'Tis the season to be cooking

With the holidays comes gift giving, sleeping and visiting with family, but no winter would be complete without great food. The aroma of hot chocolate and cookies baking are enough to soothe any cold soul. Whether you are an inexperienced cook or an expert one, these five recipes will be a fun and tasty addition to your cold holiday nights.

Caramel Curls

These may not be the prettiest looking cookies, but they taste great when warm! Curling the cookies is optional (leaving them flat is just as good), just make sure to remove them quickly from the cookie sheet so they do not stick.

Preheat oven to 400.

Cream (beat for one minute):

1/4 cup of butter

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

Beat in:

1 egg

When mixed, add:

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon of salt

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

Place about six separate spoonfuls of batter onto each greased cookie sheet. Flatten the cookies with a spatula or the back of a spoon and bake for 10 minutes. Cool slightly and remove from the pan. Roll the cookies over a wooden spoon handle to create a "curl" shape.

Recipe from "Joy of Cooking," by Irma Rombauer and Marion Becker

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins

This autumnal recipe is a perfect snack for eating while curled up with a book on a wintry day. If you don't have time to eat them immediately, the muffins stay fresh for a few days and taste fine after reheating.

Preheat oven to 400

Beat:

2 eggs

Add:

3 tablespoons of melted butter

3/4 cup of milk

1 cup of canned pumpkin

Gradually mix in:

1 3/4 cup of all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon of salt

1/2 cup of sugar

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon nutmeg

Mix in:

1 cup of chocolate chips (optional)

When the mixture is combined, grease muffin trays and spoon pumpkin batter into cups, until they are about 3/4 full. Put in oven and cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

Recipe derived from "Joy of Cooking," by Irma Rombauer and Marion Becker

Wintry Hot Cocoa

This may not be the most original recipe, but with the addition of homemade whipped cream and cinnamon, this is a drink not to be excluded from your post-sledding afternoon and evening.

Heat on stove:

1 cup of milk

When warm, add in:

1 packet of hot cocoa mix

While the milk mixture is heating, whip together for five minutes:

1/2 cup of whipping cream

2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Pour cocoa into a mug and top with the whipped cream. Sprinkle a dash of cinnamon on the top, and feel your insides warm up!

This version of hot chocolate has been created by SCO

Iced Ginger Cookies

Decorating ginger bread cookies can be just as fun as eating them. Experiment with different frosting colors and designs!

Buy at the grocery store:

1 tub of precooked holiday ginger cookies

Put into a bowl and mix together the following ingredients:

1/2 pound of powdered sugar

2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Add food dye (optional) and use the icing to decorate the cookies. SCO recommends creating Christmas trees, dressing men and women and decorating glittery stars. Preheating the cookies in the oven for five minutes at 275 makes them softer.

This recipe is another SCO original

Brownies with a twist

While brownies are a common party snack, the addition of icing and chocolate chips makes them extra delicious.

Preheat oven to 350. Buy a box of powdered brownie mix at the grocery store and follow the directions on the back. Generally, the recipes require the mixing of:

1 egg

1/3 cup of water

1/3 cup of oil

1 bag of powdered brownie mix

Add, if desired:

1 cup of chocolate chips

Pour the mixture into a greased brownie pan and cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until done. An optional decoration choice is icing the brownies to create a tasty sugary coating. Put into a bowl and mix together the following ingredients:

1/2 pound of powdered sugar

2 tablespoons of butter

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

After the brownies have cooled for at least half an hour, coat them with icing. Let cool and enjoy the treat.

This recipe is derived from Ghiradelli Brownie Mix

After the treats are done, enjoy eating them with friends and sit back and relax on the couch or in front of a fire. Also, these various sweets are perfect for giving away as gifts and an excellent addition to the holiday seasons.