Hi... I am one month out from surgery... doing great...

Looking for any ideas/ recipes for an appetizer to bring to a Christmas Eve- eve get together..

thanks

we love crock pot meatballs w/cranberry and a bottle of chili sauce.

I also make bacon wrapped water chestnuts.

Wings are also a good thing.

Lil' smokies cooked in bbq sauce.

cheese cubes and whole wheat cracker

bacon wrapped pineapple chunks

ham and flavored cream cheese, lettuce whole wheat wraps.

I just bought my holiday groceries this week and have two big potlucks to go to next week. I am bringing a cheeseball - YUM! and crackers....but I will eat mostly the cheeseball, lots of protien and of course in moderation :sad_smile:

I included this in a related thread but in case you didn't see it - here ya go:

a while back I had posted a recipe for smoked salmon spread - it's very good and well received by non-banded friends and family as well. I have included it below - I now even up the salmon amount to 12-16 ounces for increased Protein.

Smoked Salmon Spread

This is great to eat as a snack or small meal depending on restriction with some veggies, a couple reduced fat crackers, pretzels or how you would eat any tuna or crab salad.

Blend the following in a cuisinart until smooth:

- 8 oz reduced fat cream cheese

- 8 oz nonfat plain greek yogurt

- 1 tsp lemon pepper (mine is a gourmet blend that has salt & garlic in it - you can add a little of these to add flavor)

Add & Pulse till well blended:

- 8 oz Smoked Salmon, chopped (I used 1/2 a 1lb pkg smoked sockeye salmon from costco - the kind used for lox, not the drier kind

- 1 sm sweet onion, diced (red works just fine)

- fresh dill (couple sprigs) if you have it - I have used a good squeeze of a tube of dill (produce herb section) when my store was out of fresh

This obviously makes a lot - about 3.5 c, but I'll serve it as a dip for guests or take some to work. You could also easily 1/2 it I just like to get rid of containers and use things up.

Nutrition:

7 - 1/2 c. servings

188 cal. 19 g. protein

10 - 1/3 c. servings

132 cal. 13 g. protein

I ate 1/3 c. tonight with .5 oz (12) snyder's of hanover butter pretzel snaps (the pretzel squares) which only added 60 cal. and 1.5 g protein. This is just about the same cal and protein of a high protein chocolate slim fast shake.

Last suggestion / note:

This is the consistency of a spread/ dip. You could use the entire 1 lb package of salmon without adjusting the other ingredients (more of a tuna salad consistency) which would change the nutrition to:

1/2 cup serving - 219 cal. 25 g. protein

Here are a few recipes I use a lot.

Crock-pot Sweet and Sour Meatballs

People rave about this recipe and it's sooooo easy! If you making for a really large group of people, just double the recipe.

1 pkg frozen HOMESTYLE meatballs

2 jars of Heinz chili sauce

1 medium sized jar grape jelly (I have used low sugar jelly and it was just as good)

Pour chili sauce and jelly in the crock-pot, stir it together. It will be lumpy, but as it cooks it will smooth out. Pour in meatballs and give it a good stir. Cook on low for 4-5 hours, stirring occasionally.

Ham Roll-ups

I do this one a lot, since it's low-carb.

Deli ham (I use the square shaped ones)

Chive and onion cream cheese, softened

Just spread the cream cheese on the ham slices and roll up. Cut into bite-size pieces and secure with a tooth pick.

Sausage Cream Cheese Roll-ups

This one is similar to the ham roll-ups.

Deli ham

1 pkg cream cheese, softened

1 lb. ground sausage

Brown sausage and drain. Put it back in the pan, on low heat, and add cream cheese. Stir until mixed well and remove from heat. Spread a thin layer of sausage mixture onto the ham and roll-up. Cut into bite-size pieces and secure with tooth picks.

pineapple Cream Cheese Roll-ups

As you can see, I do a lot of roll-ups, lol.

1 pkg cream cheese, softened

crushed pineapple, drained

Deli ham

Just mix the cream cheese and pineapple together and spead on ham. Roll up and secure with tooth picks.

Cream Cheese and Pepper Jelly Dip

This one is really easy and tasty.

1 pkg cream cheese

1 jar pepper jelly

Place brick of cream cheese on a platter and pour the pepper jelly over the top of it. Serve with crackers. Wheat thins are good with it.

Bacon, Egg, and Cheese Appetizer Quiche

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled

1 c. shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 c. chopped onion

2 c. milk

1/2 c. Bisquick

4 eggs

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

Mix milk, Bisquick, eggs, salt and pepper in blender for 1 minute. Mix bacon, cheese and onion and place 1 tablespoon of bacon mixture in bottom of a mini muffin tins. Pour milk mixture over bacon mixture (fill about 3/4 of the way full) and bake @350 until browned.

As someone else mentioned, cheese balls and crackers are always a good choice. Veggie or fruit trays with dip. Crab dip, spinach dip, mexican dip....served with wheat crackers or tortilla chips is good too.

I have a Christmas party to go to tonight and I'm making the ham roll-ups, both styles.

Edited December 8, 200817 yr by georgia girl

Thanks everyone for all the great ideas!!

One more - always made me think I had time warped to a 70's party.

Take slices of salami (I think it's the genoa kind) spread a little cream cheese on it, place a sweet baby jerkhin pickle on top and roll up. use toothpicks if needed to hold in place. Salty, sweet and creamy.

I have purchased sweet pickles made with splenda - Mt. Olive was the brand if you are interested in sugar content.