Santa Was Here!

Pajamas, slippers, and excitement are the order of the day at this no-forks-needed celebration.

Excitement rules on Christmas morning. Food that everyone can nibble while simultaneously opening gifts and playing is a must. We've devised a selection of dishes perfect for eating out of hand and for fueling all that activity. Breakfast Tortillas are a meal in one, with eggs, sausage, and cheese stuffed inside, while Baby PB&J Bagel Sandwiches put a crunchy spin on a childhood standard. Fruit Dippers are served with a creamy yogurt sauce for added nutrition.

Grown-ups in the group will especially enjoy the Holiday Cream Cheese Coffee Cake with its warm, gooey center surrounded by cinnamon-sugarpecan cake. It's just right for lingering with a cup of coffee and watching the festivities. -DONNA FLORIO

Holiday Cream Cheese Coffee Cake

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

PREP: 5 MIN., BAKE: 20 MIN., COOL: 10 MIN.

Get the enjoyment of a cream cheese

Danish the easy way in this clever confection.

1 (11.5-oz.) frozen pecan coffee cake, thawed

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

¼ cup firmly packed dark brown sugar

1. Remove coffee cake from package; remove and discard plastic overwrap.

2. Slice coffee cake in half horizontally. Spread softened cream cheese on bottom half of coffee cake; sprinkle with brown sugar. Place top layer of coffee cake right side up on bottom layer.

3. Bake at 350° for 15 to 20 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack 10 minutes.

BRENDA ORBELL

NORTH WALES, PENNSYLVANIA

Santa's Cider

MAKES 9 CUPS

PREP: 5 MIN., COOK: 10 MIN.

1 tsp. whole cloves

1 orange, cut into ¼-inch-thick slices

1 (46-oz.) jar apple juice

1 (12-oz.) bottle pomegranate juice

1 cup orange juice

Cinnamon sticks (optional)

1. Insert 4 cloves into white pith of each orange slice.

2. Stir together orange slices and juices in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat; cook 10 minutes or until thoroughly heated. (Do not boil.) Serve with cinnamon sticks, if desired.

Baby PB&J Bagel Sandwiches

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

PREP: 10 MIN, COOK: 2 MIN.

Press gently on the lid of the panini grill so you won't squeeze out the filling.

6 mini bagels, split

6 Tbsp. creamy peanut butter

6 tsp. strawberry or grape jelly

1 Tbsp. butter, melted

1. Spread peanut butter evenly on cut sides of bottom halves of bagels; spread jelly evenly on cut sides of top halves of bagels. Place top halves of bagels on bottom halves, jelly sides down.

2. Brush bagels lightly with melted butter; cook in a preheated panini press 2 minutes or until lightly browned and grill marks appear. Serve immediately.

Note: Sandwiches may also be cooked in a grill pan. Cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and grill marks appear.

Breakfast Tortillas

MAKES 10 SERVINGS

PREP: 5 MIN., BAKE: 10 MIN., COOK: 13 MIN.

Wrap these individually in parchment paper or foil for a portable breakfast.

10 (6-inch) fajita-size flour tortillas

½ (16-oz.) package ground pork sausage

6 large eggs

Vegetable cooking spray

½ cup shredded colby-Jack cheese blend

Salsa (optional)

Sour cream (optional)

1. Wrap tortillas loosely with aluminum foil, and place in a 250° oven for 10 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring often, 8 minutes or until sausage crumbles and is no longer pink; drain, remove sausage from skillet, and pat dry with paper towels. Wipe skillet clean. Reduce heat to medium.

3. Whisk together eggs and 2 Tbsp. water. Coat same skillet with cooking spray; add egg mixture, and cook, without stirring, 2 to 3 minutes or until eggs begin to set on bottom. Gently draw cooked edges away from sides of pan to form large pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes or until eggs are thickened but still moist. (Do not overstir.)

4. Spoon sausage and eggs evenly onto tortillas, and sprinkle with cheese; roll up tortillas. Serve with salsa and sour cream, if desired. LOUISE HORN

MADISON, MISSISSIPPI

Note: To lighten, substitute 1 ½ cups egg substitute for eggs and reduced-fat pork sausage for sausage.

Fruit Dippers

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

PREP: 20 MIN.

1 (1 ¼-lb.) peeled and cored pineapple

1 Red Delicious apple

2 oranges

1 (8-oz.) container plain or vanilla nonfat yogurt

2 Tbsp. honey

½ tsp. lime rind

2 tsp. lime juice

1. Reserve juice from pineapple; cut pineapple lengthwise into spears, then in half.

2. Core apple, and cut into 16 slices; toss with pineapple juice.

3. Peel and section oranges.

4. Stir together yogurt, 2 Tbsp. honey, and next 2 ingredients. Serve with fruit slices.

Cornmeal-Cranberry Muffins

MAKES 1 DOZEN

PREP: 15 MIN., BAKE: 20 MIN., COOL: 15 MIN.

You can freeze these muffins in zip-top plastic freezer bags. Thaw them at room temperature, or microwave frozen muffins at HIGH 15 to 30 seconds.

1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

¾ cup sugar

½ cup yellow cornmeal

2 tsp. baking powder

¾ cup buttermilk

¼ cup orange juice

3 Tbsp. butter, melted

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 cup cranberries

1. Stir together first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; make a well in center of mixture. Add buttermilk and next 3 ingredients, and stir just until dry ingredients are moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter evenly into 12 paper-lined muffin cups, filling twothirds full.