Favorite Recipes

Okay, this thread is for posting all of our favorite recipes. However I think I will start out with a dessert idea that can be a healthier yet simple alternative to eating a big piece of pie for those of us wanting something that will satisfy our sweet tooth without compromising calories to much. Here's a little trick I use for this.

Simple low-cal Recipe (to sooth a sweet tooth for banana cream pie)

I get out a desert dish and slice up a banana then squirt a little whipped cream on top and mix it all up then I eat it. It's a quick satisfying desert that keeps me feeling satisfied enough to stay away from the full on all pie.

This idea can be used with any type of fresh fruit and if you feel the need to dress it up a little more you can add some finely chopped healthy nuts to it.

Ps. If you are trying to stay away from eating ice cream you can do the above and just skip the ice cream but drizzle a little tiny bit of chocolate syrup on it.

Sometimes when we give ourselves a little treat we don't feel so deprived and can be satisfied with less.

Can we post recipes that are not ours originally...but are yummy anyway?

All my recipes fall into "five ingredients/five minutes" category :o)

Hi Lilli and of course :) anyone can post whatever recipes they like. I love the 5 Ingredient recipes by Claire Robinson.

SUNDAY EVENING EASY CHICKEN PIE
(Barb's recipe)

Comforts 3 to 4 hungry people on a cool evening.

Bake at 350 for 45-50 minutes. Total prep time about 90 mintues

-3 LARGE BONELESS SKINLESS BREASTS
-1 FAMILY SIZE CAN (26 OZ)CREAM OF CHICKEN OR MUSHROOM SOUP
- 1 CUP ½ AND ½
-1 CUP FROZEN OR CANND MIXED VEGGIES
- 3 BOILED CHOPPED EGGS
- 2 PILLSBURY ROLLED REFRIGERATED PIECRUSTS
-1 Deep dish pie pan

1. Allow pie crust to come to room temperature.
2. Boil eggs 12 minutes. Remove from heat and cool in ice water. Shell and chop when cool enough to handle.
3. Bake chicken with butter or olive oil and salt at 350 for about ½ hour or til no longer pink. When cool, cut into bite sized pieces feeding any fat to the cats.
4. Add chopped chicken, chopped eggs , veggies and soup into a large mixing bowl. Mix it up.
5. Add up to a cup of half and half stirring as you add to achieve a thick yet creamy consistency. Salt & pepper to taste
6. Carefully place rolled out pie crust into a deep dish pie plate.
7. Pour in chicken mixture . Mound it in middle.
8. Carefully place the 2nd crust over the top. Use thumb to ‘flute’ edges. Trim off and eat any excess crust.
9. Poke a hole in center of pie and/or make vents with knife.
10.Use aluminum foil or an old aluminum pie pan with the bottom cut out to shield pie edges.
11. Place on a heavy baking sheet and bake for 30 minutes at 350. Remove edge shield and bake for an additional 15-30 minutes or until crust is golden brown. (Use an egg wash if you want)
12. Let pie cool and settle for 10 minutes or more before serving.

Notes:
You can skip the eggs AND the veggies if desired.
Use milk or cream instead of half and half. Do NOT use Merlot.
Use a rotisserie chicken instead of cooking your own. Even canned chicken is OK in a pinch but I don't like it.
I bake the chicken (and boil the eggs)ahead, or bake extra chicken one day to use in this the next. (This is also good for turkey leftovers).
You can make the whole thing up ahead of time

Enjoy!

This recipe was originally made with ground lamb and I changed it to ground turkey. You can also try ground chicken. Enjoy!

Turkey Burgers

1 lbs. Ground turkey
2/3 cup nonfat dry milk powder
¼ cup White Wine Worcestershire Sauce
1 package 10 oz. frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry.

In a large bowl mix turkey, spinach, powdered milk and Worcestershire sauce until blended. Shape into six 1-inch thick patties. Put patties 4 to 6 inches above hot coals. Grill 4 to 5 minutes on each side. Serve on lightly grilled pita bread or hamburger buns.

Here's one for Thanksgiving!

Whole Orange Ginger Cranberries
16 ounces fresh cranberries
2 cups sugar
1 cup fresh orange juice
1 tablespoon orange zest
1 tablespoon peeled, finely mince fresh ginger
Combine ingredients in a saucepan. Cook over medium heat until the berries pop open, about 10 minutes. Toward end of cooking , skim and discard foam that rises to the top. Cool. Refrigerate covered. Will keep in refrigerator for up to 2 months (longer when frozen).

Here's a great vegetarian appetizer.

Spinach Balls

2 packages (9oz) frozen chopped spinach
2 cups herb stuffing mix
1 cup parmesan cheese
4 eggs, slightly beaten
¾ cup butter or margerine softened
½ finely chopped onion.

Mix together. Shape into 1 inch balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.

This is so delicious! It takes a little more time than the traditional pumpkin pie but well worth the effort.

Pumpkin banana mousse tart

For the crust:
• 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (14 crackers)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
For the filling:
• 1/2 cup half-and-half
• 1 (15-ounce) can pumpkin puree
• 1 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 3 extra-large egg yolks
• 1 package (2 teaspoons) unflavored gelatin
• 1 ripe banana, finely mashed
• 1 teaspoon grated orange zest
• 1/2 cup cold heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons sugar
For the decoration:
• 1 cup (1/2 pint) cold heavy cream
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• Orange zest, optional
Directions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter in a bowl and mix well. Pour into an 11-inch tart pan with a removable bottom and press evenly into the sides and then the bottom. Bake for 10 minutes and then cool to room temperature.
For the filling, heat the half-and-half, pumpkin, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a heat-proof bowl set over a pan of simmering water until hot, about 5 minutes. Whisk the egg yolks in another bowl, stir some of the hot pumpkin into the egg yolks to heat them, then pour the egg-pumpkin mixture back into the double boiler and stir well. Heat the mixture over the simmering water for another 4 to 5 minutes, until it begins to thicken, stirring constantly. You don't want the eggs to scramble. Remove from the heat.
Dissolve the gelatin in 1/4 cup cold water. Add the dissolved gelatin, banana, and orange zest to the pumpkin mixture and mix well. Set aside to cool.
Whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Carefully fold the whipped cream into the pumpkin mixture and pour it into the cooled tart shell. Chill for 2 hours or overnight.
For the decoration, whip the heavy cream in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and continue to whisk until you have firm peaks. Pipe or spoon the whipped cream decoratively on the tart and sprinkle, if desired, with orange zest. Serve chilled

Another yummy vegetarian appetizer

Cheese Pennies

½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
21/2 cups grated sharp cheddar cheese
½ teaspoon Worsceseshire sauce
½ teaspoon hot sauce
1 cup flour sifted

Cream butter using a fork. Mix in the cheese and sauces; stir to blend. Slowly stir in the flour until just blended. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a roll. Cover with plastic wrap & chill several hours.

When chilled, slice the dough into two pieces. Roll each section into a log shaped like a long breadstick measuring about 1 inch thick.

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Slice each section into ½ inch coins and place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake 10-15 minutes or until golden brown & lightly crisp.