Chili Cheddar Penne

1-1/3 cups uncooked penne pasta

4 teaspoons butter

4 teaspoons all-purpose flour

1 cup milk

2 cups (8 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

4 teaspoons taco seasoning

1/4 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup frozen corn, thawed

2/3 cup chopped fresh tomatoes

1 can (4 ounces) chopped green chilies, drained

Sliced avocado, optional

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir in flour until smooth; gradually add milk.

Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Reduce heat to medium. Stir in the cheese, taco seasoning and salt. Cook and stir for 2-3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Drain pasta; stir into cheese sauce. Cook and stir for 3 minutes or until heated through.

Stir in the corn, tomatoes and chilies just until combined. Garnish with avocado if desired. Yield: 6 servings.

Southwestern Pork Loin Chops

1 medium onion, chopped 

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided 

1-1/2 teaspoons minced garlic 

2 cans (14-1/2 ounces each) diced tomatoes, drained 

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained 

3/4 cup chicken broth 

1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder 

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin 

1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes 

4 pork loin chops (1/2 inch thick) 

1/4 teaspoon salt 

1/4 teaspoon pepper 

Hot cooked rice 

2 tablespoons minced fresh cilantro, optional 

In a large skillet, saute onion in 1 tablespoon oil for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; saute 1-2 minutes longer or until tender. Stir in the tomatoes, beans, broth, chili powder, oregano, cumin and pepper flakes. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 4-5 minutes or until heated through. Meanwhile, in another skillet, brown pork chops on both sides in remaining oil over medium-high heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour tomato mixture over chops. Cover and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until meat juices run clear. Serve with a slotted spoon over rice. Sprinkle with cilantro if desired. Yield: 4 servings.

Mexican Casserole

1-1/2 lbs ground (or shredded) beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 (10 1/2 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
8 oz grated Cheddar cheese
1 (8 ounce) can enchilada sauce
1 (11 ounce) canned corn
1 (4 ounce) can sliced ripe olives, drained
1 (4 ounce) can green chiles, drained
1/4 teaspoon oregano
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1 dozen flour tortillas
1 cup grated Jack cheese

Brown beef, drain. Combine with remaining ingredients, except tortillas and Jack cheese. Layer in greased 9x13-inch baking dish with 6 tortillas, meat mixture, 6 tortillas and meat mixture. Top with Jack cheese. Bake uncovered at 325 for 30 minutes.

Try precooked chicken chunks, rather than ground beef with green sauce, rather than the red.

Heavenly Hearty and Healthy Soup

1 pound uncooked ground turkey
1 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots
2-1/2 cups tomato juice
1 14-1/2-ounce can French-cut green beans, drained
1 cup fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/4-in. thick 1/2 cup chopped tomato
1 tablespoon dried minced onion
1-1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil, crushed
1 teaspoon dried oregano, crushed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 bay leaf

In a large skillet, cook the turkey, celery, and carrots until turkey is done; drain. Add to a 3-1/2- to 4-quart electric crockery cooker. Stir in tomato juice, green beans, mushrooms, tomato, dried minced onion, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, garlic powder, sugar, pepper, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 6 hours. Remove and discard bay leaf.

French Bread

2 1/2 cups warm water
2 tablespoons sugar
2 packages dry yeast (a package is 2 1/4 teaspoons)
1 tablespoon salt
2 tablespoons oil
6 cups flour

This is the Waye family french bread recipe. The great thing is that you can simply make the dough and barely let it rise and it will turn out a denser bread, but still great. So you can have homemade bread on your table in an hour!

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, pour warm water; stir in sugar and yeast until dissolved. Stir in 1/2 cup flour. Beat. Stir in remaining flour, salt, oil and stir until all ingredients are completely mixed in, leaving spoon in heavy batter. Allow the dough to rest 10 minutes with spoon, and then stir down. Repeat 5 times (or however much time you have...) Turn dough onto floured surface. Divide into 2 parts. Roll into 9x12 rectangles and then roll like a jellyroll (or just make it into a long loaf shape.) Let rise until double (or, again, however much time you have.) Bake at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes. Brush with butter after baking.

Black Forest Pie

3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup baking cocoa
2 tablesoons all-purpose flour
1/3 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (21 ounces) cherry pie filling, divided
1 unbaked pastry shell (9 inches)
whipped topping, optional

This is a great pie if you want something fancy looking, but easy to make.

In a saucepan, combine sugar, cocoa, flour and mils until smooth. Add butter. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Remove from the heat. stir a small amount of hot mixture into eggs. Return all to the pan. Fold in half of the pie filling. Pour into pastry shell. Nake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes or until filling is almost set. Cool completely on wire rack. Just before serving, rop with remaining pie filling and whipped topping if desired. Serves 6-8.

Resort Fruit Salad

8 ounces can chunk pineapple
11 ounce can mandarin oranges
2 bananas, sliced
2 cups halved strawberries
1 1/2 cups halved green grapes
1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
3.5 ounce box instant vanilla pudding

This fruit salad is really yummy-and great for a fancy dinner.

Drain pineapple and oranges, reserving liquid to combine with pudding mix in small bowl. Combine fruit in a large bowl. Fold in the pudding/juice mixture.

Tortilla-Black Bean Casserole

2 large onions, chopped
1 1/2 cup chopped green peppers
1 14 1/2 ounce can tomatoes, cut up
3/4 cup bottled picante sauce
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 can green chile (optional)
2 15-ounce cans black beans or red kidney beans, rinsed and drained
nonstick cooking spray
10 7-inch corn tortillas
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded reduced-fat monterey jack cheese
shredded lettuce (optional)

This is one of our favorite vegetarian dishes. It's kind of like a mexican lasagna. You can adjust the spiciness by the picante sauce you add and/or extra chile peppers. You can also 1/2 this recipe and it works just as well.

In a large skillet combine the onions, peppers, undrained tomatoes, picante sauce, cumin, and garlic. If you want it spicier, add 1can of green chiles. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes. Stir in beans.

Coat 2-quart baking dish with cooking spray. Spread 1/3 of mixture over bottom of dish. Top with half the tortillas, overlapping as necessary, and half of the cheese. Add another one-third of the bean mixture, then remaining tortillas and remaining bean mixture.

Cover and bake in a 350 degree oven for 35-40 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Let stand for 10 minutes.

If desired, arrange the shredded lettuce on dinner plate. To serve, cut the casserole into swaures and place on top of lettuce. If desired, garnish with chile peppers. Makes 6-8 servings.

No Bake Cookies

3 cups quick oats
5 tablespoons cocoa
1/2 cup nuts (pecans, walnuts...)
1/2 cup coconut
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk

Mix together oats, cocoa, nuts and coconut in bowl. Bring sugar, butter and milk to a boil in a saucepan. Combine and drop by tablespoonfull onto wax paper to cool.

Oatmeal brown sugar pancakes

1 egg
1 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
1 cup flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup uncooked oats

Beat egg; add milk and oil, mixing well. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients. Add to egg mixture-mix until blended. Stir oats into batter. Use 1/2 cup for pouring on griddle.

Coconut Cream Cake

1 pkg. yellow cake mix
ingredients on cake mix box (oil, eggs, water)
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon coconut flavoring
14 0z. bag of coconut
2/3 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup powdered sugar
3/4 cup water
1 carton whipped topping

This is one of Paul's family's favorite dessert-Paul even one a cake contest in cub scouts with this recipe!

Add yellow cake mix, listed ingredients, vanilla, coconut flavoring and 1/2 of the bag of coconut. Mix and bake as directed on package. You can make this as a 9x13 (easiest) or as a round cake.
Cool slightly and poke holes with a fork
Mix the evaporated milk, powdered sugar and water together until mixed. Pour over cake. Cool completely and then top with whipped topping and leftover coconut. Store in refrigerator.

Broccoli Chicken Fettuccine

4 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1/2 pound boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 small onion, halved and sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons butter
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 cup chicken broth
1-1/2 cups frozen broccoli florets, thawed
1 can (4 ounces) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese

Cook fettuccine according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, saute the chicken, onion and garlic in butter until no longer pink. Stir in the soup, broth, broccoli, mushrooms, onion powder and pepper. Bring to a boil. Drain fettuccine; add to chicken mixture. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 2 servings.

Green Chile Chowder

1- 10 ounce package frozen corn (thawed and drained)
1 minced garlic clove
1 tablespoon butter

Melt butter in a pan, add the garlic and brown a little, then add corn until warm.
Then add:

2 - 7 ounce cans of green chile
3/4 cup chicken stock
3/4 cup evaporated milk
1 pound cooked cubed chicken

Bring to a simmer for 10 minutes and serve warm with chopped cilantro and crushed tortilla chips. Makes 4-6 servings

Cinnabon Rolls in the Breadmaker

Dough (2 lbs)
1 cup whole milk (or substitute powdered milk and extra water)
1/2 tablespoons salt
1 beaten egg
4 tablespoons melted butter
4 tablespoons water
1 small box (3.4 ounce) instant vanilla pudding
4 cups bread flour
2 tablespoons sugar
2½ tablespoons yeast

Filling
½ cup softened butter (or margarine)
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

Icing
8 ounces (2 sticks) butter or margarine
8 ounces (1 package) cream cheese
16 ounces powdered sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

First, take the butter and cream cheese you will use for the Icing out of the fridge and set it aside so it can soften.
For the dough -
Toss all the ingredients into your bread machine and set it to its 'dough' setting. You do not want it to cook, just mix and rise. This takes about 1½ hours so while this is going you can get your filling and icing mixed together.
Filling -
Mix all ingredients very well. Make sure you don't have too many brown sugar lumps. Set aside.
Icing -
Mix butter and cream cheese in mixer until thoroughly combined. Add your powdered sugar and mix for another 12 minutes. Yes, that's right. 12 minutes. I don't know why this is important but the reviews I read on this particular icing said it was necessary and my icing turned out perfect so there ya go. When 12 minutes are almost up add your lemon juice and vanilla extract.

When your dough is ready dump it out on a floured counter. Punch it down and kneed it for a few seconds. With a rolling pin and make an 18 inch by 12 inch rectangle. Spread your filling all over it going to the very edge. Then, roll up your pastry tightly. Slice with thread into ½- to 1-inch rolls. Repeat this step over and over again, putting each cinnamon roll into a greased dish with sides. You can squish them beside each other but don't over-stuff. We had to use a round cake pan and a large rectangular pan (11x15?). These dimensions will make about 15 good-sized rolls, or make the dough longer and narrower (10x24) for more medium-sized rolls.

Set your oven to 'warm' and put your roll filled dishes inside. When the oven is warmed turn it off and let your rolls sit for 30 minutes to rise. After 30 minutes remove them, preheat your oven to 350 and cook your cinnamon rolls for 15 minutes. Pay close attention. When they are a golden brown take them out. Cool for a few minutes and ice.

If freezing, freeze the rolls before they are iced. I put some icing into three Ziploc baggies. When we're ready to pull some cinnamon rolls out of the freezer I will also take out a baggie. When rolls and icing are thawed, cut a corner off the baggie and squeeze it onto the rolls.

Blackberry Chicken

2 tablespoons plus ½ cup fresh blackberries, divided
½ cup reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
¾ teaspoon paprika, divided
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (5 ounces each)
4½ teaspoons minced fresh thyme
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons cornstarch

In a small bowl, mash 2 tablespoons berries. Add ¼ cup broth, brown sugar, vinegar, oil, garlic, ¼ teaspoon paprika and cumin.

Place chicken in an 11-in. x 7-in. x 2-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray; pour broth mixture over the top. Sprinkle with thyme, salt, pepper and remaining paprika.

Bake, uncovered, at 375° for 20-25 minutes or until chicken juices run clear, basting occasionally with pan juices. Remove chicken and keep warm.

Skim fat from pan drippings. In a small saucepan, combine cornstarch and remaining broth until smooth. Gradually stir in drippings. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Serve with chicken; sprinkle with remaining blackberries. Yield: 6 servings.

Squash and Pepper Medley

Source: Curves Member Guide
Prep Time: 30 minutes

1 pound zucchini or yellow squash
1 red bell pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons minced fresh chives
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
juice of 1 lemon
¼ cup grated parmesan cheese

Cut squash and pepper into julienne strips. Heat olive oil in skillet. Add chives and saute briefly. Add squash and pepper to skillet, with salt and pepper, and saute 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Pour over lemon juice and parmesan cheese and toss to coat well.
Makes 4 servings.

Nutrition facts per serving: calories: 115, fat 9 g, saturated fat 2.5 g, protein 3 g, carbohydrates 6 g, fiber 1 g, cholesterol 6 mg, sodium 376 mg

Slice 'n' Bake Lemon Gems

¾ cup butter, softened
½ cup confectioners' sugar
1 tablespoon grated lemon peel
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
¼ cup colored nonpareils

LEMON ICING:
1 cup confectioners' sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
½ teaspoon grated lemon peel

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and confectioners’ sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in lemon peel. Combine flour and cornstarch; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.

Shape into a 1-3/4-inch-diameter roll; roll in non-pareils. Wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 2-3 hours or until firm.

Unwrap and cut into ¼-inch slices. Place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 375º for 9-11 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely.

In a small bowl, combine icing ingredients. Spread over cookies. These are basically lemon shortbread cookies. Yield: 28 cookies.

Nutrition Facts: 1 cookie equals 102 calories, 5 g fat (3 g saturated fat) 13 mg cholesterol, 35 mg sodium, 13 g carbohydrate, trace fiber, 1 g protein.

Oatmeal S'more Cookies

1/2 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup shortening
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats
1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate chips
1 cup miniature marshmallows

In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening and sugars. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture. Stir in the oats, chocolate chips and marshmallows.

Drop by heaping teaspoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Cool for 1-2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks to cool completely. [Note from Jessica: Don't wait long to remove from pans as the marshmallows make them stick.] Yield: about 6 dozen.