(Family Features) If you love to entertain and want to support a good cause, now you can do both at the same time.

Currently in its 16th year, Cook for the Cure is a program that gives those with a passion for cooking a way to support the fight against breast cancer. Through culinary-based fundraising, events, auctions and the sale of select products, the partnership between KitchenAid and Susan G. Komen for the Cure® has raised more than $10.7 million for the cause.

“It adds another layer of purpose to one of life’s great pleasures, cooking and enjoying food with family and friends,” said Anthony Pastrick, brand manager for KitchenAid. “The program continues to fuel passionate cooks with simple, creative ways to support a meaningful cause."

You can make a difference by hosting a party that lets you Cook for the Cure by raising awareness and funds for breast cancer research. Here are some ideas to get you started:

Invite guests for an evening of appetizers, such as these Mini Fruit Tarts, and drinks. Encourage fundraising by awarding a prize to the guest with the highest donation, or let donors enter their names into a drawing to win a restaurant gift certificate or spa treatment.

Organize a fundraising bake sale. Get the neighbors involved in baking, promoting and selling – it’s a great way to bring people together. Your contribution could be these Lemon Berry Cheesecake Bars.

Host a potluck brainstorming party. Invite people who share your passion for helping others to bring their favorite dish and think up creative ways to support the cause as a group. Vote on a project then let everyone pitch in to get started. Cooking good food, sharing time with friends and giving back to the community – that’s a recipe for a truly great party. Learn more at CookfortheCure.com.

10,000 Cupcakes

Sharing baked goods with friends is a pleasure. Now you can make it even more meaningful by sharing to raise money for a good cause.

From Oct. 1 through Oct. 31, for every original cupcake image or video shared on Twitter or Instagram with the collective hashtags #10000cupcakes and #donate, KitchenAid will donate $1 to Susan G. Komen, up to a maximum donation of $10,000. In addition, KitchenAid will donate $250,000 or more to Susan G. Komen through the Cook for the Cure program to support the fight against breast cancer. Since 2001, they have donated more than $10.7 million to Komen through the initiative, sales of pink products, celebrity chef auctions and fundraisers hosted by supporters.

Visit cookforthecure.kitchenaid.com/10000cupcakes/ to see the full terms and conditions and learn more about the 10,000 Cupcakes program.

Lemon Berry Cheesecake Bars

Recipe courtesy of Lindsay Conchar of Life, Love & Sugar on behalf of KitchenAid
Makes: 12-16 bars

• 1 1/2    cups graham cracker crumbs
• 5          tablespoons butter, melted
• 16        ounces cream cheese, at room temperature
• 1 1/2    cups powdered sugar, divided
• 3          tablespoons lemon juice
• 1          tablespoon lemon zest
• 1 1/4    cups heavy whipping cream, divided
• fresh berries

1. Line 9-inch square cake pan with parchment paper, bringing up over sides.
2. Combine graham cracker crumbs and butter, and stir until well combined. Press crumb mixture evenly into bottom of cake pan. Set aside.
3. In bowl of stand mixer, beat cream cheese, 1 cup powdered sugar, lemon juice and lemon zest until smooth. In separate bowl, whip heavy whipping cream until it starts to thicken. Add remaining powdered sugar and continue to whip until stiff peaks form. Gently fold half the whipped cream into cheesecake mixture and place remainder in refrigerator to use later. Spread cheesecake mixture evenly in cake pan.
4. Refrigerate cheesecake at least 4 hours, or until firm.
5. Use parchment paper on sides to lift bars out of pan then cut into squares. Use remaining whipped cream to top cheesecake bars then add fresh berries, as desired. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Mini Fruit Tarts

Recipe courtesy of Kelly Kwok of Life Made Sweeter on behalf of KitchenAid
Makes: 6 pastries

Pastries:

• 1          frozen puff pastry sheet (17.3 ounces), thawed
• 1          large egg
• 1-2       teaspoons milk

Frosting:

• 1/4       cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 8          ounces cream cheese, chilled
• 1-2       tablespoons coconut cream or full-fat canned coconut milk, plus additional             (optional)
• 1          teaspoon coconut extract
• 1/2       teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 3-3 1/2             cups powdered sugar, plus additional (optional)

Toppings:

• assorted fresh fruit
• powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

1. To make pastries: Heat oven to 400° F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place puff pastry sheet on lightly floured work surface and cut each sheet into 12 3-inch squares.
3. In small bowl, beat egg with milk to make egg wash and lightly brush onto each square.
4. Transfer pastries onto baking sheet and bake 10 minutes, until pastries have puffed up and are golden.
5. Cool completely on wire rack.
6. To make frosting: In stand mixer bowl fitted with flat beater, beat butter on medium speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
7. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth and fully incorporated. Add coconut cream, coconut extract and vanilla extract, and beat until smooth.
8. Gently stir in powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Turn stand mixer on high and beat 1 minute, until fully combined. Add additional powdered sugar and coconut cream until desired consistency and level of sweetness is reached.
9. Spread or pipe coconut cream cheese frosting into middle.
10. Top with fresh fruit and another pastry square. Dust with powdered sugar, if desired.

Photo courtesy of Chris Scheuer of The Cafe Sucre Farine (cupcake)

Source: KitchenAid

(Family Features) The hottest item to give and exchange this holiday season is a cookie. That’s because each cookie shared this November and December can mean supporting Cookies for Kids’ Cancer, a non-profit that raises funds for pediatric cancer research through cookie sales.

Glad has teamed with businesswoman and mother Ivanka Trump and award-winning chef and head judge of Bravo’s “Top Chef Just Desserts” Johnny Iuzzini to help spread the word. You can help in two ways:

• Send a virtual cookie to a friend at www.Glad.com.
• Host a Cookies for Kids' Cancer Bake Sale or Cookie Exchange. Register the event at www.cookiesforkidscancer.org and share how many cookies were sold or exchanged.

Glad will donate up to $1 for each edible or virtual cookie exchanged, up to $100,000.

Cookies for Kids' Cancer inspires individuals, communities and businesses to join in the fight against pediatric cancer. Pediatric cancer is the leading cause of death by disease for children in the United States, yet approximately half of the drugs used to treat children with cancer are at least 20 years old, according to the Institute of Medicine.

“As a mom, I want to do everything I can to help our children,” said Ivanka Trump. “The Cookie Exchange reminds us that the simplest transactions can be most impactful.”

Everyone can make a difference, one cookie at a time. Here is one of Iuzzini’s original holiday cookie recipes for inspiration:

Lime Shortbread

Makes about 2 1/2 dozen 2-inch cookies

• 2 sticks unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 2 finely grated zest limes
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
• 1 cup confectioner’s sugar

1. Put butter into standing mixer with the paddle, and mix on medium-low until a thick paste forms with no visible butter lumps. Add lime zest, juice and salt, and mix until well combined.
2. Meanwhile, sift flour and confectioner’s sugar together. With mixer on low, slowly add dry ingredients to butter mixture, stopping to scrape down bowl as necessary. Mix until just combined.
3. Turn dough out onto large sheet of plastic wrap and press into a rectangle about 1/2-inch thick. Wrap dough tightly in plastic and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
   Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Remove dough from refrigerator and let stand for about 10 minutes.
4. Lightly flour a sheet of parchment, unwrap dough, and set it on paper. Lightly flour top of dough and place another sheet of parchment over the top. Roll dough to an even 1/4-inch thickness. Use a 2-inch cutter to cut out cookies; transfer them to baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.
5. Re-roll dough as necessary to cut out cookies until dough is used up. Freeze cookies on pan for 10 minutes.
6. Bake cookies, rotating pans halfway through, until light golden brown on the edges, about 15 minutes. Cool on pan for 10 minutes before transferring to rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.