Chocolate Playdough

1 1/4 cups Flour
1/2 cup Cocoa powder
1/2 cup slat
1/2 Tbl. Cream of tartar
1 1/2 Tbl. Oil
1 cup Boiling water

Mix the dry ingredients. Add the oil and water. Stir quickly and mix well. (You might need to add a little extra water.)

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Chocolate Playdough Yum

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1 cup Baby field greens or Spring Mix or any salad greens mixture of your choice
6 Cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 can (14 oz.) Artichoke hearts, drained and cut into quarters*
1 Tbl. Red wine vinegar
2 tsp. Extra virgin olive oil
1 small clove Garlic, finely minced
To taste Salt
To taste Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 Tbl. Grated Parmesan cheese

In serving bowl, arrange greens, tomatoes and artichoke hearts. In separate small bowl, whisk together vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. Toss into salad and garnish with cheese.

Yield: 2 servings

Per serving: 91 calories, 5g total fat (<1g saturated fat), 9g carbohydrates, 4g protein, 2g dietary fiber, 318 mg sodium.

Preparation time: 15 minutes

*Remaining artichoke hearts may be refrigerated for up to 5 days or frozen for 1-2 months.

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Artichoke Salad with Baby Greens Yum

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NO-BAKE CHERRY CHOCOLATE SHORTCAKE

1 (10 3/4 oz.) divided Frozen loaf pound cake, thawed
1 can (21 oz.) divided Cherry pie filling, chilled
1/3-cup Cocoa or Dutch processed cocoa
1/2-cup Powdered sugar
1 container (8oz.)(3 1/2 cups) Frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed

Slice pound cake horizontally into three layers. Place bottom cake layer on serving plate; top with half the pie filling, using mostly cherries. Repeat with middle cake layer and remaining pie filling; place rounded layer on top. Cover; refrigerate several hours.

Sift cocoa and powdered sugar onto whipped topping; stir until mixture is blended and smooth. Immediately spread over top and sides of cake, covering completely.

Refrigerate leftover shortcake.

Yield: 6 servings
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No-Bake Cherry Chocolate Shortcake Yum

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FRUITY SPINACH SALAD

Prep/Total Time: 15 minutes

*ONE SERVING *TWO SERVINGS
1 1/2 cups 3 cups Loosely packed fresh baby spinach
2 Tablespoons 1/4 cup Sliced celery
approx. 1/4 cup 1/3 cup Canned mandarin oranges
1/4 medium 1/2 medium Apple, cubed
2 Tablespoons 1/4 cup Seedless red or green grapes, halved
1 Tablespoon 2 Tablespoons Sliced almonds, toasted
2 Tablespoons 1/4 cup Reduced-fat raspberry vinaigrette

* This recipe is given in amounts for 1 serving or 2 servings, but the web conversion runs them together. Sorry about that. Use either the first measurement or the second measurement for each ingredient, depending on which size of the recipe you prefer.

Toast almonds in microwave or skillet.

Divide the spinach, celery, oranges, apple and grapes between two (if preparing 2 servings) salad plates.

Sprinkle with almonds.

Drizzle with dressing.

Yield: 2 servings

Nutritional Analysis:
One serving: 1 1/2 cups equals 130 calories, 4 g fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 547 mg sodium, 23 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 3 g protein.

Diabetic Exchanges: 1 1/2 fruit, 1 fat

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Fruity Spinach Salad Yum

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BROCCOLI POTATO SOUP

2 cups Broccoli florets
1 small Onion, thinly sliced
1 Tbl. Butter or margarine
1 can (10 3/4 oz.) Condensed cream of potato soup, undiluted
1 cup Milk (whole milk makes the creamiest soup)
1/2 cup Water
3/4 tsp. Minced fresh basil
OR
1/4 tsp. Dried basil
1/4 tsp. Pepper (white is best)
1/3 cup Shredded cheddar cheese

In a large saucepan, saut? broccoli and onion in butter until tender.

Stir in soup, milk, water, basil and pepper; heat through.

Add cheese; stir until melted.

Yield: 4 servings

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Broccoli Potato Soup Yum

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Hot Crab Spread

1 pkg. (3 oz.) Cream cheese
2 Tbl. White wine, optional
1/2 tsp. Dijon mustard
Dash Salt
Dash Pepper (white is best)
1/2 cup Cooked, flaked crab (out of the can is easiest)

Combine all ingredients except crab, and warm slowly in a saucepan.

Stir in crab and heat through.

Serve hot with crackers or bread rounds or baugette rounds.

Yield: 2/3 cup

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Hot Crab Spread Yum

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Coconut-Nutmeg Cookies

1 (1lb. 3oz.) pkg. of yellow or white cake mix (I prefer white)
1/2 cup Soft butter
1 Egg
2 tsp. Water
1 tsp. Vanilla extract (more if desired, instead of some of the water)
1/2 tsp. Nutmeg
1 cup Flaked coconut
Optional:
1 Tbl. Pineapple or orange juice (instead of some of the water)
Optional:
nut pieces, raisins, chocolate chips, colored sugars or topping of your choice

Combine cake mix, butter, egg, water (juices and/or vanilla if used) and nutmeg. Beat at medium speed for 1 1/2 minutes or until well blended. Stir in coconut.

Drop from a cookie dropper or teaspoon or make into balls. Dip top of cookie into colored sugar or top cookies with any of the above ingredients as desired. One piece in the center is attractive.

Place raw cookies on lightly greased baking sheet.

Bake in moderate oven (350 degree oven) for 12 to 15 minutes or until a finger test (doesn't make a deep indent with a light touch of a finger) indicates that they are done.

Yield: 3 1/2 dozen (2 1/4″) cookies

TIP:
If someone leaves the cover off of the cookie storage container or they are on a serving plate for an extended amount of time, and they dry out, wet the inside of the storage container lid by running it under the faucet and place the lid on the container, without drying the lid. In the morning the cookies will be moist and like fresh.

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Coconut-Nutmeg Cookies Yum

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NOODLES PARMESAN

6 Tbl. Butter or margarine, softened
3 oz. Cream cheese, softened
1 Tbl. Snipped parsley
1/2 tsp. Dried basil, crushed
3 oz. Thin noodles
1/2 clove Garlic, minced
1/3 cup Grated Parmesan cheese
1/8 tsp. Salt
1/8 tsp. Pepper (white is best)
1/3 cup Boiling water (for sauce)
Additional for cooking Salted, boiling water

Combine 2 Tablespoons butter, cream cheese, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper; blend.

Stir in 1/3 cup boiling water; mix well. Keep warm.

Cook noodles in boiling salted water; drain.

Cook garlic in remaining butter for 1 to 2 minutes; pour over hot noodles; toss.

Add half the Parmesan cheese; toss lightly.

Pile noodles on serving plate; spoon sauce over.

Top with remaining Parmesan.

Yield: 2 servings.

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Noodles Parmesan Yum

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HEAVENLY BREASTS OF CHICKEN

4 whole Chicken breasts, boned
4 slices Swiss cheese
4 thin slices Ham
1 Egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup Butter
1/4 lb. Fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/3 cup White cooking wine
2 Tbls. All-purpose flour
1 tsp. Salt
1/2 tsp. Pepper (white is best)
1/2 cup Cream
2 Tbls. Minced parsley
Garnish Parsley
Meat mallet

Remove skin from chicken breasts. Flatten each, using a meat mallet until it is the size of the ham and cheese slice. Place 1/2 slice of cheese, a slice of ham and remaining 1/2 cheese slice on each half of chicken breast. Top with the other breast half. Moisten edges of chicken in egg. Melt butter in large skillet. Saut? chicken for 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat. Turn and continue cooking 5 to 6 minutes. Remove to serving platter. Keep warm in oven. Place mushrooms in skillet. Pour in wine and simmer until liquid is reduced to half. Blend in flour, salt, pepper and cream.

Stir until thick. Serve over chicken and garnish with parsley.

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Heavenly Breasts of Chicken Yum

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