BBQ Beef Sandwiches aka Sloppy Joes

2 lbs. ground beef, cooked or a 2 lb roast cooked in the crockpot and shredded (I did it with a crockpot)
1 c. chopped onions
1 c. chopped celery
1 c. diced green peppers
1 c. shredded/grated carrots
1/2 cube butter
1 T brown sugar
1 T vinegar
1 T mustard (yellow)
1 T lemon juice
2 T Worcestershire Sauce
1 tsp garlic salt
1 18-20 ounce bottle of Ketchup
1 c. water

In a large kettle, saute onions, celery, peppers and carrots in butter over medium low heat for 10-15 minutes, until soft, but not brown. Add the remaining ingredients, except the beef and simmer for 2 hours. Add beef and heat through (15-20 mins). Serve on toasted hamburger buns.

Ham and Cheese Hot Pockets

2 Sheets Frozen Puff Pastry (thawed according to package directions)
1/2 lb Black Forrest Ham
1/2 lb Gruyere Cheese, sliced (or Havarti or Muenster)
2-3 T. mustard (yellow, Dijon, or spicy brown)
1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon water

Roll the pastry sheets on a floured surface until they are just smaller than a large cookie sheet. Spread the mustard all over one of the pastries, leaving a one inch border all around. Layer the cheese and ham on top of the mustard. Place the other pastry on top of the layers of cheese and ham and seal the edges all around with a fork, by pressing firmly. Make slits in the top of the pastry with a knife and brush the top pastry with one beaten egg mixed with one tablespoon of water. Bake at 400 for about 20 minutes.

Lasagna Soup

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds Italian sausage or hamburger (which ever you have on hand)
2 onions, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons oregano
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons tomato paste (I used the whole small can - didn't want to waste the rest of it)
1 (28-ounce) can diced tomatoes
6 cups chicken broth
2 bay leaves
8 ounces fusilli pasta
1/2 cup finely chopped fresh basil (I used 1 tsp or so of dried basil)
8 ounces ricotta
1/2 cup grated Parmesan
1/4 teaspoon salt
Pinch of pepper
2 cups shredded mozzarella

1. In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the sausage and sauté, breaking it up into small pieces with a wooden spoon, until the sausage is no longer pink, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain any excess fat from the pot. Add the onions and sauté until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the garlic, oregano, and red pepper flakes and sauté for 1 minute. Add the tomato paste and sauté until the paste turns a rusty brown, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes with their juice, the broth, and the bay leaves and bring the soup to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for about 30 minutes.

2. Add the pasta, then increase the heat to medium-high and boil the soup until the pasta is tender to the bite, following the time recommendations on the pasta package. Discard the bay leaves, then stir in the basil. If desired, season with salt and black pepper to taste.

3. In a small bowl, combine the ricotta, the Parmesan, the 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and the pinch of pepper. To serve, place about 1 1/2 tablespoons of the ricotta mixture in each bowl, sprinkle with some of the mozzarella, and ladle the soup on top. Makes about 13 cups.

Chicken Enchilada Pasta

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed or shredded (I used can chicken and it worked great!)
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 garlic cloves, finely minced
1 medium onion, diced
1 red pepper, diced
4-ounce can diced green chilies
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
2 (10-oz) cans green chili enchilada sauce (I used mild)
2/3 cup red enchilada sauce (I used mild)
1 can large black olives, cut in half
1 cup sour cream
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (I used sharp cheddar)
16-20 oz. penne pasta (Depending on how "saucy" you want the pasta)

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook the pasta until tender. While the pasta is cooking, heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet and add the onion. Cook for 2-3 minutes until onion is translucent. Add the garlic and red pepper and cook for another 2 minutes, until pepper is barely tender. Add the cooked chicken, green chilies, spices, enchilada sauces and olives. Let the sauce simmer for about 8-10 minutes. Add the sour cream and cheese and heat through, until the cheese is melted (but don't boil!). Pour the sauce over the hot pasta. Garnish with extra sour cream, cheese, diced tomatoes, green onions or crushed tortilla chips.

Serving size is 2 cups. Nutritional info per serving:

315 calories

13.1 grams fat

0 g trans fat

40 mg cholesterol

29 g carbs

15.9 g protein

Chicken & Dumpling Soup

*Serves 6

Chicken and Broth:
4 cups chicken broth
4 cups water
2-3 chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 pounds)

Vegetables:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 large carrots (6-7 baby carrots), chopped
1 onion, chopped
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas

Dumplings:
1 cup flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme or sage
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup milk
1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil

In a large pot, boil the chicken broth, water and chicken breasts until the chicken is cooked through and tender (about 15 minutes). Remove the chicken from the pot, reserving the broth in the pot, and shred the chicken with two forks. Set the chicken aside and keep the broth warm on the stove.

While the chicken is boiling, in a large skillet, heat 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the celery, carrots and onions. Saute for about 6-7 minutes until the vegetables are tender. Add the vegetables to the hot broth in the pot after the chicken has been removed. Add salt, thyme and pepper to the vegetable/broth mixture and stir to combine. Heat the soup to a simmer.

In a small bowl, blend ½ cup cold water and 1/4 cup flour with a wire whisk until smooth. Whisking vigorously, slowly add the flour mixture into the hot vegetables and broth and whisk until well combined. Add ½ cup frozen peas and the reserved chicken and cook, stirring gently for one minute.

For the dumplings, in a medium bowl, stir together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine sour cream, milk and oil. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir just until combined (don't overmix, it is ok if there are a few dry spots of flour here and there).

Heat the soup to boiling and drop teaspoonful amounts (the dumplings should be fairly small, they'll expand while cooking) of dumpling dough into the boiling soup, covering the entire surface of the soup (don't make more than one layer of dumplings - you may have leftover dough). Reduce the heat to simmering, cover and let the dumplings cook for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid of the pot while the dumplings cook.

When the dumplings have cooked fully, remove the lid and gently stir the dumplings to break them apart. Serve.

Orange Chicken

This looks harder than it really is. You and your kids will love it!

2 lbs boneless skinless chicken breasts (cut into 1-1/2” cubes)
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 eggs (beaten)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
Oil (for frying)

Orange Sauce-
1 ½ cups water
2 tablespoons orange juice
¼ cup lemon juice
1/3 cup rice vinegar
2 ½ tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon orange zest (grated)
1 cup packed brown sugar
½ teaspoon ginger root (minced)
½ teaspoon garlic (minced)
2 tablespoons green onion (chopped)
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in egg mixture and shake in flour mixture to coat. Deep fry chicken in batches at 375 degrees in a deep fryer (or use a wok) until completely cooked.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan combine 1 ½ cups water, lemon juice, orange juice, rice vinegar, and soy sauce. Blend well over medium heat for a few minutes. Stir in brown sugar, orange zest, ginger garlic, and onion. Bring to a boil.

Combine 3 tablespoons of cornstarch with 1/4 cup of water and mix thoroughly. Slowly stir cornstarch mixture into sauce until it thickens. Pour sauce over breaded chicken, and if desired add red pepper flakes and garnish with green onions. Serve over rice. Enjoy.

Mini Breakfast Quiches

I love these for a quick breakfast. I keep them in the freezer and then heat one up each morning. My little one loves them as well..I have altered the ingredients slightly so that she would eat them. The best part is that they are low calorie. Enjoy!

4 eggs
1 C egg substitute*
3/4 C shredded low-fat sharp cheddar cheese
1/4 C shredded Parmesan cheese
1/4 C cottage cheese
5 oz frozen spinach (that's half a standard frozen box)
1/3 C roasted red peppers, diced
1 oz finely diced ham, canadian bacon, or crumbled bacon (about 1/4-1/3 C)
1/4 C finely diced onions
1/4 t kosher salt
1/8 t black pepper
1/2 t hot sauce

foil muffin tin liners

*1/4 egg substitute = 1 whole egg, so if you're using all eggs, or some eggs and some egg whites, you can adjust accordingly.

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350

Thaw spinach (you can nuke it in the microwave) and squeeze out all the liquid. Putting it in a clean kitchen towel and ringing it works well. After it's drained of all the liquid, give it a rough chop.

In a bowl, combine all ingredients and stir well.

Place foil cupcake liners in the muffin tins and spray with cooking spray. As you're dividing the egg mixture into the muffin cups make sure to keep stirring it so all of the ingredients are well-dispersed. My pan takes about 1/4 C in each hole and it fills them up perfectly. You want them to fill right up to the top.

Place in the oven and bake for 15-20 minutes. The tops should be just barely set on top. You can store them in an airtight container in the fridge, or freeze them. When reheating in the microwave, make sure to take off the foil liner! And if you're reheating from frozen, I try to take them out the night before so they can thaw in the fridge. Then when you microwave them, set them on a folded paper towel to drain excess moisture.

Makes 12

Nutritional information for 1 mini-quiche:

83 Calories, 7.5 g Protien, 3 g fat
2 Weight Watchers Points
Southbeach Diet Phase 1

Moist** and delicious banana bread

What you need:

1 & 3/4 cups flour

1 cup granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp cinnamon

3 large, very ripe bananas

1 tsp vanilla extract

2 eggs

1/2 cup butter or shortening

What to do:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease 9x5x3 bread pan.

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a large bowl. Set aside.

Heat butter in microwave until thoroughly melted and let cool until room temperature, but do not let it solidify again.

Peel and mash bananas in a separate bowl. Add vanilla extract to bananas. Then add the two eggs and mix until eggs are fully beaten.

Slowly beat in butter to the banana mixture. Again, make sure the butter is cooled so that it doesn't cook the egg in the mixture.

Combine dry and liquid ingredients and beat no more than 15 seconds. The mixture will be visibly lumpy which is how it's supposed to be. Don't over-mix the batter or the end product will be too hard. Once combined, gently pour into baking pan and put in oven immediately as the baking powder will be activated by the wet ingredients!

Bake 50 minutes or until you can stick a toothpick into the center of the loaf and it comes out clean.

Once the pan is cool enough to touch, carefully invert the pan. The loaf should drop right out, so make sure you support it with your other hand. Let the loaf cool at room temperature on a wire rack and enjoy!

** Sorry Chez, I know you hate this word!!! Hahaha!

Fajita Marinade

1 lb of flank steak or skirt steak...or chicken
1 large yellow onion, sliced
4 large bell peppers, stemmed, seeded, de-ribbed, sliced lengthwise into half-inch wide strips

Marinade: ** (I double the marinade)
Juice of 1 lime
2 Tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Mix all marinade ingredients. Set the steak in the marinade and let it sit at least an hour, the longer the better.
2. Heat to high heat a large pan. Add a teaspoon of olive oil to the pan. Add the steak, searing on each side for 3 minutes, or to how you like it done.

* watch your burner temperature here; you want the heat high enough to give the meat a good carmalization, but not to burn while it cooks all the way through.

3. Remove from pan & let sit (COVER WITH FOIL) while you cook the peppers & onions.
4. Reduce the pan heat to medium high. Add a little more oil to the pan if necessary. Add the onions, bell peppers. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, until the onions are slightly translucent. If desired, squeeze a lime or 2 over the peppers.
5. Slice the meat against the grain into thin slices.

Sweet Banana Bread

1 Cup Sugar
½ Cup Oil
Mix well then add
3 Bananas, mashed
2 Eggs, beaten
2 Cup Flour
½ tsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
1 tsp Baking Soda
1 tsp Vanilla
Nuts, if desired

Beat well, Bake at 325 for 30-45 minutes. Makes 1 large loaf or 3 small loafs.

Butterscotch Muffins

6 Tbsp Butter, softened
¼ Cup Brown Sugar, packed
1 Large Egg
1 ¼ Cup Milk

2 Cup Flour
1 (4 serving size) Butterscotch Instant Pudding Mix
1 Tbsp Baking Powder
½ tsp Salt
2/3 Cup Butterscotch Chips

Cream butter and brown sugar in a medium bowl until light and fluffy. Beat in egg, add milk, mix.

Combine remaining 5 ingredients in a large bowl. Make a well in center. Add butter mixture to well. Stir just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups ¾ full. Bake at 400 for about 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Hot {and healthy!} White Bean Dip

2 slices bacon
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/3 cup low-sodium chicken broth
1 can cannellini beans, drained (Great Northern beans work too)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon hot sauce
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon paprika
1/8 teaspoon crushed rosemary

Cook bacon in a small saucepan over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan with a slotted spoon; set aside. Add garlic to drippings in pan; cook 1 minute, stirring frequently. Add broth and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.

Combine bean mixture, onions, and remaining ingredients in a food processor, and process until smooth. Spoon mixture into a bowl; stir in 1 tablespoon reserved bacon (or add to food processor and pulse a few times). At this point taste it and add more salt to taste, as well as hot sauce and lemon juice if desired. (I usually go heavy on both of those) Sprinkle dip with remaining bacon just before serving.

Serve with pita chips.

Storage: This works great to make ahead of time. Just store in the fridge and warm it up in the microwave before serving.

Spinach and Turkey Enchiladas

prep time:25 min
start to finish:1 hr 10 min
makes:8 enchiladas

1 lb lean ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 box (9 oz) Green Giant® frozen chopped spinach
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, undrained
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic-pepper blend
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
3/4 cup shredded reduced-fat Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (3 oz)
1 can (10 oz) enchilada sauce
8 flour tortillas (8 inch)
1/2 cup mild Thick 'n Chunky salsa

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray 13x9-inch (3-quart) glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 12-inch nonstick skillet, cook turkey and onion over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until turkey is no longer pink.

2. Stir in spinach; cook, stirring frequently, until thawed. Stir in green chiles, cumin, garlic-pepper blend, sour cream and 1/4 cup of the cheese.

3. Spread about 1 teaspoon enchilada sauce on each tortilla. Top each with about 1/2 cup turkey mixture. Roll up tortillas; place seam sides down in baking dish. In small bowl, mix remaining enchilada sauce and the salsa; spoon over enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese.

4. Spray sheet of foil with cooking spray; cover baking dish with foil, sprayed side down. Bake 40 to 45 minutes or until thoroughly heated.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): No change.

Nutritional Information
1 Enchilada: Calories 280 (Calories from Fat 90); Total Fat 10g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat 1g); Cholesterol 45mg; Sodium 800mg; Total Carbohydrate 29g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars 3g); Protein 19g

Healthified Mexican Pasta Skillet

prep time:30 min
start to finish:30 min
makes:6 servings (about 1 1/3 cups each)

1lb extra-lean (at least 93%) ground beef
1jar (16 oz) mild salsa
1cup tomato sauce
1 & 1/2 cups water
2cups uncooked regular or multigrain elbow macaroni
1cup frozen corn
1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat sharp Cheddar cheese (2 oz)

1.In 12-inch skillet, cook beef over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thoroughly cooked; drain.

2.Stir in salsa, tomato sauce and water. Heat to boiling. Stir in macaroni and corn. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 12 to 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until macaroni is tender.

3.Sprinkle with cheese. Cover; let stand 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted.

1 Serving: Calories 370 (Calories from Fat 60); Total Fat 6g (Saturated Fat 2 1/2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol45mg; Sodium 650mg; Total Carbohydrate 53g (Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 5g); Protein 25g

Yummy Juice

I made this for a few Christmas parties and it was a hit!

2 Cups Cranberry Juice
3/4 Cup Sugar
46 oz. Pineapple Juice
1 Cup Lemon Juice
2 qts. Ginger Ale

Get everything cool in fridge. Mix just before serving. I also added raspberries to float on top and I doubled the recipe and it made a ton!!

Slow Cooker Chicken Pot Pie

This has become a staple in our family. It's so easy and so good. Definitely a comfort food.

-4-5 c. diced potatoes
-3-4 c. baby carrots (I sliced mine)
-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
-1 tsp. garlic salt
-1 tsp. black pepper
-2 Tbs. dry onions (or 1 sm. onion chopped)
-2 cans cream of chicken soup
-1 1/2 cups frozen peas
-1 pkg. Pillsbury refrigerated biscuits
Shredded cheddar cheese

Fill crock pot 2/3 full of veggies. Place chicken on top, sprinkle with garlic salt, pepper and dry onion. Spread cream of chicken soup on top. Cook on high about 4-5 hours, or low 6-8 hours. Shred chicken using two forks. Add peas. Replace lid and cook 20 minutes. Bake biscuits according to pkg. directions. Break biscuits in half and cover with crock pot mixture and top with cheese.

Enjoy!!

Gingerbread Cookies

1/2 c. butter

1/2 c. sugar

1/2 c. molasses

1 egg yolk

2 c. flour

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1 tsp. cloves

1 tsp. ginger

1/2 tsp. nutmeg

Cream butter and sugar. Add molasses and egg yolk. In a medium bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Add flour mixture to butter mixture. Chill for at least an hour. It's a fairly sticky dough so you might need to chill it a little longer.

Preheat oven to 350. Roll dough to 1/4" thick and cut with cookie cutters. Place cookies 2" apart on a baking sheet. Bake 8-10 minutes. If you bake them on the short end they will stay soft and chewy and if you bake them on the longer end they will be nice and crispy.

Allow to cool about 5 minutes on pan and then transfer to wire rack and cool completely. Once they're cooled you can decorate.

White chicken chili

I don't know about you guys, but I've been craving chili! I have the same old recipes that I've used for a couple years and none of them were really hitting the spot. I decided to take a chance on this beauty... so glad I did! It's a delicious spin on chili for sure. I hope you like it as much as we did!

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 cup diced onion
2 (14.5 ounce) cans Great Northern Beans, undrained
2 cups cooked, diced or shredded chicken (or turkey)
2 cups chicken broth
3/4 cup salsa (I use Pace Chunky Mild, less spice for the kids!)
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon celery salt
1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese

In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until onions are translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the remainder of the ingredients, except the mozzarella cheese. Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until the soup comes to a simmer. Add the mozzarella cheese one handful at a time, stirring to let each addition melt before adding the next. Stir to combine and make sure all the cheese has melted and serve.

Ginger Cookies

1 1/2 c. Butter, softened
2 c. Sugar
2 eggs
1/2 c. Molasses
4 c. Flour
2 T. Ginger
4 t. Baking Soda
1 t. Salt
2 t. Cinnamon

Cream butter & sugar. Add eggs and beat until light and fluffy. Add molasses, mis well.
In another bowl, soft dry ingredients together.
Add to butter mixture and mix well until all incorporated.
Roll into 1" balls and roll in sugar to coat.
Bake at 350 for 9-10 minutes.
Slightly underbake, and when you take them out, drop the tray on the counter so they flatten out!

Ultimate Hot Chocolate

2 1-oz. squares of unsweetened baking chocolate
1 14-oz. can sweetened condensed milk
4 c. water
1 tsp. vanilla


Method 1: Using a Hot Chocolate Machine

In your microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the chocolate and the sweetened condensed milk until the chocolate is completely melted (about 2-2 1/2 minutes in the microwave). Whisk together to combine completely and set aside.

Combine water, chocolate mixture, and vanilla in your hot chocolate machine and turn it on, according to the manufacturer's instructions.

Method 2: Using Your Stovetop

In your microwave or in a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the chocolate and the sweetened condensed milk until the chocolate is completely melted (about 2-2 1/2 minutes in the microwave). Whisk in vanilla, combine completely, and set aside.

In a larger saucepan, bring 4 c. water to a boil. Remove from heat and whisk in chocolate mixture.

Either way you make it, serve in mugs with a dollop of whipped cream and a sprinkle of cinnamon if desired. Serves about 6.

Variations:

Mexican Hot Chocolate: Add 1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon and 1/8-1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper in with the vanilla.

Mint Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp. mint (NOT spearmint) extract

Peppermint Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp. peppermint extract. Serve with a candy cane instead of a spoon to stir.

Almond or Hazelnut Hot Chocolate: Replace vanilla with 1 tsp. almond or hazelnut extract.

Chicken Enchiladas

4 Chicken Breasts
1 lb Mild Cheese, grated
1 Onion, chopped (can use less)
1 Small Can Chopped Green Chilies
Mix above ingredients together except half of the cheese. Put this filling into 12 white tortillas. Place in buttered baking sheet, seam down.
Mix the following for sauce:
1 Can Cream of Mushroom Soup
1 Can Cream of Chicken soup
1 Cup Chicken Broth
1 Pint Half and Half (can use caned milk)
Mix with a wire whisk and pour over enchiladas in the casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and return to oven just long enough to melt cheese.

Cranberry Almond Pound Cake

If you haven't ever tried this, oh man!...you are in for a real treat!

2 1/2 c. sugar

1 c. + 2 T. unsalted butter

3 t. almond extract

6 eggs

1 c. sour cream (full-fat is best!)

1/4 c. water

1/4 t. baking powder

1/2 t. baking soda

1/2 t. salt

3 c. flour

2 c. cranberries (fresh or frozen)

Glaze:

2 T. water

1 1/2 c. powdered sugar

Mix sugar, butter and almond extract. Add eggs and sour cream, mix well. Mix in water. Add baking powder, baking soda and salt, mix. Add flour and mix well. Fold in cranberries (rinse first to make sure there aren't twigs or bad berries in the bunch). Butter/flour a bundt pan. Pour the batter into the buttered pan and bake at 325 for 1 hour or more. Test with a toothpick. Rest for a few minutes in the pan before inverting and cooling on rack. When barely warm, drizzle with glaze.

AMAZING Minestrone Soup

This soup is good the first night, but it is fabulous as leftovers. If there's any way to make this ahead of time, let it chill, and then re-heat it, I HIGHLY recommend you do that. It is THIS very thing that makes this a great freezer meal; just prepare the soup entirely, allow it to cool, and then freeze it in a freezer-safe container. When you're ready to eat it, just place the frozen soup in your Crockpot and cook on low for 5-6 hours.

1 lb. Italian sausage
1 medium onion, diced

4 cloves minced garlic

4 c. water
2 stalks celery, diced

2 large carrots, diced

1-2 small zucchini, quartered and chopped
1 can beef broth
1 10-oz. can bean with bacon soup
1 28-oz. can diced tomatoes

1 can Great Northern Beans, drained and rinsed
1 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/8-1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes

Remove casings from sausage and crumble the meat. In a large soup pot, brown Italian sausage with onions and garlic. Carefully drain, if necessary. Add remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, cover, and then reduce to a simmer. Simmer on low for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Serve with freshly grated Parmesan cheese and breadsticks or French bread.

Additionally, you can make this in a slow cooker. Just brown the sausage, onion, and garlic in a frying pan, drain, and then transfer to a slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients and cook all day on low.

Try it! You're husband will love you as much as mine did after I made this and neither one of us really liked minestrone soup before. It's a keeper.

Buffalo Chicken-Blue Cheese Meatloaf

What you'll need:

Olive oil spray

2/3 cup old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup fat-free milk

2 1/2 tablespoons buffalo wing sauce plus more for topping

1 lb. extra lean ground chicken

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/4 cup shredded carrot

1/4 cup finely chopped sweet onion

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten

1/4 teaspoon salt

2 ounces (1/2 cup) crumbled blue cheese

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightly mist a 9x5 loaf pan with olive oil spray.

Combine the oats and milk in a medium mixing bowl and stir to mix. Let stand for 3 minutes or until the oats begin to soften. Stir in the wing sauce until well mixed. Add the chicken, celery, carrot, onion, egg whites and salt. With a fork or clean hands, mix the ingredients well. Add the blue cheese and gently mix to combine.

Transfer the mixture to the prepared pan and spread so that the top is flat. Bake for 40 minutes or until the chicken is completely cooked through and no longer pink. Cut into approximately 8 slices and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 263 calories, 35 grams protein, 14 grams carbs, 6 grams fat, 2 grams fiber, 485 mg sodium.

Bananas 'N Cream English Muffins

The biggest loser did it again! This was freaking delicious... even my 2 year old loved it!

What you'll need:

1/2 a whole grain english muffin

1 & 1/2 teaspoons light cream cheese

1/4 medium banana sliced

pinch of cinnamon

Place the toasted muffin half on a small plate and spread the cream cheese evenly over the top. Sprinkle with cinnamon and then place banana slices on top... serve immediately!

Per serving: 95 calories, 4 grams of protein, 20 grams of carbs, 2 grams of fat, 5 grams fiber, 113 mg sodium