KWWL.com - News & Weather for Waterloo, Dubuque, Cedar Rapids & Iowa City, Iowa | Hy-Vee Recipes: Holiday Treats

Keep It Simple

Since you want to enjoy your own party, keep your dessert recipes simple or at least only have one or two difficult desserts. In addition, try to find recipes you can prepare in advance, so you can relax and enjoy your company during the party.

Finger Foods

Keeping desserts small is beneficial for many reasons. Having bite size pieces helps guests to cut down on calories by offering a small serving of a not so healthy food. Plus it allows guests to try multiple desserts and not feel as guilty as trying several large serving desserts. Plus, finger foods cut down on the need for silverware, which is an extra added bonus.

Variety

To tailor to your guests' likes and dislikes, provide a variety of foods, whether it is desserts, appetizers, etc. Your guests will appreciate the extra effort! And remember; even if you provide variety have a limit to the number of items you prepare, so you aren't overwhelmed with the preparation.

Holiday Spiced Nuts

Serves 16 (1/4 cup each) | Source: www.hy-vee.com

All you need

3 tablespoons Hy-Vee unsalted butter

1 ½ cups Hy-Vee walnut halves

1 ½ cups Hy-Vee pecan halves

1 cup Hy-Vee natural almonds

2 tablespoons Hy-Vee Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon Hy-Vee soy sauce

½ teaspoon Hy-Vee salt

½ teaspoon Hy-Vee ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon ground allspice

½ teaspoon Hy-Vee ground cloves

All you do

1. Preheat oven to 250 degrees.

2. In a 2-quart sauce pan, melt butter over medium-high heat. Stir in nuts.

3. Add Worcestershire sauce, soy sauce, salt, cinnamon, allspice and cloves; stir will to coat.

4. Pour onto a baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes stirring halfway through.

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Caramel Apple Salad

Serves 18 | Source: Stacy Mitchell, RD, LD

All you need

7 apples, diced

1 (8 oz) can crushed pineapple

4 containers Yoplait® caramel crème parfaits (or one box of prepared sugar-free, fat-free butterscotch pudding)

½ cup Nature's Path® Organic pumpkin and flax granola or any granola you enjoy!

All you do

1. In a small bowl, combine diced apples, pineapple and yogurt and mix well.

2. Right before serving top mixture with granola and enjoy!

Daily nutritional values: 4% vitamin A, 10% vitamin C, 6% calcium, 2% iron

Nutrition information per serving: Calories: 110, Carbohydrate: 25 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Dietary Fiber: 3 g, Fat: 1 g, Protein: 2 g, Saturated Fat: 0 g, Sodium: 0 mg, Sugar: 18 g Trans fats: 0 g

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Avalanche Brownies

Serves 18 | Hy-Vee Seasons Magazine 2010

All you need

2 cups granulated sugar

1 cup butter, melted

½ cup unsweetened cocoa powder

½ teaspoon salt

5 eggs, beaten

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

1 cup semisweet or milk-chocolate chips

8 peppermint candy canes, crushed

1 (10-ounce) bag Kraft Jet-puffed Miniature Marshmallows

1 (12-ounce) bag semisweet or milk chocolate chips, melted

All you do

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 13x9x2-inch baking pan; set aside.

2. Combine sugar, butter, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl. Stir until smooth. Stir in eggs and vanilla. Add flour, then stir in chocolate chips.

3. Spread batter in prepared pan. Bake in oven for 30 to 35 minutes.

4. While brownie are still hot, sprinkle the top with half of the crushed candy canes, followed by the marshmallows and the remaining crushed candy canes. Drizzle with melted chocolate chips. Cool. Cut with a sharp knife.

Mini Tiramisu Tarts

All you need

¼ cup dark chocolate chips

1 pkg Athens Mini Fillo Shells (prebaked)

1 ¾ cup skim milk

1 tbsp instant Hy-Vee coffee

1 pkg sugar-free instant white chocolate pudding

Hy-Vee Real Whipped Light Cream aerosol topping

¼ cup finely chopped dark chocolate or chocolate covered espresso beans

All you do

1. Melt chocolate chips on HIGH in microwave, stirring every 30 seconds until melted. Spoon approximately ¼ tsp chocolate in bottom of each fillo shell. Chill in freezer for 5 to 10 minutes.

2. Pour milk into medium bowl; add instant coffee to milk and stir until dissolved.

3. Add contents of instant pudding and whisk until slightly thickened.

4. Spoon 1 heading tablespoon of pudding mixture into fillo shells, mounding slightly.

5. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Right before serving, top with whipped topping and chopped dark chocolate.

Nutrition info per serving: 80 calories, 4 g fat, 130 mg sodium, 10 g carbohydrates, 5 g sugar, 2 g protein

Stephanie Beenken represents Hy-Vee as a nutrition expert working throughout the community to promote healthy eating and nutrition. Stephanie is a Registered Dietitian and member of the American Dietetic Association.