German Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
1 cup milk
6 eggs
6 tbs. butter
pinch of salt

Optional Ingredients:

1 tsp. vanilla

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put butter into a 9x13 pan, and put the pan in the oven until hot. Meanwhile, mix the remaining ingredients together. Once the butter is melted, pour the batter into the pan. Then, watch it grow! (Bake for 20-25)

Pan-Roasted Sweet Potato and Vegetable Medley

Prep Time: 20 Minutes Serves: 4 Cook time: 20 Minutes

Ingredients:

1/3 Cup Fresh shucked Corn

1/3 Cup asparagus, chopped

1/3 Cup mushrooms, sliced

1/3 Cup sweet potato, diced

1/2 shallot, diced

1/3 Cup Tomato, diced

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1/4 Cup chicken or vegetable stock

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Salt and Pepper

Preparation:

1. Roast sweet potato in oven at 350ºF for 20 minutes beforehand. Then season the potatoes with salt and pepper and place on a greased cooking sheet in oven for another 10 minutes at 350ºF before adding to the vegetable mixture.
2. Saute shallots and garlic in 1 Tbsp olive oil.
3. Add another Tbsp olive oil to the garlic and shallots, if necessary, and all remaining vegetable, including sweet potatoes.
4. Saute everthing for 5 minutes.
5. Add stock and reduce for 2 minutes and serve.

Nutritional Information

Nutrients per serving (based on 4 servings): 105 calories, 7 g fat, 2 g protein, 1 g fiber, 9 g carbohydrates, 0 mg cholesterol, 67 mg sodium. Excellent source of vitamin A.

Sesame Noodles

1/2 (8 ounce) package spaghetti
2 tablespoons peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
2 tablespoons tamari
1 teaspoon Thai chili sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 clove garlic, minced
1 green onion, chopped
2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Fill a large pot with lightly salted water and bring to a rolling boil over high heat. Once the water is boiling, stir in the spaghetti, and return to a boil. Cook the pasta uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 12 minutes. Drain well in a colander set in the sink.

Melt the peanut butter in a large microwave-safe glass or ceramic bowl, 15 to 20 seconds (depending on your microwave). Whisk the honey, tamari, and chili sauce into the peanut butter, then stir in the sesame oil and ginger. Mix in the garlic and green onions and toss with the spaghetti. Top with the sesame seeds.

Weight Watchers Chickpea and Roasted Red Pepper Dip Recipe

16 ounces chickpeas, canned - rinsed and drained

7 ounces roasted red pepper - rinsed and drained

1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt

1 clove garlic - chopped

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon pepper

Process all ingredients in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Yield: "2 cups"; serving size is 2 T.

Makes 16 servings.

Per serving: 41 Calories; trace Total Fat; (7% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; trace Cholesterol; 124mg Sodium Food Exchanges: 1/2 Grain Starch); 0 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 0 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

WW Points: 1 pt.

Weight Watcher Deviled Eggs Recipe

8 eggs - cooked

8 ounces plain nonfat yogurt

1 Tablespoon sweet pickle relish - drained

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard - country style

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 Tablespoon white pepper

paprika

Slice eggs in half lengthwise, and carefully remove yolks from 8 egg halves; mash yolks in a bowl. Discard remaining 8 yolk halves.

Finely chop 4 egg white halves, and add to the mashed yolks. Set aside remaining 12 egg white halves.

Spoon yogurt onto several layers of heavy-duty paper towels; spread to 1/2-inch thickness. Cover with additional paper towels; let stand 5 minutes. Scrape into yolk mixture, using a rubber spatula. Add relish and next 3 ingredients, and stir well.

Spoon about 1 tablespoon yolk mixture into each egg white half. Cover and chill 1 hour. Sprinkle with paprika.

Each serving is 1 filled egg half.

Per serving: 57 Calories (kcal); 3g Total Fat; (48% calories from fat); 5g Protein; 2g Carbohydrate; 125mg Cholesterol; 100mg Sodium Food Exchanges: 0 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Lean Meat; 0 Vegetable; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Fat; 0 Other Carbohydrates

WW Points: 1 pt.

Macaroni and Cheese

Prep Time: 15 minutes Cook Time: 15 minutes Difficulty: Easy Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 4 cups Dried Macaroni
• ¼ cups (1/2 Stick Or 4 Tablespoons) Butter
• ¼ cups All-purpose Flour
• 2-½ cups Whole Milk
• 2 teaspoons (heaping) Dry Mustard, More If Desired
• 1 whole Egg Beaten
• 1 pound Cheese, Grated
• ½ teaspoons Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Seasoned Salt, More To Taste
• ½ teaspoons Ground Black Pepper
• Optional Spices: Cayenne Pepper, Paprika, Thyme

Preparation Instructions

Cook macaroni until very firm. Macaroni should be too firm to eat right out of the pot. Drain.

In a small bowl, beat egg.

In a large pot, melt butter and sprinkle in flour. Whisk together over medium-low heat. Cook mixture for five minutes, whisking constantly. Don’t let it burn.

Pour in milk, add mustard, and whisk until smooth. Cook for five minutes until very thick. Reduce heat to low.

Take 1/4 cup of the sauce and slowly pour it into beaten egg, whisking constantly to avoid cooking eggs. Whisk together till smooth.

Pour egg mixture into sauce, whisking constantly. Stir until smooth.

Add in cheese and stir to melt.

Add salts and pepper. Taste sauce and add more salt and seasoned salt as needed! DO NOT UNDERSALT.

Pour in drained, cooked macaroni and stir to combine.
Serve immediately (very creamy) or pour into a buttered baking dish, top with extra cheese, and bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until bubbly and golden on top.

Homemade Glazed Doughnuts

Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 2 Minutes Difficulty: Intermediate Servings: 18

• Ingredients
• Doughnuts
• 1-⅛ cup Whole Milk, Warm
• ¼ cups Sugar
• 2-¼ teaspoons (one Package) Instant Or Active Dry Yeast
• 2 whole Large Eggs, Beaten
• 1-¼ stick Unsalted Butter, melted
• 4 cups All-purpose Flour
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• Canola Oil
• GLAZE
• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• ½ teaspoons Salt
• ½ teaspoons Vanilla
• ½ cups Cold Water Or Milk

Preparation Instructions

To Make the Dough:

1. Make sure milk is nice and warm, but not overly hot.
2. Add sugar to milk. Stir to dissolve.
3. Add yeast into a small bowl.
4. Pour milk/sugar mixture over yeast. Stir gently, then let sit for 10 minutes.
5. Melt butter in separate bowl until butter is almost melted. Stir to finish melting so butter won’t be overly hot.
6. Add beaten eggs to melted butter, stirring constantly to make sure the butter’s not too hot for the eggs.
7. Add the egg/butter mixture to the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the dough hook.
8. With the mixer on 3 or medium-low speed, pour in the yeast mixture.
9. Allow the dough hook to stir this mixture for a couple of minutes, making sure it’s thoroughly combined.
10. With the mixer still going, add helpings of the flour mixture in 1/4 to 1/2 cup increments until all the flour is gone.
11. Stop the mixer, scrape the bowl, then turn the mixer on the same speed for five whole minutes.
12. After five minutes, stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl.
13. Turn on the mixer for 30 seconds.
14. Turn off the mixer and allow the dough to sit in the bowl undisturbed for 10 minutes.
15. After 10 minutes, transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl. Toss the dough to coat, then cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place straight in the fridge.
16. Refrigerate dough for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

To Make the Doughnuts:

1. Remove bowl from fridge and turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface.
2. Roll out to 1/4 to 1/3-inch thickness.
3. Using a 3-inch cutter, cut as many rounds as you can, then roll out remaining dough and cut as much as you can, etc.
4. Cut holes out of each round using a 1 1/2-inch cutter.
5. Place both doughnuts and holes on a floured baking sheet.
6. Cover with large tea towel and place in a warm place in your kitchen; my kitchen is very drafty, so I have to briefly warm the griddle, then turn it off and set the sheets on top to keep warm.
7. Allow doughnuts to rise undisturbed for at least 1 hour; 1 hour 15 minutes if necessary. Doughuts should be visibly puffier and appear to be airy.

To Fry the Dougnuts

1. Heat plenty of canola oil in a large pot until the temperature reaches 375 to 380 degrees—do not let it get hotter than 380 degrees! 375 is ideal; keep the thermometer in the pan to continually monitor.
2. One to two at a time, gently grab doughnuts and ease them into the hot oil. Allow them to cook 1 minute on each side; they will brown very quickly.
3. Remove doughnuts from the oil with a slotted spoon, allowing all oil to drip off.
4. Place doughnut immediately on several layers of paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over onto a clean part of the paper towels. Count to five, then flip it over again; the purpose, obviously, is to drain as much grease as possible before it soaks into the doughnut.
5. Repeat with remaining doughnuts and holes. The holes will cook more quickly than the doughnuts; about 30 seconds per side.
6. Allow doughnuts to slightly cool.

To Glaze

1. Mix all glaze ingredients in a bowl until completely smooth.
2. One by one, dip doughnuts into the glaze until halfway submerged. (Note: completely submerge doughnut holes, then remove with slotted spoon.)
4. Remove from glaze, then turn right side up on a cooling rack over a cookie sheet (to catch dripping glaze.)
5. Serve warm if possible, or room temperature.

Menu Plan Monday

Layered Meatball Bake

Layered Fiesta Casserole

STOVE TOP Easy Chicken Bake

Easy Layered Vegetable Bake

Better-than-Ever Cheesy Meat Lasagne Made Over

One-Pan Chicken and Potato Bake

Bruschetta Chicken Bake

Gram's Chicken Pot Pie Updated

Layered Enchilada Bake

Menu Plan Monday

Monday 10/12 ~ Canadian Thanksgiving Dinner

Tuesday 10/13 ~ Leftovers

Wednesday 10/14 ~ Tuna Noodle Casserole
Thursday 10/15 ~ Leftovers
Friday 10/16 ~ Pronto Saucy Meatless Pasta Skillet
Saturday 10/17 ~ Leftovers
Sunday 10/18 ~ No MEAT Enchiladas

Chive and Parsley Mashed Potatoes

For chive and parsley oil

• 1 cup chopped fresh chives
• 3/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For mashed potatoes

• 5 lb yellow-fleshed potatoes such as Yukon Gold
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

Make oil:

Purée chives and parsley with oil and salt in a blender until smooth. Pour herb oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a glass measure, pressing on and discarding solids.

Prepare potatoes:
Peel and quarter potatoes. Cover potatoes with salted cold water by 1 inch in a 5-quart heavy pot, then simmer, uncovered, until very tender, about 25 minutes.

While potatoes are simmering, bring milk, butter, salt, and pepper just to a simmer, stirring until butter is melted.

Drain potatoes in a colander and return to pot. Add hot milk mixture and mash with a potato masher until almost smooth, then stir in 4 tablespoons herb oil.

If desired, serve potatoes drizzled with some of remaining oil.

Cooks' notes:Oil can be made 4 days ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before using.

Potatoes can be made 1 day ahead and chilled, covered. Bring to room temperature before reheating in a microwave or double boiler, stirring occasionally.

GREEN BEAN CASSEROLE

30 ounces green beans, canned, drained *
10 3/4 ounces Cream of Mushroom Soup
3/4 cup milk
2 3/4 ounces French-fried onions
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Combine green beans, soup, milk, pepper and 1/2 of the onions; gently stir together to mix well. Spread mixture in a 1 1/2 to 2 quart ovenproof casserole dish.

Bake at 350°F for 25 minutes. Top with remaining onions. Bake 5 minutes more.

Cooks Note: *May substitute 18 ounces frozen cut green beans, thawed and drained.

Serving Size: 6

Slow Cooker Orange Chicken Recipe

Chicken Gravy

Drippings + white flour + stock.

If you don't have these you can substitute:

Bouillion (Better Than Bouillion is the best) + butter + white flour + Swanson's (or similar) canned chicken stock.

In a nonstick pot, melt the butter.
Add in the white flour (gravy is essentially a meat flavored white sauce) and stir it until incorporated into the butter. You can stir it while cooking if you want to get a light brown color. Don't burn it as that will give you a burnt flavor. The Bouillion also adds color which is more important for beef flavor than chicken or turkey.

Add stock. Simmer until thickened stirring it up with a wire whisk - just don't damage the nonstick pot surface. You can play around with the quantities but gravy is pretty forgiving. Just remember to not use water. Always use stock.

If it is too watery, you can dump in more flour directly into the pot as long as you whisk it immediately with a wire whisk. That breaks up the flour clumps. Otherwise, dissolve flour in a bit of broth and add the mixture to the pot.

This is a really basic gravy but it is also really good. Simple, without excess spices. If you want to dress it up, you can chop in some parsley or chives but I think it is very good just as it is.

Granola

7 cups old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup almonds or walnuts broken up

1 cup pumpkin seeds

1cup sunflower seeds, raw or toasted

½ cup flaked coconut

¼ cup ground flax seed

½ teaspoon salt

1 cup maple syrup (I use grade B)

¾ cup vegetable oil

1 Tablespoon vanilla extract

1 ½ cup dried mangos*, chopped

1 ½ cup dried pears*, chopped

*Not the sulfur squishy kind but the thin dry homemade-type.

Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F. Combine the oats, coconut, wheat germ, nuts, seeds and salt in a very large bowl. Mix well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, oil and vanilla. Pour the syrup mixture over the dry mixture, stirring and tossing till everything is very well combined.

Spread the granola over 2 large baking sheets with rims.

Bake for 2 hours, stirring the mixture after 1 hour or so. Remove the pans from the oven and let cool completely. Transfer the granola to a large bowl and mix in the dried fruit. Store in the freezer if you have room

Chicken Salad

It's just a mixture of Romain lettuce and spinach with sliced celery and grapefruit segments. Then I did some candied walnuts (sugar and walnuts over medium heat until it dissolves). The chicken was pretty easy too. I have a pot of thyme so I put of that on it along with salt and pepper and some oil (I use grapeseed), put a lid on it and cook. I don't have a lot of experience cooking meat so I ended up over cooking it but it still tasted good. The grapefruit was my favorite part. It would have been even better with some bleu cheese on top; maybe next time.

Cous Cous

1. 3 medium red bell peppers
2. 10 ounces instant couscous (about 1 1/2 cups)
3. Salt
4. 1/4 cup olive oil
5. 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
6. 1 teaspoon ground cumin
7. Pinch of cayenne pepper
8. Freshly ground black pepper
9. 1 pound ripe beefsteak tomatoes--peeled, seeded and cut into 1/2 -inch dice
10. 1 large seedless cucumber, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch dice
11. 1/2 cup Moroccan or other small, oil-cured black olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
12. 2 scallions, white and tender green, minced
13. 1 large garlic clove, minced
14. 2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1. Roast the bell peppers over a gas flame or under a broiler, turning, until charred all over. Transfer the peppers to a paper bag and let steam for 10 minutes. Remove the skin, cores, seeds, and ribs and cut the peppers into 1/2-inch dice.
2. In a saucepan, bring 2 1/4 cups of water to a boil. Stir in the couscous and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Cover and let stand until tender, about 5 minutes. In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, lemon juice, cumin, and cayenne and season with salt and pepper.
3. Fluff the couscous with a fork. Add the roasted peppers, tomatoes, cucumber, olives, scallions and garlic. Pour the dressing over the couscous and toss to combine. Let stand at room temperature for at least 1 hour or up to 4 hours. Just before serving, stir in the parsley.

Yam and Cheese Sandwich with Pumpkin Seed Pesto

Yam and Cheese Sandwich with Pumpkin Seed Pesto
from the Cafe Flora

1 large yam (about 1 pound), peeled and sliced in rounds, about 1/8 inch thick
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon paprika
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 medium onion, sliced in rounds about 1/4 inch thick
4 sticcola rolls, or other chewy rolls or buns with a tender crust
Pumpkin Seed Pesto (recipe follows)
4 slices fontina or provolone cheese
Sweet hot mustard, Dijon, or your favorite mustard
A couple handfuls spinach leaves

Get Ready. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the yam in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil and the paprika. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss again.

Roast the Yam. Spread the yam slices on on a rimmed baking sheet large enough to accommodate them in a single layer without crowding. Roast until tender, but not mushy, so that a sharp knife easily pierces the yam slices, about 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and set aside. Lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees.

Brown the onion. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil in a wide, heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat. When the skillet is hot, add the onion in a single layer, trying to keep the slices intact. Cook undisturbed until one side is browned, about 5 minutes.

Flip the onion rounds over - it's ok if they fall apart at this point - and continue to cook. Flip the onion occasionally until it's tender and browned evenly all over, about 5 more minutes.

Toast the Bread. Slice the rolls in half, and lay them, cut sides up, on a baking sheet. Bake until lightly toasted, 2 or 3 minutes.

Make the Sandwiches. Spread each of the 8 halves right to the edges with 1 or 2 tablespoons of Pumpkin Seed Pesto. Layer 4 halves (the bottom halves) with 5 or 6 slices of roasted yam, one-fourth of the onion, and finish with a slice of cheese.

Bake the Sandwich Halves. Put all 8 sandwich halves on a lightly oiled baking sheet, and bake until the cheese melts, about 5 minutes.

Serve the Sandwiches. Remove the sandwich halves from the oven. Spread the top halves with sweet hot mustard. Top the bottom halves with spinach leaves, put the sandwich together, and eat!

Pumpkin Seed Pesto

1/2 cup raw green pumpkin seeds, hulled
Salt
6 to 8 large fresh sage leaves, roughly chopped (about 3 tablespoons)
1/2 cup fresh parsley sprigs, roughly chopped
1 teaspoon chopped garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
Freshly ground pepper

Toast the Pumpkin Seeds by tossing them n a dry saute pan over high heat until they start to pop. Add salt to taste, and set aside to cool.

Mix all the ingredients. Put the pumpkin seeds, sage, parsley, and garlic in a food processor. Pulse several times until the mixture resembles coarse meal. With the machine running, add the olive oil through the feed tube, processing until the mixture is chunky (like chunky peanut butter). Season with salt pepper to taste.

Roasted Tomato and Asparagus Pasta

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 good sized garlic cloves; minced
salt
fresh ground pepper
1 large handful fresh basil; leaves rolled up together then cut into thin strips
1 lb cherry or grape tomatoes (kept whole)
1 bunch asparagus; end snapped off then snapped/cut into 2 to 3 inch segments

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Put all the following, in order, into a large mixing bowl. Toss until the veggies are well coated. Spread out onto a cookie sheet and roast in the oven for 45 minutes or everything starts to look a little burned.

15 minutes before the veggies are due to be done, cook your pasta. Shorter pasta shapes work better for this one.

Scrape it all (including all the oily juices) onto the cooked pasta and toss. Freshly grated Parmesan on top always helps. This pasta is good hot and at room temperature.

Roasted Broccoli

(recipe from Becky)

1 large head broccoli (about 1 3/4 pounds)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin oil
2 large shallots, halved and sliced thin lengthwise
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Ground black pepper
Lemon wedges for serving

1. Adjust oven rack to lowest position, place large rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 500 degrees. Cut broccoli at juncture of florets and stems; remove outer peel from stalk. Cut stalk into 2- to 3-inch lengths and each length into 1/2-inch-thick pieces (see picture). Place broccoli in large bowl with shallots; drizzle with oil and toss well until evenly coated. Sprinkle with salt, sugar, and pepper to taste and toss to combine.

2. Working quickly, remove baking sheet from oven. Carefully transfer broccoli to baking sheet and spread into even layer, placing flat sides down. Return baking sheet to oven and roast until stalks are well browned and tender and florets are lightly browned, 9 to 11 minutes. Serve with fresh lemon wedges.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

INGREDIENTS
1 cup butter, softened
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour(I put 1 c. flour, 1/2 cup Vanilla pudding)
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cup quick-cooking oats
1 cup or 1 bag semisweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs one at a time, then stir in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until just blended. Mix in the quick oats, and chocolate chips. Drop by heaping spoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets.
Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.