Tag Archives: margarine

Toffee Matza

December 31, 2011 admin Leave a comment

A little gooey, a little chocolately, and a whole lotta fun to eat ! This toffee made with matza is very good.

30 servings
135 calories per serving

4 1/2 sheets matza
1 c margarine
1 c dark brown granulated sugar
8 ounces chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease a 9×9 baking dish and cover the bottom of the dish with matzas (breaking up pieces to fit exactly) and make layers to use up all the matzas. Heat margarine and sugar until bubbly, about 3 minutes. Pour over the matzas and bake about 15 minutes or until the top is thickened and bubbly. Sprinkle with chips right when it comes out of the oven and then let sit for 5 minutes. Spread the chocolate and then cool completely and break into pieces. This can be a bit tough since once it hardens up, it gets very brittle. I usually don’t cool it quite all the way and take large pieces out onto a clean flat surface and then make it into smaller bits from there.

Dessert

Chocolate Biscotti

April 30, 2011 admin Leave a comment

Biscotti is a very hard and crumbly Italian cookie that is perfect next to a cup of coffee. This one has such great chocolate and almond flavor !

24 cookies
154 calories per serving

3 c flour
½ c unsweetened cocoa
2 t baking powder
½ t salt
1 c sugar
2/3 c margarine, at room temperature
¾ c Egg Beaters
1 t almond extract
½ c whole blanched almonds, toasted and chopped
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine flour, cocoa, baking powder and salt. With an electric mixer beat sugar and margarine until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs and extract and beat well then gradually add in the flour mix mixing by hand. Dough will be very dry – don’t worry ! Then stir in almonds. On a baking sheet sprayed lightly with Pam form dough into 2 logs and bake 25-30 minutes and then cool on a wire rack 15 minutes. Add a few nuts to the top of the logs for extra almondy goodness. Using a serrated knife slice each log on the diagonal into 12 slices each 1 inch thick and place cut sides up back on the baking sheet and bake another 12-15 minutes per side or until crisp. Cool completely on wire rack.

Dinner, Kid Friendly, Pork

Ham, Broccoli and Rice

March 21, 2011 admin Leave a comment

This couldn’t be easier and it turns out a great healthy meal that the whole family will enjoy. I love one dish meals ! If you don’t have leftover ham on hand, try using Canadian bacon.

4 servings
290 calories per serving

2 t margarine
½ c chopped onion
4.3 oz. package of long grain and wild rice mix
1 2/3 c water
2 c frozen broccoli florets
1 ½ c diced cooked ham
1 cup shredded low fat cheddar cheese

Melt margarine in a skillet on medium heat and cook onion and rice from the mix for 2-3 minutes them pour in water and seasoning packet and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low, cover and cook 10 minutes then lay broccoli and ham over the rice and bring back to a boil before lowering heat to medium low. Then cover and cook another 10-15 minutes or until rice is tender. Uncover and add cheese to top – let simmer 5 minutes to melt cheese. Serve immediately.

Dessert, Kid Friendly, MUFAs

Cookie Brittle

December 2, 2010 admin Leave a comment

If you don’t like the way the cookie crumbles, then this is not a recipe for you. But if you like crunchy little cookie bits like me, then these are heavenly ! And you get the added benefit of eating your MUFA since these have semisweet chocolate and nuts.

48 pieces
60 calories per serving

½ c margarine
2 t vanilla
3 T water
1 t salt
4 T Splenda
1 c flour
1 c semisweet chocolate chips
1/2 c walnuts, chopped very finely

Combine margarine, vanilla, water, salt and Splenda and beat until smooth. Stir in flour, chips and nuts and press into an ungreased 9×13 baking pan. Bake at 375 degrees 25 minutes. Remove from oven and score into pieces. Cool completely then break into pieces.

Dessert, Fruit, Kid Friendly, Snacks

Fruit and Graham Bars

November 18, 2010 admin Leave a comment

So sweet, so yummy, so good ! This is a great dessert and a great snack. Looking for even lower calories, then use sugar free preserves. Use any flavor or combination on flavors you like 🙂

24 servings
95 calories per serving

2/3 c flour
2 c Golden Grahams cereal, crushed
½ c brown sugar
½ t cinnamon
1/3 c melted margarine
2/3 c apricot preserves

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Mix flour, cereal, sugar and cinnamon then stir in butter. Reserve ¾ c of the mix and press the rest of it into the bottom of a square 8×8 baking pan. Spread preserves over and then sprinkle with the rest of the cereal mix. Bake 25 minutes or until light golden brown. Cool 15 minutes and then cut.

Dessert, Kid Friendly

Chewy Coconut Bars

October 3, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This has just a small bit of cake to hold together the yummy coconut, nuts and raisins. It’s a perfect dessert with just a hint of sweetness.

16 servings
136 calories per serving

2 eggs
18 packets Equal
¼ t maple flavoring
½ c margarine, melted
1 t vanilla
½ c flour
1 t baking powder
¼ t salt
1 c coconut, finely chopped
½ c chopped walnuts
½ c raisins
Pam

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Beat eggs, equal and maple flavoring. Mix margarine and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt and stir into egg mix. Add coconut, walnuts and raisins. Spray an 8 inch square baking pan with Pam. Spread mix in pan and bake about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool on wire rack and then cut into 16 bars.

Kid Friendly, Snacks

Cocoa Popcorn

September 27, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is barely sweet – much more of a cocoa flavor than a sweet flavor and yet it definitely satisfied my sweet tooth. This is a great sweet snack for in front of the TV.

6 servings
94 calories per serving

6 c popped popcorn
1 T margarine
2 T light corn syrup
1 T unsweetened cocoa powder
1 ½ T skim milk
1/8 t salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place popcorn in a large baking pan and warm in the oven. In a small pan melt margarine, then add syrup, cocoa, milk and salt and stir until well mixed. Pour over popcorn and stir to coat all pieces.

Dinner, Kid Friendly, Sides

Au Gratin Potatoes

July 28, 2010 admin 1 Comment

Potatoes and cheese of any sort are just a winning combination. The parmesan in this recipe is a great hint of cheese without being overpowering.

4 servings
167 calories per serving

1 ½ lb. new potatoes
1 T margarine
1 T flour
¼ c chopped parsley
1 clove garlic, minced
½ t black pepper
Salt to taste
1 ½ c skim milk
1 medium onion, peeled and sliced very thin
2 T grated parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Slice potatoes into ¼ thick slices and place half of them in a square baking dish. Top with half the onions, then do another layer of potatoes and another layer of onions and sprinkle with salt. Melt margarine and stir in flour, parsley, garlic and pepper and then gradually add milk stirring until thick and smooth. Remove from heat. Pour the sauce over the potatoes and cover and bake ½ hour. Stir gently, recover and bake another 30 minutes. Sprinkle the cheese over and bake another 20 minutes uncovered.

Kid Friendly, Snacks

Caramel Popcorn

May 13, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This has a subtle sweetness that builds with each bite rather than a thick, in your face coating of sweet on the popcorn. It’s a great alternative to kettle corn and at only 90 calories per serving, eat up !

6 servings
90 calories per serving

6 c popped popcorn
2 T margarine
2 T honey

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Spread popcorn in a large pan. Melt margarine and honey and pour over the popcorn and bake 10 minutes stirring often. Let cool then store in an airtight container.

Breakfast, Kid Friendly

Apple Raisin Pancakes

April 18, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Just a few additions and you have guest worthy pancakes instead of the regular old fare. Apples, raisins and cinnamon just mix so well and these pancakes were just great on a Sunday morning !

8 servings (2 pancakes each)
268 calories per serving

2 c flour
2 T sugar
1 T baking powder
2 t cinnamon
1 ¾ c skim milk
2/3 c Egg Beaters
5 T margarine, melted and divided
¾ c chopped apple
¾ c raisins

Combine flour, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon. In another bowl mix milk, eggs and 4 T margarine and then stir into the dry ingredients just until mixed. Stir in the apples and raisins. Brush a griddle with margarine and heat to medium high. Spoon ¼ c batter per pancake and cook in batches.