New and Improved Peanut Butter Cup Pie

Ingredients:

1 8oz. package cream cheese

1/2 c. plus 1 tbsp. creamy peanut butter

1 cup cold milk

1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) Jell-O vanilla flavor instant pudding

2 1/2 cups thawed cool whip

1 oreo pie crust

3 squares BAKER'S semi-sweet chocolate

Directions:

1. Beat cream cheese and 1/2 c. peanut butter in medium bowl until well blended. Add milk and dry pudding mix; beat 2 minutes. Whisk in 1 c. cool whip; spoon into crust. Refrigerate until ready to use.
2. Meanwhile, microwave remaining cool whip and chocolate in microwavable bowl on high for 1 minute, or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended. Stir, and cool completely.
3. Spread chocolate mixture over pudding layer in crust. Microwave remaining peanut butter for about 30 seconds, stir, and drizzle over pie. Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

*www.kraftfoods.com

Mmmmm Chocolate Cake...Promise.

Ingredients:

1 box chocolate cake mix

1 small box instant chocolate pudding

1 pint sour cream

2 eggs

1/4 c. Kahlua or Irish cream

12 oz. package chocolate chips

Icing or glaze of choice

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350. Mix all the cake ingredients into a large bowl until smooth.
2. Mix in chips.
3. Pour mixture into greased bundt pan.
4. Bake 45-50 minutes or until done.
5. Cool and use choice of icing (I use milk and powdered sugar).
6. If you need an intervention after this, call me.

Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 large sweet potatoes

2 oz. (1/4 of 8 oz. package) cream cheese, cubed

2 tbsp. fat-free milk

1 tbsp. brown sugar

1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

1/4 c. chopped pecans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. Cut potatoes lengthwise in half; place cut-sides down in foil-lined 9 x 13 pan. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until tender.
3. Scoop out centers of potatoes into bowl. Add cream cheese, milk, brown sugar, and cinnamon to potatoes. Mash (or use mixer) until blended.
4. Fill shells with potato mixture. Top with nuts. Bake for 8 minutes, or until potatoes are heated through and nuts are toasted.

(Serves 4)

*Kraft Foods Magazine

Laura's Turkey Parmesan

Ingredients:

• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/2 cup pignoli nut (pine nuts), finely chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
• 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

• 4 (1/4 lb) turkey cutlets (about 1 lb)
• 2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1. 1

   Warm sauce in a small saucepan.
   

2. 2

   Mix together pignoli, Italian seasoning and parmesan on a plate. Coat both sides of cutlet with mixture, pressing to adhere.

3. 3

   Turn oven to a low broil.

4. 4

   Heat oil in a nonstick pan and cook until cutlets approximately 4 minutes per side.

5. 5

   Place cutlets in pan and top with sauce and mozzarella. Broil until cheese just melts.

(Serves 4)

Baked Ziti with Sausage

Ingredients:

1/2 lb. sweet Italian sausage, casings removed

1 c. sliced mushrooms

1 small onion, chopped

1 (32 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce

1/2 lb. (8 oz.) box ziti, cooked and drained

1/8 tsp. fennel seed

salt to taste

pepper to taste

8 oz. shredded mozzarella

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large skillet, throughly brown sausage. Add mushrooms and onion; saute until vegetables are tender. Drain fat.
2. Add spaghetti sauce, ziti, fennel seed, salt and pepper.
3. Spoon into a 9 x 13 baking dish. Bake covered for 30 minutes.
4. Sprinkle with cheese; bake 5 minutes, or until cheese melts.
5. If you save a little bit of the sauce from the 32 oz. jar, I tend to have a small boat with spaghetti sauce on side because during the baking, the ziti will soak up the sauce.
   
6. Serves 4.

Chicken with Lemon-Caper Sauce

Ingredients:
4 (6 oz.) boneless, skinless chicken breast halves
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. black pepper
3 tbsp. all purpose flour
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 c. fat free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice
2 tbsp. capers, drained
3 tbsp. minced flat-leaf parsley

Directions:

1. Pound chicken between 2 sheets of plastic wrap to an even thickness using a meat mallet. Sprinkle chicken evenly with salt and pepper. Place flour in a shallow dish; dredge chicken in flour.
2. Melt butter in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan; cook 3 minutes. Turn chicken over. Add broth, juice, and capers; reduce heat to medium, and simmer 3 minutes, basting chicken occasionally with sauce.
   
3. Sprinkle with parsley; cook 1 minute. Remove chicken from pan; keep warm. Bring sauce to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Serve over chicken.
4. Serve with side of choice.
   

www.myrecipes.com

Easy Parmesan Garlic Chicken

So, so easy, and so, so good!!!

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 envelope Good Seasons Italian Salad dressing and recipe mix
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

1. Preheat oven to 400. Mix cheese, salad dressing mix and garlic powder.
2. Moisten chicken with water; coat with cheese mixture. Place in shallow baking dish.
3. Bake 20-25 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Alli's Feta Foldovers

Ingredients:

1 package (2 sheets puff pastry)

2 eggs

8 oz. tomato and basil feta cheese

3-4 green onions (white and light green only)

Directions:

1. Thaw puff pastry sheets on cookie sheet. DO NOT TRY TO UNFOLD WHILE FROZEN!
2. Combine feta cheese and sliced green onion in bowl.
   
3. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 egg.
4. When beaten, combine the egg with the cheese and onion mixture.
5. When puff pastry is thawed, open it up, and cut into 3 inch squares (one sheet should make 9).
6. Scoop an oversized teaspoon of cheese mixture and place in middle of pastry square.
7. Wet edges of square to make it sticky, and fold pastry over to make a triangle. Seal with fork press.
8. Using second egg, whisk, and brush egg wash mixture over foldover.
9. Preheat oven to 375 and bake for 20 minutes.

Seasoned Crock Pot Chicken

Ingredients:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 package italian seasoning

1 c. chicken broth

Directions:

1. Place chicken in crockpot and combine all ingredients.
2. Cook on LOW for 8-10 hours or on HIGH for 4-6 hours.
3. Serve with rice and a veggie.
4. Enjoy!

Slow Cooker Savory Herb Chicken

Ingredients:

2.5-3 lb. chicken (I bought a WHOLE CHICKEN from the grocery store, packaged, already cut into pieces)

2 envelopes Lipton Recipe Secrets Savory Herb with Garlic Soup Mix

2 medium red bell peppers

1 c. coarsely chopped onion

1/2 c. dry white wine or water

Directions:

1. In slow cooker, combine all ingredients.
2. Cook covered on LOW for 8-10 hours or HIGH 4-6 hours.
3. Serve, if desired, with hot cooked rice.
4. Enjoy! This is really good!

Simple Oven-Baked Sea Bass....YUMMMM!

Serves 2...

Ingredients:

1 lb. sea bass

3 garlic cloves, minced or crushed

1 tablespoon EVOO

1 tablespoon italian seasoning

2 teaspoons fresh coarse black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

2 lemon wedges

1/3 c. white wine vinegar or white wine (both optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. In a small bowl, combine garlic, EVOO, salt, and pepper.
3. Place fish in baking dish (assuming fish has been cleaned and scaled). I buy "ready" filets at Whole Foods/Fresh Market.
4. Rub fish with oil mixture.
5. (Optional) Pour wine over fish.
6. Bake fish, uncovered, for 15 minutes; then sprinkle with Italian Seasoning and continue to bake for 5 more minutes (or until thickest part of fish flakes easily).
7. Drizzle remaining pan juices over fish using baster, and garnish with lemon wedges.
8. Serve with veggie and warm bread.
9. Enjoy!

Crockpot Lasagna

Ingredients:

• 1 jar favorite spaghetti sauce
• 1 lb. ground beef
• 1 mid-size container ricotta cheese
• 5-6 lasagna noodles (uncooked)
• 2 bags Kraft Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Preparation

First, pour spaghetti sauce into a bowl and add 1/3 cup of water. Then grease the inside of your crockpot with cooking oil or spray. Brown ground beef in skillet, then add entire container of ricotta cheese to beef, stir in.

Start layering in crockpot - sauce first, then beef/ricotta mixture, noodles (uncooked - you'll have to break them up and layer... they will cook in sauce), sauce and cheese. Keep layering until you've used all of your beef/ricotta. Top with cheese last.

Turn on low for 4 - 4.5 hours.

Notes

Preparation time is 20 mins, cook time is 4 hours.

Chicken or Beef Enchiladas

Ingredients:

Taco seasoning

1 lb. lean ground beef (at least 80%) OR 1 lb. boneless, skinless, chix breasts

2 cans Old El Paso enchilada sauce (any variety...I use mild)

2 cups shredded cheese

Flour or corn tortillas

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a 9 x 13 baking dish.
2. If using chicken, cut into cubes. Sprinkle chicken/beef with taco seasoning.
3. In a skillet, cook meat over medium/high heat. When thoroughly cooked, drain.
4. Into skillet, stir in 1 can of enchilada sauce and 1 cup shredded cheese.
5. Spoon enchilada filling onto tortillas, roll up, and place seam sides down in baking dish.
6. Pour 2nd can of enchilada mix on top of rolled enchiladas, and top with remaining cheese.
7. Bake 15-20 minutes or until hot.

Party Loaf!

Ingredients:

1 loaf vienna bread

1 white onion, chopped

1 block swiss cheese, grated

1 stick butter

1 tbsp. butter

1 tbsp. poppy seeds

Garlic powder (to taste)

Directions:

• Cut slits in the loaf of bread (as many as possible, horizontally) to prepare for insertion of other ingredients.
• Grate cheese and distribute evenly between slits of bread.
• On a stove, cook onions in butter (about a tablespoon). When fully cooked, put onions in slits of bread with the cheese.
• Microwave one stick of butter with about 1 tablespoon poppy seeds and garlic powder (to taste). Pour mixture into the slits of bread.
• Bake bread (covered in foil) for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Cinnamon Sugar Dip

Ingredients:

• 1/4 c. Weight Watchers Whipped Cream Cheese
• 3/4 c. Fat Free Cool Whip
• Cinnamon (to taste)
• Splenda (to taste)

Directions:

(I usually double the recipe)

Mix all ingredients together and serve with cinnamon pita chips (in the deli section of the grocery store)

Bruschetta with Sauteed Sweet Peppers and Creamy Gorgonzola

Ingredients:

olive oil

1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 tablespoon sugar

2 tablespoons basil leaves

freshly ground black pepper

baguette

3 ounces creamy gorgonzola or other blue cheese, at room temperature

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in saute pan over medium-high heat.
3. Add the peppers and cook until soft, about 12-15 minutes.  Sprinkle them with sugar and continue cooking for 2 more minutes.  Stir in the basil and season to taste with pepper.  Set aside.
4. Slice the baguette into about 18 thin slices.  Brush the bread rounds lightly with olive oil on one side.  Arrange them in rows, oil side up, on a lined sheet pan (parchment paper) and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 7-10 minutes.
5. Top each toast round with a teaspoonful of the pepper mixture.  
6. Place 2 small pieces of gorgonzola on top.  Return the toast to the oven for 1-2 minutes and warm through.
7. Serve immediately.

Scalloped Potatoes

Ingredients:

6 medium potatoes

1/4 c. melted butter

1/3 c. scallion, green and all

1 c. sour cream

2 cans cream of chix soup

1/3 c. evaporated milk

3/4 c. grated cheddar cheese

RITZ crackers

Directions:

1. Cook 6 medium potatoes SKIN ON and let cool.
2. Peel and grate the potatoes, salt and pepper, and put them in a lightly sprayed/greased 9 x 13 pan.
3. Pour the melted butter and sprinkle the onions over the potatoes.
4. Mix the sour cream, soup, and milk, and then add the grated cheese.  Blend these ingredients together and spread over the potatoes.  
5. Sprinkle the top with a little more grated cheese and crushed RITZ.
6. Bake uncovered for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Guacamole!

Ingredients:

2 avocados

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tomato, chopped

1 small white onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. jalapeno, finely chopped

1 tsp. salt

1/2 c. chopped cilantro

1/2 lime (for juice)

Directions:

1. In bowl, combine garlic, salt, jalapeno and cilantro and MASH all.  
2. Following, mash avocado in with ingredients in same bowl.
3. Stir in tomato and onion.
4. Squeeze in lime juice.
5. Enjoy!

Hidden Valley Ranch Pretzels

Ingredients:

1 DRY Hidden Valley Original Dressing Mix

1.5 tsp. lemon pepper

3/4 tsp. garlic powder

1.5 tsp. dillweed

3/4 c. oil

bag of thick, broken pretzels

Directions:

1. Put pretzels in microwave safe bowl.  
2. Mix all ingredients with the pretzels and cook for 1 min 3o seconds.  
3. Do this 3 times, stirring between each time.

Sweet & Sour Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

salt & pepper

2 tbsp. cooking oil

1 (20 oz. can) pineapple chunks (with juice)

1 c. canned jellied cranberry sauce

1/4 c. cornstarch

1/4 c. packed brown sugar

1/4 c. rice or cider vinegar

1/4 c. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

1/4 c. dry sherry, chicken broth, or water

1/4 c. soy sauce

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

2 medium green sweet peppers, seeded and cut into bite-size strips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.  Sprinkle chicken lightly with salt and pepper.  In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Add chicken and cook about 4 minutes or until browned, turning once.  Transfer chicken to a 9x13 pan.
2. Drain pineapple well, SAVING 2/3 c. of the juice.  Spoon pineapple chunks (not juice) evenly over the chicken in pan; set aside.
3. For sauce, in a medium saucepan, whisk together the reserved pineapple juice, the cranberry sauce, the brown sugar, vinegar, orange juice concentrate, sherry (broth or water too), soy sauce, ginger, and cornstarch (sprinkled in lightly while whisking).  Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly.  Pour over chicken and pineapple in baking pan.
4. Bake, covered, for 25 minutes.  Uncover and add sweet peppers, stirring gently to coat the peppers in the sauce.  Bake for 5 minutes longer, UNCOVERED.
5. Serve with rice.  
6. Enjoy!

Jane's Banana Bread

Ingredients:

3 rotten bananas

2 eggs

1/2 c. shortening

2 c. flour

3/4 c. sugar 

1/2 c. buttermilk

1 tsp. vanilla

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 c. walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Beat together sugar and shortening.  Then, add bananas and eggs and mix until all are combined.  
2. Mix all dry ingredients in a separate bowl.  
3. Gradually, add small amounts of dry ingredients to banana mixture and beat, while adding small amounts of the buttermilk.
4. Once all are mixed into one bowl, add vanilla and STIR.
5. Add walnuts to mixture if desired.
6. Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes in a bread pan.  For muffins, bake for 18-20 minutes.

*Recipe from Jane Murphy

Applebee's Spinach Artichoke Dip

Ingredients:

* 1 (10 ounce) box frozen chopped spinach, thawed
* 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and roughly chopped
* 1 cup shredded parmesan-romano cheese mix
* 1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
* 10 ounces prepared alfredo sauce
* 1 teaspoon minced garlic
* 4 ounces softened cream cheese
* pepper (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Combine ingredients thoroughly in a bowl and spread mixture into a small baking dish (I used an 8" X 8" dish.
3. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until cheeses are bubbling and melted.

4. Serve with chips or bread and enjoy. (I toast slices of french bread....like crostinis.)

White Chicken Chili...no crockpot needed!

Ingredients:
1 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 rotisserie chicken (easiest way to do it)
1-1.5 (14.5 oz) cans chicken broth
1 (4 oz) can green chile peppers, chopped
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. dried oregano
¾ tsp. cayenne pepper
2.5 (14.5 oz) cans Great Northern Beans, undrained
½ cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Directions:
Heat oil in large pot over medium heat. Add onions and garlic and sauté for ten minutes or until onions are tender. Add the chicken, chicken broth, green chile peppers, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper, and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to low and add the beans. Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until heated thoroughly. Pour into individual bowls and top with cheese.

Serve with cornbread.