caramel Apple Crisp

This has to be the best apple crisp I've tried! If you don't have a camp out scheduled just stick the dutch oven in your oven on 350 for the same time. Then indulge in a heavenly experience of warm and tender apples, crunchy nuts, and sweet oatmeal, all smoothered in melting cold vanilla ice cream. Recipe credits to http://www.whatscookintew.blogspot.com/

Filling:
8-10 large granny smith apples; peeled, cored and sliced
2 Tbs. lemon juice
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup flour
2 tsp. ground cinnamon
3/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 tsp. salt
1 (12 oz.) jar caramel sauce

Topping:

2 cups brown sugar

2 cups flour

1 cup instatnt oatmeal

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1 cup butter, melted

In a buttered 12" Dutch oven add apples and lemon juice; stir to coat apples. In a separate dish combine sugar, flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and salt; stir to mix. Pour dry ingredients over apples and stir until apples are well coated. Spread out apples and pour carmel sauce over the top.

In a medium bowl combine brown sugar, flour, oatmeal, and walnuts; stir to mix. Using a fork mix in melted butter to form coarse crumbs. Spread topping evenly over apples.

Cover Dutch oven and bake for 1 hour using 12-14 briquettes on bottom and 16-18 briquettes on top, OR in your oven at 375 degrees for 1 hour.

Ice Cream Pie

Another childhood favorite my Mom made on special summer occasions. Mom traditionally made it with Mint Chocolate Chip or Cookies n' Cream ice cream, but the possibilities are endless. Next time I think I'll try a peanut butter cup ice cream.

Mix:
35 crushed Oreos
1/3 cup melted butter

Press into pie pan. Depending on the size of your pie pan this crust will thinly fill two pans or make one thick crust. Fill Oreo crust with 1/2 gallon of softened ice cream. Freeze and let it get solid again.

Sauce:
1 1/2 oz. unsweetened chocolate
1/2 cup sugar
1 Tbsp butter
1 small evaporated milk

Cook until thickened. Let cool then spread over ice cream and smooth out and freeze. Top with Cool Whip, Redi Whip or real whipping cream. Garnish with crushed Oreos.

Here I used Peppermint ice cream with Cool Whip on top and crushed peppermint as a garnish for a holiday dessert.

Raspberry Drizzle Cake

This is one of my favorite things my Mom makes. It was frequently requested for Birthday's or holidays. I have found, however, that Raspberry Danish Dessert is impossible to find outside of Utah. You can make it a strawberry topping but I prefer the Raspberry so note to self: pick up a package of Raspberry Danish Dessert every time I'm in Utah.

Cake:

1 White Cake Mix (preferably with the pudding) made according to pkg directions in a 9x 13 pan. Let cool or freeze for a while before frosting.

Frosting:
1 pint cream, whipped
8 oz. Cream Cheese
2 cups powdered sugar

Mix together and refrigerate. It should be the consistency of frosting. Frost the white cake after it’s cooled, using all the frosting so that it is quite heavy on the cake, although I always seem to have some left. That’s when I just get out the graham crackers to clean the bowl. Return cake to the freezer to help it set up.

Drizzle:
2 pkg. frozen raspberries, drained well (if using fresh strawberries, use 1 lb. and use 1 ¾ C. water for the Danish dessert.)
1 ¾ raspberry juice (add water if necessary)
1 pkg. raspberry Danish Dessert (usually found near the Jello in grocery stores)

Mix raspberry juice and Danish dessert together and boil 1 minute. Refrigerate to cool completely. Add raspberries to cooled mixture and pour over top of frosted cake. Store cake in the refrigerator.

S'mores

I tried this recipe this weekend when we had company for dinner. Everyone liked them and it was the perfect sweet treat for our game night. Check out http://www.lovintheoven.com/ for more great cookie recipes.

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, room temperature
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 cups all purpose flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 king-sized milk chocolate bars (e.g. Hershey’s)
1 1/2 cups marshmallow creme/fluff (not melted marshmallows)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light. Beat in egg and vanilla. In a small bowl, whisk together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder and salt. Add to butter mixture and mix at a low speed until combined.

Divide dough in half and press half of dough into an even layer on the bottom of the prepared pan. Place chocolate bars over dough. 2 king-sized Hershey’s bars should fit perfectly side by side, but break the chocolate (if necessary) to get it to fit in a single layer no more than 1/4 inch thick. Spread chocolate with marshmallow creme or fluff. Place remaining dough in a single layer on top of the fluff (most easily achieved by flattening the dough into small shingles and laying them together).

Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until lightly browned. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

Peanut Butter Bars

I am a better person for having had these in my mouth. They remind me of Reeses Peanut Butter Cups. They are easy to make and very easy to eat!

2 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup peanut butter
1 cup butter, melted
2 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

In a medium bowl, stir together graham cracker crumbs, confectioners' sugar, penaut butter and melted butter. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9x13 inch pan. Melt chocolate chips in the microwave, stirring occasionally. spread melted chocolate over the crumb crust. Chill for about 4 minutes, then cut into bars before the chocolate is cmpletely set, then chill until ready to serve.

Cinnabon Popcorn

The thing I love most about the Super Bowl Sunday is the food! We each picked a snack to have during the game. Bret picked wings, chips and con queso, and root beer floats. Ethan picked "Munchies," and Ellie picked a pack of multi-colored marshmallows. I picked this popcorn recipe from http://www.thegirlwhoateeverthing.blogspot.com/ to try and was very pleased with the result. Just one warning: it is very addictive!

12 Cup popped popcorn (about 1/2 Cup kernels or around 2 bags of microwave popcorn)

1 Cup pecan halves, roughly chopped

1 Cup brown sugar

3/4 tsp cinnamon

1/4 Cup Karo Syrup

1 stick real butter (1/2 Cup)

1 tsp vanilla

1/2 tsp baking soda

3 squares almond bark (or half a bag of white choc. chips)

Preheat oven to 250 degrees

Place popped popcorn and pecans in a large bowl.

Combine brown sugar and cinnamon in a 2 liter capacity microwave safe bowl. Mix well. Chop butter into chunks and place on top of sugar mixture. Pour corn syrup over the top of everything. Microwave on high for 30 seconds and then stir to combine. Return to microwave and heat for 2 minutes. Remove and stir and then microwave for 2 minutes more.

Note: If you microwave it too much your popcorn will turn out really hard.

Remove from microwave and add in vanilla and baking soda. Stir to combine. Mixture will foam and rise. Pour caramel mixture over popcorn and pecans and stir very well so everything is well coated. Note: Stir more than you think you need to!

Spread popcorn mixture onto a foil-lined jelly roll pan. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes.

Remove from oven and spread out on a large piece of parchment, waxed paper, or foil.

Melt almond bark according to pkg instructions. (OR just melt in the microwave at 30 seconds intervals, stirring after each segment until melted) Drizzle over popcorn mixture. When almond bark is hardened and popcorn is cool, break into chunks and enjoy! And oh, how I enjoy it!!

Double chocolate Pie

I was motivated to make an old-fashioned chocolate pie after watching "Julie & Julia," which by the way, if you haven't already watched it just go buy a Marie Callendars Chocolate Silk pie and use the time you would have otherwise used to make this pie and watch the movie. Very cute movie! Okay, back to the recipe - this recipe was everything I wanted: a chocolate crust and a rich, semi-sweet filling that went exquisitely with lots of whipped cream!

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup shortening
1/3 cup butter
6 to 7 Tbsp water
4 oz. semisweet chocolate chips

For crust, in a large mixing bowl stir together flour, the 2 tablespoons cocoa, and salt. Using a pastry blender, cut in shortening and 1/3 cup butter until pieces are pea-size. Sprinkle 1 Tbsp of water over the mixture, gently toss with fork. Push moistened dough to the side of the bowl. Repeat, using 1 Tbsp of water at a time, until all the dough is moistened.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide dough in half. Form each half into a ball. Cover and refrigerate one ball. On a lightly floured surface, flatten remaining ball. Roll from center to edges into a 12" circle. Transfer to a 9" pie plate; avoid stretching. Gently press into plate. Trim edges with a double-layer of foil.

Bake the pastry for 8 minutes. Remove foil; bake 5 minutes more or until firm and dry. Sprinkle with the semisweet chocolate chips. Cool completely on a wire rack. Reduce heat to 325 degrees.

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
3 cups milk
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
5 egg yolks, beaten
1 Tbsp. butter
2 tsp. butter
2 tsp. vanilla

For filling, in a 2-quart saucepan stir together sugar and cornstarch. Stir in milk and unsweetened chocolate. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 2 minutes more.

Slowly stir 1 cup of the hot mixture into the beaten egg yolks. Pour egg yolk mixture into hot filling in pan. Bring just to boiling; reduce heat. Cook and stir for 2 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla. Let cool 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, on a lightly floured surface, flatten chilled dough. Roll from center to edges to form a 12" circle. Pour warm filling mixture into baked pastry shell. Place pastry top over the filling mixture, pressing into pastry edge to seal. Trim dough to edge of pie plate.

Gently prick top of pastry with fork. Bake for 25 minutes or until crust is firm and dry. Cool for 1 hour on a wire rack. Cover and chill for 12 to 24 hours.

Sticky Buns

This is Bret and Ethan's favorite part of our Christmas morning breakfast!

1. Sprinkle bottom of greased bundt pans with chopped pecans (Optional).


2. Place 15-17 Rhodes frozen rolls in a bundt pan on top of chopped pecans.


3. Sprinkle 1 small pkg. of dry Cook-N-Serve butterscotch pudding on rolls.


4. Sprinkle cinnamon over all.


5. Melt 1/2 cup brown sugar with 1/2 cup butter and pour over

Let rise all day or night (in a cold oven). Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 30 minutes. Remove immediately from pan and serve hot.

Chewy Gingersnaps with Cream Cheese dip

This is a Lion House cookie recipe and passes my criteria for a soft Gingersnap. I love them so much I have made a couple batches already this season.

1/3 cup butter, softened
2/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 egg
1/4 cup dark molasses
1 1/2 cups white flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tsp cinnamon

Spray cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray; set aside. In a large mising bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, and 1/2 tsp cinnamon; beat until combined. Beat in egg and molasses. Beat in as much of the white and whole wheat flours as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Combine the granulated sugar and 1 tsp cinnamon. roll balls in sugar-cinnamon mixture. Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10-11 minutes or until tops of cookies are cracked (cookies are best if slightly underbaked!!) Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire racks.


GINGERSNAP DIP

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tsps pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinn., 1/4 tsp ground cloves, 1/2 tsp nutmeg, 1/4 tsp allspice)
1 carton (8 oz ) frozen whipped topping, thawed

In a small mixing bowl, combine the cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and spices. Beat in whipped topping until blended. Refrigerate until serving. Serve with cookies.