Zucchini Muffins

• 3 c. fresh grated Zucchini
• 2/3 c. melted, unsalted Butter
• 1 1/3 c. Sugar
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 tsp. Baking Soda
• pinch of salt
• 3 c. Flour
• 2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. Nutmeg

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Stir in the grated zucchini and then the melted butter. Sprinkle the baking soda and salt over the zucchini mixture and mix in. In a separate bowl mix together the flour, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Stir these dry ingredients into the zucchini mixture.

Coat each muffin cup in your muffin pan with cooking spray and fill them to the top with muffin batter. Bake on the middle baking rack until muffins are brown, about 25-30 minutes. Test the middle with a toothpick. Set on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from baking tin and let them cool for another 20 minutes.

*My kids loved these! They didn't know they were eating zucchini!

Zucchini Brownies

• 1/2 c. Butter, softened
• 1/2 c. to 3/4 c. Sugar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla
• 2 1/2 c. Flour
• 1 1/2 tsp. Baking Soda
• 6 oz. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
• 1/2 c. Corn Oil
• 2 XL Eggs
• 1/2 tsp. Cinnamon
• 1/2 c. Sour Cream
• 4 Tbsp. Cocoa
• 2 c. grated Zucchini (DO NOT peel, wash clean)

Cream butter, oil, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream. Beat until smooth. Sift dry ingredients into mixture, add the 2 cups of zuchinni. Blend ingredients together with a mixing spoon. Pour into greased, 9 x 13 pan. Top with chocolate chips. Bake at 350 degrees for 40-45 minutes. Cool before cutting.

*These are so good! My kids didn't even know they were eating a vegetable!

Amazing Meatballs

• 1 Large Bag of Frozen Italian Meatballs


• 12 oz. Grape Jelly


• 12.oz. Brown Sugar


• 12 oz. Homemade Brand Chili Sauce


• 1 1/2 T. Lemon Juice

Heat Chili Sauce, Jelly, Brown Sugar, and Lemon Juice in a saucepan. The Jelly will turn to liquid. Add frozen meatballs. Heat on Low 20-30 minutes. Trasnfer to crock pot and slow cook for at least 1 hour.

*this makes a great appetizer*

Italian Pasta Salad

• 1 package rotini pasta cooked and drained ( I used the vegetable, colored kind)
• brocoli florets boiled, and cut into bite sized pieces
• 1 package pepperoni pieces sliced in half or small pepperonis
• Mozzerella Cheese cubed or cut 10-12 mozzerella sticks into cubes
• 20-30 cherry tomatoes
• 1-2 c. chopped olives
• 1 bottle of your favorite italian dressing ( I used hidden valley)
• 1 c. finely shredded parmesan cheese

Combine all the ingredients except dressing and parmesan cheese in a large bowl and mix. pour dressing on slowly while continuing to mix. The pasta will soak up the dressing so add more than you might think or pour on some more right before serving. I mix in the parmesan cheese at the end. Refridgerate until ready to eat!

Garlic Green Beans

• 1 IB Fresh Green Beans
• 2 c. water
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• 3 T butter
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1/8 t. pepper

Bring beans and water to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Drain and set beans aside. In a large skillet saute butter and garlic until light brown. Add beans, salt, and pepper. Heat through.

*this makes a great side dish! It is awesome with garden green beans*

Chicken Enchiladas

• 8-10 Flour Tortillas
• 2 cans Cream of Chicken soup
• 1 c. Sour Cream
• 1-2 c. grated Mozzarella Cheese
• 1 c. Salsa or green chilis
• 2 c. cooked, chucked Chicken

Mix soup, sour cream, & salsa in a bowl then melt in the microwave. Take 1/3 of the mixture out and put in a different bowl with the chicken. Lay tortillas one at a time on a plate and spread with sauce on both sides of tortilla. Add a line of chicken mixture down the center of the tortilla and roll. Place enchiladas in greased 9x13 pan and pour mozzerella cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 30-45 minutes. Cover with foil for the first 2o minutes.

*These are really good made with homemade salsa*

Lemon Cream Pie

• 2 graham cracker pie crusts
• 2 small boxes of instant lemon pudding
• 1 c. powdered sugar
• package of cool whip
• 4 oz. cream cheese
• 3 c. milk
• strawberries
• nuts (optional)

Mix cream cheese, powdered sugar, and 1 c. cool whip and put in the bottom of the 2 pie crusts. Then mix lemon pudding mixes and milk in a bowl and pour in the to crusts. Spread remaing cool whip on top of the 2 pies. Refridgerate until ready to serve. Chop strawberries and put on top just before serving. Nuts on top are optional.

Low Fat Vegetable Lasagna

• 8 oz lasagna noodles
• 1 medium zuchinni, thinly sliced
• 1 1/2 t olive oil
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 10 oz. package frozen brocolli, chopped, thawed and well drained
• 3/4 cup low fat ricotta cheese
• 2 T parmesan cheese
• 1 T parsely flakes
• 1/2 t salt
• 1/4 t pepper
• 1 1/2 c tomato sauce
• 2 oz. lowfat mozzarella cheese, grated

This is a great way to use that zuchinni in your garden! Bring a large pot fulled with salted water to a boil. Add lasagna noodles and cook 7 to 10 minutes, drain and rinse. Place zuchinni in a microwave bowl with 3 T water. Cover with plastic wrap and cook on high for 1 minute. Drain and set aside. In a medium saucepan, heat olive oil, add onion and cook for 3 minutes. Add garlic and cook 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Add chopped brocolli, ricotta, parmesan, parsley, salt and pepper, blend well. Fold in cooked zuchinni. Spread 2 T tomato sauce over bottom of a 9 x 9 x 2" baking dish. Arrange a single layer of noodles over sauce. Spread half of vegetable filling over noodles and spoon 1/3 of the remaining sauce over the filling. Make another layer with half the remaining noodles, all the remaining filling, and 1/3 of the sauce. Top with remaining noodles and sauce. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese evenly over top. Bake at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Serves 6.

Stawberry Banana Pancakes

Ingredients:
1 1/2 c. Flour
1 tsp salt
3 T Sugar
1 3/4 t double acting Baking Powder
1 or 2 slightly beaten whole eggs
3 T melted butter
1 to 1 1/4 c. Milk
1 c. chopped strawberries
1-2 small bananas chopped

I a medium bowl sift flour. Add salt, sugar, and baking powder and resift. In a small bowl beat eggs. add melted butter and milk. Mix the liquid ingredients quickly into the dry ingredients. Chop bananas and strawberries and set aside. Pour 1/2 c. of the mix onto a hot griddle set at med/med low heat greased with butter. Drop desired amount of strawberries and bananas on pancake spaced evenly. Flip pancake when edges are cooked and bubbles have formed in the middle. These taste really good served with Whipped Cream on top! Makes 6-8 medium sized pancakes.

Manicotti

Ingredients:

1 IB Hamburger
1 clove of garlic, crushed
8 oz. Mozzerella Cheese, Shredded
1 c. Cottage Cheese
1 c. Best Foods Mayo
1 tsp. Salt
16 oz. any variety of Spaghetti Sauce
1 pkg. Manicottie Noodles, cooked according to package directions

Brown Hamburer and garlic in a little butter in a hot skillet. In a large mixing bowl mix mozzerella, cottage cheese, mayo, and salt together. Drain grease from meat and add to mixture. Rinses noodles and stuff with hamburger mixture and place stuffed noodles in a greased 13x9 pan. Pour spaghetti sauce over noodles. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Sprinkle Parmesan Cheese on top after baking for more flavor! Serves 4.

Cute Cupcakes!

You can really be creative with cupcakes and they are cheap and easy to make. Here are 3 easy ways to decorate them for themed parties! Make a batch of cupcakes with cake mix and then do the following:

Fish Cupcakes:
Ingredients-
2 Dozen cupcakes
Icing
plain M&Ms
food coloring

Split the icing into 4 parts and dye it 4 colors of your choice. Decorate as seen in picture with M&Ms and icing! Perfect for an under the sea party!

Lady Bug Cupcakes:
Ingredients-
Cupcakes
vanilla Icing
chocolate Icing
Licorice
Plain M&Ms
Food Coloring

Make desired amount of cupcakes. Dye the vanilla icing pink. Spread it on the cupcakes. Put some chocolate icing on the 'head of the ladybug'. Cut licorice for antennas and put on the head. Use M&Ms for spots. Enjoy!

Shark Fin Cupcakes:

Ingredients-

Cupcakes

Icing

Chocolate orange or candy orange slices

food coloring
coconut shavings optional

Make desired amount of cupcakes. Dye icing blue and frost the cupcakes. Cut chocolate orange slices or candy orange slices in half. Place in center of cupcake. Put coconut shavings in a ziplock bag with a few drops of blue food coloring. Shake until coconut shavings are blue and sprinkle on the cupcakes. Enjoy!

Parmesan Rolls

Ingredients:
1 dozen Rhodes Bake n Serve frozen Dinner Rolls
2 T butter
Parmesan Cheese finely shredded
Parmesan Cheese grated

These are insanely easy to make and taste amazing! I like to let the dough rise in a greased muffin pan, but they can be made in a greased 13 x 9 pan too. Let the dough rise for 3-5 hours until double in size. Melt butter in microwave. Lightly coat rolls in butter and sprinkle on the shredded parmesan cheese. I like to put some of the shredded cheese underneath the rolls too. Then sprinkle some grated parmesan cheese on top. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes. Enjoy!