Three cheers for the Red, White, and Blue!

Ingredients

• 20 NILLA Wafers, divided
• 1 pkg. (8 oz.) brick cream cheese, softened
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1-1/2 cups thawed frozen whipped topping
• 1/3 cup blueberries
• 1/3 cup sliced strawberries

Preparation

• Use a serrated knife to cut 4 wafers in half; coarsely chop the remaining wafers
• Mix cream cheese and sugar in a medium bowl until blended.
• Gently stir in 1 cup whipped topping; spoon into a resealable plastic bag.
• Cut a small piece off one bottom corner of the bag.
• Reserve 8 EACH blueberry and strawberry slices.
• Layer half EACH of the chopped wafers, cream cheese mixture, and remaining berries evenly in 8 (3-oz.) shot glasses; repeat layers.
• Garnish with remaining whipped topping, halved wafers, and reserved berries.

Our summer will also be filled with lots of playdates since last summer we had none. So, to make sure all of our guests have lots of fun, and full tummies, I’ll break out this Summer Fruit and Cheese Board. My Mama friends will absolutely love this idea as it has something for everyone. It works well for us adults as we sit on the back deck watching the kids play and pairs well with our favorite beverages (adult or otherwise)!

Summer Fruit and Cheese Board

Prep Time: 30 min Total Time: 30 min Makes 16 servings

Ingredients

• Brie cheese, feta cheese, white cheddar cheese slices, and garlic-herb cheese spread Bocconcini fresh mozzarella balls
• Sliced watermelon
• Fresh blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries
• Chopped tomatoes
• RITZ Crackers, TRISCUIT Crackers and WHEAT THINS Original Snacks Seedless raspberry jam
• Fresh herbs, such as mint, thyme, and basil

Preparation

• Place cheeses, fruits, tomatoes, crackers, and a bowl of jam on a large board or platter. Garnish with herbs.
• Serve with additional crackers in bowls or in baskets next to the board.
• Cheeseboards can be prepared for any number of servings, depending on the size of the gathering. Use a guideline of 1 oz. cheese and 1 oz. crackers per person. For a well-balanced board, fill in any empty spaces on the board with fruit. For the 16 servings shown here, figure on purchasing a total of 1 lb. cheese. Have plenty of RITZ Crackers, TRISCUIT Crackers and WHEAT THINS Original Snacks available for guests to choose from along with seasonal fruit.

Special Extra

• Use a small cookie cutter to cut cheddar and watermelon slices into star shapes. The brie and feta can also be cut into star shapes using a larger cookie cutter.
• Vary the Cheese and Fruits
• For a more interesting board, serve 3 or 4 varieties of cheeses featuring a variety of textures, shapes, and flavors. Soft, semi-soft, and firm cheese; cubes, slices, logs, and wedges all add more interest. Choose fruits that are in season and have complementary flavors, textures, and shapes, such as clusters of grapes, sliced crisp apples and pears, and soft berries.

Cheese Tips

For best flavor, let the cheeses sit for about 15 min. at room temperature before serving. Soft, semi-soft, and firm cheese; cubes, slices, logs, and wedges all add more interest. If serving a wedge or full piece of cheese, be sure to place a knife on the board for each variety of cheese you are serving.

To keep with the Red, White, and Blue theme, I found my family’s favorite candy has its own take on celebrating America! Sour Patch Kids has a Red, White, and Blue variety on shelves now. We love adding these little guys to our popcorn, so this bag of sour then sweet goodness will be a staple at our outdoor movie nights all summer long!