MEAT-POTATO-BURGERS

1 pound Hamburger meat 1 Raw white potato 1 Onion 1 t. Salt 2 T Water 1 can Tomatoes (Chopped in juice) or 2 Cups fresh  2 T Fl our Put 1 pound of hamburger meat in a bowl. Peel and chop 1 large white potato (raw). Put in the bowl. Peel and chop 1 small onion. Put in the bowl. Add 1 teaspoon of salt. Mix. Make 6 or 8 patties. Put patties in a frying pan. Brown on both sides.Add Canned tomatoes, cut up, 2 cups with juice. Put in the frying pan. Cover. Cook slowly until done, about 25 minutes. Take patties out of the frying pan. Keep them hot. This recipe makes enough for 6 people. GRAVY FOR THE PATTIES: Mix: 2 tbsp. water with 2 tbsp flourStir until smooth. Add to hot tomato juice in the frying pan. Cook until thick. Stir a few times. Serve the gravy with the patties.

Louise's Iced Coffee

Ingredients

• 1 cup boiling water
• 3 tablespoons Instant Coffee Crystals
• 1/2 cup sugar or to taste
• 2 cups cold water
• 1/2 cup half-and-half, milk or coffee creamer
• Ice cubes
• Whipped cream

Directions

1. POUR boiling water over coffee crystals in glass bowl or pitcher. Add sugar. Stir until completely dissolved. Blend in cold water and half-and-half. Chill until ready to serve.
2. POUR over ice in tall glasses. Top with whipped cream, if desired. Serve immediately.
3. VARIATION
4. BREWED ICED COFFEE: Brew 1/2 cup Roast Coffee in coffeemaker using 1 1/2 cups cold water. Combine hot coffee and sugar in glass bowl or pitcher. Stir until completely dissolved. Blend in 1 1/2 cups cold water and half-and-half. Chill. Serve as directed above.

Almond Joy Low-Fat, sugar-free, high protein Muffins

Ingredients:

1 C Splenda (or sugar)

1.5 C Old fashioned oatmeal

.5 C Oat bran

1 C Coconut flour

.5 C Almond flour (or meal)

.5 C Whole Wheat flour

2 t baking powder

.5 t salt
.5 C unsweetened coconut
.33 C vanilla whey powder
1 t vanilla extract

6 eggs

3 C milk (divided)

1.5 C chocolate chips

.5 C slivered or chopped almonds

Directions:

• 1.       Combine first 12 ingredients in mixing bowl with 2 cups milk.
• 2.       Let mixture rest for .5 to 1 hour.
• 3.       Add remaining cup of milk and mix well.
• 4.       Stir in chips & nuts.
• 5.       Heap into a greased muffin tins and bake @ 350° for 30-35 minutes until plump and slightly browned.
• 6.       Cool, wrap, & refrigerate.
• 7.       Yield: 12 large muffins or 24 small.
• 8.       Muffins are dense and filling!

Scratch Tuna Noodle Casserole

Ingredients:
 1/2 cup butter, divided
 1 (8 ounce) package uncooked medium egg noodles
 1 tablespoon onion flakes
 2 tablespoons Chives
 1 stalk celery, finely chopped
 1 clove garlic, minced
 8 ounces button mushrooms, sliced
 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
 2 cups milk
 salt and pepper to taste
 2 (6 ounce) cans tuna, drained and flaked
 1 cup frozen peas & Carrots, thawed
 3 tablespoons bread crumbs
 2 tablespoons butter, melted

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a medium baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add egg noodles, cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente -- drain.
3. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Stir in the onion, chives, celery, and garlic, and cook 5 minutes, until celery is tender. Increase heat to medium-high, and mix in mushrooms. Continue to cook and stir 5 more minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
4. Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a medium saucepan, and whisk in flour until smooth. Gradually whisk in milk, and continue cooking 5 minutes, until sauce is smooth and slightly thickened. Season with salt and pepper. Stir in tuna, peas, mushroom mixture, and cooked noodles. Transfer to the baking dish. Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in a small bowl, mix with bread crumbs, and sprinkle over the casserole. 
5. Bake 25 - 40 minutes in the preheated oven, or until bubbly and lightly browned.

Homemade, Sugar-free, Almond Joy Creamer by Louise & Mindy

Ingredients:
1 - 12oz. can of evaporated milk
1 C milk (more or less)
1/2 C powdered creamer
6 packets of Splenda 
1 T baking cocoa
.5 t almond extract
1 t coconut extract
1/2 C boiling water

Instructions:

1. In a quart sized jar pour in evaporated milk and both extracts.
2. In a glass bowl mix together creamer, cocoa, and Splenda.  Add boiling water to issolve thoroughly.  Pour into evaporated milk mixture and shake or stir.
3. Add enough regular milk to fill jar.
4. Added to tea or coffee, this is amazingly good and much less expensive than the product pictured!

Mindy"s Almond Joy Pancakes

1 C Oatmeal
.5 C Coconut Flour
.5 C Almond Flour
.33 C Vanilla Whey Powder
1 t. Baking Powder
3 T Splenda or any sweetner
5 Eggs
1.5 C Milk
.5 C Chocolate chips

1. Mix all ingredients except for .5 C milk.
2. Let set in fridge for 30 mins.  Mixture will thicken.
3. Thin mixture with remaining .5 C milk.
4. Drop .33 (1/3)C batter onto griddle sprinkle with chocolate chips and cook on medium heat until bubbles toward the center begin to burst.  Flip and cook other side.  
5. Serve with Sugar-free syrup or Jam.
6. Very Healthy!

Louise's Seafood Newburg

1/2 C butter or margarine
1/2 C flour
1 T paprika
1 t salt
1/4 t nutmeg
2 C milk
1 pound imitation crabmeat cut into chunks
1 pound of any seafood (fish, shrimp, scallops) cooked (fish should be cooked and flaked into bite-sized chunks).

1. Melt butter and mix in spices & flour with a wire whisk to make a roux.  
2. Stir and cook roux for about 10 minutes over medium heat.
3. Gradually add milk to roux stirring constantly.
4. Continue to stir until mixture thickens to a creamy orange-pink sauce.
5. Fold in cooked seafood.
6. Taste and season with salt & pepper if needed.
7. Serve over buttered rice.
8. Should make 2 large or 4 small portions.

Danica's Favorite Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownies

My grandaughter, Danica, loves to bake in Memere's kitchen.  The following recipe is one of her very favorites so we whipped up a batch today to enjoy while we watched the snow storm outside.
Ingredients:

1+1/2 C Sugar
3/4 C Coconut oil, melted
2 T water
2 large eggs
2 t vanilla extract
1+1/3 C flour
3/4 C baking cocoa (unsweetened)
1/2 t baking powder
1/4 t salt
1/2 C chopped nuts (any kind)
1/2 C peanut butter chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Spray a 13" X 9" baking pan.
3. Combine sugar, oil, and water in a large mixing bowl.
4. Stir in eggs & vanilla
5. Combine dry ingredients and add to sugar mixture.
6. Stir in nuts & chips.
7. Spread batter into prepared baking dish.
8. Bake for 18-25 minutes or until a wooden toothpick comes out of the center slightly sticky.
9. Cool and cut 4X6 for 24 servings.

Louise's Healthy Power Bars

Instead of spending $$$ on expensive granola and/or power bars in the questionable section of your local supermarket . . . Try making these yourself.  Change up ingredients (like different kinds of fruit, nuts, flavored whey powders, add coconut, etc.).  The following is my favorite recipe:

Ingredients:

1/3 C unsweetened applesauce
1/4 C almond butter
2 T peanut oil
10 packets of splenda (or 3 T sugar or other sweetener)
1/4 C agave nectar
3 large eggs
1/2 t vanilla
3/4 C whole wheat flour (feel free to experiment with some of the newer flours on the market, like almond, coconut, or soy)
1/2 t baking soda
1 t nutmeg
1/2 t salt
1/4 t ginger
1/2 C vanilla whey powder
2 C oats
1 C dried apricots (snipped into quarters with kitchen shears)
1/2 C sliced almonds (or similar nuts)
Nonstick cooking spray

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Beat together first seven ingredients.
3. Add dry ingredients and mix well.
4. Fold in dry fruit and nuts.
5. Thoroughly spray a 9 X 13 glass baking dish with nonstick spray.
6. Spread batter evenly in sprayed pan.
7. Bake 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
8. Cut into 24 bars.
9. Store in a covered container or glass cookie jar. 

Note: each cookie contains approximately 128 calories and packs a powerful protein punch!

Louise's Stuffed Shrooms

2 Lg portabella mushrooms
4 oz. low fat cream cheese
2 tablespoons grated parmesan cheese
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 C Shredded Mozzerella

Directions:

1. Cut stems out of washed mushrooms.
2. Mix softened cream cheese with parmesan cheese and garlic salt.
3. Fill mushroom caps with mixture.  Top with Mozzerella Cheese.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.

SO yummy and good for you too!

Roasted Cabbage Steaks

Ingredients:

1 (approx 2 lb) head of green cabbage, cut into 1" thick slices
1.5 tablespoons olive oil
2 to 3 large garlic cloves, smashed
Louise's Rub
spray olive oil OR non-stick cooking spray

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 400 F and spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Pull outer leaf off cabbage, cut cabbage from top to bottom (bottom being root) into 1" thick slices.
2. Rub both sides of cabbage with smashed garlic.
3. Use a pastry brush to evenly spread the olive oil over both sides of the cabbage slices.
4. Finally, sprinkle each side with a bit of of my special rub or use sea salt and cracked black pepper.
5. Roast on the middle rack for 30 minutes. Carefully flip the cabbage steaks and roast for an additional 30 minutes until edges are brown and crispy.
Serve hot and Enjoy!