Rustic Apple Tart

1 unbaked 9" pie crust
3 large apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
1 t cinnamon
1/4 t nutmeg
1/4 c sugar or Splenda granular
1/4 c flour
2 T butter, cut in small pieces

Preheat oven to 350˚ Lay pie crust flat on a pizza pan or cookie sheet. Toss apples with cinnamon, nutmet, sugar/Splenda, and flour. Pour into a mound on the pie crust, and shape with your hands to leave 2-3" of pie crust all the way around the apples. Gently pull the edges of the pie crust up around the apples, leaving most of the center uncovered.

Dot apples with butter. Bake for about 40 minutes. Here's what it looks like cooked:

Hearty Italian Sandwiches

2 mild/sweet link Italian sausages
3/4 lb. lean ground beef
1 med. onion, thinly sliced
1 large green or red bell pepper, thinly sliced
1 large tomato diced (or about a cup of diced canned tomatoes)
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 t crushed red pepper
1 c burgundy or water
4 crusty sandwich rolls (you could use hoagie rolls, if you want)
1 c grated mozzarella cheese

Remove the sausage from its casings, and brown with the ground beef, breaking all the meat up into smaller bits. Layer half of the onion and bell pepper in the crockpot, then top with the meat. Put the rest of the onion and bell pepper on top of the meat, then the tomatoes. Sprinkle all with salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes. Cook on low 6-7 hours, checking after 3-4 hours. If it appears to be drying out, add some of the wine or water.

Split the sandwich rolls, and divide the meat mixture evenly among them. Top each with 1/4 cup cheese. (I usually pop the completed sandwiches in a 350˚ oven for about 5 minutes to crisp up the rolls and melt the cheese, but it's not mandatory.
4 Servings.

Easy Pasta Salad

6 oz. rotini or elbow macaroni, cooked
1/2 of a cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
1/2 of a green or red bell pepper, diced
1 medium tomato, diced
1/2 c bottled Italian salad dressing

Combine all ingredients.

Baked Ham Sandwiches

1 T butter, softened
2 T mayonnaise
1 T mustard
1 T finely diced onion
2 t poppy seeds
3 hamburger buns or plain bagels (hmmm. some of the flavored bagels would be good, wouldn't they?)
3 slices cooked ham
3 slices Swiss cheese

In a small bowl, mix together the butter, mayonnaise, mustard, onion and poppy seeds. Spread on top and bottom of hamburger buns or bagels. Add a slice of ham and a slice of swiss to each, and wrap sandwiches in foil. Bake 15 minutes at 350˚. Serve hot. Makes 3

Broccoli Salad 2

Salad:
2 crowns fresh broccoli, cut in bite-sized pieces
1/2 c shredded cheddar cheese
1 c seedless red grapes, sliced in half
1/4 c raisins
1/3 c diced purple onion
1/3 c pine nuts
1/3 c real bacon bits (or 4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled)

Dressing:
1/2 c mayonnaise
1/4 c sugar or Splenda
1 T cider vinegar

Mix all salad ingredients in a large bowl. Mix dressing ingredients and toss with salad.

Cranberry-Barbecue Chicken

2-3 pounds chicken pieces (I used 3 chicken breasts)
1 can whole-berry cranberry sauce
1 c diced celery
1/2 c diced onion
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
1 c barbecue sauce (I used Bullseye)

Place chicken pieces in crockpot. Combine remaining ingredients and pour over chicken. Cook on low 7-8 hours.

Zucchini Casserole

3 lbs. zucchini
1/4 c butter
1/2 c chopped onion
3 eggs, beaten
2 T cornstarch
5 oz. can evaporated milk
2 t salt
1/2 t pepper
2 T sugar or Splenda granular
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
 
Preheat oven to 425˚. Wash and slice zucchini and boil until tender, about 8 minutes. While squash is boiling, sauté the onion in the butter. Drain the squash well, slightly mash and mix with onion and remaining ingredients. Bake in a 12 x 7" baking dish 35-40 minutes. You could add a crumb topping of crushed Ritz crackers or saltines, mixed with a tablespoon of butter. I used 10 Ritz crackers and 1/4 cup of panko break crumbs, since that's all the crackers I had.

Breakfast Cookies

3/4 c white whole wheat flour
1/2 t baking soda
1/2 t salt
2/3 c butter, softened
1/4 c Splenda
1/4 c Splenda brown sugar blend
1 egg
1 t vanilla extract
1 1/2 regular oats, uncooked (can use quick-cooking, but not instant)
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 c ground flaxseed
1/4 c oat bran
1/2 c real bacon bits

Combine flour, soda, and salt; mix well, and set aside. Cream butter and sugar; beat in egg and vanilla. Add flour mixture, mixing well. Stir in oats, cheese, wheat germ, and bacon. Using hands, form dough into 1 1/2" balls. Slightly flatten them and place on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake at 350F for 16-18 minutes. Cool 1 minutes on cookie sheets. Yield: 2 dozen

Mom's Baked Beans

1 large can B & M or Bush's Boston-Style Baked Beans
1 T mustard
3 T brown sugar
2 T ketchup
1 T dried minced onion (yes, the dried stuff--if you use fresh, it doesn't cook enough and tastes too raw and onion-y)

Combine in a baking dish; cover tightly and cook at 350˚ for at least 30 minutes.

Mom's Potato Salad

1 very large russet potato or two medium ones
2 hard-boiled eggs,
3 T diced onion
4 sweet pickles, diced
2 T diced pimento
1/2 c Miracle Whip
salt and pepper to taste

Boil the potato in its skin for about 25 minutes, or until knife inserted in potato goes through easily. Let cool. Peel and dice into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients and stir to mix. Makes about 4 servings.

Barbecue Brisket, Texas Style

Day 1: Sprinkle both sides of the brisket with garlic powder, onion powder, and celery salt. Place in a marinating dish, or a bag, or a Foodsaver marinating canister, and sprinkle with liquid smoke. This is a liquid sold under several different brand names. The one I have is called Wright's Hickory Seasoning Liquid Smoke, and comes in a 3.5 oz. bottle. Use about a third of the bottle for a 1.5 pound brisket, two thirds for a 3 pound brisket, and the whole bottle if you're doing a huge cut of meat. Seal bag or canister and marinate in the refrigerator at least overnight.

Day 2, early morning: Sprinkle brisket generously with Wocestershire sauce. For my 1.5 pound brisket, which is a small one, I used about 3 tablespoons. Place in a baking dish and cover with foil. Bake for four hours at 275˚. Remove from oven, let cool for about an hour, and then place, still covered, in the refrigerator.

Day 2, 45 minutes before you want to eat: Remove brisket from pan and put on cutting board; slice thinly across the grain. It will seem tough, but it softens to a wonderful tenderness when it's reheated. Lift congealed grease from baking dish and discard. Put meat back in pan, and cover with about 1 cup of prepared barbecue sauce. I use either Bullseye or K.C. Masterpiece, since they don't have that raw sour taste that Kraft and Hunt's do. It's up to you.

Cover dish again with foil and bake at 325˚ for about 30-35 minutes. Enjoy!

Mocha Cappuccino Pudding

4 t instant coffee or espresso granules
1 T very hot water
1 1/2 c cold skim milk
1 sm. pkg. sugar-free instant )
chocolate pudding mix
1/2 t ground cinnamon
1 cup Sugar Free Cool Whip
additional Cool Whip
Oreo cookie crisps (optional)

Dissolve coffee granules in water; set aside. In a mixing bowl, combine milk, pudding mix and cinnamon. Beat on low speed for 2 minutes. Stir in coffee. Fold in Cool Whip. Spoon into serving dishes. Garnish with a dollop of Cool Whip and cookie crisps if desired. Makes 4 servings.

Chuck and Carol's Pluto Pie

3/4 lb. lean ground beef
1 8-oz. can tomato sauce
3/4 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/3 c sliced green olives
1 6-oz. can sliced mushrooms, drained
3/4 c shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350˚.
Pack the ground beef into the bottom and up the sides of an ovenproof 10” skillet. (You might be able to use a pie pan for this, too.) Spread the tomato sauce on top of the beef, top with the cheddar cheese. Sprinkle the olives and mushrooms on top of the cheddar, and then top all with the mozzarella. Bake 40 minutes; let stand 5 minutes before cutting into wedges.

Fish and Shrimp Tacos

8 breaded fish sticks
8 medium pieces uncooked shrimp
3 T mayonnaise
3 T plain yogurt
1 t chipotle chili powder (I use McCormick's)
6 small corn tortillas (use 12 and double them if they're really thin)
grated cheddar cheese
diced tomato
shredded cabbage

Cook fish sticks according to package directions. Boil shrimp a couple minutes until pink. Remove tails and keep warm. In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise, yogurt, and chili powder. Put corn tortilla on a hot griddle or skillet. Put cheddar cheese and two fish sticks or 4 pieces shrimp on each tortilla. Just as cheese melts, remove from griddle to a plate. (If you cook them too long, they get hard) Top each with a couple teaspoons of mayonnaise-yogurt mixture, some diced tomato, and some shredded cabbage. Fold in half to eat. Makes 4 fish tacos and 2 shrimp tacos.

Marilyn's Mushroom Quiche

1 T butter
1 1/2 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 c chopped onion
1/4 c chopped sweet red pepper
1/4 c chopped green bell pepper
3 oz. cream cheese, softened
4 eggs
1/3 c half & half
1 c shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
dash ground nutmeg
(optional) 4 oz. bulk breakfast sausage, crumbled, cooked, and drained
(optional) 1 9" uncooked pie crust

Preheat oven to 350˚. Sauté mushrooms, onion, and peppers in butter until tender. In a mixing bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in eggs and half & half Stir in cheeses, salt, pepper, and nutmeg. Spray a 10" quiche dish with nonstick cooking spray. (Optional: use a pie crust) (Optional: sprinkle bottom of pie crust or quiche dish with cooked sausage). Pour egg mixture into dish. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Beef Burgundy

3/4 lb. round steak, cut in 3/4" pieces
1/2 c flour
3 T butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1/3 c chopped onion
2 T chopped dried parsley
2 6-oz. cans mushrooms, drained
1 1/2 c burgundy
1 bay leaf

Shake round steak pieces in flour in a plastic or brown paper bag. Brown in two batches on all sides in butter in a large skillet. Add remaining ingredients. Turn heat to very low, cover, and simmer about an hour, stirring occasionally. It will thicken as it cooks; you might need to add water or more burgundy if it begins to dry out. Serve over hot rice.

Sweet Potato Planks

1 large or two small sweet potatoes or yams
2 T butter, melted
1/4 c dry roasted peanuts, chopped (Paula Deen uses honey-roasted peanuts, but I use regular ones)

Earlier in the day, boil the potato in a large pot of water for about 20 minutes. Drain and cool.
Preheat oven to 450˚. Peel cooled potato, and slice into 1/2-inch slices. Spray a baking sheet with butter-flavored cooking spray and place potato slices on baking sheet. Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Bake 15-20 minutes. Serves 2

Asian Chicken Thighs

1 6-oz. can pineapple juice
1/4 c soy sauce
1/2 t grated fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, pressed through garlic press
1/2 t red pepper flakes
4-6 boneless chicken thighs

Marinate chicken 2 hours or longer. Grill outside or on indoor grill.

Died and Went to Heaven Chocolate Cake

1 3/4 c all-purpose flour
1/2 cups SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1/2 cup SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend
3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cups lowfat buttermilk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs (lightly beaten)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup hot strong black coffee (I used hot water with instant espresso powder)

Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease cake pan or bundt with non-stick cooking spray, set aside.
Blend flour, SPLENDA® Granulated Sweetener, SPLENDA® Brown Sugar Blend, baking powder, baking soda, cocoa powder and salt in a medium bowl.
Combine buttermilk, oil, eggs, vanilla extract, and coffee in a large mixing bowl.
Add flour to mixture, using an electric mixer on medium speed, mix until
Smooth (about 2 minutes). Whisk in coffee. The batter will seem thin, but it’s okay.
Pour batter into cake pan or bundt pan.
Bake for 35 minutes, until an inserted toothpick in center of cake comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes.

Note: I don’t usually have buttermilk in my refrigerator, so I use powdered buttermilk instead. You mix it in with the dry ingredients; and use the equivalent amount of water in the wet ingredients. Another option is to try this: stir 1 tablespoon of vinegar or lemon juice into 1 cup milk; let stand about 10 minutes. This is a common buttermilk substitute.

Texas Goulash

8 oz. elbow macaroni
3/4 lb. ground beef
1/3 c chopped onion
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, drained
1 small. can tomato paste
1/2 to 3/4 c cubed Velveeta cheese
salt and pepper to taste

Boil and drain macaroni. In same pan, brown the ground beef and onion. Add remaining ingredients and cook over low heat until cheese is melted. Add macaroni back to pot; heat through. Makes 6 servings.

Eileen's Lemon Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/3 c lemon juice
1/3 c all-purpose flour
1/2 t paprika
1/4 t salt
2 T vegetable or olive oil
1/2 c chicken broth
3 green onions, chopped (including green part)
1 T Splenda Brown Sugar Blend (or 2 T brown sugar)
1 T grated lemon peel

Cut each chicken breast lengthwise into 3 smaller pieces. Brush each piece with some of the lemon juice. Combine flour, paprika and salt in a plastic bag and shake each piece in the flour mixture until coated. Brown chicken on both sides in hot oil. Reduce heat; add chicken broth, green onions, brown sugar blend, lemon peel, and any leftover lemon juice. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Serves 2.

Roasted Vegetables

2 yellow squashed, cut in strips
1 onion, sliced vertically
1 bell pepper, cut in strips
1 c fresh mushrooms, cut in half
1 c carrots, cut in half
2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed through press
1/2 t salt

Preheat oven to 450˚. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl and spread on a cookie sheet. Bake 25 minutes.

Swedish Meatballs

Meatballs:
1 slice soft bread (white or whole wheat)
1/4 c milk
3/4 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 t salt
1/4 t ground white pepper
1/8 t ground allspice
1 t grated onion ( I take a little bit frozen chopped onion out of the freezer and mince it while it’s still frozen)
1 T butter

Sauce:
3/4 c beef broth, divided
1 T flour
2 T cold water
1/4 c heavy whipping cream
1 T dried parsley

Meatballs: Tear bread into very small pieces, and place in medium bowl with milk. Crumble meat into bowl, and add salt, white pepper, allspice, and onion. Mix well, using your hands. Form into small meatballs of uniform size, about 1 inch in diameter. Heat butter in a large skillet over medium heat, and brown meatballs. When they are browned on all sides, remove from skillet and place into a medium saucepan.
Sauce: Increase heat under skillet to high and deglaze with 1/4 cup of the beef broth. Add broth to saucepan containing meatballs, cover, and simmer about 5-7 minutes. Remove meatballs from pot and set aside. Add remaining 1/2 cup beef broth and bring to a boil. In a small dish or shaker jar, mix flour and water to form a thin paste; add to boiling sauce, whisking constantly to avoid lumps. Reduce heat and simmer 5 minutes. Whisk in cream and simmer another 2 minutes until sauce is slightly thickened. Add parsley. Add meatballs to sauce to rewarm. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve over hot noodles, boiled potatoes, or rice. Makes 3 servings.

Easy Tandoori Chicken Breasts

1 t finely chopped fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, pressed through a garlic press or finely chopped
1 very small onion, finely chopped (about 1/3 cup)
dash cinnamon
1/2 t salt
1/8 t ground cloves
1/4 t ground cayenne pepper
1/8 t ground black pepper
1/2 t cumin
1/2 t coriander
1/8 t turmeric
1/8 t nutmeg
1/8 t paprika
1/2 t lemon juice
2 T plain nonfat yogurt
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Blend ginger, garlic, onion, cinnamon, salt, and cloves in a small bowl. In a small skillet, mix cayenne, black pepper, cumin, coriander, turmeric, nutmeg, and paprika. Heat for just a minute, and add to wet mixture. Add lemon juice and yogurt, and spread mixture all over the chicken. Marinate, covered two hours or more. If marinating overnight, take the chicken pieces from the refrigerator an hour before cooking to bring them to room temperature.
Preheat the oven to 375˚. Place the chicken right on the low rack, and cook for 15-20 minutes. Turn over and cook for 10 more minutes or till the chicken pieces are completely roasted and golden brown. Garnish with sliced onions, tomatoes, or lemon wedges.

No-Fuss Pork Chops

2 boneless pork chops or pork sirloins, cut 3/4 to 1" thick
1/2 c unsweetened applesauce
1/8 t onion powder
2 T soy sauce

Brown pork chops on both sides in an oven-ready skillet over medium-high heat. Combine remaining ingredients; spoon evenly over chops. Cover pan with foil. Place in oven, turn heat control to 350˚. Bake 30 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes longer, or until chops are tender. Serves 2

Southern Frank Dinner

1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium bell pepper (any color), chopped
2 T butter or oil
dash salt
1/4 t pepper
2 14.5-oz. cans diced tomatoes
1 lb. hot dogs (you could try this with soy dogs), sliced
Crusty Cornbread Topping (below)

Preheat oven to 425˚. Sauté onion and bell pepper in oil until golden; turn off heat and add salt, pepper, tomatoes, and hot dogs. Pour into a greased 13 x 9” baking dish. Spoon Crusty Cornbread Topping on top in evenly-spaced dollops. Bake 30 minutes. Serves 4-6

Crusty Cornbread Topping

1/2 c all-purpose flour
1 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t baking soda
3/4 c yellow cornmeal
2 T shortening
1 egg
2/3 c milk

Sift flour, salt, baking powder and soda. Stir in cornmeal. Cut in shortening. Add egg and milk.

Schwenkbraten

Perhaps no food brings back better memories of Germany for DH and me than Schwenkbraten. It's basically a tender cut of pork that's marinated and then grilled on a hanging griddle over wood or coals. Go here for an explanation in German plus a picture of the special hanging grill.

When we were stationed at Zweibrücken Air Base, DH and his buddies in POL (aircraft refueling) were in charge of the schwenkbraten booth at all the base events. He and Lee would go to Globus, a great big grocery store in Zweibrücken, and buy dozens of pounds of already-marinated schwenks. They'd then put them in big foil pans next to the grill, and add beer to keep the meat moist until it was cooked. No matter how many schwenks they bought, they always sold out.

Schwenkbraten is a regional specialty from the Saarland-the area of Germany that's southwest of Frankfurt, northwest of Karlsruhe, along the French border. I believe it was part of France once-correct me if I'm wrong on that. But you can go elsewhere in Germany and look for schwenkbraten, and no one will know what you're talking about.

The basic meat for a good schwenk has got to be pork sirloin. If you use boneless pork loin chops, they're too tough. Pork sirloins are not only tender, but are just the right size to put on big crusty rolls.

There's a mixture (schwenkbraten gewurz) that's the same concept as a rub. It is reminiscent of curry, since it's a lot of spices and herbs mixed togther: garlic, paprika, onion, oregano, thyme, parsley, nutmeg, and mustard. I've added curry powder, since curry powder reminds us of the marinade they used at Globus.

So, here's how you make it: in a flat dish, lay down a thin layer of vegetable or olive oil, a layer of very thinly sliced onions, and a layer of the herb/spice mixture. Then put in some pork sirloin steaks, sprinkle with more of the herb/spice mixture, and top with more onion and oil. Cover and marinate overnight. You can also try this in a large ziploc bag, or in a Foodsaver marinating canister.

When you're ready to grill, you can either try grilling the onions on the grill,too, using foil, or grill them on an indoor grill (I use my little George Foreman). Either way, you've got to have the grilled onions on your sandwich, too.

Grill the meat until done through, and serve with the onions on crusty sandwich rolls. I use a litte mayonnaise, DH eats his plain, and my daughter likes hers with mustard.

Try this mixture:

2 Tbsp. curry powder
1 Tbsp. garlic powder
1 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. dried mustard
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

Mix together and store in your cupboard.

MIxed Berry & Coconut Slice

2 1/4 cups white whole-wheat flour
3 tablespoons ground almonds
3/4 c Splenda, divided
1/2 cups caster sugar*
1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, chilled
1/2 t ground nutmeg
1/2 t baking powder
4 eggs
1 t vanilla extract
1 T lemon juice
2 1/2 cups fresh or frozen mixed berries (I used the triple berry blend of raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries from Costco)
1 cup dessicated coconut (this is unsweetened-I purchase mine at the local vegetable market)
Preheat the oven to 350˚. Grease a 12 x 8" baking dish and line with parchment paper.
Sift 1 3/4 cups flour into a bowl. Add the ground almonds and 1/4 cup of the Splenda and stir to combine. Rub the butter into the flour with your fingertips until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Press the mixture into the pan and bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden. Reduce the oven to 300˚.
Sift the nutmeg, baking powder and the remaining flour into a bowl.
In a mixing bowl, beat the eggs, vanilla and remaining sugar with electric beaters for 4 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Fold in the flour with a large spoon. Stir in the lemon juice, raspberries and coconut and pour over the base.
Bake for ~1 hour, or until golden and firm. Chill in the pan, then cut into pieces. Makes 24 pieces.

Turnip Greens

2 c water
1 large bunch turnip greens, thoroughly washed and then chopped coarsely
1 slice bacon, cut in 1/2” pieces (or you could use 1/4 cup diced salt pork)

Put water in a large s tockpot. Add the turnip greens and bacon, and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover, and simmer about 2 hours, checking occasionally to make sure water hasn’t boiled off. Add water if necessary. Salt to taste. Serves 2

Cyndi's Meatloaf Muffins

3/4 lb. lean ground beef
2 slices soft whole wheat bread, torn into very small pieces
3 T milk
2 T finely minced onion
1 egg, lightly beaten or 1/4 c Eggbeaters
2 t Worcestershire sauce
1/2 t rubbed sage
1/8 t ground pepper
1/3 c ketchup
1 T Splenda Brown Sugar blend
1 t yellow mustard

Preheat oven to 400˚. In a large bowl, combine ground beef, bread, milk, onion, egg, Worcestershire sauce, sage, and pepper. Divide into equal portions in 6 muffin cups. Bake 15 minutes. In a small bowl, combine ketchup, Splenda Brown Sugar blend, and mustard. Spoon evenly onto each “muffin.” Bake another 10 minutes. Makes 6 (3-4 servings)

Fried Okra

1 lb. fresh young okra
2 eggs
1/4 c milk
1/2 c flour
1 c yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup vegetable oil

Slice okra into 1/4” slices, throwing away the caps (but keeping the pointed ends). In a large bowl, mix the eggs and milk. Add the okra, and stir to coat. Sprinkle with flour and cornmeal, and stir until all pieces are well coated. Fry in oil, covered, stirring occasionally, until golden and crispy.

Erika's Romaine Salad

1 head romaine
1/4 c thinly sliced yellow onion
1/4 c white vinegar
1/4 c water
3 T vegetable oil
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper

Chop romaine coarsley. Put in a large bowl with the onion. In a small jar with a lid, shake together the vinegar, water, oil, salt, and pepper. Toss with romaine and onion. Serves 4.

Käse Spatzle mit Zwiebeln

Spätzle

2 1/2 c flour
1/2 t salt
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 c water (approx.)

Combine flour and salt. Add eggs and 1/4 c water. Mix until the dough is stiff. Continue adding water until the mixture is of the correct consistency--that is, until it comes away easily from the sides of the bowl. Let stand for 30 minutes. Process through spatzle machine into boiling water. If you don’t have a spatzle machine, you can press it through the holes of a metal colander. Cook for about 5 minutes. Makes enough to feed 6-8 people.

Käse Spätzle mit Zwiebeln

3 onions, chopped
1/4 c butter or margarine
1 batch spätzle
1 lb. Swiss cheese, grated

Saute onions in butter until golden. Mix spatzle with cheese and place in baking dish. Top with onions. Bake at 350˚ for about 20 minutes, or until bubbly. Serves 6-8.

Lemon Chicken Diablo

1/2 c all-purpose flour
dash salt
dash pepper
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced horizontally
2 T olive oil
1 T butter
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press
1 t crushed red pepper flakes
1 T grated lemon peel
1/4 c lemon juice
2 T dried or fresh chopped parsley



Combine flour, salt and pepper in a bag. Shake chicken in flour mixture to coat. Sauté in olive oil and butter, about 8 minutes on each side, until cooked through and golden. Sprinkle with garlic, red pepper flakes, and lemon peel. Cook another 2 minutes, turning chicken over a couple of times. Add lemon juice to skillet, pouring over all pieces. (This is where you try not to breathe the steam!). The chicken will absorb the lemon juice. Sprinkle with parsley. Serves 2

Rösti

2 T vegetable oil
1 very large potato, or several smaller ones, shredded as if for hash browns

Heat oil in a large skillet. Spread shredded potatoes in a single layer and cook, covered, until bottom is browned. Using the lid of the skillet, transfer the entire layer, intact, to the lid, and then flip it over back into the pan. Cook, uncovered, until crispy on both top and bottom. Cut in wedges or serve with spatula. Makes 2 servings.

Geschnetzeltes

Geschnetzeltes

1/2 lb. boneless pork, cut in 1” x 1/2” pieces (or use veal or chicken)
2 T vegetable oil
6 oz. fresh mushrooms (or 2 4-oz cans)
2 T all-purpose flour
3/4 c chicken or vegetable broth
1 t Worcestershire sauce
1 t Dijon mustard
1/2 c heavy cream or half & half
salt & pepper to taste

Brown pork in oil; remove from pan. Add mushrooms, and sauté about 5 minutes. Add flour and toss mushrooms to coat. Cook another 2-3 minutes. Add broth, Worcestershire, and mustard. Simmer gently, about 5 minutes, or until thickened. Add cream, salt and pepper, and meat. Heat another couple of minutes (to reheat the meat). Serve over rösti. Makes 2 large or 3 regular servings.

Creamed Cauliflower Casserole

1 1-lb. package frozen cauliflower
2 t butter, divided
3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
1 med. onion, chopped
2 T flour
1 c lowfat milk
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese
1/4 t salt
1/8 t pepper
dash thyme
2 T dried parsley
1/2 c dried breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 325˚. Boil cauliflower in 1 cup salted water 8-10 minutes. Drain. In a large skillet, melt 1 teaspoon of the butter, and sauté 2 cloves of the garlic and onion over medium heat until tender, about 8-10 minutes. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and milk, and add to the garlic-onion mixture in the skillet. Cook over medium heat another couple of minutes until thickened. Add the cheese, salt, and pepper. Remove from heat and add the cauliflower. Pour all into a greased 8” baking pan. In a small skillet, heat the other teaspoon butter, add the other clove garlic, and cook about 30 seconds until lightly browned. Stir in the thyme, parsley, and breadcrumbs. Sprinkle breadcrumbs over cauliflower. Bake, uncovered, 20 minutes or until bubbly. Makes 3-4 servings.

(Almost) Sugar-Free Orange Cheesecake

1 pkg. graham crackers (about 10 pieces)
1/4 c Splenda granular
1 T dried or 2 T fresh grated orange peel
1/4 c butter, melted
1 c water
1 sm. box sugar-free orange Jell-o
3 8-oz pkgs. cream cheese, softened (I used 2 lowfat and 1 regular, since that's what I had in the refrigerator)
1/4 c frozen orange juice concentrate (I keep a large can in my freezer and scoop out some whenever I need orange juice)
grated peel from one fresh orange

For crust: Preheat oven to 350˚. In a food processor, mix graham crackers, Splenda, orange peel, and butter. Process until finely ground. Press into bottom of 10-inch springform pan. Bake 10 minutes. Cool.
Filling: Bring water to a boil; stir into Jell-o in a small bowl. Cool about 10 minutes. In a large mixer bowl, mix cream cheese, orange juice concentrate, and fresh orange peel. Slowly add Jell-o mixture. Pour all into springform pan. Cool until set.

Imagine how this would be if you used raspberry Jell-o, or lemon, or lime, or strawberry! This would be good no matter what flavor you used. It set up beautifully, and I served it topped with some mandarin oranges.

Emalene's Burgers

1/2 pound lean ground beef
2 T finely minced onion
2 T milk
dash pepper & salt
4 large hamburger buns

Mix ground beef, onion, milk, pepper, and salt by hand in a bowl. Spread equal amounts on hamburger bun halves, spreading as far to the edge (and even over the edge) as possible. Broil 5-6 minutes or until meat is brown and before edges of bun begin to burn. (The meat begins to shrink as it cooks, exposing the edges of the buns). You can eat these spread with your choice of toppings (mayonnaise, Miracle Whip, mustard, steak sauce) or put two of them together with toppings and cheese, lettuce, and tomatoes. Makes 4.

Red Vinaigrette

1/2 c red wine vinegar
1 T Splenda granular
1 T sweet paprika
1 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 c vegetable oil

Combine vinegar, Splenda, paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic in a small bowl. Gradually whisk in oil. Let stand at room temperature. Re-whisk before using. Makes 1 1/2 cups.

Balsamic-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

1 1/2 lb. pork tenderloin
1/4 t salt
1/8 t ground black pepper
1/4 c balsamic vinegar
1 1/2 t Splenda brown sugar blend

Preheat oven to 375˚. Rinse pork under cool running water. Trim excess fat. Season with salt and pepper. Heat a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat; place pork in skillet. Sear each side to brown entire surface. Remove meat from pan; set aside on a warm plate. Add vinegar to skillet, stirring to scrape any cooked bits of meat from skillet. Reduce heat to medium; stir in brown sugar; mix well to make a glaze. Return tenderloin to skillet; spoon glaze over meat. Place skillet in oven. Roast for 20 minutes. Remove pork fromoven; allow to rest 5 minutes before slicing. Drizzle any pan juices over top.

Gwen's Four-Taste Pasta

12 oz. thin spaghetti or angel hair pasta
2 cans tomato paste
3 cloves garlic, minced
3 T olive oil
1 t crushed red pepper
1/4 c dried parsley
1/4-1/3 c grated Parmesan cheese

(Yes, I know that’s six tastes–I guess she doesn’t count the olive oil or Parmesan!)

Cook pasta in boiling water till tender. While pasta is cooking, combine tomato paste, garlic, olive oil, red pepper, and parsley in a large bowl. Add drained, but still hot pasta to tomato paste mixture. Use two forks to combine the mixture with the pasta. Add Parmesan, combine, and serve immediately. Sometimes I have to zap it in the microwave to get it hot again. This is meant to be a thick pasta–it’s not a sauce, but more like a coating. You can add more red pepper flakes if you decide you want it spicier. Serves 3-4

Tomato Beef With Curry

3/4 lb. sirloin, cut in 1/2” pieces
2 T oil
1 bell pepper, cut in 1/2” pieces
1 medium onion, cut in pieces
1/2 c chicken broth
2 t curry powder
2 t sugar or Splenda
1 T cornstarch dissolved in 2 T water
2 small tomatoes, cut in pieces

Brown meat in two batches in hot olive oil in wok or skillet. Remove from pan. Add bell pepper, onion, and broth. Cover and cook 2-3 minutes. Add curry powder and sugar; cover and cook another 2-3 minutes. (It all depends on how crispy you want your vegetables. I like mine “wilted,” so I cook mine 5 minutes.) Add cornstarch-water mixture; stir until sauce is thickened, about 1 minute longer. Add meat and tomatoes, and stir until heated through. Serve over hot rice. Makes 3 “hearty” or 4 small servings.

Mom's Banana-Apple Salad

1 large crisp apple, diced
2 bananas, sliced lengthwise and then in slices
2 T light or regular Miracle Whip

Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Serves 2

Blueberry-Yogurt Pancakes

1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1 c skim or lowfat milk
2 4-oz. containers Dannon low-carb/low-sugar vanilla yogurt
1/4 c Eggbeaters
1 1/4 c fresh or frozen blueberries

Mix flour and baking powder. Add milk, yogurt, and egg substitute, and mix with a wire whisk to blend well. Fold in blueberries. Cook on griddle sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Makes 12 to 14 4-inch pancakes

Orange Pork Chops

2 thick boneless pork chops (about 3/4” thick)
salt and freshly ground pepper
1/2 c flour
1 T butter
1/2 c orange juice
1/2 c dry white wine
2 T orange marmalade (I used Smucker’s spreadable fruit)
2 t cornstarch
2 T water
1 4-oz container mandarin oranges, drained

Season pork chops with salt and pepper. Dredge chops lightly in flour, shaking off excess. Melt butter in heavy large skillet over medium heat. Add chops and cook, turning frequently, until golden brown, about 3-5 minutes per side. Stir in orange juice, wine, and marmalade. Cover, reduce heat to low and simmer gently 20-25 minutes, turning once. Transfer chops to platter and keep warm. Mix cornstarch and water; add to sauce. Continue cooking until thickened. Stir in mandarin oranges; heat through. Spoon sauce over chops. Serve with brown or white rice. Serves 2.

Sautéed Spinach

1 T olive oil
1 small clove garlic, crushed/pressed through garlic sieve
1 7-10-oz. pkg. fresh baby spinach

Heat olive oil and garlic in a large skillet. Add spinach; toss gently until spinach is cooked through. Serve immediately. Serves 2.

Normandy Beef Stew

3 T oil
2 med. onions, thinly sliced
1 lb. boneless chuck, round, or sirloin, cut in 1” cubes
1 1/2 c shredded cabbage
1/4 c dry red wine
1 15-oz. can kidney beans, undrained
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
dash Tabasco sauce
1 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes

Heat oil in large skillet or Dutch oven. Sauté onions until tender, about 3 min. Remove and reserve. Add beef, a few pieces at a time; brown on all sides; remove. Keep warm until all pieces are browned. Return beef and sautéed onions to kettle. Add remaining ingredients. Cook over moderate heat until vegetables are tender and stew is thickened, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. Serves 4

Whole Wheat Banana-Cranberry Bread

1/4 c butter, softened
1/3 c Splenda granular
1/3 c honey
3 eggs, beaten
1 c mashed banana pulp (from about 3 small)
1/3 c water
1 t vanilla
1/4 c milk powder (I use Milkman)
1 t salt
1 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 1/2 c whole wheat flour
1/2 c oat bran
3 T ground flaxseed
1 c chopped walnuts
3/4 c dried cranberries
1 c fresh or frozen cranberries

Cream the butter, Splenda, and honey (with an electric mixer, if possible) until light; beat in the eggs, banana pulp, water, and vanilla. Stir together the dry ingredients; stir them into the first mixture, blending with a few strokes as possible. Stir in walnuts and raisins. Turn the batter into an oiled loaf pan; bake at 325˚ for about 1 hour, until well browned and a tester comes out clean.

Bauernfrüstuck (Farmer's Breakfast)

2 c frozen cubed hash brown potatoes
2 T oil
1/4 c chopped onion
1/4 c chopped bell pepper (any color)
approx. 10 little smokies sausages
4 eggs

Fry hash browns in oil in a large skillet until they start to get soft. Add onion and bell pepper, and continue to cook a while longer until potatoes begin to brown. Slice the little smokies into small pieces and add to the skillet. When potatoes are brown, crack the eggs into the pan. Stir mixture until eggs are cooked.

Chicken Paprika

1/4 c butter
1 medium onion, chopped
4-5 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
2 t sweet paprika
1 c chicken broth (or 1 c water + 1 t chicken bouillon powder)
2 t flour
1 c light or regular sour cream

Dry chicken with paper towels. Heat butter. When bubbling, add chopped onion and sauté slowly until soft (do not brown). Add chicken and sauté slowly, turning often, until bright yellow. Sprinkle with paprika; stir through onions until all pieces are coated. Sauté 3 or 4 minutes more. Add broth; bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat. Simmer until done (30-35 minutes). When chicken is done, remove from pan. Blend flour and sour cream; stir into broth until thickened. Return chicken to pan; simmer for 5 more minutes. Serve over noodles. 3-4 servings.

Taco Pockets

1 lb. lean ground beef
1/4 c chopped onion
2 t ground cumin
2 t chili powder
1/2 t garlic powder
1/4 t salt
2-3 dashes Tabasco
3-4 burrito-size flour tortillas
(this time I used Mission’s Jalapeño-Cheddar Wraps,
and they were great!)

Combine ground beef and seasonings; form into three or four burgers. Cook burgers in a skillet.
Once the burgers have cooked, place a large, burrito size flour tortilla or wrap on a hot skillet or griddle for a few seconds. Turn it over, and place in this order, grated cheese, salsa, lettuce, tomato, and the burger.



After a few more seconds, and tortilla soft and pliable, remove tortilla and burger to a cutting board, where you fold up the edges of the tortilla around the burger.



Then, turn it over and cut it in half. You then have two “pockets” (sort of like pita bread) with burger and filliings inside. It’s easy to pick up and eat with your hands. And it tastes soooo good!

Broccoli Salad 1

3 heads broccoli, cut into small florets (7-8 cups)
1 sm. red onion, diced
1 c raisins
1 c sunflower seeds
1 to 1 1/2 c grated cheddar cheese
8 slices bacon, cooked, crumbled
1 to 1 1/2 c red grapes, sliced

Dressing:
1 c mayonnaise
1/2 c sugar
2 T cider vinegar

Mix dressing and pour over salad ingredients.

French Epicurean Peas

4 slices bacon, diced
1 T diced onion
1 T flour
1 (17-oz) can peas, drained
1 c milk
1 4-oz can mushrooms, drained
salt and pepper

Partially fry bacon. Add onion and cook until golden. Drain some of the grease, leaving about 1 tablespoon. Add flour and blend. Add peas and milk. Cook until thick. Add mushrooms. Cook and stir until thick and bubbly. Makes 6 Servings

Chicken Roll-ups

2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1 3-oz pkg. cream cheese, softened
2 green onions, thinly sliced
dash t garlic powder
2 slices bacon, cut in half

Place each chicken breast half on a sheet of waxed paper. Flatten to 1/4" thickness using a meat mallet. Combine cream cheese, green onions, and garlic powder; mix well. Shape mixture into 2 equal-size balls; place one in center of each chicken breast half. Fold long sides of chicken over filling. Then fold ends of chicken over,and secure with wooden pick. Top each piece of chicken with 2 bacon slices. Place in a lightly greased small baking dish. Bake at 350˚ for 50 to 60 minutes. 2 Servings.

Boiled New Potatoes with Dill

2 small (about 3” in diameter) red potatoes per person
2 T butter
1 t dried dill
salt

Boil potatoes in their jackets (peel away cuts and eyes) until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain. Add butter and put lid on pot until butter melts. Stir potatoes until coated evenly with butter. Sprinkle with dill and salt to taste.

Calves' Liver with Bacon and Onion

2 small onions, sliced vertically across the rings
1 T olive oil
4 slices bacon
1/3 c all-purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 thin slices calves’ liver

In a medium skillet, sauté the onion slowly over medium to medium-low heat for about 15-20 minutes or until tender, golden, and partially caramelized. Meanwhile, in another skillet, fry the bacon until crisp; drain on a paper towel. When onions are done, turn heat down as low as possible to keep warm. Reheat the bacon grease still left in the second skillet. Put the flour, salt, and pepper in a small plate. Dredge the liver in the flour and fry 1-2 minutes on each side. Blot with paper towel; serve topped with bacon and onions.

Apple-Peanut Butter Quesadillas

Spread your favorite peanut butter, creamy or crunchy, on a whole-wheat tortilla, and add some sliced apples. One large apple will do two-three tortillas.

Cheese and Chile Cornbread

3 eggs
1 8-oz can whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 4-oz jar diced pimentos, drained
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies, drained
1 t salt
1 T baking powder
1 c sour cream (I used light)
1/2 c butter, melted
1 c grated cheddar or Monterey Jack cheese
1 fresh jalapeño, finely chopped
1 c yellow cornmeal
1/3 c all-purpose flour

Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly grease a 9x9" pan. In large bowl, beat eggs slightly. Add corn, pimentos, and chilies, mix well. Stir in rest of ingredients. Turn into baking pan. Bake 40 minutes or until golden on top and a knife inserted into center comes out clean.

DH and I ate half of the cornbread, and I froze the other half for another time. You might want to cut back on the jalapeño, as it made the cornbread pretty spicy.

Eggs Goldenrod

1/4 c butter
1/4 c flour
1/2 t salt
1/4 t pepper
2 c milk
8 hard-boiled eggs
4 slices bread, toasted

In medium saucepan, melt butter. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat until mixture is smooth and bubbly. Stir in milk. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat. Separate yolks and whites. Chop whites and stir into white sauce. Heat to serving temperature. Grate or crumble yolks. Arrange toast slices on plates. Spoon 3/4 c sauce over each slice toast. Sprinkle each with 1/4 c yolks. Serve immediately. Serves 4.