Good Morning Granola...

This has been my favorite way to start the day lately.  Healthy, delicious, and quite filling... not to mention EASY to make.  Winner all around!  I have made my own regular granola and honey nut granola, but I have been lazy lately and just found one I like at the store.  It is much cheaper to make your own, though.  Anyway, just giving you a good reason not to hit snooze! :)

Healthy Good Morning Granola and Yogurt (By Lyd

1 cup Vanilla Yogurt

1/2 cup Granola

1/2 cup Trail Mix

Handful of dried cranberries

Layer ingredients and mix in your bowl.

Almond Chocolate Fudge

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!
I'm sneaking all these sweets in before our New Year's resolutions. :)  Plus this is a must!  Is Christmas complete without a bit of fudge?  I have made it a couple times, and this has been my favorite recipe so far.  Super easy and I like the texture and richness of the cream cheese.  I made this again with white chocolate and I sprinkled crushed candy-canes on the top.  It was cute.  Got to love a recipe you can play around with.

Almond Chocolate Fudge

1 teaspoon butter

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened

3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar

6 ounces unsweetened chocolate, melted and cooled

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Dash salt

1/4 cup slivered Almonds (or other nut)

Line a 9-in. square pan with foil and grease the foil with butter; set aside. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. (I never noticed it get "fluffy"- I found that a little confusing.  Maybe they meant creamy?) Gradually beat in confectioners' sugar. Beat in the melted chocolate, extract and salt until smooth. 

Spread into prepared pan. Sprinkle and press almonds over the top.  Cover and refrigerate overnight or until firm. Using foil, lift fudge out of pan. Gently peel off foil; cut fudge into 1-in. squares. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Yield: 2-1/2 pounds.

Nutritional Facts:  1 piece equals 49 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 15 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 1/2 starch, 1/2 fat.

(A twist on Taste of Home Pecan Toffee Recipe) 

 

Easy Crispy Peanut Butter Balls

 

I went "nuts" with these guys, gained 5 lbs. and now we're through. :)  It was true love while it lasted though.  A happy addition to any holiday goodie plate.  Super easy to make!  The kids had fun helping me shape the balls.  I served some of them chocolate dipped and some not... quite frankly because chocolate and I do not always get along- it is way to finicky.   Most of what I melted was made into fudge because it just wouldn't cooperate even with a double boiler... But I would say that isn't necessarily a bad thing. :)  So loosen that belt and help yourself. :)  Happy Holidays!

Easy Crispy Peanut Butter Balls cooks.com

2 c. crunchy peanut butter

1/2 c. butter

1 lb. confectioners' sugar

3 c. Rice Krispies

Dipping chocolate

(Creamy peanut butter is just as good, but add 1/4 cup more Rice Krispies if you use creamy.)

Combine peanut butter, butter and confectioners sugar in large bowl. Blend well. Add rice cereal. Form into 3/4 inch balls and dip into dipping chocolate. Makes about 75 or more balls. Great for holiday gifts.

Proof of my poor dipping abilities... oh well.  Don't judge a person by how they dip chocolate, please. :)

Curried Butternut Squash and Rice Casserole

Are you tired of squash yet?  "NEVER!" you bellow, "Keep it coming!"  Well, you won't be after you try this family-friendly dish!  Yay for a meatless meal winner!  This has been by far the best meatless meal/squashful dish I've made yet.  It was delicious!!!  The whole family liked it- and that is saying something.  It was flavorful, had a fun variety of textures- I loved the nuts and cheese on top that add contrast AND protein.  This is a very healthy one, but it taste more like comfort food.  We didn't miss the meat one bit.  Also fairly inexpensive to make.  Could also pass as a side dish.  I was so happy to have stumbled across this one... I know you'll thank me! :)

Curried Butternut Squash and Rice Casserole (Country Living)

2 tablespoon(s) Vegetable Oil

1 cup(s) (about 1 medium) Chopped Onion (I don't usually have "shallots" lying around, so I used a big onion.)

1 Shallot, chopped

1 tablespoon(s) Curry Powder

1 teaspoon(s) Salt

1/2 teaspoon(s) Ground Coriander

1/4 teaspoon(s) Ground Black Pepper

2 cup(s) Reduced-Sodium Chicken Or Vegetable Broth

1 can(s) (14-ounce) Reduced-Fat Coconut Milk 

2 1/2 cup(s) (about 1 1/2 pounds) Butternut Squash, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

1 1/2 cup(s) Basmati Rice

1/4 cup(s) Sliced Almonds 

Parmesan Cheese

1/4 cup(s) Golden Raisins (I left these out.)

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a 4-quart shallow Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Add onion, shallot, curry powder, salt, coriander, and pepper. Sauté until onion has softened — 5 to 7 minutes.

Stir in the broth and the coconut milk. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat. Cook 1 minute. Remove the pan from heat and stir in the squash, rice, almonds, and raisins. Cover tightly and place in oven. Bake 20 minutes. Carefully remove the cover and bake 10 minutes longer. Serve immediately.

Lyd's Directions: I sauted the onion and squash with the seasonings in a little olive oil.  I also used cook rice from left-overs.  Then I stirred it all together (except cheese and nuts) and heated through, and poured it into a baking dish, added cheese and almonds and covered with foil, following the same cooking time.

Nutritional Information

(per serving)

Calories	310
Total Fat	7.0g
Saturated Fat	--
Cholesterol	4.0mg
Sodium	567mg
Total Carbohydrate	--
Dietary Fiber	5.00g
Sugars	--
Protein	6.0g
Calcium	--

Monkey-Bee Sandwiches

We "go bananas" over this simple snack. :)  It's a favorite around here- easy to throw together, healthy, and fairly filling... which means they won't be asking you 5 minutes later for another snack... YAY!  (Also just going to put in a plug for "Dave's Killer Bread."  It's so yummy!  Our favorite is 21 Grain.  It's so hearty and healthy, tastes like it's straight from momma's kitchen... only it's ex-con Dave's kitchen. :)  Quite delicious though.)

Monkey-Bee Sandwiches (By Lyd)

Toast

Peanut Butter

Bananas

Honey (*only if you're a brave mom, and don't mind "sticky".)

Cinnamon

Toast your bread.  Spread PB.  Layer with bananas.  Drizzle with honey.  Sprinkle with cinnamon.  Devour and act like a monkey.

 

 

For the LOVE! German Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

HAPPY HEART DAY!!!  It would be a crime to break with a tradition: Chocolate on Valentines Day.  German Chocolate cake is my hubby's favorite, so of course these cookies caught my eye.  Unfortunately, this one is going down as a "mishap".  I thought the icing was quite tasty, but a lot of work to make, so if I did it again (which I probably won't) I would definitely just buy some pre-made icing.  PLUS these little babies did not hold together right.  Is there any thing more exasperating than seeing a picture off a recipe and not recognizing it your own "version"?  Theirs were all flat and mine just stayed in little crumbly balls--actually making a "thumbprint" was a joke because they just fell apart.  I don't know what I did wrong, but I finally added a little bit of milk and they stayed together pretty well.  They did, however, taste pretty good... which in my opinion is #1 priority.  (This is second to "labor involved" and this one was high labor.  Don't be deceived by "cake mix".  I have a hard time when you have to refrigerate cookie dough and all that--but I'll have you know that I didn't skip that step.) So consider carefully before before proceeding... it might just be a better idea to buy a candy bar or a box of chocolates. :)  I'm just saying.  But here it is anyway.

German Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies (Taste of Home)

1 cup sugar

1 cup evaporated milk

1/2 cup butter, cubed

3 egg yolks

1-1/2 cups flaked coconut

1-1/2 cups chopped pecans

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 package (18-1/4 ounces) German chocolate cake mix

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup butter, melted

In a large heavy saucepan, combine the sugar, milk, butter and egg yolks. Cook and stir over medium-low heat until mixture is thickened and coats the back of a spoon. Remove from the heat. Stir in the coconut, pecans and vanilla. Set aside 1-1/4 cups for topping.

In a large bowl, combine the cake mix, flour, melted butter and remaining coconut mixture. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Shape dough into 1-in. balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Using the end of a wooden spoon handle, make an indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill each cookie with a teaspoonful of reserved topping.

Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes or until set. Let stand for 2 minutes before removing to wire racks to cool. Store in an airtight container. Yield: 5 dozen.

Nutritional Facts1 cookie equals 113 calories, 6 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 18 mg cholesterol, 93 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

Chocolate Snowballs

A couple weeks ago, we got almost two feet of snow in one day.  It was wonderful!  I love snow days!  They closed school and all the kids spend the day building forts and snowmen.  It was that wet kind of snow, perfect for making snowballs... chocolate covered snowballs, that is. :)  This was a fun recipe I tried.  They were tasty, but a little dry--and too time consuming to be a "regular" around here.  I think there might be better versions out there, but I thought it was a fun concept, and it makes for a fun "snow day!"

Chocolate Snowballs (From Christmas at Home: Delicious Desserts)

1 1/4 cups butter

2/3 cup white sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

2 cups chopped pecans

1/2 cup confectioners' sugar for decoration

In a medium bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Stir in the vanilla. Sift together the flour, salt, and cocoa; stir into the creamed mixture. Mix in the pecans until well blended. Cover, and chill for at least 2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Roll chilled dough into 1 inch balls. Place on ungreased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 20 minutes in preheated oven. Roll in confectioners' sugar when cooled.

Shrimp and Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe

First of all… I just have to say THANK YOU to my cute little brother and sis-in-law. They got me one of these for my birthday in the spring… (It just came about a month ago. There were complications with delivery. :)

Jealous? You should be. Aren’t they good to me!!! It has been so fun to experiment with and it’s just so nice to have light is my light-lacking apartment. THANK YOU!!!

Second of all… this is a really yummy version of fried rice. A real twist. Shrimp is growing on me. My friend shared a bag with me as they were cleaning out and moving, so it has been fun to experiment. Texture is a big thing for Doug and he wasn’t quite ready for the peanuts and pineapples, and though he knows better then to tell me so , I could tell it wasn’t his favorite. I however, really liked it. So you just never know until you try it out, I guess. :) (I also threw some ham and tomatoes in there.)

Shrimp and Pineapple Fried Rice Recipe (Taste of Home)

• 2 eggs
• 1 small onion, chopped
• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 cups cooked instant brown rice
• 1 can (20 ounces) unsweetened pineapple chunks, drained
• 1/2 pound cooked medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 cup chopped cashews
• 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed
• 2 green onions, sliced
• 3 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions

• In a small bowl, whisk eggs. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add eggs; cook and stir until set; remove from the skillet and keep warm.
• In the same skillet, saute onion in oil until tender. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer. Stir in the rice pineapple, shrimp, cashews, peas and green onions; heat through. Combine the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sugar, sesame oil and pepper; stir into rice mixture. Stir in eggs. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1-1/3 cups equals 342 calories, 10 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 128 mg cholesterol, 521 mg sodium, 46 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 16 g protein.

Tangy Almond Garlic String Beans

It’s always good to have a winning side dish… it just seems like I neglect that part of the meal, but I find it’s really worth it when I take the time. It makes me so impressed with my Grandparents generation—they always seemed to have an impressive “proper” spread complete with several side dishes, fruit, and followed up with dessert. I just feel lucky most days to throw together a casserole or something of that nature, and if it has some sort of veggie in it, I feel like “I’ve arrived.” :) Way to go Grandma! These string beans were really god- I love almonds in them! I’ve made a similar recipe before, but I really liked the addition of ginger- added a whole new dimension.

Tangy Almond Garlic String Beans (foodnetwork.com)

• Salt
• 1 pound string beans, trimmed
• 1/2 cup sliced almonds
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Salt
• 4 to 5 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1-inch piece ginger, grated
• 1/2 teaspoon dried red chili flakes (I'm a wimp and didn't include this.)
  
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the beans and cook for just 1 to 2 minutes, until the beans turn bright green. Strain them and run under cold water to stop them from cooking.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the almonds and toast them until golden brown, about 4 minutes, shaking the pan often to avoid burning the almonds. Remove the toasted almonds from the pan.

Return the skillet to the burner and increase the heat to medium-high. Heat the olive oil in the pan and add a few pinches of salt, the garlic, ginger, and chili flakes. Cook just until the garlic starts to brown. Add the vinegar and let cook down for 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat and toss in the beans to coat them thoroughly and evenly with the dressing.

Serve on a platter and scatter the top with the toasted almonds.

Dairy-Free Chip Cookies and The Beginning of a New Adventure…

Dairy Free? Can in really be done? I mean… can it REALLY be done with someone like me? A month or two ago, I would have told you ABSOLUTELY NOT, but I have found a few gems a long the way that have really helped out. Rice Milk is one of them!

Alternative milks I like (in this order):

• Flax Milk is my favorite, but it is newer and hard to find. It tastes really good- vanilla flavored… Mmmmm! And it has that Omega 3 that is really good for you. They enrich these milks, so they have just as much calcium as a glass of cow’s milk- which I think is pretty cool.
• I also really like Rice Milk- the flavor isn’t too strong, but it does taste like rice. My husband didn’t like any of them until he tasted this, but he love rice, so there you have it.
• I also like Coconut Milk- it was so good in cereal!

However, I’m not as big a fan of Almond or Soy Milk- which are much easier to find. I just didn’t care for the flavor as much, but that is just my two bits on the subject. Why Dairy Free?, you may be asking. My husband and daughter have had a couple health issues, and we’ve found out they might have a food allergy/irritation to dairy, so I’ve just been trying to cook most of our meals without. I have been surprised at the difference- we have all felt better. My husbands stomach pains have decreased and my daughters issues are almost gone! It is hard, I still haven’t completely gotten rid of the cheese and yogurt- those have been the hardest, but we’ve found that the low fat kinds seem to cause the worst reactions.

ANYWAY- enough about all that- I did try out these cookies I found on the side of the Rice Dream carton. They were pretty good. I like the maple syrup flavor in them—although I don’t know how “healthy” that was with all the high fructose corn syrup… oh well, I guess you win some and you loose some. :) It reminds me a little bit of the guy I saw using one of those aluminum water containers to “help the environment” and I watched him open a plastic water bottle, pour it in, and toss it…Hmmmm…I guess you just do the best you can and just hope to yourself you are making a difference. Maybe you just feel a little less guilty anyway. :)

Huey's Chip Cookies (Rice Dream)

Makes 12 large cookies or 3 dozen small cookies

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup unbleached white flour
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 3/4 cup carob or chocolate chips (I used mini dark chocolate chips.)
• 1/2 cup Rice Dream Classic Original or Vanilla
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350. Mix all ingredients in a large bowl. Drop by scoop or spoon onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Bake 10 - 20 minutes (depending on size) until edges begin to brown.

Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Pudding Cookies

My friend Bekah shared these AMAZING cookies at a girls night. HEAVENLY! She found the recipe from picky-palate.com, a really cute site full of some yummy, incredible, and seemingly a-bit-unhealthy recipes. :) (I just want to know who could possibly be picky using ingredients like that!) Watch out, because these are DANGEROUS! They are just such a perfect mix of gooey chocolate and peanut butter, that it is hard to muster up enough self control to stop at just one. Good luck, hope you’re a better man/woman than me! :)

Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Marshmallow Pudding Cookies

2 sticks softened butter

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

2 eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

4 oz box instant chocolate pudding mix

10 oz bag peanut butter chips

1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or line with a silpat liner.

2. In a stand or electric mixer, beat butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla until well combined.

3. Place flour, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl, mixing to combine. Slowly add to wet ingredients along with chocolate pudding mix, peanut butter chips and marshmallows. Mix until just combined. With a medium cookie scoop, place onto baking sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until cooked through. Let cool for 10 minutes on baking sheet before transferring.

Makes 3 dozen cookies

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls

My friend Melissa shared some of these yummy cookies balls with us. My girls actually got a sample a while back from her husband, our manager. I was busy paying rent, and when we were at the office window, he shared a couple cookies with them. Now, they beg me to take them to the office for cookies... they think it's like the dum-dums or Fruities at the bank. I'm not sure how to break this trend, but now that I have the yummy recipe, I can just pack down my own cookies or they can get their "fix" beforehand. :) ...And I can too, of course. :)

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Balls
(I got this from Melissa, who found it on Peasandthankyou.com, and she was inspired by Annie the Baker’s Cookie Dough Balls, just to give credit where credit is due. :)
Makes 12-18 dough balls
1/2 c. non-dairy margarine (i.e. Earth Balance)
3/4 c. natural peanut butter
1/2 c. organic brown sugar
3/4 c. organic powdered sugar
1/2 t. vanilla extract
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. baking soda
3/4 t. salt
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 c. unbleached organic flour
1/2 c. natural peanut butter chips
1/2 c. non-dairy chocolate chips

Using a stand mixer, beat margarine, peanut butter, sugars and vanilla until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, combine baking powder, baking soda, salt and flours.
Add dry mixture to the mixer bowl a little at a time.
Mix until a dough forms.
Add your chips. There’s no need for exact measurements here. I won’t tell.
Combine and chill dough for 30 minutes.
***Edited to add: your dough may seem a little dry based on the type of peanut butter used (I used Skippy natural). If you cannot get it to come together by mixing or packing it into your scoop tightly, you can try adding an additional tablespoon of peanut butter or non-dairy milk.

You could just eat the dough at this point, then click on the “Contact Me” button and propose marriage. If you want the full Cookie Dough Ball experience though, preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Scoop dough with a mini ice cream scoop (or your fingers) and place balls on a cookie sheet.

Bake for 10-12 minutes. They’ll still be soft and look much like they did going in, but don’t overbake. Let the dough balls rest on the pan for a minute before transferring to a cooling rack.

Did Someone Say German Chocolate Cake?

Yes. It was my husband. This is his favorite birthday cake request. I usually get a German Chocolate cake mix (dare I say the word... or words?) and the pre-made pecan coconut frosting. It's not bad... but THIS is TEN TIMES better! I thought this year I would do it up right, and you could definitely tell this was the real deal. I stuck with the "Baker's" recipe. But for the frosting, I was inspired by my friend Emily's German cake and frosting a while back. She was the one who told me this whole process was do-able, and this frosting is REALLY GOOD! Anyway- Happy Birthday to my hubby! Three layers of chocolate-y LOVE for you!

Original Baker's German Chocolate Cake

1 pkg. (4 oz.) BAKER'S GERMAN'S Sweet Chocolate

1/2 cup water

4 eggs, separated

2 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp. salt

1 cup butter, softened

2 cups sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

1 cup buttermilk

HEAT oven to 350°F.

COVER bottoms of 3 (9-inch) round pans with waxed paper; spray sides with cooking spray. Microwave chocolate and water in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1-1/2 to 2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted, stirring after 1 min. Stir until chocolate is completely melted.

BEAT egg whites in small bowl with mixer on high speed until stiff peaks form; set aside. Mix flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter and sugar in large bowl with mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks, 1 at a time, beating well after each. Blend in melted chocolate and vanilla. Add flour mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating until well blended after each addition.

ADD egg whites; stir gently until well blended. Pour into prepared pans.

BAKE 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Immediately run small spatula around cakes in pans. Cool cakes in pans 15 min.; remove from pans to wire racks. Cool completely. Spread Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting between cake layers and onto top of cake.

Coconut-Pecan Filling and Frosting
1 cup Evaporated Milk
1 cup Sugar
3 Egg Yolks
1/2 cup Butter
1 teaspoon Vanilla

Combine all ingredients. Mix well. Cook over medium heat on stovetop until thickened, about 12 minutes. Add 1/3 cup Coconut and 1 cup Chopped Nuts. Pour over cake.

Orange-Pecan Waffles

You would think after a couple years of not having a waffle iron, I would remember that I don't own one. I don't know how I still forget, mix-up the batter, and then remember. It's a good thing I have my back-up sandwich maker. :) Surprisingly, it works pretty well, you just can't fill it very full. Anyway, my sweet Momma gave me a cute little "Christmas at Home: Delightful Desserts" recipe book, and I have had fun trying a couple of them out. This was a yummy one. Doug and the kids wished that I had left the nuts out, but it was still good.

Orange-Pecan Waffles
2/3 cup butter
3 cups sifted flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
2 T sugar
4 large eggs
2 1/2 cups milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Zest of 1 orange
1 cup pecans, finely chopped (I used walnuts.)

Melt and cool butter. Set aside. Sift flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar together in a large bowl. Beat eggs in small bowl on high speed for 1 minute. Add milk and vanilla. Then add egg mixture to dry ingredients. Add orange zest and pecans. Beat on medium speed about 1 minute until blended. Blend in butter on low speed. Bake in preheated waffle iron. Makes 4 full-size, four-section waffles. Serve with additional butter and warm maple syrup.

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake

Yes... is it beautiful. Yes... that is a yummy cream filling. Yes... that is caramel drizzling down the sides and pooling at the bottom. And Yes... it was so incredibly delicious! "Wow- this is Thanksgiving worthy!" were my husbands first words as he bit into this AMAZING cake, and he was absolutely right! Would you believe that I won this beauty at a Ward Dessert Auction! (We bid with points instead of money.) It was the first dessert auctioned and I got a SCREAMIN' DEAL (people are always a little gun-shy at the beginning of auctions) and let me tell you that I was screamin' by the time I cut a slice and took a bite. This cake looks beautiful and it tastes even better! A big winner. If you click on the Kraftfood's link, there is even a video tutorial on how to make it. My friend Jen (who made this beauty) said it is super easy... but then isn't that what every professional says? She did an amazing job and somehow, by eating her cake, I just feel like we are best friends. Anyone who makes cake like this is a very good person in my book. :)

Luscious Four-Layer Pumpkin Cake (Kraftfoods.com)
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 can (15 oz.) pumpkin, divided
1/2 cup Milk
1/3 cup Oil
4 Eggs
1-1/2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice, divided
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1 cup Powdered sugar
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1/4 cup Caramel ice cream topping
1/4 cup chopped PLANTERS Pecans

HEAT oven to 350°F.
BEAT cake mix, 1 cup pumpkin, milk, oil, eggs and 1 tsp. spice in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9-inch round pans.
BAKE 28 to 30 min. or until toothpick inserted in centers comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 min. Remove from pans to wire racks; cool completely.
BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Add sugar, remaining pumpkin and spice; mix well. Gently stir in COOL WHIP. Cut each cake layer horizontally in half with serrated knife; stack on serving plate, spreading cream cheese filling between layers. (Do not frost top layer.) Drizzle with caramel topping just before serving; top with nuts. Refrigerate leftovers.

Kraft Kitchens Tips
Size-Wise
Celebrate and enjoy a serving of this indulgent cake on a special occasion.

How to Slice and Stack Cake Layers
Place 1 of the cooled cake layers on serving plate. Make 2-inch horizontal cut around side of cake, using long serrated knife. Cut all the way through cake layer to make 2 layers. Remove top layer by sliding it onto 9-inch round cardboard circle. Frost cake layer on plate with 1/3 of the COOL WHIP mixture. Slide top half of split cake layer from cardboard circle onto frosted layer on plate. Place the remaining unsplit cake layer on a cutting board. Cut into 2 layers as done for the first layer. Repeat process of transferring cake layers to stacked cake layers on plate using the cardboard circle.

Substitute
Omit caramel sauce. Microwave 10 KRAFT Caramels and 1 Tbsp. milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2 min. or until caramels begin to melt. Stir until caramels are completely melted. Drizzle over cake just before serving; top with nuts.

Healthy Raisin and Nut Truffle Ball

My friend Melissa brought over this healthy snack for me to sample. I just have to tell you that this one is brilliant! It is so easy to prepare and it is totally "craving" satisfying. If you have a food processor, you are so stinkin' lucky! I had to use my blender, and it still worked, but it was a little harder. Melissa also made a raw chocolate and coconut one that was amazing- I need to get the recipe. This one is supper simple though- you've got to try it! It is surprising how yummy it is! My kids really liked them, and they thought it was dessert. :)

Healthy Raisin and Nut Truffle Balls (From Melissa Rauch)
1 cup nuts (walnuts or pecans work best because they are a bit more moist)
1 cup raisins (I used dried cranberries because I didn't have raisins at the time and it was really yummy and worked great. I bet you could really get creative with dried fruit!)
1 tsp vanilla (or less)

That is seriously it! You just put it in a food processor (or blender with a lot of love) until it mixes really well, then you just form little balls with your fist-- very rough little balls if you are like me. Notice Melissa's lovely, perfectly spherical balls at the top. :) Hey- they taste the same either way! :) I froze mine and whenever I need a little snack I pull them out.

Sour Cream-Blueberry Bread

Ok- don't ask me why, but I just barely discovered the local library as an incredible resource for good cookbooks. Where have I been? It was a whole isle bursting with everything from "Cooking for Dummies" and "How to's" to gourmet restaurant dishes. I am SO EXCITED! (A little too excited... I was a bit destracted and I lost my daughter while I was so enthralled and they had to intercom me to come pick up my crying child. Next time, I'm not taking the kids. :) Anyhow, I came across this William-Sanoma cookbook for breads- it jumped out at me, because I have one of his books, and really like it. Needless to say, I found this little gem in there! "This dessert bread puts boring ole' banana bread to shame for sure! This recipe is amazing. The use of bananas/sour cream makes it as light as cake, and the sweetness of the bananas and sugar gives it a delightfully light and crunchy crust." It says to put it in a 9x5 pan but I think you could do two small loafs or I made 4 mini-loafs.

Sour Cream-Blueberry Bread (William-Sanoma)
2 medium-ripe bananas
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup chopped pecans
2 large eggs
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted, plus extra for greasing
1 cup fresh blueberries

11) Preheat the oven to 350°F Grease a 9-by-5-inch loaf pan.
22) Mash the bananas well with a fork or coarsely purée them in a food processor. Measure out 1 cup and set aside.
33) In a bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nuts. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs, sour cream, vanilla, butter, and the 1 cup mashed banana pulp. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the banana mixture. Stir together the wet and dry ingredients just until combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy. Gently fold in the blueberries, taking care not to break them up. Pour the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until the top of the bread is firm to the touch and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 50-60 minutes(It takes 53 minutes in my pre-heated convection oven). Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Turn the loaf out onto the rack and let cool completely.

A Tuna Transformation...

If there is anyone out there who gets excited at the thought of tuna, raise your hand. That's what I thought... dry, stinky fish has it's place, but there is only so much you can take. Well, shake of those old tuna chains and get a pita full of this!!! Total tuna transformation! I'm not real big on tuna-fish normally, and I'm always looking for a way to disguise it. I could eat this any night! The sweetness is gentle and PERFECT- even the kids liked it! The nuts and cranberries are a must! (Don't cut corners on this one!) Just a great colorful collection! I'll be making this one again soon! Got this on the table in no time- a good one for a busy night!

Fruited Tuna Salad Pitas (Simple and Delicious)
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon honey
1 can (12 ounces) white water-packed tuna, drained
1 can (11 ounces) mandarin oranges, drained
1 medium apple, chopped
1/3 cup chopped pecans
1 celery rib, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 whole wheat pita breads (6 inches)
2-3/4 cups alfalfa sprouts

In a large bowl, combine mayonnaise and honey. Stir in the tuna, oranges, apple, pecans, celery, cranberries and salt. Serve on pita breads with sprouts. Yield: 4 servings.

(I was filled up on one pita half, for what it's worth. :)
Nutrition Facts: 2 filled pita halves equals 640 calories, 34 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 46 mg cholesterol, 899 mg sodium, 60 g carbohydrate, 8 g fiber, 29 g protein.

Everyone's Favorite Chicken (or so they say...)

I found this recipe in one of those "American Profile" inserts in the newspaper, and with a name like that, I just had to find out if it was "my favorite." A bit of a presumptuous title, if I do say so myself. :) I did like it, but I don't think I could call it my favorite. It was a fun mix though. I liked the top-- french fried onions and cheese just scream "greasy success!" :)

Lyd's Tip: I've mentioned this before, but sub plain yogurt for mayo in the one and you can pretty much pull it off. If that idea is making you nervous :) go half and half- it will be perfect, and healthier!

Everyone's Favorite Chicken

3 cups diced, cooked chicken (2 large breasts)
2 medium celery stalks, finely chopped
1 (8-ounce can) sliced water chestnuts, drained
1/3 cup sliced almonds
1 (2-ounce) jar pimientos, undrained
1 tablespoon minced onion
3/4 cup light mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup (2 ounces) canned French fried onions
6 ounces shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 11 x 7-inch baking dish.
2. Combine chicken, celery, water chestnuts, almonds, pimientos, onion, mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt and pepper in a large bowl; mix well.
3. Place in prepared dish and top with the French fried onions and cheese. Bake, covered, 30 minutes, or until cheese melts. Serves 6.

Tips from the Test Kitchen

Tips From Our Test Kitchen: If using precooked chicken, omit ½ teaspoon of the salt. This recipe can be doubled easily and made in a 15 x 10-inch baking dish.

Nutritional Information

430 calories, 29g fat, 31g protein, 10g carbohydrates, 1g fiber, 750mg sodium.

I found this yummy recipe in a Sunset magazine at the doctors office. I was impressed at how little sugar/honey this recipe required. You could tell- it wasn't like pie or jam, but it was still really good. Not adding so much sugar meant you could actually tasted the flavor of the berries. :) I liked the top part (even though I don't think I did it right- I think it was supposed to be more chunky. I think I accidentally halved the butter, so it didn't hold together as well, but I still liked it.) Also- I didn't have haselnuts, and that seemed like a tedious process of toasting and de-shelling, so I actually just used chopped pecans.

Blackberry Hazelnut Honey Crisp

Yield: Makes 8 servings

Ingredients

• 36 ounces fresh or frozen blackberries (8 cups)
• 3 tablespoons quick-cooking tapioca
• 1/4 cup berry blossom or wildflower honey
• 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
• 3/4 cup shelled hazelnuts
• 1/4 cup each flour and sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 cup quick-cooking rolled oats

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, toss berries with tapioca. In a small bowl, combine honey, lemon juice, and 1 tbsp. boiling water. Stir to dissolve honey. Add to berries and toss to combine. Put in an 8- by 8-in. baking pan and set aside.

2. Spread hazelnuts on a baking sheet and toast in oven until medium golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Rub nuts in a kitchen towel to remove skins; let nuts cool. In a food processor, pulse nuts until finely ground. Add flour, sugar, and salt and pulse to combine. Add butter and pulse until mixture forms a thick dough. Stir in oats. Drop in flattened 1-tsp. chunks over berries. Bake until topping is brown and berries are bubbling, about 1 hour. Let cool to set, 30 minutes.

Note: Nutritional analysis is per serving.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

341 (50% from fat)

Protein:

3.7g

Fat:

19g (sat 7.7)

Carbohydrate:

43g

Fiber:

7.3g

Sodium:

282mg

Cholesterol:

31mg