Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

I found these lovely little minty angles while I was looking for a different recipe on the Betty Crocker website. I love, love, LOVE mint and chocolate together, so this was definitely one I wanted to try. What I love about it the most is how easy it is. No measuring out flour, sugar, baking soda/powder, etc. Just tear open the bag, add butter and an egg, and you're off! I bought two "Snack Size" bags of cookie mix because I couldn't find the 1 lb. bag, and I ended up adding 1 T. of water to the dough to make it come together. Delish!

Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1/2 teaspoon mint extract

8 drops green food color

1 egg

1 cup creme de menthe baking chips

1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, stir cookie mix, butter, extract, food color and egg until it forms a soft dough. Mix in creme de menthe baking chips and chocolate chunks.

2. Using small cookie scoop or teaspoon, drop dough 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet. (I always use parchment... thanks Mom!)

3. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until set. Cool 3 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely. Store tightly covered at room temperature.

Yield: 36 cookies (3 each)

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

This is the most recent recipe I picked up at my weekly WW meeting; with the holidays soon approaching, it is timely. I tried it out on my in-laws last Wednesday after a delicious (and heavy) potato dumpling supper. My father-in-law gave his "You Can Make This Again" stamp of approval. It's very similar to the texture of traditional pumpkin pie without the added calories of the crust. It was a bit more dense and custardy. I'm not a crust-lover myself, so this version satisfied my Thanksgiving pie craving quite delectably. We served it with Reddi Whip and hot coffee. M-m-m-m-m-m.

Crustless Pumpkin Pie

1 (15 oz.) can pumpkin

1 (12 oz.) can fat free evaporated milk

3/4 c. egg substitute

2/3 c. Splenda (OR 1/3 c. Splenda for Baking)

1/2 t. salt

3 t. pumpkin pie spice

1 t. vanilla

Mix all ingredients until well blended. Pour into a sprayed 9-inch pie pan. Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes. Lower oven temperature to 325 degrees and bake an additional 45 minutes.

Yield: 8 servings (2)