Low-Fat Crock Pot Chicken

• 4-6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can diet Pepsi or Coke
• 1 Cup ketchup
• 1 envelope onion soup (opt)

Combine all ingredients except chicken, and dump into the crock pot. Add the chicken and cook for 6 hours on high or 8 to 9 hours on low.

THEME FOR MARCH

This month's theme is:
LOW-FAT!

As always, continue to post any new recipes from the other month's themes at anytime and don't forget to vote for April's theme.

Buttercream Frosting

1/2 c. butter
1/2 c. shortening
1 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
1 lb (4 c.) powdered sugar
3 Tbsp cold milk

Cream butter and shortening together with an electric mixer. Add vanilla and salt. Beat in sugar, 1 c. at a time, blending well after each addition. Scrape sodes and bottom of bowl often with a spatula. Add milk and beat at high speed until light and fluffy. Keep frosting covered with lid or damp cloth and store in fridge when not in use.

Makes 3 cups.

Cream Cheese Cookie Dough for Cutouts

1 8 oz pkg cream cheese, softened
3/4 c. butter, softened
1 c. powdered sugar
2 1/4 c. flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract

Beat cream cheese, butter, vanilla, and sugar in a large mixing bowl at medium speed until well blended. Add flour and soda; mix well. Chill dough for 30 minutes. Roll out and cut with cookie cutters. Place on ungreased cookie sheet. Bake 10-12 minutes at 325 degrees.

Makes 2 dzn cookies.

They stay soft forever!

THEME FOR FEBRUARY

This month's theme is:
VALENTINE TREATS!

As always, continue to post any new recipes from the other month's themes at anytime and don't forget to vote for March's theme.

German Pancakes

1/4 cup butter
1 1/4 tsp vanilla
1 cup milk
6 eggs beaten
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1 cup flour
maple syrup or powdered sugar for topping

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Melt butter in a medium (9X13) baking dish. Mix all ingredients in a bowl and pour over the mixture into the baking dish with butter. Bake 30-40 minutes, until pancake is puffy and golden brown. Cut into squares and serve maple syrup or powdered sugar.

Breakfast Souffle

1 1/2 lbs link sausage
4 eggs
8 slices white bread
3/4 lbs sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp prepared mustard
1/2 tsp salt
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
3 cups milk

Cut off crusts of bread and cut into pieces and line the bottom of a 9x13 pan (use a pyrex pan, no metal). Fry sausage, drain well and place on top of bread. Grate cheese and spread over this. Whip eggs with 2 1/2 cups milk, salt and mustard then pour over casserole. Let stand all night in refrigerator.
Next morning-
make sauce of: 1 can soup
1 cup mushroom
1/2 cup milk
Pour over casserole and bake at 300 degrees for 1 1/2 hours uncovered.

Hashbrown Quiche

1 24 oz pkg frozen hash browns
1/3 c. melted margarine
1 c. ham cubes
1 c. grated cheddar cheese
1 c. grated mozzarella cheese
1/2 c. milk
8 eggs
1/4 tsp seasoned salt

Grease a 9 x 11 pan. Fit hash browns in the make a crust. Brush with margarine. Bake at 425 for 25 minutes. Remove from oven and layer ham and cheese on it. Beat eggs with milk and salt. Pour over ham and cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes until set well. Check with a knife.

Pumpkin Apple Streusel Muffins

Muffins

• 2 1/2 Cups flour
• 2 Cups sugar
• 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 1/2 Cup vegetable oil
• 1 Cup Libby's solid pack pumpkin
• 2 Cups peeled, finely chopped apples

In a large bowl, blend first 5 ingredients and set aside. In medium bowl, combine eggs, pumpkin and oil. Add liquid ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir just until moistened. Stir in apples. Spoon batter into paper-lined muffin cups, filling ¾ full. Sprinkle streusel topping over batter. Bake in pre-heated 350˚ oven for 35-40 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.

Streusel Topping

• 2 Tbsp flour
• 1/2 Cup brown sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 6 Tbsp butter

In a small bowl combine flour, brown sugar and cinnamon. Cut in butter until mixture us crumbly.

THEME FOR JANUARY

Who wants a nice hot breakfast on a cold January morning? I DO, I DO! This month's theme is
BREAKFAST!

As always, continue to post any new recipes from the other month's themes at anytime and don't forget to vote for February's theme.

Andes Mint Chocolate cookies

3/4 cup butter
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
2 Tbs. water
12 oz. bag of chocolate chips
2 eggs
2 3/4 cups flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
24 Andes mints

In a medium-sized souce pan, melt together butter, brown sugar, and water. Stirring occasionally. Add choclate chips and stir until melted. Let stand 10 minutes to cool. Add remaining ingredients, except the Andes mints. Chill dough at least 1 hour. Roll into balls and place on lightly greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350 for 8 to 9 minutes. Remove from oven and place one half an Andes mint on top of each cookie. Allow mint to melt and then swirl the mint over the cookie with the back of a spoon or a knife.

Caramel Popcorn!

BAKED CARAMEL CORN

6 qts. popped corn

1 c. butter

2 c. firmly packed brown sugar

1/2 c. light or dark corn syrup1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. vanilla

6 oz. semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips (optional)

2 tablespoons household measure of unpopped popcorn makes approximately one quart of popped corn.

Coat the bottom and sides of a large roasting pan with a non-stick vegetable spray. Place popped corn in the roasting pan.

In a heavy pan slowly melt the butter; stir in brown sugar, corn syrup and salt. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Boil without stirring for 5 minutes. Remove from heat; stir in baking soda and vanilla. Gradually pour over the popped corn, mixing well.

Bake the popcorn mixture at 250 degrees for 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Remove the popcorn mixture from the oven; cool completely. Break apart and store in a tightly covered container.

For a special treat: melt the chocolate and pour over the baked caramel corn. Stir until evenly coated. Chill in the refrigerator and break into clusters. Makes about 6 quarts.

Pastel Divinity

2 egg whites
1 package (3 oz) jello, any flavor
1 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup white karo syrup
3/4 cup water
3 cups sugar
1 cup nuts (optional)

Beat egg whites until fluffy. Add dry jello and vanilla, beat until stiff peaks form. Mix sugar, syrup, and water until dissolved. Boil until firm ball forms 245 degrees Fahrenheit. Add syrup mixture to egg white mixture, beat until stiff and it holds up. Add nuts. Drop on wax paper.

Fudge

Boil Together for 12 minutes:
4 1/2 cups sugar
1 can of evaporated milk

Put into a large bowl:
3 (6 oz) packages of chocolate chips
1/2 lb. butter
2 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. almond
1 pint marshmellow creme (8 oz)
2 cups roasted nuts

Pour hot mixture slowly over ingredients in bowl and beat constantly until creamy.

Pretzel Bark

• 1 cup chopped pretzels
• 1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans
• 1 1/2 pkg. (8 squares each) semi-sweet chocolate, melted

Stir pretzels and nuts into chocolate; spread onto waxed paper-covered baking sheet.

Refrigerate 1 hour or until firm. Break into pieces.

Makes about 10 servings.