Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup

Slow Cooker Butternut Squash Soup
Courtesy of Betty Crocker
Yield: 6 Servings

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 butternut squash (2 lb), peeled, cubed
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram leaves
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)
4 chicken bouillon cubes
1 package (8 oz) cream cheese, cubed

1. In 10-inch skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender.

2. In 3- to 4-quart slow cooker, mix onion and remaining ingredients except cream cheese.

3. Cover; cook on Low heat setting 6 to 8 hours.

4. In blender or food processor, place one-third to one-half of mixture at a time. Cover; blend on high speed until smooth. Return mixture to slow cooker. Stir in cream cheese. Cover; cook on Low heat setting about 30 minutes longer or until cheese is melted, stirring with wire whisk until smooth.


Use a wire whisk to stir the soup after you add the cream cheese so the soup has a smooth consistency.

Special Touch
Stir in a 1-pound bag of frozen mixed vegetables (thawed and drained) with the cream cheese.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving:
Calories 230 (Calories from Fat 160)
Total Fat 17g (Saturated Fat 11g, Trans Fat 1/2g)
Cholesterol 50mg
Sodium 910mg
Total Carbohydrate 15g (Dietary Fiber 2g, Sugars 6g)
Protein 5gPin It Now!

Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs with Edamame and Snow Peas

Chicken Teriyaki Meatballs with Edamame and Snow Peas
Courtesy of Real Simple Magazine
Yield: 4

1 1/2 cups long grain rice
1 1/4 pounds ground chicken
2 scallions, chopped
2 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
2 tablespoons canola oil
1/2 pound snow peas, halved crosswise
1 cup frozen shelled edamame, thawed
1/2 cup low sodium soy sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar (you could use Splenda Brown Sugar blend)

Cook the rice according to the package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine the chicken, scallions, and ginger. (To keep the chicken from sticking to your hands - wet your hands before shaping the meatballs.) Shape into 16 meatballs.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the meatballs, turning until cooked through, 10-12 minutes. Transfer to a plate.

Wipe out the skillet. Heat the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the peas and edamame. Cook, tossing, for 2 minutes. Return the meatballs to the skillet.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce and sugar. Add to the skillet and simmer until slightly thickened, 2-3 minutes. Serve over the rice.Pin It Now!

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Rice Krispies Balls

Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Rice Krispies Balls
Courtesy of Oprah Magazine (this is the only useful thing I've ever seen in there)
Yield: 16 balls

2 (1.4 ounce) chocolate covered toffee candy bars
2 cups Rice Krispies
1/2 cup chunky peanut butter
16 regular sized marshmallows
1/4 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
canola oil

Leaving candy bars in wrappers, use a rolling pin to pound and crush bars into small pieces. Place Rice Krispies in a large bowl and set aside.

Place peanut butter in a medium sized bowl (microwave safe) and microwave on high until hot, about 45 seconds. Add marshmallows and microwave on high until softened, about 30 seconds. (Alternatively, you could place peanut butter and marshmallows in a heavy saucepan. Stir over low heat until melted, 2 to 3 minutes.)

Working quickly, stir to combine mixture with Rice Krispies. Stir until evenly coated. Add crushed candy bars and chocolate chips. Stir until combined. Coat your hands with oil and shape mixture into spheres the size of golf balls, making 16 treats. Pack in decorative tins or arrange on waxed paper lined wrappers and tie ends with ribbon. The balls will keep up to one week at room temperature.Pin It Now!

Armadillo Eggs

Don't ask me why they are called this - but it's John's family recipe... so I'll go with it. For those that might ask (it's happened several times over the years) - NO - they aren't really armadillo eggs... and by the way armadillos are mammals - which means they DON'T lay eggs!

Armadillo Eggs
Courtesy of John's family

1 large can whole jalapenos
1 large block cheddar cheese
2 pounds patty sausage
1 package shake 'n bake

Grate the cheese and set aside. (We grate our own because it has more flavor than the prepackaged grated cheese that you find in the grocery stores.)

Slice jalapenos in half and clean out seeds. Keep the two halves together because you'll be putting them back together, and you'll want them to match. Stuff the middle with cheese - John squishes the cheese into a solid mass before he stuffs it in the jalapeno - place them on a baking sheet until all of the jalapenos are stuffed.

Slice the sausage into enough patties to match the number of jalapenos you have. Ours usually works out perfectly with 21 eggs in the end. Flatten out a sausage patty and wrap it around a stuffed jalapeno... seal the edges together. Repeat until all of the jalapenos are wrapped in sausage.

Roll in shake 'n bake. Place on a broiler pan and bake at 350 degrees until sausage is brown - about 30-40 minutes.

Serve and enjoy!

When John makes these for his office parties - he slices them into 3 or 4 pieces and inserts a toothpick in each slice for easy serving.

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Lost Recipe

Lost Recipe
Courtesy of my grandmother, Meme

1 package lemon jello (could use Sugar Free)
1 large can of black cherries, drain and set juice aside
1 large package of cream cheese
3/4 pint whip cream, whipped with a little sugar or Splenda added
1 cup pecans

Heat the juice from the cherries to boiling, dissolve jello in the juice. Cool. Add cream cheese and mash with fork until creamy before adding whipped cream. Add pecans. Place cherries in mold or dish in a single layer. Pour mixture on top, and chill for several hours.

Dip the mold or dish in warm water to loosen it from the sides of the dish, and turn out on a serving platter or plate. When serving the cherries should be on top for a nice presentation.Pin It Now!

Buttermilk Pie

This has never been my favorite, but others in my family swear that it is the best in the world... so since I don't think it can be adapted for those of us limiting our sugar intake - I certainly won't miss it.

Buttermilk Pie
Courtesy of an old family recipe
Yield: 2 pies

3 cups sugar
6 eggs
4 tablespoons flour
2 sticks butter, softened
4 tablespoons vanilla
1 cup buttermilk
2 prepared pie crusts - or you could make your own

Cream sugar and butter; add flour, eggs, and vanilla and combine. Add buttermilk, and pour into unbaked pie shells. Bake 1 1/2 hours at 300 degrees or until firm. Bake for 1/2 hour if you only make 1 pie.Pin It Now!

Cranberry Salad

Cranberry Jello Salad
Courtesy of my friend Dara

2 (3 oz) boxes of Strawberry Jello (you could use Sugar Free)
2 cups boiling water
1 1/2 cup sugar (you could use Splenda)
1 bag cranberries
1 orange
1/2 the zest from the orange
6 apples

Grate apples, cranberries, and orange in a food processor. In a large bowl dissolve jello and sugar in boiling water. Mix grated fruit with the jello mixture, and put in the refrigerator until set.Pin It Now!

Crunchy Peanut Clusters

Crunchy Peanut Clusters
Courtesy of Betty Crocker
Yield: 6 1/2 dozen

24 oz vanilla-flavored candy coating (almond bark)
2/3 cup creamy peanut butter
4 cups Cheerios® cereal
2 cups miniature marshmallows
2 cups dry-roasted peanuts
Colored sugar, if desired (Use the colors that would go with the holiday)

1. In 4-quart saucepan, melt candy coating over medium heat, stirring frequently. Stir in peanut butter until mixture is smooth. Add remaining ingredients, stirring until completely coated.

2. Drop mixture by heaping teaspoonfuls onto waxed paper or cookie sheet; sprinkle with colored sugar. Let stand until firm, about 1 hour. Store in airtight container at room temperature.

Variation
After making the recipe a few times, you'll find yourself tossing in your own favorites. Try raisins for starters.

Nutrition Information: 1 Candy:
Calories 100 (Calories from Fat 50)
Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g)
Cholesterol 0mg
Sodium 60mg
Total Carbohydrate 9g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 7g)
Protein 2gPin It Now!

Perfect Pumpkin Bread

Perfect Pumpkin Bread
Courtesy of Hungry Girl

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients:

One 15-oz. can pure pumpkin

1 1/4 cups whole-wheat flour

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Original Egg Beaters)

1/2 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

1/4 cup brown sugar (not packed)

1/4 cup Ocean Spray Craisins Original Sweetened Dried Cranberries (or regular raisins), chopped

2 1/4 tsp. baking powder

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine both types of flour, Splenda, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice (in other words, all dry ingredients except for the Craisins or raisins).

In a medium bowl, mix together pumpkin, egg substitute, and vanilla extract (all the wet ingredients). Add this mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir until just blended.

Slowly sprinkle chopped Craisins or raisins into the batter, making sure they don't all stick together, and mix to distribute them. Spoon batter into a large loaf pan (about 9" X 5") sprayed with nonstick spray.

Bake for about 50 minutes, until the top of the loaf is firm to the touch. (Bread may be moist inside. This doesn't mean it's undercooked.)

Allow to cool, and then cut into 8 slices. Enjoy!

Serving Size: 1 (thick!) slice

Calories: 143

Fat: 0.5g

Sodium: 281mg

Carbs: 31g

Fiber: 4.5g

Sugars: 9g

Protein: 5g

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Black Bean and Corn Wonton Cups

Black Bean and Corn Wonton Cups
Courtesy of Betty Crocker
Yield: 36

36 wonton skins
2/3 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1 can (15.25 ounces) Green Giant® whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (15 oz) Progresso® black beans, drained, rinsed
1/4 cup sour cream
Cilantro sprigs, if desired

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Gently fit 1 wonton skin into each of 36 small muffin cups, 1 3/4x1 inch, pressing against bottom and side. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Remove from pan; cool on wire rack.

2. Mix remaining ingredients except sour cream and cilantro sprigs. Just before serving, spoon bean mixture into wonton cups. Top each with 1/2 teaspoon sour cream. Garnish each with cilantro sprig.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving
Calories 55
Calories from Fat 10
Total Fat 1 g
Saturated Fat 0g
Cholesterol 5 mg
Sodium 90 mg
Total Carbohydrate 10 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Protein 2 gPin It Now!

Peachy Keen Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins

Peachy Keen Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
Courtesy of Hungry Girl
Yield: 12 Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups regular oats (not quick or instant)
3/4 cup Bisquick Heart Smart baking mix
1 cup skim milk
1/2 cup Egg Beaters, Original
1/3 cup canned pure pumpkin
1 cup canned peaches in juice or water; drained & chopped
1/4 cup SPLENDA, Granular
2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
1/4 tsp. salt

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine ALL ingredients in a large bowl and stir well. Spoon mixture into a 12-cup muffin tin sprayed well with nonstick cooking spray. Bake muffins for 20 minutes, or until muffins have puffed up and tops are firm and golden. Allow to cool before removing from muffin tin. Enjoy! (Don’t you love recipes that are this easy!)

Nutritional Info: 1 muffin:
80 calories
1g fat
160mg sodium
14g carbs
1.5g fiber
3g sugars
3.5g protein

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Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

This is a potluck/family party staple... and it's SUPER easy to make! John loves this cake, and he doesn't even like chocolate cake... interestingly enough - it doesn't taste overly chocolatey.

Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Courtesy of an old family recipe

1 box of yellow cake mix

1 4.5 ounce instant chocolate pudding mix

8 ounces of sour cream

3/4 cup of oil

3/4 cup of water

3 eggs

1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips (I use a whole 12 ounce bag - minus the few handfuls that John takes out of the bag)

1 cup of chopped pecan pieces

Mix cake mix, pudding mix, sour cream, oil, water, and eggs until smooth. Then stir in the chocolate chips and pecan pieces. Bake in a bundt or angel food pan at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until a tester comes out clean.

Let it cool before serving. I sometimes dust the top with powdered sugar for a decorative effect, but that is not neccessary.

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Layered Chile-Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Layered Chile-Chicken Enchilada Casserole
Courtesy of Betty Crocker
Yield: 8 Servings

2 cups diced cooked chicken
3 cups shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (12 oz)
1 can (4.5 oz) Old El Paso® chopped green chiles, undrained
3/4 cup sour cream
1 package (11.5 oz) Old El Paso® flour tortillas for burritos (8 tortillas)
1 can (16 oz) Old El Paso® refried beans
1 can (10 oz) Old El Paso® enchilada sauce
4 medium green onions, sliced (1/4 cup)
1 cup shredded lettuce
1 medium tomato, chopped (3/4 cup)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In medium bowl, mix chicken, 1 1/2 cups of the cheese, the chiles and sour cream.

2. Layer 3 tortillas in baking dish, overlapping as necessary and placing slightly up sides of dish (cut third tortilla in half). Spread about half of the beans over tortillas. Top with about half of the chicken mixture and half of the enchilada sauce. Layer with 3 more tortillas and remaining beans and chicken mixture. Place remaining 2 tortillas over chicken mixture, overlapping slightly (do not place up sides of dish). Pour remaining enchilada sauce over top. Sprinkle with remaining 1 1/2 cups cheese.

3. Cover baking dish with foil. Bake 45 to 55 minutes or until bubbly and thoroughly heated. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before cutting. Garnish casserole or individual servings with onions, lettuce and tomato.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Heat oven to 375°F.

Do-Ahead: Make this casserole up to 8 hours in advance, then cover and refrigerate until it's time to bake it.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving
Calories 480
Calories from Fat 230
Total Fat 26g
Saturated Fat 13g
Trans Fat 1 1/2g
Cholesterol 90mg
Sodium 980mg
Total Carbohydrate 34g
Dietary Fiber 3g
Sugars 3g
Protein 27gPin It Now!

Feta-Topped Chicken

Feta-Topped Chicken
Courtesy of Betty Crocker
Yield: 4 Servings


4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 1/4 lb)
2 tablespoons balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 large roma (plum) tomato, cut into 8 slices
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese (1 oz)

1. Set oven control to broil. Brush both sides of chicken breasts with dressing. Sprinkle both sides with Italian seasoning and seasoned pepper. Place on rack in broiler pan.

2. Broil with tops 4 inches from heat about 10 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (170°F). Top with tomato and cheese. Broil 2 to 3 minutes longer or until cheese is lightly browned.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Broil chicken about 15 minutes. Top with tomato and cheese. Broil 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Substitution:
You can use 1/2 teaspoon each of dried basil and oregano leaves in place of the Italian seasoning.

Special Touch:
Feta cheese crumbles are available in a variety of flavors. Some have sun-dried tomatoes, basil or cracked pepper added. Any of these would be delicious in this recipe.

Nutrition Information:1 Serving
Calories 200
Calories from Fat 80
Total Fat 9g
Saturated Fat 2 1/2g
Trans Fat 0g
Cholesterol 80mg
Sodium 210mg
Total Carbohydrate 2g
Dietary Fiber 0g
Sugars 1g
Protein 28gPin It Now!

Merry Marinated Veggies

Merry Marinated Veggies

Courtesy of Hungry Girl

Yield: 5 Servings

Ingredients:
1 large cucumber; thinly sliced
1 medium-sized red pepper; thinly sliced
1 cup thinly sliced red onion
1 medium-sized zucchini; halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2-inch wide strips
1 cup Regina Balsamic Vinegar (or another 5-calorie per tablespoon balsamic vinegar)
1 tsp. olive oil
4 packets SPLENDA (or 2 1/2 tbsp. SPLENDA Granular)
1 cup water
salt and pepper; to taste

Directions:
In a plastic container with a lid, combine all vegetables. In a separate container, combine and mix vinegar, oil, Splenda and water. Pour marinade over veggies, cover, and place in fridge for 24 hours. Season to taste with salt and pepper. HG Tip: This is even yummier after 2 days! Makes five generous 1-cup servings.

Nutritional Info:

57 calories

1g fat

7mg sodium

14g carbs

1.5g fiber

10g sugars

1.5g protein

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Snack-tastic Holiday Mix

Snack-tastic Holiday Mix
Courtesy of Hungry Girl
Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:
1 1/2 tbsp. LAND O LAKES Whipped Light Butter
3 tbsp. SPLENDA, Granular
1 tbsp. light corn syrup
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tbsp. Sunkist Almond Accents, Butter Toffee OR Honey Roasted
2 cups Gerber Finger Foods Veggie Puffs, Sweet Potato
1/2 cup Fiber One bran cereal
2 pouches Nature Valley Fruit Crisps, Cinnamon Apple; lightly crushed

Directions:
Since this is a quirky recipe, it's best to have all ingredients measured out and ready to go before starting (to avoid burning). Begin by setting out a large piece of tinfoil for the recipe to cool on after it's prepared. In a medium-sized saucepan, combine butter, Splenda, corn syrup and cinnamon. Stir while cooking over low heat. Once mixture is well blended and bubbling, stir in and coat Gerber Puffs and cereal. Continuously stir for approximately 2 1/2 minutes, until mixture looks well coated and toasty. Stir in apple crisps and almonds and remove from heat. Spread mixture out on tinfoil until cool. Serves 4!

Nutritional Information:
110 calories
3g fat
110 - 125mg sodium
24g carbs
4g fiber
8.5g sugars
1g proteinPin It Now!

Vanilla Crème Pumpkin Cheesecake

Vanilla Crème Pumpkin Cheesecake

Courtesy of Hungry Girl

Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients:

For Crust 2 cups Fiber One bran cereal (original), ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor

1/4 cup light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Smart Balance Light or Brummel & Brown), melted & mixed with 2 tbsp. water

3 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

1 tsp. cinnamon

For Filling

32 oz. fat-free cream cheese, room temperature

1 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)

1 cup canned pure pumpkin

1 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

1/4 cup light brown sugar (not packed)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice

For Topping

3/4 cup fat-free sour cream

1/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Combine all crust ingredients and mix thoroughly. Spray a springform pie pan (about 9" wide) lightly with nonstick spray -- make sure to get the sides as well as the bottom. Then evenly distribute crumb mixture, using your hands or a flat utensil to firmly press and form the crust along the bottom of the pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all filling ingredients. Using an electric mixer set to medium speed, mix until completely blended and lump-free. Pour mixture into the pan. Bake in the oven for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, until set. Allow pie to chill in the fridge for at least 3 - 4 hours (overnight is best).

Once pie has chilled, carefully release and remove springform top. In a small bowl, mix all topping ingredients together until thoroughly blended. Spread topping evenly over the pie. Return pie to the fridge until ready to serve. Cut pie into 12 slices.

Serving Size: 1 slice

Calories: 160

Fat: 3.25g

Sodium: 579mg

Carbs: 20g

Fiber: 5g

Sugars: 7g

Protein: 15g

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Too-Good-To-Deny Pumpkin Pie

Too-Good-To-Deny Pumpkin Pie

Courtesy of Hungry Girl

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients:

For Crust

2 cups Fiber One bran cereal (original)

1/4 cup light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown); melted & mixed with 1 oz. water

3 tbsp. Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, granulated

1 tsp. cinnamon

For FillingOne

15-oz. can pure pumpkin (NOT pumpkin pie filling)

1 12-oz. can evaporated fat-free milk

3/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener, granulated

1/2 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters)

1/4 cup sugar-free maple syrup

1 tbsp. pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/8 tsp. salt

Optional Topping: Fat Free Reddi-wip

Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a blender or food processor, grind Fiber One to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Combine crumbs with all other crust ingredients. Stir until mixed well. In an oven-safe 9-inch pie dish sprayed lightly with nonstick spray, evenly distribute mixture, using your hands or a flat utensil to firmly press and form the crust. Press it into the edges and up along the sides of the dish. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients for the filling. Mix well. Pour mixture into pie crust. (Filling may be taller than the crust -- trust us, this is okay!) Bake pie in the oven for 45 minutes, and then remove it and allow to cool. Chill in the fridge for several hours (for best results, chill overnight).

Cut into 8 slices, and if you like, top with Reddi-wip before serving!

Serving Size: 1 slice

Calories: 133

Fat: 3g

Sodium: 236mg

Carbs: 28g

Fiber: 9g

Sugars: 8g

Protein: 6g

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Rockin' Lean Bean Casserole

Rockin' Lean Bean Casserole

Courtesy of Hungry Girl

Yield: 8 Servings

Ingredients:

2 bags frozen french style green beans

1 can Campbell's 98% Fat Free Cream of Celery Soup

1/2 cup Light Silk Soy Milk

1 can sliced water chestnuts

1 bag Crispy Delites Red Onion Chips, crushed

Directions:

Defrost and thoroughly drain green beans. Draining these is sooo important. Make sure they are dry. Use a towel if you need to! Place half of the dried green beans in a casserole dish (2-3 quart rectangular works best). Mix soup with the soy milk. Spread 1/2 of the soup mixture on top. Lay some sliced water chestnuts on top. Top with remaining green beans, cover again with the rest of the soup mixture and another layer of water chestnuts. Bake in preheated 325 degree oven for 45 minutes. Finally, add crushed onions on top and cook for another 10-15 minutes or so.

***This recipe will rock your holiday world!!!! The key ingredient here is the Crispy Delites Red Onion Chips. You can buy them online at yummydelights.com. In a pinch, you can use an ounce of onion-flavored soy crisps instead.

Serving Size: 1/8 Casserole -

80 calories

1g fat

255mg sodium

13g carbs

4g fiber

3g protein

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I Can't Believe It's Not Sweet Potato Pie

I Can't Believe It's Not Sweet Potato Pie
Courtesy of Hungry Girl
Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:
1 large butternut squash (large enough to yield 2 cups mashed flesh)
1/2 cup Egg Beaters; Original
1/3 cup light vanilla soymilk
1/3 cup sugar-free maple syrup
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 cup SPLENDA; Granular
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup miniature marshmallows


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Peel squash and cut into large chunks (removing seeds). Fill a large, microwave-safe dish with a half an inch of water. Place squash into dish and cover with plastic wrap. Microwave for approximately 8 minutes (and drain). Squash should be tender enough to mash, but not fully cooked. With a potato masher, food processor or fork, mash squash. Measure out 2 generous cups, lightly packed, and place in an oven-safe baking dish. Add all ingredients except for marshmallows. Mix ingredients thoroughly, but do not over-stir; squash should still be pulpy. Allow to cook for 45 – 50 minutes. Remove from oven, and disperse marshmallows over top of pie. Return to oven for 5 minutes, until marshmallows begin to brown. Allow to cool. Serves 4.

Serving Size: 1/4 recipe; approx. 2/3 cup
Calories: 110
Fat: <0.5g
Sodium: 115mg
Carbs: 25g
Fiber: 1.5g
Sugars: 7.5g
Protein: 5g

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Kickin Cranberry Sauce

Kickin' Cranberry Sauce
Courtesy of Hungry Girl
Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients:
1 12-oz. bag whole cranberries
1 11-oz. can mandarin orange segments in their own juice
1 cup peeled and finely chopped apples
1 envelope (1/4 oz.) dry unflavored gelatin
2/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1/4 cup Almond Accents in Original Oven Roasted
1/4 cup granulated white sugar
1/8 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:
In a medium pot, combine cranberries, Splenda, and sugar with 1 3/4 cups water. Set stove to medium heat, cover pot, and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce to a simmer and continue to cook for 10 minutes, uncovering to stir occasionally. Meanwhile, in a small dish, combine gelatin with 1/4 cup cold water, stir well and set aside.

Turn off heat and stir in gelatin mixture, stirring until dissolved and thoroughly combined. Stir in cinnamon and apples and mix well. Transfer mixture to a bowl, and refrigerate for at least 5 hours (overnight is best).

Once chilled and set, remove mixture from the fridge and give it a good stir. Drain juice from the can of orange segments. Roughly chop orange segments and drain any excess liquid from them. Slightly crush almonds so that they break into smaller pieces. Add chopped orange segments and almond pieces to the cranberry sauce, and mix thoroughly. Serve with lean turkey, pork, or chicken, or anything else you like cranberries with!

PER SERVING (1/3 cup):
63 calories
1g fat
20mg sodium
13g carbs
2g fiber
8.5g sugars
1g protein

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Pilgrim Hat Cookies

I know that I'm not supposed to be eating sweets, but these look so cute - I had to share them with those of you entertaining kids during the holidays!

Pilgrim Hat Cookies
Courtesy of Taste of Home website

INGREDIENTS
1 cup vanilla frosting
7 drops yellow food coloring
32 miniature peanut butter cups
1 package (11-1/2 ounces) fudge-striped cookies
32 pieces orange mini Chiclets gum

DIRECTIONS
In a small shallow bowl, combine frosting and food coloring. Remove paper liners from peanut butter cups. Holding the bottom of a peanut butter cup, dip top of cup in yellow frosting. Position over center hole of a cookie, forming the hatband and crown. Add a buckle of Chiclets gum. Repeat with remaining cups and cookies. Yield: 32 cookies.Pin It Now!

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Pumpkin Pie Dip

Courtesy of Taste of Home website

Yield: 32 servings

INGREDIENTS
1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Gingersnap cookies (I'll use graham crackers)

DIRECTIONS
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in the pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and ginger until blended. Serve with gingersnaps. Refrigerate leftovers.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (2 tablespoons)
Calories: 64
Fat: 3 g
Saturated Fat: 2 g
Cholesterol: 10 mg
Sodium: 23 mg
Carbohydrate: 8 g
Fiber: 0 g
Protein: 1 g

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Autumn Beef Stew

Autumn Beef Stew

Courtesy of Taste of Home website

Yield: 8 Servings

INGREDIENTS
12 small red potatoes, halved
1 pound carrots, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2 pounds lean beef stew meat, cut into 1-inch cubes
1/3 cup butter
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1 cup water
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/8 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS
Place potatoes, carrots and onion in a 5-qt. slow cooker. In a large skillet, brown beef in butter. Transfer beef to slow cooker with a slotted spoon. Stir flour into the pan drippings until blended; cook and stir until browned. Gradually add water. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Add salt, parsley, celery seed, thyme and pepper; pour over beef. Cover and cook on low for 8-9 hours or until meat and vegetables are tender.

Nutrition Facts
One serving: (1 cup)
Calories: 366
Fat: 16 g
Saturated Fat: 8 g
Cholesterol: 91 mg
Sodium: 436 mg
Carbohydrate: 34 g
Fiber: 5 g
Protein: 27 g

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Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup
Based on the recipe posted by Everyday Fare
Yield: 16 of my portion size (8 normal portions?)

4 chicken breasts
2 boxes Long Grain and Wild Rice (I used Uncle Ben's)
1 small onion, diced (I left mine larger than a dice)
2 carrots, diced (I left mine larger than a dice)
2 ribs celery, diced (I left mine larger than a dice)
2 quarts (4 cups) chicken stock
4 tablespoons flour
1 cup heavy cream

I coated my chicken in olive oil, seasoned it with: salt, pepper, lemon pepper, and garlic powder. I baked them at 400 degrees for about 20-25 minutes. Set aside to cool. Dice into cubes.

Pour the rice mixes, seasoning, and vegetables into a large pot. Add the amount of water specified by your rice mixes, and butter if required by the manufacturer's directions. Stir to combine. Cover and cook until the rice is done and the vegetables are tender. (Uncle Ben's directions said 25 minutes - so I followed that.)

Add the flour and stir to combine. Allow the mixture to cook for a minute or two. Add the chicken stock, cream, and chicken pieces. Allow the soup to simmer for a few minutes until the soup is heated through.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this soup - it might be one of my new favorites! I'm not feeling well today - so it certainly hit the spot tonight, and made me feel a little bit better. I just had to share the recipe with you guys so that you can make it for your own family soon! I've got 8 more servings stored away for the next week or two.

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Chicken Spaghetti

Chicken Spaghetti

Courtesy of my recipe box

Yield: two big casserole dishes - about 32 servings

5 chicken breasts

4 cups chicken stock (or chicken broth)

1 stick butter

8 tablespoons flour

1 cup heavy cream

1 pound Velveeta

2 small cans ripe olives, drained, pitted and sliced

1 can of mushrooms drained
1/2 cup slivered almonds

3 tablespoons finely minced yellow onion (I usually go a little heavy on this like 1/4 cup)

3 tablespoons finely minced bell pepper (I usually go a little heavy on this like 1/4 cup)

3 tablespoons finely minced celery (I usually use two stalks and put it all in)

12 oz thin spaghetti noodles, cooked

Salt

Pepper

2-3 cups shredded cheddar cheese - this is your preference, we like a lot of cheese on top when we make it, but if you don't... you could skip this all together.

Boil chicken breasts, cool and cut into pieces.

Heat butter, mix into flour. Slowly add chicken stock, then cream and stir over low heat until mixture has thickened. Add cheese and stir until melted. Combine with chicken and all other ingredients EXCEPT noodles.

Boil noodles according to package, mix with mixture and stir well.

Turn into 2 buttered casserole dishes, and bake to melt cheese topping. (we usually use two large disposable casserole dishes because I typically make this to take to our church family when they are sick, having a baby or any other need.)

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