Parmesan-Crusted Fish

I'll be totally honest, this didn't go over too well with my family (their not big lemon fans), but I LOVED it! Definitely go easy on the lemon peel (a little bit goes a long way). This is such a quick and easy recipe for those busy days.

1	lb cod, cut into serving pieces
2	tablespoons reduced-fat mayonnaise (I used Olive Oil Mayo)
1/2	teaspoon finely grated lemon peel (this much was almost too much for me, and I love lemon)
1/8	teaspoon pepper
2	tablespoons Italian style bread crumbs
2	tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese
	Lemon wedges, if desired

1.	Heat oven to 450°F. Line 15x10x1-inch pan with foil; spray with cooking spray. Place fish fillets in pan.
2.	In small bowl, stir mayonnaise, lemon peel and pepper until blended. Spread over top of each fillet. In small bowl, mix bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese. Spoon evenly over mayonnaise mixture; pat crumb mixture lightly into mayonnaise.
3.	Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until fish flakes easily with fork. Serve with lemon wedges. *Recipe and picture found here: http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/featured-brands/parmesan-crusted-fish.aspx

Healthified Lasagna

Holy yummo! This healthified recipe does not sacrifice taste! My family pretty much downed the entire thing. I think I definitely found a winner lasagna recipe to use for years to come!

9	uncooked lasagna noodles (I used whole wheat lasagna noodles)
1	lb extra-lean ground beef
2	cloves garlic, finely chopped
1	jar pasta sauce
1/8	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 1/2	teaspoons dried basil leaves
1	egg
1	container (15 oz) reduced-fat ricotta cheese
2	cups shredded mozzarella cheese (8 oz)
1/3	cup shredded Parmesan cheese

1.	Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package. Place in cold water.
2.	Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, cook beef and garlic over medium-high heat 5 to 7 minutes, stirring frequently, until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain. Stir in pasta sauce, ground red pepper and 1 teaspoon of the basil. Heat to boiling, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat.
3.	Heat oven to 350°F. In medium bowl, beat egg slightly. Stir in ricotta cheese and remaining 1/2 teaspoon basil until blended. Drain noodles. Spread about 1/2 cup sauce mixture over bottom of baking dish. Top with 3 noodles, 1 1/2 cups of the sauce mixture, half of the ricotta mixture and 3/4 cup of the mozzarella cheese. Repeat layers once. Top with remaining noodles, sauce and mozzarella cheese; sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Spray 15-inch piece of foil with cooking spray. Cover lasagna with foil.
4.	Bake 45 minutes. Uncover; bake 10 to 15 minutes longer or until bubbly. Let stand 10 minutes before serving. *recipe found here: http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/healthified/healthified-lasagna.aspx

Philly Cheese Steak Casserole

This recipe was absolutely out of this world! Everyone enjoyed it (including my picky eaters!). The only thing my husband said he would change would be more seasoning. I would definitely have to agree. Next time I'll try some salt-free seasoning.

3	cups uncooked wide egg noodles (I used whole wheat)
1	lb beef boneless sirloin steak, about 3/4 inch thick
1/4	teaspoon pepper
2	medium onions, chopped (1 cup)
1	small green bell pepper, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 3/4	cups beef broth
1/4	cup all-purpose flour
1/2	cup fat-free half-and-half
1	tablespoon Dijon mustard
3/4	cup shredded Cheddar cheese

1.	Heat oven to 350°F. Spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. Cook and drain noodles as directed on package.
2.	Meanwhile, remove fat from beef. Cut beef into 3/4-inch pieces. Heat 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat. Cook beef and pepper in skillet 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown. Stir in onions and bell pepper. Cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Spoon into baking dish.
3.	In medium bowl, beat broth and flour with wire whisk until smooth. Add to skillet; heat to boiling. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens; remove from heat. Stir in half-and-half and mustard. Spoon over beef mixture. Stir in cooked noodles.
4.	Cover and bake 40 minutes. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 10 minutes longer or until cheese is melted and casserole is bubbly (next time I plan to let everyone sprinkle a little cheese on their plates). Recipe found here:

http://www.eatbetteramerica.com/recipes/global-flavors/philly-cheese-steak-casserole.aspx

Sweet & Sour Meatballs with Fried Rice

These meatballs are so good. I've tired quite a few different recipes and none of them seem to hold together even after cooked. These have the perfect flavor as well. Not too sweet and not too sour. Hope you will enjoy them as much as we did.

1 to 1-1/2 lbs. lean ground beef
3/4 cup oats
2 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Mix ingredients and form into 12 2-inch balls. Place in casserole dish, cover with sauce (recipe follows) and bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Sauce for meatballs

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup vinegar
1 tsp mustard
1/4 cup barbecue sauce
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Fried Rice

1/4 lb. bacon1 cup diced onion
3/4 cup diced celery
1 bell pepper, diced {I used a red pepper. We aren't fans of green}
3 T soy sauce
3 cups COLD, cooked rice

Cook bacon until crisp. Remove from pan and Sauté vegetables in bacon fat. Add rice and soy sauce until heated through. Add bacon.

*I wish I could remember where I got this recipe. I wrote it on a recipe card from the website and never wrote down the original owner. I do know that the meat balls recipe is originally from the Lion House cook book.

Cream of Cauliflower Cheese Soup

I got this recipe idea from a friend. I couldn't remember the exact ingredients so I found this online at food.com. We will be eating this at least once a week this winter. It's so amazingly good and even better as leftovers. Seriously try it!



Ingredients:

1 head cauliflower, washed and broken into flowerets {I had some fresh broccoli on hand that I also added...I think it made it better}
1/4 cup chopped onions
1/2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup water
1 1/2 vegetable bouillon cubes {I used 1 can of vegetable broth}
2 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese, softened {or use regular}
1/2 cup evaporated milk {you could use half and half but I suggest the milk}
1/8-1/4 tsp salt, to taste
1/4 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1 tsp parsley
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese or 1 cup shredded American cheese

1. Place cauliflower flowerets, chopped onion, and garlic in a large pot. Pour in just enough water to almost cover (but not quite) cover the cauliflower. Add boullion cubes and bring to a boil; cook until cauliflower is very tender -- about 10-12 minutes.
2. Lower heat medium.
3. Add in cream cheese and half and half; stir well. Add in salt, pepper, paprika and parsley; stir and heat through.
4. Add in shredded cheese; stir frequently until heated through and cheese is melted.
5. Remove from heat. Puree in batches in blender or food processor {I left mine with chunks}. Serve.

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops & Parmesan Mashed Potatoes

Another find from Pinterest! Delicious and easy to make... my favorite combo!

What you need:

4-6 Pork Chops

1 packet dry Ranch seasoning mix

10 oz can cream of chicken soup (I used cream of mushroom since I had it on hand)

4 lbs peeled and diced potatoes

5 TBSP real butter

1 cup shredded parmesan cheese

6 cloves roasted garlic (see instructions below)

1 to 1 1/2 cups of warm milk

Salt & Pepper to taste

What to do:

Place pork chops, ranch seasoning and soup in medium crock pot on low for six hours (or high for four).

To roast garlic, preheat oven to 350. Wrap garlic bulb with skins lightly in tin foil and bake for one hour. Remove from foil and let cool for about fifteen minutes. Once cool enough to touch, remove skins from 6 cloves and mash completely in a bowl. Set aside.

Place peeled and chopped potatoes in a pot of cold water on stove top over high heat and bring to boil. Once water is boiling, cook for 10-12 minutes or until fork-tender. Drain and transfer potatoes to the bowl you will be mixing/mashing them in. Mix on low until potatoes are completely mashed; add remaining ingredients including the mashed roasted garlic. Season to taste. If you desire thinner mashed potatoes, add more milk.

Serve potatoes with pork chops and "gravy"... enjoy!

*Original recipe found here

Fruit Salsa and Baked Cinnamon Sugar Chips

I've never heard of fruit salsa and was intrigued when I came across this recipe. It. Was. Fantastic. If you're looking for something to take a party or a pot luck, this is it!

What you need:

2 kiwis, peeled and diced

2 golden delicious apples, peeled, cored and diced

6-8 ounces raspberries, cut in half

1 (16 oz) carton strawberries, diced

1-2 TBSP white sugar (to taste)

1 TBSP brown sugar (to taste)

3 TBSP fruit preserves (I used seedless raspberry)

For Chips:

10 (10 inch) flour tortillas

Melted butter or butter flavored cooking spray

1 cup white sugar

2 TBSP cinnamon

What to do:

In a large bowl, mix all the fruit, sugars and fruit preserves thoroughly and chill for at least 15 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat one side of each tortilla with butter or cooking spray. Sprinkle each tortilla with desired amount of cinnamon-sugar mixture. Cut into wedges and arrange on a baking sheet. If you used cooking spray, spray the tortillas once more. If you used butter, it's not necessary to coat any further. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until crispy. Allow to cool for about 15 minutes and serve with fruit salsa the same day (otherwise the natural juices can make mixture runny). This can also be eaten with graham crackers or cinnamon-sugar pita chips. Enjoy!

*Original recipe found here

Guacamole Bruschetta

If you love guacamole, you will love this. A perfect match of creamy and crunchy... it was delicious!

What you need:

A loaf of french bread (I used a long, skinny one found in the bakery section)

1 clove of garlic

2 TBSP olive oil

2 tomatoes, chopped

2 avocados, chopped

1/3 cup red onion, chopped

1/3 cup cilantro, finely chopped

2 TBSP fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

What you do:

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Slice the french bread at a diagonal into 1/2" rounds and place on baking sheet. Toast the bread in the oven for 3 minutes, then remove and flip over and toast for another 3 minutes on the other sides. Remove the toasted bread and immediately rub with the clove of garlic. It's almost as though you're grating the clove against the bread. Brush the tops of the garlic-rubbed bread with olive oil and set aside. Now mix all the remaining ingredients in a bowl and spoon on to bread and serve!

*Original recipe found here

Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pull-apart Bread

If you haven't been on Pinterest yet, I highly suggest you go there immediately. I've found SEVERAL amazing recipes on there lately that I had to try. This bread was apart of a munch-fest some friends and I had and it was AMAZING!!!!

What you need:

1 loaf of unsliced sourdough bread (round is preferable)

8-12 ounces of sliced cheddar cheese

3 oz bag of real bacon bits

1/2 cup of butter, melted

1 TBSP ranch dressing mix (we used regular ranch dressing and it still worked)

What to do:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a sharp bread knife, cut bread going both directions without cutting all the way through the crust. Place cheese slices between all of the cuts. Sprinkle bacon bits all over the bread, making sure they get between the cuts as well. Mix together butter and ranch dressing and pour over bread. Wrap the entire loaf in foil and place on baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes; unwrap and bake for 10 minutes more or until cheese is melted. ENJOY!

*Original recipe found here

Sweet Onion Pork Chops

picture from http://mysisterscucina.blogspot.com.

Before having baby number three I stocked my freezer up with freezer meals. This recipe froze beautifully and was simply delicious, even after being in the freezer for over a month. I've also made it and served it the same day. My kids and husband guy love this!

8 boneless pork loin chops
2 tbsp canola oil
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup ketchup
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup French salad dressing
1/2 cup honey

Heat oil in a large skillet and brown pork chops on both sides. You will need to do them in batches. Once all are browned, put all pork chops back into the skillet. In a small bowl combine sugar, onion, ketchup, barbecue sauce, dressing and honey, stirring well. Pour sauce over pork chops, then bring to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to simmer, cover skillet and simmer for 12-14 minutes, or until meat is cooked through and tender. Cool completely and place in freezer container. Split into two if desired, ensuring equal amount of sauce goes in each.

On cooking day:
Thaw pork chops overnight. Heat skillet and add pork chops and sauce. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 5-8 minutes, or until pork chops are thoroughly heated. Serve.

*I served this with brown rice and mixed vegetables

recipe found at: www.momsbudget.com

Crispy Chicken Roll Ups

picture from kraftrecipes.com

Holy freakin' yummo! This will rock your taste buds to the max! You know a recipe is good when the kiddos beg for more!!

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves

12 slices smoked ham

6 extra thin Swiss cheese slices

2 eggs, beaten

15 saltine crackers, finely crushed (about 2/3 cup)

3 tbsp. butter, melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place chicken, top sides down, on cutting board; cover with ham and cheese.

Starting at one short end of each, roll up tightly. Secure with toothpicks.

Dip chicken in eggs, then roll in cracker crumbs until evenly coated on all sides.

Place in 13x9 glass baking dish coated with cooking spray, drizzle with the melted butter.

Bake for 40 minutes or until chicken is done and juices run clear. Remove and discard toothpicks before serving.

*I served this with brown rice and steamed broccoli.

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/crispy-chicken-roll-ups-55081.aspx

Cajun Alfredo Skillet

This was a huge hit with my kiddos! With a new little guy in the house I've been making more easy, hearty recipes. This definitely made it to the recipe book!

1/2 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-size pieces

1 tbsp. Cajun seasoning, divided (I used Emeril's Cerole Essence)

2 tsp. oil

1 cup each halved green and red pepper strips

1 onion, slivered

1/2 lb. smoked sausage, sliced, then halved (I used Oscar Mayer turkey sausage)

1 tub (10 oz.) PHILADELPHIA original Cooking Creme

1/4 cup milk

2 cups hot cooked penne pasta

Toss chicken with 1 tsp. Cajun seasoning.

Heat oil in large skillet on medium heat.

Add chicken and vegetables; cook 6 to 7 minutes or until chicken is done and vegetables are crisp-tender, stirring frequently.

Add sausage; cook 3 minutes, stirring frequently.

Add cooking creme, milk and remaining seasoning; cook and stir 2 to 3 minutes or until heated through.

Stir in pasta.

http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/cajun-alfredo-skillet-122136.aspx

Crockpot Olive Garden Style Pasta Fagioli

Oh. My. Gosh. This tasted EXACTLY like Olive Garden's Pasta Fagioli soup and it rocked my entire world. Yes, even during the summer in 110 degree temps! I loved it THAT much. Not only that, it's easy... SUPER easy. The only disclaimer is that you *must* use a 6 quart crockpot or cut the recipe in half because it makes a lot. I had to borrow a neighbor's crockpot because mine wasn't big enough. So, there's that!

What you need:

1 lb ground beef, browned and drained

1/2 large onion, chopped

1 cup carrots, chopped

2 celery stalks, chopped

2 (14.5 oz) cans diced tomatoes (and juice)

1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed

1 can white (great northern) beans, drained and rinsed

4 cups beef broth

1 jar (16.5 oz) spaghetti sauce

2 tsp oregano

1 tbsp tabasco

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 cup dry pasta (I used ditalini; added at the END of cooking time)

Directions:

1. Brown meat and drain; set aside to cool.

2. Cut up carrots, onion and celery. Add to empty crockpot. Drain and rinse the beans and add to crockpot. Add the whole cans of tomatoes and pasta sauce. Add the beef broth. Add the salt, pepper, oregano and tabasco. Finally, stir in the meat.

3. Cover and cook on either low for 8 hours or high for 4. When the vegetables are tender (about the last half hour of cooking time), add the dry noodles.

4. Once the noodles are tender, serve with parmesan cheese and enjoy!

*Original recipe found here

Szechwan Chicken & Peanuts

We got this recipe from my mother-in-law a few years back and forgot about it until recently! With my husband traveling a lot with the military, I rarely make anything he wants or craves because he's rarely here. But with him having a week off, he wanted to eat this badly so we pulled it out and I just had to share it! It takes a little time and effort, but it's worth it. So tasty!

What you need:

1 lb uncooked chicken, cubed

2 tbsp cooking sherry or sake

1 tbsp cornstarch

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup chunky peanut butter

1/3 cup soy sauce

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp water

2 tbsp parsley (or a big sprinkle of dried)

3-4 cloves minced garlic

6 tbsp vegetable oil

1 tsp tabasco

1/2 tsp crushed red pepper

1 tbsp sliced green onions (scallions)

1 tbsp minced gingerroot

1 cup dry roasted peanuts

2 quarts water

7 oz egg noodles

1/2 pound spinach leaves, rinsed and stemmed

Directions:

1. Blend wine, cornstarch and salt. Cover chicken with mixture and refrigerate for one hour.

2. Stir peanut butter, soy, sugar, 2 tbsp water, parsley, garlic, 1 tbsp of oil and tabasco sauce. Cover and set aside.

3. Heat 3 tbsp of oil in skillet until very hot. Add chicken and red pepper flakes. Stir fry 1-2 minutes or until no longer pink; set aside.

4. Add 2 tbsp more oil to pan. Heat onion and gingerroot for 15 seconds. Return chicken to skillet and cook until light brown.

5. Add peanuts and 2 tbsp peanut butter mixture or until chicken is covered in sauce.

6. Cook noodles according to package directions. During last 30 seconds or so, add spinach until limp; drain.

7. Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and enjoy!

Easy Eggless Chocolate Cake!

Sorry for the crappy quality picture... I realized I hadn't taken a good one as I was about to eat one of the last pieces of this tasty cake, so my husband took one with his phone! I found this gem while searching for a cake recipe that would take both minimal time and minimal ingredients. I had eggs on hand, but not enough for every other cake recipe I'd looked at. Then I saw this and thought I'd give it a try which was a double bonus because one of my kids is allergic to eggs! I'm a big fan and I'd recommend it to anyone who needed a sweet fix! I doubled the cocoa powder and added cinnamon on a whim and I think it turned out magnificently!

What you need (cake):

1 1/2 cups flour

1 cup white sugar

6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon cinnamon (optional... but so tasty)

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup water

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1 tablespoon white vinegar

1 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; grease 8x8 cake pan.

2. Sift the dry ingredients together; make a well in the middle and add all the wet ingredients and then beat all together until smooth.

3. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until you can insert a toothpick in the middle and it comes out clean.

Frosting ingredients:

1/2 of a 1lb. box of powdered sugar

4 tablespoons (or half a stick) of butter, melted

1/8 cup of milk

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and beat until smooth. Add more powdered sugar if you feel it needs to be thicker and frost cake accordingly! ENJOY!

*Found and changed slightly from here

Southwestern Chicken Soup

1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups fat free, less sodium chicken broth
¼ cup uncooked white rice
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 (16 ounce) can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
3 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken breast
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
½ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped seeded tomato
¾ cup diced peeled avocado (about 1 medium)
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
6 lime wedges


Heat a large sauté pan over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add onion and garlic; sauté for 3 minutes. Add broth, rice, cumin and beans; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer 15 minutes. Stir in chicken, cilantro, pepper and salt; simmer 5 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly heated.
Remove from heat; stir in tomato, avocado, and juice. Serve with lime wedges. Yield 6 servings

(Serving size; 1 2/3 cups soup and 1 lime wedge)

lemon raspberry bars

Here I go again with a lemon dessert, surprise, surprise. I absolutely died over these, the crust was pure heaven to me. Actually, the whole thing was heaven. I can't wait to have these again. Perfect spring/summer treat, I think they would even be good without the raspberries.


I found these at Two Peas and their Pod and as soon as I saw them I knew I had to try them.

For the crust:

1 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
6 tablespoons salted butter, melted
1/4 cup sugar
Zest of one lemon

For the filling:

2 large egg yolks
1-14 oz. can fat free sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon lemon zest
6 ounces fresh raspberries

Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 8 by 8 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Set aside.

In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, melted butter, sugar, and lemon zest. Stir until graham cracker crumbs are moist. Press crumbs into the prepared pan, pressing the crust mixture one inch up the side of the pan. Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool to room temperature.

Once the crust is cool, combine the egg yolks and condensed milk until well mixed. Stir in the lemon juice and lemon zest. Stir until mixture begins to slightly thicken. Gently fold in the raspberries. Fold carefully so you don’t break the raspberries.

Pour the lemon raspberry filling evenly over the graham cracker crust. Bake for 15 minutes, or until just set.

Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least one hour before serving. Cut into bars and serve. Keep bars in the refrigerator-up to five days.

*Note-use fresh raspberries and make sure you gently fold the berries into the lemon filling or you will have pink bars.

one pot lemon chicken & rice

photo from google

this simple "good for you" recipe is great for tight schedules and also delicious left over after flavors have a chance to meld together.

ingredients:

1 lb bonelss skinless chicken breast, diced into 1" cubes
1 TB extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic, grated
1 medium red onion, diced
1 cup carrots, sliced very thin
15 oz. low sodium all natural chicken broth
1 TB cornstarch
juice of two lemons
zest of the same two lemons
1 1/2 cups brown minute rice (uncooked)
1 1/2 cups broccoli, chopped rough
1/2 cup flat leaf parsley, chopped rough
1/2 cup cream of mushroom soup
fresh ground salt and pepper to taste

directions:

in a large, deep skillet, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat. add garlic, onion and carrots, saute for a few minutes.

season your chicken with salt and pepper

turn heat to medium and add chicken. stir often, rotating chicken so it browns on all sides.

meanwhile, combine chicken broth, corn starch, lemon juice, lemon zest and brown rice in a small bowl. also, salt this mixture.

once the chicken is cooked through, add your liquid mixture to the pan and turn heat back up to medium-high.

you want to bring the mixture to a boil. once it is boiling, add your parsley, broccoli and cream of mushroom soup. mix well and reduce to low.

cover and let simmer 10-15 minutes, until the liquid has been absorbed, the rice is tender and the dish is nice and creamy.

this recipe makes four servings.

my findings:
*make sure you use fresh broccoli, it just makes this dish better
*i had to add a cup or so of water after i added the broccoli so that it wasn't super thick.

Recipe found here
Sorry to Janetha in which I didn't give proper credit. Forgot!

Lemon Berry Trifle (Easter)

8 ounces fat-free cream cheese
3 3/8 ounces instant lemon pudding mix
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon lemon zest - grated
1/2 cup lemon juice
4 ounces Cool Whip Lite or fat free (I made my own whipped cream..much better)
4 1/2 ounces ladyfinger cookies - split (I left my whole)
1/4 cup strawberries - hulled and sliced or raspberries, left whole

In a food processor fitted with metal blade, combine cream cheese, lemon pudding mix, skim milk, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Process until smooth. Gently fold in Cool Whip.

Arrange 1/3 of ladyfingers in bottom of baking dish, bowl, or casserole dish. Spoon 1/3 of pudding mixture. Spread evenly. Arrange a 1/3 of strawberries over pudding mixture. Repeat twice. Cover with plastic wrap; refrigerate at least 4 hours.

*recipe from neighbor but changed a little by myself

Bunny Pancakes with Strawberry Butter

2 cups buttermilk baking mix
1 cup milk
2 eggs
1/2 cup plain yogurt
Assorted candies or fruit

1. prepare strawberry butter (recipe below); set aside. Preheat electric skillet or griddle to 375 deg.

2. Combine baking mix, milk, eggs and yogurt in medium bowl; mix well. Spoon scant 1/2 cup batter into skillet. With back of spoon. gently spread batter into 4-inch circle. Spoon about 2 tablespoons batter onto top edge of circle for head. Using back of spoon, spread batter from head to form bunny ears.

3. Cook until bubbles on surface begin to pop and top of pancake appears dry; turn pancake over. Cook until done, 1 to 2 minutes. Decorate with candies or fruit to make face.

Makes about 12 (8-inch) pankcakes

Strawberry Butter

1 package cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups fresh or thawed frozen strawberries

Place cream cheese and butter in food processor or blender; process until smooth. Add powdered sugar; process until blended. Add strawberries; process until finely chopped.

Makes 1 1/3 cups

*recipe and photo from tlc cooking