Chocolate Peanut-butter Pie

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie

Makes 2 pies
8 oz pkg cream, softened
½ c Jif smooth peanut butter
1 c powdered sugar
½ tsp pure vanilla flavoring
8 oz carton Cool Whip
two 9" Keebler graham cracker pie crusts

With electric mixer, whip cream cheese. Add peanut butter and blend well. Add vanilla and sugar. Mix well, then fold in Cool Whip. Spread into pie crusts.

Topping:
1 L box (5.9) oz Jello Instant Chocolate Pudding & Pie Filling

Mix with 2 ½ c milk until well blended. Spread over peanut butter mixture. Add Cool Whip to top, if desired.

 Pat & Jack Tucker

Impossible Coconut Pie

Impossible Coconut Pie

 All the ingredients are mixed together and poured into a pie tin, but when it cooks, it forms its own crust with filling. This has a coconut vanilla taste, like a coconut cream pie.

Ingredients
2 cups milk
1 cup shredded coconut
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup all purpose flour
8 Tablespoons butter (1 stick)
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Directions
Place milk, coconut, eggs, vanilla, flour, butter and sugar in blender. Mix well, and do NOT open top while blending! Pour into a greased and floured 10" pie plate. Sprinkle nutmeg on top. Bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Napa Cabbage Salad

1 head Napa cabbage - shredded
5 green onions (scallions), cut in small pieces
3/4 c sliced or slivered almonds
1/4 c sesame seeds
2 Tbsp butter
2 packages Chinese (Ramen) noodles with seasoning (uncooked)

Shred the cabbage and combine with the chopped scallions. Place in a storage container and refrigerate this mixture. Brown the almonds and sesame seeds in 3 Tbsp butter for about 3 minutes. Cool for a few minutes, place in a container and set aside.

 Dressing:
1 c olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
3 Tbsp soy sauce
1/2 c white wine vinegar

Combine all dressing ingredients in a heavy bottom saucepan and bring to a boil for one minute. Let this cool. If you aren't serving right away, pour into a mason jar or other container. Do not refrigerate.
Crunch up the uncooked Chinese noodles and place in a storage bag or other container with dressing. 

When you are ready to serve, shake up the dressing and pour it into the cabbage-onion mixture. Toss in the almonds and sesame seeds, as well as the Chines noodles, and mix well. Serve immediately. Walnuts can be substituted for almonds, or in addition to them. Hulled hemp seeds can also be added.

Skillet Shepherd's Pie

Servings: 8

Ingredients for Meat Mixture
1 tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 lb lean ground beef
salt and pepper to taste
1 large onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
½ tsp red pepper flakes
2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
1.9 oz onion soup mix
1 cup beef broth
2 cups frozen veggies (peas, carrots, green beans and corn)

For Mashed Potatoes
6 large potatoes peeled and cut into cubes
4 tbsp butter softened
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup
Parmesan cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions
1. Start by first cooking the potatoes in boiling water for about 15 minutes or until fork tender. While the potatoes are cooking, you can prepare the meat mixture.
2. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the ground beef to the skillet and cook it for about 5 minutes or until it's no longer pink, breaking it up as you go along.
3. Add the onion and garlic and cook for 3 more minutes until the onion softens and becomes translucent. Add the pepper flakes, Worcestershire sauce, onion soup mix, beef broth and stir. Stir in the frozen veggies and cook for a couple more minutes. Set aside.
4. Preheat the oven 350 F degrees.
5. Prepare the mashed potatoes. Drain the potatoes then add them to a large bowl. Add in the butter and using a potato masher, mash until smooth. Add the milk, Parmesan cheese, salt pepper and mash a bit a more until smooth.
6. Spread the potatoes over the meat and smooth with a spoon. Take a fork and rough up the top a bit and garnish with a bit of parsley.
7. Place the skillet on a baking sheet, then place it in the oven and bake for 40 minutes until golden brown on top.
8. Garnish with more parsley and pepper and serve warm.

 Recipe Notes: Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours of cooking, cover the pie with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 3 days

Time from prep to cooking to table: 1 1/2 hours

Delish!!!

Sheet Pan Lemon Chicken and Broccoli

Chicken and marinade:
3 TBSP olive oil
juice from one large lemon
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tsp Italian season
1/4-1/2 tsp lemon pepper seasoning
1/4-1/2 tsp Paula Deen's house seasoning
4-6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
parsley and lemon slices for garnish (optional)

Broccoli
1-1/4 lb bite-size broccoli florets
2 TBSP olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
2 TBSP grated parmesan [I didn't measure this; I just sprinkled it on when it was time.]

Cut chicken breasts in half or pound to even out.  In a gallon ziplock bag, add the first six ingredients and mix well.  Add in the chicken, seal bag, and marinade in the refrigerator for 15 min. to 4 hours, turning the bag occasionally.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Spray a large rimmed baking sheet or casserole dish.  Toss broccoli, olive oil, and garlic on the baking sheet (or in a bowl and then pour onto one end of the baking sheet).

Add the chicken to the remaining space on the baking sheet.  Pour the remaining marinade onto the chicken.  Bake about 20 minutes (or until each breast measures 165 degrees).

Remove from oven and sprinkle parmesan onto the broccoli.  Add parsley and lemon slice garnishes (if using; I didn't).

Easy Greek Tzatziki Chicken Salad

6 oz. plain Greek yogurt (I used a 5.3 oz nonfat cup.)
2 TBSP freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 1/2 a lemon)
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBSP fresh or 2 tsp dry dill
2 TBSP parsley, chopped (could also substitute dried)
1 medium cucumber, diced (peel and seeds removed)
4 c. shredded rotisserie chicken (or leftover cooked chicken)
10 grape tomatoes, quartered
1/2 medium red onion, diced
3 oz. feta cheese, crumbled

6 pitas

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl and mix well to combine flavors.  Then add everything else (except the pitas).  Refrigerate at least 30 minutes for flavors to blend.

Serve chicken salad in pitas.  (I added fresh spinach to my pita to boost the nutritional value.)

The original recipe, which included olives, can be found HERE.

Noodles Romanoff

12-oz wide egg noodles
16-oz sour cream
1/2 stick of butter, melted
1/3 c. grated Parmesan, divided
1 clove garlic, minced
1 TBSP chopped fresh parsley
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.  Coat a 2-qt baking dish with cooking spray.  Cook noodles according to package directions.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine all the other ingredients (only 1/4 c. of Parmesan) and mix well.  Add cooked/drained noodles and toss evenly to coat.  Spoon into prepared baking dish and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese.

Cover and bake for 20 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Lemon Chicken and Asparagus Foil Packs

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (pounded to an even thickness)  OR 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 large bundle of asparagus (about 1 pound) OR about a pound of fresh broccoli florets
2 lemons, one juiced and one sliced thin
1 tsp minced garlic (1 garlic clove)
3 TBS butter, melted
1 to 1-1/2 tsp Italian seasons
salt and pepper to taste

*IF POSSIBLE, make packets earlier in the day for the flavors to marinate and then cook at dinner time.  Also delicious if you make and bake immediately.

Rinse asparagus and trim ends.  Cut stalks in half.

Lay out as many foil squares as needed.  (I used 8 thighs so used 8 foil squares.)  Place a piece of chicken in the center of each square.

Divide the asparagus (or broccoli) among each foil pack.

In a small bowl, combine the melted butter, garlic, lemon juice, and Italian seasoning.  Brush over the chicken and asparagus.  (I just spooned/drizzled it on top.)  Sprinkle with salt and pepper if desired.

Tuck in the lemon slices.

Fold up the foil to close off the pack.

Grill over medium-high heat for 7-9 minutes each side OR bake at 400 for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is cooked through and asparagus is tender.  Serve immediately.

(I served this with rice.  The juices were delicious with the rice.)

"Better Than Botox" Face Mask

{*I have not tried this recipe yet so I have no idea if it has any effect at all.}

1/4 c. yogurt (plain or Greek plain)
1/2 banana
1 tsp honey

Mash up the banana with a fork.  Add the other 2 ingredients.  Spread the mask all over your face and neck.  Relax for 15 minutes.

NOTE: For even better results, cover your face with a warm, damp washcloth while you wait the 15 minutes.