Summer Snacking with Nabisco

Summer is finally here ya’ll! I am so excited I can barely contain it.

Gone are the early mornings of chasing kids out the door to the bus before the sun. Our days are filled with leisure, sun, and, of course, tons of snacks. And in this house, we take snacking to a whole other level.

We spend most of our days by the pool and grill out as much as possible. When my spouse is on duty or deployed, we will even forgo full meals all together and snack throughout the day. This summer my kids want to help create the foods they eat and show off their cooking skills to their friends. So, I have been searching for snacks that are kid-friendly, filling, and sure to be a crowd pleaser.

So, the day after school let out, my daughter came across a snack she knew she and all of her friends would love. The best part is that it’s so easy to make that even my preschooler can make them (of course with a little help from Mama with the cooking/cutting parts). The RITZ All American Hot Dog is a great snack to have pool side while the kids are running around playing the day away.

RITZ All American Hot Dog

Prep Time: 20 min Total Time: 20 min Makes 8 servings, 3 topped crackers each.

Ingredients

24 RITZ Crackers

1/2 cup jarred onions in tomato sauce

24 cocktail franks

2 Tbsp. sweet pickle relish

1 Tbsp. EACH ketchup and yellow mustard

Preparation

Heat oven to 350°F.

Place crackers in single layer on rimmed baking sheet; top with onions and franks. Bake 5 min. or until heated through.

Top with remaining ingredients before serving.

Tips

For Spicy Hot Dogs with the “Fireworks”

Place 24 thin fresh jalapeño slices on relish-topped franks before topping with the ketchup and mustard.

Size-Wise

Turn your attention to your appetizer so you are eating in the moment and paying attention to portions.

Use Your Grill Pan

No need to use your oven. Cook franks in grill pan until heated through; place on onion- topped crackers, then top with remaining ingredients as directed.

Jarred Onions in Tomato Sauce

These jarred onions in tomato sauce are like what push-cart hot dog vendors add to their hot dogs. If you can’t find the jarred onions, you can use canned hot dog chili sauce instead. Or to make your own onion topping, heat 2 tsp. oil in skillet. Add 2 cups chopped onions; cook and stir until crisp-tender. Add 3 cups water, 1 Tbsp. cornstarch, 1/4 cup ketchup, 2 tsp. corn syrup and 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper; stir. Bring to a boil; simmer on medium-low heat 30 to 35 min. or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Stir in 1/4 cup cider vinegar: simmer 20 to 25 min. or until thickened, stirring frequently. Cool, then refrigerate up to 2 weeks before using as desired, such as a hot dog topping, sandwich spread or topping for your favorite meatloaf. Makes about 1-1/2 cups onions.

Nutrition Information Per Serving: 160 calories, 11g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 20mg cholesterol, 440mg sodium, 12g carbohydrate, 0g dietary fiber, 5g total sugars includes 2g added sugars, 4g protein, 0%DV Vitamin A, 0%DV Vitamin C, 0%DV Vitamin D, 2%DV calcium, 4%DV iron, 0%DV potassium

I love how my kids can customize this snack to have whatever toppings they like. My son loves to add a little chili to make it a chili dog. What will your family add to make them your own? Let me know how you will make a snack splash with Nabisco Snacks!

Make sure you head to your local commissary, grab all your ingredients, and dive into fun all summer long!