Pumpkin Caramel Cheesecake.... Yea I went there :)

This will impress your family and friends! Add in the fact it's sugar free/low fat - What could be better?


2 boxes 1/3 fat cream cheese - bring to room temperature
2 eggs
1/2 cup Splenda
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup pumpkin
1/2 - 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
Sugar Free Caramel topping (Smuckers is one brand)


Graham cracker pie shell or pie shell of your choice


Beat the cream cheese until soft. Add eggs, vanilla and splenda individually until mixed well. Remove one cup of batter and set aside. Pour the remaining batter into the pie shell. Drizzle about 2 Tablespoons of the caramel topping on this. Add the pumpkin, reserved batter and spice together and mix well. Pour this on top of the caramel topping.  It's sometimes a good idea to put the first layer in the refrigerator for about a 1/2 hour so the top layer doesnt mix into it. (if you have time - if not just be careful when you pour it)

Bake at 350 for 35 minutes. Don't overbake. Remove when the center is still a little jiggly.

Breakfast Treats!

Who doesn't love to sit down on the weekends to pancakes? Well, with this easy, low carb, super high protein recipe, you can have them every day!

Joni's Protein Pancakes

1/4 cupTVP rehydrated with
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup almond meal
1/4 cup Splenda (or less - this makes them VERY sweet) - feel free to substitute your no calorie sweetener of choice
2 eggs
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking powder
pinch of salt
1/4 cup water (or less - add this at the end to get the thickness you want)
Optional - 1/4 cup ground flax - this makes a "cakier" pancake - leave out if you like a thinner pancake

Mix all ingredients in a blender and process for 45 seconds or so, until there is a little foam on the top.
Cook like a regular pancake. MUCH easier to flip than the normal cottage cheese pancake.

Enjoy!

Stuffed Portabellas! YUM

No picture, but I had to put recipe to paper because if I don't my hubby will kill me! He REALLY liked this and said, "This isn't one of those things you just threw together and can't make again, is it?" Well, ya, sort of.... So here I am trying to put quantities to a really yummy throw together. So easy and SOOO GOOD!

Crab Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

1 small can crab meat
1 tsp minced garlic
1/3 cup light mayo
1/4 cup Panko bread crumbs
2 heaping tablespoons feta cheese
4 portabella mushrooms, cleaned w/ stem and gills removed

Mix the crab, garlic, crumbs, mayo, feta and divide evenly in the mushroom caps. Top with some extra feta and a some fresh ground pepper. Bake in a shallow dish at 350 until the mushrooms are soft (they tend to weep a bit when they are done) and the top is browned.

This could easily be divided among smaller mushrooms for appetizer. We used the big ones and they were our meal with a salad. I had one and hubby had two. Very filling.

Low Carb Creamy Burrito Bake

 Ingredients

• 1 lb ground beef or turkey, lean,
• 1 pkt taco seasoning (there are low salt versions you could use)
• monterey jack cheese, 8 oz - grated (or chedder)
• 1 can Healthy Choice cream of mushroom soup (chicken is fine too)
• 1/2 cup low fat sour cream 
• 4oz (half a jar) taco sauce, mild 
• low carb tortilla, 8 tortillas

Directions

 Brown ground beef and add taco seasoning and cook according to package directions.  

Mix together the can of soup, sour cream and taco sauce.
Spray a 9 x 12 pan with cooking spray. Spoon 1/3 of the soup mixture into pan. Divide meat mixture evenly between the tortillas and sprinkle cheese in shell before folding and putting into pan.

 Reserve about 1/2 - 3/4 cup cheese. 

Spread rest of soup mixture onto the shells and top with the rest of the cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes until bubbly and cheese is melted.

 Number of Servings: 8



Yummy Italian Casserole

This is almost three ingredients, if you don't count the topping. I used to have a three ingredient cookbook and most the dishes were meat, noodle, and some sort of cream of whatever soup. I can guarantee you this is MUCH healthier and better tasting.

1/2 pound of lean hamburger or ground turkey browned
1/2 cup of chopped onion browned with the meat
1 can of diced Italian tomatoes, drained
2 cups of cauliflower florets
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese

Place the browned meat/onion mixture in the bottom of an 8x8 casserole. Place the cauliflower in a microwave safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap and cook on high for 3 minutes. When it is done, dice it small and mix into the meat. Top it all with the tomatoes and mix up a bit in the dish.  Top all of this with the cheese and bake at 350 for 25 minutes until the cheese is browned.

My ten year old said "It tastes like spaghetti". That's a pretty good compliment when you take into consideration her love affair with spaghetti :)

Joni's Sugar Free Crowd Pleasin' Baked Beans

If you're taking this to a large gathering, double or even triple it! No one will know (or care) that these are sugar free because they are so good! (I didn't get to take a picture of the beans, so I used this stock photo - IGNORE THE BIG PEICE OF TOAST!!:) )

2 cans pinto beans rinsed and drained (or use a variety of beans including great northern)
1/3 cup finely chopped onion
2 T cooked chopped bacon (You can use the Oscar Mayer or Hormel brands)
1/4 t smoked paprika (just omit if you don't have this)
1/2 cup sugar free pancake syrup
1 T yellow mustard
3 T tomato paste
1/4 cup beer (any kind)
1 T Splenda granular (or two packets)

Combine all ingredients and cook in a slow cooker on low 3-4 hours. Remove lid during the last hour to thicken. You can also bake at 350 for 2 hours and remove lid the last 1/2 hour.

Kids in the Kitchen!

One of my 10 year old daughter's favorite dinners is a big salad bar. Tonight I gave her my cute little divided server and told her to fill each area with something for our salad. She did a great job - tomatoes, mushrooms, ham, cheese, cucumbers and our own homemade salad topping in the middle. We also had some hard boiled eggs. Everything went on top of some crisp romaine lettuce. You couldn't ask for an easier or more delicious dinner. We love the Cape Cod fat free balsamic dressing and find it at WalMart. She was so proud of her creation.

Here is the how we made the salad toppings in the middle -

2 T each of soy nuts, sunflower seeds, fresh grated Parmasean cheese, bacon peices and seasoning salt. This is great and much more economical than the store bought kind. Store leftovers in an airtight containter in the refrigerator.