Happy New Year! If you are ringing in the new year with friends and family a home, I am sharing the perfect festive recipes to end the year on a healthy note today on CBS Las Vegas NOW. Starting with finger food appetizers with a veggie twist.
Make veggies the base of your finger food apps
Make veggies the base of your light bite apps to naturally boost the fiber and nutrition. First I have Mediterranean hummus stuffed mini bell peppers. Simply fill your bell peppers with 1-2 tablespoons of hummus and top with chopped kalamata olives, feta and fresh parsley. For the risotto-stuffed mushrooms, start by baking your mushrooms for 10 minutes at 400 F. Next make your filling. I used the Lundberg Family Farms Porcini Mushroom Risotto which is part of their line of farm-to-table restaurant-quality risottos made with a creamy blend of arborio rice and savory rich flavors like Alfredo and garlic primavaera. They are ready in just 20 minutes and can served as is or incorporated into a recipe. You can find them locally at Safeway and on Amazon and shop.lundberg.com for under $4 each. Finally, for your grape caprese bites, add grapes, mini mozzarella pearls and fresh basil leaves to toothpicks.
Ring in the new year with sparkling Prosecco citrus cocktails!
If you are looking for a lower calorie adult beverage, prosecco is a smart choice. Plus it adds the perfect touch of bubbles to this 4-step recipe. To a large pitcher, add the juice of one orange, lemon and grapefruit, and 1 bottle of La Gioiosa Prosecco which adds a fruity and flowery aroma and fresh, lively taste. This light bodied sparkling wine, pairs well with all holidays dishes and is a great addition to every celebration. You can find it at Wine.com and Drizly.com. Chill the pitcher before serving with fresh sprigs of rosemary.
Serve a fun dessert like chocolate fondue
Finally, we can’t forget DESSERT. Chocolate fondue is the ultimate fun dessert and the best part is that you can get creative with different dippers. First prepare your chocolate – heat 1 cup of heavy cream in a small saucepan over medium heat until it begins to lightly simmer. Remove from heat and whisk in 12 ounces of roughly chopped dark chocolate until smooth and fully incorporated. Next arrange your dippers. Fresh fruit like strawberries, bananas, grapes and clementine’s are a must. For a fun dipper option– try Tidbits meringue drops which have less than two calories per piece and less than 80 calories per pouch. They come in a variety of flavors including chocolate, cookies N cream, strawberry and caramel in regular as well as diabetitc and keto-friendly varieties. Find them at online at tidbits.fun.
