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.

Serves: about 6-10

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.

I’m a big fan of the sugar cookie recipe by Alton Brown of the Food Network. You can use your favorite cookie recipe or in a pinch use the pre-made dough from the store. These cookies are great for Valentines Day as well, just use heart shaped cookie cutters.

If you are making your cookie dough, add 1/2-3/4 (depending on how minty you like it) teaspoon peppermint extract in place of the vanilla extract in your recipe.  Continue to follow your recipe.
If you are in a pinch you can place store bought dough in a bowl, add 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract and kneed well.

Pre-heat your oven according to your recipe.

Once dough is chilled, roll out on a lightly powdered sugared board.

Cut out your cookies and bake according to Alton’s recipe.

Allow the cookies to fully cool.

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.

Have a cookie sheet lined with a sil-pat or parchment ready.

Dip one half of each cookie in the melted chocolate. Allow the extra to drizzle off back into the bowl. Place the dipped cookie on to the cookie sheet, dip remaining cookies and allow the chocolate to set for at least 2 hours.

Serve and Enjoy.

Sometimes you find a recipe that simply can’t be topped!  In this case,  I like to use a sugar cookie recipe by Alton Brown of the Food Network.  You can use your favorite cookie recipe or in a pinch use the pre-made dough from the store.  I like to give these cookies as a gift to co-workers or my UPS driver, and they are a perfect party favor or place card holder on your holiday table.

To package as a gift, I sprinkle shredded coconut in the bottom of a cello bag or clear box to dust your tree in a coconut snow!.  Place assembled tree on top of the coconut and secure the package with a decorative ribbon.

You will need 5 metal star cookie cutters from small to large, 6 inch wooden skewers, frosting and cookie decoration.

Pre-heat your oven according to your recipe. After your dough has chilled, on a lightly powdered sugared board roll out the dough to about 1/2 inch thick.

Cut out the stars and place on a sil-pat or greased cookie sheet. With a skewer make a hole in the middle of each star big enough for the skewer to fit through.  Make two of the smallest star for each tree so you have one for the tree topper!

Run a skewer up into 1/2 of the smallest stars and place the skewed cookie on the cookie sheet. Bake according to your recipe.

1. Once cookies are baked and cooled. Frost each star leaving room around each hole in the center of the cookie. Decorate the outer points of the star. Frost and decorate the skewed top star. Allow to dry for at least 2 hours.
2. Skew the rest of the stars from smallest to largest on each skewer with a star topper. Cut down the skewer if it is too long.
3. Package, Serve or Enjoy.

I make the frosting up to 5 days ahead. Since the cookies are store bought I keep them on hand throughout the holidays so I always have a quick dessert on hand.

Makes 1 dozen

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup or 4 oz cream cheese, room temperature
• 2 Tablespoons pumpkin puree
• a scant 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 24 ginger thins or gingersnaps

Directions

1. In a mixing bowl whisk together cream cheese, pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar until well incorporated.
2. Spread 1 teaspoon of frosting on the back of 12 cookies.
3. Place the bottom of a un-iced cookie on top of an iced one. Repeat with remaining cookies.
4. Decorate cookies with the remaining icing.

Recipe created by Jill Sharpe of The Lake Kitchen. Visit http://www.thelakekitchen.com for more recipes, cooking tips, videos, blog posts and more! The Lake Kitchen – Creating. Sharing. Coming Together.

These Smore Tree Bars are a fun twist on rice crispy treats, make great gifts and can be made 5 days ahead.

If you want to display them before serving I like to sprinkle shredded coconut around the base to look like snow.

Makes 6-8

Ingredients

• 13 cups golden grahams
• 1 cup chocolate chips
• 5 Tablespoons butter
• 80 marshmallows
• hand full of red hots

Directions

1. In a large bowl add golden grahams and chocolate chips.
2. Cover a cookie sheet or jelly-roll pan with a sil pat or parchment paper and spray with non-stick spray. Set aside
3. Melt butter in a large sauce pan over medium heat. Add the marshmallows and stir occasionally. Once the marshmallows are pretty well melted stir constantly to get any lumps out.
4. Pour the melted marshmallows over the golden grahams and mix well.
5. Scrape all of the mixture out onto the greased cookie sheet.
6. Spray your hands with non-stick spray and press the mixture down until it is evenly1 inch thick.
7. Allow sit for 1 hour before cutting out the trees.
8. Once cooled, use large to small star cookies cutters to cut out each layer of the trees.
9. Place the largest star on the bottom and the smallest star on the top.
10. Decorate the tips with red hots.

Recipe created by Jill Sharpe of The Lake Kitchen. Visit http://www.thelakekitchen.com for more recipes, cooking tips, videos, blog posts and more! The Lake Kitchen – Creating. Sharing. Coming Together.

Serves 10-15

Quick Tip: Assemble the veggies up to 1 day ahead and the dressing up to 2 days ahead.

Ingredients

• 8 cups broccoli, cut into small florettes
• 3 red pepper, sliced into strips
• 4 medium zucchini, sliced on the diagonal
• 3 cups cherry Tomatoes
• 1 large head celery, sliced into 3 inch sticks

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the broccoli. Blanch for 30 seconds and strain out hot water and run cold water over the broccoli to stop the cooking. Drain.
2. On a large platter arrange the vegetables.

Basil Ranch Dip – Ingredients

• Makes about 1 cup
• 1 large garlic clove
• 1 cup yogurt
• 1/2 cup mayo
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 8 basil leaves

Directions

1. Place all the ingredients into the bowl of a food processor, blend until well combined.

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.

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.

3 Point Dunkers
Serves 1

• 1/2 Cup each carrot sticks, celery and whole wheat pretzels.

• 1 1/2 Tablespoons each whipped light cream cheese, honey and almond butter.

Place veggies and pretzels in cups and the dips in 3 separate bowls.  Dunk veggies and pretzels in dips.

Apple Cup Crunch
Serves 1

• 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce.
• 1/4 cup golden grams, smashed.

Top applesauce with smashed golden grams.

Turkey Pinwheels
Serves 1

• 1 whole wheat tortilla
• 2 Tablespoons light cream cheese
• 2 slices turkey
• 3 small dill pickles

Spread  cream cheese over tortilla, lay the turkey over the cream cheese and make a line of pickles in the center.  Roll from one end to the other, slice into 8 pinwheels and secure with a toothpick.

Peach Gingersnap
Serves 1

• 1 peach, sliced in half and pit removed
• 1/4 cup low-fat vanilla yogurt
• 1/4 cup gingersnaps, crushed

Spoon yogurt into the cavity of  each half of peach, top with gingersnaps.

Baked Steak Fries
Serves 4

• 1 1/2 pound fingerling potatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon Johnny’s Seasoning salt

Pre-heat your oven to 400°.  Slice potatoes in half length wise.  Place on a Silpat (healthier alternative) or greased cookie sheet and sprinkle evenly with olive oil and seasoning. Bake on the top rack for 25-30 minutes.

Honey mustard sauce: mix together 1/4 cup honey Dijon mustard, 1/2 tablespoon honey and a pinch of salt.

‘Smiley’ Pita Pizza
Serves 1

• 1 whole wheat pita
• 1/4 cup tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup low-fat mozzarella
• 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese, shredded
• 3 slices turkey-roni
• 2 tablespoons pineapple chunks

Spread tomato sauce over the pita, sprinkle cheese over it evenly, make eyes and nose with the turkey-roni and a mouth with the pineapple chunks.   Bake in a toaster oven at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted.