Thrifty Thursday - Creative Christmas Snacks and Appetizers

NOTE:  I've added more Creative Christmas Snacks on a new page - CLICK HERE to see the list and recipes.

Who has the money for expensive snacks and treats for Christmastime?

These inexpensive and creative Christmas snacks are GREAT to do for (and with) the children you share your Christmas with!

I discovered most of them at "Disney's Family Fun" (A fantastic resource tool for those who love to craft and do special things with the kids/grandkids.)

Crunchy the Snowman

Ingredients

• bag of 8-inch pretzel rods
• 1 cup white chocolate chips
• mini chocolate chips
• orange decorators' gel

• fruit leather (various colors)
• gummy rings
• gumdrops

Instructions

1. To make a batch, melt 1 cup of white chocolate chips in the top of a double boiler.
   
2. One at a time, dip one end of an 8-inch pretzel rod in the melted chocolate and use a plastic spoon or knife to spread the chocolate two thirds of the way down the rod.
   
3. Set the pretzels on a sheet of waxed paper and press on mini chocolate chips for eyes and buttons. Use orange decorators' gel to add a carrot nose.
   
4. When the chocolate has hardened, stand the pretzels in a mug or glass and tie on strips of fruit leather for scarves. For each hat, stretch a gummy ring over the narrow end of a gumdrop and secure it on the pretzel rod with a dab of melted chocolate.

Frosty the Cheesball

Ingredients

• 16 ounces cream cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 10 raisins for eyes, mouth, and buttons
• 1 piece of carrot for the nose
• 4 crackers for the hat (we used Ritz and Dare water crackers)

• 1 thyme sprig for the hat (optional)
• Strips of carrot for the scarf
• 2 broken pretzels for the arms
• 1 (1/2-inch) piece of a canned baby corn for the pipe
• Toothpick for the pipe 

Instructions  

1. In a large bowl, let the cream cheese soften at room temperature for about 30 minutes. Stir in the garlic salt and the onion powder, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 2 hours.
2. Make the snowman by rolling two thirds of the cheese into a ball for his body and the other third into a ball for his head. Stack the balls, then add the facial features, clothing, arms, and pipe as shown. Serve with crackers or mini bagels.

Wrap and Stack Sandwich Tree

Ingredients

• 1 16-ounce can whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 4 large (9- or 10-inch) spinach-flour tortillas or flat breads
• Mayonnaise
• 3/4 pound thinly sliced Monterey Jack or American cheese
• 3/4 pound thinly sliced smoked turkey

• 1/2 head green-leaf lettuce
• Toothpicks
• Red and yellow bell peppers
• cocktail onions, for garnish 

Instructions

1. Spoon the cranberry sauce into a food processor and pulse it briefly.
   
2. Then lay the tortillas or flat bread on a flat working surface and lightly spread them with mayonnaise (a rubber spatula comes in handy for this). Now your kids can top each tortilla with a layer each of cheese and turkey. (Tip: When stacking ingredients, leave an inch margin along the top of the tortilla. Roll the bread toward that edge to keep the filling from falling out.)
   
3. Spread cranberry sauce on the turkey layers and cover them with lettuce. Snugly roll up the sandwiches, ending with the loose edges underneath.
   
4. With a serrated knife, cut each roll-up into 1 1/4-inch-wide pinwheels and insert a toothpick to hold each one together.
   
5. On a serving platter, arrange the pinwheels in rows to create a Christmas tree. Garnish with pepper-star ornaments (cut out with a small cookie cutter) and cocktail-onion lights.
   

Holiday Pretzel Treats

Ingredients

• Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels
• Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug

• M&M's candy

Instructions

1. Heat the oven to 170F. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug.
   
2. Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss.
   
3. Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes. Place handfuls of the candies in clear plastic bags and tie on colorful ribbons.
   

There are a TON of crafting ideas HERE.