Dreamsicle Pudding

1 pkg sugar-free instant orange flavored Jell-O
1 pkg sugar-free instant vanilla pudding
1 can mandarin oranges, drained
1 small container fat-free Cool Whip

Dissolve Jello-O in 1 cup of very hot water. Add another cup of ice cold water or crushed ice. Let sit for 5 minutes.
With mixer, blend in the pudding mix. Stir in the oranges. Fold in the Cool Whip. Refrigerate at least 2 hours prior to serving.

Nick Dyer's Mormon Funeral Potatoes

From my nephew Nick!!  These are so yummy ...

1 30-ounce bag frozen shredded (not diced!) hash brown potatoes, thawed
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cups sour cream*
2 oz. cream cheese*
1 cup grated cheddar*
one-half cup melted butter*
1 onion, chopped finely & sauteed
2 cups lightly crushed cornflakes
salt to taste

Lightly crush cornflakes to about half original size. (Some people like them really fine and other people enjoy non-crushed at all. I like them best in the middle. :D ) Set aside. In a large mixing bowl, combine remaining ingredients. Blend well, but don’t use an electric mixer – you want the potatoes to retain their shredded shape. Pour potato mixture in a large oblong pan. (I used a 9x13 glass baking pan.) Sprinkle crushed cornflakes on top and bake at 350 degrees for 45-60 minutes or until center is completely melted. My original recipe said only 30 minutes, but it was COMPLETELY not ready at that time. Serve hot.

*Do not use low-fat versions of these ingredients. Low-fat sour cream and cheddar will not melt, and margarine has water in it.

~~~~
Ask and ye shall receive, Aunt Dianne!!! I changed a couple things today - used cream of mushroom instead of chicken since my dad is vegetarian and put an extra layer of grated cheddar under the corn flakes. Also, some people put 1/2 cup ...chopped green onions and/or sauteed celery into these things. (I didn't think of the green onions today and am not a huge fan of the celery, so neither made it into the final pan.)
Also, I baked them covered for thirty minutes and am now baking them uncovered for an additional 15-20 minutes. (Keeps the top from being TOO crunchy.)

CREAMED CABBAGE

This is a great recipe for cabbage from an Enola Prudhomme cookbook (sister of Paul Prudhomme)!!

1 Small head cabbage, coarsely chopped (about 6 cups)
2 T reduced-calorie margarine
1 cup finely chopped onions
1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper
1/3 cup finely chopped celery

1 10-1/2 oz. can reduced-calorie cream of mushroom soup
1 cup evaporated skim milk
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
1/2 tsp. minced fresh garlic

1/8 tsp. paprika
1/8 tsp. coarsely ground black pepper

     Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
     Place the cabbage in a large bowl and add enough water to cover;  let soak for a few minutes to clean the cabbage, then drain and place in a 1-1/2 quart baking dish that has been sprayed with PAM.  Set aside.
     In a medium saucepan over high heat, melt the margarine and add the onions, bell pepper, and celery.  Cook, stirring, for 5 minutes.  Add the next 5 ingredients and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often.  Remove from heat and pour over the cabbage.  Sprinkle with the paprika and black pepper.  Bake for 30 minutes.

Makes 6 servings.  Each serving:  92 calories, 2 gm fat

Pork Tenderloin

Dianne Ledet

1/8 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. ground white pepper

1/4 tsp. celery seeds

1/4 tsp. ground red pepper

1/4 tsp. chili powder

1/4 tsp. paprika

4 pork tenderloins (1 oz. each)

1 cup very finely chopped onions

1 tsp. cornstarch

1 Tblsp. dry sherry

1 can beef broth

1 green bell pepper, loosely chopped

1 red bell pepper, loosely chopped

In a small bowl, combine the first 6 ingredients. Mix well

and sprinkle over both sides of the pork; set aside.

Spray the inside of a medium skillet with PAM and heat

til very hot over high heat. Add the pork and cook for 10

minutes, or until brown on both sides, turning often.

Add the onions and bell peppers and cook for 2 minutes,

stirring often. Dissolve the cornstarch in the sherry and

add to the skillet along with the beef broth. Cook for 5

minutes or until the sauce thickens.

Personal Notes: Recipe can be doubled, tripled, etc ... but

be careful when doubling or tripling pepper!!!

Tomato-Basil Soup

4 cups tomatoes, peeled, cored and chopped, or canned whole tomatoes, crushed
4 cups tomato juice OR part tomato juice and part vegetable or chicken stock
14 washed fresh basil leaves
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 pound sweet, unsalted butter
Salt to taste
1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper

Combine tomatoes, juice/and or stock in saucepan. Simmer 30 minutes. Puree, along with the basil leaves, in small batches, in blender, food processor (or better yet, one of those handy hand-held food blenders, right in the cooking pan). Return to saucepan and add cream and butter, while stirring, over low heat. Garnish with basil leaves and serve with your favorite bread.

NOTE:  Use only FRESH basil ... no substitute will taste the same!

Bean Dip

If you're kin to me ... you have pinto beans left over from time to time!  Here's a great way to use them.


1 can (16 ounces) refried beans OR 2 cups left-over pinto beans, smashed

1 cup picante sauce
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
 3/4 cup sour cream
1 package (3 ounces) cream cheese, softened
1 tablespoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

Tortilla chips and salsa

In a large bowl, combine the first eight ingredients; transfer to a 1-1/2-qt. slow cooker. Cover and cook on high for 2 hours or until heated through, stirring once or twice. Serve with tortilla chips and salsa. Yield: 4-1/2 cups.

Mac and Cheese

8 ounces (2 C.) dry Elbow Macaroni
2 Tbsp. Nonfat Dry Milk
2 Tbsp. Flour
1 Tbsp. Butter, melted
1 1/4 C. boiling water
3 C. (12 ounces) grated Velveeta, divided
1/4 tsp. Salt

Put Velveeta cheese in freezer for about 10-15 minutes to make it easier to grate.  Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain and set aside. Heat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix dry milk, flour and butter. Gradually add boiling water, beating constantly. Add 1-1/2 cups cheese and continue beating until smooth and creamy. Stir in macaroni, 1 cup of the remaining cheese and salt. Transfer to lightly greased 2-quart baking dish. Cover with foil.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove foil. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup cheese. Continue baking 1 minute, or until cheese melts