Outdoor Cooking

Apple Pecan Cobbler
Trevor Davey
For the Dutch Oven
1 qt. or can apple pie filling
1 qt. or can apples
1 spice cake mix
1 sm. pkg. broken pecans
1 sm. pkg. pecan halves
1 pkg. caramels
1 bottle caramel topping

Place apples and pie filling on bottom of Dutch oven, mix cake mix as per instructions using juice from apples and broken pecans. Place over apples. Unwrap caramels and place on top of mix. Bake for 45 min.- 1 hr. at 350. When cake is done, uncover and place pecan halves on top. Drizzle caramel topping over nuts. Let cool.

Grilled Veggies
Clifton Koon
You will need to find that old cookie sheet that everybody has but won't throw away ‘cause it may come in useful, well guess what, it now comes in useful. Cover the old cookie sheet with aluminum foil and either spray with non stick cooking spray or a little olive oil. Then simply add your favorite fresh vegetables diced. I use diced potatoes, chopped onions, broccoli, baby carrots, for starters. Then shake on your favorite seasonings. I use McCormick’s steak seasoning. If I don't have that, then kosher or sea salt, garlic, pepper, and dill. Then put in the grill and cook stirring occasionally. (REMEMBER, CARROTS TAKE LONGER TO COOK SO I PUT THEM ON A LITTLE BEFORE THE REST AND THE BROCCOLLI ON A LITTLE AFTER). There you go, a great addition to every barbeque and absolutely healthy to boot. For another idea, This is a little variation to the normal roast that we all have had and love. Make a few deep cuts in it and add apple slices (granny smith are the best) and garlic cloves, then do everything else as you normally would. The apples add a little bit of flavor. You will be surprised that the apple flavor is very very mild but just enough to be fantastic. I like a little more usually, so I will cut the roast so it is one single piece of meat but only one and a half inches thick. (To do this you need to cut in a spiral pattern). Then I add apples, onions and garlic and sometimes when they are cheap, mangos and roll it all back up into the original shape and use butchers string to tie it together. then cook as usual. Once again the flavor is mild and does not overpower the meat, but is just there to be fantastic.


Chili’s Fajitas
Liz Fielding
Marinade:
¼ c. lime juice
1/3 c. water
2 T. vegetable oil
1 large garlic clove, minced
3 tsp vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
½ tsp liquid smoke
1 tsp salt
½ tsp chili powder
½ tsp cayenne pepper
¼ tsp ground black pepper
Dash onion powder
1 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves or 1 lb top sirloin steak
1 green or red pepper
1 purple onion, sliced
1 T vegetable oil
1 tsp soy sauce
2 T water
½ tsp lime juice
Dash ground black pepper Dash salt
Combine marinade ingredients and add meat. Soak for at least two hours. Barbecue or broil meat. Saute or grill vegetables in oil for five minutes. Combine soy sauce, water & lime juice and pour over vegetables. Cook until tender and salt to taste. Slice meat and veggies into strips. You may cook the marinade in a sauce pan and serve with fajitas. Serve with all your favorite toppings – guacamole, sour cream, cheese, etc.

Tin Foil Dinners
Marci Tullis
“The best tin foil dinner I ever had”
2 sheets of foil for each dinner
sliced carrots
sliced potatoes
sliced onions
1 meat patty
2 pieces of cabbage per dinner
3T condensed mushroom soup
Place cabbage in middle of foil. Layer potatoes, carrots meat and onions on top of cabbage (will keep other vegi's from sticking and burning.) Salt and pepper, and put mushroom soup on top of vegi's and meat. Fold foil into a packet, cook 45 mins then check. Follow directions for as many servings as needed. May also cook in hot coals. You can also make this recipe in to a casserole.
Same ingredients except put in a deep casserole dish rather than foil. Increase amount of ingredients per person. Bake 350 for hour.

Cleaning Dingy Whites

Marcie Tullis
1 Cup of dishwasher powder
1Gallon HOT water
soak overnight. VERY good on graying garments, deoderant stains, whitening whites.

Recipes Kids Can Make

FRUIT KABOBS
Marcie Tullis
slices of apple
banana cut into 1 in pieces
red grapes
green grapes
Pineapple chunks
yogurt
dried coconut
Skewers

Set out fruit so it is easy to get to. Sprinkle coconut onto a plate and pour the yogurt on a plate too. Take skewer and put as much fruit on it as you want. Roll the skewered fruit in the yogurt then roll it in the coconut. YUMMY


FROZEN YOGURT POPS
Marcie Tullis
Your favorite flavor of yogurt
paper cups
Popsicle sticks
Plastic wrap
Pour yogurt into cup about 3/4 of the way to the top. Place popsicle stick in the middle of the yogurt. Use the plastic wrap to cover and also to hold the stick in the middle by punching a hole through it to keep the stick upright. Freeze over night. Peel off paper cup

PEACH FREEZE
Marcie Tullis
Ingredients:
1/2 c. milk
1 c. sliced peaches (they can be either fresh or canned)
1 tsp. sugar
Utensils:
ice cube tray
blender
serving dishes
Directions:
Pour the milk into an ice cube tray and freeze until solid.
Pop the "milk cubes" out of the tray and put them into the blender. Then put the peaches and sugar into the blender.
Put the lid on the blender and blend on high speed until everything is all mixed together and very smooth.
Pour your Perfect Peachy Freeze into serving dishes and serve right away.

PRETZELS
Marcie Tullis
Prep time: about 30 minutesIngredients:
1 tbsp. yeast
1/2 c. warm water
1 tsp. honey
1 1/3 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
Utensils:
small bowl
mixing spoon
medium-size bowl
cutting board, sprinkled with flour
baking sheet, sprayed with nonstick spray
measuring cups and spoons
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius).
Put the yeast in a small bowl with the water and honey. Stir a little, then let the mixture sit for 5 minutes.
Mix the flour and salt together in a medium-size bowl.
After the 5 minutes is up, check on the yeast mixture. It should be bigger than before and a little bubbly. Add this mixture to the flour and salt mixture.
Stir everything together. Use a spoon to start. Finish with your hands. The dough is ready when it's still a little crumbly and flaky.
Put the dough on the cutting board and knead it like you are playing with clay. Knead it into one big ball.
Break off a piece of dough that's about the size of a big gumball or superball. Use your hands to roll it into a skinny snake.
Twist the snake into a medium-size pretzel shape, and put it on the cookie sheet. Do this with all the dough, making 12 pretzels.
Bake your pretzels for 10 minutes. Let them cool and take a bite!
Serves: 12

STRAWBERRY SMOOTHIES
Marcie Tullis
Ingredients:
2 ice cubes
1 c. milk
1/3 c. cottage cheese
2/3 c. frozen strawberries
1 1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Utensils:
blender
serving glass
measuring cups and spoons
Directions:
Pour all of the ingredients into the blender.
Put the lid on the blender and blend for 45 to 60 seconds until smooth.
Pour your smoothie into a glass and enjoy!

STRAWBERRY BARS
Marcie Tullis
Ingredients:
1 c. flour
1 c. rolled oats
1/2 c. butter or margarine, softened
1/3 c. light brown sugar
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
3/4 c. strawberry jam
Utensils:
oven
large bowl
square (8" X 8") pan coated with nonstick spray
large spoon
knife
measuring cups and spoons
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (180 degrees Celsius).
In a large bowl, mix everything together except the strawberry jam.
Measure out 2 cups of this mixture. Leave the rest in the bowl, and set it aside.
Take the 2 cups of the mixture and press it into the bottom of the pan. You can use your hands or a spoon. Make sure you cover the entire bottom of the pan!
Using a large spoon, spread the strawberry jam on top of the mixture in the pan. Spread it evenly all over.
Take the mixture that was left in the bowl, and spread it over the strawberry jam. Press it down lightly.
Bake for 25 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven, and allow it to cool for at least 15 minutes.
Cut the bars into 12 squares to eat and share!
Serves: 12


TINY PIZZA'S
Marcie Tullis
Ingredients:
1 standard-sized bagel, cut in half
tomato sauce
shredded mozzarella cheese
toppings like diced green pepper, chopped onion, or chopped tomato (whatever you like)
seasonings like oregano, basil, and pepper
Utensils:
oven
knife
baking sheet
Directions:
Set the oven to low heat.
Spread tomato sauce on each bagel half.
Sprinkle the shredded cheese all over the tomato sauce on each half.
Add your favorite toppings.
Put a light sprinkling of seasonings on each half.
Put your bagel halves on the baking sheet.
Bake in the oven on low heat for about 5 to 8 minutes. You'll know they're done when the cheese is bubbly.
Let cool for a minute, then enjoy your tiny pizzas!
Serves: 1

NACHO'S
Marcie Tullis
Ingredients:
1 14-oz. bag tortilla chips
1 1/2 c. salsa
2 c. shredded cheddar cheese
6 oz. olives
Utensils:
oven baking sheet lined with aluminum foil spoon
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (200 degrees Celsius).
Spread tortilla chips on baking sheet.
Using a spoon, spread salsa over tortilla chips.
Sprinkle cheese and olive pieces on top of tortilla chips. Bake for about 5 minutes. Remove from oven, let cool slightly, and dig into your nachos!
Serves: about 7

To get tree sap out of hair...

I have some more advice: (I learned this up camping) To get tree sap out of hair and off the body, wipe it with vegetable oil. It may take a few minutes, but it really does work. I don't know if it works on your car, but it might...
~Rebekah Linville~

Saucy!

I don't know if I gave you these or not, but Jon's twin brother went on his mission to Rome and learned these recipes. The red sauce is AWESOME! He puts it on spaghetti, lasagna, ravioli, etc. And the taco pasta is surprisingly good.

Did you know that you can cook Pillsbury biscuits in a dutch oven? Just spray the bottom with cooking spray, put the biscuits in, cover, cook for 5-8 minutes and turn over, cook for 5-8 minutes more, and eat. Cooking time will vary depending on how hot you dutch oven is. They are very good in the morning when camping. And easy! And if you have forgotten your spatula, you can turn them with a hot dog roasting stick... Pretty convenient.

RED SAUCE

3-4 tablespoons of olive oil
1 lb sausage
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, crushed or diced
1 can (15 oz?) diced tomatoes or 2 cups of fresh diced tomatoes
1-2 cans of tomato sauce
salt, pepper, and basil to taste
NO WATER!!!

Brown the sausage.
Add crushed garlic when meat is half-cooked.
Add tomatoes and tomato sauce when meat is cooked.
Add salt, pepper, and basil to taste after sauce is hot.
Allow to simmer until desired thickness is obtained.

Use 1 can of tomato sauce for 1 lb of pasta.
Use 2 cans of tomato sauce for 2 lb of pasta.

Allowable substitutions:

hamburger for sausage (other meats can be used also)
1/2 of a sauteed onion for garlic (sautee the onion in the olive oil before adding meat)

I like onion with hamburger and garlic with sausage, but you can mix and match based on your taste or what you have on hand.

PINK SAUCE

To make a pink sauce, add a little bit of half and half or canned milk to a red sauce. Use bacon for the meat with onions.

TACO PASTA

Sautee 1/2 of an onion until tender
Add 1 lb of hamburger, and brown.
Add 1 packet of taco seasoning (3 Tablespoons)and some water
Let simmer until it looks like taco meat

In another pan, melt two tablespoons of butter or margarine
Add two tablespoons of flour and mix in.
Cook for a minute or two
Add a can of evaporated milk or half and half
Cook on low heat until thickened
Add a can of drained corn, and cook until warm

Dump everything onto 1 lb of cooked pasta and mix it up.

This can be doubled without increasing the meat if desired--just double everything else, including the taco seasoning.

Buon appetito.

Jeff

Sausage skillets

Chicken Sausage Skillet
Annika Davey
1 md onion, sliced
1 md green pepper, sliced
1 c sliced fresh mushrooms
1 c sliced zucchini
2 TBS olive oil
3/4 lb. boneless skinless chicken sliced
3/4 lb. Italian sausage links, cut into 1/2 in. pieces
2 can (14-1/2 oz ea.) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 clove garlic, minced
3/4 tsp dried basil
3/4 tsp dried oregano
Hot cooked rice
Saute the onion, green pepper, mushrooms, and zucchini in oil untiltender. Remove from oil and set aside.Add chicken and sausage to skillet; cook until no longer pink. Drain. Stir in tomatoes, garlic, basil, and oregano. Add veggies. Bring toboil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 min. Serve over rice.

Italian sausage and beans
Annika Davey
1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed
1 md onion
4 lg Italian sausages
1 can diced tomatoes Italian style
3/4 c waterPeel and slice onion.
Brown sausage in pan. Add tomatoes, beans, onion,and water. Simmer over md heat 12-15 min. Sauce will thicken. Servehot with tossed salad.

Apple Mallow Salad

Apple Mallow Salad
Annika Davey
1 can (20oz) crushed pineapple
1/2 c sugar
1 TBS flour
1 to 2 TBS vinegar
1 egg, beaten
1 carton (12oz) frozen whipped topping, thawed
2 md red apples, diced
2 md green apples, diced
4 c miniature marshmallows
1 c snickers candy bar, cut into pieces
Drain pineapple, reserving juice; set aside. In a pan, combine sugar,flour, vinegar and pineapple juice mix until smooth. Bring to a boil;cook and stir for 2 min. or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir asmall amout of hot mixture into egg; return all to pan, stirringconstantly. Bring to a gentle boil; cook and stir for 2 min. Removefrom heat; cool. Fold in whipped cream, apples, marshmallows, andpineapple. Cover adn refrierate for 1 hour. Just before serving, foldin candy bar pieces.

Davey Desserts

Chocolate Peanut butter cheesecake bars
Traven Davey
2 1/2 c graham cracker crumbs
3/4 c butter, melted
3/4 c sugar
1 2/3 c milk chocolate & peanut butter swirled chips
2 pkgs (8oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 c flour
1 TBS vanilla
4 lg eggs
Preheat to 325. Combine crumbs, butter and 1/4 c sugar in bowl. Remove1 c mixture ans reserve for topping. Press remaining mixture onto bottomof ungreased 13x9 pan. Sprinkle 3/4 c chips over crust. Beat creamcheese, remaining sugar, flour and vanilla in bowl until smooth. Addeggs, one at a time, beating until smooth. Pour over crust and chips inpan. Sprinkle with reserved crumb topping and remaining chips. Bake25-30 min. Cool completely and refrigerate until firm. Cut into bars.

Floating Fruit Parfaits
Hunter Davey
1/2 c sliced strawberries
3/4 c boiling water1 pkg (4 serv) any flavored jello
1/2 c cold water
3/4 c ice cubes
1 c plus 6 TBS cool whip
Divide fruit among 6 parfait glasses. Stir boiling water into jellountil dissolved. Stir in cold water adn ice cubes until ice melts. Pour3/4 c jello over strawberries in glasses. Refrigerate 20 min. until setbut not firm. Stir 1 c whipped topping into remaining jello with whiskuntol smooth. Spoon over jello in glasses. Refrigerate 1 hour. Garnishwith remaining cool whip.

Walnut Carrot Cake
Annika Davey
1 c butter, softened
1 2/3 c sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp grated lemon peel
2 1/2 c flour
1 pkg (3.4oz) instant lemon pudding
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1 c (8oz) plain yogurt
2 1/2 c grated carrots
3/4 c chopped walnuts
1 can (16oz) cream cheese frosting
Cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each. Beat in the vanilla and lemon peel. Combine flour, pudding,baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt; add to creamed mixturealternatley with yogurt. Stir in carrots and nuts. Transfer to agreased and floured fluted tube pan. Bake 350 for 50-55 min. or untiltoothpick comes clean. Cool for 10 min. before removing from pan to awire rack. Cool completely before frosting. Store in fridge.

Cranberry Ginger Drop Cookies
Kyah Davey
3/4 c sugar
1/2 c brown sugar
1/2 c butter, softened
1/3 c milk
1 lg egg
2 c flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 c fresh or frozen cranberrries, chopped
1/2 c chopped pecans
1/4 c finely chopped crystallized ginger
GLAZE
1 1/2 c powdered sugar
1-2 TBS milk
Heat oven to 375. Lightly grease cookie sheets. Combine sugar, brownsguar and butter in bowl, beat on md speed until well mixed. Add milkand egg and beat until smooth. Add flour, baking powder, ground gingerand baking soda; beat on low until well mixed. Gentley stir incranberries, pecans and crystallized ginger. Drop dough by rounded tsp 2in. apart. Bake for 9-12 min. or until edges are light golden brown. Immediately remove from cookie sheet; cool on wire rack. Make glaze todesired consistency and spread or drizzle over cooled cookies.

Chicken Pasta Pie

Chicken Pasta Pie
Jeff Linville, Rebekah Linville
"I had a pretty good pasta dish at a resaurant the other night, so I tried to duplicate it at home. It turned out very well. "

3 Tablespoons butter margarine
2 Tablespoons flour
1 can evaporated milk
2 chicken breasts
2 cans of mushrooms (2 oz) or fresh mushrooms
1/4 cup chives
1 lb pasta
1-2 cups shredded mozzarella
1/2 cup of shredded parmesan

melt butter or margarine in a saucepan
mix flour into melted butter
cook flour and butter mixture for a couple of minutes on low heat
add canned milk and simmer to thicken (use very low heat)
dice and cook chicken breasts with drained mushrooms
add chicken, mushrooms, and chives to sauce and continue to simmer
Cook pasta per package directions
combine pasta and sauce and place in a casserole dish
cover with both cheeses, use more or less as necessary
place under broiler until cheese is melted
Enjoy!

With a salad and some bread, this should feed your family.

Ziplock Omlet

Ziplock Omlet
Marcie Tullis

This works great !!! Good for when all your family is together. The best part is that no one has to wait for their special omelet !!!
Have guests write their name on a quart-size Ziploc freezer bag with permanent marker.
Crack 2 eggs (large or extra-large) into the bag (not more than 2) shake to combine them.Put out a variety of ingredients such as: cheeses, ham, onion, green pepper, tomato, hash browns, salsa, etc.
Each guest adds prepared ingredients of choice to their bag and shake. Make sure to get the air out of the bag and zip it up. Place the bags into rolling, boiling water for exactly 13 minutes. You can usually cook 6-8 omelets in a large pot. For more, make another pot of boiling water.
Open the bags and the omelet will roll out easily. Be prepared for everyone to be amazed. Nice to serve with fresh fruit and coffee cake; everyone gets involved in the process and a great conversation piece.
Imagine having these ready the night before, and putting the bag in boiling water while you get ready. And in 13 minutes, you got a nice omelet for a quick breakfast!!! I think my kids are going to like this!
I used tomatoes, ham, green onions, cheddar cheese and mushrooms in this one! MMMMMMMM . . ..MMMMMMM good!!!

A Yummy Davey Dinner

Peach Chicken
Annika Davey

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 TBS vegetable oil
1 TBS butter
1 can (15 1/4 oz) sliced peaches, undrained
1/2 c packed brown sugar
1/2 c orange juice
1 envelope onion soup mix
Hot cooked rice

In a large skillet over med. heat, brown chicken in oil and butter; remove and keep warm. Add peaches with juice, brown sugar, orange juice, and soup mix to skillet; stir until combined. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 min.

Reduce heat; return chicken to pan. Simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 min. or until chicken juices run clear. Serve over rice.

Bacon Onion Asparagus
Davey’s

1 1/2 lbs. fresh asparagus, trimmed
2 TBS olive oil
1/4 tsp salt, divided
1/4 tsp pepper, divided
6 bacon strips diced
1 med. onion, chopped
2 TBS cider vinegar
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted

Place the asparagus in a baking pan. Drizzle with oil; sprinkle with 1/8 tsp salt and pepper. Bake at 400 for 10-15 min. or until lightly browned. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 2 tsp drippings.

Saute onion in drippings until tender. Remove from the heat; stir in the vinegar, bacon, and remaining salt and pepper. Transfer the asparagus to a large shallow bowl; top with the warm bacon dressing and toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.


Golden Garlic Bread
Annika Davey

3/4 c butter, softened
1/2 c mayonnaise
3 c shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 c grated Parmesan cheese
3 green onions, chopped
1 tsp Italian seasoning
1 to 2 garlic cloves, minced
1 loaf French bread, cut lengthwise

In a bowl, beat butter and mayonnaise until blended. Stir in the cheeses, onions, Italian seasoniong, and garlic. Spread over cut sides of bread. Place on an ungreased baking sheet. Broil for 3-5 min. or until topping is lightly browned and bubbly. Cut.

Rosebud Butter Cookies

Rosebud Butter Cookies
Davey’s

1/3 C buttrer, softened
1 C Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp Vanilla
2 1/4 C Flour
1/2 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
red and green food coloring
1 C Vanilla frosting
In a small bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt, and baking powder; gradually add to creamed mixture. Tint dough red. Shape into a ball. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate overnight.

Shape dough into 3/4 inch balls. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets; flatten to 1/4 in. thick. With a sharp knife, cut two slits at the top of each circle, forming a flower bud. Pinch the bottom of each bud, forming the stem end.

Bake at 350 for 8-10 min. or until set. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. Tint frosting green. Using a small leaf tip, pipe leaves onto stem end of each flower.

Lemon Cheesecake With Gingersnap Crust

Lemon Cheesecake With Gingersnap Crust
Mindy Butler
Bake the cheesecake at least one day ahead so that it has enough time to chill.

Crust2 cups ground gingersnap cookies
6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter, melted
Filling5 8-ounce packages cream cheese, room temperature
2 cups sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt7 large eggs
3 cups (24 ounces) sour cream
2 tablespoons (packed) finely grated lemon peel
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
For crust:Preheat oven to 350°F. Stir cookie crumbs and butter in medium bowl until evenly moistened. Press mixture onto bottom of 9-inch-diameter removable-bottom cheesecake pan with 3-inch-high sides. Bake crust until deep golden, about 12 minutes. Cool completely. Reduce oven temperature to 325°F. Stack 3 large sheets of foil on work surface. Place same cake pan in center. Gather foil snugly around pan bottom and up sides to waterproof.
For filling:Using electric mixer, beat cream cheese in large bowl until smooth and fluffy. Gradually beat in sugar, then salt. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in sour cream, grated lemon peel, and lemon juice. Pour filling into pan. Place wrapped cake pan in large roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of cake pan. Bake cake until filling is slightly puffed and moves only slightly when pan is shaken gently, about 1 hour 25 minutes. Remove cake pan from water bath; remove foil. Cool cake in pan on rack 2 hours. Chill uncovered until cold; cover and keep chilled at least 1 day and up to 2 days.
Cut around pan sides; carefully loosen pan bottom from sides and push up pan bottom to release cake. Place cake (still on pan bottom) on platter. Garnish with lemon leaves or twists.
Test-kitchen tipsThe pan: It must be three inches high to hold all the filling The cream cheese: For best results, use Philadelphia brand.The crust: Grind the gingersnaps in the processor or place them in a heavy-duty plastic bag and finely crush them with a rolling pin.
ALTERATIONS: top with warmed sweetened raspberry jam and lemon rind shavings maybe some craisins

Special chicken dinner

Follow the alterations and you have one of my favorite dinners... Mindy Butler

CHICKEN BREASTS STUFFED WITH MUSHROOMS AND SPINACH
1/2 c butter, room temperature
4 garlic cloves, minced thinly sliced red pepper
1 1/2 c chopped fresh spinach
3/4 c finely ground almonds
( 3 ounces) mozzarella cheese
6 boneless chicken breast halves
2 cloves garlic
Mix first 4 ingredients in small bowl until smooth. Season garlic butter to taste with salt and pepper. Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate. Bring to room temperature before using
Melt 2 tablespoons garlic butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach; sauté until just wilted, about 1 minute. Transfer mixture to medium bowl. Cool 30 minutes. Stir in ground almonds and sour cream. Season stuffing with salt and pepper.
Run fingers between chicken skin and meat to loosen (do not remove skin). Spread 2 teaspoons garlic butter under skin over meat of each chicken breast. Spoon 2 generous tablespoons stuffing under skin of each chicken breast. Using toothpicks, skewer skin to chicken to enclose stuffing. Arrange chicken on large baking sheet. Spread remaining garlic butter over top of each chicken breast.(Can be prepared 4 hours ahead. Cover and refrigerate)
Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter. Serves 6.
ALTERATIONS: substitute mozzarella for sour cream, red pepper strips for crushed red pepper, no parsley, no mushrooms with craisin decorations between chicken slices. Also bread chicken as recipe describes below…

BROILED BREADED CHICKEN
For the chicken:
2/3 cup milk
2 large egg
2 tablespoons garlic butter
3 c dry bread crumbs
To make the chicken:In a shallow baking dish whisk together milk, egg, oil, and salt and pepper to taste. In another shallow baking dish stir together bread crumbs, and salt and pepper to taste. Set rack about 6 inches from heat and preheat broiler. Dip chicken breasts, 1 at a time, in milk mixture, letting excess drip off, and coat with bread crumb mixture, patting to adhere. Transfer chicken as coated to rack of a foil-lined broiler pan. Broil chicken until cooked through, about 7 minutes on each side.

Serve with a side salad:
Greens, almonds, craisins, diced apples and raspberry vinaigrette.

Fudge and Caramel!

Here are a few Christmas candy recipes:

Two-Minute Fudge
Rebekah Linville
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk
1 tsp vanilla
pinch of salt, optional
1 cup chopped nuts, optional

Stir together chips and milk. Melt in microwave, stirring every minute.
Stir in vanilla, salt, and nuts. Pour into lined and buttered 8-by-8 inch pan.
Chill until firm. Makes about 2 pounds.

Peanut Butter or Butterscotch Fudge: Use 4 cups peanut butter of butterscotch
chips instead of chocolate chips.

Vanilla Fudge: Use 4 cups "white chocolate" chips instead of chocolate chips.

Cherry Fudge: Stir in 1 cup of quartered candied cherries, replace half the vanilla
with almond extract, and use almonds for the nuts.

Cookies and Crème Fudge: Make a batch of vanilla fudge. Break 16 Oreo cookies
into small chunks and stir into fudge.

Caramel Swirl Fudge: Make regular recipe. Melt 4 ounces caramel with 1-2 teaspoons
of water. Drop by spoonfuls onto top, then swirl.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge: Make regular fudge recipe. Add 2 tablespoons peanut
butter to HOT mixture. Top with chopped peanuts if you like, pressing them in slightly.

Orange-Pecan Fudge: Make vanilla fudge. Stir in 1 tablespoon orange zest and 1 cup
pecans.

S'mores Fudge: Make regular fudge. Leave out nuts, stir in 1 cup mini marshmellows
and 4 crushed graham crackers.

Strawberry Truffle: Spread regular fudge in pan. Melt 1 cup semisweet chips with 2
tablespoons butter and stir in 1/4 cup strawberry jam. Spread on top of fudge.

Toasted coconut Fudge: For either chocolate of vanilla fudge, toast 1 cup coconut.
Stir in 3/4 cup of it along with 1 cup chopped toasted pecans. Sprinkle remaining 1/4 cup
coconut on top.


Microwave Caramels:
Rebekah Linville
1/2 cup melted margarine or butter
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 cup walnuts ( optional )

Combine all ingredients until well blended in a microwave safe glass bowl. Place uncovered in the microwave and cook on HIGH 7 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes! Pour into buttered 8-by-8 pan. Caramel can be used for dipping apples by cooking only 6 minutes.

Molten Chocolate Pudding Cake

Molten Chocolate Pudding Cake

Kirsten Ellsworth

Prep Time: 20 min

Total Time: 1 hr 20 min

Makes: 24 servings,
Calories per serving: 260

1 pkg. (2-layer size) devil's food cake mix
1 pkg. (12 oz.) Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunks, divided
3 cups cold milk
2 pkg. (4-serving size each) Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling
1/3 cup Italian Cappuccino
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

PREHEAT oven to 350°F. Prepare cake mix as directed on package. Stir in half of the chocolate chunks. Pour into greased 13x9-inch baking dish or shallow casserole dish; set aside.
POUR milk into large bowl. Add dry pudding mixes, flavored instant coffee and cinnamon. Beat with wire whisk 1 min. or until well blended. Pour over cake batter in center of pan; sprinkle with the remaining chocolate chunks.
BAKE 1 hour or until cake appears baked in the center. Cool slightly.

Pizza night!

Garlic Chicken Pizza
Megan Coles
2 chicken breasts - cooked,diced; w/garlic, salt, pepper
1/2 or 1 loaf french bread - cut lengthwize,
lightly spread w/garlic buttersliced fresh mushrooms & red onions - sautee w/butter or olive oil on top garlic bread with chicken, mushrooms, onions. Sprinkle with mozzerella cheese and parmasan; bake 400-425 degree, 8-10 min, or until cheese melts. Serve with fresh tomato slices.

Pizza Dough
Megan Coles
1 1/2 c flour
1 TB yeast
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp basil;
opt.2/3 - 3/4 C hot water
mix, let rise, roll out on grease pizza pan, top with sauce and toppings;
bake 425 degrees 20-25 min. makes 1 pizza

French Bread
Megan Coles
2 1/2 C. warm water
3 TB sugar
2 TB yeast
1/3 C shortening
6 1/4 C. flour approx.
1 TB salt
Mix every 10 minutes, 5 times; divide into 2 long loaves, greased cookie sheet, raise again; bake 375, 30 min. (Can baste with beaten eggs whites and sprinkle with sea salt before baking if desired.)

Creamy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (light!)

Creamy Buttermilk Ranch Dressing (light!)
Megan Coles
1 C light Mayonnaise (NOT miracle whip)
1/2 C light sour cream
1/2 C 1% buttermilk (or milk+ tsp lemon juice)
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cider vinagar
1/2 - 1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/8 pepper1 tsp parsley opt.
Shake or blend until smooth. Refridgerate. (2 Tb = 64 cal.)

Cookies!

Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
Megan Coles
3/4 C brown sugar - packed
1/2 C Sugar
1/2 C soft margarine or butter1
1/2 teas. vanilla
1 egg
1 3/4 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 C choc chips
375 degrees, ungreased pan, 8-10 min. or until barely golden brown

Chewy Oatmeal Raisen Cookies
Megan Coles
3/4 C sugar
1/4 C brown sugar - packed
1/2 C soft margarine or butter
1/2 tsp vanilla
1 egg
3/4 C flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 C oats
1/2 raisons
375 degree, greased pan, 7-10 min or until very light brown

yummy desserts!

Fruit and Nut Cherry Pie
Annika Davey
1 can (21oz) cherry pie filling
1 can (20oz) crushed pineapple, undrained
3/4 c sugar
1 TBS cornstarch
1 tsp. red food coloring
4 md firm bananas, sliced
1/2 c chopped pecans or walnuts
2 pastry shells (9in) baked
whipped cream
In a saucepan, combine pie filling, pineapple, sugar, cornstarch and foodcoloring; mix well. Bring to a boil over md heat, stirring constantly. Cook and stir for 2 min. Cool. Fold in bananas and nuts. Pour into pieshells. Chill for 2-3 hours. Garnish with whipped cream. Store inrefridgerator.

Chewy Chocolate Brownies
Megan Coles
stir: 1 cube + 3 TB melted margarine
3/4 C cocoa
mix in: 1 1/2 C sugar
2 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
add: 1 c four 1 cup choc. chips (opt.)
8 x 8 greased pan, 400'oven 18-20 min. cool, frost w/recipe below:
Chocolate Frosting
6 TB soft margarine
1/2 tsp vanilla
2 1/4 C powdered sugar
1/2 C cocoa3-4 tsp milk


Peanut Butter Balls
Megan Coles
2 C powdered sugar
3/4 C graham crackers - crushed
1/2 C soft butter
1 C peanut butter
Mix by hand or with mixer. Roll into balls. Refridgerate so they don't skick together. (Can freeze before dipping in chocolate.)

Peanut Butter Yummies (whatchamacallits)
Megan Coles
1 C corn syrup
1 C sugar
Boil 50-60 seconds only.
Then stir in:1 C smooth peanut butter
Pour over 2 1/2 C Rice krispies and 2 1/2 C Rice Chex.
Drop by spoonfulls onto wax paper or press into a pan & spread with melted chocolate chips.

Easy Cream-Cheesy Dessert
Megan Coles
1 White cake mix, bake as directed, cool
1 1/2 C powdered sugar
1 pkg 8 oz cream cheese
1 8 oz tub cool whip1 can blueberry or raspberry pie filling
Mix cream cheese with powdered sugar, fold in cool whip.
Spread on top of cake. Top with pie filling. Chill.

Cranberry Cheesecake Bars
Megan Coles
2 C + 2TB flour, divided
1 C oats
3/4 brown sugar - packed
1/2 C margarine or butter melted
1 8oz pkg cream cheese
1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk
4 egg whites
1 tsp vanilla
1 can (16 oz) whole cranberry sauce
2 TB cornstarch
Combine 2 c flour, oats, brown sugar, & butter; mix til crumbly. Press 2 1/2 cups of it into a greased 13" pan. Bake 350 for 10 min.Beat cream cheese, milk, egg whites, vanilla, & 2 TB flour. Spoon over cooked crust.Combine cranberries and cornstarch, spoon over cream mixture;swirl slightly. Sprinkle with remaining crumble crust. Bake 350 degrees for 30-35 or until center is almost set.

Almond Roca
Megan Coles
In heavy sauce pan, med-med-high heat, melt:
1 LB. butter
2 C sugar1-2 Tb corn syrup
cook & stir; when color starts to turn a bit tan, add 1 C raw slivered almonds
keep cooking and stirring - it is done when it's the color of a paper bag (hard tack,test a bit in cold water, should be hard and crunchy when cool) pour onto greased cookie sheet. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, spread; sprinkle with toasted chopped alomonds.

Caramels
Megan Coles
2 C sugar
1 3/4 C corn syrup
1 pt. whipping cream
1/2 cube margarine
1 cube butter
Boil & stir until soft ball stage. Pour into greased pan.

Apple Cranberry Cobbler
Trevor Davey
1 c evaporated milk
1 3/4 c flour
2/3 c sugar
3 TBS butter, melted
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
2 c apple pie filling
1 c dried cranberries
3/4 c hot water
Preheat 350. Grease 13x9 baking dish. Combine milk, flour, sugar,butter, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in bowl; stir until justblended. Spread into baking dish. Combine apple pie filling andcranberries in bowl; spread evenly over batter. Carefully pour hot waterover fruit. Bake 45-50 min. Serve warm with whipped topping or ice cream.

Pizza Without the Pounds

Pizza Without the Pounds
Ryan Benson(from The Biggest Loser" shows us how to make pizza that delivers flavor without danger.
Pair one pizza with a cup of vegetable soup and you've got a fiber-rich, satisfying lunch.

Ingredients:
4 whole portobello mushroom caps (about 5" each), stemmed removed
1/2 cup low fat marinara sauce
1/2 cup lean turkey Italian sausage, cooked, drained and crumbled
4 tablespoons shredded fat free or low fat mozzarella cheese
2 teaspoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil

To Prepare:Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Wipe the mushrooms clean of any dirt. Place them on a baking sheet, grill side up. Spoon sauce over each cap, then sprinkle on sausage and cheeses. Place in the oven and bake for 6 to 8 minutes, or until cheese is melted. Garnish with fresh basil. Serve immediately.
Yield: 4 small pizzas.
Nutritional Values: Fat: 5 g. Carbohydrates: 6 g. Protein: 8 g. Calories: 94 kcal.

Mexican Fruit Cake

Mexican Fruit Cake
Marilyn Fielding
2 eggs
2 tsp. soda
2 cups sugar
2 cups flour
1 (20 oz.) can crushed
1 cup nuts, chopped
pineapple & juice

Mix all together. Grease and flour a 9x13 cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Frosting:
1 cube butter
1 (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
This cake gets better 2 to 3 days after baking.

Play dough

Play dough
Sheryl Koon
Boil: 1 c water, 1 TBS oil, food coloring
ADD: 1 c flour, 1/2 c salt, 1 TBS alum
Knead until smooth.
Store in a plastic bag in refrigerator

Corn!

Bottled Corn (tastes like store canned)
Sheryl Koon
For each pint of fresh cut off corn add to each bottle:
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt add hot water.
Process pints for 22 min, 45 min for quarts at 12-15pounds pressure.

Frozen Corn
Sheryl Koon
8 cups corn
1/4 lb butter
2 TBS sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
Put in a pan and almost cover with water. Cook 5 min. Cool and freeze

Cresent Lasagna

Cresent Lasagna
Sheryl Koon
1/2 lb sausage
1/2 lg ground beef
3/4 c chopped onion
1 TBS parsley flakes
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/2 tsp leaf basil
1/2 tsp salt
6 oz can tomato paste
Cheese mixture:
1 c cottage cheese
1/4 c parmesan cheese
1 egg
1/2 tsp oregano
Unroll 2 cans Pillsbury Crescent dinner rolls. Separate rectrangles. Place dough together on ungreased cookie sheet. Pinch edges to form onelarge rectangle. spread 1/2 of the meat lengthwise down the center of thedough. top with cheese filling. Spoon on remaining meat. Fold longsides over, overlapping edge only 1/4 inch. Pinch to seal. Brush topwith 1 TBS milk, sprinkle with 1 TAB sesame seeds. Bake 375 for 25 minuntil golden brown

Creamy Jello

Creamy Jello
Sheryl Koon
1 lg pkg cook and serve banana cream pudding
2 c milkCook. Let set 10 min
1 sm pkg strawberry jello mixed with 2 c boiling water.
Then whip all ofthe above together.
Pour into container and let set overnight.
1 small pkg instant banana pudding
1 c milk
Mix together add: 8 oz cool whip. Spread on top of salad

Zucchini Casseroles

Zucchini Casserole
Sheryl Koon
4 med zucchine sliced 1/2 inch thick
3/4 c pared and sliced carrots.
Simmer 15 minutes in salt water until tender. Drain
Saute 1/2 c chopped onion and 4 TBS butter.
ADD:
1 1/2 c herbed stuffing mix,
1 can cream of chicken soup,
1/2 c sourcream.
Pour into buttered casserole dish
Melt 2 TBS butter,
add 3/4 c herbed stuffing mix. toss gently and sprinkleover casserole. Can add shredded cheese on top if desired.Bake 350 for 30-40 min

Delicious zuchinni casserole
Sheryl Koon
1/4 c olive oil
1 onion chopped
3 zuchinni sliced (can add crockneck if desired)
garlic,
chopped2 tomatoes,
chopped2 c swiss or motzerella cheese
1 c italian bread crumbs.
Mix oil, onion, zuchinni, garlic, chopped tomatoes into a baking dish.top with the breadcrumbs, then shredded cheese.Bake 350 for 30-40 minutes, covered

Salads!!!

Fresh Broccoli Salad
Megan Coles
3 broccoli heads - chopped
1 sm. bunch green onion - chopped
1/2 pkg cooked crisp bacon,
crumbledmix together then stir into salad:
1 c. miracle whip or mayo
1/3 c. sugar
2 Tb vinegar
can add cauliflower, almonds, salt & pepper if desired

Broccoli salad
Sheryl Koon

Dressing:
1 cup miracle whip
1/2 c sugar
2 TBS white vinegar
1 Bunch of broccoli cooked
1 small red onion chopped or sliced thin
3/4 lb bacon, cut in small pieces, cooked
Mix, pour dressing over it. Refrigerate.

Fresh Vegetable Salad
Sheryl Koon

red onions sliced
tomatoes chopped
mushrooms
3 colored peppers sliced
cucumbers
Combine, toss with Zesty Italian salad dressing and salt. Let set inrefrigerater about 2 hrs.

Fancy Lettuce Salad
Sheryl Koon

1 pkg spring salad mix
1 can mandarin oranges
1 sm pkg sliced, roasted almonts
6 oz pkg craisins
handful of walnuts
2 kiwi's sliced
1/2 red onion sliced
2 gala apples sliced
Dressing:
1/4 c taragon vinegar
1/2 c veg oil (not olive)
2 TBS dijon mustard
3-4 TBS honey
1 TBS sugar
Make dressing 24 hrs ahead. Pour over salad just before serving

Delicious Salad
Sheryl Koon
1 c mayo
1/4 c sugar
1/3 c red wine vinegar
Pour over 1 head cauliflower, 1 bunch brocalli, 1 red onion, 1 small canwater chestnuts, bacon bits.
Can add 1 c raisins, or graped and 3/4 sunflower seeds

Cole Slaw
Sheryl Koon
3 c shredded cabbage
1/3 c mayo
1 TBS vinegar
2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp celery seed.
Mix. Stir until sugar is dissolved

Mom's Brown Sugar Muffins

Mom's Brown Sugar Muffins
Megan Coles

1/2 C butter or margarine
1 egg
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
1 C brown Sugar
2 C flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 C milk

Cream butter and sugar, beat in egg, then mix in rest of ingrediants. Grease muffin tins. Bake 375 degree for 20 minutes.

Tangy Crockpot Chicken

Tangy Crockpot Chicken
Megan Coles
4-6 chicken breasts
1 C catalina, french, or russian salad dressing
onion soup mix (or about 1 Tb dry onions & 1 tsp onion powder)
1/4 C apricot or peach jam
salt & pepper
pinapple chunks optional
Put the chicken in a medium crock pot, mix remaining ingrediants and pour over chicken. Cook on high about 4-6 hours, or on low 6-10 hours depending on the crock pot. Serve hot with rice.

Fruit and Walnut Salad

Fruit and Walnut Salad
Megan Coles
2 lbs. grapes (approx.,washed, any colors}
1/2 pkg (4 oz) cream cheese
1/2 C sour cream
3 TB white sugar
1 tsp vanilla
4 TB chopped walnuts or pecans
3 TB brown sugar
Mix together cream cheese, sour cream, white sugar, & vanilla until smoothe. Pour over grapes & stir. Before serving, top with walnuts and sprinkle with brown sugar.

Almond Joys

Almond Joys
Megan Coles
1 C corn syrup
1 pkg flaked Coconut
1/2 C sugar
1/2 c whole roasted almonds (or chopped)
melted chocolate
Boil syrup and sugar to (not quite) soft ball stage. Add coconut. Roll into balls and top with almonds; dip into chocolate. Or you can stir chopped nuts in with the coconut, then pour into 8x8 buttered pan & top with chocolate.

Summer BBQ Survival Guide

MUST-HAVE Summer BBQ Survival Guide
Posted Tue, Jul 31, 2007,
http://food.yahoo.com/blog/hungrygirl/10909/hungry-girl-s-must-have-summer-bbq-survival-guide

Alert! The average person attending a summer BBQ will consume at least one beer, a hot dog, a burger, chips, coleslaw, potato salad, and dessert. That can easily exceed 1,500 calories. No worries. You can still enjoy the festivities (and the food!) without going overboard.

Guilt-Free Grill Guide - Typical BBQ meat options include hot dogs, burgers, and chicken. Grilled chicken is definitely your best bet. Try it bunless on a plate loaded with veggies like tomatoes, onions, and lettuce. Or, if you've gotta feed a starch craving, pile your chicken and veggies onto half of a bun, and enjoy an open-faced sandwich. If you are going to have a burger or dog, try to stick with ground beef that has a small percentage of fat or a hot dog that is at least 97% fat-free.

Side Dish Dos and Don'ts - Run screaming from (or just politely decline) mayo-soaked sides like slaws, potato salad, and macaroni salad. Each tiny serving of those is crammed with fat and calories. Instead opt for sweet corn on the cob (swap the butter for a squirt of lemon and some salt & pepper), baked potato with salsa (sweet potatoes ROCK, and they taste amazingly good without any add-ons), and grilled veggies.

Sweets in the Heat - Desserts don't have to be calorie-catastrophes -- or BORING. Grilled fruit kabobs are INSANELY good. Grilled mango, banana, pineapple and more are an awesome alternative to plain fruit salad. The fruit will taste sweeter and have groovy grill marks too! Also, choose icy treats (like sorbet and ice pops) instead of creamy & carby ones (ice creams and cake) -- you'll save oodles of fat and calories that way.

Product Picks for Your BBQ!
d'Oni Specialty Sauces - These low-cal, fat-free marinades are PACKED with flavor. Use 'em on chicken, seafood, veggies and more! HG's fave? Bold as Love Honey-Habanero-Mustard. Click here to find stores near you that stock 'em, or here to order online. As for a supermarket staple, go for Lawry's awesome marinade line-up, and also keep an eye out for the tasty new marinades from Newman's Own.
Amy's Texas Veggie Burgers - Meat-eaters and vegetarians will flip for these barbeque-flavored patties packed with soy protein, veggies, oats, and walnuts! All that adds up to just 120 calories and 2.5 fat grams each. We also dig Gardenburger's line-up of veggie burgers (especially the Black Bean Chipotle one!), and we love Boca's burgers, too.
Hebrew National 97% Fat Free Beef Franks - These 50-calorie pups taste EXACTLY like the real thing but have just a fraction of the calories and just 1.5 grams of fat each. No BBQ should be without 'em! (Pssst... make sure you get the 97% Fat Free ones and not the Reduced Fat dogs -- those have WAY more calories and fat!)
Weight Watchers Sherbet and Ice Cream Bars - These portion-controlled pops combine creamy vanilla ice cream AND fruity sherbet. We're OBSESSED with 'em. Each bar has just 60 calories and a half-gram of fat. (FYI, they come in Strawberry, Key Lime, and Passion Fruit.)

Chicken salads...

Sauteed-Chicken Salad with Soy Lime Vinaigrette
8 tablespoons cooking oil
4 (6 inch) corn tortillas, halved and cut crosswise into thin strips
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/4 teaspoon fresh-ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
2 tablespoons lime juice (from about 1 lime)
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 head green leaf lettuce, torn into bite-size pieces
1 1/2 cups quartered cherry tomatoes
1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)

In a large frying pan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over moderate heat. Add the tortilla strips and cook, stirring occasionally, until brown and crisp, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove the strips from the pan; drain on paper towels. Toss the hot tortilla strips with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt.
In the same pan, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over moderate heat. Season the chicken breasts with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt, the black pepper, and the cumin and add to the pan. Cook until brown, about 5 minutes. Turn and cook until almost done, about 3 minutes more. Cover the pan, remove from the heat, and let steam for 5 minutes. Remove the chicken from the pan. When the chicken breasts are cool enough to handle, cut them into 1/4-inch-thick slices.
Meanwhile, in a large glass or stainless-steel bowl, whisk together the lime juice, cayenne, soy sauce, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Add the remaining 5 tablespoons of oil slowly, whisking. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the vinaigrette.
Put the lettuce, the tomatoes, and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt into the bowl with the vinaigrette and toss. Put the salad on plates. Top with the chicken. Drizzle the reserved vinaigrette over the chicken and sprinkle the tortilla strips over all. Serve with the lime wedges.
Calories: 474 kcal Carbohydrates: 20 g Dietary Fiber: 3 g Fat: 31 g Protein: 28 g Sugars: 1 g


Baja Chicken Salad with Taco Vinaigrette
1 (1.25 ounce) package Old El Paso(R) Taco Seasoning Mix
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 cup oil
1/2 cup cider vinegar
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 tablespoon oil
1 (10 ounce) package mixed salad greens or baby greens
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
1/2 cup sliced red onion
2/3 cup shredded Cheddar-Monterey Jack cheese blend
1/3 cup sour cream
1 avocado, pitted, peeled and sliced
3 tablespoons sliced ripe olives
Blue tortilla chips

In medium bowl, combine taco seasoning mix, brown sugar, 1/2 cup oil and vinegar; mix well. Place chicken in shallow medium bowl. Pour 1/2 cup seasoning mixture over chicken. Reserve remaining mixture for dressing.
Heat 1 to 2 tablespoons oil in medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until hot. With slotted spoon, remove chicken from seasoning mixture; discard remaining seasoning mixture. Add chicken to skillet; cook and stir 5 minutes or until no longer pink in center.
In large bowl, combine mixed greens, tomatoes and onion. Add reserved seasoning mixture; toss to coat. Arrange salad mixture on serving platter. Top with chicken, cheese, sour cream, avocado and olives. Arrange tortilla chips around salad.
Yield: 6 servings Calories: 429 kcal Carbohydrates: 21 g Dietary Fiber: 3 g Fat: 34 g
Protein: 13 g Sugars: 5 g

Gazpacho, Hummus, and Guacamole!

Heirloom Tomato Gazpacho

This soup combines the freshest ingredients to create a colorful bowl of vitamins A, B6, C and K, not to mention lycopene, a potent antioxidant. From http://www.self.com/

6 large heirloom tomatoes, all varieties and colors, seeded and diced (reserve seeds and juices)

1 medium red onion, diced

3/4 English or hothouse cucumber, peeled and diced

1 1/2 red bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced

1 1/2 yellow bell peppers, cored, seeded and diced

1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 lemon, juiced

1/2 tbsp Tabasco

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil8 tbsp aged balsamic vinegar

In a bowl, combine tomatoes, seeds and juices, along with onion, cucumber and peppers. Add cilantro, red wine vinegar, lemon juice, and Tabasco. Add a few pinches of salt and black pepper. Using hands or two forks, squish vegetables into a juicy soup, leaving a few big pieces. Add oil in small increments, tasting as you go. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle with balsamic vinegar.

120 calories per serving, 7.4 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 11.6 g carbohydrates,

1.9 g protein, 2.5 g fiber

~A girls best Gazpacho~

Mindy Butler
1/4 cup diced sweet onion (purple would probably work too)
1/4 cup diced anaheim or sweet red pepper
1/4 cup diced cucumber
1/4 cup diced celery
1 clove garlic minced
1/3 cup diced tomato
2 tablespoons fresh basil
1/3 cup V-8 juice
2 tablespoons virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic or red wine vinigar
2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro
dash of fresh lime juice
dash hot red pepper sauce
in a large cocktail shaker combine all the ingredients, tell the strolling mariachi band to play something up tempo and shake those maracas until its soup. Serve with a dollop of sour cream, a little more minced cilantro, a dash of hot sauce and a slice of lime...
(this shaker method is also great for making instant chocolate pudding with cold milk... )

Garden Guacamole

Counts as 2 produce servings!and trust me its yummy!!!

Peel, pit, and mash 1 avocado.

In large bowl, combine with

2 c finely chopped tomato,

1/4 c chopped sweet onion,

1 finely chopped jalapeno chile pepper,

1/4 tsp salt.

Makes 4 Servings (about 3 c) Nutritional Info (per serving): 102 cal, 2 g pro, 9 g carb, 7.5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 5 g fiber, 155 mg sodium

Herbed Chickpea Dip

Counts as 1 produce serving!

In blender, combine:

1 container (5.3 oz) fat-free Greek yogurt

2 cloves minced garlic,

2 c rinsed and drained canned chickpeas,

1/4 tsp salt

1/2 c minced fresh parsley blend until smooth.

Serve with 4 c cucumber spears and pita crisps. Makes 4 Servings (about 2 c). Nutritional Info (per serving): 200 cal, 12 g pro, 35 g carb, 1.5 g fat, 0 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 7 g fiber, 250 mg sodium

Guacamole you'll want to gorge on

Mindy Butler
*remember the key to great quacamole is the lime and salt...*
2 soft and ready to mash avocados (3 if they're small)
3 plum tomatos diced
1/2 to 1 red onion diced depending on taste
a handfull of diced cilantro
fresh lime juice from 1 large lime
salt and pepper to taste
Mash the avocados, and mix in the rest of the ingredients. eat with your favorite corn chips, tacos, enchiladas, or straight from your spoon- its that good! optional variations: adda dash hot red pepper sauce... 3 if you like to spice things up! i add this to practically everything but its optional if you're sensitive to spice...

Another variation is to add some toasted cumin for flavor (goes well with hummus and pita.) Just warm a saute pan, add a tablespoon of cumin, stir and warm until it browns- remove from heat- add to the guac and enjoy!

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins
from http://happythings.typepad.com/photos/food/index.html

1 cup whole wheat flour
1 1/4 cups unbleached flour
1 1/4 cups sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp ginger
1/8 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cloves
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 /4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 cups cranberries, chopped (frozen work well)Coarse sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients together. In separate bowl, beat eggs and mix in pumpkin and oil. Mix dry and wet ingredients together until just moist and fold in cranberries. Pour into lined and greased muffin tin and top with coarse sugar. Bake for 20-25 min. Makes 12 muffins (or one large loaf - baked longer.)

Fast-Food Lover’s Homemade Fix: Sweet Potato Fries

Smart, satisfying snacks to feed your cravings
There’s a good reason you crave fries and other starchy foods. They’re delicious.
“When you get really hungry, the only thing that really satisfies is starch, and fries are one of the most popular sources in the American diet,” says Roberta Anding, R.D., a Houston-based spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association.
Of course, a high-carbohydrate diet has been blamed for everything from obesity to heart disease (remember Atkins?). But you don’t need to cut out carbs, you just need to switch to smarter complex carbs. Complex carbs have not been refined and stripped of their benefits. “Potato peels have lots of vitamin A, C, and minerals, but French fries are peeled, so none of the nutrients are left,” she says. Even smarter: Try this “fried” potato recipe with sweet rather than white potatoes and you’ll get a whopping dose of cancer-fighting fiber and beta-carotene.
(extra tip- don't let yourself get so hungy you crave the carbs- fill up on protein and fiber to help cut carb cravings!)

Fast-Food Lover’s Homemade Fix:

Sweet Potato Fries
2 large sweet potatoes, (about 2 pounds), peeled
1 Tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 Tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
2 Tbsp reduced-fat grated Parmesan
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
Non-fat cooking spray
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line one or two large baking sheets with parchment paper or aluminum foil.
2. Slice the sweet potatoes into long matchsticks about1/4 inch in thickness. Place in a zipper lock bag with the olive oil, salt, and soy sauce. Spread out the fries in one even layer on the cookie sheet, so they are not touching. Coat with cooking spray.3. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the fries are golden on the outside and soft on the inside. Sprinkle with Parmesan, garlic and onion powder. Bake an additional 5 minutes until the spices become fragrant. Serve immediately.

Oven-Roasted Sweet Potato Fries

Mindy Butler

1 teaspoon Seasoned Salt

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon Garlic Powder With Parsley

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes, peeled and cut lengthwise into 1/2-inch-thick slices

3 tablespoons Cold Pressed Olive Oil

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. In small bowl, combine Seasoned Salt, paprika, Garlic Powder With Parsley and chili powder; set aside.In large bowl, toss sweet potatoes with Olive Oil; sprinkle with seasoning mixture and toss to coat. On jelly roll pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, arrange potatoes in single layer.Roast, turning once, 40 minutes or until potatoes are tender and golden. Serve, if desired, with additional Seasoned Salt. 4 servings

Easy Cupcakes...

Mindy's Super Easy Cheat Cupcakes...
buy a chocolate cake mix and use that as your base
*use applesauce instead of oil- its healthier and makes the cupcake moister, and use milk instead of water.
*you can also make store boughten frosting- make it fluffy and yummier by simply taking it out of the jar and beating it with your mixer for a few minutes. it almost doubles how much frosting you get out of a jar of frosting...
* you can always add a good dash of vanilla/ cinnamon to make it a bit sweeter...
make up the mix then do whichever alteration you want:
1.) choco-orange: use OJ instead of water or milk with the mix and after frosting put a mandarin orange slice on top
2.) chocolate mint: get some Andes mints and either put one whole one in each cup afterfilling them with the mix and push it down a bit so its in the middle or chop up a bunch and stir into the mix- then frost when cool and add an Andes mint on top.
3.) buy a bottle of marchino cherrys and drain the cherry juice out- use that instead of the water or milk. then put a cherry on top once frosted!

Sweet Breads

Sweet Breads

Harvest Loaf
Liz Fielding
1/2 c. applesauce
3/4 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 c. flour
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. cloves
1/4 tsp. ginger
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
3/4 c. pumpkin
3/4 c. chocolate chips (optional)
3/4 c. nuts (optional)
Cream together applesauce and sugar. Add eggs and mix. Stir dry ingredients together and add, alternating with pumpkin. Add nuts and chocolate chips. Bake for one hour at 350 degrees.

Banana Bread
Sheree Baird
Cream together: ½ c butter 1c sugar
Add in : 2 eggs 3 mashed bananas 2 c four 1 t soda in 1 ½ tbs buttermilk ½ t salt
Bake at 325 for 1 hour.

Easy Banana Bread
Heather Astle
3 mashed ripe bananas
2 beaten eggs
1 c. sugar
1 tsp. soda
1 Tbs. water
2 c. flour and
2 Tbs.
½ c. shortening
1 tsp. baking powder
Mix together and pour into well-greased pans. Bake at 375 for 15 min. Reduce heat ot 325 for 20 minutes or until nice and brown.

Zucchini Bread
Heather Astle
2 c. sugar
3 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. soda
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
3 cups flour
Mix together in a large bowl.
Then add:
2 c. drained cooked zucchini
1c. oil
3 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs.
Beat to blend well. Add nuts if desired. Pour into 2 greased andfloured bread pans. Bake at 350* for 45-60 minutes.

Cinnamon Rolls
Robyn Astle
1 cube butter
4 c. boiling water
1 c. sugar
Beat until cool then Add:
3/4 c. powdered milk
½ tsp. nutmeg
4 eggs
1 Tbs. salt
4 c. flour
Beat well. Mix 4 Tbs. yeast into ½ c. warm water and dissolve. Add yeast and enough flour--about 7-8 cups-- to make a soft bread dough. Mix 5-6 minutes. Let raise and then divide in half and roll out. Add plenty of butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon and raisins. Bake at 350* for 20-25 minutes. Frost when cool.

Cinnamon Rolls
Sheryl Koon
2 c boiling water
½ c butter
1 c sugar
2 TBS yeast in ½ c water
2 tsp salt 2 c cream or canned milk
4 beaten eggs
2 tsp vanilla
about 10 cups flour.
Boil water add butter, sugar, salt vanilla, then add the yeast and water. Add eggs and cream. Add flour until satisfied with the right consistency. Use the rest of the flour to mix out on. Let raise. Divide and make into rolls.

Coconut Bread
Robyn Astle
Mix together:
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 c. oil
2 tsp. coconut flavoring
3 c. flour
½ tsp. soda
½ tsp. salt
½ tsp. baking powder
1 c. buttermilk
Fold in 1 c. coconut and 1 cup nuts. Bake at 325* for 1 hr. 15 minutes in a bunt pan.
Frosting:
1 c. sugar
½ c. water
2 Tbs. butter
Mix and boil for 5 minutes.
Add 1 tsp. coconut flavoring. Pour over warm bread and allow to stand.

Coconut Bread
Mindy Butler
This bread is slightly sweet, like some corn breads…
4 cups sweetened flaked coconut (10 oz)
2 large eggs
1 stick butter, softened
2 cups self-rising flour (not cake flour)
1/2 cup sugar Preheat oven to 350°F.
Butter and flour a loaf pan.
Spread 3 cups coconut in a large shallow baking pan and toast in middle of oven, stirring occasionally, until evenly golden brown, 20 to 25 minutes. (Watch flakes carefully; edges burn quickly.) Leave the oven on. Cool the toasted coconut completely and then grind into a coarse meal, this makes about 1 1/4 cups. Next, stir together flour, ground toasted coconut, and remaining cup (untoasted) coconut in a large bowl.
Beat together butter and sugar in another bowl with an electric mixer at medium speed until pale and creamy, 1 to 2 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Whisk 1 cup water into flour mixture, then add egg mixture, whisking just until well blended. Pour batter into loaf pan and bake in middle of oven until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Makes 1 loaf.

Chicken Reinvented!

Transform a staple into an exotic feast with out-of-the-ordinary (but easy-to-find) ingredients The Star: Chicken breast.

Whether you eat it because it's low in fat or because it may help you lose fat and keep muscle (credit the amino acid leucine), chicken delivers sound nutrition--and endless options.

Shopping List

• 2 limes

• 1 lg cucumber

• 1 lb carrots

• 1/2 lb fresh snow peas

• 2 red bell peppers

• Fresh cilantro, basil, mint

• 1 piece fresh ginger

• 1 sm head garlic

• 3-4 lb chicken breast

• 1 sm jar peanut butter

• 1 sm jar honey

• 1 can fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

• Red-pepper flakes

• Kosher salt

• Toasted sesame oil

• Peanut oil

• Reduced-sodium soy sauce

• Rice wine vinegar

• Miso paste*

• Chile paste*

• 1 pkg rice-paper sheets*

•1 pkg rice vermicelli*

• 1 pkg soba noodles*

*Sold in Asian markets and natural food stores or via asianwok.com.

1. Make This First:

Grilled Ginger-Soy Chicken

• 1/4 c reduced-sodium soy sauce

• 2 Tbsp minced fresh ginger

• 2 Tbsp honey

• 2 Tbsp miso paste

• 1 Tbsp minced garlic

• 2 tsp toasted sesame oil

• 1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes

• 8 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (3-4 lb)

• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

Time: 30 minutes + marinating time

Servings: 8

1. Combine soy sauce, ginger, honey, miso, garlic, oil, and red-pepper flakes in shallow baking dish or large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken, turn to coat, cover, and chill at least 2 hours.

2. Heat grill to medium for indirect heat. If using charcoal grill, position coals on one-half of grill. If using gas grill, heat one side to high, the other to low. Lightly oil grill grates.

3. Remove chicken from marinade. Discard marinade. Season chicken with salt.

4. Grill chicken 10 minutes over hottest section of grill, turning once. Move to cooler section of grill and cook 10 minutes longer or until thermometer inserted into thickest part registers 165°F.

Nutritional Info Per Serving 210 cal, 40 g pro, 4 g carb, 3 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 99 mg chol, 0 g fiber, 423 mg sodium

2. Make It a Salad:

Soba Noodle Salad with Snow Peas

• 8 oz dry soba noodles or whole wheat spaghetti

• 2 Tbsp honey

• 2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

• 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp grated fresh ginger

• 1/4 tsp red-pepper flakes

• 2 Tbsp peanut oil

• 2 c julienned fresh snow peas

• 2 red bell peppers, thinly sliced lengthwise

• 1 c grated carrots

• 1/4 c coarsely chopped fresh cilantro

• 2 c shredded Grilled Ginger-Soy Chicken

Time: 15 minutesServings: 6 (12 c total)

1. Cook noodles per package directions. Rinse with cold water, drain, and set aside.

2. Whisk together honey, lime juice, vinegar, soy sauce, ginger, and red-pepper flakes in large bowl. Whisk in oil in steady stream.

3. Add noodles, snow peas, bell peppers, carrots, cilantro, and chicken to bowl and toss well. Season with salt to taste.

Nutritional Info Per Serving 292 cal, 19 g pro, 45 g carb, 5.5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 26 mg chol, 4 g fiber, 388 mg sodium

3. Or Make it an Appetizer:

Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping SauceSauce

• 1/2 c fat-free reduced-sodium chicken broth

• 1/3c peanut butter

• 2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce

• 1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice

• 1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

• 1-2 tsp chile pasteRolls

• 2 oz dry rice vermicelli (thin Asian rice-flour noodles)

• 8 round (8"-9"diameter) rice-paper sheets (aka spring roll wrappers) or lg lettuce leaves

• 1/2 c basil leaves

• 1 c julienned cucumber, with peel

• 1 c julienned carrots

• 1 c thinly sliced Grilled Ginger-Soy Chicken

• 1/2 c mint leavesTime: 25 minutes

Servings: 8

1. Combine sauce ingredients in small saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Cook rice vermicelli per package directions (cooked yield should be about 1 cup). Rinse with cold water and drain.

3. Soak 1 rice-paper sheet in warm water 30 to 90 seconds or until soft. Carefully transfer to clean towel and blot dry. Place 3 or 4 basil leaves along bottom third of sheet (leaving 1/2" margin along edges). Layer 1/8 cup of the rice vermicelli on top of basil, followed by 1/8 of the cucumber, carrots, chicken, and mint leaves. Starting from the bottom, roll rice paper around the filling. Fold sides up and continue rolling until roll is sealed completely. Repeat with remaining sheets and filling. Cut each roll in half crosswise and serve with peanut sauce.

Nutritional Info Per Serving 134 cal, 8 g pro, 11 g carb, 7 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 10 mg chol, 2 g fiber, 254 mg sodium

Eat Your Veggies!!!

9 servings of produce a day!
That's the gold standard for fruit and vegetable consumption. For all that roughage, you get a reduced risk of heart disease, diabetes, and some cancers. In other words, a plant-rich diet may help you live longer--and maybe even look younger, according to recent research.
Still...nine servings?!?!
Sounds like a lot, yes, but it's only about 4 1/2 cups--2 cups from fruit and the rest from vegetables. And it's completely doable with the 10 delicious ideas here. Each hearty salad packs in more than half your daily produce requirement.
To meet--even exceed--your quota, simply add the suggested bonus dish, made with similar ingredients as the main recipe - which makes shopping easy!

Curried Tofu with Asian Slaw

Counts as 5 produce servings!The SuperstarsNapa cabbage: A major source of glucosolinates, which may help prevent lung cancerRed bell peppers: More vitamin C per ounce than an orange
Marinade
1/4 c light coconut milk
2 Tbsp curry powder
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 container (14 oz) extra-firm tofu, drained, patted dry, and cut into 1/2"-thick, 1"x 2" strips

Dressing
1/3 c rice wine vinegar
1/4 c unsalted peanut butter
2 Tbsp reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 Tbsp freshly squeezed lime juice
1 Tbsp honey
2 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp red curry paste (sold in the ethnic food section of most supermarkets)

Salad
1 head napa cabbage, thinly sliced (about 6 c)
3 med red bell peppers, julienned (about 3 c)
6 med carrots, julienned (about 3 c)
1 c thinly sliced scallions
1/3 c chopped fresh cilantro
1. Prepare marinade. In small bowl, combine coconut milk, curry powder, garlic, and soy sauce. Place tofu in wide bowl, add marinade, and turn each piece to coat. Marinate at least 1/2 hour and up to 4 (cover and chill in refrigerator if more than 2 hours).
2. Preheat broiler. Arrange tofu slices in single layer on foil-lined baking sheet. Coat lightly with cooking spray and broil 4 minutes. Gently turn tofu, coat lightly with spray, and broil 4 minutes longer or until golden brown. Remove from broiler and cool slightly.
3. Make dressing. In medium bowl, whisk together vinegar, peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, garlic, and curry paste.
4. Assemble salad. In large bowl, combine cabbage, peppers, carrots, scallions, tofu, and half of the cilantro. Add dressing and toss well to coat. Divide among 4 bowls and top with remaining cilantro.
Makes 4 Servings Nutritional Info (per serving): 340 cal, 19 g pro, 34 g carb, 16 g fat, 3 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 8 g fiber, 670 mg Time: 25 minutes + marinating time

Balsamic Roasted Carrots
These are a favorite of mine- they go well with mashed sweet potatoe and chicken or steak too! Counts as 2 produce servings!
Mindy Butler
Preheat oven to 450°F.
Quarter 8 medium carrots and toss in roasting pan with:
1 Tbsp each extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar,
1/2 tsp salt,
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
Roast 15 to 25 minutes, tossing occasionally, until lightly caramelized and tender but still firm.
Makes 2 Servings
Nutritional Info (per serving): 84 cal, 1 g pro, 12 g carb, 4 g fat, 0.5 g sat fat, 0 mg chol, 3 g fiber, 376 mg sodium

Cucumber and Melon Salad with Watercress, Herbs, and Feta
Counts as 8 produce servings! The SuperstarsMelon: A good source of potassium, which your muscles need to contract Watercress: May help reduce cancer risk Olives: An excellent source of heart-healthy fats

Dressing
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
1 Tbsp minced shallot1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Salad
3 cucumbers, peeled and chopped (about 6 c)
8 c melon balls (1 honey-dew or various types)
1 bunch watercress (about 4 c)
1/2 c fresh mint leaves
1/2 c feta cheese
1 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
1 Tbsp kalamata olives, pitted and quartered lengthwise

1. Prepare dressing. Whisk together oil, lemon juice, vinegar, shallot, sugar, salt, and pepper in small bowl.
2. Assemble salad. Combine cucumbers, melon, watercress, and mint in large bowl. Toss with dressing, cheese, pine nuts, and olives.
Makes 4 Servings Nutritional Info (per serving): 295 cal, 7 g pro, 41 g carb, 13.5 g fat, 4 g sat fat, 17 mg chol, 5 g fiber, 548 mg sodium Time: 25 minutes

Watercress Pesto
Counts as 1 produce serving!
In food processor, combine:
4 c watercress
2 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp each olive oil, pine nuts, and freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt and any leftover herbs.
Toss with hot pasta or use as a sandwich spread.
Makes 4 Servings (2 c) Nutritional Info (per serving): 63 cal, 2 g pro, 2 g carb, 5.5 g fat, 1 g sat fat, 2 mg chol, 0.5 g fiber, 200 mg sodium

Vietnamese Beef Salad
Counts as 5 produce servings!
The Superstars: Onions: A good source of quercetin, a flavonoid that may help prevent allergy symptoms Carrots: An excellent source of cancer-fighting beta-carotene
Peanuts: Loaded with heart-healthy monounsaturated fats

1/4 c reduced-sodium soy sauce
1/4 c freshly squeezed lime juice
1/4 c water
2 Tbsp sugar
1 Tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp chile paste
1/2 lb flank steak
6 c mixed greens
1 c sliced fresh basil
1 c chopped fresh cilantro
2 lg red onions, thinly sliced (about 2 c)
2 lg seedless cucumbers, with peel, julienned (about 4 c)
4 med carrots, julienned (about 2 c)
2 Tbsp chopped dry-roasted, unsalted peanuts

1. Whisk together soy sauce, lime juice, water, sugar, garlic, and chile paste in medium bowl. Pour 3 tablespoons into resealable plastic bag. Cover and chill remaining dressing for salad. Add steak to bag, seal, and turn to coat. Chill 30 minutes.
2. Heat grill or broiler to medium-high. Grill steak 8 to 10 minutes, turning once, for medium-rare. (Thermometer should register 145°F.) Let rest 5 minutes and slice thinly at an angle, across the grain.
3. Toss together greens, basil, and cilantro in large bowl. Evenly divide among 4 plates. Sprinkle with onions, cucumbers, and carrots. Top with steak, drizzle with dressing, and sprinkle with peanuts.
Makes 4 Servings Nutritional Info (per serving): 260 cal, 18 g pro, 30 g carb, 8.5 g fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 24 mg chol, 6 g fiber, 660 mg sodium
Time: 20 minutes + marinating time

Spaghetti Squash with Honey-Ginger Chicken and Blue Cheese
Counts as 5 produce servings! The Superstars Spaghetti squash: A half-cup has just 21 calories Orange juice: A good source of immune-boosting vitamin C and heart-healthy folate
Arugula: An excellent source of lutein and zeathanthin, which may help prevent age-related macular degeneration

1 lg spaghetti squash (about 4 lb)
1 Tbsp molasses
2 tsp minced garlic
2 tsp finely chopped fresh ginger
1/4 c honey,
1/4 c + 3 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, divided
2 lg boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (about 1 lb)
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp + 2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, divided
3 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 Tbsp minced shallot
2 Tbsp crumbled blue cheese
4 c arugula
1. Prick squash all over with fork or sharp knife. Microwave on high 8 minutes, turn over, and microwave another 8 minutes. When cool enough to handle, halve squash and scrape out seeds with spoon. Drag tines of fork along flesh to tease it into long, spaghetti-like strands. (You should have roughly 8 cups.) Spin squash in salad spinner to remove excess liquid. Cover and chill in refrigerator.
2. Whisk together molasses, garlic, ginger, 3 tablespoons of the honey, and 1/4 cup of the vinegar in small bowl. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in 10" nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sear chicken 6 minutes, flipping once. Add honey mixture to skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 10 minutes or until thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165°F. Remove chicken and let cool. Shred chicken.
3. Combine orange juice, shallot, and remaining honey, vinegar, and oil in large bowl and stir well to emulsify oil and vinegar. Add chicken and blue cheese and toss to coat. Serve over squash and arugula. Makes 4 Servings (12 c total) Nutritional Info (per serving): 415 cal, 30 g pro, 48 g carb, 12 g fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 69 mg chol, 5 g fiber, 446 mg sodium Time: 50 minutes

Spaghetti Squash Gratin
Counts as 4 produce servings!
1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Mince together 2 cloves garlic and 1 Tbsp fresh parsley.
Layer 2 c cooked spaghetti squash, one-quarter of the garlic-parsley mixture, and 1/4 c Gruy cheese in large baking dish coated with cooking spray.
Repeat 3 more times. Bake 20 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly.
Makes 4 Servings Nutritional Info (per serving): 198 cal, 10 g pro, 21 g carb, 9.5 g fat, 5.5 g sat fat, 30 mg chol, 4 g fiber, 147 mg sodium

Crab Salad with Avocado and Pomelo
Counts as 4 produce servings! The Superstars: Butterhead lettuce: A good source of folate, which may prevent depression, Avocado: Rich in potassium, which can help lower blood pressure, and vitamin E, a potent antioxidant

Dressing
2 Tbsp freshly squeezed orange juice
1 1/2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 Tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tsp finely chopped fresh tarragon or chervil
1/2 tsp freshly grated orange zest
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Salad
2 heads butterhead lettuce, separated into leaves (about 8 c)
2 med sweet onions, sliced (about 2 c)
2 pomelos, peeled and cut into sections (about 4 c); substitute grapefruit if unavailable
1 med avocado, peeled, pitted, and sliced
1 c lump crabmeat (available at fish counter)
1 Tbsp chopped toasted skinless hazelnuts
1. Prepare dressing. Whisk together orange juice, oil, vinegar, tarragon, orange zest, salt, mustard, and pepper in medium bowl. Set aside.
2. Assemble salad. Combine lettuce, onions, and pomelos in large bowl. Toss with dressing and mound onto 4 plates. Fan out a quarter of the avocado on top of each and top with crabmeat and hazelnuts.
Makes 4 ServingsNutritional Info (per serving): 285 cal, 11 g pro, 32 g carb, 15 g fat, 2 g sat fat, 30 mg chol, 8 g fiber, 335 mg sodium
Time: 22 minutes

Helpful Hints from Shirley Coffey and Marilyn Fielding

Here's some helpful hints for you. Some are pretty cool.

Reheat Pizza:
Heat up leftover pizza in a non-stick skillet on top of the stove, set heat to med-low and heat till warm. This keeps the crust crispy. No soggy micro pizza. I saw this on the cooking channel and it really works.

Easy Deviled Eggs:
Put cooked egg yolks in a zip lock bag. Seal, mash
till they are all broken up. Add remainder of ingredients, reseal,
keep mashing it up mixing thoroughly, cut the tip of the baggy,
squeeze mixture into egg.
Just throw bag away when done easy clean up.

Expanding Frosting:
When you buy a container of cake frosting from the
store, whip it with your mixer for a few minutes. You can double it
in size. You get to frost more cake/cupcakes with the same amount.
You also eat less sugar/calories per serving.

Reheating refrigerated bread:
To warm biscuits, pancakes, or muffins
that were refrigerated, place them in a microwave with a cup of
water. The increased moisture will keep the food moist and help it reheat faster.

Newspaper weeds away:
Start putting in your plants; work the nutrients
in your soil. Wet newspapers put layers around the plants overlapping
as you go cover with mulch and forget about weeds. Weeds will get
through some gardening plastic they will not get through wet
newspapers.

Broken Glass:
Use a dry cotton ball to pick up little broken glass
pieces of glass- the fibers catch ones you can't see!
( a piece of bread works the same way!)

No More Mosquitoes:
Place a dryer sheet in your pocket. It will keep
the mosquitoes away.
(WOW! that is really great to know!!!)

Squirrel Away!:
To keep squirrels from eating your plants sprinkle
your plants with cayenne pepper. The cayenne pepper doesn't hurt the
plant and the squirrels won't come near it.

Flexible vacuum:
To get something out of a heat register or under the
fridge add an empty paper towel roll or empty gif wrap roll to your
vacuum. It can be bent or flattened to get in narrow openings.

Reducing Static Cling:
Pin a small safety pin to the seam of your slip
and you will not have a clingy skirt or dress. Same thing works with
slacks that cling when wearing panty hose. Place pin in seam of
slacks and - voila - static is gone.

Measuring Cups:
Before you pour sticky substances into a measuring
cup, fill it with hot water. Dump out the hot water, but don't dry
the cup. Next, add your ingredient, such as peanut butter, and watch
how easily it comes right out.

Foggy Windshield?:
Hate foggy windshields? Buy a chalkboard eraser and
keep it in the glove box of your car. When the windows fog, rub with
the eraser!
Works better than a cloth!

Reopening envelope:
If you seal an envelope and then realize you forgot to
include something inside, just place your sealed envelope in the freezer
for an hour or two. Voila! It unseals easily.

Conditioner:
Use your hair conditioner to shave your legs. It's a lot
Cheaper than shaving cream and leaves your legs really smooth. It's also a great
Way to use up the conditioner you bought but didn't like when you tried it in
your hair...

Goodbye Fruit Flies:
To get rid of pesky fruit flies, take a small glass
Fill it 1/2" with Apple Cider Vinegar and 2 drops of dishwashing liquid, mix
well. You will find those flies drawn to the cup and gone forever!

Get Rid of Ants:
Put small piles of cornmeal where you see ants. They eat
it, take it "home," & can't digest it so it kills them. It may take a week or
so, esp. if it rains, but it works & you don't have the worry about pets
or small children being harmed!

Baby Powder:
Take baby powder to the beach Keep a small bottle of baby powder in your
beach bag. When your ready to leave the beach sprinkle yourself and kids with the powder and the sand will slide right off your skin.

Yummy grilled Halibut!

Grilled Halibut with Pesto and Arugula
Mindy Butler
4 8-ounce halibut fillets
6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
1/2 cup Pesto
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
3 cups arugula leaves
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Brush each halibut fillet with 1 tablespoon oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Grill until just opaque in center, about 4 minutes per side. Spread each fillet with thin layer of pesto, dividing equally. Whisk lemon juice and remaining 2 tablespoons oil in medium bowl to blend. Add arugula; toss to coat. Divide arugula among 4 plates; top with grilled halibut. Makes 4 servings.

3 easy recipes for sugar cookies

Sometimes I crave sugar cookies- I want them moist and the frosting with extra vanilla.

Heres three great recipes!
~Mindy

Sugar Cookies
½ cup softened butter
½ cup sugar
1 egg1 tsp vanilla
1 1/8 cups sifted flour
¼ tsp baking soda½ tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375F. Mix butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla thoroughly. Mix flour, baking soda, and salt, then add to the wet ingredients. Drop rounded teaspoonfuls of dough 2 in apart on lightly greased baking sheet. Bake 8-10 mins until delicately browned.
Cool slightly then remove from baking sheet.

Easy Sugar Cookies*
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Sugar Cookies
2 1/4 cup of flour
1 tsp. of salt 1 tsp. of baking soda
2 sticks of butter softened1 cup of granulated sugar
1 cup of packed brown sugar2 large eggs beaten
1 tbls. vanilla
Preheat oven, not sure about the temperature. In bowl combine flour, salt, and baking soda. In another bowl combine the butter, both sugars, eggs, and vanilla. Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture, combine until formed into a dough. Put a wax paper on a baking pan. Then grease the wax paper (pam or butter). Drop dough by tablespoons on the wax paper. Then bake until it's golden brown. Take it out of the oven to cool. It's up to you if you want to put icing or decorations on the cookies. Oh yeah it's baking sheets not wax paper, my bad. I hope this helps you. I'm not sure about the temperature or the time it will be done.

Source(s): foodnetwork.com