2 cups shredded,
sharp cheddar cheese
1/3 cup butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup all-purpose flour

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Thoroughly blend cheese and butter. Stir in Worcestershire sauce, cayenne, mustard and salt. Add the flour and mix well. Chill dough in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or longer.
2. Remove dough from refrigerator. Take 1 tablespoon of the dough and roll into a 10-inch rope and cut in half to form straws. Place on cookie sheets; repeat with remaining dough. Chill in freezer until straws are firm, about 30 minutes. Bake 8 to 10 minutes. Cool.

Yields 3 dozen (each)
Calories 53, Total Fat 4g, Cholesterol 11mg, Carbohydrate 3g, Protein 2g, Sodium 73mg

1 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
1 8-ounce shredded Mexican style taco cheese
1 2-ounce jar diced pimientos, drained

1. Whip the cream cheese until light and fluffy with mixer. Add the cheese and continue beating until well blended.

2. Stir in the pimiento and beat until well combined. Serve with corn tortilla or vegetables.

1 16.5- ounce package refrigerated sugar or peanut butter cookie dough
3/4 cup whole blanched, honey roasted or sliced almonds.
1 tube red decorator gel

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Divide the dough into quarter. Work with one-fourth of the dough at a time, keep remaining dough refrigerated. For each cookie, roll heaping teaspoonful of dough into 2 1/2-inch finger shape. Place on ungreased cookie sheets, 2 inches apart.

2. Press almond, into one end of each “finger” to look like fingernail, about 1 inch from each end of each finger. Gently make lines in dough to look like knuckles. Chill in freezer until firm, about 15 to 20 minutes.

3. Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until set. Cool 1 minute. Squeeze red decorator gel around the nail bed, so that gel oozes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes

1 pair of clear plastic gloves
2 rubber bands or twist ties
Colored water, juice, or gingerale
1 quart lime sherbert, softened
1 liter gingerale or lemon lime, chill

1. Pour water, juice or gingerale into gloves, adding enough liquid to fill loosely but not too full. Fasten closed with rubber bands or twist ties.

2. Place on a paper towel lined rimmed baking sheet. Freeze for 3 hours to 6 hours or until firm. (Make more than one pair if you would like to replace the “hands” when they melt.)

3. Place the sherbet in large punch bowl. Pour in the gingerale. Remove the plastic gloves from frozen hands and place the hands on top of punch. Serve immediately.

1 10-ounce ready-to-eat salad greens
1 small red delicious apple, diced

1/4 cup walnut pieces
2 rolls string cheese, separated into strings
3 tablespoons fresh orange juice
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons grated orange rind
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Place the salad greens, apples, cranberries, and walnut in large bowl.

2. Separate or pull the string cheese into strings

3. Mix together orange juice, olive oil, orange rind, lemon juice, mustard, in small bowl with wire whisk until well blended. Drizzle over salad and toss to coat. Garnish with Apple Bites if desired.

Yields 8 servings

Apple Bites: Core and quarter an apple. And cut a wedge from the skin side of each quarter. Press slivered almonds in place for teeth.

6 English muffins, split in half
Olive oil
Italian seasoning, to taste
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces)
1 8-ounce can pizza sauce
1/2 cup jarred Alfredo pasta sauce
24 ripe olives

1. Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Lightly brush the English muffins halves with olive oil. Sprinkle each half lightly with Italian seasoning. Sprinkle each with mozzarella cheese. Gently spread pizza sauce over cheese, making sure to cover toppings.

2. Place the Alfredo sauce in a small re-sealable food –storage plastic bag. Cut off tiny corner of bag. Squeeze bag to drizzle Alfredo sauce in circles over each pizza, starting from outer edge continuously to the center. Pull knife through Alfredo sauce, starting from center to the outside edge, changing direction with every pull, to look like spider web.

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until heated through. Place olive spiders on each pizza.

To Make Olive Spiders: Place 1 olive, pitted end down on each pizza. Cut second olive lengthwise into 8 wedges and place around for the legs. Repeat with remaining pizzas. For eggs, squeeze 2 dots of Alfredo sauce onto olive.

Yields 12 pizzas