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#ChooseSmart Christmas Christmas food dessert easy Entertaining Recipes General Mills holidays parfait seasonal Smart & Final snacks sweets Thanksgiving food treats Yoplait

Easy Holiday Recipe Ideas for Entertaining!

During the holiday season it’s not out of the ordinary for family or friends to come visit. Whether they are visiting for the holiday or just during the holiday season I’m often at a loss of what to make. I love having a few easy recipes on hand that I can whip together and they appear that I spent forever on them. That way my guests can feel welcomed and special! The other day I went to Smart & Final and was inspired by all of the great deals you can find. Smart & Final is great because they carry warehouse size items with no membership fees! It’s always a one stop shop, which is my kind of store. The last thing I want to do is lug my kids all over town to five different stores in order to purchase everything I need. Time is essential and if I can cut corners I will! Smart & Final is also a great place to go for your holiday needs, they have everything from quality produce, party supplies, bakery items and everything in between!

While shopping, I discovered Smart & Final was about to have a great sale. If you purchase any five participating General Mills, Kraft, or Mars products you get $5.00 off instantly PLUS two free movie tickets! I was instantly inspired and wanted to see what sort of easy treats I could whip up for holiday guests with these products, many of them being products that I purchase and use regularly. See for yourself on the Smart & Final circular.

We love yogurt in this house, and Yoplait Fat Free yogurt is a favorite. I love that I can purchase the 18 pack at Smart & Final and get six cartons each of all three flavors! I knew I wanted to make a parfait, and I wanted to give it a holiday flavor. I decided to whip up my cranberry sauce and add some fresh raspberries and then chop up some Nature Valley Oat’s and Honey bars for a delicious granola sprinkle on top! This is just one of those treats that looks so fancy and appears like a lot of work. Secretly, it’s easy!

For my second treat I decided to use something that is my personal favorite. Multi-Grain Cheerios! I have a bowl every morning, but I wanted to do something different. I remembered a few years ago I had made some Cheerios Treats in a pan and cut them up into bars. Very similar to Rice Krispies treats, but replacing with Cheerios and adding some peanut butter. They got rave reviews, but I wanted to change it up a little more. Those treats can be a pain to cut through, so I decided why not create little balls? And add some Planter’s Salted Nuts that are a part of this sale too! The finishing touch was some melted chocolate drizzled over the balls!

Both of these treats are so simple to make, even the kids can join the fun in making them. While they are both great treats for your adult guests, they’re fun enough that the kids can enjoy them too!


Holiday Berry Parfait:
(makes 6 parfaits)

  • 1-1/2 cups cranberry sauce, I used my recipe but you could buy canned too
  • 4 six ounce cartons Yoplait Fat Free Strawberry Yogurt
  • 1 pint fresh raspberries, washed and sliced in half
  • 2 packages Nature Valley Oats & Honey Granola Bars (4 bars total), roughly chopped
Directions:
 
Layer 2-3 teaspoons of cranberry sauce in the bottom of each parfait cup.
Open two cartons of yogurt and split them between the cups.
Top with cut raspberries, reserving at least 6 halves for garnish.
Top with the other two cartons of strawberry yogurt, splitting between each cup.
Top each cup with the chopped granola.
Add a few drops of cranberry sauce and a raspberry half for garnish.
Finish with a dab of whipped cream.
Enjoy!
 
Peanut Butter & Cheerios Balls:
(makes about 18 balls)
  • 5 cups mini marshmallows
  • 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
  • 1/4 cup smooth peanut butter
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/3 cup chopped Planter’s Salted Peanuts
  • 2-1/2 cups Multi-Grain Cheerios
  • 1/4 cup milk chocolate chips, melted
Directions:
Begin by melting marshmallows in medium saucepan over medium heat.
When marshmallows are halfway melted, add the butter and continue to stir over heat.
Once butter and marshmallows are almost smooth, add peanut butter and nutmeg.
Add Cheerios and peanuts to a medium mixing bowl.
Pour melted peanut butter marshmallow mix over cheerios and peanuts.
Mix to combine.
Once cooled, grab a small handful of the mixture and roll into balls.
(A tip to help prevent sticking to fingers, spray hands with baking spray!)
Once balls are rolled, place on wax paper to set and cool completely.
Melt chocolate chips, and drizzle over the cooled snacks.
Let set for 10-15 minutes, then serve.
Enjoy!
What are your favorite holiday treats to whip up for your guests?

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. TrulyBlessed says

    November 4, 2013 at 1:42 am

    Yummy, and they look so pretty!

    • Mama Harris says

      November 8, 2013 at 9:10 pm

      Thank you!

  2. Carolyn says

    November 4, 2013 at 9:01 pm

    Such a great idea to make parfaits with cranberries – perfect for the upcoming holidays. Will definitely have to try this.

    • Mama Harris says

      November 8, 2013 at 9:11 pm

      The parfaits were so pretty and tasty. Thanks!

  3. Sharelle D. Lowery, The Ultimate Fab Girl! says

    November 5, 2013 at 1:09 am

    What you do with Cheerioes is amazing…and you make it look so easy! I cant wait to try these recipes myself!!!

    • Mama Harris says

      November 8, 2013 at 9:11 pm

      The Cheerios were fun!

  4. Life by Cynthia says

    November 6, 2013 at 10:31 pm

    LOVE!

    • Mama Harris says

      November 8, 2013 at 9:11 pm

      Thank you!

  5. best food processor reviews says

    January 9, 2014 at 8:37 pm

    great idea to use Cheerios ! 🙂

Trackbacks

  1. Berry Overload Bundt Cake with Vanilla Bean Glaze says:
    April 23, 2014 at 11:54 am

    […] I love my berries, I have a ton of recipes that include berry in some form (like this, this, this, this, this, this , this, and this – just to name a few), but I wanted to create something special […]

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[Sponsored]: Summertime is coming and will be here before we know it! You all know that I love easy meals during the warmer months, and I also love a good meal in a bowl. It’s also Vidalia Onion season 🧅 so I paired this seasonal favorite with pan-seared shrimp and veggies as a light rice bowl using your choice of grains.☺️This meal is an absolute delight!

Get the recipe and all the Vidalia Onion details by clicking the link in my profile or desktop users can click here for the recipe >> https://mamaharriskitchen.com/2021/06/pan-seared-shrimp-veggie-rice-bowl-vidalia-onions/ .

Also make sure to grab some Vidalia Onions from your local grocer before they are out of season in late August/early September.☀️
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Get the recipe by clicking the link in profile at @mamaharriskitchen or just google “Mama Harris Kitchen Easy Chicken Tortilla Soup” 🍲 Enjoy!
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(AD) There has been a lot of cooking going on this year, so I’ve tried to make life a bit easier by getting creative with my leftovers. These pulled pork totchos are a great example of leftovers with a few key ingredients to create something new to keep our meals exciting. Adding a few key ingredients like @lamorenausa adobo peppers and jalapeños and carrots definitely livens up something simple. La Morena peppers are hand selected, using only the highest quality peppers to bring you authentic home style flavors of Mexico. I purchased my La Morena items from my local Safeway, but you can find them at your favorite grocery store in the international food section. #PayItForwardwithLM #VivaLaMorena #WeCanWithLaMorena 
 
INGREDIENTS:
- 32 oz tater tots
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- 2 tablespoons sour cream 
- 2 tablespoons ranch dressing
- 1 cup pico de Gallo
- 1/2 cup guacamole
- 3 chopped green onions 
- 3-4 La Morena jalapeños and carrots, sliced

INSTRUCTIONS:
Prepare tater tots as instructed, in air fryer or oven. Heat oven to 450°. 
Cover the bottom of a large cast iron skillet with the cooked tater tots. 
Top with 1 1/2 cup of cheese. 
Combine the chopped adobo peppers and sauce with the prepared bbq pulled pork. Spread the pulled pork mixture on top of the tater tots, then top with the remaining cheese.
Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes.
Top with sour cream, ranch, pico de Gallo, guacamole, green onions, and sliced jalapeños and carrots.

Enjoy!! 😋
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Hello Instagram fam! 💖 There’s some new faces around here and it’s been a while since I showed mine!

I’m Dawn, creator of Mama Harris’ Kitchen, and I’m so glad you’re here with me! In this space I share my family-friendly recipes for all occasions, whether it be a 30-minute meal for those busy weeknight dinners or a full spread for entertaining a crowd - and everything in between.

Mama Harris’ Kitchen began back in 2012, in fact it’s 8 years this month! 🥳  What started as a way to document my newfound cooking hobby while managing my “new” life as a stay-at-home wife and mom to a 1 and 3 year along with teens and preteens, and it quickly grew into what it is now - a recipe resource for busy families like mine that enjoy flavorful and comforting home-cooking using pantry staples along with fresh and local ingredients as often as possible. 

🍿Five fun facts about me:
1. I LOVE elephants! 🐘 I collect a lot of elephant items, whether it’s trinkets or  artwork, notepads etc. I love what elephants symbolize and I truly love anything elephant related.
2. I’m a total plant lady! 🌱 I have about 35 houseplants, give or take, and there’s still more on the list of wants. Plants have become such a peaceful outlet for me, and I feel that they really center me within my space. I love the element plants bring to your space and the feel of your home with them in it, and new leaves are so exciting!
3. I have seven tattoos and I have plans for about eight more. 💉 Those that know me aren’t surprised, but those that follow me here tend to find it a bit surprising. 🙃
4. I’ve been a mother for a long time, over half my life! I’ve also been a lot of different “types” of mom - teen mom, single mom, working mom, stepmom, stay at home mom, PROUD mom, military mom, mother in law - the list goes on. No matter what, motherhood looks different for everyone and there’s unique challenges and experiences each mother faces. Please be gentle with yourself! ❤️At the end of the day we’re all just trying our best!
5. I’m a bit of an introvert, and often struggle with the “social” aspect of social media. I tend to go silent sometimes, but I’m working on it.

☀️Thank you for joining me here!
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Did you know that the third Sunday of July is considered National Ice Cream Day? 🍦Not that we need an excuse to enjoy our favorite treat! You can make any day one to celebrate with my Birthday Cake Ice Cream! Full of rich creamy flavor, colorful sprinkles and maraschino cherries. 🍒 No “official” birthday needed to treat yourself!

Get the recipe now! Click the link in my profile at @mamaharriskitchen ✨
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