Quick and Easy Alfredo Sauce

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons butter
• 1 (8 ounce) package low fat cream cheese
• 2 teaspoons garlic powder
• 2 cups milk
• 6 ounces grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cup mozzarella cheese

Directions

1. Melt butter in a medium, non-stick saucepan over medium heat. Add cream cheese and garlic powder, stirring with wire whisk until smooth. Add milk, a little at a time, whisking to smooth out lumps. Stir in Parmesan, Mozzarella and pepper. Remove from heat when sauce reaches desired consistency. Sauce will thicken rapidly, thin with milk if cooked too long. Toss with hot pasta to serve.

* This tastes great served over penne with crispy Cajun chicken strips. I add sliced mushrooms to my sauce and serve it over diced mushrooms and black olives as well. My family loves this!

Broccoli Salad

Ingredients

• 8 slices bacon
• 2 heads fresh broccoli, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1/2 large red onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
• 1/8 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2/3 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Directions

1. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and crumble.
2. In a large bowl, combine broccoli, cheese, bacon and onion.
3. Prepare the dressing in a small bowl by whisking together the red wine vinegar, sugar, pepper, salt, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Combine dressing with salad. Cover, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Cream Cheese Fruit Dip

This is really easy and delicious!

INGREDIENTS:

1 package low fat cream cheese, softened

1/2 cup light brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Mix brown sugar and cream cheese together and enjoy. This is especially good for apples, but I haven't yet met a fruit that doesn't go well with this dip.

Sausage and Potato Casserole

What to do with your leftover kielbasa after you made jambalaya the other night? This casserole does seem weird, but my kids love it.

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (10-3/4 ounces) condensed cream of potato or cream of celery soup

1/2 cup chive and onion sour cream

1-3/4 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

1-1/4 pound cooked potato wedges

1 small can cut green beans

8 ounces fully cooked sausage, sliced in half lengthwise then across

1 cup French-fried onions

DIRECTIONS:

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 11x7 inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. In large bowl, mix soup, sour cream and 1 cup of cheese. Stir in potatoes, green beans and sausage. Spoon into baking dish. Cover and bake half an hour. Sprinkle with onions and remaining cheese. Bake uncovered 10 minutes longer.

*I actually like this recipe more with cream of celery soup.

Jambalaya

I love this! When my husband is out of town I often make a pot of jambalaya and eat it for days. I love its spiciness and heartiness, and it's so easy.

INGREDIENTS:

1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/3 cup chopped celery

1/4 cup chopped green sweet pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons cooking oil

2 cups chicken broth

1 14-1/2 ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained

8 ounces andouille or kielbasa sausage, halved lengthwise and cut into 1/2 inch slices

3/4 cup uncooked long grain rice

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed

1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 bay leaf

1 cup cubed cooked ham

DIRECTIONS:

Thaw shrimp, if frozen; set aside. In a 6 quart stock pot cook onion, celery, sweet pepper and garlic in hot oil until tender. Stir in chicken broth, undrained tomatoes, sausage, rice thyme, basil pepper, and bay leaf. Bring to boiling; reduce heat. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Stir in shrimp. Return to boiling. Simmer, covered, about 5 minutes more or until shrimp turn opaque and rice is tender. Stir in ham; heat through. Discard bay leaf.

*I use low fat turkey sausage.

Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies

I have received so many compliments for these! I like to make them as Valentine's Day gifts for teachers and cut them into heart shapes. Then we dip half the heart in chocolate or white chocolate colored pink and the kids add sprinkles. In a pretty box these make a very nice gift.

INGREDIENTS:

1 cup butter, softened

3/4 cup sugar

1 package cream cheese, softened

1 egg

1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla

3 cups flour

FOR COATING

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (or white chocolate)

2 tablespoons shortening

DIRECTIONS:

Combine butter, sugar, cream cheese, egg and vanilla in large bowl. Beat until light and fluffy. Add flour, beat until well mixed. Wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate 2 hours or until firm. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Roll dough out to 1/8 inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut dough with lightly floured cookie cutter. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 7 to 10 minutes or until edges are very lightly browned. Remove immediately to wire racks to cool completely.

Melt chocolate chips and shortening in small saucepan over low heat. Dip half of each cookie into melted chocolate. Refrigerate on cookie sheets lined with waxed paper until chocolate is firm.

*This is a sticky dough. I divide the original dough ball into 3 parts so I have to take the dough out of refrigeration as little as possible. Any dough that is not being worked with needs to be put back in the refrigerator.

*If you don't have shortening, I have been successful with vegetable oil and butter. Just experiment with it until you get a good consistency--thin enough for dipping but not so thin that it won't firm up.

*Of course, if you want to embellish your cookies with sprinkles like us, do this before you allow the chocolate to harden.

Seafood Fettuccine

INGREDIENTS:

3/4 pound shrimp, cooked, peeled and deveined

1 can mushroom stems and pieces, drained

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1/4 cup butter or margarine

1 package (8 ounces) fettuccine, cooked and drained

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 cup milk

1/2 cup sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, saute shrimp, mushrooms, garlic powder, salt and pepper in butter for 3-5 minutes. Stir in fettuccine, Parmesan cheese, milk and sour cream. Cook over medium heat for 3-5 minutes or until heated through (do not boil).

*Scallops or crab may be substituted for half the shrimp.

Applescotch Pie

This is a really good alternative to traditional apple pie. It does not contain booze =)

INGREDIENTS:

5 cups sliced tart bakind apples

1 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/4 cup flour

2 tablespoons sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon salt

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

Pastry for 2 crust pie

DIRECTIONS:

Prepare pastry and line bottom of 9-inch pie pan with half the dough. In 2-quart sauce pan combine apples, brown sugar, water and lemon juice. Cook over low heat stirring occasionally until apples are just tender. In small bowl combine flour and white sugar. Stir into apples and cook until syrup thickens. Add vanilla, salt and butter. Pour into pastry-lined pie pan. Moisten edge of bottom pastry. Place top crust over, seal edges and trim off excess dough. flute edge and vent top. Bake in preheated 425 degree oven for 40 to 45 minutes. Serve warm or cool.

*You will want to cover the edges of your pie crust with foil during baking or they will burn. I usually bake the pie until the crust is less doughy, then cover it so I don't mess up my fluting.

Corned Beef Dinner

This dinner is almost cheating, because it is so easy and so good! Just make sure you have a few hours before dinner.

INGREDIENTS:

3 pounds corned beef brisket (or the biggest one you can find if you love it the way I do)

8 small new potatoes, scrubbed (or just use regular potatoes cut in half)

1 whole onion cut into quarters

8 carrots, peeled

1/2 medium cabbage, cut into 6 wedges

DIRECTIONS:

The corned beef brisket comes already seasoned and packaged, so all you have to do it put it in a 6 quart stock pot, cover it with water and bring it to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer about 2-1/2 hours. Add the potatoes, onion, carrots and cabbage to the pot. Bring the pot to a boil again, then cover and cook on low heat about 30 minutes. Remove the brisket from the pot and when it is cool enough, slice it very thin and against the grain before serving.

*My husband and kids like to eat the vegetables smashed up with butter and sour cream, but I like mine with salt and pepper and still recognizable.

Beef Stroganoff

This has been one of my favorite meals since I was a kid!

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon butter

1 to 1-1/2 pounds round or sirloin steak, cut into thin slices (the thinner the better)

1/4 cup chopped onion

2 beef bouillon cubes

1 small 10-1/2 ounce can condensed cream of mushroom soup

1 4 ounce can mushroom stems and pieces, undrained

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat 10-inch skillet (or if you're messy like me, a 6 quart stockpot). Melt butter and add steak slices and onion. Brown about 5 minutes. Add bouillon and cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 20-25 minutes. Add soup, mushrooms and pepper, stirring to blend. Turn off heat and add sour cream, stirring to blend. Serve over hot cooked extra wide egg noodles.

*You may use reduced fat sour cream for a healthier meal, but the sauce will be thinner and less creamy.

*A trick my mom taught is to cut the steak while it is still slightly frozen. You can get much thinner slices this way.

*My grandpa always liked this dinner without the sour cream.

"Corny" Bread

My kids eat this like it's cake!

INGREDIENTS:

1 can (14 ounces) cream-style corn

1 package (8.5 ounces) corn bread/muffin mix

1 egg

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon paprika

DIRECTIONS:

In a large bowl, combine all ingredients. Pour into a greased 11 x 7 inch baking dish. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until the top and edges are golden brown.

* I like Martha White Sweet Yellow Corn Bread Mix.

* For a healthier version of this recipe, omit the butter. I don't even notice the difference.

Glazed Carrots

My family loves this! Grant prefers these to cookies.

INGREDIENTS:

1 package (16 ounces) baby carrots

1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons brown sugar

DIRECTIONS:

Place carrots and water in a microwave safe dish. Cover and microwave on high for 5-7 minutes or until crisp-tender. Meanwhile, melt butter in a skillet; stir in brown sugar. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Add carrots; cook and stir for 2 minutes until glazed.

*I have also made this with honey in place of brown sugar.

Mini Cheese Biscuits

INGREDIENTS:

2 cups biscuit/baking mix

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

2 garlic cloves, minced

2/3 cup milk

2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

DIRECTIONS:

In a bowl, combine biscuit mix, cheese and garlic. With a fork, stir in milk just until moistened. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto a lightly greased baking sheet. Bake at 450 degrees for 9-11 minutes or until golden brown. Combine butter and garlic powder; brush over biscuits.

*You can substitute most any type of cheese - I've even cut up American cheese slices.

*I usually forget about the last step with the butter and garlic powder. I'm stuffing my face by then! Luckily these taste good even without it.