Monthly Archives: December 2013

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Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies

Only two were left after our Christmas with my Dad.

blueberrycookies

Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies
2 oz light cream cheese
1 roll (16.5 oz) Pillsbury® refrigerated sugar cookie dough
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons grated lemon peel
1 cup frozen blueberries

Place cream cheese in freezer until firm but not solid, about 25 minutes. Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, break up cookie dough. Stir or knead in flour and lemon peel until well blended. Cut firm cream cheese into 72 (1/4-inch) cubes. Shape level measuring tablespoonful of dough into ball. Make 3 indentations with end of wooden spoon. Fill each indentation with 1 cube cream cheese. Wrap dough around cream cheese to completely enclose, and shape into ball. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Press 4 or 5 blueberries into each ball of dough. Bake 10 to 14 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely.
Yield: 20 cookies. Per cookie= 121 Calories; 6g Fat (43.7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 16g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 2mg Cholesterol; 78mg Sodium.

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Herb and Cheese Beer Bread

A delicious variation on simple beer bread.

herbbeerbread

Beer Bread with Cheese & Herbs
3 cups reduced fat Bisquick
3 Tablespoons sugar
3 TB Parmesan Cheese, shredded
1 teaspoons dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
dash garlic powder
1 (12 ounce) light beer

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9 x 5 inch loaf pan with non stick spray. In a large bowl, mix together Bisquick, sugar, Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and garlic powder, using a wire whisk to mix the ingredients. Add the beer and stir with a mixing spoon, it will be sticky. Pour batter into prepared baking pan and let it rise for 5 – 20 minutes before baking. Bake for 50-60 minutes or until a tooth pick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Yield: 10 Servings. Per serving= 168 Calories; 3g Fat (15.6% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 30g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 1mg Cholesterol; 484mg Sodium.

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Lumps of Coal

well, if you shaped them into nice round balls you could call these Raspberry Truffles. I’m calling them lumps of coal.

raspberrytruffles

Lumps of Coal
8 oz light cream cheese
36 reduced fat Oreo cookies, finely crushed
1/3 c. sugar free raspberry jam
1/4 c. chopped Craisins
8 oz milk chocolate chips, melted

Combine cream cheese, Oreos, jam and Craisins. Shape into 48 1-inch balls. (I just scooped tablespoonfuls of the mixture onto a cookie sheet covered with foil.) Freeze 10 minutes. Melt chocolate chips and dip the balls into the chocolate to cover. Keep refrigerated.
Yield: 48 lumps of coal. Per lump=76 Calories; 3g Fat (38.9% calories from fat); 1g Protein; 11g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 4mg Cholesterol; 78mg Sodium.

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Apple Sausage Puffs

Delicious!

Apple Sausage Puffs
½ lb. pork sausage
1 apple finely chopped
4 oz. light cream cheese
2 tubes reduced fat crescent rolls

Brown sausage and apples together, drain and stir in cream cheese. Unroll one tube of crescent rolls, separate into eight triangles. Place one tbsp. of sausage mix on long sides and roll up starting with the long side, pinch seams to seal. Repeat with the other crescent rolls. Bake at 375 for 10-12 minutes.
Yield: 16 servings. Per serving= 181 Calories; 12g Fat (61.3% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 14g Carbohydrate; trace Dietary Fiber; 14mg Cholesterol; 368mg Sodium.

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PB Chocolate Mallow Bars

Ooey gooey goodness!

chocpbbars

PB Chocolate Mallow Bars
18.25 oz devils food cake mix
½ c. unsweetened applesauce
1 TB extra virgin olive oil
2/3 c. skim milk, divided
½ c. peanut butter
1/3 c. roasted peanuts
7 oz marshmallow cream
3 TB mini chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine cake mix, applesauce, olive oil and 1/3 cup milk. Press cake mixture into 13×9 pan sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until center is almost set; cool 3 minutes. Mix peanut butter and remaining milk; spread onto crust. Top with small spoonfuls of marshmallow cream, then sprinkle with nuts and chocolate chips.
Yield: 18 servings. Per serving= 224 Calories; 8g Fat (30.7% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 35g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; trace Cholesterol; 265mg Sodium.

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Cranberry Chutney

This was good!

Cranberry Chutney
12 oz fresh or frozen cranberries
3/4 cup water
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1-1/2 teaspoons ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1 cup chopped tart apple
¼ c. craisins
1/2 cup diced celery
1 c. Splenda

In a large saucepan, combine cranberries, water, brown sugar, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and allspice. Cook over medium heat until berries pop, about 15 minutes. Add the apple, craisins and celery. Simmer, uncovered, until thickened, about 15 minutes. Add Splenda and transfer to a small bowl; refrigerate until chilled. Serve as is or over cream cheese with crackers.
Yield: 3 cups. Per serving= 109 Calories; trace Fat (1.9% calories from fat); trace Protein; 25g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 14mg Sodium.

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Skinny Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars

These were ok, but not cookbook worthy. I didn’t like the texture.
pumpkinbars
Skinny Pumpkin Cream Cheese Bars
1 box Angel food cake mix
15 oz canned pumpkin
¾ c. water
1 tsp cinnamon
8 oz reduced fat cream cheese
¼ c. water

Preheat oven to 375*. In medium bowl, combine cake mix, pumpkin, water and cinnamon. Spray 13×9 pan with cooking spray. Pour half the batter into the pan. Combine cream cheese and water (enough water that the mixture will be thin enough to pour). Pour the cream cheese mixture over the batter and top with remaining batter. Bake 35 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Yield: 20 servings. Per serving= 139 Calories; 2g Fat (13.7% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 6mg Cholesterol; 274mg Sodium.

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Cheese Quinoa Casserole

Someone called this Mac & Cheese Quinoa, but it’s much more like Cheese Grits Casserole so it needs a different name.

quinoacass

Cheese Quinoa Casserole
1/4 c. diced roasted green chilies
1 1/2 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained
Dash garlic powder
3 c. water
2 large eggs
1 c. skim milk
1 c. reduced fat cheese
Salt and pepper, to taste

Spray a medium saucepan with cooking spray; add green chilies. Cook a couple minutes and add quinoa and garlic powder. Cook 5 minutes, stirring often. Add water; cover and let simmer until water is absorbed. Stir often. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350*. Spray casserole dish with cooking spray. Whisk eggs and milk in medium bowl. Remove quinoa from heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Fold in cheese and add to egg mixture in bowl. Pour into prepared casserole dish and bake 25-35 minutes, when it is set and edges are just turning brown.
Yield: 6 servings. Per serving= 251 Calories; 8g Fat (28.0% calories from fat); 14g Protein; 33g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 76mg Cholesterol; 186mg Sodium