CHICKEN TARRAGON

SERVES:6 CALORIES:202 PROTEIN: 26g CARB:2g FAT:9g FIBER: 0g


INGREDIENTS:
*6 Chicken Breasts
*1 T butter
*1 T olive oil
*Salt and Pepper
*3 Shallots(finely chopped)
*1 1/2 T tarragon(minced)
*1/2 C chicken stock
*1/2 C half and half
*Fresh Lemon
*Parsley

1.With a kitchen mallet, pound chicken breast to 1/2" thickness. Season with salt and pepper. Heat butter and oil in non-stick skillet and add chicken. Cook each side until golden brown, about 4 minutes each side.
2.Remove and cover. For sauce, add shallots to pan and saute 2 minutes. Add tarragon and stir until fragrant.
3.Add stock slowly to deglaze the pan, then add half and half. Cook 3 minutes to reduce. Remove from heat.
4.Add a sqeeze of lemon and salt and pepper to taste. Serve over the chicken.

BEEF TACO BAKE

from my friend, Alicia's kitchen.


Ingredients:
*1 lb Ground beef
*1 can tomato soup
*1 16oz jar salsa
*1/2 C milk
*6 flour tortillas, broken into 1-inch pieces
*1-2 C grated cheddar cheese

1.Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
2.In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Drain grease.
3.Add soup, salsa, milk, tortillas, and half the cheese and stir.
4.Put mixture in a 9-inch square baking dish and bake covered for 30 minutes.
5.Sprinkle with remaining cheese and serve!

Yummy!!

Home-made ICING!

From my mom's kitchen!


This icing is the best you will ever taste and it is sooooo easy to make. You will never buy store-bought again after you try this. You can use this on cup-cakes or any cake you make. It works great for decorating with as well.

Ingredients:
*1 lb powdered sugar
*1/2 C shortening
*1 dash of salt
*1 t Vanilla
*1/4-1/3 C milk

1. Mix all ingredients together. Depending on how thick you want the icing add the milk accordingly.

Vanilla Birthday Cake

From the Williams-Sonoma Kitchen



I meant to post this a few months ago when I made my son's birthday cake. This recipe was easy and super delicious! I got the train cake pan from Williams-Sonoma as well.

Ingredients:
*2 1/4 all-purpose flour
*1 3/4 sugar
*2 t baking powder
*3/4 t baking soda
*1 t kosher salt
*16 T(2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted
*1 C sour cream
*4 Eggs
*1 T vanilla extract

1. Have all ingredients at room temperature.
2. Position a rack in the lower third of oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Grease the cake pan and dust with cake flour.
3. Sift the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt into the bowl of an electric mixer. In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, sour cream, eggs and vanilla until combined. Fit the mixer with the flat beater. Add the butter mixture to the flour mixture and beat on the lowest speed until the dry ingredients are moistened, 15-20 seconds. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Increase the speed to medium and beat for 30 seconds.
4. Place batter evenly in the cake pan. Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 18-22 minutes.
5. Transfer cake to a wire rack and let cool for 10 minutes, then invert the cake
onto the rack and let cool for at least an hour before decorating or serving.

Cheese Broccoli Soup

Ingredients:
*4 cups cubed potatoes
*1 onion, chopped
*2 cups sliced carrots
*2 cups chopped celery
*3 cups cut-up broccoli

Directions:
Boil all veggies but broccoli in 2 cups of water for 10 minutes. Add the broccoli and boil for 10 more minutes. DO NOT DRAIN!
Meanwhile, make the cheese sauce:

Ingredients for Sauce:
*1/2 C margarine
*3 T flour
*2 C milk
*1 lb velveeta cheese, cubed
*1 t dry mustard
*1/4 t pepper
*3 chicken flavored bouillon cubes

Directions:
1.In saucepan, melt margarine. Stir in flour. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, until thick.
2. Add cheese and other ingredients. Mix until smooth.
3.Add sauce to undrained veggies and heat together, but do not boil.

Delicious!!

Honey Dijon Salmon

Ingredients:
*2 T Dijon Mustard
*4 t Honey
*2 t fresh parsley, chopped
*1/4 C bread crumbs
*4 Salmon fillets (4-6oz)
*4 Lemon Wedges(for serving)

1.Preheat oven to 450.
2. In a small bowl, mix the mustard and honey.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the bread crumbs and parsley.
4. Place the salmon in an oven-proof dish. Spoon the mustard mixture evenly over each fillet and sprinkle with bread crumbs.
5. Bake 10 minutes for each inch of thickness, or until the fish is flaky.
Serve with lemon wedges.

My review:
My family is not big fish eaters. We don't have fish very often but both Adam(my husband) and Isaac(2 years old) tried the fish. Adam liked it, Isaac not-so-much but the more I serve fish the more he will get used to it.
It is definitely an easy dish to make and fairly healthy. I served it with green beans and white rice.

Big Oreo Chocolate Cookies

From the kitchen of Terrie Jeffs.
This is a huge favorite in my home growing up and I just absolutely love these cookies!!!


Ingredients:
*1/2 C shortening
*1 Egg
*2 C flour
*1/2 t salt
*1/2 C hot water
*1 C sugar
*1 Egg yoke (save white for frosting)
*1/3-2/3 C unsweetened cocoa
*1 t baking soda
*2/3 C buttermilk (1t lemon juice + 1 C milk= Buttermilk)

1.Preheat oven to 350.
2.Mix shortening and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, flour, cocoa and salt.
3. Dissolve baking soda in hot water.
4.Add soda mixture alternating with buttermilk.
5. Drop by teaspoon on un-greased sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let completely cool before putting frosting in between two cookies.

Ingredients for Frosting:
*2 C powdered sugar
*1 egg white
*1 t vanilla
*1/4 C margarine
*1/2 C shortening

1. Mix all ingredients together and put on cookies.

My Review:
Delicious!!! These are my all time favorite cookies ever. I am not a big cookie person, in fact I really don't even like the store-bought oreo cookies however these are delicious. They do take a lot of time to make but they are worth it in the end.
If you are wanting to give some to friends or neighbors or make for a party, you may consider doubling the batch to get more cookies.

Chicken Parmesan

Ingredients:
*1 lb chicken parts
*1 can tomato soup
*1/4 chopped onion
*1 egg
*1/2 C Italian flavored bread crumbs
*2 T shortening
*1/4 C water
*1/2 t garlic powder
*1/2 t basil
*1/2 t oregano leaves(crushed)
Shredded mozzarella cheese
Shredded Parmesan cheese

1. Beat egg and 1 T water. Roll chiken in egg mixture and then bread crumbs.
2. In a medium-sized skillet, brown chicken in shortening and pour out fat. Stir in soup, 1/4 C water, onion, and seasonings. Cover and cook over low heat for 45 minutes or until done. (Stir occasionally)
3. Sprinkle with cheese and heat until melts. Serve with grated parmesan cheese and additional oregano leaves, if desired.
(4 Servings)

Tomato Ricotta Pasta

Ingredients:

*2 C Cherry Tomatoes
*3 T Olive Oil
*1/4 C Red Wine Vinegar
*1/2 t Sugar
*1 Garlic Clove (minced)
*salt and pepper
*4 Slices Bread (toasted)
*2 t Olive oil
*1 lb Penne Pasta
*1 C basil (finely shredded)
*1 C Ricotta Cheese

Instructions:

1.Toss tomatoes with oil, vinegar, sugar and garlic. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. Brush toast with oil and season each side with salt. Break apart to coarse crumbs.
3. Cook the pasta acoording to package directions and drain well.
4. Add tomatoes and basil to pasta, toss well. Crumble ricotta over individual servings and sprinkle with bread crumbs. Pepper to taste.

SUMMER VEGETABLE CASSEROLE

Ingredients:
*2 Yellow squash
*2 zucchini
*6 medium potatoes (peeled)
*1 large onion
*1 lemon (Zest)
*4 T olive oil
*4-6 Tomatoes
*2 oz Feta cheese
*1 1/2 t seasoning salt and fresh pepper

1. Preheat oven to 375. Cut potatoes into 1/8inch thick slices and all other vegetables into 1/4inch slices.

2. In a bowl mix all vegetables except tomatoes with lemon zest, 3 T olive oil, seasoning salt, and pepper. Place in 9x13 casserole.

3. Top with tomato slices and crumbled feta and drizzle with 1 T olive oil. Cover tightly with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and cook another 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are slightly browned.

My review:
This is a great delicious recipe for the summer to use yummy vegies! We ate this with rice but it would be great alongside chicken or any other meat! So yummy and easy to make!

Chicken Salad

by: Jessica Seinfeld from Deceptively Delicious page #84




Ingredients:
*2 Large Eggs
*1 lb boneless, skinless chicken cutlets or breast rinsed and dried
*1 t salt
*1/4 t chili powder
*1/4 t sweet paprika
*1/4 t garlic powder
*Nonstick cooking spray
*1 t olive oil
*3/4 C reduced-fat mayonnaise
*2 stalks celery, finely chopped
*1/2 C cauliflower puree
*1/2 C nonfat plain yogurt
*1/2 C green grapes, coarsely chopped

1. Place the eggs in a small saucepan and add cold water to cover. Cover, set the saucepan over high heat, and bring to a boil, then remove from heat and let stand, still covered for exactly 15 minutes. Run the eggs under cold water to cool, then peel them. Seperate the yolks from the whites. Chop the whites and discard the yolks.

2.Sprinkle the chiken with salt, chili powder, paprika, and garlic powder. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil and then the chicken. For cutlets, cook 4-5 minutes per side until lightly browned and no longer pink in the center. For chicken breast, cook 5 minutes per side, reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 9-10 minutes longer. Let the chicken cool slightly before cutting it into bite-size pieces.

3.In a large bowl, stir together the chicken, mayonnaise, celery, cauliflower puree, yogurt, grapes, and chopped egg whites. Serve warm or chilled.

Peas and Cheese Tortellini

30 Minute meal By Rachael Ray
In the Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine, May 2008, page 121.

Ingredients:
*1 lb frozen cheese tortellini (I used Ravioli)
*1 C frozen peas
*2 T butter
*5 Scallions, white and green parts, thinly sliced separately
*2 T flour
*1 2/3 C Milk
*Salt and Pepper
*1/3 C Parmesan cheese, plus more for sprinkling

1. In a large saucepan of boiling, salted water, cook the tortellini until al dente; drain.
2. Meanwhile, add the peas, butter and scallion whites to another large suacepan and cook over medium heat for 2 minutes. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Gradually whisk in the milk and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Stir in the scallion greens and season with salt and pepper.
3. Stir the tortellini and 1/3 cup cheese into the sauce. Divide the pasta among 4 serving bowls and sprinkle with more cheese.

My Review:

Delicious!! I love anything with parmesan cheese but I really loved the peas and scallions in the sauce as well, it gave it a very nice flavor. This was super easy to make also, which I am all about!!

Serve with cheese toast!!

Taco Salad

Ingredients:

*1/2 lb lean ground beef
*cayenne
*chili powder
*salt and pepper
*24 baked corn chips
*1/4 head lettuce, shredded
*1 tomato, sliced
*1/4 green pepper, chopped
*3 T chopped red onion
*1/3 C salsa
*cheddar cheese, grated
*sour cream

1. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the beef. Season with spices.
2. Line the edges of four serving bowls or plates with the chips. Add the lettuce, and top with the meat, tomato, green pepper, onion, salsa, cheese and sour cream.

My Review:
Oh...so Easy!! And Delicious! This is a favorite in our home and it tastes great. This recipe serves about 4 people so if you are feeding more, than you will want to double the recipe, of course.

French Bread Pizza

From Rachael Ray Magazine May 2008, Page. #102

Ingredients:
2 T butter
2 T flour
1 C whole milk
Salt and Pepper
1 T honey mustard
1 baguette, split lengthwise and halved crosswise
1/2 lb deli-sliced ham, chopped
2 C shredded gruyere cheese
2 t chopped fresh thyme

1. Preheat the oven to 400. In a small saucepan, cook the butter and flour over medium-low heat, whisking , for 1 minute. Whisk in the milk, then season with salt and pepper. Remove from the heat and whisk in mustard.
2. Slather a quarter of the white sauce over each baguette quarter, then top with the ham, gruyere and thyme.
3. Bake until the cheese is bubbly, about 12 minutes.

My review:
I thought these were pretty good and easy to make. I could not find gruyere cheese and so I just used a mixture of cheddar, mozzarella, and parmesean cheese. Delicious! They did not taste very good as left-overs, so try to eat them all the day you make them!!

Three Cheese Garden Pizza

Ingredients:
*1 Package Refrigerated Pizza Crust
*1 T Vegetable Oil
*2 Garlic Cloves, pressed
*1 C shredded Cheddar Cheese
*1 C shredded Mozzarella Cheese
*1/4 C grated Fresh Parmesan Cheese
*1 t Italian Seasoning
*1 small onion, chopped
*2 Plum Tomatoes, chopped
*1 Medium zucchini, chopped
*1 C sliced Mushrooms

1. Preheat Oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease large bar pan with 1 t vegetable oil.
Unroll pizza dough and place in the pan. Mix remaining vegetable oil and garlic together and spread on the dough. Cook dough for 7 min.
2.Mix cheeses and italian seasoning together. Place on top of dough. Add onions, zucchini, mushrooms, and tomatoes. Top with Cheese.
3. Bake for 15-18 Min.

Delicious!!

One Day Menu

Sometimes it is just nice to have someone else plan the day for you! Enjoy!

Menu

Breakfast-306 calories

Veggie Omelet:
Take 1 cup sliced vegetables (tomatoes, green peppers, mushrooms, onions, etc.) Sauté in Pam (non-stick spray) until tender. Meanwhile in bowl beat 1 egg and 3 egg whites. When vegetables are tender add eggs and cook thoroughly.

Serve with 1 C. Skim milk and ½ of a banana.

Snack- 135 calories

½ C. yogurt topped with ½ cup grape nut cereal

Lunch-315 calories

Turkey Sandwich on Whole Wheat Bread
Smooth on 2 tbsp Fat Free Mayonnaise onto two slices whole wheat bread

with 3 slices of turkey lunch meat.
Serve with 1 C. fresh snap peas.

Snack-115 calories

1/8 cup almonds and 5 baby carrots

Dinner-

(560 calories with cheese-460 calories without cheese)

Portobello Mushroom Burgers:
Take 4 portabella caps (stems removed), wipe with a damp cloth to clean. Heat 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil in a medium size pan. Season mushrooms with montreal steak seasoning, garlic salt/powder, onion salt/powder or with any seasoning you like. Sauté in pan for about 5 minutes on each side, till tender and lightly brown. Remove pan from heat. Place 1oz (medium size slice) of cheese on top and cover pan loosely with tin foil to melt cheese. Serve on whole wheat bun with lettuce, tomato, red onion and 1 tbsp. of ketchup.
Serve with 1 C. skim milk and 2 cups salad (vegetables only-no cheese, meat, croutons, etc.) with 2 tbsp fat free raspberry vinaigrette dressing.


Snack- 73 calories

½ banana and ½ C. strawberries
(This snack is only needed if you ate dinner 4-5 hours before retiring for bed.)


Total Calories: 1404-1504

Parmesan Pasta

Ingredients:
*1lb pasta of choice, cooked according to package directions, drained
*1/2 C butter (You can use less and it still tastes good!)
*1 1/2 C grated fresh parmesan
*2-3 T light cream
*Salt and Pepper to taste (I never add pepper to mine)

1. Heat oven to 250 degrees.
2. While pasta is cooking, cut butter into several pieces and put in an oven-proof bowl. Place bowl in oven with door ajar.
3. Drain pasta when it is cooked al dente and take bowl out of the oven.
4. Put pasta in bowl and coat with softened butter. Add cheese and mix. Add cream, one T at a time, to help distribute cheese evenly. Sprinkle with Salt and Pepper.

My Review:
This is another recipe that came from my friend, Alicia. This has become a favorite in our home! It tastes so good and it is super easy to make. I will sometimes add yellow squash puree to make it healthier. Yummy!!

Lasagna

by Jessica Seinfeld

Prep: 20 Min Total Time: 70 Min Seves: 8-10

Ingredients:
*Nonstick cooking spray *1 T olive oil *1 lb lean ground turkey or sirloin *1 t salt *1/4 t pepper *1 T all-purpose flour *3 cloves garlic, chopped *2 T reduced-fat sour cream *1/2 C sweet potato puree *1/2 C grated Parmesan *1 (26oz) Can whole peeled tomatoes, with their juice *1 small onion, chopped *1 C cottage cheese (1%) *1 large egg white *1/2 C cauliflower puree *1(8oz) box no-boil lasagna noodles *2 C shredded mozzarella

1.Preheat the oven to 350. Coat an 8x12 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
2.For the meat filling, coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil. Add the turkey or beef, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the meat is no longer pink, 4-5 minutes. Sprinkle in the flour and half of the garlic, stir and cook for 1-2 min longer. Off the heat, stir in the sour cream, sweet potato puree, and half of the Parmesan; set aside.
3.For the sauce, combine the tomatoes and juice, the onion, and the remaining garlic and parmesan in a blender and process until smooth. Transfer the sauce to a bowl or large measuring cup.
4.In the same blender, blend the cottage cheese, egg white, and cauliflower puree until smooth; set aside.
5. To assemble the lasagna, spread 1 C of the tomato sauce over the bottom of the baking dish. Layer about 1/3 of the noodles on top, covering the sauce completely. Spread the meat filling over them. Cover with another 1/3 of the noodles and then spread all of the cottage cheese mixture over them. Make another layer with the rest of the noodles and spoon the remaining tomato sauce over the top. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella.
6.Cover the lasagna with aluminum foil and bake until the cheese has melted and the noodles are cooked through, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for 10 min longer.

My Review:
I used both sirloin and turkey because I didn't have enough of either and it turned out fabulous! This tastes delicious and even Isaac (my 19-month old son) liked it! I served it with green beans, so not only did he get green beans but also sweet potatoes and cauliflower. (How deceptive!!) I love her recipes even for me because I have a hard time eating the amount of vegetables we are supposed to eat every day! This also tasted good as left-overs!

7 Layer Salad

2 heads of romaine lettuce - cleaned and finely chopped
1 english cucumber (or any cucumber) - sliced
2 vine tomatoes - sliced
1/2 red tomatoes - finely diced
1 pkg. frozen petite peas
1 lb. bacon - fried & cut into small pieces
1 lb. cheddar cheese - shredded
Mayonnaise

Use a little olive oil & garlic to season a large salad bowl
Start layering in this order:
romaine lettuce
cucumber
ripe tomatoes
chopped onion
Spread mayonnaise on top of the onions
Petite peas
Bacon
Then top off the whole thing with cheddar cheese.

Let Marinade over night in the fridge covered
Toss immediately before serving and enjoy.

Tomato Basil Soup

From Trellis Cafe at Thanksgiving Point.

Ingredients:
*1 small chopped white onion *4oz fresh basil *20oz can diced tomatoes in juice *1 C milk *1/2 C heavy whipped cream *1/2 t garlic powder *1/2 t Thyme *1/2t white pepper *1t chicken base

1.In a large sauce pan over medium heat, cook tomatoes and onion. Add spices.
2.Puree mix in a blender or food processor. Return to the pan.
3.Add milk, cream, chicken base and salt. Simmer.

***If soup is too thin, simmer longer. If soup is too thick, add more milk***

My Review:
This soup is delicious and when me and my friends were eating at the cafe a few months ago, they gave us the recipe. Try it...you will love it. I like to make grilled cheese sandwhiches to eat with it.

Vegetable Cheese Soup

My friend Alicia always gives me the best recipes to try...this is one of hers and it's great! Thanks Alicia:

Ingredients:
*2 C diced potatoes *1 Onion, sliced *1 C diced carrots *1 C sliced celery *1/4 C butter *2 Cans chicken broth *2 t chicken bouillon or 2 bouillon cubes *2 C milk *1/2 C flour *3 C grated cheddar cheese *1 t dry mustard or 2 t prepared mustard *1/8 t cayenne pepper

1.In a large saucepan, saute potatoes, onion, carrots, and celery in butter. Add broth and bouillon. Simmer 30 min or until vegetables are tender.
2.In a medium bowl, mix milk with flour. Blend until smooth.
3.Gradually add milk mixture to vegetables, stirring constantly. Add cheese, mustard, and cayenne pepper. Simmer and stir until cheese melts.

My review:
This soup was delicious...it sounds like a lot of work at first but it is actually quite easy. We liked it as left-overs too. It is a thicker soup but the cheese and vegetables are yummy!!

Bowtie Pasta

This recipe is easy and awesome.

1 Box Bowtie pasta (big or small bowties)
1-2 Lemons
Pepper to taste
Olive oil
Green Onions (3-4)
Parmesan Cheese
Vegi Supreme Seasoning

Cook bowtie pasta, then add olive oil just to coat, then squeeze in your lemons, cut in gr. onions, pepper, add vegi supreme seasoning, last add your Parmesan cheese, if you put it on first, it will melt to much.

You can add chicken for a heartier recipe, but this is quick and easy and always goes over well.

Audra Gines

Chilled Sugar Cookies

If You Like Soft Chewy Sugar Cookies this recipe is for You!!

6 Cups Flour
3 tsp. Baking Powder
2 Cups Butter
2 Cups Sugar
2 Eggs
2 tsp. Vanilla Extract
1tsp. Salt

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees for at least 1/2 hour before baking.
• Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs and vanilla. Mix dry ingredients together and add to butter mixture. Mix Well
• Chill for 1 to 2 hours. Roll to desired thickness and cut.
• Bake on ungreased baking sheet for 8-10 minutes.

(Makes up to 8 dozen 3" cookies)

No Fail Sugar Cookies

2 cups sugar
1 cup shortening (no substitutions)
1 cup sour cream
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
4 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 1/2 tsp. salt

Roll dough to a 1/4 inch thick. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes, until they turn barely brown. If edges are brown it might be too long.

Fresh Corn Salsa

1 can black beans, drained
1 can of corn, drained
2 Avocadoes diced
2-3 tomatoes diced
Cilantro (optional)
Stir in Italian Dressing to flavor
Salt and Pepper to taste

This is yummy!!

Konee's Chicken

This is one of the easiest and simple meals I know. We love this one.

Chicken Breasts
Slice of Swiss Cheese on Top
1 Can of Cream of Chicken Soup (dissolve a little bit of water to thin the consistency)
Sprinkle dry bread crumbs on top to cover
Drizzle with 2-3 Tbl. of melted butter

*Cook and cover with foil 350 for about 1 hour and 15 minutes or 375 for 45 min. to 1 hour

Lemon Blossoms

My sister in-law posted these on her blog and they looked absolutely Yummy!

18 1/2-ounce package yellow cake mix
3 1/2-ounce package instant lemon pudding mix
4 large eggs

3/4 cup vegetable oil

Glaze:

4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons water

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Spray miniature muffin tins with vegetable oil cooking spray. Combine the cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil and blend well with an electric mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour a small amount of batter, filling each muffin tin half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towel

To make the glaze, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil, and 3 tablespoons water. Mix with a spoon until smooth.

With fingers, dip the cupcakes into the glaze while they're still warm, covering as much of the cake as possible, or spoon the glaze over the warm cupcakes, turning them to completely coat. Place on wire racks with waxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Let the glaze set thoroughly, about 1 hour, before storing in containers with tight-fitting lids.

You can also use a lemon cake mix instead of a yellow one. Still very good!

Sour Cream Enchiladas

**These came from my mom's kitchen. Growing up these were one of my favorite meals that she made...they are still a huge favorite at our home!!**

Ingredients:
*8-10 Tortillas *2 Cans-cream of mushroom soup *1 Can-diced green chilies *shredded cheese *chives

1.Preheat oven to 350.
2.Cook soup and chilies until hot in medium saucepan on stove. In a medium-size bowl, mix the cheese and chives.
3.Fry the tortillas in oil until warm and bubbly. Lay tortilla out flat and put the soup mix and cheese mix inside, roll up. Continue with all tortillas. Place the remaining soup and cheese on top.
4.Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.

My Review:
I am not sure why these are called "sour cream" since there is no sour cream in them. However you can serve them with sour cream if you like. They are delicious and so easy to make. They are one of my all-time favorite meals!! They are fabulous as left-overs too.

Chicken Cordon Blue Casserole

Prep Time: 10-15 minutes

Cook Time: 1 Hour

This recipe is so delicious and easy to make. It came from a family recipe book from my husband's side of the family.

Ham Slices

8 Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

8 Slices Swiss Cheese

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup

1/2 Cup Milk

1/4 Cup Sour Cream

1 1/2 Cups Herb Stuffing Crumbs

1/4 Cup Melted Butter

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll 3 or 4 ham slices per chicken breast and place in buttered 9 X 13 baking dish. Top ham with chicken breast and slice of swiss cheese. In a bowl mix together: soup, milk and sour cream. Pour on top of chicken and cheese. Mix herb stuffing crumbs with melted butter and spread on top. Cover with foil and bake 45 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 minutes more.

Garlicky Bean Enchiladas

Garlicky Bean Enchiladas
by. Rachael Ray (Everyday with Rachael Ray Magazine March 2008 pg.#102)

Ingredients:
*1/2 C plus 2 T vegetable oil *8 cloves garlic, thinly sliced *Two 15.5 Cans cannellini beans, drained * 1/3 C chicken broth *salt *12 six-inch corn tortillas *2 C store-bought salsa verde *1 1/2 C shredded pepper jack cheese

1.Preheat the oven to 375. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 T oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until golden, about 2 minutes. Stir in the beans and cook for 1 min. Then stir in the chicken broth. Season with salt and cook, mashing the beans, until softened, 7 minutes. Let cool slightly.
2. Meanwhile, line a baking sheet with paper towels. In a small skillet, heat the remaining 1/2 C oil. Fry each corn tortilla for 3 seconds on each side, then transfer to the prepared baking sheet to drain.
3.Place about 1/4 C mashed beans on 1 tortilla and roll up to enclose; transfer to an oiled 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Repeat with the remaining beans and tortilla.
4. Pour the salsa over the filled tortillas. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Bake until the cheese is melted and the salsa is bubbling, about 20 minutes.

My changes:
I added some cheddar cheese in with the pepper jack cheese just because I love cheese!

My Review:
These were a hit at our home. They taste delicious and our house smelled so good because of the garlic cooking. They were also good as left-overs which is always nice!

Jessica Seinfeld--(Lunch or Dinner Foods)

Here are some more recipes that I have made out of this fabulous book! I love that it all tastes so good and that it's healthy too! Yeah for that...

-MOZZARELLA STICKS- pg. #91

Ingredients:
*1 C whole-wheat bread crumbs *1 T flaxseed meal *1 T sesame seeds (optional) *1 C shredded mozzarella *1/2 C cauliflower puree *1 T cornstarch *nonstick cooking spray *1 T olive oil * 1/4 t salt

1.In a bowl, toss the breadcrumbs with the flaxseed meal and sesame seeds.
2.In a second large bowl, stir together the mozzarella, cauliflower puree, and cornstarch until well combined. Shape into eight 2x1/2 inch logs. Gently roll each log in the breadcrumbs, then wrap in aluminum foil or waxed paper and freeze for 20 minutes.
3. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil. Arrange the mozzarella sticks in the pan in a single layer, being careful not to crowd them. Cook for 3-4 minutes, turning occasionally, until the crumb coating begins to brown. Sprinkle with salt and serve with ketchup.

My review:
These actually taste really good. Mine did not look like restaurant style mozzarella sticks by any means, but they did taste good. I had a hard time keeping them together while cooking them in the pan.

-PITA PIZZAS- pg.#96

Ingredients:
*8 (4-inch) whole-wheat pita pockets *1/2 C spinach puree *2 C bottled tomato suace *2 C thinly sliced mozzarella

1. Preheat oven to 400.
2. Spread spinach puree on each pita so that the spinach comes to within about 1/2 inch of the edge. Spread the sauce over the spinach; it should cover the spinach and come to within about 1/4 inch of the edge of the pita. Now lay the cheese over the sauce, covering any place where the green comes through.
3. Place the pizzas on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake until the chesse melts and begins to brown, 5-10 min. Let the pizzas cool before serving so the cheese cools and doesn't pull off (and the spinach stays completly invisible).

My review:
I really liked these and so did my son Isaac. It is a great way to eat spinach which is so healthy for all of us. However, these did not taste good as left-overs.

-MACARONI AND CHEESE (2)- PG.#107

Ingredients:
*1.5 C whole-wheat elbow macaroni *1 C nofat milk * 1/2 C canned white beans pureed *nonstick cooking spray *1.5 C shredded cheddar cheese *1/2 t salt *1/8 t garlic powder *1/8 t paprika *1/8 t pepper

1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Drain in a colander.
2.While the macaroni is cooking, combine the milk and the beans in a food processor and process until pureed.
3. Coat a large suacepan with cooking spray and set it over medium heat. Add the bean mixture to the pan and cook, stirring until smooth, 1-2 min. Add the cheese and cook until melted and creamy, 1-2 min. Stir in the salt, garlic powder, paprika and pepper. Stir in the macaroni and serve warm.

My review:
I added a little bit more cheddar cheese to my recipe and it tasted fabulous. Adam thought it tasted better than any macaroni and cheese he has ever had! Issac, of course ate it too. This was good as left-overs.

-BUTTERED NOODLES- pg. #108

Ingredients:
* 8 oz whole-wheat pasta *1/2 C yellow squash puree *1/4 C nonfat milk *2 T margarine *2 T grated parmesan *1/4 t salt

1.Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to package directions until al dente.
2. Drain, return the pasta to the warm pot, and stir in the yellow squash puree (make sure the puree is very creamy), milk, margarine, Parmesan and salt.

My review:
DELICIOUS!! These were a huge hit at our home. They tasted so good. I love squash as it is, but you couldn't even tell there was squash in it. So, so easy to make also. Try this you will really love it!

-GRILLED CHEESE SANDWICHES- pg.#135

Ingredients:
*1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese *1/2 C sweet potato or butternut squash puree *1 T margarine *1/4 t salt *4 slices whole-wheat bread *nonstick cooking spray *1 t olive oil

1.In a medium bowl, mix the cheese, vegetable puree, margarine and salt. Spread two slices of the bread with the cheese mixture and top with the other two slices.
2.Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium heat. When the skillet is hot, add the oil. Put the sandwhiches in the pan and spray the tops with cooking spray. Cook 4-5 minutes per side, until the bread is crisp and the filling is melted.

My review:
We made these with butternut squash and they were good. These were very easy to make and fast if you are in a hurry!

-PINK PANCAKES- pg. #143

Ingredients:
*3/4 C water *1/2 C ricotta cheese *1/3 C beet puree *1 t vanilla *1/2 t cinnamon *1 C pancake mix *1/4 C grated apple *nonstick cooking spray *1 T canola oil *Maple syrup

1.In a blender combine the water, ricotta cheese, beet puree, vanilla, and cinnamon and blend. Dump the mixture into a medium bowl, add the pancake mix and apple, and stir until just combined. Do not overmix--the batter will be a little lumpy.
2.Coat a griddle or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When hot, add the oil. Spoon the batter onto the griddle or skillet, using about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Cook the pancakes until bubbles form on top and the batter is set, 1-2 minutes. Then flip the pancakes with a spatula and cook until golden brown on the other side, 2-3 minutes. Serve warm with syrup or fruit.

My review:
CAUTION--working with beets is very messy---I had pink all over! :) These were not our favorite--however I think kids would love these and they are cute how they are so pink. The problem for Adam and I is it reminded us of Pepto Bismal :( The taste however was a lot better :)

-TORTILLA "CIGARS"- pg. #144

Ingredients:
*1 C roasted chicken or turkey, cubed (or pureed) *1/2 C shredded cheddar cheese *1/2 C yellow squash puree *1/2 C carrot puree *4 oz reduced fat cream cheese *1/4 t garlic powder *1/4 t salt *6 large burrito-size whole-wheat tortillas.

1.Preheat the oven to 350. Line baking sheets with aluminum foil or parchment paper.
2.In a large bowl, stir together the chicken or turkey, cheese, squash, carrot, cream cheese, garlic powder and salt.
3.Cut the tortillas in half. Place one half on the work surface with the straight edge facing you. Spread about 2 T of the filling along the edge from one side to the other. Starting at the edge, roll the tortilla into a cigar shape, completly enclosing the filling. Place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Stuff and roll the rest of the tortillas the same way.
4. Bake until the tortillas begin to brown, 4-5 min. Let cool slightly before serving.

My review:
WE LOVED THESE!!! These were delicious. I actually roasted a chicken for like 4 hours to make these. I would recommend just sauteeing the chicken instead. This is super easy. We liked these as left-overs too. Delicious once again....try these you will love them!

Shout out...to Jessica Seinfeld!!! (Breakfast Foods)

These Recipes are amazing!! Buy the Book...it's fabulous! I have made the following recipes so far from the book and I have a goal to make every single one of her recipes!

Breakfast Foods:

FRENCH TOAST pg.#49

Ingredients:
*4 large eggs *2 T banana puree *1/4 t cinnamon *4 slices whole-wheat bread *nonstick cooking spray *2 t butter *Maple syrup

1.In a shallow bowl, whisk the eggs, puree, and cinnamon. Add the bread slices and turn them in the mixture to soak for 30 seconds to 1 minute.
2.Coat a nonstick griddle or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the margarine. When the margarine sizzles, add the soaked bread slices and cook until golden brown on the outside, 2-3 minutes per side. Serve warm with syrup, confectioners' sugar, or fruit.

My Review:
My husband and son really liked these. I am not a big banana fan, however she suggests using pineapple, sweet potato, carrot, butternut squash or canned pumpkin in place of the banana. Next time I make these I will switch it up!

PANCAKES pg.#57

Ingredients:
*1 C water, *1/2 C sweet potato puree *1/4 t cinnamon *1 C pancake mix *nonstick cooking spray *1 T canola oil *Maple syrup

1.In a large bowl, mix the water, sweet potato puree, and cinnamon. Add the pancake mix and stir just to combine--the batter should be lumpy.
2.Coat a griddle or large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set it over medium-high heat. When the pan is hot, add the oil and spoon the batter onto the griddle or pan using 1/4 c batter for each pancake.
3.Cook until bubbles from on top of the pancakes and the batter is set, 2-3 minutes. Then use a spatula to flip the pancakes and cook them until golden brown on the other side, 2-3 minutes.

My review:
I absolutly love these pancakes...you can't even tell there is sweet potato in them and I am not a pancake person! Both my husband and son loved these too. These have become a regular in our home now! Try them.

OATMEAL pg.#68

Ingredients:
*1 C nonfat milk *1/4 C firmly packed brown sugar *1/4 C canned pumpkin puree *1 t pure vanilla extract *1/4 t cinnamon *1 C old-fashioned oats *2 t natural peanut butter (optional) * dried fruit and nuts(optional) *maple syrup

1.In a small saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, pumpkin, vanilla, and cinnamon. Bring to a gentle boil and stir in the oatmeal. Reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 minutes, until the oatmeal is soft and creamy. Stir in the peanut butter, if using.
2.Spoon the oatmeal into bowls, sprinkle with dried fruit and nuts, and serve warm with maple syrup.

My review:
I added peanut butter to mine and I wouldn't recommend it, all I could taste was the peanut butter so next time I make it I will leave that out and see if I like it better! I also don't eat my oatmeal with maple syrup, so I am unsure if that tastes good in the oatmeal or not.

Carbonara Deep-Dish Pasta Crusted Pan Pizza

CARBONARA DEEP-DISH PASTA-CRUSTED PAN PIZZA (30 min-meal)
by: rachael ray (Just In Time) pg.64

Ingredients:
*Salt *2(9oz) packages fresh linguine *3 T extra-virgin olive oil *1/4 pound pancetta(cut as thick as bacon, chopped) *3-4 Garlic cloves(grated or chopped) *1/2-1t red pepper flakes(depending on how spicy you like it) *1/2 C grated parmigiano-reggiano cheese *4 large eggs *1/2 C cream *Black pepper *2 C ricotta cheese *1T fresh flat-leaf parsley(finely chopped) *1 C shredded provolone cheese

Instructions:
1.Preheat oven to 425.
2. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. When it boils, salt it generously, add the pasta and cook for 3 min.
3.While the pasta water heats, heat the EVOO in a large ovenproof skillet over medium-high heat. Add the pancetta and brown, 3-4 min. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, and cook for a minute more, stirring once or twice.
4. Drain the pasta and add it to the skillet, tossing to coat the pasta with the garlic oil. Add the parmigiano and toss again. Beat the eggs with the cream and salt and pepper and pour over the pasta. Reduce the heat to medium and cook the eggs for 1 min or until they begin to set, then pat the pasta into an even layer to make the "pizza pie" crust. Transfer the skillet to the oven and bake for 5 min.
5. Mix together the ricotta and parsley. Remove the pasta pie from the oven and smooth the ricotta over the top. Sprinkle with the provolone and return to the oven. Bake for 10 min more, or until the cheese is melted and golden at the edges. Let the pie sit a couple minutes to settle the ricotta, then cut into wedges and serve directly from the skillet.

My Changes: I am not a big fan of spicy foods so I left out the red pepper flakes. I used bacon instead of pancetta(because I couldn't find any at the store). I added mozzarella cheese to the provolone for more cheese flavor!

My Review:
This was a great meal! Anyone who loves pasta and carbonara will love this deep-dish pizza. I am not a big fan of bacon and eggs but I did love this, and it was great as left-overs too! It did take me about 1 hour to make (rather than the 30 min that she claims...but that could just be because I'm not a professional cook like her!) Isaac even liked this meal...amazing!

Brownies

BROWNIES
by: Jessica Seinfield, Deceptively Delicious, pg.156

Ingredients:
*Nonstick cooking spray *3 ounces semisweet chocolate *1/2 C carrot puree *1/2 C spinach puree *1/2 C brown sugar *1/4 C unsweetened cocoa powder *2 T margarine or butter *2 t vanilla *2 large egg whites *3/4 C flour *1/2 t baking powder *1/2 t salt

Instructions:
1.Preheat oven to 350. Coat an 8x8-inch baking pan with cooking spray.
2. Melt the chocolate in a double boiler or over a very low flame.
3.In a large bowl, combine the melted chocolate, vegetable purees, sugar, cocoa powder, margarine and vanilla, and whisk until smooth and creamy, 1-2 min.
4.Whisk in egg whites. Stir in the flour, baking powder and salt with a wooden spoon.
5. Pour the batter into the pan and bake 35-40 min. Cool completely in the pan before cutting into 12 bars.

Hint: Let the brownies cool completely before serving--it is not until they are completely cool that the spinach flavor totally disappears!

My Review:
These brownies are delicious! They only have 133 calories and 3 grams of fiber per brownie. They seem a little more cake-like to me than brownies, but taste delicious! I made them for our super bowl party this past week and my brother-in-law who absolutely loves brownies loved them and was shocked when I told him how healthy they were! Try them, they are fabulous.