Beer Biscuits

3 cups biscuit mix
1 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
1-1/2 cups beer (room temp)

Mix together all ingredients and spoon into 12 greased muffin cups. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees.

Banana Nut Bread

3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
3/4 cup chopped nuts
3 medium ripe bananas (mashed)
3 cups biscuit mix

Mix together sugar, egg, milk and nuts. Add mashed bananas, then biscuit mix. Pour mixture into a greased loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

Jamaican Coconut Cornbread

1 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-1/2 cups coconut milk
1 large egg

Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Oil a 9x9-inch square baking pan and set aside. Spread coconut on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for five minutes. Stir, bake for five minutes more, and stir again. When coconut is golden, transfer to a bowl to cool. Raise oven temperature to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, stir together coconut, cornmeal, pastry flour, baking powder, salt, and brown sugar. Break up any clumps of brown sugar with your fingers. In a small bowl, whisk coconut milk and egg. Stir wet mixture into dry mixture and transfer to prepared baking pan, smoothing top of batter. Bake for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

Source: The New Whole Grains Cookbook, by Robin Asbell

Flourless Chocolate Cake (Diabetic)

6 tablespoons margarine
10 3/4 teaspoons Equal® for Recipes or 36 packets Equal® sweetener or 1 1/2 cups Equal® Spoonful™
4 ounces unsweetened chocolate
1/3 cup skim milk
1/3 cup apricot preserves with NutraSweet® brand sweetener or apricot spreadable fruit
3 egg whites
1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons instant espresso coffee crystals
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 egg yolk
1 teaspoon vanilla
Rich Chocolate Glaze (optional, recipe follows)

Heat margarine, chocolate, milk, apricot preserves, and espresso crystals in small saucepan, whisking frequently, until chocolate is almost melted. Remove pan from heat; continue whisking until chocolate is melted and mixture is smooth. Whisk in egg yolk and vanilla; add Equal®, whisking until smooth.

Beat egg whites and cream of tartar to stiff peaks in large bowl. Fold chocolate mixture into egg whites; fold in combined flour and salt.

Lightly grease bottom of 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment or baking paper. Pour cake batter into pan.

Bake in preheated oven at 350 degrees until cake is just firm when lightly touched, 18 to 20 minutes and toothpick comes out clean (do not overbake). Carefully loosen side of cake from pan with small sharp knife, which will keep cake from cracking as it cools. Cool cake completely in pan on wire rack; refrigerate until chilled, 1 to 2 hours.

Remove cake from pan and place on serving plate. Spread with Rich Chocolate Glaze, if desired. Garnish with light whipped topping, chocolate drizzle and/or raspberries, if desired.

Makes 12 servings

Nutrition information per serving: 139 cal., 3 g pro., 11 g carbo, 11 g fat, 18 mg chol.,108 mg sodium. Food Exchanges: 1/2 bread, 2 fat.

Rich Chocolate Glaze

1/4 cup skim milk
2 ounces unsweetened chocolate, cut into small pieces
3 1/2 teaspoons Equal® for Recipes or 12 packets Equal® sweetener or 1/2 cup Equal® Spoonful™

Heat milk and chocolate in small saucepan, whisking frequently, until almost melted; remove from heat and whisk until chocolate is melted and smooth. Whisk in Equal®

Cool to room temperature; refrigerate glaze, if necessary, until thickened enough to spread.

Nutrition information per serving: 30 cal., 1 g pro., 3 g carb., 3 g fat, 0 mg chol.,
3 mg sodium. Food Exchanges: 1/2 fat.

Recipe source: CooksRecipes.com

18 Minute Chocolate Cake

2 cup flour
1 3/4 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp cocoa
1 cup cold water
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 eggs
1 tsp soda

Combine flour, sugar, salt and cocoa in a large bowl. In a sauce pan mix water, oil and butter. Bring to a boil. Pour into dry mix and beat until smooth. Add buttermilk, eggs and soda; beat. Note: batter will be thin. Pour into well greased jelly roll pan. Bake at 350 degrees until done. Cool on a wire rack, While still a little warm frost with your favorite frosting.

Strawberry Cheesecake Pie

9-inch graham cracker crumb crust
2/3 cup (5 oz. can) evaporated milk
8 oz. package cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
1/2 cup sugar
2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. grated lemon peel
1 1/2 to 2 cups halved fresh strawberries
3 tbsp. strawberry jelly, warmed

Heat oven to 325 degrees. Place evaporated milk, cream cheese, egg, sugar, flour, and lemon peel in blender; cover. Blend until smooth. Pour into crust. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until center is set. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. Arrange strawberries on top of pie; drizzle with jelly. Refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.

Spicy Pork Chops (Grill)

2 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. brown sugar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
4-6 thick pork loin chops

Combine first three dry ingredients in a small bowl. Butterfly pork loin chops and flatten. Rub spice mixture into both sides. Grill for 10 minutes or until no longer pink.

Note: Can also broil for five minutes on each side.

Meatball Appetizers

Super easy recipe that is perfect for Memorial Day! Can keep warm in the crockpot. I'm taking this to a cookout tomorrow.

1 lb. ground meat
1 c. whole cranberry sauce
1 c. tomato sauce

Shape meat into small balls. Combine sauces; add meatballs. Simmer 1 hour.
Serve with toothpicks.

Makes 20-24 appetizers.

Source: Razzle Dazzle Recipes

Bubble Pizza (Kids Recipe)

Need:
- 2 tubes buttermilk biscuits
- 2 cups spaghetti or pizza sauce

Cut each biscuit into four pieces (total 80 chunks) and place in a mixing bowl. Add 2 cups sauce, along with any of the following pizza ingredients:

- meat (cooked & drained),
- olives
- onions
- peppers
- mushrooms

Turn into well-greased baking pan and bake 20 minutes at 325 degrees. Sprinkle choice of shredded cheese on top and return to oven to melt the cheese. Cut and eat.

Source: Aunt Libby's Kitchen

Southern Style Green Beans

6-8 slices bacon
2-3 lbs. fresh green beans
4-6 cups water
2 tsp. salt

Fry the bacon until almost crisp and reserve the drippings. Put the beans and water in a large pot and bring to a boil. Dice the bacon and add to the beans along with the salt and 2-3 tbsp. of bacon drippings. Reduce heat and let simmer for a couple of hours. Add more water if needed.

Tip: You can also cook the green beans in the crockpot (low/4-6 hours or high/2-3 hours), but you would only use 1 cup of water.

Canned Soup Boosters

These days more and more of us are stretching our budgets and looking for new and creative ways to trim the grocery bill without sacrificing taste and nutrition. Canned soup has been a staple in family pantries for many years, and over the decades it has changed to accommodate our needs to include low-fat and low-salt versions. Here are some quick and appetizing ideas to jazz up canned soup while heating it over the stove:

- Stir broccoli florets (thawed or frozen) into cream of chicken soup

- Add coleslaw mix to minestrone soup.

- Stir sliced chorizo sausage, corn, and salsa into black bean soup.

- Sprinkle shredded Swiss cheese on servings of split-pea soup.

- Stir a tub of basil pesto into hot tomato soup.

- Stir a can of tomatoes with green chilies into Cheddar cheese soup.

- Add diced ham to cream of asparagus soup.

- Sprinkle shredded Parmesan cheese on servings of lentil soup.

- Stir a can of kernel corn or sliced mushrooms into New England clam chowder.

- Dissolve 1-2 tbsp. flour in a cup of milk and add to a can of vegetable beef soup for quick beef stew. Simmer until gravy thickens (may need to add more milk for desired consistency).

- Add a small can of diced carrots to beef barley soup.

There are hundreds of more great ideas for economical ways to used canned soup. Please share some of yours!

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Copyright 2009 Charlene Davis