Spinach Salad with Caramelized Almonds and Fuji Apples

This was a recipe that Marie Campbell made when she invited me for lunch one day. It was so good that I make it for dinner and add a little cubed chicken to it so that Morgan will qualify it as a meal. He loves it too!

Almonds
sugar
spinach
Fuji Apple
dried Cherries or cranberries
poppyseed salad dressing from Breanna
Blush red wine salad dressing from Breanna

Directions: Begin by toasting almonds in a pan on the stove. Sprinkle with sugar and heat on low until the sugar begins to melt. Stir quickly and remove from heat. Place on a glass plate until cool. Then break them apart. Layer Spinach, diced apple, dried cranberries in a bowl or on a plate depending on if you are making for one or for a crowd. Top with caramelized almonds. Combine equal parts of the two Breanna's dressings and serve with salad. Can add chicken to make this more of a meal.

Alyce's Very Low Fat Spicy Black Bean Soup

I make this every time I start a diet and keep it in the fridge. It's very spicy which I like and I can eat a whole cup of it for only two points on weight watchers. The last time I made it I quadrupled it and froze some in jam freezer jars. It worked out pretty good. Because this soup can be so thick I use it as a sauce to make black bean roll ups and tostadas. I love it! Morgan likes it too as long as I serve his bowl with chips, cheese, and sour cream.

Makes about 4
1-cup servings

Dice:
1 small to medium onion
1 large carrot
2 medium cloves garlic
½ jalapeño pepper

1 large stalk celery + leaves, with about 1 TB leaves, chopped

Sauté above ingredients together in 1 tsp. olive oil about 5 minutes.

Add:
2 beef boullion cubes (no MSG) or 2 cans low salt beef broth and skip water

2 cups water
½ cup V-8 (low salt)
½ tsp. each: cumin, oregano, chili powder, dried parsley, ground ginger
¼ tsp. each: thyme, freshly ground black pepper

10 dashes cayenne, 1/8 tea.

1. Simmer all together for about 1 hour, until vegetables are tender.
2. Add 2 cans well-rinsed black beans; cook for another 30 minutes.
3. Puree in blender or food processor and serve with toasted no-fat tortillas. Add more beef broth (dissolve a bullion cube in boiling water) if puree is too thick.
Optional, add a tablespoon of non-fat plain yogurt on top of each bowl before serving.

Lion House Tomato Bisque

I don't know what happened to me with this last pregnancy but Preston changed my taste buds. I hated tomatoes sauces. Really hated them. It killed me to tolerate them. Now, well now I crave them. I thought it would end with the pregnancy but he is almost 2 and well this is my new favorite soup. The closest thing I could find to Max and Erma's tomato bisque soup. Really good with croûtons or seasoned dried out bread.

12 to 15 Roma tomatoes
4 cans tomato soup (10 ½ oz)
2 cups chicken stock
1 cup beef stock
1 bunch fresh basil
1 cup sugar
2 to 3 cups cream
salt and pepper to taste
roast tomatoes in over at 350 degrees until tops begin to blacken. In large pot combine tomato soup, chicken stock, and beef stock. Place roasted tomatoes and basil in blender and puree until smooth. Add puree to pot and let simmer. Add sugar until mixture is slightly sweet (could take more or less depending on the sweetness of the tomatoes). Add cream. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add a little pesto and some dry crackers.

Parmesan Chicken

4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 T. parsley
1 t. pepper
1 t. garlic powder
1 t. paprika
1 stick melted butter or margarine

Mix dry ingredients together and place in shallow bowl. Dip each chicken breast in melted butter, then coat in the dry mix. Put coated chicken breasts in 9X13 glass pan and bake uncovered at 350 for 45-50 minutes or until done.

Pecan Sweet Potatoes

This was Submitted by Kate Lawrence to the ward cook book. It looked so good that we had to try it...and then I had to make sure that it never got lost so I put it here!

3 Cup sweet potatoes (cooked or canned)
1 Cup sugar
½ C butter
2 eggs

Mash together and put in baking dish

Topping:

1 cup brown sugar
1 cup pecans broken
½ c. soft butter
Crumbled on top of potatoes

Bake at 350 degrees for ½ hour.

Breakfast Bruschetta

This recipe was shared with me by Jan Shipley in Pa. She made it for dinner one night when they invited us over. It was so yummy I asked her to include the recipe in the ward cookbook I compiled there. My family has made it several times since. We love it!

This is a good recipe for a brunch or special occasions.

Ingredients:
1 Loaf Tuscany bread
(giant eagle bakery dept.)
1 Package soft goat cheese
1 Dozen eggs

1 Bottle sun dried tomatoes chopped
1 Bottle of green pesto sauce
Tabasco sauce (opt)
Basil to taste

Directions:

* Make scrambled eggs with a little Tabasco for taste
* Slice and toast bread
* Spread goat cheese on bread
* Top with egg
* Sprinkle on tomatoes, pesto and basil to taste. SERVE.

Pannekaken (Norwegian Pancakes)

This recipe was given to me by my friend Melissa Nobbs in PA. She was a lot of fun. Can't wait to see her again.

Beat 3 eggs well

½ tsp. salt

3 TBSP. sugar

1 ½ cups flour (usually a little more)

2 cups milk

3 TBSP. oil

Mix until batter is smooth. Add enough flour so that batter is not too runny. Spread thin layer of batter into a buttered frying pan. Be sure batter goes to all edges of the pan. Turn when lightly brown on one side. (this is very similar to a crepe recipe, but a little thicker) Serve hot with butter and syrup or however you prefer.

Honey-Orange sauce for fruit salad

This will keep your salad looking fresh and it makes it extra special.

1/3 cup unsweetened orange juice
2 tbsp. lemon juice
1 1/2 tbsp. honey
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
nutmeg
cinnamon

Tuscan Chicken

I think this is my favorite meal in the whole world! This is "the recipe" I had to get from Max and Erma's when I worked there in PA. I love it!

Ingredients:

4 fresh chicken breasts, boneless and skinless
(prep chicken for grill with salt, pepper and brush with olive oil)
4 portions cappallini noodles
1oz. yellow onion cut 1/4" -lay on paper towels for 20min
8 ounces medium mushrooms, quartered
2 oz. artichokes, drained and quartered -lay on paper towels for 20min
1 oz. butter
1 tsp. garlic
1/2 tsp. italian seasoning
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
2oz. copper ridge white wine.
12 ounces Roma tomatoes, quartered lengthwise

Directions:
Grill chicken breasts. Boil pasta per package instructions. In a sauce pan saute onion, artichoke hearts, onion, and mushrooms together. Add garlic, Italian seasoning, pepper, and salt. Add wine and simmer down. Add tomatoes and butter. Heat just until Tomatoes are warm and butter is melted. Serve over noodles and top with a piece of chicken.