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Italian Appetizer Bites

What do you serve on game day? Other than sporting my orange and blue and serving up chili, I’m always looking for new Game Day ideas. In the fall, it’s like Christmas every Saturday around here.

We obviously all know by now that Mr. Prevention chooses Buffalo Chicken Dip as his game time snackie…and that I am sooo sick of the stuff. In an effort to expand horizons, I entered another recipe swap for Game Day foods. I offered up Oven-Fried Pickles and I was selected to try these Italian Appetizer Bites.

After a quick scan of the ingredients I knew 2 things.

First, without completely changing the recipe, I was at a loss as to how to “slim” them up. I opted for 2% provolone, low-sodium deli ham, and peppers packed in water vs. oil. The nutrition stats weren’t fabulous, but I was honestly expecting worse.

Second, I knew these would be a huge hit with my picky, picky, vegetable-hating friend who was visiting this past weekend. She loves the basics of meat and cheese, but opted to pick out the red peppers 😉 I have to give her a hard time because she is such a picky eater!

So yes, these were enjoyed by all during the Illini win (and OSU loss — DARN ::sarcasm::). For once, it’s nice to be an Illini in Buckeye Country. And now, I’m going to go knock on some wood!

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Italian Appetizer Bites from Fried Ice and Donut Holes (link no longer available)

2 packages crescent rolls
8 oz salami
8 oz reduced-fat provolone cheese slices
8 oz low-sodium ham slices
7 eggs
1 cup (2 ounces) Parmesan cheese, grated
2-12 oz jars roasted red peppers (not packed in oil), drained

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 F and spray a 9 x 13-inch baking pan with non-stick cooking spray.

Unroll 1 package of crescent rolls and line the bottom of the pan with them. Layer the rolls with half of the salami, provolone, and ham.

In a bowl, whisk together 6 eggs with the Parmesan cheese. Pour half of the egg mixture over the layer of meat and cheese. Layer 1 jar of the peppers over the top of the egg mixture.

Repeat the layers of salami, provolone, and ham, followed by the eggs and peppers. Top with the other package of crescent rolls. Make an egg wash with the remaining egg and brush over the top of the rolls.

Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes. Allow the bites to cool at least 30 minutes, then cut into 24 triangles and serve. Yield: 24 (good-sized bites).

Nutrition Information (per serving): 170 calories; 10.2 g. fat; 82 mg. cholesterol; 532 mg. sodium; 6.8 g. carbohydrate; 1 g. fiber; 9.3 g. protein

Result: Quite the game day meat-lovers delight! Simple to make and sure to please a crowd. Watch portions, however — not calorie, fat, or sodium-friendly! 😀

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Back-to-back weekends of guests has been so much fun. When the girls left yesterday the house felt so empty and it made the miles between those and the ones I love seem longer than ever. Do I need a little cheese with my wine whine? 😉 There’s so much fun and excitement that comes along with moving for jobs (even if not your own), but there’s something about the comfort of home and old friends that you just can’t beat. Thanks for coming, 312 girls 🙂

Question: What’s your favorite not-so-nutritious appetizer?

Everything in moderation! Have a great week!

xo,

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24 Comments

  1. Melissa
    September 19, 2011 / 6:23 am

    I’m so glad that you liked this appetizer!! Definitely not the healthiest option out there, but we love it, too! Have a great week ๐Ÿ™‚

  2. Gina (The Candid RD)
    September 19, 2011 / 6:58 am

    I’m going to pretend that I didn’t see that “sarcasm” above. Not cool. You know, you do live in Buckeye country….and don’t you forget it!
    The apps look amazing. I guess the only way to lighten them up is to use light choose and/or less cheese. Or what about whole wheat crescent rolls?! They don’t exist, but they should!

    • Nicole
      Author
      September 19, 2011 / 7:01 am

      …But I’m an Illini!!! OSU is our Michigan.

      It would be great if there was whole wheat anything processed. I did use the 2% provolone…that helped some.

  3. Erika @ The Teenage Taste
    September 19, 2011 / 7:07 am

    This would definitely be a hit with all the men in my family. They sure do like their meat and cheese! ๐Ÿ˜›

  4. Joanne
    September 19, 2011 / 8:30 am

    Some recipes are just not worth healthifying and I’d rather just have a small piece of something more calorific than to try to make it healthier and have it taste not-as-good. I’m so glad it sounds like you had a fun weekend!

  5. Heather @ Get Healthy With Heather
    September 19, 2011 / 8:54 am

    Okay, now that’s a cool appetizer! I love how the filling is just hidden in there.

  6. Samantha @ Bikini Birthday
    September 19, 2011 / 9:07 am

    Meh, I wouldn’t worry about the nutrition stats. Don’t football and bad food go hand-in-hand? I think eating something healthy would be a sacrilege.
    Luckily, football season is the shortest one.

    Although, what the hell do I know? I don’t watch football. Sometimes I wish I did just so that I would have something in common with everyone else in my family from September to February.

  7. Trainer Kjirsten @ Balanced Healthy Life
    September 19, 2011 / 12:41 pm

    I love basic cheese and crackers as well as bacon wrapped chicken! YUM!

  8. Anne Marie@New Weigh of Life
    September 19, 2011 / 1:35 pm

    Looks delicious!! I love spinach and artichoke dip with tortilla chips. My mouth is watering just thinking abou it!

  9. Leah @ Why Deprive?
    September 19, 2011 / 3:12 pm

    These sound amazing. Definitely worth the indulgence.

    My favorite appetizer is bacon wrapped water chestnuts. Scallops and bacon are good, but the water chestnuts have the best texture, and I just love them. My Grandma made them one year for Christmas, and they’ve been my favorite thing ever since.

  10. renee@mykitchenadventures
    September 19, 2011 / 4:46 pm

    Eh…don’t sweat it Nicole…just cuz you live in Ohio, doesn’t make you and automatic OSU fan…lol I could care less about them! I know, I know…curse me! lol

    That app looks so friggin good…of course, as far as I am concerned…anything that starts with a canned cresent roll can’t be bad! Roasted red peppers would have been the BEST part of this app!!! ๐Ÿ™‚

    Favorite app? Hmmm…I think I like them ALL…seriously, on new years eve…all I serve is apps…and I am in paradise!

  11. Hezzi-D
    September 19, 2011 / 5:19 pm

    These look so good! I love that you make them in a pan and then cut them to size. Easy to make and perfect for a game!

  12. Faith
    September 19, 2011 / 5:25 pm

    Oh boy, does this look good! It’s the perfect game day (or any day!) treat. Do you think it would work with pizza dough too? Or maybe puff pastry would be a better sub? (I always have both in my freezer, lol!)

  13. Kacey @ Kacey's Kitchen
    September 22, 2011 / 3:51 pm

    Just found you blog and so glad that I did! I can’t wait to try some of your awesome looking foods, especially this….perfect for a party! Love your photos!

    • Nicole
      Author
      September 23, 2011 / 9:55 am

      Thanks, Kacey! I appreciate your comment! I hope you find some new recipes you love!

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  15. Jen
    March 14, 2012 / 9:47 am

    This looks delicious! I make a sandiwich that everyone raves about: cream cheese, turkey, ham, bacon pieces, cheddar and swiss on french bread and then baked in the oven. Do you think this would work baked in the oven between cresent roll bread? I appreciate your thoughts!

    • Nicole, RD
      Author
      March 14, 2012 / 10:23 am

      Jen: I don’t see why not! Probably decrease the baking time, however. Good luck!

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  17. bbomalley
    November 23, 2014 / 11:04 pm

    questions: I am a horrible cook and need to attend a holiday party with a dish. This apps look amazing and I think I could even make this recipe. My question: will it be ok do I need to serve this app cold or does it need to be served warm? Thank you

    • Nicole Morrissey
      Author
      November 24, 2014 / 8:50 am

      Hi! These should be served warm and soon after being baked. ๐Ÿ™‚

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