Fresh Corn Salad

8 ears fresh corn, husked and cleaned
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup cider vinegar
1-1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt, optional
1/2 tsp. dried basil
1/8 to 1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
2 largge tomatoes, seeded and coarsely chopped
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup chopped green pepper
1/3 cup chopped sweet red pepper
-----------------------
In a large saucepan, cook corn in enough boiling water to cover for 5 to 7 minutes or until tender. Drain, cool and set aside. In a large bowl, mix oil, vinegar, lemon juice, parsley, sugar, salt, if desired, basil and cayenne pepper. Cut cooled corn off the cob (should measure 4 cups). Add corn, tomatoes, onion and peppers to the oil mixture. Mix well. Cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight. Yield: 10 servings

From: "Taste of Home

Christmas Eve Mice

24 double-stuffed Oreo cookies
1 cup (6 oz.) semisweet chocolate chips
2 tsp. shortening
24 red maraschino cherries with stems, well drained
24 milk chocolate kisses
48 sliced almonds
1 small tube of green icing gel
1 small tube of red icing gel
---------------------
Carefully twist cookies apart; set aside the halves with cream filling. Save plain halves for another use. (Or munch on them while you make this recipe!) In the microwave or heavy saucepan, 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 onto the cream filling of the cookie, with cherry stem extending beyond cookie edge. For ears, place slivered almonds between the cherry and kiss. Refrigerate until set. With green gel, pipe holly leaves on the cream. With red gel, pipe holly berries between leaves and pipe eyes on each chocolate kiss. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. Yield: 2 dozen.