Beer Cheese Spread

4 cups (16-ounces) shredded low fat mild cheddar cheese
4 cups (16-ounces) shredded low fat sharp cheddar cheese
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1 (12-ounce) can beer, at room temperature

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the cheeses with garlic; set aside to soften to room temperature.
2. Add the Worcestershire sauce, seasoned salt, mustard, hot pepper sauce, and enough beer to make a spreadable mixture.
3. Place in a crock or serving dish; cover and refrigerate for several hours or overnight before serving. Serve with an assortment of crackers, chips or bagettes

Baked Tomatoes with Herbs

4 medium tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon oregano (dried)
Dash pepper
1/2 cup fat-free saltine cracker crumbs

1. Preheat oven to 350*F (175*C).
2. Cut off tops of tomatoes; remove a little of the pulp. Place tomatoes in a shallow baking dish.
3. Stir together remaining ingredients, except crumbs. Sprinkle mixture over tops of tomatoes. Top with crumbs. Bake 20 to 30 minutes, until tender.

Spinach Risotto

• 1 cup frozen spinach
• 1 cup rice
• 1 tablespoon chicken flavored seasoning
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 4 ounces low fat mozzarella
  

in a medium pot, add 2 cups water, 1 cup uncooked rice, spinach and seasoning. cook according to rice instructions. when done, add mozzarella and milk. stir thoroughly and serve hot.

Easy Tuna Casserole

• 1/2 pound macaroni noodles
• 8 ounce can tuna
• 1 cup canned or frozen peas
• 1 cup fat free sour cream
• 1/2 cup low fat cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

in a large pot, cook noodles and peas according to package directions. turn off stove and drain water. drain tuna and add to pot along with sour cream. stir until mixed thoroughly. add salt and pepper. sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

Greek-Style Fish Fillets

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, thinly sliced
2 (14.5-ounce) cans recipe-ready diced tomatoes, undrained
1 teaspoon vegetable base or instant bouillon granules
1 pound firm white fish fillets
1 3/4 cups frozen green beans
1/4 cup sliced ripe olives, drained
Hot cooked couscous
Crumbled feta cheese

1. Heat oil in large skillet. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until tender. Stir in tomatoes with juice and bouillon; cook, stirring occasionally, until bouillon is dissolved.
2. Place fish over sauce; spoon some sauce over fish. Reduce heat to low; cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
3. Distribute beans and olives over fish; cover. Cook for 5 minutes or until beans are tender. Serve with couscous. Sprinkle with cheese.

Hot Sauce Recipe

• 1 teaspoon vegetable oil
• 20 fresh jalapeno peppers, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup minced onion
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups water
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar

In a medium glass or enamel lined sauce pan over high heat, combine oil, peppers, garlic, onion and salt; saute for 4 minutes. Add the water and cook for 20 minutes, stirring often. Remove from heat and allow mixture to cool to room temperature.
Transfer the mixture to a food processor and puree until smooth. With the processor running, slowly add the vinegar.
Pour into a sterilized jar with a tight lid. This sauce will keep for 6 months when stored in the refrigerator.

Hawaiian Style Beef Kabobs

1 1/2 pounds beef strips
1 onion, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces
1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1-inch pieces
8 ounces pineapple chunks, drained, juice reserved (canned or fresh)
18 cherry tomatoes
1/3 cup honey
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1. Preheat grill.
2. Thread beef, onion, bell pepper, pineapple and tomatoes alternately on skewers.
3. In a small bowl combine reserved pineapple juice, honey, brown sugar, garlic powder, Worcestershire sauce and pepper. Stir until sugar is dissolved; set aside.
4. Grill kabobs for 18 to 22 minutes, turning often, while brushing on marinade every 3 to 4 minutes.

Cranberry Ginseng Tea

2 cups water
2 green tea bags
2 ginseng tea bags
1 mint tea bag
2 cups cranberry juice cocktail, chilled
1 cup carbonated water, chilled

1. Bring water to boiling in saucepan. Remove from heat. Add green, ginseng, and mint tea bags. Cover; let steep for 10 minutes. Remove tea bags; discard.
2. Cool at room temperature, covered, 2 hours. Transfer to pitcher; add cranberry juice and carbonated water. Serve over ice cubes. If desired, garnish with edible flowers. Chill remaining tea up to 2 days.

Grapefruit Sangria

4 cups grapefruit juice, chilled

3 cups Riesling wine

1 1/2 cups ginger ale, chilled

1. Combine ingredients in a large pitcher and mix well. Serve over ice.

Spicy Eggless Salad

8 oz. package of firm tofu
1 tsp. curry
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup shredded raw carrots
1 tsp. onion powder

chop tofu into cubes (about 1/2 inch). Mix all ingredients in a bowl and place in refrigerator until chilled. eat as a sandwich or scoop onto a bed of lettuce.

Broccoli Puff

1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
1 (10-ounce) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed and well-drained
2 cups cooked rice
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed cream of mushroom soup
1/4 teaspoon ground thyme
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
4 large eggs, separated
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded Cheddar cheese

1. Cook onion in butter in small skillet until tender. Combine onion with broccoli, rice, soup, thyme and Worcestershire sauce in greased shallow 2-quart baking dish. Bake at 400 degrees 20 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, beat egg yolks until thick and lemon-colored; add cheese. Beat egg whites until soft peaks form; fold in egg yolk mixture. Remove baking dish from oven; stir. Spread egg mixture over top. Bake 10 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.

Grilled Portobello Burger

6 large portobello mushroom caps
1/2 cup roasted garlic Teriyaki sauce, divided
6 (1-ounce) slices part-skim mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup mayonnaise
6 sourdough buns or rolls, split

1. Combine mushroom caps and teriyaki sauce in a heavy-duty zip-top plastic bag, turning to coat; seal and let stand 20 minutes.
2. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350* to 400*F / 175*C to 205*C) 2 minutes on each side. Top with cheese, and grill 2 minutes.
3. Spread mayonnaise on cut sides of buns. Grill buns, cut sides down, 1 minute or until toasted. Place mushrooms in buns, and serve immediately.

Vegetable Hero Sandwich

1 (16-ounce) unsliced loaf French bread
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, thinly sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
1 zucchini, sliced
1 (15-ounce) can tomato sauce
3/4 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 pound Muenster cheese, sliced

1. Slice French bread in half lengthwise and scoop out part of the center. Place the halves, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Broil for 1 minute or until lightly toasted.
2. In a heavy skillet, heat olive oil. Add garlic and onion; cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in carrots, red bell pepper and zucchini. Cook an additional 10 minutes or until tender.
3. Add tomato sauce, oregano and basil Season to taste with salt and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes. Spoon over the bread. Top with sliced Muenster cheese and place under broiler until cheese melts, about 1 minute.
   Serve hot.

Eggless Egg Salad Sandwiches

1 cup liquid egg substitute
1/4 cup chopped celery
1/4 chopped onion
2 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise
12 slices whole wheat bread
6 lettuce leaves
1 large tomato, cut into 6 thin slices

1. Pour egg substitute into an 8-inch nonstick skillet; cover tightly and cook over very low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand, covered, 10 minutes. Cool completely.
2. Dice egg and place in a small bowl. Add celery, onion and mayonnaise; mix well. On each of 6 bread slices, place a lettuce leaf and a tomato slice; top each with 2 to 4 tablespoons egg salad and finish with a remaining bread slice.

BBQ Sauce

1 tablespoon canola or extra virgin olive oil
1 cup onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 beef bouillon cubes
1/2 cup hot water
3 (6-ounce) cans tomato paste, divided use
1 cup SPLENDA® Granular
3/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
3/4 cup Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons liquid smoke, hickory flavored
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cider vinegar
1 tablespoon Tabasco (plus 1 teaspoon for a spicier sauce)

1. Place oil in a large saucepan. Add onions and garlic. Saute over medium heat until translucent (approximately 2 to 3 minutes).
2. Mix the bouillon and water until partially dissolved. Add bouillon mixture and all remaining ingredients to the saucepan. Stir well using a wire whisk.
3. Simmer, uncovered, 25 to 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Stir frequently. Refrigerate overnight in a non-metallic container. Sauce is best if prepared a day before using. Keeps well, refrigerated, for 1 week.

Frizz Fish

1 pound fresh or salted codfish
1 large Spanish onion
1 green bell pepper
2 cans tomato sauce
1 cup corn oil
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Hot Sauce
4 cups water (for cooking codfish)

1. Cook codfish over medium high heat. Change water 3 times and re-boil each time to remove most of the salt. Cook about 1/2 hour. Fish should flake with a fork when cooked. Remove codfish from saucepan and shred apart in opposite directions with two forks.
2. Heat corn oil in a large skillet. Dice onion and green pepper. Stir. Remove and place on paper towel. Add shredded codfish to oil in saucepan. Saute fish for 6 minutes. Drain excess oil.
3. Add tomato sauce, onion and green pepper to saucepan. Bring to a slow bowl and simmer for 5 minutes. Drizzle Hot sauce on top.
   

Ham Salad

3 cups coarsely ground ham
2 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
1/2 cup chopped celery
1/2 cup low fat mayonnaise or fat free sour cream
1/4 cup diced sweet pickle
2 teaspoons prepared mustard
1/8 teaspoon black pepper

In medium bowl stir together all ingredients. Makes about 3 3/4 cups, enough for 6 sandwiches. Make sandwiches on soft sandwich buns or whole wheat bread, topped with lettuce leaves.

Avocado Salad Dressing

1/4 seedless cucumber, finely diced
1 ripe avocado, mashed
1 tomato, finely diced
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. Spanish onion, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. low-salt chicken base powder
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. fruit sugar or honey
1/4 tsp. Vegit (optional)
1 tbsp. good health mayonnaise
Braggs Seasoning or sea salt to taste

Mash the avocado with onion powder, garlic powder, fruit sugar, Bragg's, Vegit, and mayonnaise. Add a little water to thin the avocado mixture. Stir in the diced cucumber, tomato and onion. Pour the dressing over romaine lettuce.

Red Leaf, Pear and Walnut Salad

3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup apple juice or apple cider
1/4 cup canola oil
4 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon poppy seeds
Salt and pepper to taste (optional)
10 cups rinsed and well-drained red leaf lettuce, coarsely chopped, packed
2/3 cup walnut pieces (or coarsely chopped), toasted* (sliced or slivered almonds can be substituted)
4 pears, peeled, cored, and cut into 3/4-inch pieces

• Add vinegar, apple juice, canola oil, Dijon mustard, and honey to food processor or blender and pulse until well combined. Stir in poppy seeds and add salt and pepper to taste, if desired. Reserve 1/4 cup of the dressing and set aside.
• Add red leaf lettuce and walnuts to large bowl, drizzle the remaining dressing over the top, and toss to coat well. Divide the lettuce among 8 individual salad plates or bowls. Add pears to the large bowl and toss them with the reserved 1/4 cup dressing. Spoon pears evenly over the eight salads.

* To toast the walnut pieces, broil in toaster oven or oven, stirring often and watching carefully, until golden brown (about 2-3 minutes). Or toast them in a nonstick frying pan over medium heat.

Green Bean Casserole

1 tablespoon butter or canola margarine
1 cup fat free or light sour cream
2 tablespoons WONDRA quick-mixing flour (regular flour can also be used)
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 cup chopped onion
16 ounce bag of frozen French style green beans (if you want to use canned, use 3 cans, 14.5-ounces each, drained)
1 cup shredded reduced fat cheddar cheese
1/2 cup crumbled Reduced Fat Ritz crackers (or similar), about 10 crackers
canola cooking spray

1. Preheat oven to 350-degrees. Coat a 9 x 9-inch baking dish with canola cooking spray.
2. Melt 1 tablespoon of butter in 2 cup glass measure in microwave. Stir in 2 tablespoons of the sour cream and the flour. Add remaining sour cream, salt, and sugar, and stir until well blended.
3. In large bowl, blend the sour cream mixture with the green beans and half of the cheddar cheese and spread mixture into prepared baking dish.
4. Spread remaining cheese over the top and top that with the cracker crumbs. Spray the cracker topping lightly with canola cooking spray.
5. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the top is golden and sauce is bubbly.

Spinach, Orange and Almond Salad

• For the vinaigrette: 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon fresh lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped shallots
• 5 teaspoons olive oil
• salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper
• For the salad: 1 tablespoon slivered almonds
• 1/2 cup spinach, cleaned and torn into bite-sized pieces
• 1/8 orange, peeled and sectioned

For the vinaigrette:

1. Place all the ingredients in a container with a tight-fitting lid. Shake well.

2. Add the salt and pepper to taste.

For the salad:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F.

2. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

3. Place the spinach in a bowl and toss with the vinaigrette.

4. Transfer the dressed spinach leaves to a serving plate. Arrange the orange sections on top and sprinkle with the almonds.

Braided Easter Bread

• 2 1/4 to 3 1/4 c. flour
• 1/4 c sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pkg rapid-rise dry yeast
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2/3 c warm milk
• 2 Tbsp butter, melted
• 1 Tbsp anise seed
• 1/2 c candied fruit (optional)
• 1/4 c chopped nuts (optional)
• 5 raw colored eggs

Combine 1 cup of the flour, sugar, salt, and yeast. Add dry mixture to the milk and melted butter mixture, along with the eggs. Beat with a mixer for 2 minutes. Stir in enough of the remaining flour and the anise seed plus any of the candied fruit or nuts to make a soft dough. Knead for 8 to 10 minutes. Add flour as necessary so dough is not sticky. Let rise for about 1- 1 1/2 hour or until double in size.

Divide dough in half. Roll each piece into 24" rope. Overlap dough over itself (twist 2 pieces together) connecting the 4 end pieces to form a wreath. place on greased baking sheet. Place the five raw colored eggs into spaces between twists. Brush with melted butter. Let rise for 1 hour. Bake at 350 for 35-50 minutes.

Mini Vegetable Quiche

1/2 leek, finely sliced
1 tablespoon oil
5 eggs, beaten
1/2 cup reduced fat milk
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup curd style cottage cheese
1 tablespoon parmesan cheese, finely grated
1/2 cup corn, canned, cream style
1 large zucchini , grated
2 mushrooms, finely diced
1 cup baby spinach
pepper

1. Pre heat oven to 350ºF
2. In a saucepan, fry the leek, mushroom, zucchini and spinach in oil until just softened. Set aside.
3. In a large mixing bowl combine eggs, cream, milk, cheese and corn. Season with pepper.
4. Add leek mixture to bowl and stir well.
5. Spoon the mixture into a greased-shallow patty tins (or use small muffin tray).
7. Place in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown and firm.
8. Allow to cool then remove from tray and serve.

Rice with creamy coconut milk

2 cups white rice, short grain 4 cups water, cold 1 cup evaporated skim milk 1/2 teaspoon coconut essence 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 tablespoon margarine pinch salt 1. Boil water in a medium size saucepan. 2. Add rice and simmer until rice is soft (approximately 15 - 20 minutes). 3. Do not drain any remaining water. 4. Mix in coconut milk, butter, cayenne pepper and salt. 5. Blend together until desired consistency. 6. Serve warm.