APPETIZERS Cocktail Meatballs Spicy Tortilla Chips with Salsa Verde Crab Dip Bruschetta Green Pea Guacamole Chicken Salad Cream Puff California Quesadillas Critter Crunch Back to Main Menu

Cocktail Meatballs
Ingredient:

1 pound ground beef
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 small onion, chopped (about � cup)
1 egg
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1 bottle (12 oz) chili sauce
1 jar (10 oz) grape jelly

Directions:

1. Mix the first 9 ingredients in a bowl. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls. Cook meatballs in 12 inch skillet over medium heat about 15 minutes, turning occasionally, until brown.
2. Remove meatballs from skillet; drain. Heat chili sauce and jelly in skillet, stirring constantly, until jelly is melted. Add the meatballs and stir until coated.  Simmer uncovered 30 minutes. Serve hot with toothpicks.

Spicy Tortilla Chips with Salsa Verde
Ingredients:

2 tablespoons margarine, melted
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
8 corn or flour tortillas (8 inches in diameter)

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees F. Mix margarine and chili powder; brush on one side of tortillas.
2. Cut each into 12 wedges. Place on ungreased jelly roll pan, 15� x 10� x 1 inch. Back uncovered 8 to 10 minutes or until crisp and golden brown; cool. (Tortillas will continue to crisp as they cool.)

Salsa Verde
1 small onion, chopped (about � cup)
2 tablespoons lightly packed cilantro leaves
2 tablespoons lightly packed watercress
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 oz tomatillos, cut in half
1 to 2 small green chilies, seeded

Place all ingredients in blender or food processor. Cover and blend or process until smooth. Cover and refrigerate any remaining salsa.

Crab Dip
Ingredients:

1/2 cup low-fat sour cream
2 tablespoons reduced-calorie mayonnaise
1 tablespoons skim milk
1 tablespoons prepared horseradish
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
8 oz. nonfat process cream cheese product -- (1 tub)
1 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese -- (4 ounces)
1/2 pound fresh lump crabmeat -- drained
1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Position knife blade in food processor bowl; add first 8 ingredients. Process until smooth, scraping sides of processor bowl once. Spoon mixture into a bowl; stir in Cheddar cheese and crab. Cover and chill. Sprinkle with paprika; serve with unsalted crackers or breadsticks.

Bruschetta
Ingredients:

8 diagonally cut Italian bread slices -- (� inch-thick)
(8 ounces)
Vegetable cooking spray
1 clove garlic -- halved
4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Parsley sprigs -- (optional)

Directions:

1. Prepare grill. Place bread slices on grill rack coated with cooking spray, and cook 2 minutes on each side or until lightly browned. Remove from grill.
2. Rub cut sides of garlic over one side of each bread slice, and brush with oil; sprinkle with salt.

Serving Ideas : Garnish with parsley sprigs, if desired.
Notes : Broil bread slices 2 minutes on each side instead of grilling, if desired.

Green Pea Guacamole
Ingredients:

10 ounces frozen green peas -- (1 package)
1 cup peeled cubed avocado
1/2 cup nonfat sour cream alternative
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 1/2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon canned chopped green chiles -- drained
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic -- peeled

Directions:

Cook peas according to package directions; drain.  Place peas and remaining ingredients in food processor, and process until smooth. Spoon into a bowl; cover and chill.

Chicken Salad Cream Puff
Ingredients For Cream Puffs:

1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup water
2 tablespoons margarine
2 egg whites
1 egg
Vegetable cooking spray
Chicken Salad

Ingredients For Chicken Salad:

1/4 cup diced celery
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
1/4 cup reduced-fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
2 tablespoons plain nonfat yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 ounces diced pimento (1 jar)
1 3/4 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (3/4 lb)

Directions for Cream Puffs:

1. Combine the first 3 ingredients, and set aside.
2. Combine water and margarine in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil.
3. Reduce heat to low; add the flour mixture, stirring well until mixture is smooth and pulls away from sides of pan. Remove from heat, and let cool 5 minutes.
4. Add egg whites and egg, 1 at a time, beating vigorously with a wooden spoon until smooth.
5. Spoon mixture into a pastry bag fitted with a �-inch round tip, and pipe 30 (1-1/2-inch-round) mounds onto a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
6. Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees, and bake an additional 10 minutes; let cool completely on a wire rack.
7. Cut tops off cream puffs; fill each cream puff with 1 tablespoon Chicken Salad. Yield: 30 appetizers.

Directions for Chicken Salad:

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a bowl, and stir well. Stir in chicken; cover and chill.

California Quesadillas
Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups diced peeled papaya
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons diced red onion
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
4 ounces crumbled chevre -- (1 cup) goat cheese
1/4 cup bottled roasted red bell peppers -- drained and chopped
1/4 cup tub nonfat cream cheese -- softened
1 teaspoon minced seeded jalapeno pepper
6 fat-free flour tortillas -- (8-inch)
Vegetable cooking spray
Cilantro sprigs -- (optional)

Directions:

1. Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl; stir well. Cover and chill.
2. Combine the chevre, chopped bell peppers, cream cheese, and jalapeno in a bowl, and stir well. Spread about 2 tablespoons cheese mixture over each tortilla, and fold in half.
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray, and place over medium heat until hot. Add 2 quesadillas, and cook 1 minute on each side or until browned. Remove the quesadillas from skillet. Place on a baking sheet, and keep warm in a 200 degrees oven. Repeat procedure with remaining quesadillas.

Notes : Garnish with cilantro sprigs, if desired. Serve immediately. To serve, cut each quesadilla in half crosswise. Arrange 2 quesadilla halves and � cup papaya mixture on each of 6 plates.

Critter Crunch
Ingredients:

3 tablespoons brown sugar
3 tablespoons reduced-calorie stick margarine
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 cup animal-shaped crackers
1 cup honey-flavored bear-shaped graham crackers
1 cup crispy corn-rice cereal squares
1 cup whole-grain toasted oat cereal
1 cup tiny unsalted pretzels
1 cup bite-sized whole-wheat cereal biscuit with raisins

Directions:

1. Combine sugar and margarine in a small bowl. Microwave at HIGH for 1 minute or until margarine melts and sugar dissolves; stir in cinnamon.
2. Combine animal-shaped crackers and next 5 ingredients in a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish; drizzle with margarine mixture, tossing gently to coat.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Cool completely; store in an airtight container.

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This site is developed by Cynthia Leonard
Revised: September 24, 2002