Apple Fritters

• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup apples, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Sift dry ingredients together.  Combine beaten egg and milk.  Gradually blend into dry ingredients.  Stir in apples, beat well.  Drop by spoonful onto hot, greased griddle.  Fry on both sides for 2 minutes or until golden brown.  Drain on paper towels.  Roll in mixture of powdered sugar and cinnamon and serve warm.

YUM!

Spanish Frittata

• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups frozen diced potatoes with onions, red and green bell peppers
• 1/2 cup bacon crumbles
• 6 large eggs, beaten
• paprika
• 1/3 cup 4 cheese blend
• salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in an [ovenproof] skillet over medium-high heat on the stove.  Add potatoes and stir.  Cook 3-5 minutes until the potatoes are lightly coated with oil and start to brown.  In a separate bowl beat eggs and add salt and pepper.  Pour eggs over potatoes, add bacon.  Do not stir, but cook on medium heat until the eggs begin to set or become firm around the edges, about 3 minutes.

Place skillet on center rack in preheated oven at 400 degrees and bake until the eggs have set in the center, about 3 – 5 minutes.  Remove the skillet from oven.  Run a knife around the edge of the frittata to loosen it.  Place a plate upside down over the skillet.  Place a hot-pad on the plate and carefully invert the skillet so the frittata is sitting on the plate.  Remove the skillet leaving the frittata on the plate.

Top with 4 cheese blend and garnsh with paprika and parsley.  Cut into wedges and serve.

Lemon Mushroom Soup

• 1 lb firm white mushrooms, cleaned
• 1 medium lemon
• 1 Tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 Tbsp minced shallots
• 1/4 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 bay leaf
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 tsp ground pepper
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 1 1/2 cups chicken stock (vegetable stock can be substituted
• 1 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1 Tbsp water
• 1 Tbsp minced parsley

Sprinkle mushrooms with lemon juice.

Then in a food processor, coarsely chop them.

Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan and lightly saute’ the shallots.

Add mushrooms, thyme and bay leaf, saute over medium high heat for 10 minutes, or until the liquid disappears.

Add salt, pepper, cream and stock, bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add cornstarch to the soup and continue to simmer 10 minutes longer, stirring constantly, serve in warm bowls.

Sprinkle with minced parsley.

This recipe was sent to my email from my wonderful 1st mother-in-law (yes, I STILL love her and keep in touch with her . . . sort of - as long as email counts as “keeping in touch”.)  So anywho  — it MUST be good! )

Quick & Easy Key Lime Pie

• 1 3oz box sugar free lime-flavor jello
• 1/4 cup boiling water 2-6oz containers key lime pie flavored light yogurt
• 1 8oz fat free Cool Whip, thawed in refrigerator
• 1 prepared 9″ reduced fat graham cracker pie crust

In large heat resistant bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water.  Stir in yogurt with wire whisk.  Fold in Cool Whip with a wooden spoon.  Transfer to crust and refrigerate two hours or overnight.

This is a low calorie, flavorful, YUMMY pie and is super easy to through together ahead of time.  Just by taste, you’d never know it’s also a Weight Watchers recipe and when cut into 8 serving slice, is listed as 3 points per serving.

This recipe can also be made into different flavors depending on the flavor of jello and yogurt you choose to use.  Just stick to low-fat or fat free and you can get creative and enjoy eating your dessert all at the same time.

Cucumber Sauce

• 4 Tbsp plain yogurt (preferably goat’s or sheep’s milk)
• 1 Tbsp sour cream
• 1 Tbsp mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp olive oil (EVOO)
• 1 tsp minced roasted garlic  (about 1 medium clove)
• 1/2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp fresh dill, chopped fine
• 1 large cucumber, seeded, peeled and cubed
• 1 pinch salt (to taste)
• 1 pinch pepper (to taste)

Place cucumber cubes into a colander and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.  Let rest for 10-15 minutes to allow excess water to drain from the cucumber.  Without rinsing the cucumber, gently squeeze the cucumber in a paper towel or cheese cloth, removing as much moisture as possible.  Pulse process all ingredients in food processor until you have a nice creamy consistency.  Chill for a few hours before serving (if at all possible, to allow the flavors to marry together). 

Serve on Gyros, grilled lamb chops  . . . really just about anything would good with a little of this – it’s YUMMY!

Easy Garden Bake

• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 1 cup chopped tomato
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Bisquick baking mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees.  Lightly grease square baking dish, 8×8x2 casserole or pie plate, 9×1 1/4″.  Sprinkle zucchini, tomato, onion and cheese evenly in pie plate.  Beat remaining ingredients in blender on high speed 15 seconds, with hand beater 1 minute or until smooth.  Pour evenly in dish.  Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.  Let stand 5 minutes before cutting.

For an Easy Chicken-Garden Bake: Add 2 cans (5oz each) chunk chicken, drained, or 1 cup cut up cooked chicken with the vegetables.

Parmesan Herbed Chicken

• 4 chicken breasts
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 2 eggs, whipped
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 2 Tbsp dried thyme
• 2 Tbsp dried marjoram
• 2 Tbsp dried rosemary
• 2 Tbsp cracked black pepper
• 3 Tbsp butter
• 3 Tbsp oil

Using 3 separate bowls, mix flour, salt and pepper together and set aside.  Whip eggs and mild and set aside.  Mix cheese, bread crumbs and all the herbs together and set aside.  Cover the chicken breasts with the flour mixture and shake off excess flour.  Dip the floured breasts in the egg mixture and then press the breast into the cheese mixture, thoroughly coating the breasts.  Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.  Heat butter and oil over medium heat in a saute’ pan big enough to hold all four breasts at once.  When the butter and oil are hot, carefully add the chicken breasts and saute’ approximately 5 minutes on a side or until the meat gives only slightly when pressed. 

Serve with rice (or Risotto, green salad, and a glass of Merlot) – YUM!!!!

Basil Pesto and Sun-Dried Tomato Bruschetta

• 1 baguette, 1/4″ slices (should make about 24 pieces)
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 Tbsp sweet butter
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh basil, minced

Heat the olive oil with the butter, garlic and basil until the butter is melted.  Brush the oil-butter on both sides of bread slices.  Place bread on a baking sheet and bake at 350 degrees until golden brown.

Bruschetta Topping

• 1 cup fresh basil leaves
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 Tbsp toasted pine nuts
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 Tbsp sun-dried tomatoes

Place all ingredients except the sun-dried tomatoes, in a food processor and blend into a butter like consistency.

Assembly:  Spread a tablespoon of pesto paste on each toasted bruschetta and top with sun dried tomatoes.

Pear & Tropical Fruit Salsa

• 1/2 mango, seeded and peeled
• 1/2 papaya, seeded and peeled
• 1/2 pear, unpeeled and cored
• 1/2 cup fresh pineapple, peeled
• 1 Tbsp serrano pepper, minced
• 1 tsp fresh ginger, peeled and sliced in 1/16″ thick rounds, minced
• 1/2 tsp fresh garlic, minced
• 1 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
• 1 Tbsp shallots, minced
• 2 Tbsp fresh lime juice

Cut all the fruit into 1/4″ cubes and combine with the rest of the ingredients, tossing well.  Let marinate for several hours before serving.

Serve with grilled chicken breast or baked sea bass (I think this would be pretty good on a baked ham too) .

Strawberry Bread – YUM!!!

• 3 cups all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 4 eggs
• 1 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 2 cup sugar
• 2oz package strawberries with juice, thawed
• 1 1/4 cup chopped pecans

In a mixing bowl, sift together the first 4 ingredients: flour baking soda, salt and cinnamon.

In a separate large bowl, beat eggs and then add oil and sugar.  Gradually add flour mixture to egg mixture, alternating strawberries and nuts.  Pour into 2 greased 9×5x3″ loaf pans and bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.  Check doneness by sliding knife straight into top of loaf, remove from oven when knife comes out clean.  Spread a pat of butter over the tops of both loaves while hot and sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired.

Like banana bread this bread is irresitable while it’s still warm right out of the oven.