Guilt-Free Fish Tacos

boneless fish fillets, cut in small pieces
egg bath (equal parts eggbeaters and lowfat or nonfat milk)
breading (equal parts bread crumbs and corn flake crumbs)
corn tortillas
grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
shredded cabbage
Pico de Gallo (below)
White Chipotle Sauce (below)

Preheat oven to 400˚. Spray a metal baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray. Dip fillets in egg bath, then in breading, and place on baking sheet. Bake 15 minutes. Serve in warmed corn tortillas with cheese, cabbage, Pico de Gallo, and Creamy Chipotle Sauce.


Pico de Gallo

1 medium tomato, diced
1 teaspoon minced fresh jalapeno
1 tablespoon minced onion
1/2 teaspoon dried cilantro


Creamy Chipotle Sauce
This is very similar to the sauce from Rubio's Baja Grill

2 tablespoons lowfat plain yogurt
2 tablespoons light mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon ground chipotle powder

Mix all ingredients. Serve on fish tacos.

Bo Luc Lac Spaghetti

8 oz. spaghetti (I use Dreamfields since it's low-carb)
2 Tbsp. butter
1 lb. sirloin, cut in 1/2" pieces
1 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
4 cloves garlic, crushed or put through press
2 large onions, coarsely chopped
1 large bell pepper (any color), coarsely chopped
1/4 cup white wine
1/4 cup pimentos, diced (small jar)

While spagetti cooks, melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle beef with soy sauce, and add to pan along with garlic. Cook very quickly (only about 2 minutes) and remove from pan. Add onion and bell pepper, and saute until crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Add wine and pimentos, and cook another 2 minutes. Drain spaghetti, and add to vegetables along with meat mixture. Heat through.

We ate this last night with Parmesan, since that's what I do with the Steak & Veggie Spaghetti, but it's not critical. What was really good, however, was that we sprinkled crushed red pepper on it. At the restaurant, I add green hot sauce to my Bo Luc Lac, but the red pepper was just as tasty.

Rodeo Beans

(my alterations are in italics)

1 lb. ground beef 3/4 lb.
½ lb. bacon , cut in 1" pieces
1 medium onion, chopped
1 fresh jalapeño, finely chopped (about 2" long)
1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained
1 15 oz. can pork and beans
1 15 oz. can butter beans, drained
½ cup brown sugar 1/4 cup Splenda brown sugar blend
½ cup white sugar 1/4 cup Splenda granular
1 Tablespoon vinegar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
½ cup ketchup
salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 350˚. In a large skillet over medium heat, cook ground beef, bacon, and onion. Pour off grease and add jalapeño, beans, sugar, vinegar, mustard, and ketchup. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Bake in a medium-sized covered casserole for 40 minutes, or for 4 hours on Low in a slow cooker. Serves 4. (Well, Don ate 2 bowls, I ate 1, and there's 1 left over.)

Sweetnicks' "Melt-in-Your-Mouth Sausages"

from Cate of Sweetnicks


1 lb sweet Italian sausage (about 5 links)
1 6 oz. can tomato sauce
1 24 oz. jar marinara sauce, (I used Newman's Own)
⅓ cup chopped bell pepper
1 large onion, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon dried parsley
1 cup red wine
Place sausage in skillet. Cover with water. Simmer 10 minutes. Drain. Combine remaining ingredients in slow cooker. Add sausage. Cover and cook on low for 6 hours. Serve in buns or cut sausage into bite-sized pieces and serve over cooked spaghetti. Sprinkle with more Parmesan cheese. Also tastes great in a toasted roll with melted cheese.

Take-Along Breakfast Pockets

1/2 pound bulk breakfast sausage (Jimmy Dean!)
1 teaspoon mustard
8 eggs
2 8-count cans Grands refrigerated biscuits (I used the Whole Wheat ones)
approx. 2 cups grated cheddar or jack cheese

Preheat oven to 375˚. In a large skillet, crumble the breakfast sausage and cook until brown over medium-high heat. Stir in mustard. Add eggs, reserving part of one egg white for egg bath. Mix with meat and scramble until eggs are done.

Open biscuits, and place one on a sheet of waxed paper. Place another sheet of waxed paper on top, and flatten it with a rolling pin.

It should be 5-6" in diameter.

Divide mixture in skillet into 16 portions (it's easier than you think - divide it in half, then divide the halves in half, and so on until you have 16 portions that are about 2 tablespoons each.) Place one portion on flattened biscuit, and top with a couple tablespoons of grated cheese.
Fold over and crimp edges with a fork to seal.








Using a pastry brush, spread a little of the reserved egg white across the top of each pocket.
Place pan in oven and bake approximately 12 minutes, or until golden brown.

Two of these are perfect for breakfast, and they will freeze well in zip top freezer bags. Once thawed, they can be eaten at room temperature or zapped in the microwave.












You can vary the fillings of these:

For breakfast, try using
- bacon
- mushrooms
- Swiss instead of cheddar
- spinach
- artichokes
- green chilies
- diced ham
- hash brown potatoes

Tabby uses these for lunch and dinner, and has filled them with:
- sloppy joe mix
- pizza sauce and pepperoni
- taco meat

You could also try:
- refried beans and cheese
- baked beans and cut-up hot dogs
- chicken and vegetables with a little condensed cream of chicken soup
- shredded beef or pork or chicken with barbecue sauce

Any other ideas? I bet there are some great ones Tabby and I haven't thought of. Let me know!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispy Treats

1/4 cup butter
1 cup chocolate-flavored peanut butter
40 large marshmallows
5 cups crisped rice cereal

Butter a 13 x 9" baking pan. In a large stockpot, melt the butter, peanut butter, and marshmallows over very low heat until all the marshmallows are melted. Stir in rice cereal and stir to mix. Quickly pour out into baking sheet, and flatten using your hands, which you dampen often with water (to help press them down and to cool them down). These will be ready to cut and eat within 15 minutes.

Fantail Potatoes

4 medium potatoes
1 teaspoon salt
2-3 Tablespoon melted butter
4 Tablespoon grated Cheddar cheese
1 ½ Tablespoon Parmesan cheese
2-3 Tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

Peel potatoes if the skin is tough; otherwise, just scrub and rinse them. Cut potatoes into thin slices but not all the way through. Use a handle of a spoon to prevent knife from cutting all the way through. Put potatoes in a baking dish. Fan them slightly. Sprinkle with salt and drizzle with butter. Sprinkle with herbs. Bake potatoes at 425F for about 50 minutes. Remove from oven. Sprinkle with cheeses. Bake potatoes for another 10 to 15 minutes until lightly browned, cheeses are melted, and potatoes are soft inside. Check with a fork.

Pork Chops with Tangy Cherry Sauce

1/2 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup apple juice, divided
2 boneless pork chops
1/2 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
dash pepper
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

In a small saucepan, bring cherries and 3 tablespoons of the juice to a boil. Remove from heat; cover and let stand.
In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, cook pork in butter and oil 3-4 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Remove and keep warm. In the same skillet, bring the vinegar and remaining juice to a boil; cook until liquid is reduced by half. Stir in cherry mixture; heat through. Return pork to pan; turn to coat.

Cherry-Pistachio Bark

This recipe makes a lot, so it can be easily halved.

3 8-oz bars semi-sweet/bittersweet chocolate (I used Ghirardelli's)
1 12-oz. bag milk chocolate chips
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 8-oz. bag dried Montmorency cherries
1 cup chopped pistachio meats, divided
In a bowl over simmering water, melt chocolates together with vanilla. Add cherries and 2/3 cup of the pistachios. Spread mixture on waxed paper, using an offset spatula to make it of uniform thickness. Sprinkle with remaining pistachios. Place in refrigerator or freezer till it hardens (takes only about 10 minutes). Break into small pieces.

Delilah's Peanut Brittle

Make this in a microwave!
Times are for a 1200-watt microwave. Add 1 minute to each segment for 800-watt ovens.

1/3 cup white corn syrup
1 cup sugar
1 cup dry-roasted peanuts
1 teaspoon butter
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon baking soda

Spray a baking sheet with butter-flavored nonstick cooking spray (or use regular butter). In a 4-cup Pyrex measuring cup, combine corn syrup and sugar. Microwave on HIGH 3 minutes. Add peanuts and microwave on HIGH 2 minutes. Add butter and vanilla, and microwave on HIGH 1 minute. Stir in baking soda, and quickly pour out on greased baking sheet. Spread it out if it looks thick. (It'll look like you ruined it at first, but it regains its rounded shape as it cools.) Once it's hard, after about 5 minutes, break into small pieces.

Cottage Cheese and Egg Breakfast Muffins with Mushrooms, Bacon, and Green Onions

from Kalyn's Kitchen


1 1/2 cups fresh mushrooms, diced
1 tablespoon butter
1 1/3 cup cottage cheese (I used low-fat)
1 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
1 cup almond meal (this is less than in Kalyn's recipe)
2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons water
8 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup real bacon bits (I buy the large bags from Costco)
2 green onions, thinly sliced (include green part)

Preheat oven to 400 F. In a medium skillet, sauté mushrooms until tender. Remove from heat.

In mixing bowl, combine cottage cheese, parmesan cheese, white whole wheat flour, almond meal, baking powder, salt, water, and beaten egg. Mix well. Gently mix in mushrooms, bacon and green onion, until well distributed in batter.

Spray 18 muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. Bake 25 -30 minutes, until muffins are firm and lightly browned. Serve hot or room temperature.

These will keep well a few days in the refrigerator, or you can freeze them and thaw in the fridge. Reheat in the microwave for no more than 30 seconds, or they'll get tough.

A Pair of Quiches (Mushroom, Asparagus with Ham)

A Pair of Quiches
Mushroom, Asparagus with Ham

2 frozen pie crusts in foil tins, thawed
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/4 cup chopped onion
8 oz. fresh mushrooms, sliced or coarsely chopped
2 Tbsp. butter
1 12-oz. can asparagus pieces, drained
1/2 cup chopped ham (I used some luncheon meat ham and diced it, but any kind of ham will do)
1/4 cup grated Swiss cheese
6 oz. cream cheese, softened
8 eggs
2/3 cup half-and-half
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I didn't have any this time, so I doubled the Cheddar)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. grated nutmeg

In a medium skillet, sauté the bell pepper, onion, and mushrooms in butter until tender. Spread evenly in bottom of one of the pie shells. Put the asparagus, ham, and Swiss cheese in the other pie shell. With a mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Gradually add eggs and half-and-half. Stir in grated cheeses, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Pour egg mixture into dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. If you're going to eat one right away, let it stand 10 minutes before cutting.

For freezing: Let cool to room temperature. Cover with foil and freeze. The night before you want to eat it, move it to your refrigerator to thaw. Then reheat at 350˚ for about 15 minutes.

Freezer Stash Meatballs

3 lbs. lean ground beef
1 ½ cups soft bread crumbs
3 eggs
6 tablespoons minced onion
3 cloves garlic, crushed
1 ½ teaspoons salt
½ teaspoon pepper
Preheat oven to 400.

In a large bowl, mix beef, crumbs, eggs, onion, garlic, salt and pepper. Shape into 11/2-inch meatballs. (A miniature ice cream scoop makes fast work of shaping.)

Arrange in two 10-by-15-inch jelly roll pans. Bake in preheated oven until meat is browned, with no trace of pink and juices run clear, 10 to 13 minutes.

Drain, let cool to room temperature, divide into fourths and freeze each portion in vapor-moisture proof containers. (I use my FoodSaver). Each portion serves 2.

Spicy Orange-Glazed Pork Chops

2 boneless pork chops, cut 3/4 to 1" thick
salt and pepper
flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
½ cup orange juice
2 tablespoon orange marmalade
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon vinegar
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper
½ cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon cornstarch, mixed with 2 tablespoons water

Sprinkle chops lightly with salt and pepper; dredge in flour. Heat oil in a heavy skillet; brown pork chops on both sides. Combine remaining ingredients, mixing well. Pour over chops. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10-15 minutes. Liquid will form a glaze. Turn chops to coat, and remove them to a plate. Cover with foil to keep warm. Add 1/2 cup chicken broth to mixture, followed by cornstarch and water mixture. Cook, stirring, until mixture thickens. Serve sauce over pork and cooked rice. Serves 2.

Sausage-Egg Breakfast Muffins

1 5-count roll flaky biscuits (they have to be the flaky ones)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, divided
6 oz. (about 1/3 of a 1-pound roll) pork breakfast sausage
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
4 eggs

Preheat oven to 375˚. Separate layers of flaky biscuits and place them in pairs in 6 muffin tins sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Since there are 5 biscuits and 6 tins, you'll need to "borrow" some layers from the others to make up the 6th one. When you put them in the tins, stand them on end, bottoms touching, and press to form cups. Sprinkle the bottoms of the cups with half of the cheese. In a skillet, saute onion and sausage together, breaking up sausage as it cooks. Stir in mustard. Break eggs into sausage, and continue to cook and mix until eggs are done. Divide mixture into muffin cups and top with the remaining cheese. Bake in preheated oven 17 minutes or until bread is golden and cheese is melted. Makes 6.

Southwestern Grilled Turkey Sandwich

For one sandwich, lightly butter one side of a piece of sourdough and place it on a hot griddle. Layer with swiss cheese, sliced avocado, sliced turkey (smoked or regular), and some diced green chilies (from a can). Top with another slice of lightly buttered bread. Grill on both sides.

Baked Potato Soup

3 large baking potatoes
5-6 green onions
3 tablespoon butter
¼ cup flour
1 8 oz. carton heavy (whipping) cream
5 cups milk
¼ teaspoon ground white pepper
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup sour cream
⅓ cup real bacon bits

Thinly slice the green onions, separating the white parts from the green.
Melt butter with white part of green onions over medium heat. Cook, stirring with a wire whisk, about 2 minutes. Sprinkle with flour, and cook, stirring, another few minutes until mixture is pale golden. Add cream, milk, white pepper and salt, and continue to stir while cooking over medium heat. Add green onions, sour cream and bacon. Gradually add grated cheese, and stir until all cheese is melted. Serves 6

Sausage-Spinach Breakfast Casserole

1 1/2 cups lowfat milk
4 eggs
2 egg whites
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp nutmeg
9 slices whole grain bread, cubed
6 oz (approximately 1/3 of a 1-pound roll) Jimmy Dean breakfast sausage
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 10-oz. box frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 375˚. Spray a 9 x 9" or 11 x 17" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. In a large bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, egg whites, salt, pepper, cayenne, and nutmeg. Add bread cubes and toss to coat. Let sit while you prepare the rest.
In a skillet, crumble the sausage and sauté with the onion and garlic until meat is browned. Add to egg-bread mixture along with the spinach and 1/2 cup of the cheese. Stir until well-mixed and pour into prepared baking dish. Bake 30 minutes. Top with remaining cheese and bake another 5 minutes. Let stand 5-10 minutes before serving. Serves 6.

Fried Fish (Striper or Catfish)

1 cup Stovetop Stuffing mix (any flavor)
1 cup cornmeal
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash seasoning
1 cup flour
2 eggs
1/2 cup milk
8-10 boneless striped bass or catfish fillets
vegetable oil (about 1/2" deep in a large skillet)

Put stuffing mix in a plastic or brown paper bag. Use a rolling pin (a can of vegetables will do in a pinch!) to crush the cubes. Combine stuffing mix, cornmeal, and Mrs. Dash in a large bowl. Place flour in a large plastic or brown paper bag. Combine eggs and milk in a shallow bowl. Shake fish fillets in flour until coated, and place in egg-milk bath. Then dredge in cornmeal-stuffing mixture, and add to hot oil. Fry until lightly browned on each side.

Fiery Flank Steak with Tomato Jam

adapted from Cooking Light

Jam:
6 large ripe tomatoes, cored and cut in half crosswise (about 4 pounds)
⅓ cup sugar
⅓ cup grated onion
3 cloves, garlic minced
2 jalapeño peppers, minced
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
¼ teaspoon salt

Steak:
1 tablespoon grated lime rind
⅓ cup fresh lime juice
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 jalapeño peppers, minced
2 cloves, garlic minced
2 lbs. flank steak, trimmed
½ teaspoon salt
Cooking spray

To prepare jam, grate tomatoes, flesh side down, over a large bowl to form 5 1/2 cups pulp; discard skins. Combine pulp, sugar, onion, 3 garlic cloves, and 2 jalapeños in a medium saucepan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until reduced to 2 1/4 cups (about 20 minutes), stirring occasionally. Cool to room temperature. Stir in cilantro, 3 tablespoons juice, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
To prepare steak, combine rind, 1/3 cup juice, oil, 2 jalapeños, and 2 garlic cloves in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add steak; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight, turning bag occasionally.

Prepare grill.

Remove steak from bag; discard marinade. Sprinkle both sides of steak evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt. Place steak on a grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut steak diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with jam.

Whole Wheat Lemon-Filled Blueberry Muffins

2 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups buttermilk
2 egg whites
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup honey
1 - 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
1 cup (approx.) lemon curd or canned lemon pie filling

Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray 18 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Sift together flour, flax, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, egg whites, oil, and honey. Add blueberries, and fold into dry ingredients until batter is moist, yet remains slightly lumpy. Fill muffin tins 3/4 full. Top each with a heaping teaspoon of lemon curd or pie filling. Bake 30 minutes. Cool on wire racks. Makes 18.

Italian Potato Salad

2 large russet potatoes
7-9 fresh green beans
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
1/4 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 egg

In a large pot of boiling water, cook potatoes in their jackets for 30 minutes. Add the fresh green beans the last 10 minutes. Remove vegetables from water and let cool. Cut green beans in 1-inch slices. Peel potatoes, halve lengthwise and then slice 1/8-inch thick. Combine beans, potatoes, and garlic in a medium bowl. In a mixing cup or small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, red pepper, salt, and black pepper; pour over vegetables. Whisk egg, and add to bowl. Stir all to combine. Serve lukewarm or cold. Makes 4 servings.

Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Sausages

I guess almost everyone grills on Memorial Day. We were no exception. I decided to try something I'd read about on rv.net, a forum for rv'ers I visit often. You take a smoked sausage of your choice, make a long deep slit in it, stuff a litte onion and bell pepper in the slit, and then wrap the sausage in a slice of bacon. Cook it on the grill until the bacon is browned all over, and then eat on a crusty bun. Don used spicy brown mustard for his, and I used my German sweet-hot mustard. This is definitely something I'll try again!

Spicy Roasted Chicken with Grape Tomatoes

from Bon Appetít
12 ounces whole grape tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 cloves, garlic pressed
¾ teaspoons dried crushed red pepper
1 teaspoon dried marjoram
2 bone-in chicken breasts (I used boneless)
Salt and freshly ground pepper


1. Heat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss the tomatoes, olive oil, garlic, crushed red pepper and marjoram in a large bowl to combine.
2. Place the chicken on a rimmed baking sheet. Pour the tomato mixture over the chicken, arranging the tomatoes in a single layer on the sheet around the chicken. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper. Roast until the chicken is cooked through and the tomatoes are blistered, about 35 minutes.
3. Transfer the chicken to plates. Spoon the tomatoes and juices over the chicken and serve.

Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese

1 1/2 cups uncooked macaroni (I used small shells)
1 egg
4 oz. evaporated milk (don't use fresh)
1/2 tsp. dry mustard dissolved in 1/2 tsp. water
dash Tabasco sauce
1/4 tsp. pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup cubed Velveeta

Boil 2 quarts of water; add macaroni and cook until tender but still firm. Drain. In a separate bowl, mix the egg, half of the evaporated milk, the Tabasco sauce, and pepper. Return pasta to cooking pot, turn on low heat and stir in butter until melted. Stir in egg mixture and the cheddar. Cook over low heat, gradually stirring in Velveeta and milk until all is hot and creamy.

Barbecue Turkey Burgers

adapted from Cooking Light
from Cooking Light

¼ cup chopped onion
¼ cup barbecue sauce, divided
2 tablespoons dry breadcrumbs
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
¾ teaspoon chili powder
½ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon salt
1 lb. ground turkey
Cooking spray
4 large leaf lettuce leaves
4 (¼-inch-thick) slices tomato
4 (1 1/2-ounce) hamburger buns
Combine the onion, 2 tablespoons barbecue sauce, breadcrumbs, and the next 5 ingredients (breadcrumbs through turkey) in a medium bowl. Divide turkey mixture into 4 equal portions, shaping each into a 1 1/2 inch-thick patty. Heat a grill pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Place patties in pan; cook 7 minutes on each side or until done. Place 1 lettuce leaf, 1 tomato slice, and 1 patty on the bottom half of each bun. Spread each patty with 1 1/2 teaspoons barbecue sauce. Cover with top halves of buns.

I made one minor change at the end on my burger: I used some of yesterday's chipotle mayonnaise. Don had the barbecue sauce. We both think this recipe is wonderful. I tasted some of the meat before I had it with the chipotle mayonnaise, and I think these seasonings would make for a great meat loaf.

Black-Bottom Cheesecake Cups

adapted from Cooking Light

1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup Splenda Granular
⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa
1 tablespoon instant espresso granules
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup water
3.9-4 oz. container unsweetened applesauce
1 tablespoon white vinegar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 package (8-ounce) nonfat cream cheese, softened
½ cup sifted powdered sugar
1 egg
Vegetable cooking spray
½ cup semisweet chocolate morsels
¼ cup chopped almonds

Preheat oven to 350˚. Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl. Combine water, prune butter, vinegar, and vanilla; stir well. Add to dry ingredients, stirring with a wire whisk until blended; set chocolate batter aside.
Beat cream cheese in a bowl at medium speed of a mixer until smooth. Add powdered sugar and egg, and beat until well-blended; set cream cheese mixture aside.

Coat 18 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. Divide chocolate batter evenly among cups; spoon cream cheese mixture evenly on top of chocolate batter in each cup. Sprinkle chocolate morsels and almonds over cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pans 5 minutes on a wire rack; remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire rack.

Sweet Cabbage Salad

adapted from Cooking Light
3 cups shredded cabbage (about 1/2 head)
½ cup shredded carrot (about 1 medium)
½ cup chopped green bell pepper (about 1 medium)
¼ cup chopped red onion
3 tablespoons Splenda granular
¼ cup white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
½ teaspoon dry mustard
¼ teaspoon celery seeds
¼ teaspoon salt
Combine first 4 ingredients in a large bowl; toss well. Combine Splenda and remaining ingredients in a small bowl, stirring with a whisk. Pour vinegar mixture over cabbage mixture, tossing gently to combine. Cover; chill 1 hour. Serves 4

Chicken and Corn Torte

1/4 cup chopped onion
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 15-oz. can corn, drained
1 10-oz can Old El Paso Medium red enchilada sauce
2 small boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cooked and diced
5 corn tortillas
1 cup grated cheddar cheese, divided

Preheat oven to 375˚. In a small skillet, sauté the onion in the olive oil until onion is golden. Add drained corn and stir until any liquid left over in the corn is gone. Spray a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray. Put a tablespoon of the enchilada sauce in the dish, and then a corn tortilla. Spread half of the onion-corn mixture and top with 1/6 of the shredded cheese. Spoon over a few tablespoons of enchilada sauce. Put another tortilla in the pan, and top that with half of the chicken, another 1/6 of the cheese, and some more sauce. Repeat layers. Top all with the 5th tortilla, the last couple tablespoons of sauce, and the last of the cheese. Cover and bake 30-35 minutes or until hot and bubbly. Serve with some sour cream and tortilla chips on the side.

Pasta Salad

8 oz. pasta, cooked and cooled (macaroni, penne, shells)
2 Tbsp. chopped onion
1/4 cup diced sweet pickle (I used 6 baby gherkins)
14 cup shredded carrot (I used 6 baby carrots)
3 hard-boiled eggs, diced
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
3 Tbsp. Miracle Whip
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all ingredients; chill until ready to serve.

Fruit Pudding Salad

1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks
1 (16 ounce) can peach slices
1 (11 ounce) can mandarin orange sections
1 large apple
1 (3 3/4 ounce) box instant vanilla pudding
1 ½ cups milk (cold)
⅓ cup frozen orange juice concentrate (thawed)
¾ cup sour cream
Drain canned fruits.
Core and chop apple.
Combine all fruit in bowl and set aside.
Beat box of pudding with cold milk and orange juice concentrate for 2 minutes.
Beat in sour cream.
Fold this mixture into fruit mixture.
Cover and chill thoroughly. It comes out slightly soupy, so use a spoon!

Grilled Pork with Apricot Sauce

1 pork tenderloin (about 12 oz.)
1 cup apricot preserves
2 T lemon juice
2 T ketchup
1 T honey
2 t soy sauce
1/8 t ground ginger

While pork is grilling, combine the remaining ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook and stir until heated through. Use about a quarter cup of the sauce to baste the pork as it nears doneness. Use the rest as a dipping sauce or drizzled over the sliced meat.

Zucchini & Noodles

8 oz. fusilli pasta
3 medium zucchini, halved lengthwise and sliced
2 T olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 c lowfat or skim milk
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper

Cook and drain pasta according to package directions. In a large skillet, saute the zucchini in olive oil until brown. Remove from pan. Add onion to skillet and cook until lightly golden. Add milk and continue to cook until reduced. Return zucchini to pan along with Parmesan, salt and pepper. Combine and heat through. Serve with additional Parmesan.

Chile-Roasted Edamame

12 oz. frozen edamame, shelled
2 teaspoon olive oil
½ teaspoon chili powder
¼ teaspoon onion salt
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
⅛ teaspoon paprika
⅛ tablespoon black pepper

Preheat oven to 375˚. Stir together the oil and spices in a small bowl. Toss the beans in the oil-spice mixture until well coated. Arrange beans in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Roast, uncovered, 12-15 minutes, stirring once, until the beans begin to brown. Refrigerate any leftovers.

Notes:
This can be eaten hot or cold. Makes a great snack.

Fish with Crispy Potatoes

From Helen of Beyond Salmon


Butter for greasing the baking dish
4 medium Yukon gold potatoes
2 cloves garlic
1 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
1/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 teaspoons olive oil
¼ cup chopped parsley
4 tilapia or other firm white fillets

Set the racks in the bottom third and middle positions of your oven. Preheat the oven to 425F. Heavily butter a large shallow baking dish (about 10 by 16 inches).
Peel potatoes and slice into very thin (1/8" thick circles) using an adjustable blade slicer. Slice the garlic paper thin.

Mix potatoes, half of sliced garlic, olive oil 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and spread evenly in the baking dish in a single overlapping layer. Bake in the bottom third of the oven for 15 minutes or until potatoes are almost tender and starting to crisp around the edges of the baking dish.

Mix the remaining half of sliced garlic, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper in a large plate. Rub into fish fillets. Place fish fillets in a single layer on top of potatoes and bake in the middle of the oven 10 minutes per inch of thickness or until the fish is opaque in the center, but still juicy.

Whole Wheat Pumpkin Pancakes

2 cups white whole wheat pastry flour
2 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon ginger
2 eggs
2 cups buttermilk or sour milk
¼ cup vegetable oil
1 15 oz. can pumpkin puree

In a large bowl combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger. In a medium size bowl combine eggs, buttermilk, olive oil and pumpkin puree. Mix well. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine well. Cook pancakes on a hot griddle.

Turkey Vegetable Barley Soup

¾ cup chopped onion
¾ cup chopped celery
¾ cup chopped bell pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
¾ pound ground turkey
3 cups water
1 ½ teaspoon beef bouillon granules
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
⅓ cup regular barley
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
1 large bay leaf
1 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes, with their juice
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
In Dutch oven or soup pot, saute onion, bell pepper, celery and garlic with the ground turkey until it loses its red color, breaking it up as it cooks.
Add all other ingredients.
Simmer for 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hours.

Spicy Honey-Brushed Chicken Thighs

from Cooking Light

2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
8 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
cooking spray
6 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons cider vinegar

Preheat broiler. Combine first 6 ingredient in a large bowl. Add chicken to bowl; toss to coat. Place chicken on a broiler pan coated with cooking spray. Broil chicken 5 minutes on each side. (I cautiously did it for 6 each side). Combine honey and vinegar in a small bowl. Remove chicken from oven; brush honey mixture on chicken. Broil 1 minute. Remove chicken from oven again, turn over, and brush with remaining honey mixture. Broil another couple of minutes or until chicken is done.

Baked Four-Cheese Pasta

4 slices bacon, chopped fine
1 small onion, chopped fine
2 cloves, garlic minced
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
½ lb penne or ziti
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend

Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and heat to 450˚. Cook bacon, onion and garlic in large non-stick skillet over med-high heat until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add broth, cream, pasta and salt; cover and bring to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer, stirring frequently until pasta is tender, about 15 minutes.

Remove from heat, stir in Parmesan cheese and peas; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to 2-quart casserole dish and sprinkle with shredded cheese. Bake until cheese is melted and spotty brown, about 5 minutes. Serves 4.

Caramelized Butternut Squash

1 medium butternut squash
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed (I used 1 tablespoon Splenda Brown Sugar Blend)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F.
2. Cut off the ends of butternut squash and discard.
3. Peel the squash and cut in half lengthwise.
4. Using a spoon, remove the seeds.
5. Cut the squash into 1 1/4" to 1 1/2" cubes (large and uniform is best), and place them on a baking sheet.
6. Add the melted butter, brown sugar, salt and pepper.
7. With clean hands, toss all of the ingredients together and spread out in a single layer on the baking sheet.
8. Roast for 45 minutes to 55 minutes, until the squash is tender and the glaze begins to caramelize.
9. Turn the squash while roasting a few times with a spatula to be sure it browns evenly.
10. Adjust seasonings if needed.
11. Serve hot.

Hunter's Chicken

2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon oil
6 boneless chicken breasts
1 cup sliced onion
2 cup sliced mushrooms
1 clove garlic, minced
3 tablespoon flour
½ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
1 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 teaspoon Kitchen Bouquet browning liquid (optional)
1 cup diced tomatoes
¼ cup chopped parsley

In a large skillet heat together butter and oil. Cook chicken over medium heat until browned. Remove to a 12x7x2" baking dish; keep warm. In same skillet, combine onion, mushrooms, and garlic. Cook and stir until onion is tender. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper, mix well. Add wine, broth, Chicken Bouquet, and tomatoes, mix well. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until mixture is thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir 1 minute more. Pour over chicken. Bake, uncovered, at 350˚ for 30 minutes or until chicken is tender. Sprinkle with parsley. Serve over hot cooked rice or orzo.

Mom's Cherry Cobbler

Low Sugar Version

1/4 cup butter, melted
1 cup flour
1/2 cup Splenda granular
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
2/3 cup milk
1 15-oz can tart pie cherries, undrained
1/2 cup Splenda granular

Preheat oven to 350˚. Pour butter into 9" or 10" square baking dish. Mix together the flour, Splenda granular, sugar, salt, and baking powder. Add milk, and stir to mix. Pour over butter. DO NOT STIR. In a small bowl, combine the undrained cherries and Splenda, and pour over batter. DO NOT STIR. Bake 35 minutes.

Chili Colorado

1 pound sirloin, cut in 1/2" pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. chile powder
1/2 to 1 teaspoon chipotle chile powder (this adds "heat")
1 cup burgundy (I keep a jug of Gallo just for recipes like this)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon beef bouillon granules or one beef bouillon cube

Toss beef with salt and oil in a large skillet. Cover, and turn heat on very low. Simmer, about 20 minutes - juices will come out and then will cook out - once meat begins to sizzle it's time to start the next step. Sprinkle meat with flour and chile powders, then add burgundy, water, and bouillon. Raise heat to medium high, and cook, stirring, until mixture begins to thicken.

Cream of Carrot Soup

2 tablespoons butter
2 stalks celery, sliced
6 green onions (with tops), sliced
1 pound carrots, peeled and thinly sliced
2 cups rich chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/2 cup heavy cream

Melt butter in a heavy saucepan. Add vegetables and stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer 30 minutes. Then, either remove to a blender or use a beverage blender to puree the mixture. Add salt, pepper, and cream and heat. DO NOT BOIL. 3 servings.

Scalloped Cabbage

Scalloped Cabbage
posted on recipezaar by CindiJ

1 head cabbage (about 10" diameter)
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1 ½ cups half-and-half
½ lb Velveeta cheese, cubed (yes, Velveeta!)
salt & pepper

Cut cabbage up into bite size pieces. Par-boil approximately 3-5 minutes, drain well. Place cabbage in greased 9x13 casserole. Set aside. Melt butter in large saucepan. Stir in flour, salt and pepper and allow to cook 2-3 minutes over medium heat while stirring constantly. Stir in half-and-half. Continue to cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens. Cut up Velveeta cheese, add to sauce, and stir to melt. Pour cheese sauce over cabbage and bake covered with foil in 350º oven approximately 35 minutes till bubbly and cabbage is tender.

Orange Bacon Chicken Breasts

3 boneless chicken breasts
salt and pepper
3 slices bacon
1 T butter
2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/4 cup orange marmalade (I used the reduced-sugar version)

Preheat oven to 375˚. Line a shallow baking pan with foil; spray with nonstick cooking spray. Sprinkle each breast with salt and pepper. Wrap each breast with a slice of bacon and place in baking dish with bacon ends tucked under. Melt together butter, Worcestershire sauce, and marmalade in the microwave for about 30 seconds. Stir until combined; pour evenly over chicekn. Bake until bacon is crisp and chicken juices run clear, about 25-30 minutes. Makes 3 servings.