Cheese and Fruit Christmas Tree
Equipment
- 1 wooden cutting board
Ingredients
- 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, cut into cubes
- 8 ounces pepper jack cheese, cut into cubes
- 8 ounces Colby jack cheese, cut into cubes
- 4 ounces Monterey jack cheese, cut into cubes
- 1 pound green seedless grapes
- 1 pound red seedless grapes
- 3 tablespoons Boursin cheese (herb and garlic or shallot and chives)
- fresh thyme sprigs
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley (if using Boursin herb and garlic cheese) or fresh chives (if using Boursin shallot and chives)
- 1 2 inch piece of celery
- crackers, to serve
Instructions
- Place cheddar cheese cubes approximately 4 inches from bottom of cutting board.
- Place some of the red grapes above the cheddar cheese cubes to begin building the Christmas tree shape.
- Continue adding alternate cheese and grapes in rows to form the Christmas tree shape.
- Arrange the thyme sprigs among the grapes.
- Roll the Boursin cheese into a ball and roll the ball in the parsley or chives to coat. Place the Boursin cheese ball at the top of the tree.
- Place the celery piece at the bottom to create the trunk of the tree.
- Serve with your favorite crackers.
Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Reindeer
To serve with hot cocoa.
Equipment
- 12 short lollipop sticks
- 1 pastry bag
Ingredients
- 2 cups chocolate chips, divided
- 12 marshmallows
- 24 small pretzels
- 24 candy eyes
- 12 cinnamon red hot candies or red plain M&M candies
Instructions
- Place 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave them in 30 second intervals, stirring between each interval, until they are melted.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Skewer a marshmallow on each lollipop stick. Dip the marshmallows into the melted chocolate so it's thoroughly covered. Shake off any excess then place each marshmallow pop on the baking sheet. Once the chocolate has hardened, melt the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips and transfer it to a pastry bag.
- Pipe chocolate onto the back of each marshmallow, then attach two pretzels to form the antlers. Refrigerate until chocolate has hardened.
- Pipe two chocolate dots and attach the candy eyes, followed by piping a final chocolate dot in the center and attaching the cinnamon red hot nose (or red M&M candy)
- Repeat the decorating process with the remaining marshmallows. Refrigerate until chocolate has hardened.
- Allow the pops to sit until fully hardened. Put a marshmallow reindeer in a cup of hot cocoa to serve.
Grinch Fruit Kabobs
Equipment
- 24 short wooden skewers
Ingredients
- 24 mini marshmallows
- 24 large strawberries
- 24 green grapes
- 8 large marshmallows (banana slices may be substituted if serving immediately)
Instructions
- Thread a grape onto the wooden skewer.
- Cut a large marshmallow into thirds with kitchen scissors.
- Slide a slice of marshmallow onto the skewer (or banana slices if using).
- Slice the top off strawberry and thread onto the skewer (large side first).
- Top with mini marshmallow.
- Refrigerate until time to serve.
Christmas Snack Mix
Equipment
- paper Christmas muffin tin liners
Ingredients
- 1 cup baby Goldfish Crackers
- 1 cup roasted, salted pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 1 cup almonds peanuts, pecans, walnuts or pistachios may be substituted
- 1 cup mini pretzels
- 18 pieces Smart Food Merry Berry Popcorn Mix
Instructions
- Pour all ingredients into a bowl and toss together.
- Pour snack mix into paper Christmas muffin tin liners to serve.
Celery Reindeer
To make celery reindeer you will need:
Celery sticks
Fresh cranberries, raspberries (halved) or red M&M’s
Small pretzel twists
peanut butter
Nutella (optional)
Candy eyes
Powdered sugar
Here’s how to make celery reindeer:
Cut celery into sticks that are 3 to 4 inches long.
Spread peanut butter and Nutella (if using) along the center of the stalk.
Break the pretzel twists in half. Arrange them at the top of the celery stick to form the antlers.
Add two candy eyes below the antlers, then place a cranberry, raspberry half or red M&M beneath each pair of eyes for the reindeer’s nose. Sprinkle a little powdered sugar “snow” over the reindeer’s antlers.
