Family Foodies

This is the meal I make when I am kissing up to my husband. It is his FAVORITE!

You will need:

• 1-1 1/2 pounds of shrimp
• 2 tablespoons of olive oil
• 1/4 cup of butter
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 16 ounces of cheese filled tortellini
• 1 cup of shredded Mozarella
• 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan Cheese
• salt and pepper to taste

Easy directions:

Saute the shrimp in olive oil over medium/low heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Cook tortellini according to package instructions.

In microwave, melt butter and garlic together to blend flavors.

Drain tortellini. Place in a large bowl.

Pour garlic butter on tortellini. Immediately add cheeses, allowing cheeses to melt.

Add shrimp. Stir. Enjoy.

The perfect sugar cookie! Easy to make, shape and decorate.

You will need:

• 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1 cup of sugar
• 1 stick of butter
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla

-Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl.

-Combine sugar, butter, egg and vanilla. Beat with a mixer on medium speed until smooth.

-Stir in flour mixture. Shape into a log about 15 inches long.

-Wrap in plastic wrap and refriderate for at least 2 hours, but as long as 2 days.

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

-Cut dough into 1/4 inch thick slices. Place slices on ungreased baking sheets.

-Reshape slices into cut outs if desired.

-We sprinkle colored sugar to decorate before we bake.

-Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes.

-Let cool on baking sheet for one minute, move to wire racks to cool completely.

-Enjoy!

For you egg-sperts, this recipe may be old hat, but until recently, I have been unable to make truly satisfying scrambled eggs.

At the end of last summer, I was at a friend’s house.  The eggs she made were egg-celent (sorry, I can’t help the witty egg banter!)

Since then, I have been playing with the recipe and technique in order to come up with something I enjoy.

Here’s what I do:

*Break eggs into a bowl.  I typically use 2-4 depending on how many people I am feeding.

*Splash in a few tablespoons of milk. (1 per egg seems to be a good rule)

*Add salt and pepper.

*Whisk until blended and smooth.

Since I have been experimenting with making our meals a bit lower in calories, I have been trying some recipes that include Splenda instead of sugar.

Ingredients
1 pound pork tenderloin
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate
2 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 tablespoon SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 (14 ounce) package frozen vegetable blend

Vegetables can be a challenge in my house – no one – including my husband is a fan – so getting creative is a must! This recipe was sent to be my the great folks at Splenda!

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon peanut oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon tahini (pureed sesame seeds)
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh ginger1/2 teaspoon chopped garlic
• 1 tablespoon SPLENDA® No Calorie Sweetener, Granulated
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes
• 48 medium-size asparagus spears, trimmed, peeled and cleaned

Directions

1 In a food processor or blender, combine everything except the asparagus and mix until thoroughly blended. Set aside.
2 Cut the asparagus into two-inch pieces, on the diagonal.
3 Half-fill a large skillet with water, cover and bring to a boil. Add the asparagus and simmer just until crisp-tender (approx. 4-5 minutes). Drain well but do not rinse.
4 Transfer to serving bowl. Pour the sauce over the hot asparagus and toss to coat. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Prepare this early on your Sunday and don’t think about it again until you start to smell the delicious aromas float through the home.

You will need:

• 1 3-4 pound roast
• 1 can of cream of mushroom soup
• 2-3 cans of water
• 1 package of Beef/Onion seasoning (Lipton is a great option)
• 3 medium sized potatoes – quartered
• 3 cups of carrots, sliced
• 1/2 an onion sliced

Place roast and vegetables in crock pot. Combine all remaining ingredients in a bowl and pour over roast and vegetables.

Cook 7-8 hours on low.

Enjoy!