These are always a hit at parties and they take no time to prepare. Just keep them simmering in a crock all during the party and you’ll see that they disappear pretty quickly. I like to serve them for dinner sometimes – make a salad on the side and you don’t have to wait for a party to enjoy these little stars !
22 oz. frozen cocktail meatballs
2 cans fat free beef gravy (sometimes I use one that has onions in it)
salt and pepper to taste
½ t garlic powder
½ t onion powder
Mix gravy and spices. Defrost meatballs in the microwave or in a pan on the stove. Place meatballs in the crock and pour over the gravy. Cover and cook on high until heated through (about one hour). Then move to the low heat setting and you can keep these going another 3 hours while people pick at them.
Gruyere is so tasty – so earthy. This is a great sandwich with quite a bite to it.
Grilled Mushroom and Gruyere
4 servings
305 calories per serving
1 T butter
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
4 t Dijon mustard
8 slices whole wheat bread
5 oz. spinach leaves
¼ c shallots, sliced very thinly
1 c shredded Gruyere cheese
Pam
ICBINB Spray
Heat butter and sauté shallots 3 minutes then add mushrooms and sauté another 6 minutes. Add up to 2 T of hot water if the mix gets too dry. Spread mustard on bread and add spinach leaves, ¼ c cheese and ¼ of the mushroom and shallot mix. Top with the rest of the bread. Spray a hot skillet with Pam. Spray each side of the sandwich with ICBINB Spray and then cook 2-3 minutes per side or until golden and cheese is melted.
You can serve these veggies in bread, on top of a salad, or in a crunchy taco shell. I choose a taco ! Spreading the cheese inside the taco makes for a great bite from start to finish.
Get taco shells and spread the inside with the spread mix – then put in veggies – if more room, add extra chopped lettuce for crunch
Spread:
3.5 oz. goat cheese
¼ c roasted red peppers
1 t chopped chives
1 t liquid from jar of roasted red peppers
Veggies:
1 T oil (used in an oil mister, 1 T goes a long way !)
1 t Kosher salt
4 large Portobello mushrooms halved
1 red bell pepper, quartered lengthwise
1 yellow bell pepper, quartered lengthwise
1 small eggplant in ¼ inch slices
4 taco shells
4 lettuce leaves, chopped
Pam
Preheat broiler. Process all the ingredients for the spread in a food processor and then set aside. Spray a baking sheet with Pam and place mushrooms, peppers and eggplant in a single layer on sheet and spray with oil and sprinkle with salt. Broil 8 minutes, turn, then broil another 5 minutes or until tender. Cool for a bit and then slice up. Spread inside of tacos with the cheese mix and then add lettuce and then veggies.
Even though I make these pops in a Zoku maker, you can make any of these recipes in traditional pop makers – each pop here is 2 oz. so adjust accordingly. And if you love pops like me, then do yourself a favor and get a Zoku 🙂 Their recipes turn out fantastic pops – I often skinny them up a bit, but I mostly use their measurements and basic recipe and am always pleased with the results.
Neopolitan Pops
6 servings
113 calories per serving
Strawberry Layer
3 ½ oz. hulled and quartered strawberries
3 T skim milk
1 T light sour cream
1 T + 1 t sugar
1 ½ t vanilla extract
½ t heavy cream
Combine the strawberries and milk in a blender until smooth and then press through a fine mesh sieve so you strain out the seeds – I usually run a spoon back and forth over the berries and that pushes the mix through the sieve pretty good. You should end up with ¼ c plus 3 T of seedless puree. Whisk in the sour cream, sugar, vanilla and cream.
Vanilla Layer
¼ c + 2 T skim milk
2 ½ T heavy cream
1 ½ T sugar
1 ½ t vanilla extract
Whisk all ingredients until the sugar is dissolved.
Chocolate Layer
1/3 c skim milk
2 ½ T chocolate syrup
1 T heavy cream
1 ½ t water
¼ t vanilla extract
Whisk all the ingredients together.
To make the pops in a Zoku, pour the strawberry layer 1/3 of the way up the mold and let freeze all the way. Then repeat with the vanilla and chocolate layers.
In traditional molds, freeze each layer at least an hour before adding the next and then freeze the whole thing 6 hours.
Toast the pecans in a skillet with the butter and sugar. Cook about 3 minutes stirring often. Let nuts cool completely.
In a saucepan over low heat whisk water and butterscotch morsels and cook until melted, but don’t boil. Cool 10 minutes then stir in the half and half and vanilla and then refrigerate until completely cool, about 20 minutes. Whisk occasionally so that a skin does not form on top of the mixture.
Working in 2 batches – place approximately 6 pecan halves in each mold and then pour in the butterscotch mixture up to the fill line. In 7-9 minutes you’ll have rich, flavorful pops that rival the experience of butter pecan ice cream
If you are using traditional molds, freeze 6 hours.
What a great grilled dish – the onions get so nice and caramelized and that gives everything tons of flavor.
Grilled Sausage, Onions and Mushrooms
4 servings
350 calories per serving
1/3 c finely chopped onion
3 T buttery spread
¾ c apple juice
1/3 c red vinegar
2 T honey
1 T steak sauce
1 t salt
½ t pepper
1 lb Italian turkey sausage
2 small onions, quartered
8 medium large fresh mushroom caps
Pam Grilled Sausage, Onions and Mushrooms
Cook onion in butter until tender then mix in apple juice, vinegar, honey, steak sauce, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes.
Boil enough water to cover sausages and add sausage to pot and cover. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes or until cooked through. During the last 5 minutes throw in the onion wedges. Cool for a bit then slice into 2 inch pieces. Heat grill and spray a grill pan with Pam.
Place all sausage, onions and mushrooms in a bowl and put in half the sauce and toss to coat. Place this mix in a hot grill basket and grill 10 minutes stirring frequently. Baste with the other ½ of the sauce and continue cooking 2 minutes longer.
Even though I make these pops in a Zoku maker, you can make any of these recipes in traditional pop makers – each pop here is 2 oz. so adjust accordingly. And if you love pops like me, then do yourself a favor and get a Zoku 🙂 Their recipes turn out fantastic pops – I often skinny them up a bit, but I mostly use their measurements and basic recipe and am always pleased with the results.
Caramel Latte Pops
6 servings
46 calories per serving
2 c skim milk
3 shots of espresso, cooled
2 T caramel sauce
Whisk together espresso and milk. (if you like a sweet flavor, add some Equal or Splenda). Then pour into the base and freeze completely (7-9 minutes in the Zoku, 6 hours in the freezer). Just before eating, drizzle the pops with caramel syrup.
Serve this nutritious bean based meal as a lunch with some cut up veggies on the side. Or serve as a dinner side next to Mexican flavored chicken or fish.
Black Beans and Chilies
4 servings
210 calories per serving
1 t oil
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T chopped green chilies
2 14.5 oz cans black beans, rinsed and drained
2 c water
¼ c salsa
Salt and pepper to taste
4 t shredded low fat cheddar cheese
Heat oil and cook scallions and garlic 1-2 minutes then add chilies, beans and water and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer ½ hour. Stir in salsa and warm through then season with salt and pepper just before serving. Garnish each serving with 1 t shredded cheese.
This sweet and tangy Asian sauce is the perfect summer BBQ meal. The sweet honey chars just a bit and makes these legs super flavorful. Try serving with Asian Sesame Slaw for a perfect meal.
Asian Grilled Chicken
4 servings
240 calories per serving
8 chicken drumsticks (about 2 pounds), skinned
High Heat Pam
3 T apple cider vinegar
3 T soy sauce
4 T honey
2 T chopped parsley
2 t minced ginger
Pepper to taste
Par boil the chicken legs for 15 minutes so you don’t have to keep them on the grill too long and they don’t dry out. Preheat grill and spray with high heat Pam. Brush half the sauce on chicken legs and grill 15 minute or until done throughout. Put the remainder of the sauce in the microwave and cook 1 minute (make sure it comes to a boil). Mop the legs with the rest of the sauce when they come off the grill.
You usually don’t think of cucumbers in a hot dish, but they make a perfect sautéed side, much like you would sauté zucchini.
Sauteed Cucs
4 servings
82 caloriess per serving
1 medium cucumber
1 T butter
1/4 t salt
Chopped parsley
Peel cucumber, cut in half, remove seeds and slice, sprinkle with salt. Melt butter in a skillet and sauté cucs 3 minutes. Remove and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
