50+ Lifestyles

Elf Donuts

What a cute idea. Santa gets milk and cookies, or hot chocolate; the reindeer get carrots; now here is a treat for the elves! You need cheerios, some frosting, sprinkles, colored sugar and/ or powdered sugar. Let the grandchildren’s imagination go wild as they decorate ‘doughnuts’ for the elves. And maybe a few for themselves!

Reindeer Cookies

A new take on that gingerbread cookie cutter! Decorate the cookies like reindeer by turning the gingerbread man cookie upside down. Decorate with frosting and red-hots. Don’t worry… no two should look alike anyway.

Holiday Fruit Kabobs

Layer mini marshmallow, strawberry, banana slice, and a grape on a small stick and you get Grinch Kabobs! Try some other fruits for the head. Use a melon baller on canned pears or canned mangos to make a round head. Or try dried fruits, pieces of dried pineapple or pieces of apricots. Make sure you toss the banana slices in some lemon or pineapple juice so that they won’t turn dark.

Turtle Cheesecake Bars

(This is a plan ahead recipe as it takes
time to bake and then set up overnight)

Crust Ingredients:

• 3 cups finely chopped pecans
• 1 stick unsalted butter, melted
• 1/3 cup sugar 1/4 teaspoon salt

Cheesecake Filling Ingredients:

• 24 oz cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup full-fat Greek yogurt or sour cream
• 3/4 cup sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 3 large eggs 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Toppings:

• 1 cup coarsely chopped pecans, toasted
• 1 11-oz bag caramel candy, unwrapped
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 6 tablespoons milk, divided

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Line a 13×9 pan with parchment paper, so that parchment extends over long side of pan.

In a bowl, mix crust ingredients together with a fork; press mixture onto bottom of prepared pan. Bake crust for 20 minutes; while crust bakes, prepare filling. Cream together cream cheese, yogurt or sour cream, sugar and vanilla. Beat in eggs, one at a time. After crust bakes, remove from oven and immediately sprinkle on 1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Pour filling over chocolate chips and return to oven; bake for 50 minutes. Allow cheesecake to cool for about hour, then place in refrigerator to chill overnight. When ready to serve, remove cheesecake from pan using parchment paper and place on serving platter, then prepare toppings: Toast pecans in oven for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Unwrap caramels and place in a microwave safe bowl, along with 4 tablespoons milk. Microwave in 30 second intervals until caramels have melted and sauce is smooth. Pour caramel sauce over cheesecake and immediately sprinkle on toasted and chopped pecans.

Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl, along with 2 tablespoons milk, and microwave in 30 second intervals, about 2 minutes total. Stir until smooth and drizzle over caramel-pecan topping. Allow chocolate to set before serving.

Festive Tropical Pie

A taste of the tropics in our cold mid-west winters!

Ingredients:

• 2 Ready-Made Graham Cracker Crusts
• 1 (8 oz.) pkg. cream cheese, softened
• 1 Large Container of Cool Whip
• 1 Large Can Crushed Pineapple (drained)
• 1 8 oz jar Maraschino Cherries (chopped & drained)
• 1 Can Eagle Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk
• 1/2 Cup Chopped Pecans
• 1/4 Cup Lemon Juice

Directions:

Blend together the cream cheese, lemon juice and condensed milk; gently fold in the whipped topping. Stir in the crushed pineapple, cherries and pecans; pour into pie crusts and refrigerate for 3 to 4 hours.

Ella can be contacted at ellaweeza64@gmail.com or Ella – 50+ Lifestyles, 804 W Lombard Street, Davenport, IA, 52804