Cheese Slaw

1 lb. Swiss cheese, grated
1 onion, finely grated 1 small sweet red pepper and/or green pepper, chopped (I shred mine)
Mayonnaise, enough to moisten
Jalapeno pepper, without salmonella, chopped (Optional, this makes it "hot")



Mix cheese, onion and mayonnaise well. Add enough red and green pepper for color. Add Jalapeno peppers if desired. Serve in scooped out head of cabbage, as a spread with crackers.

This is a hit at parties and summer shin-digs.

Sandwich Ring

2 pkgs Pillsbury French bread dough
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1-2 cloves garlic
Olive oil
Sandwich toppings (see suggestions below)
Italian dressing


Take French bread dough and place each one in a half moon on a pizza pan. Pinch ends together to make a ring. Score the dough every few inches (see picture above). Brush dough with olive oil. Press garlic evenly over the top. Sprinkle Italian seasoning over the top. Bake at 350 for 20-25 minutes until done.

Once cooled, slice bread in half horizontally. Flip top over and place sandwich toppings of your choice (i.e. salami, ham, turkey, chicken, sliced cheese, onion, tomato, lettuce, peppers or anything you like) around the bread in layers. On the bottom side of the top, drizzle Italian dressing and spread evenly. Replace top layer of bread, slice and eat!

This recipe serves 6-8 and more if you use more toppings.

Simple Tex-Mex dip

This is my daughter's favorite appetizer


1) Take one 8 oz. slab of cream cheese and put it on the counter
2) Go watch 'Scrubs'
3) At the first commercial break, turn your oven on to 350
4) At the second commercial break, spread cream cheese over bottom of 11x7 pan (28x17 for you Canucks)
5) At the end break, open up a can of Hormel Chili (no beans) and pour it over the cream cheese
6) Scrubs never does a tag, so you'll also have time to pour half a bag or so of shredded taco cheese over it, and slide it in the oven.
7) Go watch '30 Rock'
8) At the first commercial break, take it out of the oven, and carry it into the living room with a bunch of paper napkins under one arm, and a bag of tortilla chips held in your teeth
9) dump all the stuff onto the coffee table
10) eat until bedtime
(optional: at second commercial break, tell one of your kids to get you a drink)

This might also work with other programs, such as 'Lost,' 'American Idol,' or '24,' but remember: break times vary.

yeharr

Pizza Pocket

With my new diet and exercise program (Body for LIFE and Eating for LIFE), I have found that the most difficult part is managing some of the cravings when it's not my free day. If the kids have pizza, I want it too! I have substituted a personal pizza made with a pita as the crust, fat free cheese, turkey pepperone, etc, and found it really satisfies some of those cravings.

So based on that success, I came up with this Pizza Pocket as a quick and healthy lunch.

Pizza Pocket

Mix together in a bowl:
2 slices lower fat ham, sliced into 1/2" by 1" pieces
6 slices turkey pepperoni, cut into quarters
1 cup fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
2 T fat free mozzarella cheese
Other "pizza" toppings as desired... chopped red onions, bell peppers, sliced mushrooms, etc

Spread 2 T pizza sauce into one half of a whole grain pita. Warm pita slightly in microwave first if necessary, to soften it for filling. Fill with half of above topping mixture, and microwave for approximately 30 seconds, just until spinach wilts.

Makes 2-3 pizza pockets.

Lowfat Ranch Vegetable Dip

This is a concoction I came up with a number of years ago. I needed to make veggie dip, and when I got out the package of ranch dip mix, I realized that I didn't have any sour cream on hand. So I decided to substitute.

Sometimes substitutes are better. This is not only healthier, it is also tastier. I never went back to sour cream!

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Lowfat Ranch Veggie Dip

Put 1 C lowfat or fat free cottage cheese into blender. Blend until smooth, adding just enough skim milk to be able to blend it.

Once it is smooth, add 1/2 pkg ranch dip mix, and blend until thoroughly mixed. Refrigerate. Dip will thicken slighly after blending.

Salsa, Anyone?

With my remaining crop of Roma tomatoes, I always make salsa. It's great fresh, and pretty good canned too. I always have plenty, so if you're hungry, come on over. But bring some tortilla chips... I'm out!

Or in case you want to make your own, here's my recipe.

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Fresh Tomato Salsa

1 1/2 to 2 gallons of Roma Tomatoes
1 bunch fresh cilantro
1 large white or red onion
1 med bell pepper
3-6 jalepeño peppers
1-2 tsp salt
1-2 tsp garlic powder
4-6 Tbls lime juice

Dice Roma tomatoes into large bowl. Drain off a portion of the extra liquid if desired.

Remove stems from cilantro up to where the leaves begin (about halfway up the stalks) and discard. Wash and drain remaining portion of the cilantro, and chop into small pieces.

Peel and finely chop onion.

Remove seeds from bell pepper, and finely chop.

Cut top off of jalepeño peppers just below stem. VERY finely chop or blend. Be careful not to touch the cut edges with your bare hands, as the juices can burn. If you don't have a chopper, you can blend several roma tomatoes in your blender and then add the peppers. (Start with 3 or 4 peppers and add more as needed.)

Mix above ingredients together. Add salt, garlic powder, and lime juice.

Add additional jalepeño peppers or seasonings if needed.

As is usual in the recipes I develop, measurements aren't precise. You can play with it until you get it the way YOU like, just like I did.