cookbooks
FAMILY SNACKS Edition Gather the family and get ready for a fun night complete with tasty snacks! Whether you’ve got a serious sweet tooth or a hankering for something savory, you’ll find snacks that are salty, sweet and silly. And to wash it all down, raise a glass of one of our favorite family night drinks. Whether you’re doing a game night, movie night or just some good old quality family time, these simple recipes are just the food you need to keep things fun — and full!
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Watermelon slushie Root beer floats Cola peach float PB&J shakes Grilled chicken and cheese nachos Ginger chicken wings Oven-baked chicken wings with sweet & tangy mustard sauce
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Vine-ripened tomato bruschetta with fresh
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Sliders
basil and balsamic vinaigrette Turkey and cheese wrap Oven-baked nachos topped with glazed chicken, onions and peppers
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Sandwich on a stick Confetti crunchers Puppy chow Edible eyeballs Homemade ice cream sandwiches Candy counter brownies
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Caramel corn Cinnamon crispers Southern belle salad Domino cookies The best (basic) brownies Cheddar cheese popcorn
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Cheesy potato sticks Dipped pretzel sticks Twin cheese dip Make-your-own popcorn Pizza popcorn
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Drinks No family night menu is complete without drinks. Go one better than water and sodas and try these fun (and fizzy!) beverages. Serve them in chilled mugs for an extra special touch.
WATERMELON SLUSHIE Makes 8 Ingredients: 8 cups cubed, seeded watermelon, frozen 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar 6 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate (1 can), thawed Mint sprig for garnish (optional) Directions: 1. Working in two batches, place watermelon, powdered sugar and lemonade concentrate in a blender and blend until smooth. 2. Pour into chilled glasses and serve with mint sprig for garnish.
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Family Snacks
{Drinks}
ROOT BEER FLOATS Makes 4 Ingredients: 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream 1 (2 liter) bottle root beer or 4 glass bottles Canned whipped topping Chocolate shavings, if desired 4 frosted mugs Directions: 1. Pour root beer into each mug until 2/3 full. 2. Add one scoop vanilla ice cream. 3. Top with whipped topping and chocolate shavings if desired.
COLA PEACH FLOAT Makes 4 Ingredients: 1/2 gallon vanilla ice cream 2 cups peach yogurt 1 cup cola Directions: 1. Place two scoops of ice cream in the bottom of each glass. 2. Add two scoops of peach yogurt. 3. Pour 1/4 cup cola over the ice cream and yogurt mixture.
PB&J SHAKES Makes 4 Ingredients: 4 cups milk 2 ripe bananas, sliced 1/4 cup peanut butter 1/4 cup jam 1 teaspoon vanilla extract Directions: 1. Mix all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. 2. Garnish with fresh strawberries or grapes if desired. SHEKNOWS Family Snacks Edition | 3 |
Small Bites Whether you need your hands free for family game night or want easy appetizers to munch on during weekly family movie night, these small bite meal ideas are the perfect family night snack. GRILLED CHICKEN AND CHEESE NACHOS Ingredients: 1 (1 pound) bag of large unsalted corn nachos 18 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast 1 cup mild cheddar cheese, grated 1 cup mozzarella cheese, grated 4 ounces shredded green onions 2 ounces olive oil 2 cups turkey chili (optional) 1 cup olive oil 1/2 ounce diced tomatoes 1 pinch of garlic salt Directions: 1. Place chicken on a large plate and brush with the olive oil. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic salt to taste. 2. Transfer chicken either onto a grill or a grill pan on medium heat. 3. Cook the chicken breast for three to four minutes on both sides until chicken is cooked through. Remove the chicken and set aside. 4. Place the corn chips on an oven safe sheet pan and top with half of each the cheeses. 5. Cut the chicken into small strips and place on top of the chips and then add the remaining cheese. 6. Place the sheet pan with chips into the oven for about three minutes, paying close attention. 7. Remove the chips and add the chili and/or the green onions. Garnish with 1/2 ounce of diced tomatoes.
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Family Snacks
{Small Bites}
GINGER CHICKEN WINGS Ingredients: 2 slices of ginger 12 chicken wings, just the middle section 2 tsp. cooking oil 1/2 cup dark soy sauce 1 (12 ounce) can of Coca-Cola速 Directions 1. Heat a small to medium sized pot, adding the oil and ginger. When the oil is hot, brown the wings on both sides. Do this in batches if necessary. 2. When all the wings are browned, take out the ginger and add the soy sauce and Coca-Cola速 into the pot. Bring to a boil, then turn to medium/medium-low heat and simmer for about 30 minutes or until meat falls of the bone easily. 3. Taste the sauce to see if it is needs more soy sauce. If not, turn heat back on high for a few minutes to let the sauce thicken. Make sure the wings are covered with the Coca-Cola速/soy sauce mixture. Add more sauce according to taste and serve.
OVEN-BAKED CHICKEN WINGS WITH SWEET & TANGY MUSTARD SAUCE Ingredients: 16 chicken wings, whole (about 4-1/2 pounds) 7 cups Barq's Root Beer 2-1/2 teaspoons salt 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground 1/4 cup yellow mustard, prepared 4 teaspoons hot pepper sauce Directions 1. In a large, wide saucepan over medium-high heat, begin reducing 2 cups of root beer for sauce to 1-1/4 cups. Meanwhile, rinse chicken wings under cold water and pat dry. Trim wing tips and discard. Cut each wing into two pieces at the main joint. Place wings in a bowl with marinade root beer and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. 2. While reducing root beer for sauce, preheat oven to 500 degrees F. Remove wings, drain, and reserve marinade. Season wings with 2 teaspoons salt and pepper and place on a rack over a baking sheet. Place marinade in a saucepan over medium-high heat and reduce to 1/2 cup. Skim foam from marinade as it reduces.
3. While sauce and marinade finish reducing, place wings in oven and bake until they begin to turn golden, about 15 minutes. Remove and brush with marinade. Flip wings over, brush with marinade again, and continue baking until wings are golden and glazed, about 12 to 15 minutes. Discard marinade. 4. Meanwhile, finish the sauce by whisking mustard and hot pepper sauce into the 5 cups root beer sauce reduction. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt or as needed. Brush wings with the sauce, return to oven and bake until golden brown, glazed, and cooked through, about 10 minutes. 5. Brush glazed wings once more with sauce. Serve hot wings with additional sauce on the side.
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Family Snacks
{Small Bites} VINE-RIPENED TOMATO BRUSCHETTA WITH FRESH BASIL AND BALSAMIC VINAIGRETTE Ingredients: 2 sourdough baguettes 6 vine-ripened fresh tomatoes 1 bunch of pencil asparagus, cooked 1 bunch of fresh basil 4 whole shallots, diced and peeled 1 teaspoon diced garlic 1 cup balsamic vinegar 4 ounces melted unsalted butter Salt and pepper
Directions 1. Start by slicing the sourdough bread into 1-inch rounds. 2. With a small brush, lightly coat both sides of the bread with melted butter and add a pinch of salt. Place the rounds of bread on to either a grill or a sheet pan and lightly toast for about three minutes for soft toast. Remove and place to the side. 3. Wash the tomatoes and dice into very small pieces and place into a large bowl. 4. Take the cooked asparagus and cut into small rounds and mix together with the tomatoes. 5. Roughly cut the basil leaves and add the garlic and shallots and the balsamic. Mix well and season with salt and pepper. 6. Place the toasted rounds on a platter and put a small tablespoon of the vegetable mix on top and serve.
SLIDERS Ingredients: 2 pounds ground turkey or beef 1/2 cup minced red onion 1/4 cup minced green onion, white and green parts 2 egg whites, whisked 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce 12 mini burger buns or small soft dinner rolls, warmed 1 cup grated cheddar cheese 12 small lettuce leaves 12 slices tomato 1 cup thinly sliced red onions 1 avocado, peeled, pitted, and thinly sliced Garlic salt to taste 1/2 tablespoon ground black pepper Mayonnaise (optional) Mustard (optional) Ketchup (optional) Directions 1. Preheat a grill to medium-high. 2. In a large bowl, combine the ground turkey or beef with the minced red onion, green onion, egg whites, garlic salt, ground pepper and Worcestershire sauce. Mix gently but thoroughly. 3. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and shape them into 12 small burgers, each about 3-1/2 inches wide. 4. Place the burgers on the grill and cook until just done, about three to four minutes per side. 5. Serve the burgers on the mini buns and top with the cheese, lettuce, tomato, and sliced red onion. Top with avocado, mayonnaise, mustard, and ketchup if desired.
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Family Snacks
{Small Bites}
TURKEY AND CHEESE WRAP Ingredients: 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard 6 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas 1-1/2 cups finely shredded romaine lettuce 12 slices thinly sliced deli smoked turkey 3/4 cup shredded white Cheddar cheese 1 large tomato, seeded and diced 1 large avocado, sliced 6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled Directions 1. Mix together the cream cheese and Dijon mustard until smooth. Spread each tortilla with about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese mixture, spreading to within 1/4 inch of the edge of the tortillas. 2. Arrange about 1/4 cup of shredded lettuce on each tortilla, and press the lettuce down into the cream cheese mixture. Place 2 turkey slices per tortilla over the lettuce, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of shredded white Cheddar cheese. Top each tortilla evenly with tomato, avocado slices, and crumbled bacon. 3. Roll each tortilla up tightly and cut in half across the middle with a slightly diagonal cut.
OVEN-BAKED NACHOS TOPPED WITH GLAZED CHICKEN, ONIONS AND PEPPERS Ingredients: 1-2/3 cups Diet Coke 2 teaspoons olive oil 1-1/4 pounds chicken breast meat, skinless, trimmed of fat, cut into 1/2-inch cubes 4 cups onion, diced into 1/2-inch cubes 1-1/2 cups green bell pepper, diced into 1/2-inch cubes 1-1/2 cups red bell pepper, diced into 1/2-inch cubes 2 jalapeños, seeded, finely diced 3 garlic cloves, chopped 2 teaspoons salt 1 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground 8 flour tortillas (8-inch diameter), cut to 6 wedges As needed, fat-free non-stick cooking spray Directions 1. Place Diet Coke in a saucepan over medium-high heat and reduce to 3/4 cup. Reserve for later. 2. Make topping by heating olive oil in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and sauté chicken until light golden on all sides, about 7 to 10 minutes. Remove chicken and reserve for later. 3. In same pan, add onions and peppers. Sauté for five minutes, and then add garlic. Continue to cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add chicken and reduced Diet Coke. Add the salt and pepper, toss well and remove from heat. Cover to keep warm while preparing tortillas. 4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place tortilla wedges on non-stick cookie sheets and spray them with cooking spray. Bake until tortillas are crispy and lightly golden, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly. 5. Serve nachos topped with chicken, onions and peppers.
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Silly Snacks From shrunken sandwiches to edible eyeballs, these fun snacks are easy to assemble and good for a few laughs.
SANDWICH ON A STICK Ingredients: 2 slices bread 1/2 inch thick slice of ham or turkey Swiss or Cheddar cheese cubes 5 Sweet gherkin pickles, cut in half Olives 9 grape tomatoes Directions: 1. Cut each slice of bread into 9 squares. 2. Cut the ham or turkey slice into cubes. 3. Assemble each skewer by layering one bread square, one meat cube, one cheese cube, one pickle, one olive, one tomato and one final piece of bread.
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Family Snacks
{Silly Snacks}
CONFETTI CRUNCHERS Ingredients: 3 cups colored, crispy cereal 3 cups puffed rice cereal 2 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 (10 ounce) package marshmallows Directions 1. Heat butter or margarine and marshmallows in a microwave safe bowl for 1-1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. 2. Stir in both cereals. 3. Spread into a greased 9 x 13-inch pan and allow to cool, approximately 2 hours. Slice and serve.
PUPPY CHOW Ingredients: 6 cups rice square cereal 1/2 cup peanut butter 1/2 cup butter 12 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chips 2 cups powdered sugar Chocolate Jimmies Directions 1. Melt peanut butter, butter and chocolate chips in the microwave or on the stove. 2. Place cereal in a large plastic bowl. Pour melted chocolate mixture over cereal and mix with a wooden spoon. 3. Spoon cereal into a gallon size zippered plastic bag. You may want to do this in two batches. 4. Add powdered sugar to the plastic bag, close securely and shake to coat the cereal mixture. 5. Pour into serving dishes and top with Jimmies.
EDIBLE EYEBALLS Ingredients: 4 large carrots 4 ounces cream cheese, softened Pitted black olives, halved Directions 1. Cut carrots into 1-inch slices. 2. Top each carrot slice with a dollop of cream cheese and one olive half. 3. Arrange on a tray and serve. SHEKNOWS Family Snacks Edition | 9 |
Sweet Snacks Who can resist a heaping plate of candy-filled brownies? Call the family together and dish up these sweet treats after a fabulous family dinner.
HOMEMADE ICE CREAM SANDWICHES Ingredients: 24 chocolate chip cookies 1 pint vanilla ice cream, softened 1 pint mint ice cream, softened Directions: 1. Place 12 cookies face down on a wax paper-lined work surface. 2. Smear about 1/3 cup softened ice cream on each overturned cookie. 3. Wrap in foil and freeze at least 4 hours before serving.
You can use your favorite family cookie recipe, or keep it easy with this shortcut ice cream sandwich method.
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Family Snacks
{Sweet Snacks}
CANDY COUNTER BROWNIES Ingredients: 1/2 cup butter, melted 1 cup sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/3 cup cocoa powder 1/2 cup flour 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/2 tablespoon baking powder 2 or 3 favorite movie candies, crushed or sliced into small pieces Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour a 9 x 9-inch pan. 2. Mix the melted butter and sugar. Beat eggs in, one at a time. 3. Mix in vanilla extract. Add cocoa, flour, salt and baking powder. Stir just until combined. Lightly fold in candies. 4. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
These brownies are perfect for a family movie night. Grab a movie-size box of your favorite candy and mix it into the batter.
CARAMEL CORN Ingredients: 1 cup butter 2 cups brown sugar 1/2 cup corn syrup 1 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 5 quarts popped popcorn Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees F. 2. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan over medium heat. Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 4 minutes. 3. Remove from heat and stir in baking soda and vanilla extract. 4. Place popcorn in a large bowl. Drizzle caramel mixture slowly over popcorn, stirring to coat. 5. Place in two large shallow baking dishes and place in oven. Stir every 15 minutes for 1 hour. Cool completely and break into pieces. SHEKNOWS Family Snacks Edition | 11 |
Family Snacks
{Sweet Snacks} CINNAMON CRISPERS Ingredients: 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 12 (8-inch) flour tortillas 2 tablespoons melted butter Directions: 1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. 2. Combine sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl. 3. Spread tortillas with melted butter. Cut each tortilla into 8 wedges. 4. Spread tortilla slices on a baking sheet and sprinkle with the sugar mixture. 5. Bake for 5 minutes, until lightly browned. Drizzle with honey just before serving.
SOUTHERN BELLE SALAD Ingredients: 1 can (16 ounces) pitted dark sweet cherries 1 pkg. (3 ounces) cherry gelatin 1 cup Coca-Cola速 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice 1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese 1/2 cup cut-up pecans or walnuts Directions: 1. Drain cherry juice. Bring 3/4 cup of juice to boiling; add to gelatin. Stir until dissolved. 2. Stir in Coca-Cola速 and lemon juice. Chill until gelatin mounds slightly. 3. Cut cheese into very small pieces. Fold cheese, nuts and whole cherries into gelatin. Spoon into 7 individual molds. Chill until firm.
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Family Snacks
{Sweet Snacks}
DOMINO COOKIES Ingredients: 1 tube refrigerated sugar cookie dough 1 (12 ounce) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. 2. Working in batches, roll dough into a 12 x 6-inch rectangle on a lightly floured surface. 3. Cut into 12 rectangles and place 2 inches apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet. 4. Score each rectangle in the center with a knife. 5. Gently press chocolate chip dots into the dough. 6. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden. Cool slightly, then remove to wire racks to cool completely.
THE BEST (BASIC) BROWNIES Ingredients: 2 cups sugar 3/4 cup melted salted butter 1/2 teaspoon salt 3 eggs 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder 1 cup flour Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. 2. In a large bowl, mix sugar, melted butter and salt. Beat in eggs, one at a time. 3. Add cocoa powder and flour, mixing just until blended. 4. Pour into a greased, 8 x 8-inch pan and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, just until set.
These brownies are so simple and so delicious, you'll never use another boxed mix again. Make these dense, fudge-like brownies as is or top them with your favorite candies, chocolate chips or marshmallows.
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Salty Snacks Family game and movie nights just aren't complete without small, bite-size salty snacks within arm’s reach!
CHEDDAR CHEESE POPCORN Ingredients: 3 tablespoons melted butter 1/4 cup Cheddar cheese powder 1/4 teaspoon mustard powder 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 4 cups popcorn Directions: 1. Combine butter, Cheddar cheese powder, mustard powder, cayenne pepper and popcorn. 2. Toss to combine and serve immediately.
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Family Snacks
{Salty Snacks}
CHEESY POTATO STICKS Ingredients: 1-1/2 pounds potatoes, washed (not peeled) 2 tablespoons melted margarine 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1/4 teaspoon paprika 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Serve these fancied-up fries with your favorite dip – ketchup, ranch, honey mustard, you call it!
Directions 1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. 2. Cut potatoes lengthwise into quarters and then cut each quarter into thirds. Coat potatoes with margarine. 3. In a wide shallow dish, combine crumbs, cheese, and seasonings. Coat potato sticks with crumb mixture. 4. Place potatoes in a single layer on cookie sheet. Bake for 30 minutes or until crispy on the outside. 5. Divide into one-half cup portions and serve immediately
DIPPED PRETZEL STICKS Ingredients: 18 pretzel rods, from a 10-ounce package 8 ounces semi sweet or white chocolate chips Assorted sprinkles, chopped nuts or chopped candy bars Directions 1. Line two rimmed baking sheets with waxed paper and set aside. Pour sprinkles, candies and nuts onto dinner plates. 2. Place chocolate chips in a microwave-safe dish and microwave in 30-second increments, stirring after each, until chocolate is melted. This usually takes about 1 minute. Stir until smooth. 3. One at a time, roll one end of pretzel rods into melted chocolate and coat 3/4 of the way up. 4. Allow chocolate to set for 30 seconds to 1 minute, then roll each pretzel rod in the topping of your choice. Set on the baking sheet to cool completely.
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Family Snacks
{Salty Snacks} TWIN CHEESE DIP Ingredients: About 3/4 pound (12 ounces) sharp Cheddar cheese 1 package (4 ounces) Roquefort cheese 1 clove garlic 3/4 cup Coca-Cola速 2 tablespoons soft margarine 1 tablespoon grated onion 1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoons dry mustard 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce Directions 1. Grate Cheddar cheese into large mixing bowl. Add crumbled Roquefort. Put garlic through press; add to cheeses with 1/2 cup of Coca-Cola速 and remaining ingredients. 2. Place mixture in food processor; pulse until combined. Gradually add remaining Coca-Cola速, then process until mixture is fairly smooth, light and fluffy. Pack into covered container and chill. Best if refrigerated overnight.
MAKE-YOUR-OWN POPCORN Ingredients: 3 tablespoons popcorn kernels Directions 1. Add popcorn kernels to a paper bag. Fold it over and close securely with tape. 2. Microwave the popcorn for approximately 2 minutes. 3. Remove from bag and season as desired. Forget bagged popcorn! Make your own air-popped popcorn without a popper. All you need is a brown paper bag. This recipe makes about 5 cups of popcorn.
PIZZA POPCORN Ingredients: 3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese 1 teaspoon ground, dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried tomato powder 3 cups popped popcorn Directions 1. Mix cheese and spices together. 2. Sprinkle over popcorn and serve. | 16 | SHEKNOWS Cookbooks