How to Make 3 Delicious Meaty Party Appetizers

Want more than just chips and dips for your next party foods?  Here are three great tasting, easy, and tasty meaty appetizers.  The Party Meat Turnovers are wonderful little turnovers made from crescent rolls and filled with ground beef and cheese.  They are sure to get you lots of compliments!  The Tamale Bites are made with cornbread, ground beef and enchilada sauce - perfect for something different.  The Mexican Sausage Balls give a little bite to the traditional sausage balls.


PARTY MEAT TURNOVERS

1 lb ground beef

1 envelope dry onion soup mix

1 cup shredded low-fat cheddar cheese

3 pkg refrigerator crescent rolls

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

In a large non-stick skillet, brown ground beef until no longer pink.  Drain off excess fat and rinse beef with hot water.  Return to skillet and add the onion soup mix.  Mix well.  Blend in cheese.  Unroll crescent rolls.  Divide meat mixture between the rolls.  Seal edges well and place on cookie sheets.  Bake about 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Note:  For a selection of turnovers, replace the ground beef with bulk sausage and add a sprinkle of sage or replace the ground beef with ground or shredded chicken and replace the cheddar with grated Parmesan cheese.


TAMALE BITES

2 cups crumbled cornbread

1 can (10 oz) mild enchilada sauce

1/4 tsp garlic salt

1 1/2 lbs ground beef

1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce

1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In a large mixing bowl, combine cornbread, 1/2 cup of the enchilada sauce, and salt.  Add beef.  Mix well.  Shape into 1-inch balls and place into a shallow baking dish.  Bake, uncovered, 18-20 minutes.  Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, stir together remaining enchilada sauce and tomato sauce.  Heat slowly until heated through.  Transfer tamale bites to a fondue pot and pour sauce over the top.  Sprinkle cheese over the top.  Keep warm over low heat.  Serve with toothpicks.

Note:  Each bite contains 3 grams carbs and 2 grams protein.


MEXICAN SAUSAGE BALLS

1 lb hot sausage

1 1/2 cups biscuit baking mix

1 lb shredded Mexican-style cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brown sausage lightly and drain well in a colander.  After sausage cools enough to handle, mix the sausage with cheese and biscuit mix.  Form into bite-size balls.  Bake in an ungreased baking pan for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.  Serve warm.

Note: To make regular sausage balls, substitute mild sausage and cheddar cheese.

Enjoy!