The first tastes of holiday cheer have arrived. Recycled seasonal music is making its hourly rounds at retailers, local coffee shops are promenading their holiday blends and even the morning work crowds are enjoying the first few bites of the cooling weather.
Partnered with this commencement are a few of the usual prospects: gift exchanges, meal preparations and the anticipation of New Year’s Eve celebrations. And while everyone begins making holiday to-do lists and checking them twice, The Post’s Deck the Green will bring you holiday tips and tricks every Monday and Thursday through the holiday season.
As holiday parties approach, what dessert to bring may be the last thing on your mind. I've given these five recipes a try, however, and if you're in need of a quick and easy holiday treat, there's nothing else I'd recommend. 
Chocolate Butterscotch Granola Candy Recipe
Ingredients:?
12 oz granola cereal ?
1 (12 oz.) bag semi-sweet chocolate chips?
1 (12 oz.) bag butterscotch chips
Melt chocolate and butterscotch chips over low heat, stirring constantly. This is an important step as chocolate burns easily. Keep a constant eye on the chocolate as it melts.
Add granola and stir until completely coated with chocolate and butterscotch mixture.
Scoop teaspoon-sized balls of mixture onto waxed paper and allow to cool.
Chocolate-Cherry Bombs (Kraft Foods recipe)
Ingredients:?
1/3 cup boiling water?
1 pkg. (3oz.) cherry flavor gelatin ?
1 can (5 oz.) evaporated milk?
2 squares BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, coarsely chopped?
14 maraschino cherries with stems, drained
Add boiling water to gelatin mix in mixing bowl and stir until mix has completely dissolved (about 2 minutes)
Microwave evaporated milk and chopped chocolate in microwaveable bowl on high for 2 minutes. Stir each minute. It’s important that the chocolate is chopped or you will have a hard time blending the mixture.
Add evaporated milk/chocolate mixture to gelatin. Whisk until blended.
Pour mixture into small paper cups sprayed with cooking spray. Refrigerate for 15 minutes. (I used 14 cups to make 14 cherry bombs.)
Place a cherry in each cup, pressing down to secure the cherry. Refrigerate 20 minutes.
To serve, simply unmold the cherry bombs from the small cups. I chose to cut the sides of the small cups before attempting to unmold.
Peppermint Ice Cream and Oreo dessert (PBFingers.com)
Ingredients:
?Edy’s Peppermint Ice Cream?
Two rolls of Oreo cookies
Take peppermint ice cream out of fridge and allow to thaw.
Place two rolls of Oreo cookies into bag and crumble using a rolling pin or hammer.
Place half of cookie crumbles into a loaf pan lightly sprayed with cooking spray.
Layer thawed peppermint ice cream over cookie crumbles.
Top with the last half of cookie crumbles.
Place in freezer until ready to serve.
Holiday Pretzel Treats
Ingredients:?
1 package pretzels ?
1 package Hershey Kisses ?
1 package M&M’s
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Place individual pretzels on a baking sheet, and top each pretzel with a Hershey Kiss.
Place in oven for 3-4 minutes or until Hershey Kiss candies are soft.
Top each Hershey Kiss with a green or red M&M.
White Chocolate-Dipped Oreos
Ingredients:?
1 package Oreos?
1 package (12 oz.) white chocolate morsels ?
Holiday sprinkles
Melt chocolate in microwave for two minutes, stirring between each minute.
Dip half the Oreo into melted chocolate and place on foil.
Garnish with holiday sprinkles and let cool.
