MAKE IT CUTE

Wanna make a holiday gift for you BFF? What better way to say happy holidays then with something you baked yourself! Our recipes are foolproof, easy to make and delish! With these yummy prezzies, your BFF will be 4eva grateful. Well, at least her tummy will be! Make sure to ask your rents for permission before you take over the kitchen!

BFF Brownies

Have a friend who's a chocolate chica? Give her a great gift this year by baking her up a batch of chocolatey brownies. Add a little extra to the batch and add some of your fav candy to the mix!

What you need:

• 8 1 ounce squares of unsweetened chocolate
• 1 cup butter
• 5 eggs
• 3 cups sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla
• 1-1/2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 oz. bag of your fav candy (Reese's Pieces, M n M's, Butterfingers, Chocolate Chips)

Tools:

• Saucepan
• Mixing bowl
• Electric mixer
• Large spoon for mixing
• 9"x13" pan greased with butter or cooking spray like Pam
• Potholder

1. Preheat oven to 375°. Grease pan with butter or cooking spray.
2. On the stove, melt chocolate and butter over low heat in the saucepan. When melted together, set mix aside and turn off the stovetop heat.
3. If you have a mixer, beat eggs, sugar and vanilla at high speed for about 10 minutes, until the mix is combined. You can try this without a mixer and just try using those muscles but it might take longer! Next blend in the chocolate mixer from the saucepan, the flour and the salt. Stir until just mixed. If desired stir in a 12 oz. package of your fave candy-m&m's, Reese's Pieces, crushed-up Butterfingers, or another sweet treat. Mix well so that candy is evenly combined throughout the mixture. Pour mix into the pan.
4. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Take brownies out of oven using potholder. Don't touch the pan! Turn the oven off and let the brownies cool completely before cutting them up.

Butter Cookies

Lookin' to cook up some cookies that show your creative side? Bake your BFF these delish butter cookies and decorate them with anything-sprinkles, chocolate chips, m&ms and other sweet treats you can find in your grocery store's baking aisle!

You will need:

• 1 cup butter( softened)
• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup confectionary sugar

Tools:

• Cookie sheet
• Mixing bowl
• Potholders

Decorations for cookies (optional):

• Sprinkles
• Chocolate chips
• Hershey Kisses
• m&ms

1. Preheat oven to 325°. Microwave butter for about 30 seconds-1 minute or until it resembles a liquid.
2. In mixing bowl, knead all the ingredients together until you have a big ball of dough.
Place teaspoon size dough on ungreased cookie sheet. Decorate cookies with holiday colored sprinkles, chocolate chips, Hershey's Kisses, your fav candies or just leave 'em plain!
3. Bake for 8-10 minutes. When done, turn off the oven and remove tray with potholders. Let cool and ta-dah!
4. Creative cookies to show your BFF how much you care! When you're done baking wrap 'em up in a decorated box, or tie a pretty ribbon on tissue paper around your cookies. Congrats girl! You're a regular Rachel Ray!

12/21/2007 4:00:15 PM