Silver Dollar Oat Pancakes

Just found this recipe in Simple & Delicious. These pancakes were so moist and good and very filling! I added blueberries to some and banana slices to others and made some plain. They were all awesome! They were great with syrup and equally yummy with just whipped cream.


1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup quick-cooking oats
1-1/2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 egg
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup cinnamon applesauce
2 TBSP. butter
Maple syrup or topping of your choice

*In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, beat the egg, buttermilk, applesauce, and butter; stir into the dry ingredients just until moistened.

*Pour batter by 2 tablespoonfuls onto a lightly greased hot griddle; turn when bubbles form on top. Cook until second side is golden brown. Serve with desired topping.

***TIPS: I doubled this so I could have leftovers. I never have buttermilk, so instead I measured out a little less than 3/4 cup of milk and added enough vinegar to make 3/4 cup. Stir and let sit for a few minutes. I also only had regular applesauce so I simply added some cinnamon to the dry mixture.

Peanut Butter Rice Krispie Treats

This is one of our (mine and Barry's) all-time favorite treats!

1 cup peanut butter (we like extra crunchy)
1 cup light corn syrup
1 cup sugar
7-8 cups rice krispies cereal (I use generic)

*In a large pot mix well peanut butter, corn syrup, and sugar. Bring just to a boil (you don't want to boil for more than a few seconds or else the treats will be really really hard to chew). Turn off heat and stir in rice krispies. Pour into a greased 9 x 13 pan. Even out with the back of a buttered spoon. Allow to cool, then cut into squares.

**Hint: if you don't want to gain 100 pounds, take one square, enjoy it, then either hide the pan or give the rest away! Trust me on this. I just ate three this morning. =)

Southern Shrimp and Grits

Prep Time:

15 min

Total Time:
25 min

Makes:
4 servings

3 cups water

1/2 tsp. salt

3/4 cup instant grits

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

2 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, chopped

1 lb. medium shrimp, peeled, deveined

4 green onions, thinly sliced (about 1/3 cup)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 Tbsp. chopped parsley

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

BRING water to boil in medium saucepan. Add salt. Slowly stir in grits. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover. Cook 7 min. or until thickened. Stir in cheese; set aside.

MEANWHILE, cook bacon in large skillet on medium-heat heat until crisp. Drain on paper towels; set aside. Add shrimp, onions and garlic to skillet; cook and stir 3 min. or until shrimp turn pink. Add bacon, parsley and lemon juice; mix well.

Serve shrimp mixture over grits.


**So easy, so quick, and so good! I didn't have any green onions, so I just used yellow. I will definitely be making this again and again....

Farfalle with Sausage, Cannellini Beans, and Kale

**What would I do without friends? They supply me with such awesome recipes! This one is definitely a keeper. I made it for dinner a couple of weeks ago after buying some fresh kale at a farmers market. I had it for lunch the next two days (it's even good cold!). If you're not too worried about calories/fat, then add more sausage. I had never used kale before and had no idea what to do with it (so, naturally I googled it). Simply fold back each leaf and run your knife along the back to cut off the entire stem. Then chop it up, wash it, and toss it into the dish as directed.


*Use a vegetable peeler to shave fresh Parmesan cheese on top of this rustic pasta dish.

Ingredients

8 ounces uncooked farfalle (bow tie pasta)
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
8 ounces hot turkey Italian sausage
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1 (14-ounce) can fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1 (16-ounce) package fresh kale
1 (15-ounce) can cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1 ounce shaved fresh Parmesan cheese (about 1/4 cup)

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain, reserving 1 cup cooking liquid; keep warm.

Drain tomatoes in a small sieve over a bowl, reserving 2 teaspoons oil; slice tomatoes. Heat a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Add sliced tomatoes, reserved 2 teaspoons tomato oil, onion, and sausage to pan; cook 10 minutes or until sausage is browned, stirring to crumble. Add garlic to pan; cook 1 minute. Add seasoning, pepper, and broth to pan. Stir in kale; cover and simmer 5 minutes or until kale is tender. Stir in pasta, reserved 1 cup cooking liquid, and beans.

Yield

6 servings (serving size: 1 3/4 cups pasta mixture and 2 teaspoons cheese)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 329(25% from fat); FAT 9g (sat 2.2g,mono 3g,poly 2.3g); PROTEIN 18.7g; CHOLESTEROL 26mg; CALCIUM 204mg; SODIUM 669mg; FIBER 5g; IRON 4mg; CARBOHYDRATE 45.7g

Jeanne Kelley, Cooking Light, NOVEMBER 2007

Chocolate Sauce

Another recipe from Jessica. We always ask her to bring it to our potlucks. It is great by itself with a spoon or finger =). It is superbly wonderful drizzled over crepes, poured over bananas, strawberries and other fruit. Really, it is so good and versatile. If only it were so good on the waist-line......

Ingredients:

2 cups sugar

4 Tbsp or ¼ cup cocoa

¼ cup butter

1 1/3 cup evaporated milk

2 tsp vanilla

Directions:

1. Stir sugar and cocoa over very low heat for 2 minutes.
2. Add the butter and evaporated milk. Stir constantly until it boils.
3. Stir for one minute.
4. Add 2 tsp vanilla.

Tomalito

In January my sister and I visited a restaurant in Florida that served this stuff. I had never heard of it before, but my sister raved so I had to try it! It was so good that I wouldn't have cared if I ate anything else for lunch that day (although, of course, I ate many other things). She asked one of the waitresses about the recipe and was told that it was a very involved recipe that took a long time. So, we were discouraged.

The good news is that on Cinco de Mayo a friend, Jessica, brought this as a side dish to our potluck dinner. She explained that she found a microwave version of this recipe that is quite simple. We love Jessica!

Ingredients:

5 T margarine (don’t substitute butter)

¼ cup masa harina (corn flour)

1/3 cup sugar

½ cup water…I add just a touch more

2 cup thawed frozen corn (measure after it is thawed)

½ cup cornmeal

1 t baking powder

½ t salt

3 T milk (actually just under 3 T)

Directions:

1. Mix margarine, masa and sugar until fluffy.
2. Blend 1 cup corn with water until smooth, add the rest of the corn and blend slightly.
3. Mix cornmeal and milk and let sit a few minutes.
4. Add all to the margarine, masa and sugar mix. Blend well.
5. Put in an 8x8 covered dish and microwave for 7 minutes at 30% power and then 4 minutes at full power. Fluff before serving.

Tex-Mex Pasta Salad

This is a really fun twist on pasta salad! A friend, K, made this at our Cinco de Mayo dinner the other night. Luckily she sent me home with some leftovers so I got to have them for lunch the next day. Please try this. You won't regret it. =)

Ingredients

1 pound uncooked radiatore pasta (short coiled pasta)
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds ground turkey
2/3 cup water
1 (1.25-ounce) package 40%-less-sodium taco seasoning (such as Old El Paso)
2 cups (8 ounces) preshredded reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
2 cups chopped seeded tomato
1 cup chopped bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 cup chopped green onions
1/2 cup sliced ripe olives
1 (15.5-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (8-ounce) container reduced-fat sour cream
Salsa (optional)

Preparation

Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse with cold water. Drain; set aside. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 1 minute. Add turkey; cook until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in water and taco seasoning; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 4 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates and the turkey is done, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; cool slightly. Combine pasta, turkey mixture, reduced-fat cheese, and next 6 ingredients (through beans) in a large bowl.

Combine lime juice, salt, cumin, and sour cream, stirring until well blended. Pour over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Serve with salsa, if desired.

Yield

12 servings (serving size: about 1 1/3 cups)

Nutritional Information

CALORIES 344(30% from fat); FAT 11.4g (sat 5.3g,mono 4.1g,poly 1.4g); PROTEIN 23.4g; CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CALCIUM 193mg; SODIUM 632mg; FIBER 3.6g; IRON 2.9mg; CARBOHYDRATE 38.5g

Pizza Noodle Bake

Found this in a recent Simple & Delicious magazine. It is the first thing I've cooked in a long time that Alton would actually taste (this is the kid who will only eat mac n cheese, peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, or nothing-if the alternative is eating what I prepared- for dinner). Then, believe it or not, he actually liked it! It's a miracle! So, this recipe's a keeper. Oh yeah, it was really easy to make, too. And very tasty.


10 oz. uncooked egg noodles
1-1/2 pounds ground beef (or turkey)
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 jar (14 oz) pizza sauce
1 can (4 oz) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 cup (4 oz) shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup (4 oz) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
1 package (3-1/2 oz) sliced pepperoni

*Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, and green pepper over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

*Add pizza sauce and mushrooms. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 2-3 minutes or until heated through. Drain noodles.

*In a greased 9 x 13 baking dish, layer half of the noodles, beef mixture, cheeses and pepperoni. Repeat layers. Cover and bake @ 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until heated through.

**Variations: There are people in my house who don't like mushrooms or peppers, so I left those out. =( I used a mixture of ground beef, ground turkey, and some canadian bacon (because I happened to have some in my fridge). I also used turkey pepperoni and whole wheat egg noodles (with no yolks) to make it a little more healthful. It was so good!

Poor Man's Turtles

Man, these are so yummy (and addicting, so just make a few at a time if they are just for you). The recipes says to put them in the oven, but I've actually popped a few in the microwave for about 40 seconds and it has the same effect. I have also made some without the pecans (since Barry doesn't care for them) and they are still delicious.

mini pretzel twists (or the square ones)
Rolo candies
pecan halves

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees
*Scatter pretzels on a cookie sheet, in a single layer. Top each with one Rolo candy. Put in preheated oven just until chocolate begins to melt (about 3 minutes). Remove from oven and top each with a pecan half, pressing down slightly. Enjoy!

**One W.W. point each

Sausage Cheese Balls

2 lbs. sausage
1-1/2 cups baking/biscuit mix
4 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients and form into 1-inch balls. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet for 15 minutes or until golden brown.

**Makes about 6 dozen. Freeze leftovers.

Microwave Peanut Brittle

From Nana

1 cup raw peanuts
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/8 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp butter
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. vanilla

*In a 2 quart glass mixing bowl, mix peanuts, sugar, corn syrup, and salt. Cook on high (in microwave) for 3-1/2 minutes. Stir well, then cook another 3-1/2 minutes. Add butter and stir well. Return to microwave for 2 minutes.
*Quickly remove from microwave and stir in baking soda and vanilla; mix well. Pour onto a greased cookie sheet (or pizza pan). Spread out evenly and let cool/harden. Break into pieces with knife.

**Variation: if making pecan brittle, only cook for 5 minutes (instead of 7) before adding butter.

Hidden Pear Salad

Almost any time we have a family gathering these days, it's almost guaranteed that this "salad" will be there. It's so light and refreshing and good.

1 can (16 oz) pears, liquid drained and reserved
1 pkg (3 oz) lime flavored gelatin
1 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1/4 tsp. lemon juice
1 tub (8 oz) cool whip

*In saucepan, bring pear liquid to a boil. Stir in gelatin and stir until dissolved. Remove from heat and let cool until syrupy. Meanwhile, puree pears in a blender. Beat cream cheese and lemon juice until fluffy and smooth. Add pears and mix well. Add cool whip and cooled gelatin. Chill.

**Variation: It is equally delicious when made with lighter (and/or sugar-free) ingredients.

Trail Mix Bars

2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
1/2 cup peanut butter
4 cups mini marshmallows
6 cups Honey Toasted Crunch Cereal, crushed
3/4 cup raisins, optional

*Place butter and peanut butter in large microwaveable bowl. Microwave for 1 minute; stir. Add marshmallows; toss to coat. Microwave an additional 1-1/2 minutes or until marshmallows are puffed; stir until well blended. Add cereal and mix well. Press cereal mixture firmly into a 9 x 13 pan. Let stand for 1 hour or until firm. Cut into bars.

Apple Crunch

From Nana

1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup sugar
4 Tbsp. flour
4 cups peeled, sliced apples

*Mix together above ingredients and pour into an 8 inch baking dish.

1 cube margarine
3/4 cup flour
1 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup rolled oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder

*Mix above ingredients together and spread over top of apple mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Creamy Pasta Bake

1 jar or can (26 oz) spaghetti sauce
1 pkg (16 oz) rotini pasta, cooked
1 cup sour cream
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1/2 cup parmesan

*Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix all ingredients until well blended. Spoon into a 9 x 13 dish. Bake for 25 minutes or until heated through.

3-Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies

1 box spice cake mix
1 small can pure pumpkin
1/2 bag chocolate chips

*Combine all ingredients and stir until moistened. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes (they will still look slightly wet when done).

Pumpkin Bread

From Michelle

Dry Ingredients:
3-1/3 cups flour
2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. cinnamon
3 cups sugar
1-1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp. nutmeg

Wet Ingredients:
1 cup oil
2/3 cups water
4 eggs
2 cups pumpkin (15 oz can)

*Mix all dry ingredients, then add all wet ingredients. Pour into 3 greased loaf pans. Bake @ 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Blueberry Salad

From Michelle

Jello Ingredients:
1 large or 2 small pkgs. black cherry jello
2 cups boiling water
1 can (8 oz) crushed pineapple
1 can (21 oz) blueberry pie filling

Topping Ingredients:
8 oz cream cheese
8 oz sour cream
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans

*Mix boiling water with jello for 2 minutes, or until fully dissolved. Add pineapple (undrained) and pie filling. Mix until evenly combined. Pour into casserole dish and chill until firm. Mix topping ingredients except pecans. Add pecans and stir by hand. Scoop onto top of firm jello and spread. Keep chilled until ready to serve.

Banana S'mores

ripe bananas (still in peel)
chocolate chips (minis work well)
mini marshmallows
graham cracker crumbs

*Make a thin cut down the side of each banana, but don't cut all the way through to the end. Scoop out a small "river" of the banana. Fill with chocolate chips and marshmallows. Replace cut peel. Wrap in foil and grill for a few minutes (or bake in the oven), long enough for the chocolate to melt. Just before eating sprinkle with graham cracker crumbs. Eat with a spoon. Yum!

Chili Cheese Soup

4 cups diced potatoes
1 small can green chilies
1/2 onion, finely chopped
3 Tbsp. butter
dash basil
1 Tbsp. cumin

2/3 cup sour cream
8 oz. Monterey Jack cheese

*Combine first six ingredients in a large pot and cover with water (with about 1 inch over top of mixture). Bring to a boil, then simmer until potatoes are soft. Remove from heat and stir in sour cream and cheese.