Colorful Mac & Cheese

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cups uncooked elbow macaroni
• 2 cups chopped zucchini
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
• 2 cups (8 ounces) part-skim shredded cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup milk (I use reconstituted non-fat dry milk)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon prepared mustard

Directions

• Cook macaroni according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, saute zucchini and onion in oil until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, soup, cheese, milk, basil and mustard.
• Cook, uncovered, over medium heat for 6-7 minutes or until cheese is melted, stirring often. Drain macaroni; toss with vegetable cheese sauce. Yield: 4 servings.

Sloppy Joe Hash Browns

• 1 pkg frozen O'brien potatoes
  
• 1 pound ground turkey or veggie crumbles
  
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 can (15-1/2 ounces) sloppy joe sauce
• 1 tablespoon chili sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 cups shredded lettuce
• 1 medium tomato, chopped

Directions

• In a large skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the sloppy joe sauce, chili sauce and pepper; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-5 minutes or until heated through.
• Line 9x13 pan with potatoes and top with meat mixture. Bake 30 minutes or until heated through. Top with cheese, lettuce and tomato
  
• 
  
• Yield: 4 servings.

Summer Veggie Pie

Summer Veggie Pie

• vegetarian

Another option with this recipe is to make it all in one big oven-safe dish, and top the whole thing with all-butter puff pastry. Simply wonderful!

Ingredients

• 4 Tbsp butter
• 1/2 Tsp salt
• 1/4 Tsp pepper
• 2 C mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 C parmesan
• 2 pie crusts or all-butter puff pastry
• 1 onion
• broccoli (optional)
• 2 large tomatoes, sliced into thin wedges
• parsley (optional for summer pie - use if you don't like cilantro)
• 3/4 C chopped cilantro
• 1/3 C lemon juice
• 1/2 red bell pepper
• 1 lb zucchini/yellow squash
• chard

Preparation

Chop zucchini, yellow squash, onion, and bell pepper into thin slices. Add cilantro, lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Toss.

Heat butter in a large frying pan, add veggie mix and saute until soft, about 3 minutes. Drain mixture in a colander.

Lay pie crust in pie pan and start adding layers in this order:

half the Parmesan

half the veggie mixture

half the sliced tomatoes

half the mozzarella

remaining veggie mixture

remaining sliced tomatoes

remaining mozzarella

remaining parmesan

Cover with the remaining pie crust.

Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until golden.

SPINACH AND TORTELLINI SOUP

SPINACH AND TORTELLINI SOUP

Yield: 6 servings (about 1 cup each)
Source: "1,001 Delicious Recipes for People with Diabetes"
Book Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/22.shtml
Print version: http://diabeticgourmet.com/recipes/html/488.shtml

INGREDIENTS

- Vegetable cooking spray
- 2 cups sliced carrots
- 1/4 cup sliced green onions and tops
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
- 2 cans (15 ounces each) reduced-sodium chicken broth
- 1-1/2 cups water
- 1 package (9 ounces) fresh low-fat tomato and cheese tortellini
- 3 cups torn spinach leaves
- 2-3 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1/8 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon pepper

DIRECTIONS

Spray bottom of large saucepan with cooking spray; heat over
medium heat until hot. Saute carrots, green onions, garlic,
and basil until onions are tender, about 5 minutes.

Add chicken broth and water to saucepan; heat to boiling.
Reduce heat and simmer, covered, 10 minutes.

Heat broth mixture to boiling; stir in tortellini and spinach.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, until tortellini are al
dente, about 5 minutes. Stir in lemon juice, nutmeg and pepper.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (about 1 cup each):
Calories: 170, Fat: 3.5 g, Saturated Fat: 1.6 g,
Cholesterol: 17.7 g, Sodium: 177, Protein: 8.6 g,
Carbohydrate: 26.9 g
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Vegetable, 1-1/2 Bread, 1/2 Fat

Sabrina's Mom's Banana Bread

Banana Bread

1 3/4 C sifter all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1 c. granulated sugar

1 tsp baking soda

3 tbs buttermilk...I use 2 tablespoons of milk and 2 tsp of milk and 1 tsp of lemon juice or vinegar
2 eggs

3 bananas

1/2 cup chopped walnuts

1/2 cup butter flavor crisco or real butter (unsalted)

Heat oven to 350 and grease and flour 9x5x3 inch loaf pan. Mix flour and salt and then take shortening and hand mix with flour mixture until it resembles cornmeal. (all the same size) In another bowl mix sugar and eggs until as creamy as you can get it. Then fold the two mixtures together. I put the milk mixture with the baking soda together in a small bowl and then mix it with the banana. Then add it to the rest of the stuff. It will be foaming because of the soda. Then add the nuts and fold into the greased and floured pan(s), I usually double the recipe which will make 3 loaves, but if you don't double it, it makes a full one loaf. Fill pan(s) about 2/3. If you want to you can sprinkle extra nuts on top. I usually use 1 cup of nuts instead of 1/2 because we like a lot of nuts. I usually cook for about 45 minutes and use a toothpick to check for doneness. Then take out of the oven and put on the cooling racks for about 5-10 minutes and then go around the rim with a butter knife and slip out of the pan while still a little hot. Let cool completely and wrap in foil paper to mellow flavor. I usually try to remove from pan as soon as I can.

If they get brown too fast just cover with foil paper and continue cooking until cake tester done (tooth pick insert). Then take out of oven.

Try toasting each slice in the toaster......these are really good with peanut butter on them too.

Crockpot Hidden Valley Ranch Potatoes 7-9 Hours

I would try to lighten this up with Neufchatel cheese and use reduced sodium cream of potato soup, but this sounds pretty yummy. I'd also try to find a reduced sodium dressing mix or make my own. A few chunks of turkey ham would be great in it as well. Add it in the final hour so they don't dry out.

Crockpot Hidden Valley

Ranch Potatoes

2 24-ounce packages frozen hash brown potatoes, partially thawed
2 8-ounce packages cream cheese
2 packets Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing mix
2 cans cream of potato soup

Put potatoes in crockpot.

Mix remaining ingredients in a bowl and add to
potatoes. Stir well. Cook on LOW 7-9 hours.

Stir before serving.

Reverse Menu Planning

I do a little bit of this as well as regular menu planning, but plan to follow these tips more closely especially if David goes to the Phillipines and I have to take over the grocery shopping.

Reverse Menu Planning
by Mrs. Roy
Make your grocery dollars go farther

Mrs. Roy was asked recently how I fed my family of four and
maintained a frugal lifestyle. We all know that food takes a
big chunk out of our budget and we've all read that the family
food budget is a great place to cut expenses. So Mrs. Roy,
like a lot of you, clipped coupons, dusted off the slow
cooker, made lists, bought in bulk, bought store brands and
tried lots of other suggestions along the way. What Mrs. Roy
found was that there truly are lots of ways to save money on
groceries.

One nearly universal tip is to plan, plan and plan some more.
Whether it's a daily menu, a weekly menu, or a monthly menu,
just make a menu. Some folks suggest you come up with a list
of menus you know you will eat and just rotate them. If you
have the time, you can match the weekly grocery specials with
coupons, then make a menu that uses those items. Mrs. Roy can
testify that this is a time-consuming process, but you can
really save money that way. One down side is that I tend to
buy stuff I'm not going to eat that week just because it's a
great deal. In other words, Mrs. Roy was constantly stocking
up while the price is right.

Stocking up is great so long as you remember to use the food
you've bought. That's where a lot of folks get into trouble.
They simply forget to use the stuff they've stocked up on. The
best deal in the world is no deal at all if you end up
throwing it in the trash. That's why reverse menu planning is
one of the best ways to really make your grocery dollar go
farther.

What is reverse menu planning? Instead of planning a menu and
then shopping, you first take an inventory of what you have on
hand, then plan a menu using those items. This method also
takes some time, but it's well worth the effort and you save
the time you would have spent matching the specials up to
coupons and shopping at the grocery!

First of all, you are going to spend a lot less money, maybe
nothing if you use what you have on hand instead of making
your normal weekly shopping trip. Call me crazy, but every
penny Mrs. Roy doesn't spend goes to the bottom line at my
house. If you have been in the coupon-clipping, match with a
sale, buy the loss leader mode for a while, it is going to be
hard to break the habit and stay home this week. Try to
remember that all sales are on a cycle; it will come on sale
again. And no matter what is on sale this week, free is
cheaper.

With reverse menu planning, you don't have to worry about
freezer burn burning up your good bargains. I don't know about
you, but sometimes Mrs. Roy forgets what is in my freezer. We
actually have three freezers, so that makes it even harder.
Other than the Skinny Cow ice cream (Mrs. Roy always knows
exactly where that is!), some things have a tendency to hang
out in my freezers longer than they should. A periodic reverse
menu inventory helps me keep food from getting too old to use.

Taking inventory of the refrigerator means you are going to
have to take a hard look at the types of things you stash and
forget. Hopefully, there won't be too many science projects
growing in there and you will be able to figure out how to use
the last piece of that chunk of cheddar, half a head of
cabbage, and that little dab of tomato paste. Be honest with
yourself; if your family doesn't eat leftovers, don't wrap
them up and stick them in the refrigerator to die a slow,
painful death. Just toss them after dinner. It may be
wasteful, but at least it's honest. Or start a soup bucket in
your freezer. That's an airtight container where you dump the
extra green beans, macaroni, tomatoes, etc. until you have
enough to make a big pot of vegetable soup.

When Mrs. Roy inventories the pantry, I always find things
that I don't remember buying and don't like to eat so those
things go in a bag for the food pantry. In other words, my
family and someone else's family benefit from this reverse
menu planning process.

Once you know what you have on hand, the next step is really
fun. You start making menus based on what you have! Mrs. Roy
usually ends up with at least a dozen or so meals that require
little or no supplementing from the grocery store. I post the
list on the refrigerator and then mark them off as we eat our
way through the list.

This is a great way to try new recipes, too. If you aren't
sure what to do with those pork chops in the freezer, just use
your computer. Type "pork chops" into your search engine and
more recipes than you will ever need are right at your
fingertips. Even better is a website that lets you list the
ingredients you want to use and it will match recipes to your
ingredients! Check it out at
http://allrecipes.com//Search/Ingredients.aspx

>. It's the
perfect complement to reverse menu planning.

Reverse menu planning is always a learning experience for me.
When I see the store brand pudding we tried but didn't like, I
learn to stick to the other brand. If there is half a head of
cabbage melting in the bottom of the produce drawer, Mrs. Roy
will remember to buy less next time. There's no sense going to
the bread store and stocking up if the extras get freezer burn
before we can eat them. Half a bag of onions or potatoes with
sprouts coming out of the eyes means Mrs. Roy bought more than
we could eat. I'll take those lessons with me the next time I
shop for groceries.

Reverse menu planning is a great habit to have for when there
is more month than money. Reverse menu planning will give you
a real sense of accomplishment. You will be saving money. You
will be making good use of the things you've already spent
your family's money buying. And you will be a good steward by
using what you have instead of buying more.

Living a frugal lifestyle takes patience, knowledge, and
skill, especially when it comes to food. It will always be
easier to just run through the drive-thru or order pizza to be
delivered. Convenience foods are always going to be easier
than fresh produce and meats. That's why they are called
"convenience foods." Reserve menu planning is a tool you can
use to make frugal living easier and more profitable.
______________________

Mrs. Roy is a wife, mother, paralegal, and Sunday School
teacher who has been living the frugal life since long before
it became fashionable. She is most proud to be a new
grandmother, the wife of a decorated war hero, and an award-
winning quilter. She writes about her faith, family, the
environment and the frugal life at www.mrsroysway.blogspot.com

Take the Next Step:
- For more on menu planning, please visit
http://www.stretcher.com/menu/topic-g.htm#groceries-menu

>
- Join the discussion on menu planning from your pantry stock
http://community.stretcher.com/forums/t/19517.aspx

>

Easy Low Fat Fruit Dip

EASY LOW FAT FRUIT DIP
1 cup low fat vanilla yogurt 1 cup sugar free Cool Whip Mix ingredients together and serve. *Optional: Add 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Strawberry Pretzel Salad

Prep Time: 35 Minutes Cook Time: 10 Minutes Ready In: 45 Minutes Servings: 12

"A pretzel crust topped with a sweet cream cheese layer and a strawberry topping."

Ingredients:

2 cups crushed pretzels 3/4 cup butter, melted 3 tablespoons white sugar 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened or Neufchatel 1 cup white sugar

1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed 2 (3 ounce) packages strawberry flavored gelatin 2 cups boiling water 2 (10 ounce) packages frozen strawberries

Directions:

1.	Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
2.	Stir together crushed pretzels, melted butter and 3 tablespoons sugar; mix well and press mixture into the bottom of a 9x13 inch baking dish.
3.	Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until set. Set aside to cool.
4.	In a large mixing bowl cream together cream cheese and 1 cup sugar. Fold in whipped topping. Spread mixture onto cooled crust.
5.	Dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Stir in still frozen strawberries and allow to set briefly. When mixture is about the consistency of egg whites, pour and spread over cream cheese layer. Refrigerate until set.

Hilary's Strawberry Salad

1 pint sliced strawberries

2 tbsp sliced almonds

1 red onion, chopped

basil, to taste

balsamic vinegar and black pepper to taste

Corn on the Grill

We leave it in the husk and soak it in water for at least two hours, then throw it on the grill, keep turning it about every 15 minutes. Then in about 40 minutes it should be good!

Rose's Better Than Sex Cake

Ingredients

1 (18.25 ounce) package devil's food cake mix
1/2 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
6 ounces caramel ice cream topping
3 (1.4 ounce) bars chocolate covered toffee, chopped
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

Bake cake according to package directions for a 9x13 inch pan; cool on wire rack for 5 minutes.

Make slits across the top of the cake, making sure not to go through to the bottom.

In a saucepan over low heat, combine sweetened condensed milk and caramel topping, stirring until smooth and blended. Slowly pour the warm topping mixture over the top of the warm cake, letting it sink into the slits; then sprinkle the crushed chocolate toffee bars liberally across the entire cake while still warm. (Hint: I crush my candy bars into small chunks as opposed to crumbs - I like to have pieces I can chew on!)

Let cake cool completely, then top with whipped topping. Decorate the top of the cake with some more chocolate toffee bar chunks and swirls of caramel topping. Refrigerate and serve right from the pan!

SOURCE: Rose Coleman

Cranberry Walnut Cookies

Cranberry Walnut Cookies

Ingredients:

1 1/2 c. whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
1/2 c. chopped dried cranberries
1 c. plus 3 T. sugar, divided
1/2 c. smooth, unsweetened applesauce
1/4 c. canola oil
1 T. freshly grated orange zest
3 T. orange juice

Directions:

Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Stir in
walnuts and dried cranberries and set aside. Whisk 1 c. sugar, applesauce,
oil, orange zest and juice in a medium bowl until smooth. Make a well in the
dry ingredients and pour in the wet ingredients. Mix until well blended.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes. Preheat oven to 350
degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
Put the remaining 3 T. sugar into a small flat-bottomed dish or pan. Roll
the dough with floured hands (it will be very moist) into 1 1/2-inch balls,
then roll in sugar to coat. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking
sheet. Bake the cookies until barely golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on
the pan for 1 minute; transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make Ahead Tip: Prepare the dough, cover and refrigerate for up to 3 days.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5
days.

Submitted by: Dinah Mulock Craik

Magic Cookie Bars

Basic Magic Cookie Bar Recipe

This is a classic that we have made for years in our family. I remember my
mom making it when we were kids and I make it every year for my family.

Ingredients:

1/2 c. butter
1 1/2 c. graham cracker crumbs
1 14-ounce can Eagle Brand® sweetened condensed milk
1 c. semisweet chocolate chips
1 3 1/2-ounce can flaked coconut (1 1/2 c.)
1 c. chopped nuts

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees or 325 degrees for glass dish. In a 9x13-inch
baking pan, melt butter in oven. Sprinkle graham cracker crumbs over butter
and pour the Eagle Brand® milk over the crumbs. Top with the remaining
ingredients, pressing down firmly before baking. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes
or until lightly browned. Cool and cut into bars. Store loosely covered at
room temperature or chill if preferred.

Submitted by: Candace Clayton

Choco-Cherry Dot Cookies

Choco-Cherry Dot Cookies

Ingredients:

1 c. confectioners' sugar
1 c. (2 sticks) butter, softened
1 tsp. cherry extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3 drops of red food coloring
2 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 c. maraschino cherries, drained and chopped (can use candied cherries
instead)
48 cherry cordial flavored chocolate kisses, unwrapped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In large mixing bowl, combine confectioners'
sugar, butter, cherry and almond extracts and food coloring; blend well.
Stir in flour and salt until well combined. Fold in chopped cherries. Form
dough into 1-inch balls, and place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie
sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until cookies are lightly brown around
edges. Remove from oven and immediately press a cherry-flavored chocolate
kiss in top of each cookie. Remove cookies to wire racks to cool. Makes 4
dozen cookies.

*For extra chocolate flavor you can add 1/2 c. of mini chocolate chips (or
to taste) to your cookie dough mixture.

Submitted by: Krisanne Hickman of TN

Michelle Jones Granny's Gingersnap Cookies

Ginger Snaps
Courtesy of CookieClubRecipes.com

1 level cup of sugar
1 cup of molasses
1 cup of lard or drippings (Yikes, I used Crisco!)
1 cup of hot water
1 heaping teaspoonful of soda
Salt
1 cup of chopped raisins (I did not use, because my kids prefer cookies
without, though I prefer with--and I'm sure they would have been great!)
Ginger and cinnamon to taste (I used 1 tsp. each.)
3 3/4 or 3 1/2 cups flour to make soft (I used 3 1/2 c., and these cookies
are VERY soft.)

The cookbook directions read...

"Stir well and set aside to cool. Drop with a teaspoon into buttered tins. -
Helen Farr, 1917, New Jersey"

If you need a little help on that, I mixed the wet ingredients together and
then the dry and then combined. The hot water was a little tricky since I
wasn't using raisins, normally I would soak the raisins in the hot water and
it would be easier to add. The finished cookie will be much different
depending on if you use them or not, but even without them, oh my goodness,
yummy, yummy!!! As for the baking, I dropped the dough on ungreased baking
sheets, at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Then cooled for a minute
before moving to racks.

CRANBERRY-CRUNCH CHICKEN SALAD

CRANBERRY-CRUNCH CHICKEN SALAD

Yield: 6 servings
Source: "The Complete Diabetes Prevention Plan"
Info: http://diabeticgourmet.com/book_archive/details/60.shtml

INGREDIENTS

- 3 cups diced roasted chicken or turkey
- 2 cups cooked wild rice
- 2 cups peeled chopped Granny Smith apples (about 2-1/2 medium)
- 1 cup thinly sliced celery
- 1/2 cup dried sweetened cranberries
(or plain, unsweetened dried cranberries)
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or toasted pecans
- 1 cup nonfat or light mayonnaise

DIRECTIONS

Place the chicken or turkey, wild rice, apples, celery,
cranberries, and nuts in a large bowl and toss to mix well.

Add the mayonnaise and toss to mix well, adding a little
more mayonnaise if the mixture seems too dry. Cover the
salad and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.

Serve over a bed of fresh salad greens or mound each
serving into the center of a cantaloupe half if desired.

Nutritional Information Per Serving (per 1-1/2 cup serving):
Calories: 286, Carbohydrate: 24 g, Cholesterol: 60 mg,
Fat: 8.8 g, Saturated Fat: 1.1 g, Fiber: 2.8 g,
Protein: 27 g, Sodium: 351 mg, Calcium: 29 mg
Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 Very Lean Meat, 1/2 Starch, 1 Fruit, 1 Fat

Enchilada Casserole

prep time5 minutes

total time30 minutes

4 servings-1 c. each

1 lb. Ground turkey

1/4 cup chopped onions

1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce

1/2 cup Water

2 tsp. Chili powder

4 Corn tortillas

1 cup 2% Milk Shredded Reduced Fat Cheddar Cheese

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes

1/4 cup fat free sour cream or plain yogurt

Skillet Preparation

Cook meat and onions in large skillet on medium-high heat 3 to 5 min. or until meat is no longer pink; drain. Stir in tomato sauce, water and chili powder; cook until heated through. Transfer to bowl. Assemble in skillet as directed. Cover; heat 2 min. or until cheese is melted. Top with sour cream and tomatoes.

Calories

390

Total fat

15 g

Saturated fat

8 g

Cholesterol

105 mg

Sodium

590 mg

Carbohydrate

29 g

Dietary fiber

5 g

Sugars

4 g

Protein

30 g

Vitamin A

25 %DV

Vitamin C

15 %DV

Calcium

30 %DV

Katie Philbin's Watermelon Salad

1 watermelon, cubed
1 pint strawberries, sliced
1 lb red grapes, halved

Toss fruits together and chill.

Peaches & Cream French Toast

Peaches & Cream French Toast

Wake up your sleepyheads with the wonderfully warm aroma of peaches and brown sugar in this delectable breakfast bake. Susan Westerfield - Albuquerque, NM

12 ServingsPrep: 20 min. + chilling Bake: 50 min.

Ingredients

• 1 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/2 cup reduced fat margarine, cubed
• 2 tablespoons corn syrup
• 1 can (29 ounces) sliced peaches in lite juice, drained
• 1 loaf (1 pound) day-old French bread, cubed
• 1 package (8 ounces) Neufchatel, cubed
• 6 whole eggs
• 6 egg whites
  
• 1-1/2 cups fat free half-and-half cream
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

• In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, butter and corn syrup.
• Cook and stir over medium heat until sugar is dissolved; pour into a
• greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
• 
  
• Arrange peaches in dish. Place half of the bread cubes over peaches.
• Layer with cream cheese and remaining bread. Place the eggs, cream
• and vanilla in a blender; cover and process until smooth. Pour over
• top. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• 
  
• Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake,
• uncovered, at 350° for 50-60 minutes or until a knife inserted
• near the center comes out clean. Yield: 12 servings.
• 
  

SOURCE: Taste of Home

• Amish Breakfast Casserole Recipe

  12 Servings
• Prep: 15 min. Bake: 35 min. + standing

Ingredients

• 1 pound sliced bacon, diced
• 1 medium sweet onion, chopped
• 6 eggs, lightly beaten
• 4 cups frozen shredded hash brown potatoes, thawed
• 2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
• 1-1/2 cups (12 ounces) 4% cottage cheese
• 1-1/4 cups shredded Swiss cheese

Directions

• In a large skillet, cook bacon and onion until bacon is crisp; drain. In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; stir in bacon mixture. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
• Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until a knife inserted near the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes before cutting. Yield: 12 servings.

Nutrition Facts: 1 serving (1 piece) equals 273 calories, 18 g fat (10 g saturated fat), 153 mg cholesterol, 477 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 18 g protein.

Bobbi's Veggie Alfredo

1 package of spinach pasta or tri-colored pasta
1 pkg frozen sugar snap peas
1 pkg frozen carrots
1 pkg red, yellow and green pepper/onion mix
2 cans water chestnuts, drained and rinsed
1/2 bag frozen green beans
1/2 bag frozen broccoli
2 jars garlic herb light Alfredo Sauce
1 c. fat free plain yogurt

Boil pasta as directed, about 5-7 minutes prior to pasta reaching desired tenderness, add the veggies. When just tender-crisp, drain pasta and veggie mix. Toss with Alfredo sauce and yogurt.

This makes a lot! Could easily be halved

Recipe courtesy of

Bobbi Malcom Schoettle

Hot-and-Spicy Sloppy Joes

Hot-and-Spicy Sloppy Joes

From the Kitchen of:  Gramaw
Source:  Better Homes & Gardens New Crockery Cooker Cook Book

Adjust the "Hot-and-Spicy" part by using regular tomato juice and cut down on
 the amount of peppers.

     1 1/2  lbs.  ground beef
     1  lg.  onion, chopped (1 cup)
     1  clove  garlic, minced
     1  can  hot-style tomato juice or vegetable juice
cocktail (6 oz.)
     1/2  c.  catsup
     1/2  c.  water
     2  tbsp.  brown sugar
     2  tbsp.  chopped canned jalapeño peppers
(optional)
     1  tbsp.  prepared mustard
     2  tsp.  chili powder
     1  tsp.  Worcestershire sauce
     8   hamburger buns
       shredded Cheddar cheese

In a large skillet cook ground beef, onion, and garlic till meat is
brown and onion is tender.  Drain off fat.

Meanwhile, in a 3 1/2- or 4-quart crockery cooker combine tomato juice;
catsup; water; brown sugar; jalapeño peppers, if desired; mustard, chili powder;
 and Worcestershire sauce.  Stir in meat mixture.
 Cover; cook on low-heat setting for 10 to 12 hours or high-heat setting for 3
 to 5 hours.  Toast buns; spoon meat mixture over buns and sprinkle with cheese.

Serves 8

Crock Pot Chicken Corn Soup 7-8 hours

Crock Pot Chicken Corn Soup

From the Kitchen of:  Nancy
Source:  MasterCook

For lower fat soup use boneless, skinless chicken breasts and low-fat broth.

     3-3 1/2  lb.  chicken cut up
     1  lg.  onion, finely chopped
     2  med.  carrots, finely chopped
     1  med.  russet potato, peeled and diced
     1/4  c.  chopped parsley
     1/4  c.  tomato sauce
     2  cans  chicken broth (14½ oz. each)
     1  can  cream style corn
     2  med.  zucchini, cut lengthwise into quarters,
then thinly sliced

     salt and pepper to taste

Rinse chicken, pat dry and set aside.

In a 4-quart or larger crock pot, combine onion, carrots, celery,
potato and 3 tablespoons parsley.

Add chicken, then pour in tomato sauce and broth.

Cover and cook on low 7 - 8 hours or until chicken and potato are
tender when pierced.

Lift out chicken and let stand until cool enough to handle.

Meanwhile, skim and discard fat from broth mixture.

Stir corn into broth mixture, turn heat to high. Cover and cook
15 minutes more.

Remove and discard bones and skin from chicken; tear meat into
bite-sized pieces.

Add chicken and zucchini to soup, cover and cook until zucchini
is just tender, (15 minutes ±).

Season to taste and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon parsley.

Yield: 6 - 8 servings. 

Swiss Bliss 8-10 hours

From the Kitchen of:  Patricia

     2  pounds  roast (chuck or bottom round), cut 1-inch thick
     1  envelope  onion soup mix
     1  can  (4 oz.) sliced mushrooms, drained
     ½  medium  green pepper, sliced
     1  can  (20 oz.) tomatoes, drained and chopped, reserving
liquid
       salt and pepper to taste
     1  tbsp.  steak sauce
     1  tbsp.  cornstarch
     1  tbsp.  dried parsley flakes

Place meat in slow cooker and sprinkle with soup mix.  Add mushrooms,
green pepper slices, and tomatoes.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Combine remaining ingredients and add enough water to make 1½ cups of
liquid.  Pour over meat and vegetables, and sprinkle with parsley flakes.
 Cover and cook for 8 to 10 hours.

Serves 4 to 6

Slow Cooked Spaghetti Squash 6-8 hours

Slow Cooked Spaghetti Squash

Easy to do, diabetic-friendly, and delicious. This flexible recipe can
be a light main course or a side dish.

Recipe By: Pete & Peggy Romfh
Serving Size: 4
Cuisine: American
Main Ingredient: Squash
Categories: Low Sugar, Diabetic, Atkins-Friendly, Low Carb, Kid
Friendly, Slow cook, Simple - Easy, Vegetables, Side Dish, Main Dish

-= Ingredients =-
1 large Spaghetti Squash ; - about 2 lbs
14 ounces Tomato, crushed ; - 1 can (low salt)
4 cloves Garlic ; - crushed
1 teaspoon Oregano ; - to taste
1 teaspoon Splenda ; - to taste
1 pinch Red pepper flakes
1/2 pound Italian Sausage ; - fried, drained, & crumbled
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese ; - grated
1 bunch Parsley

-= Instructions =-
Split the squash in half lengthwise. Clean out the seeds and center
pulp.  Use a fork to punch some holes in the flesh without going all
the way through the skin.  Place both halves in a slow cooker or
crockpot.

Mix together the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, Splenda, pepper flakes,
and sausage. Fill each squash half with this mixture. You can also use
your favorite Marinara sauce from the can or jar if you want to save
time.

Place the cover on the pot and cook. It takes about 6-8 hours on low
or 4-6 hours on high. Cook until squash is very tender all the way
through.

Scrape out the cooked squash with a large fork. The fibrous flesh will
come out in spaghetti-like strands already coated with the delicious
sauce. Garnish each serving with some parmesan and parsley.

Serve as a main course or side dish as you desire.

For a vegetarian version omit the sausage and add some mushrooms.

Each (app 1½ cup) serving contains an estimated:
Cals: 340, FatCals: 140, TotFat: 16g
SatFat: 7g, PolyFat: 2g, MonoFat: 7g
Chol: 54mg, Na: 673mg, K: 750mg
TotCarbs: 25g, Fiber: 5g, Sugars: 6g
NetCarbs: 20g, Protein: 20g

Joan's Crockpot Chocolate Covered Peanuts 2 hours

CROCK POT - CHOCOLATE COVERED PEANUTS

2 - 16oz jars lightly salted peanuts
4 oz bar of German chocolate, broken in pieces
12 oz bag milk chocolate chips
24 oz vanilla flavored almond bark, broken in pieces

Put in crock pot in order listed. Cook on low for 2 hours (do not stir).
After 2 hours stir and drop by spoonful on to cookie sheet sprayed
with Pam (butter flavored is best).

Let set on cookie sheet for 2 hours then put in container with lid.
Layers should be seperated by wax paper. Keep in fridge. Enjoy!!

Joan #1

Chicken Paprika 8 hours

Chicken Paprika

From the Kitchen of: Paz

This goes great with noodles.

3 lb. frying chicken, quartered
1 c. chopped onion
2 lg. cloves garlic, minced
1 c. chicken broth
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
½ c. sour cream
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

Place chicken in slow cooking pot.

Combine onion, garlic, broth, paprika and salt; pour over chicken.

Cover tightly and cook at low for 6 to 8 hours; at high for 3 to 4 hours.

Just before serving, remove chicken to serving platter and keep warm.

Skim fat from juices in pot. Mix flour into sour cream and gradually
blend ½ cup pan juices into sour cream and flour mixture. Stir this
into slow cooking pot and simmer at high for about 15 minutes or
until mixture is thickened; do not boil. Pour over chicken and serve.

Makes 4 servings.

Bowtie Pasta w/ Sun Dried Tomatoes

12 ounces bowtie pasta
10 pieces sun-dried tomatoes (not oil packed) You can use oil packed if that's all your store carries, just RINSE before using
3 cloves garlic, crushed
3 tbsp olive oil
1 c. fresh spinach leaves (large handful)
2 tbsp pine nuts (optional) I have used water chestnuts instead of pine nuts

Boil pasta according to package directions

Meanwhile, soak sundried tomatoes in boiling water for about 5 minutes. Remove and chop coarsely. (Omit this step if all you could find were oil-packed. In that case, rinse the pieces and chop)

Put olive oil in heated sauce pan, add garlic and pine nuts; cook until nuts start to brown (don't burn the garlic!). Add tomatoes and spinach, cook until spinach is just wilted.

Add drained pasta and mix thoroughly while still over heat.

Per Serving:

447 calories, 14 g fat, 13 g protein, 68 carbs, 3 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 117 mg sodium

Exchanges: 4-1/2 grain, 0 lean mat, 0 vegetable, 2-1/2 fat

Nutritional info using water to saute vegetables:

358 calories, 4 g fat, 13 g protein, 68 carbs, 3 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 117 mg sodium

Garden Style Ravioli

Garden-Style Ravioli

Total Time: 20 mins
Ingredients
9 ounce(s) ravioli, light cheese-filled
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red sweet pepper(s)
1 medium green sweet pepper
1 medium carrot(s)
1 small onion(s)
2 clove(s) garlic, minced
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/4 cup(s) broth, reduced-sodium chicken
1 tablespoon tarragon, fresh
pepper(s), jalapeno
tarragon, fresh

Nutritional Info (per serving):

Calories: 278, Saturated Fat: 3g, Sodium: 379mg, Dietary Fiber:
2g, Total Fat: 9g, Carbs: 39g, Cholesterol: 26mg, Protein: 13g

Exchanges: Vegetable (Non-Starchy): 1.5 , Starch: 2 , Lean Meat:
0.5 , Fat: 1 , carb choices: 2.5
Preparation

1. Cook ravioli according to package directions, except omit
any oil or salt. Drain. Return pasta to hot pan.

2. Meanwhile, in a large nonstick skillet, heat oil over
medium-high heat. Add sweet peppers, carrot, onion, and
garlic; cook about 5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
Stir in tomato, broth, and snipped or crushed tarragon or basil.
Cook and stir about 2 minutes more or until heated through.

3. Add vegetable mixture to the cooked ravioli; toss gently
to combine. If desired, garnish with jalapeño pepper and
tarragon or basil sprig.