Holiday recipes for you from MargeCat

margecat

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Hi everyone,

I thought I'd post some easy recipes of mine for the upcoming holiday season (Miss MargeCat is in a RARE domestic mood this week!). Hope you enjoy!

I once won my category in a baking contest with the following recipe--people who loved "bad" desserts still loved this--you don't miss the fat, and it's not overly sweet. I adapted it from another recipe to make a cheesecake. It really looks pretty, too--great for entertaining!

CHOCOLATE SWIRL (REDUCED-FAT) CHEESECAKE (serves 12)

1 c. chocolate graham crackers crumbs (crush approx. 9 sheets of crackers)
Cooking spray
1 Tbl butter, melted (may need up to 3 tbl; see *note below)
2 (8 oz. each) blocks FAT-FREE cream cheese, softened
1 (8 oz) block 1/3 REDUCED FAT cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
3 Tbl all-purpose flour
1 Tbl vanilla extract
3 large egg whites
1 large egg (whole)
1 oz semisweet chocolate

Preheat overn to 325F. Spray a 9" springform pan HEAVILY with cooking spray. In a bowl, mix cracker crumbs and butter, in order to bond them together (to make a "dough" for the "crust"). If the "dough" needs more moisture to bond, spray the cooking spray repeatedly into the crumbs/and/or add more butter, 1 Tbl at a time (see *note below). Crumbs should somewhat stick together; it will NOT be gummy. Pat into the pan, and up the sides about 2". Bake at 325F for 8 minutes; cool (IN THE PAN!) on a wire rack. MEANWHILE:

Place cream cheese into large bowl; beat on HIGH until smooth. Add sugar and flour; beat well. Add vanilla, egg whites, and egg; beat until well-blended. Pour cheese mixture into the prepared pan, from above.

Place the chocolate in a microwavable bowl; cook on HIGH about 1 minute, or until soft (NOT completely melted). Stir until smooth. Drop the melted chocolate into 9 blobs around the cheesecake. Swirl into the batter, using a knife tip (don't disturb the bottom crust). Bake at 325F for about 35 minutes, or until almost set. Cool (IN PAN) on a wire rack. Cover, and chill at least 4 hours.

*NOTE: The original recipe called for only 1 Tbl butter, but I found I needed 3 to make the crumbs stick. When you calculate the nutrition info, please add this, if you deviated from 1 Tbl.

CAL= 239 (+extra butter, if used)
FAT= 7.6 grams (""""""""""""""""""""")
CHOL= 41 mg ("""""""""""""""""""""""")
CARBS=31.3 mg ("""""""""""""""""""")
Sodium= 355 mg (""""""""""""""""""")

I invented the following recipe when I realized I needed more finger foods for party. Uses "whomp" biscuits (Lewis Grizzard called those refrigerated tubes of biscuits/rolls "whomp biscuits", due to the opening method (banging on the edge of the counter). Ok, any recipe that starts with, "Whomp the cans on the counter" ain't exactly haute cuisine, but I still like 'em!

EASY HAM CHEDDAR BUNDLES

3 tubes of crescent rolls
1 can Hormel chunked ham, flaked
1 Tbl spicy mustard
Approx. 1 cup shredded cheddar

Open the rolls (the fun part!). Separate the triangles. Mix the rest of the ingredients. Spoon by tablespoons onto the triangles; twist each into a bundle (shaped rather like a Hershey's Kiss). Bake on a cookie sheet per tube instructions. Best when piping hot, but heat up well, too. Makes 24 (or 3x what the tube serves).
 

katiemae1277

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those sound so good!! nothing like a guilt free cheesecake
and I love crescent rolls
 
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margecat

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Originally Posted by katiemae1277

those sound so good!! nothing like a guilt free cheesecake
and I love crescent rolls
Thank you! The cheesecake is not entirely guilt-free--but more lose 1 night's sleep over feeling bad!
 
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margecat

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NOT reduced fat! You probably could do this with 2 fat-free blocks and 1, 1/3 reduced fat block, like the chocolate swirl recipe I posted.

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake


12 servings

2 c finely crushed ginger snaps OR Sweetzel Spiced Wafers cookies
1/2 c finely chopped pecans
6 tbl butter OR margarine, melted
3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 c sugar, DIVIDED
1 tsp vanilla
3 eggs
1 c canned pumpkin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 dash of ground cloves

Preheat oven to 325°F if using a silver 9-inch springform pan (or to 300°F if using a DARK nonstick 9-inch springform pan).

Mix cookie crumbs, pecans and butter; press firmly onto bottom and 2 inches up the side of pan.

Beat cream cheese, 3/4 c of the sugar and vanilla on medium speed until well blended.

Add eggs, 1 at a time, mixing on low speed after each addition just until blended.

Reserve 1-1/2 c of the plain batter.

Stir REMAINING 1/4 c sugar, pumpkin and spices into remaining batter.

Spoon half of the pumpkin batter into crust; top with spoonfuls of half of the reserved plain batter.

Cut through batters with knife several times for marbled effect. Do not touch the crust with the knife when doing this.

Bake 55 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool (IN PAN) on wire rack.

Run small knife or spatula around rim of pan to loosen cake; cool before removing rim of pan.

Refrigerate at least 4 hours. Store in fridge.
 

calico2222

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

I invented the following recipe when I realized I needed more finger foods for party. Uses "whomp" biscuits (Lewis Grizzard called those refrigerated tubes of biscuits/rolls "whomp biscuits", due to the opening method (banging on the edge of the counter). Ok, any recipe that starts with, "Whomp the cans on the counter" ain't exactly haute cuisine, but I still like 'em!

EASY HAM CHEDDAR BUNDLES

3 tubes of crescent rolls
1 can Hormel chunked ham, flaked
1 Tbl spicy mustard
Approx. 1 cup shredded cheddar

Open the rolls (the fun part!). Separate the triangles. Mix the rest of the ingredients. Spoon by tablespoons onto the triangles; twist each into a bundle (shaped rather like a Hershey's Kiss). Bake on a cookie sheet per tube instructions. Best when piping hot, but heat up well, too. Makes 24 (or 3x what the tube serves).
Oh, they sound delicious, and so easy!! I'm definitely going to have to try them. I love finger food receipes, especially around the holidays.
 

katiemae1277

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that pumpkin cheesecake sounds AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!! I "don't like cheesecake"
but will force myself to eat it around the holidays
 
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