Cheesecake Cookie Bites

Ingredients:
5 tablespoons butter, softened
1/3 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 (8 ounce) packet cream cheese, softened
1 egg
2 Tbs. milk
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:
Heat oven to 350
In a medium bowl blend thoroughly butter, brown sugar and flour with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Put 1 cup of the mixture aside for topping.

Press remaining mixture into an 8 x 8 x 2 inch baking dish sprayed lightly with cooking spray; bake for 15 minutes.

In another bowl combine sugar and cream cheese, mixing until smooth.
Thoroughly beat in egg, milk, lemon juice and vanilla.
Spread over the baked crust and sprinkle with remaining brown sugar mixture.
Bake for 25 minutes.
Let cool, then chill for at least 1 hour.
Cut into 16 squares; serve.

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Stuffed cream cheese /sausage jalapeño peppers.

Ingredients:
-15 jalapeños
Mix:
-8oz cream cheese
-1 pound browned pork sausage (the kind that comes in a squishy tube)
-Handful of minced red onion

Directions:
Clean out the peppers. Remove the seeds and veins as they are the "hot" in these hot peppers.
Mix cream cheese with cooked pork sausage or hamburger.
Add chopped onions, salt/pepper to taste, bacon bits and shredded cheese.
Full this mixture into the peppers and bake for 25 min at 425* in the oven.
Top with shredded cheese and bacon bits.
Cook on cookie sheet for 25-30 min at 425.
(Shredded cheese put on after the photo.)

NOTE: used gloves to clean the peppers and stuff them. Boy-those are HOT!!!

Let them cool off. They will be hot and hot. So let them cool for a few hours. The hot/hot will subside a little and you will be able to eat them.
These were awesome the next day. Too hot the first night.
Store leftovers in refrigerator and heat up as desired.

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Sweet 'n Sour Chicken

Ingredients:
Chicken:
3-4 boneless/skinless chicken breasts
Black ground pepper, to taste
1 c cornstarch
3 eggs, beaten
1/4 c oil

Sauce:
1/2 c brown sugar
4 T ketchup
1/2 c white vinegar
1 T soy sauce
1 t minced fresh garlic

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
Rinse chicken breasts and cut into cubes.
Season with pepper to taste.
Heat oil in a large skillet to medium high.
Dip chicken into the cornstarch to coat, then dip into the eggs.
Fry until browned on all sides but not cooked through.
Drain on paper towels.
Place the chicken in a 9x13 greased casserole dish.
Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl with a whisk and then pour over the chicken. Bake for 30-40 minutes.
Remove from oven, stir and serve. Enjoy!!!

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Spinach Banana Smoothie

Ingredients:
• 1 cup Almond Milk or fat-free milk or Coconut Milk
• 1 cup plain greek yogurt or naturally flavored
• 1 banana, frozen and chunked (Slice it and freeze it ahead of time, without skin)
• 2 cups fresh spinach

Directions:
1. In a blender, mix Almond Milk, Yogurt, and Banana. Blend until Smooth.
2. Then add Spinach and put on liquefy until smooth.

Number of servings: 2
Per Serving: 123 Calories, 17g Carbs, 2g Fat, 14g Protein, 162g Sodium, 10g Sugar

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Sticky Lemon Chicken

A quick, easy and delicious meal!

You will need:
1 large chicken, jointed into 8–10 pieces (just bought a pack of thighs)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
3-4 tbsp olive oil(I added about a tablespoon of real butter too)
1 head of garlic, halved horizontally
A few thyme sprigs
Generous splash of sherry vinegar(I used apple vinegar)
2 tbsp dark soy sauce
3 tbsp honey
1 lemon, finely sliced (ideally with a mandolin)
Handful of flat leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
(I added a splash of wine)

Directions:
1. Season the chicken joints with salt and pepper. Heat the olive oil in a large sauté pan. (I added about a tablespoon of real butter too)
2. Brown the chicken pieces (in batches if necessary), together with the garlic and thyme sprigs, over a high heat for two to three minutes on each side until golden brown.
3. Return all the chicken to the pan, add the sherry vinegar and bubble until reduced by half. Drizzle over the soy sauce and honey and shake the pan to combine the juices.
4. Pour in a good splash of hot water(I added a splash of wine instead) and add the lemon slices. Let the liquid bubble and reduce down until syrupy, which will take about 10 minutes or so. By now the chicken should be cooked through.
5. Transfer the chicken to a platter, spoon over the liquor and sprinkle with chopped parsley if using.

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Gluten Free Overnight Cookies

Make these cookies at night and take them out of the oven in the morning. That's right....overnight cookies!!

If you do want a guilt-free treat this is the one to have, and they are gluten free. 

Ingredients:
2 egg whites (preferably at room temperature)
2/3 cup sugar
pinch salt
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 to 1 cup chocolate chips (Less chocolate chips means less fat...just saying)
1/2 cup chopped nuts of your choice. (I used pecans)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees
2. Beat egg whites and salt with a mixer until the egg whites become foamy.
3. Add the sugar in gradually while you continue to beat the egg whites. Continue beating until the egg whites hold medium to stiff peaks (I usually go for the stiff peaks)
4. Gently fold in the chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and vanilla
5. Cover your cookie sheet (I used two) with parchment paper. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the cookie sheet.
6. Place the cookie sheet(s) in the oven and turn the oven off. Leave the cookies in the oven without opening the door.
7. Take the cookies out of the oven and enjoy. Store in covered tin.
NOTE: I made these cookies for my Gluten Free table at the Farmer's Market and they were always gone in the first few minutes of the day. It got to where I had to take orders. They are delicious and I know you will love them.

Makes 12-14 cookies

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Chicken and Broccoli Stir-fry

Ingredients:
1 pound boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped ginger
1 cup chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 cups broccoli
2 teaspoons cornstarch

Directions:
Spray 12-inch nonstick skillet with cooking spray; heat over medium-high heat. Add chicken, garlic and ginger. Fry 2 to 3 minutes or until chicken is brown. (or use a seasoned Wok)

Add 3/4 cup of the broth, the soy sauce and sugar. Cover and cook over medium heat 5 minutes, stirring twice.

Add broccoli. Cover and cook about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until chicken is no longer pink in center and broccoli are crisp-tender.

Mix cornstarch with remaining 1/4 cup broth; stir into chicken mixture. Cook, stirring frequently, until sauce is thickened.

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