I truly love this time of year. The leaves are displaying their fall beauty, a plethra of football to watch on Saturday and Sundays and the heat of the summer is being replaced with the warmth of the fire. But then I remember old Ben Franklin and his a time changing invention and it smacks me square in the face that first day it gets dark at 4:45pm.
No thanks Benny boy, no thanks.
I quickly console myself from the early sunset with one thought: the holidays are here and that means lots of parties with delicious food. My tastebuds are instantly happy as Ashley and I begin planning all the delicacies that we shall cook.
Of course the one thing you don’t want to be, is a repeat offender. Or who wants to show up to two parties with a green bean casserole to match everyone else’s?
So when Nabisco and Publix asked us to partner with them to share their ultimate party planner site, the whole traumatizing time change thing became a distant memory as I oogled over the fun recipes that we wanted to try before sharing.
I know it seems like a lot to ask, but I’m willing to take one for the team as I try some recipes out in our own kitchen. And there wasn’t any arm twisting to get Ashley to sample the goodies that we cooked up.
The site is full of fun easy recipes to entertain with during the holiday season. We cooked up two great recipes the other night for a party and made sure to spread the love: one for the kiddos and one for the adults.
For the kids we made some fun Oreo turkeys. I mean, what’s not to love?
What you’ll need to make 6 turkeys:
• 6 OREO Cookies • 1 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted • 30 pieces candy corn • 6 chocolate malted milk balls • 6 small hot cinnamon candies
Begin by seperating each cookie, leaving all the cream filling on one half of each. Set filling-topped halves aside.
Use a small amount of melted chocolate to attach 5 candy corn pieces, pointed-sides down, to each plain cookie half for the turkey’s tail. Refrigerate 5 min. or until chocolate is firm.
Attach a malted milk ball to center of each filling-topped cookie half with melted chocolate for the turkey’s body. Use dot of melted chocolate to attach cinnamon candy to each body for the head. (I stuck them in the freeze
Attach the turkey tails to bodies with remaining melted chocolate. Refrigerate until firm.
Instant fun with the littles.
Another great super simple mouth watering recipe is the apple pie dip.
What you will need:
• 1 tub (8 oz.) reduced-fat cream cheese spread • 2 Tbsp. brown sugar • 1/2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice • 1 apple, chopped, divided • 1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese • 1 Tbsp. finely chopped pecans • WHEAT THINS Original Snacks
Preheat the oven to 375°F.
While the oven is heating, mix the cream cheese, sugar and spice in medium bowl until well blended, then stir in half the apples.
Next spread into pie plate or small casserole dish; top with remaining apples, cheddar and nuts.
Bake for 10 to 12 min. or until heated through. Serve with WHEAT THINS.
The truth is, we thought this one was for the adults, but when our littlest tried it with a full mouth he immediately exclaimed, “I like it!”
We hope you have a great start to to the holiday season, and would love to hear what you try so we can add it to our collection!
::This post was brought to you in partnership with Mondeleza and Publix, please read our full disclosure pertaining to partnerships and construction here. Please follow all directions on packaging.::
This is adorable! Thanks so much! 🙂
This apple pie dip looks so wonderful – I’m trying it! You wouldn’t think cheese with apples would be good but it always is!
The recipes look great, yes, but I’m more taken with your photography! I’d written before to ask suggestions re photography tutorials, and I did buy shoot fly shoot videos. My question for you now, though, is re lenses and settings that you guys use to get such incredible lighting, especially indoors. I have a canon 60D, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, and 18-270. I’m fumbling along learning how to best use manual mode…and taking any suggestions/words of wisdom I can gather! Thanks so much for any thoughts!
🙂 Kristine
Oopsies…just found some details in your FAQ section but would still love to hear about your lenses and settings. Thank you!
Not sure where my first comment went…it’ll probably show up while I’m typing this repeat, but it was asking for info re the amazing lighting you get with your photography. Specifically wondering about your settings and lenses. I have 60D, 50mm 1.4, 85mm 1.8, and 18-270 and am fumbling my way through learning manual mode. I’d written previously for suggestions re tutorials and did use Shoot Fly Shoot and loved their videos.
Thank you!
🙂 Kristine
Hey Kristine! It sounds like you’re at a great starting point! I guess the best advice I can give you is to practice practice practice. It’s how I learned. I was digging through old photos this week, and they were awful! Hilariously awful. And at the time though, I thought I was doing so well. Which is great! Because I was. The fastest and best way to learn is just by fumbling around, as you’re saying… to learn as much as you can. But start with a tripod, if you have one. Learn which time of day gives each room in your home the best light – nothing direct and nothing too harsh that causes extremes. Also, here’s a good spot to start with that ISO and learning to adjust your settings – Set your ISO on something doable – anywhere from 400 to 2000 for starters {study your photos to see which ones are the most grainy and learn to stay in that area, for the best quality} Then adjust your shutter speed accordingly. You’ll have more wiggle room {to reduce camera shake} with your tripod. And just do it. Because honestly? I’m STILL just fumbling around. But practicing daily, makes me better with my fumbles. I’m honestly not very good at explaining it, because I can’t. I just do it. And over time, you will, too. I think that we tend to make photography intimidating and overthinking makes it worse – I’m a textbook case. I just started doing it… and I still can’t explain unless you’re right in front of me and I show you which doohickies I push. {See: still hilariously awful – a pro’s worst nightmare- my pro photog friend rolls his eyes at me on a regular basis} but they work. And that’s all that matters. I know I’m not much help – I even took a class, and nothing helped me as much as getting to a setting that works, and throwing myself in to it. FWIW, I believe that the best photos are 80% composition, 20% all the rest. You just have to have the right lighting and you’re golden. Stay with it! You’ll only get better with time!
You are just too funny! Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts! I’m laughing about the part where you looked back on older photos…same here, but they’re still keepers since it’s who’s in them that matters. I do have a tripod but never use it, but I’ll give it a try. My family will run away! Hahaha!
Thanks again! Happy Thanksgiving to you and your adorable family! 🙂