Turkey & Pesto Sliders and Baked French Fries

Turkey Sliders found HERE

Baked French Fries found HERE

Both were SUPER good & SUPER easy!

(served with watermelon)

Grilled Yellow Squash with Fresh Dill & Feta

Not sure where I found this, but I love it! So good to throw some homegrown squash on the BBQ--and then snaz it up a bit with herbs and feta. So good!

Grilled Yellow Squash with Fresh Dill & Feta

(???)

4-6 small yellow squash (or zucchini)

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1/4 tsp sugar

1 1/2 Tblspn sherry vinegar (or substitute your favorite vinegar)

2 Tblspn fresh chopped dill

1/4 c. EVOO

1 shallot, sliced

salt & pepper to taste

crumbled feta cheese

1. Preheat gas grill or prepare coals for charcoal grill

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together mustard, vinegar, and chopped dill. Slowly whisk in olive oil, season with salt and pepper to taste, then stir in shallot slices; set aside.

3. Slice squash in half lengthwise, then add them all to the bowl of vinaigrette. Toss to coat.

4. Remove squash from marinade and grill over medium-high heat for a couple of minutes on each side, until grill marks appear and the squash is just tender. Remove to a plate, spoon remaining vinaigrette over the squash, and sprinkle with crumbled feta cheese.

Serve immediately.

Broccoli with Bleu Cheese

My sister emailed me this recipe a while back. We decided to try it out for our Father's Day dinner, since Marc is a huge bleu cheese fan. We ALL became fans after this recipe--we loved it!

Broccoli with Bleu Cheese
(thanks Rebecca!)

2 T. butter
2 T. flour
1 c. milk
3 oz. cream cheese
1/3 c. crumbled bleu cheese
1 1/4 lb. fresh steamed broccoli

Melt butter in saucepan.
Stir in flour and heat until bubbly.
Slowly add milk and stir until mixture thickens.
Add cream cheese adn bleu cheese.
Heat to boiling, stirring constantly.
Pour over broccoli and serve.

Tastes like candy!

A few weeks after Soren was born, Marc took the girls away for the long Easter weekend. My girlfriend was kind enough to bring me a full plate of Easter dinner. On it, was a serving of mashed sweet potatoes. I am not a yam fan--I don't even carry on the Skidmore tradition of "sweet potato souffle" for Thanksgiving--so I was reluctant to even try these. But having just had a baby, my appetite was out of control, so I dug in. WOW! They were awesome! They tasted just like candy....seriously. I immediately asked for the recipe (which originally came from Joy's sister-in-law). So when Marc came home from his trip, I told him about these, and since he didn't like sweet potatoes either, his lack of excitement kind of burst my enthusiasm for these. Needless to say, the recipe stayed in my "recipe folder" on my email, never being printed, and never being made--until this Christmas, that is. We had my inlaws and neighbors over for dinner, so I figured it would be a good time to make these--because even if Marc wouldn't eat them, at least someone would. Well, to make this long story short, he LOVED them, and even made the comment "they're just like candy!"

Mashed Sweet Potatoes
(thanks to Joy, and her sister-in-law Natalie)

3 c. cooked mashed yams (about 2-3 yams)
1/2 c. sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1 stick of softened butter

Peel, cut and boil yams until soft. After they are cooked, mash them together with the above ingredients, making a mashed potato consistency. Spoon into a casserole dish and top with topping:

1/4 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. flour
1/4 c. butter

Mix together to form a crumble and spread over mashed yams. Top with pecan bits--the more, the better.

**I doubled this, of course!!!

After being on the road for a week and eating more than enough fast food, I was ready for something homemade and healthy tasting. I pulled out this recipe from my "to-try" pile and paired it with rice that my friend Juli once made for me. A great meal!

Spicy Green Beans with Pork
(thanks to Family Fun, October 2008)
http://jas.familyfun.go.com/recipefinder/display?id=50588

1 pound pork tenderloin
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup chicken stock
1 tablespoon spicy bean sauce
1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/4 cup peanut or vegetable oil
1 pound green beans, trimmed and snapped in half
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup toasted white sesame seeds

1. Shave the pork into thin strips. (Tip: first partially freeze it for 30 to 90 minutes.) In a small bowl, toss the shaved pork with 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of rice wine, and the pepper. Marinate the pork at room temperature while assembling the rest of the ingredients.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining tablespoon of soy sauce, the remaining tablespoon of rice wine, the stock, spicy bean sauce, hoisin, chili garlic sauce, sugar, sesame oil, and cornstarch, and set aside.
3. Heat a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. When the oil is hot, add the beans and stir-fry them until they begin to brown or blister, about 10 minutes. Remove the beans from the pan using a slotted spoon and pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil.
4. Return the pan to the heat and add the pork, garlic, and ginger. Stir-fry the mixture until the pork is no longer pink, about 3 minutes. Add the green onions and cook for 1 minute.
5. Add the reserved sauce and green beans, mix well, and cook until the sauce begins to thicken, about one minute. Finally, sprinkle with the sesame seeds before serving. Makes about 5 cups.

(**I omitted the rice wine, spicy bean sauce, and chili garlic sauce because I didn't have them. I didn't substitute anything, just left them out. So instead of spicy beans and pork, it was more sweet. This also allowed my kids to actually taste it and they liked it! :)

Juli Miller's Fried Rice
(thanks Juli!)

2 c. cooked rice (she likes Jasmine, but I just used generic long grain white rice)
4-5 scrambled eggs (I didn't add milk, salt or pepper--just scrambled the eggs)
2-3 green onions, sliced
about 1 c. diced ham
handful of peas (I used about a cup)
soy sauce
Yoshida's gourmet sauce (this is the key ingredient!)

In large frying pan or wok, scramble eggs. Add in green onion, ham and peas until warmed through. Add in cooked rice. Drizzle with soy sauce, using only about 1-2 Tblspns and toss until evenly distributed. Then add in about 1/4c. gourmet sauce and toss until rice is evenly coated (you may need to add more).

(This recipe can easily be cut in half, as it makes a LOT!)

Sweet Texan Cornbread

We are heading out of town again today and so I did the "clean out the refrigerator meal" last night. We had southwest salads and cornbread. I love doing a southwest salad when I need to use up what's in my fridge. The key ingredient is cilantro--if you have that, it will taste southwest--then you can add just about anything else. Good salad toppers are: cilantro, tomatoes, black beans, corn, grated cheese, cucumber, leftover taco meat, grilled chicken, etc. For the dressing, I usually mix equal parts Ranch dressing and bbq sauce.

As for the cornbread...I am not sure where this recipe came from--it's been in my recipe binder for a while. It is a GREAT cornbread recipe--super moist and sweet. No butter or honey needed!

Sweet Texan Cornbread

½ c. butter, melted
1 box Jiffy cornbread mix
1 can cream style corn
1 egg
1 heaping Tblspn. sugar

Melt butter in 8 X 8 pan (or I’ve used a pie dish, or round cake pan).
Mix together egg, creamed corn, and cornbread mix.
Mix well and add sugar.
Pour into pan and stir into butter, until just blended.
Cook at 350 degrees for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes

Marc's boss had us over for dinner and served this dish with "sliders"--something I hadn't heard of until we moved here to TX (they are basically just mini-hamburgers). I followed suit and served it last night with barbequed sausage. It's a great dish, makes a lot, and is less cheesy (more healthy? :) ) than other mac-n-cheese I've had. Loved it!

Stove-Top Macaroni and Cheese with Roasted Tomatoes
(thanks to Raj Idnani and Cooking Light, January 2005)
http://find.myrecipes.com/recipes/recipefinder.dyn?action=displayRecipe&recipe_id=1011318

3 cups halved cherry tomatoes
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 ounces sourdough bread, torn into pieces
1 teaspoon butter, melted
12 ounces large elbow macaroni
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded extrasharp cheddar cheese
1/4 cup egg substitute
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 (12-ounce) can evaporated low-fat milk

Preheat oven to 375°.

Place tomatoes in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with black pepper. Bake at 375° for 30 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally.

While tomatoes cook, place bread in a food processor; pulse 2 times or until crumbly. Toss crumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle the crumbs on a baking sheet, and bake at 375° for 12 minutes or until golden, stirring frequently.

Cook macaroni in boiling water 7 minutes; drain. Return macaroni to pan; place over medium-low heat. Add cheese and remaining ingredients; cook 4 minutes or until cheese melts, stirring constantly. Stir in tomatoes. Sprinkle each serving with about 3 tablespoons breadcrumbs.

**I put the mac & cheese back in the 9 X 13 pan I was using and then sprinkled the breadcrumbs over the whole dish

Dilled Mashed Potatoes

We can't get enough mashed potatoes at our house. We eat them almost every Sunday with some type of roast. It really is my hubby's FAVORITE food of all time and so he gets put in charge of them--and he does a GREAT job. He loves to add things; aside from the traditional butter and milk, he'll put in cheese, cream cheese, bacon, sour cream, etc.--and lots of it! I took the reigns on the potatoes this week and loosely followed the recipe below. Let's say that I used it as a guide and then followed in my hubby's shoes and put in lots of the extra stuff! Mmmmm!

Dilled Mashed Potates
(Taste of Home's Simple & Delicious, Sept/Oct 2008)
http://www.tasteofhome.com/Recipes/Dilled-Mashed-Potatoes

2 pounds Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cubed
2/3 cup 4% cottage cheese
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
2 teaspoons butter
2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill or 1/2 teaspoon dill weed
(I probably put in 4X this amount!)
1/2 teaspoon salt

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water; cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender; drain. Transfer to a large mixing bowl. Add the cheeses, butter, dill and salt; beat until smooth and fluffy.

Spanish Rice

I am not a huge fan of Spanish rice. It is usually dry and rather bland, whether it be homemade (out of a package) or at a restaurant. However, a friend of mine made this and served it with shredded pork tacos and it was an instant hit for me and my family. The tacos were DELISH and so was this rice. I made it for some friends this week, and they loved it too!

Spanish Rice
(thanks Tauni--who got the recipe here:)http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/000040spanish_rice.php

2 tablespoons olive oil (can use up to 1/4 cup)
1 onion, chopped fine
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cups of medium or long-grain white rice
3 cups chicken stock*
1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste or 1 cup of diced fresh or cooked tomatoes, strained
Pinch of oregano
1 teaspoon salt
*Check the instructions on the rice package for the proportions of liquid to rice. They can range from 1:1 to 2:1. If your rice calls for 2 cups of water for every cup of rice, then for this recipe, use 4 cups of stock for 2 cups of rice.

In a large skillet brown rice in olive oil, medium/high heat. Add onion and garlic. Cook onion rice mixture, stirring frequently, about 4 minutes, or until onions are softened.
In a separate sauce pan bring stock to a simmer. Add tomato sauce, oregano, and salt. Add rice to broth. Bring to a simmer. Cover. Lower heat and cook 15-25 minutes, depending on the type of rice and the instructions on the rice package. Turn off heat and let sit for 5 minutes.
Serves 4 to 6.

Tauni's changes: she (and I) used a can of diced tomatoes instead of the tomato paste/tomatoes and sprinkled a handful of sharp cheddar cheese through it right before serving.

Chicken Fajita Tostadas with Cilantro-Lime Rice

Everything I post on this blog we have tried and liked. Some more than others. These recipes I REALLY liked (just imagine me saying "mmmmm, good" with every bite). Once I was eating these, I realized they aren't complicated and should have been something I could come up with on my own....but no, I had to wait for this recipe to show up in Martha Stewart's EveryDay Food. I was sad I wasn't home for lunch today to have them as leftovers........can't wait for tomorrow!

P.S. I took a picture of the rice, but quickly realized that the pictures in the magazine (or online) were MUCH better than mine, so I am not posting the photos I took. If you are a visual person like me, check out the links below for pictures.

Chicken Fajita Tostadas
(MS EveryDay Food, April 2008)
http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=5f2c8db237588110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&rsc=header_1&autonomy_kw=chicken-fajita+tostadas

2 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), thinly sliced
1 box (10 ounces) frozen corn kernels
1 cup prepared fresh salsa
2 tablespoons olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
4 corn tortillas (6-inch)
1/2 cup shredded sharp cheddar
Cilantro-Lime Rice, for serving (optional)

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. On foil, combine onions, bell peppers, corn, 1/4 cup salsa, and 1 tablespoon oil; season with salt and pepper.
Roast, tossing occasionally, until vegetables are tender and lightly browned, 15 to 20 minutes. Add chicken, stir to combine, and continue to roast until warmed through, 5 minutes more.

Transfer chicken and vegetable mixture to a serving bowl, discarding foil (reserve sheet).

Arrange tortillas on sheet. Dividing evenly, brush with remaining tablespoon oil; top with cheese. Bake until edges are golden and cheese is melted, 5 to 8 minutes.

Dividing evenly, top tortillas with chicken-vegetable mixture and remaining 3/4 cup salsa.

Serve with cilantro-lime rice, if desired


This rice is a great alternative to the more traditional Spanish/Mexican rice. Loved it!
Cilantro-Lime Rice
(MS EveryDay Food, April 2008)
http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/cilantro-lime-rice?lnc=861c3358f23ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=recipecontent_food

1 cup long-grain white rice
Coarse salt
1/2 cup fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 garlic clove

In a medium saucepan, bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil. Add rice and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cover, and reduce to a simmer. Cook until water is absorbed and rice is just tender, 16 to 18 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a blender, combine cilantro, lime juice, oil, garlic, and 2 tablespoons water; blend until smooth. Stir into cooked rice, and fluff with a fork.

Broccoli Salad

Tonight we are having BLT's for dinner. With them, we'll have chips, watermelon and this salad. It is a favorite of mine--and that's coming from a non-broccoli eater. Marc first had this salad at a SuperBowl party in Rochester, NY a few years back and begged me to get the recipe and make it. I fell in love with it, too!

Broccoli Salad
(thanks to either Jessica Lee or Jessica Moore!)

2 large bunches broccoli, cut into bite size pieces
1 red onion, chopped small
1 lb. Bacon, cooked and crumbled
1-1 ½ c. sunflower seeds, roasted and salted
1-1 ½ c. craisens

Dressing:
1 c. mayonnaise
1/3 c. (red wine) vinegar
2 c. sugar

Mix all salad ingredients together.
Toss salad with dressing.
Best if refrigerated for a few hours before serving.

Green Beans and Feta with Dill

Green Beans and Feta with Dill
(www.athenos.com -- it's the feta cheese brand -- I got the recipe off the packaging)

2 lb. fresh green beans, trimmed
1/2 cup prepared GOOD SEASONS Italian Salad Dressing
1/4 cup ATHENOS Traditional Feta Cheese
1/4 cup chopped red onions
1/4 cup chopped fresh dill

COOK beans in boiling water 7 min. or until crisp-tender. Drain; rinse with cold water.PLACE beans in large bowl. Add remaining ingredients; toss to coat.SERVE immediately. Or cover and refrigerate several hours or until chilled.

**I cut the recipe in half for our little family and it was perfect. I just ate the leftovers for lunch and it was really good cold as well**

Spinach and Brie Chicken with Tomato Orzo

Spinach and Brie Chicken with Tomato Orzo
(Everyday Food, May 2008)

http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.fc77a0dbc44dd1611e3bf410b5900aa0/?vgnextoid=d10f020168339110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&autonomy_kw=spinach%20adn%20brie%20chicken&rsc=header_1

Coarse salt and ground pepper
8 thin chicken cutlets (1 1/2 pounds total)
2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
1 package (10 ounces) frozen leaf spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
4 ounces Brie cheese, cut into 8 slices
1 cup orzo
2 plum tomatoes, cored and chopped
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 tablespoon butter
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Set a large saucepan of salted water to boil. Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. Place chicken on a large rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Dividing evenly, spread one side of each cutlet with mustard; top with spinach, then cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Starting at short end, roll chicken up tightly, and arrange, seam side down, on sheet.
Season rolled chicken with salt and pepper. Broil, without turning, until tops are lightly browned and chicken is cooked through, 8 to 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook orzo in boiling water until al dente. Drain well; return to pot. Add tomatoes, parsley, butter, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Serve stuffed chicken with orzo.

Cilantro-Pesto Chicken Tenders & Creamy Skillet Potatoes

Cilantro-Pesto Chicken Tenders
(Weber Grill cookbook)

2 T. coarsely chopped walnuts (I used pecans)
2 medium garlic cloves (I always double the garlic b/c I love it!)
1 1/2 c. loosely packed fresh cilantro
1/2 c. loosely packed parsley
1/2 t. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 c. olive oil
2 lbs. chicken tenders
limes

Marinade: In a food processor, finely chop the walnuts and garlic. Scrape down the sides. Add cilantro, parsley, salt and pepper and process until finely chopped. With the motor running, slowly add the oil to create a smooth puree.

Place the chicken in a baggy and add marinade. Press air out and seal. Refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove chicken and thread onto skewers. Grill over direct high heat until meat is firm and the juices run clear, about 6-8 minutes, turning once.

Serve with lime wedges (I completely forgot this part! I am bummed, b/c I love limes! But the chicken was good even without the squirt of citrus.)

Creamy Skillet Potatoes
(??i have no idea??)

7 c. cubed, uncooked red potatoes (I used Yukon gold b/c that's what I had on hand)
1/3 c. chopped onion
2 T. flour
1 packet dry Ranch dressing mix
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
1/4 tsp. salt
1/4 c. sour cream
2 c. milk

Place 1-inch of water and potatoes in a large skillet; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until tender. Drain. Coat skillet with non-stick cooking spray and add potatoes and onion. Cook over medium-high heat for 5-7 minutes or until golden brown.
In a saucepan, combine the flour, Ranch dressing mix, parsley and salt. Stir in the sour cream. Gradually add the milk, stirring until blended. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened. Pour over potatoes & toss to coat.
(I only had 1/2 packet of Ranch dressing mix, so I through in a dollop of onion & chive cream cheese, too)

Carolina Pork Twirl & Zucchini Medley

Carolina Pork Twirl
(allrecipes.com)

1 pound sliced bacon
1 (1 1/2 pound) fat-trimmed pork tenderloin
1 1/2 cups mustard-based barbeque sauce
salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Preheat a grill for medium heat. When hot, lightly oil the grate.
While the grill is heating, slice the pork tenderloin into flat strips similar to the bacon. Roll up strips of bacon inside strips of pork tenderloin and secure with moistened toothpicks. Season with salt and pepper.
Grill the rolls for about 10 minutes on one side, then turn over. Slather some barbeque sauce over them and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from the grill and let rest for 2 minutes before serving.

NOTE: Since we had pork roast last night, I planned ahead and cut off thin strips of meat before cooking. I just threw them in a ziploc bag for tonights dinner. Killed 2 birds with one stone! The amount of pork/bacon you need just depends on how many you are feeding. I used long bamboo skewers and threaded 3 "twirls" onto each skewer, and that is a light portion size. I made 4 skewers of 3 twirls each for our family of 4--but remember, Ellery only ate one piece of meat, so Marc finished up the rest.

I made another new recipe tonight of zucchini and corn baked in a cheese sauce. It was good, but similar enough to a real favorite of ours, so I thought I would share the favorite instead. This doesn't have a name, so I will just call it "Zucchini Medley." I believe this was just a concoction made up by my brother-in-law, Doug Leavitt, when trying to use up all of his summer garden vegetables. It is SO good!

Zucchini Medley
(thanks to Doug Leavitt?)

1 lb. bacon, cooked and crumbled
a few zucchini, sliced thin
a few yellow squash, sliced thin
corn, sliced right off the cob (or if you don't have that, you can use frozen corn, thawed)
1 onion, diced
cheddar cheese

Cook bacon, crumble and set aside.
In the same pan, use some of the bacon grease and saute zucchini, squash, corn and onion.
Once vegetables are cooked, put bacon back in, toss, and sprinkle with cheddar cheese.

OK, so it's not low-fat, but it's SO good!

Gouda Stuffed Chicken Breasts & Cheesy Harvest Vegetables

Both of these dishes are "so last season"--meaning they just taste like Fall--very October-November. Between the apples in in the chicken dish and the Fall vegetables seasoned with a hint of nutmeg, you can't help but think of crunchy leaves and crisp sunny days with wood burning fireplaces scenting the air. OK, enough reminiscing about the East coast....this meal was just as good mid-January in Texas.
(notice how I am not quoting Marc in my review...he was feeling too much pressure as my food critic)

Gouda Stuffed Chicken
(Light & Tasty, Feb/March 2008)

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (6 ounces each)
2 ounces smoked Gouda cheese, cut into thin pieces
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons canola oil, divided
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup apple cider or unsweetened apple juice
2 large tart apples, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon honey

Cut a slit lengthwise through the thickest part of each chicken breast; fill with cheese. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, salt and pepper. Dip chicken in flour mixture on both sides; shake off excess. In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, cook chicken in 1-1/2 teaspoons oil over medium heat for 8-10 minutes on each side or until juices run clear. Remove and keep warm.
In the same skillet, saute garlic in remaining oil for 30 seconds. Add broth and cider, stirring to loosen browned bits. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 12-14 minutes or until mixture is reduced to about 1 cup.
Stir in apples and honey; return to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 5-7 minutes or until apples are crisp-tender. Serve over chicken.
4 Servings.

Cheesy Harvest Vegetables
(Kraft Foods, Fall 2006)

2 lb. mixed fall vegetables (butternut squash, sweet potatoes, turnips, parsnips and carrots), peeled, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 6 cups)
3 cups milk
1 pkg. (8 oz.) cream Cheese, cubed
1 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
8 RITZ Crackers, crushed (about 1/3 cup crumbs)

Preheat oven to 350°F.
Place vegetables and milk in large saucepan. Bring to boil on medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 20 min. or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally.
Add cream cheese; cook until completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring frequently. Stir in Parmesan cheese and nutmeg.
Pour into greased 2-qt. casserole dish; sprinkle with cracker crumbs.
Bake 30 min. or until top is golden brown and vegetable mixture is heated through.
(I used slightly less than 6 cups of veggies and ended up with a little too much sauce, so don't be afraid to be generous with your veggies, plus that will feed more. If you have a small family, cut the entire recipe in half. I also used about 1lb. carrots, 1/2 lb. butternut squash and 1/2 lb sweet potatoes (to equal the 2 lb.), just because I knew that's what my family was more likely to eat)

Saturday nights dinner menu

Cahoon's Crockpot Roast
("Favorite's" cookbook)

3-5 lb. beef roast
garlic salt, to taste

Garlic salt the roast and place in crockpot (no need to brown first)

1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 pkg dry onion soup mix
1 can beef gravy (I forgot to buy this, so I just added 1 1/2 c. water and some dry gravy mix I had)
1/2 c. brown sugar
3 T. vinegar
2 T. soy sauce
1 T. Worcestershire sauce

Mix all together and pour over roast. Cook for about 12 hrs. on low, or 6-7 hours on high. Remove roast. Strain gravy and thicken with a mixture of cornstarch and cold water until preferred consistency.
(We did not use the gravy since our potatoes did not require gravy. But it does make a lot of gravy that would be great over mashed potatoes!)

Blue Cheese Potatoes
(Quick Cooking, March/April 2002)

2 lbs. red potatoes, cut into chunks
1/4 c. whipping cream, whipped (but not sweetened)
1/4 c. crumbled bleu cheese
1 c. mayonnaise
1/2 lb. sliced bacon, cooked and crumbled

Place the potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat; cover and cook until tender, about 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, fold whipped cream and bleu cheese into mayonnaise. Drain potatoes; gently stir in bleu cheese mixture. Sprinkle with bacon. Serve warm. 6-8 servings.
(OK, so they aren't low fat, but man, they were so good!)

Steamed Baby Carrots

OK, so their really isn't a recipe for these. I just steamed about 1.5 lbs. baby carrots for about 25 minutes, then tossed with butter and brown sugar. YUM!

Tart Lemon Ring Mold
(Taste of Home, April/May 2002)

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1 c. cold water
2 pkgs. (3 oz. each) lemon gelatin
2 c. boiling water
1 can (12 oz.) frozen limeade concentrate, thawed
2 c. whipping cream
3 Tblspn. powdered sugar
fresh strawberries

In a small saucepan, sprinkle unflavored gelatin over cold water; let stand for 1 minute. Bring to a boil; cook and stir until gelatin is dissolved. In a large mixing bowl, dissolve lemon gelatin in boiling water. Stir in unflavored gelatin mixture and limeade concentrate. Refrigerate until slightly thickened.
In a small mixing bowl, beat cream until soft peaks form. Add sugar, 1 Tblspn at a time, beating until stiff peaks form. Beat the gelatin until frothy. Stir in the whipped cream. Pour into an 8-cup ring mold (I used a bundt pan) coated with nonstick cooking spray; refrigerate until set.
Unmold onto a serving platter (easy to do if you float the pan in warm water for just a few seconds to loosen the mold). Fill the center and surrounding edges with sliced strawberries.
10-14 servings.
(This made for a great, fresh presentation. Very pretty with the soft yellow and red. It is quite tart, so it was not everyone's favorite, but I love anything citrus and thoroughly enjoyed it. It would be great in the summertime, especially at a BBQ or other outdoor party)

Mint-Chocolate Ice Cream Cake
(Simple & Delicious, July/August 2007)

1 pkg. Suzy Q's (or DingDongs, Ring Dings, etc.)
3 c. mint chocolate ice cream, softened
12 Oreo cookies, crushed, divided in half
2 c. whipping cream (or Cool Whip)
1/2 tsp. mind extract, optional

Line a large loaf pan (8 X 4 X 2") with plastic wrap. Place 4 Suzy Q's (I used 6 Ding Dongs) in pan, completely covering the bottom. Spread ice cream over the Suzy Q's; sprinkle with 1/2 of the cookie crumbs. Press remaning Suzy Q's (or another 6 Ding Dong's) on top. Cover and freeze for at least 3 hours.
Just before serving, remove from the freezer adn invert onto a serving plate. Remove pan and plastic wrap. Combine whipped topping and extract, if desired (I left it out); frost top and sides of cake. Sprinkle with remaining cookie crumbs.
Slice and serve.
8 servings.
(Super easy to make--in fact, it's a great recipe to let kids make. I thought it might be so simple that is would just taste like a few ingredients served together, but it was actually better than I thought. Marc even compared it to a Baskin Robbins cake!)