Southwestern Black Bean Salad

I recently made this dish for a cook-out and it was a huge hit. It is simple to make, and is high in fiber and protein. I served it as an appetizer with tortilla chips, but it could be served as a side dish.


Source: skinnytaste.com
Serves: 12

Ingredients:
15.5 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
9 oz frozen corn, thawed
1 tomato, chopped
1 small avocado, diced
1/4 cup red onion, chopped
1 scallion, chopped
Juice of 1 lime
3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 tbsp cilantro
salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Combine beans, corn, tomato, onion, scallion, cilantro, salt and pepper.
2. Mix with lime juice and olive oil.
3. Marinate in the refrigerator 30 minutes. Add avocado before serving.

Skinny Taco Dip

I wanted a new dip recipe for football parties and this one didn't disappoint! I love the fact that it is healthier!

Source: adapted from skinnytaste.com
Servings: 24

Ingredients:
8 oz. 1/3 less fat cream cheese
8 oz. reduced fat sour cream (I substitute non-fat greek yogurt)
16 oz. jar mild salsa
1 packet low-sodium taco seasoning
2 cups iceberg lettuce, shredded
2 large tomatoes, diced
1 cup reduced fat shredded cheddar cheese
2.25 oz. black olives

Directions:

1. In a large bowl combine cream cheese, sour cream, salsa and taco seasoning. Mix well with an electric mixer.


2. Spread on the bottom of a large shallow glass dish. Top with shredded lettuce, tomatoes, shredded cheddar and black olives.


3. Serve with tortilla chips.

Mini Frittatas with Ham and Cheese

These are delicious! Ideally, they are meant to be hors d'oeuvres size, but I like to make them bigger (muffin size) and eat them for breakfast.

Source: Elizabeth's Edible Experience (adapted from Cooking Light December 2001)
Serves: 8 (3 frittatas each)

Ingredients:
Cooking spray
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
2/3 cup chopped reduced fat ham (about 2 oz)
1/2 cup (about 1.5 oz) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp dried thyme
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
4 large egg whites
1 large egg

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.


2. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 2 minutes or until crisp-tender and lightly browned. Add ham; saute about 3 minutes.


3. Remove from heat; let cool while you combine the other ingredients. Combine eggs, pepper, thyme, cayenne, and cheese in a large bowl; stir with a whisk.


4. Add ham and onion mixture, stirring with a whisk. Spoon mixture into 24 miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. (Each muffin cup will only hold about two tsp of the mixture). If you want them bigger (the size of a mini cupcake), only fill 12 of the muffin cups.


5. Bake at 350 for 20 minutes or until set.

Hoagie Dip

Ingredients:
1/4 lb American Cheese
1/4 lb Provolone Cheese
1/4 lb ham
1/4 lb salami
1/4 lb capacola (spelling?)
lettuce, tomato, onion, salt, pepper, oregano

Directions:
Slice it all up (I use my pizza cutter) and mix together in a bowl. Right before serving, add mayo until you like the taste - usually 1/2 cup.

Buffalo Chicken Wing Dip

Ingredients:
4 cups shredded chicken breast (you can use canned chicken breast meat also)
8 oz. bottle of ranch or blue cheese dressing
2 8oz. pkgs. cream cheese
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
6 oz. hot sauce (I use Frank's Red Hot)

Directions:
Put chicken in bottom of a baking dish. (I use an 8x8). Mix softened cream cheese, cheddar cheese, hot sauce and salad dressing. Pour over chicken.

Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Serve with celery or tortilla chips.

Meatballs in Burgundy Sauce

Ingredients:
60 frozen, fully-cooked meatballs
3 cups chopped onion
1.5 cups water
1 cup red wine
2 8oz. packages beef gravy mix
1/4 cup ketchup
1 TBL. dried oregano leaves

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in slow cooker; stir to blend. Cover; cook on High 5 hours. Serve over noodles.

*As an appetizer, serve with cocktail picks and remaining sauce as dip.

Spinach Balls

Ingredients:
2 boxes frozen, chopped spinach (cooked and drained)
3 cups herbed stuffing mix
1 small onion
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup melted butter
3/4 cup parmesan cheese
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 1/2 tsp. garlic salt

Mix and roll into balls. Bake at 375 for 15-20 minutes.

Layered Sundried Tomato and Artichoke Spread

Source: Kraftfoods.com

Ingredients:
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, well chilled
3 Tbsp. finely chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, well drained
3 Tbsp. finely chopped drained canned artichoke hearts
2 Tbsp. pesto
2 Tbsp. chopped PLANTERS Smoked Almonds
2 tsp. chopped fresh parsley
RITZ Crackers

CUT cream cheese horizontally into 3 slices using dental floss. Place 1 slice on large sheet of plastic wrap; top with tomatoes and second cream cheese slice.

COMBINE artichokes and pesto; spoon over second cream cheese layer.

TOP with remaining cream cheese slice, nuts and parsley; press nuts and parsley lightly into cream cheese to secure. Wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate 1 hour. Serve with crackers.

Layered Pizza Dip

Source: Adapted from Pillsbury.com

INGREDIENTS
1 (8-oz.) container soft cream cheese with chives and onions
1/2 cup chunky pizza sauce
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped turkey pepperoni
2 oz. (1/2 cup) shredded mozzarella cheese
2 oz. (1/2 cup) shredded Cheddar cheese

DIRECTIONS
1. Heat oven to 350°F. In ungreased 9-inch pie pan or 1 to 1 1/2-quart baking dish, layer all ingredients in order listed.
2. Bake at 350°F. for 10 to 15 minutes or until dip is hot and cheese is melted.
3. Serve warm with bagel crisps, bagel chips or crackers.

Crab Salsa

¼ cup KETCHUP
¼ cup LIME JUICE
1 to 2 tsp. HOT PEPPER SAUCE
1 - 13 oz. can CRAB MEAT (drained and rinsed)
½ cup chopped TOMATO
¼ cup chopped ONION
¼ cup snipped fresh CILANTRO
2 med. AVOCADOS (halved, peeled, and chopped)

In large bowl, stir together ketchup, lime juice and hot pepper sauce. Add crab meat,
tomato, onion, and cilantro; toss to coat. Cover and chill 2 to 4 hours.

Just before serving, drain some of the juice off and add avocados, toss gently to coat. Serve with Tostito scoop-like chips, baked Doritos or thin sliced cocktail bread.

Cheesy Pull-Apart Bread

1 round loaf bread (Italian works best)
1 bunch green onions
2 tbls poppy seeds
1 stick butter/margarine
8 oz monterey jack cheese

Score bread – but don’t cut the bottom. (make x’s)
Melt butter, add sliced green onions & poppy seeds.
Stuff cheese into spaces in bread
Drizzle butter mixture over bread
Wrap in foil & bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted

Cocktail Meatballs

2 cups ketchup
2 cups grape juice
2 cups apple jelly
2 cups tomato sauce
5lbs frozen meatballs

Put all ingredients in crockpot mix together and cook on low for 1 hour. Add meatballs and cook on low 4-5 hours. (Pending how your crockpot cooks I'd check on them after about 3 hours. Mine seems to cook faster and then I place them on warm)

Apple-Berry Salsa with Cinnamon Chips

Cinnamon Chips: 4 (7-inch) flour tortillas
1 tablespoon granulated sugar
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Salsa: 2 medium Granny Smith apples
1 cup strawberries, sliced (or any berry or fruit that is in season)
1 kiwi, peeled and chopped
1 small orange
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons apple jelly

Preheat oven to 400F. For cinnamon chips, lightly spray tortillas with water. Combine sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over tortillas. Using a pizza cutter, cut each tortilla into 8 wedges; place in single layer on 15” round baking stone (or pizza pan). Bake 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden brown and crisp. Remove and cool completely.

For salsa, peel, core and slice apples. Cut apples in quarters; chop in food chopper. Slice strawberries. Chop kiwi in food chopper. Place fruit in 1-Qt mixing bowl. Zest orange, then juice orange. Add orange zest, orange juice, brown sugar and apple jelly to fruit mixture; mix gently. Serve with cinnamon chips.
Yields: 16 servings (2 cups salsa and 32 chips)