We’re into football season and baseball is wrapping up with the World Series, so we’re often thinking about a Sunday afternoon get-together with friends and delicious snack foods.  They just naturally go together, right?

Well, it’s not the best thing for a low carb lifestyle unless those snacks are low in carbs.  You can always put out a meat and cheese tray and a vegetable dish, but there are some quick put-together recipes that make great snacks.

Here’s a few that are already on this blog and a new one for Little Smokies Wrapped in Blankets is just below on this page.  I’m sure you’ll find a couple of good choices for your television watching.

For a delicious do-ahead snack, you can’t beat deviled eggs and this is my recipe for Texas Style Deviled Eggs.    Another easy one is Bacon Wrapped Water Chestnuts and these are so good you’ll want plenty of them.  Ham and Pepper Madeleine Cakes are also a tasty snack and are great dipped in Chipotle Ranch dressing.

Little Smokies Wrapped in Blankets

This is a standard appetizer that normally uses crescent rolls and are easy to make. I’ve adjusted the recipe to a low carb option. For this, I use CarbQuick, but any low carb baking mix will work. I don’t know how well almond flour would hold together and I haven’t tried it. It uses Little Smokies or any other cocktail wiener. As another option, you could take premade cocktail meatballs, cut them in half and wrap those. For a vegetable version, try wrapping a 2-inch piece of asparagus or broccoli stems or kohlrabi cut into 1/4×2-inch sticks with the dough.

1/2 cup Low Carb Baking Mix
1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder
Pinch of Salt
1 tablespoon Butter or Shortening
1 teaspoon of Buttermilk or Cream
1 tablespoon very cold Water
2 tablespoons Cheddar Cheese, finely shredded
Butter flavored Cooking Spray
15 Little Smokies or (8) Meatballs or (15) Vegetable sticks

In a small bowl, add the flour, garlic, salt, and butter or shortening. Cut together with a fork until the mixture turns to crumbles. Add the buttermilk and water and mix together until it begins to pull together. If it isn’t moist enough, add just a little bit more water until it forms a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F.) Prepare a baking sheet by spraying with baking spray or put a silicone mat on it and spray the mat.

Pinch off enough dough to make a one-inch ball and hand press it to a 2×1/2-inch strip. I use a sheet of wax paper to press this on. Place the smokie in the middle and press the dough around it to form a wrap over it. Press together to seal. If the dough breaks, simply press it back together. Repeat for each little sausage. For the meatballs, cut the meatball in half and roll each half in the dough.

Place on baking sheet, then spray the tops with the baking spray and bake for 18 to 20 minutes until golden brown.

Serve with a mustard and mayonnaise sauce. My preference is a cranberry mustard and mayonnaise. Or you can eat them as they are. These are usually a hit at a party.

Makes about 15 appetizers.

Nutrition Information per appetizer (Little Smokies):
Calories: 49 Fat: 1.7 g Net Carbs: 0.5 g Protein: 2.1 g

Nutrition Information per appetizer (Meatballs – 6 to serving):
Calories: 52 Fat: 3.6 g Net Carbs: 1.5 g Protein: 3.2 g

Nutrition Information per appetizer (Kohlrabi- 1/4×2-inch strips):
Calories: 22 Fat: 1.7 g Net Carbs: 0.4 g Protein: 0.9 g

Tip:  To get a lower carb count on the meatballs, make your own.  Most of the ones you buy pre-made have a bread crumb filler in them.  Make one-inch meatballs and bake them until they are just done. Cool, cut in half and wrap.  This will bring the carbs down to about a half carb each.