Apricot and Toasted Almond Cups

Your family as well as your guest will enjoy these tasty Phyllo Cups.

Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

Butter-flavored cooking spray
1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
4 oz. reduced-fat cream cheese
4 tsp. sugar substitute (Splenda)
1 Tb.fat-free milk
1/4 tsp. vanilla
4 sheets phyllo dough (thawed if using frozen dough)*
3 Tb. Apricot preserves**
1/4 cup sliced toasted almonds

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Spray 8 standard size (2&1/2 inch) muffin cups with cooking spray; set aside.

Beat cottage cheese, cream cheese, Splenda, milk and vanilla in large bowl with electric mixer at high speed until completely smooth; refrigerate until needed.

Place 1 phyllo sheet on work surface. Keep remaining sheets covered with plastic wrap and damp kitchen towel. Lightly spray phyllo sheet with cooking spray. Top with another phyllo sheet; spray with cooking spray. Repeat using remaining sheets of phyllo.

Cut the stack of phyllo sheets into 8 pieces using sharp knife or kitchen scissors. Gently fit each stacked square into prepared muffin cup. Bake 5 minutes or until lightly browned; cool in pan.

Place preserves in small microwaveable bowl. Microwave on HIGH 20 seconds or until melted. Spoon 2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture into each phyllo cup; drizzle with 1 teaspoon melted preserves. Top with 1&1/2 teaspoons almonds.

* Phyllo dough can be purchased frozen in most Supermarkets.
Or you can make your own. Recipe can be found below.

**You can change the taste by using different preserves like blackberry, strawberry,
orange or whatever preserves you like best. Just remember to use the "no sugar" preserves to keep the carbs low.

Calories 109
Carbs 12g
Fiber 1g
Sodium 174mg
TRUE CARBS=11g

Phyllo dough recipe

Ingredients:

1/4 cup water
2 cups flour (reduce carbs by using almond or soy flour)
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt



Directions:

Sift the flour with the salt.
Make a well in the middle of the flour.
In the well put the flour and the olive oil.
Work the dough until it hangs well together.
Dust flour on a table or board.
Kneed the dough for about 5-7 minutes.
The dough should be smooth and not stick to the board.
Roll the dough out to a big rectangle.
Lay a damp towel over it and let it rest for about 15 minutes.
Flour your hands and work the dough from the middle outwards until you have
the dough stretched to about 3 ft by 3 ft (1meter x 1meter)
Cut the dough with a sharp knife or pizza cutter to the desired sheet size.
Continue with the recipe that requires phyllo dough.