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Did I tell you that Jenn’s Journal is doing a virtual cookie exchange? And did I mention that I was dumb enough to sign up to participate?

First, let me tell you what Jenn’s up to. First, leave a comment over at Jenn’s Journal that you plan to participate. Then follow these steps:

1. On December 11th, post your favorite cookie recipe on your blog.
2. TrackBack to her virtual cookie exchange blog post. (If you can’t or don’t know how to track back, go to her blog and leave a comment with a link to your post.)
3. Jenn will post her recipe on the 11th and list everyone who is participating.
4. Go over to Jenn’s Journal and read all the entries.
5. Get more ideas for cookies baking activities.
6. Bake until the utility company calls to complain that you are using too much gas/electricity.

Now why was I stupid enough to sign on to participate? After moving Colorado - where I’m at a slightly higher elevation than the city of Denver - I cannot bake any more. My biscuits turn into hockey pucks, and my cookie baking is usually a disaster.

Just check out what happened a couple of years ago when I tried to make pinwheel cookies. I’m not even going to tell you about my meringue kisses. (O.K. they turned into wafer thin, burnt, baked egg white discs - yuck!)

While I’m going to blame the whole pinwheel cookie debacle on Kraft Foods and their crummy recipe, I obviously didn’t learn my lesson. You see this year’s cookie recipe - the one I’m going to submit because I’m actually making it for two parties - is from Kraft Food’s food & family magazine (which you should sign up for since it’s FREE and full of terrific ideas).

I’m not going to tell you which recipe it is, just that I’ll be cheating big time and using a mix (thank you Duncan Hines).

Instead, I’ll be sharing a Kraft recipe for Baked Crab Rangoon that I’ll be making Friday night for my annual MOMS Club holiday party. These are always a big hit with the kids when we go to a Chinese restaurants. (I love them, too!)

This recipe is easy enough for the kids to help with, plus it’s been made a bit healthier than what you get at the restaurant (lower fat cream cheese and mayo, and baked not fried). If your kids don’t like crab, make a veggie rangoon instead with shredded carrots and some diced celery. Also, if you’re nervous about using wanton wrappers, you can watch the online cooking school video to see how it’s done.

Baked Crab Rangoon
Prep Time: 20 min
Total Time: 40 min
Makes: 12 servings, one wonton each

Ingredients:

1. 1 can (6 oz.) white crabmeat, drained, flaked 4 oz.
2. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, 1/3 Less Fat than Cream Cheese, softened
3. 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
4. 1/4 cup KRAFT Mayo Light Mayonnaise
5. 12 wonton wrappers

Directions:

1. PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix crabmeat, Neufchatel cheese, onions and mayo.
2. SPRAY 12 medium muffin cups with cooking spray. Gently place 1 won ton wrapper in each cup, allowing edges of wrappers to extend above sides of cups. Fill evenly with crabmeat mixture.
3. BAKE 18 to 20 min. or until edges are golden brown and filling is heated through. Serve warm. Garnish with chopped green onions, if desired.

For Mini Crab Rangoons use 24 won ton wrappers. Gently place 1 won ton wrapper in each of 24 miniature muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray. Fill evenly with crabmeat mixture and bake as directed. Makes 12 servings, two appetizers each.

(Cookie Monster picture courtesy of BerryBurger.com)

Technorati tags: cookies, food, recipes

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