YUMMY!! Low-Fat Baked Potato Soup

This creamy, dreamy soup is great on a chilly fall day. And you would NEVER know that is is low-fat!

INGREDIENTS:
3 Medium Baking Potatoes (baked in the oven or microwave until done; discard peel and mash into chuncks)
32 ounces of Chicken Broth
12 ounces of Fat Free Evaporated Milk
1/4 Cup Flour
1/4 Fat Free Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Medium Onion Chopped
1/4 Cup Low-Fat or Fat Free Sour Cream (Daisy is the best)
1/4 Cup Real Bacon Bits (I use Hormel Peppered Bacon Crumbles)
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 tsp. Onion Powder
1 tsp. Minced Garlic
1/2 tsp. salt (or to taste)
1/2 tsp. black pepper

FOR TOPPING:
Fat Free Shredded Cheese
Low-Fat or Fat Free Sour Cream
Diced Scallions
Real Bacon Bits

INSTRUCTIONS:
Bake potatoes and prepare as instructed above. Spray a large stock pot with non-stick cooking spray and saute chopped onions and minced garlic until soft. Add chicken broth and evaporated milk. Slowly add flour and stir until disolved. Add mashed potato and stir until blended. Add all other ingredients execpt for topping ingredients and simmer for 2 minutes.

Use toppings as desired and ENJOY!

Crissi's Nutter-Butter Banana Pudding

Another recipe courtesy of my sister.

INGREDIENTS:
3 C. Milk
3 Large Eggs
3/4 C. sugar
1/3 C. Flour
2 TBSP. Butter
2 tsp. Vanilla
5 Ripe Bananas
1 package of Nutter Butter Sandwich Cookies (1 pound package)
Tub of extra creamy Cool-Whip

Whisk together first 4 ingredients in large saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook, whisking constantly, 15 to 20 minutes or until thickened. Removed from heat; stir in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.

Fill a large bowl with ice. Place saucepan in ice, and let stand, stirring occasionally, 30 minutes or until mixture is thoroughly chilled.

Meanwhile, cut bananas into 1/4 inch slices. Break all cookies into thirds.

Spoon half of pudding mixture into a 3-quart bowl. Top with bananas and cookies (about half of bulk) Spread half of tub of cool whip on top. Spoon remaining pudding mixture over bananas and cookies and layer more bananas and cookies before adding remaining cool whip. Add a few slices of bananas and cookie chips to top for garnish. Cover and chill 2 to 24 hours. The longer it chills, the better it tastes! It gives it time for the flavors to infuse and the cookies to soften!

Crissi's Chocolate Chip Cookies

This recipe is courtesy of my sister Crissi Brooks. I take no credit, good or bad, since I myself have never tried this one before.

INGREDIENTS:
1 C. Regular Crisco Shortening
1 Stick Butter, softened (Do not use margarine)
1 1/3 C. sugar
1 C. light brown sugar
4 eggs
1 TBSP. Vanilla
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
2 tsp. Baking Soda
1 1/2 tsp. Salt (optional)
1 tsp.Cinnamon
1/2 C. Oats
3 C. Flour
2-12 oz. packages of chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk chocolate whichever you prefer)
2 C. chopped pecans

DIRECTIONS:
Beat Crisco, butter and sugars for 5 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time. Beat Well. Add vanilla and lemon juice. Mix dry ingredients together - then add to sugar mixture. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts. Drop 1/4 cup mounds, 3 inches apart on cookie sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes.

Makes huge yummy cookies!

Opal Stout's Sugar Cookies

OK...so I am not really sure who Opal Stout is but, I do know she was a resident of Tulia, Texas where I grew up and apparently her recipe for Sugar Cookies is the BEST EVER!!!!!

Posted by request of my sister Crissi Brooks.

INGREDIENTS:
Mix together in a VERY large bowl:
1 C. Sugar
1 C. Powdered Sugar
1 C. Fleishman's Margarine, softened
1 C. Canola oil
2 Eggs

Add the following and mix...you may have to use your hands
5 C. Flour
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 tsp. Vanilla (After starting this recipe one time and discovering I was out of vanilla, I found that substituting Brandy for the vanilla makes an equally delicious sugar cookie)
1/2 tsp. Almond Extract

Pinch off dough and roll into 1-inch balls. Flatten each ball on a cookie sheet with a glass or cookie press that is dipped in sugar. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown around the edges.

Makes a lot of cookies!

Strawberry-Hibiscus Sorbet

I have just returned from Mexico where I had a delicious Hibiscus Sherbet. As I was eating this delicious dessert, I said to myself, "I must make something like this when I get home."

I frequently drink Hibiscus tea, so I already had the dried flowers at home just waiting for me to create my own delicious dessert.

INGREDIENTS:
2 1/2 C.water
1/4 C. dried hibiscus flowers

SYRUP:
1 C. water
3/4 C. sugar
1/4 C. light corn syrup
1 C. sliced Strawberries
1/2 C. very sweet dessert wine like Barefoot Moscato

INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine the water and hibiscus in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to steep for at least 1 hour, until cool. Strain and discard hibiscus flowers, being careful to discard any sediment at the bottom of the pot. Refrigerate until chilled.

Make the syrup by bringing the water, sugar, corn syrup and straberries to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and blend strawberries until smooth then add the wine and refrigerate until chilled.

Combine the syrup with the hibiscus tea. Pour mixture into an ice cream freezer and procees until freezer stops. ENJOY!

Mom's Potato Salad

Now this is truly a recipe you are going to have to use as a guideline. I never measure any of the ingredients when I make this potato salad, so I am just guessing here on the amount of eveything in this except for the potatoes and eggs...I actually know I used 3 potatoes and 2 eggs. Everything else is a complete guess. Good luck!

YOU WILL NEED:
3 large baking potatoes, peeled, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1 inch pieces (boil until tender, drain, and cool)
2 hard boiled eggs, chopped (you can boil with the potatoes, just put them on top)
1 cup or so of light mayo
2 tablespoons or so of yellow mustard
½ red onion chopped
¼ to ½ C of Sweet Pickle Relish (if you like sweeter potato salad, add 1 package of Splenda or Equal)
Salt and Pepper to taste
Sprinkle Paprika on top for color and presentation

DIRECTIONS:
After potatoes and eggs have been boiled and cooled, mix all ingredients together except for the paprika. Add the mayo and mustard a little at a time until it is just right.

BBQ Baby Back Ribs

OK...you know you have made a good meal when the ones you are trying to please make "Ummm, Ummm, Ummm" sounds with every bite they take. And in the case of these baby back ribs, when your 7 year old son asks if he can suck your bones and you say you have alreay sucked them and he acts as if the world is coming to an end, you revel in the fact that you have made one great meal! Oh, and did I mention, these things literally fall off the bone.

YOU WILL NEED:
3 racks of Baby Back Pork Ribs (7.5 to 8 lbs) with membranes removed. Your butcher can remove the membranes for you if you ask, but do not skip this step.

1 28oz. bottle of your favorite thick BBQ Sauce (I use Sweet Baby Ray's Gourmet Sauce)

DRY RUB:
1/4 C. Packed Brown Sugar
1 1/2 Tbsp. paprika
1 Tbsp. kosher salt
1 1/2 Tbsp. black pepper
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp. ground cumin

Mix all dry rub ingredients together until mixed well. Rub mixture onto both sides of the ribs and wrap each rack in an aluminum foil pouch. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours. I usually let mine marinate for 24 hours.

After marinating, bake in foil pouches on cookie sheets for 3 hours at 300 degrees. Carefully open foil pouches and trim off the loose ends of foil so that the ribs are still on a piece of foil on the cookie sheet. Drain all of the liquid off that has accumulated during cooking. Coat both sides of the ribs with BBQ sauce. Return to the oven under the broiler for approximately 8 minutes watching carefully so they don't burn.

For a more spicy sauce, add 2 tbsp. of red chili flakes to about a cup of sauce before spreading on the ribs. One cup of sauce is enough to cover 1 rack of ribs.

Serve with potato salad or cole slaw to round out your BBQ meal. (Recipes will be posted soon.)

Spaghetti and Buffalo Meatballs

This recipe has become one of the favorites at my house. With a boyfriend that won't eat ground beef and insists on buffalo instead, this recipe works well with whatever meat you choose.

INGREDIENTS FOR MEATBALLS:
2 lbs. Ground Bison (or any other lean ground meat of your choice)
2 eggs
3/4 C. Italian Bread Crumbs
1/2 C. Grated Kraft Parmsean & Romano Cheese
1/3 C. Dried Minced Onions
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
3 tbsp. Dried Sweet Basil
1 tsp. Salt
Pepper (as much as you like)

DIRECTIONS:
Mix above ingredients together with hands in a large bowl. Roll meat mixture into walnut-sized balls and place on a baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake in the oven at 350 degrees for 25 minutes or until golden brown on the outside.

INGREDIENTS FOR SAUCE:
2 Jars of your favorite spaghetti sauce (I use Ragu Super Chuncky Mushroom)
1 Large Onion diced
2 Cans Hunts Tomator Paste (Basil, Oregano and Garlic flavor)
1/4 C. Water
3 tbsp. Dried Sweet Basil
1 tsp. Garlic Powder
2-3 tbsp. Sugar (optional: Add if you like a sweeter sauce)
1 tbsp. Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Sautee onion in olive oil until tender. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a slow boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and add the baked meatballs. Simmer for 30 minutes with the lid on the pot (spaghetti sauce really splatters) then serve over your favorite pasta (I use Angel Hair).

Butternut Browine Pie

Preparing for Thanksgivning one year, I asked my boyfriend what kind of pie he would like to have for the feast. Thinking he would surely say Pecan Pie (which is MY favorite) he proclaims "Butternut Brownie Pie from Luby's! Its my favorite!" Well, I had never had this pie nor had I even seen what it looked like. I searched the internet for the recipe to this elusive pie. I found one and when I read the ingredients, I thought "This can't be right. This sounds nothing like what I think Butternut Brownie Pie should be." In my skepticisim, I went ahead and followed the recipe and it was a huge hit not only with him but with my entire family. I have now been told that I have to make this pie for every family gathering. I hope your family will find it just as delicious as mine did!

INGREDIENTS FOR PIE:
Butter for rubbing pie plate (about 1 tablespoon)
5 large egg whites
1/8 teaspoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
14 low-fat graham cracker squares, crumbled into pieces
1 cup chopped, toasted pecans

INGREDIENTS FOR TOPPING:
1 cup whipping cream
3-4 tablespoons granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Rub a 9 inch glass pie plate generously with butter.

In a mixing bowl, beat egg whites and baking powder until soft peaks form. Add cream of tartar, beating constantly. Add 1 cup of sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time, beating constantly until stiff peaks form. Beat in vanilla. Using a rubber scraper, fold in graham crackers and chopped pecans. Pour mixture into pie plate and bake for 45minutes. Cool completely on a wire rack.

Prepare topping. In a chilled bowl, using chilled beaters, beat cream until it begins to thicken. Add sugar and vanilla and continue beating until stiff peaks form. Do not overbeat. Top pie with whipped cream when ready to serve.

Toffee Butter Crunch

Posted by request, this Toffee Butter Crunch is a hit around the holidays maybe because that is the only time of year I make it. In fact, 2-3 weeks before Christmas, my kitchen becomes a Toffee factory cranking out 6 or 7 batches to give away.

A small package of this tasty candy makes a great gift for co-workers, teachers, and family. I hope you like it!

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 C. Sliced Almonds
1 C. Butter
1 C. Sugar
3 tbsp. Water
1 tbsp. Light Corn Syrup
3/4 C. Milk Chocolate Chips
1/2 C. Sliced Almonds, finely chopped

DIRECTIONS:
Sprinkle 1/2 cup of sliced almonds on the bottom of a buttered cookie sheet and set aside.

In a heavy 2-quart saucepan, melt the butter then add the sugar, water, and corn syrup. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until candy thermometer reads 295 degrees. Watch carefully after 280 degrees because temperature will rise quickly and you don't want to burn the syrup. Remove from heat and pour immediately over almonds on the cookie sheet. Spread evenly over the almonds and let cool until firm to the touch but still very warm.

Sprinkle with chocolate chips and let sit until chips are softened. Spread chocolate evenly over the surface of the candy and sprinkle with the remaining finely chopped almonds.

Chill until firm then break into pieces.

Texas Caviar

If you are looking for a new and different dip to serve at your next party, this is the recipe for you. The yummy mixture of blackeyed peas, tomatoes, avacados, and Mexican flavors is great served with Fritos or other Tortilla Chips. Bring in the next New Year with a lucky serving of Texas Caviar!

INGREDIENTS:
2 Cans of Black Eyed Peas
1 Large or 2 Small Avacados, diced
1/4 C. Wishbone Italian Dressing
1 bunch of Cilantro, chopped
1 small Red Onion, diced
1/2 C. Tomatoes, diced (yellow cherry tomatoes taste great and make for a pretty presentation but any red tomato will work just as well or use a mixture of both)
1 - 3 Jalapeno Peppers, chopped (adjust the amount used based on your heat preference)
Juice of 1 large Lime
Garlic Powder to taste
Salt to taste

DIRECTIONS:
Drain the peas, then mix everything together in a large bowl. Serve with the chips of our choice for dipping.

This dip is good cold, but can also be served warm. If you choose the warm version, mix everything together except the avacados and heat the the microwave until warm then mix in the avacados and serve.

Chocolate Coke Cake

I must credit my cousins Amber, Cassie, and Taylor for this recipe. This is one that their grandmother passed down to them which, in turn, they shared with me.

If you like chocolate cake, this will soon become your most favorite chocolate cake ever! Even though there are some strange ingredients in this recipe, in the end, it turns out to be the most FABULOUS cake in the world. In fact, this is the gift my Dad asks for on his birthday. And for someone who is impossible to buy for, I am more than happy to make him this tasty treat.

INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE:
2 C. Flour
2 C. Sugar
1 1/2 tsp. ground Cinnamon
1 tsp. Baking Soda
1 1/2 C. Mini Marshmallows
1/2 C. Shortening
1/2 C. Margarine
1 C. Classic Coca-Cola
3 tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1/2 C. Buttermilk
2 Eggs
1 tsp. Pure Vanilla Extract

DIRECTIONS FOR CAKE:
Bring to a boil the Coke, shortening, margarine, & cocoa. Remove from heat and add the marshmallows and stirt until all the marshmallows are melted. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cinnamon, & baking soda. Stir in Coke mixture and beat until smooth. Add eggs, buttermilk, & vanilla and stir until combined. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 - 45 minutes in a greased rectangle baking dish.

INGREDIENTS FOR ICING:
1/2 C. Classic Coca-Cola
1/2 C. Margarine
3 tbsp. Cocoa Powder
1 C. Mini Marshmallows
1 Box Powdered Sugar
1/2 C. Chopped Pecans

DIRECTIONS FOR ICING:
Bring to a boil the Coke, margarine, & cocoa. Remove from heat and add the marshmallows and mix until melted. Add sugar and pecans and mix well. Pour over cake and allow to cool.

Spicy Pickled Okra

Growing up on a farm, we always had a huge garden each summer. Although I hated to pick the garden and shell the peas and snap the beans, I certainly miss having those fresh vegetables today!

A few weeks ago, I picked up a jar of Talk 0' Texas pickled okra at my local grocery store. They are pretty good for store bought pickled okra, but they got me to thinking about the pickled okra my Mom used to make from our garden.

And so, I set out on a quest to make my own and here is the result.....

YOU WILL NEED:
2 pounds of Fresh Okra (2" to 3" pods are the best)
1/3 C. whole Mustard Seed
1/3 C. whole Dill Seed
1 tsp. whole Cumin Seed
2 tbsp. whole Mixed Peppercorns
1 tbsp. whole Corriander Seed
1 tsp. per jar Red Chili Flakes
6 tbsp. Pickling Salt
10 cloves of garlic (peeled)
6 Jalepeno Peppers (Seranos or Habaneros would also work depending on how much heat you want)
2 C. Vinegar (white or apple cider which ever you like best)
2 C. Water
4-5 one pint wide mouth canning jars with lids (sterilized according to manufacturer instructions)
Large water bath canner with jar rack

DIRECTIONS:
Start off by filling the water bath canner with water so that the water will cover the jars by 1". Bring to boil.

Wash the okra and trim the stems so only the stem cap remains. Put the okra in a bowl and cover with iced water and let stand for 30 minutes. Cut the stems off the jalepenos then cut into strips and set aside.

While the okra is soaking, mix vinegar, garlic cloves, and all the spices (except for the red chili flakes) in a 3 quart pot. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.

Add 1 tsp of red chili flakes to each of the sterilized canning jars. Begin to fill each jar with towel dried okra by placing the okra cap side down into the jar. Stick a few pieces of jalepeno in between the okra pods. You should add at least 1 jalepeno to each jar. Once you can't get any more in the jar cap side down, continue to fill the jar with okra cap side up. Continue until all the jars are full.

Evenly divide the seeds and garlic that have been simmering among the jars. Add hot vinegar to the jars, wipe the rims clean, and put the lid on.

Once all the jars are filled, place jars in the water bath and boil for 10 minutes then remove from the canner. The jars should seal as they cool. If a jar doesn't seal, you can store in the refrigerator. Whether on your shelf or in the refrigerator, orka should not be eaten for 3 weeks to allow for all the flavors to meld and be absorbed...IF you can wait that long.