Garlic Shrimp Appetizers

When it comes to appetizers, we all have our favorites, whether it’s a New Years Eve party recipe, or a recipe for the Super Bowl…
With this recipe, it’s important to use extra virgin olive oil since any other changes the flavor..and not in a good way! If you’re fond of tarragon, feel free to omit it. There won’t be a drastic change of taste.

This recipe is so simply, fast and delicious that I recommend doubling it if you’re throwing a party for more than a few people. It’s also easily adjustable to your own personal taste, don’t be afraid to experiment a little.
Give these a try at your next party, and have a safe and happy holiday!

You will need:

Medium skillet
Large bowl
Large spoon

1-1/2#’s precooked deveined shrimp ( medium or large )
3 Tbs garlic, minced
2 -1/2 Tbs extra-virgin olive oil
1/3 cup lemon juice

1/2 tsp tarragon
1/4 cup minced fresh parsley
1/2 teaspoon kosher/sea salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Place cooked shrimp in large bowl.
Heat oil and garlic in skillet for about a minute using medium heat. Reduce heat to low and add lemon juice slowly, then parsley, salt, pepper and tarragon. Stir and simmer for about thirty seconds. Pour over shrimp and mix well. Keep in fridge until ready to serve. ( They’re great warm, too! )

Boost Your Fat Burn!

You’ll reap the benefits all day from eating breakfast: A morning meal starts
your body from an energy-conserving state, into calorie-burning gear
without effort…And studies show that breakfast eaters concentrate better and are more productive-as well as less likely to be obese- than breakfast skippers. This easy, satisfying recipe features ingredients like green tea that give your metabolism an added jolt.

Blueberry & Green Tea Smoothie

Antioxidants abound in this refreshing- and filling- breakfast drink. Green tea and blueberries protect your cells from free radicals, which damage DNA in the mitochondria, the key players in your body’s calorie-burning engine. Almonds provide natural protein and healthy monounsaturated fat, while flaxseed adds inflammation-fighting omega-3 fats to the mix. Brewing the tea the night before, saves time in the morning. Drink one smoothie today and refrigerate the other serving for tomorrow.

3/4c Water
2 Green Tea Bags
2c Fresh or frozen Blueberries
3 Ice Cubes
12oz Fat-Free Vanilla Yogurt
2Tbsp Whole Dry-Roasted, unsalted Almonds
(about 20)
2Tbsp Ground Flaxseed

1. Bring water to a boil and pour over tea bags. Steep 4 minutes.
Squeeze and remove tea bags and discard. Chill tea overnight. If using
fresh blueberries, place in freezer overnight.
2. Place tea, blueberries, ice, yogurt, almonds and flaxseed in blender.
Process until smooth.

Nutritional Info Per Serving:

334 calories
13g protein
7g fiber
8.5g fat
1g saturated fat
3mg cholesterol
121mg sodium

Double-Layer Pumpkin Cheesecake

Ingredients:

2 pkg. (8 oz. each) Cream Cheese, softened (Fat Free works too!)
1/2 cup  sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
2   eggs
1/2 cup canned pumpkin
1/4 tsp.  ground cinnamon
Dash ground nutmeg
1/3 cup Graham Cracker Crumbs
1/2 cup thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (regular or sugar free)

Directions:

Heat oven to 325ºF
Beat cream cheese, sugar and vanilla with mixer until well blended. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, just until blended. Remove 1 cup batter; place in medium bowl. Stir in pumpkin and spices.
Spray 9-inch pie plate with cooking spray; sprinkle bottom with crumbs.
Pour in the cream cheese mix, then layer with pumpkin batter.
Bake 40 min. or until center is almost set. Cool completely.
Then refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Serve with Cool Whip.

National Breast Cancer Awareness Month is observed every October.
During the month, awareness is raised about breast cancer.  Help spread the
word about breast cancer by baking pink ribbon cookies and giving them to friends and family.

Ingredients:

* 1 roll of refrigerated sugar cookie dough
* 1 container of strawberry cake frosting
* a ribbon cookie cutter
* rolling pin
* flour

Preparation:
Roll out cookie dough onto floured surface with rolling pin. Cutout ribbon shapes and place on cookie sheet. Bake according to package directions.
Allow to cool and frost with strawberry cake frosting. If you do not like strawberry, you can use vanilla with a little bit of red food coloring.
Package in cookie boxes with breast cancer information like how to perform a self breast exam or breast cancer symptoms. Give to female friends, family, and co-workers.
Remember: Breast cancer awareness should be celebrated everyday, not just in October!

Wonderful Wraps

They’re  trendy, they taste great and, they’re inexpensive- Wraps are for everyone, whether you’re a first-time cook, a working mom in a hurry or a kid fixing an after-school snack..

When trying wraps at home, keep these tips in mind:

• Instead of layering the ingredients onto the wrap, as stores do, mix all the stuffing ingredients together first. This will make assembly easier.

• Make several wraps ahead of time, then freeze them individually in plastic wrap or a microwave safe container to pop into the microwave on days when time is short.

• If a child is old enough to make a peanut butter sandwich, he is old enough to make a wrap. Keep a variety of stuffing’s and wraps on hand for quick, nutritious, after-school treats.

• A wrap can be eaten with a fork and knife, or made portable by wrapping it in aluminum foil. Start from one end, peeling the aluminum foil down like a candy bar wrapper.

• After removing a wrap from the oven, let it sit for 10 minutes to make cutting easier.
—————————————————-

What’s the best  way to wrap a wrap to keep all of those fresh ingredients from spilling out? It depends on the wrap you choose.

Pitas can simply be folded in half over the filling, then wrapped tightly in aluminum foil, which is peeled down as the wrap is eaten.

For a tortilla wrap, position the ingredients in a small rectangle on the bottom half of a round tortilla. Fold in two sides until they meet in the center. Fold the bottom of the tortilla to the center over the filling, and continue rolling.

—————————————————————

Here’s a few recipes to get you started:

ON-THE-GO BREAKFAST PITA

4 eggs, slightly beaten
One 16-oz. package shredded hash brown potatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
4 whole wheat pita bread
4 slices ham
4 slices Swiss or cheddar cheese
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. In a bowl, thoroughly mix the eggs, hash browns and chives together. Season with salt and pepper.

2. Divide the egg mixture and spread evenly on top of the pitas. Lay a slice of ham and cheese on top of each. Fold the pita sandwich in half and wrap tightly in aluminum foil. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Open the aluminum foil and bake for an additional 5 minutes. Pitas can be sliced after 10 minutes, or wrapped in foil to take along and eat in the car on the way to work or school. Makes 4 servings.

————————————————————

TURKEY AND VEGETABLE WRAP

Leave off the turkey and you have an excellent vegetarian wrap.

1 large sheet of lahvosh (or flour tortilla)
1 cup tomato sauce
1 cup mild salsa
1/2 lb. fresh spinach leaves
1/2 lb. roasted turkey breast, thinly sliced
1 red pepper, thinly sliced
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 small zucchini, thinly sliced
2 cups grated mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, mixed

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Place the lahvosh/tortilla on a sheet pan and brush with the tomato sauce. Spoon the salsa over the sauce. Layer on the spinach leaves, followed by the turkey breast, red pepper, onion and zucchini. Top with the grated cheese.

2. Heat in the oven just until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes. Fold in the sides of the wrap. Then roll the wrap tightly, starting with the long end. Let cool for 5 minutes before cutting into 4 portions. Makes 4 servings.

——————————————————————

WRAP CLASSICO

This wrap is a burrito, filled with savory black beans, crunchy peppers, rice and Mexican seasonings. For a more authentic treat, replace the
Monterey Jack cheese with a mild flavored Mexican or Spanish cheese, such as manchego.

1 15 1/2-ounce can black beans, drained
1/2 cup chopped and seeded red bell pepper
1/2 cup chopped and seeded yellow bell pepper
3/4 cup cooked long-grain white rice, warm
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup picante sauce
1 tbsp. enchilada sauce
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 cup grated Monterey jack cheese
2 10- or 11-inch flour tortillas

1. Heat the beans in a large saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the peppers, rice, cilantro, picante sauce, enchilada sauce and cumin; cook until warm, 2 to 3 minutes.

2. Divide the bean mixture between the tortillas and top with the cheese. Wrap by folding the sides towards the center, folding the bottom towards the center and continuing to roll. Makes 2 servings.

—————————————————————–

SLOPPY JOE WRAP

Sloppy Wrap3/4 cup chili sauce
3 tbsp. tomato paste
1 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp. red wine vinegar
2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup diced onion
Salt and pepper
3/4 lb. lean ground beef
1/2 lb. spicy sausage, removed from casing and crumbled
2 cups cooked white rice, warm
1/2 cup thinly sliced scallion
1/2 cup sour cream
4 10- or 11-inch flour tortillas, flavored if you prefer

1. Combine the chili sauce, tomato paste, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar in a small bowl. Stir in the oregano and cumin and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, salt and pepper and cook until the onions are tender, about 5 minutes. Transfer to the chili sauce mixture and stir to combine.

3. Return the skillet to the stove. Heat the skillet and add the ground beef and sausage. Season with salt and pepper, and cook until meat is browned, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the onion mixture, rice and scallions and mix well.

4. Divide the sour cream and spread evenly over each tortilla, leaving at least a 1-inch border. Divide the meat mixture over it and wrap, folding in the side, then the bottom and then rolling up. Makes 4 servings.

——————————————————————-

For the nutrition-minded cook, one of the advantages of making wraps at home is that they let you control nutritional value. When you eat out, remember that less may be more and save half of your wrap for another meal.

Chicken Kabobs

Here’s a colorful, quick, and easy way to do your veggies and chicken on the grill – with no marinating! PREP TIME     15 Min COOK TIME      15 Min READY IN         30 Min INGREDIENTS: * 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed * 1 large green bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces * 1 onion, cut into wedges * 1 large red bell pepper, cut into 2 inch pieces * 1 cup barbecue sauce (-my favorites for chicken are brown sugar or honey BBQ sauce) * skewers- (bamboo skewers are inexpensive and disposable, just make sure to soak in water or at least 30min prior to being on the grill- so they don’t burn on you!) DIRECTIONS: 1. Preheat grill for high heat. 2. Thread the chicken, green bell pepper, onion, and red bell pepper pieces onto skewers alternately. 3. Lightly oil the grill grate. Place kabobs on the prepared grill, and brush with barbecue sauce. Cook, turning and brushing with barbecue sauce frequently, for 15 minutes, or until chicken juices run clear.

Crepes with Berry Sauce

Chocolate Chip-Pumpkin Loaf

With all those rich chocolate chips set against a striking orange background, this kid favorite isn’t just delicious, it’s pretty too. For a healthier option, substitute raisins for the chocolate chips. Chocolate Chip-Pumpkin Loaf: 1/2 cup unsalted butter 1 1/4 cups sugar 3 large eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling) 1 3/4 cups flour 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon each: cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg 1/3 cup milk 3/4 cup chocolate chips or raisins 3/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans Step 1 Line a 9- by 5-inch loaf pan with waxed or parchment paper (or grease and flour it), then set it aside. Heat the oven to 350°. Step 2 Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter in a large bowl, gradually adding the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin. Step 3 In a medium-size bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Step 4 With a wooden spoon, blend a third of the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Then add half the milk. Alternate additions of the remaining flour mixture and the milk, blending well after each addition. Fold in the chocolate chips and walnuts. Step 5 Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake on the center oven rack until a toothpick inserted into the center of the bread comes out clean (except for a little melted chocolate), about 50 to 60 minutes. Step 6 Remove the pan from the oven and put it on a cooling rack for about 15 minutes, then remove the loaf from the pan and place it on the rack to finish cooling. Makes 10 servings.