Angelic Macaroons

When my daughter-in-love, Lyn, and I were talking about the kinds of cookies we wanted to make for our annual cookie baking/candy making night in December, she mentioned she loves macaroons, but can never make them right. 

I love them too, but hadn't been able to find the 'perfect' recipe to make.

We've both tried using the recipe for combining sweetened condensed milk and coconut - we know others who have success with that one, but neither of us have. 

Imagine my excitement when I found the great recipe using an angel food cake mix....just the day before our scheduled kitchen time together. 

These yummy cookies are fat free!  You could always use unsweetened coconut in this recipe. There is some fat in the coconut, but I did check online and these cookies only have 79 calories each. That's not bad for such a tasty cookie. 

I loved the crunchy outside...soft inside.  And the flavor was magnificent!

It's definitely a recipe I will make again and again. 
(I did cut the baking time from original recipe) 

I don't want to forget to share where I got the cookbook where I found this special recipe....CAKE MIX MAGIC. 

My sweet blogging buddy, Angie, from A'lil Country Sugar kindly sent me the book along with several other lovely items she had for a giveaway.  The person whose name was drawn never contacted her with mailing info, so my sweet friend chose me.  How precious is that???  Thanks again Ang, for the lovely package of goodies I received! I am going to have SUCH a great time with this new cookbook.
I rarely EVER make a cake from a cake mix...this is my 'cup of tea'. 

Onto the tasty recipe...

ANGELIC MACAROONS

1 (16 ozs) pkg. angel food cake mix

1/2 c. cold water

1 tsp. almond extract

1 (14 ozs) sweetened flaked coconut, divided

1/2 c. slivered almonds, coarsely chopped

Preheat oven to 325. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.

Beat cake mix, water and almond extract in large bowl with electric mixer at medium speed until well blended. Add half of coconut (I stirred by hand at this point); beat until blended. Add remaining coconut and almonds.  Beat until smooth. Drop dough by heaping tablespoonsful 2" apart onto prepared cookie sheets.

Bake 18 - 20 minutes or until golden brown.  (Check them at 18) Cool on cookie sheets 3 minutes.  Remove to wire racks; cool completely. 

Yield: about 2-1/2 dozen cookies 

Linked to Foodie Friends Friday           Weekend Potluck

A Few Favorite {Healthy} Oatmeal Dishes

I really should buy stock in Quaker Oats!  I LOVE eating and using oatmeal in recipes.  It's good for you, so I thought I'd share some of my favorite ways to enjoy it....

Man oh man!! (or WOman!=) I just can't tell you HOW GOOD this cake is....it can be enjoyed for breakfast, lunch, dinner or snacktime! You soak the oats overnight and the recipe has no refined sugar.  I'm wild about having dessert for breakfast! 

Overnight Oatmeal (Cake)

(dairy, egg, gluten and sugar free options)

This has been a very popular recipe adding oatmeal for fiber.  You can't even tell it's there, but it's good for you. Substitute peanut butter for nutella if you so desire. 

Nutella Banana Oatmeal Smoothie




This is my version of No Bake Cookie Oatmeal...MMM good! 
Simple & quick...made in the microwave if you prefer. 

Chocolate Peanut Butter Oatmeal Breakfast




These little cookies are amazingly wonderful. Only 2 Weight Watchers points each...Using sugar free butterscotch pudding makes them so easy!
I keep mine in the freezer and they don't freeze hard.  Ready to pop in my mouth
anytime! 

No Bake Butterscotch Cookies

Turkey & Wild Rice Soup

This was a very tasty soup I made after Thanksgiving.
I love boiling the turkey carcass after enjoying it.  It makes such a wonderfully rich soup. 

When I saw this awesome recipe from Tonya at 4 little Fergusons...I knew it would be a winner!  (Her recipes always are!)

I had a box of chicken flavored rice on hand so I used that instead of a box of wild rice, but I'm sure that would be very satisfying as well.  

Use what you have....make it YOUR family's way and enjoy every sip! 

TURKEY & WILD RICE SOUP 

1/4 c. butter (or Smart Balance spread) 

1-1/2 c. carrots, finely chopped 

2 stalks celery,  finely chopp

1 medium onion

1/2 c. flour

4 c. chicken broth

3 c. cooked wild rice {1 box Uncle Bens Is perfect

(I used chicken flavored rice mix I had on hand)

2 c. (fat-free) half-and-half

2 c. cubed turkey

1 tsp. dried parsley

salt and pepper, to taste

Cook rice according to package directions. In large pot on stovetop, melt butter, then add carrots, celery and onion. Saute until tender, then stir in flour. Whisk broth and bring to a boil. Stir until thick, about 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients and reduce heat, simmering a few minutes to allow flavors to blend. 

Serve with crackers, biscuits or rolls. 

Gooseberry Patch Roundup - Thanksgiving Leftovers 

Skinny Skillet Lasagna

This quick (about 30 minutes) one-dish meal is tasty and even healthy. 

Loaded with whole grain lasagna noodles, veggies and protein..it's sure to please, and fill the hungriest of tummies. 

Oh how I LOVE Nancy's recipes at Skinny Kitchen.  She proves again and again, that healthy food can be very delicious. 

Try this recipe when you have a busy afternoon and need dinner in a rush. 

Weight Watchers Points listed below. 

SKINNY SKILLET LASAGNA 

1 lb. extra lean ground beef

1 Tb. fresh garlic, minced

1½ c. mushrooms, sliced

1 c. onions, chopped

1 c. zucchini, chopped

(I used frozen...from my freezer)

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

¼ teaspoon salt & fresh ground pepper, to taste

6 whole wheat or whole grain lasagna noodles, broken into 2-inch pieces

23-26 ounces jarred pasta or marinara sauce

(I used Prego’s Heart Smart) 

2 cups water

¾ cup fat-free cottage cheese

½ cup light mozzarella cheese, shredded

 Cook ground beef in a large nonstick skillet or pan over medium-high heat, breaking into pieces, until almost cooked through, about 4 minutes. No need to drain meat if using extra lean beef. If not, drain meat and return to skillet.

Stir in garlic, mushrooms, onions, zucchini, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Cook over medium-high heat until vegetables are soft. Stir often.

Sprinkle broken lasagna noodles into the skillet, then pour in pasta sauce and water over top.

Cover and cook, adjusting heat as necessary to maintain a vigorous simmer, until noodles are tender (about 20 minutes).

Remove skillet from heat. Dot tablespoons of cottage cheese over noodles then sprinkle with mozzarella cheese.  Cover and let skillet stand off heat until the cheeses melt (about 5 minutes).

(I added cheese directly to sauce) 

Serves 8 (about 1 cup each)

From Skinny Kitchen website: 

Weight Watchers (old points) 4

Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 6

SKINNY FACTS: for 1 serving (about 1 cup) 236 calories, 5g fat, 21g protein, 26g carbs, 5g fiber, 512mg sodium, 9g sugar

FAT FACTS: for 1 serving 493 calories, 17g fat, 20g protein, 63g carbs, 7g fiber, 1, 085mg sodium, 20g sugar

Linked to Weekend Potluck Meal Plan Monday

Pineapple Angel Food Cake {2 ingredients}

This is as easy as it gets Gang!

I know it's hard to believe this is really a recipe, but trust me it is.  It's another yummy recipe from my cookbook. AND it's a healthier option - NO FAT!

The first time one of my friends at church tried it, she was pretty curious...thinking it couldn't possibly 'work', but then it did, and now she makes it to serve guests in her home.

Just mix and bake - start heading to the kitchen now cause you're gonna want this for dinner tonight!

PINEAPPLE ANGEL FOOD CAKE 

1 - 16 ozs. box angel food cake mix

1 - 20 ozs. can crushed pineapple, undrained 

Preheat oven to 350. Place both ingredients in large bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended.  Do not use a mixer; it will foam up. Pour into an ungreased 9" X 13" X 2" baking dish. Bake for 30 minutes.  Serve room temperature along with a dollop of whipped topping. 

EAT UP!!!!! 

(Update: One of my Facebook commenters recommends only a name brand cake mix...generic doesn't work for this recipe. Name brand is all I've ever used, so I'm glad to know this and wanted to share with you) 

Linked to Mix it up Monday Melt in your Mouth Monday Foodie Friends Friday Weekend Potluck Mop it up Monday

Leader Enterprise - January 2, 2013 - Tips for making better food choices

Welcome 2013! As the saying goes, life really is like a roll of toilet paper...the closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes. Here's to a happy and healthy new year! This is going to be Part 1 of 2 columns sharing ideas and recipes to help you work toward better health in 2013.

Because I'm always fighting the battle of the bulge and because I always set out to eat healthier when a new year begins, I so appreciate thoughts like these, found at www.sparkpeople.com that give me something concrete to wrap my mind around. Enlisting some of these ideas into our daily lives, one change at a time, will help jump-start our healthy New Year's Resolutions. And somehow, it always helps me to have something in print to refer to often for inspiration. 

We all know we should be eating our fruits and vegetables. You’ve probably heard recommendations for meeting a 5-a-day quota, or seen the USDA’s recommendation to fill half your plate with fruit and veggies during each meal. You probably already know that eating fruits and vegetables provides a number of important health benefits, like reducing the risk of chronic diseases and heart disease and helping you manage your weight. Eating a diet filled with more veggies and fruits might also protect against certain cancers and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. With all of those benefits, you’d think the entire human population would be chowing down on bok choy and snacking on spinach.But not everyone has a built-in love for the produce department. If you struggle,as I do, to fit in your fruits and vegetables, read on for some tips and tricks to make eating a healthier diet easier than ever!     Snack smart. Instead of hitting the vending machine for an afternoon pick-me-up, start snacking on fruits and vegetables. Cut veggies and hummus or sliced fruit with yogurt dip will satisfy you more than a candy bar will. Eat a fruit or vegetable with every meal. If half a plate of fruits and vegetables seems like an overwhelming goal for you right now, start by simply adding one fruit or veggie to each meal. You can eat them as a side -- think a cup of green beans with dinner or a banana with breakfast -- or simply start adding them to foods you already eat. Fruit is a cinch to add to oatmeal, yogurt and cereal in the morning. Add onions and peppers to meat dishes or omelets or pile a few of your favorite vegetables onto your sandwich. Once you start working them in, you’ll welcome the new additions! Drink up. While you should limit the number of calories you get from beverages, if you have trouble fitting fruits and vegetables into your busy life,work them into a drink that you can take on the go. Try out smoothie recipes until you find a few you love and work them into your rotation as a breakfast or afternoon snack option. You can easily get several fruit and vegetable servings in a yummy beverage. If you simply want juice, look for 100 percent fruit or vegetable juice for it to count as a serving, but limit yourself to no more than one serving of fruit or vegetable juice per day, as the calories are concentrated and juice removes some of the other benefits of produce (such as fiber).   Slurp some soup! Soups and stews can be a nutritious, filling way to get lots of vegetables into a meal. Soup is an easy way to increase the variety of veggies you eat as it can make some of your least favorite options more palatable. If you don’t make your own, make sure you know the healthy soup options at the grocery store.   Be ready at all times. Have cut fruits and vegetables in the fridge ready for munching at all times. Whether you buy the pre-cut options in the produce department or take the time to cut and bag it yourself, you’re more likely to eat it if it’s readily and easily available. Have hummus, low-fat ranch or fruit dip on hand, too, if it’ll encourage you to eat up.   Keep them in sight, in mind. Just like you keep sweets out of sight to discourage incessant snacking, keeping fruits and veggies in sight will help you think of them as an option for eating. Stock a fruit bowl at work each week and keep a bowl on the kitchen counter at home so you’ll be more likely to eat it when you’re hungry. My husband and I love this delicious soup from the Skinny Kitchen website. It makes a large batch (12 cups), but it freezes well. You can easily cut the recipe in half too. Try using chicken instead of turkey--butternut squash instead of the sweet potatoes. TURKEY BARLEY SOUP WITH SWEET POTATOES 10 c. reduced-sodium chicken broth 1 c. dried pearl barley (I use quick) 1 tsp. olive oil 2 cloves fresh garlic,minced 1-1/2 c. carrots, sliced 1-1/2 c. celery, sliced 1-1/2 c. onions, chopped 2-1/2 c.sweet potatoes (or butternut squash), peeled and chopped  1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1/2 tsp. dried sage Fresh ground pepper, to taste 1 lb. cooked turkey breasts or chicken,cubed In a large pot,add the chicken broth and barley.Bring to a boil,reduce heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.In the meantime,in a nonstick pan add the olive oil, garlic, carrots, celery and onions; sauté until soft,about 5 minutes. Add the sautéed vegetables to the broth. Cook uncovered for 30 minutes. Add the sweet potatoes, thyme, sage and fresh ground pepper. Continue to cook uncovered for 25 minutes. Add the cooked turkey and stir with a rubber spatula so the squash doesn’t get mushy. Cook for 5 minutes more.Yield: 12 cups. 1 cup= 142 calories; 1 gr.fat, 13 gr.protein, 22 gr.carbs, 5 gr.fiber STUFFED PEPPERONI PIZZA MELT 1 (whole wheat) Deli Sandwich Thin 1 tsp. Smart Balance Light or reduced-fat butter 1-1/2  Tb.  pizza or marinara sauce 7 slices Hormel’s 70% less fat turkey pepperoni 1 slice light provolone cheese or light mozzarella Preheat Panini maker, George Foreman grill or stove-top skillet. Spread the outside of the sandwich thin, both top and bottom, with 1/2 teaspoon of butter on each. Split open and spread the inside of the bottom slice with pizza sauce. On top of sauce, place pepperoni slices and top with 1 slice of cheese. Place remaining top piece of sandwich thin,butter side out. Place in preheated grill or skillet; cook for 4 to 5 minutes until melted and golden brown. Remove with a spatula as the cheese oozes out a bit while cooking. De-Lish! Yield: 1 serving= 215 calories, 8 gr.fat, 14 gr.protein, 26 gr.carbs, 6 gr.fiber

(Very Lowfat) Chicken Tortilla Soup & Weekend Potluck #48

WELCOME ONE & ALL TO THE FIRST WEEKEND POTLUCK OF 2013!

WE MISSED YOU AND ARE SO HAPPY TO HAVE YOU JOINING US AT OUR VIRTUAL TABLE TODAY! 

TRUST YOU ENJOYED A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY SEASON!

  

For the first 2013 Flashback Friday recipe I've chosen to share...again...

(Very Lowfat) Chicken Tortilla Soup

Sometimes referred to as Refried Bean Soup...it contains...
Refried Beans, Black Beans, Corn, Rotel Tomatoes and Chicken...
It's one of my favorite soups and it's so easy to make...

Now, let's take a quick peek back at last week...

The recipe with the most clicks was ~

Club Cracker Christmas Toffee by Flavors by Four

Recipes that caught our attention ~

Tuscan Chicken Stew by South Your Mouth

Homemade Apple Pie by Hungry Couple in NYC

And, a personal favorite ~

Hot Spinach Parmesan Dip by Comfy Cuisine

If you were featured this week, we'd love for you to snag the FEATURED BUTTON below....

Your hostesses ~

• 4 Little Fergusons~ Tonya
• The Country Cook~ Brandie
• Mommy Time Party ~ Tabitha
• The Better Baker ~ Marsha
• Sunflower Supper Club ~ Kim & Julie

Remember that when you link up, it shows on all FIVEblogs. Plus…

We TWEET. We PIN. We LIKE.

Linky Guidelines:

If you wish to be a featured recipe or for us to promote your recipe either on Facebook, Twitter, or Pinterest, you MUST follow these instructions.

1. Please link up to your exact post and not the main page to your blog.
2. LINK BACK HERE from your post so that others can find the fun. (Need help linking back? Read this or watch this great instructional video.) You can use the button below or a direct link within your post.

When you are kind enough to follow our guidelines, we work hard to get you as much exposure as possible so that your time here is well invested. We want this to be a fun and rewarding experience for everyone!

Brownie Baked Oatmeal

I truly love oatmeal, any time of day. 

Especially since I learned I can make CHOCOLATE oatmeal. 

YES! 

I found this tasty recipe at Thriving Home blog where two moms, Polly and Rachel, share healthy recipes and tips for parenting and home management.  I think these young moms are a vault of wisdom and I really enjoy their posts and content.  They created this lovely recipe!

These gals share a lot of cool ideas, like...How to make a 5-minute fabric flower, 
How to make your own non-toxic foaming hand soap, or simply how to 
Resolve Conflict ...lots of practical stuff!! 

It's quite healthy too...with fiber (oatmeal), calcium, protein, vitamin A (pumpkin), and even antioxidants from the dark chocolate. 

You can easily mix the wet ingredients together and the dry ingredients the night before, then combine the two in the morning just before baking. 

This recipe can also be easily cut in half for a smaller portion. 

• BROWNIE BAKED OATMEAL 
• 
  
• 3 c. oatmeal (quick or old-fashioned)
• 2 Tb. flaxseed
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. salt
• 1/4 heaping c. cocoa powder
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup honey or brown sugar
• 2 Tb. coconut oil (or butter), warmed
• 1/2 c. pumpkin puree (or mashed banana or applesauce)
• 3/4 c. (1%) milk (or fat free)
• 1/2 c. plain Greek yogurt
• 2 eggs
• (or 1 whole egg + 2 egg whites)
• For Flax Egg Substitute, click here
• 2 tsp. vanilla
• 1/4 – 1/2 c. dark chocolate (or peanut butter) chips, optional

       Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

 In large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (the first six ingredients, through cinnamon).

In another bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (honey, oil, pumpkin, milk, yogurt, eggs, and vanilla).

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones. Mix well by hand.

Stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour batter into a greased 9" x 13" baking pan. Bake for about 22 minutes (or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean). Serve with warm milk on top, along with a dab of peanut butter or fruit. 

Linked to Weekend Potluck

Top 4 'Most Viewed' for 2012

I have really enjoyed seeing other bloggers post about their "Best" recipes for 2012.  

This lovely dish is the 'HIGHEST ALL TIME HITS' recipe...and it's wonderful! 

ONLY 3 INGREDIENTS! And it's a Weight Watchers recipe - you can't go wrong. 

Serve it to anyone and they will never know it's one of those 'healthier' dishes.

It's gorgeous too...just look. 

Weight Watchers Cherry Pie Fluff




Another recipe using 3 main ingredients....plus food coloring....
oh how fun!

Peanut Butter Pumpkins




This one had the most Pinterest hits..

Oven-Fried Bacon




Simple cleanup and very tasty....

Simple Crockpot Brownies



ENJOY!!!!!!!!

Tasty Slow Cooker Cheeseburger Soup (Weight Watchers)

Welcome to the first post of 2013 at The Better Baker!

WOW!  Did we ever imagine when we were kids we'd be writing (not to mention living in!) the year 2013? 

Trust you enjoyed a lovely holiday season.  It's such a busy time of year!
I really enjoyed my break and only got about half the things done that I had hoped to...but I missed ya'll!

It was definitely a time when I really overdid myself making dishes and indulging in them too!
(ARGH!)

Are you making any new resolutions or setting any goals for the new year?

Trying to be more organized?  I know there's lots of helpful hints on the web.  I have a closet and a few cupboards that need to be organized and cleaned out too. 

I also want to drink more water, move/exercise more, try to slow down as I'm always on the run, and I am excited that my daughter and I hope to published atleast 2 eCookbooks this new year! Always fun to dream isn't it? 

I'm thankful for a new beginning...to be able to 'turn over a new leaf' and get back on track to healthy eating.  I plan to share a number of 'healthier options' this month as I get focused on eating more veggies, fruit and fewer processed foods. 
I'm going to try a sugar-purge also.  I need to do that one badly!
{'skuse please if that's improper English!}

I have quite a few soup recipes in my drafts, but I decided I'd start out with this popular soup recipe that was a 'hot' one (pun intended=) in 2012! 

This Cheeseburger Soup is fabulously tasty and even includes WW points!

Even if you're not following that plan (I'm not either) it gives you a guideline. 

When I am in a rush, I will make it on top of the stove, but it's awesome making it in the slow cooker...letting it simmer while you're busy doing other things.  
Note that it does only take 2 - 3 hours in the slow cooker. 

SLOW COOKER CHEESEBURGER SOUP

2 sprays cooking spray

(I used a little olive oil too...WW wants you to have oil daily, soo)

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1 medium onion, chopped

1 medium stalk celery, chopped

1 lb. uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)

2 Tb. all purpose flour

(I used 3 because I like it thick)

3 cups canned chicken broth, divided

1 cup low-fat evaporated milk

8 ozs. Velveeta 2% reduced fat cheese, cubed

1/2 tsp. paprika

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. black pepper

baked lowfat tortilla chips, crumbled

I also added a can of fire-roasted tomatoes - it gave it great ZIP!

Coat large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over med-high heat for about 30 seconds.  Add garlic, onion, and celery; cook, stirring frequently, until veggies are tender, about 5 - 10 minutes.  Coat a 3-qt. or larger slow cooker with cooking spray; spoon in vegetables.  (A crockpot liner would work nicely too).

Place same skillet over medium-high heat and brown beef; breaking up meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 5 - 6 minutes; pour off any liquid and add meat to slow cooker.

In small cup, combine flour and 1/2 c. broth; stir until lump-free.  Pour flour mixture into same skillet; add remaining 2-1/2 c. broth.  Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits in bottom of skillet with wooden spoon, then pour into slow cooker; stir in evaporated milk, (tomatoes), cheese, paprika, salt and pepper.  Cover slow cooker and cook on low setting for 2 - 3  hrs. Serve soup topped with crumbled chips. 

Yield: 8 servings - 3/4 c. of soup and 3 Tb. of chips per serving

Weight Watcher points per serving: 5  (Prior to Points Plus)

And without my revisions...

Linked to Mop it up Monday Foodie Friends Friday GBP Roundup - Lightened Up Meal Plan Monday Whatcha Crockin Wednesday

Happy New Year!

CAN WE EVEN BELIEVE IT???

2013 is really here!!!! 

My best wishes to all of you in the new year.

Thanks again for your faithful support and love....

Oh how I look forward to spending time with you in the new year. 

Big Hugs! 

Marsha XO 

(a.k.a. - The Better Baker)