Spinach & Artichoke Dip (Hot or Cold)

*Photo note: I made this for Easter for just my husband & me, so I only filled the bowl with half of the dip created by this recipe.  The full recipe will fill the bread bowl appropriately.

Adapted from allrecipes.com

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• 1 8oz package cream cheese
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 (1 ounce) package ranch-style dip mix
• 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
• 1 (8 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped
• 2 (16 ounce) loaves King's Hawaiian® Sweet Bread
• 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese (optional)
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• Blend mayo, sour cream and dip; mix together in a large bowl. Add artichoke hearts, spinach and water chestnuts; mix well. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled.
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• Before serving, Carefully hollow 1 loaf, leaving 1-inch on sides and bottoms. Cube removed bread and additional loaf.

To serve hot: Stir in 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese; microwave on high 4-5 minutes or until hot, stirring occasionally.

Transfer dip to bread bowl and serve with bread cubes.

Tangy Cole Slaw

from Shanna Nail

3/4 cup Splenda
3/4 cup white vinegar
1 tsp oil
salt & pepper
One bag shredded cabbage & carrots,
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1/2 orange bell pepper, chopped

Wisk together Splenda, white vinegar, oil, salt and pepper.  Pour mixture over cabbage & carrots & bell peppers

Make at least 8 hours before serving it so that it has some time to marinate and chill. (Sometimes overnight) It works pretty well to place all ingredients in a large ziploc bag to mix and marinate. Before serving, pour off excess juices! 

It is very healthy, and for any Weight Watchers members counts as 0 points.

Jalapeno Popper Dip

from allrecipes.com

2 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese, softened

1 cup mayonnaise

1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies, drained

2 ounces canned diced jalapeno peppers, drained

1 cup grated Parmesan cheese

French bread

Stir together cream cheese and mayonnaise in a large bowl until smooth. Stir in green chilies and jalapeno peppers. Pour mixture into a microwave safe serving dish, and sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Microwave on High until hot, about 3 minutes. Serve with warm french bread.

Holiday Pretzel Treats

From Family Fun

Bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels
Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug
M&M's candy

Heat the oven to 170F. Set a number of bite-size, waffle-shaped pretzels (one for each treat) in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper, then top each pretzel with an unwrapped Hershey's Kiss or Hershey's Hug.

Bake for 4 to 6 minutes (the white chocolate will melt more quickly), until the chocolates feel soft when touched with a wooden spoon. Remove the cookie sheet from the oven and quickly press an M&M's candy into the center of each Kiss.

Allow the treats to cool for a few minutes, then place them in the refrigerator to set, about 10 minutes. If desired, place handfuls of the candies in clear plastic bags and tie on colorful ribbons.

Turkey Queso

1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed cheddar cheese soup, undiluted
1/4 cup milk
1 can Rotel, drained
1 cup turkey, cubed
diced jalapenos, optional
salt
tortilla chips

Combine soup, milk, Rotel & turkey in a sauce pan over medium heat until warm.  Add jalapenos & salt to taste.  Serve warm with chips.

We added 2 tablespoons of canned jalapenos after taking out 2 little cups of queso for the kids.  It was spicy, but not over the top.  Add jalapenos slowly.

Faux-Fried Zucchini

From Hungry Girl

2 large zucchini; ends removed
3/4 cup Fiber One bran cereal (original); ground to a breadcrumb-like consistency in a blender or food processor
1/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters)
1 tbsp. powdered ranch dressing/dip mix
1/4 tsp. plus 1 dash garlic powder
1/4 tsp. plus 1 dash onion powder
1/4 tsp. plus 1 dash oregano
2 dashes pepper
2 dashes salt


Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut zucchini into half-inch-wide circles. Blot away any excess moisture with a paper towel.

Fill a medium-sized dish with egg substitute, and season with a dash each of garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, salt, and pepper. In a separate medium-sized container, combine cereal breadcrumbs with 1/4 tsp. each of garlic powder, onion powder, and oregano -- add the ranch mix and a dash each of salt and pepper, and then mix well.

Set out a baking pan, and spray with nonstick spray. Toss zucchini circles in the egg substitute until they are all evenly covered. One by one, coat zucchini with breadcrumbs (giving them a shake first to remove excess egg substitute), and lay them flat on the baking pan.

Place in the oven, and bake for 10 minutes. Flip zucchini circles over, and return to the oven for about 10 more minutes, or until outsides are crispy and zucchini is cooked through.

MAKES 3 SERVINGS

WW POINTS® value 1 per serving

Simple Hummus

from King Arthur Flour

15- to 20-ounce can chickpeas or garbanzo beans, drained, liquid saved

3 to 9 cloves garlic, peeled

1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon salt, to taste

3/4 teaspoon ground cumin

3 to 5 tablespoons olive oil; or a combination of olive oil and reserved liquid from the beans

Place the drained chickpeas, garlic, salt, and cumin in the work bowl of a food processor. Process until the beans are very finely chopped. With the machine running, drizzle in the oil. If necessary, drizzle in just enough of the reserved chickpea liquid to make the mixture smooth. Remove from the processor, and refrigerate in a covered container until ready to serve. Garnish with a sprig of fresh parsley, if desired.

I sprinkled a little paprika to add some color :) We love to eat this with carrots, celery, bell pepper or pitas. So easy and so yummy!

Crispy Treats

4 Tbs butter (substitution not recommend)
1 bag marshmallows (or 4 1/2 cups mini marshmallows)
6 cups crispy rice cereal

Line a baking pan with parchment paper. Spray a large bowl with non-stick spray (preferably butter flavored) and add crispy rice cereal. In a large pot, melt butter and marshmallows until smooth. Stir marshmallows with cereal in the large bowl until well combined. Pour mixture into baking pan. Take a 2nd sheet of parchment paper and spray one side with non-stick spray. Place paper (sprayed side down) on top of the cereal and roll with a rolling pin until evenly distributed. Cool & cut.

Store no more than two days at room temperature in airtight container. To freeze, place in layers separated by wax paper in airtight container. Freeze for up to 6 weeks. Let stand at room temperature for 15 minutes before serving.

My husband LOVES rice crispy treats :) I used to make them for him and they always paled in comparison to the ones his mom makes. The difference...real butter. So, I made them like this tonight and he is thankful!

Muffin Tin: Snack

This is our first muffin tin meal and OH MY GOODNESS...the boys loved it!

I decided to give the muffin tins a try for snack time and J just kept commenting on how there was 'all kinz stuff to eat' :)  I usually give them a little mix of items in a bowl, but this presentation was so much more fun (not to mention adding some non-fat yogurt made it more filling and healthy).

On the top row, they've got 1/2 a nutragrain bar, craisins & pretzils

Bottom row = cheese bites, vanilla yogurt & mini marshmallows

If you'd like to see more muffin tin meals, you can click on over to the home of Muffin Tin Monday to check them out!-->

Pasta Salad

1 box rigatoni pasta, cooked
1 medium/large sweet bell pepper, chopped
1/4 large onion, chopped
1 box frozen chopped broccoli, cooked & drained
1 small can sliced olives
5 slices of turkey cold cuts, chopped
1 1/2 cups Wishbone Red Wine Vinegar Dressing*

In a large bowl combine all ingredients, and refrigerate overnight.

*I am guessing I used about 1 1/2 cups of dressing. I just added it to taste (about 1 cup), but once it sat it needed more (hence the additional 1/2 cup). I'll update when I make it again, in the meantime, I would suggest you add dressing to taste and then add a bit more.

Snack Ideas

A friend of mine posted a request on Facebook today for toddler friendly snack ideas (specifically peanut butter free) since her family was getting tired of crackers & cheese sticks. I thought I would compile the list of responses here as a reminder and a refresher for us busy mommies who need to change things up once in a while :)

• Cereal
• Quaker oatmeal squares
• Yogurt
• Jelly toast
• Whipped cream cheese with ranch dip mix as a spread on ritz crackers
• Applesauce
• Jello
• Fruit cups
• Cheese cracker snacks
• 100 calorie pack snacks
• Dried fruit
• Pretzels
• Pretzel sticks
• Craisins
• Raisins
• Granola bars
• Popcorn
• Trail mix
• Banana chips
• Veggie chips
• Cheerios and marshmallows
• Fruit a bu
• Cheez its
• Popchips
• Pumpkin bread
• Banana bread
• Graham crackers
• Natural Cheetos
• Animal Crackers
• Brothers All Natural fruit crisps
• Rice cakes
• Veggie sticks
• Baked chips
• No Sugar Cookies
  

Here is also a list I had saved from a while ago of some healthy snacks. Many of these include peanut butter if your family doesn't have peanut sensitivities:

Ants on a Log: Spread peanut butter or cream cheese on celery sticks and top with raisins.

ABC Snax: Mix together 1 cup Post Honeycomb Letter Alpha-Bits; 1/4 cup raisins or dried cranberries; and 1/4 cup peanuts for a healthy trail mix.

Fruit Burritos: Spread a tortilla with peanut butter and add sliced fruit such as strawberries, apples, and/or bananas. Fold the ends and wrap up tightly.

Granola Bars: These are a much better alternative to candy bars. But read the label to make sure the fat or sugar content is low.

Nuts and Seeds: This delicious snack choice has lots of protein, minerals, and vitamins. They are also high in fat – but in a good way.

Frozen Fruit Bars: Make and freeze juice pops with real fruit juice. You can also add small chunks of fruit for added fiber. Frozen grapes are also a great kid pleaser.

Ready to eat cereal: Many ready to eat cereals such as granola or those which contain whole grain and no added sugar, are very nutritious.

Homemade muffins and quick breads: If your child likes muffins, they will love munching on homemade quick bread. Many of these recipes include pureed fruits and vegetables, which add to the nutritional content.

Non-dairy yogurt or jello packs and cheese: Make sure that these are purchased from the grocery shelves, not the chilled dairy compartment. These foods stay fresh and safe unless they are opened. Individual unsweetened applesauce servings is another good choice.

Please leave a comment if you have something to add :)

T&J's Trailmix

4 cups Cheerios
1 1/2 - 2 cups mini marshmallows
1/2 cup chocolate chips
1/2 cup dried cranberries

Mix all ingredients together in a large zip lock baggie.

Frozen Cranberries

Adapted from Cooking With Stephanie

8 oz Cream Cheese (softened)
8 oz Cool Whip
1 Can Whole Cranberries
1 Can Crushed Pineapple with juice
2 cups mini-marshmallows

Mix cream cheese and cool whip thoroughly. Stir in cranberries, pineapple and marshmallows and freeze. Take out of the freezer about 1 hour before serving.

Cheesy Chicken Soup

from Christel Snelson

2-3 chicken breasts, diced
Red potatoes
Carrots
Onion
2 cans cream of chicken soup
2 cans rotel
1 box (or 3 cans) chicken broth
Velveeta cheese

Place chicken into a large stockpot to brown. Meanwhile, dice up red potatoes, carrots and onion (enough to fill your stock pot about 1/4 full). Once the chicken is cooked, add the veggies, soup, Rotel, chicken broth and bring to a boil. Then, simmer until veggies are cooked. Cube up some Velveeta, put in soup bowls, pour hot soup over cheese cubes and enjoy.

In the photo above, I didn't have Velveeta so I just used shredded cheese. It was yummy! It was a bit spicy, but most of the spice is in the broth. If feeding little kids, the chicken and veggies would be fine, but separate it from the broth.

Family Style Nachos

Tortilla Chips
Shredded Cheese

Topping ideas:
Chicken (cooked & cubed)
Black or refried beans
Onions and/or peppers
Olives

Preheat oven to 350. On a foil lined cookie sheet spread a layer of tortilla chips. Lightly top with a layer of cheese followed by desired nacho toppings. Add a 2nd thin layer of cheese to the top and place in the oven until cheese melts (about 5 mins). Serve with desired dips (salsa, guacamole, sour cream, etc).

We simply place the cookie sheet on a trivet in the middle of the table. Each person gets their own plate and grabs their own serving of nachos from the middle. This is a fun, easy crowd pleaser :)

Non-Fat Raspberry Frozen Yogurt

6oz fresh raspberries

2 cups non-fat yogurt
1 TBS vanilla extract
1/3 cup of Splenda

Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Pour mixture through a strainer to remove seeds and place in an ice cream maker. Freeze according to manufacturer's directions (ours was 20 minutes in the mixer and 2+ hours in the freezer).

This a tart yogurt, not a sweet yogurt, but it is very yummy!

Pizza Roll Ups

From: Lauren Villa

Crescent rolls
Mozzarella cheese, shredded
Favorite pizza toppings
Marinara or pizza sauce

Roll up into crescent rolls—pepperoni, cheese, vegetables...whatever you like on pizza. Bake at 350 in oven until brown. Serve with a side of marinara sauce.

Veggie Chicken Quesadillas

Steam fresh broccoli & cauliflower
Cooked chicken
Flour tortillas
Spray butter (or butter spread)
Monterey jack cheese

Cook broccoli and cauliflower following package directions. Finely chop broccoli, cauliflower and chicken and mix together in a large bowl.

Spray one side of a tortilla with butter and place buttered side down in a frying pan over medium heat. On half of the tortilla place a thin layer of cheese, a layer of the chicken mixture and another thin layer of cheese. Fold empty half over filled half and cook until cheese begins to melt. Carefully flip quesadilla and cook other side until barely brown.

Remove from heat, cut into wedges and serve with salsa, sour cream and/or guacamole.

Baked Tortilla Chips

1 (12 ounce) package corn tortillas

Spray olive oil

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

2. Cut each tortilla into 8 chip sized wedges and arrange the wedges in a single layer on a cookie sheet.

3. Combine the cumin, chili powder and salt in a small bowl

4. Spray each tortilla wedge with olive oil until slightly moist and sprinkle salt mixture on the chips.

5. Bake for about 7 minutes. Flip each chip and bake for another 8 minutes or until the chips are crisp, but not too brown.

Serve with salsas, garnishes or guacamole.

Turkey Roll-ups

From: Nancie Habben

8 oz whipped cream cheese
1 packet buttermilk ranch dip mix
large tortillas
red leaf lettuce
deli turkey

Combine cream cheese and ranch mix (best if mix is refrigerated for at least 1 hour). On a large tortilla spread a layer of the cream cheese mixture. Add a layer of the lettuce and then a layer of turkey. Roll up tortilla and slice into pinwheels.

You can even make these as wraps, using smaller tortillas. They are also good with an additional layer of swiss cheese. They can even be made the night before and refrigerated.