Try It Thursday!

Hot Pizza Dip

1 package (8 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1 tsp. Italian Seasoning Mix
1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
3/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese
1 can (8 oz.) pizza sauce
1/4 cup diced green bell pepper, sliced green onions or chopped pitted olives

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In small bowl, combine cream cheese and seasoning mix; spread onto bottom of small baking dish. In small bowl, combine Mozzarella and Parmesan cheeses. Sprinkle half of the mozzarella cheese mixture over cream cheese mixture. Top with pizza sauce, spreading evenly. Sprinkle with remaining Mozzarella cheese mixture. Bake 15-20 minutes or until bubbly. Top with bell pepper. Serve with toasted baguette slices.

Try It Thursday!

Death By Chocolate Bundt Cake

3/4 cup sour cream
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup oil
1 pkg. Devils Food cake mix
1 small instant chocolate pudding mix
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips

Beat sour cream, eggs, water, and oil together. Add cake mix and pudding and stir in chocolate chips. Place in a greased bundt pan and bake at 350 for 45-55 minutes. When it is done; cool a little, turn out of pan onto serving dish and sprinkle with powdered sugar.

Try It Thursday!

Banana-Berry Blast

2 cups ice cubes
2 cups fresh raspberries, frozen
2 bananas, peeled and cut into 1" thick slices
1 cup orange juice

In blender, combine ice cubes, raspberries, bananas and orange juice. Puree 1 min., or until smooth. Divide mixture evenly among 4 chilled glasses.

Cal. 113
Pro. 1g
Carb 26g
Fiber 6g
Chol. 0mg
Sod. 8mg
Total Fat 1g

Try It Thursday!

Crockpot Creamy Italian Chicken

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts halves
1 envelope Italian salad dressing mix
1/4 cup water
1 pkg. cream cheese, softened
1 can cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 can (4 oz.) mushroom stems and pieces, drained
Hot cooked rice or noodles

Place chicken in slow cooker. Combine salad dressing mix and water; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low heat 3 hours. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and soup until blended. Stir in mushrooms. Pour over chicken. Cook 1 hour longer until chicken juices run clear. Serve with rice or noodles.

Try It Thursday!

Cowboy Stew

1 lb. ground beef, browned and drained
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
6 medium potatoes, peeled and sliced
1 medium onion, sliced
2 cans cream of mushroom soup or 2 cans cream of chicken soup
1 cup water

Mix beef with garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place 1/2 of the onions and 1/2 of the potatoes in bottom of slow cooker. Add beef. Top with remaining onions and potatoes. Top with a mixture of soup and water. Spread over top making sure to cover evenly. Cover and cook on low 8 - 10 hours.

Recipes from Nutrition SNO

Almond Snack

1 C. almonds
1/2 C. craisins (or raisins)
1 T. honey
1 T olive oil or coconut oil

Blend in food processor to desired consistency.
I added a little more honey to mine because I like it sticking together and eat it on crackers and celery.

Homemade Graham Crackers (easy as making cookies)

2 1/4 cup freshly ground wheat flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup butter
1/4 cup warmed honey
3 Tbs water

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Combine dry ingredients in a bowl.
3. Cut in butter.
4. Warm the honey and water together in microwave for about 20-30 seconds. Add to dry ingredients and blend well. If dough seems too stiff, add a little water.
5. Roll out on a greased cookie sheet to 1/4 inch thickness (the thinner, the better). Prick dough with a fork all over.
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes until slightly browned. Remove from oven and cut immediately (it will be too hard later).
7. Cool and enjoy!

Oat & Honey Granola Recipe

Yum...Granola! This is so yummy and easy to make. You'll love it. :)

3/4 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup oil (I use extra virgin olive oil)
1/3 cup honey (tip: use the same measuring cup as the oil and your honey won't stick)
5 cups rolled oats
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Heat a large pot on the stove to med-high heat. Put in the oil, brown sugar, and honey. Bring to a boil and heat until the sugar is dissolved.
3. In the mean time, measure out your dry ingredients in another bowl and give them a stir.
4. When sugar is dissolved add in the dry ingredients and mix well!
5. Spread out on a large, greased cookie sheet with sides (I use the 1/2 sheet size).
6. Bake at 375 for 10-11 minutes. Do not overbake.
7. Let it cool in the pan and stir it every once in a while. If you don't stir it, it'll turn into one big chunk (which is still yummy but harder to eat).

You can also add in nuts, dried fruit, seeds, wheat germ, coconut, or whatever else you think would taste good.

Tip: I have found that different brands of oats change the flavor of the granola significantly. I like the Quaker rolled oats the best. I get them at Costco. Don't use quick oats!

Try it Thursday!

Yummy Hummus Recipe

2 c. chickpeas (garbanzo beans), rinsed and drained
1/4 c. tahini (sesame paste)
1/4 c. water
1/6 c. olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 T. lemon juice
3/4 tsp. salt
1 T. cumin powder

Place all ingredients into a food processor or blender and process until very smooth. Refrigerate in an air-tight container for 7-10 days.

6 servings (1/3 c. each)

Nutritional info.: Fat--12.8 g./Carbohydrates--21.2 g/Calories--215.9/Protein--5.8g.

I've made it before with about half of the tahini, which will reduce the calorie count quite a bit. Also, when I made if for RS, I only used one garlic clove and about half of the cumin because I didn't want it to be too strong.