Cookie Sheet Advent Calendars

This looks like a fun way for the kids to count the days until Christmas.

Since these cookie sheets are not magnetic, I assume the white grid must be. Any ideas what it may be made of? Sheet metal painted white?

Since the cute magnets all look like they are made of things you get at Robert's, maybe they have magnetic sheets there too. I'll check it out.

Tortellini & Fresh Basil

Few ingredients + little cook time AND delicious outcome? I'll take it.
My dear friend made this delicious meal while I visited her this summer-
and she finally posted the recipe for me, so I will now pass it along to you...

Tortellini & Fresh Basil
1 pound ripe tomatoes (seeded & chopped)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup olive oil
3 TB balsamic vinegar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
2 (9 ounce) packages refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese
Combine first 7 ingredients in a serving bowl. Cook tortellini according to package directions; drain. Add tortellini to tomato mixture, and toss well. Sprinkle with cheese. Serve warm or chilled. Yield 4 main-dish servings.

Three Cheese Chicken Penne Florentine

Being a cheese lover, this dish really hits the spot. I love the color as it's cooking. The recipe as it is makes quite a large casserole so I usually half the recipe. I hope you like it!!

Fresh spinach, chicken, and a combination of cheeses make this dish comforting enough for the last days of winter yet fresh enough for the first days of spring. You also can cook the pasta mixture in individual eight-ounce ramekins; bake for 15 minutes.

1 teaspoon olive oil
Cooking spray
3 cups thinly sliced mushrooms (**Not a mushroom fan, I cut this down to about 1 cup)
1 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped red bell pepper
3 cups chopped fresh spinach
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 (16-ounce) carton 2% low-fat cottage cheese
4 cups hot cooked penne (about 8 ounces uncooked tube-shaped pasta)
2 cups shredded roasted skinless, boneless chicken breast
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, divided
1/2 cup (2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese, divided
1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk
1 (10 3/4-ounce) can condensed reduced-fat, reduced-sodium cream of chicken soup, undiluted

Preheat oven to 425°.

Heat olive oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, and bell pepper; sauté 4 minutes or until tender. Add spinach, oregano, and black pepper; sauté 3 minutes or just until spinach wilts.

Place cottage cheese in a food processor; process until very smooth. Combine spinach mixture, cottage cheese, pasta, chicken, 3/4 cup cheddar cheese, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, milk, and soup in a large bowl. Spoon mixture into a 2-quart baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheddar cheese and remaining 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese. Bake at 425° for 25 minutes or until lightly browned and bubbly.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: about 1 cup)

CALORIES 345 (25% from fat); FAT 9.7g (sat 5.1g,mono 3.1g,poly 1g); IRON 2mg; CHOLESTEROL 56mg; CALCIUM 275mg; CARBOHYDRATE 32.9g; SODIUM 532mg; PROTEIN 31.7g; FIBER 2.1g

Cooking Light, MARCH 2006

BYU Mint Brownies!

I just found this link on the Alumni website for the delicious BYU mint brownies. Remember how good they are?

MAKES ONE 9-BY-13 PAN OF BROWNIES.
PREP AND COOK: 90 min. COOL: 1 hr.

1 c. margarine
1/2 c. cocoa
2 Tbsp. honey
4 eggs
2 c. sugar
1 3/4 c. flour
1/2 Tbsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 c. chopped walnuts
12 oz. chocolate icing (The website says, "Use your own icing recipe or purchase some chocolate frosting. You can also search the Internet for chocolate icing recipes.")

MINT ICING

5 Tbsp. margarine
dash of salt
3 Tbsp. milk
1 Tbsp. light corn syrup
2 1/3 c. powdered sugar
1/2 tsp. mint extract
1-2 drops green food coloring

1. Melt margarine and mix in cocoa. Allow to cool. Add honey, eggs, sugar, flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Add nuts. Pour batter into a greased 9-by-13 baking pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes. Cool.

2. Prepare mint icing: Soften margarine. Add salt, corn syrup, and powdered sugar. Beat until smooth and fluffy. Add mint extract and food coloring. Mix. Add milk gradually until the consistency is a little thinner than cake frosting.

3. Spread mint icing over brownies. Place brownies in the freezer for a short time to stiffen the icing. Remove from the freezer and carefully add a layer of chocolate icing.

Quick Chicken and Corn Chowder

Hi guys!

I'm finally back from my summer travels and all set up in my new house, which means I can start cooking and contributing to this website again! Here is what I made for dinner tonight. It turned out great so I wanted to share. The recipe was quick and easy and turns out it's healthy too. Enjoy!!

2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup chopped celery
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced (**I omit, not big on spicy)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups 2% reduced-fat milk
2 cups chopped roasted skinless, boneless chicken breasts (about 2 breast halves)
1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen corn kernals (about 3 ears)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh or 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (14 3/4-ounce) can cream-style corn

1. Melt the butter in a large soup pan over medium heat.
2. Add onion, celery, and jalapeno; cook for 3 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently.
3. Add flour, cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
4. Whisk in milk until incorporated.
5. Add remaining ingredients.
6. Bring to a boil, cook(boil) until think, stirring almost constantly so it doesn't burn and stick to the pan (about 5 minutes).
   
   **It thickens up nicely if you let it boil long enough. Once done, I let it simmer while I put together the rest of dinner. Topped with some cheese and served with cornbread. Delicious!

Yield: 6 servings (about 1 cup each)

CALORIES 257 (28% from fat); FAT 8.1g (sat 4.4g, mono 2.4g, poly 0.8g); IRON 0.4mg, CHOLESTEROL 52mg, CALCIUM 165mg, CARBOHYDRATE 28.6g; SODIUM 668mg; PROTEIN 19.1g, FIBER 1.9g.

Cooking Light, December 2001

Cheese Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

1 1/2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 cups shredded colby-jack cheese

1 cup milk

1 egg

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) melted butter (I used salted)

Whisk together dry ingredients, then stir in cheese.
In a separate bowl, whisk egg, milk, and butter together. Pour milk mixture into dry ingredients and stir with a spoon to combine.
Bake in greased muffin tins at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.
Makes 12.

These have a different texture than an average muffin—crispy around the outside and airy and extremely cheesy on the inside. Though they’re tasty at room temperature, warm is definitely best.

Strawberry Coconut Cheesecake

Since we have the Coconut Creme Coffee Mate on hand for smoothies, I find myself implementing it into other recipes. I made this easy, no-bake cheesecake the other night. Give it a try!

1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
2 tbsp. grnaulated sugar
1/2 cup melted butter
Mix the above together and press in the bottom of a springform pan. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove and cool.

1 8 oz. package softened cream cheese
1 cup powdered sugar
1 tub whipped topping
2-3 Tbsp. Coconut Creme Coffee Mate
Mix the cream cheese until smooth. Add powdered sugar, coffee mate and continue mixing. Fold in the whipped topping.

Top crust with sliced strawberries. Spread cream cheese mixture over berries and crust. Top with more sliced strawberries. Refeigerate at least 1 hr. To make it really pretty you can drizzle white chocolate over strawberries and sprinkle with toasted coconut.