Get cooking with holiday cookies

'Tis the season when requests for cookie and candy recipes abound, and this week is no exception.

Swap Shop offers confections galore -- two cookies made or decorated with pinwheel peppermint candies for E.S. of Berwyn (which also fulfills a request for holiday cookie swap recipes from C.C. of Winnetka) and an old-fashioned divinity recipe from Marsha Goodman of Chicago for J.D. of Highwood (which simultaneously fulfills a request for candies to give as gifts from R.E. of Chicago).

Betty Crocker and Land O'Lakes offer the recipes for two pretty cookies -- Peppermint Snowball Cookies and Peppermint Candy Spritz -- which are delicious uses of leftover peppermint candies or candy canes.

Keep in mind that a butter cookie is the foundation of Peppermint Candy Spritz (recipe follows), so you can leave the treats un-iced or drizzle icing on the cookies and add sprinkles or nuts rather than the peppermint candies, if you so desire.

To make about 4 dozen Peppermint Candy Spritz cookies: Heat oven to 400 degrees. In large bowl, combine 1 cup softened butter, 2/3 cup sugar, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon peppermint extract. With electric mixer, beat at medium speed until creamy. Reduce speed to low; add 2?206-140? cups flour. Beat dough, scraping bowl often, until well mixed. If dough is too soft to form cookies, cover and refrigerate until firm (about 1 hour).

Roll dough to thickness for cookie cutters. Cut with small star-shaped cookie cutter (or other-shaped cutters). Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake cookies for 6 to 8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool completely.

For drizzle: In small bowl, combine 1 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons milk for desired drizzling consistency; mix well. Drizzle over cooled cookies. Sprinkle with ?206-140? cup coarsely crushed peppermint candies (for crushing instructions, see note on Peppermint Snowball Cookies recipe, at right).

To add festive color to your spritz cookies, add 4 to 5 drops of red or green food color before adding the flour.

I'm hoping someone has a recipe for a cake made with fruit cocktail and coconut.

G.F., Northbrook

Will someone share a recipe for a Southern dessert called corn spoon bread (it's usually served with ice cream)?

P.S., Chicago

My grandchildren love chicken casseroles, so I could use some new recipes that are proven favorites with kids and teens.

T. R., Melrose Park

Send recipes and requests to: Swap Shop, Chicago Sun-Times, 350 N. Orleans, 9th Floor, Chicago 60654 or by e-mail, swapshop@suntimes.com.

All mail must include a daytime telephone number. Sorry, requests can't be answered personally.