Our five children are all now adults, two of them married. None of them live near us. So when they come home for Christmas, I ask, "What do you want to make for Christmas this year?" Because, while we've always made our Christmas sweet rolls, to eat on Christmas morning, we have experimented over the years with a wide variety of other treats, candies, cakes and pies.

Several years ago now, we found a recipe for sausage stars that we all enjoy. We make them some Christmases. And some Christmases we make other things and never get around to making these.

This year, Gregg and I made some for our Christmas Sunday School class party. We walked into the house with these appetizers hot from the oven, and offered them to our friends. What fun!

<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sausagestarsingredients.jpg"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-871" title="sausagestarsingredients" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sausagestarsingredients.jpg" alt="" width="479" height="414" /></a>Sausage Stars

1 package wanton wrappers (usually found in the produce section of the grocery store)

1 pound Jimmy Dean sausage

chopped green and red bell peppers

ranch dressing

shredded cheese (We like sharp cheddar or fiesta blend best.)

Brown sausage and drain well. Put the wonton wrappers in a tart-sized muffin tin

[caption id="attachment_869" align="aligncenter" width="480" caption="I gently fold the wrapper and place in the pan. Do NOT press it down and make it fit the pan."]<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/wontonsinpan.jpg"><img class=" wp-image-869 " title="wontonsinpan" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/wontonsinpan.jpg" alt="" width="480" height="352" /></a>[/caption]
<p style="text-align: center;">Spoon in less than a teaspoon of the cooked sausage.<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sausage.jpg"><img class="aligncenter  wp-image-868" title="sausage" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/sausage.jpg" alt="" width="479" height="415" /></a></p>
Add four or five small pieces of chopped peppers, mix red and green.<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/addpeppers.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-867" title="addpeppers" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/addpeppers-277x300.jpg" alt="" width="277" height="300" /></a>

Squirt a small amount, about 1/2 teaspoon of ranch dressing in each star.<a href="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ranchdressingadded.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-866" title="ranchdressingadded" src="http://motherhoodstress.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/ranchdressingadded-300x247.jpg" alt="" width="300" height="247" /></a>

Top with a pinch of shredded cheese.

Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes or so, until golden brown and cheese has melted.