Blonde Brownies

(Chewy Butterscotch Flavor)

1/4 C Butter or Margarine, melted
1 C light brown sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla
3/4 C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 C coarsely chopped nuts

Add butter to brown sugar until well-blended. Add egg & vanilla and mix well. Stir in dry ingredients, then add nuts. Spread in a well buttered 8"X8" pan. Bake at 350 for about 25 minutes. Cool in pan on cake rack. Cut into 2" squares. Makes 16.

Crunchy Almond-Cinnamon Granola

This is VERY yummy dry by-the-handful or as a cereal with milk.

5-1/2 C. Oats (I used regular old fashioned, but quick would probably still work fine)
1-1/2 C. sliced almonds
1 C. Sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 Tbs whole wheat flour
1 tsp Cinnamon (add more if you like it stronger - I just like a little)
2/3 C. dry milk
1 Tbs vanilla
6 Tbs oil (3oz.)
18 Tbs water (9oz. OR 1 C. + 2 Tbs)

Preheat oven to 350.
Mix all dry ingredients in a LARGE bowl.
Mix together wet ingredients (vanilla, oil, water).
Add wet ingredients to dry & stir until well-combined. - Will be somewhat clumpy.
Crumble onto greased baking sheets. - Separate between at least 2 so they wall dry/cook quicker.
Baking time WILL vary. - Check & stir every 8-15 minutes.
Granola is done when evenly dried & toasted.

*If you want to add dried fruit (dried cranberries, cherries, banana chips, raisins, etc.), keep separate & mix when ready to eat. If mixed, granola will absorb the moisture & be less crunchy.

This last time I made this, I kept the almonds and stirred them in after mixing, before baking. I prefer them mixed in & clumped with the oats.
Store in an air-tight container.

Microwave Caramels

I'll admit that I found a recipe online & tweaked it. Well, let's say I had to "fix it". My first attempt @ Microwave Caramels was a bit of a disaster. I mean, they tasted good, but ended up more like a Sugar Daddy. Definitely yummy, but way too hard to chew. I looked at some other recipes online to find out a better idea of how long they should take to cook. Well, I decided to give it another go, but cut WAY back on the cook time. They turned out FANTASTIC! I was thrilled. They came out delicious, soft & chewy. Mmmm...this recipe is definitely a KEEPER!
1 C. Butter (2 sticks)
2-1/2 C. Brown Sugar
1 C. light corn syrup
1 (14oz) can sweetened condensed milk
1/4 tsp salt
1 C. chopped nuts (optional)

Line a 12 X 7 X 2 inch pan with buttered aluminum foil. Set aside.

Place butter in a large microwave-safe bowl. Microwave butter until melted.

Stir in brown sugar, corn syrup, sweetened condensed milk & salt. Cover with plastic wrap, venting one corner. Microwave for 6 minutes. Mixture should be bubbly. Stir, recover & cook 3 more minutes.

Uncover, stir well. Cook 3 more minutes. Stir again & cook 3 more minutes. Basically, the caramels have now cooked for a total of 15 minutes. If you want to check the consistency, drop a little into a bowl of ice water. If done, it should hold together when cooled, but still be chewy. If the mixture doesn't hold together, is too soft, or dissolves immediately...cook longer. I would probably only do 1-2 minutes at a time.

When caramel mixture is cooked, stir in the nuts, and pour into the prepared pan. Allow the caramels to cool. Then cut into pieces and wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap.

Whole Wheat Crepes

1 cup low-fat milk
3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 large egg
1 additional egg white
1 Tbs sugar (optional)

In a blender or food processor, process the milk and egg until will mixed, but stopping short of creating foam. Add flour, sugar (if desired) and any spices you want to try and pulse until just mixed. The batter should be quite thin. Add more milk as neccessary. (I think I tripled the batch and did have to thin it a little)

Heat a lightly-greased medium skillet or crepe pan over medium heat. The pan is ready when a drop of water dropped in the pan dances on the surface.

For each crepe, use 3 Tablespoons of batter. Immediately swirl the pan gently to distribute the batter in a very thin layer. Cook the crepe until the surface appears dry -- about 1 minute. Stack completed crepes on a plate with wax paper between each crepe to prevent sticking.

Fill crepes with you favorite filling. Roll and enjoy! I love them with a little Nutella & strawberries or bananas.

(from http://www.mrbreakfast.com/superdisplay.asp?recipeid=1156)

Salsa Chicken Quesadillas / Tacos

8 oz. Cooked chicken
1/4 - 1/2 c. salsa
2 oz. shredded cheese
2 whole wheat flour tortillas (8" or 10")

Preheat broiler.

Shred chicken into pieces and put into a microwave-safe bowl. Pour salsa over chicken, cover & microwave until hot. Stir to coat chicken, adding more salsa if needed.

Spray tortillas with non-stick spray. Put spray-side down on cookie sheet & spread 1oz of cheese on each. Put under broiler to melt cheese. Spread half of salsa chicken mixture on each tortilla & fold over. Put back under broiler to crisp tortilla. (ONLY 1-2 minutes - Watch carefully, it goes quick.) Flip over & crisp other side. Let cool for a minute then cut into 2-3 wedges. Serve with a salad.

2 Servings

South of the Border Pizzas

Recipe from: Quick & Easy Diabetic Recipes

Ingredients
3 (10") flour tortillas
1/2 lb ground round
1 (15oz) can no-salt added black beans, rinsed & drained
1 (1.25oz) pkg 40% less sodium taco seasoning
1/4 c. water
2 large tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 c. sliced green onions
2 Tbs chopped fresh cilantro
1 Tbs minced jalepeno pepper
1 c. preshredded reduced fat cheese

Preheat oven to 450. Place tortillas on 2 baking sheets, and bake @ 450 for 2 minutes or until slightly crisp.

Cook beef until browned, drain & return to pan. Add beans, taco seasoning & water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat & simmer 3 minutes stirring often.

Spread beef mixture over tortillas. Combine tomatoes & next 3 ingredients, sprinkle over beef mixture. Top with cheese.

Bake @ 450 for 4 minutes or until tortillas are lightly browned. Remove to cutting board; let stand 5 minutes.

Servings: 6
Serving size: 1/2 tortilla w/ toppings
Calories (g) - 300
Fat (g) - 7.6
Carbohydrates (g) - 40.4
Fiber (g) - 6.2
Protein (g) - 21.6
Sodium (mg) - 641
Exchanges - 1-1/2 starch / 1 vegetable / 3 lean meat

Mediterranean Pita Rounds

Recipe from: Quick & Easy Diabetic Recipes

Ingredients
2 (15 oz) cans - no-salt added chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained
1/4 C - fat-free milk
1/4 C - fresh lemon juice
5 garlic cloves
8 (8") pitas
1 tsp - olive oil
1 (10 oz) pkg - frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained & squeezed dry
2 C - chopped tomato
1 C - diced green bell pepper
1 C - diced red bell pepper
1/2 C (2 oz) crumbled feta cheese
1/3 C - sliced ripe olives

Preheat oven to 450.

Combine first 4 ingredients in food processor; process until smooth, scraping sides occasionally.

Arrange pitas on baking sheets; brush with olive oil. Bake at 450 for 6 minutes. Spread bean mixture evenly over pitas, leaving 1/2" border. Arrange remaining ingredients evenly over pitas. Bake at 450 5 minutes ir until heated through & crust is crisp.

**Substitute prepared Hummus for bean mixture.

Servings: 8
Serving size: 1 pita
Calories (g) - 397
Fat (g) - 6.6
Carbohydrates (g) - 64.8
Fiber (g) - 11.9
Protein (g) - 13.5
Sodium (mg) - 602
Exchanges - 3 starch / 3 vegetable / 1 fat

Angel Food Puffs

Recipe from: Quick & Easy Diabetic Recipes

Ingredients
1/2 C - orange flavored sugar-free soda
1/4 tsp - almond extract
1 (16 oz) pkg - angel food cake mix

Preheat oven to 350. Combine ingredients in a large bowl. beat with mixer at medium speed until smooth. Drop batter by heaping Tablespoons onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 9 minutes until lightly browned. Remove from baking sheets immediately & cool on wire racks.

Try using different flavors of sodas for variety.

***Leave plenty of space between cookies, they spread out a bit. I think next time, I'll make them teaspoon sized & bake for less time. They're yummy, but I think that vanilla extract may also be a better choice depending on the soda used.

Servings: 28 cookies
Serving size: 1
Calories (g) - 61
Fat (g) - 0.1
Carbohydrates (g) - 13.8
Fiber (g) - 0.1
Protein (g) - 1.4
Sodium (mg) - 119
Exchanges - 1 starch

Raspberry Smoothies

Recipe from: Quick & Easy Diabetic Recipes

Ingredients
1-1/2 C - fresh or frozen raspberries
1-1/2 C - frozen reduced-calorie whipped topping, thawed
1 (8oz) carton - low fat lemon yogurt

Combine all ingredients in blender. Add ice cubes to reach 4-cup level. Process until smooth & serve immediately.

Servings: 4
Serving size: 1 cup
Calories (g) - 144
Fat (g) - 0.7
Carbohydrates (g) - 30.8
Fiber (g) - 3.1
Protein (g) - 2.5
Sodium (mg) - 52
Exchanges - 1 starch / 1 fruit

PB & J Muffins

Recipe from: Quick & Easy Diabetic Recipes

Ingredients
1-1/2 C - all purpose flour
2 tsp - baking powder
1/2 tsp - salt
1/4 C - light brown sugar
2/3 C - fat-free milk
1/2 C - chunky reduced-fat peanut butter
1/2 C - egg substitute
cooking spray
1/4 C + 2 Tbs - fruit spread

Preheat oven to 375. Combine dry ingredients. Combine milk, peanut butter & egg substitute in a blender; process until blended. Add to dry ingredients & stir until moist. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cuos coated with cooking spray, filling 1/2 full. Place 1-1/2 tsp fruit spread in center of batter & cover with enough batter to fill each cup 3/4 full. Bake at 375 for 18-20 minutes or until golden. Remove from pan immediately & serve warm.

Servings: 12 muffins
Serving size: 1 muffin
Calories (g) - 161
Fat (g) - 4.2
Carbohydrates (g) - 25.8
Fiber (g) - 0.4
Protein (g) - 5.6
Sodium (mg) - 195
Exchanges - 1-1/2 starches / 1 fat

Coconut Muffins

Recipe from: Quick & Easy Diabetic Recipes

Ingredients
2 C - all purpose flour
1/3 C - sugar
2 tsp - baking powder
1/4 tsp - salt
1/4 C - flaked sweetened coconut
1 (8oz) carton - vanilla low-fat yogurt
1/4 C - vegetable oil
1/4 tsp - coconut extract
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 large egg-white, lightly beaten
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400.

Combine first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, make a well in center. Combine yogurt with next 4 ingredients; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moist. Spoon into muffin cups coated with cooking spray, filling 3/4 full.

Bake at 400 for 19-20 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove muffins from pan immediately.

Servings: 12 muffins
Serving size: 1 muffin
Calories (g) - 169
Fat (g) - 5.9
Carbohydrates (g) - 25.1
Fiber (g) - 0.6
Protein (g) - 4
Sodium (mg) - 157
Exchanges - 1-1/2 starches / 1 fat

Garlic-Herb Cheese Spread

Recipe from: Quick & Easy Diabetic Recipes

Ingredients
1-1/2 C - fat-free sour cream
1/2 C - light cream cheese
1 Tbs - minced fresh chives
2 tsp - minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp - salt
1/2 tsp - pepper
1/2 tsp - minced bottled garlic

Combine sour cream & cream cheese in a bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients; cover & chill at least 1 hour. Serve on bagel chips or toasted French bread. Makes about 2 cups.

Serving size: 1 Tbs spread
Calories (g) - 16
Fat (g) - 0.6
Carbohydrates (g) - 1.1
Fiber (g) - 0
Protein (g) - 1.2
Sodium (mg) - 65
Exchanges - FREE (up to 1/4 C)

Double Chocolate Zucchini Bread

2 sm. zucchini (about 1/2 lb. total) or 2 c. grated
4 c. flour
1/2 c. cocoa
1 1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 c. oil
3 eggs
1 1/2 c. milk
2 tsp. vanilla
1 c. semi-sweet miniature chocolate chips

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Butter 2 (8 x 4) loaf pans. (Or, prepare muffin pans)

Grate zucchini. In a large bowl, combine flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. In another bowl, combine zucchini except the chocolate chips. Stir into dry ingredients until just blended. Stir in chocolate chips.

Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake until a toothpick stuck in the center of the bread comes out clean, about 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool on rack 10 minutes, then remove from pans and cool completely. Bake muffins about 20 minutes, about 10 minutes for mini-muffins.

For a single batch, I got 2 dozen regular-sized muffins & 2 dozen mini-muffins. Muffins freeze well & reheat/thaw easily in microwave.

For more fiber, use 1/2 whole wheat flour & 1/2 white flour. Optional: add 1/2 c. wheat germ, 1/2 c. flax seed, 1-2 Tbs more milk, and double baking powder.

Peanut Butter Waffle Toast

Haven't tried it yet, but it sounds yummy! A twist on French toast / Waffles.

1 1/4 cups milk
1 cup Original Bisquick® mix
1/2 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg
6 to 8 slices bread
6 to 8 tablespoons miniature semisweet chocolate chips
Powdered sugar, if desired
1. Heat waffle iron; grease with shortening if necessary (or spray with cooking spray before heating).
2. In medium bowl, stir milk, Bisquick mix, peanut butter, granulated sugar, vanilla and egg until well blended. Carefully dip bread into batter on both sides. Place in waffle iron; close lid.
3. Bake about 2 minutes or until steaming stops and "toast" is golden. Carefully remove waffle toast. Sprinkle each waffle with 1 tablespoon chocolate chips and powdered sugar.

Microwave Caramel Popcorn

1/2 C butter
1/2 tsp salt
1 C brown sugar
1/4 C light corn syrup
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp vanilla
You need about 16 C popped popcorn. I used 2 bags of microwave popcorn - which is a little less I think.

Put the popped popcorn into a paper grocery bag.

Place butter, tsp salt, brown sugar & corn syrup into a microwave-safe bowl. Cook on high 1-2 minutes until caramel mixture bubbles. Stir, then cook 3 minutes more - stirring after each minute.

Add baking soda & vanilla and stir. Pour mixture all over popcorn in paper bag. Fold the bag down several times (so it fits back in microwave) & cook on high 1 minute. Shake the bag.
Cook 1 minute more, then shake.
Cook 30 seconds, then shake.
Cook 30 seconds more & shake again.
Then pour out on the counter to cool (on foil or waxed paper).