Lean Hamburgers

Kevin and I buy very lean meat, but without a little help, this makes for some dry burgers. This is our go-to hamburger recipe. We love it! We never go 'out' for burgers.

1 lb 94% lean ground beef (or for the adventurous, ground buffalo)

1/3 of an onion, diced

3-4 T Worcestershire sauce

Mix ground meat with onion and sauce. Form into patties (3 or 4) and grill about 4 minutes on each side, or until meat is medium to medium-well. Wrap the patties in foil until you are ready to serve.

I usually buy fresh whole wheat buns from sprouts. Our favorite toppings include jalapeños, pepper jack cheese, tomatoes, romaine lettuce, and your traditional, ketchup, light mayo, and mustard.

Carrot Cake

Yes, another carrot cake! My mom made this one for us for our birthdays--best I have ever had! Very moist and lots of texture. Much better than my 'light' version.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
3 large eggs
2 cups sugar
3/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups grated carrot
1 (8-ounce) can crushed pineapple, drained
1 (3 1/2-ounce) can flaked coconut
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Buttermilk Glaze (See Below)
Cream Cheese Frosting (See Below)

Line 3 (9-inch) round cakepans with wax paper; lightly grease and flour wax paper. Set pans aside.

Stir together first 4 ingredients.

Beat eggs and next 4 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until smooth. Add flour mixture, beating at low speed until blended. Fold in carrot and next 3 ingredients. Pour batter into prepared cakepans.

Bake at 350° for 25 to 30 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Drizzle Buttermilk Glaze evenly over layers; cool in pans on wire racks 15 minutes. Remove from pans, and cool completely on wire racks. Spread Cream Cheese Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Buttermilk Glaze

1 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup butter or margarine
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Bring first 5 ingredients to a boil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Boil, stirring often, 4 minutes. Remove from heat, and stir in vanilla.

Cream Cheese Frosting
3/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 cups sifted powdered sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Beat butter and cream cheese at medium speed with an electric mixer until creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth.

Source: Southern Living

Cowboy Caviar

Okay, so I admit I haven't actually made this one, but there is no way this tastes bad. I'll let you know what I think once we give it a taste test.

15 1/2 oz can pinto or black beans, drained and rinsed
11 oz. can corn, drained
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and diced
3 green onions, minced
1 large or 2 small avocado , diced
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup prepared salsa
3/4 t salt
1/2 t pepper

Combine all ingredients in a bowl and toss gently. Chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Serve on a bed of greens or as a dip with tortilla chips.

Source: delish.com

Whole Wheat Pasta Salad

I make a big batch at the beginning of the week so that there are easy, go-to lunches in the fridge. This would also be a good pot-luck dish. Great for hot summer days. Add other veggies and seasonings to make it your own.

1 box (16oz) whole wheat rotini pasta
1 1/2 cups frozen peas
1/2 chopped red onion
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder

Cook pasta according to directions on the box. When there are two minutes left on the pasta, add the frozen peas to the boiling water. Once pasta and peas are cooked, strain and rinse with cold water to cool the pasta down.

Dump pasta and pea mixture into a large bowl (preferably one that can be sealed for refrigerator storage). Add onions, vinegar, olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. I would guess I use ¼ cup vinegar, ¼ cup olive oil, 1 t salt, 1 T pepper, and 1 T garlic powder, but we really like our seasonings!

Cream Cheese Clouds

Quick Note: These are not nutritious in the least, but they are a hit! I got this recipe from Nicole (thanks, Nicole!)

1 can buttermilk biscuits
1/2 cup sugar
1 t cinnamon
1 pkg (80z) 1/3 fat cream cheese, cubed
1/4 cup butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350.

Separate biscuits and press or roll into 1/4 inch thickness. Mix sugar and cinnamon in shallow dish. Dip cream cheese cubes in melted butter, then roll in cinnamon mixture.

Place 1 cream cheese cube in the center of each dough circle; gather up the sides of the dough to enclose the filling and place in one cup of a lightly greased muffing tin. Drizzle with remaining butter, cinnamon and sugar.

Bake at 350 for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Colorful Vegetable Lasagna

Cooking spray
1 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 medium)
1 cup chopped yellow bell pepper (about 1 medium)
1 cup chopped onion
4 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced (about 5 cups)
2 (8-ounce) packages presliced cremini mushrooms
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided
1 1/2 cups fat-free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1 large egg
5 cups marinara sauce
12 precooked lasagna noodles (about 8 ounces)

Preheat oven to 350°.

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bell peppers, onion, zucchini, and mushrooms; sauté 10 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender and mushroom liquid evaporates. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds.

Combine 1 1/2 cups mozzarella, ricotta, 1/4 cup Parmesan, and egg, stirring well.

Spread 1 cup Basic Marinara over bottom of a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray; top with 3 noodles. Spoon 1 cup Basic Marinara evenly over noodles. Top evenly with one-third of ricotta mixture and one-third of vegetable mixture. Repeat layers twice, ending with noodles. Top with remaining 1 cup Basic Marinara. Sprinkle evenly with remaining 1/2 cup mozzarella and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan. Cover and bake at 350° for 45 minutes. Uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Let stand 10 minutes.

Steak and Cheese Sandwiches with Mushrooms

1 teaspoon olive oil
2 cups presliced onion
2 cups green bell pepper strips
2 teaspoons bottled minced garlic
1 cup presliced mushrooms
3/4 pound top round steak, trimmed and cut into thin strips
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
4 (0.6-ounce) slices reduced-fat provolone cheese, cut in half
4 (2 1/2-ounce) hoagie rolls with sesame seeds

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic to pan; sauté 3 minutes. Add mushrooms to pan; sauté 4 minutes. Sprinkle beef with salt and black pepper. Add beef to pan; sauté 3 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Stir in Worcestershire sauce; cook 1 minute.

Place 1 cheese slice half on bottom half of each roll, and top each serving with one-fourth of beef mixture. Top with remaining cheese slice halves and tops of rolls.

Source: Cooking Light Magazine

Stir-Fried Shrimp with Spicy Orange Sauce

1 1/2 lb peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 T cornstarch
1/4 cup fresh orange juice
2 T low-sodium soy sauce
2 T honey
1 T rice wine vinegar
1 T chile paste with garlic
2 T canola oil
1 T minced peeled ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup chopped green onion

Place shrimp in a medium bowl and sprinkle with cornstarch; toss well to coat. Set aside.

Combine juice, soy sauce, honey, vinegar, and chile paste, stirring with a whisk; set aside.

Heat canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add minced ginger and garlic to pan; stir-fry for 15 minutes seconds or until fragrant. Add shrimp mixture; stir-fry for 3 minutes. Add juice mixture and onions; cook 2 minutes or until sauce thickens and shrimp are done, stirring frequently. Serve immediately.

Source: Cooking Light Magazine

Shepherd's Beef Pie

1 lb ground beef
1 1/2 cup beef broth, divided
1 t salt
2 bay leaves
2 whole cloves
1/2 t thyme leaves
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 small box frozen peas
1 cup diced celery
1 cup diced onions
1 1/2 T flour
1 lb peeled, cooked potatoes, mashed
1 1/2 T butter
1/2 cup milk
4 oz grated cheddar cheese
1 T chopped chives

Preheat oven to 375.

Brown ground beef in a medium saucepan, drain oil, add 1 cup broth, salt, bay leaves, cloves and thyme. Cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Add carrots, peas, mushrooms, celery, and onions. Simmer until vegetables are just tender.

In a small bowl, gradually add remaining broth to flour, stirring constantly to form a smooth paste, add to beef and vegetables. Simmer 5 minutes longer.

In a small bowl, combine potatoes with butter, stir in milk. Mash.

Transfer the meat and vegetable mixture to a baking dish. Add mashed potatoes on top of the meat and vegetables, covering the mixture entirely. Add grated cheese and chives on top of potatoes. Bake at 375 degrees for 10 minutes or until heated through, then broil 1 to 2 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned.

Source: cooks.com

Tilapia with Tomatillos and Avocado filled with Maque Choux

Quick Note: This is a labor intensive dish with lots of ingredients, but it is SO good!

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 lbs tilapia, 4 fillets
course salt
ground pepper
1 t ground cumin
1/2 T extra virgin olive oil, 2 turns of the pan
1 lime, halved
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno or serrano pepper, seeded and finely chopped
2 or 3 large cloves of garlic, finely chopped
8 to 10 tomatillos, husks peeled and diced
1/2 bottle pale beer
2 T chopped cilantro leaves

Maque Choux:
1 T EVOO
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped finely
1 small red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
4 ears fresh corn on the cob, husked
A sprinkle of sugar
Dash of cayenne pepper
salt
2 T butter
2 ripe avocado
1 lime, juiced

Season fish with salt, pepper, cumin, paprika. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Add 1 tablespoon oil, 1 turn of the pan. Heat an ovenproof serving plate in a warm oven. Saute fish 3 minutes on each side or until opaque. Squeeze the juice of 1/2 lime over the fish and carefully slide the fillets onto warm platter. Cover the fish to keep it warm. Return pan to heat and add remaining tablespoon of oil, 1 turn of the pan. Over medium high heat, quickly saute the red onion, jalapeno and the garlic. Saute a minute or so, add the diced tomatillos with seeds and juices. Season mixture with coarse salt and saute the mixture of vegetables 5 minutes.

Once you get your sauce working, get a second skillet hot over moderate heat for your maque choux. Add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil (1 turn of the pan,) chopped onion, jalapeno and red bell pepper. Saute 2 or 3 minutes. Working on a plate to catch the milky juices, scrape corn off the cob. Break up the kernels and pour into the skillet. Combine corn with peppers and onions. Season with a sprinkle of sugar, a dash of cayenne pepper and salt. When mixture bubbles, reduce heat to simmer. Cut butter into pieces and stir into corn mixture. Allow mixture to simmer and cook until creamy, 5 to 7 minutes.

While corn is working, go back to your sauce for the fish. Add the beer and the juice of 1/2 lime and cilantro to the pan. Simmer sauce 5 minutes longer, then spoon hot sauce down over the fish filets. Garnish platter with a few extra sprigs of the cilantro.

Cut avocados in 1/2 lengthwise and remove pits. Squeeze lime juice over the avocados to keep them from browning and season them with a little coarse salt. Arrange on the serving plate.

To serve, fill the avocados with maque choux, allowing the corn to spill down and over the sides of the avocado onto the serving platter. The ripe avocado is spooned away from its skin with bites of creamy, warm corn and peppers. Place the avocados alongside garnished fish and enjoy with lime sorbet topped with raspberries and Grand Marnier.

Source: Rachel Ray (Thanks Nicole!)

Chicken and Root Vegetable Potpie

Quick Note: This is a labor intensive dish, but it is great comfort food.

3 cups fat free, less sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
1 cup (1/2 inch) cubed peeled baking potato
1 cup (1/2 inch) cubed peeled sweet potato
1 cup (1/2 inch) cubed celery
1 (10-ounce) package frozen pearl onions
1 lbs skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into bit-sized pieces
2/3 cup all-purpose flour, divided
1 1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
2 T chopped fresh thyme (I used dry)
1 1/2 t salt
1 t fresh ground black pepper
Cooking spray
1 sheet frozen puff pastry dough, thawed

Preheat oven to 400.

Bring broth to boil in a large Dutch oven. Add peas and next 4 ingredients to pan; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 6 minutes. Add chicken; cook for 5 minutes or until chicken is done. Remove chicken and vegetables from broth with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl.

Increase heat to medium. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Place all but 1T flour into a medium bowl; gradually add milk to bowl, stirring with a whisk until well blended. Add milk mixture to broth; cook for 5 minutes or until thickened, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken mixture, parsley, thyme salt, and pepper. Spoon mixture into an 11x7-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.

Sprinkle remaining 1T flour on a work surface; roll dough into a 13x9-inch rectangle. Place dough over chicken mixture, pressing to seal at edges of the dish. Cut small slits into the dough. Coat dough lightly with cooking spray. Place dish on a foil-lined baking sheet. Bake at 400 for 16 minutes or until pastry is browned and filling is bubbly. Yield: 8 servings

Source: Adapted from Cooking Light Magazine

Barbecue Pork Chops and Potatoes

Quick Note: You have to like BBQ sauce to like this dish. We use Stubbs spicy BBQ sauce. It certainly has a kick! Serve with a salad or other green veggies.

4 pork chops
4 potatoes, peeled and cut into pieces
1 bottle BBQ sauce
1/2 onion, diced
salt and pepper

Brown pork chops in skillet. Drain grease. Put in potatoes and onion. Mix BBQ sauce with water half and half enough to cover potatoes. Salt and pepper to taste. Cover and simmer 45 minutes or until potatoes are done.

Source: cooks.com

Pork Chops with Cran-Apple Sauce and Parsley Potatoes

Quick Note: Sugar snap peas are a recommended side for this dish. Kevin and I prefer steamed spinach. Also, I used gala apples instead of McIntosh.

4 center cut pork loin boneless chops, each about 3/4 inch thick
Drizzle of EVOO
Grill seasoning blend or course salt and pepper
5 McIntosh apples, peeled and chunked
1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
1 cup concentrated canned cran-apple juice
1 1/2 lbs small red skinned potatoes, halved
2 T butter
Handful of flat-leaf parsley, chopped

Preheat a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Drizzle chops with extra virgin olive oil, just enough to lightly coat the meat on both sides. Place the chops in a hot pan and cook 6 to 7 minutes on each side under a loose tin foil tent. The tent will reflect heat back into the pan while allowing steam to escape.

Once the chops are turned, season with seasoning blend or coarse salt and pepper, to your taste. After the chops are cooked through remove from heat and let stand for 5 minutes for juices to redistribute before serving.

In a medium saucepan, working over medium to medium high heat, combine apples, sweetened dried cranberries, and cran-apple juice concentrate. Cook apples into a chunky sauce, about 10 minutes. Remove the cran-apple sauce from heat and let it settle.

Simmer potatoes in just enough water to cover them for 10 minutes or until fork tender. Drain ad return potatoes to hot pot to dry them out. Toss potatoes with butter, parsley, and a little salt.

Source: foodnetwork.com/Rachel Ray (Thanks Nicole!)

Oatmeal-Apple Crisp

1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar, divided
3/4 t ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup chilled butter, cut into small pieces
6 cups chopped peeled Granny Smith apples (about 2.5 lbs)
1/2 cup golden raisins
Cooking spray
3 cups fat free frozen yogurt

Preheat oven to 375.

Lightly spoon flour into a dry measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/2 t cinnamon in a medium bowl; cut in chilled butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives until oat mixture resembles coarse meal.

Combine 1/4 cup sugar, 1/4 t cinnamon, apple, and raisins in a 13x9 inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with oat mixture. Bake at 375 for 30 minutes or until apple is tender. Top each serving with about 1/3 cup frozen yogurt. Yield: 10 servings

Source: Cooking Light Magazine

Taco Soup

1 lb lean ground beef or turkey
1 pkg taco seasoning mix
1 pkg dry ranch dressing mix
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can ranch style beans
1 can pinto beans with jalapenos
1 can chopped green chilies
1 can white hominy
1 chopped onion

Brown ground beef. Add all other ingredients (don't drain any of the cans). Simmer 20 minutes. Serve with grated cheese and tortilla chips or corn bread.

Spinach, Pesto, and Artichoke Sandwiches

These ingredients are divided among 4 sandwiches:

8 slices hearty wheat artisan bread
4 slices mozzarella cheese
1 small can diced artichokes
1/2 cup fresh spinach
2-4 T pesto sauce (or a mixture of basil and olive oil)
Sliced tomato (optional)
Light butter or olive oil

Heat grill pan or griddle. Spread light butter or olive oil on the artisan bread (on the side that will touch the pan). To assemble sandwiches, spread pesto sauce (or basil and olive oil mixture) on the bread, layer spinach, artichoke, cheese, and tomatoes.

Place the assembled sandwiches on the pan and cook until the bread is golden brown on each side and the cheese has melted.

This sandwich is great with soups and salads.

Sugar Cookies

Quick Note: I use a simple butter icing on these cookies. Just butter, powdered sugar and a little bit of milk.

1 1/2 cups butter, softened
3 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 T vanilla
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 t salt

Cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour.

Preheat oven to 400. Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely

Spinach Quiche (Light)

Quick Note: Of course, you can bake your own crust, or go crust-less, but I usually purchase frozen whole wheat crusts from Sprouts. Since they come in 2 packs, I double the recipe and eat leftovers all week.

1 12oz. can of evaporated skim milk
2 eggs
3 egg whites
1/3 cup cottage cheese
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 10oz. box of frozen spinach, thawed with extra water squeezed out
1 whole wheat frozen pie crust, pre-cooked according to package directions

Preheat oven to 450.
Mix together milk, eggs, egg whites, cheeses, salt and pepper in a bowl. Layer spinach in the cooked pie crust. Pour egg and cheese mixture on top of the spinach. Bake at 450 for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 and cook for an additional 20 minutes or until egg mixture is set.

(Source: Adapted from Weight Watchers)

Baked Egg Rolls

Quick Note: I am not a fan of all of the shredding, so I buy a bag of the pre-shredded coleslaw mix and count the cabbage and carrots done. You can find that next to the bagged salads. The egg rolls reheat really well in the oven or toaster oven.

1 head Chinese cabbage, outer leaves removed, shredded

2 medium carrots, peeled and shredded

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

2 medium scallions, white and green parts, chopped

1 Tbsp ginger, fresh, minced or 1/2 tsp dried

1 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp sesame oil

8-12 average egg roll wrappers, about 1/2 oz each

Olive oil cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray. Place cabbage in a microwavable dish and cover. Microwave on high until wilted, about 4 minutes; drain and transfer to a large bowl. Add carrots, garlic, scallions, ginger, soy sauce, cornstarch and oil; mix well.

Arrange egg roll wrappers on a clean, dry surface. Spoon cabbage mixture diagonally onto each wrapper. Fold over one corner to cover filling. Fold up both corners. Moisten edges of remaining flap with water and roll up wrapper jellyroll style until sealed. Transfer egg rolls to prepared baking sheet and coat with cooking spray.

Bake until golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve hot.

(Source: Weight Watchers)

Oreo Cookie Bon-bons

1 pkg Oreo cookies
1 pkg cream cheese, softened
5-6 chocolate bark squares

Using a double boiler, melt the chocolate bark squares.

Using two separate bowls, scrape the Oreo icing into one bowl and place the Oreo cookies into another bowl. Crush the Oreo cookies until they are a small crumbles. Mix the softened cream cheese with the Oreo icing. Mix the cream cheese and icing mixture with the crushed Oreo cookies.

Scoop small portions of the mixture and create smooth spheres (about 1T each). Dip each portion into the melted chocolate and immediately place on a sheet of wax paper. Chill the bon-bons until the chocolate has hardened.

Yield: about 35 bon-bons.

Chicken Tamale Casserole

1 cup (4 ounces) preshredded 4-cheese Mexican blend cheese, divided
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (8.5-ounce) box corn muffin mix (such as Martha White)
1 (4-ounce) can chopped green chiles, drained
Cooking spray
1 (10-ounce) can red enchilada sauce (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 400°.
2. Combine 1/4 cup cheese and next 7 ingredients (through chiles) in a large bowl, stirring just until moist. Pour mixture into a 13 x 9–inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until set. Pierce entire surface liberally with a fork; pour enchilada sauce over top. Top with chicken; sprinkle with remaining 3/4 cup cheese. Bake at 400° for 15 minutes or until cheese melts. Remove from oven; let stand 5 minutes. Cut into 8 pieces; top each serving with 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Calories 354, Fat 14.1g, Protein 18.9g, Fiber 2.5g

(Source: Cooking Light)

Pan-Fried Chicken-and-Ham Parmesan

Note: Instead of serving the chicken with garlic herb pasta, I cooked whole wheat thin pasta and seasoned it with garlic powder, Italian seasoning, and a little bit of olive oil. I'm sure either way is very tasty!

4 (6-oz.) skinned and boned chicken breasts
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 large egg
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons olive oil
8 thinly sliced smoked deli ham slices (about 1/4 lb.)
4 (1-oz.) fresh mozzarella cheese slices
Garlic-Herb Pasta
Grape Tomatoes

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Whisk together egg and 2 Tbsp. water. Dredge chicken in flour; dip in egg mixture, and dredge in breadcrumbs, shaking off excess.

2. Cook chicken in hot oil in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat 3 to 4 minutes on each side or until golden. Top chicken with ham and cheese.

3. Bake chicken in skillet at 350° for 8 minutes or until cheese is melted. Serve over Garlic-Herb Pasta; top with Grape Tomatoes.

Garlic-Herb Pasta: Cook 8 oz. vermicelli according to package directions; drain. Toss with 1/4 cup Garlic-Herb Butter. Season with salt to taste. Makes 4 servings.

Garlic-Herb Butter: Stir together 1/2 cup softened butter; 1 large garlic clove, pressed; 2/3 cup chopped fresh basil; 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley; and 1/4 tsp. salt until well blended. Use immediately, or cover and chill up to 3 days. For longer storage, form into a log or press into ice cube trays, and wrap tightly with plastic wrap; freeze up to 1 month. Makes 1/2 cup. Prep: 15 min.

(Source: Cooking Light)

Sopapilla Cheesecake

2 cans crescent rolls
1 1/4 sugar
1 t vanilla
1 t cinnamon
2 8oz packages of cream cheese, softened
1 stick of butter

Preheat oven to 350.
Unroll one package of rolls into the bottom of a 9X13 pan. Mix cream cheese, 1 cup of sugar, and vanilla. Spread the mixture over the rolls. Cover the mixture with the second can of rolls. Melt butter. Stir in the remaining sugar and cinnamon into the melted butter. Pour over the top of the dish. Bake 30 minutes or until golden brown.

Lazy Chicken

balsamic vinegar
chicken breast (thinly sliced)
olive oil
2 medium potatoes, thinly sliced
1/2 onion, thinly sliced
montreal steak seasoning by McCormick
white wine (or broth)
28oz can of crushed tomatoes
10 leaves of fresh basil
2 sprigs of oregano
1/2 cup cheese

Splash each chicken breast with vinegar. Heat olive oil in a large pan (about one circle of oil around the pan). Brown chicken for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove chicken. Go once more around the pan with olive oil. Add a thin layer of potato and onion, sprinkle with montreal seasoning to taste. Let cook, turning occasionally. Add a couple of glugs of white wine. Top with chicken, pour crushed tomatoes on top. Sprinkle with herbs, cover and cook for 10-12 minutes until chicken is fully cooked and potoatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheese.

Optional: Thinly sliced squash and zuchinni is a good addition to this dish. Add this to the pan with the onion and potato.

(Source: Rachel Ray)

Turkey Chili

2lbs ground turkey (or extra lean ground beef)
28oz can of diced tomatoes, not drained
2 cans of dark red kidney beans, not drained (or black beans)
2 T chili powder
1/2 diced onion
2 T olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 T paprika
1 t salt
1/8 t pepper
2 t cumin

Brown turkey, onion and garlic in a pan. Combine browned turkey and remaining ingredients in a crock pot and stir together. Cook on low for 8 hours.

Croque Monsieur

4 (1.5 oz.) slices french bread
4 t. honey mustard (I use spicy mustard)
6 oz. reduced fat deli ham, thinly sliced
4 (1 oz.) slices reduced fat Swiss cheese
1/2 cup fat free milk
3 large egg whites
Cooking spray

Cut a slit in each piece of bread to form a pocket. Spread 1 teaspoon mustard into each bread pocket. Divide ham and cheese evenly among the four pieces of bread.

Combine milk and eggs in a shallow bowl and whisk. Dip sandwiches, 1 at a time, in the milk mixture, turning to coat.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add 2 sandwiches, cooking 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Repeat with remaining sandwiches.

Calories: 293 Fat: 9.8 Protein: 22.3 Fiber: 1.3

(Source: Cooking Light)

Creamy Mashed Potatoes and Chives

Quick Note: For a smoother consistency, I use a hand mixer to blend the potatoes instead of a potato masher.

3 lbs peeled Yukon gold potatoes, quartered
2/3 cup fat-free milk
1 t salt
2/3 cup (5oz.) light cream cheese with chives and onions

Place potatoes in a Dutch oven, and cover with water; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Return potatoes to pan; add milk and salt. Mash potato mixture with a potato masher to desired consistency. Add cheese, and stir just until blended. Yield: 10 servings.

Calories: 172 Fat: 3 Protein: 6.1 Fiber 2.8

(Source: Cooking Light)

Turkey Meat Loaf

2 lbs ground turkey breast
1 cup quick-cooking oats
1/2 cup ketchup
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 T dried oregano
3 T worcestershire sauce
2 T low-sodium soy sauce
2 t dried basil
1 t garlic powder
Cooking spray
1/4 cup ketchup

Preheat oven to 400.
Combine first 10 ingredients in a large bowl. Place mixture in a 9x5 loaf pan coated in cooking spray. Top with 1/4 cup ketchup. Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes or until done. Let stand 10 minutes before slicing. Yield: 6 servings.

Calories: 272 Fat: 3.5 Protein: 39 Carb: 20.4 Fiber 2.1

(Source: Cooking Light)

Half-the-Fat Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cake:
3/4 cup applesauce
5 cups shredded carrot (about 1 lb)
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 t vanilla extract
1 t coconut extract
2 large eggs
2 large egg whites
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1/4 t salt
1 cup golden raisins
cooking spray

Frosting:
4 cups sifted powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 (8oz.) block of fat free cream cheese, chilled
1 (8oz.) block 1/3 fat cream cheese, chilled

Spoon applesauce into a fine sieve over a bowl, let stand for 15 minutes. Discard liquid. Scrape drained applesauce into a bowl, cover and refrigerate.

Combine carrot and granulated sugar in a colander. Drain 20 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.

Beat brown sugar and butter with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 2 minutes). Add applesauce, 1 t. vanilla, and coconut extract. Beat until well blended. Add eggs and egg whites, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. (Batter will have a slightly curdled look).

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cup and level with a knife. Combine flour and next 5 ingredients; stir well with a whisk. Add brown sugar mixture to flour mixture, stirring just until moist. Fold in carrot mixture and raisins (batter will be very thick). Spoon batter into a 13x9 backing pan coated in cooking spray.

Bake at 350 for 40 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in the middle come out clean. Cool completely.

For frosting, beat powdered sugar, 2 t. vanilla, and both packages of cheese with a mixer at low speed just until well blended (do not over-beat). Spread frosting over cake; cover and chill 1 hour. Yield: 20 servings

Calories: 322 Fat: 8 Protein: 5.6 Fiber 1.7 Chol: 45 mg Iron: 1.2mg Sodium: 327

(Source: Cooking Light)

Potato Soup

3 cups diced potatoes
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/4 cup chopped carrots (optional)
2 cups milk
3 cups water
3 tbsp. butter
1 tbsp. fresh parsley
1 tbsp. fresh cilantro
1/3 cup ground Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp. all purpose flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. pepper
1 tsp Mrs. Dash original
2 cubes of chicken bouillon
2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Bring water to a boil, add fresh herbs and vegetables. Let boil for 5 minutes, add milk, butter, boil for 3 minutes more; add spices and seasonings, then add flour and cheese. Stir very well so that the flour and cheese do not clump; continue stirring. Serve when vegetables are tender and flavors are well blended.

Serve topped with cheddar cheese and add a few saltine crackers.

Littleton Green Beans

This is a McGill family Thanksgiving tradition. Very easy, very tasty. Kevin even made it for a potluck!

1 can french-style green beans, drained
1 can white shoepeg corn, drained
1 can cream of celery soup
1/2 c. grated cheddar cheese
1/2 c. chopped onion
1/2 c. sour cream
1/2 stick butter or margarine, melted
Ritz crackers, crumbled

Preheat oven to 325.
Mix first 6 ingredients and spread in casserole dish (9X13). Top with crumbled Ritz crackers and drizzle with melted butter. Bake, uncovered, for 45 minutes.

(Source: Kevin's Mimi)

Monster Cookies

Quick note: This makes a HUGE batch. I usually make this for our annual cookie fundraiser and still have leftover dough!

2 Sticks of butter
2 1/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 c. white sugar
1 T. vanilla
4 t. baking soda
28 oz. jar chunky peanut butter
6 eggs
8 c. oatmeal
12 oz. chocolate chips
12 oz. mimi M&Ms

Preheat oven to 350.
Beat butter and sugars. Mix in peanut butter, vanilla, soda, and eggs. Using your largest bowl, add this mixture to the oatmeal. Stir in chocolate chips and M&Ms. Drop by rounded tablespoonful onto greased cookies sheets; bake for 10 to 12 minutes.

(Source: Buckingham UMC Cookbook, Sherry Wagner)