Banana Bread (Diabetic)

I am still playing around with some desserts and trying to make them more Diabetic friendly. This recipe is the same Banana Bread recipe I posted a couple of months ago only I made several substitutions to make it a healthier dessert.

I have to say it didn't turn out bad at all. It was surprisingly moist and had very good flavor. The original banana bread is very moist and has a just a touch more intense banana flavor but this one is very close in flavor and moistness. Overall I was quite pleased with the results and even the hubby liked it and as a rule he hates any kind of diet food.

BANANA BREAD (DIABETIC VERSION)
1 1/4 cup White Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 Cup Smart Balance Low Sodium Butter Spread
1/2 Cup Eggbeaters
1 cup Splenda (regular, not the baking kind)
1 teaspoon Baking Soda
3 ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350°F

Grease loaf pan.

Sift together the dry ingredients and set aside. In another bowl cream together the butter and bananas and whisk in the eggs. Add to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Pour into loaf pan and bake about 45 minutes to 1 hour. Make sure toothpick comes out somewhat clean in the center.

Cool and slice.

Apple Praline Pie (Diabetic)

I saw this recipe for Apple Praline Pie on the Pillsbury website and thought it looked so good but being Diabetic I really have to watch my sugar so I decided to try and make this as carb friendly as I could without losing its taste. Since my dear husband is the dessert maker in this house I asked him if he would make it for me but with a few substitutions which he was happy to do.

It came out delicious and was enjoyed by all even though I am the only one watching my sugar intake. If you want the full sugar version you can find it on the Pillsbury website.

APPLE PRALINE PIE (DIABETIC VERSION)

***crust***
1 box Pillsbury pie crusts

***filling***
6 cups thinly sliced peeled apples
3/4 cup Splenda (regular, not the baking kind)
1/4 cup white whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tbl Smart Balance Low Sodium Butter Spread

***topping***
1/4 cup Smart Balance Low Sodium Butter Spread
1/2 cup Splenda Brown Sugar Blend
2 Tbl Skim Milk
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Heat oven to 350°F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie, using 9-inch glass pie plate.

In large bowl, mix apples, granulated sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt; toss lightly. Spoon mixture into crust-lined pie plate. Dot with 1 tablespoon butter. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.

Bake 50 to 55 minutes or until apples are tender and crust is golden brown. Cover edge of crust with strips of foil after 15 to 20 minutes of bake time to prevent excessive browning.

In 1-quart saucepan, melt 1/4 cup butter; stir in brown sugar and half-and-half. Slowly heat to boiling; remove from heat. Stir in pecans; spread over top of pie. Place pie on cookie sheet.

Bake 5 minutes longer or until topping bubbles. Cool at least 1 hour before serving.

Bacon Wrapped Chicken

We had this the other night and it was SO good. I saw the recipe from Full Bellies, Happy Kids and had to try it. It is so easy to make and tastes delicious. The bacon keeps the chicken nice and moist and the sweetness of the brown sugar offsets the salty bacon perfectly. To make this healthier I would use turkey bacon. I did not have any on hand when I made this so I had to use regular bacon but next time I will definitely make it with the turkey bacon.

The best part of this recipe, apart from the taste that is, it it's so easy to make!

SWEET AND SPICY CHICKEN

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
bacon (uncooked) Turkey or regular
chili powder (I used Taco Seasoning)
salt and pepper
garlic powder
brown sugar

Preheat your oven to 400

Spray a shallow casserole dish with cooking spray.

Cut each breast into 3 or 4 pieces and place in a bowl. Sprinkle the salt, pepper, garlic powder and chili or taco seasoning over the pieces and toss. Be sure each piece is seasoned.

Wrap each piece with a slice of bacon and roll the whole thing in the brown sugar. Place it in the baking dish. Repeat this process with the rest of the breast pieces being sure to only make a single layer of chicken pieces in the baking dish.

Place in the oven and bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until the bacon is brown and crispy.

Enjoy!

Easy Cranberry Pork Roast

I don't remember where I originally got the idea for this dish and I had forgotten all about it until my son mentioned it to me the other day. I couldn't even find the original recipe which tells me I must have just gotten the idea from somewhere and then did my own thing.

This is a dish you make in the crockpot and let sit all day but the end result is out of this world. The pork just falls apart and the sauce ends up sweet and savory and tastes delicious served over hot buttered noodles. You can use any small pork roast or those small long round pork loins work good too.

EASY CRANBERRY PORK ROAST
1 small to medium Pork Roast or 2 of those small pork loin tenderloins
2 cans of whole berry cranberry sauce
1 large onion
1 cup of orange juice
Garlic Powder
Cracked Pepper
Noodles

Coat your pork roast or tenderloin with flour and brown in a skillet with 2 T. of oil on medium to high heat until brown on all sides.

In your crockpot add the cranberry, orange juice and seasonings. Cut you onion in half and slice each half into thin slices. Break apart the slices and add to the crockpot. Stir all the ingredients in the crockpot until blended.

Add your pork and spoon some of the cranberry mixture on top.

Cook on high for about 2 to 3 hours and then turn down to low for at least another 3 hours or until meat just falls apart.

Serve pork on hot buttered noodles and spoon the cranberry sauce mixture over the top.

Enjoy!

The leftovers are great for shredded barbeque pork sandwiches the next day!

Fiesta Chicken Enchiladas

Sorry it has been so long since my last post, I have been super busy with baby showers, births(my first grandson!), family get-togethers and other such time consuming events! I have been taking pictures here and there so I finally sat down today and posted all of them as you can see from all the posts below dated today :)

I found this recipe in a Kraft Foods Magazine and only made a couple of small changes. I love the creamy chicken filling and using the soft flour tortillas. I apologize for the crappy picture but I could not find a place with the proper lighting. This picture was also taken the next day after heating them up in the microwave.

FIESTA CHICKEN ENCHILADAS
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
4 cooked large chicken breasts; , shredded
3 cups thick 'n chunky salsa, divided
8 oz. cream cheese, cubed
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
2 tbsp. taco seasoning
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
12 -14 flour tortillas

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.

Heat large skillet spayed with cooking spray on medium heat. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 2 min. Add chicken, 1/2 cup of the salsa, cream cheese, cilantro and taco seasoning; mix well. Cook until heated through, stirring occasionally. Add 1/2 cup of the shredded cheese; mix well.

SPOON about 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture onto each tortilla; roll up. Place, seam-side down, in 13 x 9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining 2 1/2 cup salsa and remaining 1 cup shredded cheese.

BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until heated through.

Almond Green Beans

This is a super easy side dish but has loads of flavor. If you are anything like me and need a little something extra to eat your veggies then this is one option. It is best to use fesh or frozen green beans as the canned just would not taste the same.

ALMOND GREEN BEANS
Fresh or frozen Green Beans (about 4 cups worth or whatever amount you need)
1 - 2 tbl of butter or margarine
1/4 cup of slivered almonds.
French's French Fried Onions

In a large skillet place frozen or fresh green beans. If they are fresh then be sure to wash first and snip the ends off. Cover with water and cook on med heat until cooked the way you want them.

Drain the green beans and remove from skillet. With the burner still set to med, add the butter and almonds. Saute until a light golden brown.

Add the green beans back in and stir until well coated with the butter and almonds. Cook until heated through.

Serve with some of the french fried onions sprinkled on top.

Creamy Delicious Macaroni and Cheese

There is nothing really fancy or unique about this mac and cheese but it has always been a family favorite and tastes SO much better than the box stuff. It's creamy and delicious and the perfect comfort food.

As a rule I prefer to use White American cheese as it seems to be the creamiest but you can of course substitute any cheese you like ie: Yellow American, Cheddar or a mixture of both. I usually get a block (1 to 2 lbs) of it at the deli counter in my grocery store and then just shred it myself at home. At the moment Wal-Mart has their White and Yellow American cheeses on sale for 2$ a pound so this is a good time to stock up if you live near a super Wal-Mart. I also add about a teaspoon of red pepper flakes because I like a little kick to it but this is completely optional. The cracked pepper gives it a bit of a bite so the red pepper flakes are not necessary unless you really like kick.

For the pasta I prefer the large elbow macaroni but I have used other shapes in a pinch.

CREAMY MACARONI AND CHEESE
4 Cups uncooked large elbow macaroni
4 Tbl. butter or margarine
4 slightly rounded Tbl of flour
4 Cups shredded White American Cheese (approx)
4 Cups of Warm Skim milk
1 1/2 teas. of Brown Deli Mustard
1 teas red pepper flakes (optional)
Cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400

Cook pasta according to package leaving it slightly al dente. Drain and place in a greased casserole dish.

In a large sauce pan melt your butter over medium high heat. When melted add the flour and whisk for about 2 minutes. Add the warm milk and whisk constantly until well blended. Keep the heat near high and whisk continuously until the milk starts to thicken and bubble. Add your pepper and mustard and Red Pepper flakes (if desired) and continue to whisk. When the mixture is pretty thick, remove from heat and add the shredded cheese. Keep whisking until the cheese is melted and nice and creamy.

Pour the cheese mixture over the pasta in the casserole dish using a spoon to make sure the pasta is well coated and evenly blended. Bake in the oven for about 40 minutes. The top should be slightly brown and the sides bubbling. Remove from oven and sprinkle a little bit of cheese on top if desired.

Salisbury Steaks

I have been making this recipe since I was young. I think I found it in an old Betty Crocker cookbook. It's very easy but so tasty!

SALISBURY STEAKS
1lb lean ground beef
2 slices of white bread, cubed
1 small onion coarsly chopped
1 can of Golden Mushroom soup
1/4 cup oatmeal (uncooked)
Cracked pepper
Garlic powder

In a large mixing bowl add all the ingredients except the soup. Mix well with your hands until everything is combined. Open the can of soup and add about 1/4 of a cup to the meat mixture. Save the remaining soup aside for now.

Shape the meat mixture into 4 to 5 oval shaped patties about 1 in. thick and place in a greased shallow baking dish.

Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes.

While it is baking take the remaining soup and add about 1/4 of a cup of water to it and mix well. After the patties are done baking remove from oven and spoon the soup mixture over each patty and bake an additional 15 min.

Ultimate Coffee Cake

I saw this great coffee cake being made on the Paula Deen show and thought this would be a perfect cake to make for a Sunday morning. It is SUPER easy and looked delicious, I just didn't know it would end up looking like something off the I Love Lucy Show. RULE #1 stick to the recipe!

This is the perfect dish to make when you have company over. You make it the night before and it only takes seconds to make plus it sits overnight so in the morning all you have to do is stick it in the oven and 30 minutes later you have the most delicious tasting coffee cake that your guests will think you slaved over!

The first time I made this I thought gee 18 of those balls of dough just doesn't look like enough so I tossed in about 3 or 4 more. BIG MISTAKE. This is what I found when I got up in the morning.


So after everyone was done laughing at my dough monster in the oven I managed to stuff most of the hanging dough balls back into the pan and baked it. What I ended up with is this which isn't bad considering what I started with.

When I placed a plate on top and flipped it over the pan pulled away easily and I was left with this gooey, sticky, absolutely delicious pull apart coffee cake. Just remember to stick to the 16 - 18 dough balls and you will be fine! Another thing to remember is that by unbaked dinner rolls she means the frozen dough balls you find in your freezer section at the grocery store like these http://www.rhodesbread.com/products/view/800 . These come in round balls of dough that have to rise and then bake just like homemade rolls.

ULTIMATE COFFEE CAKE
16-18 each unbaked frozen dinner rolls
1 3 oz pkg Butterscotch pudding - non instant
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup pecans chopped
1 stick butter, melted

The night before you serve this, place the frozen rolls in a well greased Bundt pan.

Sprinkle the dry pudding mix evenly over the rolls.

Sprinkle the brown sugar over the pudding mix then the chopped pecans. Pour the melted butter over all of it. Take a piece of plastic wrap and spray it with cooking spray or wipe a thin layer of oil over one side and then place the oiled side down over the Bundt pan. Don't wrap it tight but make sure it covers the whole top.

Then just let it sit on your stove or counter over night and when you get up it will have risen over the top. I placed mine inside the oven overnight (oven turned off of course).

Then just heat your oven to 350 degrees and bake for 30 minutes.

Let cool for 5 minutes and place a plate on top and flip it over. It should come right out onto the plate.

Sausage and Egg Casserole

This recipe works just as well for a dinner as it would for a breakfast or a brunch. Though I saw it in one of the Taste of Homes Annual Recipe books I actually got this recipe many years before that at the bank I used to work at. My boss brought this dish in for a potluck we had one morning and I begged her to give me the recipe. I don't make this very often but always enjoy it when I do. I have found ways to lighten it up a bit. For the bread I used a rustic sourdough to give the bread a bit more density but you can use any bread you wish.

SAUSAGE AND EGG CASSEROLE

1 lb bulk turkey sausage
1 1/2 cups of egg substitute (like Eggbeaters) or 6 eggs if you are not watching your cholesterol
2 cups skim milk
1 teaspoon salt (I left the salt out)
1 teaspoon ground mustard
6 slices bread, cubed
1 cup low fat cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°

In a skillet, brown and crumble the sausage; drain and set aside. In a large bowl beat eggs; add milk, salt and mustard. Stir in bread cubes, cheese and sausage. Pour into a greased 11 X 7 X 2 inch baking dish. Cover and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Remove from fridge 15 minutes before baking. Bake uncovered for 40 minutes or until a knife comes out clean.

Pizza Burgers

I was first introduced to Pizza Burgers at summer camp. For 10 summers I went to a wonderful summer camp in Maine and during the last few years I was a counselor and worked in the kitchen. It was there I found out how they made them. After I stopped going to camp I lost the recipe and could not find anyone that knew what was in them so I went about trying to recreate them myself. This recipe comes pretty close. These were a favorite with my kids when they were growing up. Very easy to make and very tasty.

I used Texas Toast to make these but in the past I always used hamburger buns, either works fine.

PIZZA BURGERS

1lb lean ground beef
1lb ground turkey
2 cans Campbells Tomato Soup
1 Tbl. sugar
1 Cup Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 teas. Italian seasonings
10-11 slices of Texas Toast or about 7 or 8 hamburger buns split in half

Preheat oven to 400.

Brown the meats together in a skillet, breaking the meat up into very small crumbles. When cooked through drain any grease from the pan and add the Tomato Soup and mix well. When heated through add the sugar and the cheese. Mix thoroughly and allow cheese to melt. Cook another 10 minutes or so and remove from heat. Set aside. If you are using Texas Toast then toast each slice in the toaster and arrange on a large cookie sheet. If you use the hambuger buns then place each half face up on the cookie sheet and put in the broiler until toasted. Be careful not to burn them.

Whether using the buns or toast scoop a good size spoonful onto each slice. Spread over toast until you have about a half inch layer on each. Place in the oven and bake for about 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and serve hot. If you use the Texas Toast slice each one in half before serving.

**NOTE** You can also substitute 1 small jar of pizza sauce for one of the cans of soup.

Crispy Chicken Salad

This is really great in the summer when you don't want to heat the oven but I like to make it all year long. It's very easy and tastes wonderful with any kind of salad.

Take boneless chicken tenders (about 1 per person) and coat with eggbeaters and then in cornflake crumbs(the kind you get in a box in the baking aisle). Brown on both sides in a little bit of oil in a frying pan just until cooked through and crispy on the outside. Drain on a paper towel and slice at an angle. Add to whatever kind of salad you wish and add your preference of dressing. Easy and very tasty! For extra flavor you can season the chicken while it is frying.

Veggie Side Dish

I was never a big vegetable lover but I have been learning to eat more and more of them. This is a really easy way to get multiple vegetables with your dinner with lots of flavor. I was never a big fan of broccoli and cauliflower before but making them this way taught me to love them.

All you need is a bag of the Broccoli, cauliflower, carrot mix (I get mine at Sam's Club), a sweet onion and a little bit of grated cheddar cheese (I use low fat).

Place the frozen veggies in a casserole dish and microwave for about 5 to 7 minutes depending on how much you are making. Meanwhile slice the onion into 3/4 inch slices and then cuts those in half. When the veggies are done toss the onion to mix in with the veggies and microwave another 5 minutes or so. This will soften the onion just enough. When everything is thawed and piping hot. toss in the shredded cheese and let melt. Serve with just about any meal!