Meredith, Andrew, and special guest Brooke Weiss (News/Features Editor) make some delicious holiday treats.

Recipes:

Gingerbread Cookies

Ingredients:
4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1½ tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1½ tsp. ground cloves
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. ground nutmeg
16 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1 cup molasses
1 large egg

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices to combine; set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the molasses and egg until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least one hour.

Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll the dough out on a lightly floured work surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place the cookie shapes onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes. Transfer to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely. Decorate as desired.

Light Egg Nog

Ingredients
2 cups nonfat milk
2 large strips orange and/or lemon zest
1 vanilla bean
2 large eggs plus 1 egg yolk
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp cornstarch
Freshly grated nutmeg for garnish

Directions
1. Combine 1 1/2 cups milk and the citrus zest in a medium saucepan. split the vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out the seeds; and the seeds and pod to saucepan an bring to a simmer over heat. Meanwhile, whisk the eggs, egg yolk, sugar and cornstarch in a medium bowl until light yellow.
2. Gradually pour the hot milk mix into the egg mixture, whisking constantly, then pour back into the pan. Place over medium eat and stir constantly with a wooden in a figure-eight motion until the eggnog begins to thicken, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat and immediately stir in the remaining 1/2 cup milk to stop the cooking. transfer the eggnog to a large bowl and place over a large bowl of ice to cool, then chill until ready to serve.
3. Remove zest and vanilla pod. garnish with nutmeg

Cupcakes:

1 box cake mix
1 cup buttermilk in place of amount of water called for on box of cake mix
Amount of oil called for on box of cake mix
4 eggs, instead of number called for on box of cake mix

Use a hand mixer to moisten batter, then beat for 2 minutes on high.

For the decorations:

Ice cupcakes and roll edges in sweetened shredded coconut. Place small cupcake on its side on the large cupcake.

Scarf: Cut Fruit Roll-ups into scarf shape with serrated knife. Wrap around “neck” of cupcakes.
Mouth: Insert chocolate sprinkles into smaller cupcake in the shape of a smile
Nose: Microwave an orange starburst for a few seconds until it is soft enough to form with your hands into the shape of a nose. Form points on both ends, insert one end into small cupcake.
Eyes: Insert a mini choclate chip on the small cupcake, pointed side in, for each eye.
Hat: Take one half of an Oreo cookie and use icing to apply to the “head” of the snowman. Use icing to apply a mini Reese’s peanut butter cup with the inner brown wrapper still on.
Earmuffs: Cut a Fruit Roll-up into the length of half of a scarf, and roll it together to form a long tube. Use icing to attach a skittle or M&M to each side. Put in the freezer for a minute or two to allow it to set so the skittles of M&Ms stay in place.