NOMS BY LIZ

Christmas is approaching, and with it comes the wonderful world of holiday snacks: snowman-shaped cookies for Santa, brownies with Christmas-colored sprinkles, and one of the most festive treats of all: the gingerbread house.

They range from tiny little things that fit in the palm of your hand to gargantuan, edible estates. The exteriors can be simple gingerbread and icing or Cake-Bossed to ornate, chocolaty perfection. Some culinary geniuses even go for extreme, pimped-out interiors – the ultimate ginger crib.

I’ve seen Hershey bar shingles, Life Saver Christmas wreaths, Twizzler skirts for the little gingerbread inhabitants. (I grew up with a lot of baking enthusiasts.) A coconut-dusted roof is also a great depiction of snow – although the last time I enjoyed one of those, I discovered I was allergic and my face swelled up in a most Santa-like fashion. And that’s how Regina George died.

While these houses are fantastic no matter what your spin on them is, there are so many other magnificent things people have made with gingerbread. Trains, treehouses, sleighs, and reindeer are other great experiments. My personal favorite, though, would have to be the gingerbread nativity scene. Delicious and religious, doesn’t get much better than that.

So this Christmas, jazz up the cookies for Santa: leave him a whole gingerbread microcosm instead. Because he’s worth it.

It’s that time of year again–Christmas music dominates the radio waves, wreaths are tossed up on every household door, and most importantly, the ultimate Cookie of the Cold has returned: that’s right, Mallomars have hit the shelves.

(They actually came out in October, but I didn’t know they were seasonal until about three days ago, so bear with me here.)

If you’ve never sampled one of these clouds of perfection, stop reading, close your computer, and go get a box. Immediately. I will not be offended. How could anyone resist a fluffy marshmallow perched atop a crunchy vanilla cookie, all completely encased in a flawless cast of milk chocolate? (Some of them even have sprinkles.)

Each box contains eighteen moments of pure bliss. Plus, Mallomars only contain 110 calories per serving, and – you better believe it - a serving is not one but two cookies. They only have 5 grams of fat – 2.5 each – and no cholesterol. So forget Cheerios, have Mallomars for breakfast.

Another thing that makes these cookies so charming is their timeless appeal: crafted in New Jersey in 1913, the name has remained the same as well as the ingredients, and the box design has hardly deviated from the original. It seems people love consistency in their cookies: they’ve played a role in “When Harry Met Sally,” and Oprah promotes the treat in her Book Club with Wally Lamb’s “She’s Come Undone” – the cookie is described as being a food group all its own.

Mallomars have encountered some adversity with their Canadian counterpart, the Whippet. I myself have never had the pleasure of trying one of these, but according to a brief but detailed Google search, most seem to consider them about the same. Well, hold onto your ridiculous hats, Mounties: our Mallomar has fewer calories than your Whippet, for all its hifalutin’ glory.

Actually, Canada might have us beat on this one: they can ship Whippets all year long because they live in that frozen tundra. Mallomars, with their pure chocolate exterior, cannot be shipped during the summer because they’ll melt.

I kind of thought that if we could put people on the moon, we could certainly develop some method to freeze pure chocolate. Hey, you learn something new every day. Still, seasonal or not, we’ll always love our Mallomars.

Because I am not a frequent consumer of coffee, I can’t really vote on the Starbucks vs. Dunkin Donuts Battle of the Ages. I take more of a neutral stance: I like Starbucks for their tea, frappucinos, and scones, and Dunkin for their (drumroll, please)… doughnuts.

Doughnuts, especially those of the Dunkin variety, are a particularly versatile snack. If you’re feeling self-indulgent, grab a Boston Marble or Chocolate Frosted with sprinkles – I’ve heard through the grapevine that the holiday editions have just come out.  Or, if you’re in a more generous mood, pick up a box of Munchkins to share with your buddies. (Make sure you get extra chocolate glazed. Those go the quickest.)

Although Dunkin’s certainly has its place on the scale of doughnut hierarchy, the Mother Superior of all brands would have to be the extremely supreme Krispy Kreme. If you’re on anything close to a diet, steer clear. One of these could feed a family in Ethiopia for a month very hungry horse. The carbs and calories are crazy, so even I, Queen of the Calories, would recommend splitting one with a friend. But the sensation is even more insane. Few things in the world taste as good as a Krispy Kreme doughnut. Don’t eat for three days, try one, then thank me later.

If you’re in the supermarket and feel like picking up a box, go for Entenmann’s. They are the creme de la creme of store bought foods. (Pop-Ems are the heavenly equivalent of munchkins without the added burden of choosing between Starbucks and DD’s. Enjoy them, and rest easy.)

And I thought I was running out of food to write about.

The weather’s getting colder, and what better way to spend a freezing day than making cookies? Available in an unlimited number of varieties, these are the perfect winter treat (gosh, I feel like Martha Stewart) , and you can make them any way you want.

There’s the basic but never disappointing chocolate chip cookie, which is great any time of year, but especially during these cold tundra months. (They’re also Santa’s favorite!!! Lolz) Pair it with milk or hot chocolate, pop in a movie, and have yourself a happy.

Peanut butter cookies are another great option. (Please consult your physician before consuming these delicacies.) You can add in Hershey’s kisses for a chocolate kick. And those aren’t your only options: cookie goodness is automatically multiplied by ten by adding sprinkles, M&M’s, or even candy corn.

If you’re like me and can’t make something as simple as toast without complications, pick up a box of Oreos (the Halloween kind are on sale now!), Milanos, Chips Ahoy, or anything from the little Keebler elves.

Yep, it’s hard to go wrong with cookies. Whether you have them solo, in ice cream, or baked in a cake (oh hey, cookie cake is pretty amazing, too), cookies are perfect whenever. Pick up a box; you deserve it.

Deal with it

I feel like PETA would be upset if I ate one of these.

It’s not really a secret that I love candy, particularly that of the chocolate variety.  And while Snickers satisfy, Reese’s relieve, and Twix tantalize, my go-to chocolate candy will always and forever be M&M’s. They’re tiny, they’re colorful, they’re chocolate, and they come in a mini size. Those are 80% of my favorite things wrapped in one perfect little brown package.

Not that the brown package is the only one you should pick up. M&M’s have this magical ability to make everything yummy. Their peanut (yellow), peanut butter (red), dark chocolate (purple), almond (tan), and the new pretzel (blue) flavors are all pretty great. I normally don’t touch almonds or pretzels, but in M&M’s, I love them. You should check out some of their crossover flavors, too.

If you really feel like indulging yourself, pick up a box of M&M’s Premiums: Though they’re a bit costlier in price and calories, these little dreams are totally worth it. I would recommend the Triple Chocolate. They’re three kinds of chocolate and they’re purple. Doesn’t get much better than that.

These are literally the most versatile candies ever. Clearly, they come in endless flavors, and you can add them to any treat to make them even treatier: cookies, brownies, blondies, ice cream, and cupcakes can only get better when combined with M&M’s.

If you want to get fancy, check out MyMMs.com to personalize bags of M&M’s with (very short) words, specific color themes, or even your face. Not sure why you’d want people eating your face, but if you’re into that sort of thing, go right ahead.

These were ordered for Princess Paige's inauguration.

And of course, where would we be without the acclaimed M&M World? Located in Las Vegas, Orlando, and New York, this beyond enticing megastore is a must for all M&M lovers. Not only does it have a crazy amount of the beloved candy itself, but incredible merchandise as well with the characters we’ve all come to love. Pick up a mug, sweatshirt, pillow or other stuffed thing. (There are lots more, but I think I’ve gone overboard with the links.)

So go grab a pack, just for kicks. They’re quick, sweet, and with Halloween just around the corner, you’ve got an excuse.

i throw mah hands up in the air sometimes