No Spread Cookie Recipe for Cookie Cutters
By: Lewann Alexander

Ingredients
•2 cups sugar.
•2 cups (4 sticks) salted butter, softened.
•2 large eggs
•2 teaspoons vanilla (You may substitute almond, cookie nip flavoring, or any flavoring you would like)
•6 cups white all-purpose flour (see note below)
•Optional: A dash of lemon zest, I personally find the lemon becomes a background note and cuts the sweetness of the cookie.
Directions
1.Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until just incorporated.
2.Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest (if using). Mix at low speed until fully blended.
3.Add flour, 2 cups at a time, starting on low speed and then increasing if necessary.
4.You will know your dough has been mixed enough after all the flour has been added, when it pulls away from the sides of your bowl and clumps around the mixing paddle.
5.Roll out to 1/4” thickness. You do not need to chill this recipe. Unless you prefer to use chilled dough, so that it is easier to manage when you are cutting it and moving it to your baking sheet.
6.Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until cookies have just started to turn golden brown around the edges. For best results bake similar sized cookies on the same baking sheet.
7.If I have two baking sheets in the oven at once, I like to swap them halfway through, so they cook more evenly.
8.Remove pans from the oven, and let the cookies rest on the pan for two minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Master Scone Recipe
By: Olivia Zawacki

Flour: 2 cups of all-purpose flour is my standard amount but set extra aside for the work surface and your hands.
Sugar: I stick with around 1/2 cup of sugar for this scone dough. Feel free to slightly decrease, but keep in mind that the scone flavor and texture will slightly change. Reduce to about 2 tablespoons for savory flavors. Brown sugar works too. However, if using brown sugar, whisk it into the wet ingredients to get out all the lumps.
Baking Powder: Adds lift.
Salt: Adds flavor.
Butter: Besides flour, butter is the main ingredient in scones. It’s responsible for flakiness, flavor, crisp edges, and rise.
Heavy Cream or Buttermilk: For the best tasting pastries, stick with a thick liquid such as heavy cream or buttermilk. I usually use heavy cream, but if you want a slightly tangy flavor, use buttermilk. Thinner liquids change the flavor and appearance. You’ll be headed down a one-way street to dry, bland, and flat scones.
Egg: Adds flavor, lift, and structure.
Optional: Vanilla extract adds necessary flavor to sweet scones but skip it if you’re making savory scones. Depending on the flavor, cinnamon is another go-to ingredient.

Chex Mix
By: Amy Rossman

Chex cereal, you will use all three corn, rice, and wheat — 3 cups of each. If you want, you can leave one out and add extra of the cereal you love most.
Cheerios! I love this addition; they pick up tons of flavor. You’ll need one cup.
Cheese crackers (like Cheez-it) or any brand you prefer is fine. This snack mix isn’t the same to me without a cheese cracker! You’ll need one cup.
Pretzels are a good old standby. Everyone loves them. You will want to make sure you use mini-pretzels and not the giant ones. Use one cup.
Nuts! I use peanuts, because I find most people like them. You could also use cashews, almonds, or pistachios. Use one cup.
In a small mixing bowl, melt six tablespoons of butter. Stir in two tablespoons of Worcestershire sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons of seasoned salt, 3/4 teaspoon of garlic powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of onion powder.
Pour the seasoning over the cereal mixture and stir until evenly coated.
Bake at 250 for about two hours, stirring every five minutes.
Remove from oven and let cool at room temperature for one hour. Store in airtight containers.

Green Bean Casserole
By: Nova Holeva

One of my favorite Christmas recipes is green bean casserole.
Blanch fresh green beans by boiling them in salted water for two to three minutes.
Then add one can of cream of mushroom, 1.5 milk or whipping cream and 1.5 bag of crunchy onions.
Put it in an 8×11 greased pan and top the mixture with the remaining crunchy onions.
Cover with foil cook for one hour at 350F.