1 lg. can pineapple chunks drained, (use juice only if needed in mixing)
1 lg. can fruit cocktail, drained
2 sm. cans mandarin oranges, drained
1 pkg. strawberry instant pudding (mix dry from pkg.)

1 (8 oz) package of cream cheese room temperature
1 (9 oz.) Cool Whip
1/2 c. pecans
1/2 c. flaked coconut

Mix first 5 ingredients together well. Add Cool Whip. Pour into deep dish. Sprinkle with coconut and nuts. Makes 8-10 servings.

Need a quick breakfast to eat on the run?  Try these great muffins.

2 large eggs
2/3 cup packed light brown sugar
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (2 medium)
1 cup buttermilk (see Ingredient notes)
1 cup unprocessed wheat bran (see Ingredient notes)
1/4 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup whole-wheat flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chocolate chips (optional)
1/3 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Preheat oven to 400?F. Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray.

Whisk eggs and brown sugar in a medium bowl until smooth. Whisk in bananas, buttermilk, wheat bran, oil and vanilla.

Whisk whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the dry ingredients; add the wet ingredients and stir with a rubber spatula until just combined. Stir in chocolate chips, if using.  Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups (they’ll be quite full). Sprinkle with walnuts, if using.

Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown and spring back when touched lightly, 15 to 25 minutes. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Loosen edges and turn muffins out onto a wire rack to cool slightly before serving.

Ingredient Notes: You can use buttermilk powder in place of fresh buttermilk. Or make “sour milk”: mix 1 tablespoon lemon juice or vinegar to 1 cup milk.  Unprocessed wheat bran, also known as miller’s bran, can be found in the baking section.  Do not substitute bran cereal in this recipe.

Health Advantages: healthy weight, heart healthy, low sodium, low cholesterol, low sat fat, low calorie.

Nutrition Information
Servings Per Recipe: 12
Amount Per serving
Calories: 196 cal     Carbohydrate Servings: 2
Carbohydrates: 32 g   Dietary Fiber: 4 g   Cholesterol: 36 mg
Fat: 6 g   Sodium: 182 mg   Saturated Fat: 1 g
Protein: 5 g   Potassium: 167 mg   Monounsaturated Fat: 3 g
Nutrition Bonus: Fiber (17% daily value).
Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat

I would like to thank my friend Jan for sharing this recipe with me.

2 pork tenderloins, about 1 pound each
2 large cloves gar
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon leaf thyme
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
dash ground cloves
salt and pepper
12 to 16 ounces fresh or frozen cranberries
1 can (12 ounces) mandarin orange slices in syrup or lite syrup
1/2 cup sugar
juice and zest from 1 orange

Heat oven to 425?. Lightly oil a roasting pan.

Trim excess fat from pork tenderloins.

Mash and mince the garlic and blend well with the cumin, thyme, cinnamon, allspice, and cloves; mix with 1 to 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. Rub spice mixture all over the pork tenderloins. Roast until pork registers about 155?.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan, combine the cranberries, mandarin orange slices and syrup, sugar, and orange juice and zest. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for about 8 to 10 minutes, or until cranberries have popped and the mixture is thickened.

Spoon some of the cranberry mixture over the pork tenderloins and roast for 5 minutes longer. Heat remaining cranberry mixture to serve with sliced pork. Let the pork rest for about 5 minutes before slicing.
Serves 4.

I love the fall season!  I hope you will enjoy this Carmel Apple Pie recipe as much as we do.

2 pastry shells, 9-inch

4 Granny Smith apples peeled and cored, thinly sliced

1/4 cup Sugar

1/4 lb Caramels coarse chopped

2 tablespoons Flour

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup Milk

Milk for top

Sugar for top

Preheat oven to 375?. Fit 1 round of rolled pastry into a 9-inch pie pan.

In a large bowl, toss together apples, sugar, cinnamon, caramels, flour and milk. Spoon mixture into pie shell.

Top with the remaining rolled pastry. Fold the edge of the top pastry under the bottom pastry. Pinch together and flute the edge all around with a fork. Cut several slits in the top so the steam can escape during baking. Brush top with milk and sprinkle with sugar.

Bake until crust is golden brown, about 45 minutes. Pie is best served slightly warm.
8 Servings

A great breakfast smoothie.
1 cup cubed fresh or canned pineapple
1 banana, sliced
1/2 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1/3 cup frozen passion fruit concentrate
1/2 cup water
2 ice cubes
1 tablespoon wheat bran or oat bran (optional)

Combine pineapple, banana, yogurt, passion fruit concentrate, water, ice cubes and wheat bran or oat bran.

  Using a blender; cover and blend until creamy. Serve immediately.

1/2 cup one percent milk
1/2 cup nonfat plain yogurt
1 cup unsweetened frozen peaches
1 tablespoon honey, plus more to taste
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground nutmeg or a couple of grates of fresh nutmeg
Pinch ground ginger or a couple of grates of fresh ginger Put all ingredients into a blender and blend until smooth.

1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
1 1/2 quart fresh strawberries
1 cup white sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup heavy whipping cream

1. Arrange half of strawberries in baked pastry shell. Mash remaining berries and combine with sugar in a medium saucepan. Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberry mixture. Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over berries in pastry shell. Chill for several hours before serving. In a small bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Serve each slice of pie with a dollop of whipped cream.

2 cups chopped fresh strawberries
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped green pepper
2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro
1 tbsp. lime juice
1 tsp. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and minced

Combine all ingredients in a medium bowl and stir well to blend. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour for flavors to blend. Serve over grilled chicken or pork.

Prep time: 10 minutes Chill time: 1 hour  Makes 3 cups.

Nutrition Per Serving: 30 calories, <1 g protein, 0 g fat, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 0 mg cholesterol, 98 mg sodium

10 tbsp. softened butter, divided
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 large Granny Smith apples, cored, peeled and sliced
1/2 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1-1/2 cups flour
1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup Marsala wine
Crème fraîche or lightly sweetened whipped cream (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°F and spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick cooking spray. Combine 1/4 cup (4 tbsp.) butter and brown sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring frequently, until mixture no longer separates, about 4 minutes. Pour into prepared pan and arrange apple slices on top. In a medium bowl, beat remaining 6 tbsp. butter until light and fluffy; beat in sugar, eggs and vanilla. Stir together dry ingredients in a small bowl. Stir together milk and Marsala; add dry ingredients to butter mixture alternately with milk mixture, beginning and ending with dry ingredients and beating well after each addition. Stir in walnuts and pour into prepared pan. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool on a wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove ring from pan and invert cake onto a serving plate. Serve warm with crème fraîche or lightly sweetened whipped cream, if desired.

Prep time: 15 minutes Cook time: 35 to 40 minutes  Makes 10 servings.
 

Nutrition Per Serving: 350 calories, 5 g protein, 17 g total fat (8 g sat., 0 g trans), 44 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 29 g sugar, 80 mg cholesterol, 230 mg sodium, 8 points