Flautas

INGREDIENTS

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup diced shallots
• 8 ounce fresh Portobello mushrooms, dice
• 1 teaspoon of each: oregano, thyme, dill
• 8 ounce feta cheese
• 4 ounce ricotta cheese
• 8 inch flour tortillas

DIRECTIONS

Over medium heat, heat olive oil in a large skillet. Toss in shallots and mushrooms and sauté for 2 minutes. Add oregano, thyme, dill and stir for 3 minutes. Add a sprinkle of salt and sauté until mushrooms are brown. Remove from heat.

In a large bowl combine the feta and ricotta cheeses with the sautéed shallots and mushrooms, mixing well to form a paste.

Lay one tortilla flat on a cutting board. Spoon two heaping teaspoons of mixture into a line across the tortilla. Roll the nearest end over the mixture and keep rolling until the tortilla is in the shape of a flute. Close the tortilla using a wooden toothpick as a straight pin to hold the tortilla shut. Do the same for remaining tortillas.

Place a skillet filled to a depth of 1 inch with canola oil over medium high heat. When the oil gets hot turn the heat down to medium and fry the flautas on each side until golden brown. This should take no more than 1 to 2 minutes total. When done place in paper towel to drain excess oil. When cool enough to touch, carefully ease out toothpicks and serve.

DIPPING SAUCE RECIPE:

2 cups fresh mint
3 dried dates, pitted
2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

Put all ingredients in a blender or processor and puree to form a smooth uniform dipping sauce. Will keep for 2-3 days in refrigerator.

Chocolate Cheese Fudge

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 pound Velveeta cheese, sliced
• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup chopped nuts
• Two 16-ounce packages confectioner's sugar
• 1/2 cup cocoa

DIRECTIONS

1. Melt cheese and butter together over medium heat in saucepan.
2. Remove from heat, add vanilla and nuts.
3. Sift together sugar and cocoa in large bowl. Add cheese mixture. Use hands for final mixing!
4. Remove candy from bowl with hands and roll into balls. Add skewers.
5. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and enjoy!

Pumpkin Spice Whoopies

INGREDIENTS

Cookies
• 1 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/3 cup butter, softened
• 1 pkg. 2 layer size spice cake mix
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 recipe Marshmallow-Spice Filling (below)


Marshmallow-Spice Filling

• 1/2 cup softened butter
• 8-oz package softened cream cheese
• 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 of a 7oz jar marshmallow cream
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp nutmeg

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or foil, grease foil, is using. Beat pumpkin and butter on medium speed until smooth. Add cake mix, eggs and milk -- beat on low speed until combined. Beat on medium speed. Drop by heaping tablespoons 3" apart onto prepared cookie sheets.keep remaining batter chilled. Bake in preheated oven to 15 minutes or edges are lightly browned. Carefully transfer to wire rack and cool -- repeat with remaining batter. Cool cookie sheet and line with new parchment or foil. Place cookies in layers separated by waxed paper in an airtight container, cover. Store at room temperature for 24 hours. Prepare MARSHMALLOW FILLING up to 2 hours before serving. Spread about 2 1/2 tbls filling on flat side of cookie, top with second cookie. Repeat with remaining cookies. Serve immediately or cover and chill for up to 2 hours. To prepare MARSHMALLOW FILLING. Beat together butter and cream chese until smooth. Add 2 cups sifted powdered sugar, half of a 7 oz jar or marshmallow cream, 1 tsp vanilla and spices. To STORE. Place unfilled cookies in layers seperated by waxed paper in an airtight container. Cover. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw, fill and assemble. 379 cal. 19g fat. 49g carbs.

Neiman-Marcus Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups butter
• 24 oz. Chocolate chips
• 4 cups flour
• 2 cups brown sugar
• 2 tsp. Soda
• 1 tsp. Salt
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 8 oz. Hershey Bar (grated)
• 5 cups blended oatmeal
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp. Baking powder
  
• 2 tsp. Vanilla
• 3 cups chopped nuts (your choice)

DIRECTIONS
Measure oatmeal, and blend in a blender to a fine powder. Cream
the butter and both sugars. Add eggs and vanilla, mix together with
flour, oatmeal, salt, baking powder, and soda . Add chocolate chips,
hershey bar, and nuts. Roll into balls, and place two inches apart
on a cookie Sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 375 degrees.
Makes 112 cookies.

Low Carb Peanut Butter Cookies

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup chunky or smooth (sugarless/natural) peanut butter
• 1/2 cup Splenda
• 2 Tablespoon Brown Sugar Twin
• 3/4 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans, almond pieces or broken hazelnuts
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 Tablespoons almond flour
• 1 Tablespoon macadamia nut flour (optional)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 375°F. Mix all ingredients well and drop onto greased cookie sheet by teaspoonfuls. Bake about 10 minutes, or until set but not hard. Be careful not to burn!

Total net grams of carbohydrate in recipe: 38. If making 10 large cookies, they are 3.8 carbs each. If making 16 smaller cookies, they are 2.4 carbs each.

Low Carb Cheesecake

INGREDIENTS

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/2 c. splenda
• 8 oz. (strawberry) cool whip
• 1/4 C Butter
• 1/3 C Brown sugar twin granular (or splenda brown sugar)
• 1 C Almond flour (from a natural food store)
• 1/2 C Walnuts, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS

Cream (not melt) butter with brown sugar twin in a small bowl. Add almond flour and walnuts. Mix together. Mixture will be crumbly.

Press mixture into the bottom of a round cheesecake baking pan. I use a springboard pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes or until lightly browned. Do not burn!

Soften cream cheese. Mix with cool whip and splenda. Add to pan with crust after it cools slightly. Refrigerate for 3 hours.

Makes 4 servings. 4 carbs per serving. Optional to serve with strawberries cut up and mixed into the cool whip mixture.

Crust-less pizza

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs hamburger meat
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 3 cups grated cheddar
• 1 tsp. italian seaoning
• 3 T. Grated Parmsean
• various pizza toppings (pepperoni, bacon, vegies)

DIRECTIONS

Pat hamburger meat in casserole until flat and all the way to the sides. Bake 350 for 30 minutes and then drain. Spread sauce on and then layer the meats, veggies and top with the cheeses. Bake 350 until all is melted. Maybe 12 minutes or a little more.

You can cut it just like squares of pizza and serve. No one will even notice there is no crust. Looks just like regular pizza but low carb. 2 carbs per serving. 4-6 servings.

Thai Chicken Wings with Peanut Sauce

INGREDIENTS

• 24 chicken wing drummettes (about 2-1/4 pounds)
• 1/2 cup bottled salsa
• 2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 2 teaspoons soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
• 1/4 cup no-calorie, heat-stable, granular sugar substitute (Splenda)
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced

DIRECTIONS

1. Place chicken in a 3-1/2- or 4-quart slow cooker. Combine salsa, the 2 tablespoons peanut butter, the lime juice, the 2 teaspoons soy sauce, and the ginger. Pour over chicken wings. Toss to coat.

2. Cover and cook on low-heat setting for 5 to 6 hours or on high-heat setting for 2-1/2 to 3 hours.

3. Meanwhile, for the peanut sauce, in a small saucepan use a whisk to combine sugar substitute, the 1/4 cup peanut butter, the 3 tablespoons soy sauce, the water, and garlic. Heat over medium-low heat until mixture is smooth, whisking occasionally; set aside (mixture will thicken as it cools).

4. Drain chicken, discard cooking liquid. Return chicken to slow cooker. Gently stir in peanut sauce. Keep warm on low-heat setting for up to 2 hours. Makes 12 servings (2 pieces per serving).

Cheesecake bars

INGREDIENTS

• 1/3 C Butter
• 1/3 C Brown sugar twin granular
• 1 C Almond flour
• 1/2 C Walnuts, finely chopped
• 1/4 C Splenda granular
• 8 oz Cream cheese
• 1 Egg
• 2 T Heavy cream
• 1 T Lemon juice
• 1/2 t Vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

Cream butter with brown sugar twin in a small bowl. Add almond flour and walnuts. Blend together. Mixture will be crumbly.

Reserve 1 cup of the above mixture for topping.

Press remaining mixture into the bottom of an 8" X 8" baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 12 - 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

Blend splenda with cream cheese until smooth.

Add egg, cream, lemon juice and vanilla. Beat well.

Spread over baked crust and sprinkle with reserved topping.

Bake for 15 minutes and cool completely.

Cut into 2" squares. Makes 12 bars. Only 4 carbs per serving.

White Turkey Chili

INGREDIENTS

• 1 1/5 cups onion, chopped
• 1/2 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1 cup chicken broth
• 19 ounces cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cups white turkey or ground turkey, cooked (and cubed, if not ground)

DIRECTIONS

1. Use a large saucepan to cook onions, bell peppers and garlic in oil until tender.

2. Add cumin, oregano, cayenne pepper, and salt.

3. Cook for 1 minute.

4. Stir in beans, broth and turkey.

5. Bring to a boil.

6. Reduce heat and summer uncovered for 30 minutes or until slightly thickened.

4 servings
45 minutes

Turkey Chili

INGREDIENTS

• 2 lbs ground turkey
• 2-3 green peppers
• 1-2 medium onions, chopped
• 2 cans stewed tomatoes
• 2 cans chili beans
• 1 (12 oz) can tomato sauce
• 2 Tbs. ground cumin
• 1 tsp garlic (chopped or powder)
• 1 1/2 Tbs. chili powder

DIRECTIONS

1. Brown Turkey in large sauce pan with chopped onions and peppers.

2. Put turkey, into crockpot and add tomatoes, chili beans, tomato sauce, cumin, garlic, salt and pepper to taste and chili powder.

3. Simmer on low all day long!

6-8 servings
7 hours, 10 min

450 cal per serving
21.5g fat per serving

Wegman's Chili

In honor of this cold front that has moved in, dumped 2 feet of snow on everything, with snow every day with temperatures in the single digits.. here is chili!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil
  
• 3 lbs 90% Lean Ground Beef
  
• Salt to taste
  
• 2 pkgs (8 oz each) Food You Feel Good About Cleaned & Cut Chopped Onions
  
• 1 pkg (8 oz each) Food You Feel Good About Diced Green Peppers and Onions
  
• 3 cloves Food You Feel Good About Peeled Garlic, minced
  
• 4 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
  
• 7 Tbsp (about 2 oz) chili powder
  
• 2 tsp ground cumin
  
• 2 tsp oregano
  
• 1 can (15.5 oz) Wegmans Dark Red Kidney Beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 1 can (15.5 oz) Italian Classics Cannellini Beans, drained and rinsed
  
• 2 btls (12 oz each) Wegmans Chili Sauce
  
• 1 bottle (12 oz) beer or 1 can (14.5 oz) beef broth

DIRECTIONS

1. Heat vegetable oil on MEDIUM-HIGH; brown ground beef, 8-10 min. Add salt to taste.

2. Add chopped onions, green peppers, and garlic. Cook, stirring, 3-5 min.

3. Add Worcestershire sauce; cook 3 min.

4. Reduce heat to MEDIUM; stir in chili powder, cumin, oregano; cook 5 min.

5. Reduce heat to LOW; add kidney beans, cannellini beans, chili sauce, beer (or broth); simmer for 30 min, stirring occasionally.

Option: Garnish with cheddar cheese.

Nutrition Info: Each serving (1 1/2 cups) contains 590 calories, 53g carbohydrate (7g fiber), 40g protein, 18g fat (6g saturated fat), 55mg cholesterol and 1520mg sodium.