Beef Chili

Start by chopping the onion and celery.  The recipe calls for two ribs of celery, but I only had three so I decided to use them all.  I also prefer pre-chopped garlic in a glass container, but feel free to chop or press fresh garlic if you like.

Next, combine chopped vegetables and ground beef in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Break the beef apart and incorporate the veggies.  

Then sprinkle the seasonings into the mixture...

Brown the beef until it's no longer pink (the vegetables will be soft).  Drain off any excess fat.

Transfer the beef mixture to a crock pot, and add the canned ingredients (crushed tomatoes, kidney beans, green chilies, and tomato paste).  *Because I don't know what to do with leftover tomato paste, I add the whole can.*

Stir the ingredients together until they are incorporated.  Cook on high for 4 hours...

Serve with shredded cheese and a dollop of sour cream.  :)

Beef Chili

1 lb. lean ground beef (90/10)
2 cloves garlic, chopped fine
2 T. chili powder
1 t. ground cumin
1 (28 oz.) can crushed tomatoes
1 (15 oz.) can kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1 medium onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 (8 oz.) can diced green chilies
2 T. tomato paste


Brown beef, onion, celery, garlic, chili powder and cumin. Drain off any excess fat. Transfer mixture to a crock pot. Add tomatoes, beans, chilies, and tomato paste. Stir well. Cook on high for 4 hours. Garnish with sour cream and/or shredded cheddar cheese.

Mama Mattson's Marinara

Mama Mattson's Marinara

16 c. peeled and diced tomatoes

4 med. onions, diced

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 c. olive oil

4 (6 oz.) cans tomato paste

1/4 c. sugar

2 T. parsley

2 T. oregano

2 T. basil

3/4 t. pepper

2 T. salt

2 bay leaves

Saute the onions and garlic in the oil for 10 minutes or so while peeling and dicing the tomatoes.

Combine all ingredients in large soup kettle; simmer on low for 2 hours.  (Stir occasionally to make sure it's not scorching.)  Pull bay leaves out before processing.

For chunky marinara, simply can as is.  For non-chunky marinara, puree sauce in blender.

Process jars in hot-water bath for 20 minutes.

Mug Brownie

I found this little gem while surfing Pinterest.  In fact, this is what I posted about it:  "Oh my... oh my... oh my. This is DELICIOUS! It's the perfect fix for a chocolate craving. Yum! I'm thinking about making up little containers of the dry ingredients so that I can just dump, add the liquid ingredients, and microwave myself to a little happiness. Someone with WW eTools should figure out the new Points Plus for these little darlin's. =)."


I did just that, by the way.  I found all those teeny-tiny little rubbermade containers that no one is ever sure what to do with, and I made up eight batches of dry ingredients.  Now, as the evening draws to an end, I can easily dump, stir, and nuke my way to a little guilt free indulgence.

Mug Brownie

1 mug (doesn't have to be too big)
nonstick spray

2 T. flour
1 1/2 T. granulated Splenda
2 t. cocoa powder
1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. instant coffee granules, optional
sprinkle of salt

2 T. milk
1 t. oil
1 drop of vanilla

Spray the inside of the mug with nonstick spray.  Combine the dry ingredients in the mug; stir in the wet ingredients just until combined.  Microwave on HIGH for at least 35 but not more than 40 seconds.  Top with powdered sugar or a spray of aerosol whipped cream.  Enjoy!

Far East Celery

This is another of my mother-in-law's delicious recipes. I'm not a big celery fan, but this dish is very yummy. In fact, I could eat the leftovers as a meal in itself. She has served it as a side for a Thanksgiving spread. I made it with Rice-a-Roni meatballs and baked squash this week. Here's a topic for conversation... What do you call one piece of celery? What do you call the whole package?? (WITHOUT looking it up on the internet, or you're disqualified.)

Far East Celery

4 c. celery, cut into 1/2 to 1" pieces (I used a whole... er, package.)

1 (15 oz.) can sliced water chestnuts, drained and roughly chopped

1 (10 oz.) can cream of chicken soup (I used Healthy Request.)

1 small jar chopped pimento with juice

1 (2 oz.) package sliced almonds (I think I used slivered, or whatever was in the cupboard.)

1/2 c. croutons (Not the salad ones... the little squares that you would use to make stuffing.)

1 T. melted butter

In a medium saucepan, cook the celery in salted water for 5 minutes and drain. Return the celery to the pan and stir in the water chestnuts, cream soup, pimento, and almonds. Transfer the mixture to a buttered casserole dish. Sprinkle croutons on top and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 45 minutes in a 350 degree oven.

Yield: 6 servings

Banana-Raisin Muffins

I stumbled across this recipe as I was frantically searching for my sister-in-law's banana bread recipe tonight so that I could use up two over-ripe bananas. I figured I might as well try something new since the inexperienced bagger at Hugo's put my fresh bananas in a plastic bag with four pounds of pears and under three pounds of baby yukon gold potatoes (trust me... I've already shared my grievance with management). That means I have over-ripe and bruised bananas coming probably by tomorrow. Disgust for the sheer lack of respect towards food aside, these lovely muffins just came out of my oven. In fact, I might even sample one before I'm done writing this post.

Banana-Raisin Muffins

2 c. Cheerios cereal, coarsely crushed

1 1/4 c. flour

1/3 c. brown sugar, lightly packed

2 1/2 t. baking powder

1 c. (2 medium) bananas, mashed

1 c. raisins

2/3 c. skim milk

3 T. canola oil

1 egg

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line or spray 12 regular size muffin cups. In a large bowl, mix crushed Cheerios, flour, brown sugar, and baking powder. Add wet ingredients and stir just until moistened. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake 18-22 minutes.

Yield: 12 muffins (5P+)

PS: Yep... these are delish! Very moist, yet a little crunch from the cereal. This one's a keeper. And just because I was curious, you could substitute 3 3/4 oz. (roughly 2/3 c. ) mini chocolate chips for the raisins and it doesn't change the point value. =)

OH! This just in... I played with the recipe a bit online, and if you substitute 3 T. unsweetened applesauce for the oil it drops the points to 4P+. That even leaves room for a tablespoon of Smart Balance or light butter on your muffin. Yee haw!! =)

Fruit Salad

I served this fruit salad at a breakfast meeting this summer. I was able to make the salad ahead of time without the bananas, then all I had to do was fold them in before serving. Strawberries will bleed into the creamy yellow color of the salad, so use red-type fruits at your own risk. =)

Fruit Salad

1 (20 oz.) can pineapple chunks in juice, rinsed and drained

1 (16 oz.) can sliced peaches in juice, drained

1 (11 oz.) can mandarin oranges, drained

3 medium bananas, sliced

2 medium apples, diced

1 small box sugar free instant vanilla pudding

1 1/4 c. skim milk

3 oz. frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

3/4 c. fat free sour cream

In a large bowl, beat pudding, milk and orange juice concentrate until well blended. Mix in sour cream. Fold in fruit (except bananas). Chill. Fold in bananas just before serving.

Yield: 12 servings (3P+)

Zucchini Skillet

The gardens are in full harvest now, and if your kitchen is like mine, you've got fresh zucchini in your fridge about every three to four days. I used to think it was only good in baked goods (zucchini spice bars, zucchini bread, chocolate zucchini cake with mint frosting...). Turns out it's delicious in main dishes as well.

I can not take credit for this masterpiece. My good friend Kelly was kind enough to pass this one on to me. What made me want to try it the most was how animated her husband became when she mentioned the dish. Most men don't get easily excited about vegetables, so I knew this one was going to be good. The result? "Good" is an understatement! "Amazing" might be closer. Plus, the longer we talked about the dish the more versatile it became. The dish didn't really have a name or a specific recipe; you just use what you have on hand. The following recipe is how I made it... feel free to add or subtract as your produce drawer allows.

Zucchini Skillet

1/2 lb. bacon, chopped

1 medium onion, rough chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 medium zucchini, quartered and cut into chunks

2 packages whole mushrooms, quartered

1 can diced tomatoes, mostly drained

1 1/2 c. finely shredded mozzarella

In a large, deep skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove half of the grease. Add the onion and garlic to the pan until soft. Add the mushrooms and zucchini. Saute vegetables until crisp-tender (add back 1 T. of bacon grease if necessary). Stir in tomatoes and cook until vegetables are tender. Sprinkle with cheese and cook to melt just before serving.

Notes: Kelly mentioned that she uses the above preparation for a side dish. You could easily make it the main dish by omitting the bacon (and using olive or canola oil for the sauteing), adding a grilled, sliced chicken breast, and serving it over cooked pasta. You can substitute the canned tomatoes for fresh diced or cherry tomatoes. You could even use parmesan instead of mozzarella. Personally, the underlying smokiness from the bacon is what makes the dish.

Yield: 8 servings (5 P+)

Italian Lentil Soup

The challenge at WW this week is to eat ONE meatless meal. I joked about it at my table and tried to forget about it as I walked through the door on the way out with an over the shoulder comment like, "I'm definitely a carnivore." Then I stumbled across this recipe in my Taste of Home: Healthy Cooking magazine. I had all of the ingredients on hand, so I figured why not? Turns out that it is a hearty meal and filling for a low points value. We've got some cooler nights coming with the onset of fall in the Northland, so this soup just might be a welcome addition to your autumn repertoire.

Italian Lentil Soup

1 medium onion, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 T. olive oil

3 1/4 c. water

1 can (14 oz.) vegetable broth

1 c. dried lentils, picked over and rinsed

3 medium carrots, sliced thin

1 small green pepper, chopped

1 t. dried oregano

1/2 t. dried basil

1/4 t. crushed red pepper flakes

1 can (14 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 can (6 oz.) tomato paste

1 T. lemon juice

2 c. prepared brown rice, optional

In a dutch oven, saute onion and garlic until tender. Add water, broth, lentils, carrot, green pepper, and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes. Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, and lemon juice. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes longer, or until lentils are tender. To serve, place 1/3 c. rice in the bottom of bowl and ladle soup over top.

Yield: 6 (1 1/3 c.) servings (4 P+ without rice; 6 P+ with rice)

Taco Junk

It's in the crock pot as I write this. I got this recipe from my Weight Watchers leader; she even gave me a take-home sample. It's yummy, and oh, so easy.

Taco Junk

1 lb. lean ground beef

1 can corn, drained (I rinse too, to lower sodium.)

1 can Northern beans, drained and rinsed

2 envelopes dry Ranch dressing mix

1 can Rotel tomatoes

1 (16 oz.) jar salsa

Brown and drain the beef. Add beef and remaining ingredients to the crock pot. Heat on low until heated through. Serve on tortillas, taco shells, with lettuce or chips... you decide!

Yield: 10 (1/2 c.) servings (3P+)

Banana Bread

This is a good thing, and not a good thing. I love banana bread. No really, I LOVE it. If it's around, I'll eat it. It is my drug; once I start, I can't stop. My saving grace all these years has been that I just can't make banana bread, so I can only have it when someone I know makes it and offers it to me. Every endeavor has failed... until now. My sister-in-law urged me to try this recipe, and I obliged grudgingly. The bad news is that it turned out, perfectly. Great. Now I'll find myself allowing the bananas to over-ripen just so that I can make another batch.

Banana Bread

1 1/4 c. sugar

1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, softened

2 eggs

1 1/2 c. mashed bananas (3 medium)

1/2 c. low-fat buttermilk

1 t. vanilla

2 1/2 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

Arrange the oven racks so that the top of the loaf pans will be in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease the bottoms only of two 8 1/2 x 4 1/2 x 2 1/2" loaf pans; set them aside. In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and beat until fluffy. Mix in the bananas, buttermilk, and vanilla (gently at first) until incorporated. Mix in the flour, soda, and salt just until moist. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake for 60 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. (If you're using a dark loaf pan, I would suggest checking it at 45-50 minutes.) Allow bread to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove and transfer to a rack until completely cool.

Yield: 2 loaves; each loaf yields 14 1/2" slices (4P+ per slice)

Oatmeal Cake

This recipe is my Grandma Shirley's. I believe a part of her lives on in my sheer enjoyment for and delight in cooking and baking. This cake brings back so many memories of her. I hope you enjoy it. =)

Cake:

1 1/2 c. boiling water

1 c. quick oats

1/2 c. butter

1 c. brown sugar

1 c. white sugar

2 eggs

1 1/3 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. cinnamon

1/4 t. salt

Topping:

6 T. butter

1/2 c. white sugar

1 c. chopped pecans

1/4 c. evaporated milk

Pour boiling water over oats and butter. Let stand until butter is melted. Mix in both sugars and eggs. Mix in dry ingredients until incorporated. Pour into greased 9x13” cake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until toothpick comes out clean.

Last five minutes of baking, prepare topping. Combine all ingredients in a medium sauce pan. Bring to a boil. Pour over hot cake. Broil cake and topping until it’s bubbly and crunchy (2-3 minutes; watch closely!).

Quesadilla Casserole

I definitely have a sequential personality. I like organization; a place for everything and everything in it's place. I'm Monica. So when I happened across McCormick's new "Recipe Inspirations," the clouds parted and a ray of sunshine brightened the supermarket aisle. Not only are all the spices needed for the dish pre-portioned in teeny-tiny, cute little plastic containers, but there is also a full color, detachable recipe card on the back -- complete with a picture! These little things rock my world. I purchased three of them. This recipe is the first to grace our plates. The caloric value of the recipe as it is written is quite high, so if you're wanting to make this more healthful, you could substitute extra lean ground beef, whole wheat tortillas, and low-fat or non-fat cheese. It's even a good idea to rinse canned corn to remove some of the sodium. You could replace its juice with plain water in the recipe, as well. I served this casserole with corn muffins, tortilla chips, and a dollop of sour cream. =)

Quesadilla Casserole

1 lb. ground beef

1/2 c. chopped onion

2 (8 oz.) cans tomato sauce

1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained & rinsed

1 (10 oz.) can whole kernel corn, undrained

1 (4 oz.) can chopped green chilies, undrained

2 t. chili powder

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. minced garlic

1/2 t. oregano

1/2 t. crushed red pepper

6 (8 inch) flour tortillas

2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Brown beef and onion in large skillet on medium-high heat; drain. Add tomato sauce, beans, corn, and green chilies; mix well. Stir in all of the spices except red pepper flakes. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to low; simmer 5 minutes. Add red pepper. Spread 1/2 c. of the beef mixture on bottom of 9x13x2" baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Top with 3 of the tortillas, overlapping as needed. Layer with 1/2 of the remaining beef mixture and 1/2 of the cheese. Repeat with remaining tortillas, beef mixture, and cheese. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven 15 minutes or until heated through. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Yield: 8 servings (10 P+ as written)

Freezer Apple Cake

This recipe turns out every time; it's tried and true... reliable. And, as the name suggests, you can freeze it. Now... both my mother-in-law and I choose to bake the cake first and then freeze it. We know others who freeze the batter and bake it from frozen state. You may have to research that method for thawing and time/temperature options. More times than not, however, I end up using both cakes right away. It's pretty stinkin' yummy.

Freezer Apple Cake

1/2 c. Crisco (I use butter at room temperature.)

1 c. sugar

2 eggs

1 t. vanilla

1 c. sour cream (I use light.)

2 c. flour

1 t. baking soda

1 t. baking powder

1 t. salt

1 c. chopped apples

Topping:

2 T. soft butter

3/4 c. brown sugar

1 t. cinnamon

1/2 c. chopped pecans

Grease and flour two 9" round cake pans. In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs, vanilla, and sour cream; mix well. Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; mix well. Fold in the apples. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans; spread batter evenly to the edges. In a medium mixing bowl, combine topping ingredients. Cut in the butter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the tops of the cakes. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Yield: 2 cakes; 8 servings each (7P+)

Swiss Chicken Casserole

This recipe is comfort food heaven! Plus, it's ingredients are easy to come by, and it basically prepares itself. Now, before you eyeball the nutritional equivalents at the bottom and write this one off, take a deep breath. Yes, I understand 12 P+ is a lot, but if you round out the rest of your plate with zero P+ fruits and vegetables, you'll truly reap the benefits of both worlds.

My mother-in-law gave me this recipe a week or so ago when I was picking up the kids -- and she doesn't even remember giving it to me! =) The chicken gets SOOOO tender in the crock pot, and the stuffing gets crunchy on top and soft underneath. I served it with steamed broccoli and a pickle tray. There were barely any leftovers at my house. I predict the same for yours.

Swiss Chicken Casserole

6 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

6 slices Weight Watchers Swiss cheese

1 (10 oz.) can Campbell's Healthy Request cream of mushroom soup

1/4 c. milk

2 c. herb stuffing mix

1/2 c. butter, melted

Spray the bottom of a 6-quart slow cooker with cooking spray. Arrange the chicken breasts on the bottom. Top with cheese slices, layering if necessary. In a small bowl, thin the soup with the milk; spoon it evenly over the top of cheese slices. Sprinkle the stuffing mix over top of the soup mixture and drizzle with the melted butter. Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours or hight for 4-6 hours.

Yield: 6 servings (12P+)

Note: You can decrease the P+ to 9 per serving by using 1 1/2 c. stuffing mix and 1/4 c. butter, but I don't know if it will turn out the same.

Penne with Roasted Vegetables & Parmesan

This recipe is pretty good. In fact, I'm eating the leftovers as I type this. =)

This recipe uses pesto, and the very smell of it takes me back to my Dave's Pizza days. There was this regular couple who always sat in the same booth and drank a half carafe of blush with their pizza each week. One night, they brought in some of their home-made pesto and asked if we would put it on the dough before making their pizza. They brought a lot and said we could use the rest. The guys played around with it and ended up making the most delicious pesto pizza I've ever had -- and, consequently, never had again since leaving Dave's. It was a pizza with pesto instead of red sauce, topped with mushrooms, spinach, a bit of garlic, and a sprinkling of mozzarella cheese. Sometimes I wish I could turn back the clock to my DP days... lots of good eats.

Anyway... this recipe was also a first for me in that I had never purchased, prepared, or eaten these particular root vegetables. My verdict... they're amazing! I could easily eat just the pasta tossed with pesto, but the roasted vegetables bring a subtle sweetness to the dish, which the Parmesan complements with its saltiness. Let me know what you think...

Penne with Roasted Vegetables & Parmesan

8 oz. parsnips, peeled and cut into 1" pieces

8 oz. rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1" pieces

8 oz. turnips, peeled and cut into 1" pieces

2 t. olive oil

1 t. Italian seasoning (I used Herbs de Provance)

1/2 t. salt

8 oz. whole grain penne (or fusilli) pasta

2 T. pesto sauce

1/2 c. finely chopped roasted red bell pepper

2 T. grated Parmesan cheese

2 T. chopped fresh Italian parsley

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place parsnips, rutabaga, and turnips on a 15x10" baking sheet. Drizzle with oil and sprinkle with Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper to taste. Toss well and distribute the pieces evenly over the pan. Roast vegetables for 30 minutes, or until tender and evenly browned, stirring or shaking every 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare pasta according to package directions. Drain and toss with pesto. Add roasted bell pepper and vegetables to pasta. Divide among bowls and top with Parmesan cheese and parsley. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 4 [2 c.] (4P+)

Notes: I roasted the red bell pepper with the vegetables half way through. I also grated my own Parmesan because I had some to use up. I didn't bother with the fresh parsley; I figured there were enough herbs going on in there already. When I make it again, I might leave the rutabaga out and only use turnips and parsnips. That sucker was hard to peel and cube, plus now I have leftovers I don't know what to do with. =)

Greek-Style Pasta with Sausage

This is another recipe from that "Biggest Loser" magazine I've been cooking from lately. Some of these ingredients didn't appeal to me or are things I've never tried before (like feta), but the picture looks amazingly delish, so I thought I'd try it. I wasn't nuts about the dish originally, but it got better the longer it sat in the fridge (kind of like a good chili). It also doesn't have any protein in it, and I'm a carnivore. Adding the sausage to the pasta rounds out the meal for me, and the flavors are incredible together. I did modify the recipe to my taste and what I had on hand. I'll note any changes.

Greek-Style Pasta

6 oz. whole grain penne or fusilli

2 t. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 T. chopped garlic

1 red bell pepper, chopped

3 c. (28 oz.) fire-roasted tomatoes

1 pkg. (8 oz.) frozen artichoke hearts, thawed & cut lengthwise

1/4 c. crumbled low-fat feta cheese

8 kalamata (or other black) olives, sliced

1 T. fresh lemon zest

Fresh Italian parsley or oregano

Bistro Sensations Chicken Sausage -- Smoked Mozzarella, Artichoke, & Garlic (3P+ each)

Prepare pasta al dente according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Heat olive oil in a large nonstick saute pan over medium heat. Add onion and saute for 5 minutes, or until soft and just starting to brown. Add garlic and simmer 1 minute longer (do not brown garlic). Add bell pepper and cook just until softened. Add tomatoes and simmer 5 minutes. Add artichokes and cook 1 minute longer, or until just heated. Pour sauce into large mixing bowl and add pasta. Toss lightly and top with cheese, olives, and lemon zest. Divide among serving bowls. Garnish with herbs and serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield: 8 servings [1 c.] (4P+)

Notes: I used Hunt's canned fire roasted tomatoes. I omitted the artichoke hearts. I used garlic stuffed green olives instead of black/kalamata because that's what I had on hand. I also left the lemon zest and herbs out because I didn't have those ingredients. When I added the chicken sausage, I just sliced one link and added it to one serving of leftover pasta. Next time, I might slice the whole 4-pack and add it right into the pasta from the beginning. You can get the Bistro Sensations Chicken Sausages at Walmart or Sam's Club.

White Chili

White Chili

1 rotisserie chicken, deboned and diced

1 (26 oz.) can cream of chicken soup

2 t. olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 c. celery, chopped (about 2 large stalks)

3 1/2 c. chicken broth

2 (4 oz.) cans sliced mushrooms, mostly drained

3 (4 oz.) cans diced green chiles*

2 (16 oz.) cans Northern beans, drained but not rinsed

4 t. Olde Westport Border Bandito's Salsa Spice Blend**

Saute onion and celery in oil until tender. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until well blended. Cook on low for 20-25 minutes, stirring to prevent scorching. Serve with shredded Monterey Jack cheese and tortilla chips.

Yield: 10 servings [about 1 1/2 c. each] (5P+ for soup only)

*I honestly just realized that I misread the recipe! I only used ONE 4 oz. can of diced green chiles, not three, and it tasted excellent. Perhaps it should read "diced green chiles, to taste."

**http://www.oldewestportspice.com/borderbanditossalsaspiceblend.aspx

Steak with Merlot and Mushrooms

Okay... funny story. I had to go to the liquor store. (That's it; that's the funny story.) Talk about a fish out of water... I needed to get merlot for this recipe, and the nice man at the register took me right over to a multitude of mini-bottle 4-packs. Thank goodness the ones I bought were labeled "merlot," or this recipe could have been a disaster. I was trying to plan the fate of the other three mini-bottles just in case this recipe was an "epic fail" (to quote my favorite Harry Potter fan). Turns out, I'll be saving them for the next three times I make this dish. Like I stated on Facebook tonight, "How do you know if a recipe is good? No leftovers."

Truth be known, this recipe is the reason I felt so compelled to drive to Grand Forks on Saturday just to purchase an oval 6-quart Crock Pot -- which is metallic red, by the way. I was a little leery to try another recipe with red wine, however. I had tried one in the past that called for something ridiculous like half a bottle; it was fairly inedible, at least for my family's palette. This one, though... this one is a keeper. You have to try it. Heck, I can even supply you with a mini-bottle of merlot. =)

Steak with Merlot and Mushrooms

1/2 t. salt

1/2 t. coarsely ground black pepper

1/2 t. dried thyme

1/4 t. garlic powder

1 1/4 to 1 1/2 pound flank steak

1 red onion, thinly sliced

2/3 c. beef broth

1/3 c. merlot (or other red wine)

1/4 c. tomato paste

2 t. olive oil

1 (8 oz.) package sliced cremini mushrooms

1 (8 oz.) package sliced white mushrooms

1 T. flour

Preheat broiler. Mix salt, pepper, thyme, and garlic powder in a small dish. Rub the spice mixture all over both sides of the steak. Broil the steak five minutes on each side (5 inches from the heat). Break onion slices apart in the bottom of the slow cooker. Top with steak. In a small bowl, whisk broth, wine, and tomato paste* until smooth; pour over steak. Cover and cook until fork tender, 4-6 hours on high or 6-8 hours on low. About 35 minutes before cooking time is up, heat oil in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and saute until lightly browned, about 8 minutes. Sprinkle with flour and cook 1 minute more. Stir mushrooms into slow cooker. (I removed the steak first, stirred in the mushrooms, and replaced it.) Cover and cook on high for 25 minutes. Transfer steak to cutting board. Cut steak across grain into 12 slices. Serve with sauce.

*Note: I used the whole little can of tomato paste simply because I don't know what to do with any leftovers. I just added a little "splash" more of the merlot and the stock so that it didn't get too thick. ((I tried a sip of the merlot just for fun. It made my mouth crawl inside of itself and my cheek-bones hurt. I dumped the rest down the drain.))

Yield: 4 servings [3 slices of steak with 2/3 c. sauce] (8P+)

Toffee Bars

The first time I had these bars was this Christmas season. Just when I thought I had tried all of my mother-in-law's delectable desserts, she made these. Yummy, chocolaty, morsels of yumminess. Last week Kmart had Hershey's 6-packs on special for $2.00, and I remembered my dear MIL telling me she only makes these when she can find the chocolate on sale. Then I remembered that it was time for the January staff birthday celebration at work. Yippee! A reason to bake! Viola! So many of my colleagues asked for the recipe that I thought it would be easier to post it here. I know you'll add this recipe to your "Make All the Time" pile. =)

Toffee Bars

1 c. butter, softened

1 c. brown sugar

1 egg yolk

1 t. vanilla

2 c. flour

1/4 t. salt

5 Hershey bars (I used 6 minus whatever few squares my kids stole off the table.)

1/2 c. chopped nuts (I used pecans.)

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl, mix butter, sugar, yolk, and vanilla until light and fluffy. Stir in the flour and salt until combined. Pat the dough into a slightly greased 9x13 inch baking pan, barely up the sides (1/2 inch). Bake 20-25 minutes. (I baked mine in an air-bake pan for 23 minutes.) Remove the pan from the oven and layer the top with Hershey chocolate squares... be generous. When chocolate has melted (it changes color), spread evenly with a spatula or the back of a spoon (a spoon is easier to lick when you're done). Sprinkle the top with the chopped nuts. Cool to room temperature and cut into squares.

Yield: 24 bars (6P+) Seriously... I didn't need to know that.

Banana Cream of Wheat

I must be in a breakfast mood! I just made up a batch this morning, and the kids said, "Mom, that smells good." What I like about this recipe is that it makes me think of my Grandma Shirley. She would make cream of wheat for my brother and I when we stayed weekends at her house in Cass Lake. We would scoop it up with our peanut butter and jelly toast and eat it by the mouthfuls. Or sometimes she would sprinkle chocolate chips on top, and the hot farina would melt them as we stirred. Delicious memories! I also like that this recipe makes four servings, which is enough for me to take to work a couple days next week, too. That is... unless my kids eat it all this weekend. This recipe is also from Prevention's "Biggest Loser" magazine; it notes that you could substitute 100% all-natural fruit preserves for the bananas.

Banana Cream of Wheat

4 c. water

1/8 t. salt

3/4 c. uncooked original (2 1/2 minute) Cream of Wheat

1 c. mashed bananas (about two small)

1 t. cinnamon

2 T. Splenda for Baking (or other sugar substitue; it mentions Truvia)

4 T. Grape Nuts

Bring water and salt to a boil. Add Cream of Wheat, stirring constantly until well blended. Return to a soft boil and cook for 2-3 minutes, or until thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in banana, cinnamon, and sugar substitute. Stir until well combined. Divide among four bowls. Sprinkle 1 T. Grape Nuts over each.

Yield: 4 servings [about 1 c. each] (5P+)