Fall snacks and dessert recipes

Fun food find

The Nestle Cranberry Raisinets are a delicious way to meet your daily fruit quota. They are lower in fat than leading chocolate brands and are conveniently packaged for easy portability. Choose from a 5.5-ounce resealable bag or in single-serving 100-calorie snack packs. Nestle Cranberry Raisinets are available in supermarkets nationwide.

Cranberry Baked Apples

You know it’s fall when you start baking apples for dessert. Fresh harvested apples filled with a mixture of chocolate, dried fruit, and nuts become special fork-tender treats that beg to be served with vanilla ice cream

Serves 6

Ingredients:

• 6 baking apples
• 1 (5.5-ounce) package Nestle Cranberry Raisinets milk chocolate covered dried cranberries
• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or almonds
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1-1/2 cups cranberry juice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Wash and core apples and remove peel from around the top. Place apples in a baking dish that holds all six comfortably.
3. Combine Raisinets, nuts and cinnamon in a small bowl. Fill the center of each apple with the cranberry mixture. Pour juice around apples and cover loosely with foil
4. Bake 35 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until tender.
5. Place on individual plates and drizzle with juice from the baking dish. Serve warm.

Cranberry Raisinets Oatmeal Bars

Healthy, homemade and far more delicious than a store-bought nutrition bar, these oatmeal bars can be a tasty breakfast on the go, or a wholesome afternoon snack

Makes 24 bars

Ingredients:

• 1-1/2 cups whole wheat or all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon salt 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) butter, softened
• 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1-3/4 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked, divided
• 1 (5.5-ounce) package Nestle Cranberry Raisinets milk chocolate covered dried cranberries

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 13x9-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a small bowl. Beat sugar, butter and vanilla in a large bowl until creamy. Beat in egg. Gradually beat in flour mixture. Stir in 1-1/2 cups oats.
3. Spread mixture in the prepared baking dish. Press Raisinets into dough. Sprinkle with remaining oats.
4. Bake 20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack. Cut into 24 bars. Store completely cooled bars in an airtight container in the refrigerator, or freeze for later.

Crunchy Cranberry Raisinets Granola

A kid-friendly favorite, this chocolately, chewy, crunchy granola is an ideal snack, a hearty breakfast, and a delish topping for Greek yogurt or ice cream.

Makes about 7 cups

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup honey or maple syrup, room temperature
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 4 cups old fashioned oats, uncooked
• 2 cups mixed nuts and seeds of your choice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 (5.5-ounce) package Nestle Cranberry Raisinets milk chocolate covered dried cranberries
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries or crystallized ginger, chopped

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine syrup and butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave on HIGH for 30 seconds or until bubbly.
3. In a large bowl, mix oats, nuts, seeds and salt. Drizzle with syrup mixture, tossing to coat. Spread mixture on a large rimmed baking sheet.
4. Bake, stirring occasionally, 25 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven and let cool completely on baking set on a wire rack.
5. Add Raisinets and dried cranberries or ginger, tossing to coat. Store completely cooled granola in an airtight container.