MANDARIN ALMOND CHICKEN BITES
1/2 cup finely chopped cooked chicken
1/2 cup canned mandarin orange segments, drained, cut into
thirds
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 Tbsp. Sliced Almonds
2 Tbsp. Light Dressing
48 Reduced Fat Crackers
MIX together chicken, oranges, cranberries, almonds and
dressing; cover.
Refrigerate at least 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.
TOP each cracker with 1 tsp. of the chicken mixture. Serve
immediately.
Garnish with chopped fresh parsley.
The chicken mixture can be made the day before and stored
in the refrigerator until ready to use.
CREAMY STUFFED PASTRY BITES
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup finely chopped cooked turkey or chicken
2 green onions, sliced
1 pkg. (17-1/4 oz.) frozen puff pastry (2 sheets), thawed
1 egg
1 Tbsp. milk
PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Mix cream cheese, turkey, onions and
parsley until well blended. Season with salt and pepper to
taste.
Put pastry sheets on cutting board. Cut out 22 circles from
each pastry sheet, using a 2-inch round cutter. Beat egg
and milk with wire whisk until well blended.
SPOON 1 tsp. of the turkey mixture onto center of each
pastry circle. Brush edge of pastry with egg mixture. Fold
pastry in half to completely enclose filling; press edges
together to seal. Place on baking sheet; brush tops with
remaining egg mixture.
BAKE 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown. Serve
immediately.
Assemble appetizers as directed but do not brush with egg
mixture. Place in a freezer-weight resealable plastic bag.
Remove excess air from bag and seal bag. Freeze up to 3
months. When ready to serve, remove appetizers from freezer
and place in a single layer on baking sheet. Brush with egg
mixture. Bake at 400°F for 15 to 17 minutes or until heated
through and golden brown.
Use a fork to seal the pastry edges - it adds a decorative
edge and prevents the filling from coming out.
SAUSAGE & CHEESE STUFFED MUSHROOMS
1 lb. medium fresh mushrooms, cleaned
1/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing
1/2 cup Italian sausage, cooked, crumbled
1/2 cup Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
Preheat broiler. Remove and discard stems from mushrooms.
Brush mushroom caps with dressing and place on rack of
broiler pan. Broil 5 min.
PRESS sausage evenly into mushroom caps, using about 1/2
tsp. sausage in each cap. Sprinkle evenly with cheese.
BROIL an additional 5 min. or until cheese is melted. Serve
hot.
Substitute Four Cheese Mexican Style Shredded Cheese or
Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese for the mozzarella cheese.
Cut off the end of the sausage casing, then squeeze the
sausage from the package into the skillet. Cook and stir
until evenly browned. This will eliminate the need to cut
or crumble the sausage after it is cooked.
HOT BROCCOLI DIP
1 cup Light Dressing
1 cup 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese,
divided
1/2 cup 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, well
drained
1 jar (2 oz.) diced pimientos, drained
PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Mix together dressing, 1/2 cup of
the mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, broccoli and
pimientos.
SPREAD into 9-inch pie plate.
BAKE 20 to 25 min. or until heated through. Sprinkle with
remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella cheese. Continue baking 5 min.
or until mozzarella cheese is melted. Serve with Reduced
Fat Baked Snack Crackers.
SPICED COFFEE
1/3 cup ground Coffee, any variety
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 cup orange marmalade
3 cups cold water
PLACE coffee, cinnamon and cloves in filter in brew basket
of coffee maker. Place marmalade in empty pot of coffee
maker.
ADD water to coffee maker; brew. When brewing is complete,
stir until well mixed.
Serve with sugar and cinnamon sticks.
ITALIAN VEGGIE DIP
1 cup Mayo Real Mayonnaise
1 cup Sour Cream
1 envelope Italian or Zesty Italian Salad Dressing
1/4 cup each: finely chopped green and red pepper
MIX mayo, sour cream and salad dressing mix until well
blended. Stir in peppers; cover.
REFRIGERATE several hours or until chilled.
SERVE with Breadsticks, Crackers, vegetable dippers or
chips.
To make crudites for dipping, cut raw vegetables, such as
peppers, celery and carrots, into strips. Cut broccoli into
small florets, leaving 1-1/2 to 2 inches of the stem on
each floret. Place in shallow pan, cover with ice water and
store in refrigerator until ready to use.
BROCCOLI DIP IN BREAD BOWL
1 cup Dressing
1 cup Sour Cream
1 envelope Italian Salad Dressing and Recipe Mix
1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped broccoli, thawed, well
drained
1 can (8 oz.) water chestnuts, drained, chopped
1/2 cup chopped red pepper
1 loaf round sourdough bread (1 lb.)
MIX dressing, sour cream and salad dressing mix in large
bowl until well blended. Add broccoli, water chestnuts and
red pepper; mix well. Cover. Refrigerate several hours or
until chilled.
CUT slice from top of bread loaf; remove center, leaving
1-inch-thick shell. Cut removed bread into bite-sized
pieces.
SPOON dip into bread loaf just before serving. Serve with
bread pieces, Crackers and assorted cut-up vegetables.
At parties, select a few of your favorite appetizers rather
than sampling one of each to save room for your entree.
Substitute 1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed,
well drained, for broccoli.
SNOWMAN CHEESE BALL
1 tub (8 oz.) Cream Cheese Spread
2 cups Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1/4 cup finely chopped chives or green onions
1/4 cup toasted Slivered Almonds
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper or to taste
1/4 cup 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese
MIX cream cheese spread, cheddar cheese, chives, almonds
and ground red pepper until well blended; cover.
Refrigerate 1 hour.
DIVIDE mixture into 3 different-sized balls (1 small, 1
medium and 1 large) to form snowman. Coat balls with
Parmesan cheese. Arrange balls on a serving platter in a
line to form a snowman lying down. Largest ball should be
at bottom of serving plate for base of snowman. Smallest
ball should be at the top for head of snowman. Garnish
snowman with pitted ripe olives or peppercorns for the
"eyes" and "mouth." Add a baby carrot for the "nose."
SERVE with Crackers and an assortment of cut-up fresh
vegetables, such as carrot and celery sticks.
TRUFFLES
Prepare cheese mixture as directed; shape into 1/2-inch
balls. Roll in 100% Grated Parmesan Cheese, Ground Pecans,
dry bread crumbs or chopped fresh parsley.
WREATH
Prepare cheese mixture as directed; drop by spoonfuls
around drinking glass on serving plate to form ring. Smooth
top with spatula; remove glass. Garnish with finely chopped
fresh parsley and red peppers to resemble Christmas
wreath.
VEGGIE PIZZA APPETIZER
2 cans (8 oz. each) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup Dressing
1 tsp. dill weed
1/2 tsp. onion salt
1 cup broccoli florets
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 cup chopped seeded tomato
1/2 cup sliced pitted ripe olives (optional)
1/4 cup chopped onion
PREHEAT oven to 375°F. Separate dough into 4 rectangles.
Press onto bottom and up side of 15x10x1-inch baking pan to
form crust.
BAKE 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown; cool.
MIX cream cheese, dressing, dill and onion salt until well
blended. Spread over crust; top with remaining ingredients.
Refrigerate. Cut into squares.
Great Substitute
Substitute chopped cucumbers, shredded carrot and/or red
bell peppers for any of the chopped vegetables.
CHEESE TRUFFLES
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese
1 tsp. garlic powder
Dash ground red pepper
1/4 cup chopped roasted red pepper
1/4 cup chopped green onion
Savory Crackers
BEAT cream cheese, shredded cheese, garlic powder and
ground red pepper until well blended. Divide in half. Add
roasted red peppers to one half and green onions to the
other half; mix each half until well blended. Cover.
REFRIGERATE 2 to 3 hours for flavors to blend.
SHAPE cheese mixtures into 1-inch balls. Roll in finely
chopped Nuts, additional Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese,
paprika, sesame seed or chopped fresh parsley. Cover and
refrigerate until ready to serve.
WREATH
Alternately arrange different flavored truffles in a large
circle on platter to resemble a holiday wreath. Create a
decorative bow out of green onion strips. Use to garnish
wreath.
CHEESE LOGS
Roll each half into a 6-inch log. Roll in desired coatings
as directed.
FIESTA BAKED CHEESE DIP
2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened
1 pkg. (8 oz.) Four Cheese Mexican Style Shredded Cheese,
divided
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
1-1/4 cups Sour Cream, divided
1/4 to 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper
BEAT cream cheese in large mixing bowl with electric mixer
on medium speed until softened. Reserve 1/4 cup shredded
cheese for garnish. Add remaining shredded cheese, chilies,
1/2 cup of the sour cream and ground red pepper to cream
cheese; mix well.
SPOON into 10-inch pie plate or quiche dish.
BAKE at 350°F for 20 minutes or until lightly browned
around edge. Spread remaining 3/4 cup sour cream over baked
cheese spread. Sprinkle with reserved 1/4 cup shredded
cheese. Garnish with bell pepper cut-outs, if desired.
Serve with tortilla chips.
Substitute Shredded Colby/Monterey Jack Cheese for Four
Cheese Mexican Style Shredded Cheese.
EGGNOG TRIFLE
1-1/4 cups cold fat free milk
1 pkg. (4-serving size) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Fat Free
Sugar Free Instant Reduced Calorie Pudding & Pie Filling
4 Tbsp. orange juice, divided
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 tub (8 oz.)Whipped Topping, thawed
1 pkg. (13.6 oz.) fat free pound cake
1/4 cup Sliced Almonds, toasted
3 cups halved strawberries
POUR cold milk into large bowl. Add pudding mix, 2 Tbsp. of
the orange juice and nutmeg. Beat with wire whisk 1 minute.
Gently stir in whipped topping.
SLICE cake horizontally into 4 layers. Sprinkle cake layers
evenly with remaining 2 Tbsp. orange juice. Cut into 1-inch
cubes.
PLACE 1/2 of the cake cubes in bottom of 2-1/2-quart
straight-sided bowl. Spoon 1/2 of the whipped topping
mixture over cake cubes. Top with strawberries and almonds,
reserving several for garnish, if desired. Layer remaining
cake cubes and whipped topping mixture over strawberries.
Top with reserved strawberries and almonds.
REFRIGERATE until ready to serve. Store leftover dessert in
refrigerator.
