Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

This has been a family favorite for years. I found the recipe on a bag of Ghiradelli chocolate chips and I made a couple of changes to make them a little bit better for you. You’ll never miss the extra fat and sugar, and you won’t notice the whole wheat (if it’s ground finely).

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Bars

½ c. butter, melted (I’ve also used oil with great results)

¾ c. chunky peanut butter

1 ½ c. sugar

3 eggs

2 t. vanilla

2 ½ c. flour (I use soft white wheat, ground)

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

12 oz chocolate chips

Cream butter, peanut butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla until well blended. Add flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well then add chocolate chips. Spread into greased 15 x 10 cookie sheet. Bake 15-18 min. at 350.

Baked Potato Soup

5 large potatoes 2/3 cup flour (white or wheat) 6 cups milk (skim, 2%, whole, or made from powdered) 1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper 1 cup light sour cream 3/4 cup green onions, finely chopped 1/2 cup real bacon bits

Procedure

1 Pierce potatoes with fork and bake at 400 for 1 hour. Cool, then peel and coarsely mash.

2 Put flour into a large pot. Gradually add milk, stirring with a whisk until blended. Cook over medium heat until thickened and bubbly (about 8 min.) Add mashed potatoes, 3/4 c. cheese, salt, and pepper. Stir until cheese melts.

3 Reduce heat to low and stir in sour cream and 1/2 c. onions. Simmer over low heat 5-10 minutes. DO NOT BOIL.

4 Serve soup in bowls and top each serving with remaining cheese, green onions, and bacon.

Servings: 8

Chicken Tortilla Soup

3 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves (can be frozen) 2 15-oz cans black beans, drained (or use 2 cups cooked beans) 2 15-oz cans diced tomatoes, undrained 1 cup salsa 4 ounce can green chilies 2 cups chicken broth

½ cup dry barley 2 teaspoons cumin 1 teaspoon chili powder 1 teaspoon oregano 2 teaspoons minced garlic ½ cup chopped cilantro, optional

1 Place all ingredients in slow-cooker and stir to combine. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours.

2 Just before serving, remove chicken breasts and slice into bite size pieces. Return to soup.

3 Serve with tortilla chips and cheese and your favorite toppings: lime wedges, avocado, fresh cilantro, sour cream, etc.

Servings: 6

Recipe Tips

*Extra veggies: I sometimes add chopped onion, peppers, and/or corn.

*Vegetarian: Instead of chicken, add extra beans, like pinto or kidney.

*If you like a thicker soup, add refried bean flakes.

*If you want a creamier soup, add 1-2 cans of cream of chicken soup.

Creamy White Bean and Ham Soup

2 cups dried great northern beans 4 ounces ham, diced 1/2 cup potato pearls 3 cups chopped celery 3 medium onions, chopped

3 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped (or 1 T. dried) 2 garlic cloves, crushed 2 carrots, chopped 9 cups water salt and pepper to taste

1 Cover beans with water and soak overnight. Drain and rinse beans.

2 Combine soaked beans and all remaining ingredients in a crockpot and cook on high 4-6 hours or on low for 8-10 hours.

Servings: 12

Corn Bread Muffins

1 ½ cup Cornmeal ½ cup flour (white or wheat) 2 tablespoons sugar 2 teaspoons baking powder ½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt 1 ¼ cup buttermilk ¼ cup applesauce 1 egg 2 tablespoons oil

1 In a large bowl, combine the first six ingredients. Combine wet ingredients, then stir into dry ingredients just until moistened. Fill greased muffin cups 2/3 c. full. Bake at 400° for 18-20 min.

Servings: 12

Yield: 1 dozen

White Chicken Chili

This is a delicious recipe from a friend's blog. We tried it and thought it was great--and so good for you!

http://scribbit.blogspot.com/2009/01/white-bean-chili.html

Recipe Tips

Serve with your favorite toppings: tortilla chips, salsa, chopped avocado, sour cream, cheese, green onions, etc.

Split Pea Soup

This makes a very thick vegetarian split pea soup. To make it thinner, reduce the amount of split peas or add more water. Depending on the density of split peas, it may take a while for the vegetables and peas to soften, but you can't really overcook this soup; just stir occasionally, and add water if it gets too dry. Seasonings can be altered to taste. Tastes even better reheated

* 1 tablespoon vegetable oil * 1 onion, chopped * 1 bay leaf * 3 cloves garlic, minced * 2 cups dried split peas * 1/2 cup barley * 1 1/2 teaspoons salt * 7 1/2 cups water

* 3 carrots, chopped * 3 stalks celery, chopped * 3 potatoes, diced * 1/2 cup chopped parsley * 1/2 teaspoon dried basil * 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme * 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 In a large pot over medium high heat, saute the oil, onion, bay leaf and garlic for 5 minutes, or until onions are translucent. Add the peas, barley, salt and water. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to low. Simmer for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.

2 Add the carrots, celery, potatoes, parsley, basil, thyme and ground black pepper. Simmer for another hour, or until the peas and vegetables are tender.

Recipe Tips

I have great results just throwing everything into a crock pot at once and cooking 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 on low.