Crusty Italian Bread

This was easy to make and tasted great. See my notes in bold for what NOT to do when you make this. It made great bread for bruschetta.

Crusty Italian Bread

makes 2 loaves

http://onecrazycookie.blogspot.com

1 1/3 cups warm water

2 1/4 teaspoons yeast
1 Tablespoon brown sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil
4 cups flour

 

Place warm water, yeast and brown sugar in mixing bowl. Stir and let stand for a few minutes until it start to bubble and foam a bit.

Add olive oil and salt. Mix and add the flour gradually. You want to add enough that the dough comes away from the sides of the bowl. You want to mix it with the dough hook for a few minutes.

Cover and let the dough rise until doubled about 30 minutes.  Punch down dough and divide in two and form into two loaves. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled. (Beth let is rise for 1 hour)

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Beat together:  1 egg and 1 Tablespoon water.  Brush the risen loaves with the egg mixture.

Make a single long quick cut down the center of the loaves with a sharp knife.  Cover with a damp cloth and let rise until doubled.(I will not cover next time....the dough stuck to the towel and deflated)

**Now here's the secret. Place at least 1 cup hot water in a shallow pan and place it on the rack underneath the bread. The steam will make the crust turn perfectly. You may need to add a bit more water during cooking. You do not want it to evaporate.  Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the loaves turn golden brown and sound hollow when you tap them.

Remove from pan and let cool on racks. I always like to rub butter over the hot crust!

 

Basil Jelly

Since my basil plants are still going strong, I made 2 batches of this recipe. It is a change from the pepper jelly and those who don't like 'hot' food will LOVE LOVE LOVE this. Plus it is so pretty to look at!

Basil Jelly

Posted by: mommom_niagara # taste of home bb

1 qt. water

2 c firmly packed fresh basil leaves finely chopped

1 pkg. powdered fruit pectin(3 T if you buy in bulk)

3 drops green food colouring

5 c sugar

***Beth adds 1 t butter to keep foam down

In large saucepan bring water and basil to a boil. Remove from heat, cover and let stand for 10 min. Strain and discard basil. Return  liquid to the pan. Stir in pectin and food coloring and butter. Return to a rolling boil over high heat. Stir in sugar. Boil for 1 minute,(Beth boils for 4 minutes) stirring constantly. Remove from heat and skim off foam.   Pour hot liquid into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/4 inch headspace. Adjust caps and process for 15 minutes in a boiling water bath. Yield 6 half-pints.   Oh so good on crackers

 

Avocado Ranch Dip

I had some ripe avocados that I needed to use up. This was a nice change from guacamole. The yogurt gave it a 'tangy' taste that we liked.

Avocado Ranch Dip
http://www.tastebook.com

           

2 avocados
1 cup Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh flat-leaf parsley, minced
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

      Peel and mash avocados. Mix avocados with Greek yogurt and lemon juice. Stir in chives,      parsley, dill, onion powder, garlic powder and salt. Serve with homemade potato chips, pita chips or fresh vegetables for dipping.

Jalapeno Cheddar Burger Buns

I am always looking for new hamburger bun recipes. We used fresh jalapenos and even those who don't like spicy food loved these. Gave a nice flavor to regular burgers.

Jalapeno Cheddar Burger Buns

Adapted to bread maker from http://www.jasonandshawnda.com

1 package (2 1/4 tsp) yeast

1 cup lukewarm water
2 Tbsp oil (vegetable, canola, or olive) plus more for greasing bowl
2 large eggs**one for the wash at the end and one for the buns
3 Tbsp sugar
3 1/4 cups flour
1 tsp salt
6 oz sharp cheddar, shredded
3 large jalapenos, seeded and chopped

Beth’s notes:  I put all the ingredients in my bread maker according to my machine’s instructions.

1. Add warm water to the bowl of your mixer and sprinkle the yeast over top. Let sit 10 minutes, until frothy.
2. Add the, oil, 1 egg, and sugar to the bowl.
3. Add the flour, salt, cheese, and peppers and mix on medium-low speed with the hook until the dough holds together, about 2 minutes. The dough should clean the sides of the bowl. If not, add additional flour by the Tbsp.
4. Increase speed to medium and knead the dough for 5 minutes.
5. Transfer the dough to a large bowl that has been lightly greased with oil.
6. Cover it with a damp towel and let rise in a warm place until doubled in bulk, 1-1 1/2 hours.
7. Line a baking sheet with parchment.
8. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface.
9. Divide the dough in half and each half into 4-6 pieces (depending on the size of your burgers, I typically get 8-9 buns per batch).
10. Roll into rounds and flatten with the palm of your hand onto the baking sheet; placing buns about 1/2-1 inch apart.
11. Cover with a damp towel and let them rise for 20 minutes + oven preheating time.
12. Preheat oven to 350.
13. Whisk the remaining egg with 1 Tbsp water.
14. Brush the buns with the egg wash and bake for 20 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 10 minutes before slicing and serving.
15. Store leftovers in a zip-top bag at room temperature. They freeze well, too.

Slow Cooker Barbecue Orange Chicken

With the temperatures at 100 degrees or above this summer(pretty much everywhere, right?) I love my slow cookers even more. This was an easy and excellent recipe. We all loved it. I had never used orange marmalade in anything before and we loved it!

Slow Cooker Barbecue Orange Chicken
Number of Servings: 3

3 boneless, skinless, chicken thighs
1/3 cup sugar free orange marmalade
1/3 cup flour
2 tablespoons lite soy sauce
1/3 cup barbecue sauce
 
Place chicken in slow cooker. Spoon flour over chicken and mix until coated.
Mix barbecue sauce, marmalade, and soy sauce and pour over chicken. Cook on low 4-6 hours

Cal: 221.3 Total Fat: 2.8 g; Sod: 802.5 mg; Fi: 0.6 g Prot: 15

No Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites

I can't even begin to tell you how delicious these were! They are a perfect dessert on a hot day. Next time I will make them in mini muffin liners as they don't hold their shape well as leftovers. We LOVED these and since they are super easy to make, will be made many times here!

No Bake Strawberry Lemonade Bites

http://iowagirleats.com

Makes 24 bites

For the crust:

4 graham cracker sheets (8 squares)
2 Tablespoons melted butter
1 Tablespoon brown sugar

For the filling:

8oz-1/3 less fat cream cheese, very (very!) soft
14oz can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
1/4 cup egg beaters all whites, or regular egg beaters(can omit)
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice (about 4 lemons)
2 teaspoons powdered gelatin(unflavored)
3 Tablespoons boiling water
12 small strawberries, sliced in half

1. Place graham crackers into a food processor and process until very fine. Add butter and brown sugar then process to combine. Spray 2 mini muffin tins well with non-stick spray, then spoon 1 heaping teaspoon graham cracker mixture into each cup. Press down firmly with a flat-bottomed shot glass to form the crust, then place muffin tins into the fridge.

2. In a large bowl, beat together softened cream cheese, sweetened condensed milk, and egg beaters until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add lemon zest and juice and beat until fully combined. In a small bowl whisk together powdered gelatin and boiling water until dissolved. Let cool for 2 minutes, then beat into the cream cheese mixture.

3. Fill each mini muffin tin cup to the top with the filling, then place in the refrigerator to firm up for at least 8 hours, or overnight. Run a small knife around the outside of each cup to pop it out of the mini muffin tin then top with half a strawberry. Store in the refrigerator.

Orange Jello Salad

This is a yummy jello salad. It is easy to make and I liked that it made a 9 x 13 pan so will feed a lot!

Orange Jello Salad

20 oz can crushed pineapple in its own juice, UNDRAINED
3 T. Splenda
2 small boxes of sugar-free orange Jello
2 c. low-fat buttermilk, 1%
1 8-oz carton of Cool Whip Lite
1 c. chopped walnuts

In saucepan combine crushed pineapple with the juice and Splenda. Bring to a boil, then stir in the Jello until completely dissolved. Cool slightly and add buttermilk. Chill until partially set, then fold in the Cool Whip and nuts. Pour into a 13x9 pan that's been lightly sprayed with non-stick spray. Chill until firm.

Makes 12 servings.

Per serving: 9g fat, 18g carb, 1g fiber, 3g protein

Hot Pepper Relish

This is another new recipe I tried this year with the rest of my hot peppers. I only got 4.5 pints from this recipe, but used serranos and jalapenos. This is very good! I like it when I make tuna salad--gives a 'zip' to it!

Hot Pepper Relish

http://www.thatsmyhome.com

18 red chili peppers, seeded and stemmed

18 green chili peppers, seeded and stemmed (can use bell pepper for less heat)
6-8 onions peeled (4 pounds)
1 tablespoon canning or regular salt
boiling water
2 1/2 cups cider vinegar
2 1/2 cups sugar

Put peppers and onions through food chopper, or chop in water in blender and drain. Place in 6 qt. kettle. Add salt; cover with boiling water. Let stand 10 minutes.

Drain and discard liquid. Add vinegar and sugar to vegetables. Bring to boil, simmer 20 minutes. Ladle into 7 pint jars, pressing down as you pack so liquid covers vegetables. Wipe jar rim, adjust lids. Process in boiling water bath 15 minutes. Start to count processing time when water in canner returns to boiling. Remove jars.

Vanilla Scented Granola

And yet another granola recipe. This one is a winner with Don. I have made it twice now and doubled it the 2nd time. He loves it and the girls do, too!

Vanilla Scented Granola
adapted from Bon Appetit, March 2002 (via Epicurious.com)

4 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil
1/4 cup honey
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup dried cranberries

Preheat oven to 300 F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the oats, pecans, brown sugar, salt and cinnamon in a large heatproof bowl. Add the oil, honey, and granulated sugar to a small saucepan. Set over medium heat and bring to a simmer then turn off the heat and mix in the vanilla extract. Pour the hot oil mixture over the oat mixture and use a rubber spatula to mix until the ingredients are well combined.

Spread the granola on the prepared baking sheet. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the granola is golden brown, stirring occasionally. Let the granola cool then add the dried cranberries and stir to incorporate. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes about 8 cups

Garden Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing

This was an excellent salad. We served this with the Chipotle Chicken Tacos. It was the perfect salad for the tacos.

Garden Salad with Lime Cilantro Dressing

http://laylita.com

1 head of lettuce, washed and leaves cut or torn into large pieces
2 tomatoes, sliced or quartered
½ red onion, thinly sliced
1 avocado, sliced or diced
1 tbs finely chopped cilantro
Juice of 2 limes
2 tbs olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

1. To make the dressing whisk the chopped cilantro, lime juice, olive oil, salt and pepper together.
2. Combine the lettuce, tomatoes, onions and avocado in a large bowl.
3. Toss the salad with the dressing and serve

Chipotle Chicken Tacos

I can't begin to tell you how good this recipe is! We have made this 2 times already and it is now our favorite way to have chicken fajitas.   Try this soon and it will be a favorite of yours, too!

Garlic Chipotle Chicken Tacos

Yield: Serves 4 (serving size: 2 tacos)


1 tablespoon chopped fresh garlic
1 tablespoon minced chipotle chile, canned in adobo sauce
2 tablespoons canola oil, divided
1 pound chicken cutlets( or chicken breast pounded thin)
3/4 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon black pepper, divided
Cooking spray
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 small red bell pepper, quartered
1 small green bell pepper, quartered
1 small Vidalia onion, cut into 1/2-inch rings
8 (6-inch) corn tortillas
1/2 cup shredded green leaf lettuce


1. Preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Combine garlic, chipotle, and 1 tablespoon oil; rub evenly over chicken. Sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Place on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 3 minutes on each side or until done. Remove from grill; keep warm.

3. Combine remaining oil, remaining salt, remaining black pepper, and chili powder in a large bowl. Add bell peppers and onion; toss gently to coat. Place vegetables on grill rack; grill 5 minutes on each side or until soft and charred. Place tortillas on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 30 seconds on each side or until lightly charred. Remove from grill; keep warm.

4. Thinly slice chicken. Divide chicken, bell peppers, onion, and lettuce among tortillas.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 312; Fat: 9.8g; Saturated fat: 0.9g; Monounsaturated fat: 4.8g; Polyunsaturated fat: 2.8g; Protein: 29.5g; Carbohydrate: 27.8g; Fiber: 4g; Cholesterol: 66mg; Iron: 1.4mg; Sodium: 533mg; Calcium: 60mg

End of the Garden Hot Pepper Relish

This is another recipe I tried for the first time this year. It is spicy, but not too spicy. I think it would taste great in an egg salad sandwich or on any sandwich as a condiment.

End of the Garden Hot Pepper Relish

http://www.grouprecipes.com

7 cups of finely chopped hot peppers, seeds and veins removed.

4 cups of cider vinegar

4 tablespoons of canning salt

2 cups of sugar (can use less)  Beth only used about 1 cup

Place the chopped peppers in a 6-8 quart sauce pan.Stir in the salt and let sit for about 4 hours.

Stir in the vinegar and sugar and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat and simmer, stirring frequently, until the liquid has been reduced to the consistency of a syrup. About 45 minutes.

Ladle into hot, sterilized canning jars, filling to 1/4-inch from the rim.

Put on lids and bands and process in a boiling waterbath canner for 10 minutes.

Makes about 5 pints of relish

Baked Black Beans with Chorizo

We made this and served this as a side dish. We really like this--added the tomato at the table for those who wanted it. I think this would make a great dip and would use a hand blender and puree it.

Baked Black Beans with Chorizo

Serve this versatile dish warm or at room temperature as a tasty side to accompany the tacos or as a dip with chips.
Yield: 6 servings (serving size: about 1/2 cup)


1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced Spanish chorizo (used Mexican)
Cooking spray
1 1/2 cups chopped onion
1 jalapeño pepper, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
5 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth
2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup chopped seeded tomato
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions

Preparation
1. Preheat oven to 425°.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add chorizo; sauté for 2 minutes. Remove chorizo from pan. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and jalapeño; sauté 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add salt, cumin, red pepper, and garlic; sauté 1 minute, stirring constantly. Stir in broth and beans; bring to a boil. Cook 5 minutes. Mash to desired consistency. Spoon bean mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray.

3. Top with chorizo, tomato(or wait until the end), and cheese. Bake at 425° for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Top with green onions (and the tomatoes).

Nutritional Information
Calories: 189; Fat: 8.4g; Saturated fat: 3g; Monounsaturated fat: 3.6g; Polyunsaturated fat: 0.7g; Protein: 10.2g; Carbohydrate: 19.4g; Fiber: 6.2g; Cholesterol: 8mg; Iron: 1.7mg; Sodium: 307mg; Calcium: 142mg

Hot Pepper Garlic Jelly

I had an over abundance of hot peppers in my garden this year. I found this recipe and since we love garlic, knew we would love this. The garlic isn't over powering and this is great over cream cheese like regular hot pepper jelly.

Hot Pepper Garlic Jelly

By riffraff on Food.com

Yield: 6 1/2-7 half pints

1 cup hot peppers, chopped ( I use a mixture of whatever's ready in the garden, habenaros, thai chilis, tabasco, jalapeno)

1 red bell peppers or 1 green bell peppers, chopped

1/4-1/2 cup chopped garlic, to taste

1 1/2 cups white vinegar

6 cups sugar

1  packet liquid Certo ( or other liquid pectin)

Have your jar flats  and jars hot and ready.

Put peppers, green pepper, garlic, vinegar and sugar in a large pot and mix well.  Bring to a boil, stirring often. Boil for 5- 6 minutes.

Remove from heat and add Certo and stir for at least 1 minute(Beth does for at least 3) Pour into 1/2 pint jars.

As soon as you fill a jar wipe the rim, put a flat in the ring and twist onto jar and invert jar on cloth towel to seal (heat from jar, ring and jelly should seal it). Can water bath for 15 minutes.

Leave them on the counter for a while to finish sealing. If you notice the peppers settling just give the jar a little shake every once in a while.

Triple Chocolate Chunk Muffins

I was a little leery of this recipe since it does not contain any flour. It is a thin batter, but turns out wonderful and tastes great! Next time  I will NOT put the chocolate chips in the batter---they just sank to the bottom.  I will save them and add them to the tops.  I got 16 cupcakes from this recipe.

Triple Chocolate Chunk Muffins

http://dashingdish.com

1 3/4 c	Oats
3	Egg whites
3/4 c	Unsweetened cocoa
1/2 c	Unsweetened applesauce
1 tsp	Vanilla extract
1/2 c	Plain Greek yogurt (or regular plain low fat yogurt)
1/2 t	Cream of tartar (or 2 tsp. vinegar)
1 1/2t	Baking powder
1 1/2 t	Baking soda
1/4 t	Salt
1 c	Hot water
1 c	Sugar substitute(Beth used Splenda) or 1/4 cup + 2 tbs baking stevia
1/2c	Semi-sweet chocolate chips
Tip	Foil cupcake liners, remove the inner paper lining (because paper liners tend to stick to muffins!)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 (12-cup) muffin pans with foil cupcake liners, or spray muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.

In a blender, (or food processor), mix all of the ingredients together, except for the chocolate chips. Blend until oats are ground and mixture is smooth.

Place mixture in a bowl and gently stir in 1/2 of the chocolate chips (set the rest aside). Scoop mixture into prepared muffin pans.  Batter will be VERY thin.

Place muffins tins in the oven for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, remove muffins from the oven (but don’t shut oven off), and distribute the other half of the chocolate chips on top of each muffin.***Beth had to bake these for 20-25 minutes.

Place the muffins back into the oven and bake for an additional 2-5 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Peanut Butter Breakfast Bars

This is a great tasting breakfast bar. We had everything on hand to make these. They taste great and freeze well.

Peanut Butter Breakfast Bars

Posted by TURNAROUNDSUE

4 cup Cereal Raisin Bran, Ready To Eat
3/4 cup Oats Quick, Uncooked
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup apple(s),Shredded
1/2 cup Egg Beaters(or 1/2 c egg whites)
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup Peanut Butter, Chunky
1/3 cup I Can't Believe It's Not butter Light melted(We used regular butter)

1. Line 9x13 baking pan with foil and spray with no stick spray. Heat oven to 325. Mix cereal, oats, flour and apple. In separate bowl combine melted margarine and remaining ingredients. Stir into the cereal mixture and press into pan. Bake 30 minutes.

2. Let cool. Cut into 16 bars. Refrigerate up to 3 days or freeze up to 3 months. Wrap each individually in plastic wrap before storing.

Servings: 16

Nutrition Facts
Nutrition (per serving): 174 calories, 53 calories from fat, 6.2g total fat, 0mg cholesterol, 173.2mg sodium, 28g carbohydrates, 3.2g fiber, 14.9g sugar, 4.8g protein.

Spaghetti Sauce

This recipe is a combination of an Amish recipe and one from my college roommates MIL--Rheba Hammond. I love this recipe! It is easy to make and tastes great.

Spaghetti Sauce

½ bushel tomatoes(about 40 cups)               

4 green peppers                                             
1 T oregano
3 lbs onions 
2 T basil                                                  
4 T parsley flakes
2 c oil                                                             
3 cloves garlic minced
1 ½ c sugar                                                    
1 bunch celery chopped fine(opt)  Beth did NOT use in 2012
½ c salt                                                          
4-12 oz cans tomato paste
1 small hot pepper

Cook tomatoes 3 hours, then strain(or put through a food mill)*  Add onions, celery, peppers and garlic along with salt, sugar, basil oregano and parsley.  Mix oil with tomato paste and add.  Cook together on medium heat for 2 hours.  Fill canning jars and seal.

*I put the tomatoes through a food mill before cooking and eliminate the 3 hour cooking time for the tomatoes.  Makes it MUCH easier.  

7/9/12—I put the uncooked tomatoes through the food mill and still let it cook for a total of 4.5 hours to thicken.  I made about 1/3 of the recipe—I only had a mop bucket full of tomatoes this time.  I did not add the sugar and just added about 1/3 c oil and 2 small cans of tomato paste.  I have been making this recipe for YEARS and use it as pizza or spaghetti sauce.

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce

This was a great quick and easy meal. We used dry rigatoni noodles since that was what we had on hand.  We also cut up regular tomatoes instead of the grape ones.  Very tasty!

Pasta with Fresh Tomato Basil Sauce
http://pointlessmeals.blogspot.com

serves 4 ( 9 points +)

1 ( 9 oz) package refrigerated fresh fettuccini or linguini
2 T. olive oil
3 garlic cloves, crushed
4 c. grape tomatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. fresh basil leaves, torn
1/4 tsp. black pepper
2 oz. Parmesan or Romano cheese, shaved


Cook pasta according to package, omitting fat.
Drain and place in a large bowl.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add tomatoes and salt; cover and cook 4-5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in basil and pepper. Add tomato mixture to pasta. Toss to coat. Top with cheese.

Chex Ginger Honey Crunch

I am not sure where I found this recipe. We made it for a 'road trip' for snacking on. The bananas and cranberries made this a bit more healthy than the chex mixes with chocolate chips or m and m's. We really liked this!

Chex Ginger-Honey Crunch

Makes:18 servings (1/2 cup each)

6 cups Rice Chex® or Honey Nut Chex® cereal
1 cup dried banana chips
1 cup unblanched whole almonds
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup honey
1 1/2 teaspoons ground ginger or cardamom
1 cup flaked coconut
1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries or dried pineapple

1.In large microwavable bowl, mix cereal, banana chips and almonds.
2.In 2-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave butter, brown sugar, honey and ginger uncovered on High about 2 minutes, stirring after 1 minute, until mixture is boiling; stir. Pour over cereal mixture, stirring until evenly coated. Microwave uncovered on High 4 minutes, stirring and scraping bowl every minute. Stir in coconut and cranberries; microwave uncovered on High about 3 minutes or until cereal just begins to brown.
3.Spread on waxed paper or foil to cool. Store in airtight container.


1 Serving: Calories 140 (Calories from Fat 70); Total Fat 7g (Saturated Fat 3 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 5mg; Sodium 85mg; Total Carbohydrate 18g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 10g); Protein 2g % Daily Value*: Vitamin A 4%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 4%; Iron 15% Exchanges: 1/2 Starch; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1 MyPyramid Servings: 1 oz-equivalents Meat and Beans

Taco Wrap Deluxe

This was a fun recipe to put together. The girls prefer sour cream over yogurt, so that was what we used. Very good meal!

Taco Wrap Deluxe
http://www.emilybites.com

1 lb  lean ground beef
1 packet reduced sodium taco seasoning
8 low carb, high fiber large tortillas
1 cup (16 tablespoons) of queso dip or salsa con queso, warmed
24 Baked Tostitos Scoops tortilla chips
Shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato
½ cup (8 tablespoons) of fat free plain Greek Yogurt (or sour cream if you prefer)

1. Bring a large skillet over medium heat and cook the ground beef, breaking it up with a spoon until browned. Add the taco seasoning and stir until combined. Continue to cook for another couple minutes to coat the beef in seasoning.

2. Place a tortilla on a microwave-safe plate and spoon 2 tablespoons of queso dip in the center. Smooth the queso out in a circle, covering only the center of the tortilla (leaving 1-2 inches dry around the edges. Microwave the tortilla for 15-30 seconds to make it more pliable. Remove the tortilla from the microwave and add around ¼ cup of the seasoned beef and spread over the top of the queso. Break apart 3 tortilla chips and place those in a layer over the beef. On top of the chips, layer the lettuce, tomatoes and yogurt in whatever order you choose. I did yogurt last but I think it should probably be first after the chips, with the lettuce and tomatoes on top of it. Fold the edges of the tortilla up around the filling. There will most likely be a small gap in the center – that’s okay!

3. Lightly mist a skillet with cooking spray and bring over medium heat. Place the taco wrap folded side up on the skillet and mist the top of the wrap with cooking spray as well. You can hold the folded flaps of tortilla down while it cooks if you want, but after a minute I just placed a smaller skillet bottom side down directly on top of the taco wrap to free up my hands and that held it together just fine. When the bottom of your wrap is browned (this should only take a few minutes), flip the wrap over, making sure all the tortilla flaps stay tucked underneath (this was actually easier than it sounds) and continue to cook for a few additional minutes until that side is browned too.

4. Repeat with remaining ingredients (though if you have a large skillet or griddle pan you can likely cook more than one at once) and serve.

Yields 8 serving. Weight Watchers Points+: 7 per serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per serving from myfitnesspal.com: 247 calories, 32 g carbs, 9 g fat, 23 g protein, 14 g fiber

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

These were very yummy and fun to put together. The girls do not like blue cheese, so used Ranch dressing and added a bit of the wing sauce to give it a little more kick. Try these for your next get together! This picture is before we rolled them up.

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

http://www.emilybites.com


1/3 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
2 egg whites
2 T flour
¼ t black pepper
4 (4 oz each) raw boneless, skinless chicken breasts (1 lb total)
1/3 cup Buffalo wing sauce
6 low carb, high fiber tortillas
9 T light blue cheese dressing (We used ranch with wing sauce mixed in)
Lettuce, chopped
2 medium carrots, shredded with a vegetable peeler
Optional: additional wing sauce for drizzling

1. Preheat the oven to 375. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Spread the bread crumbs across the bottom of a large dry skillet and bring over medium heat. Cook for a few minutes, stirring every minute or so to rotate which crumbs are on the bottom until the crumbs are lightly browned.
3. In a shallow bowl, lightly beat the 2 egg whites. Place the bread crumbs on a separate shallow bowl or plate. Pour the wing sauce in a third shallow dish. Set aside.
4. Combine the flour, black pepper and chicken breasts in a large Ziploc bag and seal shut. Shake until the breasts are fully coated with the flour.
5. Dip one floured chicken breast in the egg whites, coating all sides, and then press it into the bread crumbs. Flip the breast to coat with crumbs and then dip it in the wing sauce on both sides to coat. Place the coated breast on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with remaining breasts.
6. Bake about 12 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove chicken from the oven and slice into strips.
7. Warm the tortillas slightly in the microwave for a minute or so to make them more pliable. Spread 1 ½ tablespoons of blue cheese dressing across the center of each tortilla. Divide the chicken strips evenly amongst the tortillas and top with a drizzle of additional wing sauce if desired (optional). Top the chicken with lettuce and carrots and then fold the ends in and the sides over. Cut in half and use toothpicks to hold tortilla in place if desired.

Yields 6 wraps. Weight Watchers P+: 7 per serving (P+ calculated using the recipe builder on weightwatchers.com)
Nutrition Information per wrap from myfitnesspal.com: 274 calories, 26 g carbs, 11 g fat, 28 g protein, 13 g fiber

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers

Kathleen made these one day for lunch with fresh peppers from the garden. While we liked the flavor, the peppers were too crunchy. Next time we will boil the raw peppers for 3-5 minutes so they are more done.

Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
http://peaceloveandlowcarb.blogspot.com

8 oz. Thinly Sliced Roast Beef

8 Slices Provolone Cheese

2 Large Green Bell Peppers
1 Medium Sweet Onion
6 oz. Mushrooms
2 Tbs. Butter
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
1 Tbs. Garlic - Minced
Salt and Pepper - to taste

Slice peppers in half lengthwise, remove ribs and seeds.(Beth suggests to boil these for 3 -5 minutes)

Slice onions and mushrooms. Saute over medium heat with butter, olive oil, minced garlic and a little salt and pepper. Saute until onions and mushroom are nice and caramelized. About 25-30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400*

Slice roast beef into thin strips and add to the onion/mushroom mixture. Allow to cook 5-10 minutes

Line the inside of each pepper with a slice of provolone cheese.

Fill each pepper with meat mixture until they are nearly overflowing.

Top each pepper with another slice of provolone cheese.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until the cheese on top is golden brown.

Bread and Butter Jalapenos

This was my first year to can these. They are HOT but have that bread and butter taste, too, that cools them down. Even NON bread and butter lovers liked these. I had a bumper crop of jalapenos and serranos this year and put them to good use. I got 10 pints and had to make 2.5 times the brine.

Bread and Butter Jalapenos http://www.jalapenocafe.com

4 lbs jalapeno peppers 2 lbs onions 3 cups vinegar 2 cups sugar 2 Tbs mustard seed 2 tsp turmeric 2 tsp celery seed 1 tsp ginger

Wash and cut jalapenos and onions into thin slices and cold pack into jars (I would suggest a pair of rubber gloves for handling jalapenos, personal experience!). Place remaining ingredients in large saucepan and bring to a boil. Pour hot mixture into jars, leaving 1/4 inch head space. Remove air bubbles. Adjust caps. Process 10 minutes in boiling water bath. Yield: about 7 Pints.

Chinese Take Out Lemon Chicken

This was a delicious recipe that we will make again and again. It was quick and easy to put together. We didn't have snow peas, but I think you could add any vegetable--broccoli or carrots.

Chinese Take-out Lemon Chicken
Serves 4 (1 cup servings)

1 tbsp oil (we used much less)
2 cups snow peas(we didn't have these)
4 chicken breasts cut into cubes
1 red pepper cut into strips

Lemon Sauce:
1 pkg lemon jello(sugar free)
1 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp zesty italian salad dressing
2 cloves garlic

Cook chicken in oil in a wok on medium heat until no longer pink. Add snow peas and peppers, cook and stir for 2 minutes. Add lemon mixture and cook over medium heat until sauce is thickened. Serve with hot rice or noodles.



I333.9 calories, 6.7g fat, 10g carbohydrate, 1.5g fiber, 56.5g protein

Giant Lemon Sugar Cookies

This was another lemon cookie recipe I made to take to my Uncle Phil. I made these cookies half the size that the directions say to. They were still HUGE. They tasted great, but broke easily. Next time I will make them normal size. They freeze well.

Giant Lemon Sugar Cookies

...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite adapted from Taste of Home


2 cups sugar, divided use
Zest of 2 large lemons, divided use
1 cup butter, softened
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 to 2 teaspoon lemon extract
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda


1) To make lemon sugar: Combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1 teaspoon lemon zest in the bowl of a mini-food processor. Pulse until lemon zest is incorporated into sugar. Pour into a small bowl and stir to break up any clumps. Set aside.
2) To make cookie dough: Combine flour, salt, cream of tartar and baking soda in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter with reserved 1-1/2 cups sugar. Blend in eggs, one at a time. Add lemon extract, lemon juice and reserved lemon zest. Add flour mixture, one cup at a time, blending well after each addition, until all flour is incorporated.
Refrigerate dough for at least 1 hour.
3) To bake cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Shape dough into balls using 2 tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Roll in reserved lemon sugar. Bake in batches of six cookies per 18 x 13-inch baking sheets. Place balls of sugar coated dough on cookie sheets. Press down with the bottom of a glass or measuring cup until cookie is about 1/2-inch thick. Bake cookies for 12-14 minutes. Remove tray from oven. Let cookie sit on tray for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack. Yield: 24 saucer-sized cookies.