Buffet potatoes

Partially cooked cubed potatoes, or use hash browns 2 pound package (thaw before using)
1/2 of a vidalia onion finally chopped
2 cans of cream of chicken soup
16 oz. of sour cream
1/2 pound of shredded cheddar cheese or what ever amount you have and want to put in it.

Mix the above well and put in a 9 x 13 greased dish or pan.
Corn flakes crushed for the top and mix with a 1/2 cup of melted butter.
Spread the topping and bake in a preheated oven at 350 until nice and bubbly and toasty brown on the top. about 30 minutes

Grilled cheese pizza sandwich

1 tablespoon butter, softened
2 slices bread
1 slice provolone cheese
6 slices pepperoni
3 tablespoons pizza sauce
Additional pizza sauce, optional

Directions:
Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place one slice in a skillet, butter side down. Top with the cheese, pepperoni, pizza sauce and second bread slice, butter side up. Cook over medium heat until golden brown, turning once. Serve with additional pizza sauce if desired. Yield: 1 serving.

WW Low Fat Blueberry Scones

8 servings • Total Time: 25 minutes • Points: 4.5 ww points
2 cups unbleached flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 (half stick) cup frozen butter
3/4 cups light buttermilk
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup fresh blueberriesPreheat the oven to 400°.In a large bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.Using the large holes of a cheese grater, grate the frozen butter into the flour. Mix well with flour.In a medium bowl, mix the buttermilk, egg and vanilla.Using a fork, slowly stir in the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, until all the mixture is moistened. Do not over work the dough. Fold in the blueberries.Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. Drop large spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet (to avoid tough scones, do not press or compact). Bake in the center rack 18 minutes. Remove and let them cool about 5 minutes before eating

Bruschetta

This is a great use for stale French or Italian bread.

1/2 inch diagonal slices of brea
Thin slices of peeled fresh tomatoes, preferably Romas
Fresh basil leaves
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Thin slices of Provolone or Mozzarella cheese

Toast the bread lightly, drizzle on olive oil, arrange tomato slices and basil leaves on bread, then cheese slices. Place under broiler until cheese bubbles. Makes a great appetizer or light lunch.

Fresh Broccoli Salad

There are many variations on this salad, such as using different nuts or raisins instead of the craisins.

2 heads fresh broccoli
1 red onion
1/2 pound bacon
3/4 cups craisins (or raisins)
3/4 cup sliced almonds (or slivered almonds or sunflower kernals)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup white sugar (or you can substitute Splenda)
2 tablespoons vinegar

Directions
Cook bacon and crumble
Cut broccoli and onion into bite size pieces.
Combine with the bacon, craisins, your favorite nuts and mix well.
To prepare the dressing, mix the mayonnaise, Splenda and vinegar together until smooth. Stir into the salad, let chill and serve.
Put it into Tupperware so you can turn the bowl several times to evenly coat the salad. Tastes better the second day, so make ahead of time.

Ham Quiche

INGREDIENTS
9-inch pie crust
1 1⁄2 cups cubed, cooked ham
1 cup frozen broccoli florets (thawed and cut into small pieces)
3⁄4 cup shredded Swiss cheese
3⁄4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
4 eggs
3⁄4 cup milk
1⁄4 cup half and half
1⁄4 teaspoon salt
1⁄2 teaspoon pepper
1⁄2 teaspoon ground mustard

Heat oven to 375 degrees. Layer ham, broccoli and cheeses in pie crust. Beat eggs with milk and half and half, then add salt, pepper and mustard. Pour over ham, broccoli and cheese. Bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until knife inserted in center comes out clean. Let stand a few minutes before serving.

Oriental Slaw

INGREDIENTS
3 packages Oriental flavored ramen noodles (save the flavoring packets for the dressing)
1/4 cup sunflower seeds
1 1/2 cups slivered almonds
1 bunch green onions, chopped
1 16-ounce package coleslaw mix (or 6 cups shredded green cabbage and 2 cups shredded carrots)

Dressing:
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup oil
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 teaspoon pepper
3 packets Oriental flavor packets

Crush ramen noodles and arrange with sunflower seeds and almonds flat on a cookie sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes until lightly browned. Remove and let cool. Chop green onions and toss into coleslaw mix. For the dressing, stir all ingredients in a small saucepan. Cook on medium heat until sugar dissolves. Let cool. Pour dressing over the slaw and onions and mix. Toss slaw and crunchy topping and serve.

Iced Coffee

8-10 cups of strong fresh brewed coffee
1 can of sweetened condensed milk (low fat, fat free..whatever)
Blend, chill..pour over ice...

Starbucks Frozen Frappuccino

Ingredients
3/4 cup double-strength coffee, cold
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 cup low-fat milk
2 cups ice
3 Tbs Caramel topping,
3 Tbs Hersheys Chocolate Syrup
Whipped Cream

Directions
Make double-strength coffee by brewing with twice the coffee required by your coffee maker: That should be 2 tablespoons of ground coffee per each cup of coffee. Chill before using. To make drink, combine all ingredients in a blender and blend on high speed until ice is crushed and drink is smooth. Pour into two 16-ounce glasses, and serve with a straw.
CARAMEL Version:
For this version, add 3 tablespoons of caramel topping to the original recipe and prepare as described. Top each glass with whipped cream and drizzle additional caramel over the whipped cream.
MOCHA Version:
For this version, add 3 tablespoons Hershey's chocolate syrup to the original recipe and prepare as described. Top each glass with whipped cream, if desired.

Fudge Pie

So easy

1 stick butter
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cocoa
2 eggs beaten
1 tsp vanilla
1 pie shell

Melt butter, stir in rest of ingredients, Bake in pie shell, 325 40-45 minutes.
Serve with a dollop of cool whip

Lisa’s Pasta with Spicy Cauliflower Sauce

My Daughter-in-law made this for us for dinner when we were over, and it is delicious...I will make this at home ....Yummy

5 TBSP olive oil,
6 garlic cloves thickly sliced,
1 TBSP anchovy paste,
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes,
1/4 tsp black pepper flakes,
1 lb cauliflower florets cut into 1 inch slices,
3 TBSP chopped fresh basil or 1 TBSP dried,
1 lb penne pasta,
1 cup salted pasta cooking water,
1/2 cup freshly grated Romano cheese,
1/4 cup Italian bread crumbs,
2 Tbsp chopped fresh Italian parsley.

Grease a 9x13 baking dish and set aside. Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot. Heat the olive oil, garlic, anchovy paste, red pepper flakes, and black pepper in a large sauté pan set on high heat, until the olive oil begins to sizzle and the garlic begins to brown, about two minutes. Add the cauliflower and 1 TBSP of the chopped basil (or 1 tsp dried) and cook until the cauliflower begins to brown, about 4 minutes,
Add the pasta to the boiling water and cook until just tender. Scoop 1 cup of water from the pot of cooking pasta and add it to the pan of cauliflower. Reduce the heat to medium and cook for 4-5 minutes, until the sauce is slightly thickened. Preheat the broiler.
Drain the pasta well and return it to the pot. Stir in the sauce, half the cheese and the remaining basil. Pour the pasta into the greased baking dish and sprinkle with bread crumbs and the remaining cheese. Place under the broiler for 5-6 minutes, until the bread crumbs and cheese are golden brown. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and serve family style.

Cherie’s Beef Jerky

Beef Brisket 1½ to 2 inches thick
Teriyaki Sauce
Ground black pepper

Trim fat from outside of brisket.
Remove brisket from package and place on cookie sheet. Put cookie sheet in freezer until brisket is real firm but not frozen solid. Remove from freezer and slice against the grain into ⅛ “
thick slices . Marinate 4 to 6 hours or overnight in teriyaki sauce.
Line the bottom of your oven with foil. Drape beef strips across your oven racks…. not dangling down ….but across the racks.
Sprinkle with black pepper.
Turn your oven to the lowest setting (Mine is 190° ) prop oven door open so it is only open about an inch ( I use a wooden spoon to prop it open) cook about 4 hours or until dried to your liking.
ENJOY!!

WW Layered Tortilla Bake 3pts

1 pound 99%fat free turkey,   

15oz can kidney beans drained and rinsed

15oz pinto beans, canned -- drained and rinsed, 

28 ounces diced tomatoes -- canned 

4 ounces green chiles -- mild    

1 1/4 ounces taco seasoning mix -- 30%less sodium  

12 extra thin mission corn tortillas -- 6 inch.  

8 ounces fat free cheddar cheese, grated 

Preheat oven to 350º. Cook turkey in large nonstick skillet; Mix in beans, tomatoes, chiles and taco seasoning mix. Reduce heat; simmer 5 min. Spray 9 x 13 " baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cut tortillas in half; place half of them in bottom of baking dish, overlapping. Spoon half of turkey mixture evenly over tortillas. Cover with remaining tortillas and then remaining turkey mixture. Top with cheese.Spray with olive oil spray Cover; bake 25 min.Description

8 servings

 "3 BLUE Points Per Serving"

Raspberry Buttermilk Cake

1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 stick of unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup plus
1.5 Tbsp. sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 large egg
1/2 cup well-shaken lowfat buttermilk
1 cup fresh raspberries (about 5 oz.)

Preheat the oven to 400, with a rack in the middle. Butter and flour a 9″ cake pan (I used a springform pan – I no longer mess around with trying to get cakes out of pans).
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Beat together the butter and 2/3 cup sugar at medium-high until pale and fluffy. Beat in vanilla, and then egg.
At low speed, mix in flour in three batches, alternating with the buttermilk, beginning and ending with flour, until just combined.
Spoon batter into a cake pan, and smooth the top. Scatter raspberries on top, and sprinkle remaining 1.5Tbsp. sugar.
Bake until cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20-25 minutes. Cool in the pan 10 minutes and then turn onto a rack and cool to warm, 10-15 minutes.
Nutritional Information for 1/8 of the cake: Calories: 196 / Fat: 6.7g / Saturated Fat: 3.9g / Carbs: 31.5 / Fiber: 1.5g / Protein: 3.1g

Grandma Solomon's Popcorn Balls

This is another recipe I remember Grandma making....what a treat.

5 quarts of popped popcorn (NOT MICROWAVE)
2 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 teasp salt
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 teasp white vinegar
1 teasp vanilla

Keep popcorn hot and crisp in a slow oven (300 to 325 degrees)
Butter sides of a saucepan, combine sugar, water, salt, corn syrup, and vinegar. Cook to a hard ball stage (250 degrees) Stir in vanilla, slowly pour over hot popcorn, stirring just until mixed through. butter hands lightly, shape popcorn into 4 inch balls.
makes 9 balls

Grandma Solomon's Caramel Corn

I remember Grandma making this when I was a kid and how wonderful it tasted....I was pleasantly surprised when I opened up an old button box I received after she passed away and there was this recipe along with her peanut brittle and popcorn ball recipes...you can also find those in this blog.


4 quarts of fresh popped popcorn...NOT MICROWAVE POPCORN!!!
1/2 cup margarine
1 cup brown sugar (packed)
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/3 teasp salt
1/2 teasp vanilla
1/2 teasp baking soda

Put popped popcorn in a large roasting pan. In a heavy saucepan, mix sugar, butter, corn syrup, add salt. Stir over medium heat until it comes to a boil. Continue to boil for 5 minutes without stirring. remove from heat and add vanilla and baking soda.
Soda will make it expand. pour over popcorn and stir to coat well.
bake at 250 degrees for 1 hour stirring several times to evenly coat.
store in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.

Blender Pie

yield 1 - 9 inch pie

INGREDIENTS
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 cups milk
• 3/4 cup white sugar
• 1 cup sweetened flaked coconut
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for dusting

DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 9-inch pie pan.
2. Place the eggs, flour, milk, sugar, coconut, and vanilla extract into a blender. Blend on high speed until the coconut has been finely chopped. Pour this mixture into the prepared pie pan; sprinkle with cinnamon.
3. Bake in the preheated oven until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature; refrigerate until cold before serving.

WW Mexican Pizza

Makes 4 servings - 6 WW Points each

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef (you may substitute ground turkey if you like)
2 tablespoons taco seasoning
1/4 cup water
1 (7 ¾ oz) can Mexican style tomato sauce
1 (14.5 ounce) can fat-free refried beans
8 small corn tortillas
1 cup fat free shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup reduced fat shredded pepper jack cheese
2 tomatoes, seeded, diced
3 green onions, diced

Preparation Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Bake tortillas for 8 minutes or until crispy. Re-set oven to broiler to preheat. In a skillet over medium heat, brown ground beef. Strain to remove any pan drippings. Return to pan and add taco seasoning and water. Reduce heat and simmer 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat your refried beans until they are warmed through. Also, in a separate pot heat your tomato sauce until it is warmed through. Once the meat is brown, the beans and tomato sauce are warmed and the tortillas are fried, you can start assembling your pizzas. Starting with one crispy tortilla, layer refried beans and seasoned ground beef, then place another crispy tortilla on top. Next, spoon about 2 tablespoons of the Mexican tomato sauce on top, spreading it around with the back of your spoon. Sprinkle with cheddar and jack cheeses, diced tomatoes and green onions. Repeat until you’ve made four pizzas. Lay assembled pizzas on a cookie sheet, depending on the size of your cookie sheet you may need to do these in batches. Cook the pizzas under the broiler until the cheese melts, about 2 minutes.

Watermelon Pickles

I remember my Grandma Solomon making these when I was a kid...I've always wanted to make them...Maybe the next time I have watermelon I will give it a try..

Watermelon Pickles Recipe
This recipe is from a well worn, loose page of an old cookbook.
Unknown source.

Ingredients:
16 cups watermelon pieces
8 cups granulated sugar
4 cups white vinegar
4 cups water
1 cup salt
Cold water
2 TBS whole cloves
3 cinnamon sticks
2 pieces ginger root
1 lemon, thinly sliced

Directions:
Cut watermelon into 1″ pieces remove the dark green and the dark pink (use the firm light pink watermelon flesh).
Dissolve salt thoroughly in 8 cups cold water, pour over watermelon pieces–add more water if needed to cover watermelon. Let stand 6 hours; drain, rinse well and cover with fresh cold water. Cook until just tender; drain.
Tie spices in a cheesecloth bag and combine with remaining ingredients; simmer 10 minutes.
Add watermelon pieces and simmer until clear; remove spice bag. Add boiling water to syrup if it becomes too thick before the watermelon pieces are clear.
Pack, boiling hot, into hot sterilized jars, leaving 1/8-inch head space; seal.
Makes 6-8 oz jars

Broccoli Salad

4-5 chopped broccoli crowns
1/2 lb bacon cooked and crumbled
1 cup raisins (I half this)
1 cup mayonnaise
1/2 cup white sugar
1/2 C vinegar
1 chopped red onion
1 cup sunflower kernels

Chop broccoli, stalks and all, and place in large bowl. Add raisins, cooked bacon, onion, and sunflower kernels.
Mix Mayo, sugar, and vinegar to make dressing. Pour over broccoli mixture. Stir to coat well and refrigerate until ready to serve.