Nau-Dee Creations

Pasta with Goat Cheese and Mixed Mushrooms

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 00:52:00 +0000

Here is another wonderful dish from the blog: Lisa's Kitchen. She adapted it from a book called Lucy's Kitchen (link below). I've cut and pasted her post on my page, as I followed the recipe exactly and figured it would be just as easy to do it this way. After all, why mess with perfection :D .....OK - ok, and my camera's battery totally died on me so I couldn't get any Pict's.

I will tell you that has a wonderful flavor. Its very rich, creamy and hearty - much like the dishes we ate when in Italy. I served ours with a nice chewy piece of Italian bread and a salad of mixed deep greens w/ a light oil and wine vinegar dressing. ENJOY!

Pasta with Goat Cheese and Mixed Mushrooms

1 ounce (30 grams) of dried porcini mushrooms (or a mixture of shiitake, portabello, porcini and oyster)
1 pound (500 grams) of tube shaped pasta (I used rigatoni)

1/4 cup of butter
1/4 cup of unbleached white flour
2 cups of milk
2 cups of soft goat cheese
salt and freshly cracked black pepper

3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 cup of chopped onion
1 pound 9500 grams) of fresh mixed mushrooms, sliced
2 - 3 jalapeno peppers, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of finely chopped fresh thyme (or a pinch of dried)
1 tablespoon of finely minced garlic
1/4 - 1/2 cup of olives, pitted and coarsely chopped
1/4 cup of finely chopped parsley
juice from one lemon
1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese

Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup of hot water for 20 minutes. Strain, reserving the soaking liquid. Squeeze excess liquid from soaked mushrooms and roughly chop.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water for 10 minutes, or until the pasta is al dente. Drain well and return to the pot.

While the pasta is cooking, prepare the sauce. In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium-heat. Whisk in the flour and cook for about a minute. Pour in the milk and bring to a boil, whisking constantly to prevent lumps. Reduce the heat to low and simmer for to thicken - approximately 5 minutes. Stir in the goat cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Heat the olive oil in a heavy frying pan or wok over medium-high heat. Add the onions to the pan and stir and fry for 3 - 5 minutes, or until softened. Add the fresh mushrooms, jalapeno peppers and thyme and cook for another 2 minutes or until mushrooms begin to release their liquid.

Next, add the garlic, dried mushrooms and the soaking liquid used for the dried mushrooms to the wok. Bring to a boil and cook for about one minute. Stir in the olives, parsley and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.

Stir the cheese sauce, and mushroom mixture into the cooked noodles along with 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Transfer to a large oiled baking dish and sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup of Parmesan. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes, or until heated throughout and lightly browned.

Serves 6 - 8.

Homemade Eggnog

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 03:41:00 +0000

I went looking for a homemade eggnog after I found a yummy looking recipe for eggnog and rum french toast, that I wanted to try. Being that its July I find no pre-made eggnog at the store so I started looking on line for one. I found many variations but the one I settled on was posted by a Denise on allrecipes.com. It had over 60 positive ratings and it sounded really good. I've never made eggnog before so I was a bit skeptical but wow was I impressed with this one. (I added rum for the french toast recipe, and it was really tasty this way too. It was also the way my husband preferred it - lol).
For Homemade Eggnog
(posted by Denise on allrecipes.com)
NOTE: I cut this recipe in half as I only needed about a cup of it for the french toast and wanted a lil to enjoy without having a lot left over....come the
holidays this year I think
we'll end up double for get-to-gethers)
6 eggs
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 quart milk
1/3 pint heavy whipping cream
1 pinch ground nutmeg
1 pinch salt
Beat eggs; mix in condensed milk, vanilla, quart of milk and salt.
Beat the whipping cream until soft peaks form. Fold in to egg and milk mixture and sprinkle with nutmeg. Serve chilled. ***Note: depending on your preference, you can also add rum to taste...or whatever alcohol you like in your nog. Its all a matter of taste preference. Enjoy!!

Eggnog French Toast

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 02:01:00 +0000

So I've been away for awhile and I wish I had my camera handy on many new dishes that we've had and enjoyed, but I'm sad to say this has not been the case. However, I got it out today and I'd like to share a definate noteworthy

recipe..infact there are two (homemade

eggnog and eggnog and rum french toast). And all I gotta say is Oh YUMMMMM were they good!!!!!

Eggnog & Rum French Toast

The other day I came across a

blog called Lisa's Kitchen (foodandspice.blogspot.com). She has some really yummy looking recipes on this, site so do go visit. I've only tried a couple of her dishes so far and they were really good...and this one for Eggnog and Rum French Toast is wonderful!

Being that its July I find no pre-made eggnog at the store so this took me to look for recipes for homemade eggnog on line.I found many variations but the one I settled on was posted by a Denise on allrecipes.com. It had over 60 positive ratings and it

sounded really good. I've never made eggnog before so I was a bit skeptical but wow was I impressed. I'm posting a combination of Lisa's recipe

with my additions and will provide a link to Denise's recipe for her homemade eggnog as it worked really well with this dish.Click here for the

eggnog link.

Both recipes were really quick and easy to make and well worth any effort to make

them! Hope you enjoy them as much my family did. We will defiantly make these again!!!

Eggnog & Rum French Toast
(for the original recipe click here)

1 cup eggnog (store bought or homemade eggnog)
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons dark rum (or extract if you rather)
ground cinnamon to taste
ground nutmeg to taste
6 thick slices of bread (French, Italian bread, Texas toast etc...) butter
for grasing the pan (or vegetable oil)

Heat a large cast iron frying pan (I used a non-stick skillet) on medium-low heat. Meanwhile, beat the eggnog together with the eggs, rum and spices to taste (I also added 1 to 2 Tab of sweet condensed milk and mix well).

When the pan or skillet is hot, lightly grease the surface with butter or vegetable oil.

Dip each slice of bread through the eggnog mixture and let it soak in slightly. Sprinkly both sides with cinnamon and place in the hot pan. Fry for a few minutes on each side until golden.

Dust the french toast with a light sprinkle of powder sugar and drizzle with maple syrup.

ENJOY!!!

Claudia's Sweet -n- Zesty Italian Totrellini Salad (P3)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Sat, 30 Jun 2007 17:01:00 +0000

I have a very dear friend named Claudia. She was my first German friend when we moved to Europe years back. I have so much respect for her awesome artistic talents, eye for detail, cooking abilities and over all sweet nature. She is also extremely hard working and is an inspiration to me in many ways. She and her family currently reside in the USA and I do miss her, but we still visit now and again via emails, messengers and myspace.

Years back when Claudia and her husband played table top DND with my husband and I, we'd enjoy going to each others homes for game nights. We'd all bring food, get the wine flowing, set back, visit and enjoy playing the game. During one visit to their home Claudia made this WONDERFUL side dish that I just LOVED! Its so every simple but its flavor packed and so hearty that one might think its more complicated.

Claudia was sweet enough to share this recipe with me years ago and I've made and enjoyed it many times since. When I make it I ALWAYS think of her and thus why I have lovingly named the dish after her.

I recently asked Claudia where she got this recipe from. She said the recipe comes from her brother's mother-in-law. She is not sure if she created this dish or got the recipe elsewhere but agrees that its very simple and it has many variations to its possibilities.

Claudia's Sweet N Zesty Italian Tortellini Salad (p3)
This is really a very simple dish and you can add or delete what ever you like. Below is the way I like to make it.

1 large pkg Meat stuffed tortellini pasta. ( other kinds of stuffing may be used instead but I find this to be the best).
fresh, soft mozzarella (the kind packed in water), drained and torn into bite size pieces.
1 can of black olives, drained
1 bunch of cherry tomatoes, sliced in half.
1 small purple or other sweet onion, sliced
1 bunch fresh basil leaves, torn or chopped
about 1/2 c. of good tasting quality Olive oil
about 1/4c. of good tasting quality balsamic vinegar
Splenda or sugar to taste (its to have a sweet/tangy flavor)
a dash of salt

Bring water to rolling boil, add tortellini and cook pasta. Drain and rinse with cool water to stop the cooking process.

Meanwhile toss sliced tomatoes in a large mixing bowl, along with black olives, sliced onion, torn mozzarella, and fresh chopped basil.

When pasta is cooked and cooled add it to this bowl as well.

In a small bowl mix olive oil, vinegar, splenda/sugar and a dash of salt and pepper. When mixed pour over salad and mix well.
Serve or chill up to 30 mins and serve.

ENJOY!!!!!

Macadamia Nut Piña Colada Bars (Not SB friendly)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 12:01:00 +0000

I came across this recipe at the Betty Crocker Recipe Site (bettycrocker.com). I was going to make and take this desert to a BBQ but was too pressed for time that day. I had family visiting from the states this past week and decided to make them this weekend to give them a try. Everyone loved them and they went really fast. ENJOY!!

(** Note: let the bars cool completely before adding the glaze. We couldn't wait to give them a try so we rushed the cooling time and they didn't come out as pretty as I'm sure they would have. We ate them while warm and gooey and they were still wonderful).

Prep Time:15 min

Start to Finish:1 hr 55 min

Makes:2 dozen bars

Bars
1	can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple
1	cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2	cup butter or margarine, softened
3	tablespoons powdered sugar
2	eggs
1	cup granulated sugar
3/4	cup chopped macadamia nuts
1/2	cup flaked coconut
1/4	cup Gold Medal® all-purpose flour
1/2	teaspoon baking powder
1/4	teaspoon salt
1/2	teaspoon rum extract
Pineapple Glaze
1/2	cup powdered sugar
2	to 3 teaspoons reserved pineapple juice

1.	Heat oven to 350°F. Grease bottom and sides of square pan, 8x8x2 or 9x9x2 inches, with shortening. Drain pineapple well, reserving 3 teaspoons juice for Pineapple Glaze. In medium bowl, mix 1 cup flour, the butter and 3 tablespoons powdered sugar with spoon until flour is moistened. Press in pan. Bake 10 minutes.
2.	In medium bowl, beat eggs with wire whisk until blended. Stir in pineapple and all remaining Bar ingredients. Spread over partially baked crust.
3.	Bake bars 25 to 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely, about 1 hour.
4.	In small bowl, mix all Pineapple Glaze ingredients until smooth and thin enough to drizzle. Drizzle glaze over bars. For bars, cut into 6 rows by 4 rows.

Nutrition Information:

1 Serving: Calories 160 (Calories from Fat 70); Total Fat 8g (Saturated Fat 3g, Trans Fat ncg); Cholesterol 30mg; Sodium 70mg; Total Carbohydrate 20g (Dietary Fiber 1g, Sugars ncg); Protein 2g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 2%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 0%; Iron 2% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 1 1/2 Fat Carbo

Chinese Cole Slaw (p2 )

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Sun, 03 Jun 2007 20:25:00 +0000

I got this recipe years and years ago in Kansas, from a woman named Debbie. She and I had Glass forming classes together and she brought it to an open house that the ESU glass guild has annually. Everyone loved this dish and I must say every time I take it to a party, BBQ or get-to-gather I always recipe requests. This dish is makes a lot, is easy to make and is VERY good. Hope you enjoy it too!!

(I will be making this again soon and will try to get a better pict of this dish once its been mixed.)

Salad Ingredients:
(mix an hour before serving)
1 large pkg pre-cut raw coleslaw
1c slivered almonds
1 c sunflower seeds
2 small bunches of green onions, chopped
2 pkg Beef flavored Ramen noodles (uncooked and broken into small bits)

Dressing Ingredients:
(Mix a day ahead so it can age)
1 c mayo
1/2 c granular sugar (or splenda)
1/3 c white vinegar
the 2 beef seasonings (from noodles)

The day before: Mix dressing ingredients and chill in the refrigerator.

The next day:In a large mixing bowl toss salad ingredients.

An hour before serving:Shake or stir the dressing and pour over salad; mix well. Serve and ENJOY!!!!

**Note: I've never tried to make this dish Sb friendly, as it calls for Ramon Noodles and Sugar. You could exchange the sugar with splenda and possibly the Ramon Noodles with something else, but the noodle season packets are also required and give it so much of its flavor that I don't know how it would be substitute. If you are extremely strict with the rules of SB than perhaps this dish isn't for you...or you could change it up a bit and get it to work. If you do, I'd love to hear the suggestions...but for special occasions this would still be good and not be too much of a cheat, in my opinion.

Independent USANA Associates

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Thu, 24 May 2007 13:50:00 +0000

For anyone that checks in on my page now and again (like my wonderful Mindi!) I apologize for not posting lately. We have started our own business and it has opened up my world to so many new people and things. We have totally been enjoying it and are thrilled we made the decision to do this....in fact we are wondering what took us so long :D For anyone interested you are welcome to view a short clip about what we do and you are welcome to provide feedback and what you think about the presentation at the "contact me" section at our website: SeymourDreams.usana.com / Presentation link

We have also just started a SeymourDreams blog that highlights the USANA company as well as our business experiences and opportunities within it.

For the rest of you we have been eating the low glycemic shakes and bars to give them a try and live our business. So far its been great! My husband and daughter both started out with the "Reset" (its not a "diet" but it restarts your metabolism and thus weight loss is common). My Husband has lost 7 lbs and my Daughter lost 5lbs that first week. They continue to drop lbs as they enjoy the shakes and bars, which blend nicely with our South beach. I'm waiting on my restart to get in and I'll do the same.

USANA is about to celebrate its 15th year and we are looking into going to it and Convention and experience all that we are a part. I'll defiantly post Pict's of our adventure on our Seymourdreams blog spot when we come back and get settled back in. So more to come!

USANA received an official patent on May 8 from the United States Patent and Trademark Office that guarantees proprietary rights to the self-preserving technology used in Sensé skin- and personal-care products.The patent covers USANA’s formulation for manufacturing Sensé products so that they are capable of maintaining their shelf life without the need for added chemical preservatives. The products are “self-preserving” in that they don't require traditional chemical preservatives to maintain their shelf life.This is revolutionary technology that USANA’s respected team of scientists spent nearly 10 years perfecting.

Be sure to check out our sites:
SeymourDreams website And SeymourDreams blog

Day trip to Metz, France (2005)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 04:04:00 +0000

Back in 2005 my family went on a short day trip to Metz, France with some wonderful friends of ours, the Kirks. We went to see the weekend flea market out in front of the old Saint Etienne Cathedral - which features stained glass windows designed by Marc Chagall. The St. Etienne cathedral in Metz, was made in the 14th century by joining together two perpendicular churches: the nave of Saint-Etienne, built in the 13th century, was attached to the north side of an older Roman church. In the 15th century, a transept and a choir were added. This nave is the third highest in France.

On our day visit, we visited the Cathedral, ate some wonderful sweets at a coffee shop located just across the street, and drove around the city a bit before heading back. It was a nice morning and we would have loved to stayed longer but were not able to. Here are some Pict's of our little adventure that day. Hope you enjoy.

Walking down the very narrow "sidewalk"

Along the store fronts there was this little tunnel of stairs leading to private apartments

Some beautifully ornate windows and doors along the way

A neat looking stop light

My daughter and dog walking along the way to the cathedral. My dog Euro felt it was his duty to run and chase the birds away that were walking around the plaza (the people that saw this all laughed and enjoyed watching him at work. It was pretty cute and funny to say the least)

We stopped off at little coffee shop across the way from the cathedral and enjoyed some treats!

The flea market was really big and we were rather busy shopping, but we did manage to get a few Pict's of a few merchants.

Cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Metz

The inside...

The Saint Etienne Cathedral is world famous for its stained glass windows by Chagall (below are some of them). Chagall is among the celebrated painters of the 20th century, he is associated with the modern movements after impressionism.

There were some more Pict's I took this day but I've been working on sorting them still. Hope you enjoyed these at least. :D

REESE’S Peanut Butter Cookie Bites (not SB friendly)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Fri, 20 Apr 2007 02:13:00 +0000

These cookies are SOOOO easy to make and are SOOOO Good!!! It's one of the first cookie recipes I learned to make as a child and its one that I've enjoyed over the years as well. I really don't recall where we got the recipe from so I can't really give any credit, but I can pass the recipe on to you all..... Enjoy!

FUN FACT: REESE’S Peanut Butter Cups turn 80 years old in 2008!!!! (for more interesting things about Hershey Products click here)

REESE’S Peanut Butter Cookie Bites (not SB friendly)

To make the cookies:
Take 1 Pillsbury refrigerated Peanut butter cookie log
1 pkg. Reeses Peanut butter cups miniatures, unwrapped

Slice the raw cookie log in 1/2 inch slices. Each slice cut in half, and then in half again to make 4 little triangles.
Take an ungreased mini muffin tin and place one cookie triangle in each muffin hole.
Bake as directed on cookie package.
Take out of the oven and place one Reeses Peanut Butter cup on top of each cookie and let melt (I press the candy lightly down into the cookie).
Let cool and the pop out and onto a serving plate.

Hint:If the cookie seems to stick, run a butter knife around the edge of each cookie to release it. Make sure the cookies cool completely (the chocolate in the candy needs to set up) before serving.

NOTE: I have also made these cookies with a Peanut butter cookie mix. I mixed the cookie dough as directed in the recipe or on the pkg.
Take a little less than 1 Tab of cookie dough and roll into a little ball, placed in the miniature muffin tin as stated above and cook to the time suggested on the cookie recipe or package. After they came out of the oven, and while still hot, I placed a Recesses Peanut butter cup in each cookie center.

ENJOY!!!

YUMMMMMMMY!!!!!!

Lipton's Spinach Dip (p1-2)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 22:54:00 +0000

I went to a friends pot luck - BBQ a few weeks back and enjoyed some really great food. One of the guests, a friend of mine named Sunny, always comes with many wonderful yummy dishes to share. One of the items she brought to this BBQ - I almost made myself sick from as it was SO good, I couldn't stop eating it. It was a spinach dip with some fresh French bread for dipping. This dip not only looked really pretty and impressive in the pretty serving dish, but it tasted so good!!

I loved the texture as its creamy yet has a bit of a crunch (chopped water chestnuts). I had to inquire about this wonderful dip and was shocked to find out it was as simple as it was. Sunny said she got the recipe from the back of a Lipton's vegetable soup box. How great is that....its good and easy to make! Recently I went to the store and I picked up some Vegetable Soup mix as well as the rest of the ingredients and whipped up some for the family to enjoy. Its a great dip and one that I will defiantly make again!!!! Thanks Sunny for another wonderful recipe!!!!
For other Lipton recipes click here

"Perfect Party Spinach Dip"

1 envelope Lipton Recipe Secrets Vegetable Soup Mix
1 (8oz) sour cream
1 cup Hellmann's Mayonnaise
1 pkg (10oz) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 can (8oz) water chestnuts, drained and chopped

In medium bowl, combine all ingredients; chill 2 hours. Serve in a pretty dish with your favorite dippers.... like fresh French or Italian bread, crackers, cheese & or assorted veggies. ENJOY!!!

( A note for strict South Beachers: Some people do not recommend Liptons Soup mix due to the high sodium and such in the packets. Others feel that if its not indulged in often than its not a problem. Personally I don't think it would really be that bad if you had this once in a great while and balance it out with loads of veggie dippers. Another suggestion I'd offer is to share this dip with friends and family and not eat it all, like I almost did...ha ha.)

Rum Cake (Not SB friendly)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Tue, 03 Apr 2007 20:23:00 +0000

This wonderful cake recipe comes from a site called: Bake or Break; Adventures of an amateur baker.They have some wonderful recipes so do visit their blog link above.
This recipe is very easy to make and is extremely good. I loved the texture extreme of this cake from the moist butter rum to the slight crunch of the toasted pecans. I made this and took it to a BBQ and everyone LOVED it. Enjoy!
Rum Cake (Not SB friendly)
Cake:

1 cup chopped pecans
1 package yellow cake mix
1 package instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup oil (vegetable or canola)
1/2 cup rum

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Grease/flour/spray a 10-inch tube pan or 12-cup Bundt pan. Sprinkle nuts in the bottom of the pan. Set aside.Mix together cake mix and remaining ingredients. Pour batter into pan over nuts. Bake for about an hour, or until done. Let cake cool.Invert cake onto serving plate. Prick all over the top of the cake with a toothpick.

Rum Glaze:

1/2 c butter
1/4 cup water
1 c granulated sugar (or see note below)
1/2 cup rum

Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in water and sugar. Bring to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and gradually add rum while continuing to stir. Drizzle part of the glaze over cake. Allow cake to absorb the glaze. Repeat with remaining glaze until all used.
***Note: As an alternative, use 3/4 cup sugar and add 1/4 cup corn syrup to help prevent the granulated sugar from crystallizing.

Ready to bake

Fresh out of the oven

Just after pouring the butter rum
on top

(this is not a very good picture of the cut cake, but trust me.....Yum!!!!!)

Rosemary Steak (p1)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 01:17:00 +0000

In November 2004 some really wonderful friends of ours (The Kirks) went and stayed a week in Italy with us. We all stayed at Podere Cortinova in the La Corte house, a very old but wonderful Tuscan villa (Farmhouse) that was so rich with history and warmth that we were totally at peace that Thanksgiving week. The night before we were to come back home to Germany we ate at a really great restaurant called “ La Scuderia ” , located in Palazzuolo, Italy. Their specialty was the house steak. It was cooked with LOADS of rosemary, olive oil and other herbs and spices and it was served rare on a HUGE platter. We all shared this dish and it just melted in your mouth.
** For more photos and what we ate at La Scuderia click here.

A few months after we came back home I pan fried some steak with olive oil, rosemary, salt and pepper. Its not the same as the Italian steak we had, but its close enough that it was still enjoyable and reminds us of our last night there.
Here is a picture of the Italy Steak (and my hubby totally devouring it, ha ha)

The other night we had a friend over for dinner and I made this steak, along with roasted veggies and had a nice mixed green salad. It was very good, even if I do say so myself. Hope you give it a try and like it as well.

This is all ya need:
steak
Olive oil (good quality oil...the greener the better)
salt
pepper
dried rosemary leaves
dried ground rosemary (I grid dried rosemary in a mill)

In a skillet heat Olive oil and add steak (flip over to cover with oil). Sprinkle each piece of oiled steak with ground rosemary, dried rosemary leaves, salt and pepper and flip to repeat on the other side. Cook on med/low til the meat is cooked to your liking. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
This time around I added a bit of "I can't believe its not butter" and some more olive oil and tossed in sliced mushrooms. I sauteed them until soft, salted to taste and poured the mushrooms and pan juices over steak and served. It was really great!
ENJOY!!!

Amaretto Cake (Not SB friendly)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Sat, 24 Mar 2007 00:24:00 +0000

I got this wonderful recipe on line but I totally don't recall where. I suppose it doesn't really matter as I looked to see if I could find it, and found that it was posted on many different sites and non state where it originated from. It almost has a buttery flavor to it but the Amaretto is defiantly there! This was extremely easy to make and very tasty. My friend Raina who LOVES Amaretto totally flipped for this one!

Amaretto Cake (Not SB friendly)

1 (18.25 ounce) package yellow cake mix
4 eggs
1 (5.1 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup amaretto liqueur
1 cup sifted confectioners' sugar

DIRECTIONS

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease and flour a 10 inch Bundt pan.
In a large bowl, combine cake mix, eggs, instant vanilla pudding, water, oil, almond extract, and 2 tablespoons of the amaretto; blend together well. Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in preheated oven for 40 to 45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of cake comes out clean. Remove cake from oven and while it is still warm, poke holes in the surface. Drizzle with the Amaretto Glaze, insuring that some of the glaze fills the holes. Let the cake cool for at least 2 hours before removing from the pan.
To make Amaretto Glaze: Sift the confectioners' sugar, and combine it with the remaining 1/2 cup amaretto. Blend until smooth. You may add more amaretto as needed.

NUTRITION INFORMATION

Servings Per Recipe: 12

Amount Per Serving

Calories: 426
Total Fat: 16g
Cholesterol: 72mg
Sodium: 477mg
Total Carbs: 61.5g
Dietary Fiber: 0.5g
Protein: 4g

Gina's Pineapple Upside Down Cake (Not Sb friendly)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Wed, 21 Mar 2007 20:34:00 +0000

Gina is a wonderful friend that I've known since the 4th grade. We were best friends while growing up and she is still extreemly dear to me and my family. She is awesome and I love her dearly. I hear she is a wonderful cook but we haven't lived in the same town as one another since we were kids and so I've never been fortunate enough to be at her table when she welcomes everyone in to eat. She is such a dear that she took her Pineapple upside down cake to my folks one evening for a visit and I herd how wonderful it was. I asked her for the recipe and she emailed it to me immediately.....like I said she is such a doll! She said she read about a pineapple upside down cake in Better homes and Gardens magazine but it was more work and only made an 8x8 pan. She adapted it and made it even easier and bigger. She also said she always gets compliments on it and its so easy as you "cheat when you make it"....it uses a boxed cake mix. I made Gina's cake tonight for a friend of mine and it was really easy and tasted wonderful. Thanks Gina!!!!

Gina's Pineapple Upside Down Cake (not Sb friendly)

This is what ya do:

Just buy a yellow cake mix at the store, replace the water with pineapple juice. Mix as directed and set aside.

You need two cans of pineapple rings as it makes a 9x11 or 9x13 pan. In the bottom of the pan you use a stick of butter (melted), 2 cups of packed brown sugar and another ½ cup or so of pineapple juice. Stir this into a syrupy paste, drop the rings in how you want them then pour on the cake batter.
Bake as directed, but keep an eye on it as it might take a little longer to cook as its very moist,. Its done when the center springs back when you touch it. Let it cool at least 30 Min's and invert.

Note: We ate it while it was still warm but I think it tasted even better after it was completely cooled.

Thai Chicken w/ Fresh Basil (p1)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Wed, 14 Mar 2007 21:32:00 +0000

This recipe comes from the Atkins site. We tried it years ago and its been a family favorite ever since.

Here are my suggestions:

Use all fresh ingredients as it will taste better.
Chicken thighs aren't as good in this dish as breast meat.
DON'T use dry ground basil, fresh basil adds so much to this dish!!!
We like adding salted cashews to compliment this dish in flavor and texture.
"Thai basil (available in Asian markets) is more fragrant than the usual varieties, but you can use Italian basil in a pinch"....and that's what I have always used.
As the site says "Don't skip the fish sauce in this recipe as it a lot of the flavor".

Warning: If you have never used Fish sauce before try not to smell it...it stinks! In fact years ago when I first tried this dish I was not familiar with fish sauce and took a BIG whiff of it. Boy was that a mistake!!! During the entire time the chicken was cooking, I was worried it would stick up my house as I felt the smell was so strong. Really the smell was just in my nose and I was more focused on it. Due to my HUGE sniff of it however, the odor totally turned my stomach and I didn't want to even try the dish. I decided I would let my husband just have all of it. I'd fix him his plate that night and the rest would all go to him for leftovers over the next few days (he'll eat anything).

When the dish was done it looked pretty, but again I just couldn't get the smell out of my mind. I couldn't even bring myself to taste it, which is odd for me but the smell really did a number on my stomach. But as I was dishing the chicken out onto his plate I got some on my finger and without even realizing it, habit kicked in and I licked it!! WOW, was I shocked. It didn't taste at all like the fish sauce, in fact it didn't taste at all like I has imagined. It was mildly sweet and tangy/spicy. It was very good and I ended up fixing myself a plate of it.

It was so good that I even got my daughter to try it (I kept her out of the kitchen cuz I KNEW if she saw that it had fish sauce in it she'd refuse to even try it) but she did and LOVED IT!!! She would even ask for it...only she'd refer to it as that "Chicken Teriyaki"??? I'd tell her there was no Teriyaki in it but she has always called it that...in fact we now refer to it as: "Martina's Chicken Teriyaki", Ha ha. Now she can be a pretty picky kid at times and for her to enjoy it so much is really impressive! I hope you give this dish a try and enjoy it as much as we have!

Atkins Thai Chicken w/ Fresh Basil (p1)
(recipe from Atkins site, adaptions from Nau-Dee)
1 3/4 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 2- by 1-inch pieces
2 tablespoons fish sauce, (such as nam pla or nuoc mam)
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons Splenda
2 tablespoons peanut oil
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons chopped garlic (fresh or from a jar)
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup lightly packed fresh basil leaves, small leaf variety or chopped
2 to 2 1/2 T water (its never been listed in the ingredients but I usually use this amount. You don't want any more than this as it will be too runny).
1/3 to 1/2 c salted Cashew halves or pieces.

Combine chicken, fish sauce, soy sauce, water and sugar substitute in a zip lock bag and let stand 30 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add oil. Heat until hot but not smoking. Add green onion, garlic and pepper flakes and stir-fry 1 to 2 Min's.
Remove chicken and marinade and add to onion mixture. Stir-fry until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. If there is still a lot of liquid left remove the chicken and boil marinade down until it reduces and thickens a bit. Add chicken back to skillet and remove from heat.
Stir in 1 cup basil 1/3 to 1/2 c cashews. Transfer to serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining basil. ENJOY!!!

Chopped onion, garlic and red pepper flake

Chicken marinating for 30 Min's.
Stir fried in the skillet
stir frying all of it together
All done and looking colorful, pretty and ready to eat!

Spinach & Chickpea Pasta in Garlic Sauce (p2)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Tue, 13 Mar 2007 18:52:00 +0000

OH WOW WAS THIS GOOD!!!! It tasted like the authentic Italian dishes here in Europe! I got this recipe from Ruth's blog at: Once Upon a Feast. She said its a variation of one from a book called: Quick Vegetarian Pleasures. This is fast and easy to make and with a nice side salad it's a great meal and very filling. A dish I will defiantly make again!!!! Below is how I made this dish (I just make it a bit more SB friendly)

Spinach & Chickpea Pasta in Garlic Sauce (p2)
Prep time 10 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 bag baby spinach (10 oz/285 g)
2 cups sliced cremini mushrooms (I just used small button mushrooms)
1 lb/450 g whole wheat Penne or other short pasta
1/3 cup olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
½ tsp dried, crushed red chili pepper flakes
2 medium tomato's, seeded and diced
2 cans chickpeas, rinse & drain well
½ cup fresh grated Parmesano Romano cheese
½ cup white wine
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. Clean and cut/chop baby spinach. Place in a microwave bowl and microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 mins or until wilted. Drain and set aside.
2. Boil salted water for noodles in a large pot and cook the pasta for 10-13 minutes or until it’s al dente.
3. In the meantime, heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the mushrooms and tomatoes until much of the liquid is absorbed (about 5 minutes or so). Add the chick peas, garlic and chili pepper flakes and toss for another couple of minutes. You want to smell the garlic, but you don’t want to burn it. Add the spinach and white wine and toss. Continue to cook for 2-3 minutes.
4. Drain the pasta and add to the sauce. Turn it all out into a large serving bowl, toss, taste and sprinkle with some fresh grated Parmesano Romano. ENJOY!!!

Lemon Ricotta Pancakes with Plum-Raspberry Compote (p2)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:15:00 +0000

These delicate pancakes contain only a small amount of flour. Instead of baking powder, eggs make them airy.
Lemon Ricotta Pancakes
(p1 w/ flax or p2 w/ ww flour)
(Recipe from the SB forum and Adapted by Nau-Dee)
3 eggs, separated
3/4 c ricotta cheese (reduced fat)
1/4 c flour Whole wheat (I used 4 T Flax meal instead, for more fiber)
1/4 t salt
3 pkt splenda
1/4 t lemon extract
1 t lemon zest, finely chopped
Oil for cooking pancakes

INSTRUCTIONS:
Beat egg yolks until thick and pale. Add in ricotta, flour, salt and lemon zest, stirring just to combine. Put egg whites in a bowl and beat until stiff but not dry. Gently fold egg whites into batter until just combined.

Lightly oil a griddle over medium heat. Portion batter with a 2-ounce ladle onto hot griddle, leaving space between pancakes (I had to spread the batter out a bit or they were too thick) Cook until bubbles cover surface of pancakes and undersides are golden brown, about 2 minutes. Gently turn pancakes and cook until second side is golden brown, about 2 minutes. Serve with Plum-Raspberry Compote (see recipe below) or jam.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Plum-Raspberry Compote (p2) If the compote is too juicy, remove the fruit and boil the juice longer or strain some of the syrup and use it in cocktails, over ice cream, shakes or in tea. You can vary the compote by adding a small amount of red wine or liqueur such as Cointreau or amaretto before the fruit cools. Or use other fruits.

INGREDIENTS:
3/4 cup splenda
1/2 cup water
1 vanilla bean, split
2 pounds plums, pitted and diced chunks
1/2 pint raspberries
Orange zest to taste, chopped (lemon zest would be good too)
1 to 2 Tab Da Vinci Sugar Free Amaretto syrup
INSTRUCTIONS:
Combine splenda and water in saucepan and stir over medium heat to dissolve sugar. Split vanilla bean, scrape seeds into water mixture, add the bean and bring to a boil; simmer 10 minutes and remove vanilla pod.

Add plums and Amaretto syrup. Simmer gently for 15 minutes, or until plums are soft but still hold some shape. Remove from heat and stir in raspberries and zest. Taste and add more sugar if desired; let cool. Serve with Lemon-Ricotta Pancakes or other pancakes & waffles.

Kalyn's Pot Roast w/Sweet & Sour Tomato Sauce (p1)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:14:00 +0000

When I make Pot Roast I make it real simple & easy. I trim all the fat and let it boil in Lipton Onion Soup Mix. Sometimes I'll add additional sliced onions but that's basically it. Although my roast is very good and my family loves it, I wanted something a bit different.
This Pot Roast recipe came from the blog of Kalyn's Kitchen. Being one of Kalyn's, it was very good as always. Kalyn states that some of her sauce ideas came from a recipe for Ginger Beef in the book: 500 Low Carb Recipes.
Kalyn's recipe calls to be made in a Crockpot. Being that I live in Europe and can only use my old (American) Crokpot if I use a transformer, and since I've never invested in a German one...I decided to try and make this recipe on the stove in a large pot. Below is what I did and it was very good! Oh and thanks Kalyn for another great recipe.

Kalyn's Pot Roast w/Sweet & Sour Tomato Sauce

(About 6 servings)

3 1/2 - 4 lb. boneless chuck roast, trimmed well
1 T olive oil
steak rub, to season meat
black pepper, to season meat
1/2 c water with 1 t. beef soup base (1/4 c if using a crockpot)
1 T onion powder (or use 1/2 small onion finely chopped)
2 T garlic puree (in a jar, also called ground garlic)
2 T ginger puree (in a jar, also called ground ginger)
2 T Splenda
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 can (14 oz) diced tomatoes w/ juice
2 T soy sauce
1 tsp. anchovy paste, optional

Trim as much fat as you can from roast, and cut if necessary to fit into Pot (or Crockpot). Rub meat well with steak seasoning and black pepper. Heat heavy pan with small amount of olive oil and brown roast well on both sides. This will take a few minutes; don't rush the browning step.

While meat browns, combine onion powder or onion, garlic, ginger, Splenda, rice vinegar,diced tomatoes, soy sauce, & anchovy paste (if using) in food processor. Process several minutes with steel blade until tomatoes are pureed and ingredients are well combined.

Put browned roast into a large pot (or 3 1/2 qt.Crockpot slow cooker). Deglaze frying pan with 1/2 cup water to which you have added beef soup base (1/4c if cooking in Crockpot). Add the sauce mixture from the food processor & cook approximately 3 minutes. Pour sauce mixture over the meat.

Cook on low til meat is very tender, I think it was about 3 hours in the Pot ( 7-8 hours or more, if using slow cooker/crockpot. Turn now and again so it doesn't get too brown on one side. Add a little more water if needed but as it cooks it should release some juice and should be fine. Remove meat from Crockpot and keep warm. Skim off any visible fat from sauce and transfer to a small saucepan, simmer and reduce 10 minutes, or until sauce is reduced by about 1/3).

Serve hot, with sauce spooned over meat. ENJOY

Apple Cinnamon Nut Oatmeal (p2)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:12:00 +0000

Here is a really great Oatmeal recipe that came from the SB forum. There are so many recipes on this site I have yet to try and many that I have tried but just haven't posted yet. All have been really good however.
Apple Cinnamon Nut Oatmeal (p2)
(makes 2 servings)
2 c Oats (Quaker Oats)
1 large apple, peeled and diced
1 T vanilla
1/8 t salt
1 to 2 T Splenda
1 T cinnamon
2 to 4 T SF Maple Syrup, divided
2 to 4 T Skim milk or FF half & half, divided
2 T chopped pecans, divided
2 T Raisins or dried cranberries (optional)

In a sauce pan boil 2 c water. Stir in oats , 1 peeled & chopped apple, Splenda, vanilla, 2 T maple syrup and some cinnamon (apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice would work well too).

Let the oats and apples cook until they're tender. Toss in some cranberries or raisins if desired and mix well.
Place apple cinnamon oatmeal in 2 to 3 serving bowls, drizzle a touch of FF half and half or skim milk, a drizzle of SF maple syrup (I like Log Cabin Sugar Free brand) and top off with some chopped pecans. ENJOY!!

Taco Soup (p1)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 21:11:00 +0000

I wasn't sure what I wanted to cook last night and so I started to poke around the many recipes on my "to try" list. I happened to find this one that I saved long time ago...no big surprise its from Kalyn's blog (love her posts!). It looked really good and since I had all the ingredients, I thought I'd give it a try. Its easy and tastes great!!!! A definite keeper!This reminds me of the Santa Fe Soup recipe I have but its definitely one that I will make again.
To get the Original recipe (from the book: A Pinch of Salt Lake) or the adaptions of Kalyn's (Kalyn's Kitchen) clink on their links. Below is how I made mine.
Easy Taco Soup (p1)
(Makes 6-8 servings)

1 lb. very lean ground beef
1-2 tsp. olive oil
1 onion, chopped small
2 tsp. minced garlic
2 cans beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes with juice
1 can Rotel tomatoes with green chilies (what ever heat you like)
1 cans pinto beans with juice
1 can kidney beans with juice
2 T dried oregano
2 T ground cumin
2 T Chile powder
Optional toppings:
grated cheese (like a Mexican blend)
low fat or fat free sour cream
fresh chopped cilantro

Heat 1 tsp. olive oil in frying pan, add ground beef and cook until well browned, breaking into small pieces as it cooks. Remove and place in a large soup pot.

In same frying pan heat second tsp. of olive oil, add onions and garlic, and saute until onions are starting to soften, about 3 minutes: Add to soup pot.

To loosen any bits from the skillet add 1 cup of the beef broth and stir to deglaze the pan. Add this as well as the rest of the ingredients into the soup pot.

Let soup simmer at very low simmer 45 minutes to one hour, stirring occasionally and adding a bit more water if it cooks down very much. (If you want a thicker soup, cook 30 minutes, then remove a few cups of soup, puree with food processor or immersion blender and add back into the soup, then cook remaining time.) Serve hot, with toppings as desired. ENJOY!

Tex Mex Stew (P1)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Mon, 12 Mar 2007 13:29:00 +0000

This recipe came from the SB site and is really yummy. Its one of the first recipes I tried when we first went on SB.
(I used the just green bell peppers as thats all I had and thus is being so green...its good but not as colorful as when you also use a red bell pepper.)

Tex Mex Stew (p1)

1 lb lean ground beef
1 Red pepper
1 Green pepper
1 can black beans (15 oz)
1 sm. can green chiles (what ever heat you like)
Onion soup mix
2 cups water
Cumin
Salt
Oregano
Cayenne pepper
(top with some cheese and fat free sour cream if you like)

You can make this in one pot....
Brown the beef
Add peepers, beans, chilies, water, onion soup mix, cumin, salt, oregano and caynne pepper.
Let it cook down, I cooked mine for like fifteen minutes or so.

(If you want it thicker you can add whole wheat flower. [Mix 2 TAB flour with some water until creamy, then add to the pot. Cook a little bit longer till it thickens and its done] NOTE: This would then make this a P2 & P3 dish. I didn't add flour and I think its just fine)

Dee's Sauted Apple Cinnamon Yogurt (P2)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Sat, 10 Mar 2007 17:26:00 +0000

I don't like the flavor of plan yogurt so I always doctor mine up to taste better. A really easy way to do this is to simply add some splenda & vanilla extract. Its sweet, easy and still very light in flavor (p1). Dee's fro-gurt is a great and yummy way to enjoy yogurt as well. It uses the splenda & vanilla method above, and also includes mixed berries and homemade granola (p2). Another way I like to doctor plan yougurt up, is to make Jellow Yogurt . It's very easy as it calls for a pkt of dry black cherry or regular cherry sugar free jello to be blended in (p1) (these are the only two flavors I think are close to the presweetened and preflavored varietys at the store).
The past few weeks I've had an idea for another way to doctor up some plan yogurt. My idea is not orrigional, but its nothing i've had since I've been on Sb and thought it sounded good, AND IT WAS!!!!

Dee's Sauteed Apple Cinnamon Yogurt (p2)
(makes approxmatly 5 to 6 servings)

For the apples:
5 to 6 apples, peeled and chopped
1 T I can't belileve its not butter
1 T Da Vinci sugar free Carmel Syrup
2 T Da Vinci sugar free Amaretto Syrup
2 to 3 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 to 1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 to 2 tsp vanilla extract
a tiny dash of salt
2 heaping T splenda
1 T lemon juice

For the Yogurt:
Yogurt (about a cup per person)
1 tsp splenda
1 tsp vanilla extract

In a small bowl mix yogurt, splenda and vanilla extract and pour into a serving dish/bowl and set aside.
In a non-stick skillet: Add 1 T lemon juice and toss in the peeled and chopped apples. Place on a med high heat and start cooking them.
Add all the rest of the ingredents and stire often until the apples are cooked soft and hot. (**IF you have a lot of liquid in the skillet after the apples are done, than scoop out apple chunks and set aside. Continue to heat the liquid until its reduced and starts to thinken; then pour over apples. )
Spoon sauted apples over prepaired yogurt and garnish with a little more ground cinnamon if you wish.

** Keep the cooked apples in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to use. You can mix the yogurt up ahead of time and also store in an air tight container in the refrigerator until ready to serve. This dish is good served with reheated apples over the cold yogurt or cold apples over the cold yogurt....either way is good!!
ENJOY!!!

Ricotta Stuffed Chicken (P1)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 10:23:00 +0000

This dish is one of the MANY wonderful recipes posted on the Sb forum. Here is my slight adaption of the recipe.
Ricotta Stuffed Chicken (p1)
(makes 4 to 5 servings)
4 to 5 skinless boneless chicken breast, partially thawed
1 to 1.5 cups ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 egg, beaten
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp Italian seasoning (plus a bit more for topping)
Salt and pepper to taste
Olive Oil
1 jar of low sugar marinara sauce Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice chicken breasts to make a pocket (I find scissors work really well, and often better than a knife for this).
Mix together ricotta, mozzarella, egg, garlic, 1 tsp Italian seasoning, salt and pepper; mix well. Spoon cheese mixture into the chicken pockets until full and secure with toothpicks to hold the opening together. Brown in hot olive oil for approximately 30 seconds to 1 min on each side.
Remove and place in a glass baking dish coated with a small amount of olive oil. Repeat with other chicken breasts. Sprinkle a bit more Italian seasoning on each chicken breasts and bake at 350 for 30 mins and serve with hot marinara sauce.

NOTE: I often make this dish even faster by doing this:

Add a little marinara sauce to the bottom of a baking dish, fill the chicken breasts with the cheese mixture and place directly in the baking dish with a drizzle of olive oil.
Bake at 350 uncovered for 4 to 45 mins. Remove from oven and top each with more marinara sauce,shredded Mozzarella cheese and Italian seasoning. Bake 10 to 20 mins longer, or until chicken is cooked and the cheese on top is melted and lightly browned. ENJOY!!!

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken (p1)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Thu, 08 Mar 2007 10:23:00 +0000

I'll be honest these Pict's do NOT do this dish justice!!!!! The flavor of this chicken is so good and impressive that I've made this a few times and still get raves about it. Not only does it taste great but it's easy to make (and looks better in person) :D It's another great stuffed chicken recipe that I got from the SB forum.
Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken (p1)
4 skinless boneless chicken breast
1 box frozen chopped spinach (thawed and drained)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 c low fat mayo
1/2 c low fat feta
4 to 8 strips turkey bacon (1 to 2 per chicken breast)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Slice chicken breasts to make a pocket (I find scissors work really well, and often better than a knife for this). Squeeze out all the water from the thawed spinach and mix in the garlic, mayo, feta, salt and pepper. Stuff the chicken pockets with the spinach cheese mixture, place in a baking dish and bake for 30 mins. Cut turkey bacon strips in half and lay 2 to 4 half slices across each chicken breast and bake an additional 30 mins or until chicken is done. ENJOY!!!

Taco Lentils (p1)

noreply@blogger.com (Nau-Dee) — Fri, 09 Feb 2007 14:24:00 +0000

I love recipes and when I come across one that sounds interesting and or yummy I'll save it so I can give it a try some day. I have so many recipes that I could eat a new dish for each meal the rest of the year and still have more recipes left yet to try. Ha ha. Here is one that I found a month or so ago and thought I'd give it a try as I had everything to make it. Its extremely easy to make and tastes really good! This is one recipe that has many possibilities in how or what you put with it. The orrigional recipe is at a blog called: The Bakehouse (along with some other good looking recipes to yet to try).

Taco Lentils (p1)

In a lage skillet Saute:
1 c. diced onion
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp olive oil

When onion is translucent add and bring to a boil
c dry lentils
1 t (heaping) ground cumin
1/2 to 1 T chili powder
1 t oregano
2 1/2 t chicken broth Powder
2 1/2 c water 1 c salsa

Reduce temperature, cover and cook 30 minutes, until lentils are tender (mine were done at this point so do check them now and again!). If not done, uncover and cook for 6-8 minutes or until mix is thickened. Mash lentils slightly if you wish. Note: I think this would be good on a taco salad, in a whole wheat tortilla with lettuce, cheese and what ever additional toppings you like, toasted in a whole wheat tortilla with some cheese as a quesadillas and dipped in sour cream and or fresh guacamole, or serve as is on a plate with some roasted veggies or a side salad. No matter what you do with these lentils they will be yummy I'm sure! ENJOY!