Taco Casserole

Mild or spicy? Adjust the taco seasoning and taco sauce to suit your tastes. I sometimes add half a can of rinsed, black beans with the corn.

Ingredients:
1/2 pound ground sirloin
1/2 pound chicken chorizo (2 links)
1 cup chopped onion
taco seasoning
taco sauce
3/4 cup water
1 15-ounce can corn
1 4-ounce can green chiles
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
tortilla chips
1 tomato chopped or 2/3 can diced tomatoes, drained
3 green onions, sliced
1 2-ounce can sliced olives
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
sour cream
salsa

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.


• Brown meats and onion in a skillet over medium heat.


• Add seasoning and water. Cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes.


• Add sauce, corn, and chiles.


• Crumble a handful of tortilla chips in a greased 9"x13" dish. Layer half of meat and half of the cheese. Top with another layer of chips and the rest of the meat and cheese.


• Bake for 20 minutes.


• Layer with additional chips, olices, tomatoes, green onion and cilantro.


• Bake for another 5 minutes.


• Serve with sour cream and salsa.

Serves: 5-6

Zucchini Bread

The cinnamon in this bread is a great addition. Don't use a mixer; just a big bowl and a big spoon to mix.

Ingredients:
3 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup egg beaters, or two eggs
1/3 cup oil
1 teaspoon grated lemon rind
2 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 ½ cups sugar
3 cups shredded zucchini
¼ cup coarsely chopped walnuts, toasted
Cooking spray

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 2 8x4" pans with cooking spray.

Combine flour and next 4 ingredients. Set aside.

Combine egg beaters and next 4 ingredients in a large bowl; add sugar, stirring until combined.

Add zucchini; stir until combined. Add flour mixture ; stir just until combined. Stir in walnuts.

Divide batter evenly between pans. Bake at 350 for 1 hour or until pick comes clean. Cool 10 minutes in pans; remove and cool.

Yields: 2 loaves, 12 servings per loaf

Savory Italian Torte

Great combination of pesto, tomatoes and cream cheese! If you use sundried tomatoes packed in oil, drain and dry thoroughly. Serve in wedges with crackers.

Ingredients:
3-4 ounces of sundried tomatoes
2 8-ounce packages of cream cheese, softened
1 clove of garlic, minced
10-12 slices of provolone cheese
8 ounces of pesto

Directions:

• Boil water in a small saucepan. Turn off heat. Place sundried tomatoes in water and cover for 5 minutes. Drain and finely chop.


• In a medium bowl, mix cream cheese and garlic.


• Line a colander with cheesecloth or papertowels and drain pesto. Squeeze out as much of the oil as possible.


• Line a 1 qt glass bowl with a large piece of dampened cheesecloth. Layer bottom and sides with 5-6 pieces of provolone.


• Spread half the pesto over provolone and then half the cream mixture, pressing down layers. Add a layer of tomatoes.


• Layer with provolone to cover, and repeat layers. Top with provolone.


• Pull cheese cloth around the layered mixture and gently press into bowl to mold and remove excess oil.


• Place in the freezer for one hour. Transfer to refrigerator and chill 3 hours more.


• Remove cheese cloth and turn upside down onto a dish to serve.

Serves: 24

Raspberry Cream Cheese Muffins

Only 142 calories per muffin!

Ingredients:
3 ounces of 1/3-less-fat cream cheese, softened
1/3 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 large egg whites
1 large egg
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup low-fat buttermilk
3 cups fresh raspberries
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place 24 cup liners into muffin cups.



• Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat on high speed until well blended.



• Add sugar; beat until fluffy. Add vanilla, egg whites and egg; beat well.



• Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. With mixer on low speed, gradually add dry mixture to cream cheese mixture, beginning and ending with flour.



• Gently fold in raspberries and walnuts.



• Spoon batter evenly into liners. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.



• Remove from pans; cool on wire rack.

Yields: 2 dozen

Yankee Corn Bread

I only like sweet cornbread, so that's the way I make it.

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
2/3 cup sugar
1 teapsoon salt
3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 egg
1 cup milk
1/3 cup oil

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease bottom and sides of a 9 inch cake pan.


• Combine all ingredients.


• Bake for 20-25 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes clean.

Lemon Sugar Cookies

Roll these in sugar before baking or skip the sugar and ice with the lemon frosting. Either way, these are delicious!

Ingredients:
2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
zest of 2 large lemons
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature (don't soften in microwave!)
1 large egg
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
Lemon Frosting:
1/3 cup butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon zest
1/3 to 1/2 cup lemon juice
4 cups powdered sugar

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.


• Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and slat. Set aside.


• Beat together butter and sugar until smooth and creamy. Add lemon zest, egg, vanilla and lemon juice; beat at medium speed until combined.Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until combined


• Roll into 1-inch balls and place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.


• Bake until slightly brown around the edges and the centers are just set, 8-10 minutes. cool on baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.


• Combine frosting ingredients and beat until smooth. Adjust the amount of lemon juice to find the right consistency. Ice cookies when cool.


• Store in an airtight container.
  

Yields: 3 -4 dozen