This Week's Dinner Menu

Czech Crepes With Fruit & Cream

I made these for cooking club over the summer. They are very easy to make and worth it, because they are crowd pleasers. Plus they are fairly light & healthy. So everybody wins. I only took one picture with my cell phone and it doesn't really do it justice. If you want a really good picture check out Gina's Skinny Recipes because this is where I got the recipe from and she always has beautiful pictures. 

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1.5 cups skim milk
• 2 egg whites
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp oil
• fat free butter flavor spray
• powdered sugar

• 1 small carton of fresh raspberries
• 1 small carton of fresh blueberries
• 1 small carton of fresh strawberries, cut in quarters
• Fat Free Cool Whip

Directions:

1. In a medium bowl, combine berries.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, whisk flour, milk, eggs and oil until smooth using a wire whisk or you can put in the blender. 
3. Heat a large nonstick pan on medium-low flame.When hot, spray with buttered flavored spray to coat bottom of skillet. 
4. Pour about 1/4 cup crepe mixture into pan, swirling pan slightly to make crepe thin and smooth.Cook for 1 to 2 minutes or until bottom of crepe is light golden brown. Flip; cook 30 seconds to 1 minute or until light golden brown. Repeat with remaining buttered flavored spray and crepe mixture.
5. Spoon whipped cream into center of each crepe. Top with berry mixture and fold each edge of crepe over filling. Sprinkle lightly with powdered sugar. 

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It's been one of those weeks...

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Shrimp N' Grits

Shout out to my brother-in-law Benji Stoltzfoos who got me excited about Shrimp & Grits when he mentioned having them @ The Carlyle. (Awesome restaurant in DC, side note they have an amazing Sunday brunch). Since then I've been on a Shrimp & Grits kick. There is this restaurant at Broadway on the Beach called Key West Grille in Myrtle Beach that serves great Shrimp & Grits, I get them every time. Also, the ones at the Carlyle are awesome. Plus I had them the other night @ Annie Bailey's here in Lancaster. Love Love Love Shrimp & Grits.

I decided to take on the challenge of making them myself. I did some research on AllRecipes.com and found a recipe I liked. (Search for Lowcountry Shrimp and Cheese Grits) Ok, so they'll never live up to the restaurant-style above (i didn't use any butter or oil). But they were gooooooooood. Gerald said so.


Ingredients:

• 3 cups water
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup quick-cooking grits 
• 5 ounces of garlic cheese spread
• 1 pound frozen shrimp (no tails) (i used the mini kind, you can opt for regular)
• 1 large tomato, diced
• fat free olive oil spray
• salt & pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Defrost shrimp in cool water.
2. Bring water & salt to a boil. Add grits. Reduce heat and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Remove grits from heat. Add garlic cheese spread. Mix well. Cover and let stand.
4. Meanwhile, use olive oil spray to cook shrimp in skillet until heated through.
5. Add tomatoes until heated through as well. Add salt & pepper.
6. Spread grits on to plate and top with shrimp mixture. Serve with garlic bread!

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Pepperoni & Veggie Lasagna

(Note this makes two lasagna pans, if you just want one, cut recipe in half)

Ingredients: 

• 18 uncooked lasagna noodles
• 1 egg
• 3 egg whites
• 1 15 oz. can of fat free ricotta cheese (you may want more, but I prefer less)
• 4 teaspoons parsley flakes
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 medium size tomatoes, diced or cans of diced tomatoes
• 4 to 8 cups of spaghetti sauce (I used light Ragu & I used 5 cups)
• 4 cups shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
• 2 16 oz. cans of shredded green beans (you can use fresh or frozen)
• 1 package of turkey pepperoni
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan Cheese
• Fat free cooking spray 

Directions:

1. Cook lasagna noodles according to package (do not break). 
2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl whisk the eggs, egg whites, ricotta cheese, parsley, basil, oregano, & pepper. Set aside.
3. Layer each with 1/4 of the ricotta mixture, diced tomatoes, 1 cup mozzarella cheese.
4. Then add additional three lasagna noodles to each, and top each with 1 can of green beans.
5. Top with 15 to 20 pepperoni slices, remaining ricotta mixture, additional spaghetti sauce, remaining lasagna noodles.
6. Top with mozzarella cheese & parmesan cheese.
7. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes at 375 degrees.

Question for you...what type of veggies do you add to your lasagna???

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Two-Crust Pizza Casserole

This dish doesn't involve the slow cooker, but I did find it in my Slow Cooker Recipes book (go figure).  It took me a while to make it -- because you are making the dough/crust from scratch. It might be easier to buy Pillsbury dough rolls like I do for my taco bake. But it turned out well. I rarely use any other meat besides ground beef & chicken, so the italian sausage was a hit! I ate the leftovers for lunch all week. It was DELICIOUS.

I use whole wheat flour, so the color/texture looks different. But I still really love the taste. It's not the healthiest dish I've made to date. I've thought about just using the hot italian sausage and replacing the ground beef with some type of beans to keep the fat count down. But I don't know if that will taste as good. Another change you can make that might improve the dish is to use less olives. The recipe calls for a whole can, but I would use less then that. The olive taste soaks into the dish and I don't enjoy that flavor too much.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups whole wheat flour
• 3 cups packaged instant mashed potatoes
• 2 cups skim milk
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 pound italian sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 ounce can tomato sauce
• 6 ounce can tomato paste
• 1/2 a package of sloppy joe seasoning mix
• 1 tablespoon pizza seasoning
• 12 oz can of olives, drained & sliced
• 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal

Directions:

1. Preheat ove to 425 degrees.
2. For crust, combine flour, potatoes, milk, and butter. Set aside.
3. For filling, in a 12 inch skillet cook beef, sausage, and onion until meat is brown & onions are tender.
4. Stir in tomato sauce, tomato paste, seasoning mix, and olives.
5. 
   
6. Press half the dough into the bottom 13 x 9  baking pan and up the sides.
7. Spread filling over crust.
8. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese.
9. Top with the rest of the dough to seal in the filling.
10. Sprinkle with cornmeal.
11. Bake in a 425 degrees oven for 35 minutes until golden brown.

Gerald likes to eat it Lancaster County-Stye with a side of apple sauce!

Makes about 8 servings!

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had a lot of leftover batter for the pumpkin pies and I already filled shells. So I did a quick google search to figure out what to do with the cookies. Google answers suggested pumpkin bread or pumpkin cookies. I went to AllRecipes.com and found one for chocolate chip cookies. I just added some extra flour to make it a thicker consistency and a bag of semi-sweet morsels that I had around. It made a ton of cookies. So glad I bought that Libby's Pumpkin Pie can at the store (aka my impulse buy), I wound up with two whole pies and 30+ chocolate chip cookies!

Ingredients:

• Leftover Pumpkin Pie Badder (see Pumpkin Pie! post)
• 2 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 2 teaspoon almond extract
• 12 oz chocolate chip morsels

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees & grease baking sheet.
2. Add baking powder & baking soda to pumpkin pie badder.
3. Add almond extract.
4. Add flour to pumpkin pie batter (or until badder thickens).
5. Stir in chocolate chip morsels.
6. Drop tablespoon of batter onto prepared baking sheet. 
7. Bake for 15 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

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Pumpkin Pie!

I was on the hunt Saturday morning in the grocery store for pie crusts for my Pepperoni N' Cheese Quiche. Took me a while to realize the kind I wanted were in the freezer section. But while I was spending A LOT of time in the baking isle I stumbled across the pre-made pie crusts made from graham crackers & oreos. I got reminescent of the baking I did in college. (I made some killer cheesecake back in the day). While I was off in dream-land a worker from Darrenkamps wheeled out a bunch of Libby's Pumpkin Puree to put on the shelves and the gentleman next to me who was looking as hard for an item as I was got so excited when the Libby's cans appeared. (Apparently it was the item he was scavenging for) So his excitement coupled with my nostalgia gave me the urge to make pumpkin pie. Never made it before, but I was missing my baking days. I grabbed a can and some graham cracker crusts. Total impulse buy, but worth it.


I totally messed up while cooking them though. The directions said to cook for 15 minutes @ 425, then 40 to 50 @ 350. But I misread it and cooked them @ 425 for 45 minutes. They looked a little brown. BUT the good news is I tested it out the other night @ small group and it was a hit.

Just so you know...it wouldn't be a Jilly dish without the sprinkles...

Also, I just need to share this. My husband tried it the following day, and out of the blue he said, and I quote "That pumpkin pie you made, that was the best pumpkin pie I've EVER tasted." Ok, so I know I didn't make it from scratch or anything. But this is my very first pumpkin pie. Not to mention my husband is a baked goods EXPERT. So, needless to say, I appreciate the compliment. He also kept raving about the sprinkles...gotta love this man!


Ingredients:

• 2 pre-made graham cracker pie crusts
• 1 can of Libby's Pumpkin Puree
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1.5 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 4 eggs
• 2 cans of evaporated milk
• 1 container frozen whipped topping, fat free
• lots of sprinkles!

Directions:

1. Mix sugar, cinnamon, & salt in a bowl.
2. In another bowl beat eggs. Stir in pumpkin & sugar mixture.
3. Gradually stir in evaporated milk.
4. Pour into pie shells.
5. Bake in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes at 425 degrees.
6. Reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for another 40 to 50 minutes.
7. Let cool, top with whipped topping & lots of sprinkles!

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Sloppy Joes

I haven't actually made the sloppy joe sandwiches yet, but I made the meat mixture this weekend and I'm keeping them in my freezer until next week. I got this recipe from the Freezers Pleasers book. I had a nice cooking/baking marathon this past weekend and was looking up all types of stuff that I could make in advance. Side Note: You could add mustard to this, but I opted not to (not a fan!)




Ingredients:

• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1/2 cup chopped onions
• 3 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup barbecue sauce
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup vinegar
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1 can of campbell's beef and barley soup
• Bread or buns to serve as sandwiches

Directions:

1. In a large skillet, cook beef, onions, and garlic over medium heat until meat is brown.
2. Stir in ketchup, barbecue sauce, brown sugar, vinegar, italian seasoning, onion powder, and pepper.
3. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat & simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
4. Serve about 1/2 cup meat mixture in each sandwich.

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Rotini Crab Casserole

I tend to only cook meals with the same two types of meat: ground beef & chicken breasts. So when a recipe comes around that switches things up and is manageable, I go for it. This crab dish is an awesome example of that. I made two batches and froze them. The recipe originally called for imitation crabmeat, but I went with the real thing. It's not cheap, but I went with the claw meat to keep the price down. It's worth it though.

Note: This recipe originally called for cooking the vegetables in butter. But I used fat free olive oil spray instead. It also called for mushrooms, but I run the other way when it comes to mushrooms...GUH-ROSS!

Ingredients:

• 10 ounces uncooked rotini
• 1/2 cup chopped onion
• 1 chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped celery
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 2-5 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 2 teaspoons of basil
• 1 cup of shredded cheese

Directions:

1. Cook pasta according to package directions.
2. Meanwhile, in a skillet, cook onions, celery, carrots, green peppers, & garlic. When crisp, remove from heat.
3. Drain pasta and combine with vegetable mixture.
4. Stir in crab, sour cream, & basil.
5. Transfer mixture to two greased 8 by 8 square casserole dishes.
6. Top with shredded cheese.
7. Cover & bake casserole for 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
8. Uncover and cook for 5 minutes through.

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This Week's Dinner Menu

This week is looking low maintenance...

Magic Cookie Bars

Continuing my sentimental-kick I decided to whip up some Magic Bars like I did back in college. It's from one of my mom's classic mini-cookbooks. It calls for two cans of condensed milk which I've pretty much NEVER used before except for when I make these magic cookie bars. So I've had these cans in my cupboard lying around for a very long time and I was scared to use them. But the internet is a beautiful thing. I did some research and unopened cans of evaporated milk pretty much last forever. PHEW. But I had to run out and get more anyway for the butterfinger dessert I made. I love to make these because they are easy to make, but still very good. However, I know a handful of people that don't like coconut so it's not always the best choice. Because the coconut flakes MAKE the dish. I refuse to make it without the coconut. I took them to a cook-out this weekend and even though some of the guests didn't like coconut they still enjoyed the treat. Yum!

(Side Note: Any basic recipe for cookie bars you can find on the side of a can for sweetened condensed milk.)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup of graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup of butter, melted
• 1 bag of 12 oz semi-sweet tiny chocolate chip morsels
• 2 cans of sweetened condensed fat free milk
• 1 cup coconut flakes
• sprinkles (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Mix graham cracker crumbs with butter and press into bottom of 2 8 by 8 inch square baking pans/dishes.
• Top each pan with 1 can of condensed milk,  spread evenly.
• Top with coconut flakes, chocolate chips, and sprinkles (!!!!)
• Bake in oven for 40 minutes. (Note: You may have to cook longer for the fat free milk).

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Creamy Chicken Potato Casserole

Another great one from my Freezer Pleasers book! I filled two 8 by 8 casserole dishes with this recipe and put them both in the freezer to use in the future. News flash: This is the first time I've ever peeled potatoes. Amazing, i know, i know. I don't even have a potato peeler so I had to do it all by hand with a knife. (Scroll down to see my beautiful peeled potatoes!)

Note: This recipe called for 1/2 cup of butter to mash in with the potatoes, but I chose to skip that and keep the fat count down.

Note: This recipe called for chopped spinach but I didn't have any, so I skipped that. I'm sure it would be a great addition though!

Ingredients:

• 5 Baking Potatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1.5 cups of water
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut
• 2 cups of fat free sour cream
• 1 cup shredded 2% cheddar cheese
• 1/4 cup reduced fat Parmesan cheese
• 1 envelope of onion soup mix
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

Directions:

1. Place potatoes and water in a large microwave-safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 15 minutes. 
2. Meanwhile, divide chicken between two greased 8 by 8 square baking dishes.
3. Drain potatoes and place in large bowl.
4. Mix in sour cream, cheddar cheese, Parmesan cheese, soup mix, carrot, salt, garlic, powder, & pepper.
5. Mash & mix all ingredients until smooth.
6. Spoon over chicken & cover with bread crumbs.

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Butterfinger Crumble Pudding

I saw this dessert on "Point-less Meals" and saw how beautifully simple it was. We went over a friend's house tonight so i brought this along. The 10 of us devoured it. It's a nice way to get a little peanut butter, a little chocolate, and a little vanilla all in the same dessert. Plus using angel food cake & sugar free pudding make it a lighter option.








Ingredients:

• 1 package sugar-free, fat free instant vanilla pudding
• 1.5 cups of skim milk
• 1 8 oz. container fat free whipped topping
• 4 regular sized Butterfinger candy bars, crushed
• 1/2 angel food cake (pre-made or bought)

Directions:

1. Spray a 13 x 9 baking dish with cooking spray.
2. Whisk together pudding & milk.
3. Mix in cool whip a little at a time.
4. Crumble half of the angel food cake into the bottom of the plan.
5. Top with half of the pudding mixture.
6. Unwrap butterfingers and place in a sealed plastic bag. Beat with a meat cleaver until crushed.
7. Pour half of Butterfinger crumbs on top of pan mixture.
8. Repeat with more angel food cake, pudding mixture, and the rest of Butterfinger crumbs.
9. Cover & refrigerate until ready to serve. 

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Guacamole...HELP!!!

I love love love love love Guacamole. I especially love fresh, homemade guacamole, but I'll enjoy some wholly guacamole straight from the grocery store just the same.

Lately, I've been doing some more cooking with avocado. Putting it in salads, adding it to sandwiches, but now I want to take on the adventure of making guacamole. Yet, the two times I've tried in the past month to make some...I'm totally screwed up! I haven't even gotten to the guacamole stage because I'm a disaster with avocados. The first time, I waited too long and the avocados spoiled. This past time I went to use them and they were still ripe. HELP!!!

After purchasing avocados from the store how many days should I wait to use them?? Should I store them in a fridge? One of those vegetable saver bags? Just keep them out on the counter top? Thoughts??

Cheddar Beef Enchiladas

This cook book is amazing! My brother-in-law and sister-in-law are in town so we had a family gathering. When my other sister-in-law called and wanted to know if I wanted to cook the entree the only question that came to mind was "What recipe from Freezer Pleasers should I use???" I went with enchiladas because that's always a people-pleaser. The recipe I used was double-portions. It was enough to serve 16 people. So you might want to cut the ingredients in half if you make this yourself. I made enough enchiladas to fill two casserole dishes. One I brought over for dinner and the other I can keep in the freezer for the next 2 months. Which will be a huge time-saver in the near future. (The book is all about how to do this!)

Ingredients:

• 2 lb. ground beef
• 16 12 inch wheat tortillas
• 1/2 cup of water
• 1 packet of taco seasoning
• 1 large can of corn
• 1 large can of diced tomatoes (with green chiles)
• 1 large can of fat free refried beans
• 1 box of instant brown rice
• 1 can of low fat cream of chicken soup
• 2 - 3 cans of reduced fat shredded cheddar/mexican cheese

Directions:

1. In a large skillet,  brown the ground beef
2. Meanwhile, in a small pot, boil water & add 3 - 4 cups of brown rice to cook

3. Stir in water & taco seasoning to ground beef

4. Add corn, undrained

5. Add half of diced tomatoes, undrained

6. Simmer on low heat for 5 to 10 minutes or until liquid is evaporated

7. Meanwhile, spread 1 to 2 tbsp of refried beans on each tortilla

8. Put about 1/4 cup of rice on each tortilla

9. Add 1/3 cup of shredded cheese on each tortilla

10. Top with about 1/2 cup of beef mixture

11. Wrap up each tortilla and place in 13 x 9 casserole dish

12. Meanwhile, mix other half of diced tomatoes with cream of chicken soup 

13. Pour over tortillas in casserole dish

14. In a preheated 350 degree oven bake casserole for 20 to 25 minutes.

  

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