No Bake Chocolate Macaroons

This recipe was a favorite of my sister and I. We loved it when my mom would make these. When we were old enough to cook, the house always smelled like chocolate macaroons. I think we made this recipe about a couple of times a week. They are very easy and super yummy!

What you need:

2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup milk
6 tbsp cocoa
1/2 cup fine shredded coconut
3 cups oatmeal

1. Combine the first four ingredients together in a large pot and bring to a boil for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly.

2. Take pot off of stove and add the coconut and oatmeal. Mix until everything is coated.

3. Place on a wax paper lined cookie sheet by heaping tablespoon-fuls. To have these cookies ready quickly, cool in refridgerator, or leave and let cool to room temp.

Enjoy!

Note: These cookies can be frozen in an airtight plastic container for about 2-3 months.

Grilled Cheese with a Twist

I love grilled cheese but I don't like processed cheese. I also like to eat more protein with my sandwiches. So this is my twist on grilled cheese sandwiches.

What you will need:

Real Cheddar cheese
Butter
Whole Wheat Bread
Sliced Chicken or Turkey Breast

Butter one side of each slice of bread. Place butter side down on a napkin. Slice very thin slices of cheddar cheese until you have enough peices to cover each side of bread. Put the chicken or turkey breast over the cheese on one slice of the bread.

Put the other slice of bread on top. If it's too hard with the slices of cheese just transfer the cheese first and the top it with the other slice of bread. Pick up the sandwich and discard the paper towel.

Place in a med. heat frying pan and cook until both sides are browned and the cheese is all melted.

I usually eat this sandwich with a side of veggies and dill dip.

Enjoy!

PB&J, the Yummy Way!

I love having this snack while I'm watching a movie, or having a weekend treat.

What you will need:

Peanut Butter
Any flavour jam you like
Butter
2 slices of whole wheat bread

Lightly butter the outsides of both peices of bread. Set both peices of bread butter side down on a napkin.

In a bowl, mix about 2 tablespoons of peanut butter to one tablespoon of jam. Add more or less of either one if you like....Hey It's Your Sandwich ;o)

Spread one slice of bread with as much or as litle of the PB&J mixture as you like. Place the other slice over top and discard the paper towel. Fry up the sandwich in a fry pan until the bread is golden brown and crispy and the middle is yummy and melty.

When ready, cut down the middle and enjoy with a big glass of milk, juice, water, or whatever you like.

Healthy Supper -------Easy Shrimp and Whole Wheat Pasta Dinner

This is a recipe that my parents used to make. They used to use butter in this dish and white pasta so I changed things up a bit to make it healthier without losing a bit of flavour.

What you will need:

Olive Oil
30-40 or more regular sized shrimp (or jumbo if you love shrimp)
(sometimes I buy a shrimp ring to make it cheaper and easier)
garlic salt
Mc Cormicks or Mrs. Dash No Salt Added Garlic and Herb Seasoning
1 package, Whole Wheat Pasta
Parmesean Cheese

Dried parsley flakes OR fresh parsley

Put a large pot of water on maximum with the lid on until water boils.

While you are waiting for the water to boil, put a pan on the stove on medium heat and heat up about 3-4 tablespoons of olive oil.

Add cleaned and rinsed shrimp to the oil. Sprinkle the garlic salt and seasoning to taste. Cook until the shrimp is done. If you need to add more oil during cooking, you can do so adding a teaspoon at a time.
Adjust tempurature settings during cooking if needed.

Meanwhile.................once the water has started to boil, add about 5-7 shakes of salt from a salt shaker and add pasta and cook according to Al Dente directions on the back of the package.

When the pasta is cooked, drain and slowly add to the pan with the shrimp mixture.

Toss everything together until nice and hot adding any extra oil or seasoning if you desire.

Pour everything from the pan onto a serving dish and top with a few sprinklings of parmesean cheese and parsley.

You will have to change quantities of shrimp and pasta according to the number of people you are serving.

Serve and Enjoy!

Note: I always enjoy this dish with a cesear salad.

Low Fat Dessert- Easy No Bake Cherry Cheesecake

This low fat dessert recipe I got from my mom, among many others, when I got married. This cheesecake is delicious and is ready in no time. It only has one 8oz pack of cream cheese and I use light cream cheese and the rest is dream whip. You get all the flavour with a fraction of the fat from regular cheesecake.

What you will need:

2 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/2 cup butter-softened
1 cup icing sugar
8 oz light philly cream cheese-room tempurature
2 envelopes dream whip-follow directions on package
1 can cherry pie filling

1. Combine butter and graham crumbs until you are able to form into a crust. Press crust into a 9X13 inch baking dish.

2. Mix icing sugar and philly cream cheese well with electric mixer. Fold into dream whip and mix again until all ingredients are combined.

3. Spread cream cheese mixture over crust and top with cherry pie filling. Refridgerate for about 45 minutes to one hour.

Enjoy!

One of the many recipe books I can not live without.

This recipe book has saved me when I am in a pinch and need a fabulous quick dessert. This one is Company's Coming 150 Delicious Squares Recipe Book. The thing I love about this book is it is full of easy square recipes with simple ingredients. Another thing I love about squares is that they are so easy to dress up. I usually cut my squares up and before I serve, I place one-two squares per person on a dessert plate and add a scoop of frozen yogurt, or ice cream, drizzle some chocolate and caramel sauce over and serve with a dessert spoon or fork. It's always a hit and something different from the ordinary desserts. Sometimes if I'm feeling really fancy I place the squares on an angle resting against the ice cream. Or I also add a sprinkle of icing sugar or cocoa. The varieties are endless and the guests are amazed each time.

The link for this fabulous book is here below:

Company's Coming 150 Delicious Squares

Healthy ----- Simple Full Course Chicken Dinner

This chicken dinner is simple to make, tastes yummy, and consists of protein, vegetable, and carbs.

Note: Sorry, there are no exact measurments as this recipe I kind of made up on my own. So I basically add the ingredients to taste. It's not hard once you see the recipe. This recipe will vary depending on how many people you are cooking for. Right now I only cook for two.

What you will need:

Butterfly Cut Chicken Breasts (these cook up super fast)
1-2 eggs, depending on how many you are feeding.
Italian seasoned Bread Crumbs
1 bag of Roasted Chicken and Wild Rice flavoured Rice (eg. Uncle Bens)
1 Cauliflower
Parmesean Cheese
Olive Oil
Garlic salt
Parsley flakes
Salt and Pepper

Step One:
Wash and cut up califlower into bite size flowerettes. Drain, and place in a casserol dish. Drizzle on the cauliflower some olive oil. Then sprinkle on some garlic salt, pepper, a touch of salt, parsley flakes, and some parmesean cheese. Toss the cauliflower until the mixture coats it well.
Place lid on dish and put in oven on middle rack of a 375-400 degree oven. I usually stir the cauliflower every 15 minutes until my desired tenderness is reached.

Step Two
Pour olive oil into a pan to cover the bottom and set on stove. Turn the burner on to almost medium heat while you start to coat the chicken in the bread crumbs stated below.

Break the egg(s) into a bowl and beat with a fork until mixed.
Take chicken breats out of package and rinse. Place in the egg and mix until all chicken breasts are coated.
Pour seasoned bread crumbs on a dish. Turn on burner with pan and oil on it. Coat one peice of chicken at a time and set aside until all chicken breasts are coated with bread crumbs.
Place chicken into warm oil and cook on one side for about 5 minutes checking every couple minutes.

Meanwhile...........Once the chicken is in the pan, prepare rice according to direction on package, for how many people you need. The rice only takes about 10 minutes to cook.

Once rice is on the go it should be time to flip the chicken. Cook on the flipped side for about 5 minutes or until browned on the outside and cooked in the middle. The butterfly chicken should take no longer than 10 minutes to cook.

Everything should be done about the same time and ready to place on the tabel. I hope you like it!