In Honor of My Cajun Honey

Great news - I got engaged on Wednesday! It's all still kind of a shock and I'll post details at a later date but in honor of my Cajun soon-to-be husband, who's from Homa, LA, I'm posting this yummy Creole Jambalaya recipe. It's devine!


Ingredients
2 tablespoons margarine
3/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups cubed fully cooked ham,
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (14-ounce) can low-sodium beef broth
3/4 cup water
1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried crushed thyme leaves
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 1/2 pounds raw shrimp, peeled and deveined

Instructions
1. Melt butter in a Dutch oven. Add onion, celery, green pepper, parsley and garlic. Cook until onion is translucent. Add ham, tomatoes, broth, water, rice, sugar, thyme, chili powder and pepper. Cover and simmer until rice is tender, about 25 minutes. Add shrimp, and simmer until shrimp are thoroughly cooked, about 5 minutes. Serves 8.

Tips From Our Test Kitchen:
This recipe can be seasoned according to taste. Hot sauce can be added to make it fiery. Smoked sausage can substitute for the ham if desired.

French-Style Cream Cheese Spread - Yum-O!

I am a huge fan of cheese and crackers paired with a glass of wine after a long day. This cheese spread always does the trick for me!

French-Style Cream Cheese Spread
Instructions:
Yield: 1 servings
1
package 8 oz soft cream cheese
¼ cups margarine, soft
1 Clove garlic, minced
1 tablespoon snipped parsley
1 tablespoon Water
2 teaspoon White wine vinegar
1 teaspoon Worchestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Herbes de Provence, crushed*
¼ teaspoon Seasoning salt
Fresh thyme (optional)
Assorted crackers

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the cream cheese, margarine or butter, garlic, parsley, water, vinegar, Worchestershire sauce, Herbes de Provence, and seasoning salt. Cover and refrigerate over- night.

2. To serve, garnish with fresh thyme, if desired. Serve with crackers.

***Herbes de Provence: In a small storage container, combine 1 T dried marjoram, 1 T dried thyme, 1 T dried savory, 1 t dried basil, 1 t dried rosemary, ½ t dried sage, and ½ t dried fennel seed. Store in airtight container. Crush before using.

Calories: 58 per tablespoon; 6 gm fat; 1 gm protein; 72 mg sodium

Ole' Buddy's Oyster Burger

For those of you not raised on the Gulf Coast or near any coast at all, oysters might have a...slimy connotation. I, on the other hand, couls slurp those suckers down all day. Below is a winning recipe from a recent contest by the Daily Press for the best burgers. Enjoy!


Ole' Buddy's Burger
The recipe was submitted by Van Kennedy of Hampton.

1 side of a hamburger bun
1/4 pound ground beef
1 medium oyster
Old Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
Lemon juice, to taste

Smear the bun with margarine and grill until toasted. You may also sprinkle the roll with Old Bay seasoning. Shape the ground beef into a patty and grill with olive oil. Steam the oyster until done. Place the burger on the bun, spread a heaping tablespoon of mayonnaise on the burger, or more according to taste. Top with the oyster, pressing it down into the mayonnaise. Squeeze two or three squirts of lemon juice on top of the oyster and burger.

Green Chili-Chicken Casserole

This weekend and next weekend are the Green Hatch Chili festivals in various cities around the Southwest. Being a devoted fan of all things green chili, I thought I'd share this delectable recipe I made this week from fresh green chilies (!). Folks, I assure you there is nothing better than a meal with green chilies in it. find something better - I dare you.

Oh, and as a bonus it's fairly low in calories too! Can this meal get any better? Me thinks not. One serving has only 335 calories. I double dare you to only eat one serving.

Green Chile-Chicken Casserole

If you assemble the casserole the day before, cover with cooking spray-coated foil. When ready to serve the make-ahead, chilled dish, bake 1 hour; then uncover and bake an additional 30 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and browning."

1/3 cups fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 cup canned chopped green chiles, drained
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup fat-free sour cream
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 (10 1/2-ounce) cans condensed 98% fat-free cream of chicken soup, undiluted (such as Campbell's)
1 garlic clove, minced
Cooking spray
24 (6-inch) corn tortillas
4 cups shredded cooked chicken breast (about 1 pound)
2 cups (8 ounces) finely shredded sharp cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350°.

Combine the first 9 ingredients in a large saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat.

Spread 1 cup soup mixture in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Arrange 6 tortillas over the soup mixture, and top with 1 cup chicken and 1/2 cup cheese. Repeat layers, ending with the cheese. Spread remaining soup mixture over cheese. Bake at 350° for 30 minutes or until bubbly.

Yield: 12 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup)

CALORIES 335 (29% from fat); FAT 10.8g (sat 5.9g,mono 2.7g,poly 1.2g); IRON 1.5mg; CHOLESTEROL 66mg; CALCIUM 270mg; CARBOHYDRATE 34.3g; SODIUM 693mg; PROTEIN 23.9g; FIBER 3.2g

Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2003

Buffalo Chips

Yummy yummy buffalo chips!

Ingredients
1 cup margarine
1 cup solid shortening
2 cups packed brown sugar
2 cups granulated sugar
4 eggs 2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups quick oats (uncooked)
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
2 cups Rice Krispies
6 ounces chocolate chips

Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, cream margarine and shortening. Add sugars, eggs and vanilla. Mix well. Stir in oats, flour, baking soda and baking powder. When well blended, stir in coconut, pecans, Rice Krispies and chocolate chips. When batter is thoroughly mixed, measure 1/4 cup batter for each cookie on a large ungreased baking sheet. Bake 10 to 12 minutes, or until edges are golden. For a crispier cookie, bake 12 to 15 minutes. Allow cookies to cool slightly on baking sheet before removing. This recipe makes about 4 dozen large cookies.

Tips From Our Test Kitchen: Substitute peanut butter or butterscotch chips if you prefer.

Five-a-day Vegetables with Parmesan

After a completely exhausting vacation on a week-long cruise (seriously!) I have no energy to even sit up, much less think. Who knew that a cruise would be so jam-packed? Anyways, my body is feeling drained from too much activity and WAY too much food. I'm going to try and stick to healthful recipes this week. Like this one...


Five-a-day Vegetables with Parmesan

Ingredients
4 cups thinly sliced zucchini
1 small onion, sliced
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
1 medium carrot, grated
1 tablespoon water
2 tablespoons margarine
teaspoon salt Black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 cup diced tomatoes, seeds removed
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Instructions

1. Combine zucchini, onion, bell pepper, carrot, water, butter, salt, pepper and Italian seasoning in a large skillet. Cover and cook 1 minute. Uncover and cook, turning with wide spatula, until vegetables are barely tender, about 5 to 10 minutes.
2. Add tomatoes and Parmesan cheese. Toss and cook another minute.
Serves 8 to 10.

Tips from the Test Kitchen
Tips From Our Test Kitchen: Throw in a handful of chopped fresh herbs, such as basil, oregano or thyme, with the tomatoes for extra flavor.

Best Lasagna Recipe

This lasagna recipe is out of this world!! The combination of the meat sauce and the cream sauce is simply divine. This is one recipe you don't want to miss out on!

Ingredients

Noodles and Cheese:
1 pound lasagna noodles
16 ounces Parmesan cheese
16 ounces grated mozzarella cheese
16 ounce cottage cheese

Meat Sauce:
1 pound ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/2 pound mild sausage
1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
1 (12-ounce) can tomato paste
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon basil
2 teaspoons salt
Black pepper
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed
1/4 cup chopped parsley

Cream Sauce:
1/4 cup margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk

Instructions
1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse with hot water. Drain again. 2. To prepare the meat sauce, brown ground beef in a skillet. Add onion and garlic. Drain grease and add sausage, tomatoes and tomato paste. Stir in oregano, basil, salt, pepper, fennel seed and parsley. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes. Uncover and simmer 30 minutes more, stirring occasionally.
3. To prepare the cream sauce, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour. Cook 1 minute. Add milk and cook, stirring constantly, until smooth and thick.
4. Preheat oven to 375F. To assemble the lasagna, pour 1/3 of meat sauce in bottom of a 15-by-12-inch pan. Lay 6 or 7 noodles over sauce. Pour 1/2 the remaining meat sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with 1/2 the Parmesan cheese. Add another layer of noddles. Sprinkle on mozzarella. Pour hot cream sauce on top. Layer with remaining noodles, cottage cheese, remaining meat sauce and remaining Parmesan cheese.
5. Bake until cheese melts, about 30 minutes. Serves 12.

Pita Crisps

I love potato chips but they don't particularly love my waistline so I've become a pretty big fan of pita chips. This recipe is easy and sure to please even the most devoted chip fan

Pita Crisps
Instructions:
Yield: 4 servings
2 Pita breads (6" diameter)
2 teaspoon Margarine
2 teaspoon Oregano
4 tablespoon Grated parmesan cheese

Preheat broiler. Split pitas horizontally into 2 rounds. Spread rough edges with margarine. Place on cookie sheet. In a small bowl, toss together oregano and Parmesan cheese. Sprinkle over margarine. Cut each bread into wedges. Broil about 5" from heating element until crisp, about 2 minutes. Watch carefully! VARIATIONS: experiment with other herbs of your choice such as chives and parsley; or, omit oregano and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve alone or with dips or pates.
Your Pita Crisps is ready. Buon appetito!

Icing in a Minute!

Homemade is almost always better but when it comes to icing for a cake, I usually take the lazy route and go for the store-bought stuff. However, One-Minute Chocolate Icing? I'm in!

ONE MINUTE CHOCOLATE ICING
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup milk
1 stick margarine (do not use light margarine)
1/2 cup cocoa

Mix all ingredients together and boil exactly 1 minute, stirring while boiling.
Cool. Beat until creamy, then spread between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Fresh Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

I adore cream cheese frosting so this cake is always a staple for me. Happy Monday...ick!

Fresh Apple Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients
Cake:
1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 cup vegetable oil
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt 2 cups peeled and chopped apples
1 cup chopped walnuts
Cream Cheese Icing:
1/2 cup margarine, softened
1 (1-pound) box confectioners’ sugar
1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Grease and flour a 13-by-9-inch baking dish. 2. Beat sugar, eggs and oil together with a mixer until well blended. Mix in flour, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Stir in apples and walnuts, mixing well. 3. Pour into baking dish. Bake 50 to 55 minutes. Let cool before icing. 4. To prepare the icing, mix butter, sugar, cream cheese and vanilla. Spread on cooled cake. Serves 20.

Cheesy Chicken Chowder Delight

I am a total chowder freak. I could eat corn chowder, clam chowder, bacon & chowder and so on, pretty much every single day of the week. Of course my butt would be the size of Wisconsin but hey, we all make sacrifices, right?

This recipe below is delish and I think you'll enjoy it too!

Cheesy Chicken Chowder

Ingredients
3 cups chicken broth
2 cups diced peeled potatoes
1 cup diced carrots
1 cup diced celery
1/2 cup diced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup margarine
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
2 cups diced cooked chicken

Instructions
1In a large pan, bring chicken broth to a boil. Reduce heat. Add potatoes, carrots, celery, onion, salt and pepper. Cover and simmer 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. 2. Melt butter in a medium saucepan. Add flour and mix well. Gradually stir in milk and cook over low heat until slightly thickened. Stir in cheese and cook until melted. Add to broth and vegetables along with chicken. Cook and stir over low heat until heated through. Serves 6 to 8.

Light & Easy Halibut Hashbrown Casserole

I love me some casseroles and most of us know what when it comes to meat, fish is the healthiest way to go. Here's a healthy take on a halibut casserole from the Recipe Doctor:


Recipe Doctor: Light & Easy Halibut Hashbrown Casserole
By Elaine MageeTribune Media Services

Q: I have a halibut dish that is really tasty but quite high in calories. Can you work your magic and help me make it a bit more healthful?
A: The recipe starts with 2 sticks of butter and ends with a cup of sour cream. Not a great way to serve halibut that on its own contributes a wonderful dose of fish omega-3s (500 milligrams per 3 ounce serving) and protein (23 grams per 3 ounce serving).

Instead of using the two sticks of melted butter to coat the bottom of the 9x13-inch dish before lining the pan with shredded hash browns to create a crust, I used two tablespoons of higher monounsaturated fat margarine to coat the baking dish. To make a lighter cream sauce I used a can of Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup, a cup of fat-free sour cream, a cup of fat-free half and half or lowfat milk along with diced onions instead of the regular options. Reduced-fat sharp cheddar is still sprinkled over the top along with some corn flakes to finish the dish. These changes made big changes in terms of calories, fat, saturated fat, and cholesterol.

Light & Easy Halibut Hashbrown Casserole
(With half the calories and more then 80% less fat and saturated fat)
Original recipe contains 506 calories, 36 grams fat, 21 grams saturated fat, and 108 mg cholesterol per serving.

2 Tblsp. high monounsaturated fat less-fat margarine or whipped butter
6 cups shredded frozen hashbrowns (no fat added)
4-5 cups chunks of raw halibut, 1-inch pieces (about 24 ounces)
1 can Healthy Request Cream of Mushroom Soup, condensed
1 cup fat-free sour cream
1 cup fat-free half and half (or lowfat milk)
1 cup diced or chopped onions
½ tsp. ground black pepper (add more if desired)
½ cup reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese
2 cups corn flakes

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Generously coat the bottom and sides of 9x13-inch baking dish with margarine or whipped butter. Add hashbrowns to prepared dish and push them up the sides to form a crust. Spread the halibut pieces evenly over the potato crust. In medium bowl, combine condensed cream of mushroom soup, fat-free sour cream, half and half, diced onions and black pepper with whisk or spoon until well blended. Spread mixture over halibut. Sprinkle cheddar cheese on the top of cream sauce then crunch up the corn flakes and scatter them on top. Bake in lower section of oven, uncovered, for 45 minutes or until fish is cooked throughout and the hashbrown crust is lightly browned.

Makes 8 servings. Per serving: 265 calories, 23g protein, 28g carbohydrate, 6.4g fat, 2.2g saturated fat, 2g monounsaturated fat, 2g polyunsaturated fat, 35mg cholesterol, 2g fiber, 408mg sodium. Calories from fat: 22 percent. Omega-3 fatty acids = .5g, Omega-6 fatty acids = 1.4g. Weight Watchers POINTS = 5.

Vegetarian Buffalo "Wings" for Super Bowl Sunday

Let's get ready to RUMBLE!!!!! ...Oh wait, my bad. That's wrestling, isn't it? Whatever it is, this Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday and Steelers and Cardinals fans across the nation are ready and rearing to go.



Nothing is more American than football, sauce-soaked buffalo wings and an ice-cold beer. I get excited just thinking about it. But what about the vegetarians out there? Why must they be deprived of buffalo wings? Well deprivation is gone with About.com's vegetarian "Spicy Seitan Buffalo Wings."



I'll be the first to admit that I've not yet tried making these but I plan on giving them a whirl this weekend. They're made with margarine so you've got some heart healthy benefits going on there. Enjoy and please don't drink and drive people!



"Spicy Seitan Buffalo "Wings" are a vegetarian and vegan substitute for tradtional pub buffalo wings. Seitan doesn't come with wings any more than buffaloes do, but these meatless buffalo wings are cooked up with hot sauce and margarine for the same spicy flavor.

Ingredients:
1 pound seitan, sliced into strips
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
olive oil for frying
1/3 cup margarine, melted
1/2 cup hot sauce
Preparation:Coat the seitan with garlic powder and onion powder then lightly fry in olive oil over medium high heat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until done.
In a medium sized bowl, mix together the melted margarine and hot sauce. Place the seitan in the bowl and stir to coat well.


Serve with ranch dressing if desired."

Puff the Magic Cheese Puff

Who doesn’t love a cheese puff? These are surprisingly a little easier on the waistline than I expected. Plus, they’ve got spinach and margarine in them so you’re actually sucking down so pretty healthful ingredients. That’s all for now folks!

Spinach-Cheese Puffs

Instructions:
Yield: 1 servings
1 10-oz package frozen chopped
1 cups Milk
½ cups Margarine
1 teaspoon Salt
1 cups All-purpose flour
4 Large eggs
¼ lb Gruyere or swiss cheese (shredded)
½ cups Grated parmesan cheese
1 Parsley, beet or salad green

Calories per serving: 50
Fat grams per serving: 4
Cholesterol per serving: 22

Drain spinach; squeeze dry with paper towels. In 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, heat milk, margarine or butter, and salt until margarine melts and mizture boils. Remove saucepan from heat. With wodden spoon, vigorously stir in flour all at once until mixture forms a ball and leaves side of saucepan. Add eggs to flour mixture, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, until mixture is smooth and satiny. Stir in Gruyere and parmesan cheeses and spinach. If not baking right away, cover surface of mixture with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Lightly grease 2 large cookie sheets. inches apart. Bake 15 to 20 minutes until cheese puffs are golden brown. Arrange appetizer and garnish on platter; serve immediately. MAKES 4 DOZEN CHEESE PUFFS.

Simply Deelish!

I can't say enough about this scrumptious, heart healthy chicken dish. I love it and it's super simple to make, even on a weeknight. How can a recipe not be good if it's hazelnut liqueur, almonds, garlic, onions, half and half and margarine?


Chicken Frangelico
Serves: 4 / Preparation time: 10 minutes / Total time: 20 minutes

3 tablespoons trans fat-free margarine, divided
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon salt, divided
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 cup diced onion
1 clove minced garlic
1/4 cup Frangelico (hazelnut-flavored liqueur)
1 cup fat-free half-and-half (such as Land O' Lakes)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
4 (4 ounces each) boneless, skinless chicken breasts, pounded to 1/2-inch thickness
2 tablespoons slivered almonds, toasted

In a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons margarine over medium-high heat until it melts. In a shallow dish or pie plate, combine the flour, 1/8 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Coat chicken breasts in flour mixture and sauté in margarine, turning until golden brown on each side and cooked through. Remove the chicken to a platter and keep warm.

Add the remaining tablespoon of margarine to the skillet along with the onion and garlic. Sauté 3 to 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bits on the bottom of the pan. Add the Frangelico and continue to sauté an additional 3 to 5 minutes.

In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the half-and-half and cornstarch. Reduce heat to medium low and gradually add the half-and-half mixture to the skillet. Allow the sauce to thicken. Pour the sauce over the chicken, top with toasted almonds and serve. Serve with brown rice, couscous or no-yolk egg noodles.

Onion-Cheddar Bread

Orange juice is a surprising ingredient in this yummy bread. The reason I love this recipe so much is because it's one of the few that doesn't require a breadmaker.

Onion-Cheddar Bread Instructions:
Yield: 4 servings
2½ cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1 cups Whole Wheat Flour
1 package Active Dry Yeast
1/3 cups Warm Water (110-115 Degrees)
½ cups Orange Juice ½ cups Water
2 tablespoon Margarine *
1 Env. Onion Soup Mix
1 tablespoon Sugar
1 teaspoon Salt
5 oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese
* Margarine should be cut into small pieces.

In medium bowl, combine flours and set aside. In large bowl, dissolve yeast in warm water. Add orange juice, water, butter, onion recipe soup mix, sugar, salt, and 2 cups flour mixture. Mix until smooth. Stir in enough of the remaining flour mixture until soft dough is formed and it pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn dough onto lightly floured board, then knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Cover and let rise in warm place until doubled, about 1 hour. (Dough is ready if indentation remains when touched) Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Punch down dough, then turn onto lightly floured board. Press into 10 x 8-inch rectangle; top with 1 cup cheese. roll, starting at 8-inch side, jelly-roll style; pinch ends to seal. Place in 9 x 5 x 3-inch loaf pan, seam side down. Brush with melted butter, then top with remaining cheese. Bake 45 minutes or until bread sound hollow when tapped. Remove to wire rack and cool completely before slicing. Makes 1 loaf.

Let's Talk Turkey

Like many of you, I'm starting to brainstorm about all the yummy items I'll be making for Thanksgiving dinner. I can already smell the tantalizing scent of roasting turkey permeating the house.

Here's one of my faves from Kellogs.

Cheddar Broccoli Corn Bake with Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) Original
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6

Ingredients
1/4 cup margarine, divided
2 tablespoons flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups fat-free milk
1 1/2 cups (6 oz.) shredded, low-fat low sodium Cheddar cheese
2 cups Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal (crushed to 1 cup)
1 can (16 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
2 packages (10 oz. each) frozen broccoli spears, thawed and drained

Directions
1. In 2-quart saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of the margarine over low heat. Stir in flour and salt. Add milk, stirring until smooth. Increase heat to medium and cook until mixture boils, stirring constantly. Add cheese, stirring until melted. Stir in 1/4 cup of the Kellogg's Corn Flakes(R) cereal and corn. Remove from heat.
2. Arrange broccoli in 12 x 7 1/2 x 2-inch (2-quart) glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. Pour cheese sauce over broccoli.
3. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons margarine in small saucepan. Stir in remaining cereal. Sprinkle over casserole.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F about 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Serve hot.

Chocolate Sin Raspberry Truffle Brownies

I’m licking my lips at the thought of making this recipe. Today is a very, dreary day in Houston, TX so I plan to spend it trying to make some of the recipes I’ve had on my “to-do” list for months now. This will definitely be one of them!

Chocolate Sin Raspberry Truffle Brownies
Instructions:

Yield: 9 Servings
Brownies:
1½ cups Semisweet chocolate chips
½ cups Margarine
¾ cups Brown sugar
2 lg Eggs
1 teaspoon Instant coffee; crystals
2 tablespoon Water
½ teaspoon Baking powder
¾ cups All-purpose flour
Raspberry truffle filling:
1 cups Semisweet chocolate chips
¼ teaspoon Instant coffee; crystals
1 package Cream cheese; 8 oz
¼ cups Powdered sugar
1/3 cups Seedless red raspberry
Glaze:
¼ cups Semisweet chocolate chips
1 teaspoon Shortening

Brownies: In saucepan over low heat, melt morsels and margarine; cool slightly. In large mixing bowl, beat sugar and eggs. Add chocolate mixtur and coffee dissolved in water. Mix well. Stir in baking powder and flour; blend well. Spread in greased 9x9 pan. Bake at 350^ for 30-35 minutes or until toothpick tests clean.

Raspberry Truffle Filling: Melt chocolate with coffee in pan over low heat Set aside. In small mixing bowl, beat softened cream cheese until fluffy; add powdered sugar and preserves. Beat until fluffy. Beat in melted chocolate mixture until well blended. Spread over cooled browned layer.

Glaze: In small saucepan over low heat, melt chocolate and shortening. Drizzle over truffle layer. Chill 1-2 hours. Cut into bars. ~Diana Rattray

Your Chocolate Sin Raspberry Truffle Brownies is ready. Good luck

Let's Start This Week of With a Little Salmon

We’ve all heard how great salmon is – it’s low in calories and saturated fat, high in protein and contains the almighty omega-3 fatty acids. Have a great week everybody!

Salmon Steaks With Wine Sauce

Instructions
Yield: 2 servings
8 oz (2) salmon steaks *
2 teaspoon Cooking oil
1 tablespoon margarine
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
1 Dash white pepper
½ cups Half & half light cream
1 Lge. beaten egg yolk
2 tablespoon Dry white wine
1 Seedless green grapes (opt.)
* Salmon steaks may be either fresh or frozen.

Directions
Thaw salmon steaks, if frozen. Preheat a 6½-inch microwave browning dish on 100% power for 3 minutes. Add cooking oil to the browning dish; swirl to coat the dish. Place fresh or thawed salmon steaks in the browning dish. Micro-cook, covered, on 100% power for 30 seconds. Turn the salmon steaks and micro-cook, covered, on 50% power about 3 minutes or till the salmon flakes easily when tested with a fork. Let the salmon steaks stand, covered, while preparing the wine sauce. For the wine sauce, in a 4-cup measure micro-cook the butter or margarine, uncovered, on 100% of power for 45 seconds to 1 minute or till melted. Stir in the cornstarch and white pepper. Stir in light cream. Micro-cook, uncovered, on 100% power for 2 to 3 minutes or till mixture is thickened and bubbly, stirring every minute. Stir HALF the hot cream mixture into the beaten egg yolk. Return all to the 4-cup measure. Micro-cook, uncovered, on 50% of power for 1 minute, stirring every 15 seconds. Stir till mixture is smooth. Stir in dry white wine. Transfer the salmon steaks to a serving platter. Spoon the wine sauce atop. Garnish with seedless green grapes, if desired

"Glazed" Out of Sight

I don't know what it is about the word "glaze" that conjurs up memories from my childhood. Maybe it was the warm cinnamon rolls "glazed" with frosting and fresh out of the oven after school. Or, my grandmother's infamous raisin bread "glazed" with a cinnamon sauce she rbought every holiday. Whatever it is, if you glaze it, I will be waiting with a hungry stomach, licking my lips. Here's a recipe for Glazed Lemon Bread that's sure to satisfy.

Ingredients:
For the bread:
1 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
Grated zest of 1 lemon
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 cup whole milk
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 cup melted stick margarine

For the glaze:
Juice of 1 large lemon
1/4 to 1/3 cup sugar

Directions:
To prepare bread: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, salt, sugar, lemon zest and baking powder in a bowl. Add milk, eggs and butter and stir until batter is well blended. Coat a 9-by 5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray, then pour in the batter. Bake 40 to 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Do not remove the bread from the pan.
To prepare glaze: While the bread is baking, stir the lemon juice and sugar together until the sugar is dissolved.

After removing the bread from the oven, use a toothpick to poke holes in the top of the bread while it's still hot. Baste top with glaze several times. Allow time between basting for glaze to set. This will take about 1 hour.

Much Needed Comfort Food

With my upcoming move to the Big Apple, I've been relying heavily on comfort foods lately. Think cheese, chocolate and lots of carbs. Sure, my jeans might be getting tighter as I type this but the food is certainly helping calm any nerves I may have about making such a big decision. Enjoy!


CONFETTI MAC'N CHEESE
Instructions:
Yield: 6 servings
¼
cups
Chopped onion
¼
cups
Chopped green pepper
2 tablespoon Margarine
1 lb Pasteurized process cheese
½ cups Milk
2 cups (7 oz) elbow macaroni

Saute vegetables in margarine until tender. Reduce heat to low. Add process cheese spread and milk; stir until process cheese spread is melted. Stir in macaroni. Spoon into 2 quart casserole. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese if desired.

Hamburgers Diane

During the summer there’s nothing better than a juicy burger. These burgers are great and if you want to make this even leaner, try using ground turkey. I made these last night (with the ground turkey) and they were a hit with my roommates. Pair with some low-fat oven-roasted potatoes and a mixed green salad and you’re good to go. Or make it low-carb by nixing the bun and wrapping your burger in lettuce.

Hamburgers Diane
Instructions:

Yield: 4 servings
2 tablespoon Margarine Or Butter
1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
¼ teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 Clove Garlic; Minced
1 Onion; Sliced, Small
1 cups Fresh Mushrooms; *
1 lb Lean Ground Chuck
½ teaspoon Salt
¼ teaspoon Pepper
* Mushrooms should be washed, trimmed and sliced.

Melt the margarine in a large skillet. Add the Worcestershire sauce, lemon juice, garlic, onion, and mushrooms. Cook and stir over medium heat for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Mix the meat, salt and pepper together. Shape the mixture into 4 patties, each about ¾-inch thick. Push mushroom-onion mixture to the side of the skillet. Cook the patties in the same skillet over medium-high heat, turning once, to the desired doneness, about 10 minutes. Serve with the mushroom-onion mixture spooned over the patties.

Your Hamburgers Diane is ready. Good luck!

Pizza Grilled Cheese

This recipe is great for kids of all ages! Who doesn’t love a new twist on old favorite?

1 tsp margarine
2 tsp pizza sauce
2 tbsp low-fat shredded mozzarella cheese
Your favorite pizza toppings (four thin pepperoni slices, 1 sliced mushroom, 1/4 green pepper)
Lightly spread margarine on one side of each slice of bread.

Place one slice margarine side down in a frying pan over medium heat.
Add pizza sauce, shredded cheese and all your favourite toppings, and cover with the second slice of bread, margarine side up.
Flip and lightly brown.
Once cheese is melted, remove from heat, slice in half and enjoy.

Ice Cream Cookie Sammies

I can’t believe it’s already Wednesday! I’m going to advocate a switch to the four-day work week all the time, not just for special occasions. I hope everyone enjoyed themselves. We made these ice cream sandwich es over the weekend and they’re great after a long day out in the sun. If you want to make a low-fat version use Breyer’s slow-churned ice cream and low fat cookies. I used cookies and cream ice cream for sandwiches but you can whatever flavor you like.

Chill-Out Ice Cream Cookie Sandwiches

Instructions:
Yield: 15 Sandwiches
¼ cups Margarine
¼ cups Vegetable shortening
½ cups Packed brown sugar
¼ cups Sugar
1 Egg, beaten
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
1 cups All-purpose flour
½ teaspoon Baking soda
3 cups Rice Chex cereal, crushed to
1½ cups
1/3 cups Miniature semi-sweet candy
Coated chocolate pieces
1 qt any flavor ice cream, slightly softened

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Beat margarine, shortening and sugars until creamy. Add egg and vanilla; mix well. Add flour and baking soda; mix well. Stir in cereal and chocolate pieces.

Using rounded tablespoon, shape dough in 1¼ inch balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie sheet and flatten slightly. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Let stand one minute before removing to racks to cool.

When cookies are completely cool, place ¼ cup ice cream on a cookie and spread to edge. Top with second cookie. Store in airtight container in freezer.

Chicken and Lime Fajitas

Cinco de Mayo is next Monday and being born in Texas, this holiday is huge in my family! I can remember being younger and watching my parents dust off the chip and salsa platters, margarita glasses, sombreros and tortilla warmers. We always had a huge party in our backyard where everyone gathered to munch one chile con queso, fajitas and icy frozen margaritas.
Here’s a yummy chicken and lime fajita recipe that is heart healthy and has a little kick. Happy early Cinco de Mayo!!

Total Time: 45 min
Olive Oil
1 T margarine
2-3 lbs bonesless, skinless chicken, cut into strips
1 large onion, cut into strips
1 red pepper, julienned
1 yellow pepper, julienned
2 T. chopped garlic
2 T. chili powder
1 T. cumin
Seasoned Salt
Garlic
Pepper
1/4 t. cayenne pepper
1 T. dried clinatro
1/2 lime
6 roma tomatoes, sliced lengthwise
Flour Tortillas
Garnishes: Sliced Jalepeno, Sliced black olives, shredded mexican flavor cheese, sour cream, shredded lettuce, salsa, guacamole, and tortilla chips

1. Drizzle extra virgin olive oil in large skillet Add margarine When margarine melts add chicken, onion, peppers, garlic, and seasonings (except lime).
2. When chicken is almost done, add tomatoes and squeeze lime over all.
3. Cook about 10 minutes longer on low. Serve with Spanish Rice and garnishes.

Yield: 6-8 servings

Buffalo Chicken Dip

This recipe doesn’t utilize my all-time favorite ingredient, margarine, but it is absolutely delicious just the same! It’s quick, easy and is very addictive. Enjoy!

8 ounce package cream cheese
1/2 cup blue cheese dressing
1/4 cup blue cheese crumbles
1/4 cup red hot sauce
2 cups shredded cooked chicken (or use the already made grilled chicken breast strips)
1/2 cup diced celery

Heat oven to 350*
Place cream cheese in pie plate microwave 1 minute to soften Whisk in salad dressing, hot sauce & blue cheese crumbles until smooth.
Stir in chicken & celery

Bake 20 minutes and serve with tortilla chips

Summer is just around the corner and nothing reminds me of summer like some delicious barbecue chicken. Pair this recipe with some grilled veggies or a fresh vegetable salad and maybe a baked potato topped with margarine and low-fat sour cream and you’ve got a low-calorie, heart healthy meal in a jiffy!


Jan's Barbecued Chicken

Ingredients:
Chicken Parts, Breast or legs or thighs skinned.
1 cup margarine liquid type
1/4 cup dill cut up fresh or 2 tbsp dill
2 tbsp garlic minced
salt and pepper to taste
cayenne pepper,very little

Directions:
Start your barbecue and cook the chicken parts as you would normally do. Last ten minutes of cooking add the melted margarine, salt and pepper; cayenne pepper; dill an minced garlic. Brush margarine mixture on chicken every 10 minutes - watch so chicken doesn't burn.
This is a great sauce for the chicken as well as corn on the cob and also baked potatoes. The dill is different and very tasty. The cayenne gives a bite of spice.

Number of Servings: 6

This recipe is courtesy of Jan Toomey, on http://www.margarine.org.

Favorite Cheesecake Squares

Words cannot even begin to express my love for cheesecake. I could write a small novel on all of its wonderful qualities. Every time I have a serious break up, bad day at work or really any sort of stress in my life, the first thing I turn to is cheesecake. It’s my source for relief and tranquility. In fact, I'm going to create a category on my blog dedicated solely to cheesecake. These scrumptious cheesecake squares are sure to be a big hit.

Favorite Cheesecake Squares

Instructions:
Yield: 16 servings

¼ cups Margarine
1/3 cups Packed Brown Sugar
1 cups Unbleached All-purpose Flour
½ cups Chopped Walnuts
8 oz Cream Cheese, Softened
¼ cups Granulated Sugar
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 Large Egg
¾ cups M&M Candies*

*NOTE: You can use any type of milk chocolate candies in place of the M&Ms.

Beat margarine and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add flour and walnuts, mix well. Reserve ½ cup crumb mixture; press remaining crumb mixture into bottom of 8-inch square pan. Bake at 350 degrees F. 10 mins. Combine cream cheese, granulated sugar and vanilla, mixing at medium speed on electric mixer until well blended. Add egg, mix well. Layer ½ cup candy over crust; top with cream cheese mixture. Combine remaining candy, chopped, and reserved crumb mixture; mix well. Sprinkle crumb mixture over cream cheese mixture. Bake at 350 degrees F., 20 minutes. Cool and cut in to 16 equal squares.

Chocolate Brown Delight

Yum, yum, yum, yum…okay enough, I promise to stop “yumming.” These brownies are deliciously bad when it comes to calories but positively divine when it comes to taste.


Chocolate Brownie Delight
Instructions:

Yield: 1 Batch
6 oz Unsweetened chocolate
¾ cups Margarine
6 Eggs, beaten
2 cups Sugar
¼ teaspoon Salt
2 teaspoon Vanilla
1½ cups Flour
16 oz Pkg. semi-sweet morsels

Preheat oven to 350. Grease a 9 X 13" pan and line with wax paper. Set aside.

Melt unsweetened chocolate and butter in pan, stirring constantly. Remove and cool. Combine eggs, sugar, salt and vanilla; add to chocolate. Mix well. Stir in flour and morsels. Pour in pan and bake 25-30 minutes.

But The Fire's So Delightful

Tis the season to stay indoors, curled up by the fire with a piping cup of coca or soup and doing absolutely nothing.

My weekend plans are just that. My body is fiercely rejecting the bout of cold weather Atlanta seems to be getting so I’m just going to stop fighting it. I plan to catch up on some reading, watch old movies like the “Sound of Music,” and revel in the fact that I’m not outside.

I found this recipe this morning and plan on trying it Sunday, which is typically my day to cook. I love gumbo, especially during the winter. It’s usually exhausting trying to chop all the ingredients but this version seems much less “chop-heavy.” Plus, it’s from Paula Dean, the chef of the South, so how can it be bad? Always be sure to let your gumbo sit for a couple of hours before eating so it can absorb all the flavors. I’ll let you know how it goes!

Paula Dean's Gumbo

INGREDIENTS
• 3 large boneless skinless chicken breast halves
• Salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1 pound smoked sausage, cut into 1/4-inch slices
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 5 tablespoons margarine
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 cloves garlic minced
• 1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 3 stalks celery chopped
• 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 bunch flat-leaf parsley, stems and leaves, coarsely chopped, plus chopped leaves for garnish
• 4 cups hot water
• 5 beef bouillon cubes
• 1 14-ounce can stewed tomatoes with juice
• 2 cups frozen sliced okra
• 4 green onions, sliced, white and green parts
• 1/2 pound small shrimp, peeled, deveined and cooked

DIRECTIONS
Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-high heat.

Cook the chicken until browned on both sides and remove. Add the sausage and cook until browned, then remove.

Sprinkle the flour over the oil, add 2 tablespoons of margarine and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until brown, about 10 minutes. Let the roux cool. Return the Dutch oven to low heat and melt the remaining 3 tablespoons margarine.

Add the onion, garlic, green pepper and celery and cook for 10 minutes. Add Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper to taste and the 1/4 bunch parsley. Cook, while stirring frequently, for 10 minutes.

Add 4 cups hot water and bouillon cubes, whisking constantly. Add the chicken and sausage. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes. Add tomatoes and okra. Cover and simmer for 1 hour. Just before serving add the green onions, shrimp and chopped parsley.

Chips Ahoy Ice Cream Cake

For some reason I have been craving chocolate more than usual. I’m not sure if it’s the dreary, cold weather, stress from the job or the fact that I’m a chocoholic but the craving is there. This recipe rocks!!!

Chips Ahoy Ice Cream Cake

Yield: 12 Servings
32 Chips Ahoy chocolate chip
¼ cups Margarine, melted
1 cups Chocolate fudge topping
2 qt Ice cream, any combination
prepared whipped topping for garnish strawberries or maraschino cherries, for garnish

Finely roll (with a rolling pin) 20 cookies. Combine cookie crumbs and margarine. Press onto bottom of 9-inch springform pan or pie plate; stand remaining cookies around edge of pan or pie plate. Spread ¾ cup fudge topping over prepared crust. Freeze about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, soften 1 qt. ice cream. Spread softened ice cream over fudge layer. Freeze about 30 minutes. Scoop remaining ice cream into balls; arrange over ice cream layer. Freeze until firm, about 4 hours overnight. To serve, garnish with whipped topping, remaining fudge topping, strawberries or maraschino cherries. Serve immediately. Makes 12 servings.

Chocolate Sanwiches - Perfect For Kids of All Ages!

Kids of all ages will love this recipe because it's not only fun to eat but it's got food coloring in it, which kids adore.

Chocolate Sandwiches

Instructions:
Yield: 36 Servings

Sandwiches
½ cups margarine
1 cups Sugar
1 Egg
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1¼ cups All-purpose flour
½ cups Unsweetened cocoa powder
¾ teaspoon Baking soda
¼ teaspoon Salt

Filling
2½ cups Confectioner's sugar
¼ cups Butter; softened
1 teaspoon Vanilla
2 tablespoon Milk
Red food coloring
Green food coloring

Cream butter, sugar, egg and vanilla until fluffy. In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add to creamed mixture. Shape dough into two 1½" thick rolls. Wrap in waxed paper. Chill for several hours. Place slices on ungreased cookie Bake at 375 F for 8-10 min. or until almost firm.

Meanwhile, combine filling ingredients except food coloring and mint or strawberry extract. Beat until spreading consistency. If desired, divide filling half - tint half pink and half green. Add appropriate extract to each one. Cool cookies, then spread wrong side of cookie and top with second cookie.

Your Chocolate Sandwiches is ready. Good luck!

Easing the Pain with a Little Cinnamon Toast

I'm so sorry for the lack of posts this week - what a slacker blogger I've been! In my defense though, this is probably the busiest time of year at work for me. Lots of meetings to attend and annual updates to prepare. In addition, I'm coming down with a nasty cold.

When I was a young girl and got sick my mother always used to make me cinnamon toast for breakfast. It's warm, sweet and hits the spot when you're not feeling 100%.

All you need to do to make cinnamon toast is spread some margarine on a piece of bread, sprinkle it with cinnamon and sugar and stick it under the broiler until it's toasted and voila!!

I promise I'll be back with more heart health news later this week.

Macaroni and Cheese That Packs Nutritional Bang!

Macaroni and cheese is one of the best comfort foods out there. You just can’t beat it in my book. This recipe (from Good Housekeeping) has a new take on an old classic and it’s just as delicious yet actually provides some nutritional value.

Enjoy!!!


INGREDIENTS
1 package (16 ounces) multigrain or whole wheat rotini or penne pasta
1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
2 tablespoons margarine
1 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs) or cracker crumbs
3/4 cup freshly grated Romano cheese
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
3 tablespoons cornstarch
4 cups reduced-fat (2%) milk
Salt and ground black pepper
10 ounces reduced-fat (2%) sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
1 cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves, chopped

PREPARATION
1. Heat large covered saucepot of water to boiling over high heat. Add pasta and cook 2 minutes less than label directs. Drain pasta; transfer to large bowl. Stir in tomatoes; set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. In microwave-safe small bowl, heat 1 tablespoon margarine in microwave oven on High 20 seconds or until melted. Stir in panko and 1/4 cup grated Romano until blended; set aside.

3. Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, melt remaining tablespoon margarine over medium heat; add onion and cook 6 to 8 minutes or until tender and lightly browned, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and cook 1 minute.

4. In 4-cup liquid measuring cup, whisk cornstarch into milk until blended. Whisk milk mixture, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper into onion mixture in saucepan; heat to boiling over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Boil sauce 1 minute to thicken slightly. Remove saucepan from heat and stir in Cheddar, basil, and remaining Romano until cheeses melt. Stir cheese mixture into pasta mixture.

5. Transfer pasta mixture to six 1 1/2-cup au gratin dishes or one 13" by 9" glass baking dish; top with panko mixture. Bake 20 minutes or until center is hot and top is lightly browned.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (based on individual servings)
Calories: 645
Total Fat: 21 g
Saturated Fat: 11 g
Cholesterol: 56 mg
Sodium: 1055 mg
Carbohydrates: 82 g
Fiber: 8 g
Protein: 34 g

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

Who doesn’t love ice cream? I mean really, without ice cream my life would be filled with an empty void. Everyone’s got a favorite kind of ice cream. My mom loves plain old vanilla while my dad prefers mint chocolate chip. Me, I adore cookies and cream!

This cookies and cream cheesecake is great to serve at parties because its appearance is posh enough to impress even the snobbiest of guests. However, it often brings out the youthful side of people once they realize the desert tastes like cookies and cream ice cream. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser!

Cookies And Cream Cheesecake
Instructions:

Yield: 8 servings
2 cups Cream-filled Cookies *
6 tablespoon Margarine, Softened
1 Envelope Unflavored Gelatin
¼ cups Cold Water
8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
½ cups Sugar
¾ cups Milk
1 cups Whipping Cream, Whipped
1¼ cups Cream-filled Cookies **
* The cookies (24) should be chocolate cream filled cookies and be
to as fine as can be done.
** These cookies should be chocolate cream-filled cookies and should be
coarsely chopped.


Combine cookie crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Soften gelatin in water; stir over low heat until dissolved. Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing at medium speed on an electric mixer until well-blended Gradually add gelatin mixture and milk, mixing until well blended. Chill until mixture is thickened but not set. Fold in whipped cream. Reserve 1½ C cream cheese mixture; pour remaining cream cheese mixture over crust. Top with cookies and reserved cream cheese mixture. Chill until firm.

Cookies and Cream Cheesecake

Who doesn’t love ice cream? I mean really, without ice cream my life would be filled with an empty void. Everyone’s got a favorite kind of ice cream. My mom loves plain old vanilla while my dad prefers mint chocolate chip. Me, I adore cookies and cream!

This cookies and cream cheesecake is great to serve at parties because its appearance is posh enough to impress even the snobbiest of guests. However, it often brings out the youthful side of people once they realize the desert tastes like cookies and cream ice cream. It’s definitely a crowd pleaser!

Cookies And Cream Cheesecake
Instructions:

Yield: 8 servings
2 cups Cream-filled Cookies *
6 tablespoon Margarine, Softened
1 Envelope Unflavored Gelatin
¼ cups Cold Water
8 oz Cream Cheese Softened
½ cups Sugar
¾ cups Milk
1 cups Whipping Cream, Whipped
1¼ cups Cream-filled Cookies **
* The cookies (24) should be chocolate cream filled cookies and be
to as fine as can be done.
** These cookies should be chocolate cream-filled cookies and should be
coarsely chopped.

Combine cookie crumbs and margarine; press onto bottom of 9-inch spring form pan. Soften gelatin in water; stir over low heat until dissolved. Combine cream cheese and sugar, mixing at medium speed on an electric mixer until well-blended Gradually add gelatin mixture and milk, mixing until well blended. Chill until mixture is thickened but not set. Fold in whipped cream. Reserve 1½ C cream cheese mixture; pour remaining cream cheese mixture over crust. Top with cookies and reserved cream cheese mixture. Chill until firm.

Garlic Parmesan Pasta

I am a total carb lover and pasta is by far my favorite carb to indulge in. This recipe is easy (as are all the recipes I post on my blog) and hey, anything with garlic is sure to come out delicious, right?!

Garlic Parmesan Pasta
Instructions:

Yield: 4 servings
½ cups Margarine
2 teaspoon Dried Basil; Crushed
2 teaspoon Lemon Juice
1¼ teaspoon Garlic Powder W/Parsley
¾ teaspoon Seasoned Salt
8 oz Fettuccine; Cooked & Drained
1½ cups Broccoli Floweretts; Cooked
3 tablespoon Walnuts; Chopped
½ cups Parmesan Or Romano Cheese

Melt the butter in a large skillet and add the basil, lemon juice, garlic powder and seasoned salt, blending well. Add the fettuccine, broccoli, walnuts and parmesan cheese, blending well and tossing to coat the fettuccine.

PRESENTATION:

Serve with a fresh spinach salad.

Your Garlic Parmesan Pasta is ready. Bon appetit!

Baked Stuffed Peppers...Mmmm!

Baked Stuffed Peppers
Instructions:

Yield: 1 servings
1/8 cups Long-grain brown rice
1/16 cups Minced parsley
Salt
½ Eggs, slightly beaten
1 lg Sweet peppers, red or green
1/16 teaspoon Dried oregano leaves,crumble
¾ tablespoon margarine
1/16 cups 4 oz. chopped green chiles
¼ md Onion, chopped
Black pepper
1/8 cups Finely diced celery
1/8 cups Shred. sharp Cheddar cheese
1/8 cups Sunflower seeds

Cook rice in 1-½ cups boiling salted water for 35 mins or until tender. Drain if necessary. Set aside. Cut peppers in half. Remove seeds and white membrane. Parboil peppers in boiling salted water for 5 mins. Arrange in slightly oiled, shallow 1-½ qt baking dish. Melt butter in small skillet. Add onion, celery, and sunflower seeds. Saute until onion is tender. Remove from heat. Stir into rice. Add parsley, eggs,oregano, chiles, black pepper, and salt to taste. Fill peppers with mixture. Sprinkle cheese on top. Put about 1/3 cup hot water in bottom of dish. Bake at 400* for about 20 mins. Good served with: Stewed tomatoes and corn bread (bake corn bread along with peppers).

Enjoy!

Marshmallow Fudge

Lately I've been really into baking. Granted, I'm no Betty Crocker but this Marshmallow Fudge is right up my ally. Even the novice baker could manage it and it really satisfies those chocolate cravings I often seem to have.

Marshmallow Fudge


Instructions:
Yield: 36 servings

1 package Marshmallows (12oz)
1 package Chocolate bits (12oz)
4½ cups Sugar
2 Hershey milk choc bars
1 can Evaporated Milk
½ lb Margarine
2 cups Nuts
1½ teaspoon Vanilla

Directions:
Boil sugar and milk for 12 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour over other ingredients in large bowl, stir until chocolate and marshmellows are dissolved. Add vanilla and nuts, then pour into greased pan.

From the Kitchen of: Mary Jacobson

Your Marshmallow Fudge is ready. Happy cooking!

Delicious Sirloin Burgers with Tomato Corn Salsa

Annie, over at Mixed Salad Annie, recently made history on her blog and posted her first burger recipe. I often check out her site because she always provides delicious yet fairly simple recipes. Being that I'm not the best cook in the world, I absolutely adore her recipes.

I try to incorporate a little red meat into my diet. One, because every once in a while I crave some read meat. And two, because a little red meat can actually be good for you. Just remember, all things in moderation. Here's her recipe for Sirloin Burgers with Tomato Corn Salsa. Enjoy~

Sirloin Burgers with Tomato Corn Salsa
Salsa:12 cherry tomatoes, finely chopped (I used 1 large organic field tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, for seasoning
1/2 cup cooked fresh corn or thawed frozen corn kernels (I used fresh)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro leaves (I used my own grown Italian parsley)
2 teaspoons olive oil
Additional kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Burgers:
4 - 1/4 pound 93% lean sirloin burgers
Cooking spray
1 teaspoon grill seasoning
Dash of kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

To make the salsa: Toss the tomatoes with the salt and drain in a colander for 15 minutes. Combine the tomatoes, corn, lime juice, garlic, cilantro/parsley, and olive oil in a large bowl. Season with salt and pepper and toss well.

To make the burgers: Preheat the oven broiler. Season the burgers with the the grill seasoning and salt and pepper. Spray a foil lined baking sheet with the cooking spray and place the burgers on it. Cook for about 3 minutes per side for medium well or to your liking.
Top with salsa and serve immediately.



Mixed Salad Annie

Herbed Garlic Croutons

This makes a simple yet elegant addition to any salad:

Herbed Garlic Croutons

Instructions:

Yield: 4 servings
4 tablespoon Margarine (unsalted)
2 Cloves garlic, minced
½ teaspoon Basil
½ teaspoon Oregano
2 cups Whole wheat bread cubes,½"

In a large skillet, heat margarine. Add seasonings. Cook for about 1 minute to soften. Stir in bread cubes and saute until browned and crisp. Scatter on tops of soups or salads just before serving. Makes 2 cups. VARIATIONS: - try other seasonings of your choice such as curry powder, cut into cubes. Spread on ungreased baking sheet. Toast in 400 deg F oven for about 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp. Store in tin at room temperature for 1-2 days; some of their crispness will be lost if stored in plastic container. They may be reheated and crisped in 350 deg F oven for 5 minutes.

Your Herbed Garlic Croutons is ready. Happy cooking!

My New Southern Obsession

Living in the South, you are pretty much required to love grits. When I first came to Georgia from Texas I had no idea what everyone’s obsession was with this tasteless, bland dish. That is until I went to a friend’s house and had them covered in margarine, cheese, salt and pepper. It was divine!!! Here's a great recipe!

Garlic Cheese Grits
Instructions:

Yield: 8 Servings
1 cups Grits; uncooked
3¾ cups Water
½ teaspoon Slat
1/3 cups Skim milk
3 tablespoon Tub margarine
½ teaspoon Garlic powder
4 oz Velveeta cheese; light
1 cups Sharp cheddar cheese; grated
Fat
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce


Cook the grits in the salted water. Once cooked, stir in milk and cook a few more minutes. Then add the margarine, garlic, Velveeta cheese, sharp cheddar cheese and Worcestershire sauce. Stir until the margarine and cheese have melted. Put in a casserole sprayed with vegetable oil cooking spray and sprinkle with paprika. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven for 15 to 20 minutes.

Oven-Baked Buttermilk Chicken

Yield: 4 Servings

1 Envelope of Golden Onion Soup Mix
1 cups Unbleached All-purpose Flour
2 Large Eggs
½ cups Buttermilk *
3 lb Chicken Cut into Serving Pieces
¼ cups Margarine, melted
* Substitution: Blend 1½ t lemon juice with enough milk to
equal ½
cup; let stand 5 minutes.

Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Combine golden onion recipe soup mix with flour; set aside. Beat eggs with buttermilk. Dip chicken pieces in buttermilk mixture, then flour mixture, coating well. Place in large shallow baking pan, on rack, and chill 30 minutes. Drizzle with butter, then bake 45 minutes or until well done. NOTE: This is a great recipe for picnics or just eating on the patio.

Your Oven-Baked Buttermilk Chicken is ready. Thanks to recipe4all.com for this delicious and simple recipe!

Chocolate Rapsberry Spriz

The combination of raspberry and chocolate is definitely one of my favorites. This recipe is really simple to make, even for a beginner baker. I don't consider myself to be a good baker so if I can make this, you can too!!!

Chocolate Raspberry Spritz*

Instructions:
Yield: 96 servings
1½ Foil-wrapped bars nestle; Bars (3 oz)
¾ cups margarine
1 cups Sugar
½ teaspoon Salt
1 Egg
½ cups Raspberry preserves
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
3 cups All-purpose flour
1 package Nestle tollhouse Morsels (9 oz)

Preheat oven to 350'F. In small saucepan over low heat, melt Nestle unsweetened. In large mixer bowl, beat butter, sugar and salt until creamy. Blend in egg. Bake 8-10 minutes until set. Let stand 1 minute. Remove from cookie sheets.

Makes 8 dozen cookies.

Your Chocolate Raspberry Spritz is ready. Good luck!

*** Recipe courtesy of recipeforall.com

Spaghetti Squash with Mushrooms and Shrimp

During the spring and summer when the weather gets warm, nothing satisfies my taste buds like a delicious, light meal. This recipe, from Recipe4all.com, is really simple but will impress even the snobbiest of food snobs.

Spaghetti Squash With Mushrooms and Shrimp

Instructions:
Yield: 6 servings
1 Spaghetti squash, about 2 lb
4 oz Fresh mushrooms
1 lb Medium shrimp
2 tablespoon Margarine, divided
1½ tablespoon Flour
¾ cups Milk, 2
% (low fat) 1 tablespoon Dry sherry
½ cups Grated Parmesan cheese
Fresh ground black pepper
¼ cups Corn flake crumbs

Boil shrimp with seasonings, let cool then peel and devein. Cut shrimp into small pieces, or shread. Set aside. Weigh squash, determine microwave time at 6 minutes per pound. Place squash, whole, on a glass pie plate. Microwave on high for 2 minutes; pierce rind in 4-6 places with an ice pick. Turning squash over, halfway through cooking, microwave on high for the time determined. Let stand while preparing the rest of the recipe. Place mushrooms in a 2-cup glass measure; cover with vented plastic wrap. Microwave on high 1¾ minutes. Remove mushrooms and add 1 tablespoon margarine to liquid. Blend in flour with a wire whisk, then add milk. Whisking midway through cooking, microwave on high for 2 minutes, or until thickened. Stir in sherry, cheese and pepper. Add cooked mushrooms and shrimp, mix well. Cut squash in half, remove seeds. Use a fork to scrape strands of squash from the rind. Place strand in a 1½ qt casserole, pour mushroom sauce over squash; toss to combine. Place remaining 1 tablespoon margarine in a custard cup; microwave on high 30 seconds, or until melted. Blend in corn flake crumbs. Distribute over the top of squash. Microwave on high for 1 minute, or until hot.

Your Spaghetti Squash With Mushrooms and Shrimp is ready. Bon appetit!

Twice Baked Potato Casserole

As promised, here’s Paula Dean’s recipe for Twice Baked Potato Casserole. The recipe originally calls for butter but my mom made it with margarine and it came out fantastic!

2 cups mashed potatoes
1/2 cup sour cream
House Seasoning, recipe follows
1 small onion, sliced thin
1 small bell pepper, sliced thin
8 tablespoons margarine
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar
4 medium potatoes, cooked
6 slices bacon, cooked crisp (you could use Turkey bacon to make this healthier)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Spread mashed potatoes evenly on bottom of casserole dish. Layer sour cream evenly over top. Sprinkle House Seasoning, to taste. Saute onion and bell pepper in margarine; evenly layer over top of sour cream. Slice potatoes and layer over onions and bell peppers. Add margarine. Sprinkle House seasoning. Finally top with cheese. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from oven and crumble bacon over top.

Cook's Note: Leftover mashed potatoes work wonderfully in this recipe.

House Seasoning: 1 cup salt 1/4 cup black pepper 1/4 cup garlic powder

Pasta Ala Oglio with Shrimp

Now that the weather’s getting warmer, it seems I’m favoring a bit lighter fare for my dinners. The heavy stuff probably isn’t going to get my body bikini-ready, and summer’s just around the corner.

This recipe is delicious but also lower in calories so you can enjoy this dish guilt-free!

Pasta Ala Oglio with Shrimp

Ingredients:

Yield: 1 servings
1 tablespoon Light margarine
1 teaspoon Preminced garlic or
2½ Cloves of minced garlic
1 cups Cooked pasta of your choice
3 oz Cooked shrimp
1 teaspoon Dill
1 teaspoon Parsley
½ teaspoon Basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Parmesan cheese to taste

Directions:

In a small sauté pan, sauté the margarine and garlic. Note: the author likes garlic, you may choose to add more or less as you prefer.

Once the garlic and margarine have reached a tender consistency, add the spices, and blend. Add the cooked shrimp, and sauté until shrimp is warm.

Add cooked pasta to sauté pan, toss gently but thoroughly, and transfer to warm plate. Add salt, pepper, and parmesan cheese to taste.

Beef 'n' Potato Bake

I must admit that although I try to eat healthy most of the time, sometimes I just want to kick back and have some meat and potatoes. Actually this recipe I found from Parkay allowd me to indulge a bit without causing my cholesterol to go through the roof.

Beef 'n' Potato Bake

Makes: 10 servings

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 cup minced onion
3/4 cup steak sauce
1-1/2 pounds long white potatoes, peeled and boiled
1/2 cup soft margarine
1/4 cup milk

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large skillet, cook and stir ground beef and onions for 4 to 5 minutes or until beef is no longer pink; drain. Add steak sauce; heat to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes. Spoon into 1 1/2 quart casserole. Mash potatoes with Parkay and milk until smooth. Spread mashed potato mixture evenly over beef mixture. Bake for 15 minutes or until heated through.

Delicious Spinach Wrap Ups

I’ve really been making a conscious effort to take care of my body lately. That means exercising every morning before work, taking my vitamins and eating well.

I’m not going to go haywire on my eating habits and consume barley and wheatgrass but I’m trying new recipes that incorporate fruits, vegetable, whole grains and of course, margarine! The following recipe contains two of my favorite goodies: margarine and spinach. Ever since the recent spinach scare people have been avoiding it like the plague but it’s perfectly safe to consume. If you buy it fresh, just make sure to wash it well like you would do with any vegetable. I tried these wrap ups last night and they’re delicious and very easy to make!

Spinach Wrap Ups

Instructions:
Yield: 1 servings
1 Stick of margarine
1/3 cups Water
2 cups Pepperidge Farm herb Stuffing mix
1 cups Parmesan cheese
2 package Frozen chopped spinach
(cooked and well drained)
½ lb Mild sausage
2 Eggs, slightly beaten
1 lb Bacon

Melt butter in the water; stir in stuffing, add the rest of the ingredients. Chill for 1 hour. Shape into walnut size balls. Cut bacon into 4 pieces and wrap balls, securing with toothpicks. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 to 35 minutes.

Heart Healthy Cuban Black Bean Soup

It seems like most of the country has been hit with a dreadful bout of cold weather. While you’re cuddled up inside, why not try making a delicious dish that’s healthy and will keep away the chills? The recipe (from recipeforall.com) below not only contains margarine but also black beans. Two heart healthy ingredients in one dish – can it get any better!?


Cuban Black Bean Soup
Yield: 4 servings
1 lb Black beans, dried
1 cups Onion; chopped
1 tablespoon Margarine or butter
4 cups Water
1 Bouillon cube, beef
12 oz Ham, cooked lean
2 Bay leaves
½ teaspoon Thyme, dried leaf
½ teaspoon Oregano, dried leaf
½ teaspoon Salt
1 Red pepper, dried whole
1 cups Green pepper; chopped
1/3 cups Dark rum (optional)
1 cups Sour cream (optional)

Sort and soak beans overnight; drain and discard soak water. In a 4-quart pot, saute onion in butter or marg until tender but not browned. Add soaked beans, 4 cups water, bouillon cube, ham (cut into 4-6 chunks), bay leaves, thyme, oregano, salt & red pepper. Bring to boil; reduce heat. Cover and simmer until beans are tender, 1 to 1-½ hour. Remove 1 c. beans from stew, mash in a bowl with potato masher or fork. Add mashed beans to stew; stir to thicken. Remove ham and dice. Remove bay leaves and red pepper, if used and discard. Add diced meat, green pepper and rum (if desired) to beans. Cover and simmer 15 minutes. Serve beans over rice and top with sour cream if desired

Yummy Velvet Chocolate Cheesecake

Thanksgiving is creeping upon us! I usually gain a pound or two during the holidays but it’s the one time of year when I just allow myself to sit back and enjoy the food, without obsessing about the calorie content. Below is a delicious heart healthy recipe (courtesy of Parkay) that will satisfy your taste buds. Enjoy

Velvet Chocolate Cheesecake

Ingredients
38 chocolate sandwich cookies, finely crushed
5 tablespoons tub margarine spread
5 ounces semi-sweet baking chocolate, divided
8 ounces cream cheese
1-1/2 cups dairy sour cream, divided
1/2 cup Egg Beaters® Egg Product, or 2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions
Mix cookie crumbs and Parkay in bowl. Press firmly on bottom of 9-inch springform pan. Stand 14 whole cookies around the inside edge of pan, pressing firmly into crumb mixture. Set aside.
Melt 4 ounces of chocolate in small saucepan over low heat; set aside.
Preheat oven to 325°F.
Beat cream cheese and 1/2 cup sugar with electric mixer at medium speed. Beat in 1/2 cup sour cream, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Blend in melted chocolate. Pour into prepared crust.
Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until cheesecake is slightly puffed and center is set. Blend remaining 1 cup sour cream and 2 tablespoons sugar; spread over cheesecake. Bake 5 minutes more. Cool to room temperature.
Melt remaining 1 ounce chocolate; drizzle over cheesecake. Refrigerate at least 4 hours.