Frozen Strawberry Margarita Dessert

I shared a slice of the wonderfully refreshing frozen treat with the great ladies at City Hall.  They were celebrating birthdays and I just happened to show up at the right time.  How lucky I was to be there, because this is SO GOOD!!!

Frozen Strawberry Margarita Dessert

• 1 cup finely crushed fat-free pretzels
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts
• 1/2 cup melted butter
• 1/4 cup lime juice
• 2 Tbsp. orange juice
• 2 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 14 oz. can fat-free sweetened condensed milk
• 10 oz. pkg. frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
• 1 cup whipping cream
• 2 Tbsp. powdered sugar
• 1 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Combine crushed pretzels, brown sugar, gourmet nuts, and melted butter in small bowl. Press into bottom of an ungreased 10″ springform pan and chill until firm.

2. Combine all of the juices with the sweetened condensed milk in a large bowl and beat until smooth. Puree strawberries with juice in a food processor and add to the condensed milk mixture; beat until combined.

3. In small bowl, beat whipping cream with powdered sugar and vanilla; fold into strawberry mixture, then pour over chilled pretzel crust. Cover and freeze until firm.


*Hint* I left out the nuts because the "nuts" in my life don't like them!  Crazy people!!!
Thinking of trying this using fat-free cool whip instead of the whipping cream next time.  I'll post on how that turns out!

Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls with Cinnamon Honey Butter!

If you have ever eaten at a Texas Roadhouse then you know why I NEEDED to make these!  They are the most delicious rolls I have ever had and this copycat recipe is right on!!  I am new to making breads of all kinds and this was so easy to make!  Of course making bread takes time, but these rolls are so worth the time!!  I can't make them all the time however, because I would eat them all!!  So good!

Copycat Texas Roadhouse Rolls

4 tsp. active dry yeast

1/2 c. warm water

2 c. milk, scalded and cooled to lukewarm

3 Tbl. of melted butter, slightly cooled

1/2 c. sugar 

2 quarts all purpose flour (7-8 cups)

2 whole eggs

2 tsp. salt

Dissolve yeast in warm water with a teaspoon of sugar; let stand until frothy.  Combine yeast mixture, milk, 1/2 cup sugar and enough flour to make a medium batter (about the consistency of pancake batter).  Beat thoroughly.  Add melted butter, eggs and salt.  Beat well.  Add enough flour to form a soft dough.  Sprinkle a small amount of flour onto counter and let dough rest.  Meanwhile, grease a large bowl.  Knead dough until smooth and satiny and put in greased bowl; turn over to grease top. (I used the dough hook on my Kitchen-Aid to knead this for about 4-5 minutes).  Cover and let rise in a warm place until double in bulk)about 3-4 hours).  Punch down.  Turn out onto a floured board.  Divide into portions for shaping; let rest 10 minutes.  Shape dough into desired forms.  Place on greased baking sheets.  Let rise until doubled(about 2-3 hours).  

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.  Baste immediately with butter.  Yield: 5 to 6 dozen.  Serve with Cinnamon Honey Butter (below).  

*Hint* I shaped my rolls by rolling out the dough into a rectangle, about 1/2-inch thick, then I folded the rectangle in half, making it about 1-inch thick. I used my rolling pin and rolled over the dough, ever so gently, just to seal the two halves together.  I then used a dough scraper and cut the rolls into squares and placed those on my greased baking sheet.

Cinnamon Honey Butter

1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature

1/4 c. powdered sugar

1/4 c. honey

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

Whip the room temperature butter with whisk attachment for 30 seconds.  Add powdered sugar, honey and cinnamon and beat until completely combined and very smooth.  Scrape down sides of bowl and turn up speed and whip for a minute or two or until really light and fluffy.  Yield: about 3/4 cup.

Lemon Jello Cake

A friend told me about this cake.  He said that he would take anyone up on ANYTHING as long as there was a piece of this cake on the table.  I figured I better give it a try.  I was good, but I would not say I would do ANYTHING for it!  I did motify it to make it a little healthier!

Lemon Jello Cake


1 Lemon Cake Mix
3 oz pkg sugar free lemon jello
3/4 cup apple sauce
3/4 cup water
8 egg whites
1/2 cup lemon juice (I used 2 large lemons juiced)
2 cups powdered sugar


Blend cake mix, jello mix, apple sauce, water, and egg whites until moistened.  Use an electic mixer for approximately 5 minutes.  Grease and flour a 9x11 cake pan.  Pour cake batter into pan and bake at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes.  Mix lemon juice and powdered sugar until the sugar is completely dissolved.  poke holes in cake.  Smooth glaze evenly on top of the cake while the cake is still warm so the glaze will absorb into the cake via the holes.


Cut into 16 pieces.  Each piece 193 calories.

Pizza Roll-ups

These pizza roll-ups were so fast and easy and my family just gobbled them right up!!  Could not be easier!!

1 pkg crescent rolls
24 slices pepperoni
4 sticks mozzerella sting cheese, each cut in half
pizza sauce


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unroll crescent rolls into single triangles on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.  On the wide end spread a little bit of pizza sauce, top with 3 pepperoni slices, and half sting cheese stick.  Roll up.  Bake for 10-12 minutes or until crescent roll is browned and cheese is oozing out.  Use extra sauce for dipping if you'd like.

Crock Pot BBQ Chicken

I love crock pot meals!!!  This Crock Pot BBQ Chicken was wonderful and my entire family loved it!  It was sweet and spicy and super easy to make!  Here I have it along side home-made baked sweet potato fried and some veggies.

Crock pot Barbecue Chicken

4-6 pieces boneless skinless chicken breasts (I threw them in frozen... even easier!)
1 bottle BBQ sauce (sweet baby ray's all the way!)
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 c vinegar
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 c brown sugar
1/2 - 1 tsp. garlic powder

mix BBQ sauce with all ingredients listed under it. Place chicken in crock pot. Pour sauce over it and cook on LOW for 4-6 hours.

Crock Pot BBQ Beans

At a Holiday Party this winter someone made these beans and they were wonderful!!  I have done a few things different at times to change it up a bit, but either way you have it; yum-o!!

Crock Pot BBQ Beans

1 can green beans, drained

1 can wax beans, drained

1 can lima or butter beans, drained

1 can kidney beans, drained

1 can pork and beans, NOT drained

1/2 lb bacon, cooked and removed from grease *See Hint*

1 small onion chopped

1/2 cup ketchup

1/2 cup BBQ sauce

3/4 cup brown sugar

2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce

Mix all together and put in crock pot to simmer for several hours.

*Hint*

You could substitute turkey bacon in this. 

I have also used it as a main dish by using cooked ham that I had leftever rather than using the bacon.

Strawberry-Orange Pasta Salad with Chicken

My husband came home from celebrating Easter with his family and said that a family friend had made this wonderful salad for their Easter meal.  I sent her a message for the recipe, because it's not very often my husband gives me food ideas!!  I made it that following weekend and my entire family loved it as well!  What a great addition to my salad selection!  *Hint* She said the original recipe didn't call for the chicken, but she thought it really made the salad great and I agree.  But if you would like it without the chicken, go ahead.  Either way I think it would be great!

Strawberry-Orange Pasta Salad with Chicken

2 cups Farfalle (bow-tie)
1/3 cup Kraft Creamy Poppyseed Dressing
1/4 cup Mayo
4 green onions, sliced
1 can (11 oz.) madarin oranges, drained
1 cup sliced strawberries
chicken

Cook pasta, drain, and cool.
Mix dressing and mayo.
Add pasta, chicken, and onions, toss to coat.
Stir in fruit.
Refrigerate for 1 hour.

Baked Wontons

Baked Buffalo Chicken Wontons

These were so yummy that I forgot to take a picture of them once they came out of the oven!! HA!! Just take my word for it! They were great and everyone loved them!!!

3 oz. cooked chicken chopped small or shredded
2 Tbsp Fat-Free Cream Cheese
1 Laughing Cow Swiss Light Cheese wedge
2 Tbsp Hot Sauce or Buffalo Sauce
1 oz. shredded Low-Fat Swiss cheese
green onions, chopped
18 wonton wrappers

Mix everything except wonton wrappers in a bowl. Once combined, scoop a small amount into the center of each wonton. Wet the edges of each wonton with a small amount of water on your finger tips. Fold over and press to seal. Place on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. Serve with blue cheese or ranch dip if you'd like.
(35 calories each)


Baked Shrimp & Cheese Wontons
1 can shrimp, drained, rinsed and dried well
3 Laughing Cow Swiss Light Cheese Wedges
1 Tbsp Fat-Free Cream Cheese
green onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp Old Bay Seasoning
18 wonton wrapers

Mix everything except wonton wrappers in a bowl. Once combined, scoop a small amount into the center of each wonton. Wet the edges of each wonton with a small amount of water on your finger tips. Fold over and press to seal. Place on a baking sheet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Bake at 425 degrees for 12 minutes. (32 calories each)

Vomacka Soup

Vomacka Soup is a Czechoslovakian vegetable soup. I have never heard of this until I went out to eat at a restaurant in New Prague, MN called the Fish Tail. This is their specialty soup! My sister talking me into trying it. Eventhough I am more of a "salad before dinner than soup before dinner", kind of person, I trusted her judgement and gave it a try! Wow! It was great!! So I searched for a recipe and found one. Of course, you know me and taking recipes and making them my own by making them healthier, so I did modify this somewhat to make it healthier, without compromising taste! It was wonderful!!!

Vomacka Soup

2 Tbsp Butter
½ cup onion, diced ½ inch
½ cup carrots, diced ½ inch
½ cup celery, diced ½ inch
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tbsp Flour
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 Tbsp dill weed
½ tsp black peppercorns
1 Tbsp pickling spice
3 Tbsp chicken bouillon cubes
3 medium potatoes, diced ½ inch
1 can green beans
1 cup Fat-Free Half & Half
1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar

Melt better in a large pot. Add onions, carrots, celery and garlic, and sauté until vegetables are tender and clear. Add flour and stir slowly with a wooden spoon for two minutes, eliminating any lumps. Don’t brown.
Add chicken stock, bouillon and dill. Place peppercorns and pickling spice in a cheesecloth or tea strainers, add to sauce and bring to a slow boil. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Add potatoes and beans, and simmer until potatoes are tender, about 15 minutes.

Heat half and half to a simmer and add slowly to soup. Remove pickling spice and peppercorn and add in vinegar.

5 Servings
195 calories per serving

Chicken Piccata

Chicken:

Juice of 1 lemon

2 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/2 tsp basil

12 oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite sized cubes

Pasta:

2 cups whole wheat penne pasta

2 Tbsp butter

Juice of 1 lemon

1 Tbsp minced garlic

1/2 cup fat-free half and half

2 tsp dried basil

2 Tbsp capers

1/2 cup grated reduced fat parmesan cheese

Combine first 5 ingredients and mix well. Place chicken in a ziplock bag and pour marinade over chicken. Marinate for 8 hours or overnight in the refrigerator.

Cook pasta according to directions on package. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water and drain; keep warm. While pasta is cooking, place chicken in a large skillet. Cook on Medium-High until chicken is browned and done. Remove from pan and set aside; keep warm. In the same skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Scrape up all the chicken bits left in the pan. Whisk in garlic and lemon juice. Pour in half and half and whisk until hot. Add the parmesan cheese, basil and capers, and heat until cheese is melted. Check the consistency of the sauce and add some of the reserved pasta water to loosen the sauce if necessary. Toss in pasta and cooked chicken.

5 Servings: 353 calories

*Hint: If you use Smart Balance Light Buttery Spread in place of the real butter, you can save around 20 calories per serving. I have to use real butter because of my little man’s allergy! So always feel free to substitute the butter in any of my recipes to make them even healthier for you and your family!!

Orange Julius

I have to apologize first. I started to drink this before I snapped the picture!! It was so good! I had about 1 cup of orange juice left in the fridge and thought, instead of just drinking that I am going to make a healthy orange julius smoothie! John and I have made these before, but it's been a long time. Usually it was frozen orange juice concentrate, water, milk, sugar, vanilla, and ice. So here is how I made it healthier!

Orange Julius
1 cup orange juice
1/4 cup Almond Breeze Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk
1/2 tps Truvia
1 to 1 1/2 cups ice
I used my Magic Bullet for this, but you could do this in your blender. I filled the cup with ice. Pour in the orange juice, almond milk, add the Truvia. Put cover on and mix it all until well blended! It is wonderful!!

1 Serving: 120 calories

I know we used to add in a banana once in a while too, so you could do that too. Just adjust the calories!

Crock Pot Orange Chicken

This was a new creation for me. I love Chinese food, but don't love that it is most of the time fried pieces of chicken. The original recipe called for coating the chicken in flour and frying it in oil until crispy. So of course I needed skip that step and make it healthier! I also chose to add all of the veggies, as the original recipe called for none. This was a great hit! My kids ate it and from the mouth of my husband, "This is fantastic!" I thought so too! Enjoy!


Crock Pot Orange Chicken
Ingredients:
4 boneless chicken breasts, chopped into small chunks
½ Tbsp olive oil
1 cup celery, sliced
1 cup carrots, sliced
1 can water chestnuts, drained
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
2 Tbsp ketchup
6 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
2 Tbsp brown sugar

In a bowl, mix the orange juice, brown sugar, vinegar and ketchup.
Pour a olive oil in a skillet and brown the chicken.
The chicken doesn't need to be fully cooked since it's going in the crock pot.
After the chicken is done cooking, pour the pieces into the crock pot. Add all of the veggies. Then cover the chicken and veggies with your sauce mixture and give the pot a stir. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or on high for 2-3.
Serve over brown rice, if desired.

Serves 4: 320 calories per serving (not counting rice)