Funeral Potatoes

32 oz frozen bag of hash browns (or fresh)
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
2 cups of sour cream (16 oz)
1 cup of cheddar cheese
1/2 cup of butter (melted)
1 tsp of onion powder
2 cups of corn flakes
9x13 pan

Combine soup, sour cream, and cheese. Add onion, salt and pepper. Mix well.
Mix sauce and hash browns then place in a 9x13 pan
Melt butter and combine with corn flakes. Sprinkle crumbs over casserole. Bake in a greased dish 40 min at 375

Mummy Pizzas

Ghost Brownies

1 Box of brownie mix

1 Bag of large marshmallows
1 Tube of black frosting
1 Tub of white frosting

Bake the brownies in a 9 by 13 pan. Let them cool, and cut them up in to 24 pieces.

Put them on a serving platter to spread them out. Take your tub of white frosting and warm it up in the microwave so it can be drizzled. Take a marshmallow and put it on top of a brownie square. Drizzle the frosting all over the marshmallow and it will drizzle down the brownie like a ghost! When the frosting dries, you can make faces with the black tube of frosting.

Caramel Apple Dip

Spider Web Dip and Halloween Chips

1 package flour or corn tortillas (corn are easier to cut, but both are good)
Halloween cookie cutters
Grape seed oil for frying or olive oil spray for baking
Salt

Place tortillas one at a time on the counter and cut out shapes with the cookie cutter, set aside.
Option 1- Preheat oven to 375. Spray the tortilla shapes on both side with olive oil and place on a cookie sheet and bake for 5-8 minutes, then turn over, continue baking until chips turn golden brown. Sprinkle with salt.
Option 2- Heat grape seed oil in large skillet. Fry tortilla shapes until golden brown. Sprinkle with salt. (You can use any oil, I used grape seed oil because it has a higher boiling point, so it doesn't smell as strongly, has less flavor and is healthier.)


8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. jar of salsa
1 cup guacamole
1/2 cup sour cream

Mix the cream cheese and salsa together until smooth. Spread into 9 inch dish. Top with guacamole leaving 1 inch border uncovered. Put the sour cream in a zip lock bag and cut the corner of the bag off. Pipe the sour cream in circles over the guacamole, then use a knife to lightly cut lines out from the middle to make the web design.

Butternut Squash Soup

Monster Eyes and Cocoa

Large Marshmallows
Chocolate Hershey's Bar
M&M's
Sucker sticks
Cocoa

Carve small wholes in the front/middle of the marshmallows. Place the stick half way through the bottom of the marshmallows. Put broken pieces of the chocolate bar in a ziploc bag and microwave 10 seconds at a time until melted. Cut the corner off of the bag and fill in the wholes, then carefully place an M&M in the middle. Refrigerate until completely cooled. Enjoy with a hot cup of cocoa!

Katie's Dessert Bars

New York Style Cheese Cake

(This picture is actually from the last time I made it)
Crust:

1 cup flour
½ cup sugar
1 tsp grated lemon

Mix ingredients, then make a whole in the center and mix in:
1 stick softened and sliced butter
1 egg yolk
¼ tsp vanilla

Chill dough for 1 hour. Butter a 9 in spring form pan and press 1/3 crust dough into the bottom of the pan. Cook at 400 degrees for 10 min. Wait for the crust to cool completely. Butter the sides of the pan and use the remaining dough to makes sides. Fill the crust with the filling and finish cooking.

Filling:
(Preheat oven 475 degrees)
5- 8 oz cream cheese packages
1 ¾ cup sugar
3 tbs flour
5 eggs + 2 egg yolk
2 tsp lemon rind ( I don't always use this in the filling)
½ tsp vanilla
¼ cup heavy cream

Beat the first 3 ingredients in a bowl, then beat in 1 egg at a time. Mix in remaining ingredients. Pour into pan and bake 10 min @ 475 then turn down to 225 degrees for 90 min. turn off oven do not open door leave cheesecake in for 1 more hour, then open the door but leave in for 30 min. refrigerate until cold.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bars

1 lb of powder sugar
1 stick of butter
2 cups peanut butter
3 cups rice krispies

Melt the butter and peanut butter. Stir in the powder sugar until smooth
Add the rice krispies, only a little at a time you may not use all 3 cups. It should feel like the consistency of play dough.
Roll into balls about the size of a walnut

1 bag of semi sweet chocolate chips
1 bag of milk chocolate chips
1/4 stick of paraffin, wax for candy. (If you can't find it you do not absolutely need it)

Microwave chocolate for 30 seconds
Stir
Then microwave 20 seconds at a time and stir after each 20 seconds
Dip the balls into chocolate and put on wax paper on a cookie sheet and freeze for about an hour.

Chicken Salad

Boil boneless skinless chicken breasts then cool and shred.
....Add to taste....
half light mayo and half light sour cream
1 squirt of mustard
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Celery Salt
Salt and Pepper
Cashew nuts (cut in halves)
Grapes (cut in halves)

Yoga and Rock Band GNO

For March's girls night out we all went to Lora's house. She taught us all yoga which was great. It was not only a good workout but relaxing as well. Then we had dinner which was great. We had Quinoa Pilaf, which was healthy and delicious with a great side salad, blueberry cake and wonderful brownies and ice cream to finish us off. After eating we played Rock Band which was so fun! It was definitely a night we will have to repeat. Thanks Lora!

Blueberry Cake

1/2 cup shortening
1 cup sugar
2 eggs (separated)
1/2 cup milk
1 1/2 cup flour
1 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 cup blueberries

Cream the shortening and butter together. Add the following ingredients alternately: well beaten egg yolks, milk, flour, and vanilla then mix well. Whip the egg whites until stiff then fold into the batter. Add in the blueberries after dusting them lightly with flour (to prevent them from sinking to the bottom). Pour the batter into a greased 9 inch baking dish and cook at 350 for 35-45 minutes. Sprinkle with sugar when cooled.

Quinoa Pilaf

For 3-4 people:
1 cup quinoa
2 1/4 cup water (cold)

Chop the following vegetables small (smaller than bite-sized but not diced)
1 medium-large zucchini
1 medium-large summer squash
3 medium carrots (cut smaller than the rest because they take longer to cook)
1/2 red bell bepper
1/4 cup red onion (optional)
1 T olive oil
Salt and pepper

Combine the cold water and quinoa in a medium pot. Bring to a boil, then coverand reduce heat. Cook approximately 15 minutes, or until the water is absorbed. Meanwhile, heat the olive oil in a large skillet, add the vegetables and saute with salt and pepper. Cover and cook over medium heat till cooked through. Combine the cooked quinoa and vegetables. Finish with a pat of butter and season to taste.

Valentine's GNO

This month we had our GNO at Emily's. We had such a great time visitng, eating and working on crafts. Emily had everything we needed for very cute cards with examples to help us out and lots of different options to choose from. Raenie taught us all how to make little boxes from fun Valentine's paper to fill with treats and by the end of the night, we were all prepared for Valentine's.

Our Valentine's Cards

Our treat filled homemade Valentine's boxes

Heather and Raenie

Katie and Emily

Amanda's Shortbread Cookies

Shortbread Cookies

Personalizing cookies with stamps

Emily's Chocolate's

Emily's Chocolate's

Beef Enchiladas

Beef Enchiladas

Layered Bean Dip and Chips

Layered Bean Dip and Chips

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Chicken Avocado Tortilla Soup

1/3 cup chopped onion
3 cloves garlic
¾ tsp. cumin
¾ tsp. oregano
¼ tsp. pepper
8 cups Chicken broth
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can diced green chilies (4 oz.)
10 corn tortillas
1 ½ lb (approx. 4) chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1 avocado
2 tbs. chopped fresh cilantro
Salt to taste
½ cup shredded cheese

Saute the first six ingredients for 1 minute. Add the broth, tomatoes, and chilies. Stack the tortillas and cut into 1/8 inch strips. Add the strips to the boiling broth. Simmer for 15 minutes or until the tortilla strips have thickened the broth. Add the chicken, stir in the cilantro and salt to taste.
Pour the soup into bowls and top with sliced avocados and cheese. Enjoy!

Crochet Beanies and Flowers

In addition to whipping up our healthy foods, eating, and chatting a lot -- we did some crocheting.

(Adrien crocheted the beanie, and Amanda made the flower. Raenie and Emily both made lovely mini-dish-towels and flowers as well, but we didn't get any picture of them, more's the pity.)
We found some of our patterns at Lion Brand Yarn, you should check out their website.

Healthy Foods for 2009

Fruit Smoothies

Fruit Smoothie
1 cup milk
1 cup juice (apple or orange...whatever you have on hand)
1 serving of yogurt (whatever flavor you wish)
1 frozen banana
1/2 bag of frozen mixed berries

Add liquid ingredients first to your blender and then add frozen ingredients. Blend together until completely smooth. Serve immediately.

Note: This recipe is really adaptable...you can add more or substitute with whatever you have in your freezer/refrigerator...you can't go wrong.

Vegetable Pizza

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

3/4 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 package quick-rising yeast, such as Fleischmann's RapidRise
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar
2/3 cup hot water (120 to 130 degrees F)
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

1. Combine whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor; pulse to mix. Combine hot water and oil in a measuring cup. With the motor running, gradually pour in enough of the hot liquid until the mixture forms a sticky ball. The dough should be quite soft. If it seems dry, add 1 to 2 tablespoons warm water; if too sticky, add 1 to 2 tablespoons flour. Process until the dough forms a ball, then process for 1 minute to knead. (I just used Kitchenaid)
2. Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface. Coat a sheet of plastic wrap with cooking spray and place it, sprayed-side down, over the dough. Let the dough rest for 10 to 20 minutes before rolling.
3. Place a pizza stone or inverted baking sheet on the lowest oven rack; preheat oven to 500 degrees F or highest setting. Roll and top the pizza as desired (we suggest a 13-inch circle) and bake the pizza until the bottom is crisp and golden, 10 to 14 minutes. Serve immediately.
Yield: 6 servings

Cream Cheese Ranch Spread

8 oz Cream Cheese

2 TBS Ranch (or to taste)

Garlic Salt to taste

Mix well and spread on cooled pizza crust. Top with your favorite sliced veggies.

Fruit Parfait

The fruit parfait is actually really simple..

Layer of fat free vanilla yogurt

Layer of granola

Layer of strawberries and blueberries

Layer of fat free vanilla yogurt

Layer of granola

Strawberries and blueberries on the top


Low Fat Spinach and Artichoke Dip

(Basically I found a recipe for Spinach and Artichoke dip that was yummy and played around with putting in low fat ingredients and adding more veggies to find a combination that still worked for me)

Ingredients:

1 cup Light Sour Cream

1 can (14 oz) artichoke hearts, drained, coarsely chopped

1 pkg (8 oz) chopped spinach

1/4 cup fat free or light mayo

1/2 cup parmesan cheese

1 clove garlic, finely minced

1/2 tsp basil

1/4 cup mozzarella cheese, grated

1/4 tsp garlic salt

salt and pepper to taste

Cream together mayo, parmesan, mozzarella, sour cream, garlic, basil, and garlic salt. Mix well. Add the artichoke hearts and spinach (make sure to thoroghly drain both), and mix until blended. Pour mixture into pan (pie pan or 9 by 9 glass pan). Sometimes I like to sprinkle a tiny bit more of the parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until the top is browned. I like to serve this with chopped tomatoes and tostitos chips.