A Taste of Twinsburg

Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

2012-02-14T15:33:00.000-08:00

Olive oil

2 packages of white button mushrooms

1 tbs minced garlic

1 log (8 oz) goat cheese

1 tbs chopped chives

1 tbs parsley (plus extra for garnish)

¼ cup crushed pork rinds

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 package cherry tomatoes

½ cup balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend garlic, goat cheese,chives, pork rinds, parsley, and parmesan in a food processor until wellblended. Hollow out button mushrooms, removing stems. Scoop large dollop ofcheese mixture and fill mushrooms. Place on olive oil coated baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes.

Cut cherry tomatoes and remove seeds. Soak in ½ cup oliveoil and balsamic vinegar. When mushrooms are done let cool for a few minutes,and then top each with a couple tiny slices of tomato and a sprig of parsley.Serve warm.

Low Carb Pizza

2012-02-10T12:06:00.001-08:00

Low Carb Pizza

February 10, 2012 by Beth
Filed under: Taste of Twinsburg (Edit)

Crust

2 cups mozzarella cheese
4 ounces cream cheese , softened
3 eggs
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon chives
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 tbs red pepper flakes

Toppings

½ cup pizza sauce (low carb content. I use Cleveland’s Own Little Italy Pizza Sauce)
1 cup mozzarella cheese
pizza toppings , of choice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Beat together softened cream cheese and eggs until smooth. Add cream, parmesan, chives, red pepper flakes, Italian seasoning and garlic. Spray pizza pan with cooking spray or oil. Place 2 cups mozzarella cheese in bottom of pan. Bake for 5 minutes.
After the cheese is cool, pour egg mixture over cheese. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove from oven and spread sauce over baked mixture. Add toppings of choice. Cover with remaining mozzerella cheese. Bake until bubbly and brown. Let stand for 5 minutes.

Creamy Caesar Crock Pot Chicken

2012-01-13T13:26:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
8 oz caesar salad dressing
1 can cream of chicken soup
4 oz cream cheese, softened
8 oz shredded mozzarella
1 pkg frozen broccoli veggie mix

Add ingredients to crockpot, saving the shredded cheese for last, and cook on low for 6-8 hours.

Low Carb Vegetable Beef Soup

2011-11-03T13:20:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 pkg broccoli and snap pea frozen vegetables
1 pkg beef broth
1 pkg frozen beef fajita strips
1/2 tsp ground ginger
3 tbs teriyaki sauce

Directions
Mix vegetables, broth, ginger and teriyaki in a large pot. Heat on medium. Saute frozen beef strips in a pan until heated thoroughly. Cut strips into smaller bite size pieces and add to the pot. Cook for 15-20 minutes and serve. Tastes best after being refrigerated overnight and reheated.

Marinated Steak Kabobs

2011-09-21T10:31:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1lb flank steak or thin steaks cut into strips
Desired vegetables for kabobs (like red, yellow, and green peppers, onion, grape tomatoes)
Kabob skewers

Marinade
3/4 c vegetable oil
1/2 c soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp ginger
3 tbsp honey
1 tsp garlic powder
Dash salt and pepper

Add all marinade ingredients together and put steak and marinade in a small casserole dish; cover. Marinade 24 hours in the refrigerator. Add vegetables and steak to skewers and grill. Yummy!

Rolled Vegetable Meatloaf

2011-07-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1 lb ground meat (veal, beef, sausage)
3/4 c chopped onion
1 c bread crumbs (or soy flour)
1 tsp cumin
1 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp pepper
1 pkg Broccoli, Cauliflower, Carrot w/ Cheese Veggie Steamer
Ketchup

Directions: Preheat oven to 350°. Mix meat, onion, spices, and bread crumbs (or flour). Cook the steamed veggies at directed. Cool and chop in a food processor. Take a piece of wax paper and cover a cookie sheet. Place meat mixture on wax paper; cover with another long sheet of wax paper. Press meat mixture into a long rectangle, about 1/2 thick or a little thicker. Peel off wax paper and spread veggies on top of the meat. Take the edge of the bottom of the wax paper and slowly roll it. Place roll into a meatloaf or bread pan. Top with ketchup. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes.

Orange Chicken Salad

2011-02-23T12:10:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 can chunked white chicken
1 orange
1/2 cup chopped cashews
1/2 cup mayo
Lemon-pepper seasoning

Mix chicken, cashews, mayo. Zest part of the orange rind into the salad. Cut the orange in half and squeeze the juice into the salad. Cut the other half into bite sized pieces and add to the salad. Add a tsp of lemon pepper seasoning. Mix well. Chill for 3 hours.

Joggin' Your Noggin Recipe - Moussaka by Beth

2010-08-09T13:10:00.000-07:00

1/4 cup olive oil
1 & 1/2 tsp cumin
1 large eggplant, peeled, if desired, and quartered & sliced
2 cups chopped ripe tomatoes
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp sugar or honey
1 tsp salt
1 cup cooked garbanzon beans

Heat the oil in a skillet. Add the cumin & saute for 1 minute. Add eggplant & saute for 5 minutes. add the tomatoes & continue cooking for 3-4 more minutes. Stir in cinnamon, sugar or honey, salt & beans. Place in a cassarole dish, cover, and bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees. Makes 4 servings. Serve with rice, bulgar wheat or couscous.

Joggin' Your Noggin recipe - Fish Salad by Frank

2010-08-09T12:58:00.000-07:00

For those of you who missed it, Joggin' Your Noggin was a 3-part program done here at the library to help people to age gracefully, and hopefully avoid Alzheimer's. Diet is, of course, an important component of staying mentally and physically fit. Participants brought in recipes.

1 lb. favorite fish (poached)
1 cup mayonnaise
2 hard-boiled eggs (cubed)
2 stalks celery (chopped)
1/4 cup red onion (chopped)

Combine all ingredients and chill. Serve on bread or with crackers.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT!

2010-04-09T08:00:00.001-07:00

As of Friday, April 8, 2010, this blog has moved. Please visit http://blogs.twinsburglibrary.org
If you only want to view recipes, click on the Taste of Twinsburg category on the right side of the blog.

Chicken, Bacon, Ranch Pizza

2010-02-22T16:02:00.000-08:00

Ingredients
1 premade pizza crust
1 tsp garlic salt
Olive oil
1 c Hidden Valley Ranch salad dressing (cheaper kinds taste horrible on this pizza)
1.5 c grilled chicken breast
3 strips cooked bacon chopped
1/2 can diced tomatoes
1 pkg shredded mozzarella and provolone cheese

Preheat the oven as per crust instructions. Prepare the crust. Brush olive oil on the crust and sprinkle with garlic salt. Top with ranch salad dressing as sauce. Sprinkle cheese heavily over the top. Top with chicken, bacon, and tomato. Cook as per crust instructions and serve.

Cari's Easy Spaghetti Casserole

2010-02-12T13:21:00.000-08:00

I mishmashed several recipes together to create this. It's in the oven now!

1 lb. ground turkey
8 oz. spaghetti (whole wheat or enriched flour)
4 oz. reduced fat sour cream
4 oz. low fat cream cheese
24 oz. spaghetti sauce
Italian seasoning, parsley, garlic powder to taste (I use a lot!)
1/2 cup reduced fat mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350. Cook turkey in skillet until browned. Add spaghetti sauce; simmer for 10-15 min. Add seasonings to meat mixture. Meanwhile, cook spaghetti and drain. Stir cream cheese and sour cream into meat mixture until fully blended. Mix in spaghetti. Place in 9 x 11 pan, top with mozzarella, and bake for 30-35 min. uncovered.

You can add other seasonings (I would like to try with Cajun seasoning) or vegetables (zucchini, squash, onions, peppers). I will serve this with a green salad.

Easy Chocolate Frosting

2010-02-05T12:11:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

6-7 cups powdered sugar
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 to 1/2 cup milk

Beat butter until creamy. Add 2 cups powdered sugar and beat slowly. Add a little milk and stir again. Add powdered sugar 2 cups at a time and more milk, stirring or beating until creamy. Add vanilla and cocoa powder, beat together. Add more milk to get desired texture. Covers 1- 2 layer cake or 1 sm. sheet cake.

Homemade Pie Crust

2010-01-21T10:04:00.000-08:00

Makes two pie crusts

Ingredients

2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup shortening

1/3 cup cold butter cut into small cubes

6 to 7 tablespoons cold water

Cut in butter and shortening (use a fork, knife, or pastry tool and "cut it in by hand") till flour mixture is crumbly looking. Add water one tbsp at a time (you may have to add more water just do it a little at a time). Stir gently with fork till all dough is moist. Form dough into two equal parts. You can refrigerate dough if you want to before rolling out.

Roll dough out on lightly floured into about a 1/4 in thich or 12 in circle.

Following filling directions for baking time and temperature when baking.

Chicken Enchiladas from AllRecipes

2010-01-04T11:01:00.001-08:00

For once, I actually didn't alter a recipe at all! But I wanted to share this one because it was just so good. Here's the link. They were very easy and tasty. They did make a lot more than the recipe yielded on the website - I had to bake two sets - but that was fine because the leftovers tasted great too. A little spicy, but not so much that I couldn't eat them, and I am pretty wimpy.

Do you have any New Year's resolutions to cook this year? I just bought a Taste of Home Healthy Recipe cookbook, and I plan to make quite a few of the recipes in there. I also want to try Beth's Blackberry and Brie Chicken.

Pressure Cooker Chicken

2009-12-28T15:36:00.000-08:00

I got a pressure cooker for Christmas - I had never even heard of one before! Of course I was eager to try this new toy. The recipe we used is from Toula Patsalis's The Pressure Cooker Cookbook by way of Recipezaar (here's the link to the original).

Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil
1 large white onion - I didn't have one but I would use it next time
3 garlic cloves - I used 4 scoops minced garlic
4 skinless breast halves - I used chicken tenders
1 red bell pepper
1 green bell pepper
3 cups chicken broth
8 oz. tomato sauce
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 tsp dried basil
1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp fennel - I eliminated
1 bay leaf - The grocery store didn't have, so I had to eliminate this.
16 oz. egg noodles - My 6 oz. pressure cooker couldn't fit this many, so I used only 8 oz in the pressure cooker. and cooked the rest separately.
1/2 cup fontinella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Directions:

Heat oil in pressure cooker. Saute chicken, garlic, onions and peppers for about 3 minutes. Stir in the rest of the ingredients (broth, tomato sauce, lemon juice, brown sugar, salt, pepper, herbs). Add noodles. Secure the lid on the pressure cooker and heat to high pressure (check your cooker's directions - mine has a "rocker" on top that starts to rock at high speed once the pressure is high). Reduce heat to maintain pressure and heat for 10 minutes. Check cooker's directions for how to reduce the pressure (ours included a valve that we could release pressure over time). Mix cheeses and serve with noodles and chicken mixture.

Sausage Egg Casserole

2009-12-28T07:07:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

8 slices of bread with crusts cut off
1 lb ground sausage, cooked and drained
8 oz shredded cheddar cheese
3 eggs
Dash pepper
1 tsp salt
2 c milk

Note: Must be chilled overnight

Place bread in the bottom of a greased 9"x13" casserole dish. Place bread on the bottom as the crust. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top, then sausage. Milk the rest of the ingredients together and pour into the casserole. Chill overnight. Then, bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Cheesy Potato Casserole

2009-12-22T11:19:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:

1 bag hashbrowns
1 (16 oz) container sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 bag shredded cheddar cheese
1 stick softened butter
1/2 onion chopped
2 c corn flakes
2 tbsp melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix all ingredients except corn flakes and melted butter. Pour into a 9"x13" casserole dish. Top with cornflakes and drizzle melted butter on top. Cover with aluminum foil for 35 to 45 minutes or until bubbly.

test

2009-12-22T09:54:00.001-08:00

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Beth's Lemon Pepper Fried Shrimp with Tartar Sauce

2009-12-15T16:30:00.000-08:00

1 lb fresh shrimp
1 lemon
1 tsp pepper
3/4 c soy flour
1/2 c vegetable oil

1 tbsp sweet relish
3 tbsp mayonnaise

Marinate shrimp with lemon and pepper overnight. When ready to cook, heat oil in a saute pan on medium high. Coat each shrimp in soy flour. Fry, flipping every few minutes, for about 10-12 minutes or until dark golden brown. Serve with "tartar sauce" of sweet relish and mayo mixed together. YUM!

"I have no idea how "low carb" this is so I didn't label as that, but I know its a lot better than most of those frozen prebattered shrimps or fish in boxes at the grocery store. I coated the shrimp very lightly. I didn't have the energy to figure out the carb content though. All I know is that it was totally tasty!!!!"

Beth's Blackberry Brie Chicken

2009-12-15T12:16:00.000-08:00

8 chicken tenderloins (smaller strips, not breasts)
1/2 bag frozen unsweetened blackberries, thawed
1.5 c Marsala wine
1 round brie
3 sprigs mint
salt and pepper
1/4 olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place tenderloins in a casserole dish. Season with salt and pepper. Add oil and 1/2 cup wine to bottom of the casserole dish. Cook for 20 minutes. Place 1/2 bag of thawed blackberries and mint into food processor or blender; blend until smooth (or as smooth as you can get). Put blackberry mix and wine into a small saucepan. Heat on medium low for 15 minutes or less. (Do not overheat - it will boil and spit staining berry juice all over the kitchen - don't ask me how I know this). Cut rind off the brie and slice as well as you can into thin strips. When chicken is done, place cheese slices on chicken and cook for five more minutes or until cheese is melted. Total cook time should be 30-35 minutes. Serve chicken and cheese, and pour small amount of berry wine sauce on top. Decorate with a sprig of mint.

"This is a surprisingly light dish. I had a brie left over from a party when I made that cranberry brie dip. I found a bag of frozen berries in the freezer and wondered what those two might taste like on chicken. I was pretty surprised. I need to call subtitle this blog "Beth's Experimental Recipes". LOL. I might try the sauce over beef for a more hearty taste."

Slow Cooker Indian Curry

2009-12-13T13:03:00.000-08:00

This recipe is from Make it Fast, Cook it Slow by Stephanie O'Dea. This book is great because all the recipes are online at Stephanie's Web site, http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/. So if you check it out from the library, you can just write down the recipes you want to try and then go online to refresh your memory. This recipe was actually given to Stephanie by Rachael Ray, and then I modified it myself to fit my needs.

Ingredients:
4-6 frozen chicken breasts (Stephanie's recipe uses thighs)
2 tablespoons curry powder
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp ground cumin
1-inc piece fresh ginger (I eliminated)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 14-oz can coconut milk
1/2 tsp Tabasco (I eliminated, but might use next time)
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 can garbanzo beans (I eliminated, not a big bean person)
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1/2 an eggplant, chopped (I eliminated)
1 sweet potato, peeled and chopped

Stephanie's recipe calls for a 6-quart slow cooker. I'm actually not sure what size mine is, but I think it's smaller than that. Combine spices, ginger, garlic, coconut milk, Tabasco sauce, and tomato paste in the bottom of your slow cooker. Add the chicken and make sure it's entirely coated with sauce. Pour in the beans, if using, then add the vegetables. Cook on low for 7 to 9 hours or high for 4 to 6. Serve with rice. I found mine was done in about 4 hours - cooked it for a total of 4 1/2 while waiting for the rice to cook. This is a very richly flavored but not spicy dish. My husband wanted it to be spicier, so next time I might add the Tabasco and maybe some more cumin--but I enjoyed it just as it was. Makes a lot of leftovers, too. We should be enjoying this for a few more days.

Sauteed Garlic and Lime Tilapia - Low Carb

2009-12-11T09:11:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

3 tilapia fillets
1/4 vegetable oil (or more if needed)
1-2 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp sun dried tomato and basil Delallo dipping spices (optional)
1/4 c lime juice
2 tbsp butter

Heat oil in a saute pan on medium heat. Add minced garlic and brown lightly. Add fillets and cook on one side for about five minutes on medium high heat. Turn over, brush fillets with butter, and sprinkle seasoning over fillets. Cook until the fillets get a little flaky (check with a fork). Turn over, sprinkle a little more seasoning and brush with butter. Turn down heat and add lime juice. It will start to steam because of the heat. Cook for a few more minutes and serve.

"The lime and crunchy garlic bits are so tasty on this light white fish. I was surprised at the combination. I just like garlic on protein but I know that fish tastes good with a little acidity, and I didn't have any lemon. I definitely could eat this at least once a week!"

Low Carb Pumpkin Mousse

2009-12-09T06:43:00.002-08:00

Ingredients

1 sm can pumpkin (not pie filling)

1 container whipped topping

1 cup Splenda

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp ginger

1/8 tsp ground cloves

Mix all ingredients until fluffly. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. "One slice of pumpkin pie has a whopping 40 carbs, which is way over the limit for those on a low carb diet. So, I created a low carb version that is just as tasty, with no cooking needed! Half a cup of canned pumpkin has 6.5 grams of effective carbohydrate and 3.5 grams of fiber. Whipped topping only has 2 carbs per serving and Splenda has none. So, enjoy this holiday treat guilt free! Serving size is about 3/4 cup."

Twisted Taco Bake

2009-12-04T15:48:00.001-08:00

This is my variation on a recipe from Taste of Home's Freezer Pleasers, a new book the library recently acquired. I rarely have time to make casseroles ahead--and I didn't with this recipe--but it's nice to know this recipe can be frozen for later use. I really enjoyed this twist on the standard taco.

1 lb. ground turkey (lean or extra lean)
1 small bag Mexican cheese (2 cups)
8 oz. sour cream (reduced fat if desired)
1 bag frozen peppers and onions or fresh chopped vegetables if desired
1 box rotini spiral pasta (whole grain if desired)
1 jar plain spaghetti sauce (about 16 oz)
1 envelope taco seasoning

Cook turkey until no longer pink. Drain fat; add taco seasoning and 1/2 cup water. While that is working, cook noodles. When water has cooked off turkey, add peppers and onions and cook through. Add sour cream to noodles and stir. Preheat oven to 325 degrees; grease a 9x13 baking pan. Add noodle mixture to bottom of pan; cover with a layer of cheese. Cover with meat mixture and top with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes or until bubbly. If desired, remove at 25 minutes and add an additional layer of cheese.

Chicken Tikka Masala

2009-11-21T16:17:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

2 lb chicken, boiled and cut into bite size pieces
1 pkg Tikka Masala mix (easy to find at the grocery store)
1/2 onion slivered
1/2 sm can of tomato sauce
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp olive oil

Pour olive oil into a large skillet. Toss in onion and brown. Add everything but the chicken. Saute for 10 minutes on medium high until the sauce becomes nice and thick. Add chicken and saute for another 10 minutes or so until the chicken is browned.

"I boiled the chicken ahead of time so it was cooked, so I just needed a little crisp on the outside.
This was a pretty easy recipe. I altered what was on the back of the package I bought because I was missing a few ingredients and needed to substitute others, but I think it turned out pretty darn tasty. I made falafal using a mix I bought at Walmart and served it all with sour cream and buttered brown rice in soy sauce with french fried onions."

Warm Cranberry Brie

2009-11-07T14:04:00.001-08:00

(The picture was taken after I'de already eaten some of it. So it looks a bit messier than when I first made it. Also, if the cheese is not as melty as you want it, feel free to zap it in the microwave for a minute or two.)

Ingredients
1 (16-ounce) round Brie
1 (16-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1/4 c firmly packed brown sugar
2 tbsp orange juice
1/2 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup slivered almonds

Trim rind from top of Brie, leaving a 1/3-inch border on top. Place Brie on a baking sheet. Stir together cranberry sauce and all ingredients, minus almonds; spread mixture evenly over top of Brie. Sprinkle evenly with almonds. Bake Brie at 350° for 15 minutes. Serve with baked and toasted slices of Pillsbury French Bread or store-bought loaf (tastes better warm).

Peanut Butter Pumpkin Shaped Cookies

2009-10-29T14:04:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
2 rolls Pillsbury refrigerated peanut butter cookies
2 eggs
1 c flour
2 sm containers of orange sugar crystals
Pretzel sticks, broken in half

Directions
350F oven, spray cookie sheets with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, stir cookie dough, eggs and flour until well mixed. Pour sugar crystals into a small bowl. Shape dough into 1 inch balls; roll in sugar crystals. Insert 1 pretzel piece into each ball for stem. Using a toothpick or tip of a butter knife, make lines around side for pumpkin ridges. Place balls on cookie sheets. Bake 9 - 11 minutes or until just set in center when touched with fingertips. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely before serving.

Beth's Quick and Easy Stew

2009-10-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 pkg Hormel Beef Roast
1/2 onion
1 can sliced carrots
1 sm bag russet potatoes
1/2 c flour
2 c water
1 pkg stew seasoning

Cook both packages of beef roast as directed (4 min in microwave). Slice onion. Cut potatoes into small bite sized pieces. Boil the potatoes until tender (check with a fork). Add onion, cooked potato, carrots, seasoning, beef and juices, flour, and water into a large pot. Cook on medium-low for 15-20 minutes or until sauce is thick and hot. Serve and enjoy! The whole meal takes less than 30 minutes!

Beth's Low Sugar High Protein Breakfast Shake

2009-10-15T06:27:00.001-07:00

I am not a breakfast person and loath the idea of eating meat so early in the morning, even though I know it will give me energy and stave off hunger for the first part of the day. Cereal, toast, or other "breakfasty" type products never last me until lunch, so I whipped up this recipe as a tasty, quick breakfast treat that is loaded with all the good protein, without all the carbs and sugar.

1 scoop Jillian Michaels (Biggest Loser) Whey Protein Powder (triple chocolate, available at Wal-mart)
2 sm scoops Breyers Low Carb Vanilla Ice Cream
1.5 c skim milk or soy milk
1 heaping tbs of Smucker Natural Creamy Peanut Butter

Put all of this in a blender or food processor and blend thoroughly. Drink and enjoy!

More milk or soy makes it more watery, less makes it more like a thick milkshake - YUM!

Beth's Tomato Chicken-Chile Stromboli

2009-09-10T17:04:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1 Pillsbury french bread loaf
1 lg chicken breast, cut into small pieces
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp lime
2 Roma tomatoes; 1 diced, 1 thinly sliced
1 can diced green chilies
1 sm container chive and onion cream cheese
1 egg, beaten

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook chicken in a little olive oil in a skillet. Toss in brown sugar, diced tomato, and lime juice when almost done. Add a dash of salt and pepper. Mix cooked chicken and tomato mixture with cream cheese and chilies in a bowl.

Grease large cookie sheet. With lightly floured hands, gently unroll french bread dough. Scoop mixture into the middle of flat dough, about 1 in from the edge. Fold edges of the bread dough up, pinching them together very well. Pinch ends together and tuck under. Brush top of the bread dough with egg. Lay sliced tomatoes on top.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes. Enjoy!!!

Beth's Carmel Apple Tarts or "Alien Pods"

2009-09-09T09:26:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
3 pkg premade pie crust
4 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, diced small
1 egg white
1 c sugar
1 tbs brown sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 pkg caramel pieces
3 tbs butter
1 tbs milk
Powdered sugar glaze:
1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Mix diced apple, egg white, all sugar, cinnamon together in a bowl. In a small saucepan, add caramels, butter, and milk. Stir constantly on medium low until melted (be careful not to boil). Add warm caramel to apple mixture.

Unroll pie crusts. Take a small lid or plate, approximately 5-6 in in diameter, and use to cut small circles out of the dough. Roll remaining dough until very thin, 2 centimeters thick, and cut more circles with butter knife. Place circles in small muffin pan and press down to the bottom. Add apple mixture to each muffin space, careful not to overfill. Take edges of pie crust and twist up. Bake for 35 minutes, checking to see when pie crust is just golden brown.

Make sugar glaze and brush over the tops when cooled.

"I created this recipe in a failed attempt to make caramel apple empanadas. My husband thought they looked like the alien pods in the movie "Alien", since some of the tarts looked like they burst open revealing green oozy stuff inside. Not too appealing, but very tasty and a great treat for Halloween! I made them for a family get together and we barely had any left."

Chicken Fajitas

2009-09-09T09:19:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
2 chicken breasts
1 tbs lime juice
2 tbs Worchester sauce
1.5 tbs brown sugar
1 green pepper, thin strips sliced
1/2 onion, thin strips sliced
Salt
Vegetable oil to cook
Sour cream and salsa optional.

Heat skilllet on medium high, add oil. Cut chicken into small strips using poultry scissors. Fry chicken in skillet, adding lime juice, salt, and Wochester sauce. Fry on meduim low, green pepper and onion in a seperate skillet until soft and slightly browned. When the chicken is almost done, add brown sugar, frying until slightly golden brown.

Serve with warm tortillas (30 seconds on a plate in microwave). Sour cream and salsa optional. Enjoy!

Tortilla Lasagna

2009-08-31T15:38:00.000-07:00

This recipe is from Taste of Home, the Simple and Delicious imprint, Feb. 2008 issue. As usual, I made some changes.

1 lb ground beef - You could make it with turkey to make this lighter.
1 cup water
1 envelope taco seasoning
1/2 tsp garlic powder
12 oz sour cream - We used light.
1 1/2 tsp chili powder
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese - We used reduced-fat
2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1 tbsp cornmeal
10 flour tortillas (6 in.) - We used multi-grain
1 jar salsa - We used 16 oz. jar - Original recipe calls for 8 oz. but we felt like we needed more.
1 small onion

Cook beef until no longer pink. Add water, taco seasoning, and garlic powder. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine sour cream and chili powder. In a large bowl, combine cheeses. Sprinkle cornmeal into 9 x 13 baking dish. Layer tortillas in the bottom; cover with 1/2 of the salsa. Cover with sour cream mixture and meat mixture. Sprinkle with 1/2 of the cheese mixture. Repeat layers. Bake uncovered at 375 degrees for 40 minutes--let stand before serving. Tasty!

Stuffed Crescent Cordon Bleu

2009-08-28T07:27:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

2 pkg Pillsbury crescent dinner rolls
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1 tbs butter
2 cooked, chunked chicken breasts
2 slices ham, diced
2 green onions chopped
2 tbs italian bread crumbs
1 tbs butter, melted
salt, pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Blend cream cheese, butter, and green onion. Mix in cooked chicken and ham. Grease a large cookie sheet. Unfold crescent rolls and press edges of two rolls together to make a large rectangle (4 per package). Scoop 1/2 cup of mixture in the middle of the rectangle. Gather up the edges towards the top and twist, pinching any openings together. Brush a little melted butter on the tops. Then, sprinkle bread crumbs on top. Bake for 25 minutes. Delicious!!!

Nutty Asian Chicken

2009-08-21T06:58:00.001-07:00

This was originally a Robin Miller recipe. I changed it a little (mostly with the addition of vegetables). It turned out really well--very easy and tasty. Serves 4, or 2 with leftovers.

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, defrosted and sliced
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 can chicken broth
2 tbsp soy sauce
Several dashes dried sesame
1 pkg egg noodles (or rice if desired)
3 arms celery, chopped
3 med. green onions, chopped
1 pkg cashews or mixed nuts

Mix peanut butter, chicken broth, soy sauce and sesame and bring to a soft boil. Add chicken and turn down heat. Simmer for 10 minutes or until fully cooked. Add nuts and vegetables and simmer for another 5-10 minutes. Prepare rice or noodles according to package directions and serve with chicken mixture.

Springy Cheesy Chicken

2009-08-19T17:31:00.000-07:00

My husband came up with the name of this recipe - we got it out of an American Heart Association healthy cooking book. It was two dishes named differently, but of course, we changed it to our liking, so it's ours under this name now! The "if desired" ingredients were included in the recipe, but we did not use them.

For pasta:
1 box rotini or penne - We used whole wheat
1 bell pepper (green or yellow)
2 arms celery
1 bunch broccoli, chopped - if desired
Grape tomatoes - if desired
1 medium green onion
3 tbsp fat free sour cream
2 tbsp Parmesan
2 tbsp light mayo
1 tbsp Dijon mustard

For chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, defrosted
1 80z container cream cheese - we used Garden Vegetable - low fat if desired
Grape tomatoes - if desired
2 medium green onions - if desired

Boil pasta noodles according to package directions. Chop all vegetables and set aside. Mix the remainder of the ingredients for the pasta (sour cream, parmesan, mayo, mustard) in a separate bowl. Meanwhile, cut a small pocket in each chicken breast by running sharp knife up the side. Chop grape tomatoes and onions and mix with cream cheese. Stuff this mixture into each chicken pocket and fasten with toothpicks. Cook in grill pan on stove top, 4 mins uncovered, turning chicken as necessary. Cover and cook another 5 minutes or until fully cooked. Remove toothpicks. When pasta is done, toss with vegetables and parmesan dressing. Serve together.

I loved this and will definitely make it again!

Baked Taco Ring

2009-08-19T06:02:00.000-07:00

(Cari submitted this recipe earlier, but I made a small adjustment and added pictures)
Ingredients:

2 pkg crescent rolls
1lb ground beef
1 pkt taco seasoning
2 c shredded cheddar cheese (plus a little extra)
1 sm can green chilies
1/4 water

Garnishes and toppings:
Lettuce
Salsa
Sour cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown ground beef, drain. Put back in skillet, add 1/4 c water, taco seasoning, chilies, and cheese.

Arrange crescent rolls on a pizza sheet or stone in a ring, with large parts together.

Scoop filling onto large part of crescent ring.

Fold ends of crescent rolls over mixture, creating a ring with spaces in between. Put a little shredded cheddar on top.

Bake at 375 for 20-25 minutes. I put salsa in a little round dish and placed in the center, and put some shredded lettuce around for a garnish. YUM!

Shepard's Pie (with special Mashed Potato Recipe)

2009-08-13T06:26:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Mashed Potatoes -
6 medium sized potatoes
1/2 stick butter
2/3 c milk (or thereabouts)
3/4 c sour cream
Dash of salt and pepper

Other ingredients

1 lb hamburger, cooked and drained
1 pkg frozen mixed veggies
3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 pk brown gravy mix

To make mashed potatoes: Peel potatoes and cut into 1-inch chunks and boil until tender to a fork. Add all ingredients and blend well, until fluffy. (I play with ingredients until I get the right consistency). Season to taste.

To make Shepard's Pie - Make gravy as per directions. Place hamburger in the bottom of a large casserole dish, top with gravy, then mixed veggies. Spoon mashed potatoes on top and coat well. Cover in cheddar cheese. Bake in oven at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.

Enjoy!

Voodoo Chicken

2009-07-05T18:33:00.000-07:00

I modified this recipe from Robin Rescues Dinner, the new book by Food Network star Robin Miller. There are a lot of recipes I want to try in the book, so watch for some more from her!

For the chicken:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 tsp Creole seasoning
Salt/pepper

For the potatoes:
2-4 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp ground cumin (I used chili powder)
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

For the onions:
1 med red onion, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup rum - Alternately 1/2 cup pineapple juice & 1/8 tsp. almond extract - I used pineapple juice & vanilla extract
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cider vinegar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Get out two baking dishes, one for the potatoes and one for the chicken. Spray both with cooking spray. Toss the potatoes with the ingredients listed; sprinkle the ingredients listed over the top of the chicken. Put both in the oven for 25 minutes. While those are baking, saute the onions with the ingredients listed. Serve everything together.

My husband and I really liked this, but we found that it was more time-consuming than it looked, and it was quite spicy. We will probably make these dishes separately in the future, not all three together as Miller suggests. (It is convenient that they can both be in the oven at the same time.) Also in the picture is a pineapple smoothie I made from a packet - great complement to this spicy dinner.

Turkey Lasagna

2009-06-12T10:21:00.000-07:00

This is another recipe I modified from Eat Cheap but Eat Well. I debated posting it since I screwed it up the first time... but even though the noodles on top came out crispy, the rest of it was so good I thought I would post it anyway.

1 lb. ground turkey - I used the "Italian Flavored" kind
36 oz. spaghetti sauce - Whatever kind you want, but make sure to use that much. You might need 2 cans.
14 oz. ricotta (1 container) - I used the low-fat kind
8 oz. shredded mozzarella (1 cup) - I used part-skim
1/2 cup Parmesan
2 eggs
Dried parsley, salt & pepper
9 lasagna noodles

Preheat oven to 350. Cook the turkey in a skillet and add spaghetti sauce. Turn down heat and simmer for 10 min. While that is cooking, in medium-size bowl, combine ricotta, mozzarella, Parmesan, eggs, and a dash each of parsley, salt and pepper. In a 9 by 13 pan, layer uncooked noodles, sauce, and ricotta mixture. Cover with aluminum foil and bake 45 minutes.

To make this more successful next time, I plan to cover the noodles on top with sauce, make sure I get the right amount of sauce to start with, and use the "no cook" lasagna noodles!

West Indian Curry

2009-06-07T16:15:00.000-07:00

This recipe is modified from a recipe in Charles Mattocks's new cookbook, Eat Cheap but Eat Well. This came out pretty well--recommended if you like mild curry with just a hint of spice. Serves two.

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
3 tbsp chopped garlic
1 tbsp Creole seasoning
2 tbsp ginger/sesame seasoning
2 tbsp curry
Dash extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 cup coconut milk
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 chicken bouillon cube
2 cups jasmine rice

Chop the chicken into 2-inch cubes. Mix uncooked chicken with garlic, Creole seasoning, and ginger seasoning, and set aside. Chop and add onion while oil is heating on skillet, then add chicken and onion mixture to skillet. Add 2/3 cup water and curry powder and saute until chicken is fully cooked. While the chicken is sauteing, begin cooking the rice as directed on package. Finally, add coconut milk, bouillon cube, and brown sugar to the mixture, turn temperature to low, and simmer for 10 minutes. When sauce has thickened and rice is done, serve together.

Taco Ring

2009-06-02T13:09:00.000-07:00

This is a Pampered Chef recipe that I vaguely remembered from a party my mom had when I was in high school. I decided to recreate it from my memory and from various recipe sites I looked at. One of the reasons I believe the company sells this recipe is because they have a great baking stone you can use to make this (which I have) but you can use any sort of baking sheet.

Ingredients:
2 packages reduced fat crescent rolls
1 lb. ground turkey - You need only 1/2 lb. of meat, but I bought the lb. and had extra left over.
1 package taco seasoning
Sliced green pepper - about 1/2 cup - I used the frozen kind
Chopped onions - about 1/4 cup
Mexican cheese - about 1/2 cup or more if desired

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Brown the turkey, add taco seasoning, and chop the green peppers and onions--unless using frozen kind--then you can just heat them in a skillet. While that is going, unroll one package crescent roll dough out on your baking sheet or pizza stone. Form it in a ring shape. When the turkey is done, spoon it out onto the ring-shaped dough, and top with veggies and cheese. Unroll the second package of crescent roll dough on top of the other ingredients, and fold around so that they are covered. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the roll dough is brown.

I made two rings, one with Nacho Taco cheese and one with regular Mexican cheese. Both were very tasty--you can top with lettuce and sour cream if you like as well. There are also versions with pizza ingredients and chicken ingredients. We will be having this again!

Sauteed Shrimp with Hibachi Shrimp Sauce

2009-05-12T14:29:00.000-07:00

Ingredients
1/2 lb cooked shrimp
2 tbs olive oil
2 tbs lemon juice

Shrimp sauce:
1 cup Mayonnaise
2 tsp Sugar (taste the mix if not sweet enough add more sugar and mix again)
2 tbs Ketchup
1/2 tsp Paprika
Dash Garlic salt
1 tsp Lemon Juice

Heat saute pan on medium high and add olive oil. Saute shrimp for about 8-10 minutes, turning. Add lemon juice and saute another few minutes. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and serve together. Delicious!

Oreo Cheesecake

2009-05-03T08:27:00.000-07:00

I first ran across this recipe on allrecipes.com while looking for a dessert to bring to a friend's. However, the version I found called for a springform pan, and I don't have one. As it turns out, I also didn't have an electric mixer, so I had to go out and buy one of those! So this is the version I used, with a pre-made crust I bought.

2 packages cream cheese
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
Pre-made Oreo crust
12 Oreos

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Use electric mixer to mix the first three ingredients. When fully mixed, add the eggs. If you can, crush the Oreos in a food processor before you put them in, but you can also mix them in using the electric mixer (we don't have a food processor). Pour entire mixture into pre-made crust and pat down. Bake for 40 minutes or until cooked through. Refrigerate for 3 hours, then serve.

Rosmary and Garlic Meatballs with Spaghetti Squash

2009-05-01T19:28:00.000-07:00

Low carb recipe

1lb ground beef (or turkey)
1 egg
1/2 c Parmesan cheese
2 tbs Rosa Maria rosemary and garlic dipping spice (or garlic, rosemary, salt, and parsley)
1 spaghetti squash
1 jar spaghetti sauce (I used Market District Tomato and Basil - low in carbs and sugar)

To prepare spaghetti squash (how I did it) - boil water in a large pot. Poke holes with a fork in squash and set in boiling water for 30 minutes, turning if not fully submerged. When outside is tender, take out and cool until able to be touched. Cut in half and scoop out insides with fork (this is seriously messy work, but reminiscent of carving a pumpkin). Make sure to remove seeds.

To make meatballs - Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix together meat, egg, cheese, and spices. Roll into 1 in. balls and place on a nonstick baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes (this can be done while squash is boiling). Put spaghetti sauce and cooked meatballs into a pot on medium low.

Meal takes about 40 minutes to prepare and serve. It is healthy, low in carbs and sugar. The only downside for you pasta lovers is that truthfully, spaghetti squash does not resemble al dente pasta. It is a vegetable and therefore has a tiny bit of a crunch to it, but with the meatballs and sauce, it seems more decadent than it really is. So, if you are trying to eat healthier, this is one to try.

Chicken and Sauteed Zucchini in Orange Sauce

2009-04-27T12:27:00.000-07:00

I am finally cooking again, and zucchini is my favorite new side dish!

Ingredients:
EVOO - Extra Virgin Olive Oil
4 boneless skinless chicken breast
2 tsp Mrs. Dash seasoning
1 lg zucchini
1 sm orange

Wash and cut zucchini into 1/2 in slices. Cut chicken into large strips or chunks to save on cooking time. Coat the bottom of a saute pan with EVOO. Heat on medium high. Place chicken into pan and shake Mrs. Dash seasoning over top. Turn chicken over repeatedly and coat all side with seasoning. Cook until done, about 10-15 minutes. Put on a plate and cover.

Add a little more EVOO to the pan as needed, and add zucchini. Cook, turning zucchini over, for about 3-4 minutes. Cut orange in half and squeeze juice into pan over zucchini. Continue cooking for another couple minutes, careful not to overcook.

Serve and enjoy. I made this as a test and it was fresh and light, but very filling! The orange gave the zucchini a little fruity taste, though I may try to add a little lemon or lime next time. My very own recipe. Stay tuned for my Fried Zucchini Bites.

Beef Strips and Vegetable Fried Rice

2009-02-25T16:32:00.000-08:00

2 cups minute rice, cooked and cooled
1 egg
1/2 c chopped green pepper
1/4 chopped onion
2 tsp sesame oil
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 pkg beef stir fry strips, cooked
2 tbs soy sauce
Dash garlic powder

Cook beef strips in a little soy sauce. Cook white rice and cool completely. Heat sesame oil and vegetable oil in large skillet. Add onion and pepper, saute for a few minutes. Add egg and scramble thoroughly. Add cooled rice and mix well together, saute for 5 minutes. Add soy sauce, garlic powder. Voila!

Beth's Mock Greek Pitas

2009-02-23T12:53:00.000-08:00

Ingredients (makes 4)

1 pkg flatbread or pita
1/2 lrg package Steak Ums
3 roma tomatoes, sliced
1/2 bag romaine lettuce
1/2 container feta cheese
1/4 onion, sliced into thin strips

Sauce
3/4 c sour cream
1/2 c plain yogurt
1 tsp lemon juice
couple dashes of garlic powder
dash salt and pepper

Saute steak-ums in a large skillet, add a little salt and pepper or favorite spice to season. Set aside. Mix all the sauce ingredients in a bowl. Warm pita in the microwave for 20 seconds. Serve warm pitas and fill with steak-ums, tomatoes, lettuce, feta, and yogurt sauce. YUM!

Enchilada Soup

2009-02-09T18:40:00.000-08:00

Another one I modified from the Sandra Lee cookbook. I've never made soup before, and I was surprised by how easy and filling this was. Serves about 4 (husband and I had leftovers).

Extra-virgin olive oil - Using Sandra Lee's Food Network pal Rachael Ray's term, EVOO!
1 lb. ground chicken or turkey
Chopped onion - enough to fill bottom of a large pan
2 cans chicken broth (4 cups)
1 medium can queso cheese dip - the kind you dip with nachos
1/2 packet enchilada seasoning
1 can Mexican tomato puree with chilies
1 tsp. crushed garlic
Sprinkling of fresh cilantro - You're supposed to add this, but we didn't have any.

Using a large pot, cook chicken/turkey with onion and EVOO. When meat is no longer pink, add broth, queso, enchilada seasoning, tomato puree, and garlic. Bring soup mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips--I used multigrain chips. This would be easy to make meatless as well, and probably even quicker.

Stuffed Chili Cheeseburgers

2009-02-09T18:34:00.000-08:00

The title of this recipe is deceiving since there's actually no chili involved. I got it from the Sandra Lee Fast-Fix Family Favorites cookbook--it's modified a little (as usual) for my family's needs.

1 lb. turkey or lean ground beef
1/2 packet chili seasoning (not chili powder - chili seasoning can be found with taco seasoning)
Finely chopped onion - about a 1/4 cup
Colby Jack cheese slices
Buns
Lettuce

Mix onion, chili seasoning, and meat. Fashion into two large, thin patties. Fold Colby Jack cheese slice in half, and place in the center of patty. Fold patty over top of itself so it makes one large burger. You can grill these on the grill--we used the George Foreman grill because it's cold outside! Top with lettuce and serve on buns. We served with frozen seasoned fries. Very easy, quick and tasty - serves 2 - but you can make the recipe larger or smaller as necessary.

Pigs in a Blanket

2009-01-30T12:10:00.000-08:00

"This was one of my favorites as a kid."

1 pkg Pillsbury crescent rolls
1 pkg hot dogs
4 slices American cheese

Preheat the oven according to the roll directions. Take a knife and cut down the middle of each hot dog being careful not to cut all the way through. Cut each slice of American cheese in half and place the cheese in the center of each hot dog. Roll the hot dog in the crescent, wide side first. Bake cheese side up according to roll directions. Serve with your favorite hot dog side. (I like ballpark mustard!)

Cookies and Cream Dessert

2009-01-06T13:39:00.000-08:00

1 pkg (1lb 2oz) Oreo cookies
1/3 c butter, softened
2 small boxes instant vanilla pudding
3 cups milk
8oz pkg cream cheese, softened
12oz cool whip

Crush all but 12 cookies into fine crumbs. Mix with butter and pat into 9 x 13 pan. Mix pudding, milk, cream cheese, and cool whip and beat a few minutes until smooth. Pour over crust. Crush remaining twelve cookies and sprinkle over top. Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving.

Hot Mulled Cider

2008-10-23T10:59:00.001-07:00

By Carol Carlson

1 gallon of apple cider.
2 - 3 teaspoons of ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 - 1 teaspoon allspice
pinch of nutmeg
1 orange sliced thinly

* Please note that some people add some brown sugar or use cinnamon sticks and whole cloves but then you have to strain the cider or pick them out.
Heat on stove just to a simmer and then put in a crock pot on low. Float the orange slices on top. Simple but delicious and incredibly fragrant. Your house will smell wonderful.

Crock Pot Crazy - Lasagna

2008-10-16T11:34:00.000-07:00

I came across the blog A Year of Crockpotting through another blog that I love, PastaQueen. I think that discovery alone may have turned me into a crockpot monster. I never knew that you could cook so many things with a crockpot! I decided to try lasagna since I enjoy eating lasagna but never feel like putting in the effort to make it. Stephanie's original recipe is here.

I used:

~1 pound extra lean turkey, cooked with poultry seasoning
~lasagna noodles
~1 can tomato garlic sauce
~ricotta cheese
~Italian cheese

Since my husband hasn't quite expanded his horizons with vegetables, I made a salad to serve with it, but didn't put any vegetables in.

I started by cooking the turkey in a skillet with poultry seasoning, then simmered it with the sauce for a few minutes. Next, I layered the turkey/sauce mixture, followed by a layer of dry noodles, then the ricotta cheese and Italian cheese, then the sauce, etc. until the crockpot was full. Then I poured water into the empty sauce can, shook it, and poured that mixture over top of the entire lasagna. I cooked it on high for 4 hours. Just before it was done, I put garlic bread in the oven and made the salad. The lasagna came out very well--it was very tender and flavorful. My husband's one comment was that it needed more sauce, so I might put in another half-can next time. I think this would taste good with vodka sauce as well.

I'm looking forward to trying more of Stephanie's recipes!

Chicken and Spinach Risotto

2008-10-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

This recipe comes from our former colleague at TPL, Katie Salley. I am looking forward to trying it!

In a large skillet, brown 1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces.
Add 1 T. Olive oil.

When this is browned, add all at one time:
1 can chicken broth
1 ½ cups Minute rice, or Minute brown rice
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half
4 cups baby spinach

Cover with a lid, bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally so rice doesn't stick. After the ten minutes is over, remove from heat and stir in 1/3 cup
parmesan cheese. Serve.

Katie says if you don't have parmesan cheese, you can substitute mozzarella. You can also add additional vegetables. Be sure to read the back of the spinach bag--you probably will not need an entire bag, meaning you can make it again!

Caramel Apple in Peanuts and Chocolate

2008-10-09T14:04:00.000-07:00

6 small apples - Granny Smith or Macintosh make the best
1 package caramels (14 oz.)
1/2 cup chopped peanuts
6 popsicle sticks
1 cup melted chocolate

Line a small bowl with waxed paper and fill with chopped peanuts. Wash and dry the apples. Twist off the stems and push popsicle sticks half way onto the apples where the stems used to be. Melt the caramels in the microwave or a saucepan over low heat according to the package directions. Dip apples in the melted caramel to coat. It helps to use a spatula. Use a knife to help cover the whole apple. Place each apple, stick side up into the bowl and roll over bottom to cover that half. Melt chocolate in the microwave in 10 second increments, stirring between until thoroughly melted. Drizzle the chocolate over the tops of the caramel apples. Refrigerate until the caramel is firm, about 1/2 hour.

An easy way to eat the apple is by cutting in small slices. First put the apple on a plate. Take a sharp knife and cut, starting at the top, parallel to the core and slice on all four sides. Then, make another cut with the knife tip pointing in at the center or stick, cutting each side in half.

Spaghetti Pie

2008-09-26T13:21:00.000-07:00

There are many versions of this. Some have ground beef and some use cream cheese and sour cream mixed together. I prefer ricotta or cottage cheese. Anyway, I hadn't made it in years and I threw this together without a recipe and it was delicious. You can adapt it to your own preferences easily. I made two pies - great on the reheat.

3/4 of a box of whole wheat angel hair -cooked according to directions
2 eggs, beaten
about a half cup of shredded Parmesan cheese
2 cups or so of ricotta cheese (I use part skim for both this and mozzarella)
about 1 1/2 cups of fresh spinach sauteed in a little olive oil
fresh or dried oregano
1 jar of your favorite sauce or homemade sauce
mozzarella cheese, grated - 2 to 2 1/2 cups

Preheat oven to 350. Take the cooked pasta and mix with the Parmesan and beaten eggs. Put into pie plates and form a crust like base. I use ceramic pie plates which I brush with a little olive oil. Make sure to use large pie plates. Take the sauteed spinach and mix with the ricotta. Put this mixture into the middle of the pies and spread as best you can without disturbing the crust. Spread the sauce on top and sprinkle with oregano. Cook in the oven for 20 minutes. Put the mozzarella on top and cook for 5 more minutes. Enjoy.

Ricotta Bruschetta

2008-09-26T13:06:00.000-07:00

I sort of made this up to use up the last of the basil from my garden. Boy, was it good. So I'm going to make it again using store bought pesto instead of the basil leaves.

1 good loaf of crusty bread (unsliced) and then sliced lengthwise into 2 pieces (like a large sandwich)
olive oil
fresh or jarred minced garlic
ricotta cheese (part skim) - about 1 cup
basil leaves -about a cup
2 or 3 tomatoes
grated mozzarella cheese

Preheat the oven to 350 as you put the bruschetta together. After slicing the bread lengthwise, put the pieces face up on a cookie sheet. Put some olive oil in a bowl and add the minced garlic. Brush the bread with the garlic and oil. Spread a layer of ricotta cheese. Put the basil leaves all over the bread or use pesto. Thinly slice the tomatoes and lay on top of the basil. Add the grated cheese and pop in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Add a salad and this is a whole meal.

Rachael and Cari Make a Turkey Burger

2008-09-20T12:15:00.001-07:00

I found a recipe for a turkey burger in Rachael Ray's September 2008 magazine. I modified it just a little, and they came out tasting fantastic. This recipe yielded 6 small burgers (Rachael's original was for 8 servings).

You will need:
1 lb ground turkey
1/2 cup diced onions (Rachael's recipe called for scallions, but I couldn't find them)
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh parsley
Dash poultry seasoning
1 tbsp hamburger/grill seasoning
Sharp cheddar cheese
Spicy mustard
Package English muffins (I used the light, whole-grain version)
2 apples, cored and sliced
Spring mix lettuce (I bought the kind in a bag)
Cranberry sauce if desired

Mix the ground turkey with the onions and parsley, then add the poultry seasoning and grill seasoning. Shape into six small patties. You can use a grill pan or an outside grill to cook the patties--I used my George Foreman grill. While that is working, toast the English muffins. Spread mustard and cranberry sauce on the toasted muffins. Top with apple slice and spring mix lettuce. Add turkey burger and melted cheddar cheese.

My husband didn't like the cranberry sauce, and he didn't want the apple on his burger. We also ate the rest of the apple slices on the side, so if you're not going to do that, you only need one apple. It was wonderful, and I'll definitely make this again! (I'm not much of a cook, so this is saying a lot.)

Fiesta Chicken (from Katie Lipinski)

2008-09-10T13:45:00.000-07:00

Thank goodness Katie gave me this recipe because it is so easy and has become a family favorite.

In your crockpot, put a bag of boneless, skinless chicken breasts or enough to fit to capacity, a packet of taco seasoning mix and a jar of salsa.

Cook on high for 5 hours. After 5 hours, break up the chicken with 2 forks or whatever method you want. It falls apart pretty easily. Turn the crockpot to low and add 1 can of black beans (drained somewhat) and 1 can corn or about the same amount fresh or frozen and some grated cheese - about 1 and 1/2 cups.

Cook for a while longer until ingredients are blended and heated through. You only need about 1/2 hour but leave on for longer if you like.

I use my own blend of spices to avoid the sodium in the taco mix- chili powder, onion powder, cayenne, garlic and cumin.

You can eat this with tortilla chips, over rice (I like brown rice), in a tortilla or just plain. It's very tasty.

Beth's Banana Bread

2008-09-02T07:11:00.000-07:00

3 ripe bananas
1 1/2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1 c sugar
1/3 c vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Blend all of the ingredients together thoroughly. Pour into large greased loaf pan and bake for 50 minutes to an hour or until toothpick comes out clean from the middle. Taste great warm with a little butter!

Easy cheesy dip

2008-08-22T11:01:00.001-07:00

Ingredients

1 can Hormel chili
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
2 c shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix chili and cream cheese together until well blended. Pour into 9"x9" casserole dish. Sprinkle cheddar on top. Cover with aluminum foil and back for 10 minutes or until cheese is completely melted.

Serve with nacho chips (I prefer to eat it with organic blue corn chips and to have a side of salsa and sour cream too!)

Peanut Butter Bars

2008-08-06T06:58:00.000-07:00

Recipe Courtesy of Monica Knooihuizen

1/3 box of graham crackers (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 c butter (2 sticks)
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 c peanut butter
3 1/2 c powdered sugar
1 12 oz bag chocolate chips

Crush the graham crackers into fine crumbs. One third of a box is usually one wrapped package. Mix in the cinnamon and set aside. Melt the butter in a large saucepan. Remove from heat and add vanilla and peanut butter and mix well. Add the powdered sugar and graham crackers. Stir until well combined; it will be a stiff dough. Pat the mixture into an ungreased 9x13 pan. Melt the chocolate chips on very low heat in a really heavy saucepan, or spread evenly in a glass pie plate and microwave at 30 seconds at a time, stirring after 30 seconds, until melted. Spread the melted chocolate over the peanut butter layer. Refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting.

Sour Cream Zucchini Bread

2008-07-18T08:06:00.000-07:00

Too many zucchinis coming from your garden? Use them to make this delicious bread! I usually add 1 cup of chocolate chips to the recipe (instead of raisins or nuts) and everyone eats this up! It's moist and yummy!

3 cups all purpose flour
3 eggs
2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup oil
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups gated zucchini (pared if desired)
1 cup chopped nuts or raisins
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup sour cream

Grease two 9x5x3” loaf pans.
Sift flour into a large bowl.
Beat eggs and add with rest of ingredients to the flour in large bowl.
Mix well, making sure all zucchini and flour is mixed into batter.
Scrape bowl often and keep mixing for several minutes.
Pour into greased pans and bake in preheated 350-degree oven for 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Let cool in pans on wire racks.
Store in plastic wrap or wrap in freezer paper and freeze.

Yummy Summer Lemonade

2008-06-27T07:40:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

1 cup sugar (or Splenda)
1 cup water (to heat)
1 cup lemon juice (or 5 fresh squeezed lemons)
3 to 4 cups cold water

Method

1 Make simple syrup by heating the sugar and water in a small saucepan until the sugar is dissolved completely.

2 While the sugar is dissolving, use a juicer to extract the juice from 4 to 6 lemons, enough for one cup of juice.

3 Add the juice and the sugar water to a pitcher. Add 3 to 4 cups of cold water, more or less to the desired strength. Refrigerate 30 to 40 minutes. If the lemonade is a little sweet for your taste, add a little more straight lemon juice to it.

Serve with ice, sliced lemons.

Easy Chicken Quesadilla

2008-06-09T10:22:00.000-07:00

"I made this as an impromptu lunch one day looking through the fridge. The key is to add less ingredients so that the two tortillas stick together with the cheese. " By Beth

Serving 1

Ingredients
2 large soft tortillas
1/3 c precooked chicken (I bought some plain grilled that was already cut into chunks)
2/3 c shredded cheddar
1 tbsp mild salsa

Heat a large flat skillet on medium high. Spray with cooking spray. Place one tortilla on skillet, add all ingredients on top. Place second tortilla on top. As cheese melts, press the edges of the two tortillas together so they stick. Don't leave it on one side too long, just until cheese is melted. This will make it easier to flip without spilling all the stuff inside. Flip the queso over and brown the other side. Cut into fours and serve with sour cream or guacamole.

Ookie Gookie

2008-06-09T08:20:00.000-07:00

This recipe can also be made as sugar-free and still taste great! It's a recipe that we have used in our family for years and it's ALWAYS a hit for a picnic on a hot day.

Mix like pie dough:
1 cup flour
¾ cup chopped nuts
½ cup butter
Press into 13x9” pan and bake at 350° for 20 minutes.

Mix together:
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. Cool Whip FOLDED in
Spread over cool crust.

Mix together:
1 vanilla instant pudding
1 chocolate instant pudding
3 cups milk
Spread over cream cheese layer

Frost with Cool Whip.
Chill and serve.

Salad Nicoise

2008-05-30T14:24:00.000-07:00

Romaine lettuce (or other favorite)
canned tuna fish (I use the good-solid white)
1/2 to 1 red onion
very small red bliss potatoes
fresh green beans
tomatos
good Italian or vinaigrette dressing - I like Paul Newman's Balsamic Vinaigrette
blace olives if you like

Ok, I have been making this so long that I don't have amounts, but I'm sure there are many variations. Use your best judgement. I snap the beans and cook them in boiling, salted water with the potatoes. Don't overcook. I transfer the cooked beans and potatoes to a bowl and add onion thinly sliced into rings, tomatoes, tuna fish, dressing, salt, pepper and chopped fresh herbs from my garden when available. Refrigerate to cool. Serve on a bed of lettuce. Alternatively, I line up the ingredients on a platter, keeping each item separate and let people dress their own salad. Makes for a nice presentation that way. Serve with a good bread for a light summer meal.

Vanilla Wafers - Vanille Kager

2008-05-21T08:08:00.000-07:00

Submitted by Denmark Troop 610 - Thank you!

Servings 96

Ingredients
1 1/2 c butter
2 c sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 5/8 c flour - sifted
1 1/2 c cornstarch
1/2 tsp cream of tartar

Directions

Cream the butter and sugar smoothly; beat in the eggs and vanilla. Sift the flour, cornstarch and cream of tartar; add gradually, beating into the butter mixture. Put a spoonful of the dough about 2 inches apart on a buttered baking pan or cookie sheet. Bake in a moderately hot oven (400 degrees) for about 8 minutes, until cookies have a golden brown edge.

When removing them from the pan they are soft; they become crisp when cool and are rich and delicious.

Summer Salad

2008-05-19T12:25:00.000-07:00

1 c sliced strawberries
2 c baby greens
1/2 c slivered almonds
1/2 c feta cheese
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 squeezed lemon
1 tsp Splenda

Mix sliced strawberries with Splenda sweetener. Add all ingredients in a bowl and toss lightly. Serve. This salad is very sweet and tangy with the cheese and strawberries. It is a lovely taste of summer. I tried using iceberg lettuce and balsamic vinaigrette, but the flavor wasn't as good as this flavor with oil and lemon.

Coconut Chicken

2008-05-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

This is a recipe from Padma Lakshmi's book Easy Exotic: a model's low-fat recipes from around the world. The coconut is from light coconut milk, not flaked coconut. This recipe has a complexity of flavors. I have been making it for years for special occasions as well as for my family.

1 onion, coarsely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tbsp fresh gingerroot, minced
1 large jalapeno chili, stemmed and halved (I chop it)
grated zest of 1 lemon, about 1 tbsp
1/4 cp water
2 tbsp veg. oil (I use olive)
One 3 - 3 1/2 lb chicken, cut into small serving pieces, skin removed (I usually use boneless, skinless breasts or breasts and thighs)
1 cp sliced carrots
salt to taste
1 1/2 tsps Hot Madras Sambar Curry Powder (available at the market next to Raj Mahal on State Road in the Falls)
1 14oz can unsweetened "light" coconut milk
fresh lemon juice to taste
1/2 to 1 cp loosely packed chopped fresh cilantro leaves

1. Puree onion, garlic, gingerroot, chili, lemon zest, and water in a blender.

2. In a casserole set over moderate heat, warm the oil until hot and add the paste. Stir for about 3 minutes and add the chicken, carrots, salt and cook for about 10 minutes turning the chicken until lightly colored on both sides. Add the curry and continue cooking, stirring and turning for about 5 minutes. Add the coonut milk and simmer, stirring occasionally for about 10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Stir in lemon and cilantro to taste. Serve over rice (I use brown rice).

Variation: Other vegetables can be added such as canned baby corn, sliced zuccini and cut green beans if desired. (I always add the baby corn).

This is for 4 servings. I usually double it because it is great on the reheat.

Healthy Chicken Fajitas

2008-05-08T09:53:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

Boneless skinless chicken breasts, 7-8" tortilla shells, low fat shredded cheddar cheese, green and red peppers and onion frozen mix, 1 can black beans, 1 container organic salsa, 1 container low fat sour cream

1 Serving

1 7-8" flour tortilla
2 oz grilled chicken breast
1 tbsp low fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 cup sautéed peppers and onions
1/4 cup black beans
1 tbsp organic salsa
1 tsp low fat sour cream

Grill chicken on a grill or cut up and sauté in a pan with vegetable oil. Cook veggies in a pan until done; cook black beans in a small sauce pan. Heat a flat round skillet or comal on medium high heat and warm the tortilla on top. Top the warm tortilla with cheese, chicken, beans, peppers and onions, and salsa. Roll the tortilla and top with sour cream.

Perfect Pita Pizza for Two

2008-05-04T10:27:00.000-07:00

2 pieces pita bread, white or wheat
1 sm can Italian herb tomato paste
1 small tomato, sliced thin
1/2 green pepper, sliced thin
1/2 yellow pepper, sliced thin
6 pieces turkey pepperoni per pita
1 tbs sliced black olives per pita
1/4 cup pizza cheese per pita
i.e. shredded provolone and mozzarella

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place both pita on a cookie sheet. Spread 1/2 can tomato paste on each piece. Cover with cheese, veggies, and pepperoni. Place in the oven for 7-10 minutes, until cheese is melted and pepperoni is lightly crisp.

Each 6.5" pizza is about 380 calories. A pepperoni Pizza Hut 6" personal pan pizza is 610 calories.

Chocolate Banana Smoothie

2008-05-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

I have recently started going to the gym on a regular basis, trying to get back to my swimsuit figure for the summer. This recipe is a great one for people exercising and trying to build muscle.

2 tbsp Ballys chocolate whey protein powder
3/4 cub low carb vanilla ice cream (or low fat frozen yogurt)
1 c unsweentened soy milk
1/2 banana

Put all of the items in a blender and blend until smooth. (I used a food processor which worked just as well). Drink and enjoy! My trainer told me that whey protein is great to drink at least an hour after a hard workout to help strength your muscles. And this tastes great! I think there are more kinds of whey protein at health food stores and places like GNC.

Jalapeño Chicken on Rye

2008-05-01T16:10:00.000-07:00

1 c cooked, shredded chicken breast
2 slices jalapeño jack cheese
1 tbsp spicy ranch salad dressing
1 tomato sliced
2 slices rye bread

Toast the rye bread. Place chicken on one slice, cover with cheese. Place in a toaster oven or use small portable grill to make panini. Spread dressing on other slice. Top chicken side with tomato; put two halves together. Enjoy!

Cheese Pastry Bars

2008-04-30T14:00:00.001-07:00

Submitted by Monica

2 8-oz. pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 c. sugar
1 egg
1 ts. vanilla
2 pkgs. crescent rolls

Mix together 1st 4 ingredients until creamy. (I just used a wooden spoon)
Unroll 1 pkg. of crescent rolls and line the bottom of a 9x13 pan. Spoon cheese mixture evenly on top of dough. Top w/the other pkg. of crescent roll dough. Bake 350 oven for 30 mins. Cool. Glaze.
Glaze: Mix 1/2 c powdered sugar w/enough milk to make a thick glaze. Can add a flavoring if desired.

Mock Mashed Potatoes

2008-04-22T07:44:00.000-07:00

1 head cauliflower pieces, boiled
1/2 c heavy cream
1/2 stick butter
1 tsp garlic
3/4 sour cream
4 slices American cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Boil cauliflower until tender. Use food processor to chop cauliflower, sour cream, butter, heavy cream, and garlic. Make sure that it is not chopped too fine. Pour mixture into a casserole dish; top with cheese slices. Bake for 15 minutes. Enjoy!

Low Carb Ham Quiche

2008-04-14T16:43:00.000-07:00

Filling:
5 eggs
1 cup heavy cream
2 tbsp. olive oil
garlic salt
6 oz. Ham, diced
6 oz. Mozzarella cheese, grated
2 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
2 tbsp. Pesto

Crust:
1 Cup soy flour, sifted
1 stick butter - cut in eight sections
3 tbsp. heavy cream
2 tbsp. water
1 cup parmesan cheese

Filling preparation:
Preheat saute pan over medium heat with olive oil. Cook Ham until well browned about (7 -10 minutes.) Add garlic. Remove pan from heat and drain well in strainer. Beat eggs, cream and pesto in mixer or with wire whip. Fill crust by alternating layers of filling, batter and cheese 1/3 at a time until finished. Bake in 375-degree oven for 45 minutes.

Quiche Crust Preparation(Makes 2 Pie Crusts = 10.5 net carbs per Crust):
Mix soy flour and Parmesan cheese together in mixer with dough hook. Add butter in sections until mixture starts to crumb. Gradually add heavy cream and water. Press dough into pie plate and bake empty crust at 375 degrees for 15 minutes

Yields 8 servings - approximately 4.5 net carbs per serving

Low Carb Chicken Nuggets

2008-04-14T16:25:00.000-07:00

Nugget Ingredients
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 eggs
1 tbs garlic powder

Breading:
1/2 cup soy flour - sifted
1 sm bag fine ground pork rinds

Breading Preparation:
To prepare breading, mix sifted flour with fine ground pork rinds and put in large casserole for breading chicken nuggets.

Chicken Preparation:
Puree chicken breast in food processor until fine. Add garlic and eggs. Drizzle in cream until well mixed. Make small balls using a large tablespoon. Put on a cookie sheet covered in wax paper Gently place nugget into crumb mixture.

Cooking:
Fry nuggets 4-5 at a time in 365-degree oil or a large pot filled with 1 1/2 inches of vegetable oil heated on medium until golden brown. Place on a plate covered in paper towels.

Serve with favorite low carb dressing! 1/2 carb per nugget.

Traditional Deviled Eggs

2008-03-26T11:20:00.000-07:00

Need something to do with those leftover Easter Eggs?

Ingredients
1 dozen eggs
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1/3 cup mayonnaise
Salt and pepper
Paprika

First hard boil the eggs. Fill up a large saucepan half-way with water and gently add the eggs. Cover the eggs with at least an inch of water. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the water (this will help contain egg whites from leaking out if any of the shells crack while cooking). Add a pinch of salt to the water. Bring the water to a boil. Cover, and remove from heat. Let sit covered for 12-15 minutes. Drain hot water from pan and run cold water over the eggs. (At this point if you crack the egg shells while the eggs are cooling, it will make it easier to peel the shells.) Let sit in the cool water a few minutes, changing the water if necessary to keep it cool.

Peel the eggs. Using a sharp knife, slice each egg in half, lengthwise. Gently remove the yolk halves and place in a small mixing bowl. Arrange the egg white halves on a serving platter.

Using a fork, mash up the yolks and add Dijon mustard, mayonnaise, onion, and a sprinkling of salt and pepper. Spoon egg yolk mixture into the egg white halves. Sprinkle with paprika.

Philly Cheesesteak Frittata

2008-03-25T17:56:00.000-07:00

Ingredients

4 eggs

4 slices steak-ums

1 green pepper, chopped

1/2 onion, chopped

4 slices white american cheese

Cook steak-ums in a flat bottomed skillet; add peppers and onions and cook until well done on medium high. Remove and put on a paper towel covered plate. Reduce heat to medium-medium low. Whip eggs together and pour into the bottom of the skillet. They will bubble up a little bit. When they start to get done, put steak-ums and veggies on egg. Cover with cheese. Cover with lid and let cheese melt. Serve!

Low Carb Crustless Cheesecake

2008-03-15T07:15:00.000-07:00

32 ounces cream cheese
1 cup splenda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon juice
3 eggs
3 tablespoons sour cream

With an electric mixer, combine the cream cheese and splenda at slow to medium speed, scraping sides often. Add all other ingredients except eggs. When completely mixed (with no lumps), add the eggs and egg yolk, one at a time, beating very slowly. When eggs are incorporated, do not mix any more. Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

Cooking Instructions#1 (the Right way)
Pour the mixture into the springform pan. Place the pan on a very large piece of aluminum and fold the foil up around the pan to create a watertight barrier around the cheesecake. Then place the barrier pan in an even larger pan and fill the larger pan halfway with water. This is called a water bath. It is a gentler way to cook the cheesecake. Place the entire water bath containing the cheesecake in a 300-degree preheated oven. Cook for 1 hour and reduce heat to 200 degrees for 1 more hour. Turn oven off and leave cheesecake in until the oven is completely cool. The cheesecake can even be left overnight at this point. Cracks can also occur when a cheesecake cools too quickly.

Alternative cooking instruction#2 (The Way I Did It)
If you do not own a springform pan, you can use a cake pan covered in aluminum foil, leaving some excess around the edge, and spray with cooking spray. In the 300 degree preheated oven, cook the cheesecake for 35 minutes. Reduce heat to 200 degrees, and cook for 35-40 minutes. Let the cheesecake sit out until cool. You can pull the cheesecake out of the pan by the foil and place on a serving dish. Then, refrigerate overnight. Serve!

The difference between these two methods is that my method, the cheesecake will crack. However, if you don't care to much about that, it is a quicker and easier method. I served my cheesecake with blackberries and whipped cream, both really low carb! Blackberries have a low gylcemic index, which works great for the carb diet.

Low Carb Turkey Chili

2008-03-15T07:00:00.000-07:00

Ingredients:
1lb ground turkey, browned and drained
1 red pepper, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes
1 large can tomato sauce
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 packet chili powder (desired hotness)

Toppings (optional):
Cheddar cheese
Sour Cream

Brown turkey, drain. Mix together all ingredients in a large pot. Cook on medium to medium high heat for 30 minutes. Reduce heat and simmer on medium low heat for additional 30 minutes. Serve with shredded cheddar and sour cream.

This meal is great for cold days, and without the added beans, its really low in carbohydrates! Great for leftovers too!

Low Carb Pizza for Two

2008-03-10T16:53:00.001-07:00

2 hamburger patties, patted thin
1 tbs Italian seasoning
1 cup Mozzarella cheese
10 slices pepperoni
1 cup pizza sauce

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook patties on a skillet, medium high. Sprinkle Italian herbs on either side of the patties. After patties are well done, put on a cookie sheet. Spread pizza sauce on both patties. Sprinkle on mozzarella cheese, then pepperoni. Bake in oven for 8-10 minutes, until pepperoni is crispy and cheese is melted. Enjoy!

Easy Pizza Calzones

2008-02-28T11:43:00.000-08:00

Created by Beth

Ingredients
1 pkg Pillsbury pizza crust dough
1 pkg pepperoni
1 pkg shredded Mozzarella and Provolone cheese
1 sm can pizza sauce
1/2 c flour

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Grease a large cookie sheet. Sprinkle flour on a flat surface, like counter top. Roll out the pizza dough and roll with a rolling pin until 1/4 in thick. Cut into 4 rectangular pieces. Place pepperoni on the right half of a piece of dough. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of cheese on top. Fold the dough over top of the toppings and press edges tightly together, sealing the mixture firmly inside. Make all four calzones. Place on cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the top of the the calzone is light golden brown. Heat the pizza sauce in a seperate small dish in the microwave for about a minute. Serve and Enjoy!

Monte Cristo Sandwich

2008-02-21T10:34:00.000-08:00

Created by Beth

1/2 lb shaved Deli honey ham
1/4 lb Alpine Swiss cheese
1 loaf fresh baked Italian bread, cut into thick slices
2 eggs
2 tsp powdered sugar
1 tbs butter

Serve with:
2 small dishes of strawberry jam for dipping

Makes 2 sandwiches.

Heat butter in skillet on medium heat. Beat egg in a dish with a flat bottom. Coat one side of sliced Italian bread in egg. Put egg side down on the skillet. Layer 1/2 slice Swiss cheese on bread, followed by a hearty handful of shaved ham; top with other 1/2 of cheese. Dip another slice of bread in egg; put egg side up remaining on sandwich. Flip sandwich to cook the other side. When both sides are golden brown, serve on a plate and dust the sandwich lightly with powdered sugar. Cut in half and with small dish of strawberry jam.

Skillet Chicken Parmesan

2008-02-21T10:09:00.000-08:00

Created by Beth

Ingredients
1 pkg boneless skinless chicken tenders
1 cup flour
1 tbs garlic powder
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 eggs
1 cup mozzarella cheese
1 jar spaghetti sauce
3 roma tomatoes, chopped
2 tbsp butter

- Serve over spaghetti noodles, cooked.

Directions:
Beat eggs in a small bowl. Mix flour, garlic, and Italian seasoning in a bowl and transfer to a Ziploc bag. Dip each chicken tender in egg, then put in baggy and shake until coated. Transfer each piece to a plate. Heat butter in a large skillet on medium to medium high heat. Place chicken tenders in the skillet; turning to brown each side. Cook until light golden brown. Turn heat down just a tad. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top; add tomatoes. Pour spaghetti sauce around the edge of the skillet. Cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes, until sauce is hot. Serve over noodles. Enjoy!

Beth's Easy Skillet Potatoes

2008-02-16T08:06:00.000-08:00

5 medium Idaho potatoes, cut into bite sized chunks
1 tsp pepper
1 tbsp garlic powder
4 strips bacon
1 small onion, chopped

Heat a large skillet on medium high. Cook bacon until browned; remove from pan. Let dry on a paper towel. Leave the grease in the pan. Add onions and potatoes, garlic and pepper. Lower to medium heat. Chop bacon into bits and add. Cover. Cook for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until potatoes become golden brown and soft. Test with a fork.

Cowboy Steak w/ Brown Gravy

2008-02-16T07:36:00.001-08:00

3-4 round steaks
1-2 cups flour
1 tsp black pepper
2 tbsp garlic powder
3 tbsp butter
2 tbs oil

Gravy - one packet brown gravy mix; cook as directed.

Heat a large skillet on medium high heat. Add butter and oil. Mix together dry ingredients; put on a plate. Tenderize steaks; then, coat each steak with mixture. Cook steaks on the skillet, until you see red juices coming up through the top. Flip them over, and cook on the opposite side. Poke the steaks to test firmness. For medium rare, the steaks will be a little soft. For medium well, the steak should be firm and the flour will be crusted on the outside. Serve with brown gravy.

Creamy Cornbread

2008-02-16T07:27:00.000-08:00

1 box Jiffy corn muffin mix
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 can creamed corn
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease bottom of a small casserole dish. Mix all ingredients together; blend well. Pour mixture into casserole dish and bake for 25-28 minutes.

"This version of cornbread is much moister than the tradition version."

California Roll - Sushi

2008-02-03T06:38:00.000-08:00

Ingredients (for 1 roll = 6 pieces)

1 piece of nori - flattened seaweed paper
1 handful of cooked and cooled sushi rice - Click here for Food Network Sushi Rice Cooking Instructions
1 tsp wasabi
1/2 avacado, cut into strips
1 strip of peeled cucumber
1 leg imitation crab meat, cut into strips
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds

1 tbsp soy sauce (for dipping)

Beth's Easy Chicken Fingers

2008-01-30T06:32:00.000-08:00

3 chicken breasts (cut into length-wise halves)
2/3 cup Bisquick mix
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
1 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning
1 egg

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Cover a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with non-stick cooking spray. Mix Bisquick, Parmesan, garlic salt, pepper, and Italian seasoning into a large bowl. In a small seperate bowl, whip egg with fork. Dip chicken strips into egg, coating thoroughly. Put strip into mixture and coat thoroughly. Return to coat again in egg; then coat in mixture once more. (A double coating is more crispy). After you finish double coating each strip, place strips on cookie sheet and bake for 14 minutes, turning over halfway. Enjoy with your favorite barbecue sauce or dressing.

Cheese Ball Appetizer

2008-01-28T08:18:00.000-08:00

1 – 8 oz Cream Cheese
1 cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 1/4 ounce can Underwood Devil Ham
1 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 tablespoon Worchester Sauce
1 small grated Onion
Chopped Nuts (I prefer slivered almonds)

Combine above ingredients except the nuts and form into a ball. Then roll into nuts and chill. Or put it in a dish and use as a spread if you don't like nuts.

I was given this recipe by my mother-in-law and my husband and I like to have it when we invite people over, or as a simple snack, since it keeps for a long time.

Low Carb Sweet and Sour Chicken

2008-01-15T16:18:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

1 pkg boneless skinless chicken strips (or breasts)
2 green peppers, chopped
1 cup chopped baby carrots
1/2 chopped onion

3/4 cup water
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup vinegar
1 tbps soy sauce
3/4 Splenda

Mix together water, ketchup, vinegar, soy sauce, and Splenda in a saucepan. Cook on medium low. Cut chicken into bite sizes pieces, cook in vegetable oil until almost done. Add peppers, carrots, and onions. Cook for 10-15 minutes, until peppers are tender. Add sauce and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

"This is a great alternative for Chinese food if you are trying to watch your diet. I like to have carrots and a little bit of cream cheese on the side to substitute the cheese wontons I like.

Beth's Low Carb Taco Peppers

2008-01-13T15:12:00.000-08:00

Ingredients:
1 pkg Taco Seasoning
1lb ground beef
3 green peppers
2 roma tomatoes
1/2 cup taco sauce
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup cheddar cheese

Brown grown beef with taco seasoning; add 1 tbsp water. Preheat oven oven to 400 degrees. Cut green peppers into quarters, cleaning out seeds. Place peppers on a cookie sheet. Spoon hamburger into the peppers. Bake for 5 minutes. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on top; bake until melted (about 2 minutes). Dice roma tomatoes, place on top of the peppers. Top with sauce and sour cream. Enjoy!!!

"My husband and I love Mexican food, but rice, taco shells, tortillas, etc, but much of it is loaded with carbs. I created this dish for our low carb diet, and the hot green peppers make an excellent taco shell, and is much healthier than corn tortillas."

Turkey Rice Skillet

2008-01-10T12:43:00.000-08:00

Submitted by Mary Hatch

Brown – 1 lb Ground Turkey - drain well

Stir in:

1-14 ½ ounce can Stewed Tomatoes (Undrained)

1 cup Water

2/3 cup Long Grain Rice

2 tsp chili powder

1/8 tsp pepper

****

Bring to Boil – reduce heat

Cover and Simmer about 20 minutes or until rice is tender.

Stir together:

¾ cup Milk

1 tbsp flour

Add to Skillet

Cook and Stir for 1 more minute. Add ½ Cup Shredded Monterey Jack Cheese or Cheddar.

Stir until melted.

***You can add onion and green pepper when you add the tomatoes.

Mint Cheesecake Morsels

2007-12-20T17:01:00.000-08:00

Ingredients

3 cups cream-filled chocolate sandwich cookie crumbs (40 cookies)
1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted
4 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
1 cup sugar
4 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons peppermint extract
6 drops green liquid food coloring
1/2 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
1 teaspoon shortening

Directions: Stir together cookie crumbs and butter; press mixture into bottom of an aluminum foil-lined 13- x 9-inch pan. Bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack. Beat cream cheese and sugar at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until blended after each addition. Stir in peppermint extract and food coloring. Spread cream cheese mixture over prepared crust. Bake at 300° for 35 minutes or until set. Cool on a wire rack. Cover and chill 8 hours. Place chocolate morsels and shortening in a small heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag; seal. Submerge bag in hot water until chocolate melts; gently knead until mixture is smooth. Snip a tiny hole in 1 corner of plastic bag; drizzle chocolate over cheesecake in a crisscross pattern, if desired. Cut into squares.

Tip: You can also use white chocolate with red or green food coloring to make it more festive!

Creamy Christmas Brownies

2007-12-18T15:01:00.000-08:00

by Beth Hatch

Ingredients:
1 pkg favorite brownie mix (et all ingredients)
1 container whipped cream
1 can chocolate frosting
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
1 pkg red and green M&Ms

Bake the brownie in a large rectangular pan as directed. Cool brownies and frost with chocolate frosting. Beat together cream cheese, sugar, egg, and vanilla. Cover with the cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with M&M's on top. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Poached Pears in Cranberry Sauce

2007-12-15T07:00:00.000-08:00

Submitted by Amy Parshall

1 qt (4 cups) cranberry juice cocktail
1 cup Karo light corn syrup
8 slices (1/4 in thick) unpeeled fresh ginger
2 cinnamon sticks
8 slightly ripe pears

In a heavy 4 qt sauce pan, combine cranberry juice, corn syrup, ginger, and cinnamon sticks. Bring to a boil over a medium-high heat. Peel pears, leaving stems attached. Add to cranberry liquid; cover. Reduce heat and simmer 15-20 minutes or until pears are tender. With slotted spoon, transfer pears to a shallow serving dish. Remove ginger slices and cinnamon sticks. Discard all but 2 cups syrup in saucepan. Bring to a boil for 10-12 minutes or until syrup thickens slightly. Spoon sauce over pears. Makes 8 servings, depending on pear size.

"If you like presentation, a couple leaves of mint and cranberries can rest on the outskirts of the cranberry sauce mixture. It brings out a whole new flavor."