Meatless Citrus-Corn Tacos

The receptionist at my Doctor's office know me by name. I get allergy shots just about every week, but one of the reasons they know me so well is because I frequently ask them to copy a recipe for me. (That is where I find a lot of my new recipes!) They are so nice about it! I'm just going to warn you now... if you are one of those punks who rip recipes out of the Doctor's office magazines... you will deal with my full wrath!!! HOW DARE YOU! :) I can't tell you how many times I have been sitting there searching through the magazine for a recipe that is no longer included! Now, I totally understand your desire to have the recipe, but resist the urge to rip it out and just ask for a copy... please... for my sake! Needless to say, this is a winner I found it in the Doctor's magazine, Diabetic Living. I used my meatballs for the meat substitute- I'm not sure that's what they had in mind, but it worked out great for me. These were fast, easy and delicious. Doug said it reminded him of Bajios. We both really liked the citrus splash! I love quick stove top recipes!

Meatless Citrus-Corn Tacos
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup snipped fresh cilantro
1 tsp finely shredded lime peel
2 T lime juice
1 fresh jalapeno pepper, seeded and finely chopped (I'm a wimp and I left it out.)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch
2 tsp cooking oil
1 medium red sweet pepper, cut into thin strips
1 12-ounce package frozen cooked and crumbled ground meat substitute (soy protien) (I know this might sound weird, but I had frozen some of the Easy Party Meatballs, and it was so slick to just crumble them up use them. It took no time!)
1 cup frozen whole kernel corn
8 6-inch corn tortillas
1/2 cup light sour cream

1 For sauce:In a small bowl, combine orange juice, cilantro, lime peel, lime juice, jalapeno pepper, parlice, cornstarch, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/8 teaspoon. set aside.
2. In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add sweet pepper strips; cook and stir until crisp-tender. Remove peppers from skillet.
3. Add ground meat substitute crumbles to skillet. Cook, stirring occasionally, 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through. Stir in corn. Stir sauce; ass to skillet. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes more. Return sweet pepper strips to skillet; stir to combine.
4. Wrap tortillas in microwave-safe paper towels. Microwave on 100 percent power 45 to 60 seconds or until warm. Divide the pepper mixture evenly among tortillas and top with sour cream. Fold the tortilla over the filling and serve.

361 calories per serving

Smoked Chicken Strata

I was surprised at how tasty this was! I didn't have smoked chicken so I just used a 12 ounce can, but it was still really good! It came from a Diabetic Living magazine.

Smoked Chicken Strata

1	tablespoon canola oil
2	cups cut-up trimmed fresh asparagus or chopped trimmed broccoli
1-1/2	cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1/2	cup chopped red or yellow sweet pepper
	Nonstick cooking spray
3	whole grain English muffins, torn or cut into bite-size pieces (4 cups)
2	cups shredded smoked chicken or cooked chicken breast (10 ounces)
3/4	cup shredded Swiss cheese (3 ounces)
1	cup refrigerated or frozen egg product, thawed, or 4 eggs, lightly beaten
1	cup fat-free milk
1/8	teaspoon ground black pepper

In a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add asparagus, mushrooms, and sweet pepper; cook about 3 minutes or just until vegetables are crisp-tender.

Lightly coat six 12-ounce individual casserole dishes with cooking spray. Divide half of the English muffin pieces among the dishes. Top with the chicken, asparagus mixture, and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Top with the remaining English muffin pieces.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and black pepper. Pour egg mixture evenly over the layers in dishes. Using the back of a large spoon, press muffin pieces down. Sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Cover; chill for 2 to 24 hours.

Preheat oven to 325°F. Bake, uncovered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until a knife inserted in centers comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Nutrition Facts Per Serving:

• Servings: 6 servings
• Total Fat (g) 8
• Saturated Fat (g) 3
• Monounsaturated Fat (g) 3
• Polyunsaturated Fat (g) 1
• Cholesterol (mg) 35
• Sodium (mg) 777
• Carbohydrate (g) 22
• Total Sugar (g) 8
• Fiber (g) 4
• Protein (g) 23
• Vitamin C (DV%) 31
• Calcium (DV%) 28
• Iron (DV%) 15

Just a "dot" of LOVE...

Happy Valentines Day! I'm sharing "just a dot of Love" with this cute classic combo from the Cooking Club! I was just going to use the idea and make my own brownies, but I am so glad I followed the recipe- this was a really good one! The girls had fun helping me roll the peanut butter mix into little balls. :) You're sure to find... or at least feel love after sharing... or taking a bite or this chocolate fix!

Peanut Butter Dots
1/3 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup powdered sugar
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened, cut up
4 oz. unsweetened chocolate, chopped
3 eggs, room temperature
1 1/3 cups sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Line 9-inch square baking pan with foil; spray bottom of foil with cooking spray. Combine peanut butter and powdered sugar in small bowl until paste forms; roll into 16 balls (about 1 teaspoon each).

2. Microwave butter and chocolate in small microwave-safe bowl on medium 1 minute 30 seconds; stir. Continue microwaving in 15-second increments until completely melted and smooth. Cool to room temperature.

3. Beat eggs in medium bowl at low speed 15 seconds or until blended. Beat in sugar in steady stream until combined; continue beating 30 seconds. Stir in chocolate mixture and vanilla. Whisk flour and salt; stir into chocolate mixture until blended. Stir an additional 30 seconds to develop structure. Spread in pan, tapping on counter to smooth top.

4. Place peanut butter balls on top of chocolate mixture, pressing just slightly into batter and arranging so that each bar will have 1 ball in center.

5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted 1 inch from side comes out clean and when inserted in center comes out with a trace of chocolate. Cool completely on wire rack. Remove from pan using foil; cut into bars.

16 bars

PER BAR: 215 calories, 12 g total fat (6 g saturated fat), 4 g protein, 27 g carbohydrate, 50 mg cholesterol, 75 mg sodium, 1.5 g fiber

Roasted Vegetable Pie

At last... I have discovered a "meatless" meal that, while eating I wasn't asking myself, "So where's the meat?" Am I just a big carnivore at heart or what? However, I was totally satisfied with this fabulous mix of veggies! I think roasting them in the beginning made all the difference and brought out such a tender, delicious flavor and texture! This was a winner in my book! Plus I love anytime you can just set ONE pot, pan, dish... or pie plate on the table and say "FEAST!"- no hassling with throwing together a "veggie" side dish on this one. This pie can stand alone... but not for long, because I will be right there eating it. :)

Roasted Vegetable Pie

from Family Circle

Makes: 6 servings

Prep: 25 minutes
Bake: at 450 degrees F for 45 minutes; at 425 degrees F for 30 minutes
Cook: 1 minute

Ingredients

• 1 small cauliflower, cut into florets, about 4 cups
• 1 small butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 medium parsnips, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 cup baby carrots
• 1 sweet red pepper, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 3/4 teaspoon dried thyme
• 3/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 tablespoons plain bread crumbs
• 1 package (15 ounces) refrigerated rolled piecrusts
• 2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 egg beaten with 1 tablespoon water

1. Heat oven to 450 degrees F. Coat a large baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, add cauliflower, squash, parsnips, carrots and pepper. Toss with olive oil and 1/4 teaspoon each of the salt and pepper. Spread out on the baking pan in a single layer. Bake at 450 degrees F for 30 minutes, stirring halfway.

3. Meanwhile, place the broth in a medium-size saucepan and stir in the cornstarch. Bring to a boil, lower heat and simmer 1 minute until thickened. Stir in the thyme, oregano and remaining salt and pepper. In a large bowl, gently toss roasted vegetables, bread crumbs and sauce.

4. Fit one of the piecrusts into a deep-dish 9-inch pie plate. Sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the cheese over the bottom. Spoon in vegetable mixture and sprinkle with remaining 1 tablespoon cheese. Place the second piecrust on top and crimp crusts together. Pierce a few times with a paring knife to vent. Brush lightly with the egg-water mixture.

5. Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes. Lower heat to 425 degrees F and bake for an additional 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly before slicing.

Nutrition Facts

• Servings Per Recipe 6 servings
• Calories 467,
• Total Fat (g) 25,
• Saturated Fat (g) 9,
• Cholesterol (mg) 50,
• Sodium (mg) 729,
• Carbohydrate (g) 56,
• Fiber (g) 7,
• Protein (g) 8,
• Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet
  

Can you see my little guy in the back clapping for this one? :)

Honey Nut Granola with Dried Fruit

I made homemade granola (also a really good step-by-step recipe) a while back, and I totally forgot how much I love it! It is such a great way to get in the whole grains! Every morning this week I have been enjoying this great mix with a bit of yogurt on top. I have also been snitching hand-fulls every once in a while for a quick, healthy snack. I found it in the Cooking Club magazine. I love that you can throw what you have into the mix. Granola is SO EASY to make and you can end up paying a fortune for whole grain cold cereals, especially when they include fruit. Give this a try! Sometimes is just feels good to be "chewing"... there is just something satisfying about that... like you're getting your money's worth. :)

Honey Nut Granola with Dried Fruit
3 cups old-fashioned oats
1/2 cup slivered almonds, coarsely chopped
1/2 cup shelled sunflower seeds
1/2 cup flax seeds, preferably golden
1/2 cup sesame seeds
(I also included about 1/4 cup millet)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1/2 cup honey
6 T olive oil
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp salt
2/3 cup dried cranberries
2/3 cup golden raisins (which are so good, but I only had the red)
2/3 cup chopped dried apricots

1. Heat oven to 350, combine oats, almonds, sunflower seeds, flax, sesame seeds and cocnit in large bowl.

2. Heat honey, oil, brown sugar, and vanilla and salt in small saucepan over medium-low to medium heat 5 minutes or until sugar is melted and mixture is well-blended, stirring occasionally. Stir into oat mixture until moistened; spread on parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until light golden brown, stirring once halfway through. Cool completely in pan on wire rack, about 1 hour ( mixture will crisp as it cools.

4. Break into bite-size chunks; stir in dried fruit. (Granola can be made 1 week ahead. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.) (Mine has stored just fine for 2 or more weeks.)

Creamy Tomato Soup

This creamy soup was fabulous! It's one of my favorites on a Sunday nights. It's a quick, easy, yummy one! The Flatbread with Rosemary and Olive Oil made a great side-dish.

Creamy Tomato Soup from Simple and Delicious
1 can tomato sauce (29 oz.) (I used 4 eight oz cans and a 14 oz. can of petite diced tomatoes to make it go a little further)
1 cup heavy whipping cream (I added a bit more milk to make it stretch)
1-1/2 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper
Dash hot pepper sauce (if desired)
Salad croutons, shredded cheddar cheese, quartered grape tomatoes and/or thinly sliced green onions

In a large sauce pan, combine the first seven ingredients. Cook and stir over medium heat until heated through (do not boil). Garnish with croutons, cheese, tomatoes, or onions.

Flatbread with Rosemary and Olive Oil

I made this amazing flatbread the other night to go with our Creamy Tomato Soup. It was so good! It didn't take very long to make and it just made the meal seem special. I loved the flavor- I have since tried Italian Seasoning instead of rosemary and I really liked it (although the rosemary was good.) I think you could easily experiment with some other herbs. You can make ahead and store it as well- I put the instructions for that on the bottom.

Flatbread with Rosemary and Olive Oil
from Food Made Fast: Small Plates cookbook

Yeast Dough:
3 1/2 cups flour
2 1/4 tsp (1 packet) instant yeast
1 T sugar
1 tsp salt
1 1/4-1 1/2 cups warm water (110 degrees)
2 T olive oil

1 T Coarse cornmeal
2 T olive oil
2 tsp fresh rosemary, finely chopped (I used about 1 tsp dried)
Coarse sea salt (I used Kosher Salt)

1. Make the dough: In a food processor, combine the flour, yeast, sugar, and salt and pulse to blend. (I just mixed it well in my Bosch). Add the warm water and olive oil and pulse until the dough comes together. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead the dough in an oiled large bowl, turn to coat, and cover with plastic wrap. Let right in a warm place until doubled in bulk and very spongy, about 1 1/2 hours. (I mixed it in the Bosch and it didn't take that long to double.)

2. Divide the dough: Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface, punch down, and knead into a smooth cylinder. Dived into 2 equal pieces and knead into a smooth cylinder. Divide into 2 equal pieces and knead again to form 2 smooth balls, dusting with flour if needed. Cover with a kitchen towel and let rest for 10 minutes. Store 1 ball for future use. (The balls are pretty small, so I would either double the batch and store half or store the whole thing.)

3. Bake the flatbread: Preheat oven to 450. Sprinkle the cornmeal evenly over an 11x17 baking sheet. Place the dough on the prepared pan. Press down on the center, and push and stretch the dough to the edges of the pan evenly. Cover with a damp towel and let rise for 15 minutes. Make several dimples in the dough. Drizzle the dough with the olive oil and sprinkle with the rosemary and sea salt. Bake until golden brown, 15-18 minutes. Cute into pieces and serve.

Storage tip: Place each ball separately in a resealable plastic bad and refrigerate until ready to use, up to overnight. Return to room temperature before proceeding with the recipe. If freezing, wrap the dough in plastic wrap before placing in the bags and freezing for up to 2 months. To thaw, place on a plate at room temperature; until the dough reaches room temperature and begins to rise again, about 3 hours.

White Pan Bread

We had a really fun bread making night with some friends in my Relief Society. This was one that my friend Jill brought that was really tasty. It was a nice- kind of spongy- texture and a good flavor. I thought I would share the recipe Jill passed on. I'm sure sure how to convert all the grams- so good luck with that. :)

Jill's White Pan Bread

Ingredients

Active dry yeast: 9g

Water (warm) 1: 35g

Water 2: 265g

Bread flour: 500g

Salt: 12g

Sugar: 18g

Powdered milk: 25g

Shortening: 18g

Total weight: 891g

Directions

Mix water 1 and yeast and set aside.

Measure all ingredients out and then mix together with yeast.

Mix for 10 minutes on lowest setting. (mix on a number 2 for kitchen aids)

Place dough in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap.

Let dough proof for 1½ at 80°F

Dough should double in size.

Kneed ten times and them separate dough into four loaves each weighing about 220g

Bake at 400°F until golden brown.

While baking, place a tray of ice cubes under the area where the bread is cooking.

Lamb Meatballs with Cilantro Raita

My good friend Melinda shared some lamb meat with me. I was so excited, because there are a few recipes I have been wanting to try, but where do you get lamb meat if you don't have a good friend to give it to you? :) And why is it so fun to say "lamburger"? I have been saying it every day since. Anyway- thanks Melinda- I have had fun exploring new "sheepish" posibilites. (And sorry to my little sister who LOVES lambs. She would never forgive me for posting this one. :) May I also note that the meatballs were very good, but I wouldn't bother making the "raita" dip- I thought it was terrible! It was Ba-a-a-a-ad. :) Let's face it- plain yogurt as a dominant ingredient just can't fly- at least not in my book.

Lamb Meatballs with Cilantro Raita
olive oil
1 small yellow onion, minced
ground lamb, 1 lb
2 eggs lightly beaten
1/2 cup fresh Italian parsley minced
1 T dried breadcrumbs
1 tsp ground cumin
4 large cloves garlic, minced

Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 cup Plain yogurt
1 T Fresh cilantro, finely chopped

1. Preheat the oven to broil. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray lightly with cooking pray. In a frying pan over medium low heat, warm the olive oil. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft about 5 minutes. transfer the onion to a large bowl and add the lamb, eggs, parsley, bread crumbs, cumin, three-fourths of the garlic, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Using your hands, combine the ingredients. From the mixture into a walnut-sized balls rolling them lightly between your palms. Place on the prepared baking sheet.

2. Broil the meatballs, turning once until golden brown and crispy, 8-10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the yogurt, cilantro, remaining garlic, and 1/4 tsp salt. Secure each meatball with a toothpick, place on a platter, and serve alongside the raita.

Hearty Sausage Stew

I had a packaged smoked sausage in storage and just subbed it with some pepperoni for the meat in this stew. It was nice not to have to prepare any meat, but still put a yummy stew on the table!

Hearty Sausage Stew

1/2 lb. fresh kielbasa pr Polish sausage links, cut into 1/2 in slices
1/2 lb. Italian sausage links, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
3-1/2 cups beef broth
1 can (14-1/2 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup apple juice
1 T minced fresh parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
4 oz. uncooked spiral pasta

In a large saucepan, cook sausages over medium heat until no longer pink. Remove with a slotted spoon, drain, reserve 2 T drippings.

In the drippings, saute onion and pepper until crisp-tender. Stir in the broth, tomatoes, apple juice, parsley, garlic, basil, oregano and sausages. Bring to a boil; add pasta. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until pasta is tender.

What d'ya do all night?

Every time I have split-peas soup and I think of my mom and how she would tell us that joke where we were supposed to respond "Pea Green Soup" to all her questions. She would ask, "What did you have for Breakfast.... Lunch.... Dinner...." and then our favorite part, "What did you do all night?" We would laugh and laugh (mostly because we weren't allowed to say "pee" in our house- strange, I know. Image my popularity when I had to say, "I need to wet.") and then we would take a bite of mom's delicious "Pea Green Soup".... which ALWAYS tasted better then it looked. That just seems to be the trend. Something about that color... and that word for that matter. :) All that aside, and here is a delicious, quick way to make some flavorful Split Peas Soup. Promise me that if you make it, you will share the joke as well. Kids... and husbands love it. :)

Split Pea Soup
6-8 cups water
ham-hock or left over ham-bone
1 (1 lb) package of dried split peas
Extra ham if desired
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp chicken bullion
salt and pepper to taste

Boil 6-8 cups of water with hambone. Add rinsed split peas and keep at a rolling bowl for about 20 minutes. (*If you are using a ham bone for a good Sunday ham, it often has quite a bit of meat left of the bone. I pulled the bone out and cut off the meat and had plenty. However, ham-hock doesn't have much meat though and it pretty tough, so I would remove it and just add ham.) Remove bone and add ham if desired. Stir in remaining ingredients and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.

I Love You "BEARY" Munch...

Oh... have you ever come across something that is just too cute to eat? I had the most difficult time dissecting these cute little bears my friend, Kathleen, made. (The girls, however, didn't hesitate, and had a big battle over who got the head. :) I must say, I'm glad I diecided to nibble off the ear, because they were fabulous! Delicious flavor! Kathleen is currently on a "flour" exploration, and I'm happy to be benefiting from her discoveries. She came across some really cool "white wheat" that contains all the nutrients you find in whole wheat, but it bakes up really nice and light. She's the expert though- I wish I could include all the details. King Aurthur Flour is the brand she has been using though, and so far so good. Keep up the good work Kathleen... and keep it coming. :)

Teddy Bear Rolls From Taste of Home

• 2 packages (1/4 ounce each) active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm water (110° to 115°)
• 1 cup warm milk (110° to 115°)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 5-1/2 to 6-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• Raisins (2 for each roll)
• White frosting
• 
  HONEY BUTTER:
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar

Directions

• In a large bowl, dissolve yeast in water. Add the milk, sugar, oil, egg, salt and 4 cups flour; beat until smooth. Add enough remaining flour to form a soft dough.
• Turn onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and elastic, about 6-8 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turning once to grease top. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down. For each bear, shape a 2-in. ball for the body. Add a 1-1/4-in. ball for the head and six 1/2-in. balls for the ears, arms and legs. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Cover and let rise until doubled, about 20 minutes.
• Bake at 400° for 17-20 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire racks. Add raisins for eyes, anchoring with a dab of frosting. Add a frosting smile.
• In a small bowl, beat honey butter ingredients until fluffy. Chill; serve with rolls. Yield: about 10 rolls (1-1/4 cups butter).

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Pancakes

I came across this great "healthy" recipe for pancakes here. The girls really liked it and I thought it was pretty good, too. We even topped it with home-made applesauce instead of syrup. I don't even think we had maple syrup in the house growing up. Mom would either make her own syrup, or we would use applesauce or blended pears (which are both surprisingly good!). I liked how filling these pancakes were! The seemed to stay with you a little longer to help curb the hunger or the "snack attacks." :)

Whole Wheat Peanut Butter Pancakes with Applesauce

2 and 1/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup brown sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/3 cup apple sauce
2 tbsp. reduced fat peanut butter
2 and 1/3 cups water

Mix all dry ingredients.
Add all wet ingredients and mix well with whisk or hand mixer.
Cook on hot griddle or in pan. If using teflon coated cooking surface, no oil is required. Otherwise, spray surface with cooking spray.

Enjoy with your favorite syrup.

Makes 8 servings. 1/2 cup of mix per pancake.

Feelin' the Love...

Well, I'm feelin' the love this February! For this weeks family night dessert my friend came over and the helped the girls and I make this "sweet" treat. We found it in the Friend magazine. They were yummy and easy to make. The girls had lots of fun punching out the hearts.

Sweethearts
2 packages (6 oz each) cherry or strawberry gelatin
2 cups boiling water
1 cup cold milk
1 package (3.4 oz) instant vanilla pudding mix

In a bowl, dissolve gelatin in the boiling water, then let sit until cooled. In another bowl, whisk the milk and pudding mix until smooth. Pour the mixture into the gelatin and whist until well blended. Pour into a 13x9 dish lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray. Put in the refrigerator until set (about 1-2 hours). Use a heart-shaped cookie cutter to make sweet treats for your family and friends.

Easy Party Meatballs

I saw this recipe on the Kraftfood site and thought I would try it out. I liked the flavor and texture it added. I also liked how many it made. I was able to put the extra in bags and freeze it for one of the "busy night" meals. I used turkey burger and I don't know if it is just more moist but I ended up changing (in green) the recipe a bit to get the right consistency. The changes made it easy and I think I ended up with quite a bit more. (3 cookie sheets full)

Easy Part Meatballs
1-1/2 lb. lean ground beef (2-3 lbs. turkey burger)

1 pkg. (6 oz.) STOVE TOP Stuffing Mix for Chicken (2 pkg.)

2/3 cup water (omit)

2 cans (8 oz. each) crushed pineapple, drained (1 20 oz. undrained)

1 bottle (18 oz.) KRAFT Original Barbecue Sauce or KRAFT Hickory Smoke Barbecue Sauce

1/4 cup packed brown sugar

HEAT oven to 425ºF. Mix meat, stuffing mix and water. Shape into 1-inch balls.

PLACE in 13x9-inch baking dish.

BAKE 20 min. or until cooked through (160ºF). Stir in pineapple, barbecue sauce and sugar. Bake 10 min. or until sauce is heated through.

After buying seriously over 20 little boxes of pudding mix packages, for some reason, I felt like I needed to make home-made pudding last night. :) Don't ask me why I do that... I guess just to make sure it can be done? Believe me folks... it can!!! I found this recipe here and it was totally delicious! So rich and creamy. (Almost too rich- you can only have a little.) But it was so easy to make, I think I'm going to cut back on buying the little packages. This tasted better and I know what is going into it... pure chocolate goodness! :)

Homemade Chocolate Pudding

• 6 tablespoons sugar (I use splenda)
• 4 tablespoons cornstarch (slightly heaping)
• 2 tablespoons cocoa (heaping)
• 1 pinch salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups milk (I use 1%)

1. Combine all dry ingredients until all lumps are gone and blended well.
2. Add milk and place on burner turned to high -- stir constantly until desired thickness.
3. Remove from heat and add vanilla, stir well and serve.enjoy.

I tried out this new pasta I found on Kraft Foods. I thought it was good, but I have to admit, I struggle with uncooked spinach. I know it sounds silly, but I might just "bake" it and turn it into something more like manacotti. Not one of my favorites, but you just have to keep trying, right? :)

Whole Wheat Pasta with Spinach & Ricotta

12 oz. pasta, uncooked

1 container (15 oz.) POLLY-O Original Ricotta Cheese

1 pkg. (10 oz.) frozen chopped spinach, thawed, squeezed dry

1 cup chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

2 Tbsp. oil

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. dried oregano leaves

1/4 tsp. black pepper

COOK pasta as directed on package.

MEANWHILE, combine all remaining ingredients in large bowl.

DRAIN pasta. Add to cheese mixture; toss to coat.

This fish was totally delicious! I didn't have pecans, so I had to used toasted peanuts, but it was so good! It was easy to make and full of delicious flavor. I think fish is so important to incorperate into your diet, and this turned out to be a wonderful way!

Pecan-Parmesan Fish Fillets

1/2 cup PLANTERS Chopped Pecans, toasted

1/3 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

3 Tbsp. lemon juice, divided

1 Tbsp. olive oil

4 tilapia fillets (1 lb.)

1 cup instant brown rice, uncooked

1 can (14 oz.) fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

1 cup small broccoli florets

PREHEAT oven to 375ºF. Combine pecans, cheese, parsley, 2 Tbsp. of the lemon juice and the oil. Place fish in single layer in shallow baking dish; spread with pecan mixture. Drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp. lemon juice.

BAKE 10 to 12 min. or until fish flakes easily with fork. Meanwhile, cook rice as directed on package, substituting broth for the water and adding broccoli to the boiling broth along with the rice.

SERVE fish with the rice mixture.

Gyoza

Just before Christmas, my friend Jill taught me how to make Sushi and Gyoza, and she just sent me the Gyoza recipe. I'm so excited to make them again- they were so tasty!

Gyoza

Ingredients
1 lb	Ground pork or turkey
½ cup	Chopped onion
1	Egg
1 T	Corn starch
1 package	Gyoza skins/Wonton wraps
3 T	Soy sauce

Directions:

1. In a bowl, mix meat, onion, egg, corn starch and flavoring (soy sauce/teriyaki sauce).

2. Lay out about a dozen wraps at a time. Place a spoonful of mixture onto center of each wrap.

3. Dip finger into water and trace the edge of wrap and fold up into little dutch-hat looking potsticker.

4. Continue until all are made, setting them aside on a platter.

5. In large, deep fry pan, coated with a tablespoon of oil, brown about 20-25 gyoza at a time on medium heat. Turn each one and once browned, pour about 1 ½ cups of water over them. Put the lid on and steam for a few minutes. Once they have absorbed the water, they are done.

6. Remove them from pan, wipe out, and do the next batch.

7. Serve with rice. Pour a few tablespoons of soy sauce n a small dish and add a drop or two of hot sesame oil. This is for dipping the gyoza.

A Simple Snack...

Is there anything better then an orange! (They are so my favorite fruit!) Make something fabulous even better with a pinch of coconut. My good friend Brittany gave me this "simple snack" idea. She said they often have it Christmas morning as a tradition. (I thought that sounded fun.) Now it is a favorite at our house. The girls love it, and it is something they can "make" themselves! :) Thanks Brit!

Orange Snow
1 orange, thinly sliced
1 tsp coconut flakes per slice
*Peel and munch! Mmmm...

Open Faced Ham Sandwiches

This ended up being a fabulous way to use and "dress-up" my Sunday ham left-overs. The kids really liked it too. I made some changes- ok pretty much I had something to say after every ingredient (sorry I know that's annoying) but I guess the point I'm trying to make it that you can adjust the recipe to fit you and it will still be delicious! :)

Open Faced Ham Sandwiches with Jack Cheese and Ancho Slaw
By Robin Miller

Ancho Slaw:
1 cup store-bought cole slaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots) (*I just shredded my own cabbage. Cheap and only takes a minute.)
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I substituted plain yogurt and couldn't even taste a difference!)
1 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 T red wine vinegar (I used cider vinegar)
1 T ground ancho chiles, Tabasco chipotle sauce, or minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce (I don't like the heat, so I just left it out- I know, I totally took the "Ancho" out of "Ancho Slaw" but it was still delicious. :)
1/2 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

4 thick slices country bread or rye bread (I used whole wheat English muffins)
12 ounces thinly sliced deli ham (this was a great way for me to use up my left over Sunday ham.)
8 or more slices Monterey Jack cheese (I subbed cheddar.)

In a medium bowl, combine the slaw mix, mayo, cilantro, vinegar, ground ancho, and cumin and mix well to coat the slaw. Season with salt and pepper.

Preheat the broiler. (This makes it sound like you have to have a "broiler" and if you're like me, you are thinking, "Great, I got this far and now I can't make it because I don't have a stupid broiler." Just set your oven to "broil". There you go. For a long time I didn't know that- I feel dumb admitting it- you probably did know, but it sure would have been nice if someone had told me I had a "broiler". :) Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil.

Place the bread slices on the sheet. Top the bread with equal portions of the slaw mixture, then with the ham and cheese slices. Palace the sandwiches under the broiler until the cheese melts, 2-3 minutes.

Is it possible for a brownie to be "healthy"? Doug and I are trying to eat a little healthier, but we had a "hankering" for some brownies. I came across this recipe here and it turned out pretty good... it met out needs anyway. :) We've just had to exercise a lot of self control in not having too many! :)

Fat-free Low Calorie Chocolate Brownies

• 1 cup flour
• 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup non-fat dry milk powder
• 1 egg white, slightly beaten
• 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp powdered sugar

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly coat an 8 x 8 x 2-inch pan with cooking spray; set aside.

In large bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon; set aside.

In medium bowl, beat the sugar, brown sugar, non-fat dry milk powder, egg white, applesauce and vanilla with a spoon until well combined. Stir wet mixture into dry mixture, mixing just until moistened.

Spread evenly in prepared pan. Bake 22 to 23 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack. If Dust with powdered sugar.

Makes 16 fat-free and low-calorie brownies.

Egg, Ham and Spinach Pizza

I'm trying to get a little bit more protein in, and sometimes you've just got to have pizza, so I tried out this pizza by Ellie Krieger. Click here for a video of her making it. I think she just has some really great ideas, and I like her voice. :) Can a voice sound healthy? Ok- I'm just weird. Anyway- I made this pizza using my little sisters yummy crust recipe (which I made whole wheat) and I'm not patient enough to punch it down every ten minutes for an hour, so I have a little trick when I want to speed that process up. I just roll it out, put it in a pizza pan, and put it in the oven on "WARM" and watch it close- it rises a lot faster. (You have to bake it before you put toppings on with this recipe.) I like to do that with my regular bread too- I can make a batch in less than an hour that way, and I don't have to wait the whole day to do it. I do have to say that the egg was a little different, and that it didn't cook as fast as everything else on top. (Doug wasn't really into it, and that is usually a good indicator- the man likes just about anything.) I think if I were to do it again, I would either leave them off or cook them separate and put them on after. They looked cool though. :) Also, it was just crying out for tomatoes- I would put them on next time, fresh or even just a can of diced spread on the bottom. The pizza wanted them on it. :) It was fun to try something new though- I liked the spinach and I usually don't. :)

Egg, Ham and Spinach Pizza

• 1 store-bought baked thin-crust pizza shell, preferably whole-wheat, such as Boboli
• 4 cups (about 4 ounces) baby spinach leaves, thinly sliced
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 ounces prosciutto di Parma, thinly sliced (I just used regular ham.)
  
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan (1 1/2 ounces)
• 3 cloves thinly sliced garlic
• 4 eggs

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Place the pizza shell on a cookie sheet. Scatter spinach all over crust. Drizzle with oil. Evenly distribute prosciutto, Parmesan and garlic on top of spinach. Crack eggs onto pizza, roughly positioning 1 yolk on each pizza quarter. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until spinach is wilted and egg whites are just fully cooked. Cut into 4 large slices.

Spread Yourself Thin

My good friend Bekah has gotten me excited about eating healthier. She has been doing the "ABS Diet for Women" and she let me borrow the book. There are some great recipes and I just really like the general idea of sticking to simple "power" foods and making it part of your life-style to make healthy choices. I'm not following it perfectly, but I have been trying to eat healthier, and I'm already seeing results! I feel like I have a lot more energy too, and like I don't find myself "binge snacking" like I sometimes do. This is one of the recipes in the book I tried out and really liked. I never would have thought of making a bean spread, but it had a great taste and was a whole lot more sustaining then jam or butter. I'm not "extreme"- I've still got to make an occasional something wonderful, rich, and creamy, but I think you'll see quite a few more recipes listed under the "Let there be Lite" catagory. :) Atleast that the plan. Thanks Bekah for the jump-start!

Spread Yourself Thin

• 1 can (15 ounces) cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste

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Directions

1.

In blender or food processor, mix beans, rosemary, garlic, and lemon juice. (If you're using a blender, you may need to stop and scrape the sides of the canister once to make sure everything blends well.) (I actually just did it in my new Botch mixer- it probably wasn't as "pureed" but I think it still worked well.) Stream oil through the top until you reach desired consistency. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spread on to a hardy piece of whole wheat toast.