Drunken Pups

My mom's recipe. I am making these tomorrow for the SuperBowl. I love snacks you can just throw together and forget. Hooray for crockpots!

2 pkgs Lil Smokies
1 1/2 cups ketchup
1/2 cup bourbon
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1 onion, chopped

Mix ketchup, bourbon, water and sugar together. Place Lil Smokies in the crockpot and pour sauce over top. Stir in onions. Cook on low 4-6 hours.

You can also do this with cut up hot dogs. Then they'd be Drunken Dogs. :o)

Black Bean Burritos

I wasn't sure how this recipe would turn out, but I tried it anyway and it was absolutely delish! We served Mo's lime grilled shrimp on the side and a big salad with Hallie's Mexican salad dressing. Really yummy meal and healthy, too! Enjoy.

1 can black beans, drained and rinsed

1 red bell pepper, diced

1 small onion, diced

1/4 cup frozen corn

3 tbsp reduced fat cream cheese

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp minced garlic

1/2 - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup fresh chopped cilantro

whole wheat tortillas

Preheat oven to 350. Wrap tortillas in foil and heat until just warm.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onion, bell pepper, garlic and crushed red pepper flakes for about two minutes. Add black beans and cook for about 5 minutes. Add corn, salt and cream cheese. Stir together until combined and cream cheese is melted. Remove from heat. Stir in fresh cilantro and serve in warm tortillas.

Spinach Stuffed Shells

I'm sure everyone has a good recipe for stuffed shells, but I just made these tonight and wanted to share. I make it with low-fat ricotta cheese and 2% mozzarella to make it a little more figure friendly. This is a great way to get spinach in kids, I'm learning! :o) E loves these.

1 box jumbo shells

2 cups marinara sauce (I use Shana's recipe for meat sauce)

10 oz. box frozen spinach, thawed and water squeezed out

1 cup ricotta cheese

1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 egg

1/2 tsp dried oregano

salt and pepper to taste

Cook shells according to package directions; be sure to leave al dente. Drain and rinse with cold water. Mix together spinach, ricotta, parmesan, garlic, egg, oregano, salt and pepper.

Preheat oven to 350. Spray bottom of a 13x9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Spoon spinach and cheese mixture into shells and place in bottom of the dish. Pour sauce over shells and top with cheese. Bake for 35 minutes until cheese is melty and sauce is bubbly.

Turkey Meatloaf

I have never made a meatloaf before trying this recipe. I searched for a lot of different turkey meatloaf recipes and combined some things of each in developing this recipe. This meatloaf came out really moist and the best part it is low-cal and low-fat!

1/2 cup shredded zucchini
1/2 tsp. salt
1-1/4 lbs. ground turkey
1/4 tsp. salt
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 TBSP tomato paste
1/4 tsp. dried basil
1/4 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce

Shred zucchini and mix with 1/2 tsp. salt. Let zucchini and salt mixture drain from a strainer for up to 30 minutes, then press out remaining water.

Combine turkey, zucchini, salt, garlic, egg, tomato paste, basil, oregano and bread crumbs in a large mixing bowl. Grease a loaf pan with cooking spray. Shape meatloaf in pan and top with tomato sauce. Bake at 375 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Turkey Chili Mac

I found this recipe in one of my low-fat cookbooks and decided to give it a try. I modified it a bit to our tastes and Matt and I both enjoyed it. It's easy to make and great on a cold night when you want something hearty but don't want all the calories!

1 cup uncooked elbow macaroni

1 lb. ground turkey

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 tsp. chili powder

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. ground cumin

1/2 tsp. allspice

1/4 tsp. coriander

1/4 tsp. salt

1 - 16 oz. can chili beans

1 - 14.5 oz. can crushed tomatoes

1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce

3/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese

Cook pasta and drain. While pasta cooks, heat a Dutch oven or large pot over medium-high heat. Add turkey and next seven ingredients. Cook until turkey is browned. Add cooked pasta, beans, tomatoes and tomato sauce. Cook until heated through. Sprinkle evenly with cheese.

Tomato Basil Soup

It's such a cold, yucky day... and we're supposed to get snow. So I thought I'd make a big pot of homemade soup for lunch and to freeze. I just kind of threw this together using what I had on hand and it turned out really good, so I thought I'd share.

• 1 (28 oz) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (28 oz) can tomato puree
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 cups water
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tsp minced garlic
• 1 tsp crushed red pepper
• 2 tbsp dried onion
• 2 tsp chicken bouillon granules
• 1 tbsp sugar
• 1 tbsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp freeze-dried basil*
• 1 bay leaf

In a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add crushed red pepper, garlic and dried onion. Sautee to infuse the oil with flavor. Add tomatoes, water, chicken bouillon granules, sugar and salt; bring to a gentle boil. Simmer 10 minutes. Turn off heat and stir in basil and half & half.

*I use freeze-dried basil. It reconstitutes to "real" basil when added to liquid. I'm not sure how regular dried basil would be in this recipe; but fresh would be great.

Pink Cloud

This is my sister's recipe. Ellie loves it, of course! Makes a great breakfast or snack.

1 (15 oz) can crushed pineapple
1 pkg strawberry Jell-O (I use sugar free)
1 (16 oz) container low-fat cottage cheese
1 (8oz) container Cool Whip (use regular, it makes all the difference. Fat free, Lite and Sugar Free could make it runny.)

In a small saucepan, mix pineapple and Jell-O powder together. Bring to a rolling boil. Turn off heat and allow to come to room temp. Stir in cottage cheese. Gently fold in Cool Whip and refrigerate for several hours before serving.

*Tip: Once the pineapple mixture cools, I thoroughly drain every bit of the juice off. I also drain the cottage cheese as much as possible before stirring it in to the pineapple mixutre. I find doing this makes the texture really fluffy. Otherwise it could get a little runny.

Easy Pudding Pie

Today is Matt's birthday and he doesn't like cake. So, I have to be creative with a dessert for him on his birthday. This year, I made him this easy pudding pie. I used lemon pudding (Matt's favorite) but you can use your favorite pudding flavor mix. Enjoy!

2 pkgs. instant pudding mix
2 cups milk
8 oz. pkg. Cool Whip
graham cracker pie crust

Whisk together pudding mix and milk. Spread 1-1/2 cups of the pudding into the bottom of the graham cracker pie crust. Fold in 1-1/2 cups Cool Whip into the remaining pudding. Spread on top of pudding layer. Top with remaining Cool Whip. Chill for one hour or longer before serving.

Chicken Lasagna Florentine

This is one of my favorite low calorie, Crock pot recipes.

2 cans condensed cream of chicken soup (reduced fat)
1 pkg. frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
1/2 pound cooked chicken (I used shredded rotisserie chicken breasts)
8 oz. reduced fat sour cream
1 cup milk
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. nutmeg
9 uncooked lasagna noodles (don't use the oven-ready noodles)
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

Combine the soup, spinach, chicken, sour cream, milk, Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and nutmeg in a large bowl.

Grease Crock pot with cooking spray and place 3 lasagna noodles in the bottom of the Crock pot. Break noodles as needed to fit. Spread 1/3 of the mixture over the noodles; sprinkle with 1/3 cup of mozzarella cheese. Layer three more noodles, half of remaining mixture and 1/3 cup of mozzarella cheese. Top with remaining noodles, mixture and mozzarella cheese.

Cook on HIGH for 1 hour and then reduce heat to LOW and cook for about 3-4 hours or until done.

Ellie's Oatmeal Cookies

I make these cookies for Ellie. She LOVES them. I made them up after a frustrating quest for a cookie that she would like as a treat, and I could feel OK about giving her. Sure, they have butter and brown sugar, but I figure the fiber from the fruit and oatmeal help cancel that out a bit. :o) They bake up nice and high and are very cake-like. And I've been known to throw the first batch in the oven for Ellie, then add chocolate chips to the rest of the batter for me. They make a great breakfast.

This makes about 1 1/2 dozen good-sized cookies.

• 6 tbsp butter, room temp
• 2/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup natural applesauce -OR- mashed ripe banana
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 cups quick-cooking oats
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon. Beat butter and brown sugar together until blended. Add egg and beat until fluffy. Add applesauce and vanilla and blend. Add flour mixture in batches, mixing well after each addition. Stir in oats. Drop by tablespoons onto cookie sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes.

Turkey & Beer Cheese Soup

Ellie has a cold, so last night we were holed up at home. Hallie and Ryan were kind enough to bring us dinner and come hang out for awhile. Hallie created this soup recipe and it was delicious. Rob loved it. She cooks like I do when I make things up... a little of this and a little of that. This is her guestimation of what she did after I forced her to write the recipe down! :o) Actually, I'm guessing on the spices... she just added them to taste, so if you think you'd like more or less, go for it!

1 Turkey breast tenderloin

1 can sweet corn

1 can Northern beans

1 bottle dark beer (she used Sam Adams)

1 small yellow onion

1 (32 oz) container chicken stock

1 cup of chopped carrots (approx)

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp dried oregano

1 tsp dried thyme

fresh parsley to taste

shredded sharp cheddar to taste

salt & pepper to taste

Bake turkey breast tenderloin at 375 for 90 minutes (or according to package directions.) Chop and place in slow cooker. Add rest of ingredients and simmer on low 6-8 hours. Serve with more cheese sprinkled on top.

Hallie's Salad Dressings

My sister-in-law, Hallie, makes the most delicious salads all year round. I always feel so healthy after I eat one. She always makes organic spinach salads with loads of healthy ingredients, including every color bell pepper you can imagine, red and green onion, apples, beets, fresh cilantro (always a must with Hallie and me), pomegranate seeds, and sunflower seeds or dry roasted peanuts. One of these babies and you're good on vitamins for the day. The veggies are great, but her dressings are really what make the salads.

Mexican Lime Vinaigrette

• Juice of one lime
• Large pinch paprika
• Large pinch cumin
• Large pinch sugar
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• Dash white vinegar

Curry Vinaigrette

• 2/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup white vinegar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 1 tsp dry mustard

The curry dressing is wonderful over a spinach salad with red apples, raisins and roasted peanuts.

PS - Thanks to Hallie, my new obsession is pomegranate seeds. They are delicious and Ellie loves to snack on them. That makes me happy because they are chock full of antioxidents and vitamins. Hallie shared a tip for cutting up pomegranates that really works wonders. Cut both ends off the pomegranate and then score it (cut four slices through the pith, without cutting into the fruit). Submerge the pomegranate in a large bowl of water and start to peel it, as you would an orange. Soon, the pith will rise to the top while the seeds fall to the bottom.

Shana's Taco Dip

I came up with this recipe a few years ago. It is a family favorite. I haven't made it for a while, but I made it on Christmas Eve and my family really enjoyed it!

1/2 lb. ground beef
8 oz. salsa
1/2 block of cream cheese, softened
4 oz. taco sauce
shredded lettuce
diced tomatoes
shredded cheddar cheese

Cook ground beef and stir in salsa. Spread cream cheese onto the bottom of a 1-quart casserole dish. Pour beef and salsa mixture on cream cheese layer. Pour taco sauce over ground beef and salsa mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 - 15 minutes or until cream cheese is bubbly. Let cool about 15 minutes and then add lettuce, tomatoes and cheese. Serve with your favorite tortilla chips.

Looking to feed a large crowd? For a 13x9 baking dish, use the following quantities:

1 lb. ground beef
1 block cream cheese, softened
16 oz. salsa
8 oz. taco sauce

Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 - 20 minutes.

Pork & Sauerkraut

It's tradition in my family to have pork and sauerkraut on New Year's Day. This Crock Pot version is the easiest way I've found to make it.

2 - 3 lb. pork loin roast
1 bag of sauerkraut
1/2 cup water
2 TBSP brown sugar
salt and pepper

Place the pork loin roast in a Crock Pot. Season the roast with salt and pepper. Pour bag of sauerkraut and the juices over the roast and add 1/2 cup of water. Sprinkle brown sugar over sauerkraut and stir. Cook on HIGH for 1 hour and then turn the Crock Pot to low for 5 - 6 hours.

I plan to serve this over mashed potatoes with a side of green beans. Happy New Year!