Tag Archives: Kid Friendly

Oven Fries

July 20, 2010 admin Leave a comment

Steaming these first gives them a nice texture and with the added garlic cloves to eat with the potatoes, this is a heavenly side dish. The egg wash makes them brown up nicely, so don’t skip this step.

4 servings
155 calories per serving

2 large russet potatoes sliced into strips
1 egg white, lightly beaten
¼ t paprika
10 garlic cloves, whole
Salt and pepper to taste
Pam

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and spray a baking sheet with Pam. Steam the potatoes and garlic 10 minutes to soften some. Then place all on the baking sheet and brush the egg whites and sprinkle with paprika. Bake 20 minutes then season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Beef, Dinner, Kid Friendly, Summer

Herbed Flank Steak

July 15, 2010 admin Leave a comment

The red wine really helps tenderize this steak – it was so very delicious. Serve with Sauteed Peppers and Onions for a great meal. Leftovers make a great addition to a cold salad – just slice thinly and toss with greens and dressing.

8 servings
221 calories per serving

2 lb. flank steak
¼ c Dijon mustard
¼ c dry red wine
1 large shallot, finely chopped
2 T oil
2 T fresh basil
1 T fresh oregano
1 T fresh thyme
1 t salt
½ t pepper
½ t garlic powder

Score meat with diagonal, shallow cuts and place in a zip loc. Mix the rest of the ingredients and pour into the bag, mix around well, seal and refrigerate 4-24 hours. Heat grill and cook meat 9 minutes each side or until desired doneness. Slice thinly across the grain.

Kid Friendly, Lunch, Pork, Sandwiches

Grilled Ham on Rye

July 13, 2010 admin Leave a comment

A simple sandwich that tastes anything but ordinary. Want to lower the calories? Use Kraft fat free American singles for a fraction of the calories and great results.

1 serving
340 calories per serving

2 slices rye bread
1 T Miracle Whip
1 slice cheese (70 calories allotted for this)
6 slices deli shaved smoked ham

Spread both slices of bread with 1 t Miracle Whip and add the ham and cheese. Spread the outside of the sandwich with the rest of the Miracle Whip and cook in a skillet 3 minutes each side or until golden brown and cheese is melted.

Dinner, Italian, Kid Friendly, Pasta

Ravioli with Mushroom Sauce

July 10, 2010 admin 1 Comment

This dish has a great cream sauce that goes perfectly with the ravioli. I bet that the dish would be great with a mushroom ravioli substituted. It’s a heavier dish, but certainly within the calories and sometimes you just gotta splurge !

2 servings
367 calories per serving

2 c refrigerated fresh cheese ravioli
½ c sliced mushrooms
1 T chopped shallots
1 T pine nuts or walnuts
1 T chopped yellow bell pepper
1 T chopped red bell pepper
1 t oil
2 t cornstarch
½ chicken broth
¼ c fat free half and half
1/8 t salt
1/8 t pepper
Optional – grated parmesan

Cook ravioli according to package instructions. Spray a skillet with Pam and cook mushrooms, shallot, nuts and peppers in oil until tender – add a little hot water if they start to dry out. Mix cornstarch, broth and half and half with the salt and pepper and then gradually stir into the pan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and cook 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened. Serve mixed with drained ravioli. Sprinkle with parmesan cheese.

Dessert, Kid Friendly, Summer

Yogurt Pops

July 9, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is a filling for a pie that I have made for years. But it does great double duty as a healthy, fresh alternative to store bought ice pops.

10 servings
106 calories per serving

20 oz. can crushed pineapple, drained well
8 oz. tub Cool Whip lite, thawed
6 oz. non fat lemon yogurt (don’t substitute – you need the lemon flavor to bring some tang to the pie)
6 oz. non fat yogurt – any flavor

Mix all ingredients and place in ice pop molds and freeze at least 4 hours. These keep great for several weeks in the freezer. Just rinse the outside of the mold with a little hot water to release the pops.

Dessert, Kid Friendly, Snacks, Summer

Green Apple and Pear Pops

June 27, 2010 admin Leave a comment

What a refreshing snack on a hot summer day ! Pops of any kind make a great dessert or snack and these are no exception 🙂

12 servings (6 oz. pops)
103 calories per serving

2 granny smith apples, peeled and diced
2 c pear juice
½ t ground cardamom
1 ripe pear, peeled and diced
1 c applesauce

Mix apples, pear juice and cardamom and simmer on low heat 10 minutes to soften the apples. Add the pears and simmer another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add the applesauce. Fill the molds and insert the sticks and freeze at least 8 hours.

For fun, place a green maraschino cherry at the bottom of each pop before filling with the other mix.

Dessert, Kid Friendly, Snacks, Summer

Sun Tea Pops

June 23, 2010 admin Leave a comment

What a great ice pop ! Sweet and flavorful and so refreshing. Pops make a great snack or dessert.

6 servings (8 oz. pops)
44 calories per serving

1 c Splenda
2 peaches cut into wedges (skins still on)
1 lime, peeled and sliced
1 lemon, peeled, seeded and sliced
6 mint leaves
8 tea bags – orange pekoe black tea (this is just your standard Lipton, etc. tea bag)
2 c water
2 c cold water

Bring water to simmer in a sauce pan and dissolve Splenda – when all dissolved remove from heat and stir in 2 c cold water and then let sit 10 minutes. Pour sugar water into a glass bowl and add peaches, lemons, limes and mint then add the tea bags, cover and place out in the sun for 3-5 hours to get a nice sun brewed tea. Remove tea bags and divide mint and peaches into molds then pour in the tea (discard the lemon and lime), insert sticks and freeze 6 hours.

Breakfast, Kid Friendly, Lunch, Snacks

Bacon and Cheese Muffin

June 21, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This is basically an eggless version of a great breakfast sandwich. This is so satisfying when you need something bacony and cheesy !

1 serving
245 calories per serving

1 light whole wheat muffin (100 calories)
6 sprays I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray
2 slices fat free Kraft singles
3 slices turkey bacon

Cook the bacon according to package instructions. Toast the muffin and when done, immediately spray each half with butter spray and place the cheese slices on so they get melty. Top with the cooked bacon and eat open faced or make a sandwich.

Dessert, Kid Friendly

Peanut Butter Fudge Pie

June 19, 2010 admin Leave a comment

This tastes just like a Peanut Butter Silk pie that a restaurant around here used to serve. When the restaurant closed, we all mourned the loss of the pie ! But now I’ve found just the right mixture of ingredients to reproduce it ! It’s a little high in calorie count for a dessert, but it is sooooooooooooo worth it, so save it for a splurge day and dig in 🙂

8 servings
380 calories per serving

8 oz. cream cheese, softened
½ c sugar
¼ c creamy peanut butter
2 c cool whip, thawed
1 oreo pie crust
¼ c hot fudge topping, warmed

Beat cream cheese with sugar and peanut butter and then whisk in cool whip. Spoon into crust and drizzle with topping and gently swirl with a knife. Refrigerate 4 hours.

Dessert, Kid Friendly

Coconut Fudgies

June 15, 2010 admin 1 Comment

There is nothing quite as decadent as chocolate. Make it fudgy by adding in marshmellows and evaporated milk, and it is just sinful ! If you don’t like coconut, leave it off – if you want different nuts, go for it. But don’t skip this recipe – this is a real winner !

32 servings
240 calories per serving

1 c butter, divided
14 Honey Grahams, finely crushed
1 c sugar
5 oz. evaporated milk
10.5 oz. package mini marshmellows
12 squares Baker’s semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
1 c chopped walnuts
1 c coconut, toasted
Pam

Line a 13×9 pan with aluminum foil making sure it folds up over the ends so you can use it to lift out the dessert later. Spray the foil with Pam. Melt ¾ c butter and mix in the crumbs then press into the bottom of the pan to make a crust. Bring the rest of the butter, sugar, milk and marshmellows to boil, stirring constantly then add chocolate and stir until melted. Pour over the crust and top with the nuts and coconut then refrigerate 2 hours.

(To toast the coconut, simply place it in a hot skillet and stir frequently until it gets brown and toasty)