French Toast Casserole

French Toast Casserole (from AllRecipes, Servings: 3, Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes)

Ingredients

·         2 ½ cups bread cubes

·         2 eggs

·         ¾ cups milk

·         1/8 cup white sugar, divided

·         1/8 tsp. salt

·         ½ tsp. vanilla extract

·         ½ Tbsp. margarine, softened

·         ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions

1.)    Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2.)    Lightly butter an 8x8 inch baking pan.

3.)    Line bottom of pan with bread cubes.

4.)    In a large bowl, beat together eggs, milk, 1 Tbsp. sugar, salt and vanilla. Pour egg mixture over bread. Dot with margarine; let stand for 10 minutes.

5.)    Combine remaining 1 Tbsp. sugar with 1 tsp. cinnamon and sprinkle over the top.

6.)    Bake in preheated oven about 45 to 50 minutes, until top is golden.

I made this for my husband for his birthday breakfast.  It came out soft and fluffy – very good looking – and made the whole house smell like cinnamon.  He loved it!  He topped it with some maple syrup and had at it!

Cinfully Delicious Chocolate Cupcakes

Cinfully Delicious Chocolate Cupcakes  (from AllRecipes, Servings: 18, Total Time: 1 hour, 15 minutes)

Cake Ingredients

·         1 (13.25 oz.) package chocolate cake mix

·         ¾ cup milk

·         2 eggs

·         ¼ cup butter, melted

·         ½ tsp. ground cinnamon

·         ½ tsp. vanilla extract

·         ½ tsp. cinnamon sugar, or as needed

Frosting Ingredients

·         ¾ cup butter

·         1 pinch sea salt

·         ½ tsp. vanilla extract

·         ½ Tbsp. ground cinnamon

·         ½ Tbsp. unsweetened cocoa powder

·         1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar

·         1/8 – ¼ cup milk

·         1 cup confectioners' sugar, or more as needed

Directions

1.      Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F.

2.      Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners.

3.      Beat together all cake ingredients, except cinnamon sugar, in a bowl with an electric mixer on low speed until moist. Beat for 2 more minutes on medium speed.

4.      Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full of batter.

5.      Sprinkle the cupcakes with cinnamon sugar.

6.      Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

7.      Cool in the pans for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a wire rack.

8.      While cupcakes are cooling, in a large bowl, cream together butter sea salt, vanilla extract, cinnamon, cocoa powder, and 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar.

9.      Stir in milk.

10.  Mix in additional confectioners' sugar or as needed until desired consistency is achieved.

11.  Spread the frosting on the cooled cupcakes.

A delicacy I made for my husband’s birthday.  Since I don’t really like a lot of cinnamon, I didn’t taste the cupcakes, but I did taste the frosting for consistency – very light and pretty delicious (in spite of the cinnamon!).  My husband really enjoyed the cupcakes and that were gobbled up pretty quickly at his birthday celebration!

Feta Potato Salad

Feta Potato Salad (slightly adapted from KraftFoods, Servings: 12, Total Time: 3 hours, 25 minutes)

Ingredients

·         3 lb.  small red potatoes, quartered

·         1 cup  Zesty Italian Dressing

·         12 oz. Mediterranean Feta Cheese, crumbled

·         1 medium  red pepper, chopped

·         1 medium  cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped

·         ½ cup  sliced green onions (green and white parts)

Directions

1.)    Cook potatoes in boiling water 15 min. or just until tender; drain. Place in large bowl.

2.)    Add remaining ingredients; mix lightly. Cover.

3.)    Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Stir before serving.

I made this for a family picnic and everybody loved it!  I wanted to try a no-mayo potato salad option for both the health and taste benefits (I’m not a huge fan of mayo.)  This fit the bill!  The potatoes soaked up some of the Italian dressing, which made for a nice bite.  They were soft and added a nice contrast to the crispy veggies.  I may use regular feta in the future as I don’t know how much taste the Mediterranean actually added.  Either way, this will be a go-to picnic item for me – easy and tasty!

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

Chicken Enchilada Pasta (slightly adapted from Better Homes & Gardens, Total Time: 1 hour, Servings: 8-10)

Ingredients

·         1 12 oz. package dried jumbo shell macaroni

·         2 tsp. olive oil

·         1 large green and 1 large red sweet peppers, chopped

·         1 cup chopped red onion

·         1 fresh jalapeno chile pepper, seeded and chopped

·         2 Tbsp. vegetable oil

·         2 pkg. Trader Joe’s chickenless Chicken Strips, chopped

·         1 16 oz. can refried beans

·         1 package taco seasoning mix

·         2 10 oz. cans enchilada sauce

·         8 oz. shredded Mexican-style four-cheese blend

·         1 cup sliced green onions

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Rinse; drain and set aside.

2.      In skillet, heat oil over medium heat.  Cook sweet peppers, onion, jalapeno, and ¼  tsp. salt for 5 minutes or until tender.

3.      Stir in chicken, beans, taco seasoning mix, and ½ cup enchilada sauce. Cook and stir 5 minutes.

4.      Stir in ½ cup each of the cheese and green onions.

5.      Spread 1 cup of the remaining enchilada sauce in 3-quart rectangular baking dish.

6.      Divide filling among shells.  Arrange shells atop sauce. Drizzle with remaining enchilada sauce.

7.      Bake, covered, for 30 minutes.

8.      Uncover; sprinkle with remaining cheese. Bake 5 minutes more or until cheese is melted. Sprinkle with remaining green onions.

I absolutely love this dish!  My husband thoroughly enjoyed the filling, but not the pasta (apparently, he’s not a fan of shells – never knew that before and I’ll never understand how people can write off one type of pasta, but that’s not for this blog).  They were pretty spicy, but the pasta helped tame that slightly.  The original recipe calls for 3 peppers, but I think that is too many considering the amount of filling that you have.  If you don’t have the Trader Joe’s chickenless Chicken Strips, you could make it without or use some other soy product (i.e. Morning Star Farms Burger Crumbles).  It adds some texture to the dish and some needed protein.  Overall, everything tasted delish and I wouldn’t change a thing to the above recipe.

No Sugar Added Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream

No Sugar Added Peanut Butter Cup Ice Cream (slightly adapted from AllRecipes, Servings: 8, Total Time: 3-4 hours)

Ingredients

·         ¼ cup Splenda

·         3 eggs

·         1 cup skim milk

·         ¾ cup peanut butter

·         ¾ cup fat free evaporated milk

·         ½ cup fat free half-and-half

·         2 tsp vanilla extract

·         1 cup chopped peanut butter cups

Directions

1.      In a medium bowl, beat the Splenda and eggs until thick, about 3 minutes. Set aside.

2.      Pour milk into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over low heat. Gradually drizzle the hot milk into the eggs while whisking vigorously.

3.      Pour the whole mixture into the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not boil.

4.      Remove from heat and stir in peanut butter. Allow to cool slightly, then stir in the evaporated milk, half-and-half, and vanilla. Cover and refrigerate until chilled.

5.      Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer's instructions. Fold in peanut butter cups when mixture is still soft, then transfer to a container and freeze until solid.

I think that this ice cream is pretty tasty.  It does get thoroughly frozen though (so much so that I cannot get it out of the container).  I think next time I will use regular half and half or evaporated milk to help combat this.  The ice cream has a very strong peanut butter taste, but it is nice to get a random bite of the peanut butter cups.  It would also work well with other chocolate candies.  A nice, sweet treat that won’t wreak your diet!

Taco Pizza

Taco Pizza (adapted from KraftFoods, Servings: 6-8, Time: 30 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 package Morning Star Farms Burger Crumbles

·         1 package taco seasoning

·         1 ready-to-use baked pizza crust (12 inch) OR 1 packet pizza dough (the kind that you just add water)

·         1 cup Mexican style shredded cheese

·         1 cup  shredded lettuce

·         1 large  tomato, chopped

·         Salsa

Directions

1.      Heat oven to 450°F (or according to pizza crust instructions).

2.      Mix dough according to package directions, if using pizza dough packet.

3.      Cook crumbles with taco seasoning as directed on package.

4.      Place crust on pizza stone and spread out into 10-12 inch circle.  Spread crumbles onto pizza crust; top with cheese.

5.      Bake according to pizza crust instructions or until crust is golden brown and cheese is melted.

6.      Top with lettuce and tomatoes. Drizzle with Salsa.

It’s amazing sometimes how the simplest dishes can be so delicious.  This meal is a pretty healthy way to enjoy Mexican night.  I actually only had the opportunity to enjoy two slices (1 the night I made it and 1 for leftovers), my husband ate 6 slices in 2 days!  We both loved it.  I wanted to use homemade pizza dough, but didn’t have the time to make it.  I used a Betty Crocker mix that worked well.  I sprayed a pizza stone with Pam, which made it quite easy to roll out the dough.  The pizza was not soggy at all (I have had that problem in the past) and it held up well with the extra toppings of lettuce, tomato, and salsa.  A nice meal.

Meatless Tacos

Meatless Tacos (from Better Homes & Gardens, Total Time: 45 minutes, Servings: 8)

Ingredients

·         ½ cup water

·         ¼ cup lentils, rinsed and drained

·         ¼ cup chopped onion

·         8 taco shells (I used soft tacos)

·         1 (8 oz.) can tomato sauce

·         1 envelope taco seasoning mix

·         8 oz. firm or extra-firm tub-style tofu, drained and finely chopped

·         1 ½ cups shredded lettuce

·         1 medium tomato, chopped

·         ½ cup shredded Mexican taco cheese

·         ½ cup bottled salsa

Directions

1.      In a medium saucepan combine water, lentils, and onion. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 25 to 30 minutes or until lentils are tender and liquid is absorbed.

2.      Meanwhile, heat taco shells according to package directions.

3.      Stir tomato sauce and taco seasoning mix into lentils. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 5 minutes. Stir in tofu; heat through.

4.      Spoon into taco shells. Top with lettuce, tomato, cheese, and salsa.

I liked these tacos a lot – the lentils, tomato sauce, and taco seasoning mix helped to hide the tofu (which is usually a plus when you are serving to non-vegetarians).  A healthy Mexican dish with some protein and a good taste – not too much more I could ask for. My husband was not as big of a fan, probably because he knew there was tofu in it before he ate it.  I say give it a try!  It’s also nice that you can easily increase the spiciness factor by adding some red pepper or hot sauce!

Italian Veggie Rolls

Italian Veggie Rolls (slightly adapted from AllRecipes, Servings: 6, Total Time: 1 hour, 45 minutes)

Ingredients

·         1 cup chopped mushrooms

·         ½ onion, diced

·         1 cup shredded carrots

·         1 cup green peas

·         1 cup chopped broccoli

·         2 cloves garlic, minced

·         ¼ cup dry red wine

·         2 cups shredded Italian pizza cheese

·         1 egg

·         2 Tbsp olive oil

·         ¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided

·         1 (16 oz.) package lasagna noodles – I only used about ½ to ¾ of the noodles in the package

·         1 (26 oz.) jar spaghetti sauce

Directions

1.      Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

2.      Cook noodles in a large pot of boiling water until al dente. Rinse, drain, set aside.

3.      Heat oil in a medium sauté pan. Add mushrooms, onions, carrots, peas, and broccoli; sauté over medium heat until tender. Add wine and garlic; cook five minutes, or until wine has just about evaporated. Remove from heat, and cool for ten minutes.

4.      In a medium bowl combine vegetable mixture, Italian cheese, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, and egg. Mix well.

5.      Pour ¼ of the sauce into the bottom of a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. Spread 1/3 cup vegetable mixture over each lasagna noodle then carefully roll up the noodle. Place seam side down in dish. When finished placing all the noodles in the pan, pour remaining pasta sauce evenly over noodles. Cover with aluminum foil.

6.      Bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

7.      Uncover, and sprinkle remaining Parmesan cheese over noodles. Bake, uncovered, 5 more minutes.

My husband and I both enjoyed this dish very much.  It did take some time to assemble the rolls and some of the filling fell out when I was making them, but I think that it was worth it.  The mixture was tasty and I would not make any additional changes to it (though the original calls for mozzarella and I used Italian pizza cheese – I just think it has more flavor).  This is a great way to mix vegetables into a pasta dish.

Sicilian Lentil Pasta Sauce

Sicilian Lentil Pasta Sauce (slightly adapted from AllRecipes, Servings: 8, Total Time: 1 hour, 40 minutes)

Ingredients

• 2 tsp. olive oil
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms
• 1 small zucchini, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup dry lentils
• 3 cups water
• 2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce
• 1 (6 oz.) can tomato paste
• 1 ½ teaspoons white sugar
• ½ cup water

Directions

1. In a large saucepan, heat oil over medium heat. Add onions, mushrooms, zucchini, and garlic. Cook and stir until tender, about 5 minutes.
2. Add lentils and 3 cups water to vegetables. Bring to a rolling boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 45 to 60 minutes.
3. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, sugar, and ½ cup water (if needed). Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 20 minutes. If necessary, add more water to keep the sauce from sticking. Be careful not to dilute; the sauce should be quite thick.

Neither my husband nor I found this dish to our liking.  There wasn’t much flavor and it needed some cheese, garlic powder, or other Italian seasoning to make it, well, edible.  It does meet my desire for healthy food with the lentils and vegetables, but I don’t like to sacrifice taste one bit.  I don’t think that I will be making this dish again.  I’d rather try out some different recipes.

Salsa Roll Ups

Salsa Roll Ups (slightly adapted from Kraft Foods, approx. 10 servings depending on size of cut, Total Time: 10 min.)

Always a hit!

Ingredients

·         4 oz.  (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) Neufchatel Cheese, softened

·         3 T.  Salsa (chunky style works well)

·         ½ cup  Mexican Style shredded cheese Four Cheese

·         ½ tsp.  chili powder

·         4 flour tortillas (6 inch) – I used sourdough wraps

Directions

1.      Mix first four ingredients and spread on tortillas.

2.      Roll up tortillas tightly. Cut each crosswise into 5 slices.

Another recipe that you can add or detract to depending on your taste.  I used Medium Salsa (probably about 4 T), but you can always use Mild or Hot depending on your comfort level.  I also used taco cheese, which added a little zing to the dish.  Adding a little cumin or cayenne would also put a nice spin on things.  At a picnic I brought this to, guests loved the spicy kick.  It is fairly healthy with calories, protein, and carbs for a snack/appetizer.    

When spreading the mixture on the tortillas, make sure that you leave some room around the edges for any run-off.