CHRISTMAS EVE MICE

Steps:

• 1. Carefully twist cookies apart; set aside the halves with cream filling. Save plain halves for another use. In a microwave, melt chocolate chips and shortening; stir until smooth. Holding each cherry by the stem, dip in melted chocolate, then press onto the bottom of a chocolate kiss. Place on the cream filling of cookie, with cherry stem extending beyond cookie edge. *Place off center so you have room for the holly leaves and berries. For ears, place slivered almonds between the cherry and kiss. Refrigerate until set. With green gel, pipe holly leaves on the cream. With a toothpick, drag out just a teensy bit here and there to make the pointed-edge of the leaves. With red gel, pipe holly berries between leaves and pipe green eyes on each chocolate kiss. (They look cutest if the eyes are fairly close together and not too small.) Make a dot on the nose with the red. And make a "bow" up by one ear by piping one small dot and 2 large dots on each side with red. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.