John Wayne Casserole (Pinterest)

I really enjoyed this recipe because it's so versatile. Next time I think I'll just use seasoned ground beef, or pepperoni, or just a can of seasoned refried beans in lieu of taco meat.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 to 2 lbs ground beef
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 4 oz sour cream
• 4 oz mayonnaise
• 3 green onions chopped
• 8 oz cheddar cheese, divided
• 1/2 to 1 whole sweet onion, chopped
• 1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 2 cups Bisquick or any biscuit mix
• 2 tomatoes, sliced
• 1 (4 oz) can of sliced jalapeno peppers (I used 2 tbsp of Kroger brand "no heat" jalapenos)

Directions:
Heat oven to 325. Brown ground beef, drain, and add taco seasoning and water, according to packet
instructions, set aside.
In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, mayonnaise, green onions, and half of the shredded cheese, set aside.
Stir Bisquick mix and water, according to box directions, to form a soft dough. Press dough into a 13x9 greased casserole dish and up the sides. If dough is sticky, just dab your fingers in water to help smooth the dough.
Saute chopped onion and bell peppers in oil until tender, set aside.
On top of the Bisquick mixture, in this order: taco meat, sliced tomatoes, onions, bell peppers, jalapenos, sour cream mixture, and end with the remaining shredded cheese. Bake for 35-45 minutes until golden. Enjoy!

Mama's Strawberry Cake

Another easy recipe :)

Cake Ingredients:

• 1 box white cake mix
• 3 tbsp AP flour
• 1 (3oz) box strawberry jello
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup oil
• 1 cup frozen strawberries, thawed and chopped
• 4 eggs

Directions:
Combine cake mix, flour, Jello and water. Add oil and eggs, one at a time, beating well between. Add strawberries. Beat 2 minutes. Pour batter into well greased and floured 9×13 pan. Bake at 350* for about 45 minutes.

Icing Ingredients:

• 1 stick of butter, softened
• 1 (8oz) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (10 oz) package of frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed and chopped (or pureed)
• 7 cups (or less/more) powdered sugar

Directions:
In a large bowl, mix the above ingredients until you get an icing consistency. I started off with about 5 cups of sugar and added more as needed.

Spread over cooled cake and top with fresh strawberries and PIG OUT!

I made this for my 40th birthday! Happy Birthday to Pammy!!!

Saltine Cracker Pork Chops & Cracker Barrels hash brown casserole (Pinterest)

I changed this one up a bit but LOVED it..the hash brown casserole, well, it did NOT taste like Cracker Barrel, but pretty close. Enjoy!


Pork Chops Ingredients:

• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup milk
• 4 lean boneless pork chops
• 1 ream saltine crackers, crushed
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp Tony's
• salt & pepper to taste
• Oil for frying (about 3/4 cup or less)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 cube chicken boullion

Directions:

In a shallow dish whisk together the eggs and milk until well blended. Place crushed saltines, garlic powder, Tony's, salt and pepper in another shallow dish. Dip the chops into the egg mixture, then into the cracker crumbs, covering completely. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Fry chops until golden brown on both sides (about 3-4 minutes). Remove the chops from the pan. Add the water and wine to the skillet. Drop the chicken bouillon cube in the mixture and break it with a spatula to dissolve. Reduce heat to medium-low. Add the chops back to the pan. Cover, and simmer until the pork chops absorb most of the water, about 15 to 20 minutes. Serve.

Cracker Barrel Hash Brown Casserole Ingredients:

• 1 (32 oz) bag of frozen hash browns, thawed
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 (10 1/2 oz) can cream of mushroom
• 1 (10 1/2 oz) can cream of celery
• 1 cup milk
• 3 tbsp butter
• 8 oz shredded colby cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix the first 5 ingredients and only use half the cheese.
Spread the mixture into a greased 13x9. Sprinkle the top with the remaining cheese and "dot" the top with the butter. Bake for 45 to 1 hour until golden and bubbly.

Evil Orange Juice Cake (Pinterest)

Ingredients (Cake):

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 1 small box orange jello
• 1 cup of OJ (I used half fresh squeezed & half OJ that you drink) Original recipe calls for OJ that you drink
• 3/4 cup oil
• 4 eggs
• 2-3 tsp orange zest

Ingredients (Glaze)

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp orange juice
• 1 tsp orange zest

**I used a chocolate glaze on this one:  1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips, 3 tbsp butter, 2 tbsp Karo corn syrup, 1/2 tsp vanilla. Put it all in a glass bowl (microwave safe), popped it in the microwave for 20 seconds, stirred, ready to glaze :)

Directions:

Heat oven to 325F degrees.

Beat cake mix, dry gelatin, orange juice, oil, eggs and zest in a large bowl on low speed 30 seconds, then on medium speed for 2 minutes or so. Pour into a generously greased bundt pan. Bake for 1 hour.
Cool 10 minutes before removing from pan. Meanwhile, whisk the powdered sugar, orange juice and zest in a small bow. After you move the cake to the serving plate and while the cake is still warm, prick the cake with a fork. Pour glaze evenly over the cake. Allow the cake to completely cool before serving.

Cinnamon & Sugar pull apart bread (Pinterest)

I will make a suggestion on this one, DO NOT ATTEMPT TO MAKE THIS ON A HUMID DAY :) It just didn't rise like it should have. Next time I think I'll put it in the oven to rise. Just turn your oven on to the lowest setting for 5 minutes, turn the oven off, leave the door ajar and put whatever needs to rise inside the oven. I've done this when I've baked bread, rolls, donuts, etc when it's too humid outside. Oh, and you will not stop at just one piece...it's addictive.

Ingredients (Dough):

• 2 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 1/4 tsp. active dry yeast (1 packet)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1/3 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 eggs (at room temperature)
• 1 tsp vanilla

Ingredients (Filling):

• 1 cup sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 4 tbsp butter, melted

Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, mix 2 cups of flour, sugar, yeast, and salt. Set this flour mixture aside.
In a small sauce pan, melt the butter and milk. Once the butter is completely melted take off the burner and add the water and vanilla. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. Pour the milk mixture into the large bowl with the dry ingredients and mix well. Whisk together the eggs and add to the batter.
Keep mixing. Add 3/4 cup of flour and mix well. The mixture will be very sticky which means it's perfect. Place the dough in a medium greased bowl.
Cover with wrap and let it sit in a warm place to rise for about 30-45 minutes. Once the dough has doubled its size, knead in 2 tablespoons of flour. Cover the dough again for 5-10 minutes.

Meanwhile, start on the filling. In a medium bowl, mix together the sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg in a small bowl. Set aside.

Once the dough is ready, roll it out on a floured surface. Brush the melted butter on the dough and add the sugar mixture. Make sure everything is covered. Using a shape knife or pizza cutter, cut the dough into equal sized strips (about 2 to 2 1/2 inches wide). Then cut the strips into equal sized squares. Stack the squares on top of each other to make 3 to 4 piles. Don't make stacks to high or your will be cussing when you try to place them into the pan. Also, your bread will come out prettier if you don't stack the squares perfectly aligned. Place squares in the greased bread pan. Take any sugar that fell off squares and sprinkle over the top and around the sides of dough. Cover the dough for another 10-15 minutes to rise.

While dough is rising, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Place a cookie sheet under bread pan and bake for 30-35 minutes until outside of bread is golden brown.

Garlic Cheddar Biscuits

Ingredients:

• 2 cups buttermilk biscuit mix or regular, like Bisquick or jiffy (I used Kroger brand)
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder (or more) to taste really, I used about 1 tsp
• 2/3 cup milk
• 2 tbsp butter, melted
• 1/2 tsp dried oregano (I used a blend of oregano & McCormick "pinch" of Italian seasoning)
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Prepare a baking sheet with cooking spray. In a large bowl, mix together biscuit mix, cheese and garlic powder. Add in milk, and stir until well mixed.With a spoon or with your fingers, shape the dough into biscuit-sized clumps, and drop onto the baking sheet. (Note that the dough will pretty much hold its shape when baked, so feel free to pat down random peaks in the dough if you’d like them to look more uniform!)Bake for 10-13 minutes, or until biscuits begin to brown slightly around the edges.While the biscuits bake, prepare the warm butter mixture by mixing together the melted butter, oregano and garlic salt in a small bowl. As soon as the biscuits are removed from the oven, brush the biscuits (while they are still on the baking sheet) with the mixture until they are well-coated.Serve warm.

Chili Dog Casserole (Pinterest)

Very easy and can be made using regular or healthy ingredients. Quick, simple, easy, LOVE those kind of recipes. My son LOVED it!


Ingredients:

• 2 (15 oz) cans of chili (I used wolf brand turkey chili)
• 1 (16 oz) package of weenies (I used "light" oscar mayer)
• 10 flour tortillas (I used wheat fajita style)
• 1 (8 oz) package of shredded cheddar cheese (I used 2%)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Spread 1 can of chili in the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish. Roll up franks inside tortillas and place in baking dish, seam side down, on top of chili. Top with remaining can of chili, and sprinkle with cheese.

Cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

Cinnamon French Toast Bake (Pillsbury)

I really enjoyed this one as well. When you pour warm syrup over the top it reminds me of a pecan pie. Very good. This was a hit with my son as well, but not the pecans so much :)

Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 cans of refrigerated cinnamon rolls with icing (I used Kroger brand)
• 5 eggs
• 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup maple syrup (I used half maple and half cane syrup)

Directions:

Pour melted butter in an ungreased 13×9 inch glass dish. Separate cans of dough into 16 rolls reserving the icing for later use. Cut each roll into 8 pieces and add to buttered baking dish.

Beat eggs in medium bowl. Add cream, cinnamon and vanilla and beat until well blended. Pour over cut pieces of cinnamon roll pieces.

Sprinkle with pecans and drizzle 3/4 cup syrup over the top. Bake at 375 for 20 to 28 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 15 minutes.

Remove the covers from icing and microwave on medium or 50% power for 10 to 15 seconds. (Should be thin enough to drizzle.) Drizzle icing over the top. Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Serve with syrup if desired. Yum!

Baked Lemon/Chili Fish with Corn pudding and Lemon garlic English green beans

Fish ingredients:

• 4 medium size fish of choice (I used Grouper)
• 1 lemon, sliced
• 4 tbsp sweet chili sauce
• 4 tbsp butter
• 1 tbsp each; lemon pepper, Paul Prudomme seafood seasoning, and old bay
• kosher salt to taste

Coat both sides of the fish with the chili sauce then season the fish on both sides, the chili sauce will help the seasoning to cling to the fish. I used a small casserole dish, uncovered. Assemble the lemon slices on top of each fish along with 1 tbsp of butter. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes, depending on the fish you use and the thickness, until it starts to flake. Then turn the oven off and broil for about 5 minutes until golden on top. The "gravy" in the bottom of the casserole dish is divine :)

Corn Pudding:

• 1 box of jiffy cornbread mix
• 1 can whole kernel corn, drained
• 1 can cream style corn
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 tbsp melted butter
• 1/4 cup minced onion

In a large mixing bowl, combine all of the above ingredients. Spray a 9 inch or small casserole dish with cooking spray. Bake 45 minutes at 350 degrees until golden. You may add cheese to this recipe. I would only use about 1/2 cup cheddar.

Lemon/Garlic English green beans:

• 2 can English green beans, drained
• 1 garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1 tsp lemon pepper
• salt to taste

In a medium skillet, heat to medium high, add your oil, onions, garlic. Cook for about 5 minutes, then add your green beans, lemon pepper, lemon zest, and salt, cook for another 5 minutes, add lemon juice and remove from heat.

Honeybun Cake by Thecountrycook.net

• 1 box yellow cake mix
• 4 eggs
• 1 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 6 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Spray 13x9 baking dish with bakers joy.

In a medium bowl, (by hand, using a stand or handheld mixer) stir the cake mix, eggs, 
sour cream, and oil and mix until combined.

In a separate bowl, mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon until well-blended; set aside.

Pour half of the cake batter into a greased 13×9 pan, spreading the batter out into a thin layer. 
Add all of the brown sugar/cinnamon mixture to the top, covering the entire layer of batter.
 Pour the rest of the cake batter on top, and spread the batter until the cake is even. 
Take a knife and use it to make swirl patterns around the cake (just kind of go in a figure 8 pattern)

Place the cake into the oven and bake for about 40-45 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

While the cake is baking, make the glaze. 
In a bowl, mix the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until glaze is of desired consistency. 
When the cake comes out of the oven, immediately pour glaze onto the hot cake. 
You might have to pick up the cake and tilt it to spread the glaze evenly. 
Let the cake sit for a few minutes so the glaze can set and serve warm or at room temperature.

 

 

 

Ina Garten's Lemon Bars

For the crust:

• 1/2 lb of unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 2 cups flour
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

For the filling:

• 6 extra large eggs, at room temp
• 3 cups sugar
• 2 tbsp grated lemon zest (4-6 lemons)
• 1 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup flour
• powdered sugar for dusting

Preheat oven at 350
For the crust, cream the butter and sugar until light in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Combine the flour and salt and, with the mixer on low, add to the butter until just mixed. Dump the dough onto a well-floured board and gather into a ball. Flatten the dough with floured hands and press it into a 9 by 13 by 2-inch baking sheet, building up a 1/2-inch edge on all sides. Chill.

Bake the crust for 15 to 20 minutes, until very lightly browned.

Let cool on a wire rack. Leave the oven on.
For the filling, whisk together the eggs, sugar, lemon zest, lemon juice, and flour. Pour over the crust and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until the filling is set. Let cool to room temperature.
Cut into triangles and dust with confectioners' sugar.

Caramel Cake

Cake:

• 2 1/4 cup AP flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 3/4 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 cup sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 16 tbsp unsalted room temp butter  

In a large mixing bowl combine the first 5 ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the next 3 ingredients.
Using a stand up mixer, add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, then mix in the 16 tbsp of butter. You should be able to "see" the butter in the flour mixture. Then add 1/2 of the egg mixture to the flour, combine, then add the rest. Grease and flour two 9 inch pans. Pour the batter into the pans and bake at 350 for 20 minutes. Cool in pans for 10 minutes then remove to a cooling rack. Meanwhile, prepare the icing.

Icing:

• 1 stick of butter
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 4 tbsp softened unsalted butter

In a medium pot at medium  high heat combine the first 3 ingredients. Heat until the edges start to bubble. Then add the cream and start whisking. Take it off the heat and add the vanilla.
In a large mixing bowl add the powdered sugar. Pour the hot caramel mixture over the powdered sugar and beat until light and fluffy. While it's still warm add the butter. Let it sit for just a minute, you don't want it too runny, then spread on the cake quickly!

Baked Tilapia..in a pouch :)

• 1 1/2 lb of Tilapia
• 1 bag of frozen sugar snap peas
• 1/2 cup sliced sweet onion
• 1/2 cup sliced celery
• 2 tbsp soy sauce, or more, to taste
• 1 tbsp EVOO
• 1 lemon, sliced into thin circles
• Spices: Kosher salt, cracked black pepper, lemon pepper, Paul Prudhomme seafood seasoning or Old Bay (eyeball, just a sprinkle on each side of the fish)
• 2 paper pouches/bags

Preheat oven to 375. Blanch the peas in boiling salted water for about 2 minutes and then transfer to an ice bath for quick cooling. In a medium size skillet over medium high heat add the EVOO and saute your celery and onions for about 3 minutes. Add your cooled peas to the skillet with the soy sauce and cook for an additional minute, just until all veggies are heated. Season your fish with the salt, pepper, lemon pepper and seafood seasoning. Layer your veggies inside the bag/pouch, top the veggies with the fish, then top the fish with the lemon circles. Bake on the top rack for 20 minutes. Let it set at room temp for about 3-5 minutes. Cut open the top of the bag and enjoy. They turned out perfect and was DELISH!!!

Optional: Before adding your seasoning to the fish, try brushing the fish with a sweet Thai chili sauce. Gives it a great crust. Then add your seasoning. Or, add about a tbsp of the chili sauce to your sauteed veggies.

Shortcut SOS with Texas Toast

• 1 lb ground beef
• 1 packet of pioneer country gravy mix
• 2 cups cold water
• 1 cup milk
• 1 cup diced sweet onion
• 1 cup small diced potato (optional)
• 6 slices buttered/toasted Texas Toast

In a large skillet over medium high heat, brown your beef with the onion until no longer pink. Drain and add it back to the skillet, add the potatoes and turn the heat down to medium. In a medium bowl, mix the country gravy mix with the water and milk until combined and add to the skillet. Bring to a boil and continue to cook  until the potatoes are done. About 15 minutes. Serve over toast.

Easy Chocolate Souffle

• butter and sugar for the inside of the ramekins
• 3 eggs, separated
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 2 oz good quality bittersweet chocolate, melted (I used ghirardelli)
• pinch of salt
• 1/4 tsp cream of tarter

Preheat the oven to 350. Butter 4 souffle/ramekins. Sprinkle each with sugar, invert it and tap to remove excess sugar.

Beat egg yolks with all but 1 tbsp sugar until very light and very thick; mixture will fall in a ribbon from beaters when it is ready. Mix in the melted chocolate until well combined; set aside.

Wash beaters well, then beat egg whites with salt and cream of tarter until whites hold soft peaks, continue to beat, gradually adding the remaining tbsp sugar, until they are very stiff and glossy. Stir a good spoonful of whites thoroughly into the egg yolk mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whites, using a rubber spatula. Transfer to prepared souffle dishes and bake until the center is nearly set, about 10 minutes. Serve immediately.

Low fat Banana Cream Pie

• cooking spray
• 12 graham cracker squares (6 full sheets) I used chocolate
• 2 tbsp butter, softened
• 1 tbsp water
• 1 1/2 tsp unflavored gelatin
• 3 tbsp boiling water
• 1/3 cup, plus 1/2 tsp sugar
• 3 tbsp AP flour
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 1/2 cups 1 % low fat milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups sliced banana
• 1/4 cup whipping cream
• 1/2 tsp sugar

Preheat the oven to 350. Spray a 9 inch pie plate with cooking spray. In a food processor, process the graham crackers until finely ground. Add butter and 1 tbsp of water, and process until the crumbs clump together. Press crumb mixture into bottom of pie plate and about 1/2 inch up the sides. Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, the let cool.

In the meantime, make the filling. Put the gelatin in a small bowl, add 3 tbsp of boiling water and stir until gelatin is dissolved. In a medium saucepan, whisk together 1/3 cup of sugar and the flour. In a medium mixing bowl lightly beat the milk and eggs until combined. Add the egg mixture to the saucepan and whisk so the flour and sugar dissolves. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly for 7-10 minutes until mixture comes to a boil and has thickened. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla and gelatin. Stir to combine. Set aside to cool slightly.

You can either stir in the bananas to the custard mixture or arrange the sliced bananas on the graham cracker crust and pour the pudding/custard on top. Place in the refrigerator until the pudding has set, about 3 hours.

Using a glass mixing bowl (I usually put it in the freezer w/the beaters for about 10 minutes) whip the cream with an electric beater. When it is about halfway done, add 1/2 tsp of sugar, then continue whipping until fully whipped. Pour over the top of the pie. OR you could buy a container of low fat cool whip :) Enjoy!

Apricot Roasted Chicken with Roasted Asparagus

• 1 whole chicken, cut into pieces
• 2 cups low fat buttermilk
• 3/4 cup apricot jam
• 1/4 cup water
• Spices: kosher salt, cracked black pepper, lemon pepper, Tony's (about 1/4 tsp each)

Combine the buttermilk and chicken in a large mixing bowl. Cover and refrigerate for hour. After an hour, transfer the chicken to a colander, shake, let it stand in the colander for about 5 minutes. Meanwhile, line a large cookie sheet with foil, set aside. Combine the jam and water in a medium mixing bowl. Dip the chicken in the jam mixture to coat and put it on the cookie sheet, DO NOT bunch the chicken together, this will keep it crispy. Sprinkle the chicken with the seasonings and cook on the bottom shelf of the oven at 350 for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, drain off the liquid and put it back in the oven on the top shelf for 10-15 more minutes until golden and crispy. Transfer to a serving dish and let it set, start on the asparagus.

Roasted Asparagus with lemon mustard vinaigrette

• 1 lb of asparagus
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• kosher salt and cracked black pepper

Preheat oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with foil. In a large bowl toss the asparagus with olive oil and liberally season with salt and pepper. Spread the stalks out on the cookie sheet and roast until tender but still firm, about 10 minutes.

Vinaigrette:

• 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp EVOO
• kosher salt and cracked black pepper

In a small bowl, whisk the mustard and lemon until combined. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking quickly to emulsify the EVOO into the juice mixture. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Transfer the asparagus to a serving platter, toss with the vinaigrette and serve. This dish may be eaten warm or cold.

Apple brown betty

• 5 large golden delicious apples, peeled and thinly sliced (about 2 lbs)
• 1 cup of light apple juice or apple cider
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 tbsp unsalted butter
• 3 slices whole-wheat bread or enough to make about 2 cups of crumbs
• 2 tbsp crushed graham cracker
• 3 tbsp chopped walnuts or pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine the apples, apple juice/cider, 1 tbsp brown sugar, vanilla, 1/2 tsp of the cinnamon in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the apples are tender but still retain their shape, about 10 minutes. Stir in 1 tbsp of the butter until melted, remove from the heat and transfer the apple mixture to a 9 inch pie plate or a ceramic dish.

Place the bread in the food processor and process until crumbs are formed, about 15 seconds. Melt the remaining 2 tbsp butter in the microwave for 20 seconds. Toss the crumbs, graham cracker, nuts, remaining 2 tbsp brown sugar, and remaining 1/2 tsp of cinnamon. Scatter the crumb mixture on top of the apples and bake for 30 minutes or until the topping is crisped and lightly browned. Serve with fat free redi-whip or fat free yogurt. Enjoy!

Tuscan Vegetable Soup

• 2 (15oz) cans low-sodium canellini beans, drained & rinsed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, diced (about 1 cup)
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 small zucchini, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh thyme chopped or 1 tsp dried
• 2 tsp chopped fresh sage leaves or 1/2 tsp dried (optional)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground pepper
• 32 oz low-sodium fat free chicken or vegetable broth/stock
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans low-sodium/no salt added fire roasted tomatoes w/garlic
• 1 (8oz) can no salt added tomato sauce
• 2 cups chopped baby spinach leaves
• 1/3 cup Parmesan cheese (optional)

In a small bowl mash half of the beans with a masher or the back of a spoon, set aside.

Heat the oil in a large soup pot/dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add the onion, carrots, celery, zucchini, garlic, thyme, sage, salt/pepper, and cook stirring occasionally until the vegetable are tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the broth/stock, tomato sauce, and tomatoes with the juice and bring to a boil and cook for about 5-7 minutes. Add the mashed and whole beans and the spinach leaves and cook until the spinach is wilted, about 5 minutes more.

Serve topped with Parmesan cheese and corn bread muffins, if desired.

S'mores Frozen Samich

• 1 sheet chocolate graham cracker
• 1/4 cup fat free cool whip, thawed from frozen
• 1 tsp mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 8 miniature marshmallows

THIS IS ONE SERVING:

Break graham cracker sheet into two squares, set aside. In a small bowl, lightly stir together cool whip, chocolate chips, and marshmallows. Don't over stir. Place one graham cracker square on a plate, and top with the cool whip mixture. Lightly place the other square on top. Freeze until solid, about 1 hour. Store in the freezer until ready to serve. Enjoy!

Old-Fashioned Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy

• 1 lb extra-lean ground beef (5% or less)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 slices light whole-wheat bread, torn into small pieces
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 tsp of liquid smoke
• 1 1/2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp AP flour
• 1 cup reduced-sodium/fat free beef broth
• Spices: Tony's, lemon pepper, garlic powder

Spray a broiler pan rack with cooking spray and preheat the broiler.

Combine the beef, salt, bread, half the chopped onion, liquid smoke, 1 tbsp of the Worcestershire sauce, spices (I used a couple of dashes of each), in a large bowl until well mixed. Shape the meat mixture into four 4x3 inch oval patties. I formed 3 :) Place the patties on the broiler pan rack 6 inches from the heat. Broil until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the center registers 160 degrees for medium, about 13 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time.

Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and the remaining onions. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are tender, about 8 minutes. Stir in the flour and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the broth and remaining Worcestershire sauce and bring a boil. Add the patties to the skillet and bring to a simmer and cook until the sauce bubbles and thickens and the patties are heated through, about 2-3 minutes. Make sure to coat with the sauce. I served this with baked rosemary home fries and corn.

Rosemary Taters: about 2-3 medium russet potatoes peeled, washed, diced. 2 tbsp olive oil. 1 tsp dried rosemary. Spices: Tony's, salt & pepper. In a large bowl toss all of the above ingredients. Transfer the potatoes to a cookie/baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray and bake at 375 for about 20-30 minutes until golden, turning every 8-10 minutes.

Peach French Toast Bake

• cooking spray
• 1 large whole-wheat baguette (about 8 ounces) I used whole wheat bread
• 4 whole eggs
• 4 egg whites
• 1 cup of low fat milk (I used skim)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp lemon extract
• 5 cups sliced peaches, fresh or frozen
• 1/2 lemon, juiced, about 1 1/2 tsp
• 4 tbsp brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/3 cup of golden raisins (optional)

Spray a 9x13 baking pan with cooking spray. Slice the bread/baguette into 1/2 inch slices and arrange the slices in a single layer in the baking pan. Whisk together the eggs, egg whites, milk, vanilla/lemon extract. Pour the egg mixture over the bread in the pan. Press down to make sure the bread is fully soaked. In a medium bowl, toss the peaches (and raisins) with the lemon juice and 1 tbsp of the brown sugar. Scatter the peach slices evenly on the top of the bread. Combine the remaining brown sugar and cinnamon and sprinkle over the top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Uncover and bake for 40 minutes.
Top with a dollop of vanilla yogurt, a drizzle of maple syrup or honey and serve with a side of Canadian bacon or turkey bacon. Enjoy!

Mexican Tortilla Pizza

• 4 corn tortillas, or whole-wheat tortillas (6-inches in diameter)
• 1/2 cup black bean dip or refried beans ( I used fat free refried beans)
• 1 large tomato, seeded and diced
• 1 cup shredded green cabbage
• 1/2 cup salsa (only if your using refried beans in the can)
• 1 tsp taco seasoning (only if your using refried beans in the can)
• 1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

I spiced up the refried beans but if your using the bean dip, it has enough spices. Refried beans in the can seem to be a little bland to me.
Mix the beans with the salsa and taco seasoning. Set aside. Place the tortillas onto a baking sheet and spread 2 tbsp of the bean mixture on the top of each tortilla. Top with tomato, cabbage, and about 2 tbsp of cheese and bake for 10 minutes. You can also top with green onions and serve with light sour cream. I made mine a double decker and served with Spanish rice without butter. Enjoy!

Egg Salad Wrap

• 8 hard boiled eggs
• 4 tsp mayonnaise
• 1 tsp Dijon mustard
• 2 tbsp of chopped chives
• salt & pepper
• 1 green or red bell pepper, cut into strips
• 12 thin slices of red onion
• shredded lettuce
• wheat tortilla

Dice 4 whole eggs and 4 egg whites and put into a small bowl. Add the mayonnaise and mustard and stir with a fork, mashing somewhat for desired consistency. Don't be tempted to add more mayo :) Stir in the chives, and add the salt/pepper to desired taste. Place the tortilla on a plate and spread about 2-3 tbsp of the egg mixture in the middle. Top with bell pepper, onion, and lettuce. Fold into a wrap sandwich. I had this with a regular Wendy's chili that only has about 220 calories and 6 grams of fat. Very satisfying meal. Enjoy!

Crispy baked chicken fingers with honey-mustard dipping sauce

• 1 1/4 lb boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut across into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup low fat buttermilk
• cooking spray
• 4 cups whole-grain corn cereal (corn/wheat chex or cornflakes)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• ground pepper
• honey-mustard sauce, recipe follows

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Combine the chicken and buttermilk in a shallow dish. Cover and chill for 15 minutes.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Put the cereal in a sealed plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin or your hand. Transfer crumbs to a shallow dish. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Dip each piece of chicken in the cereal to fully coat and arrange on the baking sheet. Bake until cooked through, about 8-10 minutes. Leave the chicken on the baking sheet to cool slightly. It will become crispier. Enjoy with the honey-mustard dipping sauce. I served it along side some chicken broth mashed taters and corn with "I cant believe it's not butter" spray. Enjoy!

Honey-Mustard dipping sauce:

• 1/2 cup Dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp mayonnaise
• 3 tbsp honey

In a small bowl, stir together the mustard and mayonnaise until smooth. Stir in the honey. Serve.

Maple-Mustard Chicken Thighs with Home fries & green beans

• 4 large bone-in chicken thighs, skin removed (about 1 1/2 lbs)
• 2 tbsp grainy french mustard
• 2 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp dried marjoram
• 2 tbsp maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Rinse chicken and pat dry. Combine the mustard, garlic, marjoram and maple syrup in a small bowl. Arrange chicken in a glass baking dish. Spread about 1 1/2 tbsp of the mustard mixture evenly on top of each chicken thigh, being careful to cover as much of the surface as possible to form a "crust". Bake for 45-50 minutes, or until mustard mixture has formed a crust and is slightly hardened, and juices run clear when the chicken is pierced. Enjoy!