Feeding the kids: Snowball cupcakes

In my ongoing quest to find tasty, kid-friendly food  appropriate for the whole family, this week I chose a fun cupcake recipe perfect for holiday parties. I love them because they're easy to prepare, and you can make them ahead of time. I found the recipe in "Christmas Sweet Treats: Yummy Festive Cakes, Cookies & Sweets for You to Make," by Nancy Lambert (Barron's; $9.99). 

Snowball Cupcakes

Ingredients
-8 oz. white or milk chocolate
-1 oz. butter
-8 oz. chunky fruit and nut mix

Directions
1. Either use a double-boiler or put a heat-proof bowl over a saucepan of just simmering water. Make sure the bowl doesn't touch the water. Break the chocolate into small pieces and put it into the bowl or the top of the double-boiler with the butter. Stir the ingredients gently over low heat until they have melted.

2. Take the pan off the burner and take the bowl or the top of the double-boiler off the pan. Add the fruit and nut mix to the bowl, and stir it into the chocolate mixture until it is thoroughly coated.

3. Spoon a little of the mixture into each baking cup. Leave the snowball cupcakes in a cool place to set.