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Merry Christmas, Enjoy!

In this healthy version of the classic appetizer, we are using frozen spinach and frozen artichokes. Unless you harvest the spinach right out of your garden, frozen is a good way to go because spinach rapidly looses nutrients after it has been harvested. Frozen spinach is harvested and frozen right away, locking in the nutrients. Artichokes are best fresh, but very labor intensive, frozen is the next best thing.
Quick Tip: Assemble, but don’t bake. Keep in the fridge for a day and bake according to the recipe or wrap with plastic and foil and freeze for a few months. Bake from frozen in a 400° oven for about 1 hour covered, uncover and bake until bubbling.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup light mayo
• 1, 8 oz package 1/3 less fat cream cheese
• 1/2 cup mascarpone cheese
• 3/4 + 1/3 cup parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup plain yogurt
• 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
• 1/4 teaspoon Tabasco
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1 3/4 cup artichoke hearts, frozen and thawed, sliced in half
• 1/2 cup frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out
• 1/3 cup sun dried tomatoes, minced

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375°.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine mayo, cream cheese, mascarpone, 3/4 cup parmesan, sour cream, garlic, Tabasco, salt and pepper. Mix well.
3. Stir in the artichoke hearts, spinach and sun dried tomatoes.
4. Spread into a 2 quart baking dish. Sprinkle top with remaining 1/3 cup parmesan cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbling.
5. Serve with whole wheat crackers.

This treat is perfect for the holiday’s and so easy to make.
Make Ahead Tip: You can make this candy up to 1 week in advance.
Makes 2 cookie sheets of bark

Ingredients

• 3, 12 oz package dark chocolate
• 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
• 3, 12 oz package white chocolate
• 12 candy canes

Directions

1. Line 2 jelly roll pans or cookie sheets a sit pat or parchment paper.
2. Add dark chocolate to a medium microwave safe mixing bowl. Microwave for 2-2 1/2 minutes, stopping and stirring the chocolate every 20 seconds or so, until the chocolate has fully melted.
3. Stir peppermint extract into the melted chocolate.
4. Pour 1/2 the dark chocolate on each cookie sheet and spread to the corners evenly. Set aside.
5. Smash wrapped candy canes with the pack of a pan. Unwrap and place the candy cane sprinkles in a small bowl.
6. Melt the white chocolate the same way you did the dark, making sure to use a clean bowl.
7. Once the dark chocolate has hardened pour half the white chocolate over each layer of dark chocolate. Spread evenly.
8. Sprinkle the candy cane sprinkles evenly over the white chocolate.
9. Allow to harden for 1 hour.
10. Break off pieces and enjoy.

Make Ahead Tip: You can assemble the meatballs and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Place in the freezer. Once frozen place in a freezer ziplock and store up to 2 months.
Bake in a 400° oven on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 165°
If you don’t want to freeze they can be baked and kept in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat in a large pot with sauce.
Recipe makes about 30

Sauce – Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 cup yellow or white onion, 1/2 inch dice
• 4 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 3/4 teaspoon ginger, ground
• 1 cup canned pineapple chunks
• 2/3 cup pineapple juice, from canned pineapple
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 2/3 cup chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Sauce Directions

1. In a medium sauce pot pour in olive oil over medium heat, add the onion and sweat for 2-3 minutes or until translucent.
2. To the onions, stir in the vinegar ketchup, ginger, pineapple chunks, pineapple juice and sugar.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together the chicken broth and the cornstarch.
4. Whisk chicken broth mixture into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Allow to lightly simmer for about 5 minutes. Turn down to low and keep warm.

Meatballs – Ingredients

• 1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 2 Tablespoons grated yellow onion
• 2 eggs
• 2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon coriander
• 1/4 teaspoon ginger, ground
• 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
• 2 pounds ground chicken

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375°
2. In a large bowl mix together the garlic, onion, eggs, soy sauce, coriander, ginger and panko.
3. Add chicken and mix until well incorporated.
4. Scoop into quarter size balls.
5. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until the internal temp reaches 165°.
6. Add meatballs to the sauce and serve.

Serves 4-6

Ingredients

• 1 Cup –Bacon (sliced in to bits)
• 1 Cup – Leek (sliced 1/4 inch)
• 1 Pound -Haricot Verts (or green beans)
• 1/4 Cup –Almonds (slivered)

Directions

1. In a medium sauté pan, over med/high heat cook bacon until crisp (about 8-10min) stirring occasionally.
2. Remove bacon from pan and set aside, leaving drippings in the pan.
3. Add leeks to pan with drippings, sauté on medium heat for 5-7 min, stirring occasionally.
4. Add green beans to leeks and sauté for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. In a separate small pan toast almonds over medium heat stirring so not to burn. Toast almonds until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
6. Toss green beans, bacon and almonds together and serve.

Quick Tip: Make ahead and freeze. Once the sauce is cooked cool in the fridge. Place the cooled sauce into ziplock bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
To serve, allow to defrost at room temp for 20-30 minutes.

Ingredients

• 2, 12oz packages fresh cranberries
• 1 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 medium orange, zest and juice
• 1/2 teaspoon ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of salt

Directions

1. Place all of the ingredients into a large sauce pot and stir.
2. Cook on medium for 20-25 minutes, stirring occasionally.

This recipe is perfect for a Thanksgiving menu or a quick meal a home. Make sure to taste your potatoes before you stuff them to make sure the texture and flavor is to your liking, if you have larger potatoes you might want to add a tablespoon more of butter or milk.
Quick Tip: Make the potatoes up to a day ahead, keep in the fridge and bake about 25 minutes before you want to serve.
Makes 10 potatoes

Ingredients

• 5 medium russet potatoes, washed
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup parmesan cheese
• 8 pieced bacon (or 1/4 cup bacon bits)

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400°.
2. With a fork prick each potato about 5 times, place on a cookie sheet. (If you have a sil-pat, lay that on your cookie sheet and bake the potatoes on it).
3. Place the potatoes in your hot oven and bake for about 40-60 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
4. Remove from the oven and slice each potato in half lengthwise.
5. In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, add butter, mascarpone, sour cream, milk and salt.
6. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, but still warm, scoop out the insides leaving the skin in tact, and place the insides in the mixing bowl with the other ingredients, reserving the skin.
7. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk together on high until well incorporated and most of the lumps are gone, about 1 minute. Turn off the mixer and stir in 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese and all of the bacon.
8. With a large spoon scoop about 1/3 of a cup the whipped potatoes into each one of the skins. Sprinkle remaining parmesan cheese on top and bake at 375° for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the potato is heated through.
9. If you want to make ahead and freeze: Follow the recipe, after the stuffed potatoes are baked, place in the fridge to cool. Once cool, place the potatoes in a freezer safe container or zip lock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.

To serve straight from the freezer: Preheat your oven to 400°. Place the potatoes in an oven safe dish and cover with foil. Bake for about 35 minutes, uncover and finish baking until cheese is melted and potatoes are hot, about 10 minutes. Serve.

Makes 10 Potatoes
Quick tip: To cut down on fat you can use half and half instead of heavy cream and olive oil instead of butter, the flavor won’t be quite as rich.

Ingredients

• 5 sweet potatoes
• 1/4 cup mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 Tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon heavy cream
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 Tablespoons butter, room temp
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• pinch of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon cinnamon
• pinch of ginger
• pinch of nutmeg
• 3/4 cup pecans, chopped
• 1/2 cup blue cheese (optional)

Directions

1. Pre-heat your oven to 400°.
2. With a fork prick each potato about 5 times, place on a cookie sheet. (If you have a sil-pat, lay that on your cookie sheet and bake the potatoes on it).
3. Place the potatoes in your hot oven and bake for about 40-60 minutes or until easily pierced with a fork.
4. While the potatoes are baking, in a medium sauté pan over medium heat, add butter and brown sugar.
5. Once the butter has melted stir in the salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the sugar has started to bubble, turn off the heat and stir in the pecans. Please the candied pecans on parchment paper or a non stick surface and allow to cool.
6. Once the potatoes are tender, remove them from the oven and slice each potato in half lengthwise.
7. In a mixing bowl or stand mixer, add mascarpone, maple syrup, heavy cream, salt and cinnamon.
8. Once the potatoes are cool enough to handle, but still warm very gently scoop out the insides leaving the skin in tact, and place the insides in the mixing bowl with the other ingredients, reserving the skin.
9. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk together on high until well incorporated and most of the lumps are gone about 1 minute.
10. With a large spoon scoop about 1/3 of a cup the whipped potatoes into each one of the skins. Top each potato evenly with candied pecans and crumble the blue cheese over the pecans.
11. Bake at 375° for 7-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the potato is heated through.

*If you want to make ahead and freeze: Follow the recipe, after the stuffed potatoes are baked, place in the fridge to cool. Once cool, place the potatoes in a freezer safe container or zip lock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
To serve straight from the freezer: Preheat your oven to 400°. Place the potatoes in an oven safe dish and cover with foil. Bake for about 35 minutes, uncover and finish baking until cheese is melted and potatoes are hot, about 10 minutes. Serve.

Serves 12
Quick Tip: To freeze place in a freezer safe baking dish and cover with foil. Freezer for up 3 months. From frozen, place covered stuffing in a 400° oven and bake for 1 hour, uncover and bake until heated through. If the stuffing seems a little dry, pour 1/2 cup of chicken broth over the top.

Ingredients

• 2, 14oz cans or 2 1/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• 2 cups dried cranberries
• 1/4 Cup maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 cup sweet onion, medium dice
• 11/2 cup celery, small dice
• 1 Tablespoon garlic, minced
• 2, 12 oz low fat or regular sausage (such as jimmy dean)
• 1/4 cup parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 Tablespoon dried sage
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 9 cups stuffing bread crumbs

Directions

1. Pre heat oven to 375 °
2. In a large bowl mix together chicken broth, allspice, cranberries and maple syrup, set aside.
3. Add olive oil, onions and celery to a large skillet and sauté over medium heat for about 5 min or until onions turn translucent, stirring occasionally.
4. Once onions are translucent, turn heat to low and add garlic, cook 2 minutes.
5. Add onion mixture to the bowl with the broth.
6. Heat the same skillet, over med/high heat. Add sausage, allow to cook for about 5 minutes, breaking up large pieces while sausage starts to brown.
7. Add parsley, sage and thyme to the sausage, mix and cook until sausage is fully cooked about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
8. Add cooked sausage to the rest of the cooked ingredients in the large bowl, stir.
9. Pour the bread cubes in the bowl and stir well.
10. Place stuffing in a 9.5 x 16 baking dish.
11. Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 40 minutes. Remove foil and allow to brown for 5-10 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 cup yellow onion, grated
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 cups sun dried tomatoes, puréed
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Italian seasoning
• 1 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 2 eggs
• 1/3 cup ricotta cheese
• 1 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 3/4 cups breadcrumbs
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 1 1/2 pounds or 2, 12 oz packages ground pork sausage
• 2 cups ketchup
• 1 1/2 cups jelly, marionberry or blackberry

Directions

1. Pre-heat oven to 375°
2. In a large bowl, mix onions, garlic, sun dried tomatoes, Italian seasoning, thyme, eggs, ricotta, Parmesan, breadcrumbs, Worcestershire and salt together until all ingredients are well incorporated. Place beef and sausage in the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and with your hands mix together until just incorporated.
3. Portion out into 2 equal size meatloaf’s. Place in two, 7 cup round baking dishes or two, loaf pans.
4. In a small bowl , whisk together ketchup and jelly. Pour half of the ketchup mixture over each meatloaf.
5. Bake uncovered for about 1 hour- 1 hour 15 min. or until internal temperature reaches 160°.

*To freeze: cover uncooked meatloaf tightly with aluminum foil, label with content and date. Keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To bake frozen meatloaf: bake covered in a 400° oven for 1 hour. Uncover and finish baking for another hour or until internal temperature reaches 160°.