Zucchini Bites

Well, it's that time of year again.  The time where I start figuring out creative ways to use zucchini.  I personally love zucchini, but not everyone in my family does.  So sometimes I have to figure out how to hide it, but still use it.  This recipe hit the nail on the head.  I could easily eat a hundred of these in one sitting.  My son, the pickiest eater in our household and not a huge veggie fan, even loved them.  Dip them in some ranch and you'll have the yummiest veggie based treat this side of the Mississippi!  Here's the DL...
Ingredients
2 cups grated zucchini
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 medium red onion, diced
2 eggs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Italian style bread crumbs
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray.
In small pan melt butter.  Add the onion and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until onion is translucent.  Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
While onion is cooking grate the zucchini and squeeze out the excess water.  Set aside.
In medium bowl mix the eggs, Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs, salt, pepper, and cooled cooked onions.  Add zucchini.
Place tablespoon of zucchini mixture into muffin cup or until cup is filled to the top.  Press down lightly with the back of the spoon.  Repeat until mixture is gone.  Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the top is browned.  Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes.

Serve with ranch for dipping and enjoy!  (makes about 24 bites)

Christmas Tree Roll-ups

This is a cute, healthy, & easy idea for a Christmas appetizer or snack.  We did this for one of my daughters class snack.  For the tree part I used spinach tortillas, spread cream cheese on them then added cheese, lettuce, & turkey.  Roll em up & cut them in 1 to 1 1/2 inch segments.  For the trunk I used a regular tortilla & omitted the lettuce & cheese.  Once we had organized the roll-ups in a tree shape we used sliced carrot & little tomatoes cut in half for the "ornaments".  You could also use red, yellow, & orange peppers & olives for decoration.  I didn't have a yellow pepper, but if I had I would have cut a star shape out & put it on top.  This is a great recipe to do with kiddos, & it's tasty!

Bagel Snowmen

I'm always searching for healthy, but fun kids treats.  This is a great one to make this time of year.  It's healthy, filling, tasty, & fun.  Kiddos have no problem gobbling up these cute snowmen.  This is a great snack to make with your child as well.  We made these for my daughters' class & my girls helped to assemble all 20 of them- & had a blast doing it.  Here's the how to...
Ingredients
mini bagels cut in half
cream cheese
small carrots cut in half crosswise
olives cut in half lengthwise
celery cut into thin strips
cherub or cherry tomatoes cut in half lengthwise
Directions
spread cream cheese on bagel halves until completely coated.  Place olives for the eyes.   Stick the carrot nose right in the hole/center of the bagel.  Use celery strips for the mouth & top of ear muffs.  Place tomatoes as the ear muffs.

This is how I cut the celery.  Really thin so it can be easily formed into the desired shape.  You could also use red or yellow peppers for this step.

Here is another option that is a bit easier.  This is what we did for my gilrs' class.  I got all the veggies ready & spread the cream cheese on the bagels.  My girls did all the decorating.  It was fun & their class was thrilled.  Plus they all got a healthy, hearty snack.