Recipe #33 October 7, 2013

Mexican Stuffed Shells 

                                               
 
Ingredients

1 pound ground beef (or ground turkey)
1 package low-sodium taco seasoning
4 ounces cream cheese
16 jumbo pasta shells - (I had to use rigatoni because my store did not sell large shells.)
1 1/2 cups salsa
1 cup taco sauce
1 cup cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterrey jack cheese
For toppings:
3 green onions
Sour cream

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°.
In a pan brown the ground beef; add taco seasoning and prepare according to package directions. Add cream cheese, cover and simmer until cheese is melted. Stir together and mix well. Set aside and cool completely.
While ground beef is cooking, cook the pasta shells according to package directions; drain. Set shells out individually on cutting board or baking sheet so that they don’t stick together.
Pour salsa on bottom of a 9×13 baking dish. Stuff each shell with 1-2 tablespoons of the meat mixture. Place shells in 9×13 pan open side up. Evenly cover shells with taco sauce. Cover dish with foil and bake for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, add shredded cheese and bake for 10-15 more minutes with the foil removed. Top with green onions or olives if desired. Serve with sour cream and/or more salsa!

Recipe #32 August 19, 2013

Banana Cornbread Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 box cornbread mix - I used Jiffy
• 1/2 Milk (recipe recommended 2% but I used skim)
• 1 medium banana

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Smash bananas in a smal mixing bowl using a fork
3. Add milk and cornbread, mix
4. Spray muffin cups and fill 2/3 full
5. Bake at 350 for 22-24 minutes until golden brown on top

Makes 6 muffins

Recipe #31 August 2, 2013

Frosted Banana Bars

Ingredients for bars:

• 1/2 Cup butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1-1/2 cups mashed bananas (about 3 medium)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• dash salt

Ingredients for frosting:

• 1 package cream cheese - 8 oz.
• 1/2 cup butter, softened
• 4 cups confectioners' sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

 Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350
2. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs, bananas, and vanilla.
4. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt, stir into the creamed mixture until blended.
5. Transfer  to a greased 15-in x 10 in. (jelly roll) baking pan.  Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a wire rack.
6. For frosting:   In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter until fluffy.  Add confectioners' sugar and vanilla; beat until smooth. Frost bars.  

Recipe #30 July 13, 2013

Skinny Spaghetti Squash Alfredo

Ingredients

• 1 medium sized spaghetti squash
• 1 tbsp butter
• 2½ tbsp flour(whole grain is fine)
• 2-3 cloves of garlic, very finely minced, grated or pressed
• 1 tbsp cream cheese(low fat is fine)
• 1½ C milk(low fat is fine)
• 1 C freshly grated, not packed Parmesan cheese(about 60g or 2.1oz), plus 2 tbsp extra for topping
• ¼ tsp salt

Directions

1. First prep the spaghetti squash. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the spaghetti squash in half using a large sharp knife, scoop out the seeds and place cut side down on a rimmed baking sheet covered with water. Bake until tender, about an hour Alternatively, keep the spaghetti squash whole. Poke a few holes deep into the squash with a large knife. Place in the oven whole. Bake for 60 minutes, remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 20 minutes before slicing in half with a large serrated knife like a bread knife. Scoop out the seedy inside leaving the spaghetti strands. Once cooked, use a fork to gently scrape the “spaghetti” strands into the center.
2. For the sauce, melt the butter in a small pot. Once hot add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes over medium low heat. Add the flour and whisk into the butter. Cook for another minute while stirring. Add the cream cheese, warm it up and stir it in to the butter mixture.
3. Add the milk and whisk well. Bring up to a gentle simmer then remove from the heat. Add the freshly grated cheese and salt and stir until melted, just a minute or two. Pour half the sauce into each spaghetti squash half(or less if using a smaller squash). Gently stir to combine. Top with an extra sprinkle of Parmesan and place under the broiler of your oven for 2-3 minutes until golden and bubbly. Serve immediately.

*I put mine in a large casserole dish and mixing everything that way before putting it back in the oven to broil.

Recipe #29 July 12, 2013

Coconut Banana Bread

 Adapted from Ambitious Kitchen

Ingredients:

1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

3 Large ripe bananas, mashed

½ cup + 2 tablespoons sweetened flaked coconut

½ tablespoon olive or coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla

½ cup of brown sugar

3 egg whites

¼ cup plain greek yogurt

¼ cup + 2 tbsp coconut almond milk or light coconut milk

¼ cup of chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda.
3. In a separate large mixing bowl combine mashed bananas, brown sugar, and vanilla.  Add egg whites and mix together until smooth and then add in the oil.
4. Slowly incorporate the flour and combine until moist.
5. Add in the greek yogurt and coconut milk and combine. 
6. Lastly fold in ½ cup of coconut and walnuts (if using) into batter.
7. Pour into greased 9×5 inch loaf pan. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of coconut on top.
8. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean and the bread is golden brown.

Recipe #28 July 8, 2013

Zucchini Bread

I got this recipe from a student few years back after he brought in a slice for me!

Ingredients:

• 3 eggs
• 1 C oil
• 2 1/4 C sugar
• 2 C grated, peeled zucchini
• 3 tsp vanilla
• 3 C flour
• 1/4  tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 tsp cinnamon
• 1 C mini choc chips (optional) - I used reg. size chips but they sunk to the bottom :(

Directions:

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon.  Set aside.
2. Beat eggs until light and fluffy.  Don't beat them too long - just until they forma  head.
3. Add sugar to eggs slowly white beating, then add oil, beating all the time.
4. Add vanilla.  
5. Stir in grated zucchini.
6. Blend flour mixture with creamed mixture.
7. Add chocolate chips.
8. Grease and flour pans - use real crisco, not spray
9. Turn batter into 2 loaf pans and bake at 350 for 1 hour or until done.

Recipe #27 July 6, 2013

Chili-veggie wraps 

(We don't know the real name!)

Ingredients:
2 packs cream cheese - 8oz each
1 can chopped jalapenos
1 tomato
2 avocado
1 bag spinach
1 can chili
1 package shredded cheese
1 package tortillas - we used white and green spinach

Directions:
1. Blend cream cheese and can of choped jalapenos, pour in some of juice also.
2. Chop tomato and avocados
3. Lay tortilla flat and spread cream cheese mix all over tortilla.
    Put spinach over cream cheese mix in a neat layer.
    In a small line down the middle spoon on chili, then avocados, tomatoes, and shredded cheese.
4.  Fold tortilla over tucking ingredients tightly.  Add some more cream cheese mix on top of the tortilla so it sticks together.  Slide into 1 inch pieces.