Combine your favorite holiday treats, along with a delicious gingerbread cookie dip, to create a Christmas Sweet Snack Board for your family.

Christmas Sweet SNACK BOARD:

Boards and platters are some of our favorite sharable treats. Some of my recent favorites are the Southern Brunch Board and Antipasto Platter. While we aren’t having any big gatherings this year for the holidays, my family and I are trying to still make it special, and snack boards are a great way to add that touch.

All of the ingredients on this board is readily available at most grocery stores. The only one that is specialty is the Italian rainbow cakes, and those are from Costco. My family loves a variety of cookies and treats, including Italian rainbow cookies, biscotti, molasses cookies, and my personal favorite, a Dutch cookie called stroopwafel. There is a little bit of something for everyone to enjoy.

HOW TO BUILD A FOOD BOARD:

This board has both store-bought and homemade elements, which makes it easy to prepare. The homemade Gingerbread Dip is placed in a bowl and topped with one of my favorite sprinkle mixes “Reindeer Food” from Sweets & Treats Boutique!

We eat with our eyes first, so you have to keep in mind colors, textures, flavors, and movement when building a board or platter. It wouldn’t be as enticing if there wasn’t a variety. With the gingerbread theme, there tends to be a lot of brown, so I broke it up by using red and white bowls, and had a variety of colorful cookies. I also wanted some greenery, and garnished the board with rosemary sprigs from the garden. It gave a nice amount of color, without me worrying if I had non-edible items on the board.

TIPS, TRICKS, AND TOOLS:

• Here are a few of my favorite entertaining products, like including wood boards, bowls and accessories.
• This board focuses on my family’s favorite holiday treats. Feel free to customize for your taste
• Start by placing larger items and bowls first, then work your way down to the smaller items.
• I like to keep everything on your board edible, or food-safe.

Print

Christmas Sweet Snack Board

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Ingredients

• prepared Gingerbread Dip
• Italian rainbow cookies
• biscotti
• stroopwafels
• molasses cookies
• festive shortbread cookies
• Spiced Sugared Pecans

Instructions

• Starting with largest snacks and bowls, place on platter or board. Arrange the remaining cookies and sweet treats.

Welcome to #ChristmasSweetsWeek 2020! Co-hosted by Terri from Love and Confections and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures! What better way to celebrate the holidays than with food and fun? 21 bloggers from around the country have come together to share some of their favorite sweet Christmas recipes!! Deck the halls and get ready for very merry sweet treats, like fudge, cookies, Christmas morning breakfasts, layer cakes, cocoa, and more! Follow along on social media with our #ChristmasSweetsWeek hashtag. Happy Holidays!

Enjoy these #ChristmasSweetsWeek recipes from our bloggers:

Breakfast and Baked Goods Recipes
Cranberry Orange Quick Bread by Simply Inspired Meals
Gingerbread Baked Oatmeal by Making Miracles

Candy and Fudge Recipes
Christmas Snack Board by Love & Confections
Chocolate Cherry Brownie Bites by A Day in the Life on the Farm
Dark Chocolate Graham Crackers by A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Hard Cinnamon Candy by Blogghetti
Papaya Halwa by Palatable Pastime
White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge by An Affair from the Heart

Pastry and Dessert Recipes
Christmas Tree Krispie Treats by Sweet Beginnings
Hot Chocolate cookies by Christmas Tree Lane
Lemon Olive Oil Sugar Cookies by The Spiffy Cookie
Lemon Rosemary Shortbread Cookies [Vegan & Allergy-Friendly] by Bear & Bug Eats
Candy Cane Ice Cream Pie by A Little Fish in the Kitchen Lemon
Gingerbread House by House of Nash Eats
Gingerbread Layer Cake by The Redhead Baker
Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies by Kathryn’s Kitchen Blog
Christmas Sprinkle Cookies by The Mandatory Mooch
Chocolate Saltine Toffee by For the Love of Food

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We always have a New Year’s Eve party, and more often than not it’s all about the finger food and small bites. I love creating a special menu for our party, and I definitely need to plan, especially after our NYE a few years ago. We did a potluck and ended up with ALL THE CHEESE. There were two cheese trays, macaroni and cheese bites, cheese spread, and one person brought chicken fingers. There is nothing wrong with it, but I love a variety, and that’s why I created this menu.

Mushrooms are a family favorite, whether stuffed as an appetizer, in a sauce, or any variation in between. Stuffed mushrooms are a simple and easy appetizer, with little prep and ingredients needed. You can customize them for any flavor profile, add almost any protein, and just have fun when making them. I always make extra, because they usually go really fast at parties. You can serve it as-is or with a marinara sauce.

Puff pastry cheese straws are about the easiest appetizer and so delicious! These straws are light and airy, crispy and the perfect amount of cheddar cheese and spices. Like the mushrooms, these can be totally customized. I love using cheddar cheese, but mozzarella with marinara, or swiss cheese would be great too. Depending on the cheese, you could also have a dip. I opted for a ranch in case anyone wants it, but they are perfect on their own. You could make a variety of cheese straws and dips and have a whole party tray of just that.

Dessert is a must at my parties and I usually have a variety. This year I decided that Nutella would be the star of the show. I love chocolate and hazelnut together in any form. Cheesecake is always a crowd-pleaser, but I didn’t want to be in the kitchen cooking a cheesecake. No-bake cheesecakes are a favorite for parties because of how easy they come together. Anything that makes my menu easier definitely helps me out.

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

I have an ongoing relationship with Florida Dairy Farmers as a recipe developer. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Love and Confections possible. This post may contain Amazon Affiliate links – if you make a purchase after clicking the link, the price will not be higher, but a portion of the sale will go towards the sustainability of this website. As always, all opinions are my own.

The post New Year’s Eve Bites and Delights – Ricotta Stuffed Mushrooms, Puff Pastry Cheese Straws and Nutella Cheesecake Cookie Shooters appeared first on Love and Confections.

While I love making desserts all the time, sometimes I even need a little help. We made over 700 cookies this year, including some that were decorated with royal icing, for neighbors, for friends, neighbors and our Christmas celebrations. I love cookies, but wanted something extra special for Christmas and partnered with Florida Dairy Farmers for these three easy and delicious recipes.

These Christmas Tree Cupcakes are so cute. It does take a little time for the royal icing trees to dry – preferably overnight – but since it can be made ahead, that step is pretty easy. I love the flavor of these cupcakes. Also, this recipe calls for buttermilk, but if you don’t have any, you can use a combination of milk and lemon juice, like I did in my Homemade Gingerbread Pancakes.

Mini cannoli are the perfect bite-sized treat. I don’t make them often, and Christmas is the perfect time to share cannoli with family and friends – especially because we celebrate an Italian Feast of the Seven Fish on Christmas Eve. Cannoli, Italian cheesecake, and sfogliatelle are Christmas Eve traditions.

This year, since we ran out of time because of all the decorated cookies I made, the cheesecakes were never made and the sfogliatelle never got ordered. The cannoli are sure to be a hit, though! As are these cute custom laser letters from my friends at Revel. They created the perfect holiday sayings and these are going to be adorable as table-settings too! I can’t wait to show you what they made for my New Year’s Eve table decorations!

Chocolate Yogurt Dip is a delicious alternative to those heavy, cream cheese-laden dips. While they are yummy, since I already had cannoli with ricotta and mascarpone I opted for something a bit lighter. Sprinkles are definitely a requirement on this dip, especially during holiday time. High quality chocolate sprinkles are a decadent treat and give the dip a nice crunch.

We used cookies on our platter, but you could also dip fruit. Strawberries and bananas would go great with this too. I used Greek yogurt for my chocolate dip, but feel free to use regular yogurt if you don’t like that slight tang.

I hope you enjoy your holiday season with family and friends. Make it sweet, have plenty of cookies, and don’t forget a big glass of ice cold milk!

Mini Cannoli

By Love and Confections

Ingredients

• 24 homemade or pre-made mini cannoli shells
• 15 ounces ricotta, drained
• 8 ounces mascarpone
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips, plus more for garnish

Instructions

1. Place ricotta in cheesecloth-lined fine sieve overnight in the refrigerator before making recipe, to drain any extra liquid.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine ricotta, mascarpone, powdered sugar and mini chocolate chips. Filling can be made ahead of time and stored in airtight container up to two days. Once filled, cannoli must be eaten same day.
3. Pour chocolate chips into low dish for dipping. Place filling into piping bag and pipe into cannoli. Dip each end into the chocolate chips and place on serving platter. Dust with powdered sugar.

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

I have an ongoing relationship with Florida Dairy Farmers as a recipe developer. Thank you for supporting the brands that make Love and Confections possible. This post may contain Amazon Affiliate links – if you make a purchase after clicking the link, the price will not be higher, but a portion of the sale will go towards the sustainability of this website. As always, all opinions are my own.

The post Cupcakes, Cannoli and Chocolate Dip – 3 Recipes For Your Christmas Dessert Table appeared first on Love and Confections.

This post is sponsored in conjunction with #BrunchWeek. I received product samples from sponsor companies to aid in the creation of the #Brunchweek recipes. All opinions are mine alone.

When I brunch, I love having mimosas. Endless mimosas are great when I brunch out, but mimosa bars at home are even better. I love having options to pair with champagne, and mimosa bars are the best way to please everybody. 

Welcome to the fifth annual #BrunchWeek hosted by Me – Love and Confections and Christie from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures. We are so excited to have you join us this year as we celebrate Brunch and prepare for Mother’s Day. Forty Bloggers from around the North America will showcase their best brunch dishes, from cocktails to cakes, danish, tarts, and pizzas – with 170 recipes, there is something for everyone! Our amazing Sponsors have donated some great prizes for the #BrunchWeek giveaway.

My favorite flavors are “Flamingo” – orange juice, cranberry juice and champagne, pineapple juice and champagne, or peach juice and champagne. A variety of juices is key, as are a variety of fruit garnishes. I almost always have orange slices, berries, and peach slices. Any combination of fruit is guaranteed to look gorgeous.

Whether you like champagne, prosecco, or any other variety of sparkling wine, make sure it is nicely chilled and you have enough on hand. I usually keep a few in a large ice bucket once my brunches start, and guests can help themselves.

Glassware is important. I love champagne flutes, and prefer stemless for parties – I think it’s just easier both for display, ease of use and in cleaning. You can use real glass or nowadays get some pretty real looking plastic ones too. I always have fun straws on hand to add to my mimosa bar. Straws are a great way to tie in your theme or color scheme. Whichever you prefer, always keep it classy, and have fun!

Mimosa Bar

By Love and Confections
Published 05/08/2017

Mimosas are my requirement for brunch and my homemade mimosa bar is sure to steal the show!

Ingredients

• Orange Juice, no pulp
• Cranberry Juice
• Peach Juice
• Champagne, Prosecco, or other Sparkling Wine
• Cut up fresh fruit (berries, oranges, peaches, etc)

Instructions

• Place juices in easy to serve carafes. Chill bubbly and place in ice buckets. Arrange fruit in pretty bowls.

Prep Time: 00 hrs. 10 mins.

Total time: 10 mins.

LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

Take a look at what the #BrunchWeek Bloggers are creating today!
BrunchWeek Beverages:
Homemade Orange Julius from A Day in the Life on the Farm
Kimchi Bloody Mary from kimchi MOM
Mimosa Bar from Love and Confections

BrunchWeek Egg Dishes:
Asparagus & Pancetta Frittata from The Chef Next Door
Breakfast Burritos from Books n’ Cooks
Chilaquiles from The Redhead Baker
Coddled Eggs with Bacon and Cheddar from Family Around the Table
Eggs Benedict Breakfast Tacos from The Spiffy Cookie
Parmesan Polenta Brunch Bowl with Asparagus and Sausage from Cooking with Carlee
Put an Egg on it Mac and Cheese from Sew You Think You Can Cook
Smashed Sweet Potato Rosti with Butter Poached Egg from Nik Snacks
Smoked Eggs over Asparagus from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
Spinach Baked Eggs with Habanero Cheddar from Sweet Beginnings

BrunchWeek Breads, Grains and Pastries:
Apple Cinnamon Pull Apart Bread from Pink Cake Plate
Apple Crumble Bread from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
Apple, Sausage & Cheddar Oven Pancake from Wholistic Woman
Cheddar Asparagus Breakfast Tarts from It Bakes Me Happy
Cinnamon Roll Oatmeal from Big Bear’s Wife
Cinnamon Roll Pizza from Palatable Pastime
Best Dutch Baby Pancake Recipe from That Skinny Chick Can Bake
English Raisin Scones with Apple Jam from The Crumby Cupcake
Gluten Free Cinnamon Rolls from Gluten Free Crumbley
Strawberry Lemonade Muffins from An Edible Mosaic
Strawberry Rolls with Orange Icing from The Nifty Foodie
Tiramisu French Toast from Brunch-n-Bites
Twisted Star Cinnamon Rolls from Amy’s Cooking Adventures

BrunchWeek Main Dishes:
Biscuits and Gravy Bubble Up from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
Cheesy Bacon Chile Rellenos from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
Country Fried Steak & Eggs with Habanero Cheddar Gravy from Forking Up
Homemade Chicken Sausage & Egg Stromboli from Hardly a Goddess
Spinach, Artichoke and Asparagus Strata from Cooking in Stilettos
Ultimate Cheddar Grits Bowl from The Barbee Housewife
Veggie Loaded Breakfast Enchiladas from Sarcastic Cooking

BrunchWeek Fruits, Vegetables and Sides:
Apple and Creamy Ricotta Crepes from From Gate to Plate
Apple Cheddar Bites with Honey and Pepper from Feeding Big
Spring Asparagus Salad from Girl Abroad
Sweet Pea Sipper from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
Thai Asparagus Slaw from Jane’s Adventures in Dinner

BrunchWeek Desserts:
Baltimore Peach Cake from Cookaholic Wife
Mandarin Orange Bundt Cake from My Catholic Kitchen

This recipe is intended for individuals ages 21 & up. Please drink responsibly. Thank you to #BrunchWeek Sponsors: Red Star Yeast, Dixie Crystals, Cabot Cheese, Nielsen-Massey, Rainier Fruit, and Michigan Asparagus for providing the prizes free of charge. These companies also provided the bloggers with samples and product to use for #BrunchWeek recipes. All opinions are my own. The #BrunchWeek giveaway is open to U.S. residents, age 18 & up. All entries for the winner will be checked and verified. By entering you give the right to use your name and likeness. The number of entries received determines the odds of winning. Six winners will be selected. The prize packages will be sent directly from the giveaway sponsors. The #BrunchWeek Bloggers are not responsible for the fulfillment or delivery of the prize packages. Bloggers hosting this giveaway and their immediate family members in their household cannot enter or win the giveaway. No purchase necessary. Void where prohibited by law. This promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, or any other social channel mentioned in the #Brunchweek posts or entry.

The post Mimosa Bar #BrunchWeek appeared first on Love and Confections.

It’s almost time for the big game and a football-themed party with food and fun is the perfect way to celebrate. Start with RITZ® Crackers Raspberry Brie Bites. Build-your-own Fry Bar complete with Homemade Cheese Sauce and Coca-Cola Pulled Pork, Chili, Buffalo Chicken Sliders and Mini Chicken & Waffles. Score big with a dessert buffet including Coke Zero Cupcakes, Football-shaped Marshmallow Treats, and Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter RITZ® Crackers. Bring home the trophy with a tailgating spread that is sure to score with your biggest fans!

Hosting a large gathering can seem intimidating, but a lot of the planning can be done ahead of time. Make a grocery and decoration list, and head to Walmart to find everything you need for the big game.

When home-gaiting, I like to expand on classics as well as create a few different items that normally aren’t at the stadium concession. One of my favorite appetizers includes raspberry and brie – baked en croute, in pastry cups, as a dip or on crackers. Raspberry Brie RITZ® Crackers are the perfect appetizer to start off any party.

Coke Zero and Coca-Cola are classic game-day drinks we always have on hand. To help you prepare for the big game, there is a special 2 for $5 on all Coca-Cola 16.9 oz 6-packs at Walmart too. The guys even had fun creating Coke Zero and Coca-Cola “football teams” for our party.

Fries are a must at any game, and my Build-your-own Fry Bar makes everyone happy. Bake two kinds of fries, so your guests have a choice. Sweet potato and waffle fries are always crowd favorites here. Homemade Cheese Sauce is a necessity for any fry bar. I also made Coca-Cola Pulled Pork as a topping, in addition to having tomatoes, onions, bacon, shredded cheese, and pickled jalapeños.

Chili is always a winner, especially with sour cream, cheese and RITZ® Crackers on top. Buffalo wings are a group favorite whenever we eat out so I knew my less mess version of Buffalo Sliders was going to be a touchdown.

Desserts are always my favorite and these cute football-themed ones were a hit. Coke Zero Cupcakes were topped with a green vanilla frosting and little football decorations. Football-shaped Marshmallow Treats were made from chocolate rice cereal and piped with vanilla frosting to look like the laces on a football. Chocolate Covered Peanut Butter RITZ® Crackers stole the show, because who doesn’t love chocolate and peanut butter, especially when they have fun decorations like green white chocolate and colorful sprinkles.

I love walking through Walmart’s craft and fabric sections for inspiration. I bought some black fabric and ribbon and created a backdrop to mimic a referee uniform. Paper lanterns are always a fun way to add movement to any tablescape. Theme-shaped cutouts and balloons are a great choice to brighten up any background. Don’t forget to check out the party section for some fun, colored plates, napkins, and straws.

Don’t forget to check out Coca Cola, Coke Zero and RITZ® Crackers for more game-time entertaining ideas.

RITZ® Crackers Raspberry Brie Bites
A Love and Confections original recipe

RITZ® Crackers Raspberry Brie Bites Ingredients:
– RITZ® Crackers
– 1 tub of Creamy Brie
– Seedless Raspberry Jam

RITZ® Crackers Raspberry Brie Bites Directions:
1. Place RITZ® Crackers on serving tray.
2. If spreading – spread Brie first, then top with Raspberry Jam. If piping, mix the Brie and Jam together, but not completely, then place in pastry bag with star tip and pip onto RITZ® Crackers. Use immediately or refrigerate for up to 1 hour. Enjoy!

Coca-Cola Pulled Pork
A Love and Confections original recipe

Coca-Cola Pulled Pork Ingredients:
– Boneless Pork
– 1-2 teaspoons All-purpose seasoning
– 2 cups Coca-Cola


Coca-Cola Pulled Pork Directions:
1. Season Pork and place into slow cooker. Pour Coca-Cola over, cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours.
2. Remove from slow cooker, and if necessary, remove any fat. Place into the bowl of your stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Shred Pork on the lowest setting. Use immediately, mix with your favorite sauce, or store in refrigerator. Enjoy!

Homemade Cheese Sauce adapted from Oh Sweet Basil

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!

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I wasn’t a big comic book fan growing up, and it wasn’t until Mr. L&C, my then boyfriend, got me hooked on all things MARVEL. He worked at a comic book store, regularly read comics and we shared our love of the MARVEL movies: Iron Man 1, 2 & 3, Thor & Thor: The Dark World, The Incredible Hulk, Captain America: The First Avenger & Captain America: The Winter Soldier and The Avengers.

To celebrate the upcoming movie, I hosted a MARVEL’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron party and was able to purchase my party items at Walmart. My friends and I are kids at heart, so they definitely loved dressing up in the MARVEL masks and accessories.

Don’t forget to check out Super Heroes Assemble which is available in the iTunes and Google Play store! With Super Heroes Assemble, turn your phone into a portal to exclusive Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron content. Keep up to date with the latest movie and behind-the-scenes action. Plus, scan Avengers displays at Walmart and Walmart.com to become your favorite Avenger, explore a Hulkbuster training facility in a cool 360 degree interactive space and to bring Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron characters to life with augmented reality.

Even Baby L&C, who wore the Hulk’s signature colors, got in on the fun and loved playing with Thor’s Hammer. Mr. L&C dressed like Captain America, and I wore Iron Man’s signature red and golden yellow colors.

I wanted to create something original for my party and thought a fun backdrop would be great. Mr. L&C and I created a color-blocked wall featuring the MARVEL heroes. We used their signature colors, logos, emblems and pictures and it turned out awesome!

The squares are 12×12 scrapbook paper that I attached print-outs to with double-sided tape. Those squares were then arranged and taped from behind using packing tape. This backdrop is so awesome, I think we are going to keep it hanging up for a while!

Food is always a huge part of my parties – I’m Italian and love to feed people! I used some Avengers party plates and cups we found at Walmart, which went perfectly with all the decorations. We had subs, pasta salad and veggies with hummus. The real treats were the Captain America Gelatin Dessert Cups, Hero Cupcakes, and Hulk Punch.

The dessert cups are perfect for a MARVEL party and can also be used for a patriotic party for Memorial Day or the Fourth of July. The Hero Cupcakes were a mix of chocolate and vanilla, and the frosting was colored like Captain America (red, white and blue), Iron Man (red and yellow) and the Hulk (green and purple).

The Hulk Punch had the perfect green glow for my MARVEL party. It tasted delicious and has Ginger Ale, Pineapple Juice and Lime Drink Mix in it.

Most of our friends had seen the Iron Man and Thor movies, so we opted to watch Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Of course, we had to have snack food, so I purchased some Avengers branded Dr. Pepper Cherry, Cheez-Its, Doritos and Kellogg’s Fruit Snacks.

Everyone enjoyed the food and movie. We all can’t wait to see the new MARVEL’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron in theaters on May 1st!

I have showed you how we are preparing for MARVEL’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron release with my party plan! What are you planning to do with your friends and family?

Captain America Gelatin Dessert Cups
A Love and Confections original recipe
Click here for a printable recipe
Yield: 25-30 mini dessert cups

Captain America Gelatin Dessert Cup Ingredients:
– 1-3 ounce box Berry Blue Gelatin Dessert
– 6-8 ounces Whipped Topping
– 1-3 ounce box Cherry Gelatin Dessert
– Plastic Dessert cups

Captain America Gelatin Dessert Cup Directions:
1. Prepare the Berry Blue Gelatin Dessert according to the package directions. Divide it evenly among 25-30 small dessert cups using a small ladle. Let it set in the refrigerator a minimum of 3 hours.
2. Place whipped Topping into a piping bag and pipe a thin layer on top of the solid blue gelatin in the dessert cups. Using a spoon or small offset spatula, smooth the layer so it completely covers the bottom blue layer and there are not holes. Freeze the dessert cups for 1 hour, or until the Whipped Topping is firm.
3. Prepare the Cherry Gelatin Dessert according to the package directions. Carefully divide it evenly among the dessert cups using a small ladle. Let it set in the refrigerator a minimum of 3 hours before serving. Enjoy!

Hulk Punch
Adapted from Betty Crocker
Click here for a printable recipe
recipe can be doubled for larger parties

Hulk Punch Ingredients:
– 1 cup Granulated Sugar
– 1 package Lime-Flavored Unsweetened Drink Mix (.13 oz)
– 4 cups warm Water
– 23 ounces Pineapple Juice
– 2 cups chilled Ginger Ale

Hulk Punch Directions:
1. In a large pitcher, stir together the Sugar and Lime Drink Mix. Add in the warm water and stir until the sugar is completely dissolved.
2. Add in the Pineapple Juice and Ginger Ale and stir to combine. Chill for at least 3 hours before serving. If necessary, stir again right before serving.

Until next time,
LOVE & CONFECTIONS!


Thank you David, Jessica, Doug, Theresa, Josh, Tyler, Jordan and Laura for joining in on the fun – hope you had a blast celebrating The Avengers with me!

The post MARVEL’s The Avengers: Age of Ultron Party #AvengersUnite #CollectiveBias appeared first on Love and Confections.