Carrot Cake with Toasted Coconut Cream Cheese Frosting

I made this recipe for my dad for Father's Day. I am not a fan of carrot cake, but I did try a small piece. It was really really good and my dad really loved it. What apppealed to me is that it is a light recipe and that it only makes an 8" cake.

Source: http://cookinglight.com

Ingredients:

Cake:
3/4 c all purpose flour
1/4 c quick cooking oats
1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 c granulated sugar
1/4 c canola oil
2.5 oz carrot baby food
2 large eggs
1 1/4 c finely grated carrots
1/2 c golden raisins ( I omitted)
Cooking Spray

Frosting:
3 oz light cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp butter, softened
1 1/4 c powdered sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract (I used 1 tsp)
1/4 c flaked sweetened coconut, toasted

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.

To prepare cake: Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through salt) in a food processor; pulse until well blended. Place flour mixture in a large bowl. Combine granulated sugar, oil, baby food and eggs; stir with a whisk. Add to the flour mixture; stir until moist. Stir in grated carrots and raisins. Spoon batter into an 8" square baking pan coated with cooking spray.

Bake for 40 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool completely before frosting.

To prepare frosting:
Combine cream cheese and butter in a large bowl. Beat with a mixer on highuntil creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla, beating at a low speed until smooth (don't overbeat)
Spread over cake; sprinkle with coconut. Cover and chill.

Serves 12 WW points = 6 per serving

Grilled Chicken Pasta Salad

I decided to make pasta salad for my husband this Father's Day because it is one of his favorite foods. This recipe is really good. I made a few changes to the original, which I have noted in parenthesis. This meal feeds an army, so if you don't have an army living at your house, be prepared for leftovers!

Source:http://recessionipies.com

Ingredients:
1 lb. skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1 lemon
1 pound penne
1 red pepper ( I omitted)
1 green pepper
3 cups celery ( I used 1 cup)
1 red onion
1 ¼ cups Kalamata Olives ( I omitted)
¼ cup fresh dill ( I used 2 tbsp)
¼ cup white wine vinegar
2 tbsps mayonnaise
2 tbsps Dijon mustard ( I used 1)
1/3 cup + 1 tbsp olive oil ( I used 2 tbsp)
1 tsp sugar ( my addition)
Salt
Pepper
1 c cauliflower (my addition)
1 cucumber, peeled and diced (my addition)
3 scallions, diced (my addition)
1 carrot, peeled and diced (my addition)

Directions:
Cook the penne in boiling, salted water until al dente. Strain into a colander and refresh the pasta under cold water.

Meanwhile, heat a grill pan on a burner, and brush the chicken with approx. 1 tbsp olive oil. Grill the chicken breasts for about 8 minutes, then use tongs to flip over. Continue grilling on the reverse side for about another 6-8 minutes, until cooked through but still moist. Remove from heat and transfer to a shallow dish. Pour the lemon juice over, and allow the chicken to cool.

While the chicken and pasta are cooking, chop the vegetables, thinly slice the celery, and combine in a large bowl. Toss together with the cooked pasta. Remove the chicken from the dish, making sure to reserve the juices. Slice the chicken thinly, and add the slices to the penne mixture.

In a small bowl, combine the reserved chicken and lemon juices with the mayonnaise, mustard, vinegar, a few grinds of black pepper and a few dashes salt, to taste. Whisk well, them stream in the olive oil as you continue whisking. Pour the dressing over the penne mixture and toss well.

WW Points = 7 for 1 cup

Crockpot Green Chili Chicken and Rice

This recipe is easy, cheap and delicious, exactly the kind of meal that appeals to me. I even used the leftovers in burritos the next day for lunch.

Source:http://picky-palate.com

3-4 large boneless skinless chicken breasts, thawed
2 cans 98% fat free Cream of Chicken soup
4 0z can chopped green chilies
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
1/4 teaspoon Lawry's garlic salt with parsley
6 Cups steamed rice of choiceBlue Corn Tortilla Chips, crumbled for garnish (I used brown rice)


1. Place chicken, soup, green chilis, cumin, salt, pepper and garlic salt into crockpot on low. Let cook for 6-8 hours or until chicken is fork tender and falls apart easily. With 2 forks, shred chicken in the sauce and season with additional seasonings if desired. Spoon over bowls of rice then garnish with crumbled tortilla chips.

4 servings

WW Points = 7 including 1 c brown rice

Lemon Bars

When I was growing up my grandmother always made Lemon Squares. It became the go to dessert for every family gathering. I was missing grandma the other day when I saw this recipe by Bakerella. I decided to carry on grandma's legacy by bringing it to our most recent family dinner. They were a big hit. I really liked them, but not as well as grandma's recipe. I know that even if I made her recipe it would not taste as well. Nobody can make something as well as grandma.

Source: http://bakerella.blogspot.com

Lemon Bars Crust:
1 cup butter
1 3/4 cup flour
2/3 cup confectioner's sugar (plus more for dusting)

Topping:
1 1/2 cup plain sugar
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking powder
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup lemon juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease and flour a 9 X 13 pan.

To make crust:

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour and confectioners' sugar
Cut in butter until combined and crumbly.
Press mixture into bottom of pan.
Bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
To make topping:
While crust is baking, prepare topping.
In a larger bowl, add sugar, flour, and baking powder.
Then add slightly beaten eggs and lemon juice.
Mix well and pour on top of warm baked crust.
Bake for 20-25 minutes.
When cool, dust with confectioner's sugar and refrigerate.
Cut into bars and enjoy them cold!

Cilantro Pesto

I recently made a pizza topped with cilantro pesto, red onion and feta cheese. It turned out really yummy. I didn't want to lose the recipe for the pesto so I decided to record it here. This pesto is so much better than the parsley and basil variety. I think that it would be good on just about anything, but I love cilantro, so of course I would think that.

Source: http://foodallaputtanesca.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
2 c cilantro, packed
1/2 c grated parmesan cheese
1/3 c walnuts
1/2 c olive oil ( I only use extra virgin olive oil)
3 garlic cloves
salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the dry ingredients in a food processor. While machine is running add in the olive oil.

Vidalia Onion Soup

I love a good cup of French Onion Soup. I have attempted to make it at home, but it doesn't turn out well for me. When I saw this recipe I decided to make another attempt at it. It was a really good attempt too. My 15 year old dd raved about it saying that it was one of the best things that I have ever made. The recipe says to put cheese and croutons on it an broil for a few minutes. I didn't want to do that so I just sprinkled Parmesan on top.

Source:http://vintagevictuals.com

Ingredients:
4 tbsp butter ( I used 2 tbsp)
4 large Vidalia onions, sliced ( I used 3)
5 cups chicken stock ( I used 4)
A pinch of dried thyme
A pinch of dried parsley
salt and pepper to taste
1 c Parmesan cheese
Mozzarella cheese ( I omitted)
2 tbsp cognac ( I omitted)
Croutons ( I omitted)

Melt the butter over medium heat in a pot. Add the sliced onions and cook for 35-40 minutes, until soft and golden brown.
Add the chicken stock, and turn the heat to medium-high. Bring just to a boil. Turn the heat down to a simmer.
Add herbs, cognac, pepper and salt. Cook for 15 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Place croutons and one tablespoon of Parmesan cheese on the bottom of each bowl. Add soup, and top with mozzarella cheese. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the cheese melts.

Pecan Crusted Chicken with Apple Salad

I am always looking for new ways to cook chicken. What attracted me to this recipe was the pecans and the dressing for the salad, plus I LOVE fruit in my salad. The chicken was very good, but I had a difficult time getting the pecans to adhere to the chicken. I think that If I made it again I would finely process the pecans in the food processor and omit the breadcrumbs. The dressing for the salad was out of this world, so good that I think I could just eat it with a spoon!

Source:http://thecrepesofwrath.wordpress.com

7 chicken tenderloins or 2 medium chicken breasts, sliced
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 nutmeg
1 egg
salt and pepper, to taste

Salad:
1 red apple, thinly sliced
1 green apple, thinly sliced
3-4 big handfuls lettuce
1 cucumber, sliced
1 carrot, shredded
raisins (optional – I didn’t use raisins but I think they’d go really well in this salad)

Dressing:
1/2 cup maple syrup
4 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice

For the chicken:
1. Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F and line and/or grease a baking sheet.
2. Season your chicken tenders with salt and pepper.
3. If you don’t have bread crumbs, toast 3 pieces of bread and pulse in food processor.
4. Combine the chopped pecans and breadcrumbs together with cinnamon and nutmeg in a medium bowl. Crack the egg into a small bowl and whisk.
5. Dredge the chicken tenders in the egg, then dredge in pecan mixture. Place them on the baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.

Salad & Dressing:
1. Combine the apples, lettuce, cucumber, carrot, and raisins (if you’re using them) in a large bowl.
2. Combine dressing ingredients in bowl and whisk until well combined.
3. Toss the salad with dressing and serve the chicken over the salad.
Serves 4.

Turkey Meatballs with Quick Tomato Cream Sauce

My husband loves meatballs, but I don't make them too often because they usually have a lot of calories and are somewhat time consuming. I bookmarked this recipe a few weeks ago because it looked pretty simple and healthier than a normal meatball. It was pretty good. I really think that the carrots made a nice addition to the turkey because it gave it some much needed moisture. I also loved the sauce. I think it may be my go to sauce recipe from now on. Note:
The recipe states that it serves 6, but I don't think that there was enough sauce even for the three of us. There were a ton of meatballs though. I will definitely double the sauce next time I make it.

Source: http://evilshenanigans.com

Serves 6

Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 c diced onion
1 garlic clove, minced or grated
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 12 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2tsp thyme
1/2 tsp oregano
2 tsp fresh basil, chopped
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 c heavy cream (fat free half-and-half)

Meatballs:
1 pound lean ground turkey
2/3 c grated carrots
1/2 c finely diced onion
1/4 c bread crumbs
2 cloves garlic, grated
1 egg
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan
1 pound pasta

Directions:
For the sauce, heat the oil over med-high heat. Add the onion and cook until soft, about three minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes and cook until fragrant.
Add the diced tomatoes with the liquid and stir to combine. Add the sugar, herbs except the basil and salt then bring to a simmer.
Put the mixture in a blender, along with the basil and process until smooth, about two to three minutes on high. Pour back into the saucepan and return to the heat and bring back to a simmer. Turn off heat and add the cream. Stir to combine.

Preheat the broiler and line a baking sheet with parchment paper, then spray with vegetable oil.

To prepare the meatballs combine the turkey, carrots, onion, garlic, bread crumbs and egg. Mix until just combined. Add the herbs, salt pepper and cheese. Mix well.
With a small scoop, about 2 tablespoons, scoop out the meatballs onto the prepared sheet pan/ You should get between 25 to 30 meatballs.

Bake under the broiler for 10-15 minutes, or until they reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
Prepare the pasta while the meatballs are baking.

Summer Corn & Vegetable Soup

This is another fresh recipe from Ellie Krieger. I would try to persuade anyone that likes fresh and light food to purchase her cookbook. It is one of my favorites.

Source: The Food You Crave by Ellie Krieger

WW points for 1.5 c = 3 Yields 6 servings

Ingredients:
4 c fresh or frozen corn kernels, thawed
2 c nonfat milk
1 tbsp olive oil
1 large onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, deeded and diced
1 small zucchini, diced
2 c low sodium chicken broth
2 plum tomatoes ( I omitted)
1/4 tsp salt
Pepper
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper ( my addition)
1/4 c fresh basil leaves, cut into ribbons

Directions:

Put 2 cups of the corn and the milk into a blender or food processor and process until smooth.
Set aside.

Heat the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, bell pepper and zucchini and cook, stirring, until tender, about 5 minutes. Add the remaining 2 cups of corn and the broth and bring to a boil. Add the pureed corn and the tomatoes and cook until warmed through, but not boiling. Add the salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. Serve garnished with the basil.

Ckicken Kebabs with Pinneapple Couscous

One of my husbands favorite things to eat is kebabs. I love them too, but they are a little time consuming so I don't make them often. The original recipe is for pork, but I prefer chicken and it calls for long grain rice, but I prefer couscous to rice any day. I took the authors suggestion to marinate the meat for at least 30 minutes. I think that if I make it again, I would also brush the kebabs with some marinade during cooking to impart more flavor. I also think that lime juice would be a really nice addition to the marinade.

Source: http://annieseats.wordpress.com/

Ingredients:

For the kebabs:
Juice reserved from draining 1 (8 oz.) can pineapple tidbits (for rice)
1/3 c honey, warmed
1 lb chicken, cut into 1" chunks
salt and pepper
2 bell peppers (I used red), cut into 1" pieces
1 onion, cut into 1" chunks

For the couscous:
1 box couscous, cooked according to box directions
2 scallions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp cilantro, finely chopped
1 8 oz can pineapple tidbits, drained
1 tsp fresh ginger

Directions:
In a medium bowl, combine the reserved pineapple juice with the honey. Mix well. Season the chicken with salt and pepper and add to the marinade. Toss well to coat the chicken and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

To assemble the kebabs, alternately thread the chicken, onion and bell peppers onto skewers. Brush with any of the remaining marinade. Grill until the chicken is cooked and the peppers begin to char, about 10-15 minutes.

Meanwhile, to make the couscous, cook according to package directions. Once cooked, mix in the scallions, pineapple, cilantro and ginger. Season with salt and peeper to taste. Fluff with a fork. Serve with lime wedges, if desired.

Cake Batter Ice Cream

I'm sure that you can tell from my recipes that I love desserts. Well I pink puffy heart ice cream, especially homemade. I love the standard flavors that are out there, but I really love different flavors that are not easy to find at the store. I love cake and ice cream together so I knew that this recipe would be perfect and it was. The ice cream was so creamy even though I lightened it up. This has become one of my favorites so far.

Source: http://deliciousmelicious.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
1 c. whole milk, well chilled
3/4 c. granulated sugar
2 c heavy cream ( I used 1 c heavy cream and 1 c fa free half-and-half)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2/3 c yellow cake mix

Directions:
In a medium bowl, whisk the milk and sugar until the sugar is dissolved.
Stir in the cream and vanilla.
Stir in the cake mix.
Pour mixture into the bowl of your ice cream maker and mix until thick (about 30 minutes).
Remove ice cream from bowl and place into a separate container and freeze 4-5 hours.

Crockpot Beef Stew with Sweet Potatoes

I was raised in a home with a diet that consisted largely of meat and potatoes. I swore to myself that when I grew up and had my own house, we would not have meat and potatoes most days of the week! One exception is beef stew. I love beef stew and am always looking for ways to change it up and make it different. I never thought of making it with sweet potatoes, but I am so glad that I found this recipe for the idea. I loved this stew so much that it may become a staple in my house. I adapted this recipe to suit my tastes, but it is pretty close to the original.

Source: http://kyleecooks.blogspot.com

Ingredients:
1 pound of stewing beef, cut into 1" chunks
14 oz beef stock
2 medium sweet potatoes
1 large onion, diced
2 rashers thick bacon, diced
1 tsp dried thyme ( I used oregano)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Coat the crockpot with nonstick cooking spray
combine all of the ingredients and mix well.
Cover and cook on low 7-8 hours, or on high 5-6 hours, or until meat and veggies are tender.