Paula Deen's Pumpkin Bars

I was craving pumpkin last night and decided to try this recipe. I didn't even get a chance to frost them as they are just so good without it!  Hub's says he thinks they are even better than my banana bars I make. WOW! Now that is hard to beat!

So wanted to share with you all the recipe....makes your house smell yummy too!

Ingredients

Bars:

• 4 eggs
• 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 15-ounce can pumpkin
• 2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda

Icing:

• 8-ounce package cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened
• 2 cups sifted confectioners' sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Using an electric mixer at medium speed, combine the eggs, sugar, oil and pumpkin until light and fluffy. Stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture and mix at low speed until thoroughly combined and the batter is smooth. Spread the batter into a greased 13 by 10-inch baking pan. Bake for 30 minutes. Let cool completely before frosting. Cut into bars.

To make the icing: Combine the cream cheese and butter in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until smooth. Add the sugar and mix at low speed until combined. Stir in the vanilla and mix again. Spread on cooled pumpkin bars.

Friendship Casserole

Our neighbors just had a new baby girl this week and I made this casserole for them. It makes enough for two dishes, so the other one we had for ourselves. Really good and easy!

Friendship Casserole

2 - lbs ground beef
1 - 48 oz jar spaghetti sauce
2 – tablespoons sugar
1 (16 oz) - pkg medium egg noodles
1/2 - cup margarine or butter
½ - tsp onion salt (or onion powder)
½ - tsp garlic salt (or garlic powder)
½ - cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 - 12 oz pkg shredded mozzarella cheese

Preheat oven to 350º Brown meat and drain fat. Add spaghetti sauce and sugar to meat; simmer 20 minutes. Cook noodles as directed (AL dente); drain and toss with margarine, salts and Parmesan cheese. Spray two 9x13 pans with non-stick spray. In both pans layer half the sauce, all the noodles, rest of sauce; top with mozzarella cheese. Cover with foil; bake 45 minutes.

*You can also add some sauteed green bell peppers, onions and mushrooms to the sauce. Make sure the person you are gifting this wonderful casserole to likes the veggies. If not just leave them out.
*Note: Since this recipe makes enough for two casseroles, plan one for your family and one for a friend. Think of someone who might need a reminder that they have friends who care about them - a new mom in your neighborhood, a family who’s moving, someone with an illness.

PW's Zucchini Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 whole Large Zucchini
• 1 Tablespoon Minced Garlic
• ½ cups (to 3/4 Cup) Breadcrumbs
• ½ cups 4-cheese Italian Blend (or Parmesan Or Romano)
• 2 whole Eggs
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste
• Olive Oil

Preparation Instructions

Wash and cut the end off of one large zucchini. Shred it using the large holes of a cheese grater. Squeeze the shredded zucchini inside of a clean towel until you’ve removed as much liquid as possible.

Place shredded zucchini into a medium sized bowl. Add minced garlic, breadcrumbs, cheese (shredded), eggs, kosher salt and pepper to taste. Stir with a fork until well mixed.

Heat olive oil (about ¼ inch deep in bottom of skillet) to a medium heat. When the oil is hot enough drop a glob of zucchini batter into the skillet and flatten it a bit. After about two minutes, turn the cakes over ( they should be nice golden-brown) and cook on the other side until done (about 2-3 minutes).

Serve with the dipping sauce of your choice and enjoy!


WE LOVED THESE!

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

I found this recipe this weekend here.  This has become one of my new favorite sites to browse for recipes. Plus they are all weight watchers related!

Love Gina's Weight Watchers Recipes!! She has such great pictures too!  These rolls were a hit...I did doctor them up a bit and added some ground beef and mushrooms...but still DELICIOUS!

Servings: 9 • Serving Size: 1 roll • Calories: 188 • Points: 4 ww pts

9 lasagna noodles, cooked
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
15 oz fat free ricotta cheese (I like Polly-o)
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt and fresh pepper
32 oz tomato sauce
9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.

To serve, ladle a little sauce on the plate and top with lasagna roll

Frozen Fruit Cups

These are one of my favorite treats for summer! They are so easy! It is my Momma and Grandma's recipe!

Ingredients:

2 pints frozen strawberries (thawed)

1 frozen can of orange juice (thawed) - 12 oz

1 small can frozen lemonade (thawed) - 6 oz

2 1/2 c. 7-UP

4-5 bananas sliced

1 can fruit cocktail

1 can crushed pineapple

2 c. sugar (I actually add just a little because the strawberries are sweetened)

Mix it all together in a big bowl and then divide them into small cups. I place mine on a cookie sheet and cover with foil and let freeze overnight.

They are great for bridal/baby showers...just set out about 30 minutes before serving and they are slushy...SO GOOD!

Grilled Chicken with White BBQ Sauce

This is from the newest issue of Southern Living. We actually baked ours in the oven for 45 minutes at 350 degrees and they were nice and tender.

Enjoy!

Ingredients

1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon ground cumin
1 tablespoon paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
10 chicken thighs (about 3 lb.)*
White Barbecue Sauce

Preparation

1. Combine first 7 ingredients. Rinse chicken, and pat dry; rub mixture evenly over chicken. Place chicken in a zip-top plastic freezer bag. Seal and chill 4 hours. Remove chicken from bag, discarding bag.
2. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat (350° to 400°) 8 to 10 minutes on each side or until a meat thermometer inserted into thickest portion registers 180°. Serve with White Barbecue Sauce.

*4 chicken leg quarters (about 3 lb.) may be substituted for chicken thighs. Increase cooking time to 20 to 25 minutes on each side.


White Barbecue Sauce

Ingredients


1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon coarse ground pepper
1 tablespoon spicy brown mustard
1 teaspoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons horseradish

Preparation

1. Stir together all ingredients until well blended. Store in an airtight container in refrigerator up to 1 week.

Debbie's Black Bean & Corn Salsa

Last week at bunco, our hostess had this salsa on the table. It was so good and addictive! I asked her for the recipe and she kindly shared....I just had to share with all of you!

Mix all ingredients -

1-15 oz can black beans- rinsed and drained
1-11 oz can shoepeg corn
1/2 c. ranch dressing
1/2 c. italian dressing
1 tbsp. cilantro
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic salt
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/4 of a medium purple onion - chopped fine
1/4 of a green pepper - chopped fine

Amount of onion & green pepper can be adjusted, depending on your taste. You can make this the day before or early morning for the flavors to blend.