Snickers Stuffed Peanut Butter Cookies *

1/2 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup creamy peanut butter
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla
1-2 Tbsp milk
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
3 regular sized snickers bars, each cut into 8 chunks

Cream together both butters and both sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg, vanilla, and milk.  Whisk together the flour, soda and salt.  Stir this into the creamed mixture to combine well.  Cover and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.  Line 2 large baking sheets with baking paper.

Scoop out 2 Tbsp of the cookie dough and flatten in the palm of your hand.  Place a snickers piece in the center.  Wrap dough up over it and then roll the dough in your hand to completely cover the chocolate bits.  Place on the baking sheet leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.  Press lightly on top with a fork to leave impression, but not flatten.

Bake about 12-15 minutes until the cookies are just beginning to brown around the edges.  Allow to cool on the cookie sheets for about 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Makes 24

Honey Garlic Shrimp *

1/3 cup honey
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1 1/2 pounds raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp corn starch
2 green onions, thinly sliced
Hot cooked rice

In a small bowl, whisk honey, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, pepper and pepper flakes together. Place the shrimp in a bowl and pour about half the sauce over it, stirring to coat.  Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat.  Add the shrimp to the hot oil.  Cook about 1 minute, stirring at least once.  Whisk corn starch into the rest of the marinade and add to the pan.  Cook about one more minute or until shrimp are cooked through.  Sprinkle green onions over the shrimp and serve over rice.

Serves 4

Cajun Stuffed Potatoes *

6 medium baking potatoes (about 3 pounds), scrubbed
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1/2 cup thinly sliced celery
1 Tbsp minced garlic
3/4 tsp salt
3/4 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
8 oz 1/3 less fat cream cheese, softened
2 Tbsp butter, softened
1 Tbsp fresh oregano, chopped
2 tsp fresh thyme, chopped
1 1/2 pounds frozen cooked crawfish meat, thawed

Preheat oven to 450.  Pierce potatoes with a fork and brush with 1 tsp olive oil.  Bake at 450 for 40-50 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Remove potatoes from oven; cool slightly.  Cut potatoes in half lengthwise and scoop pulp out of skins, leaving 1/4 inch thick shell.  Place pulp in a large bowl and coarsely mash.

Heat a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add remaining olive oil to pan.  Add onion, bell pepper, and celery to pan; saute for 4 minutes.  Add garlic, salt, paprika, onion powder, and cayenne pepper.  Saute 1 minute.  Remove from heat.  Add cheese, butter, and herbs; stir until smooth.  Add crawfish and stir until well mixed.

Stir cheese/crawfish mixture into potato pulp.  Place mixture into potato shells.  Place potatoes on baking sheet and return to 450 oven.  Bake for 5-10 minutes or until potato mix is warmed through.

Serves 6

Chicken Italiano Skillet *

1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces
Salt and pepper
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 cup water
1 pkg (14 oz) Kraft Deluxe macaroni and cheese dinner

Season chicken with salt and pepper.  Cook in large skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium high heat for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink.  Add peppers and onions; cook and stir 5 minutes or until chicken is done.  Stir in tomatoes, water, and macaroni.  Bring to a boil.  Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes or until macaroni is tender, stirring occasionally.  Add cheese sauce and stir until blended.

Serves 4

Cookies and Cream Pudding *

8 oreo cookies, smashed
1 pkg (3.4 oz) Vanilla flavor instant pudding
1 cups cold milk
3/4 cup cool whip

Beat pudding mix and milk with whisk for 2 minutes.  Stir in crushed cookies and cool whip.  Spoon into freezer safe covered dish.  Freeze for 2 hours.

Serves 4

Tex Mex Steak and Rice *

1 1/2 pounds beef boneless round steak
1 cup beef broth
1 can diced tomatoes with green chiles, undrained
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp salt
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 cups frozen stir fry bell peppers and onion mix
1 cup uncooked instant rice

Place beef in slow cooker.  Mix broth, tomatoes, beans, cumin, salt and garlic in a medium bowl; pour over beef.  Cover and cook on low for 7-8 hours.  Stir bell pepper mix and rice into slow cooker.  Increase heat to high.  Cover and cook for 20-30 minutes or until rice is tender.

Serves 6

Cheddar Chicken and Rice Skillet *

1/2 cup Italian dressing
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into large chunks
2 1/2 cups cooked brown rice
1 green bell pepper, cut into strips
2 tomatoes, chopped
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
3 green onions, sliced

Heat dressing and chicken broth in large skillet.  Add chicken; cook 3 minutes.  Add bell pepper; cook additional 6-10 minutes, or until chicken is done.  Stir in rice; simmer on low heat for 2-4 minutes, until all is heated through.  Add tomatoes, cheese and onions; mix lightly.

Serves 6

Italian Oven Roasted Vegetables *

8 oz baby bella mushrooms, cleaned, ends trimmed and quartered
12 oz baby potatoes, scrubbed and cut in half
12 oz cherry tomatoes
2 zucchini, cut into 1 inch pieces
8 garlic cloves, minced
Olive oil, approximately 1/4 cup
1/2 Tbsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
salt
pepper
crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat the oven to 425.  Place the mushrooms, veggies, and garlic in a large  mixing bowl.  Drizzle generously with olive oil.  Mix together and place on lightly greased non stick baking sheet.  Sprinkle with oregano, thyme, salt, pepper, and crushed red pepper flakes.  Roast in heated oven for 20-25 minutes or until the vegetables are fork tender.

Serves 6

Pineapple Greek Yogurt Smoothie *

1/2 cup frozen pineapple chunks, very slightly thawed
1 (6 oz) container of pineapple-coconut flavored greek yogurt
1/2 cup coconut milk

Place all in blender and pulse until smooth.

Serves 1

Korean Beef Tacos *

2-3 pound chuck roast
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 onion, diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp rice wine vinegar
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 jalapeno, minced
1 tsp sesame oil
Shredded cabbage or slaw mix
Flour tortillas
Shredded cheese, if desired
Sour cream, if desired
Fresh chopped cilantro, if desired
Additional jalapeno slices, if desired

Place meat in slow cooker.  Combine remainder in bowl and mix together.  Pour over meat.  Cook on low for 8-10 hours.  Place meat and slaw on flour tortillas.  Add other toppings as desired.

Serves 6

Tropical Green Smoothie *

1/2 cup pineapple
1/2 cup mango
1/2 cup spinach
1/2 cup kale
1 cup coconut milk
1 Tbsp wheat germ

Add fruit and greens to blender and process.  Add wheat germ and coconut milk. blend until well mixed.

Serves 1