Gingerbread Cutouts

If you want to hang these cookies on a wreath or tree, make 1 or 2 holes in the top of each cookie before baking. After decorating, thread nylon fishing line or thin ribbon through the holes in each cookie for hanging.

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 cup light molasses

1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger

1 teaspoon ground allspice 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon ground cloves

2 teaspoons baking soda

1/2 cup (1 stick) margarine or butter, cut into chunks

1 large egg, beaten

3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Ornamental Frosting

1. In 3-quart saucepan, heat sugar, molasses, ginger, allspice, cinnamon and cloves to boil over medium heat, stirring occasionally.

Remove saucepan from heat; stir in baking soda (mixture will foam up in the pan). Stir in margarine or butter until melted. With fork, stir in egg, then flour.

2. On floured surface, knead dough until mixed. Divide dough in half; wrap half in plastic wrap and set aside.

3. Preheat oven to 325 F. With floured rolling pin, roll remaining half of dough slightly thinner than 1/4 inch. With floured 3- to 4-inch assorted cookie cutters, cut dough into cookies; reserve trimmings. Place cookies, 1 inch apart, on ungreased cookie sheet. Reroll trimmings and cut out more cookies.

4. Bake cookies 12 minutes or until edges begin to brown. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

5. When cookies are cool, prepare Ornamental Frosting; use to decorate cookies. Set cookies aside to allow frosting to dry completely, about 1 hour.

If not using right away, store cookies in tightly covered container.

• Each cookie: About 90 calories, 3g total fat (1g saturated), 6mg cholesterol, 105mg sodium, 15g total carbohydrate, 1g protein.

Ornamental Frosting 1 package (16-ounce) confectioners’ sugar

3 tablespoons meringue powder*

Assorted food colorings

1. In bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat confectioners’ sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup warm water until blended and mixture is so stiff that knife drawn through it leaves a clean-cut path, about 5 minutes.

2. If you like, tint frosting with food colorings as desired; keep covered with plastic wrap to prevent drying out. With small spatula, artist’s paintbrushes, or decorating bags with small writing tips, decorate cookies with frosting. (You may need to thin frosting with a little warm water to obtain the right spreading or piping consistency.) Makes 3 cups.

* Meringue powder is available in specialty stores wherever cake decorating equipment is sold. Or, contact Wilton Industries, 800- 794-5866.

• Each 1 tablespoon serving: About 40 calories, 3mg sodium, 10g total carbohydrate. (c) 2009 Hearst Communications, Inc.

Holiday Eggnog

Rich, creamy -- and safe, because it starts with cooked eggs.

12 large eggs 1 1/4 cups sugar 1/2 teaspoon salt 2 quarts whole milk

1 cup dark rum (optional)

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 teaspoon ground nutmeg plus additional for sprinkling

1 cup heavy or whipping cream

1. In heavy 4-quart saucepan, with wire whisk, beat eggs, sugar and salt until blended.

Gradually stir in 1 quart milk and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until custard thickens and coasts the back of a spoon well, about 25 minutes (mixture should be about 160 F, but do not boil or it will curdle).

2. Pour custard into large bowl; stir in rum, if using, vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg and remaining 1 quart milk. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours.

3. In small bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat heavy or whipping cream until soft peaks form. With wire whisk, gently fold whipped cream into custard mixture.

4. To serve, pour eggnog into chilled 5-quart punch bowl; sprinkle with nutmeg for garnish. Makes about 16 cups or 32 servings.

• Each serving: About 125 calories, 5 g protein, 11 g carbohydrate, 7 g total fat (4g saturated), 0 g fiber, 98 mg cholesterol, 90 mg sodium.

(c) 2009 Hearst Communications, Inc.