Appetizers & Snacks
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Cannoli Dip
If ever there was a recipe written for making new friends, this is it! They don't have to know how easy it is! Credit for this one goes to Chrisy Toombs at www.HomemadeHooplah.com You'll need: 1 cup cream cheese 1 cup ricotta cheese 1 cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 2/3 cup mini chocolate chips Waffle cones, broken into chip-sized pieces Mix together the first 4 ingredients until smooth. Stir in chocolate chips and serve with broken cone pieces. Yup, it really is that easy! Smoked Salmon Tray
Add a little class and subtract a lot of stress from your Christmas or New Year’s brunch by assembling a few simple ingredients on a pretty tray. Guests will be too busy ooh-ing and ahh-ing to realize how easy it was. You’ll need: 1 package smoked salmon 1 block cream cheese 2 lemons (cut in half slices) 1/2 red onion, finely chopped or thinly sliced 1 jar capers, drained 1 bag bagel chips or thinly sliced/toasted bagels lettuce leaves or parsley (optional for presentation) Place lettuce or parsley around the edges of the tray. Place the block of cream cheese slightly off-center in the middle of the tray. Flake the salmon into medium sized pieces and lay in layers next to the cream cheese, in the middle of the tray. Arrange small piles of the capers, onions and lemon around the salmon and cream cheese. Serve the bagels in a separate bowl or basket. Baked Brie
Looking for a super-quick and simple appetizer for your soiree? Give this one a try! You'll need: One sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed Brie wheel Raspberry Jam (optional) 1 Egg, beaten 1-2 T. water Preheat oven to 350 degrees. If using raspberry jam, cut brie in half horizontally and spread a thick layer of jam on one half; top with the other half. Wrap entire brie wheel in the puff pastry and press edges together to form a seal (make sure there are no holes). It's okay to bunch the dough where it meets at the top, but you can also cut away some of the excess if it is too much. Place covered wheel on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick spray. Mix together egg and water and brush over exposed areas of the wheel. Bake for approximately 20 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Remove and serve with crackers or french bread slices and some grapes for a nice touch. |
Antipasto Skewers
Go from ho-hum picnic to al fresco pizzazz with these perky picks. You'll need: 1 summer sausage or pepperoni stick, cut into cubes or thick half moons 1 ball fresh mozzarella, cubed 1 jar pepperoncini 1 jar large green olives 1-2 large bell pepper, diced 1 jar marinated artichokes grape tomatoes bamboo skewers Substitute any of the above with your favorite antipasto ingredients. Other options include marinated mushrooms, black olives, sundried tomatoes, roasted garlic cloves, salami, other cheeses, or even cooked cheese tortellini or ravioli (though technically not "antipasto"). Thread 1-2 pieces of each ingredient onto skewers in any order until they are used up. Tip: Stand the skewers up in a pitcher or large vase, bouquet-style, to double as a deli-cious centerpiece for a party. Peanut Butter Fruit Dip
This is such a simple, quick, and healthy way to get your picky kids to eat more fruit or jazz up your party fruit tray. Take it to the pool or to your next picnic or potluck. You'll need: 6 oz. container low-fat or nonfat vanilla yogurt 2-3 Tablespoons smooth peanut butter Simply mix together until well combined and serve with a variety of bite-sized fresh fruit. Buffalo Chicken Salad
Satisfy that craving for buffalo wings with a fraction of the fat, calories and MESS! You'll need: 2 cooked chicken breasts or 1 large can chicken, drained 1-2 large stalks celery 1-2 large carrots 1/2 onion 2 T. cream cheese, softened 2 T. blue cheese dressing 2 T. wing sauce Shred the chicken and finely chop the vegetables; combine in a medium bowl and set aside. In a smaller bowl, mix together cream cheese, blue cheese dressing and wing sauce. Add to chicken mixture and toss to combine. Serve with crackers or corn chips. |
Snack Boxes
Encourage healthy snacking by making a variety of well-balanced snacks you or your kids can grab whenever hunger strikes. Choose one from each of the lists below to get started, or include a small serving each of your favorite grain, protein or dairy, and fruit or vegetable:
Grains:
crackers, pretzels, tortilla chips or triangles, popcorn, granola, bran muffin, pita triangles
Protein/Dairy:
yogurt, cheese, deli meat, beef jerky, peanut butter, nuts, bean dip, hummus
Fruit/veggies:
apple slices (soak 5 minutes in salt water, then drain), orange segments, grapes, bell pepper strips, grape tomatoes, celery sticks, baby carrots, cucumber slices
Encourage healthy snacking by making a variety of well-balanced snacks you or your kids can grab whenever hunger strikes. Choose one from each of the lists below to get started, or include a small serving each of your favorite grain, protein or dairy, and fruit or vegetable:
Grains:
crackers, pretzels, tortilla chips or triangles, popcorn, granola, bran muffin, pita triangles
Protein/Dairy:
yogurt, cheese, deli meat, beef jerky, peanut butter, nuts, bean dip, hummus
Fruit/veggies:
apple slices (soak 5 minutes in salt water, then drain), orange segments, grapes, bell pepper strips, grape tomatoes, celery sticks, baby carrots, cucumber slices