Fresh Green Beans

The final element of our main Christmas dinner - we also made John's Crab Stuffed Mushrooms to go along with the meal.

Fresh Green Beans
Courtesy of John (loosely adapted from some green beans we had at Luby's several years ago)

1 package fresh green beans (already washed and prepared - again we only needed enough for 2 - you might need more)
1 small yellow onion
3 slices bacon
1 teaspoon beef bullion (or 1 cube)
1 cup water
1 teaspoon minced garlic in the jar (or 1 clove fresh)
salt
pepper
seasame seeds

Cut the bacon into small strips (sort of like a bacon bit) and brown in a sautee pan. Once the bacon is done, remove it from the pan. Add the onion and garlic to the pan and sautee on medium-high until they get soft. Add the green beans, salt and pepper and sautee on medium-high for 5 minutes or so. Mix the bullion with the water, and add to the green beans. Cover and cook on medium-high for about 10 minutes or until they are soft. Cook another couple of minutes without the cover to let some of the liquid evaporate. Just before serving sprinkle with seasame seeds to your taste.Pin It Now!

Roasted New Potatoes

Another element of our Christmas dinner...

Roasted New Potatoes
Courtesy of John

1/2 a bag of new potatoes
3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic in the jar (or two cloves fresh)
1/2 sprig of rosemary
salt
pepper
2 tablespoons of butter (at the end)

Cut the potatoes in half and place in an 8x8 baking dish. Cover potatoes with olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and salt & pepper to taste. Mix until potatoes are well coated. Place in oven at 425 degrees for 40 minutes. Stir potatoes twice during the 40 minute cooking time. After the potatoes are roasted, stir in the butter just for flavor at the end.

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Bacon Wrapped Tenderloin

This was the main dish for our Christmas dinner.

Bacon Wrapped Tenderloin
Courtesy of John

1/2 pound beef tenderloin (we didn't need much - you might need more)
4 slices of bacon
2 springs of rosemary
2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
salt
pepper
garlic powder

Season the meat with salt, pepper, and garlic powder to taste. Heat the olive oil in a small frying pan, and sear the meat for a minute or so on each side. Set on a plate. Place one sprig of rosemary on the top of the meat, and lay out the bacon. (check top picture) Wrap the tenderloin in the bacon, and place second sprig of rosemary on the bottom side of the tenderloin. You can secure the bacon with toothpicks for the next step. Sear the meat again one minute on each side to get the bacon browning. Place in the oven on 425 degrees until the center reaches 130 degrees. (This is medium)

Slice and enjoy!

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Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake

Cinnamon Swirl Coffee Cake
Courtesy of Yahoo Food & Splenda

3 cups cake flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup butter
1 1/3 cups SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 egg
1/4 cup egg substitute
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 1/2 cups light sour cream
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons ground cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 10-inch tube pan (angel food pan) or nonstick bundt pan with cooking spray. Set aside.

Make cake. Sift the cake flour, baking powder, and soda into a medium-sized mixing bowl. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter with an electric mixer. Add SPLENDA(R) Granulated Sweetener and egg. Beat until smooth. Add the egg substitute and vanilla. Beat briefly to incorporate. Add applesauce and half of the sour cream. Beat until smooth. Add the sifted flour mixture and beat at medium speed just until smooth. Add remaining sour cream and blend just until incorporated and batter is uniform. Set aside.

Make Filling. Place 1/4 of cake batter in a small bowl. Add brown sugar and cinnamon. Stir well.

Place 1/2 of the remaining cake batter into prepared pan. Top with filling. Swirl with knife. Top with remaining batter.

Bake in preheated 350 degrees F oven 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.

Yield: 16 servings

Nutritional Info: per serving
Calories: 188 kcal
Carbohydrates: 27 g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Fat: 6 g
Protein: 4 g
Sugars: 5 gPin It Now!

Mighty Meaty Meatloaf

Here is another recipe we tried out on our small group, and even with natural tendencies to not like meatloaf... everyone enjoyed this dish. We served it with the traditional mashed potato side, and a salad. We even made the meatloaf the day before, waited to add the glaze until the second day, and it still turned out fabulous!

Mighty Meaty Meatloaf
Courtesy of Food Network
Yield: 8 - 10 servings (we got WAY more out of ours)

Prep 20 min
Cook 1 hr 20 min
Total: 1 hr 40 min

2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup chopped yellow onion
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup chopped green bell pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 1/2 pounds ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound ground veal (we left this out)
2 eggs
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup ketchup
2 teaspoons Baby Bam, recipe follows
1 1/2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2/3 cup fine dried bread crumbs

Glaze:
1/2 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon Emeril's Hot Sauce or other red hot sauce, optional

Position rack in center of oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Heat the vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, bell pepper, garlic, salt, basil, thyme, and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the onions are soft and lightly golden, about 6 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground beef, pork, and veal with a wooden spoon or with clean hands. Be sure to wash up afterward.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the eggs, heavy cream, ketchup, Baby Bam, Dijon mustard, and Worcestershire sauce, and whisk to combine. Add the egg mixture to the meat mixture along with the cooled vegetables and bread crumbs. Mix with your hands or a wooden spoon until thoroughly combined.

Transfer the mixture to a 9 by 5 by 3-inch loaf pan. Using your fingers or the back of the wooden spoon, smooth the top into a rounded loaf shape. Wash hands again.

To make the glaze, combine the ketchup, brown sugar, Worcestershire, and hot sauce, if desired, in a small bowl. Stir to blend. Spread the mixture evenly over the top of the meatloaf. Bake the meatloaf for 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Using oven mitts or pot holders, carefully tilt the pan away from you and drain off the excess grease from the pan, An adult should help you here. Be careful, hot grease can really burn. Slice to serve.

Baby Bam:
3 tablespoons paprika
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons dried parsley
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon celery salt

Place all the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Stir well to combine, using a wooden spoon. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.Pin It Now!

King Ranch Chicken Casserole

King Ranch Chicken Casserole
Courtesy of Southern Living
Yield 8-10 servings

Prep: 30 min.; Cook: 1 hr., 19 min.; Cool: 30 min.; Bake: 1 hr.; Stand: 10 min.

1 (4 1/2- to 5-lb. ) whole chicken
2 celery ribs, cut into 3 pieces each
2 carrots, cut into 3 pieces each
2 1/2 to 3 tsp. salt
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium-size green bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, pressed
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of mushroom soup
1 (10 3/4-oz.) can cream of chicken soup
2 (10-oz.) cans diced tomatoes and green chiles, drained
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon Mexican-style chili powder*
3 cups grated sharp Cheddar cheese
12 (6-inch) fajita-size corn tortillas, cut into 1/2-inch strips

1. If applicable, remove giblets from chicken, and reserve for another use. Rinse chicken.

2. Place chicken, celery, carrots, and salt in a large Dutch oven with water to cover. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 50 minutes to 1 hour or until chicken is done. Remove from heat. Remove chicken from broth; cool 30 minutes. Remove and reserve 3/4 cup cooking liquid. Strain any remaining cooking liquid, and reserve for another use.

3. Preheat oven to 350°. Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, and sauté 6 to 7 minutes or until tender. Add bell pepper and garlic, and sauté 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in reserved 3/4 cup cooking liquid, cream of mushroom soup, and next 5 ingredients. Cook, stirring occasionally, 8 minutes.

4. Skin and bone chicken; shred meat into bite-size pieces. Layer half of chicken in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Top with half of soup mixture and 1 cup Cheddar cheese. Cover with half of corn tortilla strips. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining 1 cup cheese.

5. Bake at 350° for 55 minutes to 1 hour or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

*1 tsp. chili powder and 1/8 tsp. ground red pepper may be substituted for Mexican-style chili powder.

Lightened King Ranch Chicken Casserole: Reduce butter to 1 Tbsp. Substitute reduced-fat cream of mushroom and cream of chicken soup for regular and 2% reduced-fat cheese for regular. Prepare recipe as directed through Step 4. Bake, covered, at 350° for 50 minutes; uncover and bake for 10 to 15 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Quick-and-Easy King Ranch Chicken Casserole: Substitute 1 (2-lb.) skinned, boned, and shredded deli-roasted chicken for whole chicken, 3 cups coarsely crumbled lime-flavored white corn tortilla chips for corn tortillas, and 3/4 cup chicken broth for cooking liquid. Omit celery, carrots, and salt. Prepare recipe as directed, beginning with Step 3.Pin It Now!

Au Gratin Potato Casserole

Au Gratin Potato Casserole
Courtesy of Southern Living
Makes 10 to 12 servings

Prep: 10 min.; Bake: 1 hr., 20 min. You'll love the ease of this casserole. You can make it ahead of time, refrigerate it, and then bake it while the turkey rests. It's smart to let chilled casseroles come to room temperature before you bake them.

1 (32-ounce) package frozen Southern-style hash browns
1 (16-ounce) container sour cream
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can cream of mushroom soup
1 small onion, finely chopped
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 cups crushed cornflakes cereal
1/4 cup melted butter

Stir together first 6 ingredients in a large bowl.

Spoon potato mixture into a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch baking dish.

Sprinkle evenly with crushed cornflakes, and drizzle evenly with butter.

Bake at 325° for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until bubbly.Pin It Now!

Jamie's Chili

We served this at our small group meeting - it really was good! We served it over rice.

Jamie's Chili
Courtesy of Food Network

Ingredients
1.5 pound mixed ground beef, browned and drained
1 medium onion, diced
1 green bell pepper diced
2 cups chopped celery (we only used 2 stalks)
2 (28-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
1 (28-ounce) can of whole tomatoes (we used a third can of the diced)
Ground cumin
Chili powder
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed (we used two of these and none of the others)
1 package chili seasoning mix
Shredded cheddar, sour cream, chopped green onions, for garnish

Directions
In a skillet brown ground beef and sausage, drain and set aside.

Spray large pot with nonstick cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper, and celery and saute briefly. Stir in the diced and whole tomatoes. Add cumin and chili powder, to taste, and cook for about 8 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Add the beans, browned meat, and chili seasoning. Partially cover, and let simmer for 4 hours.

**We actually opted to do the first couple of steps - and put it in the crockpot all day on low... we added the beans to the crockpot about an hour before serving, and raised the setting to high for that hour. It was perfect!**

Serve with Cheddar cheese, sour cream, and green onions.Pin It Now!

Kit Kat Cookie Bars

Another one that I shouldn't/can't eat after surgery... but I know it would be a HIT with my small group...

Kit Kat Cookie Bars
Courtesy of Life of GRITS
Yield: 2 dozen

81 Keebler club crackers
1 cup margarine (2 sticks)
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup white sugar
1/2 cup milk
2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1 cup semisweet chocolate morsels
3/4 cup peanut butter

Spray a 13 x 9 inch baking pan with no-stick cooking spray. Line with 27 crackers.

In a sauce pan, melt margarine and add both sugars, milk and graham cracker crumbs. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes. This makes 3 cups of filling.

In microwave melt chocolate morsels and peanut butter. Pour half (1 1/2 cups) of filling on top of first row of crackers.

Line another layer of 27 crackers on top of this filling. Pour remaining half of filling on top of these crackers and top with remaining 27 crackers for third layer.

Pour chocolate and peanut butter mixture on top of this third layer of crackers and spread evenly.

Refrigerate until the chocolate-peanut butter layer is set. Cut into squares and serve. Makes about two dozen cookies.

Extra Special Touch: Sprinkle with chopped pecans and walnuts, because everything is better with nuts on it.Pin It Now!

Cranberry-Cheese Box

Cranberry-Cheese Box
Courtesy of Southern Living
Yield: 12-16 servings

1 (16-ounce) block sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 (8-ounce) can whole-berry cranberry sauce

Garnishes: green onion strips, fresh cranberries, orange curls

Crackers or bread rounds

Beat first 6 ingredients at medium speed with an electric mixer until blended; stir in pecans.
Shape mixture into a 5- x 5- x 2-inch box, or spoon into a 5-cup mold. Cover and chill 8 hours or up to two days.

Spoon cranberry sauce over cheese mixture; garnish, if desired. Serve with crackers or bread rounds.

Note: To decorate the box, cut white part from 4 green onions. Blanch green onion tops in boiling water 1 minute or until tender, saving white part for other uses. Drain. Press 1 green onion strip into base of center of 1 side of box, pressing up sides until it meets center of top of box. Remove and discard excess green onion. Repeat with remaining green onion strips. Top center with fresh cranberries, orange curls, and additional strips of green onion, if desired.Pin It Now!

Pecan Pie

I've been sitting around thinking lately - that just because I need to avoid sugar - doesn't mean that I have to give up everything in life... naturally moderation becomes an important concept... BUT for those of you out there watching your waistlines... here are some holiday favorites that are still available for you too!

Pecan Pie
Courtesy of Splenda on Yahoo Food
Yield: 8 slices

3 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup SPLENDA(R) Brown Sugar Blend, firmly packed
3/4 cup light corn syrup
2 tablespoons butter, melted
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups pecan halves
1 (9 inch) unbaked pastry shell

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine eggs, SPLENDA(r) Brown Sugar Blend, corn syrup, butter and vanilla, mixing until blended; stir in pecan halves. Pour filling into pastry shell.

Bake for 50 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm.

Nutrition Info: Per Serving
Calories: 489 kcal
Carbohydrates: 54 g
Dietary Fiber: 1 g
Fat: 26 g
Protein: 5 g
Sugars: 34 gPin It Now!

Sweet Cinna-Ginger Spice Cookies

Sweet Cinna-Ginger Spice Cookies
Courtesy of Yahoo Food
Yield: 30 cookies

6 tablespoons vegetable shortening
6 tablespoons margarine
1 cup SPLENDA(R) No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 large egg
1/4 cup molasses
2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Mix together shortening, margarine, SPLENDA(R) Granulated Sweetener, egg and molasses in a large mixing bowl.

Sift dry ingredients together and add to shortening mixture. Mix thoroughly.

Chill dough in refrigerator until firm (approximately 2 hours).

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Form dough into 30 balls, approximately 1 level tablespoons each. Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet and pat down gently with fork making a criss-cross pattern.

Bake cookies in the center of the preheated 350 degrees F oven for 10-12 minutes. Do not overbake. Cookies will look chewy when they come out but will become crisp. Cool cookies on wire cooling rack.

Nutrition Info: Per Serving
Calories: 82 kcal
Carbohydrates: 8 g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Fat: 4 g
Protein: 1 g
Sugars: 1 gPin It Now!

White Chocolate Pretzels

Another care package favorite!

White Chocolate Pretzels
Courtesy of my own imagination

1 bag mini pretzels - shape of your choice
2-3 packages of white melting chocolate - sometimes called Almond Bark
Colored sugar or other decorating pieces of your choice

Lay out some long sheets of waxed paper in an area where the candy can cool for an hour or two. Melt the white chocolate in the microwave or a double boiler. I usually do one package at a time and make more when I need it. If you melt it in the microwave - do it in one minute incriments and stir between each cycle... it will burn quickly - so don't stop watching it.

Take a few pretzels and drop them in the bowl with the melted chocolate, use a fork to take them out. Tap the fork on the side of your bowl and lay each pretzel on the wax paper to try. I usually coat 5 or so pretzels - then sprinkle them with colored sugar, candy sprinkles or any other confectionary decoration. As the white chocolate cools it will get harder and harder for the decorations to stick... so do this quickly.

Let them cool - then enjoy! Everyone will think you're a genius!Pin It Now!

Peanut Butter Candy

These also went in my care packages at Christmas... and they might make a small appearance this year too.

Peanut Butter Candy
Courtesy of one of my old roommates, Jennifer K.

1 box Town House Crackers
1 large jar peanut butter, crunchy or smooth - your choice. Crunchy does cause a little more breakage with the crackers though.
2 packages chocolate bark - the melting kind found in the baking section

Spread peanut butter on one cracker, then stack another on top to make a "sandwich" - repeat until all of the crackers are used.

Melt chocolate bark - I usually melt half a package at a time in the microwave... then do more as I need it. When melting in the microwave... do about 1 minute at a time and stir until melted. It can easily burn so you have to watch it. You could do it in a double boiler for a more gentle way of melting.

Lay a long piece of waxed paper on a surface where the candy can cool for an hour or two. Take a "sandwich" place it on a fork for stability, dip in chocolate. Shake the extra chocolate off, we use the fork for this too - tap it on the side of the bowl that the melted chocolate is in, and then place on waxed paper to cool.

These turn out so well, people will think you're a genius... they won't believe you made them yourself!Pin It Now!

Cream Cheese Mints

I used to make big batches of holiday treats and make little care packages for the people at my office and John's every year... but I haven't done it the last couple of years because of my own dietary limitations. What I can do though is share it with my friends out there in blog land, and hope that they'll brighten up your family's holiday season!

Cream Cheese Mints
Courtesy of my friend Dara

1 (3 oz) package cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon butter, softened
3 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp peppermint extract
food coloring (associate with the holiday)

In a large bowl combine cream cheese, butter, and confectioners' sugar. Mix in peppermint extract. Color as desired with food coloring, or leave white.

Roll mixture into small balls, and place on waxed paper. Flatten with form dipped in confectioners' sugar. Let dry for about 2 hours on waxed paper, then freeze or refrigerate.Pin It Now!

Jolly Snowman Faces

Jolly Snowman Faces
Courtesy of Betty Crocker
Yield: 2 dozen

1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 egg
1 container (12 oz) Betty Crocker® Whipped fluffy white frosting
Red string licorice
Assorted candies

1. Heat oven to 375°F. In medium bowl, stir cookie mix, butter and egg until soft dough forms. On ungreased cookie sheets, drop dough by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart.

2. Bake 11 to 14 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.

3. Frost and decorate 1 cookie at a time. After spreading frosting on cookie, add licorice for band of earmuffs and candies for ear "covers" and snowman face.

High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Decrease butter to 1/3 cup.

Special Touch
Holiday party? Bake the cookies ahead and let party goers do the decorating.

Nutrition Information: 1 Frosted Cookie (Undecorated):
Calories 200 (Calories from Fat 80)
Total Fat 9g (Saturated Fat 4g, Trans Fat 2g)
Cholesterol 20mg
Sodium 105mg
Total Carbohydrate 29g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 20g)
Protein 1gPin It Now!

Easy Fiesta Christmas Tree

Easy Fiesta Christmas Tree
Courtesy of: Betty Crocker
Yield: 8 Servings

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese
Yellow or green bell pepper
1 piece (2 inches) green onion
1/4 cup Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa
1/4 cup apricot preserves or orange marmalade
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
Assorted tortilla chips, crackers or sliced vegetables, if desired

1. Cut block of cream cheese diagonally in half; arrange on serving plate with shallow rim to form triangle.

2. Cut star out of bell pepper with star-shaped cookie cutter; place at top of tree. Place green onion piece at base of tree.

3. Mix salsa and preserves; spoon over cream cheese. Sprinkle with cilantro. Serve with tortilla chips.

Special Touch
Add presents to your tree when you arrange small crackers at the base of the spread.

Planned-Overs
Thinly slice the rest of the green onion, and sprinkle it on top of the salsa mixture along with cilantro.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving:
Calories 130 (Calories from Fat 90 )
Total Fat 10 g (Saturated Fat 6 g)
Cholesterol 30 mg
Sodium 110 mg
Total Carbohydrate 8 g (Dietary Fiber 0g)
Protein 2 gPin It Now!