The final goodie in the "One Teaspoon from Disaster" month-long tribute to holiday treats is as simple -- and delicious -- as they come.

If you can open a package, you can make wonderful Seven Layer Cookies.

What could be better than chocolate, butterscotch and a graham craker crust? The only thing that tops the taste is the very-little hassle and minor clean-up.

As the name implies, you're just layering the good stuff and then baking it. There are mixes you can buy in the grocery store for these cookies, but why? They're so easy, just make 'em from scratch. They'll taste better.

Upcoming dishes: breakfast, brunch or whatever you call your first meal of the day. We're looking for recipes to break out of the cereal or bagel routine. E-mail me your recipes by CLICKING HERE

Seven Layer Cookies
In a 9- by 13-inch pan, combine:
1/3 Cup melted butter
1 Cup graham cracker crumbs
1 Cup flaked coconut
1 C. chocolate chips
1 C. butterscotch chips
1 can sweeten condensed milk
Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Posted by · December 21, 2005 10:49 PM · Comments (0)

Does anyone else feel slightly guilty eating Gingerbread Men?

They may be one of the most labor intensive Christmas cookies out there.

The dough (which of course requires the stickiest, messiest ingredient EVER: molasses) must be chilled. Then the little guys must be cut out of flattened dough, which is painful to roll without tons of flour. Only a few can be baked at a time so they have room on the pan to "grow" in the oven. And finally, they are dressed, which ain't easy -- it's tough to be delicate with a tube of frosting.

But it's all worth it.

They're classic and a holiday-time must. It's a shame we've created these little people to pop in our mouths. Well, almost a shame. They're pretty tasty ...

Next week is our last installment of holiday cookies. The "One Teaspoon from Disaster" blog needs recipes to serve house guests. This is the time of year when we call have company, right? Maybe some good brunch dishes or a casserole to feed the masses. E-mail me your recipes by CLICKING HERE

Gingerbread Cookies
1 C. shortening
1 C. sugar
1 egg
1 C. molasses
2 Tbsp. white vinegar
4 3/4 C. flour
1 tsp. cloves, ground
1 1/2 tsp. soda
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon

Cream shortening and sugar. Add egg, molasses and vinegar and beat well. Add sifted dry ingredients. Chill at least three hours or overnight. Roll on slightly floured surface. Cut with cutter. Bake eight minutes at 350 degrees. Cool slightly, remove. When cool, decorate.

Posted by · December 14, 2005 7:22 PM · Comments (0)

This is the perfect kid cookie: yummy, fast and easy.

While it's fun to frost sugar cookies and decorate gingerbread men, sometimes little ones may want more instant gratification. Forget mixing dough, baking and cooling.

This recipe doesn't get much easier. Melt almond bark on the stove top (chocolate tastes best), sandwhich a layer of peanut butter (I suggest creamy) in between two crackers (Ritz, of course) and dip into the melted chocolate after its off the range. A fork -- and nothing fancier -- is a great tool to plunge and fish out these sandwiches.

For a nice Christmas touch, add a little sugar candy on top before the coating hardens, which happens fast.

Try using different flavors of melting chocolate. Throw in some pretzels, too. You'll have a whole batch in less than a half hour. Unfortunately they'll get eaten even quicker.

Have a great holiday treat recipe to share? That's what we're focusing on at the "One Teaspoon from Disaster" cooking site this month. E-mail me by CLICKING HERE

Posted by · December 7, 2005 9:22 PM · Comments (0)