Quick Tostada

Small corn tortillas
Salsa
Shredded cheese

(can add layers of refried beans, cilantro, guacamole, etc.)

Mound salsa and cheese and beans on each tortilla. Cook on foil-lined trays in oven until cheese has melted and starts to brown on edges.

Cheesecake Crackers

3 ounces cream cheese, softened for 10 seconds in the microwave.
3 tbsp strawberry jam
A few sheets of graham crackers, broken into squares

Mix cream cheese and jam and spread a little onto each graham cracker. You get the "taste" of cheesecake without all the calories and fat.

Sloppy Jose Supper

1 (8 1/2 oz.) pkg. corn bread/muffin mix
1 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped sweet red pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 celery rib chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce, chopped
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 1/4 cup salsa
2 Tbsp. chili sauce
2/3 cup shredded cheese
sour cream

Prepare and bake corn bread according to pkg. directions.

Meanwhile in a large skillet, cook the beef; red pepper, onion and celery over med heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add the garlic, chipotle pepper, chili powder and cumin; cook 1 minute longer.

Stir in salsa and chili sauce; simmer for 3-5 minutes or until slightly thickened.

Cut corn bread up and top with beef mixture, 2 tbsp. cheese and a dollop of sour cream.

Apple Nachos

36 caramels
1 Tbsp. water
30 large marshmallows
1/3 cup butter, cubed
4 medium tart apples, peeled and cut into 1/4 inch slices
1/3 cup chopped dry roasted peanuts
1/3 cup minature semisweet chocolate chips
3 Tbsp. Halloween (or other holiday) sprinkles

In a microwave-safe bowl, melt caramels with water; stir until smooth.

Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, melt marshmallows and butter. Arrange apple slices on a large platter. Drizzle with caramel, top with marshmallow mixture. Sprinkle with peanuts, chocolate chips and sprinkles. Serve immediately.

Easy Potato Chowder

4 oz. bacon, diced
1 cup diced onions
2 cups whole milk
2 cups chicken broth
1 tsp. thyme
3 1/2 cups mashed potatoes (firmly packed)
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp. fresh chopped parsley

Saute bacon and onions until bacon is crisp; remove excess grease. Add milk, chicken broth and thyme; bring to a boil. Stir in mashed potatoes and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in parsley, salt and pepper. Serves 4-6

Cafeteria Sloppy Joes

1 lb. ground beef
olive oil
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 cup ketchup
2 Tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1 Tbsp. brown sugar
1/2 cup water.

Brown the ground beef in large skillet with olive oil. Add onion, garlic, cumin, paprika and cayenne. Cook 1 minute. Stir in ketchup, vingar and brown sugar and water. Simmer until thick, about 15 minutes. Serve on small slider rolls with potato chips.

Nacho Fries

My kids made this up and love it!? To each their own!

1 lb. ground beef
1 can Bush's refried beans
2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
1 envelope Old El Paso Taco Seasoning
1 pkg. frozen Ore-Ida crinkle cut french fries

Bake or fry french fries according to pkg. directions.

Brown ground beef. Drain fat. Add taco seasoning with 1/4 cup water. Add refried beans to seasoned meat mixture.

Place cooked fries on plate. Dollop with seasoned meat mixture. Sprinkle generous amount of cheese...allow it to melt! Eat!

(You can add a variety of nacho toppings, but my kids don't like anything but this!)

Extreme Bubbles

2 cups Joy dish detergent
6 cups water
3/4 cup light corn syrup

In a 1-gallon milk jug, combine the soap, water and corn syrup; shake well. Let stand for 4 hours. Cover and store in the refrigerator. Bring solution to room temperature before using. Pour the solution into a cake pan and let the kids dip away using bent wire coat hangers or large wands.

Tortilla Chip Chicken with Avocado Dip

For the Avocado Dip—
Puree:
1	ripe avocado, peeled, pitted
1/2	cup milk (whole or 2%)
1/4	cup sour cream
Add:
1/4	cup fresh lime juice
1	T. jalapeño, seeded and chopped
1	T. chopped fresh cilantro
	Salt and pepper to taste
For the Chicken—
Prepare:
2	boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (6–8 oz. each)
	Salt and pepper
Pulse:
8	oz. plain tortilla chips
Dredge:
1/4	cup all-purpose flour
1	egg, lightly beaten
1/2	cup purchased bottled salsa
Heat:
3	T. olive oil
Serve with:
	Avocado Dip, above
	Tomato wedges

Preheat oven to 375°.

Puree avocado, milk, and sour cream in a food processor or blender.

Add remaining ingredients and pulse until smooth; set aside.

Prepare breast halves by trimming fat and slicing each in half lengthwise. Season with salt and pepper.

Pulse tortilla chips in a food processor until coarsely ground; transfer to a shallow dish. Place flour in a second shallow dish, and in a third shallow dish, blend egg and salsa together with a fork.

Dredge both sides of chicken in flour, then dip into egg mixture to coat. Transfer chicken to ground chips and pat them onto both sides; place on a baking sheet or plate.

Heat oil in an ovenproof saute pan over medium-high. Saute chicken 3 minutes, or until golden brown. Carefully flip chicken, then place the pan in the oven. Roast 8–10 minutes, or until cooked through.

Serve with dip and tomato wedges.


From Cuisine Magazine

No Drip Popsicles

1 (6oz) pkg. jello
1 pkg. Kool-Aid
1 cup sugar
2 cups hot water
2 cups cold water

Buy the same flavored Kool-Aid and Jello (or two that mix well!) Combine first four ingredients and stir until dissolved. Add and mix the cold water. Pour into containers. Freeze one hour, then add sticks. Freeze overnight.

Lunch Kebabs for Kiddos

1/2 oz. cubed roasted deli turkey
1/2 oz. cubed cheese
1/4 cup grapes
6 dried apricots

Thread onto pretzel sticks or skewers for kids. Yum!

Bisquick Chicken Nuggets

These are a dinner staple in our household.

1 cup bisquick
1/2 cup parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp. paprika
salt
2Tbsp. butter, melted
1 egg, slightly beaten

1. Cut up 2-4 chicken breasts into chunks.

2. Put dry ingredients in gallon sized ziploc bag.

3. Dip chicken chunks in egg and drop in ziploc bag. Shake until well coated.

4. Put on cookie sheet. Drizzle with melted butter.

Bake 450 for 15 minutes.

Taco Pan Pizza

Makes 12 servings at 61 cents each!

1 egg
2 (8.5 oz.) boxes of corn muffin mix
1/4 cup milk
1 lb. ground beef
1 (1.25 oz.) pkg of taco seasoning mix
1 1/4 cups bottled mild chunky salsa
1 cup canned refried beans
1 cup monterey jack cheese
1 (8oz.) container sour cream
2 cups shredded lettuce
1 scallion, chopped

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees. Grease at 15x10x1 inch baking pan (I use a thick cookie sheet) Stir egg, corn muffin mix and milk in bowl. With damp fingers pan in pan.

2. Bake in 400* oven for 10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.

3. Cook beef in skillet, breaking up chunks, 8-10 minutes, until no longer pink. Add seasoning mix and 3/4 cup salsa. Simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.

4. Spread beans over corn bread. Sprinkle with 1/2 cup Jack cheese. Bake to melt cheese, 2 minutes. Top with beef, remaining cheese. Bake to melt cheese, 2 minutes. Spread with sour cream. Top with lettuce, scallion and remaining salsa.

371 calories, 18 g. fat, 37 g. carbs, 4 g. fiber

Mini Turkey Meatloaves with Ketchup Glaze

1 lb. ground turkey
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 packet (1 oz.) instant plain oatmeal
1 large egg
2/3 plus 1/4 cup ketchup, divided
1/4 cup lowfat milk
1 Tbsp. worchestershire sauce
2 Tbsp. brown sugar

Heat oven to 375. In large bowl, combine turkey, onion, oatmeal, egg, 2/3 cup ketchup, milk and worchestershire sauce. Divide and shape mixture into 4 loaves. Place in baking pan. In small bowl, blend together 1/4 cup ketchup and brown sugar. Brush over loaves. Bake 35-40 minutes or until 160 degrees internal temp. Let cool 10 min. Makes 4 servings. 304 cal, 11 g. fat, 29g. carb

Turkey Mini Meatloaves

Our little 18 month old foster son ate almost 3 of these! He loved them! Good way to sneak in veggies!

1 lb. 93% lean ground turkey breast
1 medium zucchini, shredded
1 cup finely chopped onion
1 cup finely chopped red pepper (we didn't use this)
1/2 cup uncooked whole wheat couscous (I didn't have any more of this, so I used bread crumbs and it came out just fine)
1 large egg, lightly beaten
2 tbps. worchestershire sauce
1 tbsp. dijon mustard (I'm not a mustard fan, so I didn't use it)
salt, pepper and 1/4 c. bbq sauce

1. Preheat oven to 400*. Generously spray a nontick muffin pan with cooking spray (yields 12).

2. Gently mix turkey, zucchini, onion, pepper, couscous, egg, worcestershire sauce, mustard pepper and salt in a large bowl, preferably with your hands without overworking it. Equally divide the mixture among the muffin cups. Spread bbq sauce on each loaf (I put a little in the mixture too!)

3. Bake until the meatloaves are cooked through...about 25 minutes. Let the loaves stand in the pan for 5 minutes before serving.

(This dish served with the healthy mac and cheese recipe below, a salad and fresh fruit makes a super-healthy dinner!)

Russian Chicken

This is one I use ALL the time... (I think it may be from Colony 2nd's old cookbook?) It works great in the crockpot...I stick frozen chicken in there in the morning, dump all the "sauce" ingredients in and forget about it until dinner! I serve it over rice with a side of veggies or a salad and 'voila' instant dinner!

4 lbs. chicken (with or without bone)

1 cup Russian salad dressing

1 cup apricot preserves

1 pkg. onion soup mix

1/4 c. water

Bake 350* for 40 min. (or crockpot)