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I am a HUGE fan of the holiday’s and not just because I like to spend time at home with my family and friends, but also because some of the best foods surround those festive fall holidays. You know what I’m talking about, right? Stuffing, mashed potatoes, warm buttery rolls, green bean casserole, roasted turkey (or deep fried if you eat it at my house), and of course pie! There are so many different foods available at each of these meals that it can be really hard not to over indulge and pack on a few extra pounds this time of year. Couple that with sweatshirt and layering season and you have a recipe for disaster. One of the ways that I am trying to maintain a healthy balance this year is by watching my portions, and substituting lower calorie options when I can (without sacrificing taste!) So bring on the mini’s, the bite sized and the finger foods!
Today’s recipe is a delicious rendition on a traditional baked brie, but with WAAAAY less calories (and guilt). I fell in love with the Weight Watchers® string cheeses a few years ago and realized that they were the answer to all my baked brie troubles. So while at Walmart picking up some classroom supplies I swung through the grocery department and grabbed the 4 (yes only 4!!!) ingredients I needed to make this magic happen!
UPDATE: Because the holidays are coming I went ahead and added this recipe to my Weight Watchers recipe points calculator and these bad boys are only 1 point each!! So go ahead and snack guilt free!
Baked Mozzarella and Cranberry Bites
- 1 package puff pastry sheets
- 8 Weight Watchers string cheese sticks
- Homemade Cranberry Sauce – recipe below
Start by defrosting your puff pastry sheets. Once they are soft, cut them into 9 equal squares and press them each into a muffin tin. Then cut up the string cheese into 1 inch pieces and put two pieces in each cup. Top each cup with about a tablespoon of your homemade cranberry sauce (recipe below). Bake for 10-15 minutes until the puff pastry is golden brown.
Cranberry Sauce
- 3 cups fresh cranberries
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup orange juice
Boil all the ingredients until the cranberries pop and then simmer until reduced.
Now if you are skeptical about the taste I don’t blame you. I get that way too! However, many Walmart stores will be demoing these products between 10/22-10/25! There are select hours though: Thursday 12:30-7:00 PM Friday 12:30-7:00 PM Saturday 10:00-4:30 PM Sunday 12:30-7:00. Check this list to see if there are demos in a store near you!
Be sure to check out more delicious Weight Watchers recipes HERE and share your favorite.
I made these for a Valentines Tea – they turned out perfect! Very delish and everyone commented on how good they were. So simple yet look so special! I love Muriel’s enthusiasm and great ideas to expand on this recipe – makes it a great basic for any type of function! My dear friend passed this on to me and I’m forever grateful!!! Don’t be skeptical of this one – it’s wonderful and simple. I just followed the directions. I did use my own homemade cranberry sauce recipe but I’m sure the one on this recipe is good too….I think you can use whatever you want as Muriel said. The idea is that the basic recipe is fantastic and very adaptable.
What temp for the oven?
I was planning on making these for a dinner party today. After reading Arlene’s comment I am a little skeptical. Looks like I better have a backup plan.
I made these for a Valentines Tea – they turned out perfect! Very delish and everyone commented on how good they were. So simple yet look so special! I love Muriel’s enthusiasm and great ideas to expand on this recipe – makes it a great basic for any type of function! My dear friend passed this on to me and I’m forever grateful!!! Don’t be skeptical of this one – it’s wonderful and simple. I just followed the directions. I did use my own homemade cranberry sauce recipe but I’m sure the one on this recipe is good too….I think you can use whatever you want as Muriel said. The idea is that the basic recipe is fantastic and very adaptable.
Well I tried the Baked Mozzarella and Cranberry Bites, and what a mess. No one liked them or would eat them, the shells never browned (have a newoven so I no it wasn’t that) I had to bake them almost 30min before the edges even would brown, the bottoms were like raw and the cheese never melted…BAD EXPERIENCE
What a great idea! Thank you for sharing this. 🙂
And I can already “taste” variations of this such as String Cheese with jams like Strawberry, Marmalade, Peach, etc. Or add real fruit slices, thinly cut (and then maybe a touch of sugar to brighten up the flavor)…like a cooked half-slice of apple sprinkled with Apple Pie Spice.
Or put softened Cream Cheese into an icing bag and, with a Star tip, pipe it onto the baked pastry, then top the Cream Cheese with a half strawberry or a few Blueberries, or some jam.
Or “open-faced sandwiches” such String Cheese or Mozzarella topped with some roasted turkey which is then topped with the Cranberry Sauce…or Ricotta Cheese with a thin quarter-size slice of tomato that’s gently sprinkled with Italian Seasoning or fresh Basil…or Swiss Cheese with a little mustard and some ham…Provolone Cheese with a little mustard/Horseradish and then topped with some Roast Beef from the Deli, etc.
Here it is, almost 3 a.m. and instead of going to bed, I want to bake! Lol.
How many “bites” does this make and assuming regular muffin tin not mini?
Each sheet of puff pastry made 9 bites for me!
Can store bought cranberry sauce be subbed or is that a no-no?
You could definitely substitute store bought cranberry sauce!
Did you spray your muffin tins with Pam? It looks like it from the picture. It just wasn’t mentioned in the instructions.
Yep!!
Tis looks yummy! What temperature did you bake these? The recipe doesn’t mention that. Thanks!
Follow the directions on your puff pastry!
I loved baked brie, but I don’t love that I’ll sit there and eat the entire thing. Bit sized is a great idea and I forgot how great homemade cranberry sauce is… it’s the only kind I’ll eat. #client