Andes Mint Cookies by Brandi Lynn (cookie swap)

Ingredients:
3/4 c. butter
1 1/2 c. brown sugar
2 T. water
12 oz. semisweet chocolate chips
2 lg. eggs
2 1/2 c. flour
1 1/4 t. baking soda
1/2 t. salt
1 bag of andes mints

1.  Heat oven to 350.
2.  Over low heat combine butter, brown sugar, and water.
3. Heat until melted and add chocolate chips until partly melted.
4.  Remove from heat and stir until chocolate chips are completely melted.
5. Pour into lg. mixing bowl and let cool 10 minutes.
6.  Beat in eggs 1 at a time at high speed.
7.  Add flour, salt and baking soda~beat until well blended.
8.  Chill 1 hour.
9.  Roll 1 inch balls and place 2 inches apart on parchment paper.
10.  Bake 8-10 minutes.
11.  Place mint on top of each cookie as soon as they come out of the oven.  Allow the mint to melt and then swirl with spoon.

Hershey's White Chip Cookies by Karina Fugett (cookie swap)

Hershey’s White Chip Cookies

(Makes about 4 ½ dozen cookies)

1 cup butter, softened 
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups flour
¾ cup Hershey’s cocoa
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. salt
1 2/3 cups white chocolate chips (10 oz pkg.) I always use 2 cups.

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl until creamy. Add eggs and vanilla; beat until fluffy. Stir together flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Gradually blend into butter mixture. Stir in white chips. Drop by rounded tsp. onto ungreased cookie sheets.
3. Bake 8-9 minutes. (Do not over bake; cookies will be soft. They will puff while baking and flatten upon cooling.) Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire racks

Pumpkin Gingerbread Trifle (from November gratitude dinner)

You will need:

2 (14 ounce) packages of gingerbread mix

1 (5.1 ounce) box cook and serve vanilla pudding mix

1 (30 ounce) can pumpkin pie filling

1/2 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 tsp cinnamon

1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping

1/2 cup gingersnaps, optional

Directions:

•               Bake the gingerbread according to the directions on the box and allow it to cool completely. I usually do this in the morning and just leave it to cool until I’m ready to make the trifle in the afternoon.

•               Prepare the vanilla pudding and set it aside to cool. It’s a good idea to make this while the gingerbread is baking and then leave it in the fridge to chill until you’re ready to complete the trifle.

•               When the gingerbread has cooled and the pudding has chilled, stir the pumpkin pie filling, sugar, and cinnamon into the pudding.

•               Crumble 1 batch of gingerbread into the bottom of a large, pretty bowl.

•               Pour 1/2 of the pudding mixture over the gingerbread.

•               Add a layer of whipped topping.

•               Repeat the pattern with the remaining gingerbread, pudding and whipped topping.

•               Sprinkle the top of the trifle with crushed or whole gingersnaps for decoration.

Allow the trifle to cool in the refrigerator overnight. It will be ready to enjoy the next day. Each time I’ve made this for a party or family gathering, it has received rave reviews. It has the perfect fall taste and is a dish that’s pretty enough to take anywhere. I hope you enjoy!

Oreo Trifle (from November gratitude dinner)

Ingredients:

3 sleeves of Oreo cookies, hand crushed (reserve four whole cookies for garnish)

1 lg. pkg vanilla pudding

1 lg. pkg chocolate pudding

1 16 oz tub of cool whip

1 vanilla cake, cut into cubes (I used white cake)

Preparation:

 Make chocolate and vanilla pudding. Add 1 sleeve of crushed oreo cookies into vanilla pudding, mix well and set aside. In the bottom of the trifle bowl make a thin layer of crushed oreo's. Then put down a layer of vanilla cake cubes. Then a layer half of the chocolate pudding. Next a layer of crushed oreo cookies and a layer of cool whip. Next layer the vanilla/oreo pudding mixture. Next another layer of yellow cake, layer of chocolate pudding and remaining cool whip on top. Sprinkle remaining crushed oreos on top of cool whip and place four whole oreos in a decorative pattern. Chill for a few hours or overnight.

Caramel Apple Trifle (from November Gratitude Dinner)

Caramel Apple Trifle Ingredients:

•                1 Box of Cake Mix (spice, yellow, pound cake, store bought, etc.)

•                1 Container of Cool Whip or 2 Small Containers

•                1 Large box of Vanilla Instant Pudding

•                1 Jar Caramel Topping Sauce

•                2 Cans of Apple Pie Filling

Caramel Apple Trifle Directions:

You want to start by preparing the cake (I used pound cake). If you choose to use store bought then you can get started right away, otherwise wait until your cake has cooled before starting to layer the trifle. Next, prepare your pudding and chill.

Now begin your layers. I like to start with the cake at the bottom so that it provides a base. It makes it easier to serve. Here are the layers I did:

1.             Layer of Cake

2.             Drizzled Caramel Sauce on top of the cake

3.             Layer Vanilla Pudding

4.             Layer 1 Can of Apple Pie Filling

5.             Layer of Cool Whip

6.             Repeat

7.             Top it off with Cool Whip and Caramel Sauce

Enjoy!