#3777 - Ritz Snow Sandwiches

(by Shirley McNevich)

32 regular Ritz crackers
1/2 cup Jif creamy peanut butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 cups Nestle's semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 cups Domino's powdered sugar

Place the powdered sugar in a bowl--set aside. In a bowl add the peanut butter and vanilla--mix well. Spread a little of the peanut butter mixture on to one cracker, then place another cracker on top. Repeat with all crackers. Place the cracker sandwiches on a cookie sheet. Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 10 minutes. In a microwave safe bowl add the chocolate bits--microwave on high in 30 second increments until melted and smooth. Remove tray from freezer. Dip one sandwich at a time completely in the melted chocolate, let any extra chocolate drip off, then toss it in the bowl of powdered sugar until coated. Place it on wax paper. Repeat with all sandwiches.

#3776 - Baked Ritz Crackers

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 stick butter (melted)
1/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
1 TBSP red pepper flakes
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 box regular Ritz crackers

In a large bowl add all of the Ritz crackers. Drizzle the melted butter over the crackers while tossing the crackers. Add the Parmesan cheese, red pepper flakes and garlic powder--gently toss to coat. Place the crackers on cookie sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes.

#3758 - Ritzy Ham Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
2/3 cup mayo
1 1/2 cups bite sized cooked ham pieces
4oz. shredded Swiss cheese
1 TBSP finely chopped green bell pepper
1 TBSP Gulden's spicy brown mustard
3/4 cup crushed Ritz crackers
2 TBSP butter (melted)
extra Ritz crackers for dipping

In a bowl add cream cheese and mayo--beat until smooth. Add ham pieces, shredded Swiss cheese, chopped green bell pepper and spicy brown mustard--stir to mix. Spread the mixture into a 9" glass pie plate. In a bowl add crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter--stir to mix. Spread the cracker mixture evenly over the top. Bake at 400 degrees 13-15 minutes or until hot. Serve hot with Ritz crackers.

#3672 - Almond Bark Crackers

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 sleeve original flavor Ritz crackers
Jif smooth peanut butter
8oz. white chocolate almond bark (broken into small pieces)

Spread peanut butter on half of the Ritz crackers, then place another Ritz cracker on top of each to make sandwiches. In a microwave safe bowl add the almond bark--microwave on high in 30 second increments until melted and smooth. Dip each sandwich into the melted chocolate and place on wax paper. Repeat with all sandwiches. Cool completely. Optional--right after you place each sandwich on the wax paper, decorate the tops with colored sugar, candy sprinkles, etc.

#3670 - Ritz Ice Cream Squares

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 sleeves original flavor Ritz crackers + extra for sprinkling
1/2 cup butter (melted)
1 pint good quality vanilla ice cream
2 - 3oz. boxes Jell-O vanilla INSTANT pudding
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)

Crush the Ritz crackers. In a bowl add crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter--stir to mix. Press the mixture into the bottom of a metal 9 x 13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees 6-8 minutes, then cool completely. Sit the ice cream container on the counter so the ice cream thaws a bit, then prepare both boxes of vanilla pudding (according to box directions) in a mixer. Once pudding is ready, leave pudding in mixer on low speed and start adding scoops of the softened ice cream until the whole pint has been added and mixture is smooth. Remove from mixer--add Cool Whip--stir to mix. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Crush a few extra Ritz crackers and sprinkle over the top. Refrigerate until cold. Note: you can use any combination of pudding flavor and ice cream flavor that you wish. If you want firmer squares, you can freeze it for a few hours but you will need to let it soften up a bit before cutting.

#3666 - Ritz Ice Cream Sandwiches

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/2 cups Nestle's MILK chocolate chips
24 Ritz crackers (original flavor)
1 cup Jif creamy peanut butter
good quality vanilla ice cream

In a microwave safe bowl add the milk chocolate chips--microwave on high in 20 second increments, stirring in between, until melted and smooth. Place a piece of wax paper on a cookie sheet. One at a time dip the flat sides of all the Ritz crackers into the melted chocolate, then place them on the wax paper (chocolate side up). Place the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes. Remove from freezer and spread a thin layer of peanut butter over just 12 of the chocolate coated crackers. Place them back in the freezer for 10 more minutes. Place a heaping spoonful of vanilla ice cream on top of the crackers that have the peanut butter, then place the remaining crackers (chocolate side down) on top of the ice cream covered crackers and press gently to create the sandwich. Place the tray in the freezer for 30 minutes and they are ready to eat. IF there are any leftovers, you can wrap them each in Saran wrap and keep them frozen.

#3652 - Hot Monterey Jack Cheese Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup mayo
1 - 8oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened)
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
2 green onions (finely chopped)
8-12 Ritz crackers (crushed)
8 slices of bacon (fried, dried on paper towels and crumbled)

In a bowl add mayo, softened cream cheese, shredded sharp cheddar cheese, shredded Monterey Jack cheese and finely chopped green onions--mix well. Spread the mixture into a greased glass pie plate. Sprinkle the crushed Ritz crackers evenly over the top. Bake at 350 degrees 15-20 minutes or until hot and bubbling. Spread the crumbled bacon evenly over the top. Serve with good quality crackers.

#3642 - Parmesan Wax Beans

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 1/4 lbs. fresh yellow wax beans (or canned wax beans as described below)
2 TBSP butter
1/4 cup crushed Ritz crackers (more if you wish)
salt and pepper (to your taste)
grated Parmesan cheese (for sprinkling)
crumbled cooked bacon (optional)

Trim the ends of the wax beans and cut them to the size you like. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil--add the wax beans and cook/stir until beans are soft. Drain the beans. In a bowl add drained beans and butter--toss until butter is melted. Sprinkle the crushed Ritz crackers, salt, pepper and Parmesan cheese over the beans--toss to coat. Serve immediately. Optional: add some crumbled cooked bacon when you add the crushed Ritz crackers. You can use canned wax beans if you cook/drain them after heating them just until hot.

#3610 - No Soup Green Bean Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

3 TBSP butter
1 TBSP flour
1/2 tsp. salt
a dash of pepper (more if you wish)
1 tsp. white sugar
1/4 cup chopped onions (more if you wish)
1 cup Breakstone's sour cream
3 - 15oz. can French style cut green beans (drained)
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese OR shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled Ritz crackers

In a skillet over medium heat add 2 TBSP butter--melt. Add chopped onions--cook/stir until tender. Add flour--cook/stir for 1 minute. Remove from heat--add white sugar, salt, pepper and sour cream--stir well. Add drained green beans and 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese--stir to coat. Pour the whole mixture into a greased 3 qt. casserole dish. Sprinkle the other 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese over the top. In a small bowl add 1 TBSP butter--melt the butter in the microwave. Add crumbled crackers to the melted butter--stir to mix. Sprinkle the crumb mixture all over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbling.

#3484 - Gooey Walnut Crackers

(by Shirley McNevich)

1/2 cup walnuts (finely chopped)
1 cup dates (finely chopped)
1 - 14oz. can Eagle brand sweetened condensed milk
2 sleeves of Ritz crackers (more if needed)
1/2 cup Domino's powdered sugar
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
regular milk (as needed)
1 tsp. vanilla

Place Ritz crackers on baking sheets. In a saucepan over medium low heat add condensed milk, chopped walnuts and chopped dates--cook/stir until boiling. Turn heat back to simmer and cook/stir until mixture is gooey. Remove from heat--drop a level teaspoonful of the gooey mixture on to each Ritz cracker. Continue until you run out of the gooey mixture. Bake crackers at 350 degrees for 5-8 minutes or until cracker edges are golden brown. Let the crackers on the cookie sheets and cool them completely. Glaze: in a bowl add powdered sugar, cinnamon, vanilla and a little milk--stir. Keep adding milk and stirring until mixture is a thick glaze, then stir quickly until smooth. Drizzle the glaze over the cooled crackers.

#3481 - Deluxe Ritz Crackers

(by Shirley McNevich)

1 stick butter (melted)
1 box regular Ritz crackers
1 envelope Hidden Valley Ranch ranch dressing mix
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 TBSP red pepper flakes (optional)

Unwrap the crackers and place them in a brown bag. Drizzle the melted butter over the crackers and sprinkle the ranch dressing powder, Parmesan cheese, garlic powder and red pepper flakes over the crackers. Gently reach your hands into the bag and keep tossing them around with your hands until coated. Place the crackers on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 300 degrees for 10-15 minutes.

#3426 - Sour Cream Egg Noodle Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

12oz. raw egg noodles
2 - 10.75oz cans Campbell's cream of chicken soup
8oz. Breakstone's sour cream
3/4 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
3-4 cups bite sized cooked chicken pieces
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1/4 cup butter (melted)
Parmesan cheese (optional)

Cook and drain egg noodles according to bag directions--DO NOT RINSE. In a bowl add both cans of soup, sour cream, whole milk, salt and pepper--stir well to mix. Add the bite sized cooked chicken pieces and drained egg noodles--stir carefully to coat. Pour the whole mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. In a separate bowl add crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter--stir. Spread the Ritz cracker mixture over the whole top of the casserole. Bake at 350 degrees for 35-45 minutes or until hot. Remove from oven and sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top before serving.

#3418 - Ritzy Potatoes

(by Shirley McNevich)

2/3 cup chopped onions
2-3 tsp. canola oil
15oz. chicken broth
6oz. Philadelphia cream cheese (softened and cubed)
1 TBSP Dijon mustard
3-5 large baking potatoes (washed, peeled and sliced thin)
2 cups crushed Ritz crackers
grated Parmesan cheese
2 TBSP butter (melted)
1-2 tsp. fresh chopped parsley
salt and pepper (to your taste)

In a Dutch oven over medium heat add canola oil and chopped onions--cook/stir until onions are tender. Add chicken broth, cubed cream cheese, salt, pepper and Dijon mustard--cook/stir until melted and blended. Taste--add more salt and pepper if needed. Remove from heat--add sliced potatoes--stir to coat. Pour the mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle some Parmesan cheese all over the top (to your taste). Spread the crushed Ritz crackers all over the top. Drizzle the melted butter over the crushed Ritz crackers. Bake at 350 degrees for 55-60 minutes or until potatoes are fork tender. Remove from oven and sprinkle chopped parsley evenly over the top. Let the mixture rest for a few minutes before serving.

#3321 - Swiss Broccoli

(by Shirley McNevich)

8 cups frozen broccoli
1/2 cup butter
2 TBSP flour
1/2 of an onion (chopped)
1 1/4 cups milk
4 cups shredded Swiss cheese
2 beaten eggs
1 tsp. salt plus salt and pepper (to your taste)
crushed Ritz crackers (optional)

Cook broccoli according to box directions with 1 tsp. salt until tender--drain the broccoli. In a saucepan over medium heat add butter--melt. Add flour--cook/stir until smooth. Add chopped onions--stir. Slowly add milk while stirring--cook/stir until mixture is boiling, then cook for 1 more minute. Remove from heat--add salt and pepper--stir well. Add shredded Swiss cheese and beaten eggs--stir well. In a bowl add drained broccoli and the cheese mixture--toss to coat. Pour the whole mixture into a greased 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until heated through. Remove from oven and cool slightly before serving. Optional--sprinkle crushed Ritz crackers all over the top during the last 10 minutes of baking time.

#3309 - Ritzy Mac and Cheese

(by Shirley McNevich)

8oz. raw elbow macaroni
8oz. Velveeta cheese (cubed)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's condensed cheddar cheese soup
1/2 to 1 cup Breakstone's sour cream (use the full 1 cup if you love sour cream)
1/4 cup shredded fresh Parmesan cheese (NOT pre-grated Parmesan cheese)
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup crushed Ritz crackers
2 TBSP butter (melted)
salt (to your taste)
pepper (to your taste)

Cook macaroni in salted water according to box directions to "al dente". Drain the macaroni but DO NOT rinse. In a large bowl add drained macaroni, Velveeta cubes, cheddar cheese soup, sour cream, shredded Parmesan cheese, milk, salt and pepper--stir carefully to mix. Pour the mixture into a greased glass baking dish. In a separate bowl add the crushed Ritz crackers and melted butter--stir to mix. Sprinkle the cracker mixture all over the top of the macaroni mixture. Cover the dish with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, remove the foil, and bake 10-15 minutes longer or until the top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let it sit a few minutes before serving.

#3064 - Cheddar Cheese Tuna Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 regular sized cans of tuna (drained)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cheddar cheese soup
1 small onion (chopped)
1 1/2 lbs. shredded cheddar cheese
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of mushroom soup
12oz. frozen peas (thawed and drained)
1lb. egg noodles (cooked and drained according to bag directions)
1 sleeve of Ritz crackers (crushed)

Flake the tuna into a bowl. Add the cheddar cheese soup, chopped onions, cream of mushroom soup and drained peas to the tuna--stir to mix. Add the cooked/drained egg noodles--stir until mixed. Grease a 9 x 13 glass baking dish. Pour half of the noodle mixture into the baking dish. Sprinkle half of the shredded cheddar cheese over the noodle mixture. Pour the rest of the noodle mixture over the cheese. Sprinkle the rest of the cheese over the top. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes, remove from oven, sprinkle the crushed crackers over the top, return to oven and bake for 30 minutes longer.

#3059 - Vegetable Casserole

(by Shirley McNevich)

8oz. shredded cheese (your choice of type)
1/2 cup butter
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1 - 16oz. bag frozen mixed vegetables (thawed and drained)

Place drained vegetables in a greased casserole dish. In a saucepan add 1/4 cup of the butter--cook/stir over low heat until melted. Add the shredded cheese--cook/stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Pour the melted cheese mixture over the vegetables--stir to mix. Melt the other 1/4 cup of butter and add it to the cracker crumbs--stir. Spread the cracker mixture over the top of the vegetables. Bake at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until hot.

#2889 - Ritz Ice Cream Pie

(by Shirley McNevich)

Crust: 2 sleeves Ritz crackers (crushed); 1 1/2 sticks Parkay margarine (softened)

Filling: 3 - 3oz. boxes Jell-O instant coconut pudding mix; 2 cups milk; 1/2 gallon good quality vanilla ice cream (softened); 1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)

In a bowl add the crushed crackers and softened Parkay--mix well. Press the cracker mixture into the bottom of a glass 9 x 13 baking dish. Refrigerate the crust for 1 hour. In a mixer add the 3 boxes of pudding mix and milk--beat. While the mixer is running keep adding scoops of ice cream to the mixture until all of the ice cream is in the mixture and the mixture is smooth. Pour the mixture into the cold crust. Refrigerate overnight. Serve each piece with a scoop of Cool Whip.

#2806 - Parmesan Crab Dip

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 TBSP butter
1 red bell pepper (chopped)
1 onion (chopped)
2 ribs of celery (diced)
1 - 10.75oz. can Campbell's cream of shrimp soup
1 cup mayo
1/2 lb. grated Parmesan cheese
12oz. lump crab meat
1/2 tsp. pepper
1 can salad size mini shrimp (well drained)
Ritz crackers

In a skillet over medium low heat add butter--melt. Add chopped red bell peppers, chopped celery and chopped onions--cook/stir until tender. Remove from heat. Carefully open the shrimp soup (do NOT shake the can first) and dip out and discard the top half of the soup (which will be mostly watery). In a bowl add the bottom half of the soup, mayo, Parmesan cheese and pepper--stir well. Add onion mixture--stir until mixed. Add the crab meat and stir carefully. Spread the mixture into a greased 8 x 8 glass baking dish. Bake at 325 degrees for 20 minutes. Remove from oven, drain the mini shrimp and sprinkle them all over the top. Return to oven and bake 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately with Ritz crackers.

#2267 - Coconut Cream Dessert

(by Shirley McNevich)

2 sleeves of Ritz crackers (crushed)
1 1/2 sticks butter (melted)
1 1/2 cups milk
3 - 3oz. boxes Jell-O INSTANT coconut cream pudding mix
1/2 gallon of good quality vanilla ice cream (softened)
1 - 8oz. Cool Whip (thawed)

In a bowl add crushed crackers and melted butter--stir to mix. Take out 1 cup of the cracker mixture and set it aside. Press the remaining cracker mixture into a greased 9 x 13 greased cake pan. In a mixer add pudding mixes and milk--beat. Add softened ice cream--beat until smooth. Pour the ice cream mixture over the cracker crust in the cake pan. Place cake pan in freezer for 1 hour, then remove it--spread Cool Whip over the top and sprinkle reserved cracker mixture over the Cool Whip. Return it to the freezer overnight. Thaw slightly before cutting.