Skinny Baked Mozzarella Sticks

From Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 12 • Serving Size: 2 pieces • Old Points: 1 pts • Points+: 2 pts*
Calories: 86.8* • Fat: 4.8 g • Protein: 7.4 g • Carb: 3.5 g • Fiber: 0.2 g • Sugar: 0.2
Sodium: 168.6 

Ingredients: 

• 12 sticks part-skim, reduced sodium mozzarella string cheese (Sargento)
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 2 tbsp flour
• 5 tbsp Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 5 tbsp panko crumbs
• 2 tsp parmesan cheese
• 1 tbsp dried parsley
• olive oil cooking spray (I used my misto)

Directions:

Cut cheese in half to give you 24 pieces. Place cheese in the freezer until cheese is frozen.

In small bowl, whisk the egg. Place the flour on another small dish. In separate bowl,combine bread crumbs, panko, parmesan cheese and dried parsley.

Dip the frozen sticks in flour, shaking off excess, then into the egg, then coat with the crumbs.

Repeat this process with the remaining cheese placing them on a tray with wax paper. Place cheese back into the freezer until ready to bake (this is a must or they will melt before the crumbs get golden).

When ready to bake preheat oven to 400° F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and lightly spray with oil.

Place frozen cheese sticks on baking sheet. Spray the tops of the mozzarella sticks with a little more oil and bake in the bottom third of your oven until crisp, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn and bake an additional 4 - 5 minutes watching them closely so they don't melt.

Makes 24 pieces.

* There will be extra crumbs and flour after breading, I've deducted them from the nutritional info.

Frozen Banana Pops

From: www.jamiecooksitup.blogspot.com  Yield: approximately 28 pops Time: 10 min. prep + 1 hour in the freezer + 15 minutes dipping 1   -16 oz package Candy Quick chocolate coating (you could also use 1 1/2 packages of chocolate chips melted with 1/2 t of Crisco) 7 bananas 28 medium sized sucker sticks (found at Walmart or any craft store) A combination of toppings....Sprinkles, crushed oreos, toffee pieces, coconut...whatever you choose, fancy pants. (Go easy on the birds seed, that would not be tasty.) You will need about 3 C total. 1. Cut each banana into 4 pieces and lay them in a 9x13 pan that has been lined with wax paper. Stick the sucker sticks into the center of each banana piece. Put the pan in the freezer for 1 hour, or until the sucker sticks are firmly embedded into the bananas. 2. The Candy Quick melting chocolate comes in this handy-dandy melting tray you can just pop into the microwave. Be careful about letting it get too hot. Only heat it up 30 seconds at a time, stirring after each cooking interval. Then pour it into a liquid measuring cup. 3. Place all of your toppings into small little bowls.  4. Dip each of the frozen bananas into the chocolate and then immediately into one of the toppings. I  will warn you that once you have dipped each of the bananas into the chocolate it will begin to harden pretty quickly. Get it right into the topping bowl, or you will miss your window of opportunity. The toppings will not stick, my friends.  5. Set the dipped and topped banana pop (say that fast 3 times!) back onto your wax paper. 6. When you have dipped and topped them all put them back into the freezer until the chocolate is totally set up. Enjoy! Store any leftovers in the freezer.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes

From:http://weelicious.com/2010/10/05/cottage-cheese-pancakes/

My kids had no idea these were loaded with cottage cheese. They were gobbled up.

Cottage Cheese Pancakes  (Makes 20-25 pancakes)

• Prep Time:5 minutes,
• Cook Time: 15 minutes,
• Total Time: 20 minutes,

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1 cup cottage cheese
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons honey or agave
• 1/2 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• butter, oil or oil spray

Preparation

1. 1. Place the first 4 ingredients in a bowl and whisk.
2. 2. In a separate bowl whisk the dry ingredients.
3. 3. Pour the dry mixture into the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
4. 4. Heat a large sauté pan or griddle over medium heat, lightly coat with oil or butter and pour about 1 tbsp of the mixture onto the griddle for each pancake.
5. 5. Cook for 2 minutes on each side or until pancakes are set and golden.
6. 6. Serve.
7. *To Freeze: Let pancakes come to room temperature, place in a ziploc bag, label and freeze up to 3 months.

Cinnamon chips

Flour Tortillas (I like the little 6″ ones)
Melted Butter

Cinnamon Sugar

Preheat oven to 350.

Lightly brush one side of each tortilla with melted butter. You could use cooking spray instead of butter, buy why would you ever want to do that?
Then sprinkle on some cinnamon sugar. A little or a lot. Since we’re doing life lessons today, here’s another: If ever faced with the decision to go with a little sugar or a lot of sugar, a lot wins. Always.

Use a pizza cutter to cut those tortillas into wedges. Last life lesson of the day: If you don’t own a pizza cutter go buy one. You will use it for all sorts of things you never knew you needed a pizza cutter for.

Place them on an ungreased baking sheet (sugar side up, incase you are visually impared and can’t tell by the picture) and bake them in the oven for about 10-12 minutes. You’ll see them crisp up. Watch for the edges to turn up.

Remove from oven and let cool. I usually place them on a cooling rack so I can fill up the pan with more, but they can just cool on the pan as well.

Chocolate banana muffins

Chocolate Banana Muffins
My kids love these!
1 large egg
3 T melted butter
1/4 c honey
3/4 c mashed banana
2/3 c plain yogurt (I used greek)
1/4 c fresh pitted dates
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 c + 10 T of whole wheat flour, spelt flour, Kamut flour, etc
1/3 c cocoa
2 t baking powder
1 t baking soda
1 t cinnamon
3/4 t salt
1/4-1/2 c finely chopped dark chocolate (optional...and obviously this has sugar in it)
In a food processor, or blender, combine egg, butter, honey, bananas, yogurt, vanilla and dates. Process until smooth. In a separate bowl, combine the remaining dry ingredients. Mix the wet ingredients with dry, gently and just until combined. Scoop into greased muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees. For mini muffins, it makes 24, and they cook for about 12 minutes. For regular sized muffins, it makes 12 and they cook for about 16-18 minutes. Remove from tin immediately.

Mini corn dog muffins

My girls love this! I freeze and just reheat and they are an easy lunch.

Makes 48 mini muffins

Ingredients:

1/2 cup melted butter (or 1/4 cup butter + 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce)

1/2 cup sugar (or 1/2 cup agave)

2 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

8-10 turkey dogs cut into 1″ bites

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine butter and sugar in a bowl, and whisk to combine. Add eggs and whisk to incorporate. Add buttermilk and whisk to incorporate.

2. In a separate bowl, combine baking soda, cornmeal, flour, and salt, and stir to combine. Whisk into wet ingredients in two batches.

3. Spray a mini muffin tin with non-stick spray, and spoon 1 Tablespoon of batter into each mini muffin cup. Place one hot dog bite into the middle of each cup.

4. Bake for 8-12 minutes (oven temperatures vary), or until cornbread is golden brown. Cool in mini muffin tin for 5 minutes before serving. Store leftovers in the refrigerator, and re-heat for 20-30 seconds before serving.