Pasta and Lentil Soup

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling
• 1/2 onion, chopped
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese, plus 1 piece cheese rind (optional)
• 8 ounces orecchiette or other small pasta
• 2 14-ounce cans lentils (1 undrained; 1 drained and rinsed)
• 1/3 cup roughly chopped fresh parsley
• Kosher salt
• Crusty bread, for serving (optional)

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic and red pepper flakes and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is slightly soft, about 2 minutes. Remove 1 tablespoon of the flavored oil and set aside. Add the tomato paste and cook, stirring, 2 more minutes. Add the chicken broth, 4 cups water and the cheese rind, if using. Bring to a boil, then add the pasta and cook, stirring occasionally, 5 minutes. Add the lentils along with the liquid from one of the cans; reduce the heat to medium low and simmer until the pasta is tender, 10 to 12 more minutes.

Meanwhile, whisk 1 tablespoon parsley and 1 tablespoon water into the reserved flavored oil. Stir 1/4 cup parmesan and the remaining parsley into the soup; remove the cheese rind (if using) and add salt to taste. Ladle into bowls; drizzle with the flavored oil and top with the remaining 1/4 cup parmesan. Serve with bread, if desired.

* I just discovered this delicious, easy, healthy soup!

Tiffeny Wait

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

 THEY ARE ONLY 45 CALORIES!!!!!!!!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1c. canned pureed pumpkin

1c. xylitol, sugar substitute, or just sugar!

1 large egg

1 tbsp. vanilla

1/2c. unsweetened applesauce

2c. oat flour ( w.w. is good too, a little grainier though)

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. nutmeg

1/4 tsp. allspice

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. milk

2 c. milk chocolate chips*

Blend first 5 ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. In a separate bowl, combine your dry ingredients except baking soda. Sift together. Combine baking soda and milk in a small bowl until dissolved. Add baking soda mixture to wet ingredients. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing well. Add chocolate chips. Drop small rounded spoonfuls (about the size of a small dinner spoon) of dough onto a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 375 for 8-10 minutes. ENJOY!

This recipe yields about 50 smallish cookies made from a 1-inch heaping cookie scoop.

These are delicious right out of the oven, and you probably won't make it to this point, BUT if you have left overs I suggest storing them in an air tight container in the fridge. That way they don't get soggy.

 I calculated my nutritional data on nutritiondata.self.com

* I used 1 cup of chocolate chips, I felt like 2 cups were too much!
This is a recipe I got my sister in law posted on our blog http://healthconsciousmommas.blogspot.com/

Banana Muffins

Ingredients
1 cup mashed bananas
1 cup sour cream
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/2 cup white flour (if you want to use all whole wheat flour, you can. I just think they are a bit heavy that way.)
1/2 cup ground flax seed
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350*. Spray muffin tins with Pam or use paper liners.
2. Combine bananas and sour cream. Set aside. Combine oil and honey and beat in eggs one at a time. Stir in vanilla and banana mixture. Combine the flours, flax seed, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir into the banana mixture.
3. Fill muffin tins full of batter.
4. Bake 25 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Makes 12 muffins

Karen Hansen, adapted from Allrecipies.com

Pumpkin Cream Cheese Truffles

 

 

Ingredients:

1 cup white chocolate chunks or chips
4 cups white chocolate almond bark (I think I used around 8 cubes)
2/3 cup gingersnap cookie crumbs, plus more for garnish
1/2 cup canned pumpkin purée
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs, plus more for garnish
2 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of fine salt
4 ounces cream cheese, softened

Directions:

Melt the 1 cup of white chocolate chips in a double boiler over medium-low heat or in the microwave for about 1 minutes. Stir often to keep the chocolate from burning. Transfer to a large bowl. Add gingersnap crumbs, pumpkin, graham cracker crumbs, sugar, zest, cinnamon, salt and cream cheese and beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Transfer to a shallow bowl, cover and chill until just solid enough to roll into balls, about 2 hours.
Line a large sheet tray with parchment paper. Melt remaining 2 cups white chocolate almond bark and transfer to a small, deep bowl. Roll 1 heaping teaspoon of the pumpkin mixture into a ball in your hands, then drop into the chocolate. Working quickly, gently spoon chocolate over to coat. Using a small spoon or fork, lift the truffle out of the chocolate, shake off excess and transfer to prepared sheet tray. Dollop a bit of extra chocolate on any parts that remain exposed, then sprinkle a few gingersnap or graham cracker crumbs over the top, if you like.
Repeat process with remaining pumpkin mixture and chocolate, then chill truffles until chocolate is completely set, about 1 hour.

This will make about 30 Truffles.

Missy Thompson

Caramel Apple Cheesecake Bars

I mix each part in my Kitchen Aide or you can use a hand mixer. This takes some time to make but is so worth it!

 

 

Crust:

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened

Cheesecake Filling:

3 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup sugar, plus 2 tablespoons, divided

3 large eggs

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Apples:

3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and finely chopped

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Streusel topping, recipe follows

1/2 cup caramel topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a medium bowl, combine flour and brown sugar. Cut in butter with a pastry blender (or 2 forks) until mixture is crumbly. Press evenly into a 9x13 baking pan lined with heavy-duty aluminum foil. Bake 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese with 3/4 cup sugar in an electric mixer at medium speed until smooth. Then add eggs, 1 at a time, and vanilla. Stir to combine. Pour over warm crust.

In a small bowl, stir together chopped apples, remaining 2 tablespoons sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Spoon evenly over cream cheese mixture. Sprinkle evenly with Streusel topping. Bake 40-45 minutes, or until filling is set. Drizzle with caramel topping and let cool. Serve cold and enjoy!

Streusel Topping:

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup quick cooking oats

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, softened

Missy Thompson

Monster Cookies

1c margerine/butter
6 eggs

3 cups peanut butter (1 lb)

1 1/2 tsp vanilla

4 tsp baking soda

1 lb brown sugar (2 1/2 cups)

2 cups white sugar

9 cups quick oats

2 cups chocolate chips

1/2 lb M&M's

Use beater to mix ingredients up to and including the white sugar. Pour batter into large bowl and add oats, chocolate chips, and M&M's. Use 1/4 cup measuring cup to measure dough, 6 cookies per sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-12 minutes. Do NOT overbake

This is a very large recipe I like to 1/2 it when I am only cooking for my small family. Very gooey and delicious and a favorite in our extended family.

-Katie Beck

Funfetti Cookies

Ingredients:

- 1 package of Pillsbury Funfetti Cake mix

- 1/3 C. oil

- 2 eggs

Directions:

- Mix ingredients until blended.

- Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

*Nikki Anderson*