Pizza Sauce

This is a great recipe. Use it any time you need pizza sauce, with pizza, calzones, pizza dip, whatever you need sauce for.

1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce or use 2 (8 ounce) cans
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup grated Romano cheese (you can also use grated Parmesan cheese)
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon sweet basil (optional)
3/4 teaspoon crushed oregano
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Mix in jar or similar container (Not aluminum). Shake or stir well. Let marinate in refrigerator at least six to eight hours. Remove bay leaf before using.

Most often I make just half the recipe, except for the pizza dip (You need the whole recipe for that.). It makes enough for a good sized pizza or calzone.

Pizza Dip

This is a great dip! Try it with tortilla chips or thinly sliced baguette. It's also good with crackers.
This would be a perfect appetizer or snack for your New Year's Eve party or for your Super Bowl party.

Very easy and oh, so yummy!
We had this on Christmas Eve. It was delicious. I'll try some variations and also some other possibilities for dipping into the pot.

2 packages (8 ounces each) cream cheese, cubed
1 can (15 ounces) pizza sauce
1 package (8 ounces) sliced pepperoni, chopped
1 can (3.8 ounces) chopped ripe olives, drained
2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
Bagel chips or garlic toast or English muffins

Place the cream cheese in a 3 quart slow cooker. Combine the pizza sauce, pepperoni and olives; pour over cream cheese. Top with mozzarella cheese. Cover and cook on low for 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until the cheese is melted. Stir; serve warm with bagel chips or garlic toast or spread on English muffins as an open face sandwich.

I made half the recipe and used a 1 1/2 quart slow cooker. I also made my own pizza sauce. Find that recipe under pizza.
I think it would also be good with browned hamburger or sausage instead of or in addition to the pepperoni.
It might also be good as the dressing on a sub sandwich with some ham, turkey, or beef.

Barbecue Meatballs

This is really Kori's recipe, but I know some of you want to try them. They are so easy since they're done in the crock pot. They are also delicious. Serve them over rice or noodles. I also love that I can vary the amount however I want. I can make a whole bunch or only a single serving just for me. Only 3 ingredients. What could be simpler?! They could also be used as appetizers with tiny forks or toothpicks.

Meatballs -- make your own and freeze them or buy a bag already made and frozen
Grape jelly
Barbecue sauce

Put the meatballs into the crock pot. No need to thaw, just dump them in. Add equal amounts of grape jelly and barbecue sauce. Stir a bit.
Then cook on high for about 2 hours. If you're going to be gone, cook on low and cook for about 4 hours. Since the meatballs are already cooked, you only need to heat it through.

Fruit Leather

This stuff is delicious and very easy to make. Use the fruits you like best.
I love apricot. I've made lots of this over the years. This one is for Jacki since she asked for it.

About 2 cups fruit puree
About 3 TBSP sugar or honey (It depends on the sweetness of the fruit)
Any type ripe fruit (apricots, apples, grapes, berries,
pineapple, oranges, pear, peaches, plums or tropical fruit or
combinations). Apples and Concord grapes should be cooked
until tender and made into sauce first. For fruits that tend
to darken, add 1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice per quart of
fruit. Additional sugar for other fruits are optional. You may also add a pinch
of cinnamon.
Prepare fruit as for table, removing stones, pits, seeds and
peel as desired.
Cut fruit in chunks and place in blender to puree. Line
cookie sheet or drying tray with Saran Wrap (pan must
have edges). Pour puree 1/4-inch deep onto sheet. Distribute
evenly by tilting pan. Do not use spatula or knife. When all
spaces are covered, the right amount of puree has been applied.
Set oven at lowest setting (140 degrees). Position pan in oven and
crack door 2 to 6-inches. Fruit will dry in 4 to 6 hours.
Properly dried fruit leather will be barely sticky to
the touch (test the center) and it will peel easily from Saran.
After loosening the edge and peeling Saran back an inch, roll
Saran and Fruit Leather in one piece in a loose roll (or cut
into individual pieces). It can be stored for 30 days at room
temperature, months in refrigerator or years in the freezer.

Grilled Picnic Taco Nachos

I made this for our Memorial Day Barbecue. Everyone really liked it and it was so easy to make.

5 cups tortilla chips
1 can (15 oz) black beans, drained, rinsed and mashed
1 can (4.5 oz) chopped green chiles, drained
2 tsp taco seasoning mix (from 1 oz package)
2 plum (Roma) tomatoes, chopped
2 medium green onions, sliced (2 Tbsp)
2 cups finely shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese blend (8 oz)

1. Heat gas or charcoal grill. Spray 12x18 inch foil pan with cooking spray. Spread tortilla chips in pan.
2. In medium bowl, mix beans, chiles and taco seassoning mix; spoon evenly over tortilla chips. Top with tomatoes and onions. Sprinkle with cheese. Cover pan with foil.
3. Place foil pan on grill over medium heat. Cover grill; cook 3 to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted. Carefully remove foil.

Makes 4 servings

Southwest Chicken Eggrolls

This was made in Little Theater. It was very easy to make and so delicious. These would be good for a party or anytime you would like something light. They taste very similar to the eggrolls you can get at Chili's.

1 small onion, peeled and chopped
1/4 cup butter or cooking oil
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 (10 oz) pkg frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
2 or 3 chicken breasts, cooked and chopped
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/2 cup cooked black beans
1/2 to 1 tsp ground red pepper
1/4 tsp ground oregano
1/4 cup fresh cilantro (or 1 tsp dried crushed cilantro)
1 cup salsa
1 tsp cornstarch
1 (4 oz) can chopped green chilies ( mild or hotter)
egg roll wraps
vegetable oil for frying
1 recipe Ranch Avocado dip

Saute onion and garlic in butter until clear. Add remaining 10 ingredients and heat through slowly. Following the directions on the eggroll pkg, fill wraps with chicken filling and deep fry in vegetable oil until golden brown. Remove and drain. Serve immediately with Ranch Avocado Dip. Or any other dip you may like.

Famous Salsa

This is a great salsa. Very quick and easy to make and tastes delicious. So any time you can't have or don't want salsa with fresh tomatoes, this is the salsa to choose.

Makes 4 cups

Ingredients
2 (14.5 ounce) cans stewed tomatoes
½ onion, finely diced
1 teaspoon minced garlic
juice from ½ lime
1 teaspoon salt
¼ cup canned sliced green chiles, or to taste
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions
Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, lime juice, salt, green chiles, and cilantro in a blender or food processor. Blend on low to desired smoothness.

Mozzarella Cheese Sticks

I made these for Super Bowl Sunday. I really like mozzarella sticks, but they have so many calories and so much fat. So I reworked a recipe I had and this is what I came up with. They are very light and crispy--really delicious.

Makes: 32 appetizers
8 light string cheese sticks cut once vertically and once horizontally. Each stick will then be cut into 4 sticks
Vegetable oil enough for deep fryer or 2 inches deep in heavy saucepan
1/2 cup Kodiak Cakes pancake and waffle mix (You could probably use a different brand, but it may be a little different.)
1/2 teaspoon paprika (I like smoky paprika, but use whatever you have.)
1/4 cup fat free milk
2 Tbsp egg Beaters or other pasteurized egg product
Marinara sauce, if desired for dipping

1. Place cheese sticks on tray; freeze at least 1 hour.
2. Heat 2 inches of oil to 375ºF in large heavy saucepan or follow manufacturer's directions on deep fryer. Beat pancake mix, paprika, milk and egg beaters until smooth. Dip cheese, 1 stick at a time, into batter, covering cheese completely. Be sure to cover the cheese completely or it will melt and run out.
3. Fry 8 to 10 sticks at a time 1 to 2 minutes, turning carefully, until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
Serve cheese sticks with marinara, salsa, spaghetti or pizza sauces.

Freezing the cheese first allows the outside to get crispy before the cheese starts to melt.
If you can't cook at least 6 or so at a time keep them in the freezer so they won't thaw before you get to them.
Coat them all before you start frying. They cook very quickly and you need to be ready. Don't try to fry and coat at the same time.
You can also use cheddar cheese cut into about the same size sticks. They are also yummy.

1 serving = 2 sticks and is 3 points

Mango Salsa

Ingredients:
2 ripe mangos, peeled, pitted, and diced

1/2 medium red onion, finely chopped
1/2 cucumber, peeled and diced

1/4 yellow sweet pepper, finely diced

3 Tbsp fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (I use my kitchen scissors to chop the cilantro)
Lime juice from 1 fresh lime
Salt and pepper to taste


Directions:
Combine all of the ingredients in a bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper. It's good fresh, but is better if left in the refrigerator for a couple of hours for the flavors to combine.

This salsa is yummy and so easy to make. It's great served with chips, but is also wonderful on grilled chicken. Last time I made it I added a little bit of crushed pineapple. Not too much since it has a stronger flavor than the mango.

Lemon Tiny Tarts

1 package sugar free cook and serve vanilla pudding mix
1 package sugar free lemon gelatin
2 1/3 cups water
1/3 cup lemon juice
zest from 1 lemon
24 tiny phyllo tart crusts (Such as Athena)
Fat free cool whip

In a small saucepan, combine pudding mix and gelatin. Add water, lemon juice, and zest; stir until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir 1 to 2 minutes longer or until thickened.
Remove from the heat; cool slightly. Spoon into crusts. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until set. Spread with whipped topping.

Makes 24. 2 tarts per serving equals 1 point per serving.

I love lemon pie. It's my favorite. But it has a lot of calories. This is a great substitute. It tastes like lemon pie, but has way fewer calories and is portioned out in small portions which satisfy my desire for lemon pie, but are not so large and are easily managed.