Snack Recipes

Great and simple gift-idea! And the result tastes great as well.

Mixed nut biscotti bake twice for that signature dry crunch, with pumpkin pie spice and a handful of mixed chopped nuts folded into a brown-sugar dough. Coffee-shop biscotti at home.

Easy raisin bran muffins made with the cereal straight from the box, no soaking required. A wholesome breakfast that bakes up in 30 minutes flat for busy mornings.

Use as a dip or topping for grilled chicken, seafood, etc., inspired by Diana Rattray

Three-ingredient no-bake peanut butter honey candy with dry milk powder. A kid-friendly snack that comes together in 10 minutes and chills firm in the fridge.

Orange-scented zucchini bread brightened with both orange zest and orange extract, studded with pecans. A lighter quick bread with no added oil for a tender, citrusy crumb.

This coffee cake is a great morning treat either with the family or with a friend. It is moist and soft. Great served warm or at room temperature.

Pineapple breakfast shake blended with banana, skim milk, pineapple juice, and vanilla. A creamy, tropical smoothie with no added sugar, ready in minutes.

I liked these a lot. The poppyseed taste is subtle yet makes them a little different and more "elegant" than ordinary butter cookies.

These muffins are great. They are not too sweet, have just the right amount of cream cheese, and are nice and filling.

Roasted eggplant and vegetable pate with charred eggplant, yellow peppers, ginger, jalapeno, cumin, and lime. A smoky vegan spread for crostini, crackers, or sandwich filling. Keeps a week.

Crispy spiced fritters dripped through a slotted spoon into hot oil, made with chickpea flour, buttermilk, sambal, and a hand-ground spice blend of coriander, mustard, and cinnamon.

Buttermilk snack cake with mini marshmallows and chocolate chips folded into the batter, topped with a brown sugar walnut crumble. A one-pan crowd-pleaser.

No-bake party mix with chocolate candies, pretzel sticks, cheese crackers, and raisins. Five minutes, four ingredients, 8 cups of sweet-salty snacking for any crowd.

Chicken finger packets wrap soy-Dijon broiled chicken, tzatziki, lettuce, and sweet peppers in flour tortillas. Portable lunch-box rolls that hold up in a bag all morning.

Turning now to cooking with cheese, here's a recipe for a yummy spinach and cheese soufflé. This recipe comes from Lynne Kaplan, a chef who owns the Victoria House Bed & Breakfast in Spring Lake, NJ. For a gourmet B&B check them out at victoriahouse.net.