Skinny Baked Mozzarella Sticks

Anyone else seen this recipe floating around Pinterest?

I've been following Gina for a while now, and as soon as she posted this one, I pinned it right away. It sounded too good to be true. Cheesy, crunchy, tasty mozzarella sticks that weren't loaded with calories and fat? No way.

Since I'm trying to be a little more health conscious, I decided to give these a whirl for the Superbowl. My husband's family was coming over for the game, and this included our teenage nephews. What better chance to try out a (sneaky) healthy recipe than when I've got teenage boys in the house?!

When I told them I was making them, I immediately got a "Oh, those are gonna be good..." from the 15 yr old. And wouldn't you know it? They loved them.

The only thing I need to stress for these to work is to make sure you follow the freezing process. Otherwise, you run the risk of them turning into a pile of cheesy goo.

Thankfully, it didn't happen to me. They were amazing. For you WW peeps, each one is only 2 points. Crazy, right?!

I also recommend getting Sargento cheese. I went the cheaper route, and even though nobody else seemed bothered, I could tell there was more salt in them than I would've liked. Sargento is just better anyway, I think. So yeah. These were a hit.

Skinny Baked Mozzarella Sticks

(Recipe by Gina)

via

Ingredients

12 sticks part-skim, reduced sodium mozzarella string cheese (Sargento)

1 large egg, beaten

2 tbsp flour

5 tbsp Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

5 tbsp panko crumbs

2 tsp parmesan cheese

1 tbsp dried parsley

olive oil cooking spray

Directions

Cut

cheese in half to give you 24 pieces.

Place

cheese in the freezer until cheese is frozen.

In small bowl,

whisk

the egg.

Place

the flour on another small dish. In separate bowl,

combine

bread crumbs, panko, parmesan cheese and dried parsley.

Dip

the frozen sticks in flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, then coat with the crumbs.

Repeat

this process with the remaining cheese placing them on a tray with wax paper. Place cheese back into the freezer until ready to bake (this is a must or they will melt before the crumbs get golden).

When ready to bake

preheat

oven to 400° F.

Line

a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly

spray

with oil.

Place frozen cheese sticks on baking sheet.

Spray

the tops of the mozzarella sticks with a little more oil and

bake

in the bottom third of your oven until crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes.

Turn

and

bake

an additional 4 - 5 minutes watching them closely so they don't melt.

Makes 24 pieces.

1-2-3 Mexican Bean Dip

This is one of my most requested recipes ever.
If you're looking for a great Superbowl snack, this is it.

My husband had a friend come to town last year, and I had just made this. Hubs decided he wanted it all to himself and didn't share with his friend. I ended up having to make two the next time he had friends over. In fact, the same buddy helped me with some computer stuff, and when I asked him how he wanted me to pay him? He asked me to make this dip.

Whenever I take it to family functions, parties, etc; it's always devoured in like 10 minutes.

1-2-3 Mexican Bean Dip

(Recipe by Mary Corpening Barber & Sara Corpening Whiteford)

(sorry. no matter how great of a camera you have,

Mexican food never seems to photograph all that well... or maybe it's just me?)

Ingredients

•  1 can (16 ounces) refried beans
• 1 1/2 cups medium salsa
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 3/4 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise (even if you hate mayo, don't skip this. my husband can't stand mayo, yet he can't get enough of this stuff)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1 small red bell pepper, seeded, deribbed, and chopped
• 1 cup (2 ounces) grated extra sharp shredded cheddar cheese (sometimes I'll use the "Mexican blend" instead... both are great)
• 1 jalapeno chili, cut into rounds (about 20)
• Tortilla chips for serving

Directions

Combine the refried beans, 1/4 cup of the salsa, the chili powder, cumin, and oregano in a medium bowl. Spread evenly over the bottom of a 9-inch round ceramic casserole dish (at least 2 inches deep) or an 8-by-8-by-2 1/4-inch glass baking dish.
Combine the sour cream, mayonnaise, red onion, cilantro, and onion powder in a small bowl. Spread over the top of the beans mixture.
Combine the bell pepper and the remaining 1 1/4 cups salsa in a small bowl. Gently spread over the sour cream mixture, being careful not to mix the layers. Top with the cheese and jalapeno and refrigerate until chilled, at least 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

Do Ahead: This dip can be made 1 day in advance and refrigerated.

Christmas Popcorn

I made this twice in the last week (one was a "test" batch, the next for our Christmas party). It's SO easy and people went crazy over it. Even if you're not having a party, don't let that stop you. Pop in a Christmas movie, put on some pj's, and spend about 5 minutes putting this together.

Perfect Christmas snack. It also makes a great gift!

Christmas Popcorn

(Recipe by Tiffany)

via

Ingredients

• 1 bag popped popcorn (get the non-buttered kind. otherwise, it gets all mushy)
• 1/2 - 3/4 cup white chocolate morsels, melted
• dash of salt
• colored sprinkles

Directions

Pop popcorn. Microwave white chocolate morsels for 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each time, until melted. In a large bowl, combine popcorn and white chocolate until all of the popcorn has been coated. Spread on a large cookie sheet and sprinkle the sprinkles and a little salt on the popcorn. Wait until chocolate has hardened and enjoy!!

Sausage Balls

We recently threw a bridal shower for one of my best buds.

My mom was in charge of the food, and it was there that I was reminded of this recipe. Now, honestly? I don't like sausage. Not even remotely. You're lucky if you can get me to eat pepperoni. So for me to like this? You know it's gotta be good.

It's super simple (4 ingredients). So if you have a holiday party you're either throwing or attending, bring these. Never met anyone that didn't like them.

Sausage Balls

(Recipe by Paula Deen)

via

Ingredients

• 4 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
• 3 cups Bisquick baking mix
• 1 1-pound package ground sausage
• 1/8 tablespoon Pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a baking sheet with vegetable oil cooking spray.
Combine all ingredients in a large glass bowl. Mix well with your fingers. The mixture will be very crumbly.
Form into 1 inch balls, squeezing the mixture so it holds together, then rolling it between the palms of your hands to form balls.
Place the balls on the baking sheet. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. To prevent sticking, move the balls with a spatula halfway through cooking.

There's also a dip that goes with it, but we didn't make it. So I can't give you my honest opinion on it. But if you want to give it a go, who am I to stand in your way? :)
Makes about 5 dozen sausage balls.

Dip: Mix together 1 cup mayonnaise and 1 Tbsp mustard.



Garlic Chicken Puffs

We had a luncheon this week at church for all of the women's Bible studies that meet up on Tuesdays. Everyone signed up to bring something. My signature dishes are usually desserts. I'm just better at baking, I think. Probably because my sweet tooth never fails me; I can tell if something will come out right just by looking at the picture. But I brought a dessert last time, so I figured it was time to push myself out of my comfort zone. However, I decided to stick with something simple.

I found this recipe and decided to give it a whirl.

It was inexpensive, tasty, and fed a lot of people. I think next time I'll take it up a notch and add some herbs... maybe some basil, oregano, etc. But they're definitely a great snack food to bring to a party, shower, or any other event where hungry people will be. And I got a couple of random compliments, so the fact that they're a crowd-pleaser is a plus.

Have a great weekend!!

Garlic Chicken Puffs

(Recipe by Cheryl)

via

Ingredients

• 8 ounces cream cheese
• 2 tsp garlic powder
• 1 cup cooked shredded chicken*
• 2 cans refrigerator crescent rolls

Directions

Mix cream cheese, garlic and chicken until well blended.

Unroll crescent rolls and cut each triangle into 2 triangles (when you unroll the crescent rolls, 2 triangles are attached making a big square, I just followed the perforation on the opposite side and made an X, creating 4 little triangles).

Place 1 tsp of chicken mixture on the center of each triangle and fold the corners in over the creamy mixture. Place on cookie sheet, lined with aluminum foil and sprayed with no stick spray. Bake at 375 for 12-14 minutes (mine were ready in about 10 minutes, so watch them closely).

*For cooked chicken, I used the leftovers from my favorite oven roasted chicken dish I make. If you're not planning on making chicken the night before, you could always grab an precooked rotisserie chicken from the grocery store.

Basil Butter

This summer has been awesome to the basil in my garden. Seriously, my basil sings praises to the sun, it's so happy. It's gotten a little out of control, actually.

This has left me scrounging around for new recipes to try out... something besides the obvious pasta and pesto. I found this recipe allrecipes.com the other day and had to try it out.

I love flavored butter. I mean, I love butter in general, but I especially love it when it's got a fun flavor. Whether it's apple butter, garlic-herb butter, or whatever... I'm a big fan.

This one didn't disappoint. The best part is that you can freeze it and use it again later. It'll give you that fresh basil taste in the middle of the winter. Awesome, right??

I'll definitely be making this recipe again when I need to use up the last bit of my basil before the frost hits. But you don't need a garden as a reason to try it out. Grab some basil next time you're at a local market or at the grocery store. It's worth trying it out, because you don't have to use this with just bread. Try it on chicken, fish, or cooked veggies.

The best part?

As one reviewer put it, this recipe is only limited by your imagination. You can sub the basil for cilantro and the lemon for lime juice. Use dill or chives for a different flavor. The possibilities are endless. Have some fun with it!

Basil Butter

(Original recipe by Emily Chaney.

Modified by me.)

via

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups loosely packed fresh basil leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley
• 1/2 pound butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cloves minced garlic

Directions

In a food processor, chop basil and parsley. Add butter, lemon juice, pepper, salt, and garlic; blend until smooth. Drop by half-tablespoons onto a baking sheet; freeze. Remove from baking sheet and store in freezer bags.

Veggie Bites

Last weekend, I hosted a baby shower for a friend.

Throughout the shower, my mom and I (she helped me with the food) kept getting told, "This is the best shower food I've EVER.HAD."

One of the favorites happened to be this recipe.

From across the room, I saw one woman literally holding one of these up in the air, examining it to see if she could figure out how it was made. Cracked me up! And of course, I then gave them the recipe.

These are great for showers, but really, they're perfect for any kind of part (especially in the summer).

I don't remember where we originally got this recipe. Actually, it was passed on by friends of ours who were hosting a home party (for candles and lotions and stuff).

We loved the appetizer and have used it tons of times ever since.
There are a million variations of this, so feel free to experiment.

Veggie Bites

Ingredients

• 1 (8 oz) can of refrigerated crescent rolls
• 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
• 1 (1 oz) package Ranch dressing mix
• 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 2 finely chopped carrots
• 1/2 cup chopped green onion
• 1/2 cup chopped broccoli

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Roll out crescent rolls onto a large non-stick baking sheet. Stretch and flatten to form a single rectangular shape on the baking sheet. Bake 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Allow to cool.

Place cream cheese in a medium bowl. Mix cream cheese with 1/2 of the Ranch dressing mix. Adjust the amount of dressing mix to taste. Spread the mixture over the cooled crust. Arrange carrots, bell peppers, green onions, and broccoli on top. Chill the refrigerator approximately 1 hour. Cut into bite-sized squares to serve.

Caprese Salad

I know, I know.

Where have I been?

I guess I took an unintentional summer hiatus from my food blog.

(to read my regular ol' blog, go here)

But summer's not over yet! I mean, really. Have you been outside??

We've got a long way to go before Fall hits... at least where we live, anyway.

However, my basil? Totally a fan of this heat.

It's just gone crazy. So in an attempt to use it up, I've been scouring the internet looking for basil recipes.

One of my favorite no-fail ways to use basil, though, is a light caprese salad.

Absolutely delish.

So here ya go.

Caprese Salad

(By Ree Drummond)

Ingredients

• 2 cups Balsamic Vinegar
• 3 whole Ripe Tomatoes, Sliced Thick
• 12 ounces, weight Mozzarella Cheese, Sliced Thick
• Fresh Basil Leaves
• Olive Oil, For Drizzling
• Kosher Salt And Freshly Ground Black Pepper

Directions

In a small saucepan, bring balsamic vinegar to a boil over medium-low heat. Cook for 10 to 20 minutes, or until balsamic has reduced to a thicker glaze. Remove from heat and transfer to a bowl or cruet. Allow to cool.
When you're ready to serve, arrange tomato and mozzarella slices on a platter. Arrange basil leaves between the slices. Drizzle olive oil over the top of the salad, getting a little bit on each slice. Do the same with the balsamic reduction, making designs if you want. Store extra balsamic reduction in fridge for a later use.
End with a sprinkling of kosher salt and black pepper.

Serve as a lunch, with crusty bread. Or serve alongside a beef main course for dinner.

Yields: 8 servings (or one really big salad for yourself...)



Guacamole

Finally, a recipe I've made on my own.

It was bound to happen eventually, right? I'm a strict recipe follower.

My husband? He's a total recipe maker. He's made so many incredible dishes for me, but he never writes them down. I'm determined to stand next to him one of these days and take notes. That way I can actually share original recipes instead of stuff I like recipes.

I know guacamole isn't all that hard to make.

That's probably why I love it so much. It's full of flavor, but superduper easy.

There are a million different ways to make it too.

This is my version...

Guacamole

True story: Made this dip and meant to take a picture before serving. Got to tasting it, and before I knew it, my hubby and I had eaten most of it before I remembered to snap a picture. Oops!

Ingredients

• 2 large Haas avocados
• 1 medium tomato, diced
• 1 Tbsp finely diced onion (red is best, but others will be fine)
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp fresh cilantro (said it before, fresh makes a major difference)
• Juice of 1 lime (or lemon)
• 2-3 drops of hot sauce (we use Texas Pete)
• Dash of Kosher salt, to taste
• *Optional* jalapeno, chopped

Directions

In a large bowl, mash avocados with a fork. Add tomato. Add onion, garlic, cilantro, lime juice, and hot sauce. Get out your bag of chips and start testing. Adjust recipe according to what you like in order to get a perfect balance.

If you're really daring and like some extra spice, add some chopped jalapenos.

Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Feeds about 2-3 hungry snackers.

Easy Asian-Style Chicken Appetizers

I know we're all excited about Thanksgiving coming up and everything, but you realize that once those leftovers are stuffed in the back of the fridge, it's already time to start planning (or just attending) Christmas parties!

I love party food. It's like going to the grocery store and eating all those little samples, but you can come back for more. And you don't feel like a cow, because the majority of the food is bird sized! You just have to be smart about what you pick up. Not only for calorie reasons (but who watches those during the holidays...), but because you don't want to be left staaarving after the food is gone. Even if you're trying to impress your friend's cute neighbor by not scarfing cake, eating nothing but broccoli off the veggie tray is definitely a bad idea (also, don't eat broccoli at a party. it gets in your teeth, and people are just too awkward to tell you about it).

 

So on to the recipe...

 

This is the perfect party food. It's yummy, filling, and won't have the cute neighbor walking away disgusted by your teeth. Also, very easy to make!

 

It's from kraftfoods.com and is so worth trying.

 

 

 

Ingredients:

(ps. the caps... their emphasis on the brands, not mine. although I do agree, there's just no substituting a Ritz).

 

3 Tbsp. KRAFT GOOD SEASONS Asian Sesame with Ginger Dressing

1 Tbsp.  KRAFT Real Mayo Mayonnaise

1-1/2 cups chopped or shredded cooked chicken

8   snow peas, chopped

2 green onions, thinly sliced

Dash  freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Dry Roasted Peanuts

24   RITZ Crackers

 

Directions:

MIX dressing and mayo in medium bowl until well blended.
ADD all remaining ingredients except nuts and crackers; mix well.
SPOON chicken mixture onto crackers just before serving; top with nuts.

Makes 12 servings.

Extra tips:

Use a cooked rotisserie chicken from the supermarket to make this dish even easier!

Chicken mixture can be prepared in advance. Store in tightly covered container in refrigerator up to 24 hours before using as directed. For best results, spoon onto crackers just before serving.