Christmas Tree Vegetable Platter

A broccoli and tomato "tree" with pretzel "trunk" and cauliflower "snow" are delicious dippers for a cool and creamy dip

Ingredients

Creamy Herb Dip

1/2

cup sour cream or crème fraîche

1/4

cup mayonnaise or salad dressing

3

tablespoons fresh chopped parsley

3

tablespoons finely chopped fresh chives

1/2

teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/4

teaspoon salt

1/4

teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1

small clove garlic, finely chopped

Vegetable Platter

3

cups fresh broccoli florets

14

grape tomatoes

1/2

yellow bell pepper, cut into strips

1 1/2

cups fresh cauliflower florets

3/4

oz (about 40) pretzel sticks (from 15-oz bag)

Steps

1In small bowl, stir together dip ingredients. Cover; refrigerate at least 1 hour to blend flavors.

2Rinse and thoroughly dry vegetables. Trim broccoli and cauliflower floret stems.

3Arrange broccoli on serving platter to form tree shape and tomatoes to form garland. Arrange bell pepper to form star and cauliflower to form snow (see photo). If desired, cover and refrigerate up to 4 hours.

4Just before serving, arrange pretzels at bottom of tree to form trunk. Serve with dip.

Italian Meatball Hoagie Braids

Your kids will love these cheesy, easy-to-handle hot meatball sandwiches!

Ingredients

2

cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® refrigerated crescent dinner rolls or 2 cans (8 oz each) Pillsbury® Crescent Recipe Creations® refrigerated seamless dough sheet

16

frozen cooked Italian-style meatballs, 1 to 1 1/2 inch (from 16-oz bag), thawed, halved

1

cup tomato-basil pasta sauce

1

cup shredded mozzarella cheese (4 oz)

1

egg, slightly beaten

1/4

cup grated Parmesan cheese

Steps

1Heat oven to 375°F. Spray 2 cookie sheets with cooking spray.

2If using crescent rolls: Unroll dough; separate into 8 rectangles. Place rectangles on cookie sheets. Firmly press perforations to seal. If using dough sheets: Unroll dough; cut into 8 rectangles. Place rectangles on cookie sheets.

3Place 4 meatball halves lengthwise down center of each rectangle. Top each with 2 tablespoons pasta sauce and 2 tablespoons mozzarella cheese. With scissors or sharp knife, make cuts 1 inch apart on each side of filling. Alternately cross strips over filling. Brush dough with beaten egg; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

4Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown.

Double Cheeseburger Pizza Rounds

Individual pizzas get a flavor update from feta cheese and ripe olives baked on biscuits spread with tomato sauce.

Ingredients

1/2

lb. lean ground beef or turkey

1

(16.3-oz.) can Pillsbury® Grands!® Refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits

1

egg yolk

1/4 teaspoon water

1

tablespoon sesame seed

1

(14-oz.) jar pizza sauce

4

oz. (1 cup) crumbled feta cheese

2

tablespoons chopped ripe olives

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Dash hot pepper sauce

Dash salt

Dash pepper

4

oz. (1 cup) shredded pizza cheese blend or mozzarella cheese

Steps

1Heat oven to 375°F. Spray large cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Brown ground beef in large skillet over medium-high heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain.

2Meanwhile, separate dough into 8 biscuits. Place 2 1/2 inches apart on sprayed cookie sheet. With bottom of flat 2-inch diameter glass or with fingers, press out each biscuit to form 3 1/2-inch round with 1/4-inch rim around outside edge. In small bowl, combine egg yolk and water; beat well. Brush over tops and sides of biscuits. Sprinkle each with sesame seed.

3Add all remaining ingredients except pizza cheese blend to ground beef; cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly.

4Spoon about 1/4 cup ground beef mixture into indentation in each biscuit. Sprinkle each with pizza cheese blend.

5Bake at 375°F. for 12 to 17 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown and cheese is bubbly. Carefully remove from cookie sheet.

recipe from: pillsburry.com

Grands!® Easy Taco Melts

A tender, flaky biscuit wraps around your favorite taco fillings in an easy, flavor-packed hot sandwich.

Ingredients

1

package (1 oz) Old El Paso® taco seasoning mix

2/3

cup water

1 1/2

cups Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa

1

lb lean (at least 80%) ground beef, cooked, drained

1

can (16.3 oz) Pillsbury® Grands!® biscuits

1

cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese or Mexican cheese blend (4 oz)

1

cup sour cream, if desired

Steps

1In medium saucepan, cook taco seasoning mix, water, 1/2 cup of the salsa and cooked ground beef until thickened.

2Press each biscuit into 6-inch round. Spoon 1/3 cup meat mixture and 1 tablespoon cheese onto center of each round. Fold dough in half over filling; press to seal. Place on greased cookie sheet.

3Bake at 375°F 9 to 14 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with remaining salsa, cheese and sour cream.

recipe from: 

http://www.pillsbury.com/

DIY Plastic Straw Ornaments

Check out this super inexpensive & fabulous way to make awesome ornaments for your tree! How cool is this! Save those dollars this year and spend them where you really want to spend them. This is a glamorous way to make your tree festive and beautiful! Simply bunch them together, spray with a spray paint of your choice, then let dry. They will look wonderful and glitzy on your Tree. Check out the Video below to see it in action how to make these!

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

Peanut Butter Reindeer Cookies

3/4 cup peanut butter

1 1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 cup shortening

3 tablespoons milk

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 egg

1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

Chocolate-covered mini pretzels

Mini brown M&Ms

Regular-sized red M&Ms

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Combine brown sugar, peanut butter, shortening, milk, and vanilla in large bowl. Beat at medium speed until well blended. Add egg; beat until just blended.

In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to creamed mixture at low speed. Mix just until blended.

Form dough into 1-inch balls. To make reindeer-shaped cookies, pinch the bottom of the ball slightly to form a point, then gently flatten with your hand. Space cookies about 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 7 to 8 minutes, until set or just beginning to brown. 

Remove from oven and immediately (and gently) press two mini pretzels into the tops of the cookies for the reindeer's antlers. Press two mini brown M&Ms in for the eyes and one red M&M for the nose (or any other color... some of mine ended up with green noses. They might be South Pole reindeer.). 

Allow to cool 2 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a wire rack or paper towel to cool completely. 

Makes about 40 reindeer cookies.