Carrot Cake

2 1/2 c All-purpose flour
2 tsp Baking soda
1/4 tsp Salt
2 tsp Cinnamon
1 c Light brown sugar -- packed
1 c White sugar
1 1/2 c Butter -- softened
3 lg Eggs
2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
3 c Grated carrots
1/2 c Crushed pineapple -- drained
1 c (6-oz.) raisins
1 c (4-oz.) chopped pecans

-----ICING-----
16 oz Cream cheese -- softened
1/2 c Salted butter -- softened
1 tbsp Fresh lemon juice (about 1 -- large lemon)
2 tsp Pure vanilla extract
3 c Confectioners' sugar

Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Grease and flour two 9-inch cake
pans or 1 9 X 13.
In a large bowl stir together flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugars. Add butter, one egg and vanilla; blend with electric mixer on low speed. Increase speed to medium and beat for 2
minutes.
Scrape down sides of bowl. And remaining eggs, one at a time, beating 30 seconds after each addition. Add carrots, pineapple, raisins and walnuts.
Blend on low until thoroughly combined.
Pour batter into prepared pans and smooth the surface with a rubber spatula. Bake in center of oven for 60-70 minutes. Toothpick inserted into center should come out clean. Cool in pans for 10 minutes.
Then invert cakes on rack and cool to room temperature.

TO PREPARE ICING: On a medium bowl with electic mixer on medium speed, beat cream cheese and butter until smooth add lemon juice and vanilla; beat until combined. Add sugar gradually, mixing on low until smooth.

TO ICE THE CARROT CAKE: Place one layer on a cake platter, and with a metal spatula spread icing over the top to form a thin filling.
Place second layer over the first, rounded side up. Coat the top and sides of the cake evenly with remaining icing. Refrigerate 1 hour to set icing.

SOURCE: MRS FIELDS Cookie Book.

STUFFED TURKEY MEATLOAF

1 can mushrooms
2 cloves garlic, minced
fresh baby spinach
Spaghetti sauce,
dividedshredded cheddar cheese,
2 pound ground turkey
egg, lightly beaten
½ cup Italian style bread crumbs
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/4 tsp salt
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
In a large bowl, mix together turkey, egg, bread crumbs, mushrooms, seasoning and salt.

Spoon half of meat mixture onto a greased baking pan. Flatten and smooth out.

Top with a layer of spinach leaves and shredded cheese.Top with remaining meat, flatten again and then go around the edges an seal, pulling in the loaf away from the sides of the pan.Spread spaghetti sauce on top and sprinkle with shredded cheese.

Bake for about an hour or until meat registers at 170 degrees.

Let sit for 5 to 10 minutes before slicing. ENJOY!

I got it from here... http://fullbellies.blogspot.com/

Blueberry Coffee Cake

Ingredients (for about 6 servings)
For the Cake:
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground mace
1 cup fresh blueberries
For the Topping:
2 tbsps unsalted butter
1/3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
Preparation
- To make the topping, combine cinnamon, sugar and flour in a small bowl.
- Add butter and beat with a pastry blender until the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.
- To make the cake, beat together the egg, milk and butter in a large bowl.
- Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and mace into a bowl.
- Add the egg mixture and beat together until well blended.
- Stir in blueberries.
- Lightly butter a 9-inch-diameter cake pan.
- Evenly spread the cake batter in the pan and sprinkle with the topping.
- Bake in a preheated 350° F oven for about 40 - 45 minutes.

Pasta Ceci

1 pound pasta
Salt
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 (14-ounce) can, chick peas, drained
Pepper
1/2 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
1 (14-ounce) can, crushed tomatoes
Handful flat-leaf parsley, chopped
Grated Parmiginao-Reggiano, to pass at table

Directions
Boil water for pasta, salt it, and cook spaghetti to al dente.
While spaghetti cooks, heat a large skillet over medium heat.

Add extra-virgin olive oil, 3 turns of the pan, crushed red pepper flakes and garlic.

Place chick peas in food processor and pulse grind them to a fine chop.

Add chick peas to garlic and season them with thyme, salt and pepper then saute them for 3 to 4 minutes.

Add wine or broth and cook down 30 seconds or so then stir in tomatoes and adjust seasoning.

Drain pasta and toss with sauce. Top with parsley and grated cheese.

I just started making this... Oh man it's so yummy!!

Black Bean Salad

1 can black beans, rinsed and drained well
3 artichoke hearts, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
1-2 T chopped green onion
1-2 T chopped fresh parsley
Juice from 1/2 lemon
1 T olive oil
Salt & pepper

Mix well!! So good!!

Nutritional Info for the WHOLE thing:

442 Calories
16g fat
21g Protein
66 carbs

Homemade Salsa

5 tomatoes

1 onion

1/2 c fresh cilantro

3 cloves garlic

1 T lime juice

1 jalapeno pepper

Bring a pot of water to a boil. Pierce the skin of the tomatoes, drop them in the water until the skin begins to peel (only takes like 20 seconds), remove tomatoes, drop into cold water, peel tomatoes.

chop onions, garlic, jalapeno pepper, lime juice in food processor. Put in bowl. Chop cilatro in food processor, add to onion mixture. Then chop tomatoes to desired constancy, I put mine in the food processor (got all the yummy bits out too!).

Mix all ingredients together in bowl. Chill until ready to serve.

I got this recipe from Netta, one of my new blogs that I read. she uses skim milk, I used 2%.


WHOLEWHEAT & OATMEAL BANANA PANCAKES

1 C whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 1/2 C quick oatmeal
2 eggs , beaten
1 3/4 C milk
2 mashed bananas


Mix well.

Cook on hot griddle (use cooking spray).

Reuben Dip

1 c sour cream
1 c mayo (NOT miracle whip)
1 16 oz can saurkraut, drained and squeezed dry
1/2 c finely chopped onion
1/3 lb deli style corned beef
1 c swiss cheese
2 T horseradish

Serve with Triscuits

Mix everything together. Bake 30 minutes at 350*




This is a new favorite!

Since it's zucchini harvest time, I dug this recipe out... it's very yummy!! This my friend Eliz's (From work) zucchini bread recipe! Enjoy!

Eliz’s Zucchini Bread

3 C Flour
2 t Baking Powder
1 T Cinnamon
1 C Brown Sugar
1 t Baking Soda
1 t Salt
1 ½ C Sugar
1 C Oil

2 C Peeled and Grated Zucchini
3 Eggs

1 t Vanilla
1 C Raisins
1 C Chopped Nuts

Preheat Oven 325*

Mix First 8 ingredients, then add zucchini and eggs. Mix in the rest!

Pour into 2 greased loaf pans. Bake 1 hour.

2 "quick dinners"

I have to say that I am the queen of making dinner work with what I have in the fridge/cupboard with minimal extra's bought at the grocery store. Maybe not the queen, but I make it work.

I saw a recipe for some shredded mexican chicken on the web, have no idea the exact recipe but I improvised... and it was yummy...

I put 6 large chicken breasts, some fresh salsa, and a can of diced tomatoes, one taco packet in the crock put and cooked it all day.

Came home to all the taco fixin's... that night's dinner, chicken soft tacos... and they were GOOD!!

Had about 3 cups of leftover shredded chicken... mmm chicken enchiladas...

3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
2 pkg lowfat cream cheese
2 small zucchini
1 med purple onion (use any kind you like, I had a purple one)
2 cloves garlic
~1 tsp ground cumin
Tortillas of your choice
1 can enchilada sauce
~1 - 1 1/2 cups monterrey jack shredded cheese (use any kind you like)

saute zucchini & onions, add garlic until onions and zucchini are tender. Add chicken, cream cheese, cumin, warm through until cream cheese is melted and well combined.

Put filling in tortillas, place in pan, "flat side up". cover with sauce, top with cheese. Cook ~30 minutes at 350.

I'm sure this could be made the night before and heated through the next day.