Chocolate Eclair Cake

Super yummy no-bake dessert.  Basically making an eclair like "cake" that is easy, and quick to do - the time needed is allowing the dish to set up.

• 16oz (1 box) graham crackers
• 3oz. (2 boxes) vanilla instant pudding
• 8oz (1 container) Cool Whip
• 3 cups milk
• 1 container chocolate icing (Betty Crocker is recommended)

I suggest reading the full directions first - pretty straightforward.

1. Line the bottom of a 13x9" greased pan with graham crackers
2. Mix pudding and milk together - fold in cool whip
3. Spoon in half of the pudding mixture over the graham crackers
4. Gently add another layer of graham crackers
5. Spoon in the remaining pudding mixture
6. Finish with another layer of graham crackers
7. Warm icing until you are able to pour the icing over the top layer of graham crackers (you might want to put a layer on - chill - then add another layer for extra chocolatey goodness)
8. Place in refrigerator until very well set (the longer you can wait the better)
9. Cut into 3x3 squares & serve (forks/spoons are required)

If you're taking this to a gathering - keep as cold as possible for as long as possible and keep an eye on it to insure that it is roughly holding its shape - it is still good, but not as great when it gets soupy. 

This recipe is from the 1991 Frieden's UCC Recipe book - and is authored by Debbie Lacey.

Baked Chicken Breasts (Crockpot)

• 4-6 chicken breasts
• 2 tablespoons of butter, melted
• 1/2 cup sherry, dry 
• 1 teaspoon rosemary or tarragon
• pinch garlic powder
• 1/2 cup mushrooms (canned) sliced, drained

Directions:

1. Rinse chicken and pat dry - place in cock pot
2. Combine remaining ingredients 
3. Pour mixture over chicken
4. Cover and cook
1. LOW: 8-10 hours
2. HIGH: 4-5 hours

Calorie: 356 cal., 22g fat, 683mg sodium, 32g protien, 7g carbs

Creamy Basil Pesto wth Avocado

Creamy Basil Pesto with Avocado

Whether you keep it vegan or make it vegetarian or just good old pesto I think this is a winner. Chef Chloe Coscarelli who won the Cupcake Wars on the Food Network, shared this easy recipe on KLG and Hoda or as I call it Hoda and Kathi Lee. Basil Pesto is one of my favorites and I have made my own this year. With this recipe there is no cheese but healthy avocado is added to keep it creamy. I will probably heap on more basil and garlic! Can't wail to try this! If you aren't into vegan or vegetarian you could add chicken or shrimp or whatever you choose and toss some cheese back in. Added later: I might toss in a little Cayenne too. (Lovely puppy name I thought!)

Ingredients:
1 pound linguine or pasta of choice
1 bunch fresh basil, reserve some leaves for garnish
1/2 cup pine nuts
2 avocados, pitted and peeled
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 cloves garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
Sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 cup halved cherry tomatoes or sliced sun-dried tomatoes (optional)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
Meanwhile, make the pesto by combining basil, pine nuts, avocados, lemon juice, garlic and oil in a food processor. Process until smooth. Season generously with salt and pepper.
Toss pasta with pesto.
For an extra touch of color and flavor, top pasta with cherry or sun-dried tomatoes.
Divide pasta among serving bowls and garnish each serving with a basil leaf.
Serving SizeServes four to six

Balsamic Chicken

Chicken with Balsamic Vinegar and Vegetables

Chicken on sale and you are tired of the same old recipes??? There is nothing like chicken for low-fat, low calorie meals. This recipe- thanks to Joy Bauer is also filled with what is good for you. This is only about 250 calories and packed with flavor! This is pretty pungent so plan to serve it with something pretty simple. I was stuck at home without a car and substituted green peppers for the red ones. I think the balsamic vinegar overwhelms either so you would not know the difference. I even had to substitute part of the balsamic vinegar with some pomegranate infused balsamic vinegar- it still worked. It might have even been better.

INGREDIENTS:
1 large onion, yellow, thinly sliced
1 large pepper red, bell, sliced
4 garlic, cloves, minced (may substitute 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
4 chicken, breast, boneless, skinless, medium-thin (may substitute 8 chicken tenders)
1/2 cup vinegar, balsamic
1 can tomatoes, diced, (15-ounce) with liquids, preferably no salt added

DIRECTIONS:

1. Liberally coat a large sauté pan with oil spray, and preheat it over medium-high heat.
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, and garlic (or sprinkle in the garlic powder if using). Sauté for 3 to 5 minutes, until the onions and peppers begin to soften. Add additional oil spray or a tablespoon of water if the vegetables start to stick to the bottom of the skillet.
3. Add the chicken to the pan and sauté for about 4 minutes on each side or until lightly browned.
4. Add the balsamic vinegar and canned tomatoes. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with optional salt, pepper, and red pepper flakes to taste.

Good for:
Heart Health
Eye Health
Arthritis
Celiac Disease
Type 2 Diabetes
Mood
Hair
Skin
Cancer Prevention

Individual Cakes: 3 Ingredients!

Ingredients:
1 box Angel Food cake mix
1 box any flavor cake mix
2 T. water

Directions:
Using a large plastic bowl with a tightly fitting lid or a large zip lock bag, combine the two boxes of cake mix stirring or shaking well.

For each individual serving, take out 3 T. of the cake mixture and mix it with 2 T. of water in a small microwave safe container. I used a small coffee mug. Microwave on high for 1 minute.

You now have your own instant individual cake and it is warm and inviting. You can top with a dolop of fruit or whipped topping if you like. Try various flavors of cake mix but it must always be combines with an Angel Food mix. Keep the mix tightly sealed in an airtight container until used and remember:

This recipe is called 1-2-3 Cake because all you need to remember is
3 T.mix, 2 T. water, and 1 minute in the microwave.

"Skinny" Eggplant Parmesan 70 calories

Only 70 Calories!

I "borrowed" this from Joy Bauer from the Today Show. She shared this on her segment of KLG and Hoda this morning. The regular Eggplant Parmesan is a weakness of Kathy Lee and she did not want to put her fork down after sampling this version. I cannot wait to try it myself. Jerilyn had Eggplant Parmesan at Olive Garden this weekend and I had to have a couple bites- we both love it. With only 70 calories, it is almost too good to believe. Cross your fingers!
I have made this about 5 times already and it is wonderful!

Ingredients:
Eggplant
Olive oil
Kosher Salt
Marinara Sauce
Shredded Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese
Grated Parmesan
Oregano
Crushed Red Pepper

Directions:
Slice an eggplant into rounds and place on a baking sheet.
Mist rounds on both sides with olive oil spray, and lightly sprinkle with kosher salt.
Roast in oven at 400 degrees for 20 minutes.
Top each roasted eggplant slice with marinara sauce, shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese, some grated Parmesan cheese, oregano, and crushed red pepper.
Pop back in the oven for about 5-10 minutes, or until the cheese is hot and bubbly.

Pork Scaloppine

This is really Jerilyn's recipe that she found from "Real Simple" Magazine. Yummy!

Ingredients
8 ounces egg noodles
1 1 1/4-pound pork tenderloin, sliced 3/4 inch thick, pounded 1/4 inch thick
kosher salt and black pepper
1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons olive oil
2/3 cup white wine
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley

Directions
Cook the noodles according to the package directions.
Meanwhile, season the pork with ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Coat it in the flour.
Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
In batches, brown the pork, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate.
Return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the wine and butter and cook for 1 minute.
Add the pork back to the skillet and sprinkle with the parsley.
Serve the pork and sauce over the noodles.

Stuffed Green Peppers

Easy Stuffed Green Peppers

I always loved Mom's stuffed green peppers, but don't have her recipe. I think she may have used a meatloaf recipe like the ones on the rolled oats box. I bought found some beautiful peppers on sale and looked for a recipe that I could make with what I had on hand. This is a sort of my combination of recipes I found online. This will make 3 stuffed peppers- super easy to dinner for more. Some of the measurements are approximations- I just started tossing in what I like. Fell free to adjust the recipe to your own taste! Also I froze one of mine- if Stouffers can freeze them I don't see any reason I can't!

Ingredients:

1 pound of lean ground beef- I used ground chuck

a little less than 1/4 cup of diced onion- depending on taste (I love onion)- no big chunks!

about 1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

about 1 teaspoon of basil

1/2 bottle or can of spaghetti sauce (I used 1/2 can of Hunts 30 ounce Zesty spaghetti sauce)

3/4 cup of uncooked rice

3 large green peppers

In a large skillet, brown ground beef.

Add onion and cook until tender.

Season with garlic powder and basil.

Mix in uncooked rice and spaghetti sauce well.

Reduce heat and cover to allow the rice to absorb moisture.

Meanwhile, cut off the tops and core peppers, boil in water for 8-10 minutes.

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.

Stuff mixture in peppers. Use any extra mixture or green pepper around the stuffed peppers to keep them upright.

Bake uncovered for 25-30 minutes.

Let me know if you like them!

Cheatin' Seafood Newburg

OK, I just have to write this one down before I forget what I have done. I was trying to fix something a little different for Hong Ju Lee AKA "Edgar" an exchange student from Seoul, South Korea who is living with me. He said he likes shrimp and I had some frozen shrimp that is already cooked- (The kind you just run under water until defrosted, add the sauce and instant shrimp cocktail.) This would be great with any seafood. I didn't have what I needed to make this so I improvised and it was probably better than the original.


Ingredients: * means these are estimates- I rarely measure- Sorry!
Seafood of your choice- I used shrimp, but scallops, firm fish (tuna steak, fresh salmon, etc.), lobster, etc. will all work
*1/2-2/3 cup of sour cream- depending on how you like the flavor it adds
*1/2 cup white wine
*1/4-1/2 teaspoon pepper
*1 teaspoon dill weed- I just realized that I DO like dill!- I will quit tossing out the dill I grow!**
1 Tablespoon lemon juice- not concentrated
1 can of peas- drained
1 can cream of chicken soup- undiluted- this is where I am saving some time.

Directions:
1. Gently mix everything but the seafood above in a sauce pan stirring frequently.
2. Prepare seafood (for me that was running the shrimp under hot water.)
3. Prepare rice, wide noodles, toast or a plain pastry- your choice, I used wide egg noodles.
4. Put your choice from #3 on the plate, top with choice of seafood, smoother with sauce!

** I grow dill amongst my herbs and flowers every summer for the flower, not the tiny leaves. I have never been a huge fan of dill, but this recipe convinced me to start saving dill and enjoying all year long!

Yummy Cauliflower Salad

This salad is a bit "tangy" and unique. I have only made it once because I misplaced the recipe. Nice thing about the blog is I can always find it now!!! (Unless I lose the web address of the blog!)

Ingredients:
1 Large head of cauliflower (6 cups), broken up into bite-sized pieces
1 cup of coarsely chopped walnuts
1 cup of green grapes cut in half

Dressing:
1 cup of mayonnaise or salad dressing (I used Dukes Mayonnaise)
1/3 cup of honey
1 tablespoon prepared mustard

Mix together the first three ingredients.
Mix the mayo, honey and mustard.
Stir together until the cauliflower, grapes and walnut pieces are coated.

Pineapple Cheese Ball

I visited Mom at Loyalton today and one of the nurses, Sharon had made this for the residents and staff back in the Memory Care Unit. It was delicious and Mom liked it too. I had to have the recipe! I love pineapple and love cheesecake so this was a no brainer for me. If you like cheesecake, you should like this too! Quick and easy!

Ingredients:
8 ounce package of cream cheese, softened
1 large box of dry vanilla pudding
1 of the smallest cans of pineapple- DO NOT DRAIN!
Chopped pecans
Graham Crackers

Mix softened cream cheese, dry pudding mix and undrained pineapple thoroughly.
Form a ball and roll in chopped pecans.
Serve with graham crackers broken into the smallest size.

I might try it with more pineapple, but it was excellent as prepared above.

Mango and Black Bean Salsa

This is the best salsa ever! Try it once and you will agree. My friend Lisa Haden Bange was the first to make it, but it became a fast favorite among my girlfriends. It is way better than the Mango Salsa at Costco!!!

Mango and Black Bean Salsa

Ingredients:
1 envelope of Good Seasons Italian Salad Dressing Mix (dry)
1 can (16 ounces) black beans, drained and rinsed
1 package (10 ounces) frozen corn, thawed
1 cup chopped fresh ripe mango ( canned papaya worked pretty good too!)
1/2 cup chopped red .pepper
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
1/3 cup chopped red onion
1/4 cup lime juice

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and refrigerate.

Serve with tortilla chips- especially the ones shaped like little bowls that hold more!
You can also serve with chicken and rice for a main-dish salad- at least that is what the recipe said- it never sticks around long enough to try that. : )

Dump Cake

Dump Cake

Also known as 1-2-3-4 Dump Cake, this is for people who don't have time to grate cocoanut, zest lemons and limes, shave chocolate, peel apples, sift together ingredients, buy extra spices that you may never use again, etc. There are many versions of "Dump Cake" around. I like this one because it has fruit, it only takes 4 ingredients and it is EASY! My Mom always kept the ingredients on-hand so in a pinch she could throw it together and be ready for company or a covered dish meal in less than an hour with something home-made.

Ingredients:

1 can of pineapple chunks

1 can of cherry pie filling

1 white or yellow cake mix

1 stick of butter or margarine

Directions:
Get a 13x9 baking dish, dump the fruit in there, sprinkle the cake mix over evenly, then cut the butter/margarine into chunks over the cake mix powder. Bake for 40 min at 350 (or until crusty stuff is golden brown).
(You can also substitute the fruit fillings with various fruit pie fillings.)

Chicken Cornbread Pot Pie

Chicken Cornbreak Pot Pie

Very simple!

Use frozen corn and reduced sodium/fat soup for healthful options.

Cook time: 30 minutes

Preheat oven to 400

• 1 can 98% fat free cream of chicken soup
• 1 can/cup whole kernel corn
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey ( I usually use 4 or so tenderloins and if I have a whole package of tenders then I use the rest for salad toppings the next day)
• 1 package (8.5 oz) corn muffin mix
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

1. Square glass dish or pie plate mix soup, corn, chicken and half of the cheese
2. Separately combine muffin mix, milk and egg. Pour over chicken/soup/corn
3. Bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown
4. Top with remaining cheese

Grandma Bugg's Goulash

Grandma Bugg's Goulash

Ingredients:

• 2 stalks of celery, sliced in small pieces
• 1 green pepper, cut into about 1/2" square pieces or smaller
• 1 nice size onion, chopped- if you like onion, add more!
• 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of lean hamburger
• Small box of spaghetti noodles
• large can of stewed tomatoes, chop a little if necessary
• 1 can green peas

In a large Dutch oven:

1. Sauté the celery, green pepper and onion until tender.
2. Add the hamburger and brown, add salt and pepper as desired. DO NOT STIR AFTER THIS STEP!
3. Layer the spaghetti on top, break only if necessary to fit.
4. Layer the tomatoes to completely cover the noodles.
5. Layer the peas (do not strain!) on top to cover the tomatoes!
6. Again, add a little salt and pepper or herbs if you like!
7. Add water if needed to cover the spaghetti level.
8. Once it is simmering, cut back to very low and let it cook until the noodles are soft. Don't stir!!!
9. To serve, use a LARGE spoon to cut through the layers and pile into wide bowls. It is beautiful and colorful! Some like parmesan cheese to sprinkle on top once goulash is in a bowl.

Next time, add or subtract quantities and ingredients so you can come up with your family version of Goulash!

Every family it seems has a recipe for "Goulash" and no two are alike. This is the Mary Monts version, which came from my Grandmother, Emma Virginia Minter Bugg. Everyone for generations has made it, but I am the only one who can make it the way my Grandma did and every time it is probably a bit different because I have never had or used a recipe. It is something that was often on the stove waiting for us when we arrived at my grandparents home after a long car trip. Now, my relatives like for me to have it ready when they travel to Harrisonburg. Some even request it! You can make it, turn the heat way down or off and just let it wait until your family rolls in the driveway. Hungry travelers are always happy!

Pretty Pork Chops!

This is one of my favorites because it makes great presentation andonly takes one pan! It is super easy to increase or decrease therecipe as needed. It freezes well too, so you can make enough for twomeals at one time. : )

Pretty Pork Chops!

• 4 Thick cut pork chops
• Canola oil or Pam
• 1-2 Green peppers
• 1 cup of instant rice
• 1 can of stewed tomatoes, chopped

In a large frying pan add oil or Pam and brown the pork chops on both sides. If needed chop up the stewed tomatoes a little. Cut the green pepper to form rings at least 1/2 inch thick. Once pork chops are browned, top each with a green pepper ring. Carefully fill each ring with about 1/4 cup of rice. Pour tomatoes gently over the rice, it is OK for excess liquid to seep into the pan. Add any remaining tomatoes to the pan. Turn down very low, cover and cook for 30 minutes. Rice should be tender and pork chops completely cooked! Season to your own preference with salt and pepper or fresh herbs. Transfer each to individual serving plates or a pretty platter! Enjoy!

Serves 4