Easter

Easter is this Sunday and I can't wait. I love Easter for many reasons but most of all my parents come over for the afternoon and we spend good times together. I have already planned out my Easter meal and have purchased everything (pat on my back for being planned)!!!!!

Menu::

*Ham with pineapple slices and cherries in the middle
*Orzo & Broccoli Salad (I found orzo this time so my recipe posted earlier will be right)
*Sweet potatoes- I just slices and baked with some dried cranberries (i always use butter this year I am going to try it with out)
*Deviled eggs (what's Easter with out eggs)
*Cherry bread
*peach and blueberry cobbler (recipe below it's SO0000OOOO easy! my friend Mickey made this with mixed berries (blueberries, raspberries and blackberries) and it was amazing! I thought I would change it up and use peaches and blueberries.

Peaches and Blueberry Cobbler:

Ingredients:
1 bag of frozen peaches (keep frozen don't defrost)
1/2 bag of frozen blueberries (keep frozen don't defrost)
1 yellow cake mix
1 can of diet soda (doesn't have to be diet)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with PAM. Fill pan with frozen fruit (you can use any type of fruit and any amount depending how thick you want the fruit to be on the bottom) sprinkle the dry cake mix on top of the fruit pour the can of soda over the top (evenly). Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. take the foil off cobbler and bake for an additional 20 minutes or until brown!!!

How easy it that!!!!!!!! The taste is great!

Outside-In Turkey Tamale Pie- HG

Well....you know me I can't get the picture uploaded!!!!UGH!!!!

Here is the recipe. I made it yesterday and it was good you need to dress it up with the optional ingrediants I used the sour cream and next time I will sprinkle some cheese on the top.

Ingredients:
1 1/4 lbs. raw lean ground turkey
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1 cup fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
One 14.5-oz. can diced tomatoes with chiles
1 small onion, chopped
3/4 cup canned sweet corn, drained
1/2 cup canned kidney beans, drained
1/2 cup sliced black olives, drained
2 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
Optional toppings: (not an option do it) fat-free shredded cheddar cheese, fat-free sour cream
Directions:Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add turkey and spread it around to break it up a bit. Cook and crumble until meat is brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Drain any excess liquid and add turkey to the crock pot.In a bowl, combine cornmeal with broth and whisk thoroughly. Let stand for 5 minutes.Add cornmeal mixture to the crock pot along with all other ingredients. Mix thoroughly.Cover and cook on high for 3 - 4 hours or on low for 7 - 8 hours.Serve and, if you like, top each serving with cheese and/or sour cream. Mmmmmm!!!

MAKES 7 SERVINGS

I was good but the added sour cream hit the spot!!!!!

Crok-Pot Cinna-Apples'n oats- HG

Crock-Pot Cinna-Apples 'n Oats

PER SERVING (1 heaping cup): 249 calories, 4.5g fat, 320mg sodium, 52g carbs, 7.5g fiber, 26g sugars, 4.5g protein -- POINTS® value 5*

This sweet 'n satisfying dish is like the love child of gooey cinnamon apples and brown sugar oatmeal. It's perfect for breakfast, dessert, or snack time. Yay!!!

Ingredients:

8 cups chopped Fuji apples (about 6 apples)

2 tbsp. brown sugar (not packed), divided

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, divided

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1 cup light vanilla soymilk

1/3 cup sugar-free pancake syrup

1/2 tsp. salt

2 tbsp. light whipped butter or light buttery spread (like Brummel & Brown)

Directions:

In a large bowl, mix apples with 1 tbsp. brown sugar and 1/2 tsp. cinnamon. Stir to coat apples well. Transfer to the crock pot.In the empty bowl, combine oats, soymilk, 1 tbsp. brown sugar, 1 tsp. cinnamon, syrup, and salt. (All remaining ingredients except butter.) Add 1 cup water and mix well. Add oat mixture to the crock pot, and gently stir. Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 7 hours. Add butter and mix well. (Do NOT forget this step. Stick a Post-it to your timer if you have to!) Serve and enjoy!

MAKES 5 SERVINGS

I'm going to make this over the weekend! What a great prepared breakfast for the week. I will let you know how it turns out.

love. without the handles......

Can you beat the heading..???? love. without the handles!!!! I was shopping at Wegmans the other day and spotted POP chips. What does POP chip mean... Healthier, delicious, all-natural. they are all that and a bag of chips. How do they do it? Well, first, let's talk about how they don't do it. They don't ever fry our chips. That just puts a lot of stuff in there that we could all do without. They never bake their chips either. That just takes a lot of flavor out, which, as snackers, we simply can't do without.

The Magic of Popping
They start with wholesome potatoes, add a little heat and pressure, along with a little snack magic. And pop! It's a chip.

No fake flavors, colors, no preservatives no wiping your greasy hands on your jeans anymore.

With so many flavors and can't go wrong: original, BBQ, salt-n-pepper, sour cream and onion, cheddar, salt & vinegar and Parmesan & garlic.

I loved them!!! I tried the salt-n-pepper they are GREAT!!

Morning Shinging Star or Morning Blah

I know I know this is my 2nd try of a wanna-be.........

Well, I don't know if what I think of the Morning Star breakfast sausage patty. I had it this morning with an hard boiled egg and a piece of cherry bread. My first bite was great not good but I continued to eat it and it wasn't horrible but I think it was a texture thing. I'm thinking if it was a breakfast sandwich and disguise the texture.

Not sure if it's a star but it's not blah.

Won-tons

Crab Rangoonies

Wonton wrappers are, without a doubt, unsung heroes of the guilt-free kitchen. You can do SO much with these little blank slates, and they're easier to work with than you might think. Here are two NEW recipes you need to try ASAP.

The Crab Rangoonies

PER SERVING (4 "crab rangoonies"): 140 calories, 1.5g fat, 618mg sodium, 20g carbs, 1g fiber, 2g sugars, 9g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

Ingredients:

1/4 cup fat-free cream cheese, room temperature

2 wedges The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese

4 oz. imitation crabmeat, flaked

1 tsp. low-sodium/lite soy sauce

1/2 tsp. chopped garlic

2 scallions, finely chopped

16 small square wonton wrappers (often stocked near the tofu in the fridge section of the market)

Optional: sweet & sour sauce or Chinese-style hot mustard, for dipping

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.To make your filling, combine all ingredients except wonton wrappers in a bowl, breaking up the cheese wedges as you add them. Mix until uniform. Set aside. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray and set that aside as well.Lay two wrappers flat on a clean, dry surface. Spoon a heaping 1/2 tbsp. of filling into the center of each wrapper. Moisten all four edges of each wrapper by dabbing your fingers in water and going over the edges smoothly. Fold the bottom left corner of each wrapper to meet the top right corner, forming a triangle and enclosing the filling. Press firmly on the edges to seal. Repeat with all remaining wrappers and filling, gently placing each rangoon flat on the baking sheet.Spray the tops of the wontons with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes, carefully flipping halfway through, until golden brown. Allow to cool slightly.

If you like, dip your rangoonies in some sweet & sour sauce or hot mustard!

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Dreamy PB Chocolate Ravioli Puffs

PER SERVING (4 "ravioli puffs"): 157 calories, 4.5g fat, 242mg sodium, 25g carbs, 1.5g fiber, 2g sugars, 5g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

Sweet pillows of desserty goodness! This recipe's a delicious and guilt-free way to satisfy your urge for PB & C (peanut butter and chocolate).

Heads up: These need to freeze for an hour before being cooked!

Ingredients:

2 Mousse Temptations by Jell-O snack cups, Dark Chocolate Decadence or Chocolate Indulgence

2 tbsp. reduced-fat creamy peanut butter, room temperature

16 small square wonton wrappers (often stocked near the tofu in the fridge section of the market)

1/4 cup Fat Free Reddi-wip, divided

Optional: powdered sugar

Directions:

To make the filling, gently swirl together mousse and peanut butter in a bowl -- don't over-stir, but make sure PB is evenly distributed. Set aside.Set out a wide plastic container (or a few mid-sized ones), and make sure you've got room in your freezer.Lay two wonton wrappers flat on a clean, dry surface. Spoon a little less than 1 tbsp. filling into the center of each wrapper. Moisten all four edges of each wrapper by dabbing your fingers in water and going over the edges smoothly. Fold the bottom left corner of each wrapper to meet the top right corner, forming a triangle and enclosing the filling. Using your fingers or the prongs of a fork, press firmly on the edges to seal.Repeat with all remaining wrappers and filling, placing each ravioli flat in the container(s). (Yup, that's really the singular form of "ravioli!") Freeze for 1 hour.Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Working in batches, place frozen ravioli flat in the skillet, evenly spaced, and cook for 2 - 3 minutes, until slightly puffy. Flip carefully and cook for an additional 1 - 2 minutes (no longer). Don't flip them again, as the filling may ooze out!Allow to cool slightly. If you like, sprinkle with a small amount of powdered sugar. Then top each serving with a tbsp. of Reddi-wip and enjoy!MAKES 4 SERVINGS

Blog Remodel!!!!!!!!!

One of my goals for this Blog was to make it interesting. Yesterday I started to explore other Blogs that I follow and was trying to figure out how they came up with such cute Blogs. Well I have found out how they do it and couldn't be happier with my kitchen (Blog) remodel!!!!! If you didn't see my Blog before it was plain, plain, plain.

Can you get any more on topic!!! It amazes me that people are so creative and share (free) the ideas that they have. I went to thecutestblogontheblock.com (if you click on the words on my Blog {up on the left top}it takes you right to them) they have so many ideas!! They also walk you through the whole process (that's good for me because I have NO clue).

Hope you enjoy the new remodel!!!!!

Wendy

Hill Billy Teeth

How cute! All you need is your favorite flavor apple, smooth peanut butter and mini marshmallows!!!

What a great snack!

Shamrock 'n' Roll Shake- Hungry Girl

In honor of St. Patrick Day here is a version of the Shamrock shake!!!

Ingredients:

1 tbsp. Coffee-mate Sugar Free French Vanilla powdered creamer

3/4 cup light vanilla soymilk

1/2 cup Breyers Smooth & Dreamy Creamy Vanilla fat-free ice cream

1/4 tsp. peppermint extract

2 drops green food coloring

1 no-calorie sweetener packet (like Splenda)

1 1/2 cups crushed ice (8 - 12 ice cubes' worth)

Directions:

Combine Coffee-mate with 1 tbsp. hot water and stir to dissolve. Transfer mixture to a blender and add all other ingredients. Blend at high speed until mixed thoroughly. Pour into a glass and enjoy! MAKES 1 SERVING

PER SERVING

(1 shake, entire recipe): 176 calories, 4g fat, 142mg sodium, 29.5g carbs, 3.5g fiber, 16g sugars, 7.5g protein -- POINTS® value 3*

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!!

BBQ sauce review

One of my recipes need a light BBQ sauce. I found Kraft Original Light!!! I was hoping it was good and it was!! Score! I love it when you find something and it works out. It tasted just like regular BBQ sauce. I used this for my BBQ pizza and it tasted great. I would recommend this product to anyone looking for a light BBQ Sauce.

Broccoli & Orzo

Ingredients
1/2 cup orzo, preferably whole-wheat
1 bunch broccoli rabe (about 1 pound), trimmed and chopped
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
2 tablespoons lemon juice

Preparation
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add orzo and cook 3 minutes less than the package directions. Add broccoli rabe; cook 3 minutes more. Drain in a colander and gently press out as much water as possible.
Heat oil in the pot over medium heat. Add garlic; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add oregano, salt, pepper, the broccoli rabe and orzo. Cook, stirring, until heated through, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat; stir in feta and lemon juice.

Nutrition
Per serving: 192 calories; 10 g fat (2 g sat, 6 g mono); 8 mg cholesterol; 20 g carbohydrates; 8 g protein; 6 g fiber; 288 mg sodium; 247 mg potassium.

**I didn't have orzo I used the smallest pasta I could find. It worked I will try it with the orzo.**

This is the perfect summer salad side. It taste fresh, light and fills you up. I will be making the salad all the time

Soy me the chicken

Chik'n is the perfect way to add a little awesome to your dinner. Seasoned breading makes them crispy and delicious. Inside, they're tender and juicy. And because this chik'n is made with soy, you get a low fat source of protein.

Nutritional Facts: 11g protein, 0 mg cholesterol, 0 g trans fat, 160 calories, 2 g fiber, 6 g fat. WW pts = 3

My review is I will be eating them over and over. They taste just like a chicken patty!! I loved it. I made a sandwich with Arnold sandwich thins. Perfect lunch.

Boca has several items in the soy line: burgers, burger crumbles, veggie patty, breakfast and entrees. What should I try next...........

I am starting to love trying new things!!!!!

Sushi, Sushi read all about it!!

This past weekend I tried Sushi for the first time (thanks Amy). As I have mentioned before I am trying new things this year. I only tried the California Roll (no raw fish) I was greatly surprised that I liked it!!! As I was eating the first piece I thought what a great taste. Then my second I thought it can't be that good well it was. So, thanks to Amy I tried Sushi and liked it. I know there are some many more types of Sushi out there and the California roll is a great way to introduce yourself to Sushi. I did some research and found some helpful hints on the Sushi World.

PORTION DISTORTION: Quite often sushi is served by the piece. That makes it easy to over-order. If you want to save calories, carbs and/or points, order "light rice." To make your meal more filling, bulk it up with an order of oshitashi (boiled spinach with soy sauce).

RAW DEALS: Heads Up! Look out for the following words. They'll clue you in that you're about to order something not so diet-friendly...
"Tempura" - Tempura is basically Japanese for "batter fried." Tempura = a fatfest!
"Spider" - Spider rolls are usually greasy fried crab rolls. They sound good, but they really pack in calories and fat.
"Dynamite" - In sushi-land, the word "dynamite" basically means, "baked in a sea of gooey mayo." Skip it!
"Crunch" - Yet another cute & clever way of saying "fried & fatty."

ROCKIN' ROLLS!
Cucumber Roll - This crunchy, healthy delight packs in just 130 calories & no fat!
Spicy Tuna Roll - If made with a small amount of mayo, one of these will likely contain between 250 - 290 calories, and 5 - 10g of fat.
California Roll - Order without mayo, and this one will set you back about 275 - 300 calories, and have 5 - 10g of fat.

EXTRA, EXTRA!
What about those extras?
The Good: Wasabi, Soy Sauce, Seaweed, Ginger, Edamame
The Dangerous: Mayo, Cream Cheese, Various Oils

More Sushi Tips...
Save calories by asking your sushi chef to go easy on the rice.Some sushi restaurants offer brown rice, which is better for you than white. If you see it, got for it!In need of another healthy sushi starter? Go for edamame. A 1/2 cup serving contains 127 calories, 6g fat and 4g fiber (2 points).

I am not a Sushi expert but my first experience was great! I would defiantly try it again!

Our name is MUD- Hungry Girl

Here is a chocolate lovers dream. I thought this is a good recipe for a chocolate fix.

Our Name Is MUD!
Sometimes, when you get your hands on a really amazing treat, you don't want to share it with anyone. Luckily, with our new Mississippi Mug Pie, you don't have to! It's ALL YOURS...

Ingredients:
3 level tbsp. devil's food cake mix (not packed)
One 25-calorie packet hot cocoa mix (like Swiss Miss Diet or Nestle Fat Free)
1 tbsp. fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
1 tsp. mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 Jell-O Sugar Free Chocolate Pudding Snack (original or Double Chocolate)
Optional: Fat Free Reddi-wip

Directions:Spray a large microwave-safe mug with nonstick spray. Add cake mix, cocoa mix, egg substitute, and 2 tbsp. water. Mix well.Add chocolate chips and about one-third of the pudding to the mug, and stir gently to combine. Microwave for 1 minute. Fluff with a fork, and then gently mix in the remaining pudding. Microwave for 1 more minute.Let cool slightly, top with Reddi-wip (if you like), and dig in!MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: entire recipe Calories: 233 Fat: 5g Sodium: 588mg Carbs: 45.5g Fiber: 2.75g Sugars: 19g Protein: 6.5g
POINTS® value 5*

I will try this week and post my thoughts!!

3/15- HB and I had this for our Sunday night snack. It was good. I made 1 serving for the both of us we had a big meal late so I just wanted to fit it in this weekend so I could let you know how it was. It was good! We both enjoyed it. It was an easy chocolate snack. ** I used brownie mix instead of chocolate cake mix** I will keep everything one hand in case of a quick chocolate fix is need

Chick on the Barbie- Hungry Girl

I was emailed this recipe and though it look so good!

Chick on the Barbie!
We've got a single-serve BBQ chicken pizza that is SO rockin' it hurts.

Ingredients:
1 stick light string cheese
3 oz. cooked boneless skinless lean chicken breast, chopped
2 tbsp. your favorite BBQ sauce with about 45 calories per 2-tbsp. serving, divided
1 high-fiber or whole-wheat pita1 1/2 tbsp.
finely chopped red onion
1 tsp. chopped cilantro

Directions:Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Break string cheese into thirds, and place in a food processor or blender -- blend at high speed until cheese takes on a shredded or grated consistency. (Or just tear string cheese into pieces and roughly chop.) Set aside.In a small dish, toss chopped chicken with 1 tbsp. BBQ sauce. Set aside.Place pita on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. Spread remaining 1 tbsp. BBQ sauce onto the exposed side of the pita, leaving a 1/2-inch border around the edge.Sprinkle evenly with shredded/grated cheese. Scatter saucy chicken over the layer of cheese, and then sprinkle with onion.Bake in the oven for 10 - 12 minutes, until pizza is hot. Top with cilantro, slice into quarters, and enjoy. YUMMMM!MAKES 1 SERVING
Serving Size: 1 pizza (entire recipe)
Calories: 340Fat: 5g Sodium: 925mg Carbs: 39g Fiber: 6g Sugars: 10g Protein: 36.5g
POINTS® value 6*

I think I am going to make some adjustment. I don't know if I would like the pita for the crust. I am going to do some research on whole wheat crust.
I plan on making this for Friday night I will keep you posted on how it turns out. I will also try to post some pics!!

I made this pizza Saturday night. I made some changes. I made one big pizza and used homemade crust. I only had 2 small pieces and they were GREAT! It was a nice change from a tomato based pizza. Next time I think I will put some pineapple on it!!!

MARCH- week 1

I stated in a previous post that I want to dedicate every month to a topic. March is my first official month that I have dedicate and it is going to be healthy habit month.

Healthy habits means to me making good choices to help maintain a healthy life style. Everyone knows that when you eat good food you feeling good. When you exercise you feel good not only physically but mentally.

In the last several months several things have changed for me...it has opened my eyes that I need to live everyday to make me happy! I love being in charge of my life and this is one more thing that I know I can achieve!!!

In the coming weeks I will try my best to find new healthy good tasting recipes. I am going to try some Hungry girl recipes and try adjusting current recipes that I use everyday.

I will keep you posted on the upcoming recipes!!!

***I am NOT a health expert in ANY means***but over the years I have learned some tricks/habits that have helped me. like everyone I just need helpful reminders****