Make crunchy, Mexican-style snacks with baby bell peppers (© photo courtesy The Laughing Cow.)

These fun snacks can be served as hors d’oeuvre with beer, cocktails or wine; as a casual first course; or as an anytime snack. The ideas below can be ported to pairing any cheese, spread or dip. In addition to bread, the cheese spreads are paired with crackers and veggies.

In fact, the next time you’re planning a cheese course or a cheese platter, think of choosing more interesting breads and crackers, such as:

• Arepas (a thicker version of a tortilla)
• Banana bread and date nut bread (especially delicious with double-creme and triple-creme cheeses like Brie)
• Corn bread (great with chile-based cheeses like Pepper Jack)
• Irish soda bread (try with everything from fresh, soft cheeses to aged Cheddar and Gouda)
• Onion bread (especially for adding a kick to mild cheeses)
• Pretzel bread (a universal favorite)
• Pumpernickel or dark rye bread (delicious with firm, hearty cheeses)
• Raisin semolina bread (a partner for everything from mild to hearty cheeses)

 
Find many other types of bread in our yummy Bread Glossary.

MILD PAIRINGS

Spread: Creamy Original Swiss
Pairing: Banana Bread With Walnuts

Banana bread and other fruit breads (such as date nut bread and raisin bread) are delicious with fresh cheeses and double-crème cheeses like Brie. The sweet bread really turns the cheese course into dessert. It the walnuts aren’t already baked into the banana bread, add them as a garnish.

Spread: Creamy Light Swiss
Pairing: Kale Leaf

What selection of recipes would be complete without kale? Here, crunchy kale substitutes for bread (or the more conventional endive leaf), and a slice of turkey roll adds protein to this better-for-you “Swiss and turkey wrap.” Garnish with halved cherry or grape tomatoes.

Spread: Creamy Swiss Garlic & Herb
Pairing: Pita Bites or Pita Chips

Dress up plain old pita garlic and herb cheese spread, sliced black olives and strips of roasted red pepper (pimento). Optional garnish: snipped chives.

 
Spread: Creamy White Cheddar Flavor
Pairing: Pretzel Crisps (Or Other Pretzel Flats)

Pretzel flats are an under-used pairing with cheese. They work with any cheese, from mild to spicy. Optional garnish: snipped herbs.

 
Spread: Creamy Mozzarella, Sun-Dried Tomato & Basil
Flavor
Pairing: Mini Bagel

Make a “white pizza” with mini bagels, or use bagel chips for a crispy change of pace. Optional garnish: oregano.

No hummus today: a new way to enjoy pita (photo © The Laughing Cow).

SPICY PAIRINGS

Spread: Creamy Spicy Pepper Jack
Pairing: Mini Cornbread Muffins

You can toast the muffins if you like; and if you have day-old muffins that are starting to dry out, it’s tasty “save.”

 
Spread: Creamy Queso Fresco Chipotle
Pairing: Baby Bell Peppers

This south-of-the-border approach is a new way to use those adorable baby bell peppers. Stuff with The Laughing Cow Creamy Queso Fresco Chipotle and top with some salsa fresca.
Find more snack ideas at TheLaughingCow.com.
  

The prep time is 30 minutes, but half of that is making the broomsticks. If you don’t have the time or the interest in the crafts portion, just dip and decorate the strawberries.

RECIPE: STRAWBERRY GHOSTS

Ingredients For 20 Pieces

Preparation

1. LINE a baking sheet with parchment paper. Rinse the strawberries and dry them well with a soft cloth or paper towel.

2. MELT the chocolate by placing it in a double boiler over simmering water. Be careful to keep the water from getting into the pan or the chocolate may seize. Alternatively, place the chocolate in a glass bowl, microwave for 20 seconds and stir with a fork. Repeat microwaving and stirring until chocolate is not quite melted. Shorten the microwave time to 5 seconds and stir. Repeat if necessary until completely melted.

3. HOLD the berries by the stem or leaves and dip into the melted chocolate. Swirl until coated. Leave about ¼ inch of red showing below the leaves. Gently shake off the excess chocolate and place berry on prepared baking sheet to set. Repeat with the remaining berries. Meanwhile…

4. CREATE decorative broomsticks by cutting the twigs into 2½ inch lengths and the fibers into 3 inch lengths. Gather the broom fibers into a small, rough bundle. Loop twine around the bundle, but keep it loose. Slip a twig into the center of the bundle. Adjust the twig and fibers to look like a broomstick. Tighten the twine and tie a small knot. Once the chocolate is set…

5. PRESS the broomstick handles down into strawberries through the top center of the leaves. Pipe a small amount of frosting to the back of the candy eyes and attach them to the berries. Finally, use frosting to add a smile, a spooky mouth, fangs or other fun ideas you have.
  

But the family that cooks together eats better, and trains the kids to be self-reliant in the kitchen.

As we enter the season of nonstop holiday treats, teaching balance and good eating practices can offset bad habits. So, at least for one meal a week—more if you can manage it—gather the entire family in the kitchen.

If kids learn to cook from a young age, it gives them confidence and skills essential for leading a healthy life—not to mention, it saves a fortune in take out and restaurant meals.

Even if there are no kids in the house, the odds are that there’s an adult who could stand to eat better.

Ditch the fast food and store-prepared take-out (laden with fat, salt and hidden sugar). Start with this list of tips:

The family that cooks together eats better. Photo courtesy Le Creuset.

• Show kids that spending time preparing fresh foods is fun. Tie into the notion of being attractive, which [alas] is pervading the consciousness of children increasingly younger ages. Explain how actors and models are very careful about their food choices, and often employ health-focused cooks, nutritionists and trainers to keep them looking good.

• Bring kids to the grocery store and explain how you choose better ingredients and products. If they’re old enough, teach them to read the ingredients labels. They might evolve into the “ingredients checker” for the family, gaining awareness and knowledge on nutrition in the process.
• Find ways for them to participate. At any age, they can do some prep, be it rinsing and drying produce, measuring ingredients, stirring or tearing lettuce leaves.
• Show them how to make their favorite recipes: burgers, fruit skewers, pasta, pizza, salads, sandwiches, smoothies, etc.
• Make soup from scratch. Kids can see how easy it is, how delicious it is, and that soup does not naturally come from a can.
• Bake together. What better way to get kids interested in cooking than the promise of a cookie or piece of cake as the payoff!

When they get proficient, they can invite friends over for a home cooked meal and impress them. (Our mom was throwing elaborate dinner parties at age 12. Alas, we didn’t get to that level until after college.)

TRENDING?

Dr. Nimali Fernando is a pediatrician who founded The Doctor Yum Project. Here’s her medical perspective:

“Childhood obesity is just the tip of the iceberg,” she says. “Under the surface lies the other 70 percent of children, many who may be of normal body weight but suffer from diet-related illnesses. In my practice I see these illnesses like chronic constipation, gastroesophageal reflux, anxiety, and difficulties with attention and concentration. So many of these symptoms are directly related to the diet.”

Her innovative practice, Yum Pediatrics, also houses a 1000 square foot teaching kitchen, designed to inspire the most reluctant eater. In the kitchen she teaches her patients how to cook and offers classes to the community at large through the Doctor Yum Project.

Behind the office is a teaching garden meant to be an outdoor waiting space for her patients and a place for her cooking students to learn how food grows and to inspire a love of locally grown produce.

Can this be turned into a trend among pediatricians nationwide? We hope so!

COOKBOOKS FOR KIDS

If you need a nudge, check out these cookbooks, developed for kids:

• Better Homes and Gardens New Junior Cook Book (details)
• Betty Crocker Kids Cook! (details)
• ChopChop: The Kids’ Guide to Cooking Real Food with Your Family (details)
• Kids’ Fun and Healthy Cookbook (details)
• Pretend Soup and Other Real Recipes: A Cookbook for Preschoolers and Up (details)

Caramel and corn based on sugar or molasses dates back at least to the 1890s; an early version of Cracker Jack, made with molasses, was sold at the Chicago World’s Fair in 1893. Kettle corn, seasoned with salt and un-caramelized sugar, dates to Colonial times.

This recipe is courtesy Bee Raw Honey. For Halloween, toss in some candy corn and your choice of candied nuts.

> The history of popcorn.

> The year’s 13 popcorn holidays.

> The different types of honey: a photo glossary.

> The history of honey.
 
 
RECIPE: HONEY CARAMEL CORN

Ingredients

 
Preparation

1. PREHEAT oven to 250°F. Melt the butter in large saucepan; stir in sugar, honey and salt. Cook and stir until mixture comes to a boil. Place a candy thermometer into the mixture. Reduce the heat to medium; boil without stirring about three minutes, to 265°F.

[2] Each varietal flavor has its own charm. Try different varieties (photo © National Honey Board | Facebook).

3. TURN the popcorn onto greased baking pan. Bake at 250°F for 45 minutes; stir every 15 minutes. Cool. Sprinkle with fleur de sel and break the popcorn into bite-sized pieces.
 
 
ABOUT CARAMEL CORN

Like popcorn, caramel corn is an American invention: popcorn coated with a sugar- or molasses-based candy shell. A white sugar-based candy coating provides a lighter (if more cloying) flavor than traditional caramelized brown sugar or molasses.

Typically, a sugar solution is heated until it becomes a thick and brown caramelized candy syrup. Before the syrup cools, it can be mixed with an endless number of flavorings, from chocolate and coconut to blueberry and watermelon. The hot syrup is then mixed with popped popcorn, and allowed to cool.

Nuts are a popular addition. While peanuts are the most popular (think Cracker Jack), almonds, cashews and pecans offer a more sophisticated flavor.
 
 

CHECK OUT WHAT’S HAPPENING ON OUR HOME PAGE, THENIBBLE.COM.

Vadou-what? We had to look it up.

Vadouvan, also called French curry, is a French interpretation of an Indian masala that mixes cardamom, coriander, cumin, curry, curry leaves, fenugreek, garlic, marash chiles, mustard seeds and roasted onion, among other ingredients. Its flavor is more familiar to Western palates than many Indian spice mixtures.

A key difference is in dried onions or shallots. The spice is thought to have originated due to French colonial influence in the Puducherry region of India. [Source: Wikipedia]

Use it in place of curry powder on fish, lamb, chicken, pork, sauces, stews, soups and vegetables. It’s a delicious pairing with dairy, potatoes, starchy grains and anything grilled.

Give a tin or jar as a holiday gift to your favorite cooks. There’s an attractive tin for $8.32 on Amazon, with free shipping on orders over $35. (Tins are preferable to jars, since light is one of the factors that reduces the potency of the spice, along with proximity to heat and moisture.)

Masala or massala is a South Asian term for a spice mix or a seasoning of any sort. It is used extensively in the cuisines of Bangladesh, Burma, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

The word is of Arabic origin (maslahah), originally meaning “a thing which is good and right.”

Vadouvan is a fusion food—or rather, spice. It was created following the French colonization of Pondicherry*, the capital city of the Indian union territory of Puducherry, in southeast India.

The French took a liking to the Indian spices they encountered and brought them back home. What began as a curry blend made its way into French cuisine as a fusion blend that became known as vadouvan (VAH-doo-von).

The fusion typically includes Indian spices such as curry, coriander, turmeric and cumin; along with French favorites shallots and garlic. It became known as “French curry powder.”

Other French seasonings can be added, from fenugreek and mustard seeds to red peppers and onions.

Vadouvan was used in traditional curry applications—meat, poultry, seafood, vegetables. As it has grown in awareness, the spice blend is now used to season everything from olives tossed to fried chicken.

Ready to spice things up?

________________

*The French East India Company established Pondicherry as their headquarters in 1674. Pondicherry has changed hands frequently over the centuries, in battles between Britain and France. France finally turned governance over to the Indian Union took place in 1954.