Pork (or Chicken) Parmesan

4 cutlets, pounded out so they're thin
1/3 cup Fiber One crumbs (cereal crushed or blended)
1 oz fresh grated parmesan cheese
1 T PC Tomato Herb dipping seasoning
1/3 cup egg beaters
1 14 oz can tomato sauce
Italian seasoning to taste

Preheat oven to 375. Set up breading station, with egg beaters in one, and Fiber One, Tomato Herb seasoning, and parmesan cheese combined in second dish. Dredge each cutlet through egg beaters then in breading to coat well. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray, lay out cutlets, and lightly spray tops with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes, flip, spray, and bake 10-12 minutes more.

Season tomato sauce to taste with salt, pepper, and Italian Seasoning. Put a little sauce over each cutlet, sprinkle with a little mozzarella and bake for 2-3 more minutes until cheese is melted.

Serve with noodles.

Low Fat Crepes

1/2 cup low-fat cottage cheese
1 egg
1/3 c. white flour
1 tsp. melted coconut oil (or any oil)
1/2-2/3 cup Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla milk

Blend first 4 ingredients in blender until smooth. Add 1/2 cup Almond Breeze. Check consistency. Batter should be very thin. If too thick, add a little more milk as needed, up to 2/3 cup total.

For sweet breakfast or dessert crepes, add a little vanilla flavoring, one packet of sugar substitute, and a dash of PC Cinnamon Plus spice blend.

For savory dishes, add some chives, or italian spices.

Preheat 8" nonstick saute pan over medium-low heat (setting 3 on my stove). Spray pan before first crepe with one spray from I Can't Believe It's Not Butter spray. Cook until lightly browned on one side. Second side should not need to be cooked. Stack with wax paper or parchment paper between crepes. Can be frozen for up to 2 months, or store in refrigerator for a few days.

Makes 11 crepes, just under 1 point each (4 crepes = 2.5 points). Yum!

Roasted Things

Oven-Roasted Baked Potatoes
Preheat oven to 425. Scrub baking potatoes and towel dry. Rub outsides with EVOO and sprinkle liberally with salt. Bake on a sheet tray 40 minutes, or until fork tender.

Oven-Roasted Butternut Squash
Preheat oven to 425. Wash, peel, and cut squash into 1-inch cubes (try to keep most pieces the same size so cooking time is consistent). Drizzle and toss with EVOO, sprinkle with salt and roast 40 minutes or until done.

Roasted Squash Seeds
Turn toaster oven on to 250 degrees. Spray Small bar pan with cooking spray. Spread rinsed seeds in a single layer onto bar pan. Spray with cooking spray on tops, and sprinkle with desired seasoning (just sea salt is good, PC Parmesan Garlic Dipping oil seasoning is good, too). Bake until fragrant and dried, stirring around once or twice (should take only 15-20 minutes). Turn toaster oven off, open the door a crack, and let them cool in the oven.

Roasted Beets with Feta Cheese

4 medium/3 large beets
1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp Red wine vinegar
1 tsp PC Greek Rub
2 Tbsp EVOO
4 oz Feta Cheese, crumbled

Preheat oven to 400. Trim ends off beets, wash, and wrap individually in foil. Roast for 45 minutes to an hour, or until they're fork-tender. Remove from oven when done and allow to rest on counter (still in foil) for 5 minutes. While beets are resting, whisk together vinegars, oil and Greek Rub. Peel beets and cut into one-inch cubes. In serving bowl, toss beets with dressing and top with feta.

Barbecue Chicken Pizza

One of my favorites whenever I go to Pizzaria Uno, here's my take on the super-easy, super-tasty treat!

1 tube refrigerated pizza dough
2 cups cooked chicken (I use leftovers)
1 cup your favorite bbq sauce, divided
1 small onion, diced
1 medium green bell pepper, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, diced
5 strips center-cut bacon, cut into small pieces
1 cup shredded 2% fat cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 425. In 10" saute pan, cook bacon over medium heat until cooked through. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Keep 1 Tbsp of bacon fat in pan. Return pan with reserved bacon fat to medium heat, adding peppers and onions. Saute veggies until onions are translucent and peppers are soft.

Brush a little bit of vegetable oil over Large Bar Pan (this will help the bottom of the crust get crunchy). Spread out pizza dough to edges of pan. Using Silicone Basting Brush, spread 3/4 c of the barbecue sauce over crust. Top with chicken, veggies and bacon. Drizzle remaining sauce over, then top with cheese, spreading all ingredients to the edges.

Bake at 425 for 12-15 minutes or until cheese is melted and crust is lightly browned.

HG Blueberry Scone recipe

When blueberries are plentiful, this is a great use for some of them! I adjusted it a little (there's always a reason to use a Pampered Chef seasoning!)

2/3 cup uncooked oatmeal (not instant)

1/3 cup Bisquick Heart Smart Baking Mix

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. PC Cinnamon Plus Spice Blend

1 tbsp. brown sugar

2 tsp. Smart Balance 37% Light Buttery Spread

1/3 cup unsweetened Vanilla Blue Diamond Almond Breeze (or light soymilk)

3/4 cup blueberries

Directions:

Set oven to 400 degrees. Mix all ingredients but blueberries. Fold in berries. Spray baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray and form 4 mounds of batter on sheet (leave room in between 'em -- they expand!). Bake for 10 minutes. Makes 4 large scones.

Serving Size: 1 scone

Calories: 130

Fat: 3g

Sodium: 195mg

Carbs: 24g

Fiber: 2.25g

Sugars: 7g

Protein: 3.5g

* 2 Points

"Stuffed" Green Peppers

I'm too impatient to bake stuffed peppers, so here's my take on it - stovetop style.

3 large green peppers, chopped
1/2 medium onion, diced
1 lb ground beef
1 cup brown rice (uncooked)
1 (15 oz) can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp PC Italian Seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Cook rice according to package directions (1 c rice:1.5 c water, bring to boil, cover and simmer over low 25 mins, then let sit at least 10 more).

In large skillet, brown ground beef, onions and green peppers. Drain. Add in tomato sauce and Italian Seasoning. Stir in rice when it's done cooking, and season with salt and pepper as needed.

Amish Friendship Zucchini Muffins

I had a starter for Amish Friendship Bread in my freezer that I finally decided to revive. Today was Day 10, and I had some shredded zucchini that needed to get used, so I figured I should be able to combine the two! I'm posting this as I made it and although they were light, soft, moist and oh-so yummy, they're definitely hi-cal (coming in at close to 300 cals/muffin!). Next time (10 days from now?) I'm going to try to lighten up the mix. I did use white wheat flour, though.

2 cups Amish bread mix
2 cups shredded zucchini (patted dry with paper towels)
3 eggs
1/2 cup oil
1 cup sugar
2 cups white wheat flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp Pampered Chef Cinnamon Plus Spice Blend
Optional: 1 cup chopped nuts

Preheat oven to 325 degrees, spray regular muffin tins with Baking Spray w/Flour (will yield 2 dozen regular-size muffins).

In stand mixer, beat eggs together. Add in oil, sugar and bread mix until combined. Switch to paddle attachment and slowly add zucchini.

In a separate bowl, sift together dry ingredients, then slowly add dry into wet mixture. Fill muffin cups 2/3 full and bake for 25-30 minutes or until tops are golden brown and springy.

Aluminum pan took 25 minutes, silicone pan took 30.

Food in moderation...

Since I can't seem to stick to any sort of "diet" for more than 4 days, I'm trying just a new basic philosophy. Eating a piece of fruit or a vegetable before every meal, or whenever I'm hungry for a snack. So far, this means averaging about 3 pieces of fruit and 2 veggies a day - which is good for what they recommend anyway!

In the morning, I'm usually eating a nectarine, having a cup of coffee, then a VitaTop - my new favorite splurge, because they're great!

Then an apple and more coffee mid-morning, and a big salad for lunch. This week it's been either a big greek salad or a big Satay Peanut salad with chicken. Then veggies mid-afternoon, sometimes with hummus, and dinner's whatever. With veggies - lots of roasted veggies these days!

BBQ Ribs in the oven

I found this recipe and tried it out tonight. I made a few alterations, baked it in my Stoneware Rectangle Baker at 375 for almost 2 hours, then Broiler on Lo while corn was cooking, so an additional 5-7 minutes.

3 lbs pork back ribs
4 oz honey
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
2 Tbsp Old Bay seasoning
1/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1 small onion, grated or chopped
12 ounces barbecue sauce (I used Famous Dave's Sweet & Zesty)

Whisk all ingredients in a bowl. Put the ribs in the baker (or roasting pan) and cover with sauce, making sure they're completely coated. Loosely cover w/foil and bake at 375 for 1-2 hours or until they get tender.

These were good. Really good. As in - I made just under 3 lbs, which was about 16 individual ribs and there were TWO left.

Notes for next time: I think before broiling them at the end, I'll pull them out of the sauce and put them on a separate tray to crisp them up a little. Run the sauce through a separator to pull the fat off, and put in a small sauce pan and boil for a few minutes to reduce to a thicker sauce.

Mac & Cheese, lightened up

I'm working on perfecting my healthy mac & cheese. I think I'm getting closer with this one. I will probably adjust it a little next time I make it.

1 package steam-in-bag broccoli/cauliflower mix
4 oz whole-grain pasta
3 wedges Laughing Cow light original cheese
1 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp flour
3/4 cup skim milk
2 oz sharp white cheddar, shredded
pinch of nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

Cook pasta to al dente. While pasta is cooking, steam veggies in microwave according to package directions.

Remove veggies when cooked, and separate cauliflower into a small bowl. Mash with a fork and stir in Laughing Cow cheese wedges.

Drain pasta when done, and leave in colander. In the saucepan you cooked the pasta in, melt the butter. Sprinkle flour over melted butter and stir to combine. Cook for 1 minute then whisk in milk, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until it starts to thicken, then stir in cheddar cheese until melted. Stir in cauliflower, pasta and broccoli to combine. Eat up!

If you want to have a hot dog on the side, make it a low-cal one ;-)

Makes 4 servings.

Easy Dessert: Grilled Fruit!

Fruits are so naturally sweet, you don't have to do anything to them to grill them to perfection. Just brush them with a light oil, like vegetable oil, and throw them on the grill for a few minutes on each side. Fruits this works well for: pineapple, peaches, nectarines, plums (really any stone fruit).

Tonight's dessert was grilled nectarines (in the grill pan on the stove over medium heat) over a small scoop of ricotta cheese, then drizzled a little honey over it all. DELISH!!! And about as healthy as desserts come!

No-Measure Southwest Salad

This one's a no-measure, just dump the ingredients in easy-as-opening a can recipe I just made up throwing together what looked and sounded good this afternoon.

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can corn, drained
1 can garbanzo beans, drained
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Juice from 1 lime
1/2 medium jicama, peeled and diced
1 small handful cilantro, finely chopped
2 Tbsp olive oil
a few cranks of sea salt (roughly 1/2 tsp)
a small palmful of cumin (roughly 1 tsp)

And it is a simple as opening cans and chopping a few things! Just dump it all in a bowl and stir to combine! I'm thinking if you dice everything really small it would make a great dip for chips, but as-is, I'm eating it with a spoon!

Creamy Chicken Pasta

4 large cloves garlic, peeled
1 jar (7 oz) sun-dried tomatoes in oil, undrained
3 cups penne pasta (NOT whole wheat)
4 cups chicken broth
1 head broccoli (2 cups small florets)
2 medium carrots, peeled
4 oz reduced-fat cream cheese
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp coarsely ground black pepper
Grated fresh Parmesan cheese and snipped fresh basil (optional)


Place 2 Tbsp of the oil from the Sun-Dried tomatoes into the bottom of the Deep Covered Baker. Use Garlic Slicer to slice all 4 garlic cloves into oil, and stir to coat. Cover and microwave 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. Add pasta and broth, stir, cover and return to microwave for 12 minutes, stirring halfway through.

While pasta is cooking, cut broccoli into small florets and place them in the Batter Bowl. Cut carrots in half length-wise then thinly slice on a bias. Add carrots to the batter bowl. Drain sun-dried tomatoes on a paper towel and slice into thin strips. Cut cream cheese into cubes.

When the microwave goes off, remove the DCB, stir pasta and add in broccoli and carrots, salt and pepper. Cook for 3 minutes, stir, add tomatoes and cream cheese, cover and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Stir and serve immediately, garnishing with Parmesan cheese and basil. Stir in some cooked chicken to add some protein and make it a complete meal.

Total time start to finish: 19 minutes!!!

Hummus

1 clove garlic, pressed (if using roasted garlic, use 2-3 cloves)
1 can garbanzo (chichi) beans, drained but reserve liquid
2 Tbsp Tahini
2 Tbsp Greek yogurt
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp paprika

Combine all ingredients except reserved liquid in food processor. Pulse until combined, then blend, slowly adding reserved liquid until smooth, starting with 1 Tbsp.

Lowfat Chicken Veggie Alfredo

Adapted from a couple of Hungry-Girl recipes

2 pkgs Tofu Shirataki noodles
1 cup chopped carrots
1 cup cut up asparagus
1 red bell pepper cut into chunks
1/2 cup zucchini chunks
1 clove garlic
2 wedges Laughing cow cheese
2 Tbsp low fat sour cream
1 Tbsp parmesan cheese
1 large or 1 small chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

Combine and cook all veggies in a zip and steam bag 3-4 minutes or until softened. Set aside.

Drain and rinse noodles very well, and dry thoroughly. Cut noodles if desired. Put noodles, cheeses and sour cream in a bowl, microwave for 1 minute. Stir, and microwave for 1 minute more.

Add in veggies and chicken, season with salt and pepper if desired.

Pasta Bake

1 box pasta (whatever you have on hand - rotini, penne, macaroni)
1 jar (26 oz) pasta sauce
1 lb ground beef
1/2 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Brown meat with onion and garlic, drain. Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions for al dente (or 2 minutes shorter than recommended cook time), and drain.

Return pasta to pot, pour in pasta sauce, meat mixture and 1/4 cup of the parmesan cheese. Mix well and spread into a 13x9 inch dish (like the Rectangle Baker stone) and spread remaining cheeses over pasta mixture.

Bake for 20 minutes or until cheese is bubbly and dish is heated through.

Rosemary-Orange Pork Tenderloin

One of my new indulgence websites to frequent is this one. It seems the last few times I've had the beginnings of an idea for dinner, I do a general g0og1e search and her recipes come up. Today, it's this one.

Orange and Rosemary Pork Tenderloin

- 2 pounds pork tenderloin
For the marinade:
- the juice of two oranges
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 1 rounded teaspoon honey
- 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
- 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- freshly ground black pepper
For finishing:
- fleur de sel
- a handful flat-leaf parsley, coarsely snipped

Serves 4.

Cut each tenderloin into 2 equal portions (4 pieces total).

Combine marinade ingredients in a large zip-top bag. Add tenderloin and squeeze air out of the bag before sealing. Place bag into baking dish large enough to accommodate them in a single layer (just in case bag leaks, and will be used for cooking). Refrigerate for at least an hour, and up to 4 hours, flipping the bag regularly so they'll marinate evenly.

Remove the dish from the fridge and preheat the oven to 375°F. Remove tenderloin pieces from bag and place directly in dish. Put about 1 Tbsp of marinade in the bottom of the baking dish, and pour remaining marinade in a small saucepan.

Put the dish (uncovered) in the oven and roast for 25 minutes, until cooked through but not dried out (the meat should be pale pink in the center; if using a meat thermometer, the recommended safe internal temperature is 160°F), flipping the meat a couple of times during the roasting and basting it with its juices. Switch to broil and cook for 5 more minutes, until golden and slightly crusty at the top.

While the meat is roasting, put the saucepan with the remaining marinade over medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Keep boiling, uncovered, stirring regularly, until the marinade has reduced to a thick syrup and is about a quarter of its original volume. Keep warm.

When the meat is ready, remove the dish from the oven, and transfer the meat to a cutting board. Add the cooking juices to the marinade and stir to combine. Allow meat to rest for 5 minutes, then cut the pieces into thin slices, return to the dish, and sprinkle with fleur de sel and parsley. Bring the dish to the table and serve immediately.

Today, I'm serving this with Roasted New Potatoes and Green Beans. The potatoes take about 45 minutes, so I'm going to throw them in about 20 minutes prior to the pork going in. Keeping flavors simple and similar, tossing roasting veggies with EVOO, a handful of smashed garlic cloves, some rosemary and some S&P.

And the following sangria recipe - YUM!

The Best Sangria I've ever had

One of the women I sell with brought this recipe to a meeting the other day, and I'm putting it in here just so I don't have to search for it in the future - it's AWESOME! And for the most part, I keep everything on hand (unless I've used the last bottle of White Zin already!)

From July 2001 Bon Appetit
1 750-ml bottle of chilled White Zinfandel
1/2 cup peach schnapps
2 tablespoons Cointreau or other orange liqueur
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cinnamon sticks, broken in half
1 lemon, sliced
1 orange, sliced
1 peach, sliced into wedges
1 10-ounce bottle of chilled club soda
Ice cubes


Mix first 8 ingredients in tall pitcher. Refrigerate at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to blend. Mix in club soda. Fill 6 wineglasses with ice cubes. Pour sangria over ice and serve.

Greek Dressing

1 T good quality balsamic vinegar
1/2 Tbsp Red wine vinegar
1/2 Tbsp White wine vinegar
1 tsp splenda
1/4 cup canola oil
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp Pampered Chef Greek Rub
3 Tbsp water

Combine all ingredients in the Measure Mix & Pour, plunge to combine and use!

Strawberry-Basil cocktail

I had some strawberries that were threatening to spoil, and some basil that needed to be nipped off. I couldn't stand the thought of letting either one go to waste, so I tried this recipe. YUM!!! All I had was Vanilla vodka, and that worked just fine!

Turkey Meatballs

Pulled from Food Network's website, this Ellie Krieger recipe is great! The meatballs stay so moist, plus with the shredded carrot there's a little added nutrition.

For a quick meal, I warmed jarred tomato sauce (doctored up with some fresh basil and oregano) and added the cooked meatballs to the sauce to meld flavors while the whole wheat pasta was cooking.

• Cooking spray
• 1.25 pounds ground turkey meat
• 1/4 cup homemade whole wheat bread crumbs
  
• 1 oz fresh grated Parmesan, plus more for serving
• 1/2 cup finely grated carrot
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 2 large cloves garlic, pressed
• 2 tsp italian seasoning
  
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

Preheat broiler on Hi, positioning rack in top position in oven. Spray a large sheet pan with nonstick spray. Combine all remaining ingredients in Large Batter Bowl, mixing only until combined. Form meatballs approx. 2 1/2 inches across and place on sheet pan. Broil 10 minutes or until browned on top and almost cooked through (will continue to cook in sauce).

Add meatballs to heated sauce and cook while pasta is cooking.

Yield approx 18 meatballs. 1.3 points per meatball

HG Chicken Cordon Bleu

I'm being lazy today... just going for simple Lightened Up CCB, steamed broccoli and brown rice. I love this recipe just exactly as written, so I didn't change a thing - it's so simple, and easily adjusted for more or fewer people.

5 oz chicken (half a chicken breast, butterflied for me), pounded to 1/4 in. thick cutlet
1 wedge Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
1 oz ham

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Season cutlet with salt and pepper as desired. Spread cheese over cutlet, place ham on top, and roll up. Secure with toothpicks and place seam-side down on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. Spray top lightly with more spray, then cover with aluminum foil. Bake 20 minutes, remove foil, bake an add'l 15 minutes or until chicken is cooked through.

Just that simple, and DIVINE!!!

Spinach, Feta and Ham Sauce

3 Tbsp butter
3 cloves garlic, pressed
1/4 cup finely chopped onion (shallot would be great, but I didn't have any on hand)
3 Tbsp. flour
1/2 c. dry white wine
1/2 c. chicken broth
1 c. milk
2 tsp. basil
2 tsp. oregano
pinch of nutmeg
6 oz. ham, chopped
1 (9 oz) box frozen spinach, thawed and all water squeezed out
4 oz. feta cheese crumbles

Melt butter in medium sauce pan. Saute onions and garlic until translucent and soft. Sprinkle flour over onions and garlic, and stir to coat. Let it cook for a minute or two to get the flour flavor out, making a roux. Whisk in wine, then broth and milk, bring to simmer over medium heat. Season sauce with spices, pepper and nutmeg. Add chopped ham and stir. Cook until heated through.

Stir in Spinach (broken up) and Feta cheese into sauce just before serving.

Uses: Would be great over cooked chicken breasts, pork chops, or over any sort of pasta (perogi's, ravioli, orzo), or rice.

Suggestion: Place 4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts in Deep Covered Baker. Cover and cook in microwave on High for 8-10 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Spoon sauce over chicken and serve with Garlic Bites.

One-Pot Mexican Mac Skillet

I got this idea from this recipe on kraftfoods.com. I love their search engine that allows you to put up to 3 ingredients and search matching recipes.

1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into bite-size pieces

2 cups water

1 cup Salsa (use whatever you have that you love, or whatever you have on hand)

1 box Macaroni & Cheese Dinner

2 cups frozen corn
1 can black beans

1/2 cup Mexican Style Shredded Cheese

Brown chicken in 12" skillet until no longer pink.

Add water, salsa and Macaroni; stir. Bring to boil; cover. Simmer on low 10 min. or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally. Stir in corn and Cheese Sauce; cook 2 min. or until heated through.

Top with shredded cheese.

Variations: Excellent with lean ground beef. Can substitute broccoli or other fresh or frozen veggies in place of corn.

Healthy Chicken Parmesan

I love so many of Hungry Girl's recipes! If you haven't heard of her, click on the name and check her out! I get her daily emails, and am always learning new things. One of my favorite topics she covers is Swap-outs or fake-outs. I tried this one tonight and everyone, including V, ate it!

Ingredients:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 cup Fiber One cereal
1/4 cup Egg Beaters, Original**
2 Tbsp Parmesan cheese, grated using Adjustable Microplane
1 cup shredded fat-free mozzarella cheese
1/3 cup canned tomato sauce
Optional: garlic powder, basil, oregano, salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Using a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One cereal to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Add parmesan to crumbs (if desired, season crumbs with optional spices, as well).

Place crumbs in one Coating Tray and Egg Beaters in another of the Trays.

Next, fillet chicken into cutlets so you have 8 pieces. Coat raw chicken on both sides with Egg Beaters, and then coat with crumb mixture.

Place chicken on Large Sheet Pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Spray a light mist of nonstick spray on top of chicken and place in oven. Cook for 10 minutes, and then turn chicken over. Add another light mist of nonstick spray and cook for an additional 10 - 12 minutes (or until chicken is fully cooked and coating looks crispy).

Meanwhile, if desired, mix tomato sauce with your seasonings of choice. Remove chicken from oven, top with sauce and then cheese, and return chicken to oven until cheese is melted. Enjoy! Serves 4

Serving suggestion: Serve with whole wheat spaghetti or linguini noodles and steamed veggies.

Broiled Parmesan Tilapia

Adapted from this recipe on Allrecipes.com

• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (packaged works much better than fresh grated for this)
• 1/4 cup unseasoned bread crumbs
  
• 1/4 cup butter, softened (NOT melted)
  
• 3 Tbsp light miracle whip
  
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
  
• 1 tsp Pampered Chef All-Purpose Dill seasoning
  
• 2 pounds tilapia fillets
  

1. Preheat your oven's broiler. Spray broiling pan with cooking spray or line pan with aluminum foil.
2. In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese,bread crumbs, butter, miracle whip, and lemon juice. Season with garlic powder and Dill Seasoning. Mix well and set aside.Do not refrigerate - keep at room temperature!
   
3. Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish.

Excellent - flaky, moist, tender fish! The whole family loves it! Usually we each eat 2 fillets. Great with baked brown rice and steamed broccoli.

Heavenly Healthy Waffles

• 4 egg whites (or 1 cup egg substitute)
  
• 1 cup skim milk
• 1 12 oz container of skim evaporated milk
  
• 3 scoops protein powder
  
• 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
  
• 3/4 cup canned pumpkin
  
• 2 tsp Pampered Chef Pure Bourbon vanilla extract
• 2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 3/4 cup finely ground oatmeal (about 1 1/2 cups quick oats blended in blender)
• 1/4 cup finely ground Fiber One cereal (about 1/2 cup blended in blender or food processor)
  
• 1/2 cup wheat germ
• 6 tsp baking powder
• 2 Tbsp. Splenda brown sugar blend
  
• 1/2 tsp salt

1. In Kitchen Aid mixer, whisk together the egg whites, milks, applesauce, pumpkin, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine all dry ingredients until blended. Beat in flour mixture until combined.
2. Preheat a waffle iron, and coat with cooking spray. Pour batter into waffle iron by scant 1/2 cups, and cook until crisp and golden brown.

Yield: 20 waffles
Nutritional value if made as written per waffle: 103 calories, 1g total fat, 0g sat. fat, 0.25mg cholesterol, 258mg sodium, 19g carbohydrate, 2.5g fiber, 5.5g sugar, 5.5g protein

2 waffles would = 3 points (by my calculation)

Note: Can substitute mashed bananas for pumpkin and/or applesauce. I've also used 1/4 c. organic extra virgin coconut oil in place of the applesauce.

These are excellent! So easy to make, and just sweet enough that V and I don't need any syrup or anything!

Changing directions

I keep changing what I want this blog to be. For now, I think I've decided it's just going to be a sort of electronic compilation of recipes I've made and liked, and how I've adapted them, if they were pulled from somewhere else originally.

Three-Meat Chili

1 lb lean ground beef
1 lb ground turkey
1 lb sausage
1 large onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, pressed
1 bell pepper (green or red)
5 Tbsp chli powder
a pinch or two of cinnamon
3 tsp cumin
1 tsp paprika
1/2 palmful ground Chipotle Chile Pepper
1 large can Chili Hot beans
1 large can Chili Mild beans
1 can Great Northern Beans, not drained
1 can Black Beans, not drained
2 cans fire roasted tomatoes, not drained
1 large can crushed tomatoes
1 bottle beer

Brown all meats in a large stock pot over medium heat. Remove cooked meat to a dish and keep warm. In same pot, using a little of the fat rendered from the meats, saute onion, peppers and garlic until soft and translucent. Add browned meats and seasonings, stirring to coat. Pour in remaining ingredients, stir to combine. Simmer, stirring occasionally, until heated through. The longer it sits on the stove, the better it tastes!

Variation: Add diced zucchini or frozen corn to bump up veggie factor.

Sausage & Veggie Mac Skillet

Adapted from Kraft Foods Hearty Sausage Skillet

1 lb. Turkey Smoked Sausage, sliced

1 can (14-1/2 oz.) diced Italian tomatoes, undrained

1 cup water

1 tsp. Pampered Chef Italian seasoning

1 pkg. (12 oz.) Shells & Cheese Dinner Made With 2% Milk Cheese

2 cups broccoli florets(or substitute frozen corn, peas or carrots)

Brown sausage in large skillet on medium-high heat 5 min.; drain.

Stir in tomatoes with their liquid, the water and Italian seasoning. Bring to boil. Add Shells. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover.

Simmer 7 min., stirring twice. Add broccoli; cook an additional 5 min. or until tender. Stir in Cheese Sauce until well blended.

Note: Can also use any other type of sausage, ground beef or turkey, or chicken thinly sliced.

Breakfast Egg & Meat Cups

5-7 strips center cut bacon or turkey bacon, or 1/4 lb turkey sausage
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 small head broccoli, finely chopped
1/4 red onion, finely chopped
10 eggs, lightly beaten
dash of milk
pepper to taste
1/2 cup shredded cheese (cheddar and mozzarella or whatever you prefer)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly spray 2 6-cup muffin tins (or silicone trays) with cooking spray.
In 10" saute' pan, brown meat. Remove to paper towels to cool slightly and drain.
In same pan, using a little of the reserved fat, saute' veggies until soft and onions are translucent.
Remove veggies to Small Batter Bowl, and stir in cooked meat. Divide mixture evenly among 12 muffin cups.
Beat eggs, adding a little bit of milk to lighten them up. Add pepper to tasted, can add salt if using turkey sausage (bacon will be salty enough). Pour eggs over filling, fill each cup 2/3 full. Top each cup with one tomato slice, if using. Sprinkle cheese over each cup.
Bake for 20-25 minutes or until eggs are set. Let rest 5 minutes before serving. If freezing, freeze individually on a cookie sheet, then put into a resealable bag to store.

Beef With Broccoli

3/4 lb. boneless tender beef steak (may substitute chicken)
2 tbsp. cornstarch, divided
4 tbsp. soy sauce, divided
1 tsp. sugar
2 tsp. minced or grated fresh ginger root
1 clove garlic, minced
1 lb. fresh broccoli, trimmed
3 tbsp. light oil (vegetable or canola), divided
1/2 onion, 1/4 chunked 1/4 finely diced
3-4 medium carrots, cut diagonally into 1/8" slices

Cut beef across grain into thin slices. Combine 1 tablespoon each cornstarch and soy sauce with sugar, ginger and garlic. Stir in beef. Let stand 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, remove flowerets from broccoli; if large, cut in half lengthwise. Cut stalks crosswise into 1/8" slices. Combine remaining cornstarch and soy sauce with 1 cup water; set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in wok or large skillet over high heat. Add meat and stir fry 1 minute; remove. Heat remaining oil in same wok. Add broccoli, onion and carrot; stir fry 4 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Stir in meat and soy sauce mixture; bring to boil. Cook and stir until sauce thickens. Serve immediately. Makes 4 servings.

Chocolate Bread Pudding

Adapted from Paula Deen's recipe, I made this tonight and it was delish! I wanted to lighten it up just a little bit. I used Dove Dark Chocolate (83% cacao). Makes enough to serve 8-10 people.

Ingredients

• 1 (1-pound) loaf French or Italian bread, cubed
• 3 1/4 cups milk
• 1/2 cup coffee flavored liqueur
• 1 cup packed Splenda light brown sugar blend
  
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Pampered Chef Korjinte cinnamon
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 3-4 ounces dark chocolate, grated
• Whipped cream (optional)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

Lightly grease a 13 by 9-inch baking dish and place the bread in the dish. In Large Batter Bowl, whisk together the milk, cream, and liqueur. Combine the brown sugar and cocoa powder in Small Batter Bowl. Add the sugar mixture to the milk mixture and mix well. In the empty Small Batter Bowl, lightly beat eggs. Add the vanilla and almond extract, and cinnamon to the beaten eggs. Pour the egg mixture into the milk mixture and mix well.

Grate chocolate with Garlic Slicer directly over bread. Pour the custard mixture over the cubed bread in the pan. Let stand, stirring occasionally for approximately 20 minutes or until bread absorbs most of the milk mixture. Bake for 1 hour or until set. Check pudding by inserting a knife through the middle and it should come out clean.

Serve warm, or refrigerate and serve chilled with whipped cream if desired.

Garlic Chicken Veggie Pizza

2 cups cooked boneless skinless chicken breast
2 T butter or margarine
2 T EVOO
1/4 small red onion, finely diced
4-5 cloves garlic, pressed
1 t dried basil
2 t Pampered Chef Italian Seasoning
1 (10 oz) tube refrigerated pizza crust
2 roma tomatoes, diced or sliced (whatever you prefer)
1 broccoli crown, chopped
1/4 cup ricotta cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella
1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (or according to package directions).
In a small saute pan, heat butter and EVOO. Saute garlic and onion until soft, stir in basil, then stir in chicken. Set aside.
Spread pizza dough out on Large Bar Pan. Spread seasoned chicken over crust. Dot ricotta and half the mozzarella over chicken. Sprinkle with 1 tsp. Italian Seasoning.
Top with tomatoes and broccoli. Sprinkle remaining mozzarella and parmesan cheese, then sprinkle the other 1 tsp Italian Seasoning over everything.
Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Pork tenderloin in the DCB

2 lbs pork tenderloin
6 slices bacon
1/4 c. lite soy sauce
1/4 c. sugar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. onion powder (or 1/4 small onion shredded)
1 clove garlic, minced
fresh ground pepper

Trim silver skin off tenderloin pieces. Wrap bacon around tenderloins. Place them in the Deep Covered Baker. Mix remaining ingredients in a small bowl and pour the mixture over the tenderloins.

Cover and cook on High in the microwave 6-8 minutes, turn tenderloins over, and cook for an additional 4-6 minutes or until Quick Read Thermometer reads 150. Let rest for 10 minutes (temp will rise to 160). Thinly slice and serve.

Delicious, moist and good - a little on the salty side, but fine by me!