Down-Size Holiday Baking

When baking holiday treats this season but calories by cutting portion sizes. Try any of these ideas next time you’re in the kitchen baking

• Slice pies and cakes into 10-12 pieces instead of the usual 6-8. 
• Cut brownies and bars into bite-sized pieces before arranging them on a platter for guests.  
• Bake smaller cookies; you can even freeze half of the dough to bake more later.
• Make mini muffins out of muffin or bread mixes (I made mini banana bread muffins just yesterday!).
• Use multiple smaller cake pans; serve one cake now and freeze the others for a later date.

Not only will guests appreciate your bite-size treat approach, but everything always looks cuter and yummier when it’s mini!

Check out this festive Cranberry Swirl Cheesecake recipe from Cooking Light magazine.

I plan on making a modified version of this recipe before Christmas using a few small springform pans and freezing the extra cakes for next year. Last holiday season I made sugar coated cranberries (as seen in the background); these were a huge hit and  I will be posting this recipe soon!