Make-Ahead Spinach Manicotti

1 (15 oz) ctn. ricotta cheese
1 (10 oz) pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed & squeezed dry
1 ½ cups shredded mozzarella cheese
¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese
1 egg
2 tsp. minced fresh parsley
½ tsp. onion powder
½ tsp. pepper
1/8 tsp. garlic powder
2 (28 oz) jars of spaghetti sauce
1 ½ cups of water
1 (8 oz) pkg. manicotti shells

In a large bowl, combine ricotta, spinach, 1 cup mozzarella, ¼ cup Parmesan, egg, parsley, onion powder, pepper & garlic powder. Combine spaghetti sauce & water in separate bowl, spread 1 cup of sauce in an ungreased 13x9 baking dish. Stuff uncooked manicotti shells with spinach mixture; arrange over sauce. Pour remaining sauce over manicotti. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella & parmesan cheese. Cover & refrigerate overnight. Bake uncovered at 350 for 40-50 minutes.
You do not have to sit in the refrigerator overnight, you can make dish right before you eat. I have also added shredded chicken to this recipe.

Corn Casserole

2 (11 oz) cans of white shoe peg corn, drained
1/3 cup margarine, melted
2 T. self rising flour
½ pt. whipping cream

Mix above ingredients and pour into a greased baking dish. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. This is one of my favorites, not real good for you, but I promise it will taste good!

EASY POTATO SOUP

1 16-oz. pkg. frozen chunky hash browns or 4 or 5 diced potatoes
1 cup chopped onion
1 32-oz. box low sodium, organic chicken broth
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can cream of celery soup, undiluted
1 small can evaporated milk

Combine potatoes, onion, and ½ of the chicken broth in a Dutch oven and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat and simmer 30-40 minutes. Stir in soups, milk, and remaining broth and heat thoroughly. Serve hot! Top with your choice of cheese, bacon, chives, etc.

Dolly Bars

I've been eating these all week after my mom brought them over, so time to share one of our family's favorite desserts! ....

1 stick margarine
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 cups (12 oz) chocolate chips
1 1/3 cups shredded coconut
1 can Eagle Brand milk

Heat oven to 350*. Put margarine in 13x9 pan and melt in oven while preheating. (Watch carefully so it only melts and does not brown.) Remove pan with melted margarine and mix in graham cracker crumbs. Gently pat mixture evenly in bottom of pan to form crust. Spread chocolate chips and then coconut over crust. Pour can of Eagle Brand evenly over all. Bake in oven for about 30 minutes or until top is nicely browned. Cut into bars and ENJOY!

Pineapple Casserole

Even if you don't like pineapple, this is worth the try. Very tasty and is like having dessert with dinner!

2 20oz cans crushed pineapple drained
6 tbsp pineapple juice
6 tbsp flour
1 c. sugar
1.5 c finely shredded cheddar cheese
1 roll of ritz crackers crushed
1/2 c butter melted

Preheat oven to 350F. Empty can of pineapple in colander and let them drain. I put a bowl at the bottom of the colander to catch the juice. In a large bowl mix 6tbsp of reserved juice with flour and sugar. When combined add well drained pineapple and cheese. Pour mixture in a casserole dish. Combine melted butter and ritz crackers and put on top of casserole mixture. Bake at 350 for 25-30 min.
Serves 6.

I have a family of 4 and usually make 1/2 the recipe.

Makes a great side dish with pork chops, tenderloin, or teriyaki chicken.

Poppy Seed Chicken Casserole

You will need:
- 4 chicken breasts
- 16 oz. sour cream
- 1 can cream of chicken soup
- 1 can cream of mushroom soup (or cream of celery)
- Ritz crackers
- Poppy seeds
- 1/2 cup melted butter

1. Cook chicken in boiling water. Cool.
2. Tear cooled chicken into pieces and put in casserole dish.
3. Mix sour cream, cream of chicken & cream of mushroom and spread on top of chicken.
4. Cover with crushed Ritz crackers. (I like to put a lot of crackers on top)
5. Sprinkle poppy seeds on top.
6. Drizzle with 1/2 cup melted butter
7. Place in 350 degree oven for 20-25 min

It's delicious! I like to serve with salad, rolls and any vegetable.

**Tip: If you're out of sour cream (they NEVER have sour cream at the grocery in Dominica) you can make your own. You can either substitute plain yogurt (sometimes that's hard to find here, too) or you can make it. 1 cup sour cream = 3/4 cup buttermilk mixed with 1/3 cup butter. Of course, I can't get buttermilk here either! 1 cup buttermilk = 1 cup whole milk mixed with 1 Tablespoon vinegar OR 1 Tablespoon lemon juice.

Easy Pleasy Pepper and Pear Salad

Hi everyone! I am so excited to be a part of this recipe group. I am always looking for new recipes, and I think ones passed down by friends and family always seem to taste better! :)

The Pepper and Pear Salad is something that I bring to almost every summer BBQ. It goes great with chicken, ribs, and burgers, and is a pretty addition to the table (plus, its not too bad for the figure, either!).

Easy Pleasy Pepper and Pear Salad

1 red bell pepper, pitted and sliced into long pieces

1 orange bell pepper, pitted and sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, pitted and sliced

4 green Anjou or Bartlett pears, cored and sliced

Add 1/2 - 3/4 cup rice vinegar (can find this in the ethnic food aisle), salt and pepper to taste, and toss.

I know it sounds weird, but it is very refreshing. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

Taco Soup

This is one of our all time favorite EASY meals.

Ingredients:
1 lb of ground beef or ground turkey
1 can black beans
1 can whole kernal corn
1 can red kidney beans
1 can white hominy
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 packet Hidden Valley Ranch Dressing Mix (the dry mix)
1 packet taco seasoning

Brown meat in pan and drain excess grease. Add all ingredients into 1 big pot. Heat on Medium for about 30 minutes or until hot throughout.

Serve in bowls with sour cream, shredded cheese and fritos. I've never met anyone who hasn't loved this meal!

super food quesadillas

Don't be fooled; these are not real quesadillas because there is no cheese. And these may be a bit too weird for you. I won't be offended... These are only for those who truly love sweet potatoes.
I chose orange font in honor of the sweet potatoes!

3-5 smallish sweet potatoes, washed, skin on
1 can black beans (organic if you so desire)
5-8 whole wheat (or your favorite variety) tortillas
touch extra virgin olive oil
touch sugar/honey to taste

Bake potatoes in oven wrapped in aluminum foil for about an hour on 400. When they come out, let them cool a minute so you don't feel your fingerprints off your fingers! (Some of us learn by experience.) Peel the potatoes. They almost slip right out of their peel. Mash the baked sweet potatoes in a medium bowl and add drained black beans (no need to cook or rinse). If you like your sweet potatoes extra sweet, add some honey or sugar. I keep my mix plain and it's still delicious.

Place tortilla in a pan with some evoo and add the mixture as the quesadilla filling. It will fill you up and is so good for you!

It's really fast (after the sweet potatoes bake) and easy.
-LLK

Uncle Lane's Easy Cake

Ingredients:
2 large cans fruit pie filling (my favorites are cherry or peach)
1 box of Yellow or Butter cake mix
½ pound butter –chilled and cubed

Empty contents of pie filling into a 9x12 cake pan – then level.
Spread dry cake mix evenly on top of pie filling – DO NOT BLEND!
Distribute cubed butter evenly on top of cake mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until top is a golden brown.
Can be served immediately. I like mine with a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream. Yum-Yum! CAUTION contents will be hot and delicious!

Submitted by Lane Ormerod

Biggest Loser Sweet and Spicy Pork Tenderloin

1 1/4lb pork tenderloin
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp ground allspice
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp olive oil
2 TBSP honey
1 TBSP mince garlic
1 1/2 tsp hot sauce

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly mist small roasting pan or oven proof skillet with non-stick spray & set aside.

In a small bowl combine all the spices, mix well. Rub the pork evenly with the mix, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for about 15min.

In a small bowl whisk together honey, garlic, and hot sauce.

Preheat skillet over medium/high heat and put a few drops of olive oil. Cook the tenderloin for about 1-2min per side or until browned all over. Transfer tenderloin to prepared pan and baste with the honey mixture all over with basting brush. Place a meat therm. in the middle of the loin and set to 160.
Roast loin in the oven 28-35min or until it reaches 160 and juices run clear. Remove from oven and cover loosely with foil for approx. 10min.

Makes 5 - 4oz servings

***I did not use the hot sauce due to the tastes of my family. It turned out great!
***I also used a 1.7lb tenderloin, it was all I could find at the store.

Nutritional Info/Serving
Fat: 6.0g
Carbs: 9.2g
Calories: 168
Protein: 19.2g

Sweet Potato Muffins

Whether you like sweet potatoes or not...you will love these muffins!

2 cups mashed sweet potatoes
1/1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 3/4 cups self rising flour
1 cup oil
2/3 cup water
1 TBLS cinnamon
1TBLS vanilla

When using fresh potatoes, cook before mashing. When using canned, drain before mashing. (you can easily make self rising flour from rice flour to make this recipe gluten free) Combine all ingredients. Mix as little as possible. Pour into greased muffinpans, or use paper liners, Bake 28 minutes at 350 degrees. Makes approx 28 muffins.

Easy Baked Ziti

You will need:
1 large baking dish
1 pkg whole wheat penne or rotini pasta (I use whole wheat because w/ this dish you can't tell the difference)
1 container of your favorite spaghetti sauce
1 8oz container of ricotta cheese
2 1/2 cups mozarella
1 cup parmesean
Pinch of basil
Pinch of garlic salt
Pinch of Italian seasoning
Pince of pepper
1/2 cup of milk

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350
Cook pasta according to directions on box, just until no longer hard. Don't over-cook. Drain.
Mix together ricotta, 1/2 c. of mozarella, milk and spices. Consistency should be like pancake batter or a little thicker. You can add more milk if it becomes too thick.
Mix together pasta (drained) and ricotta mixture.
Line bottom of pan with a thinlayer of spaghetti sauce
Dump all of the pasta into the pan, covering with a layer of mozerella, then the rest of the spaghetti sauce.
Cook oncovered in oven for about 25 minutes and then add a mixture of mozarella and parmesean cheeses on top and cook for another 5-10 minutes, or until all the cheese is melted.

Serve with salad and warm bread. Yumminess.

Chicken and Vegetable Stew

This is the best soup...I think it's the marjoram that really makes it. I usually double the recipe and freeze some. Everytime I make it we absolutely love it. Enjoy!

CHICKEN AND VEGETABLE STEW

1 (32oz) container organic vegetable broth
1 (32oz) container organic chicken broth
2 or 3 chicken breasts (skinned, bone-in)
1 med. onion, chopped (optional)
4 celery ribs, chopped
Bring broth to a boil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add chicken, onion, and celery, and return to a boil. Then, reduce heat, and simmer 40-45 minutes till chicken is tender. Remove chicken from pan, and let cool slightly. Remove chicken from bones, discarding bones; shred chicken. Put chicken back in pot.

Add the following ingredients:
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 (16-oz) pkg. frozen baby lima beans
1 small pkg. frozen English peas
1 (14 1/2 oz) can crushed tomatoes
1/3 cup organic ketchup
1 TBSP sugar
3 TBSP red wine vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp. hot sauce
2 tsp. dried marjoram
Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, about 40 minutes.

Chicken Salsa Pizza

- Italian Bread Pizza Crust (recipe below)
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 12oz. jar salsa
- 1 cup cubed chicken

Place dough on ungreased 12 inch pizza pan (or cookie sheet). Sprinkle with 3/4 cups cheese. Top with salsa, chicken & remaining cheese. Bake at 450 for 8-10** min or until cheese is bubbly.

**Crust needs a lot longer. May want to cook crust for 15-20 min, then cook with toppings.

Italian Bread Pizza Dough:
- 2 tsp. yeast
- 1 tsp. sugar
- 1 cup warm water
- 2/3 cup flour
- 2 Tbsp. olive oil
- 1 tsp. salt

Combine yeast, sugar & water. Let sit 5 min. Add 2 cups flour, oil and salt and beat at low speed for 1 min. Add additional flour until dough leaves sides of bowl. Increase speed to medium and beat 5 min. Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 30 min. Punch down and let sit for 10 min. Roll out, add toppings and bake at 450-475 for 25 min.

Vege Lasagna

This is great for baby food and adult meals. It taste like a meat lasagna and it's super easy to make.

1 Jar Spaghetti Sauce (I use Garden Blend)
2 cups low fat mozzarella cheese
6 dry lasagna noodles (I use the no boil kind to save time)
10 oz frozen fresh chopped spinach
16 0z fat free cottage cheese
1 -2 cups of carrots (run them through a processor to chop finely)
1/2 can pumpkin (optional)

Cook spinach in microwave according to directions. Mix cottage cheese, spinach and carrots in a bowl. Mix pumpkin and Spaghetti Sauce in a small bowl.

In a 9x13 pan (sprayed with Pam) spread 1 cup sauce mixture, place 3 dry noodles and top with cheese mixture. Cover with 1 cup mozzarella cheese then pour 1 cup sauce on top. Top with 3 dry noodles and cover with remaining sauce.

Cover and bake @375 for 1 hour. Uncover and top with remaining cheese - recover and let stand 5 min before serving.

Honey Baked Chicken

- 4 chicken breasts
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup prepared mustard
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp curry powder

Preheat oven to 350 F.
Place chicken in shallow baking pan, skin side up.
Combine melted butter, honey, mustard, salt and curry powder and pour mixture over chicken.
Bake ~ 1 hr and 15 min, basting every 15 min. with pan drippings, until the chicken is nicely browned and tender and the juices run clear.

I'm not crazy about curry, so I make this without it. It's delicious!

Hot Pizza Dip

- 1 8oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 tsp. oregano
- 1/2 tsp. parsley
- 1/4 tsp. basil
- 1 cup shredded mozz. cheese
- 1 cup grated parm. cheese
- 1 cup pizza sauce
- black olives

Mix cream cheese, oregano, parsley and basil. Spread mixture into bottom of microwave-safe dish. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of the mozz cheese and 1/2 cup of the parm cheese. Spread pizza sauce over and top with everything else. Cover and microwave 5 minutes. Great with tortilla chips and bread sticks.

Strawberry Spinach Salad

1 - 10 oz package fresh spinach
1 package fresh strawberries sliced vertically
1 cup pine nuts or slivered almonds

*Dressing:
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp dry mustard (optional)
1.5 Tbsp poppy seeds1 tsp salt
1/3 cup cider or wine vinegar
1/3 cup vinegar
1/2 small finely chopped onion

*this makes a ton of dressing; you can cut ingrediants in half if you want.

Toss everything together and top with feta or blue cheese if desired. Makes enough for a salad you can snack on all week or a dinner party for 8-10 people.

Healthy Primavera

This is a really easy one (about 20 min max prep time) that we love, and if you are doing weight watchers, it's only 6 points for a bowlful!



-8-10 oz. Chicken

-8 oz frozen Spinach (the pre cut kind in a bag)

-1 Tomato (large one or two small ones)

-1 Tbs olive oil

-12 oz. whole wheat Pasta (I use rotinni or penne)-- about two cups worth

-1/2 cup parmesian cheese finely grated -- but not the powdered kind (if that's all you have I think it's about 1/4 cup)

- Garlic Salt and Pepper to taste



Boil chicken, drain, and cut into small pieces. Season with garlic salt and pepper. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to Directions.

I cook the spinach in a bowl covered by saran wrap in the microwave (season it to before heating).

Dice the tomato.

While the pasta is still hot, toss the oil and the parmesian cheese with it and season to taste. Then toss the rest of the ingredients with it. Serve warm.

(You can also sub feta or blue cheese instead of parmesian.)

There are only about 300 cal. and 6 g of fat, with lots of fiber. This recipe makes 4 servings.