3 Festive Treats For Any Holiday Party

Here are some festive foods that are easy to make and light on fat. Take them to your next holiday party and watch them disappear.

 Cranberry Gorgonzola Cheese Ball blog lg  

Cranberry Almond Cheese Ball

Here is a festive appetizer that’s easy to make as well as healthy. Take it to your next holiday party and watch it disappear.

Yield: 32 1-oz. servings

Ingredients

1 8‑oz. container 1/3-less fat cream cheese, softened
1 8‑oz. container fat-free cream cheese, softened
4 oz. crumbled Gorgonzola 
½ cup dried cranberries, coarsely chopped plus ¼ cup more for garnish
2 tbsp. sliced almonds for garnish (optional)

Instructions

  1. In medium bowl combine all ingredients together except ¼ cup additional dried cranberries and sliced almonds. 
  2. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, blend together ingredients until well combined. 
  3. Using 2 sheets of plastic wrap (approximately 8 by 8 inches) inches, divide mixture evenly in the middle of each sheet. Wrap sheets up and around cheese mixture to form a ball, twist to seal tightly. Refrigerate balls for 2 hours or more to firm. Note: You can make one large cheeseball or the smaller 12-oz. 
  4. Once balls have firmed, remove from plastic wrap and roll in dried cranberries and sliced almonds. Serve or rewrap and chill until ready to serve.

Nutrition Facts (per Serving): 24 1‑oz. servings – 40 Calories; 3g Fat (62.5% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 11mg Cholesterol; 164mg Sodium. 

High-calorie Version Nutrition Facts (per Serving): 1-oz serving –  100 Calories; 9g Fat (83.2% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 1g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 27mg Cholesterol; 152mg Sodium.

 

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Easy Cocktail Meatballs

Use this meatball recipe for spaghetti and meatballs, meatball sandwiches, salads, or as an appetizer.

Yield: 18 to 34 meatballs

Ingredients

Cooking spray (optional)
1 lb. 95% to 97% lean ground beef, turkey, or buffalo
1 lb. 93% to 95% lean Italian turkey sausage, sweet or hot
1 cup onion, finely chopped
2 cups seasoned fat-free salad croutons, processed to make 2/3 to ½ cup crumbs, or ½ cup seasoned bread crumbs
2 cloves fresh garlic, pressed or minced
2 tsp. fresh thyme or ½ tsp. dry
½ tsp. garlic powder
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. salt
ground black pepper to taste
2 egg whites

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Remove casings from sausage, if necessary. Mix ground meat and sausage together with onions through egg whites until well combined. If mixture seems too dry, add an additional egg white to mixture.  
  2. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment or spray with cooking spray. If using a nonstick baking sheet, coat lightly with vegetable oil or line with foil or parchment.
  3. Form meat mixture into 2 ½  to 3-inch balls, (2 oz. per meatball). Place meatballs on baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes, turning over once during baking to prevent meatballs from cooking unevenly. 

For Cocktail Meatballs:

  1. Form meat mixture into 1 to 1 ½-inch balls (1 oz. per meatball). Follow instructions above, baking for 12 minutes.

Nutrition Facts (per Serving): One 2-oz. meatball - 93 Calories; 4g Fat (36.2% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 33mg Cholesterol; 334mg Sodium. 

High Fat Version Nutrition Facts (per Serving): 170 Calories; 13g Fat (71.0% calories from fat); 9g Protein; 3g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 38mg Cholesterol; 350mg Sodium.

Cocktail Meatballs Nutrition Facts (per Serving): One 1-oz. meatball - 49 Calories; 2g Fat (36.2% calories from fat); 6g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 17mg Cholesterol; 177mg Sodium. 

Cocktail Meatballs High-fat Version Nutrition Facts (per Serving): 90 Calories; 7g Fat (71.0% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 20mg Cholesterol; 185mg Sodium.

 

 Eggnog Rum cake blog LG

Eggnog Rum Cake

This eggnog rum cake is good enough to give as a gift. Just make sure to make extra for your family or gifts may come up missing. 

Yield: 16 pieces 

Ingredients

1 yellow cake mix made with pudding
1 egg
4 egg whites
1 cup fresh eggnog 
½ cup dark rum (You can replace the rum with ½ cup additional eggnog.)
1 tsp. real vanilla
¼ tsp. nutmeg, freshly grated
99% less residue no-stick baking spray with flour (optional)

Instructions

  1. Lightly spray a regular or stick-resistant Bundt cake pan with cooking spray, dust with flour, and set aside. If using a nonstick pan, spread 1 tsp. vegetable oil over surface and dust with flour. Note: You can use a 99% less residue no-stick baking spray with flour on all baking pans. This product will not damage nonstick surfaces. 
  2. Preheat oven to 325 F. In a mixing bowl, whisk cake mix together with nutmeg until combined. In a smaller bowl, whisk eggnog together with rum, egg, egg whites, and vanilla until combined. 
  3. Pour liquid ingredients into mixing bowl and beat all ingredients together on medium speed in an electric mixer for 2 minutes. Do not over beat mixture.
  4. Pour batter into pan and smooth out top. Bake at 325 F for 38 to 45 minutes or until cake tests done. Remove cake from oven and cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert cake on to serving plate and remove pan. 
  5. Prick top of cake with fork or tooth pick, then spoon or brush glaze evenly over top and sides of cake. Allow cake to absorb glaze. If using, sprinkle candied almonds over top of cake. Spoon and drizzle remaining cake and nuts.

Candied Almonds (Optional)

Ingredients

1/3 cup sliced almonds
3 tbsp. brown sugar
1 tbsp. egg white
pinch salt 
cooking spray

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line with parchment. If using a nonstick pan, spread 1 tsp. vegetable oil over surface or line with parchment. 
  2. Put almonds in a small bowl and toss together with sugar, egg white, and salt. 
  3. Place nut mixture on baking sheet and bake for 6 minutes. Remove pan from oven and stir nuts. Return to oven for an additional 6 minutes or until nuts are lightly  browned. Remove from oven and cool.

Rum Eggnog Glaze

Ingredients

¾ cup sugar
1 tbsp. whipped butter
3 tbsp. dark rum (You can replace the rum with ½ cup additional eggnog.)
¼ cup fresh eggnog

Instructions

  1. Combine sugar, rum, and butter in a small saucepan. Bring mixture to boil over medium heat, stirring constantly for 4 minutes. Remove from heat, cool 15 minutes, and then whisk eggnog into mixture. 

Nutrition Facts (per Serving) with Candied Almonds: 261 Calories; 7g Fat (25.0% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 42g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 22mg Cholesterol; 250mg Sodium. 

High Fat Version Nutrition Facts (per Serving): 370 Calories; 19g Fat (47.2% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 42g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 62mg Cholesterol; 271mg Sodium.

 

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