Low Fat Christmas Recipe - Cranberry Apple Glazed Pork

Cranberry Apple Glazed Pork

Glazed with a seasonal cranberry apple sauce, this lean pork roast makes an ideal holiday centerpiece. Serve with roasted vegetables and low fat mashed potatoes or with steamed green beans and wild rice.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 tsp ground sage
• 1/2 tsp ground thyme
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1 3-pound boneless top-loin pork roast, trimmed
• 1 16-ounce can cranberry sauce
• 1/2 cup apple cider

Preparation:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

Combine herbs and seasonings to make a rub. Sprinkle mixture over all sides of the meat. Place pork in roasting pan and roast for 1 hour.

Combine cranberry sauce and apple cider in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes until the sauce is slightly thickened. Spoon 1/2 a cup of the sauce over the meat to glaze. Return meat to the oven and roast for a further 30-40 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer registers 155 degrees. Remove pork from the oven and cover with foil. Let stand for 15-20 minutes. The meat will continue to cook and reach a safe 160 degrees while it rests. Serve with remaining sauce on the side.

Serves 10-12

Per Serving: Calories 218, Calories from Fat 55, Total Fat 6.1g (sat 2.1g), Cholesterol 64mg, Sodium 62mg, Carbohydrate 15.9g, Fiber 0.4g, Protein 24.8g

Pomegranate Poached Pears

Makes: 4 servings

Active Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 1 1/4 hours

INGREDIENTS

• 4 ripe, firm Bosc pears
• 1 1/2 cups pomegranate juice
• 1 cup sweet dessert wine, such as Muscatel or Riesling
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds, (1/2 large fruit; see Tip)

PREPARATION

1. Peel pears, leaving them whole and stems intact. Slice off the bases so the pears will stand upright. Use an apple corer to remove cores, if desired, working from the base up.
2. Place the pears on their sides in a large saucepan or small Dutch oven. Pour pomegranate juice and wine over the pears. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently until the pears are tender when pierced with the tip of a sharp knife, 30 to 45 minutes. Turn very gently once or twice as they cook so they color evenly. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pears to a shallow bowl and set aside.
3. Boil the poaching liquid over high heat until the sauce is reduced to 1/2 cup, 15 to 20 minutes.
4. To serve, spoon 1 tablespoon sauce onto each of 4 dessert plates. Place a pear upright on each plate. Drizzle remaining sauce over each pear and sprinkle pomegranate seeds around it.

TIPS & NOTES

• Make Ahead Tip: Prepare through Step 3. Cover and refrigerate pears in sauce for up to 2 days. Serve at room temperature.

• Tip: Fill a large bowl with water. Hold the pomegranate in the water and slice off the crown. Lightly score the fruit into quarters, from crown to stem end. Keeping the fruit under water, break it apart, gently separating the plump seeds from the outer skin and white pith. The seeds will drop to the bottom of the bowl and the pith will float to the surface. Discard the pith. Pour the seeds into a colander. Rinse and pat dry.

NUTRITION

Per serving: 303 calories; 4 g fat ( 1 g sat , 2 g mono ); 6 mg cholesterol; 53 g carbohydrates; 0 g added sugars; 2 g protein; 7 g fiber; 22 mg sodium; 559 mg potassium.

Carbohydrate Servings: 3

Exchanges: 1 1/2 fruit, 1 1/2 other carbohydrates, 1 fat

Turkey/Chicken Pesto Appetizer Bites

Turkey Pesto Appetizer Bites

Puff pastry makes the perfect base for these quick and easy appetizers.

Yield: 36 mini sandwiches

ingredients:

Puff Pastrysheets, thawed

Turkey or Chicken (thin sliced)

Provolone cheese, sliced (or cheese of your choice)

Basil Pesto (usually available in the deli section)

Cherry tomatoes

Fresh basil leaves (optional)

directions:

1.) Thaw the puff pastry sheets according to the package directions (this takes about 45 minutes).
2.) Unroll the sheet onto a lightly floured work surface, then use a pizza cutter to cut the pastry into 36 small squares (pictured below).
3.) Bake the little squares on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in a preheated oven at 400*F for 12-14 minutes.
4.) Once the pastry squares are baked and cooled, cut each square open (horizontally) to create a top and bottom piece of "bread" like a mini sandwich.
5.) Spread a think layer of basil pesto onto one side of the sandwich, then add a slice of turkey and a slice of cheese (I used provolone). Top with matching pastry square.
6.) Finish the mini sandwiches with a small leaf of fresh basil and a cherry tomato half, add a toothpick to hold it all together.

Recipe source - Glorious Treats

Simple Christmas Treats - Chocolate Candy-cane Hearts

These are one of my favorite simple Christmas treats.  A perfect addition to a plate of Christmas cookies, and so simple they are a project the kids can help with too.

You’ll need…

A box of mini candy canes (see “note” below)

White Chocolate

Semi-sweet Chocolate

Sprinkles

~Directions ~

1.  Place waxed paper liner on a baking sheet.

2.  Lay two mini candy canes next to each other, creating a heart.  Continue filling the baking sheet with heart shapes.

3.  Melt the white and semi-sweet chocolates (in separate bowls), using short intervals in the microwave, or in a double boiler.

4.  When the chocolates are melted, spoon or pour into a piping bag or thicker ziplock type bag. Cut off a tiny tip from the bag, and begin filling in the heart shapes with chocolate.  I like to use both flavors of chocolate for each heart.  So if I do a layer of white chocolate first, then after it cools a bit, I add a layer of semi-sweet chocolate on top.

5.  After adding both layers of chocolate, top with sprinkles of your choice.

6.  Set the baking sheet (of chocolate filled hearts) in a cool place (or the fridge) while the chocolate cools. Once cool, remove hearts from baking sheet and store in an airtight container.

NOTE-  I have found that the candy canes that work best for this project are ones with a dull finish (not shiny).  It seems candy canes with a shiny surface tend to get sticky after a day or two.

Christmas Trifle Recipe

Christmas Trifle Recipe 

Ingredients

• • 4 x 85g packets strawberry jelly crystals
  • 2 1/2 cups boiling water
  • 1/2 x 800g light fruit cake, cut into 3cm cubes
  • 2 tablespoons brandy (optional)
  • 2 cups Pauls Double Thick French Vanilla custard
  • 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
  • 125g fresh strawberries, hulled, sliced
  • 300ml thickened cream
  • 1 teaspoon icing sugar mixture, sifted
  • 50g white chocolate, grated fresh raspberries and hulled, quartered strawberries, to decorate
  
  
• 1. Step 1
     Place jelly crystals in a heatproof bowl. Add boiling water. Stir to dissolve crystals. Stir in 400ml cold water. Refrigerate for 1 hour or until just starting to set (it should have a thick, syrupy consistency).
  2. Step 2
     Arrange cake in a 13 cup-capacity serving bowl. Drizzle with brandy, if using. Spoon half the jelly over top. Top with custard. Sprinkle with raspberries and strawberries. Spoon remaining jelly over top. Refrigerate, covered, overnight.
  3. Step 3
     Using an electric mixer, beat cream and sugar in a bowl until soft peaks form. Fold through chocolate. Spoon mixture over trifle. Top with raspberries and strawberry quarters. Serve. You could use leftover fruit cake or pudding in this trifle. Pauls Double Thick custard is twice as thick as pouring custard, and ideal for the whole family. Check out the handy resealable pack for recipe suggestions. You could replace brandy with orange juice. Top trifle with grated chocolate.

Christmas Stawberry Santas - Made with Fresh Stawberry & Fresh Cream!

Christmas Strawberry Santas

HOW TO MAKE

250g strawberries
Can of whipped cream or whipped cream and a piping bag (whichever you prefer)
Some sesame seeds or Choc Drops for decoration.

SIMPLE ASSEMBLY... 

Wash and remove the green top from the strawberries, making sure the bottom is nice and flat to stand on.

Cut the tips off , then standing each on their large flat end apply a small squirt of cream, place the tip on top of the cream and then apply a tiny amount to the top for the Pom Pom on Santa’s hat.

Use three sesame seeds or choc drops for his eyes and mouth.

There you have it a plate full of Strawberry Santa’s

Easy isn't it.

Santa's Hat Jelly Shots - Christmas

Santa’s Hat Jelly Shots

Difficulty:  Easy

Recommended Pan:  flexible silicone mold, pyramid shape (I used this one!)

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cup cranberry juice cocktail
• 3 envelopes Knox gelatin, separated (You will need 2 1/2 envelopes for the recipe, and an additional half for assembly.  1/2 envelope equals about a teaspoon of gelatin powder)
• 3/4 cup Malibu coconut flavored rum
• 1 to 2 tbsp grenadine syrup (to taste)
• For garnish: 1/2 cup sweetened, flaked coconut and assembly gelatin (1/2 cup water and 1/2 envelope gelatin)

Pour cranberry juice into a small saucepan. Sprinkle with 2 1/2 envelopes of gelatin and allow to soak for a minute or two.  Heat over very low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is fully dissolved (approximately 5 minutes).  Stir in the Malibu rum.  Add the grenadine syrup, to taste.  Pour into molds and chill until fully set, several hours or overnight. 

In a food processor or blender, process the coconut just until it is in smaller flakes.  (Large flakes won't stick to the jelly shots as well.)  Set aside. 

An hour or two before serving, prepare the assembly gelatin by pouring the water in a saucepan and sprinkling with 1/2 envelope of gelatin.  Allow to soak for a minute or two.  Heat over low heat, stirring occasionally, until dissolved.  Allow gelatin to cool to room temperature before proceeding. 

Pour the cooled gelatin and coconut into separate small, shallow bowls.  

Unmold the gelatin pyramids onto a nonstick cookie sheet. 

Using a fork, dip the bottom and part-way up the sides of the jelly shot into first into the gelatin mixture, then the coconut.  Continue with all the jelly shots, placing each back on the nonstick cookie sheet.

Return the jelly shots to the refrigerator for about an hour before serving.

Makes: 18 jelly shots

Christmas Jelly Shots - Spiked Christmas Ribbon Salad!

SPIKED CHRISTMAS RIBBON SALAD

Implements: 9” x 9” glass or non-reactive metal pan, a double boiler, and some sort of offset spatula to assist in transferring slices to the serving plate.

Lime layer

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 envelope plain gelatin
• 1 pkg. (3 oz.) lime flavored gelatin dessert mix
• 1/4 cold water
• 3/4 cup flavored vodka or rum

Lemon layer

• 1 cup water
• 1 pkg. (3 oz.) lemon flavored gelatin dessert mix
• 1/3 cup miniature marshmallows (or 4 large marshmallows, snipped into pieces)
• ½ cup pineapple juice (canned)
• ½ cup crushed pineapple (optional)
• 4 oz package of cream cheese (1/2 of an 8 oz package), softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/2 cup whipped cream

Cherry layer

• 1 cup water
• 1/2 envelope plain gelatin
• 1 pkg. (3 oz.) cherry flavored gelatin dessert mix
• 1/4 cold water
• 3/4 cup flavored vodka or rum

Prepare lime layer.  Pour water into a small saucepan.  Sprinkle with 1/2 envelope of plain gelatin and allow to soak for a minute or two.  Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved (about 5 minutes).  Add the lime gelatin mix and stir until dissolved.  Stir in 1/4 cup cold water, and then the vodka or rum.  Pour into pan, and chill until almost set (about 45 minutes).

Prepare lemon layer. Dissolve lemon gelatin in 1 cup hot water in top of double boiler. Add marshmallows and melt. Remove from heat. Add 1/2 cup pineapple juice and cream cheese. Beat until well blended (if using, now is the time to stir in the crushed pineapple). Cool slightly. Stir in mayonnaise and whipped cream. Chill until slightly thickened. Pour over the lime layer and return to refrigerator to chill until nearly set.

Prepare cherry layer.  Pour 1 cup of water into a small saucepan. Sprinkle with 1/2 envelope of plain gelatin and allow to soak for a minute or two.  Heat over low heat, stirring constantly, until gelatin is dissolved (about 5 minutes).  Add cherry gelatin and stir until dissolved. Stir in 1/4 cup cold water, and then the vodka or rum. Chill until the mixture reaches the consistency of egg whites. Gently pour over pineapple layer. 

"Chase" any bubbles to the edge of the pan with the back of a spoon. 

Refrigerate until firm, several hours or overnight.

To serve, cut into 16 squares, then cut each square in half to form 32 rectangular slices.  Carefully remove slices from pan with an offset spatula.  

Makes: 32 servings