Meatless Quesadillas Two Ways

Quesadillas are a quick & easy meal in our house. Often it’s leftover meat and a bit of cheese between tortillas. Or just cheese if the girls are feeling finicky.

Either way they take only a few minutes to make and are a fun change from sandwiches.
When I want to get a bit fancier I turn to this terrific shrimp quesadillas recipe from Good Housekeeping. It’s quick, delicious and a great way to be meatless but still have the texture that most people expect with a meal. My girls gobbled this up!



Ingredients (serves 4)
* 1 pound(s) shelled and deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped
* 1/4 teaspoon(s) ground chipotle chile
* 2 limes
* 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
* 1 large (8 to 10 ounces) red pepper, chopped (I omitted this)
* 1 medium (6 to 8 ounces) onion, chopped (I use chopped onion flakes, about 2T)
* 1 ripe avocado, mashed
* 1/2 cup(s) loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, chopped (I use Gourmet Garden Cilantro Herb blend)
* Pepper
* 2 medium ripe tomatoes, chopped
* 1/2 serrano chile, seeded and finely chopped
* 8 (8-inch) soft-taco-size flour tortillas
* 8 ounce(s) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend
* 2 cup(s) shredded romaine lettuce

Directions
1. In small bowl, toss shrimp with chipotle chile. From limes, squeeze 4 tablespoons juice; set aside.

2. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium one minute. Add red pepper and onion and cook 10 minutes or until tender, stirring frequently. Add shrimp and cook 3 minutes longer or until shrimp just turn opaque throughout. Transfer shrimp mixture to medium bowl and cover loosely with foil to keep warm. Remove pan from heat and wipe with paper towel.

3. Meanwhile, prepare guacamole: In small bowl, combine avocado with 2 tablespoons lime juice, half of cilantro, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Prepare tomato salsa: In another small bowl, combine tomatoes, serrano chile, 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and remaining lime juice.

4. Heat same skillet on medium-low 30 seconds. Place 1 tortilla in skillet. Sprinkle with one-fourth of shrimp mixture, one-fourth of cheese, and one-fourth of remaining cilantro; top with second tortilla, pressing lightly. Cook quesadilla about 2 minutes or until lightly toasted. Carefully turn quesadilla and cook 1 to 2 minutes longer or until cheese melts. Repeat to make 4 quesadillas in total.

5. Cut quesadillas into wedges; serve with guacamole, tomato salsa, and shredded romaine.

Another Meatless Recipe

I have friends who are vegetarian. Some consider seafood to be meat, some don’t. This recipe for Bean & Cheese Quesadillas from Family Circle is also quick, delicious and uses black beans for texture and protein.

Ingredients (serves 6)
* 1 tablespoon olive oil
* 1 small onion, finely chopped
* 1/2 small green pepper, seeded and chopped (I omit this)
* 1 can (15 ounces) black beans, drained and lightly mashed
* 1/2 cup salsa
* 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
* 1 package (10 count) fajita-size flour or whole-wheat tortillas
* 8 ounces reduced-fat pepper Jack cheese, shredded
* 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
* Extra salsa for serving (optional)

Directions
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and green pepper and cook for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in beans, salsa and chili powder. Cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Spray a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place over medium-high heat. Place one tortilla in the skillet and cook for 1 minute. Spread 1/3 cup of the bean mixture and 1/3 cup of the cheese evenly over the tortilla. Sprinkle some of the cilantro over the top. Place another tortilla on top and cook 1 minute. Press gently with a spatula and turn. Cook for 1 minute or until browned.

3. Place quesadilla on a baking sheet and keep warm in 200° oven. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make four additional quesadillas. Allow skillet to cool slightly if it becomes too hot.

4. To serve, cut each quesadilla into quarters. Serve 3 quarters to each person (there will be 2 leftover wedges)

Cinch! Conquer Cravings, Drop Pounds & Lose Inches by Cynthia Sass - A Review

I spent the final days of 2010 on a diet. Completely crazy, I know, but I figured if it worked and I began 2011 a few pounds lighter I might just be able to continue in 2011 during the "resolution breaking phase".

The plan I chose is a new one by Cynthia Sass M.P.H., R.D. called Cinch! I was given the book as a review and, after reading it, enjoying the conversational tone Sass uses to convey her message, and appreciating that she explained why she chose the foods for the diet (always good to know why you are eating what you are eating) I jumped in with both feet and did the 5 Day Fast Forward plan; a "jump start" to weight loss.

The 5 Day Fast Forward


The 5 Day Fast Forward is stringent, to say the least. It consists of 5 foods, prepared 4 ways, eaten on a schedule, for 5 days. By day 5 I was terribly sick of them- but I had lost 6 pounds.

What was more amazing to me, though, was that I had no desire for the party fare served at a New Year's Eve party I attended the evening before the Fast Forward ended. I had one drink, and ate a couple of appetizers the hostess had made. But I had no desire to sample everything, or keep grazing. And that, my friends, is HUGE!

The Cinch! Core Plan

Another aspect I appreciated was that the option was open for you to skip the Fast Forward if it was just too stringent and move on the the Core Plan. This 25 day plan (30 if you skip the Fast Forward) gives you options for 4 meals, by now your body has a schedule, plus one dark chocolate indulgence per day.

The menu items are easy to prepare, easy to plan ahead, and follow a "5 piece puzzle" of produce, whole grain, lean protein, plant based fat and specific spices. Learning this 5 piece puzzle will help keep you on track after the core plan ends.

Final chapters of the book discuss emotional eating, walking as exercise, and living the plan.

Pros and Cons

The Cinch! plan includes no red meat. As a Midwest girl, this is a bit painful as we have a deep freeze filled with beef and pork. But I understand the logic and plan to cut my family's red meat intake to 2 meals per week.

The cost of preparing a separate meal for myself and another for my family has been a bit daunting to work into our tight budget (raspberries are expensive in the dead of winter!) but now that I have worked through the Fast Forward I am able to buy whole foods and create menus for my family that use the same ingredients as my meals.

Certain organic foods are suggested- and Sass gives her reasons for choosing them. I truly appreciate that she says not to use organic if it doesn't fit into your budget or you just don't want to. Organic is not a deal breaker.

Vegan and vegetarian options are also given, making this a plan suited to anyone. If weight loss and healthy eating are part of your plan for 2011 I highly recommend Cinch! by Cynthia Sass.

Disclosure: I was provided a proof copy of Cinch! to review. Images and thoughts are completely mine and were not suggested or compensated.

Spicy Pumpkin Soup

Soups are a wonderful meal on a cold winter evening. This recipe, from Hungry Girl, is my new favorite. It's warm, low cal and filling! I mix 1T fat free sour cream into mine to add a creaminess, while my husband and daughters prefers theirs sprinkled with cheese. I serve it with half a slice of Irish Brown Bread.

Ingredients:
Non-stick cooking spray
1 tbsp minced garlic
1 tbsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cumin
4 cups Fat Free broth (chicken or vegetable)
15 oz. can pure pumpkin
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 cup corn
3/4 cup salsa (this is where you can add or reduce the spiciness)
Optional toppings: shredded reduced-fat or fat-free cheese, and reduced-fat or fat free sour cream

Directions:
Spray pot with non-stick cooking spray and heat pan on medium. (Tip: use a larger pot than you think you'll need) Add garlic, chili powder and cumin, and stir for one minute. Add broth to the spices, and bring to a simmer. Add pumpkin and mix well. Add the remaining ingredients and bring soup to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. This soup can be served with a sprinkle of cheese and a little fat free sour cream on top. Serves 4.

(calories: 162.5, fat: 0.75g, sodium: 1128mg, carbs: 13, fiber: 12g, sugars: 6.5g, protein: 10g = 3 Points)

Lime Chicken Tacos

I've been trying to eat healthier. Really, I have. But sometimes you really just want "comfort food"- good, filling food that doesn't scream "DIET!" I've been trying recipes from the Taste of Home Comfort Food Diet Cookbook for a while now and this is one of my favorites.

Not only is it great for tacos, but it makes a nice chicken taco salad and chicken nachos. It reheats nicely for lunch the next day and, because it's cooked in the slow cooker I classify it as quick and easy. The entire family loves this recipe!

Makes 12 Servings Time: Prep: 10 min. Cook: 5-1/2 hours (or 2 1/2- 3 if cooked on high)

Ingredients

* 1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts
* 3 tablespoons lime juice
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1 cup frozen corn
* 1 cup chunky salsa
* 12 flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed
* Sour cream, shredded cheddar cheese and shredded lettuce, optional

Directions

* Place the chicken in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Combine lime juice and chili powder; pour over chicken. Cover and cook on low for 5-6 hours (or 2 1/2-3 hours on high) or until chicken is tender.
* Remove chicken; cool slightly. Shred meat with two forks and return to the slow cooker; heat through. Stir in corn and salsa.
* Cover and cook on low for 30 minutes or until heated through. Serve in tortillas with sour cream, cheese and lettuce if desired. Yield: 12 tacos.


Nutrition Facts: 1 taco (prepared with fat-free tortillas; calculated without sour cream and cheese) equals 148 calories, 2 g fat (trace saturated fat), 31 mg cholesterol, 338 mg sodium, 18 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 14 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 very lean meat, 1 starch.

Disclosure: I am an Amazon affiliate. If 10 of you happen to buy this cookbook using the link to the left I may make enough money to buy some sour cream for my tacos.

Basic Quiche

I'm a huge fan of quiche. It's one of the most versatile meals I make. It works for breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner... Another plus is that you can add veggies or meat to it easily. And my girls love quiche- we call it "cheese pie". Two of the greatest things in the world: cheese & pie. And the leftovers re-heat really well. I love when we have quiche for dinner because it means left-over quiche for breakfast!

Another reason I love this recipe is that it's a great "make & take" if you're taking a meal to someone who just had a baby, has a sick child, etc. Quiche, a bagged salad and some cookies and you've got a meal.

This is my favorite quiche recipe. It uses Gruyère, which is a bit spendy, but you can use Swiss, Emmental or Mont Saint-Benoît.

I pulled this recipe out of a magazine years ago; I'm not sure which one.

1 T olive oil
2 medium yellow onions, diced (not being an onion person I use dried, chopped onions, about 2-3 T)
3/4 t kosher salt
1/2 t black pepper
1 c fresh flat leaf parsley, chopped
4 eggs
3/4 c half & half (I mostly use skim milk; it's what I have on hand and it works)
8 oz Gruyère, grated
1/8 t ground nutmeg
1 store bought frozen deep dish pie crust, or you favorite homemade crust

Heat oven to 375 degrees. In a large skillet, over medium low heat, heat the oil. Add the onions, 1/2 t of the salt and 1/4 t of the pepper. Cover and cook until the onions are softened, 5 to 7 minutes. (Skip this step if you aren't using fresh onions.) Add the parsley and cook, covered, for 2 more minutes. Meanwhile, whisk together the eggs and half & half or milk. Stir in cheese, nutmeg, the remaining salt & pepper and the onion mixture. Place the piecrust on a foil lined baking sheet. Scrape the egg mixture into piecrust- it will be full. Bake until the filling is set and an inserted knife comes out clean; about 40 minutes. Let rest for 5 minutes. Cut into wedges and serve.

Technically this makes 4 servings. Serve with a salad.

If you want to add ham or browned sausage add it to the egg mixture after you add the cheese.

Crispy Un-Fried Chicken and Popcorn Cauliflower

I'm actually a bit torn about this chicken recipe. Not that it isn't good- because it is- but because it seemed like kind of a hassle. And, honestly, the place I got it (an unsolicited "trial issue" of Cook's Country) was a bit pretentious for me, stating "no self-respecting fried chicken lover would dream of using anything other than bone-in chicken parts." Well, I'm sorry to disappoint the cooks but, having grown up on a farm and actually killing, plucking and taking apart entire chickens I'm well over anything having to do with chicken bones. I used boneless chicken breasts- I actually cut them into strips (gasp!)- and all was well.

But Caelan loved these, eating three strips, so this recipe will be appearing on my table again. Along with these simple and tasty popcorn cauliflowers, which both girls ate greedily. I suppose it's because they love popcorn...

Crispy Un-Fried Chicken
Serves 8

2 c buttermilk
2 T Dijon mustard
2 1/4 t salt
1 1/2 t garlic powder
1 1/2 t black pepper
1 t hot pepper sauce (I omitted this)
8 (split bone in) chicken breasts, 10 to 12 ounces each, skin removed, ribs trimmed with kitchen shears
2 1/2 c corn flakes (crushed. To do this place in a plastic bag and let the kids play steamroller over it with a rolling pin)
3/4 c fresh bread crumbs
1/2 t ground poultry seasoning (I omitted this)
1/2 t paprika
1/8 t cayenne pepper
2 T vegetable oil

Whisk buttermilk, mustard, 2 t salt, 1 t garlic powder, 1 t black pepper & hot sauce in a large bowl. Add chicken, turn to coat well, cover & refrigerate at least one hour or overnight.

Adjust oven rack to upper middle position and heat to 400 degrees. Line rimmed baking sheet with foil, set wire rack on sheet and coat with baking spray. (I used the broiler pan)

Gently toss corn flakes, bread crumbs, 1/2 t garlic powder, 1/2 t black pepper, 1/4 t salt, poultry seasoning, paprika and cayenne in shallow dish until combined. Drizzle oil over crumbs and toss until well coated. Dredge chicken, one piece at a time, in crumb mixture; firmly press crumbs into all sides of chicken. Place chicken on prepared rack, leaving 1/2 inch of space between pieces. Bake 35-45 minutes until chicken is deep golden brown, juices run clear and thickest part of the chicken breast (away from the bone) reaches 160 degrees.

Spice it up: increase the hot pepper sauce to 1T, replace salt in crumb mixture with 1/2 t chili powder and increase cayenne to 1/4 t.

This chicken reheats really well. Just heat the oven to 400 degrees and bake a few minutes. Or serve it cold.

Popcorn Cauliflower

Cut a head of cauliflower into small florets (about 3 c). Toss with 2T olive oil and 1/4 t pepper (I also added some garlic salt). Roast at 450 degrees, uncovered, until lightly browned stirring once or twice; about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese & serve.

Grilled Chicken Reubens

I had chicken reubens on my menu this summer on a day that was supposed to be raining. When the rain didn't appear and we were all ready to be out of the house I slapped the reubens together and decided that we would try them on one of the barbeque grills at the park. It worked out really, really well and I now have another quick meal that we can pack and tote to the park with us.

For the chicken: if you are grilling earlier in the week go ahead and toss on a couple chicken breasts. Or save some if you've roasted a chicken. Or buy some oven roasted chicken breast in the deli meat section at the grocery...

Grilled Chicken Reubens

Chicken Breast
Rye Bread
Swiss Cheese slices
saurkraut, drained and squeezed dry
1/3 c mayo
2 T ketchup

Mix the ketchup and mayo to make your dressing.
Make sure your kraut is dry otherwise it will make the bread wet. (not so good)
Build sandwich: bread, cheese, chicken, dressing, bread.
Wrap tightly in foil.

When you are ready to grill just place the foil wrapped sandwiches over the coals for about 10 minutes per side (less if your coals are really, really hot). You want the cheese melted and the bread beginning to toast.

Mmmmm...

You can make these in the oven, too... No foil necessary.
Turn on your broiler and have the rack about 4 inches from the heat. Build in the same way. Broil about 2 minutes per side.

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

I can not believe I don't have a picture of this recipe anywhere! It's kind of a joke that I take pictures of all my food, but this one I missed.

Now, the original recipe came from Kraft but you can really do whatever you want with these.

Slow Cooker Baked Beans

3 cans (15 oz. each) pinto beans, drained, rinsed
1 cup Barbecue Sauce
1 small onion, chopped
1/4 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
2 slices bacon, chopped

PLACE all ingredients in slow cooker; mix well. Cover with lid.

COOK on LOW for 4 to 6 hours (or on HIGH for 3 hours).

Some changes I've made:

• I'm not a ran of fresh onions so I use about 1/4 c onion flakes
• Use 3/4 c BBQ sauce and 1/4 c honey
• Try dark brown sugar for a richer sweetness
• Chop some kielbasa instead of bacon

Really, this is an easy recipe that has as many variations as you can think up. Great for cookouts and backyard BBQs.

Spicy Orange Chicken Stir Fry

I got this recipe from Everyday Food magazine. They have it set as a make-ahead-and-freeze-it meal. Personally I'm not a fan of cooking and then freezing veggies. They just aren't crisp enough. And after making the recipe as it was written I made a few adjustments to it.

This recipe is really easy to throw together so it's a great entry to cooking Asian foods. You don't need anything special and you can get all of the ingredients at your local store.

So, here's my take on the recipe:

What You Need:
5 T (just under 1/4c) cornstarch
1 c orange juice
1/4 c soy sauce
1/4 c rice vinegar
1/8 c honey
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 t red pepper flakes (less if you don't like it spicy)
coarse salt
1/2 T vegetable oil
1 1/2 lb chicken breast cut crosswise into 1/2" wide strips
Small head of broccoli, cut into florets (you can also peel and thinly slice the stalks to add)
3 carrots peeled and diagonally sliced thin
cooked rice (I use brown rice- it's just a bit better for you)

Here's What You Do:
Put cornstarch in a medium bowl. Whisk in orange juice until smooth. Whisk in soy sauce, vinegar, honey, garlic, and red pepper flakes; season with a pinch of salt. Set aside.

In a large pan (I use the one I boil pasta in) heat oil over medium high heat. Cook chicken on one side until lightly browned, turn and cook another minute and remove from pan.

Add broccoli, carrots and 1/4 c water to the pot. Cook, partially covered, until water has evaporated and broccoli is bright green- about 3 minutes. Add chicken and cornstarch mixture, bring to a boil. Cook 2-3 minutes, until chicken is opaque and sauce has thickened. Serve over rice.

Now,please don't hate me, but my kids eat everything that is put in front of them. The main reason for this is because they are not given a choice. You eat what you are given or you don't eat. This is not to say that we don't sometimes have problems, but they are rare. We try to keep meals fun by giving them different names and by using chopsticks with our Asian cuisine.

Spinach Quiche

I love a good quiche. It's great for just about any meal. You can serve it with fresh fruit for breakfast or brunch and with a salad fro lunch or dinner.

The biggest problem with many quiches is that they call for expensive cheeses. Which make wonderful quiche but can add up if you're on a budget. Which I am. Which is why I try to feed my family two meatless meals a week. And it just doesn't make a lot of sense to try to save money by foregoing meat if you're going to spend an enormous amount on cheese....

I found this spinach quiche recipe at Allrecipes.com and modified it a bit until I had it just right for us. It's a recipe that is almost impossible to screw up so experiment with it.

I let the girls help mix the "cheese pie". Whenever they are involved in the making of dinner it always helps with the eating of dinner. Well, that and the fact that it's cheese... And pie... Who doesn't like that?

Here's my version:

Spinach Quiche

INGREDIENTS
2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, chopped
2 T dried onion flakes
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained
1 (6 ounce) package herb and garlic feta, crumbled
1 (8 ounce) package shredded Cheddar cheese
salt and pepper to taste
1 (9 inch) unbaked deep dish pie crust
4 eggs, beaten
1 cup milk
salt and pepper to taste


DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). When oven is heated bake pie crust for 5-7 minutes to prevent a soggy bottom.

In a medium skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Saute garlic and onion in butter until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Stir in spinach, feta and 1/2 cup Cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Spoon mixture into pie crust.

In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. Season with salt and pepper. Pour into the pastry shell, allowing egg mixture to thoroughly combine with spinach mixture.

Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle top with remaining Cheddar cheese, and bake an additional 35 to 40 minutes, until set in center. Allow to stand 10 minutes before serving.

5 Minute Southwest Layered Salad

To save money and eat healthier I have decided to serve two meatless meals per week. This quick and easy salad from Kraft is a perfect main course for four or a side dish for a cook out.

I've tossed it together (in 5 minutes- really!) and taken it to the park. The girls both loved having "chippies" in their salad and the ranch dressing mixed with salsa is smooth and tangy.

5 Minute Southwest Layered Salad

Prep Time:5 min Total Time:5 min Makes: 4 servings, 1-1/2 cups each

6 cups torn romaine lettuce
1 can (15 oz.) black beans, drained, rinsed
1 can (11 oz.) whole kernel corn, drained
1/2 cup Chunky Salsa
1/2 cup KRAFT Natural Three Cheese Crumbles
1/2 cup Ranch Dressing
1 cup broken tortilla chips

PLACE lettuce on serving platter or in bottom of glass serving bowl.

COVER with layers of beans, corn, salsa and cheese.

DRIZZLE with dressing; sprinkle with chips.

Just a note: this salad is really best the day you make it. If your family won't finish it I would suggest this making single servings. If it sits mixed over night the lettuce gets soggy. I mix the beans and corn together in a container and leave the rest separate. It's super easy to just pull everything out of the fridge and toss a salad together for lunch.

Oven Fried Chicken Strips

We plan to do a lot of biking to parks in the evenings so I want to have options besides cold sandwiches, hot dogs and burgers for dinner.

I made these chicken strips last night and I just have to say: YUMMY! A great alternative to fried chicken and they are great straight from the oven or cold. And you can make the tangy dipping sauce or just use ranch dressing or ketchup.

The secret to making these crispy is baking them in two glass pans. You don't want them too crowded. Another great recipe from Cuisine.

Oven Fried Chicken Strips
with tangy BBQ Dipping Sauce

For the chicken:

3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1 lb)
3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/2 t ground black pepper
1/2 t paprika
Salt
2/3 c panko crumbs (in the oriental foods section)
2 egg whites
1/2 c buttermilk
Tabasco to taste (optional)
3 T vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 450.

Slice chicken breasts into 12 strips. Combine flour and seasonings (but not panko!) in a shallow dish. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and set on wire cooling rack. Add panko to remaining flour.

Whip egg whites to soft peaks in a bowl. Gently whisk in buttermilk and Tobasco. Dip each strip into the egg mixture then dredge in panko/flour mixture. Return to wire rack.

Heat 1 1/2 T oil in two 13x9 glass baking dishes for 5 minutes in the preheated oven. Arrange half the strips in a single layer in each dish- you want them to have space- and roast for 15 minutes. Flip the strips over and roast for another 15 minutes or until coating is crisp and cooked through. (I had to add a bit more oil to the pans).

For the sauce:

1/4 c apple juice
1/4 c apple cider vinegar
1/4 c ketchup
1 T honey
1 t Worchestershire sauce
1/2 t dry mustard
Juice of 1/2 lemon
Pinch each of whole celery seed and red pepper flakes (optional)
1 T unsalted butter

Simmer all ingredients (except butter) in a saucepan over medium low heat for 10 minutes. Off heat swirl in butter. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Crescent Leftovers

How is it that Easter is this weekend? Doesn't it seem early to you?

Well, whenever Easter falls it is inevitable that you will have leftovers. Here's an idea for what to do with them.

Leftover Crescents

This recipe was sent to my by my cousin's wife, Jenn who says she got it from Pillsbury and modified theri version just a bit. She says it's great for leftovers or those days when you have little brain power. I have to agree.


1 can of crescent rolls
8 slices of ham or whatever meat you have leftover
8 slices of cheese or we use cheese spread that is left over or even from a cheese ball
spicy mustard or whatever condiments left over

preheat to 350*. Roll out to triangle add ham, cheese, mustard and anything else you please and roll into triangle shape. Put on an ungreased baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes til golden brown and serve warm with soup.

**Of course you can buy sandwich meats and cheese spread and make this for a quick lunch, a brunch or as an appetizer. Really very versatile.

**Another thing to do is buy biscuits. Press biscuits flat (or roll), add your ingredients to half the circle and fold over. Press edges closed with fork.

Asian Spring Rolls

When I worked in St Paul there was a little Vietnamese restaurant just a couple doors down. I lived on their Spring Rolls. Good, fresh ingredients wrapped in a soft shell. And, best of all, not fried.

I was so sad when they closed. And I could never find an unfried Spring Roll. So when I saw this recipe in October's Fitness magazine I had to try it.

Asian Spring Rolls

8- 8 inch round spring roll wrappers (I found mine at Hy Vee, a local grocery store)
2 cups shredded Bibb lettuce (I used cabbage because I couldn't find Bibb)
8 ounces cooked, peeled and deveined shrimp, coarsely chopped
1 c shredded carrot
1/4 c sliced scallion
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
5 T bottled peanut sauce
2 T seasoned rice vinegar

Fill a shallow dish with warm water. Dip each spring roll wrapper in water, place between damp paper towels for 10 minutes. Tip: use damp paper towels to separate moist wrappers! In a large bowl combine lettuce, shrimp, carrot, scallion, cilantro, 2 T peanut sauce and 1 T rice vinegar. Toss.

In a small bowl stir together the remaining 3 T peanut sauce and 1 T rice vinegar; set aside.

Place 1/2 c of the shrimp mixture half an inch from the bottom edge of a wrapper. Fold bottome edge of the wrapper over the filling. Fold sides over and roll up. Repeat with remaining wrappers.

Other ideas:
This would be great with chicken!
Sprouts would also be good, I think.

Brenna liked them because they had "dippies"!