Lemonade Cheescake Pie

This recipe is from Kraftfoods.com. I don't really like cheesecake, but you can't taste the cream cheese because of the yummy lemonade. It makes a nice, light summer treat.

1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 HONEY MAID Graham Pie Crust (6 oz.)
1-1/2 cups sliced strawberries
2 Tbsp. sugar

BEAT cream cheese in medium bowl with mixer until creamy. Gradually add concentrate, beating well after each addition. Stir in 2 cups COOL WHIP. Spoon into crust.

REFRIGERATE 4 hours or until firm. Meanwhile, toss berries with sugar. Refrigerate until ready to use.

SERVE pie topped with berries and remaining COOL WHIP.

Spinach and Strawberry Salad

What you need:

Spinach

Sliced Strawberries

Sliced Almonds

Grated Mozzerella or Feta Cheese

Dressing:

Mix equal parts of honey, white vinegar, and canola oil. Pour desired amount over salad.
~Bonnie

A healthy granola snack

This is a healthy after school snack, or if you are trying to loose a few pounds and want a healthy snack that won't wreck the diet plans, this is yummy. It was a really good friends recipe! Try it out!

What you need:

6 c. regular oatmeal

½ c. brown sugar

¾ c. wheat germ

½ c. sweetened flaked coconut

½ c. raw sunflower seeds

1 c. chopped nuts

½ c. oil

¼ c. honey

1½ tsp. vanilla

Dried fruit if desired

Mix dry ingredients in a very large bowl, but not fruit. Heat honey, oil and vanilla in small sauce pan until very warm, but not hot. Stir in honey mixture a little at a time, stirring well after each addition. Put in greased 9x13 pan. Bake @ 325° for 40 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. If adding fruit, add before last 10 minutes of cooking. Cool without stirring after the last cooking so it will be chunky. Options: substitute whole wheat flour or bran for wheat germ, add other seeds… I have also left out the coconut and sunflower seeds, and added dark chocolate chips and dried cherries.

~Bonnie

The best Cornbread!

What you need:

1/2 c. butter (or oil)

2/3 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 c. buttermilk or 1 cup milk with 1 T. vinegar

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup freshly ground corn meal (or I have used popcorn ground in a food processor)

1 cup flour

1/2 tsp soda

Melt butter and add sugar then stir well. Add eggs and beat until well blended. Add buttermilk and salt, then stir.

Combine dry ingredients then add to the mixture. Put in a 9x9 inch pan and bake at 375 ° F for 30 minutes. Serve with a dab of margarine or butter and honey! Makes a yummy snack or bread for dinner beside a chili!

~Bonnie

Freezing meals

As my family has grown I try to find ways to shorten my time in the kitchen (spend more time with the kids then cooking and cleaning) but still make wholesome and healthy meals for my family. I have found that making them ahead of time, or making extra when I make something, then freezing it helps me do this. Here are some tips from allrecipes.com. I have found it is truly a real time saver! Enjoy!
~Bonnie

Cowboy Cookies

I tried a new cookie recipe yesterday and they are sooo good! I had a 1/2 cup of coconut that I needed to use up so it was perfect. I only made half the recipe and froze half of the dough because if I make them all I will eat them. (Not good for the trying to lose the baby weight plan.) To find the recipe go here. This is one of my favorite websites for recipes.

Bacon

I love bacon! I always pan fry it because that is the way my mom always made it, but I decided to try baking it in the oven. I have to admit that it is the greatest thing ever. The bacon cooks evenly and still gets crispy. I love it! I am probably the only person in the world that didn't know that. I am ok with that. Have a good laugh or try it.

Zucchini Fettucine

Today for lunch we tried Zucchini Fettuccine by Rachel Ray. You can find the recipe here. I thought it was very tasty, easy and quick to make. Dan said it was "fresh and refreshing". Yum!

Introduction

I decided recently that I love to cook and try new recipes. Every time I find a good recipe I want to share it with people, but don't have a great outlet to do that; hence, the creation of a blog. My sister-in-law, Bonnie, is a very good cook so I have asked her to join me in my new adventure. So enjoy! And if you have any recipes you would like to post just let us know and we will be happy to do so.