Ham and Havarti Croissants from Halfmysize.com

CAN WE EVEN BELIEVE IT'S MARCH ALREADY????

(I'll do the chocolate thing later....it's just what my cutsie calendar
says=)

(This is the first recipe to start off 2 weeks of sharing recipes from Halfmysize.com cookbook - they're all wondermous! and E.A.S.Y!

I JUST learned that Hungry Girl has a show on the Cooking Channel -
check her out!

YES!!!  and YES!!! again....

These are soo delicious - I can hardly wait to serve these to my adult children - they will love them too!

Simple and easy too, these would make a great appetizer or even an entree.
For breakfast too!

Something this tasty and only three ingredients???

BELIEVE IT!!!!!!

I haven't ever used havarti cheese, and had planned to use the 2% 'fiesta blend' cheese that I had on hand, when I spied some pepper jack that worked very nicely for this quick dish instead. 

Crescent rolls are definitely my second favorite ingredient (with cream cheese in first place.)  How can you go wrong using them? 

I just LOVE them!!

This is what they looked like as I was making them...

I cut up the cheese into little strips so it would roll up easier.

Ready to bake...

I do hope you'll try them - we will be eating them again soon!

NO doubt about it!

If you want, you could add a little mustard before baking?

HAM AND HAVARTI CROISSANTS

(From halfmysize.com and

The Better Baker)

1 can reduced-fat crescent rolls

16 slices Healthy Choice honey ham

4 ozs. jalapeno havarti cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 375. Unroll crescents and separate into 8 triangles.  Place 2 slices of ham on each crescent.  Top evenly with grated Havarti.  Roll crescents according to package directions.  Bake for about 14 minutes or until crescents are done.

Serves 8

(or 2, if no one else is around to eat them=)

Nutritional info per serving: Calories: 193; Fat: 9.9 gr. Fiber: 0 gr.

Linked to Melt in Your Mouth Monday

        Full Plate Thursday

Foodie Friday

Totally Tasty Tuesday

Ingredient Spotlight

Gooseberry Patch Roundup - Appetizers

Weekend Potluck

GBP Roundup - Lightened Up

Book Review: Love Amid the Ashes: Author - Mesu Andrews

I couldn't be more excited for my special friend, Mesu Andrews!  Her first book is being officially released tomorrow, March 1st.  

Isn't this cover fabulous!?  It feels so 'inviting' to me.
How blessed I am to call her Friend!  God crossed our paths about 8 years ago and we have grown to be sisters of the heart.

We've been honored to actually be together 3 times since then!  She lives on the other side of the country now, so we keep in touch via cyberspace.

She truly has a very special gift for writing and has such a unique talent with words. She's also a well known women's speaker.  What a gal she is!

I've begun reading my copy of Love Amid the Ashes - I am in awe at how the words and descriptions just flow for this gifted woman and friend!

Mesu is good friends with author/Women of Faith speaker Carol Kent!!  Carol wrote a review on the back cover and this is what she says...

"Mesu Andrews has skillfully brought the Old Testament story of Job to life in Love Amid the Ashes.  Throughout this book she explains Job's faithful adherence to studying the teachings of El Shaddai.  Then she creatively reveals how those principles are demonstrated by his interaction with Dinah.  You will be moved to tears as the characters reflect the mysterious role suffering plays in our faith.  If you enjoy a story that includes a powerful plot, romantic passion, and biblical truth, read this book!"

Check out her blog at http://www.mesuandrews.com/to read more details and purchase your own copy.  She's selling at several big-name websites.
And in bookstores across the country.

WOOOHOOOO!!!  I know God has great plans for Mesu and this is just the beginning!

Thanks for sharing in her joy..and in mine.

Pumpkin Cinnamon Chip Muffins

I just came across a favorite cookbook that's been hiding in my cupboard for far too long.  It has terrific recipes...perfect for those whose quest is better health.

I LOVE THIS BOOK!

The recipes are simple and enjoyable and very delicious!  You can get your own copy here. I'd say $10.95 is a darn good price!

I plan to focus on recipes from this cookbook for the next 2 weeks, so stay tuned for some healthier yummies for your tummies.

The recipe I'm sharing first is one of my all-time favorites!  A very similar recipe is in my cookbook, listed under 'lighter choices' in the "Bread & Rolls' section.

And I don't have to be counting calories or points to make and enjoy it! These taste like 'dessert'!

(I baked these while we're having a big snowstorm, so I thought the snowman peeking out on the placemat was perfect!)

MMM!  Melt in your mouth sweetness!!  You can hardly believe they're made from these simple ingredients!  It's so difficult to imagine they really are low in fat too!

My cookbook recipe doesn't call for the cinnamon chips, but they sure add a delicious zing to this tasty treat. (Cinnamon chips can be found in the chocolate chip aisle - sometimes only seasonally.  I had some left over in the freezer from the holidays.)

If you're not fond of spice cake, try chocolate.  I've made them many times using the chocolate, minus the cinnamon chips.

Folks cannot believe they have pumpkin in them!

The recipe says to make 24 regular sized muffins - I made 20 good sized ones....and filled the pans like this...(Oh how I need new muffin pans - these are SOOO old!)

PUMPKIN CINNAMON CHIP MUFFINS

(From Halfmysize.com)

1 (18 oz) spice cake mix

1 (15 oz) can pumpkin

1/2 c. water

1 (10 oz) bag cinnamon chips

(usually located near chocolate chips...sometimes only available seasonal)

{I had mine in the freezer}

Preheat oven to 350. Spray 24 muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. Combine pumpkin, (I rinse out the can with a little bit of water and add that to the mix also) cake mix and water; mix well. (I stir with a wooden spoon or spatula). Stir in cinnamon chips. Fill muffin tins about 3/4 full. Bake for 20 - 25 minutes or until done. I allow to stand in pan a couple of minutes before removing to cool. Yield: 24 muffins

Nutritional info per muffin: Calories: 160; fat 4.8 gr; fiber: 0.7 gr

(I prefer a larger muffin and made 20 instead - and prebaked, mine were still about 3/4 full)

After cooled, I froze a few of these. It's so easy to get one out, wrap it in a paper towel, and 'zap' it in the microwave for a warm and quick part of your breakfast.  Great! with coffee too.

Enjoy!!!!!!!!! 

Have a nice weekend and stay safe & warm ~

I'll be doing lots of baking while snowed in!

This recipe is linked to Sweets for a Saturday

Also linked to Melt in your Mouth Monday

                       Gooseberry Patch Roundup

                 Ingredient Spotlight: Tea

Homestyle Creamy Tomato Soup...from Scratch

I LOVE creamy tomato soup! 

This is a hardy recipe that can be found in my cookbook - Recipes & Recollections from The Better Baker - because I love it so much. 

It's easy too. Can be easily doubled for larger families.  Takes only a few ingredients - use what you have on hand.

A dear friend fixed this for company once and told me 'That is the BEST tomato soup I have ever had'! *-*

(Hover over imagine to pin) 

I used low sodium canned tomato soup, 1/3 reduced fat cream cheese, and fat free 1/2 & 1/2 instead of milk. 

You could also use fat free cream cheese (just remember - it has more water, so when it is beaten {or food processed} it tends to make everything runnier).

A grilled cheese sandwich is the perfect accompaniment along side this yummy soup. MMMMMM!!

When tomatoes are in abundance in the summertime, I freeze them whole(washed but unpeeled)...put several in a freezer bag and throw them in. 

When I'm ready to use them for cooking, I let them thaw first, and the peel comes right off.

Because we had recently cleaned out our big freezer (OH how nice to know what's really in there!) we found a bag of tomatoes, I brought them to the kitchen to thaw and didn't even have to think of what I would make with them.

If using a can of tomatoes, I recommend saving the juice first, and adding it to the soup at the end for consistency. 

I like mine thick, so I only added a little bit of juice to the soup before serving.  But you can add more juice to stretch the soup too - just do your thing! 

Do hope you'll try this tummy-warming and tastebud-satisfying dish.

HOMESTYLE CREAMY TOMATO SOUP

1/2 onion, chopped

1 TB. butter or margarine

1 (14 ozs) can diced tomatoes

1/2 c. milk

1 (10 oz) can condensed tomato soup

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

1 tsp. sugar

1/4 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

In large saucepan over medium heat, saute onion in butter until tender.  Place tomatoes, milk, soup and cream cheese in blender.  Whir until smooth (or not as long if you prefer chunky tomatoes) add to oniosn in pan.  Stir in remaining ingredients; heat until hot, stirring, being careful not to boil.  Serve immediately.  Makes 4 servings

Showers of Blessings!

  PSALM 34:8 - O TASTE AND SEE THAT THE LORD IS GOOD; BLESSED IS THE (WO)MAN WHO TRUSTS IN HIM.

I'm soo excited & blessed to have received an email this week informing me that I won an online dessert contest at The Book Club Network!

Here's what the email had to say...

The Just Desserts Contest update

The best recipe chosen was:

Cherry Chip Cheesecake Bars by Marsha J Baker. We have a WINNER and I will be letting her know and getting the gift card out to her today! Congratulations!


I got this message from them earlier this week...

This wasn't easy. We boiled it down (no pun intended) to 23 of the best recipes (I gained 5 lbs just reading them)

And then Nora and Hilary went through and picked the best 7

We then assigned our top culinary secret mission team the task of picking the best three. The latest results are on the site!

The top three recipes chosen were....brownies, apple cinnamon boston cream pie, and my cheesecake bars.

I'm sure hoping I can get those other competing recipes!

My 'blooming' author friend, Mesu Andrews (I will soon share more about her new book being published next week) knows how much I love recipes, and sent me the link for
this contest in January.

I paid no attention to the prize - I just love contests - and it wasn't until yesterday that I found the original email telling what the prize was....

OH MY!  I'm being sent a $100 gift card to spend at a high-end kitchen store online -

    
PLUS I get two books - the authors have already contacted me.  They are...

ALWAYS THE BAKER AND NEVER THE BRIDE - by Sandi Bricker and
DEADLY TIES - by Vicki Hinze

Coincidentally, I received my copy of Mesu's book just today, and long to find time to concentrate on getting it read. 

I'm able to read while on the road, so whenever we are out and about, I will be reading these books.

My winning recipe - Cherry Chip Cheesecake Bars - is in my cookbook.  And yes, I will be sharing it here in the near future too. *-*

Actually, it's a Betty Crocker recipe and you can often find the recipe on the back side of the Cherry Chip cake mixes.

You know how you sometimes get those email questionaires?  I am thinking of one in particular, that asks to name your favorite dessert.

EVERY TIME I answer CHERRY CHIIP CHEESECAKE BARS!  They are so rich and fantastic!

I often tell folks this is one of those desserts I need to serve to a crowd, otherwise, I eat waaaay too many of them myself!

Stay tuned - once you try them, you'll be hooked on them too!!

They're also very beautiful to look at too...(wiping the drool)