Blog Archives - THE EDMONSON VOICE

Jack O' Lantern Cheese Ball

10/29/2021

INGREDIENTS:

3 green onions, divided
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese, divided
1/4 cup finely chopped red peppers
2 slices OSCAR MAYER Pepperoni
Round buttery crackers

DIRECTIONS:

Cut 4-inch length from green end of 1 onion; slice remaining onions. Beat cream cheese and 1-1/4 cups cheddar with mixer until blended. Stir in sliced onions and peppers. Refrigerate 1 hour.
Shape into ball; roll in remaining cheddar. Cut pepperoni into shapes for the jack-o'-lantern's eyes, nose and mouth; press into cheese ball to make face. Insert green onion piece into top for stem.
Serve with crackers.

KITCHEN TIPS:

Variation--Prepare using PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese and KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Cheddar Cheese.

Used with permission from Kraft Foods

Layered Halloween Taco Dip

10/22/2021

INGREDIENTS:

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 Tbsp. TACO BELL® Taco Seasoning Mix
1 cup TACO BELL® Thick & Chunky Medium Salsa
1 can (16 oz.) TACO BELL® Refried Beans
2 fully ripe avocados
1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice
1/2 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Mild Cheddar Cheese
1/2 cup each halved grape tomatoes and chopped green onions
3 Tbsp. each fresh cilantro leaves and sliced black olives

DIRECTIONS:

Mix cream cheese and taco seasoning mix until blended; spread onto large round platter. Top with layers of salsa and beans.
Mash avocados with lime juice until smooth; spread over beans.
Spoon sour cream into resealable plastic bag. Cut small piece off one bottom corner of bag; use to drizzle sour cream into spider web design on top of dip.
Place remaining ingredients around edge of platter.
Refrigerate 1 hour or until chilled.

KITCHEN TIPS:

Top with fresh or pickled jalapeño slices before refrigerating as directed.

Used with permission from Kraft Foods

Apple-Pecan Cheesecake

10/15/2021

INGREDIENTS:

1-1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 Tbsp. brown sugar
4 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1-1/2 cups packed brown sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
4 eggs
3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, chopped
3/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tsp. ground cinnamon

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 325°F.
Line 13x9-inch pan with foil, with ends of foil extending over sides. Mix graham crumbs, butter and 2 Tbsp. sugar; press onto bottom of prepared pan.
Beat cream cheese, 1 cup brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add sour cream; mix well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each just until blended. Pour over crust. Combine apples, nuts, cinnamon and remaining sugar; spoon over cream cheese batter.
Bake 55 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely. Refrigerate 4 hours. Use foil handles to lift cheesecake from pan before cutting to serve.

Tip 1--Healthy Living--Save 50 calories and 7g of fat, including 4 g sat fat by preparing with PHILADELPHIA Neufchatel Cheese, and BREAKSTONE'S Reduced Fat or KNUDSEN Light Sour Cream.
Tip 2--Special Extra--For an extra-special touch, drizzle caramel ice cream topping over each piece of cheesecake just before serving.
Tip 3--Best of Season--Prepare the apple topping using any of the many varieties of cooking apples that are available, such as Jonathan, Granny Smith, Rome, Empire or Cortland.

Used with permission from Kraft Foods

No-Bake Caramel Apple Éclair 'Cake'

10/7/2021

INGREDIENTS:

20 KRAFT Caramels
1 cup cold milk, divided
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (about 3 cups), thawed, divided
1-1/2 cups finely chopped peeled Honeycrisp apples (about 2 apples)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1/2 cup frozen apple juice concentrate, thawed
13-1/2 cinnamon graham crackers, broken crosswise in half (27 squares), divided
1/4 cup PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Microwave caramels with 1/4 cup milk and 1/2 cup COOL WHIP in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 min.; stir until caramels are completely melted and mixture is well blended. Reserve for later use.
Microwave apples and cinnamon in separate microwaveable bowl 2 min. or until apples are softened. Cool 10 min. Meanwhile, beat pudding mix, apple juice concentrate and remaining milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Let stand until apples are cooled.
Add apples and remaining COOL WHIP to pudding mixture; mix well.
Cover bottom of 8-inch square dish with 9 graham squares, overlapping as necessary to form even layer; top with half the apple mixture. Repeat layers. Cover with remaining graham squares. Spread reserved caramel mixture over top of dessert.
Refrigerate 3 hours.
Sprinkle with nuts before serving.

KITCHEN TIPS:

Tip 1--Variation-- Prepare using 1 pkg. (1 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Sugar Free Fat Free Instant Pudding, fat-free milk, low-fat graham crackers and COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping.
Tip 2--Size Wise--Dessert can be a part of a balanced diet, but remember to keep tabs on portions.

Used with permission from Kraft Foods