Recipe: Mini Crust-Free Spinach Quiches

Easy to eat, delicious, and perfectly sized, these mini quiches are great for holiday parties. You won't have to mess with crusts, and they will also be palatable for your gluten-free guests. They are also easy to make ahead, and can be served at room temperature, so you can make them the day before, then just let sit out for 30 minutes before guests arrive, and you'll be free to enjoy the party!

Mini Crust-Free Spinach Quiches
(Makes about 3 dozen mini quiches.)

(Image courtesy of piyato at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Ingredients:

1 box (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained, and water squeezed out
3 strips bacon, diced
1 cup finely diced onion
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
1 container (15 oz) ricotta cheese
2 cups shredded Italian blend cheese
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 eggs, beaten

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare mini muffin tins by spraying with cooking oil.  Be sure to spray the tops of the pans, too.
• In a large skillet, fry bacon until crispy, then remove with slotted spoon to a paper towel covered surface.
• Leave bacon drippings in skillet over medium heat, add the onion and cook until softened.
• Add to the skillet, the spinach, black pepper, and nutmeg and cook, stirring, until moisture cooks away.
• Remove from heat and add bacon to skillet, stirring to combine; set aside and allow to cool.
• In a large bowl, put the ricotta, Italian cheese, Parmesan, and the eggs, and stir until combined well.
• Make sure the spinach is cooled, then spoon the mixture into the bowl with the cheese and stir together.
• Fill the muffin cups with this mixture about 2/3 to 3/4 full.  You'll have about 3 dozen mini quiches depending on how full you fill the cups.
• Bake in preheated oven for 25 to 30 minutes or until solid and slightly browned and pulling away from the edges.
• Remove and let sit at room temperature for about 5 minutes, then tip out onto a cooling rack. If they don't come right out, just take a thin knife and slide it around the cup to release the quiche.
• Serve warm or room temperature.

Fun Frugal Foods for Your Holiday Party Platter

If you have ever hosted a holiday party, you know how difficult it can be to please everyone on your list. There are so many different expectations, likes and dislikes, that it can almost seem impossible to plan for all your guests' preferences. But this can be done and your budget doesn't have to suffer. Let's take a look at a few ideas for providing your guests with the foods they love while staying within your budget.

Plenty of Special Little Choices 

(Image courtesy of Apolonia at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

If you have a lot of people coming over for your holiday meal or party, this is one of the easiest ways to ensure that you please them all.  Providing a wide variety of food in small portions is the perfect way to please them all.  Finger foods, hors d'oeuvres, cheese trays, fruit plates, vegetables with dip, and the like are perfect for a party that is all about nibbling and mingling.  However, a holiday party requires a special touch. If you are familiar with tapas, this might be a good time to search for recipes specifically served for these 'small bites' parties.  You'll get a lot of ideas for delicious dishes to serve, both hot and cold. 

Now is the time to rethink some of your classics. You can dress up your pinwheel recipes with over-the-top ingredients for your holiday party.  Rather than use ham and Swiss cheese, choose smoked salmon, arugula, and Gruyere cheese, for instance.  Wrap diced honeydew melon in pancetta and broil for a surprising bite.  Make tiny meat and vegetable bundles inside thin layers of fillo dough. Spoon spiced shrimp into Romaine lettuce leaves. Those are just a few ways to turn familiar appetizer foods into something special and enticing for your guests.

Be sure to have more than enough little serving plates set all over the room so your guests can sample a few bites, walk away, sample another couple dishes, and keep moving.  Guests are bound to set their plates down often, so just be ready with more.  Keep the food interesting with a lot of variety and no one will feel they didn't get what they wanted to eat. This is also great for conversation because everyone is anxious to talk about the tasty item they discovered over on the other side of the room.

The Potluck Makes a Comeback

A wonderfully old-fashioned way to both host a holiday party and make sure you please your guests is to throw a potluck. This is one way to ensure that the dishes you serve will be what your guests will want to eat.  Because, after all, your guests are bringing their favorite dishes! Here you are, providing your guests with bragging rights to their great-grandmother's plum pudding recipe while, at the same time, pleasing your guests tastes and keeping your budget under control. If that sounds sneaky, it's not. Everybody knows the score! Your guests will love providing their favorite dish just as long as you provide the place and the basics for the meal.

When you issue the invitation, keep it casual. Say something on the order of; “You're Invited to a Holiday Potluck,” then explain that you want them to bring a favorite dish of theirs.  Also, let them know to keep their dish small since everyone will be bringing something so you'll have more than enough for everyone. This keeps them from going overboard making way more food than is needed. Be sure to ask what dish they are bringing so you can orchestrate the meal at least a little. You don't want an endless supply of gelatin salads or pinwheels and no sweet potato casserole or veggie tray, for instance.

This is also a great way to start conversations between people as they find their favorite dishes and talk about the recipe. You can also ask your guests to bring recipe cards if they would like to share.  Perhaps you could gather the cards and put them together in a book for your guests as a little Thank You gift for coming and sharing in your potluck party.

(Image courtesy of rakratchada torsap
at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Capture Their Attention With Comfort Foods

When planning a party, you naturally want to please everyone's taste buds.  And what's more pleasing than comfort foods?  Building comfort foods into your menu helps you make sure there is something that everyone likes. Comfort foods are generally inexpensive, can be prepared with ease, and are recognized and loved by most everyone.

Think of your classic comfort foods and you'll usually think of cheesy macaroni, green bean casserole, wild rice mushroom bake, and maybe some creamy mashed potatoes. A fragrant sage stuffing is another food that just makes you go 'ahhhhhh.' 

Whatever your comfort food, if you decide to include one or more with your meal, just have it match the style of the dinner.  For instance, if you are serving a variety of 'small bites' for your meal, go ahead and make the comfort food, but instead of making it in a big casserole, create tiny bites in mini-muffin tin cups. Tiny bites of sage stuffing will match the finger food style of the party but still offer the comfort you and your guests are craving.

When you are trying to please a lot of people, there are three main options you have for making sure everyone is satisfied even when you have a limited budget. Offer a lot of choices in the 'tiny bites' style, host a potluck, and finally include comfort foods that satisfy most everyone.  Your job as host is to make sure your guests are well fed and happy.  With these options, you can tweak your menu and style in ways that will have your guests very pleased indeed.

Recipe: Easy Cheddar Cheese Snack Ball

Cheese balls are practically a must at any holiday party - but they are surprisingly easy and affordable to make, despite their high price at the store.

This simple recipe has plenty of zesty, cheesy flavor, but it only contains a few ingredients, and it will look great on your holiday table - without costing you much at all!

Easy Cheddar Cheese Snack Ball

Ingredients:

2 pkgs (8 oz each) cream cheese, room temperature
8 oz. finely shredded Cheddar cheese
1 tsp lemon juice
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp finely grated sweet onion
1/2 cup crushed pecans or other nuts

Directions:

• In a large bowl, put all the ingredients (except nuts) and smash with a fork or a pastry cutter until well blended.
• Roll the mixture into a ball (or into two smaller balls) then roll in the nuts and pat down to make sure they stick.
• Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for an hour so flavors blend.
• Remove about 15 to 20 minutes before serving so it softens just enough to make it easier to spread. You don't want it to get warm, just a bit softer.
• Serve on a platter with crackers or fresh vegetables, and put a cheese knife alongside.

Recipe: Broiled Bacon Bundled Walnut Stuffed Dates

There's something about stuffed dates that just says "fancy." They're delicious stuffed with everything from nuts to goat cheese, and these are no exception! Your guests will be wowed by this simple but exquisite recipe, and you will enjoy the simplicity of this perfect holiday party appetizer - just 3 relatively inexpensive ingredients. (Budget shopping tip: Buy the dates and walnuts in bulk to save a bit of dough. Freeze the rest for future use - both can be used in a variety of tasty baked goods such as muffins, cookies, and more.)

Broiled Bacon Bundled Walnut Stuffed Dates
(Makes 12 appetizers.)

Ingredients:

12 large dates
12 walnut halves
4 slices lean bacon, cut into thirds (so you have 12 pieces)

Directions:

• Get out a broiler pan and set the oven rack about 6 inches below broiler element. Turn broiler on to preheat.
• With a small paring knife, make a little slice into each date (remove the pit) and put a walnut half in, squeezing the date around the walnut.
• Wrap a piece of bacon around the date and stick a toothpick through.
• Repeat with each date until all are used up.
• Arrange the bundles on the broiler pan and place under preheated broiler. Leave oven door slightly ajar, and broil for about 9 or 10 minutes, turning several times, until bacon is crispy.
• Remove to a paper towel covered plate and let sit for a few minutes to cool slightly.
• Remove toothpicks if desired, and serve warm.

Holiday Party Budget Busters

Everyone knows there are some things that just blow your holiday budget out of the water. If you know what these things are and plan for them ahead of time, they can be avoided and your budget can remain intact - leaving more money for those important holiday gifts. But the trick is identifying and then stopping these budget busters before they happen. Let's take a look.

Poor Planning

(Image courtesy of Apolonia at FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

When you don't spend enough time planning for your event, you may end up running around at the last minute trying to fill in for things you've forgotten.  If this means more food, it usually means prepared food from a deli or caterer, which means a lot more money spent than originally planned. On the other hand, spending too much time planning can also result in over spending. If you go over and over the menu, you are bound to keep adding more food. If you review the guest list over and over, you'll start second guessing yourself, which usually means adding more people, not removing any. A lack of planning as well as too much planning are both bad for the budget.

Unexpected Guests

When people show up unexpectedly at your party, it's a strain on the budget you set.  Pulling up another chair to the table and filling another plate definitely produces a burden. The best way to keep your guest list accurate is to include an RSVP on the invitation. Of course, there are bound to be a couple guests who forget or ignore the RSVP, so be sure to word your invitation properly so the RSVP is taken seriously.  If you have guests who haven't responded, simply give them a call.  Another issue may be a misunderstanding with the invited guest. Be clear if you intend your guest to bring a guest of his or her own. Your invitation should state EXACTLY who you wish to attend the party.  If there could be any confusion about who is invited, state the obvious.  For instance, if you're throwing a party for grownups only, make sure the invitation states that kids are not invited. Don't leave room for confusion on the invitation.

(Image courtesy of Ron Bird from FreeDigitalPhotos.net.)

Big Dreams

Paging through glossy magazines featuring designer parties is a fun pastime, but not a good basis for your holiday party.  If you start dreaming about throwing a designer-style party, your budget will never catch up. Keep your dreams in check and reasonable when you are planning your party and your budget and bottom line will appreciate your diligence. However, when you're dreaming big, you can  grab a couple ideas from those designers.  Choose some unique decorations or recipes and include them in your budget version of the fancy party.  You can add a lot of flare with just a few touches from that big dream.

Shopping Fail

Once your party is planned, you'll need to shop for food, decorations, gifts, and whatever you may need.  Heading to the store without doing some research first will result in spending way more money than you need to, or intend to.  Paying full price for any or all of the items you need will put a serious dent in your budget, and is so unnecessary.  With all the coupons and sales this time of year, there's no reason to over pay.  Go online and check the deals for your local area.  Shop early so you have enough time to shop around.  Waiting for the last minute will surely result in making hasty choices and spending way beyond your budget.

Hosting a holiday party can be fun and festive without breaking the budget, but only if you avoid these pitfalls.  Simple errors like these can create a stressful situation instead of a delightful holiday celebration. Now that you know what to avoid, go ahead and plan that perfect holiday party!

And be sure to check back later this week, as we'll  be sharing some budget-friendly but delicious holiday recipes over the next couple of weeks.

Recipe: Homemade Holiday Cranberry Orange Muffins

The ugly stepchild of Thanksgiving leftovers is the cranberry sauce. After the gravy, mashed potatoes, and turkey sandwiches, soups, and other creatives are gone, you find the cranberry sauce still sitting at the back of the fridge.

Never fear! There are actually lots of ways to use up this special leftover side dish - such as these delicious, festive, and surprisingly healthy muffins! Oats and cranberry orange relish give these muffins plenty of fiber, texture, and flavor, without too much sugar. These are also great for a quick leftover breakfast the next day.

Homemade Holiday Cranberry Orange Muffins

Ingredients:

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

1 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, firmly packed
1 cup quick cooking oats
1 egg, beaten
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup evaporated milk
3/4 cup cranberry orange relish, use leftovers

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 425 degrees and prepare muffin tin with paper cups or grease and flour.
• In a large bowl, stir or sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 
• Add the brown sugar and oatmeal and stir until well combined.
• To the dry ingredients, add all the remaining ingredients, stirring until the dry ingredients are just moist, don't over stir.
• Fill the muffin cups about 2/3 full. 
• Bake at 425 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown on top.
• Remove from oven and let cool slightly, then remove muffin cups to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Leftovers Recipe: Easy Cream And Salsa Turkey Enchiladas

This recipe makes it easy to use up those last few scraps of turkey. You're probably tired of turkey sandwiches and turkey soup by now, so why not shake things up a bit and add some Mexican flavor? These are super fast and easy to put together, so they work great for a quick meal when you don't feel like cooking (and who does, after last week??)...

Easy Cream And Salsa Turkey Enchiladas
(Serves 6-8.)

Ingredients:

3 cups leftover turkey, shredded
2 cups sour cream
2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp chopped green onion
1 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup vegetable oil
12 corn tortillas
1 jar (16 oz) good salsa (your favorite)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil a 9x13 baking dish.
• In a large bowl, mix together the turkey, sour cream, cheese, onion, and salt.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over low heat. Put a tortilla in and fry until hot and browned slightly, turn and fry the other side, then put on plate, cover with foil, and fry second tortilla.  Continue until all tortillas are fried, making sure to keep foil on them all to keep them warm and moist.
• Lay a tortilla on a work surface and spoon turkey mixture in the middle, the length of the tortilla, then roll up, and lay in baking dish seam side down. Continue until all 12 tortillas are filled and rolled and in baking dish.
• Pour salsa evenly over the top then put in oven and bake, uncovered, for 20 to 25 minutes or until hot and bubbly.
• (Optional: remove from oven and add more Cheddar cheese on top, then bake 5 more minutes or until the cheese is melted.)