Curry Chicken Salad Lettuce Cups

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These are low fat and delicious! You can serve them in a croissant, tortilla, or lettuce--my favorite!

Ingredients:

4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and diced

3 heads Boston Bibb Lettuce

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup low fat mayonnaise

1/2 cup plain yogurt

1 tbs. peach chutney or marmalade jam

3 tsp. curry powder

1 stalk celery, diced

1 tsp. lemon juice

3 green onions (scallions), chopped

1/2 cup green or red grapes, halved

1 cup nuts (pine nuts or sliced almonds)

½ can sliced water chestnuts, drained and chopped into small pieces

Directions:

In a large bowl, toss the chicken, celery, grapes, onions, nuts and water chestnuts.

In a separate bowl combine the mayo, yogurt, curry powder, chutney, and lemon juice. Stir dressing into chicken mixture.  Season with fresh ground pepper. Make more dressing if you want it saucier!

Wash lettuce and peel apart leaves, leaving them on paper towels to drain.  Fill each separate cup with a large spoonful of the chicken salad.

*Fun Facts
Boston Bibb is a butterhead lettuce that great for lettuce cups, however you may use other kinds of lettuce.  Keep in mind, the greener the lettuce, the greater the vitamins and minerals is provides.

Four Layer Chocolate Pudding Dessert

This is the perfect summer-time dessert for barbeques or parties. It's one that everyone is sure to love!

Ingredients:
1 cup flour
3/4 butter
2/3 nuts chopped
1 cup powdered sugar
8 oz. cream cheese
8 oz. container cool whip 
1 large pkg instand chocolate pudding
3 cups milk

Directions:
Combine the flour, nuts and butter. Mix well. Press firmly into the bottom of a 13x9 in. baking dish.
Bake at 325 for 30 min. Allow to cool completely.

In a large bowl beat the cream cheese and powdered sugar until fluffy. Fold in 1/2 the container of whipped topping.  Smooth mixture on cooled crust. Make the putting by mixing chocalate pudding package with 3 cups of cold milk. Pour pudding over top of pan.

Allow pudding to set in the refrigerator.  Once set, smooth the rest of the cool whip over the pudding.

Tuna Pasta Salad

This is a very yummy and super easy pasta salad that I love to make as a side dish.  Jeff loves it as a side to a burger, or pretty much anything!

Ingredients:
2 Celery sticks, chopped
1 can tuna
1 cup frozen peas
2 cups sea-shell pasta noodles
1/2 cup mayonnaise (or substitute 1/4 cup plain yogurt and 1/4 mayo)
1 tsp dill weed
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 small onion, chopped

Directions:
Cook noodles in a medium pot with boiling salted water until al dente. Drain. 
In a large bowl place the sliced onions, celery, peas, drained pasta, and drained tuna.

In a separate bowl, mix the mayo and dill weed. Stir into pasta mixture. Refrigerate 30 min. before serving.

*Fun Facts
Tuna fish is a great source of protein and contains omega 3 fatty acids that can help fight heart disease!

Strawberry and Banana Crepes

Crepes are so easy to make and have always been a favorite! They're the best treat because they contain the simplest ingredients that you probably always have on hand.

Yields 6 crepes

Ingredients:

2 eggs
1 cup milk
2/3 cup flour
1 pinch salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vegetable oil
1 tsp vanilla

Directions:

In a blender combine eggs, milk, flour, salt, oil and vanilla. Blend until smooth.
Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and brush with oil or butter. Pour 1/4 cup of batter into pan, tilting in a circular motion to completely coat the surface of the pan. Cook 2 to 5 minutes, turning the crepe once, until golden. 
Fill crepe with bananas, strawberries, and whip cream (or any other toppings of your choice) and fold into a crepe.


*Fun Facts
Berries are full of vitamin C, potassium, and fiber.  They also contain antioxidants that help fight off disease. Bananas are one of the healthiest foods on the planet.  They are full of potassium, fiber, and vitamin B6. Bananas can help your body regulate stress and anxiety levels.  Pay attention to how you feel after eating one!

Broken Yolk Breakfast Sandwhich

This sandwich is a knock-off of one that is really popular at the Park City Grill where I used to work during the summers.  It was mine and Liz's favorite, served with a yummy side of crispy hash browns! Now it's Jeff's favorite and "so much better than a McDonald's egg mcmuffin!"

Ingredients
Sourdough English Muffin
1 Egg
Cheese
Bacon
Tomato

Directions:
Crack egg into a hot skillet. Season with salt and pepper. Cook 1-2 minutes and then flip. Place 2 peices of cheddar cheese on the egg, and remove from heat.
Cook 2 pieces of bacon, and place on top of the egg.
Toast the English muffin. Put egg, cheese, and bacon on the muffin. Top with a thin slice of tomato.

*Fun Facts
Test if your eggs are fresh by placing one in a bowl of cold water, or by cracking it onto a flat surface.   Fresh eggs will sink, old eggs will float, and when cracked, fresh eggs will have a higher rounder yolk.

Chocolate Banana Cream Mini Pies

(Recipe may be used for a 9 in. pie instead of mini pies.)

Ingredients:
5 mini pie tins  
Graham Cracker crust (recipe below)
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
2 bananas, sliced
3 cups cold milk
1 large package instant banana pudding mix
2 cups shredded coconut
Frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions:
Place chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl. Microwave for 1 to 1 1/2 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds until chocolate is completely melted. Spread evenly into graham cracker pie crusts.
Arrange banana slices over chocolate. 
Make the pudding according to package instructions by whisking with 3 cups of cold mild.   
Stir in 1 1/2 cups coconut. Spoon pudding mixture over banana slices in crust.
Spread whipped topping over pie. 
Toast the remaining 1/2 cup of coconut by placing in a skillet with 1 tsp. of butter. Stir gently over medium heat until the coconut is golden brown.
Sprinkle the pies with toasted coconut. Refrigerate 4 hours, or until set. 

Graham Cracker Crust:
Mix 1 1/2 cups of crushed graham crackers with 6 Tbs. of butter. Press mixture firmly into pie tins. 
Bake at 375 degrees for 5 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

Traditional Potato Salad

When it comes to potato salad, I don't like anything fancy--I like it totally traditional with none of that weird stuff thrown in!  That's what this recipe is.  It's the potato salad you bring to a barbeque. The potato salad that goes perfect with a burger and a side of fruit! :)  SOO Yummy! Enjoy!

Yields for 6 
Ingredients:
4 large potatoes (yellow or red, not russet)
1/2 cup low-fat sour cream (or substitute plain, low-fat yogurt)
1/2 cup low fat Mayo or miracle whip
3 large dill pickles, diced
2 celery sticks, chopped
1/4 onion, chopped
4 Hard Boiled Eggs
Salt
Pepper
1 Tbs. Sugar
Large spoonful of yellow Mustard

Directions:
Boil the unpeeled potatoes for 45 min.-1 hour, or until a fork stuck in them goes in easily. Peel the potatoes and chop into cubes. Put potatoes, in a large bowl and season with salt and pepper. Chop the hard boiled eggs and add them to the potato mixture. Add onion, celery, and dill pickles.

In a separate bowl, combine the mayo, sour cream (or yogurt), mustard, and sugar. Mix well and then fold into potato mixture. Refrigerate 5-8 hours.


*It is best to store your bag of potatoes in a dark cool area