Coconut Cream Pie, Crock Pot Pork Roast

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow is the 1st so it's time to deliver another dessert to my dad for his dessert of the month. He requested a Coconut Cream Pie so that's what I'm going with. I looked at a bunch of recipes and sort of created this one based on the feedback of a few recipes I saw. Hopefully it turns out! For dinner I'm making a pork roast. It's done in the crockpot. This is very simple with just a rub. You make the gravy when you're ready to eat. And of course, I'll be serving this with apple sauce, potatoes (that I will slice and bake), canned green beans and yogurt.

Coconut Cream Pie
Amy – amylz
Adapted from All Recipes

1.5 cups heavy cream
1.5 cups coconut milk
2 eggs
3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup corn starch
1 tsp coconut extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup flaked coconut, toasted
1 (9 inch) pie shell, baked
1 cup whipped cream

1. In a medium saucepan, combine cream, coconut milk, eggs, sugar, corn starch and salt. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in 3/4 cup of the coconut and the coconut extract. Pour into pie shell and chill 2 to 4 hours, or until firm.
2. Top with whipped cream, and with remaining 1/4 cup of coconut.
3. Note: To toast coconut, spread it in an ungreased pan and bake in a 350 degree F (175 degrees C) oven for 5 to 7 minutes, or until golden brown, stirring occasionally.

Crock Pot Pork Roast
(4*kowbabies via cooks.com)

2-1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1-1/2 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp black pepper
1 boneless center cut pork loin roast (3 lb)
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 c apple juice
1-1/3 c cold water
2 envelopes pork gravy mix

In a small bowl, mix sage, garlic salt, ginger and pepper. Place roast in crockpot with fat side down; rub entire surface with oil. Evenly sprinkle seasoning mixture over roast. Pour apple juice into pan. Cook on high 6 hours or until roast is tender. Just before serving, combine 2/3 c of juices from roasting pan and 1 –1/3 c cold water in a saucepan. Stir in gravy mix. Bring to a boil; simmer 2-3 minutes or until slightly thickened; spoon over sliced pork roast

Amy

Dijon Chicken Salad , Taco Chicken Fingers

Hi everyone!

I am making up a batch of Dijon Chicken Salad to eat for lunch over the weekend. I love chicken salad and this recipe has the sweet and savory together which is my favorite! Make sure to buy the canned chicken breast as it's healthier and tastes better. It is more expensive but with canned chicken I think you get what you pay for. If you're watching carbs, you can eat this over a bed of lettuce. I'll probably eat this on whole wheat bread! For dinner tomorrow we're having Taco Chicken Fingers. These are super easy and they're basically a chicken strip but with a taco kick to them. My kids should love these. Don't let the frying in oil freak you out if you're trying to eat healthy. I always use canola oil for something like this and I only use a tiny amount, you don't need 1/2 inch. You just want to make sure you flip the pieces halfway through cooking to get them all golden brown. I'm going to serve this with clementines (oranges), canned green beans and yogurt.

Dijon Chicken Salad
Amy - amylz - All Recipes
Yields: 6 servings

2 (10 ounce) cans chunk chicken
1 cup sliced celery
1 cup halved seedless green grapes
1 cup halved seedless red grapes
1/4 cup dried cranberries
2 teaspoons dried chives
2 tablespoons honey
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4 cup mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground black
pepper

Mix together the chicken, celery, green grapes, red grapes, cranberries, and chives in a bowl. Whisk together the honey, mustard, mayonnaise, salt, and pepper in a separate bowl. Add the mustard mixture to the chicken mixture, stir to coat.

Taco Chicken Fingers
Amy - amylz
McCormick & Co. Makes 8 servings.

1/4 cup milk
1 package McCormick® Taco Seasoning Mix
1/4 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup flour
Vegetable oil for frying
2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1/2-inch strips
Salsa (optional)

1. Pour milk into small bowl; set aside. Mix Seasoning Mix, cornmeal and flour in shallow dish.
2. Fill large skillet about 1/2-inch deep with oil. Heat oil to 350°F. Dip chicken pieces in milk, then coat with flour mixture.
3. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, to hot oil. Fry 3 to 5 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with salsa as a dipping sauce.

Amy

Morning Glory Muffins, Skinny Chimichangas

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow it's my groups turn to provide food for bible study and I'm bringing some Morning Glory Muffins. You can substitute a lot of different fruits in the recipe so I like that. For dinner, I'm making Skinny Chimichangas. These are made with ground turkey breast. I know Jackson will love these. With John, as long as I don't tell him what they're called, I know he'll eat it. He's funny that way. He has himself convinced that he hates all things Mexican. I'm going to serve this with some sliced apples and since the kids won't eat melted cheese, I'll likely put some cheese on their plate so they get some dairy!

Morning Glory Muffins
Cindy (mommy_of_love1) via Accent Health
Yield: 10 muffins

1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup whole-wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ginger
¼ teaspoon cloves
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup oats
1 whole egg
1/3 cup 2% milk
½ cup applesauce
½ cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla
1/3 cup crushed pineapple
½ cup shredded carrots
1/3 cup diced apple
¼ cup raisins
¼ cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, combine flours, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and oats. In another bowl, combine egg, milk, applesauce, maple syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla. Pour egg mixture into dry ingredients and stir just until all ingredients are moistened. Do not over-mix. Stir in remaining ingredients: pineapple, carrots, apple, raisins, and walnuts. Spread mixture between 10 lightly oiled or sprayed muffin tins if not using nonstick. Bake 15-20 minutes until lightly browned on top.

Note: You can substitute prune puree or yogurt for the applesauce. Also, play around a little: 1 cup of any fruit can substitute for the pineapple, carrots, apples, and raisins. Let your imagination go!

Skinny Chimichangas
RecipeGirl

1/2 pound ground skinless turkey breast
1 onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce
2 tablespoons chopped mild green chiles
1/3 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
4 (8 inch) fat-free flour tortillas

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with nonstick spray; set aside.Spray a medium nonstick skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high
heat. Add the turkey, onion, garlic, chili powder, oregano, and cumin. Cook, breaking up the turkey with a wooden spoon until browned, about 6 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce and the chiles; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, until the flavors are blended and the mixture thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in cheddar. Meanwhile, wrap the tortillas in foil and place in the oven to warm and soften for 10 minutes. Spoon about 1/2 cup of the filling into the center of each tortilla. Fold in the sides, then roll to enclose the filling. Place the chimichangas, seam-side down, on the baking sheet. Lightly spray the tops of the tortillas with cooking spray. Bake until golden and crisp, about 20 minutes. Do not turn.

Per serving (1 chimichanga): 241 cal, 2g fat, 46mg chol, 613mg sod, 34g carb, 3g fiber, 22g pro, 184mg calc, 4 points

Amy

Blueberry Scones, Quickie Pasta Bake

Hi everyone! Today Lent begins. Can you believe it's already time to get ready for Easter. Good grief, where is 2009 going already? Every year my oldest son tried to convince us to let him give up vegetables for Lent. Nice try!

Tomorrow I'm hosting playgroup and I'm making Blueberry Scones for everyone to enjoy. These are made with whole wheat flour. For dinner, I'm making a Quickie Pasta Bake. This is really easy and you could add anything you want to it. The recipe as it's written has no meat in it so if you know your family has to have meat, by all means, add it in. You could add some ground beef or sausage. Just cook the meat and then add it in with the onions and garlic. I'm going to serve this with fresh pear slices and some steamed asparagus.

Blueberry Scones
illnworth

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup butter, chilled
1 1/4 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
1 egg

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Cut butter into mixture of flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Add blueberries and toss to mix. In separate bowl beat together cream and egg, and slowly pour into dry ingredients, stirring with rubber scraper until dough forms. Knead just until it comes together, 3 or 4 times. Don't over handle. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured board, shape each half into a 6-inch round. Cut into 6 wedges. Bake on ungreased sheet about 20 minutes at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Serve warm!!

note-instead of turning out dough and dividing i just drop about 1/2 cup spoonfuls onto baking sheet...it yields 12! i also sprinkle w/flaxseed meal before baking.

Quickie Pasta Bake
Amy - amylz

1 lb Pasta
1 tsp Oregano; dried
1 tbsp Oil
Salt & pepper
1 Onion; chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 c Cheese; grated, any type
1 can Tomatoes; 28 oz, crushed or diced

Preheat oven to 350F. Cook pasta on stove and drain. Meanwhile, heat oil in saucepan. Add onion and garlic, saute till soft (about 5 minutes). Add tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper, cook till heated through, about 5 minutes. Combine cooked pasta, sauce and 1 /2 cups grated cheese in ovenproof dish. Sprinkle remaining cheese on top. Bake 15-20 minutes at 350F.

Amy's notes: If you want to add meat, cook it with the onions and garlic. Ground beef or turkey works great!

Amy

Parmesan Chicken and Broccoli

Hi everyone! I was going over the Safeway ad and there are a couple things worth mentioning. There are 4 coupons in the ad that are really great. One is for $10 off your total bill, Raisin Bran or Frosted Mini Wheats for $0.99, Lucerne Butter for $0.99 and a 2 Liter Bottle of Pepsi (product) is free. Pear and Red Delicous apples are $1/lb and potatoes are $1/2lb. The best deal though is eggs are $0.97 for a dozen (Saturday and Sunday only). These days that is a steal on eggs. QFC does have all colors of peppers, blueberries and avocados 10/$10.

Tomorrow we are having Parmesan Chicken and Broccoli. This is somewhat like a casserole when it's all assembled. The thing I like about this dish is you can get it all ready and leave it in the fridge until you're ready to cook it. This would be great for those who know they won't have a lot of time to get dinner ready the next night. I plan to use brown rice and I'll make it in my rice cooker. For the cream cheese, you want to make sure it's at room temperature or even warmer if you can. I often throw it in the microwave. If it's still really cold, it won't melt and you'll send up with little bits. This is also a great recipe to use up any leftover ham you have. If you don't have any, I like to buy these packages of fully cooked diced ham in the meat section. They have a resealable top and I just keep it in the freezer. Then when I need a handful of cubed ham, I've got it. This works well for making up scrambled eggs with him and things like that too. I'm going to serve this dinner with some clementines (oranges) and grapes.

Parmesan Chicken and Broccoli
Katie (KatieDid)

1 c rice
½ c sliced green onion
6 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning, crushed
½ tsp bottled minced garlic
1 T cooking oil
1 T cornstarch
2 ¼ c milk
1 3-oz package cream cheese, cut up
1 ½ c loose-pack frozen cut broccoli
½ c grated Parmesan cheese
1/3 c diced fully cooked ham

Cook rice according to package directions; remove from heat and stir in half the onion. Rinse chicken and pat dry. Cook chicken, seasoning, and garlic in a skillet in hot oil over medium heat for 8 to 10 minutes or until chicken no longer is pink, turning once. Reserve drippings. For sauce, cook remaining onion in drippings until tender, adding more oil as necessary. Stir in cornstarch; add milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until slightly thickened. Reduce heat; stir in cream cheese until nearly smooth. Remove from heat; stir in broccoli, Parmesan cheese, and ham. Cool. Spread rice into a greased 2-quart rectangular baking dish. Arrange chicken on rice; season with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over chicken; cover with foil. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. To bake, preheat oven to 350 F. Bake covered, for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake for 20 minutes more or until heated through. Makes 6 servings. Notes: If you want to serve this immediately, instead of refrigerating, bake the covered dish in a 350 F oven for 10 minutes.

Amy

Macaroni Salad 2, Moist Oven Chops

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having a macaroni salad and pork chops for dinner. The macaroni salad is a very basic macaroni salad. My kids will love this! I also love the idea of putting the frozen peas in the center if you're bringing this to a potluck. That's such a good idea. The pork chops are called Moist Oven Chops. I can't wait to try these. I'm not a big pork fan but I have a feeling I will like these. If you don't have any fresh herbs, feel free to sprinkle in whatever dry you like. I'll be serving cantaloupe and cubed cheese with this meal.

Macaroni Salad 2
Ardnas

8-oz pkg elbow macaroni
1 cup mayonnaise
1 T vinegar
1 T prepared mustard
1 t salt
1/4 t pepper
1 T celery seed (reduce to 1 tsp)
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onions
10-oz pkg frozen peas

Cook macaroni according to pkg directions. Drain and rinse. Combine all ingredients except peas in airtight container. Chill thoroughly. Make a well in center and pour frozen peas into well. Immediately before serving, stir to mix well.

Note: Frozen peas help keep salad safely cold while waiting for picnics to begin. If packing for lunch, scoop pasta in container, saving room for frozen peas.

Moist Oven Chops
Jenna

4-6 Pork Chops
1/2 cup sour cream
2-4 cloves garlic (minced)
1 Lemon
1 Egg
Salt & Pepper to tast
fresh herbs, I had rosemary and oregano
a couple handfuls of bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together in the sour cream, egg, juice of lemon, minced garlic, chopped herbs, salt & pepper to taste. Dredge chops in mixture and coat with bread crumbs, place on oven safe pan. On top of each chop place a small pat of butter. Cover with foil and cook for 30 minutes. Then uncover and cook another 15 minutes until chops are browned on top.

Amy

It's Chili by George!!, Paula Deen's Cheese Muffins

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having chili and cheese muffins. The chili is a very basic recipe. You can cook this on the stove or in a crock pot. There are some notes at the bottom of the recipe of some variations. I'll probably use all kidney beans as those are the only beans John really likes. I'm also going to leave out the green pepper as we don't like it in our chili. As some of you may remember, I used to always make bread on Mondays. I really miss it but we needed to cut back on carbs and this as one way to do it. So now I make it once a month. I'm going to make Paula Deen's Cheese Muffins. I know, my family hates cheese but I don't think they'll really notice it in these. Trust me on this one. I may cut back on the cheese a bit if it looks like too much but I'll have to let you know after I make them. My family is weird, I'm almost certain John will eat these (even with the cheese) but Jackson still may refuse if he suspects it's in there! I'm serving the chili and muffins along with red grapes and yogurt.

It's Chili by George!!
Therapflu

2 pounds lean ground beef
1 (46 fluid ounce) can tomato juice
1 (29 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (15 ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 (15 ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
1/2 teaspoon white sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1/4 cup chili powder

Place ground beef in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and crumble. In a large pot over high heat combine the ground beef, tomato juice, tomato sauce, kidney beans, pinto beans, onions, bell pepper, cayenne pepper, sugar, oregano, ground black pepper, salt, cumin and chili powder. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low. Simmer for 1 1/2 hours. (Note: If using a slow cooker, set on low, add ingredients, and cook for 8 to 10 hours.)

*My notes: I added 2 cans kidney beans, 2 cans pinto beans, used spicy tomato juice can, and one can diced tomatoes in addition to the tomato sauce. I omitted the green pepper and had to add some water about 1/2 way through for more liquid.

Paula Deen's Cheese Muffins
(P&CO)

1 1/2 c all purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups coarsely grated cheddar cheese
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/2 stick melted butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir the cheese into the dry ingredients until all the particles of cheese are coated with flour. Beat the egg with the milk and stir this into the flour mixture, just until blended. Add the butter. Bake in greased muffin tins for 20 minutes.

Amy

Hoisin Grilled Sirloin

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Hoisin Grilled Steaks for dinner. Yum! You can find Hoisin sauce on the Asian food aisle, over by the soy sauce and teriyaki sauce. It is its own sauce and it kind of reminds me of a really thick teriyaki sauce but not as sweet. That's just my interpretation though. I will be using sugar free jam (just because that's what we have) but that's the only change I plan to make. If you don't have any top sirloins, use whatever steaks you have. If you picked up some extra NY steaks last week when they were on sale, they would be perfect to use. Obviously you could grill these outside if you would like. I happen to love my indoor grill pan, it's one of my most used kitchen items! I'm going to serve this with fresh pineapple, canned peas, yogurt and whole wheat rolls!

Hoisin Grilled Sirloin
Amy – amylz
Cooking Light, DECEMBER 2004

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon apricot preserves
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound top sirloin

Heat a grill pan over medium-high heat. Combine first 4 ingredients, stirring with a whisk. Sprinkle salt over beef. Add beef to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until desired degree of doneness. Let stand 5 minutes before slicing. Brush both sides of beef with hoisin mixture. Cut beef across the grain into thin slices.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: about 3 ounces)

CALORIES 213 (37% from fat); FAT 8.8g (sat 3.4g,mono 3.7g,poly 0.5g); PROTEIN 25.3g; CHOLESTEROL 76mg; CALCIUM 13mg; SODIUM 477mg; FIBER 0.3g; IRON 2.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 7g

Amy

Spinach Chicken, Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow I won't be cooking dinner. John is gone snow caving up at Mt. Rainier and the boys and I will be visiting friends at dinnertime. So, I'm leaving you with a highly recommended chicken dish from my food group. It's called Spinach Chicken and it looks very easy. This might be a nice way to get your kids to eat their spinach (or husbands). I've also included a recipe for Brussel Sprouts. I know, you're probably thinking you would never try these but you really should. The trick with brussel sprouts is to cut a small slice off the bottom so the bitterness can drain out while they're cooking. This recipe has come highly recommended also in my cooking group and people say they're delicious!

Spinach Chicken
Dawn

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
garlic, salt and pepper to taste
4 T butter
8 oz mozzarella cheese, shredded
2 cups fresh spinach

Sauté chicken breasts in butter on medium heat. Season liberally with your favorite spices. When juices run clear, turn heat down to low. Spread raw fresh spinach on top of each chicken breast, then cover with cheese. Cover pan, and simmer on low for a few minutes until the spinach is wilted and cheese is melted.

Sandy’s notes: I use 1 lb of chicken breasts, cut in half to make thin pieces, 1 T olive oil, Cavender’s Greek Seasoning, 1/2 cup mozzarella and a bunch more spinach!!! Tony Chachere's seasoning is also very good.

Golden-Crusted Brussels Sprouts Recipe
Rachel ~ burns_toast

24 small Brussels sprouts, washed well, trimmed, and halved (from stem to top)
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for rubbing
fine-grain sea salt
fresh ground black pepper
1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese or gruyere or gouda cheese, your choice (all work well)

Gently rub each brussel sprout half with olive oil, keeping it intact (or you can just toss them in a bowl with a glug of olive oil). Heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Don’t overheat the skillet, or the outsides of the brussels sprouts will cook too quickly. Place the brussels sprouts in the pan flat side down (single-layer), sprinkle with a couple pinches of salt, cover, and cook for roughly 5 minutes; the bottoms of the sprouts should only show a hint of browning. Cut into or taste one of the sprouts to gauge whether they’re tender throughout. If not, cover and cook for a few more minutes. Once just tender, uncover, turn up the heat, and cook until the flat sides are deep brown and caramelized. Use a metal spatula to toss them once or twice to get some browning on the rounded side. Season with more salt, a few grinds of pepper, and a dusting of grated cheese. Serve immediately.

Rachel's notes* I totally forgot the cheese at the end, but it did not need it.

Amy

Grilled Italian Burgers, Banana Oatmeal Cookies

Hi everyone! Today is my grandpa's 82nd birthday. I'm sure he's not reading this blog (I don't think he's even been on the internet) but I still wanted to give a shout out to him. He's the greatest grandpa ever!

There are all kinds of things on sale at Safeway this week for $1. There are turkey breasts, smoked sausage, Roma tomatoes, cantaloupe and ham for $.99/lb. Red grapes are $.88/lb and pineapples are $2.88. The other thing that peaked my interest is that peaches, nectarines and plums (all imported) are $1.99/lb but my kids love all of these so I'm going to get a bunch for snacks all week!

Tomorrow we're having Grilled Italian Burgers for dinner. I'm going to make a couple plain burgers for John but the rest of us will eat them as the recipe is written. I love capers and kalamata olives so I can't wait to try these burgers. I'm making my family some cookies as well and I'm going with Banana Oatmeal Cookies. This is a great way to use up the bananas in your freezer. Anytime I have bananas that are getting too ripe, I throw them in a freezer bag in the freezer for when I need them!

Grilled Italian Burgers
Amy – amylz
All Recipes - Yields: 4 servings

1 pound ground beef
2 tablespoons capers, drained
2 eggs
2 tablespoons kalamata olives, pitted and chopped
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/2 cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup Italian bread crumbs

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil grate.
2. Combine the beef, capers, eggs, olives, garlic powder, oregano, feta cheese, and bread crumbs in a bowl. Divide and form the mixture into 4 patties.
3. Cook burgers on preheated grill about 6 minutes, turning once, to an internal temperature of 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), or to desired doneness.

Banana Oatmeal Cookies
OP??? (familyfun.com)

4 very ripe bananas
1-1/2 cups unsweetened applesauce
3 tbsp. butter or margarine
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. nutmeg
3/4 cup raisins

Slice and dice the bananas into a bowl: you should have about 1-1/2 cups of banana. Stir in the applesauce, butter or margarine, eggs and vanilla. In a larger bowl, mix together the oatmeal, flours, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and raisins. Add the fruit mixture to the dry ingredients; stir until blended and set aside for 5 minutes. Spray four cookie sheets with vegetable cooking spray. Drop the cookie batter on the sheets by rounded teaspoonfuls, 1 inch apart. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees, or until the cookies are light golden brown. Makes 5 dozen cookies.

Amy

Dagwood Stacked Sandwich

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we're having a big sandwich for dinner. Jackson is going to love this! We are mayo free so I'm going to just use the mustard and then I'll sprinkle some seasoning salt on the sandwich itself. The thing I like about this recipe is you can use whatever meats and cheeses your family likes. I'm going to slice up some apples and plums to serve with this!

Dagwood Stacked Sandwich
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2004

1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic
Pinch Essence, recipe follows
10 thick slices white sandwich bread
1/4 pound sliced pepperoni
1/4 pound thinly sliced Swiss cheese
1/2 pound thinly sliced turkey breast
1/4 pound thinly sliced provolone
1/2 pound thinly sliced roast beef
1/4 pound thinly sliced mild Cheddar
1/2 pound thinly sliced pastrami
1/4 pound thinly sliced pepper jack cheese or Monterey jack if pepper jack is too spicy
1/2 pound sliced salami
5 pieces thick-cut bacon, cooked crisp and halved
1 medium tomato, cut into thin slices (about 5)
10 whole green leaf lettuce leaves, washed, patted dry, and stem end removed
3 red cherry tomatoes
3 small pickle slices
3 long metal skewers
Potato chips, accompaniment

Combine mayonnaise and mustard in a small bowl. Season with chopped garlic and Essence. Arrange 5 bread slices on a large cutting board. Spread 2 tablespoons of the mayonnaise mixture evenly on each slice. Layer the meat and cheeses evenly among the bread slices in this order: pepperoni, Swiss, turkey, provolone, roast beef, cheddar, pastrami, pepper jack, and salami. (Fold the meats so that the sandwiches will stack evenly on top of each other.) Top each of the sandwiches with tomato slices and the remaining bread slices. Spread about 1 tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture on top of each sandwich and lay 2 bacon halves on top of each sandwich. Place 1 cherry tomato and 1 pickle slice through each skewer. Carefully build the Dagwood Sandwich by stacking all 5 sandwiches on top of each other. Separate the sandwiches by placing 2 lettuce leaves in between. To keep the sandwich tower from falling over, fit the skewers into the sandwich tower all the way through the center. To serve, pull off the desired amount of bread, meat and cheese, and serve with potato chips on the side.

Emeril's ESSENCE Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):
2 1/2 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
Yield: 2/3 cup

Amy

Chicken Tortellini Bake

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we're having Chicken Tortellini Bake for dinner. I know, it's two chicken and pasta dishes in a row but they sounded good. I'm going to use a veggie stuffed tortellini just because my family won't eat anything with cheese. I'll also be leaving the cheese off the top. They should like everything else! I love dishes like this. It takes a couple minutes to throw it together and you have dinner ready in 40 minutes. This is also a great recipe to use up any cooked chicken you might have in the freezer. Remember, any time you cook chicken and there is extra, throw it in a freezer bag in the freezer. It doesn't matter what marinade or seasoning it was cooked in. This kind of leftovers is always great in a dish like this! I'll be serving this along with some fruit. I'll probably do canned peaches!

Chicken Tortellini Bake
(june_bug23)

1-1/2 lbs. Cheese Tortellini
2-3 Chicken Breasts cooked and diced
2 C. Broccoli Flourettes
1 C. Shredded Cheese
½ can croutons (or breadcrumbs)
1 can Cream of Chicken Soup
2Tb. Orange Juice
½ C. Salad Dressing (Ranch is good)
¼ tsp. white pepper

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 qt. baking dish. Place Tortellini on bottom of dish. Arrange broccoli pieces and chicken over tortellini. In a small bowl combine soup, o.j. salad dressing and pepper. Spread in baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese and croutons. Bake uncovered 35-40 mins.

Amy

Cajun Chicken Pasta

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Cajun Chicken Pasta for dinner. This is a quick and easy dish. It does have a bit of a kick to it though. My kids love spicy food so that's never a problem for us! The only changes I plan to make are to use whole wheat pasta and half and half in place of the cream. I would think 2% milk would work too if you have that. The notes say you can use evaporated milk as well. Use some Wondra or cornstarch to thicken it up if it doesn't seem like it's doing it on its own. I'll serve this with some fruit!

Cajun Chicken Pasta
Jenna

4 ounces linguine pasta
2 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, sliced into thin strips
2 tsp Cajun seasoning
2 T butter
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
4 fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 green onion, minced
1 1/2 cups heavy cream
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp lemon pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp ground black pepper
2 T grated Parmesan cheese

1 Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add linguini pasta, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, or until al dente; drain.
2 Meanwhile, place chicken and Cajun seasoning in a bowl, and toss to coat.
3 In a large skillet over medium heat, sauté chicken in butter until no longer pink and juices run clear, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add green and red bell peppers, sliced mushrooms and green onions; cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Reduce heat, and stir in heavy cream. Season the sauce with basil, lemon pepper, salt, garlic powder and ground black pepper, and heat through.
4 In a large bowl, toss linguini with sauce. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese.

Note: Substitute evaporated milk (thicken with cornstarch) instead of the cream!!

Amy

Antipasto Pasta Salad 2, BBQ Chicken

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having BBQ Chicken and an Antipasto Pasta Salad for dinner. The salad is a semi homemade recipe in that we get help from a Betty Crocker Suddenly Salad Caesar pasta salad mix. This recipe is much healthier though because we mix it with Italian Dressing instead of mayo. If you don't like salami, you could do pepperoni. My kids are going to love this. For the chicken, this is seriously the easiest thing ever. Just dump your favorite BBQ sauce in with the chicken and let it go. You can even use frozen chicken. It doesn't matter!

Antipasto Pasta Salad 2
Amy – amylz - Betty Crocker
Makes: 6 servings (1 1/2 cups each)

1 box Betty Crocker® Suddenly Salad® Caesar pasta salad mix
1/2 cup Italian dressing
4 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 cup cubed salami
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
4 oz mozzarella or provolone cheese, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (1 cup)
1 can (2 1/4 oz) sliced ripe olives, drained

1. Empty pasta mix into 3-quart saucepan 2/3 full of boiling water. Gently boil uncovered 12 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Drain pasta; rinse with cold water. Shake to drain well.
3. In large bowl, stir together seasoning mix and dressing. Toss with pasta and remaining ingredients. Stir in croutons and Parmesan topping just before serving. Serve immediately, or refrigerate.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving: Calories 350 (Calories from Fat 160); Total Fat 18g (Saturated Fat 5g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 35mg; Sodium 1450mg; Total Carbohydrate 32g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 7g); Protein 14g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 45%; Vitamin C 20%; Calcium 20%; Iron 10% Exchanges: 1 1/2 Starch; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 High-Fat Meat; 1 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 2

Do-Ahead Make this salad a day ahead, but wait to stir in the lettuce, croutons and Parmesan topping until just before serving. Substitution Make it your way. Use a 3.5-ounce package of sliced pepperoni instead of the salami; cut the slices in half. Add canned (drained) artichoke hearts, or use other olives from the deli. Time-Saver Purchase a bag of ready-to-eat torn romaine lettuce to save time.

BBQ Chicken
Amy – amylz

1 lb chicken breasts
1 bottle of your favorite BBQ sauce

Throw all in crockpot and cook on low for 6-8 hours. Shred after cooking and serve on buns (or not).

Amy

The Best Meatballs

Hi everyone! I hope you all have had a lovely Valentine's Day! John and I had our very first date 16 years ago today. I can't believe time has flown by so quickly! I'm so lucky to have him still love me after all these years!

Tomorrow we're having The Best Meatballs for dinner. This recipe does call for ground veal so if you don't like that (we don't) then just bump up one of the other ground meats. I think even 1/2 pound of Italian Sausage would be good. Otherwise, this recipe is very simple and basic. I'm going to serve these with some whole wheat pasta and marinara sauce. I'll probably do some canned pears as well.

The Best Meatballs
Amy – amylz
All Recipes Yields: 8 servings

1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground veal
1/2 pound ground pork
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 eggs
1 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 1/2 tablespoons chopped Italian flat leaf parsley
salt and ground black pepper to taste
2 cups stale Italian bread, crumbled
1 1/2 cups lukewarm water
1 cup olive oil

1. Combine beef, veal, and pork in a large bowl. Add garlic, eggs, cheese, parsley, salt and pepper. 2. Blend bread crumbs into meat mixture. Slowly add the water 1/2 cup at a time. The mixture should be very moist but still hold it's shape if rolled into meatballs. (I usually use about 1 1/4 cups of water). Shape into meatballs.
3. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Fry meatballs in batches. When the meatball is very brown and slightly crisp remove from the heat and drain on a paper towel. (If your mixture is too wet, cover the meatballs while they are cooking so that they hold their shape better.)
4. Place cooked meatballs into Marinara Sauce and cook for 15 more minutes.

Amy

Smashed New Potatoes with Peas, Lemon, and Pearl Onions, Spring Thyme Salmon

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day and we're having a family dinner at home. I'm going to make John some salmon and since I love the kids so much, I'll let them eat hot dogs (lol). I'm also going to make Smashed New Potatoes with Peas, Lemon and Pearl Onions. For the potatoes, just use regular red potatoes, the smaller the better. I plan to peel the potatoes before I cook them but you can do it either way. I plan to leave out the watercress too. For the salmon, this is so simple. Just mix the marinade, pour it on the fish and let it rest. Then broil and it will be perfect! I'm also going to serve some pudding and fresh fruit.

Smashed New Potatoes with Peas, Lemon, and Pearl Onions
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Tyler Florence

1 1/2 to 2 pounds red bliss potatoes
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 (10-ounce) box frozen pearl onions, defrosted
Pinch sugar
Splash freshly squeezed lemon juice
5 slices lemon
2 (10-ounce) boxes frozen peas, defrosted
1 lemon, zested
Kosher salt and freshly-ground black pepper
1/4 cup roughly chopped flat-leaf parsley
2 heaping tablespoons roughly chopped fresh dill
1 bunch watercress, stems trimmed just above the rubber band

Put the potatoes into a large pot, cover them with cold water, and add a large pinch of salt. If they're large, cut them in half. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are fork tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Drain. Stick a fork into the potatoes, 1 at a time, lift them out of the colander and peel with a paring knife. Toss the potatoes into a bowl and roughly crush them. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil with the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat until the butter melts. Add the pearl onions, sugar, and lemon juice and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions are browned, 5 to 6 minutes. Add the lemon slices, peas, and lemon zest and continue cooking until the peas are hot. Season with salt and pepper. Dump the vegetables over the potatoes in the bowl, drizzle with extra-virgin olive oil add the parsley and dill and taste for salt and pepper. Scatter the watercress over the top, fold it in just until it wilts and call it a day.

Spring Thyme Salmon
Amy - amylz
Makes 4 servings. McCormick & Co.

1/3 cup tangerine or orange juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon McCormick® Thyme Leaves
1 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Mustard
1/2 teaspoon McCormick® Garlic Powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon McCormick® Ground Black Pepper
1 pound salmon fillet

Mix tangerine juice, oil, thyme, ground mustard, garlic powder, salt and pepper in small bowl. Place salmon in large resealable plastic bag or glass dish. Add marinade; turn to coat well. Refrigerate 20 minutes, turning occasionally. Remove salmon from marinade. Discard any remaining marinade. Broil 10 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork.

Amy

Sausage and Chicken Gumbo

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow I'm making a Sausage and Chicken Gumbo. It does call for a boil in bag rice but of course you can make up your own rice too. I'm going to just make up some brown rice in my rice cooker. Make sure you add all the veggies, even the okra. You can find it in your frozen veggie section. If you really hate okra then by all means, leave it out! Personally, I think asparagus would be a nice substitution. For the ground red pepper, use cayenne. This is a Cooking Light recipe so they want you to use turkey sausage and all that. If you want to go all out, feel free to use the regular full fat stuff! On the side I'm going to serve some yogurt and fruit.

Sausage and Chicken Gumbo
Amy - amylz

1 (3 1/2-ounce) bag boil-in-bag rice
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup frozen chopped onion
1 cup frozen chopped green bell pepper
1 cup frozen cut okra
1 cup chopped celery
1 teaspoon bottled minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breasts)
8 ounces turkey kielbasa, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes with peppers and onion
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth

Cook rice according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. While rice cooks, combine flour and oil in a Dutch oven; saute over medium-high heat 3 minutes. Add onion and next 6 ingredients (onion through red pepper); cook 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Stir in chicken, kielbasa, tomatoes, and broth; cook 6 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve over rice.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 1/2 cups gumbo and 1/2 cup rice)

CALORIES 369 (28% from fat); FAT 11.3g (sat 2.7g,mono 4.8g,poly 3g); PROTEIN 29.4g; CHOLESTEROL 77mg; CALCIUM 92mg; SODIUM 949mg; FIBER 3g; IRON 2.2mg; CARBOHYDRATE 37g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2002

Amy

Rib-Eye Steak with Vidalia Onions

Hi everyone! There are a few good deals at the Super Market this week. Asparagus seems to be on sale everywhere so that would make a great veggie side dish this week. QFC also has Tillamook Cheese (the giant bricks) on sale for $5.99. That's a great price for those of you who use cheese. Oh, and if you plan to do the recipe below, both Safeway and QFC have New York Steaks on sale. They're $4.69/lb at Safeway and $4.99/lb at QFC. From the ad it looks like you have to buy the value pack at Safeway but it doesn't say that for QFC. This would be a good time to throw some in the freezer for later too! QFC also has a ton of seafood on sale for Valentine's Day dinners!

Tomorrow we are having steaks. This recipe is from the guy who does the voice for Elmo on Sesame Street. It doesn't really matter what cut of steak you use, just get what your family likes. Since it's not really BBQ weather, I'm going to cook the onions on the stove. I'll use my grill pan to cook the steaks! Yum! I'm going to serve some edammame and fruit on the side.

Rib-Eye Steak with Vidalia Onions
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Kevin Clash (Elmo)

4 boneless rib-eye steaks, about 1-inch thick
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 teaspoons seasoned salt (recommended: Lawry's Seasoned Salt)
4 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning (recommended: McCormick's Season All)
Vidalia Onions:
4 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
8 tablespoons salted butter
4 teaspoons all-purpose seasoning (recommended: McCormick's Season All)
4 Vidalia onions, peeled and halved -not through the stem end

For the steak: Rub each steak on both sides with some of the olive oil and seasonings. Grill over high heat, turning just once, to desired doneness. For the onions: Put some of the chopped garlic, 2 tablespoons butter, and a teaspoon of seasoning on the cut side of each of 4 onion halves. Top each with the another half. Wrap each onion completely in aluminum foil, and bury in the hot coals for about 10 minutes, until quite soft. Move to the grates to finish cooking, another 5 minutes or so. The onions should be golden and soft to the point of falling apart.

Amy

Friend of Friend Chicken, Libby's Pumpkin Cranberry Bread

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having chicken for dinner. There are instructions for the crock pot or oven. I'm going with the oven because I just like the way it comes out better. I'm going to use brown rice and a combination of breasts and thighs. This is a pretty complete meal so I'm just going to serve some fruit on the side. It's my turn to bring dessert to small group and I'm making Pumpkin Cranberry Bread. Katie says she has done these with half whole wheat flour and they have come out great. The recipe does make 2 loaves so if you only need one, you could always make muffins out of the extra batter. Throw them in the freezer for quick breakfasts!

Friend of Friend Chicken
(Nickelmommy)

1 can of Cream of Celery
1 can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 cup of Milk
1 1/2 cups Uncooked Instant Rice
1 Frying Chicken - I'll be using 1 lb of Chicken Breast or Thighs
1 pkg Lipton Onion Soup Mix
2 cups of Broccoli

Combine Cream of Celery, Cream of Mushroom & Milk in a small saucepan, mix throughly & heat. Sprinkle Rice in a greased shallow casserole(9x13). Pour Soup Mixture over rice, arrange chicken pieces on top along with broccoli. Shake Onion Soup mix over Chicken. Bake covered in over at 325 for about an hour if using Chicken Breast, 2 hours if using a Frying Chicken. Gently Stir before serving

Crockpot version - Combine Cream of Celery, Cream of Mushroom & Milk in a small saucepan, mix throughly & heat. Grease crock with cooking spray. Sprinkle Rice in greased crock, cut up chicken pieces, add the broccoli and Onion Soup Mix. Pour Soup Mix over and stir. Cook for about 5-6 hours on low.

WW 4 pts for 1 cup

Libby's Pumpkin Cranberry Bread
Katie (KatieDid)

3 c flour (1 1/2 c all-purpose, 1 1/2 c whole wheat)
1 T plus 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 tsp salt
3 c sugar
1 can (15 oz) Libby's 100% pure pumpkin
4 large eggs
1 c vegetable oil (1 c unsweetened applesauce)
1/2 c orange juice or water
1 c sweetened dried, fresh or frozen cranberries

Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease and flour two 9 x 5 inch loaf pans. Combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt in large bowl. Combine sugar, pumpkin, eggs, oil and juice in large mixer bowl; beat just until blended. Add pumpkin mixture to flour mixture; stir just until moistened. Fold in cranberries. Spoon batter into prepared loaf pans. Bake for 60 to 65 minutes or until wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks for 10 minutes; remove to wire racks to cool completely. Katie's Notes: I made 4 mini loaves and 12 muffins. The first batch I made using half AP and half whole wheat flour, canola oil, orange juice, and 1 cup fresh cranberries. These were delicious, very moist and delicious, with a great blend of flavors. The second batch I made using half AP and half whole wheat flour, 2 cups sugar and 1 cup Splenda, unsweetened applesauce, orange juice and 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups frozen cranberries. This batch was very good as well, still very moist, but had more of a chewy texture on the outside. I measured the cranberries and then chopped them in my Pampered Chef food chopper.
Amy

Pork Chops In Crock Pot

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we're having another crock pot meal. This time I'm going with pork chops. You can use any chops you have for this. I have a bunch of bone in chops that I need to use up so those are going in. This recipe is so simple.

Pork Chops In Crock Pot
Amy - amylz

1/2 c. chopped onions
2 tbsp. oil
1/2 clove garlic, minced
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp. chili powder
3/4 c. water
3/4 c. ketchup
Salt and pepper
Pork Chops

Cook onions in oil until lightly brown. Add other ingredients. Cover and simmer about 20 minutes. Put pork chops in crock pot and cook 8-10 hours with sauce. Serve hot.

Amy

Meatloaf on a Bed of Potatoes

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having meatloaf that is made in the crock pot. From what I've heard, this meatloaf comes out great. The only change I plan to make is I'm going to leave the brown sugar out of the topping and I'm going to follow Sandy's advice and put the foil under it all so I can get it out when it's time to eat. I'm also going to use 93% lean ground beef or ground turkey depending on what I have in the freezer!

Meatloaf on a Bed of Potatoes - Crockpot
Sandy~~*~Sandy~*~

2 T olive oil
3 large russets, cut into 1 to 1-1/2” chunks
2 lb ground sirloin
2 large eggs, beaten
3/4 cup crushed saltine crackers
3/4 cup ketchup
2 T dehydrated onions (optional)
1 tsp salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Topping
3/4 cup ketchup
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tsp Dijon mustard

Combine oil and potatoes in crock pot, toss to coat. Spread in an even layer on the bottom of the crock. In a large bowl, combine beef, eggs, crumbs, ketchup, onion, salt and pepper. Mix gently, do not compact. Shape into oval or round, place on top of potatoes. Spread with topping. Cover and cook on High for 1 hour. Reduce heat to Low and continue to cook for 6-7 hours, or until a meat thermometer reads 160º to 165ºF.

Sandy’s notes: I used plain ketchup for the topping since that is my family’s preference. To make the meatloaf easier to remove: Take two long pieces of foil and fold them into two strips. Place them across each other over the potatoes and set the meatloaf on top. Use as handles to remove when the meatloaf is done.

Amy

Blond Butterscotch Brownies, Frosted Banana Bars, Lemony Garlic-Butter Chicken

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we're having dinner at my SIL Sara's house so again, I'm not cooking. This was an easy weekend for me. I am bringing dessert though and I've decided to make Blond Butterschotch Brownies. Normally for my own family I wouldn't mess with the traditional brownie but they love Heath bars so I wanted to give this a try. Katie says in her notes that she has made this with other leftover candy and these have come out great. I wanted to also give you guys a recipe for Frosted Banana Bars. These are part of the MOTW in my cooking group and everyone says they are fantastic. And finally, I'm giving you a recipe for Lemony Garlic-Butter Chicken. This just looked so good so I figured I would share it. Astrid said this would be delicious with chicken strips or nuggets too so you can really change this up.

Blond Butterscotch Brownies
Katie (Katiedid) from Simple & Delicious

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup butter, melted and cooled
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
4 Heath candy bars (1.4 ounces each), coarsely chopped

In a large bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat the butter, eggs and vanilla until smooth. Stir into dry ingredients just until combined (batter will be thick). Spread into a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with chocolate chunks and chopped candy bars; press gently into batter. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack. Cut into bars. Yield: 2 dozen. Katie's Notes: I used 1 cup Hershey's Mini Kisses and some leftover mini size candy bars, 3 Musketeers, Reese's Caramel Peanut Butter Cups, Kit Kats, and M&Ms.

Frosted Banana Bars
Lori~M&M'sMom from TOH

1/2 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 medium ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

FROSTING:
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3-3/4 to 4 cups confectioners' sugar

In a mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add the eggs, sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture. Stir in bananas. Spread into a greased 15-in. x 10-in. x 1-in. baking pan. Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool. For frosting, in a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla. Gradually beat in enough confectioners' sugar to achieve desired consistency. Frost bars. Store in the refrigerator. Yield: 3-4 dozen.

Lemony Garlic-Butter Chicken
(Astrid, from Recipezaar)

3/4 cup seasoned dry bread crumb
1/4 cup parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon seasoning salt (or use 1/2 teaspoon white salt)
1/4 teaspoon black pepper (can use more)
1 teaspoon garlic powder (can use 1/2 teaspoon)
1 teaspoon dried parsley (optional)
1/3 cup milk (more if needed)
6-7 large boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 tablespoon minced fresh garlic
1/4-1/3 cup melted butter (you may use use less butter to taste)
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Set oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 11 x 7 or a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. In a shallow dish combine the breadcrumbs with Parmesan cheese, seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic powder and dried parsley (if using) until well combined. Place the milk in a bowl. In the small bowl whisk together the melted butter with 1 tablespoon fresh minced garlic (or to taste) and lemon juice. Coat the chicken breast in milk (shaking off any excess milk) then coat into the breadcrumb mixture. Place the breasts into baking dish, then drizzle with the melted butter mixture. Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until the chicken is cooked.

Amy

TATER BRAT BAKE, So-Easy Lemon Bars, Easy M&M Cookies

Hi everyone!

We have a Mops event in the morning and I'm bringing two desserts to sell at the bake sale. First are So Easy Lemon Bars and the second is Easy M&M Cookies. You really should give these both a try!

Tomorrow is the Blue & Gold Banquet for cub scouts so we'll be eating at that. I am bringing a green salad but I don't think you all need a recipe for that. So, today I'm leaving you with a recipe from my friend Amy. She said her family loved it. Even her hubby who hates sauerkraut loved this. So, there you go!

So-Easy Lemon Bars
Amy – amylz
Makes: 36 bars

1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® Create 'n Bake® refrigerated sugar cookies
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel (2 medium)
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice (2 medium)
1 to 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

1. Heat oven to 350°F. In ungreased 13x9-inch pan, break up cookie dough. With floured fingers, press dough evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until light golden brown.
2. In large bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk or fork until well blended. Beat in granulated sugar, flour and butter until well blended. Stir in lemon peel and lemon juice. Pour mixture over warm crust.
3. Bake 20 to 30 minutes longer or until edges are light golden brown. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. With knife dipped in hot water, cut into 6 rows by 6 rows.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Bake crust 18 to 21 minutes. After topping crust, bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Easy M&M Cookies
Amy – amylz

1 White Cake Mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup Vegetable Oil
1 ¼ cup plain M&M’s

Preheat oven to 350. Mix together cake mix, eggs and oil in a large bowl until mix is dissolved. Mix M&M’s into dough. Drop balls of dough onto greased baking sheet. Bake 9-12 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from pan and cool.


TATER BRAT BAKE
(luckymommyto2boys ~ Amy ~ Taste of Home)

1 package (1 ¼ pounds) uncooked bratwurst links
2 bottles (12 ounces each) beer or nonalcoholic beer
2 tablespoons butter
1 can (16 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed, drained and chopped
1 can (10 ¾ ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
½ cup milk
1 package (32 ounces) frozen Tater Tots
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan, combine bratwurst and beer. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until meat is no longer pink. Drain and cut into ¼” slices. In a large skillet, brown brats in butter over medium-high heat; drain on paper towels. Spoon sauerkraut into a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Top with brats. Combine soup and milk; drizzle over brats. Top with Tater Tots. Bake at 450° for 20-25 minutes or until potatoes are lightly browned. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Amy

Creole Fried Rice

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having a dinner called Creole Fried Rice. Cold rice works best in this recipe. If possible, make the rice a day ahead, and store it in the fridge. If you're in a hurry, follow Step 1 to cool it on a baking sheet. I plan to use brown rice for this recipe but it's intended to be made with white rice. I am going to use a combination of thighs and breasts for this but otherwise I'll follow the directions. Don't let the okra scare you. If you haven't served it to your family, this is a great way to introduce it!

Creole Fried Rice
Amy - amylz

1 cup uncooked long-grain rice
2 cups chicken broth
1 pound skinned and boned chicken thighs
1 1/2 teaspoons Creole seasoning, divided
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 pound andouille or smoked sausage, sliced
1/2 small onion, chopped
1/2 small green bell pepper, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 cup frozen sliced okra, thawed
3 plum tomatoes, chopped
2 green onions, sliced (green part only)

1. Cook rice according to package directions, substituting chicken broth for water. Spread cooked rice in a thin layer on a baking sheet. Let cool 30 minutes or until completely cool.
2. Cut chicken thighs into 1-inch pieces, and toss with 1 tsp. Creole seasoning.
3. Cook chicken in hot oil in a large skillet over medium heat 3 minutes; add sausage, and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes or until onion is tender. Stir in okra and remaining 1/2 tsp. Creole seasoning. Increase heat to high; add rice, and cook, stirring constantly, 4 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Stir in tomatoes. Sprinkle with sliced green onions, and serve immediately.

Yield: Makes 6 servings
Southern Living, FEBRUARY 2008

Amy

Chicken Sausage Patties

Hi everyone! I was noticing that Thursday - Sunday you can get the Signature Soups (at Safeway) for 2 for $5. Those are the soups that are already made over in the deli. This is a decent deal if you like their soup. I have to say that the Tomato Basil soup is awesome (not healthy at all though). I HATE tomato soup but this soup is excellent. Also, you can get 2 liters of Pepsi products for 99 cents each if you buy 4. That's about 50% off so it's a great deal. Oh, and QFC has their butter on sale for 2/$4. This is a great buy so go stock up and throw them in your freezer!

Tomorrow we are having Chicken Sausage Patties for dinner. You can make your own sausage out of any meat and with these we're going to use ground chicken. The key to making good sausage is make sure you chop all your ingredients very finely. So take the extra time when chopping. I'm going to serve this with corn and strawberry yogurt.

Chicken Sausage Patties
Amy - amylz
Recipe courtesy Rachael Ray

1 tablespoon butter
1 green apple, finely chopped
1 small onion, finely chopped
Salt and pepper
1 teaspoon fennel seed
1 1/2 pounds ground chicken breast
1 1/2 teaspoons poultry seasoning, half a palm full
1 teaspoon allspice, 1/3 palm full
1 teaspoon sweet paprika, 1/3 palm full
Extra-virgin olive oil, for drizzling

Heat a small nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add butter and melt. Add apples and onions and season with a little salt, pepper and fennel seeds. Gently saute the mixture 5 minutes to soften and remove from heat to cool. Heat a griddle pan or large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Place chicken in a bowl and season with salt and pepper, poultry seasoning, allspice, paprika and a healthy drizzle of extra-virgin olive oil. Add in the apples, onions and fennel and mix the sausage. Score meat into 4 sections and form 3 small, thin patties from each section, 2 1/2 inches across, 12 small patties total. Cook patties 3 to 4 minutes on each side and serve warm.

Amy

Best Burger Ever

Hi everyone! There are some great sales at the super market this week that you don't want to miss. Maybe the state of the economy is finally waking the food pricing people up and they're cutting us some slack? Anyway, Safeway has a ton of stuff on sale for $1. There doesn't seem to be a pattern to what is on sale but there are things like Kellogg's Fruit Snacks, Lunchables, Fuji Apples, Pop Tarts, Rice-a-roni and peppers all for $1. There are lots of other things too. It looks like blueberries are coming out again at a decent price so if your kids love them like mine do, it's a good time to buy!

Tomorrow we are having burgers for dinner. This recipe will be great with ground turkey or very lean ground beef because it has enough ingredients to keep it moist.

Best Burger Ever
Amy – amylz
All Recipes - 6 servings

2 pounds extra-lean ground beef
1 (1 ounce) package dry onion soup mix
1 egg, lightly beaten
2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3/4 cup rolled oats

1. Preheat an outdoor grill for medium high heat and lightly oil grate.
2. In a large bowl, combine the beef, onion soup mix, egg, hot sauce and oats. Shape into 6 patties.
3. Grill patties over medium high heat for 10 to 20 minutes, or to desired doneness.

Amy

Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin

Hi everyone!

For our dinner, I'm making an herb marinated pork tenderloin. The great thing about a recipe like this is you probably have all the ingredients on hand. It may look long but it's all very basic stuff. If you don't want to use a tenderloin, you can sub any pork. I am thinking of doing pork chops since I have a ton I want to use up in the freezer. This marinade would be great on a roast too.

Herb Marinated Pork Tenderloin
RecipeGirl

¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup worcestershire sauce
¼ cup canola oil
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried marjoram
1 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp rubbed sage
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1½ lbs pork tenderloin, trimmed of fat

Place all marinade ingredients in a freezer ziploc bag and mix them well. Prick tenderloin with a fork and place in marinade bag. Zip closed, roll around to coat and chill for two hours. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Remove pork from marinade and place pork in a roasting pan. Bake 40 minutes, or until meat thermometer reaches 160 degrees. Servings: 8 Cooking Tips *If you need the marinating done quickly, just let the tenderloin marinate in the bag at room temperature for 30 minutes.

Amy

Bag 'n Season Honey Dijon Chicken

Hi everyone!

Tomorrow we are having Honey Dijon Chicken for dinner. This uses a cooking bag. If you haven't tried this method of cooking, you really should. McCormick had their own bags that come with the seasoning called Bag 'n Season. You should be able to find them in your spice section or where the shake & Bake and stuff like that are sold.

Bag 'n Season Honey Dijon Chicken
Amy - amylz
Makes 6 servings.

1 package McCormick® Bag 'n Season® Chicken
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breast halves
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange opened Roasting Bag in 13x9-inch baking pan. Place chicken in bag. Mix Seasoning Mix with remaining ingredients; pour over chicken.
2. Close bag loosely with nylon tie. Cut 4 small holes in top of bag to allow steam to escape.
3. Bake 30 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Let stand 5 minutes.

IMPORTANT: Allow 8 inches for bag to expand while cooking. Roasting bag should not touch oven walls or racks.

Variation: Substitute 2 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken parts for boneless chicken breasts; increase baking time to 50 minutes.

©2008 McCormick & Co., Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Amy