Mashed Potato Quesadillas

2 cups mashed potatoes
6-8 slices cooked bacon, crumbled
1/4 cup sliced green onions
8 flour tortillas
2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese
1 cup salsa
1/4 cup sour cream

Stir together mashed potatoes, bacon and green onions and warm in a skillet until heated through. Spread mashed potato mixture onto 4 tortillas, spreading to within 1/2 inch of the edges. Sprinkle the shredded cheese on top of the mashed potatoes and top with the remaining tortillas. Spray each side of quesadilla with cooking spray.
Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Place a quesadilla into the preheated pan, and cook until golden brown and crispy, then turn over and continue cooking on the other side until browned, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Repeat with remaining quesadillas. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

Garden Vegetable Black Bean Soup

(Originally posted by Renee)
3 (15 oz) can Black beans, rinsed and drained
2 (about 2-3 cups) green peppers, chopped
2 cups celery chopped
2-3 cups onions, chopped
1 T olive oil
3 cubes vegetarian boullion cubes (can substitute chicken cubes)
3/4 tsp oregano or Italian seasoning
2 1/2 cups water (can use vegetable broth or chicken broth, omit boullion)
2 cups carrots, chopped
2 cups frozen corn
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 cups fresh tomotoes, chopped (or 2 cans)
3/4 tsp ground cumin
salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot (5 qt or more), cook pepper, carrots, celery, corn, onion, and garlic in oil until tender. (You may substitute frozen versions of all veggies. It is equally delicious and quite time saving.)

2. Puree 2 cans rinsed beans, one at a time with 1/2 cup water each. If using broth, use broth in place of water. Swish blender with remaining liquid and add all to sauteed veggies.

3. Add any remaining liquid, 1 can rinsed and drained whole beans, tomatoes, and spices. Bring to a boil.

4. Reduce heat. Cover and simmer 20 minutes.

**Great served with sour cream, your favorite fresh bread, or tortilla strips**

Shortcut Pumpkin Bread

Prepare a yellow cake mix according to package directions, omitting water.
Stir in 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 cup mashed bananas, and 1 tsp cinnamon.
Pour into a greased 9-inch loaf pan.
Bake at 375 degrees for 50 minutes.
In a mixer bowl, beat 4 oz. softened cream cheese and 1/4 cup softened butter until creamy.
Stir in 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and slowly add 1 cup powdered sugar.
Frost cooled bread; chill.

*One slice actually counts as 1/2 serving of fruits and veggies* Imagine how many servings the whole loaf will yield?? :)

Pumpkin Dip

1- 8 oz cream cheese
2 cups powdered sugar
2 cups pumpkin (fresh or 15 oz can)
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp ginger

Mix cream cheese and powdered sugar until well blended.
Mix in all other ingredients.
Refrigerate to firm it a bit.
Serve with vanilla wafers, ginger snaps, apple slices, etc.

Freezes very well.

Pumpkin Pie Dip

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese, softened
2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
Gingersnap cookies (graham crackers, Nilla Wafers, etc)

1. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and confectioners' sugar until smooth

2. Beat in the pumpkin, sour cream, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and ginger until blended.

3. Serve with gingersnaps.

4. Refrigerate leftovers. (Yield: 4 cups)

Maple Pumpkin Bacon Flan

15 oz can of pumpkin puree

3 egg yolks

2 eggs

1/3 c maple syrup

1/3 c reduced fat sour cream

4 strips cooked bacon

salt and pepper to taste

Blend all ingredients in blender except bacon until smooth. Stir in bacon broken into bits.

Coat six 6 oz ramekins with cooking spray and pour in the batter. Place cups in a roasting pan, add enough hot water to come half way up the sides of the cups, and bake for 30 minutes at 350.

Remove from oven and let rest 20 minutes. Use a knife around edges of the flans and unmold them onto plates. Garnish with sour cream if desired.

Gruyere Mushroom Quiche

6 oz grated Gruyere

½ c milk

½ cream

1 lb mushrooms

2 chopped shallots

nutmeg to taste

2 eggs

1 egg yolk

1 pie crust

Saute mushrooms dry with shallots. Drain any moisture. Sprinkle half of cheese into crust. Put mushrooms on top. Sprinkle remaining cheese. Combine egg, milk, cream, and nutmeg. Pour over mushrooms.

Bake at 375 for 40 minutes..

Pear Chocolate Tarte

2 ripe pears, peeled and cut into spears in eighths

100 g semisweet or 70% chocolate

1 piecrust

2 eggs, beaten

1 stick of butter, melted

¾ cup of almond meal/flour (they sell this at Meijer’s & Kazmeier’- Bob’s Red Barn Mill brand)

1 c of powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 375

Unroll the pie crust into a round, 11 inch tarte pan. Pierce the crust on the bottom several times with a fork.

Melt the chocolate in a bowl in the microwave until smooth, 30 seconds at a time, mixing after each heating. Pour over the piecrust and spread gently with a rubber spatula.

In a bowl, mix the almond meal, the powdered sugar, the butter and two beaten eggs until just blended.

Pour over the chocolate covered pie crust. Arrange pear spears on top of batter.

Bake approximately 45-55 minutes. Check to make sure center is set and cooked through before removing from oven.

Oatmeal Pancakes from Cooking Light

1/4 c flour (I used whole wheat)
1 c quick oats (the recipe says it needs to be quick kind)
1 tbl sugar
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt

1 c buttermilk
2 tbl melted butter
1 large egg


Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together wet ingredients, and then add to dry
stirring until just moist. Cook in a griddle with canola oil or spray.

Aunt Kitter's Stromboli

2 loaves frozen bread dough
10 slices pepperoni
10 slices cooked ham
10 slices hard salami
10 slices provolone
10 slices mozzerlla
Spagetti sauce
mustard, mayo

Thaw bread till soft and roll into rectangle. Spoon medium layer of spagetti sauce down thru the middle of the rolled out bread. Layer with meats and cheeses. (5 of each). On the other loaf use the mustard/mayo mixed as your sauce. Fold over longways and pinch together tightly. Put 2-3 slits on the top and let raise a little (30 min). Bake at 375 on a greased cookie sheet for 20-25 min or until golden brown on top and no longer gooey. Take out and brush with butter across the top.

We usually make 2 loaves b/c it's super yummy as leftovers and one just isn't quite enough for one meal.

French Chocolate Pie

3/4 cup butter, unsalted
1 1/8 c. sugar
2 squares melted chocolate (unsweetened, nestle)
1 tsp. vanilla
3 eggs
Graham cracker crumbs

Make crust (as directed on crumb box) in metal pie pan and chill for 45 min. Set aside 2 T of crust to sprinkle on top of pie later. Cream butter, blend in sugar, add chocolate and vanilla. Add 1 egg at a time, beating with mixer on medium each egg for 5 min before adding the next. Yes you will be beating for a total of 15 min. Pour into graham cracker crust. Sprinkle the 2T of crust on top. Chill 2-3 hrs or until set. Keep refridgerated at all times.

Special K Bars

6 Cups Special K
1 cup white karo syrup
1 cup sugar
2 T butter
1 18 oz jar peanut butter
6 oz choc chips
6 oz butterscotch chips

Mix peanut butter and cereal (ok if cereal gets crushed). On stove top bring karo syrup, sugar and butter to a boil. Mix with cereal. Press into 9x13 pan. Melt chips in microwave 2-3 min. Frost and refridgerate at least 1-2 hrs. Cut at room temp. Store in ziplock or tupperware in cool place.