RITZ "Pine Cone" Pesto-Cheese Topper Prep Time: 5 min Total Time: 5 min Servings: 4, 4 topped crackers each 4 oz. Neufchatel cheese, softened 1 Tbsp. basil pesto 16 RITZ Crackers 2 Tbsp. toasted sliced almonds, broken in half 16 small fresh basil leaves Mix Neufchatel cheese and pesto until blended; spoon into resealable plastic bag. Cut small piece off one bottom corner of bag; use to pipe Neufchatel mixture into oval shape on top of each cracker Press nut pieces into Neufchatel mixture to resemble pine cones. Add basil sprigs. Substitute - Substitute fresh parsley sprigs for the basil. How to Toast Nuts - To easily toast nuts, spread them in a single layer in a shallow baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly toasted, stirring occasionally. Nutrition Information Per Serving: 180 calories, 14g total fat, 5g saturated fat, 20mg cholesterol, 220mg sodium, 10g carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 2g total sugars, 4g protein
Hummus-Pomegranate TRISCUIT Topper Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 15 min Servings: 6, 5 topped crackers each 30 TRISCUIT Crackers 2/3 cup hummus 1/3 cup pomegranate seeds 3 Tbsp. crumbled feta cheese 30 small mint sprigs Spread crackers with hummus. Top with remaining ingredients. Storage and Buying - Look for pomegranate seeds in the refrigerated section of the produce department at your supermarket. Fresh pomegranate seeds, also known as arils, can be refrigerated in airtight container up to 2 weeks. Or for longer storage, spread pomegranate seeds into single layer on waxed paper-covered rimmed baking sheet. Freeze 2 hours. Transfer to freezer-weight resealable plastic bag; freeze up to 3 months before using as desired. Substitute - Prepare using your favorite variety of TRISCUIT Crackers. Nutrition Information Per Serving: 160 calories, 7g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 290mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate, 4g dietary fiber, 1g total sugars, 5g protein
OREO Reindeer And Snowmen Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 45 min Servings: 12 12 OREO Cookies 8 miniature pretzel twists, each broken into 3 pieces 2 oz. white candy coating wafers, melted 2 Tbsp. white nonpareils 1 pkg. (4 oz.) semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted 24 small red round candies 24 mini candy button eyes Separate cookies, leaving creme filling on half of each cookie. Place creme-topped cookie pieces, top sides down, on parchment-covered baking sheet. Dip pretzel pieces, 1 at a time, into melted candy coating; scrape off excess coating on edge of bowl before dipping pretzels into the nonpareils. Press 2 coated pretzel pieces onto each creme-covered cookie half for the reindeer's antlers. Cover with remaining cookie halves, top sides up. Spread tops of cookies with melted chocolate. Decorate with remaining ingredients as shown in photo. Let stand 30 min. or until chocolate is firm. OREO Snowmen - Omit pretzels and nonpareils. Do not separate cookies. Melt 4 oz. candy coating wafers; spread onto tops of cookies. Decorate with small candies and/or sprinkles to resemble snowmen faces. Note - If the dipped pretzel pieces do not stick to the creme filling inside reassembled cookies, use small amount of the remaining candy coating to secure the pretzels to the cookies. Or you can instead press the coated pretzel pieces into the melted semi-sweet chocolate spread onto tops of the unsplit cookies before decorating with remaining ingredients. How to Store - Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days before serving. Substitute - Substitute coarse sugar for the nonpareils. Nutrition Information Per Serving: 140 calories, 7g total fat, 4g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 80mg sodium, 21g carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 15g total sugars, 1g protein
Easy HONEY MAID Holiday Houses Prep Time: 60 min Total Time: 120 min Servings: 12 18 HONEY MAID Honey Grahams 1 cup ready-to-spread white frosting Suggested decorations: small candy canes, starlight mint or other holiday candies; holiday sprinkles; colored sugars; nonpareils; miniature marshmallow Trim both corners off one end of each of 12 grahams for sloped roof of the house; reserve trimmed corners for later use. Decorate houses with frosting and suggested decorations as desired. Break remaining grahams in half to get 12 graham squares. Stand 1 decorated house on each graham square, using 1 of the reserved trimmed corners for support and securing all pieces with some of the remaining frosting. Let stand 1 hour or until frosting is firm. Mini Chalets - For each chalet, cut 2 grahams in half to get 4 graham squares. Stand 2 graham squares against each other in an inverted V-shape on parchment-covered baking sheet, attaching them at the top with frosting. Cut 2 corners off each of the remaining graham squares with serrated knife to fit the front and back of the chalet, securing pieces with frosting. Decorate with frosting, candy canes, other candies and sprinkles as desired. Let stand several hours or until frosting is firm. Family Fun - Use decorating icing to write names on fronts of decorated houses, then use as name cards on your holiday table. Substitute - Prepare using your favorite variety of HONEY MAID Grahams. Nutrition Information Per Serving: 240 calories, 5g total fat, 1g saturated fat, 0mg cholesterol, 160mg sodium, 47g carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 33g total sugars, 1g protein
NABISCO Holiday Cheese Board Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 30 min Servings: 15 1 cup seedless green and/or red grapes 1/4 cup superfine sugar, divided 1/2 cup fresh cranberries 5 oz. pepper Jack cheese, cut into cubes 4 oz. cheddar cheese, sliced 3 oz. nut-covered white cheddar cheese log, sliced 1/4 cup pitted dates 1/4 cup dried apricots 2 oz. Swiss cheese, cut into cubes 1/4 cup almonds 1 oz. Colby Jack cheese, cut into 3 wedges 8 to 10 fresh rosemary sprigs (4 inch) 1/2 stalk celery Assorted NABISCO Crackers such as: RITZ Crackers, TRISCUIT Crackers and WHEAT THINS Snacks Rinse grapes with cold water; drain but let some water remain on the grapes. Roll grapes in 2 Tbsp. sugar until evenly coated on all sides. Place in single layer on wire rack. Let stand 15 min. or until dried. Repeat with cranberries and remaining sugar. Place sugared fruit along with all remaining ingredients except colby Jack cheese, rosemary, celery and crackers in rows on large cheese board or platter to resemble a Christmas tree as shown in photo, starting first row of ingredients a few inches from bottom of board. Arrange colby Jack cheese wedges at top of tree to resemble a star. Insert rosemary sprigs between rows, then place celery stalk at bottom of tree for the trunk. Serve with crackers Substitute - Prepare using your favorite varieties of cheese, planning on purchasing 1 oz. cheese for each serving. Nutrition Information Per Serving: 275 calories, 15g total fat, 6g saturated fat, 30mg cholesterol, 340mg sodium, 28g carbohydrate, 3g dietary fiber, 11g total sugars, 8g protein
OREO Chocolate Candy Bar Snowmen Prep Time: 30 min Total Time: 30 min Servings: 8 4 OREO Chocolate Candy Bars (1.44 oz. each) 2 oz. white candy coating wafers, melted 40 miniature candy-coated chocolate pieces 1 piece multi-colored sour belts 1 oz. orange candy coating wafers, melted 1 oz. black candy coating wafers, melted Use serrated knife to cut each candy bar crosswise in half; brush or spread with white candy coating. Place 3 candy-coated chocolate pieces lengthwise down center of each candy bar piece for the snowman's buttons. Cut sour belts piece into lengthwise strips along color lines, then cut each strip crosswise in half. Attach remaining candy-coated chocolate pieces to both ends of EACH of 8 sour belts strips with small dab of the remaining white candy coating. Let stand 1 min. or until firm. Attach to both sides of candy bar pieces with remaining white candy coating for the ear muffs. Discard unused sour belt pieces. Use orange and black candy coatings to add the snowmen's eyes and noses. Refrigerate 5 min. or until candy coating is firm. How to Melt the Candy Coating Wafers - Place each color of candy coating wafers in separate microwaveable bowls. Microwave, 1 bowl at a time, on HIGH 45 sec. or until wafers are completely melted, stirring after 30 sec. Nutrition Information Per Serving: 220 calories, 12g total fat, 8g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 60mg sodium, 27g carbohydrate, 0g dietary fiber, 23g total sugars, 1g protein
OREO Chocolate Candy Bar Pops Prep Time: 15 min Total Time: 15 min Servings: 8 4 OREO Chocolate Candy Bars (1.44 oz. each) 2 oz. green candy coating wafers, melted, divided 2 oz. red candy coating wafers, melted Cover baking sheet with parchment. Use serrated knife to cut candy bars crosswise in half. Dip tips of 8 lollipop sticks, 1 at a time, into green candy coating. Place on backs of candy bar pieces, pressing gently into candy bars to secure. Place, top sides up, on prepared baking sheet. Spoon remaining green candy coating into piping bag; cut off tip. Use to drizzle green coating over candy bar pops. Repeat in separate piping bag with red candy coating. Refrigerate 5 min. or until candy coatings are firm. Special Extra - To decorate as Christmas trees, omit the red candy coating. Use some of the melted green candy coating to secure lollipop sticks to halved candy bars as directed. Spoon remaining green candy coating into piping bag; cut off tip. Use to draw Christmas trees on tops of candy bar pops. Top each tree with small hot cinnamon candy. Substitute - Prepare using any color(s) candy coating wafers to celebrate your favorite holidays or sports team's colors. Substitute - Drizzle candy bar with your favorite color of melted candy coated wafers. Sprinkle with colored sugars or sprinkles. Nutrition Information Per Serving: 190 calories, 11g total fat, 8g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 60mg sodium, 22g carbohydrate, 0g dietary fiber, 20g total sugars, 1g protein
Black & White Golden OREO Cookie Balls Prep Time: 35 min Total Time: 1 hr 45 min Servings: 40, 1 cookie ball each 1 pkg. (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, softened 36 Golden OREO Cookies, finely crushed 8 oz. white candy coating wafers, melted 8 oz. black candy coating wafers, melted 1/3 cup decorations (silver, black or white sprinkles; sugar crystals; and/or nonpareils) Mix cream cheese and cookie crumbs until blended; shape into 40 (1-inch) balls. Dip 1 lollipop stick into melted white or black candy coating, then insert dipped end into center of 1 cookie ball. Place on waxed paper-covered rimmed baking sheet. Repeat with additional lollipop sticks and remaining cookie balls. Freeze 10 min. Dip cookie pops, 1 at a time, into melted white candy coating, turning to evenly coat each cookie ball with candy coating. Return to baking sheet. Immediately drizzle lightly with some of the melted black candy coating, then add decorations as desired. Repeat with remaining cookie pops, coating the balls with the remaining melted black candy coating before drizzling with the remaining melted white candy coating. Add remaining decorations. Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Size WiseTake the time to savor the flavor of this special treat that can be included in a balanced diet on occasion. How to Store Keep cookie pops refrigerated. Variation Prepare cream cheese mixture, shape into balls and insert lollipop sticks into balls as directed; freeze 10 min. Dip half of each cookie ball into melted black candy coating, then dip other half into melted white candy coating. Decorate the white-coated halves with dark silver or black sprinkles, then dip the black-dipped halves with silver or white sprinkles. Nutrition Information Per Serving: 140 calories, 7g total fat, 4.5g saturated fat, 5mg cholesterol, 70mg sodium, 17g carbohydrate, 0g dietary fiber, 13g total sugars, 1g protein