Cherry-Pistachio Cannoli Cream

Ingredients:

• 1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
• 2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
• pinch salt
• 1/4 cup mini dark chocolate chips
• 1/4 tsp. grated orange zest
• 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
• 2 cups sweet cherries, pitted, plus 4 cherries on the stem
• 2 tbsp. chopped pistachios

Makes 4 Servings (1/2 cup per serving)

1. Combine the ricotta, brown sugar, and salt in a food processor; process until perfectly smooth, 1-2 minutes
2. Scrape the cheese mixture into a medium bowl; stir in the chocolate chips, orange zest, and vanilla. Refrigerate until thoroughly chilled, at least 1 hour or up to 3 hours.
3. Stir the pitted cherries into the cheese mixture. Divide the cannoli cream evenly among 4 dessert bowls. Sprinkle with the pistachios and top each with a cherry in the stem. Serve at once.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. If you love Italian food or dessert, this treat is for you. A cannoli is a Sicilian dessert that is consisted of a pastry shell filled with ricotta cheese topped with nuts and/or chocolate chips. This spin on cannoli is both flavorful and filling. The combination of dark chocolate chips, chopped nuts, orange, vanilla and cherries is absolutely delicious. If you don't want to eat this as a pudding, I highly recommend using this cannoli cream as a filling for cannolis. The cannolis will be deliciously filling. The points value will go up but they are worth it.

Cherry Strudel

Ingredients:

• 3 cups pitted fresh tart cherries
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tbsp. cornstarch
• 1 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/2 cup sliced or slivered almonds, finely ground
• 12 (12 x 17-inch) sheets frozen phyllo dough, thawed
• 1 tbsp. confectioners' sugar

Makes 10 Servings (1/10 of strudel per serving)

1. To make the filling, combine the cherries, 1/4 cup of the sugar, cornstarch, lemon juice, cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium saucepan and set over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium. Cook, stirring constantly until thickened and bubbly, about 2 minutes. Remove the saucepan from the heat; set aside to cool, about 30 minutes.
2. Preheat the oven to 400 F.
3. Combine the almonds, and the remaining 1/4 cup of sugar in a small bowl. Lay 1 phyllo sheet on a work surface with a long side facing you. Keep the remaining phyllo covered with a damp towel and plastic wrap to prevent it from drying out. Lightly spray the phyllo with nonstick spray; sprinkle with about 1 tablespoon of the crumb mixture. Continue layering with the remaining phyllo and crumb mixture, lightly spraying each sheet of phyllo with nonstick spray to make 12 layers in all.
4. Spoon the cherry filling over the phyllo, leaving a 2-inch border. Fold the short side over the filling, then roll up jelly-roll style. Do not roll to tightly or the phyllo might tear.
5. Place the strudel on a diagonal, seam side down, on a large baking sheet. Lightly ray the strudel with nonstick spray. Cut four (1-inch) slits in the top of the strudel to allow the steam to escape. Bake until the filling is hot and the phyllo is golden brown, about 20 minutes. Let cool completely  on the baking sheet on a rack at least 45 minutes. Just before serving, dust with confectioners' sugar.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. This is what I call elegant comfort food. Strudel is a nice comfort food when it's done right. Baked cherries are absolutely delicious. The original recipe called for 1 cup of granulated sugar and 1/4 cup of dried bread crumbs. I cut the granulated sugar in half, cut out the bread crumbs but increased the slivered almonds and added the cinnamon and nutmeg for a healthier and more flavorful dessert. The end result was delicious. You can use any kind of berries or stone fruit in this recipe and the dessert will still be delicious.

Bing Cherry-Brown Sugar Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 tbsp. unsalted butter
• 2 cups Bing or other sweet cherries (about 12 oz.), pitted
• 2 tbsp. packed light brown sugar
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• pinch salt

Makes 1 1/2 cups (1/4 cup per serving)

 

Melt the butter ina medium skillet set over medium heat. Add the cherries and cook, stirring frequently, until they begin to release their juice, 3-5 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar, lemon juice and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until the sugar dissolves and the juices thicken slightly, about 4 minutes. Remove the skillet from the heat; cool slightly to serve warm, or transfer to a covered container; refrigerate up to 2 days. Gently reheat to serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. This is what I call a fruity sauce. I love cherries and I really loved this sauce. This sauce has a smooth, silky texture to it bursting with flavor. This sauce goes great on top of ice cream, frozen yogurt, pancakes, waffles and slices of angel food cake.

Sour Cherry Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 (24 oz.) jar pitted tart cherries
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• pinch salt
• 1 cup lime sorbet

Makes 4 Servings (1/2 cup soup, 2 tablespoons cherries, and 1/4 cup sorbet per serving)

1. Put the cherries in a sieve set over a medic bowl. Remove 1/2 cup of the cherries and set aside; reserve the juice. Put the remaining cherries in a food processor and puree until smooth. Pour the cherry puree through a sieve set over the same bowl, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible. Stir in the reserved cherry juice, the lemon juice, and salt.
2. Refrigerate, covered, until the soup is thoroughly chilled, at least 2 hours or up to 1 day. Ladle 1/2 cup soup into each of 4 shallow soup bowls. Garnish each serving with 2 tablespoons of the reserved cherries and 1/4-cup scoop of the sorbet. Serve at once.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. This is a great dessert to enjoy during the summer when fresh produce is in season, it's hot outside and you want to cool off. If you enjoyed cherry limeade during the summer, you'll love this sweet treat. There is also no added sugar in this treat too. The flavors of cherry and lime really compliment each other and the treat taste delicious.

Silky Strawberry Sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 (1 lb.) container strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/4 cup light corn syrup
• 1/4 cup water
• pinch salt
• 2 tsp. fresh lemon juice

Makes 8 Servings (1/4 cup per serving)

1. Combine the strawberries, corn syrup, water, and salt in a large saucepan and set over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries soften and the mixture forms a sauce, about 10 minutes. Stir in the lemon juice.
2. Pour the berry mixture through a fine-mesh sieve set over a medium bowl, pressing hard on the solids to extract as much liquid as possible; discard the solids. Cool the sauce to serve at room temperature, or transfer to a covered container; refrigerate up to 1 week.

WW POINTS VALUE: 1 pt.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Best-Ever Desserts Cookbook. This is what I call a dessert sauce. It's so succulent and silky it will melt in your mouth. I highly recommend adding a touch of pure vanilla to make the sauce more flavorful. You can also use blackberries, blueberries, cherries, raspberries or even a combination and the sauce will be delicious. Raspberries and blackberries have much larger seeds so they have to be strained through a coarse sieve. I highly recommend serving this sauce over chocolate ice cream because it will taste like a frozen chocolate truffle for dessert.

Cherry Clafoutis

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb. sweet cherries, pitted & halved, or frozen unsweetened pitted cherries
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup low-fat milk
• 2 tbsp. brandy
• 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2/3 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/3 cup + 1 tbsp. confectioners' sugar

Makes 6 Servings (1/6 of clafoutis)

1. Preheat the oven to 375 F. Spray a 10-inch pie plate or quiche pan with nonstick spray.
2. Spread cherries in prepared pie plate forming even layer; set aside.
3. Whisk eggs in large bowl until frothy; whisk in milk, brandy, vanilla, and salt. Whisk together flour and 1/3 cup of confectioners' sugar in small bowl. Gradually  whisk flour mixture into egg mixture until smooth batter is formed; pour over cherries.
4. Bake 10 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 300 F. Bake until clafoutis is puffed and toothpick inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. About clafoutis to cool (it will sink in center). Just before serving, dust with remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar

WW POINTS VALUE: 6 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW Family Meals Cookbook. A clafoutis is a homey, easy-to-make baked fruit-and-custard dessert that originally comes from the Limousin region of France. This was my first time making a custard-like dessert and it turned out OK. The flavors of cherry, brandy and vanilla went very well together. Cherries are traditional in this dessert but you can use any stone fruit such as peaches, nectarines, plums or apples, pears, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, or strawberries in this dish and it will still be flavorful.  

Cherry Pie

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/8 tsp. salt
• 2 (14 1/2 oz.) cans sour cherries packed in water, drained juice reserved
• 1 tbsp. lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• Pie Dough for double crust (See recipe)

Makes 16 Servings (1/16 pie per serving)

1. Preheat oven to 425 F.
2. To make filling, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a large bowl. Add cherries, 1/2 cup reserved cherry juice, lemon juice, and almond extract gently stirring to mix well.
3. On lightly floured work surface with lightly floured rolling pin, roll one disk of dough into 12-inch round. Gently fold in quarters and ease into 9-inch pie plate, pressing it against side of pie plate. Trim edge, leaving 1-inch overhang. Spoon cherry filling into pie shell.
4. Roll remaining disk of dough into 12-inch round. Fold in quarters and place on top of filling. Tuck edges under and decoratively crimp. With tip of small knife, make several 1-inch slits in top of pie to allow steam to escape.
5. Place pie on baking sheet to catch any drips. Bake 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 375 F. Loosely cover pie with foil during last 25 minutes of baking prevent overbrowning, if needed, and bake until crust is golden and filling is bubbling in center. Let cool on wire rack about 1 hour to serve warm, or let cool completely.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts.

 

Note: This recipe appears in the WW New Complete Cookbook. Whether or not you are a pie fan, you will love this sweet ending. Homemade fruit pies always taste the best. I've always enjoyed apple pie but cherry pie in the summer is heavenly delicious. I highly recommend adding a  touch of vanilla extract, ground cinnamon or nutmeg and sliced rhubarb to the cherry pie for a sweeter flavor. The home made crust is absolutely delicious with this pie. If you want out reduce your sugar intake, substitute honey or agave nectar and your pie will be just as delicious.

Rhubarb Cherry Crumble

Ingredients:

• 2 cups uncooked rhubarb, washed, cut into bite-size pieces
• 2 cups fresh pitted cherries (halved if large)
• 1/2 cup cherry preserves
• 10 tbsp all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup uncooked rolled oats
• 1/3 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp table salt, or to taste  
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, chilled   

 Makes 9 Servings

1.  Preheat oven to 375ºF.
2. In a large bowl, combine rhubarb, cherries and preserves. When fruit is well coated, add 2 tablespoons flour; blend thoroughly. Spoon fruit into a 2-quart baking dish; set aside.
3. In another bowl, combine remaining 1/2 cup flour, oats, sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Cut butter into small pieces and work it into flour mixture with a fork until it resembles coarse crumbs.
4. Spoon crumb topping over fruit and bake until fruit begins to bubble, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool for 10 to 15 minutes.

WW POINTS VALUE: 5 pts

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. This dessert is what I call Spring into Summer because it's where rhubarb and cherries meet to make a delicious dessert. I really love cherries and rhubarb; cherries and rhubarb go deliciously well together seasoned with cinnamon and nutmeg. Rhubarb always makes fruit taste better as does adding cinnamon and nutmeg. Cooked fruit is delicious and fruit cobbler in the summer is the best. I totally recommend serving this at your next gathering because it's a tasty way to end your meal. This cobbler is so delicious people will forget that it's good for them and they'll be asking for more and talking about it for days.

 



Chocolate Cherry Oatmeal Cookies

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 3/4 cup butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup dried cherries

Makes 36 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF.
2. Combine flour, cocoa, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt together in a small bowl; set aside.
3. Place room temperature butter into bowl of a mixer and mix with a paddle attachment until smooth, or beat with an electric mixer. Slowly pour granulated sugar in an even stream into butter and mix on high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Pour in brown sugar, mix until incorporated and then scrape mixture down from sides of bowl.
4. Slowly beat in each egg one at a time until incorporated. Slowly beat in flour mixture until incorporated.
5. Scrape mixture down from sides of bowl and stir in oatmeal and then dried cherries. (Note: Freeze dough at this point or continue to step 6 for baking.)
6. Scoop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough onto a nonstick sheet pan, a pan lined with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat about 1 1/2 inches apart.
7. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until edges are set. Cool completely. Either serve cookies or stack between sheets of waxed paper in an air-tight container and freeze for up to two weeks before serving.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts (1 cookie per serving)

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. I was on a roll with oats and cherries and I had a sweet tooth craving. I had made this cookies before and I enjoyed them the first time and I couldn't wait to make them again. Oatmeal cookies have always been a favorite of mine. Adding chocolate and cherries to these oatmeal cookies make them sinfully delicious. These cookies are moist and chewy and are more delicious than the oatmeal cookies you buy at the grocery store. You can make the cookie dough ahead of time, freeze it and then bake them for that fresh-out-of-the-oven smell and taste.

 



Holiday Apple Crisp

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup unsweetened dried cherries
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup trans-fat-free margarine
• 1/2 cup whole-grain pastry flour
• 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp granular sugar substitute
• 2 tbsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp ground nutmeg
• 9 Granny Smith apples, sliced (9-10 cups)
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

Makes 12 (1-cup) Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Lightly coat a 9x 13-inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Place cherries and water in a bowl and soak cherries until ready to use.
3. Meanwhile, combine oats, margarine, 1/4 cup of the flour, 1/4 cup of the sugar substitute, 1 tbsp of the cinnamon and 1/2 tbsp of the nutmeg in a medium bowl; stir until mixture is crumbly.
4. Toss apples and lemon juice together in a large bowl. Add remaining 1/4 cup flour, 2 tbsp sugar substitute, remaining 1 tbsp cinnamon and remaining 1/2 tbsp nutmeg; stir to combine.
5. Place apples in baking dish. Pour cherries and soaking water over apple mixture; toss gently to combine. Sprinkle oat topping evenly over fruit. Bake until apples are tender, about 40 minutes. Serve warm.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3 pts

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Parties & Holidays Cookbook. This is a warm and fruity dish that's sweet and tangy from the flavors of the apples and cherries. I highly recommend using 1 cup of fresh cherries because they add more flavor and zing to the dish. I also added nutmeg to this dish because it goes well with apples, cherries and cinnamon.  This is also a wonderful dish for the winter because it will heat your kitchen and your soul. You can even top it with a dollop of creme fresh, ice cream or yogurt if you'd like. 

Cherry Spoon Sweet with Yougurt

Ingredients:

• 1 (16 oz) package unsweetened bing cherries
• 1 tsp grated lemon zest
• 2 tbsp granular sugar substitute
• 24 oz. plain fat-free or low-fat yogurt

Makes 4 Servings

1. Bring cherries, lemon zest, and sugar substitute to a simmer in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until cherries have softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and cool slightly.
2. Divide yogurt among 4 serving dishes. Top each serving with 1/4 cup of the cherries and serve.

WW POINTS VALUE: 4 pts.

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Quick & Easy Cookbook. Although this recipe is in the dessert section, you can have this dish for breakfast, as a light lunch or as a snack. The recipe calls for lemon zest but I highly recommend using lime zest because it will taste like a healthy version of cherry limeade. This is a nice treat that is light and you won't feel guilty eating this dish. The leftover spoon sweet can be refrigerated up to 10 days and you can even use this as an alternative to jam/jelly as a spread for toast.



Mini Cherry Cheesecakes

Ingredients:

• 8 graham crakers, mashed into crumbs
• 2 tbsp reduced-calorie margarine, melted
• 4 oz. fat-free cream cheese
• 4 oz. light cream cheese
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 20 oz. light fruit pie filling, cherry, warmed or 20 oz. cherries, warmed

Makes 12 Servings

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Place 12 cupcake liners in a cupcake pan. Combine graham craker crumbs and margarine; mix well.
2. Spoon 1 tbsp of crumb mixture into the bottome of each liner and press down gently. Refrigerate until ready to fill.
3. Beat cream cheeses until fluffy andadd lemon juice, egg whites, vanilla extract and sugar; beat until smooth.
4. Spoon cream cheese mixture evenly into crumb cups. Bake for 15 minutes. Cool. Top each cheesecake with 1 tbsp cherry filling.

WW POINTS VALUE: 3

 

Note: This recipe appears on www.weightwatchers.com. Who does not love cheesecake?!?! If you are ever having a craving for cheesecake but you want to watch your health, this is the recipe for you. The calories are cut fr this yummy dessert and you won't feel guilty eating it. I do highly recommend using 8 oz of either fat-free or light cream cheese to save money and use real cherries insterad of pie filling. One bite of this mini cheesecake and your taste buds will be in heaven with the creaminess of the cherries and cheese and graham crakers melting in your mouth.

Apple-Cherry Crumble

Ingredients:

• 5 apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped
• 1 cup sweet cherries
• 1/3 cup fresh orange juice
• 2 tsp minced orange zest
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/3 to 1/2 cup packed brown sugar (light or dark)
• 3 tbsp butter or margarine
• Heavy Cream (optional)

Makes 4-6 Servings

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F.
2. Mix together the apples, cherries, orange juice, orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. Place the fruit mixture in a buttered 9-inch pie plate or square pan and set aside.
3. Combine the flour and brown sugar, then cut in 2 tbsp of the butter with a pastry blender until the mixture forms crumbs about the size of small peas. Sprinkle the flour mixture over the fruit, and dot with the remaining 1 tbsp butter.
4. Bake until the apples are cooked through, the top is slightly browned, and the mixture is bubbling, about 30 minutes. Serve either hot or cold, with heavy cream, if desired, to pour over the crumble.

WW POINTS VALUE: Who Knows?

Note: This recipe appears in The New Legal Sea Foods Cookbook. I don't have the WW Point Value because the cookbook doesn't provide the nutritional info. This dessert is similar to the blueberry and peach crumble dessert. You can substitute pears, apples, apricots and even sweet cherries for the peaches and blueberries. This dessert was SOOOOO delicious. I added the vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg to kick it up a notch and it was so good. Apples and cherries mixed with orange juice and zest and vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg make a delicious combination of summer meets fall. Cooked fruit is just as delicious as it's served raw. I do recommend putting in some spices if you want to cook fruit. To the Berkowitz family: If you're reading this posting, the apple and cherry crumble is delicious and it should be on your menu. If you want to spice it up, just add some vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg and people will love it, I guarantee.

Easy Fruit Compote

Ingredients:

• 
  
  1 lb fruit of your choice
• 1 tsp grated lemon, lime or orange zest
• 1 tbsp granular sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

Makes about 2 cups

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, bring to a boil 1 pound of blackberries, blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, pitted cherries, or pitted and diced apricots, peaches, nectarines or plums (or a combination of any of these) along with the grated lemon, orange or lime zest and granular sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the fruit has softened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, adjust the sweetener if necessary, and cool completely before freezing.

WW POINT VALUE: Not a whole lot I hope!

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook. I purchased so many peaches from the farmers' market recently and I wanted to do something sweet with them. I mixed in 1 lb of peaches with about a half cup of pitted sweet cherries along with the zest and sugar. Plus I kicked it up a notch with some cinnamon and nutmeg. Fruit Compote make a nice dessert or a nice topping for just about anything.

Black Cherry Baked Apples- A simple, different and delicious treat!

Ingredients:

• 
  
  4 baking apples
  
  
  
• 
  
  1/2 tsp cinnamon
  
  
  
• 
  
  a pinch of nutmeg
  
  
  
• 
  
  1/4 cup dried cherries, raisins,  or cranberries, etc.
  
  
  
• 
  
  1/4 cup chopped walnuts
  
  
  
• 
  
  1 cup diet black cherry soda
  
  
  

Makes 4 Servings

1. 
   
   Preheat the oven to 375 F. Using an apple corer or sharp knife, remove the apple cores from the stem ends without cutting the apples all the way through the outer end. Place the apples cored side up in a 9" x 9" baking dish.
   
   
   
2. 
   
   Sprinkle the apples inside and outside with the cinnamon. Spoon the cherries or raisins and the walnuts into the apples. Drizzle a little soda into each apple. Pour the remaining soda into the baking dish.
   
   
   
3. 
   
   Bake for 20 minutes, or until apples are tender.
   
   
   WW Points Value: 2
   

Note: This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Cookbook. It's New Year's Eve and I wanted to try a fun and healthy dessert and this looked good. It's as simple as it is different and it's delicious. I don't recommend using red delicious apples when baking this dish. I would probably use Granny Smith Apples.

Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup dried cherries
• 1 tbsp golden rum or blueberry schnapps
• 8 slices challah or other egg bread
• 1 tbsp chopped almonds or walnuts
• 1 large egg
• 2 egg whites
• 1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 1 tsp confectioners' sugar
• maple syrup (optional)

Makes 4 servings

  

1. In a small bowl, combine the cherries and rum. Let the mixture soak for 10 minutes.with nonstick spray.
2.  Place a heavy-gauge nonstick baking sheet in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 F. Lay 4 slices of the bread on a large plate. Mix the almonds with the cherries and the rum, then scatter 2 tbsp of the mixture over each slice. Top each with a second slice of bread.
3. In a small bowl, beat the egg with the egg whites and buttermilk. Pour over the stuffed toast and turn the toast over to coat evenly. Let stand 10 minutes, then press the edges down to seal.
4. Spray the heated baking sheet with nonstick spray. Transfer the stuffed toast to the baking sheet and bake 10 minutes, then turn the toast over and bake until well browned and bubbling, 6-7 minutes longer. Dust with confectioners' sugar before serving.

WW Points Value: 7

Note: This recipe appears the WW New Complete Cookbook. This recipe looked so good and I always wanted to try it and so I made it on Christmas Eve. French toast for dinner is a Christmas Eve Tradition for me and I've been doing it for 2 years now. You can use blueberry schnapps instead of rum for a more fruity flavor if you want. I also recommend using fresh cherries and/or blueberries, sliced fresh banana with a tbsp or dried cherries, cranberries or raisins for a more fruity flavor.

Chocolate Cherry Truffles

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate(70 % Higher Cocoa) finely chopped
• 1/3 cup fat-free half-and-half
• 4 ounces cherries, pitted and finely chopped (about 1 cup)
• 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder

1. 
   
   Place chocolate in a heatproof medium bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the half-and-half over medium heat. hen it comes to a simmer, add cherries and return to a simmer. Remove from the heat and pour mixture over chocolate; stir antil chocolate is melted.
2. 
   
   Place the bowl in the freezer until chocolate is set, about 10 minutes, removing the bowl and stirring every 2 minutes. Chocolate is ready to roll into truffles when it no longer has a pudding-like consistency and starts to harden.
3. 
   
   Scopp out 2 teaspoons of the chocolate mixture and roll with moistened palms to form a small ball. Repeat with the remaining chocolate to make 32 balls (you will need to moisten your hands more than once). If Chocoalte is soft, place balls in the freezer for 10 minutes to firm.
4. 
   
   Place the cocoa powder in a shallow dish. Roll balls in cocoa powder to coat, then roll between dry palms so that the cocoa powder adheres to truffles. Serve immeadiately or refrigerate in an airtight container for up to a week.

Makes 16 (2-piece) servings

WW Points Value: 2

Note: I cooked this recipe last night and it's SOO Delicious. This recipe appears in the South Beach Diet Taste of Summer Cookbook but you can make it any time of the year. I highly recommend putting the bowl in the freezer more than 10 minutes for the chocolate mixture to harden because the chocolate can get very slippery on your hands. I also highly recommend putting all the truffles in a container or a ziploc bag and putting the bag in the freezer so the truffles stay hard.