French Dip Cresents

• 2 packages crescent rolls, 8 count
• 1 pound deli roast beef, thinly sliced
• 4 ounces Swiss or provolone cheese, cut in 16 equal sized pieces
• optional: Horseradish Sauce
• optional: Au Jus for dipping (click here for my Easy Au Jus recipe!)

French Dip Crescent Directions:

1. Unroll crescents onto a large cookie sheet.
2. Spread a small dab of horseradish on each crescent, then place a slice of roast beef and a piece of cheese on each crescent.
3. Roll crescents starting from the wide end and ending at the narrow end.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 11 to 13 minutes, until crescents are a golden color.
5. Serve with Au Jus and enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cheese Cake Cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

10 tablespoons butter (1 stick plus 2 tablespoons)

1 cup sugar

1 egg

3 ounces cream cheese

1 teaspoon vanilla

12 ounces chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 375.
Combine dry ingredients (flour through soda) in a bowl and set aside. In mixer, blend butter, sugar, egg, cream cheese, and vanilla. Slowly add the dry ingredients, mixing with each addition, until all are incorporated. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Grease a cookie sheet. Drop dough by the spoonful onto sheet, at least 1 inch apart.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown around edges.
Note: Dough can be refrigerated until firm, then rolled into a log and frozen (in air-tight freezer bag) for up to 1 month. When ready to bake, let thaw 30 minutes to 1 hour (until soft enough to slice); slice in 3/4″ wide disks and bake.

Avocado Hummus

Ingredients:

1 can chickpeas, drained

2 avocados, sliced

Juice of 1 lemon

2-3 teaspoons minced garlic

1/4 cup water

Salt and pepper to taste

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon paprika

Directions:

Place the first five ingredients in a food processor (chickpeas, avocados, lemon juice, garlic, and water). Pulse until blended. Taste and add salt and pepper to your liking, pulse to combine. Begin drizzling in the olive oil until the hummus gets to the right consistency, it should be nice and creamy. Blend until smooth and serve topped with paprika and garnish with a sprig of cilantro (optional) and a drizzle of avocado oil (optional). Serve with pita chips.

Peanut Butter, Banana and Honey Cookies

Ingredients:

1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup smooth peanut butter
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 large ripe banana, mashed (about 1 cup)
2 cups old fashioned oats
Peanut Butter Honey Glaze:
3 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
1 tablespoon honey

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine butter and sugars, mix until smooth. Add peanut butter, honey, vanilla extract, and egg. Combine until smooth. Next, add the banana and mix until combined.
3. Slowly add in flour mixture until just combined. Stir in the oats.
4. Drop cookie dough by heaping tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto baking sheets that have been lined with parchment paper or Silcone baking mats. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12-15 minutes or until golden. Remove cookies from pans; cool completely on wire racks.
5. To make the glaze-combine peanut butter, powdered sugar, milk, and honey in a small bowl. Whisk until smooth. If it is too thick or thin, adjust by adding more milk or powdered sugar. Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies.

Avocado / Tomato /Mozzarella Salad

 

 

2 avocados (peeled, pitted, & cubed)

2 - 3 tomatoes (cubed)

1 ball fresh mozzarella cheese (cubed)

2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. basil (we used dried, but you could use fresh)

salt & pepper (to taste...)

 

Put the cubes of avocados, tomatoes,

and mozzarella in a bowl.

Drizzle with olive oil.

Add basil, salt & pepper.

Mix lightly.

Enjoy.

(Best to eat it right away at room tempature.)

Beef & Bean Chile Verde

Ingredients

• 1 pound 93%-lean ground beef
• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 6 cloves garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste
• 1 16-ounce jar green salsa, green enchilada sauce or taco sauce
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 15-ounce can pinto or kidney beans, rinsed

Preparation

1. Cook beef, bell pepper and onion in a large saucepan over medium heat, crumbling the meat with a wooden spoon, until the meat is browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic, chili powder, cumin and cayenne; cook until fragrant, about 15 seconds. Stir in salsa (or sauce) and water; bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in beans and cook until heated through, about 1 minute.

Greek Yogurt Pancakes

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (6 oz) of your favorite Greek yogurt
• 1 egg
• scant 1/2 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking soda

Directions

• Open the yogurt container and stir the yogurt until it’s smooth and creamy. Crack an egg over the yogurt and stir to combine leaving. The resulting mixture should be pale yellow in color and have a few lumps here and there.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour and baking soda.
• Pour yogurt/egg mixture into the bowl with the flour and baking soda. Stir to combine. The batter will be extremely thick.
• Spoon the batter onto a sprayed griddle or pan heated to medium-high. I usually make four big pancakes, but you could also make 8 smaller ones.
• Flip the pancakes when they start to bubble a bit on the surface. Cook until golden brown on both sides and serve with butter, syrup, fruit, Nutella….anything! Enjoy!

For lower-calorie Greek yogurt pancakes, use nonfat yogurt and an egg white instead of the whole egg. Equally delicious and easy to prepare.