Chocolate Cake and Fruit Kabobs

Ingredients:

• Kabob sticks
• 12-oz. pkg. Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels
• 2 tablespoons vegetable shortening
• 24 bite-size pieces pound cake
• 24 bite-size pieces fresh fruit or berries, (pineapple, banana, melon, strawberries)
• Strawberry Sauce
• 1 can (10-oz.) frozen strawberries in syrup, thawed
• 3 tablespoons or more sugar

Directions:

FOR KABOBS
LINE a baking sheet with waxed paper. MICROWAVE morsels and vegetable shortening in a medium, microwave-safe bowl on HIGH for 1 minute and stir. Microwave an additional 10- to 20-seconds, stirring until smooth. Dip cake pieces into chocolate mixture; shake off excess. Place on prepared baking sheet then drizzle tops with additional chocolate. Refrigerate until set. On skewers, alternately thread chocolate coated pieces of cake with pieces of fruit; refrigerate. Serve with Strawberry Sauce.

FOR STRAWBERRY SAUCE:
PUREE strawberries and sugar in blender until smooth.

• 3 cups low-fat cottage cheese
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• Salt to taste

In a blender or food processor, blend all ingredients until smooth.

Salt to taste.

Transfer to a serving bowl and garnish with extra paprika and dill weed, if desired. Chill before serving.

• 2 cups thick, plain yogurt
• 2 small cucumbers, peeled and diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped mint (2 Tbs. dried) plus a little for garnish
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, beat the yogurt until smooth.
2. Fold in the garlic and scallions. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Fold in the mint, then add the cucumber.
4. Garnish with a tablespoon of fresh chopped mint, if desired. Chill well before serving.
5. Serve with crusty bread or pita bread triangles and raw vegetables. Cucumber Dip also pairs very well with rice. Makes about 3 cups.

4 ripe avocados
3 limes, juiced
1/2 red onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 serrano chiles, sliced thinly
1 big handful fresh cilantro, finely chopped
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Halve and pit the avocados. Scoop out the flesh with a tablespoon into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocados with a fork, leaving them somewhat chunky. Add the remaining ingredients, and fold everything together to gently mix. Lay a piece of plastic wrap right on the surface of the guacamole so it doesn’t brown and refrigerate 1 hour before serving.

Items you will need:

• 1 cup chopped fresh spinach
• 1 8oz carton of sour cream
• 1 8oz carton of plain fat-free yogurt
• 1/4 cup snipped fresh mint
• 1/4 cup finely chopped peanuts
• 1/4 cup of peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons of crushed red pepper

Directions: In a medium bowl combine the spinach, sour cream, and yogurt. Stir in mint, peanuts, peanut butter, honey, soy sauce, and crushed red pepper. Cover and chill for 2 to 24 hours. Serve with fresh vegetables.

• 8 hard cooked eggs
• 1/4 cup of real mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon of chopped green onion
• 2 tablespoons of Dijon mustard
• 1/4 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of red pepper
• 1 tablespoon of mango chutney
• 3 tablespoons of real mayonnaise
• 1/2 teaspoon of curry powder
• 1/2 cup cooked crab meat

Instructions:

1. Boil the eggs until hard-boiled then slice in half lengthwise and remove the yokes. Place the yokes in a small pan and add 1/4 cup of mayonnaise, green onion, mustard, 1/8 teaspoon of salt, and 1/8 teaspoon of red pepper. Then whip until smooth. Spoon this mixture back into the egg whites.
2. Cut up the chutney and combine with 3 tablespoons of mayo, curry powder, 1/8 teaspoon salt, and 18 teaspoon red pepper. Gentle stir in the crab meat. Top each egg with a spoonful of the crab mixture.

3. Cover and chill for up to 2 hours.

You will need the following:

• 6 flour tortillas
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast (cut into strips)
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 4 cups of shredded broccoli
• 1 medium onion (cut into thin wedges)
• 1 teaspoon of grated ginger
• Peanut Sauce

For Peanut Sauce: 

Combine in a small saucepan 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/4 cup of creamy peanut butter, 3 tablespoons of soy sauce, 3 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons of cooking oil, and 1 teaspoon minced garlic.  Heat until sugar is dissoved, stirring frequently.

Start by making Peanut Sauce and set aside.  Then, wrap tortillias in in foil and cook in preheated oven at 350 degrees for 10 minutes to soften.  While tortillias are heating, combine garlic salt, pepper, and coat chicken evenly with mixture.  In a large skillet add oil and place on burner on medium-high heat.  Once oil is hot add the chicken, cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until no longer pink.  Remove the chicken from skillet and place in oven to keep warm; then add broccoli, onion and ginger to skillet.  Cook for 2 or 3 minutes until vegetables are tender. 

Next you will want to assemble each tortilla.  Place 1 tablespoon of peanut sauce on tortilla, then add chicken and vegetables.  Rolllu p each tortilla securing iwth a toothpick.  Then serve with remaining sauce for dipping.

For this recipe all that you need is medium sized potatoes, sour cream, butter, and shredded cheese.  If desired you may add bacon bits.

Bake the potatoes in the microwave until done.  Slice the potatoes in half; with a tablespoon scoop out the meat of the potatoe only leaving a thin layer.  Take and combine the meat of the potatoe with sour cream and butter until smooth, then stuff the potatoe.  Top with a layer of cheese and place in the oven and bake at 425 for about 15 minutes until cheese is melted and potatoe skin is crunchy.  If desired before baking sprinkle with bacon bits.

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup unsifted powdered sugar

1 tablespoon orange peel

1/4 cup melted butter

1 can biscuits (10)

3 oz softened cream cheese

1 tablespoon orange juice concentrate

In a small bowl, combine sugar and orange peel.  Open and separate biscuits and dip each in butter.  Coating each biscuit in the sugar mixture.  Place coated biscuits in a greased 9 in pie pan, overlapping the edges to form a ring.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes till golden brown.  In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, sugar, and orange juice to make the icing.  Spread the icing over the hot biscuit ring and serve.