**SNICKERDOODLES**

I was sitting here this morning trying to keep busy, so you can probably guess the first thing I did.... I BAKED COOKIES!!!! My husband got in an accident on his way home from Wyoming last night and he was going to access the damage on the car this morning and my anxiety was attacking me! Just one more thing to worry about for the HOLIDAYS!!! Grrrrr..... but I always feel better when I'm baking something so I'm guessing you can probably come to my house any day this week and find a variety of different goodies all over my kitchen counter, in the fridge, freezer, & even some scribbles on paper from trying something new. You just never know what I might have here :-)

Well, my family really really likes CHOCOLATE but sometimes it's nice to have something different... So SNICKERDOODLES it was!!! These cookies are about 3 inches in diameter and they are so puffy and insanely soft and chewy!!!! Soooo good! I have tried so many different snickerdoodle recipes and I think this one takes the trophy! And this recipe made a whole bunch! About 5 dozen! Give them a try!!!!

In a medium bowl, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tsp ground cinnamon. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 cup softened butter and 2 1/2 cups sugar. Beat until light and fluffy. Add 4 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 2 1/2 Tablespoons of water until fluffy. Add 6 cups flour, 2 teaspoons cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix well. Shape dough by rounded Tablespoonfuls. I made them to look about the size of a walnut. Now drop in your reserved cinnamon sugar mixture and roll around to coat the ball of dough. Place on a cookie sheet. I didn't grease mine and they were fine. Bake 10-12 minutes or until they are golden brown. Cool on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.

ENJOY!!!

Happy Cooking!!!

*Teauna*

**BANANA CUPCAKES WITH CINNAMON CREAM CHEESE FROSTING**

Well, I had some extremely ripe bananas that I needed to get used up! I like to try new things so this is the recipe I found! These cupcakes are very moist and the frosting is just the perfect touch!

1 box plain yellow cake mix

1 1/2 cups mashed bananas, from 3 medium or 4 small bananas

1/2 cup water

1/2 vegetable oil

3 large eggs

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350. Place 24 paper liners in cupcake pan. If you don't have liners, lightly mist the pan with PAM and dust with flour, removing all excess flour.

Place the cake mix, mashed bananas, water, oil, eggs and cinnamon in a large mixing bowl. Blend 2 minutes until batter looks thick and well combined. Fill cups 3/4 of the way full.

Bake cupcakes until they are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed with your finger, about 20-24 minutes. Remove the pans from the oven and place them on wire racks to cool for 5 minutes. Remove cupcakes from pan and place on wire racks to cool for 15 minutes before frosting...

For the frosting:

8 oz pkg cream cheese at room temperature

4 T butter at room temperature

3 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Place the cream cheese and butter in a large mixing bowl. Blend with an electric mixer until combined. Add powedered sugar a little at a time, blending with the mixer on low speed until the sugar is well incorporated. Add the cinnamon, the beat at medium speed until fluffy.

These cupcakes can be sotred in a cake saver or under a glass dome at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Or freeze them, wrapped in aluminum foil or in a cake saver, for up to 6 months. Thaw the cupcakes overnight in the refrigerator before serving.

Happy Cooking

*Teauna*

SNICKERDOODLE CHEX MIX

I am a fan of anything with "chex mix" in it's title. I like to have 'healthier' mixes like this lying around for us all to snack on instead of candy. I must say this one is soooo good! I love anything with cinnamon-sugar... mmmmm and popcorn! So try this :-)

1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2 cups Chocolate Chex cereal

2 cups Cinnamon Chex cereal

4 cups popped popcorn

1/4 cup butter

In a small bowl, combine sugar and cinnamon; set aside. In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the cereals and popped popcorn.

In a 1-cup microwave-safe measuring cup, microwave butter on high about 40 seconds or until melted. Pour over cereal mixture; stirring until evenly coated.

Microwave on high, stirring after 1 minute. Sprinkle half the sufar mixture evenly over cereal mixture, stir. Sprinkle with remaining sugar mixture; stir. Microwave mixture for 1 minute longer. Spread on waxed paper or paper towels to cool. Store in an airtight container.

Yield: 16 (1/2 cup) servings.

Happy Cooking

*Teauna*

CINNAMON TWISTS

Brrrrrr..... I do believe it's freezin' season! And when it's cold outside, I really get to baking! So I made some cinnamon twists today. They are a project that isn't real quick to make but man are they ever worth the wait once you're done! This is a recipe I have used for a really long time. I always triple the recipe so I am able to make 1 cookie sheet full of cinnamon twists and 1 9x13 pan of cinnamon rolls to take to my in-laws...

1 tablespoon active dry yeast

1/2 cup warm water

1/2 cup lukewarm milk (scalded then cooled)

1/3 cup sugar

1/3 cup shortening, margarine or butter, softened

1 teaspoon salt

1 egg

3-1/2 to 4 cups all- purpose flour

Begin by dissolving active dry yeast into warm water. On your stovetop, scald milk. Let it cool, then add it to your water and yeast mixture. Then add sugar, shortening, salt, egg and 2 cups of the flour. Beat until smooth. Mix in enough remaining flour to make dough easy to handle.

Turn dough onto lightly floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 5 minutes. Place in greased bowl; turn greased side up. Cover; let rise in warm place until double, about 1-1/2 hours. You know that the dough is ready if you push your finger in the center and the indentation remains.

Punch down dough. Roll into a rectangle. Split this rectangle into imaginary thirds as you will be able to see in the pictures. First cover the middle third with soft butter, then sprinkle cinnamon, sugar, and brown sugar on it. Then pull over one of the outside thirds over the middle and repeat the last step. Then when it is covered go ahead and pull over the other third on top. Now cut 1 to 1-1/2 inch strips then twist and place on a greased pan.

Let rise until doubled. Then bake at 375 for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Frost or glaze with your favorite frosting! I like cream cheese frosting beat until it's fluffy and creamy.

Serve when warm... store in an airtight container once they're cooled to keep soft and moist.

Happy Cooking

*Teauna*