Recipe Of The Day - Fluffy Key Lime Pie

I was going through email this morning cleaning up my inbox and ran across this recipe that I had forgotten about. I subscribe to the Taste of Home Weekly Light Desserts Newsletter and received this recipe this past March. It looked so good, so I made the pie and it was delicious! I then made a few more and sent them to work with my husband. Frances VanFossan of Warren, Michigan submitted this recipe to Taste of Home. I didn't take a picture of the pie I made, so here's a picture from the newsletter.

1 package (.3 ounce) sugar-free lime gelatin
1/4 cup boiling water
2 cartons (6 ounces each) reduced-fat key lime yogurt
1 carton (8 ounces) frozen fat-free whipped topping, thawed
1 reduced-fat graham cracker crust (8 inches)

In a large bowl, dissolve gelatin in boiling water. Whisk in yogurt. Fold in whipped topping. Pour into crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or until set. Yield: 8 servings.

One serving: 1 piece
194 Calories
3 g Fat
1 g Saturated Fat
2 mg Cholesterol
159 mg Sodium
33 g Carbohydrate
0 g Fiber
3 g Protein
Diabetic Exchange: 1 starch, 1 fruit, 1 fat.

Recipe Of The Day - Pumpkin Muffins

I love muffins and am constantly on the lookout for recipes for them. This one comes from the cookbook "Virginia Hospitality" that I picked up when I was in Virginia this past May. I really like buying a cookbook wherever I go.

2 cups Bisquick
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1 egg
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup cooked pumpkin

Preheat oven to 400. Mix dry ingredients together. Add remaining ingredients and mix. Pour into greased muffin tins and bake 20 minutes. Yield: 16 muffins.

Recipe Of The Day - Chocolate Gingerbread Drops

I'm still going through my new cookbook "The Cranberry Homemakers Cookbook" and finding all kinds of recipes I want to try. I'll be posting quite a few recipes over the next few weeks from this book. This one caught my eye since I love chocolate and gingerbread.

1/2 cup shortening
3/4 cup brown sugar (packed)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon allspice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup molasses
1 egg
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup cherry flavor craisins
3 ounces bittersweet chocolate (chopped)

Preheat oven to 375. In a large mixing bowl, beat shortening with mixer on medium for 30 seconds. Add brown sugar, baking soda, ginger, allspice and salt. Beat until combined. Beat in as much flour as you can with mixer; stir in any remainder. Stir in craisins and chocolate. Drop dough by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Transfer to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container 3 days. Can freeze up to 3 months.

Recipe Of The Day - Cranberry Zucchini Bread

Oh my gosh, I'm in cranberry heaven! The book called "The Cranberry Homemakers Cookbook" that I picked up yesterday in Boulder Junction has fantastic recipes. I haven't even gone through the whole book yet. Whenever I get a new cookbook I will page through the whole thing and then go back and reread the most interesting recipes. I've only made it to the breads and muffins section. I think that I will be making alot of the recipes as they sound so good. The bread recipe I chose for today sounds delicious with the zucchini in it. I'm sure I will be posting quite a few recipes from this book.

3 cups all purpose flour
2 cups sugar
2-1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-1/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 eggs
1-1/2 cups zucchini (shredded)
1 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (chopped)
1/2 cup walnuts (chopped)

In a large bowl, combine the first 7 ingredients. In another bowl, beat eggs; add zucchini, oil and vanilla. Stir into dry ingredients just until blended. Fold in the cranberries and walnuts. Pour into 2 greased and floured 9x5x3-inch loaf pans. Bake at 350 for 50-60 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Yield: 2 loaves.

Recipe Of The Day - Chicken Parisienne

I finally made the Steak Lo Mein recipe that I posted a few days ago. It was delicious! I added the picture to the recipe a few posts down if you want to check it out. I will definitely make that recipe again.

Today's recipe is one that I have made quite a few times and unfortunately I don't have a picture, but will post one the next time I make it. This recipe comes from "Best Recipes Slow Cooker Recipes" Vol. 3, No.66, March 3, 2006.

Makes 6 servings

6 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1-1/2 pounds), cubed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of mushroom or cream of chicken soup, undiluted
2 cans (4 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, drained
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup sour cream
6 cups hot cooked egg noodles

Place chicken in slow cooker. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and paprika. Add soup, mushrooms and wine to slow cooker; mix well.

Cover; cook on HIGH 2 to 3 hours.

Add sour cream during last 30 minutes of cooking. Serve over noodles.

Tip: For a variation, try this dish over hot cooked rice instead of noodles.

Recipe Of The Day - Green Olive Hummus Wraps

I ran across this recipe and it sounds intriguing to me for some reason. There's no meat in it and I'm not a vegetarian by any means. I do like to have some meals with other types of protein every now and then. I don't eat near the beef and pork that I used to, I mostly stick to chicken, turkey and fish. This recipe sounds like it would be easy for either lunch or dinner. I like to know what the nutritional value of recipes is and find that quite a few don't provide that information. I do have a software program that is several years old that I sometimes enter recipes into for that information. I would like it if all restaurants had the nutritional values and am happy that they may be forced to do so soon. If and when I make this recipe I will post a picture.

This recipe comes from the book "Delicious Wraps" from Parragon Books Ltd, ISBN 978-1-4054-9561-5.

Makes 4

4 - 10-inch wraps
4 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 cucumber, seeded and quartered
2 oz baby spinach leaves

For the hummus
7 oz canned chickpeas, drained
1 garlic clove, crushed
4 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tsp tahini
1 tsp lemon juice
2 oz pitted green olives, chopped
a small bunch of flat-leaf parsley, shredded
salt and pepper

To make the humus place the chickpeas, garlic, olive oil, tahini and lemon juice in a food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste, transfer to a bowl and mix in the olives and parsley.

Preheat a nonstick skillet or broiler pan until almost smoking, add the wraps, 1 at a time, and cook for 10 seconds on each side. This will add some color and soften the wraps.

Spread some hummus over each wrap and divide the tomatoes, cucumber and spinach among them, placing some in the center of each wrap. Fold in the wraps at the ends, roll up, cut in half diagonally and serve.

Recipe Of The Day - Chicken Cacciatore

I was able to get the chicken cacciatore made for dinner this evening and it turned out pretty well. It was a very easy recipe and I know I will be making it again. I don't have a cookbook to reference for this recipe as it came from a Weight Watcher pamphlet.

4 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch chunks
2 cups canned Italian-style diced tomatoes
4 cups whole-wheat spaghetti (I used angel hair)

Heat the oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat; add garlic, onion, peppers and mushrooms. Saute 4 minutes until mushrooms release their juice. Add chicken; saute until golden brown on all sides, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 15 minutes. Place spaghetti in a shallow bowl. Top with chicken and vegetable mixture. Serves 4.

Recipe Of The Day - Steak Lo Mein

I've been looking through some cookbooks this morning trying to find dinner ideas for the next couple of days. I get so bored sometimes with what we eat and usually fall back into the same pattern of eating the same thing. Tonight if all goes well with my day I plan to make Chicken Cacciatore. If it happens I will post a picture tomorrow. This morning I found this recipe, Steak Lo Mein, in a book I love called "Best of the Best from Colorado Cookbook" from Quail Ridge Press, ISBN 0-937552-85-4. It sounds so easy and has alot of vegetables in it so I would think it could be pretty healthy. The few changes I would make are using whole wheat spaghetti and using reduced sodium soy sauce and probably using less. I won't use a wok either, since I have no idea where mine is! This might be a dinner later this week and if so I will post a picture.

1 pound round steak, trimmed
1 teaspoon beef bouillon
3/4 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cooking oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 cups cabbage, shredded
1 cup carrots, sliced and partially cooked
1 medium onion, sliced into rings
1/2 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup celery, sliced
1/3 cup green onions, sliced
1 package frozen snow peas
1 (8-ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained
4 ounces thin spaghetti, cooked and drained

Cut partially frozen steak into diagonal across grain 1/4-inch strips. Combine bouillon, water, soy sauce and cornstarch; set aside. In a wok or large skillet heat oil on medium-high. Add meat and garlic; stir-fry until the meat is no longer pink, about 5 minutes. Remove meat to platter. Add cabbage, carrots, onion, mushrooms, celery and green onions; stir-fry for about 3 minutes. Add pea pods and water chestnuts; stir-fry about 5 minutes. Add meat. Stir in bouillon mixture and add to wok. Stir and cook until thickened. Gently toss in spaghetti and heat through. Makes 6 servings.
- Grade A Recipes

Recipe Of The Day - Salted Nut Roll Bars

I didn't get a chance to do some baking last night that I had planned on doing. That's unfortunate for my husband as I was going to make something for him to take to work today. I'm putting it off until next week and hope that it works out, otherwise he'll just have to wait. I will post a picture and the recipe when I'm able to get my baking done. For today's recipe I have chosen another one that I have always wanted to make but just haven't. I keep reading this recipe over and over and I should just make it because they sound so good! This recipe comes from the book "No Bake Cookies, Bars and Pies" that is distributed by CQ Products. The ISBN number is 13-978-1-56383-219-2. I really like this little book. If you need something to make that is quick and easy, this is the one for you.

Salted Nut Roll Bars

1 (4 oz) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12 oz) pkg Reese's peanut butter chips

3 cups miniature marshmallows

2 (12 oz) jars salted or dry roasted peanuts, divided

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine sweetened condensed milk, peanut butter chips and marshmallows. Microwave for about 2-1/2 minutes, stirring often, until melted. Spread 1 jar of peanuts into a greased 9x13" pan. Spread marshmallow mixture over peanuts. Top with remaining jar of peanuts. Refrigerate for 1 hour before cutting into bars.

Recipe Of The Day - Spiced Maple Banana Oatmeal Smoothie and Berry Morning Medley

I found some interesting breakfast drink recipes while paging through a "Best Recipes Smoothies and Summer Drinks" booklet. They're very short, so I will post two of them. The first recipe caught my eye because it has cinnamon in it and I love cinnamon. The other thing that sounded intriguing is the fact that both recipes have oats in them.

Spiced Maple Banana Oatmeal Smoothie

1/2 cup ice

1 frozen banana

1/2 cup yogurt

1/4 cup nonfat (skim) milk

1 tablespoon maple syrup, plus extra for garnish

1/4 cup quick oats

Dash of ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg

Crush ice in blender. Add banana and milk; puree. Add yogurt, maple syrup, oatmeal, cinnamon and nutmeg and blend until smooth. Pour into glasses; drizzle with maple syrup.

Nutrients per Serving: Calories: 128, Total Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: less than 1g, Protein: 5g, Carbohydrate: 26g, Cholesterol: 4mg, Fiber: 2g, Sodium: 57mg, Dietary Exchanges: 1/2 Milk, 1 Fruit, 1/2 Fat.

Berry Morning Medley

1 cup frozen mixed berries

1-1/2 cups nonfat (skim) milk

1/2 cup plain nonfat yogurt

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

1/4 cups granola or rolled oats, plus extra for garnish

Process berries and milk in blender until mixture is thick and creamy. Add yogurt, sugar and vanilla and blend until smooth. Add granola; pulse for 15 to 20 seconds. Divide into 2 glasses. Sprinkle extra granola on top, if desired.

Nutrients per Serving: Calories: 237, Total Fat: 4g, Saturated Fat: less than 1g, Protein: 12g, Carbohydrate: 38g, Cholesterol: 5mg, Fiber: 4g, Sodium: 128mg, Dietary Exchanges: 1 Milk, 1 Fruit, 1/2 Starch, 1 Fat.

I'm anxious to make both of these smoothies but I will have to substitute soy milk for the skim. The other substitute I will have to make is to use soy yogurt, which I haven't been able to find here in Minocqua. When I make my next trip to Rhinelander I will have to stop in The Country Seed and see if they carry it. I had stopped in there last summer when I was just here visiting and thought it was such a fantastic natural store.

Recipe Of The Day - Broccoli Chicken Hot Dish

I love casseroles! They are so easy and versatile. I make them alot and my husband has to eat them for days! He doesn't mind at all and it makes my life easier. Once I made a casserole recipe that Paula Deen made on her show on the Food Network called Bobby's Goulash. It was pretty good but the recipe made so much that we literally ate it for a week! Both of us were pretty sick of it at that point and I think I've only made it once since then. Today's recipe comes from "The Great Minnesota Hot Dish" by Theresa Millang, ISBN -13:978-1-885061-25-6.

Broccoli Chicken Hot Dish

1 bunch fresh broccoli, cooked, drained

4 whole chicken breasts, boned and precooked

2 (10-3/4) cans condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

3 tablespoons mayonnaise

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/4 teaspoon curry powder

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

5 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup dry bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 350. Place broccoli on bottom of a 13x9x2-inch baking dish. Top with chicken. In a bowl mix together soup, mayonnaise, lemon juice and curry powder; pour mixture over all. Sprinkle with cheeses and bread crumbs. Bake 30 minutes or until very hot. Serves 8.

Recipe Of The Day - Pizza Casserole

Taste of Home is one of my favorite magazines. I remember when the first issue came out and I quickly bought a subscription. I thought I had died and gone to heaven! I have so many copies of past magazines that they fill the entire bottom of a large dining room hutch back in our house in Minnesota. Unfortunately I could only bring a few copies with me, but I have since bought more while living in Minocqua. I also have many of their annual cookbooks and cannot wait to be able to look through them again.

Today's recipe is from the Casseroles, Slow Cooker & Soups Magazine that was displayed on newstands until April 27, 2009. Julie Sterchi from Harrisburg, Illinois submitted this recipe. I have made a Pizza Casserole before, but I used the spiral macaroni. Whenever I make a recipe that calls for ground beef, I sometimes will substitute ground turkey.

Pizza Casserole

3 pounds ground beef

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 jar (28 ounces) spaghetti sauce

2 jars (4-1/2 ounces each) sliced mushrooms, drained

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

Dash pepper

1 package (16 ounces) wide egg noodles, cooked and drained

2 packages (3-1/2 ounces each) sliced pepperoni

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

In a Dutch oven, brown beef and onion over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add spaghetti sauce, mushrooms, salt, garlic powder, oregano and pepper; heat through.

Spoon 4 cups into a 6-qt. slow cooker. Top with half of the noodles, pepperoni and cheeses. Repeat layers. Cover and cook on high for 1 hour or until cheese is melted.

Makes 12 servings. This recipe can be halved to use in a 3-qt. slow cooker.

Recipe Of The Day - Lemon Dijon Breasts of Chicken

I just love this cookbook by Evelyn Tribole, M.S., R.D. called "Healthy Homestyle Cooking". Evelyn is a recipe makeover columnist for Shape Magazine. The recipes in this cookbook have been made healthier by eliminating unwanted fat. The ISBN for this book is 0-87596-212-2.

Lemon Dijon Breasts of Chicken

1/3 cup fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup dry white wine or nonalcoholic white wine

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard

3 cloves garlic

1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary

6 (4-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves

1 cup chicken broth, defatted

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon grated lemon peel

3 tablespoons chopped parsley

In a blender or small food processor, blend or process the lemon juice, wine, mustard, garlic and rosemary until well combined.

Place the thicken breast halves in a 13" x 9" x 2" baking dish in a single layer. Pour the lemon mixture over the chicken. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl or cup, stir together 2 tablespoons of the chicken broth and the cornstarch until dissolved. Set the cornstarch mixture aside. Lightly spray an unheated large skillet with olive oil no-stick spray.

Remove the chicken from the marinade, reserving the marinade. Add the chicken to the skillet.

Cook over medium heat for 4 minutes. Turn the chicken over and cook about 4 minutes more or until tender and no longer pink. Remove the chicken from the skillet and cover to keep warm.

Add the reserved marinade to the skillet. Using a wire whisk, stir in the cornstarch mixture and the remaining broth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Then cook and stir for 2 minutes more. Stir in the lemon peel. Return the chicken to the skillet and heat through. Sprinkle with the parsley to garnish.

Makes 6 servings.

To reduce the calories, fat and cholesterol in this recipe, Evelyn used wine instead of olive oil in the marinade, used no-stick spray instead of melted butter to cook the chicken and removed the fat from the chicken broth.

This is the nutrition per serving before and after:

Calories 265 now 158

Fat (g.) 15 now 2

% of Calories from fat 51% now 11%

Cholesterol (mg.) 79 now 68

Recipe Of The Day - Apple Caramel Muffins

I've had some requests to post more recipes. Anyone that knows me knows that I have probably more cookbooks than one person needs in a lifetime. I just love to read them! They are one of my addictions and I buy them everywhere I go. I thought what I would do is post one recipe a day from a book and or cooking magazine in my collection. I'll include the name of the book/magazine, author and ISBN number, if available. There won't always be a picture of the recipe unless I've made it. When I moved to Minocqua last October I was only able to bring a few books from my vast collection. The bulk of my cookbooks are still in our house in Minnesota and I can't wait to have them here. Today's recipe is from the cookbook "Mad about Muffins" by Dot Vartan, ISBN 0-8362-6994-2.

Apple Caramel Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, well beaten
1/2 cup milk
3 tablespoons corn oil
1 cup peeled and diced apples

Topping

1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1-1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 cup chopped nuts (optional)

Directions:

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Sift the dry ingredients together into a large bowl. Add the eggs, milk, and corn oil. Stir just enough to mix the ingredients. Carefully fold in the diced apples. Fill greased muffin tins.

To make the topping, melt the butter and brown sugar in a saucepan. Stir in the milk and confectioners' sugar until the mixture is smooth. Add the vanilla extract and nuts. Spoon over the top of the muffins. Bake for 25 minutes. Makes on dozen muffins.