Cream Cheese Penguins & Santa Cupcakes

Cream Cheese Penguins Ingredients:

18 jumbo ripe olives (black)
8 ounce package cream cheese
1 carrot, at least 6 inches long and 1 inch diameter, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
18 small ripe olives (black)
18 frill toothpicks

Directions:

Cut a slit from top to bottom of each jumbo olive on one side only. Insert about 1 teaspoon into olive to fill cavity.

Cut small notch out of each carrot slice to form feet. Press cut-out notch piece into center of small olive to form beak. If necessary, pierce olive with small paring knife or toothpick to make hole for carrot piece first.

Using a frill toothpick, stack head (small olive), body (jumbo olive) and feet (carrot slice) adjusting so that beak, cream cheese breast and notch in carrot slice line up. These will stand better if larger holes in olives are facing downward. Makes 18

Santa Cupcake Ingredients:

1 package cake mix, any flavor
Water, oil, eggs as directed on mix
1 can vanilla frosting
2 Tablespoons red decorator sugar
48 chocolate chips
24 red cinnamon candies
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows (approx 144)

Directions:

Bake cake mix as directed on box to make 24 cupcakes using muffin cup liners. Let cool at least 30 minutes until completely cooled.

Spread frosting over cupcakes. Sprinkle top 1/3 of each cupcake with about 1/8 teaspoon red sugar to form Santa's hat.

Place chocolate chips for eyes and cinnamon candy for nose. Cut 2 marshmallows in half lengthwise; arrange to form rim of hat. Cut 4 marshmallows in half crosswise; cover lower part of cupcake to form beard. Makes 24