peanut butter kisses...(revisited)

48 Hershey's Kisses

1/2 cup shortening

3/4 cup creamy peanut butter

1/3 cup granulated sugar

1/3 cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

2 Tbsp milk

1 tsp vanilla extract

1-1/2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 tsp salt

granulated sugar

Heat oven to 375°F. Remove wrappers from chocolates. Beat shortening and peanut butter in large bowl until well blended. Add 1/3 cup granulated sugar and brown sugar; mix until fluffy. Add egg, milk and vanilla and mix well. In a separate bowl stir together flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into peanut butter mixture. Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in granulated sugar; place on greased cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately press a chocolate into center of each cookie. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely.

I made these a few months ago, but I like this recipe from Hershey's Kitchen much better!!

southwest beans...

1 can kidney beans; rinsed and drained

1 can black beans; rinsed and drained

1 can fat-free re fried beans

1 can pinto beans; rinsed and drained

1 can diced green chili's

1 can diced stewed tomatoes

1 can corn

1 envelope taco seasoning

1 envelope ranch dip mix

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Place in crock pot on low 2-3 hours, or warm for 5-6 hours.

This was really good, and could not be easier. It would make a great chili, a great dip for chips, a burrito or taco filling, or whatever you want it to be! Offer it as a healthy (no one would even know or care) option while you watch a little football (or great commercials) this weekend. The length of time to cook this is really up to you. It really just needs to be warmed through long enough for the beans to soften. I cooked mine on warm for about 5 hours and turned it up to low for one hour. The longer it sits, the better just so the seasonings can combine well.

(1 cup=1point)

sugar cookie bars...

1 cup butter; room temp.

2 cups sugar

4 eggs

2 tsp vanilla

5 cups flour

1 tsp salt

1/2 tsp soda

Frosting:

1/2 cup butter; room temp

1/2 cup shortening

1 tsp vanilla

pinch of salt

4 cups powdered sugar

5 Tbsp milk

food coloring (if desired)

Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add vanilla & mix well. In a separate bowl combine flour, salt & soda & stir with a whisk to combine. Add to wet mixture and mix just until combined. Spread on a greased baking sheet (I used a 13 x 18 half sheet pan). Bake at 375 degrees for 10-15 min, until light golden brown or until a toothpick comes out clean.

For frosting combine butter and shortening until smooth and creamy. Add vanilla and salt. Add powdered sugar in 1-2 cup increments until combined, then add milk & mix until smooth and spreading consistency.

If you LOVE frosted sugar cookies (and seriously, who doesn't???), but don't like all of the work associated with making them...these babies are for you. The cookie is a cross between a cake & a cookie and the frosting...oh...the frosting...!!!!! Treats with frosting have never offended me.

(I dare you to figure out the points...)

chicken club pizza...

1 "thin crust" pizza crust
1/2 cup reduced fat sour cream

1/2 cup 1/3 less fat cream cheese

1/2 packet ranch dip mix

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

8 slices bacon, cooked & crumbled

2 cups shredded romaine lettuce

1/2 cup chopped tomatoes; if desired

Cook pizza crust according to directions; let cool completely. Meanwhile, mix sour cream, cream cheese & ranch seasoning; set aside. When crust is cooled spread on cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle with chicken, bacon, lettuce and tomatoes. Slice & serve.

*recipe adapted from here*

Just a delicious way to use up that cooked chicken!!!

chicken, chicken & more chicken...

I was cooking chicken in the crock pot the other day and decided to cook a lot of chicken and use it different ways throughout the week. I just put in a bunch of frozen chicken tenderloins and a packet of salad dressing mix (and a few carrots) , and cooked it on low for six hours. When it was done I shredded it, made chicken quesadillas, and stored the rest of it in the fridge.

Since then we've had chicken salad, chicken noodle soup & chicken club pizza...more recipes to come! (I know, I know...you can hardly wait...)

cream cheese potato soup...

4 cups chicken broth

6-7 cups potatoes, peeled and cubed

1/4 cup onion, minced

1/2 teaspoon seasoning salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 Tbsp dried or fresh chopped parsley

1 8oz pkg 1/3 less fat cream cheese, cut into chunks

1 cup frozen corn

Bacon; cooked & crumbled (if desired)

In a medium sized soup pot bring potatoes, onions & seasonings to a boil. Reduce heat and continue to cook until potatoes are fork tender. Remove about 1/2 cup of the potatoes & mash to release the starch and act as a thickening agent. Reduce heat to low and add cream cheese, stirring until melted. Add corn & heat through. Serve with crumbled bacon on top.

I got this AMAZING soup recipe from Marci and LOVED it!!!!! I have another potato cheese soup that I love (hi Lindz!!), and this one is a dead heat for the favorite. The plus side of this one is that it takes less time and is a lot less fattening. With the light cream cheese it is a very light soup. If you are serving a crowd (more than 4 people) double the recipe...you will want leftovers! Marci suggested some great add ins: cheddar cheese, scallions, corn, carrots, bacon or Italian sausage. I added the corn and just crumbled one slice of bacon on the top. This will be a new favorite during the cold months. I seriously was in heaven with this one!

(1 cup soup with 1 piece of bacon 5 pts)

cheddar-cornmeal waffle blt...

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 cups cornmeal

2 Tbsp baking powder

2 tsp salt

2 Tbsp sugar

4 eggs, separated

2 cups milk

8 Tbsp butter, melted

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

8 oz bacon, cooked

tomato

lettuce

mayonnaise

salt

pepper

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt & sugar. In a medium bowl whisk together egg yolks, milk and melted butter. Add to dry ingredients and stir until combined. Stir in cheese.

In another medium bowl beat the egg whites until stiff. Gently fold into batter.

Bake on waffle iron (according to iron directions).

Toast waffles under the broiler for a few minutes and assemble with mayo, bacon, lettuce, tomato, salt & pepper.

DELICIOUS!

This was a winner. It was a nice change from original blt's on toast. You could easily make the waffles ahead of time and just toast them under the broiler right before serving to cut down on the prep. My kids ate the insides of the sandwich, then dunked the waffles in a little syrup...not exactly what I had planned, but whatever..they ate their dinner.