Barbi's Kitchen

Garlic Potatoes

2011-09-01T14:44:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe I saw in an issue of Country Living magazine and it looked so good I had to try it. I changed it somewhat from the original recipe but it came out delicious and was easy to make which is a plus for me and a guarantee I will make it again!

This was a wonderful side dish to go along with the Mini Meatloaves in my previous post :)

GARLIC POTATOES

6 Medium potatoes, sliced into 1/4 inch-thick half-moons
6 T butter, melted
Salt and pepper
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 T fresh parsley, chopped
1/4 C Pecorino or Asiago cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large baking pan, toss potatoes and melted butter together. Season with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Spread potatoes and roast until golden, about 30 minutes.

Remove from oven, toss in garlic and parsley and mix well. Place back in oven for another 15 to 20 min or until potatoes are tender and lightly golden brown.

Transfer potatoes to a serving dish. Sprinkle with cheese and serve hot.

Mini Meatloaves

2011-09-01T14:22:00.000-07:00

This recipe was originally from the Food Network Magazine and I changed it up a little. You can never really go wrong with meatloaf and there are so many ways to make it that I never get tired of trying new versions. I used the leftovers from this meal to make some yummy Panini's. I took a sub roll and spread it with Onion and Chive Cream Cheese then placed slices of the meatloaf and provolone cheese and onion. I put it in the panini press until the bread was crispy on the outside. It was very good! Almost better than the original meal :)

MINI MEATLOAVES
1 cup breadcrumbs
½ cup uncooked oatmeal
1/3 cup milk
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 large egg
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 med. onion, finely minced
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 cloves garlic, grated or finely minced
2 pounds meatloaf mix (ground beef and pork)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
1 to 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix the breadcrumbs, oatmeal, milk, parsley, egg, Worcestershire sauce, onion, chili powder and garlic in a large bowl. Add the meat, season with salt and pepper and mix with your hands until combined. Shape into 8 or 9 oval loaves.

Place on a greased baking sheet or large shallow baking dish. Whisk the ketchup, sugar and vinegar in a bowl and brush over the meat. Bake for 35 to 45 minutes.

Peanut-Chocolate Mud Pie Squares

2011-09-01T13:08:00.000-07:00

I was looking for a yummy cool dessert to have on these hot summer days and I decided to try the Philadelphia Cream Cheese website. They had a wonderful selection of meals and desserts and I saved a bunch to try. This was the first of several I made.

This is SO good but VERY rich so I would suggest serving this in very small portions!

PEANUT-CHOCOLATE MUD PIE SQUARES

20 OREO Cookies, finely crushed (about 1-2/3 cups), divided
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 tub (8 oz.) Cream Cheese Spread
1/2 cup Creamy Peanut Butter
1/4 cup sugar
1 tub (8 oz.)COOL WHIP, thawed, divided
1/4 cup coarsely chopped COCKTAIL Peanuts
1 pkg. (3.9 oz.)JELL-O Chocolate Instant Pudding
1-1/2 cups cold milk

Line a 9-inch square pan with plastic wrap, with ends of wrap extending over sides. Mix 1-1/4 cups cookie crumbs and butter; press onto bottom of prepared pan. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Beat cream cheese spread, peanut butter and sugar in medium bowl with mixer until well blended. Gently stir in 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP; spread over crust. Top with 1/4 cup of the remaining cookie crumbs.

Beat pudding mix and milk in same bowl with mixer on low speed 2 min. Stir in remaining COOL WHIP; spoon over crumb mixture. Top with remaining crumbs and nuts.

Freeze overnight. Remove dessert from freezer 20 min. before serving; let stand at room temperature to soften slightly. Use plastic wrap handles to remove dessert from pan before cutting into squares.

Baked Corn

2011-09-01T12:54:00.000-07:00

I found this on the internet a while ago when I was looking for a moister version of cornbread. It was posted on a forum over 3 years ago and I was unable to find the original poster so my apologies to the creator of this recipe, I was unable to give proper credit or a link. In my version I added 3 chopped jalapenos and a few drops of hot pepper sauce but you can certainly omit those if you wish. It did not make it too hot, just added some extra flavor.

I usually serve this with my Chili Rellenos but it could also be a main dish when served with a salad.

BAKED CORN

2 Cans of cream style corn
1 Can whole kernel corn
1 6 1/2 oz. or 8 oz. Corn muffin mix
4 eggs beaten
1 tsp. salt
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup melted or soft butter or marg.
1 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or monterey jack cheese
3 jalapeños (the canned kind not fresh), chopped

Mix together all ingredients pour into a 9x13 greased cake pan.

Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees, check corn by sticking a knife in center if comes out clean it is done otherwise bake another 10 min. I usually bake it for about 1 hour and 45 min.

Cut into squares and enjoy.

Creamy Thick Jello Shakes

2011-08-11T12:56:00.000-07:00

I don't even remember where my husband and I got the idea to add jello to milkshakes but OMG they come out SO good. Super thick and creamy. These are great during the summer when you want something cool and sweet and fruity yet thick and creamy.

You can of course use regular Jello, ice cream and milk if you aren't watching you calories or sugar intake but I have listed the ingredients I use which make this very Diabetic friendly. The amounts are approximates as it will depend on how thick you want it. Keep in mind it will continue to thicken up a bit after you are done making it.

JELLO SHAKES

1/2 Cup of No-Sugar-Added low fat vanilla ice cream - approx.
1 Cup prepared sugar free Jello (flavor of your choice) - approx.
1 Cup skim milk - approx.

In a blender place milk then the Jello and then the ice cream making sure to secure the top. Pulse a few times to make sure it starts to break down and then blend on high until well blended. If it is too thin add more ice cream and if it is too thick just keep adding splashes of milk to thin it out.

Pour in a glass, add a straw and enjoy!!!

Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

2011-08-11T11:23:00.000-07:00

This is another meal I kind of threw together and this also became a big hit. These are fairly easy to make and don't take long to cook. I am not putting any precise amounts to the ingredients because it all depends on how many you wish to make.

BEAN AND CHEESE QUESADILLAS

8" Flour tortillas
1 Can of fat free refried beans - heated in a pan until soft and spreadable. Add a couple of tablespoons of water if needed
Shredded cheese
Salsa - Jarred or homemade
Cooking Spray
Sour cream and salsa for dipping

For each quesadilla:

Heat up a skillet sprayed with cooking spray. When the pan is hot sprinkle about a tablespoon or so of shredded cheese in the bottom of the skillet and then place 1 flour tortilla over the cheese in the pan. spread a layer of refried beans on the tortilla, sprinkle evenly with cheese and then add spoonfulls of salsa here and there over the cheese. Don't make it a solid layer of salsa. Place another tortilla on top and press it down to flatten it all out. Spray top tortilla with cooking spray. Cook in the pan until the bottom tortillas looks lightly brown and crispy. Carefully remove to a plate and re-spray the pan with cooking spray and sprinkle with more cheese. Flip the quesadilla over and place back in the pan so that the top of the quesadilla is now on the bottom.

When the bottom is light brown and crispy remove to a cutting board. Cut it like you would a pizza and serve with salsa and sour cream or whatever sipping sauce you wish. Enjoy!!!

I'm Back and I Come Bearing Flautas!

2011-08-11T10:49:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I have neglected my blog for so long! I wish I had some great excuse but really I don't :( I had no idea it had been so long. I have a few recipes to post so I will get right to it!

These Chicken Flautas are something I threw together one night and they became a big hit so I have now made them several times. There is not alot you can do to make these super healthy but using low fat cheese and low carb tortillas certainly helps. I also use fat free sour cream for dipping. Hey every little bit counts, right? Right?

CHICKEN FLAUTAS

2 Large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 Can of diced green chilis
1 Can of Rotel diced tomatoes with green chilis, drained
1 ½ Cups of shredded Mexican blend cheese
½ Cup diced onions
3 T Taco seasoning
½ Cup black beans
Flour tortillas, 8 inch size
Salsa, guacamole or sour cream for dipping (optional)

Boil chicken breasts in water until cooked. Cut into rough chunks and place in a food processor. Pulse a few times to get semi-finely chopped. Place in a medium frying pan.

Add remaining ingredients (except tortillas) and stir. When completely blended and the cheese is melted remove from heat. Soften tortillas in microwave by wrapping 5 at a time in damp paper towels for about 1 min.

Spoon about 2 to 3 tablespoons chicken mixture across one side of a tortilla and roll tightly. Make sure the filling reaches each end of the tortilla without spilling out the ends. As you roll, dampen the end of the tortilla with water so the end sticks when you are done rolling. Place in a pile until you have rolled all the tortillas using all the filling.

Heat oil in a medium fry pan just covering the bottom of the pan. Brown both sides of each flauta and place them on a rack on top of a cookie sheet or jelly roll pan. Bake for about 15 minutes

Serve with dipping sauces of your choice!

Cinnamon Sugar Pretzels

2010-12-23T23:54:00.000-08:00

These were SO tasty and SO easy to make. I saw the recipe in a magazine and knew I wanted to try it. A simple switch from regular sugar to Splenda and they are now Diabetic friendly (except for the pretzels themselves of course). Not only are they a delicious snack but make a wonderful food gift for the holidays.

If they have the brand where you shop I suggest the Hanover Pretzels over the Rold Gold brand. The Hanover pretzels are a bit smaller and fatter so they hold the cinnamon sugar mixture better. The picture below was a batch using the Rold Gold brand and I didn't like them as much, although they do make a fat free version.

CINNAMON SUGAR PRETZELS
2/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup Splenda
2 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 16 oz bag small pretzel twists

Preheat oven to 300°F

In a large roasting pan, stir together oil, cinnamon and sugar. Add the pretzels and toss well to coat with the cinnamon sugar.

Bake, uncovered for 40 minutes, stirring every 20 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool.

Store in airtight container.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

2010-12-23T23:37:00.000-08:00

Here is an old standby that I have made many time before but usually one of the Tuna Helper meals. I never thought to make it myself until now and I will never go back to Tuna Helper again.

I looked at many recipes online, in cookbooks and in magazines and used them as guidelines to throw this recipe together. Easy to make and sooooo yummy. The wheat noodles tasted the same as regular noodles but helped keep the fiber count up. Using skim milk, light sour cream and 98% fat free cream of mushroom soup helped with the fat content.

You can substitute some shredded cheese for the crushed potato chips but I have always loved this topping on any kind of chicken noodle or tuna noodle casserole.

TUNA NOODLE CASSEROLE

1 12 oz bag of wheat noodles
2 cups frozen peas
1 5 oz. can of tuna
1/2 light sour cream
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 soup can full of skim milk
1 cup shredded cheese
1 cup of crushed potato chips
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350°F

Cook noodles to slightly al dente. Drain and set aside.

Open the can of tuna and drain.

In a large mixing bowl. mix together the soup, milk(fill empty soup can with milk), sour cream, shredded cheese, garlic powder and salt and pepper. Add the tuna, breaking up any large pieces, and the peas. Toss well and add the noodles, mixing thoroughly.

Pour all of it into a large greased casserole dish. Top with the crushed potato chips.

Bake in the oven for 30 min.

Let stand about 10 min. and then serve warm.

Mexican Potato Casserole

2010-12-23T23:25:00.000-08:00

I saw this recipe on Mennonite Girls Can Cook and thought it looked yummy! My version is slightly different but was a big hit and tasted delicious. I have made this several times since finding it.

MEXICAN POTATO CASSEROLE

4 to 5 medium potatoes, with peel
2 T butter
4 1/2 T taco seasoning
1 lb lean ground beef
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup salsa
1/2 cup chopped bell peppers, any color
1 1/2 cup grated jack or cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Cut potatoes into bite-size pieces and place in greased casserole dish. Melt butter...stir in 2 1/2 T of the taco seasoning. Pour over the potatoes and stir to coat well.

Bake uncovered for 40 minutes. Stir...bake 10 minutes longer. Sprinkle with 1 cup of the cheese

Brown and crumble beef; add onion and cook until soft...then drain. Sprinkle 2 T of the Taco seasoning, stir in salsa and chopped peppers. Mix well and cook until peppers are tender. Pour over potatoes.

Top with remaining cheese.

Bake uncovered for 10 minutes.

Serve with salsa and sour cream (optional).

Mac and Cheese Lasagna

2010-12-23T22:58:00.000-08:00

Here is a tasty little dish I found on Mom! What's for Dinner? It wasn't hard to make and tasted wonderful. As always I tweaked it a bit here and there to make it healthier.

For starters, for the packaged Mac and Cheese, I used Kraft's 50% Whole Grain version which ups the fiber content. I used lean ground beef but you can easily use ground turkey and for the spaghetti sauce I used my own recipe which has very little sodium.

MAC AND CHEESE LASAGNA

2 7 1/4 oz packages 50% Whole Grain mac and cheese
2 1/4 cups spaghetti sauce
1 1/2 lbs lean ground beef or turkey
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
3 T parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 deg F.

Lightly grease 9x13 baking dish.

Cook and drain ground beef and mix with spaghetti sauce.

Prepare Macaroni and Cheese using the directions on the box.

Place a layer (exactly half) of Mac and cheese in the baking dish, top with a layer of meat then a layer of cheese. (Repeat).

After the 2 layers are complete, bake in the oven for 20 minutes or until heated through.

Then top with Parm Cheese.

Apple Coffee Cake

2010-10-16T08:05:00.000-07:00

This is one of Emeril Lagasse's recipes I saw on the Internet and just had to try. As my dear husband is the dessert baker in our home I pleaded with him to give this one a try. Actually it didn't take any pleading as he is a sweetheart and loves to make desserts. It's his way of de-stressing.

This came out so good it was a huge hit! Super moist and full of flavor with bits of apples and lots of yummy brown sugar crumble on the top. This one is definitely a keeper!

APPLE COFFEE CAKE

Cake:

1 stick unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
2 cups peeled, cored and chopped apples

Crumble Topping:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened

Brown Sugar Glaze:

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch glass baking dish.

In a large bowl, cream together the remaining stick of butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs 1 at a time, beating after the addition of each. In a separate bowl or on a piece of parchment, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream and vanilla. Fold in the apples. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spreading out to the edges.

To make the topping, in a bowl, combine the sugar, flour, cinnamon, and butter, and mix until it resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the cake and bake until golden brown and set, 35 to 40 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes.

To make the glaze, in a bowl, combine the sugar, vanilla, and water and mix until smooth. Drizzle the cake with the glaze and let harden slightly. Serve warm.

Easy Peasy Burrito Casserole

2010-09-10T23:30:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from a wonderful website called Mom! What's for dinner. It was delicious and super quick and easy to make. I did not change much from her original recipe.

EASY PEASY BURRITO CASSEROLE

6 Frozen shredded beef burritos or Chimichangas
1 Can of 98% fat free Cream of chicken soup
1/2 C Light sour cream
1 C Shredded cheddar cheese
1 Small can of diced green chilis
1 Small can of sliced black olives
Salsa

Preheat oven to 350

Spray a 9 X 13 baking dish with cooking spray and place the frozen burritos in the dish side by side. Try not to let them touch each other.

In a medium bowl stir together the soup, sour cream and diced green chilis.

Sprinkle the cheese over the top and then add the sliced olives.

Bake for 25 to 30 min until the cheese is all melted and the burritos are heated through.

Spoon salsa over each serving if desired.

Crispy Burritos

2010-09-10T22:54:00.000-07:00

I don't go to restaurants all that often but when I do one of the first things I look for on the menu are Southwestern Eggrolls, sometimes called Southwestern Spring Rolls depending on the restaurant. I am addicted to those things which is why it is a good thing I don't eat out that often ;).

This is my way of having that taste without all the fat of deep frying and these are easier which I am all for. I don't really use exact amounts of each ingredient so I will list what I put in them and then you can adjust according to how much you want to make and to your tastes. I am guessing at the exact measurements.

For the dipping sauce you can use whatever suits your fancy. I usually eat mine with a sauce that is very similar to Chili's Awesome Blossom Sauce. I found some dipping sauce in the store that was very close!

CRISPY BURRITOS

2 - 3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 C Black Beans - drained and rinsed
1/2 C Chopped frozen spinach - thawed and patted dry
1/2 to 3/4 C finely chopped onion
1 C Shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 - 3/4 C Jarred salsa
8 - 10 Medium sized flour tortillas
Cooking oil
Garlic powder and course black pepper
Butter flavored cooking spray

In a medium to large skillet add oil to just cover the bottom of the pan. Heat over medium heat.

Cut up chicken breasts into small pieces (about 1/2 inch) and add to the hot skillet. Stir often with a spatula until cooked. Add the onion and cook another 5 minutes or so until onion soft. Add the spinach, black beans, salsa and seasonings and mix well. Add the cheese and mix well with your spatula until the cheese is melted and your mixture is moist and sticky but not soupy or runny. Remove pan from heat.

Heat 2 or 3 tortillas at a time in the microwave for about 30 seconds to a minute. You want them very soft. Spoon a couple of tablespoons of the chicken mixture onto the tortilla and roll up like you would any burrito, making sure to tuck in the ends. Place on a plate while you do the others.

Heat up a medium size skillet. Spray the burritos with the cooking spray, turn them all over and spray the other side.

Place one or two in your hot skillet and brown each side until they are crispy but not burnt. Remove them to a plate and do the remaining burritos.

Cut each one in half at an angle and serve with the dipping sauce of your choice.

Apricot-Lemon Chicken

2010-07-27T11:12:00.000-07:00

This is another recipe I found on Sparkpeople. I did not follow the recipe itself but it inspired me to make something similar. The flavors were so good with the chicken and I made some simple sweet potato rounds to go with it. All in all it made for a really nice meal. This was also a hit with the hubby, he even ate the leftovers the next night which is rare :)

APRICOT-LEMON CHICKEN

2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 C apricot preserves
5 or 6 green onions chopped
lemon zest from one lemon
1 t coarse black pepper
1/2 t salt
olive oil for cooking
1 T butter or margarine
4 fresh apricots, halved and pitted

Slice chicken breasts in half lengthwise to make 4 chicken cutlets.

Heat olive oil in medium to large skillet and add chicken. Season both sides of the chicken with salt and pepper. Brown on both sides and remove from pan, set aside.

Add butter to same skillet and use a spatula to get up any bits from cooking the chicken. Add the apricots and saute until cooked. Add the green onions, apricot preserves and lemon zest. Stir until it is all smooth and heated through.

Place the breasts back in the pan and cover. Cook on low heat for about 30 min. turning the chicken over a couple of times. Remove from heat and serve.

For the sweet potato rounds I preheated the oven to 400 and peeled a couple of medium size sweet potatoes.

I sliced them into 1/4 in slices. In a large bowl I drizzled some canola oil and added parmesan cheese, cracked pepper, onion powder and garlic powder. I tossed the potato slices in the bowl with the oil and seasonings and then placed them in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

I baked them for about 12 min and then turned them over and baked for an additional 10 min until they were golden brown on each side.

Chiles Rellenos Casserole

2010-07-27T10:53:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe in my current issue of Taste of Home and had to try it. Not only was this a super easy dish to make but it tasted SO good. My husband loved it and had two big helpings. It was also really good heated up the next day. I of course lightened it up by using egg substitute in place of the eggs, low fat cheeses and skim milk. Instead of buying 7 of those small 4oz. cans of the whole green chiles I was able to find a large can that was about 27 oz. so I grabbed that even though it had maybe one less chile.

CHILES RELLENOS CASSEROLE

7 cans (4 ounces each) whole green chilies, drained
3/4 pound low fat Monterey Jack cheese, cut into strips
1C (4 ounces) low fat cheddar cheese
1 1/4 C egg substitute
1-1/4 C skim milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

Split chilies lengthwise; rinse and remove seeds. Drain on paper towels; pat dry. Stuff chilies with cheese strips. Place half of chilies in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish; sprinkle with 1/2 cup cheddar cheese. Repeat layers.

In a small bowl, beat the eggs, milk, flour, salt, pepper and pepper sauce until smooth; pour over chilies. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 servings.

High Fiber Blueberry Muffins

2010-07-27T10:36:00.000-07:00

I went searching for a high fiber muffin recipe the other day that I could change to suit my tastes. I found a nice recipe from Chef Meg on Sparkpeople that had the basics that I wanted and then I just changed a few things. These came out super moist and had great flavor. A couple of these for Breakfast with a glass of skim milk and I was good to go :)

HIGH FIBER BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

1 T flax meal
1 C fresh blueberries (or thawed frozen blueberries)
1 C quick oats
1 C lowfat buttermilk
1 C 10 Grain Pancake Mix (I use Bob's Red Mill 10 Grain Pancake Mix)
1 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
1/4 t cinnamon
1 t salt
1/4 c egg substitute
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/2 c Splenda
1 t vanilla

Preheat the oven to 375°F.

Spray the muffin pans with nonstick cooking spray or line them with paper liners.

Wash and dry the blueberries. In a small bowl, combine the oats and buttermilk, and let the mixture stand at room temperature for five minutes.

In a medium bowl, combine the pancake mix, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; mix with a fork to blend and set aside.

In a large bowl and using a hand mixer, beat the egg, applesauce, and Splenda at medium speed for three minutes.

Blend in the oat-buttermilk mixture. Stir in the flour mixture only to combine, try not to overwork the mixture. Fold in the blueberries. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full and top with a sprinkle of flax seed.

Bake 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Number of Servings: 12

Chicken Parmesan

2010-06-22T16:23:00.000-07:00

I substituted crushed Bran Flakes cereal for the coating instead of regular bread crumbs and then added a bunch of seasonings to give it more flavor. You can add whatever seasonings you like depending on your tastes. I brown my cutlets in a bit of oil before baking but I am sure you could just bake the cutlets in the oven and add a little cooking spray to each side and they would crisp up nicely, then you could add the sauce and cheese the last few minutes. That would certainly cut down on the fat calories. I may try it that way next time I make this.

CHICKEN PARMESAN

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 6.5 oz. each)
1 1/4 cups of crushed bran flakes
1/4 cup reduced fat Parmesan cheese
4 T Smart Balance Omega Oil Blend
1/2 cup of egg substitute
3/4 cup of Kraft 2% mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 T cracked pepper
1 T onion powder
1 T garlic powder
1/4 cup water
3/4 cup pasta sauce (I used my own Pasta Sauce)

Preheat oven to 400

Slice chicken breasts lengthwise so you have 4 thin chicken cutlets. Mix egg substitute and water in shallow bowl and set aside. In another shallow bowl combine the bran flakes, Parmesan, onion powder, garlic powder and pepper.

In a large skillet heat the oil. Dip one of the chicken cutlets in the egg mixture, coating thoroughly and place into the bran flakes mixture. Cover the cutlet with the crumbs well while pressing down. When it is well coated place in the skillet. Repeat this with all 4 cutlets.

Cook about 3 to 4 minutes on each side until they look brown and crispy. Remove from oil and place in a shallow casserole dish.

Spoon the pasta sauce evenly over each cutlet and sprinkle each with the mozzarella cheese.

Place in the oven and bake for about 7 to 10 min.

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 4
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 338.2

Total Fat: 19.5 g
Cholesterol: 60.9 mg
Sodium: 568.9 mg
Total Carbs: 13.1 g
Dietary Fiber: 2.8 g
Protein: 29.5 g

NOTE: Please keep in mind the nutritional info is based on the specific brands that I use for each ingredient so they may be different depending on the brand you use.

Lasagna Roll Ups

2010-06-22T12:00:00.000-07:00

There isn't much to say about this recipe. I have been making these for years but when I made it this time I tried to lighten it up a bit by using whole wheat lasagna noodles and lean ground turkey. I found that the whole wheat lasagna noodles are a little bit harder to work with so you might want to make extra.

For the pasta sauce I used my own recipe.

LASAGNA ROLL UPS

3 cups part skim ricotta cheese
2 tablespoon parmesan, reduced fat
12 oz lean ground turkey
1 1/2 cups low sodium mozzarella; shredded
1 teaspoon italian seasoning
1/2 cup onion; chopped
1 cup fresh spinach; chopped
2 cups pasta sauce My own recipe
1 clove garlic; minced
9 - 10 whole wheat lasagna noodles (you might want to make extra)
1 tablespoon smart balance oil
1/4 cup egg substitute

Preheat oven to 375°F

Cook noodles according to package. You make want to make a few extra because I found that the wheat noodles tend to break easier.

In a medium bowl mix together the ricotta, parmesan, egg substitute, 1 cup of the mozzarella and italian seasoning. Mix well and put aside.

In a large skillet heat the oil and saute the onions and garlic. Add the turkey and cook while breaking it up into very small crumbles. Add the chopped spinach and cook until the spinach is wilted and the turkey is cooked through. Remove from heat.

Spray a 2 1/2 quart shallow casserole dish with cooking spray.

Add 1 cup of sauce to the bottom of the pan.

Take one of the lasagna noodles and spread a layer of the ricotta cheese mixture down the entire noodle. Take about 1 1/2 Tbls of the turkey meat and sprinkle it evenly over the cheese layer and press it lightly into the cheese. Starting at one end roll up the lasagna noodle being careful to keep the cheese and meat from falling out the sides.

Place it seam side down in the casserole dish. Repeat this until you have filled all the noodles or until you run out of filler.

Pour the rest of the sauce over the top of the roll ups and sprinkle with the remaining 1/2 cup of cheese.

Bake in the oven for about 20 - 30 min. Remove from the oven and let sit about 10 minutes.

Barbi's Pasta Sauce (low sodium)

2010-06-14T11:06:00.000-07:00

I wanted to make a large batch of pasta sauce that I could use with several recipes and freeze the rest for future use. I basically just made this one up as I went along using ideas I got from several recipes I saw on the internet. For my tomato base I tried to use as many "no salt added" products as I could find. The only one I could not get in the low sodium version was the crushed tomatoes but I think spread out over the whole recipe it still had little impact.

After adding all the vegetables I found that they did not seem like all that much once all the sauces were added so if you like a chunkier sauce then I would increase amounts of veggies. This is also a very low fat sauce in comparison to store bought brands.

If you are not a Diabetic or don't mind a few extra calories from sugar then you can replace the Splenda with regular sugar.

As always, every taste is different so you can use this as a base and then just add or subtract from there to make it suit your tastes.

BARBI'S PASTA SAUCE (low sodium)

1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
5 8 oz cans tomato sauce, no salt added
2 6 oz. cans Tomato paste, no salt added
2 14.5 oz. cans diced tomatoes, no salt added
1 tablespoon basil
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
3 bay leaves
2 tablespoon Splenda
1 carrot; chopped
1 medium onion; chopped
1 medium zucchini; chopped
1/2 cup mushrooms; chopped
2 clove garlic; minced
2 tablespoon Smart Balance Omega Oil

Heat oil in large skillet. Saute the onion, carrots, zucchini, mushrooms and garlic until tender.

While that is cooking in a large crockpot (6 qt) add the crushed tomatoes plus one can of water, then add the tomato sauce, tomato paste and the diced tomatoes. Stir until blended well. Add the basil, bay leaves, Italian seasoning and Splenda. Stir until everything is well mixed and turn the crockpot on high.

When the vegetables are done add to the sauce and blend. Cover the crockpot and cook on high for one hour.

Stir sauce and taste to see if it needs anything then turn heat down to low.

Simmer on low for 4 to 5 hours stirring occasionally.

Use over your favorite pasta or to make lasagna.

You can also divide it up and freeze it for later use, just be sure to let it cool completely first.

Makes about 17 cups

Number of Servings: 17

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 17
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 83.7

Total Fat: 1.7 g
Cholesterol: 0.0 mg
Sodium: 137.6 mg
Total Carbs: 10.4 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.7 g
Protein: 2.1 g

NOTE: Please keep in mind the nutritional info is based on the specific brands that I use for each ingredient so they may be different depending on the brand you use.

Fiesta Chicken Enchiladas - Revamped!

2010-06-14T08:23:00.001-07:00

I actually posted this recipe a while ago on my blog but besides the fact that it had a crappy picture I also managed to tweak it a bit to make it healthier. Part of the reason for it being healthier is my wonderful discovery of LaTortilla Factory tortillas. LaTortilla Factory makes a delicious line of healthy high fiber tortillas that come in many flavors.

The only problem I found with these tortillas is they were a little large for this recipe so I ended up putting the filling across 2/3 of the tortilla, rolling it up and then cutting about 2 inches off the end with no filling. I know that seems wasteful but until I can find a smaller size this is what I have to do. On the plus side it means that the nutritional info listed below is actually higher than what you are really eating.

I will warn you though that while these have less fat and carbs and more fiber they are still quite high in sodium so if you are on a strict low sodium diet you may want to avoid these.

FIESTA CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
3 med to lg. chicken breasts;
1 1/4 cup thick 'n chunky salsa, divided
8 oz. light cream cheese, cubed
2 tbsp. chopped cilantro
1 tbsp. taco seasoning
1 cup shredded light cheddar cheese, divided
10 flour low carb tortillas (I use LaTortilla Factory 100 Calorie Tortillas)

PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
Dice chicken into 1/4 inch chunks.

Heat large skillet and add butter on medium heat. Add chicken and cook through. Add onions and garlic; cook and stir 2 min. Add 1/4 cup of the salsa, cream cheese and cilantro; 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 13x9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; top with remaining 1 cup salsa and remaining 1/2 cup shredded cheese.

BAKE 15 to 20 min. or until heated through.

Number of Servings: 10

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 294.6

Total Fat: 10.2 g
Cholesterol: 62.1 mg
Sodium: 818.4 mg
Total Carbs: 29.4 g
Dietary Fiber: 8.8 g
Protein: 20.4 g

Quick and Easy Spanish Rice

2010-06-14T05:56:00.000-07:00

I discovered an easy way to make Spanish Rice one night while making dinner using Cheddar Cheese Soup and it was a big hit but this weekend as I started to make it I thought about the high sodium content in the soup. It's always such a balancing act trying to make meals that are low in fat and carbs but also lower in sodium. One of them usually has to give. At the last minute I swapped out the cheese soup with a bag (7 oz) of Sargento Reduced Sodium Mild Cheddar Cheese. It tasted just as good if not better and definitely had less sodium. I love the fact that Sargento is now putting out a line of Reduced Sodium cheeses!

Another great find was Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice. As a Diabetic white rice is usually on my no-no list but this rice tastes like white rice but has 4g of fiber per serving which means I can have a little now and then without spiking my blood sugar out of range.

While this recipe isn't guilt-free it is certainly a little healthier than the average version. Now if I could only find a "No salt added" version of the Rotel Tomato and Green Chilies I would be in heaven :)

QUICK AND EASY SPANISH RICE

2 4.40 oz. Boxes of Uncle Ben's Whole Grain White Rice
1 7 oz. pkg. Sargento Reduced Sodium Mild Cheddar Cheese
1 10 oz. can Rotel Tomato and Green Chilies
1 Small onion finely chopped
1 tsp Garlic powder
1 Tb. Smart Balance Light Butter Spread

Cook both boxes of rice according to directions.

In a large skillet melt butter and add cooked rice and stir for about 5 minutes. Add onion, can of tomato and green chilies (with juice) and garlic powder. Stir and heat through another 5 minutes then add the bag of shredded cheese. Keep stirring until the cheese is melted and the rice mixture becomes bubbly. Remove from heat and serve.

Makes 10 - 1/2 cup servings

Number of Servings: 10

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 259.2

Total Fat: 7.8 g
Cholesterol: 21.0 mg
Sodium: 242.2 mg
Total Carbs: 40.3 g
Dietary Fiber: 4.4 g
Protein: 9.0 g

Ham and Peas Casserole

2010-06-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

Yes at long last I am back. I really have no excuse for neglecting my blog so long except that I now babysit my grandson 3 days a week so I have less time to play on the computer but I am going to try my hardest to keep my blog up to date. I really need to get serious about eating healthier so I have been searching the internet for ideas on creating healthier recipes. I will also try and add the nutritional values for some of the recipes I am going to post here.

This first recipe I found in a magazine and it tasted pretty good so I will probably make it again. As always I tweaked it a bit here and there to make it healthier.

The recipe calls for adding crushed Saltine Crackers to the top when you bake it which I did but probably won't the next time. It tasted alright when it was first baked but when you reheat the leftovers the Saltines just seemed kind of gummy and pasty. You could lightly sprinkle some bread crumbs or add shredded cheese to the top to replace the Saltines if you wanted.

HAM AND PEAS CASSEROLE
12 oz. Whole wheat bowtie pasta
4 Tbl. Smart Balance Light Butter spread
1/4 C Flour
1 tsp. Dry mustard
2 C Skim milk
1 C Fat Free Half and Half
3 C Low Fat Mild Cheddar Cheese, Shredded
1 1/2 C Frozen Peas
3/4 C Diced Ham

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add pasta and cook until just tender, about 8 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Melt 3 Tbsp. butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Whisk in flour and mustard until smooth. Slowly whisk in milk and half-and-half and bring just to a simmer. Stir in cheese, a little at a time, until melted. Remove pan from heat and stir in peas, ham and pasta. Stir to coat with sauce.

Pour into a 2.5 quart baking dish. Sprinkle cracker crumbs over top of pasta and dot with remaining 1 Tbsp. butter. Bake until bubbling, about 20 minutes.

Banana Bread (Diabetic)

2009-10-10T19:08:00.000-07:00

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)

2009-10-10T08:13:00.000-07:00

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

2009-09-16T05:58:00.000-07:00

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

2009-08-28T06:05:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-18T10:02:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-18T09:59:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-18T09:41:00.001-07:00

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

2009-06-18T09:36:00.000-07:00

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

2009-06-18T09:14:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-12T08:22:00.000-07:00

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

2009-03-03T23:01:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-14T15:50:00.000-08:00

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

2009-02-14T15:36:00.000-08:00

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!

The Holiday Feast

2008-12-28T04:39:00.000-08:00

No recipes for this entry but I wanted to post pics of some of the wonderful food my husband makes at Thanksgiving and Christmas meals. He does all the cooking for those Holidays (well the turkey, pies and vegetable platter anyway), it's his favorite thing to do.

Hot And Cheesy Chicken Casserole

2008-12-02T17:36:00.000-08:00

This is a recipe from Better Homes and Gardens that I adapted a little bit. I only changed a few things like adding the french fried crispy onions on top and using only cheddar cheese instead of cheddar and mozzarella. I also added just a sprinkle of Taco seasoning to the soup mixture to zest it up a bit.

There are so many flavors running through this it seems like every bite tastes different. The family seemed to really like it so I am sure I will be making this again. I suppose you could use some of that left over turkey in this instead of the chicken.

HOT AND CHEESY CHICKEN CASSEROLE
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 14-oz. pkg. frozen broccoli florets
2 cups cooked rice
1-1/2 cups frozen peas
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can fiesta nacho cheese s; oup
1 10-to 10.5-oz. can diced tomatoes and green chilies
1/2 cup milk
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper
1 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed Ritz crackers
1/2 cup french fried onions, crushed

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray a 3-quart rectangular baking dish. In large bowl combine chicken, broccoli, rice, and peas. Spread mixture over the chicken. In medium bowl combine cream of chicken soup, nacho cheese soup, diced tomatoes, milk, and crushed red pepper. Stir in 1/2 cup of the cheddar cheese . Pour mixture over broccoli mixture in baking dish. Top with remaining cheddar cheese. Sprinkle crushed crackers and onions evenly over all.

Bake, uncovered, 35 to 40 minutes or until topping is golden. Makes 8 to 10 servings.

Paula Deen Night!

2008-11-21T07:48:00.000-08:00

Tonight I decided to try out two of Paula Deen's recipes I saw on her show recently. They both looked so good I had to try them. They are of course a little on the heavy and rich side but small portions go a long way and the flavors were amazing.

For the main course I made her Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf. As a rule I am not a huge bacon fan especially in recipes but this was not bad and it did not overpower the food, only enhanced it. I changed the recipe very slightly by increasing the meat to a pound and a half and using equal parts ground beef and ground turkey and using less bacon. You always have the option of leaving the bacon out of the recipe of course.

For the side dish I made her Cheesy Noodles. This was delicious but a little definitely goes a long way. The only change I made to this was I used Angel Hair pasta instead of the fine egg noodles.

I made up some quick garlic rolls to go with the meal. For these I just melted 1 stick of margerine and added 4 cloves of finely chopped garlic. I took small dinner rolls and sliced each one in half. I brushed each half with the butter mixture, making sure to get bits of garlic on each roll. I then topped each one with just a pinch of freshly grated parmesan cheese. I placed these in the oven for about 15 to 20 until slightly toasted on the top.

BACON CHEESEBURGER MEATLOAF
3/4 lb. lean ground beef
3/4 lb. lean ground turkey
8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
12 oz. low fat sharp cheddar, grated
3/4 C Eggbeaters
1/2 cup bread crumbs, toasted
1/3 cup lite mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons prepared mustard
1 tablespoon of brown sugar
1 cup french fried onions
2 slices of stale bread (optional)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the ground meat and next 8 ingredients, mixing well.

In a small bowl, combine the ketchup and mustard. Stir 1/4 cup ketchup mixture into meat mixture, add the brown sugar to the remaining ketchup mixture.

Shape meat into a loaf and place in a roasting pan sprayed with cooking spray. Spread remaining ketchup mixture over loaf. Bake 50 minutes. Top with French fried onions; bake another 15 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink.

OPTIONAL: To soak up any grease, place the slices of bread on the roasting pan and shape your meatloaf on top of the bread. After the meatloaf is done you can remove the bread and discard, taking most of the fat from the meat with it.

CHEESY NOODLES
1 cup low fat cottage cheese
1 cup low fat or fat free sour cream
1/2 grated onion
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon garlic salt
8oz. angel hair pasta
1 cup grated parmesan, divided

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Break the angel hair into 3 pieces to make short noodles then cook as directed.

Mix together cottage cheese, sour cream, 3/4 of the parmesan, grated onion, Worcestershire sauce and garlic salt. Add noodles, combine and place in greased casserole. Sprinkle top with remaining grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for 45 minutes.

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

2008-11-17T17:08:00.000-08:00

Great for those crisp Fall evenings and the perfect accompaniment to ham, this side dish is comfort food at it's best. Creamy and cheesy and the onions add such great flavor to it. Actually it makes a great side dish for just about anything but it seems to just naturally go with ham. Because most of us in the house have to watch our salt intake we don't have ham to often but when we do I love to make this as a side dish.

CHEESY SCALLOPED POTATOES
1 1/2 cups low fat cheddar cheese, shredded - divided
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup flour
2 1/4 cups skim milk
1/4 teaspoon pepper
5 medium red potatoes
2 small onions

Preheat oven to 350°F

Melt butter in medium saucepan. Add in flour and whisk til blended. Add milk and whisk/stir until it starts to thicken and get bubbly. Add pepper and 1 cup of the cheese. Stir until cheese melts and is well blended. Remove from heat and set aside,

Wash the potatoes and dry but do not peel. Slice the potatoes and onions in thin slices. Spray a 9 X 13 shallow baking dish with cooking spray.

Pour just enough of the cheese mixture to coat the bottom of the baking dish. Spread potato and onion slices evenly in the baking dish and pour the remaining cheese sauce over the top of the potatoes and onion slices.

Cover with foil and bake about 1 hour. Remove the foil and bake an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the potatoes are fork tender. Remove from the oven and sprinkle the remaining cheese over the top. Let sit about 15 minutes.

NOTE: Any kind of potato is fine for this recipe but red potatoes seem to taste the best.

Friday Night Sweets - Pumpkin Gooey Butter Cake

2008-10-31T09:05:00.000-07:00

We have kind of started a tradition around here of making a nice dessert on Fridays for all of us to enjoy over the weekend. It came about because my Mother-in-Law will only eat sweets between 7 PM Friday and 7 PM on Sunday, nothing during the week (like a mini Lent or something like that).

Anyway I saw this recipe of Paula Deen's and it just looked so good and perfect for the season. I will warn you though that there is NOTHING healthy about this dessert lol. Those of you that know Paula's Deen's recipes know that there isn't much you can do to make it healthier. This is also VERY rich so servings should be kept small. Trust me a little goes a long way but it's very delicious, like a pumpkin pie on top of a moist cake. YUM!

PUMPKIN GOOEY BUTTER CAKE
=== cake ===
1 box yellow cake mix
1 egg
1/2 cup melted butter
=== filling ===
1 8 oz.pkg cream cheese, softened
1 15 oz can pumpkin pie filling
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 16 oz box powdered sugar
1/2 cup melted butter

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease a 13 x 9 baking pan. In a bowl of an electric mixer, combine the cake mix, egg and butter and mix well. Pat into the bottom of prepared pan and set aside. Still using an electric mixer, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pumpkin, eggs and vanilla. Dump in powdered sugar and beat well. Reduce the speed of the mixer and slowly pour in butter. Mix well. Pour filling onto cake mixture and spread evenly.

*Bake for 40 - 50 minutes. Don't be afraid to make a judgment call on the cooking time, because oven temperatures can vary. You want the center to be a little gooey, so don't bake it past that point!

Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Cut into squares and serve with whipped cream. These little cakes are very, very rich and a little will go a long way!

Taco Salad

2008-10-30T18:02:00.000-07:00

I got the idea for this from Kalyn's Kitchen and I only changed it a bit here and there. As usual I used turkey meat instead of beef but I found you really can't taste the difference with all the seasonings in there. I also use a light cheese and of course a light ranch dressing but I put out regular ranch for the rest of the family. When I can find them I get the low sodium black beans to help with the sodium content because the taco seasoning tends to have a lot of salt.

I find this tastes best when the meat is still a bit warm (not hot) and the lettuce is cold and crisp. Perfect for those hot summer days but also good on cooler cloudy days like today. This is also a great way to stretch your meat by adding more of the salad fixings which helps your budget :)

TACO SALAD

=== meat/bean mixture ===
1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 tablespoon taco seasoning
1 tablespoon oil
1 can black beans
1 T chile powder
1 tsp. ground cumin

=== for salad ===
3 cups romaine lettuce, torn, washed
ranch dressing
1 cup diced tomatoes
1 cup grated low fat cheese
1 cup diced onion

Dump the can of black beans into a colander in the sink, then rinse with cold water until no more foam appears. (This removes some of the undigestible carbohydrates that can make beans hard to digest.) Let drain while you cook meat.

Heat olive oil in large heavy frying pan, then add ground meat, breaking apart into small crumbles. Cook meat over medium high heat until well browned. When meat is browned, add beans, and seasonings and simmer for about 10 minutes. Let cool slightly before using on salad. (This can be made ahead and frozen. To use after freezing, thaw and then reheat for a couple of minutes in a microwave.)

To assemble salad, put lettuce in large plastic bowl and toss with desired amount of dressing. For each salad bowl add some of the lettuce mixture, add slightly warm beef/bean mixture and top with diced tomatoes, diced onions and grated cheese. Toss and eat!

Ham and Hash Brown Casserole

2008-10-28T18:29:00.000-07:00

This another one of those recipes that has evolved over the years. I think the original recipe was more of a side dish and did not have the ham in it but had the Mushroom soup and some sour cream and a lot more cheese. At some point I changed it to accomodate a bunch of left over ham I had after Easter one year and it has just stayed this way. The original recipe I remember being very rich so by eliminating the sour cream and half the cheese and adding some ham to make it a main dish I was able to serve it more often. I always seem to have so much left over ham after big holiday meals that I had to come up with several recipes to use it all. This is just one of them.

I will add that normally when I make this dish I use the O'Brien style of hash browns but the store was out so I used the plain instead. It still tasted good but I prefer the O'Brien potatoes, it adds more flavor I think.

HAM AND HASH BROWN CASSEROLE
1 32 oz. bag of frozen Hash Brown potatoes (I usually use the O'Brien style)
1 6 oz. Farmer John Boneless Ham Steak (or other equivalent)
2 cans of Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 can of No Salt Added Peas, drained
1 1/4 C cheddar cheese, shredded - divided

Preheat oven to 400

Cube ham steak into 1/2 in. size pieces.

In a large mixing bowl combine all the ingredients except 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese. Mix well and pour into a casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake for 1 hour and remove from the oven. Sprinkle the last of the cheese on top and let melt.

** It does not matter if the hash browns have been thawed or are still frozen when putting this together.

Turkey Patties

2008-10-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

I had some baked potatoes and wanted to make something easy that I had on hand to go with them so I threw together this dish. It was one of those that I just made up as I went along. Sometimes those backfire on me and I end up with something almost inedible but this one didn't turn out too bad. They were quite tasty and moist.

TURKEY PATTIES
1 lb lean ground turkey
3/4 C chopped onion
2 slices of bread, cubed
1/2 C oatmeal (uncooked)
1/4 C skim milk
Salt, pepper and garlic powder to season as desired

Put all ingredients except the turkey into a bowl and combine. Let sit for about 30 minutes or so to absorb all the milk. Add the turkey and using your hands mix well and form into patties. You should get between 4 and 6 patties depending on the size you make them.

Place patties in a non stick skillet sprayed with a bit of cooking spray. Brown on each side about 3 to 5 minutes, cover and reduce the heat. Cook another 15 to 20 minutes.

Serve with brown gravy if desired.

Super Easy Tator Tot Casserole

2008-10-15T09:15:00.000-07:00

This dish brought back some memories. I haven't made this in many years but it's a great old standby and so easy to make. Kids love this casserole and I love the way the tator tots break apart when this cooks and are so moist. This is another one of those dishes where you can substitute just about any vegetable you want.

TATOR TOT CASSEROLE

1 lb. lean ground beef or turkey
1 pkg tator tots; thawed
1 can peas
1 cup low fat or fat free sour cream
1 can Healthy Request cream of mushroom soup
1 1/2 cups low fat cheddar cheese; shredded - divided
1/2 cup diced onions
Pepper and garlic powder to season
red pepper flakes (optional)

Preheat oven to 375°F

In a large skillet cook ground meat and onions. Add seasonings. Drain and put aside. In a large bowl mix together tator tots, peas, 1 cup of the cheese and the soup. Add the meat and onions. Mix thoroughly and pour into 3 qt. greased casserole dish. Bake at 375 for 40 min. Remove from oven and sprinkle 1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese on top and let melt.

Anything Goes Casserole

2008-10-12T19:07:00.000-07:00

The original recipe for this is the very first recipe I ever learned to make. I got it in Boarding School when I was 12 (I won't tell you how many decades ago that was). It has truly stood the test of time and one my family loves. Of course over the years I have tweaked it here and there as I do with most recipes but the basic recipe is still very good to this day. The original recipe called for just the meat, onions, soup and macaroni but over time I started adding veggies here and there and using variations of the cheese soup.

Since it first came out they now have Cheddar and Broccoli soup as well as a couple spicy versions of the original cheddar cheese and they all work just as well. I love to add corn and carrots to the casserole and have on occasion added broccoli florets and cauliflower depending on my mood. As the title implies, anything goes with this casserole.

ANYTHING GOES CASSEROLE
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
2 cans cheddar cheese soup
1 med onion; chopped
2 cups macaroni
1 cup whole kernel corn
1 cup sliced carrots, cooked
1/4 cup chopped parsley
Grated Low Fat Cheddar Cheese (optional)
Seasonings of choice

Preheat oven to 375°F

Cook macaroni according to directions on package. Drain.

Brown ground beef or turkey in skillet with a bit of oil, add the onion and cook til meat is no longer pink. Add seasonings of choice. I usually add ground black pepper and garlic powder.

In a large bowl add soup to macaroni and combine well. Add vegetables and stir well. Add the parsley and stir til combinied. Pour into greased 3 quart casserole dish.

Bake for 30 min.

Sprinkle top with a bit of grated cheese or Parmesan if desired.

OPTIONS: You can substitute Cheddar Cheese and Broccoli soup or Fiesta Cheddar Cheese soup for the Cheddar Cheese soup if you wish. You can also swap the veggies for any others you may desire. This casserole is easily adaptable. Anything goes!

Pork Medallions With Balsamic-Honey Glaze

2008-10-06T22:16:00.000-07:00

Here's another recipe I haven't made in many years. Cooking this fills your home with the most wonderful aroma. I love the smell of Rosemary and what's great is I just discovered there is a large Rosemary bush growing in the backyard so all I had to do was go out there with my little scissors and snip me off a few sprigs. Now I can have it any time I want!

This is a very simple meal to prepare and cooks up in no time. I love these small pork loins you get prepackaged from the store as most of the fat is already trimmed off and you can sliced them to whatever thickness you wish or just season it and throw it on the grill.

Most of the time I served this with rice but tonight I thought it would be nice to make some oven roasted potatoes with just a touch of Rosemary added to them.

PORK MEDALLIONS WITH BALSAMIC-HONEY GLAZE
=====Balsamic-honey glaze=====
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoons dijon mustard
salt & freshly ground black pepper

=====For the pork=====
2 lbs pork tenderloin
canola oil, for searing

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Make the glaze: Put garlic and rosemary in a small bowl. Add the vinegar, honey, olive oil, mustard, and salt and pepper, to taste, and stir to combine.

For the pork: Slice the tenderloin into 1-inch thick medallions (rounds). Cover the bottom of a medium skillet with a light film of canola oil and heat over medium-high heat until hot. Add the pork slices in 1 layer, season with salt and pepper, and sear for 1 minute. Turn and sear for 1 more minute, until lightly browned.
Pour the glaze over the slices and turn them to coat.

Cover and simmer for about 20 to 30 min, turning over about half way. Remove from heat and keep warm, loosely covered until ready to serve.

To serve place pork medallions on a platter and spoon the balsamic-honey glaze over them. Garnish the platter with the rosemary sprigs.

Creamy Potato Corn Soup

2008-10-04T16:46:00.000-07:00

Well the clouds rolled in, the temperature dropped and the winds howled. My favorite kind of weather. My sister-in-law and her son came up so he could help her move in, the more the merrier I say! It was a perfect day to make a nice big batch of hearty soup and Potato Corn Soup is my favorite. Sometimes I get the nice Sourdough Bread Bowls and lightly toast the outside and fill them with the steamy hot soup. Nothing warms your insides like that!

No bread bowls this time but still just as good. I actually made a double batch but I doubt it will last long. As I mentioned before we have been trying to sell our house but until the market gets better we have to wait. In the meantime we are living with my in-laws and now that my sister-in-law has moved in here too there are 5 of us. I love it, we have lot's of fun and in today's economy it's nice to know we can all pool our resources and ride out this economic slump.

CREAMY POTATO CORN SOUP
6 slices bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
2 10.5 oz cans condensed chicken broth
2 cups water
5 large potatoes, diced
1 to 1 1/2 cups of corn
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried dill weed
1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 12 oz can evaporated milk

Place bacon and onion in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until bacon is evenly brown and onions are soft. Drain off excess grease.

Transfer the bacon and onion to a slow cooker, and stir in chicken broth, water, potatoes, corn, salt, dill weed, and white pepper. Cover, and cook on Low 6 to 7 hours, stirring occasionally.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and half-and-half. Stir into the soup along with the evaporated milk and cheese. Cover, and cook another 30 minutes before serving.

Orange Chicken

2008-10-03T22:23:00.001-07:00

Orange Chicken is incredibly easy to make and full of flavor. This meal has been a family favorite for many years and I haven't really made any changes to the recipe.

I have on occasion replaced the can of Mandarin Oranges for the No Sugar Added variety to lighten up on the sugar content but I usually only do this when I have one on hand. I like my food kind of spicy so I add the Red Pepper Flakes but they are optional.

The weather here has finally dropped about 20 degrees so the evenings have been quite cool and windy, perfect for this kind of dish.

ORANGE CHICKEN
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 medium onion
1 medium bell pepper, any color
1 15 oz can mandarin oranges
4 tablespoon olive oil
flour
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 cup orange juice
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes; optional

Cut up chicken into small pieces (about 1 in) and lightly coat with flour. Heat olive oil in a large skillet and add chicken. Saute until lightly browned and crispy.

Cut up onion and green pepper into 1 inch chunks. Add to the chicken.

Add mandarin oranges with juice to chicken and veggies and stir. Stir in orange juice and soy sauce. Reduce heat to medium low and cover.

Simmer for about 30 to 45 min until bubbly and sauce is thickened. Serve over cooked rice.

Spaghetti Pie

2008-10-01T22:37:00.000-07:00

Tonight I decided to dig into the archives and find a recipe I had not made for a long time and came across Spaghetti Pie. I don't remember where I first found this recipe but over the years it has evolved into several different versions.

The original recipe had you placing the spaghetti crust in the oven for about 10 minutes but I always had to cover the edges with foil so the spaghetti wouldn't get hard. I found that if you microwaved it instead you didn't have the problem of it becoming crunchy.

To go with the Spaghetti Pie I made a simple Garlic Cheese Toast using thick bread (Texas Toast), some butter, garlic powder and freshly grated Parmesan. Spread the bread with the butter. Lightly sprinkle each piece with garlic powder and then press butter side down into the grated cheese. When the cheese is pressed evenly into one side of the bread, place cheese side down in a hot non-stick skillet. Toast for about1 to 2 minutes. It tastes very similar to Sizzler's Cheese Toast.

SPAGHETTI PIE
6 oz. spaghetti
2 tablespoon butter
1/3 cup parmesean cheese
2 eggs; well beaten
1 lb ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup onion; chopped
1 14oz. can diced tomatoes
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon oregano
1 1/2 cup cottage cheese
1 1/3 cups mozarella; shredded and divided

Preheat oven to 375. Spray a 10" pie dish with cooking spray.

Cook and drain spaghetti. stir butter into spaghetti. Stir in Parmesean cheese and eggs. Form spaghetti mix into a crust in a buttered 10' pie pan. Microwave for 5 minutes.

Cook meat and onion till meat is browned and onions are tender. Drain off fat. Stir in the undrained tomatoes, tomato paste, sugar, oregano and garlic powder. Heat through. Spread the Cottage cheese over the bottom of the crust. Sprinkle 2/3 cup of mozzarella over the cottage cheese. Fill with the tomato mix.

Bake 20 minutes. Sprinkle remaining mozarella on top and return to oven until cheese melts, but do not allow it to brown. Serve with some good garlic bread and a nice tossed salad.

Chili Mac

2008-09-28T20:36:00.000-07:00

I love the Fall, it's my favorite time of year and growing up in New England we had some of the best Fall seasons around. Trees full of brightly colored leaves, clear blue skies and cool, crisp fresh air. Of course we can't forget that it is also the beginning of Football and Hockey season!

Well now I live in the hot California desert and while it can get quite cold here in the late Fall and Winter months we still have nothing like those beautiful crisp Fall days I remember as a child. Fall or not, I still love to make this dish. Chili Mac is perfect for those cool evenings or just sitting in front of the TV watching a game.

This recipe was originally from Rachel Ray but I changed it slightly to suit our needs. It makes a very large batch so you might want to cut it in half if there are only two of you or you don't want a lot of leftovers. Leftovers for this don't last long around here. If you want to see Rachel's original recipe you can find it here.

CHILI MAC
1 pound Cavatappi or Bowtie pasta
2 1/2 lbs lean ground beef or turkey
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 large sweet onion
2 jalapenos, seed & chopped
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tablespoons chili powder
3 tablespoons cumin
2 tablespoons cayenne pepper sauce(Tabasco)
pinch coarse salt
2 cans beef broth
1 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
2 14 oz. cans diced tomatoes in juice
chopped scallions, for garnish
cheddar cheese, shredded

In a large pot, boil pasta until al dente. You want it slightly undercooked. Drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, in a big, deep pot, brown meat in oil over medium high heat. Coarsley chop the onions (about 1/2 in. size pieces). Add onions, peppers, and garlic to pot. Season meat mixture with chili powder, cumin, Tabasco, and salt. Cook together 5 minutes, stir in broth and cook til liquid is reduced by half, 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes and simmer for 2 - 3 hours.

Add pasta to chili pot and stir to coat pasta evenly. Cook another 20 to 30 minutes to heat pasta. Remove from heat and garnish big bowlfuls of chili mac with chopped scallions and cheddar cheese.

Madeleines, Simple and Delicious

2008-09-28T19:46:00.000-07:00

I love those days when the oh-so-wonderful hubby is bored and looking for something to bake. I quickly browsed through my collection of recipes that I've saved but not tried yet when I remember my shiny new Madeleine pan. I've loved Madeleines ever since I saw them in a movie several years ago and wanted to make them myself. I looked everywhere for one of those pans but soon realized I would have to order one online.

For awhile our local Costco sold mini Madeleines in clear plastic buckets and they were very good but I still wanted to try making my own. Finally, several months ago I broke down and ordered one of the pans from Amazon. I was so excited when I got it, it was so shiny and pretty. Well that's as far as I got, it went up on the shelf and I just never got around to making the cookies until today when my oh-so-wonderful hubby was bored and felt the urge to make something sweet. I have just the thing I told him!

They tasted just like I imagined they would and so much better than the store bought ones. The recipe we used came from A Chow Life and as she says they are best when eaten warm out of the oven but I know these will taste good several days from now - if they last that long.

MADELEINES
1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter melted and cooled
1 1/4 cup sifted cake flour not self-rising
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
3 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 cup granulated sugar
confectioners sugar for dusting

Put racks in upper and lower thirds of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush molds with some melted butter.

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt.

Beat eggs in a large bowl with an electric mixer at high speed until light and foamy, about 30 seconds with a standing mixer or 1 minute with a handheld, then beat in vanilla. Gradually add granulated sugar, beating constantly at high speed, and continue to beat until mixture is tripled in volume, about 3 minutes with standing mixer or 5 minutes with handheld.

Sift flour mixture in 3 or 4 batches over egg, folding in each batch until just combined. Then fold in 3/4 cup melted butter.

Spoon a rounded tablespoon of batter into each mold (they will be about two-thirds full) and bake in upper and lower thirds of oven (2 pans will fit on 1 rack), switching position of pans halfway through baking, until golden around edges and a tester inserted in centers comes out clean, 10 to 12 minutes total.

Invert madeleines onto a rack and dust scalloped sides with confectioners sugar.

Zesty Italian Crescent Pie

2008-09-27T18:43:00.000-07:00

I saw this recipe over at Taste and Tell and thought it looked soooo good I had to try it. It's from one of the Pillsbury Bake-Off cookbooks and incredibly easy to make. It is even easier to make thanks to Pillsbury's new Recipe Creations. It's the dough from their Crescent Rolls only in one big sheet so you can make different things with it. Almost like a pastry sheet.

I only changed the recipe a little bit, switching out the ground beef for ground turkey and using reduced fat mozzarella. The original recipe also called for 2 tablespoons of melted butter to mix with Parmesan cheese but I just sprayed butter flavored cooking spray on top of the pie crust and sprinkled 1/3 cup of freshly grated Asiago cheese over it. For the pasta sauce I used Trader Joe's Organic Marinara Sauce as it is low fat and very low sodium.

You will want to let this set up for about a half hour after it comes out of the oven so it doesn't run all over the place. This tasted fantastic and I will definitely be making it again.

ZESTY ITALIAN CRESCENT PIE
1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 cup tomato pasta sauce
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced fat mozzarella
1/2 cup sour cream
1 (8-oz.) can Pillsbury® Recipe Creations
1/3 cup freshly grated Asiago cheese
Butter flavored cooking spray

Heat oven to 375°F. In large skillet, cook ground beef and onion over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until beef is thoroughly cooked, stirring frequently. Drain. Stir in pasta sauce; cook until thoroughly heated.

Meanwhile, in medium bowl, combine mozzarella cheese and sour cream; mix well.

Pour hot beef mixture into ungreased 9 1/2 or 10-inch glass deep-dish pie pan or 11x7-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish. Spoon cheese mixture over beef mixture.

Unroll dough over cheese mixture, spray with butter spray and sprinkle the cheese evenly over dough.

Bake at 375°F. for 18 to 25 minutes or until deep golden brown.

Quick and Easy Chicken and Dumplings

2008-09-26T18:04:00.001-07:00

While I love nothing more than making things from scratch, there are times when I am all about the quick and the easy. This recipe kind of developed when I was in a hurry and did not have time to make the dumplings from scratch and cut up all the vegetables myself. This is also one of those meals that is easy to change up in that you can use any kind of vegetable you like.

For this time I used a bag of frozen corn, peas, carrots and green beans but in the past I have used a frozen Broccoli, Cauliflower and Carrot mix and then added in some frozen corn. Whatever you happen to like or have on hand will work. Instead of the refrigerator biscuits I have also used the frozen kind that come in a bag. Whichever ones you use I learned it is definitely better to pre-bake them a bit before adding to the crockpot. They just take way too long to cook otherwise.

I don't always add the cheese but it does give it a really nice flavor.

CHICKEN AND DUMPLINGS
4 - 6 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
3 cans Healthy Request Cream of Chicken Soup
1 bag frozen mixed vegetables
1 small onion, chopped
1 can of skim milk - fill an empty soup can
1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded (optional)
1 can of refrigerator biscuits
season to taste

Spray the inside of your crockpot with cooking spray.

Place chicken tenders, mixed veggies (you can use whatever frozen mixed veggies you wish), chopped onion and cheese in the crockpot. In a large bowl place all the soup and one can's worth of milk and blend till smooth. Pour over the chicken and veggies in the crockpot.

Cover and set on high for 2 hours. Stir and scrap sides and cover again. Turn down to low and cook another 2 to 3 hours.

Take biscuits out of the can, place on a greased cookie sheet and bake in a 350°F oven until just barely turning brown. Do not overcook them, you want them just slightly undercooked.

Remove from oven and place 6 of them in a single layer over the chicken mixture in the crockpot. With a large spoon, ladel some of the sauce over the top of the biscuits. Cover and cook an additional 30 min to an hour.

Serves 4 - 6 people.

Meat Loaf With Tomato Relish

2008-09-22T19:44:00.000-07:00

Meat Loaf is one of those recipes that everyone makes differently. My kids were always asking me to write down my meat loaf recipe but I found it was hard to put down on paper exact measurements because I don't know that I ever made it exactly the same way twice. Just like Spaghetti Sauce or a good stew, you just throw in a little of this and add a bit of that. Oh I had the basic ingredients that I would add each time but I also experimented a lot over the years too.

This is a meat loaf recipe that I don't make as often as my personal one because it takes a lot of prep work but every now and then when I feel like changing things up a bit I will make this version. It comes from Tyler Florence of The Food Network and I saw him make it a couple of years ago. He said this was his dad's recipe for Meat Loaf. The only thing I changed in this is Tyler's recipe calls for putting a few strips of bacon on top of the meat loaf and baking it until it is crispy. I don't add bacon to mine but everything else is the same.

MEAT LOAF WITH TOMATO RELISH
==== Tomato Relish ====
extra-virgin olive oil
1 onion, finely diced
2 clove garlic
2 bay leaves
2 red bell peppers, finely diced
2 tomatoes, halved, seeded, & diced
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1 (12-ounce) bottle ketchup
3 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
salt & freshly ground black pepper

==== Meatloaf ====
3 slices white bread
1/4 cup whole milk
1 1/2 lbs ground beef
1 lb ground pork
2 eggs or 1/2 Cup egg substitute
leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut crusts off of the bread and tear into chunks.

Coat a skillet with a 2-count of oil and place over medium heat. Saute the onion, garlic, and bay leaves for a few minutes to create a base flavor. Throw in the red peppers and cook them for a couple of minutes to soften.

Now add the tomatoes; adding them at this point lets them hold their shape and prevents them from disintegrating. Stir in the parsley, ketchup, and Worcestershire; season with salt and pepper. Simmer the relish for 5 minutes to pull all the flavors together. Remove it from the heat; you should have about 4 cups of relish.

Place the torn white bread in a bowl and add the milk to just barely cover, swish the bread around in the milk and let it sit while you get the rest of the ingredients for the meat loaf together.

This is where you get your hands dirty! In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef and pork with 1 1/2 cups of the tomato relish, the eggs, and thyme; season with salt and pepper. Squeeze the excess milk from the bread and add the soaked bread to the meat mixture. To test, fry a small 'hamburger' patty of the meatloaf until cooked; the patty should hold together but still have a soft consistency. Taste the patty for seasoning.

Lightly oil a cookie sheet. Transfer the meat mixture to the center of the cookie sheet and form into a log about 9 inches long and about 4 inches wide. Coat the top of the meatloaf with another 1/2 cup of the tomato relish.

Bake the meatloaf for 1 to 1 1/2 hours until the meatloaf is firm. Rotate the meat loaf while it's baking every now and then to insure that it cooks evenly. Remove the meatloaf from the oven and let it cool a bit before slicing. Serve with the remaining tomato relish on the side. Unbelievably moist!

Banana Bread

2008-09-22T13:51:00.000-07:00

Does anyone remember the early days of the Food Network when it was just about cooking and showing us recipes? There were no live audiences or bands or competitions, just a chef or cookbook author showing us a new recipe each day or demonstrating how we could feed our family for just $100 a week. They didn't have many shows so they repeated a couple of times per day but they were good shows and I collected some really good recipes during those times. Recipes that I still use today.

This recipe for Banana Bread is one of them. I think the show was called Chef Du Jour they had a different celebrity on each week and that celebrity would share their own personal recipes. This Banana Bread recipe comes from Comedian Joanne Worley and it's delicious. Very easy to make, super moist and a great way to use up those bananas that are turning black. This bread never lasts very long in our house.

BANANA BREAD
1 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup Butter
2 eggs (I used 1/2 cup Eggbeaters)
1 cup Sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 ripe bananas, mashed

Preheat oven to 350°F

Grease loaf pan.

Cool and slice.

Lazy Sunday Afternoons and a Good Coffee Cake

2008-09-21T21:09:00.000-07:00

Finally we had some great weather today. While not cool by any means, the fact that it never got higher than the upper 80's was still a milestone. This has been a very looooong hot summer and today actually felt like the start of Fall. There was a strong breeze and the sky was blue and clear, it seemed like the perfect day to bake a nice coffee cake and relax with the hubby. Ok so the hubby threw out his back and was confined to bed but it's great to have a captive audience!

I found this wonderful recipe at Big City, Little Kitchen and just changed a few things to make it a bit healthier. I probably would have swapped out the 1 cup of sugar for Splenda's baking sugar substitute but I did not have any. For the brown sugar in the topping I used half regular brown sugar and half of Splenda's Brown Sugar.

As the original poster from Big City, Little Kitchen stated, this cake has a dense, moist interior and lot's of streusel. This one is definitely a keeper!

♦

CINNAMON-CRUMBLE COFFEE CAKE
==== cake ====
1 stick unsalted butter, softened ( I use Smart Balance's Butter Blends Unsalted Butter)
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup egg substitute
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup fat free sour cream

==== topping ====
2/3 cup light brown sugar (part Splenda Brown Sugar and part regular Brown Sugar)
1 tsp cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

To make cake: cream butter and sugar. Lightly beat eggs, vanilla, and our cream, then add to butter mixture. Whisk together dry ingredients, then add to wet ingredients, mixing just until combined.

To make topping: whisk together the 3 ingredients; set aside.

Pour half of batter into bundt pan, smoothing with a spatula so that it covers the bottom of the pan. Distribute half of the topping mixture over the batter. Spoon the remaining batter into the pan, carefully smoothing with a spatula so that it covers the topping. Sprinkle remaining topping over the batter, then bake for 45 minutes.

Let cool for 15 minutes, then carefully reverse onto a plate. Place another plate on top (which is actually the bottom of the cake), and reverse again, so that cake is, finally, facing up on a plate.

Ortega Fiesta Bake

2008-09-19T21:59:00.000-07:00

I thought I would make something a little spicy tonight and this is an old favorite of ours. I can't even remember where I found the original recipe but I have been making it for years. I lightened it up a bit by using turkey meat and low fat cheese and when making the cornbread mix I used egg substitute and skim milk.

I apologize for the horrible photo, but I am limited in space so I have no camera angles or lighting to choose from and all my dishes are packed away.

ORTEGA FIESTA BAKE
1 lb. ground beef or ground turkey
1 cup onion; chopped
3/4 cup mild salsa
2 T. taco seasoning mix
1/4 cup water
1 can whole kernel corn; drained
3 whole canned jalapenos; chopped
1 8 1/2 oz.pkg corn muffin mix
2 cups low fat cheddar cheese; shredded
1 4oz. can diced green chilies

Preheat oven to 350°F

Brown meat in skillet and drain. Add onions, taco seasoning, water, salsa, jalapenos and all but 1 cup of the corn. Cook for 10 minutes. While that is cooking make the muffin mix according to package. The cornbread mix I use calls for one egg and 1/3 cup of milk. I use egg substitute for the egg and fat free milk. Then add one cup of the cheese, the remaining 1 cup of corn and the can of green chilies, mix well.

When meat is done spread evenly on the bottom of a square or small rectangle baking dish. Sprinkle on remaining 1 cup of cheese and add the cornbread mixture, spreading evenly over the top. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes or until top is golden brown. Remove from oven and let stand for 5 to 10 minutes. Cut into squares and serve.

Vegetable Beef Soup

2008-09-18T19:56:00.000-07:00

My mother-in-law has been making this recipe for years but I could never get her to write it down so tonight I sat and made it with her and wrote down everything she put in it so I could preserve the recipe for myself and my kids.

It's very easy to make and tastes sooooo good. This is perfect for a cold rainy day but since we have rain about 1 day a year out in this horrendous desert we have to settle for a cold windy day, those we have plenty of in the winter.

VEGETABLE BEEF SOUP
1 lb stew meat
1 15 oz can tomato sauce
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 can peas
1 can green beans
2 small tomatoes, chopped
1 large onion, roughly chopped
1 1/2 cup frozen corn
3 medium red potatoes
4 cubes beef bouillon
1 cup baby carrots, sliced
3 stalks celery, sliced
1/2 bell pepper, diced
2 cups frozen broccoli cauliflower mix
1 tablespoon parsley
4 1/2 cups Water
pepper and garlic powder to season
oil for browning the meat

In a 5 qt dutch oven or pot, brown the stew meat in a little bit of oil. After it is brown add the onion, celery and bell pepper and cook until they are tender.

Wash and cube the potatoes, about 1 in chunks, do not peel the potatoes first. Add to the pot.

Open and drain the cans of peas and green beans, add to the pot.

Add the remaining ingredients except the water and bouillon.

In 2 cups of the water, break up and dissolve the bouillon cubes. Add to the pot along with the rest of the water. Stir just to mix everything and cover. Let simmer on low heat for a couple of hours at least. You can also add this to a crock pot and let simmer on low for several hours.

Simple Turkey Burger

2008-09-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

For my lunch today I made something quick, easy and healthy. I keep lean turkey patties in the freezer for whenever I am in the mood for a quick simple burger.

SIMPLE TURKEY BURGER
1 lean ground turkey pattie
1 slice of pepper jack soy cheese
2 slices of tomato
1 T light mayo
1 double fiber whole wheat English muffin
Thin slice of onion (optional)
Seasoning of your choice

In a small skillet sprayed with cooking spray cook your turkey pattie until it is no longer pink inside. Turn it once to cook each side and season however desired. (I like spicy so I use red pepper flakes and garlic powder). Flip one more time, place your cheese on top and turn off the heat.

While the cheese is melting lightly toast your English muffin and spread with the light mayo. Place your pattie on one half and top with the tomato slices and the other half.

You can add ketchup, mustard or any other condiment if you wish.

Crispy Garlic Chicken

2008-09-17T18:34:00.001-07:00

Well although my adventure with Tofu noodles was a disaster this chicken recipe was not. Very easy to make and the chicken comes out so tender and moist.

CRISPY GARLIC CHICKEN

1 envelope Lipton Garlic Mushroom Soup mix
1/3 cup light or fat free mayonnaise
1/4 cup fresh finely grated Asiago cheese
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts or 8 boneless, skinless chicken tenders
2 tbsp. plain dry bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 400°.

In medium bowl, combine garlic mushroom soup mix and mayonnaise; set aside. On baking sheet, arrange chicken. Be sure to pat your chicken as dry as possible so that it is easier to spread the topping on. Evenly top chicken with soup mixture, then evenly sprinkle with bread crumbs and then the cheese. Bake 20 - 30 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. If using the chicken tenders then definitely no longer than 20 minutes.

If you want the topping to be a little crispier then bake it under the broil for a couple of minutes.

Makes 4 servings.

Trying Out Tofu Shirataki Noodles

2008-09-17T18:34:00.000-07:00

Tonight I decided to try those Tofu Shirataki Noodles that everyone has been raving about. I thought maybe this is the answer to my prayers, a pasta that is completely guilt-free! Could these be a Diabetic's pot of gold?

I got myself some Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Tofu Noodles and set about making the recipe I found on Hungry Girl, Fettuccine Hungry Girlfredo!

First of all when she tells you to rinse these noodles well she means WELL. They smell very fishy and take a lot of rinsing to get rid of that odor.

The recipe is very easy to throw together and the cheese sauce it makes is very tasty but the noodles were not what I was hoping for. Believe me they look and feel just like noodles until you bite into them. The texture was very hard for me to get used to, tender but yet rubbery at the same time. Hard to describe but I just could not get past that feeling when you bite into them. Alas my hopes and dreams were dashed, they were not the answer to my prayers.

I have a package of the Angel Hair style also so I may get brave and try a traditional spaghetti recipe with them but as a rule I like my pasta a little al dente and these have the feel of overcooked pasta.

If anyone is feeling brave or does not mind the texture, here is the recipe.

Fettuccine Hungry Girlfredo

1 package of Tofu Shirataki Fettuccine Shaped Tofu Noodles
1/2 Wedge of Laughing Cow Light Cheese
1 t. fat free sour cream
2 t. low fat parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper if desired

Rinse fettuccine noodles VERY well. Microwave them for one minute, then drain them and pat dry. Add cheeses and sour cream. Mix thoroughly. Microwave to help melt cheese further, and mix some more. Add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy. Serves 1.

Slow-Cooker Lasagna

2008-09-15T17:09:00.000-07:00

I love pasta! All kinds of pasta cooked all kinds of ways. When I was a kid one of my favorite snacks was just a bowl of cold plain elbow macaroni sprinkled with just a bit of salt. Yummy! Of course now that I am Diabetic I have to limit my cravings but that still does not stop me from making pasta dishes and trying out new ones.

I got this recipe from one of my mailing lists that I belong to and of course I had to tweak it to see if I could make it healthier. Crock Pot recipes are great as I can just assemble the ingredients, turn it on and forget it for a few hours.

For the lasagna noodles I used whole wheat oven ready noodles. These are great lasagna noodles I found at Target. It's made by their own food brand, Archer Farms. You don't have to pre-cook them and they taste great. You can't even tell they are whole wheat. You don't have to use the oven ready type of noodles to make this so any kind of lasagna will be fine.

For the marinara sauce I use Trader Joe's Organic Marinara Sauce. It's low fat and no salt added so very low in sodium. Plus it tastes great!

SLOW-COOKER LASAGNA

1 lb. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 C water
1 8 oz. can tomato sauce - no salt added
1 6 oz. can tomato paste
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
8 oz. uncooked lasagna noodles; broken up
1 lb mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 15 oz. containers low fat or fat free ricotta cheese
1/4 C egg substitute
1 26 oz jar marinara sauce

Brown the turkey, onion and garlic over medium heat in a large skillet sprayed with cooking spray until meat isn't pink any longer.

Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, marinara sauce, water, salt and oregano, mix well until heated through. Spread one-quarter of the meat sauce in an ungreased crock pot; arrange one third of the noodles over the meat. Combine the cheeses and the egg substitute and arrange one third of the cheese mixture over the noodles.

Repeat these layers two more times; top with the remaining meat sauce. Cover and cook 4 to 5 hours on low heat or until noodles are tender.

Potato Parsnip Hash, Pork Loin on the BBQ & More

2008-09-14T22:05:00.000-07:00

Tonight was a night to try out new recipes. Everything the hubby and I made was a new recipe we had not tried before. I think overall everything was a complete success!

The main dish was Pork Loin Roast with a nice spice rub, wrapped in foil and cooked on the barbecue. Then I made a Potato and Parsnip Hash and the hubby cooked some sweet potato and butternut squash on the grill as well.

For the squash and sweet potato he just sliced them down the middle lengthwise scooping out the center of the squash. Then he coated all the slices with a brown sugar, salt and pepper mixture and wrapped them in foil. He cooked them on the barbecue for about 30 to 45 min or until tender. You need to turn them once or twice while they are cooking.

The pork loin roast was very easy to do. We used a small pork loin roast that was about 2 lbs and very lean. You can get whatever size you want, just be sure to test the center with a meat thermometer to make sure it’s cooked thoroughly.

We took the pork loin and rubbed it with a pork seasoning (you can use any seasoning you wish) and then wrapped it in foil and placed it on the barbecue. I believe it took about 45 minutes but be sure to use your meat thermometer. You want it to reach the temp for rare to medium. It comes out extremely tender! Great with applesauce!

The last thing we made was Potato Parsnip Hash. I saw this recipe on Rachel Ray’s show on the Food Network and wanted to try it. It was delicious! I had never tried parsnips before but with the potatoes and onions they tasted very good.

POTATO AND PARSNIP HASH

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 medium baking potatoes, scrubbed clean, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced into half moons
2 large parsnips, peeled, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced into half moons
5 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed and roughly chopped
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 small onion, finely minced
1/2 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley

Preheat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat with 3 turns of the pan of extra-virgin olive oil, about 3 tablespoons. Add the potatoes, parsnips, thyme and season with salt and pepper, stir frequently and cook for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the potatoes and parsnips are nice and tender and lightly browned. Add the minced onion and continue to cook until they are tender and the potatoes are nice and brown. Once the hash is cooked add the chopped parsley. Stir to combine and transfer hash to a serving platter. Serve it up.

Fudge Brownie Pudding Cake

2008-09-14T21:10:00.000-07:00

My Oh-So Wonderful hubby made this tonight and once again it was a big hit, especially with the in-laws. You pour boiling water over the batter just before putting it in the oven so it makes this thick chocolate syrup when it’s done.

I think this would be perfect served with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream. It would be like a brownie fudge sundae!

I was a good girl and resisted having more than just a taste as it would have put my blood sugar through the roof. It tasted soooo good! I may try making it another time and see what I can do to lighten it up.

FUDGE BROWNIE PUDDING CAKE
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup plus 3 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powde; r
2/3 cup granulated sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 cup 1% lowfat milk
2 1/2 tbsp canola oil
2 tbsp black coffee
2 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup packed light-brown sugar
1 3/4 cups boiling water
confectioners’ sugar, for dusting

Heat oven to 375°F. Have ready an 8-in. square or other 2-qt, 2-in.-deep baking dish. Whisk flour, 1?2 cup cocoa powder and next 3-ingredients in a medium bowl until combined. In a 1-cup glass measure, combine milk, oil, liqueur and vanilla; stir into flour mixture until blended. Spread in ungreased baking dish.

Mix brown sugar and remaining 3 Tbsp cocoa; sprinkle evenly over batter. Slowly pour boiling water evenly over surface of batter—don’t stir. Carefully place in oven.

Bake 30 minutes, or until top is just set and a wooden pick inserted halfway into center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in pan on wire rack 10 minutes.

Dust with confectioners’ sugar. For a decorative design, place a paper doily on pudding cake before dusting with confectioners’ sugar. Carefully lift doily straight up. Serve warm with a dollop of whipped topping.

* Nutrition Facts * Yield 9 servings * Amount Per Serving * Calories 206 * Total Fat 5g * Saturated Fat 1g * Cholesterol NA * Sodium 184mg * Total Carbohydrates 41g * Dietary Fiber 2g * Protein 3g

Apple Walnut Cake

2008-09-10T11:58:00.000-07:00

I found this in a magazine and my ever so wonderful hubby whipped it up last night. Needless to say it was a big hit!

Sorry these are not the best pictures in my blog but as we have been living with my in-laws until our house sells I am limited in my resources. The kitchen is very small and my photo box and all my lighting is packed away :( This will have to do!

We cut back a bit on the walnuts as we don't like a lot in our cakes and brownies but the recipe originally called for 1 1/2 cups so if you really like nuts then add as much as you wish. This was a really moist cake and would probably taste great with a dab of whip cream or maybe a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

APPLE WALNUT CAKE

2 cups sugar
1 cup + 2 T vegetable oil
1/4 cup apple cider or juice
3 large eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon Cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon Salt
3 cups flour
2 large granny Smith apple; any apple is ok
1/2 - 1 cup chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350°F

Peel, core and slice the apples.

Coat a 10 in. tube pan with cooking spray.

Whisk sugar, oil, apple cider (juice), eggs, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking soda and salt in a large bowl until blended.

Stir in flour until blended. Stir in apples and walnuts.

Scrape mixture into the prepared tube pan.

Bake 1 hour and 10 to 20 minutes. Let cool on wire rack for about an hour before removing from pan.

Sprinkle with a little powdered sugar.

Nothing Like Warm Blueberry Muffins for Breakfast!

2008-09-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

Today’s breakfast consisted of homemade blueberry muffins. YUM. I lightened them up a bit by using fat free sour cream and eggbeaters instead of the egg. Every little bit helps right?

BLUEBERRY SOURCREAM CORNMEAL MUFFINS
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup corn meal
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup eggbeaters
1 cup fat free sour cream
1/3 cup thawed unsweetened apple juice
1-1/2 cups frozen unthawed blueberries

Preheat oven to 400-degrees.

Grease 12 medium-sized muffin cups or line with paper liners, you might want to spray the paper liners with cooking spray. The muffins tend to stick to the paper; set aside.

Combine dry ingredients in medium bowl. Add combined egg, sour cream and apple juice concentrate; mix just until dry ingredients are moistened. Gently stir in blueberries.

Spoon batter into prepared cups, filling each cup 3/4 full. Bake 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Let stand in pan on wire rack five minutes. Remove from pan; cool slightly.

Recipe makes one-dozen muffins. These are the only totals I have for these:

Calories: 166 Fat: 4g Protein: 4g Carbohydrate: 23g

Turkey Veggie Meatballs

2008-08-11T22:00:00.000-07:00

YAY Marty is home! After 5 days in AZ at his sisters on what was supposed to be a quick 2 day trip Marty is finally home. I made a nice dinner for his return.

These are the best meatballs and so versatile. They are great with spaghetti sauce or tossed in a brown gravy and served over noodles. You can also cut them into slices, toss with a bit of low fat marinara sauce and stuff into a whole wheat pita. Yummy!

TURKEY VEGGIE MEATBALLS
1 lb ground turkey
1 large onion, chopped
1 large carrot, shredded
3/4 teaspoon basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 pkg frozen chopped spinach
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/4 cup parmesan
1/4 cup egg substitute
flour
oil for frying
Preheat oven to 375°F

Thaw the spinach and using a clean dish towel or a bunch of paper towels to squeeze all the liquid out. Break up the spinach and set aside.

In a large bowl add the ground turkey, bread crumbs, shredded carrot, chopped onion, egg, basil, pepper and spinach. Mix thoroughly with your hands and shape into 1 to 1 1/2 inch meatballs.

Heat some oil in a large skillet, just enough to cover the bottom. Place some flour in a shallow baking dish and lightly roll each meatball in the flour and place in the skillet. Brown the meatballs on all sides and place in a shallow baking dish sprayed with cooking spray.

Bake for about 20 minutes.