Healthy Yogurt and Fruit Parfait

2 cups non-fat Greek yogurt
1 1/2 cups of berries
(strawberries/blueberries/raspberries or berry combo)
1 cup low fat granola

Spoon 1/4 cup of yogurt into 4 serving glasses.
Drop a spoonful of berries on each.
Sprinkle with granola.
Repeat another layer.

Very satisfying as a dessert!

Chocolate and White Chip Cookies

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 large egg whites
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup white chocolate chips
Splash of milk, if necessary

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine flour, baking soda and salt, stirring with whisk.

Combine sugars and butter in another large bowl.
Beat with a mixer on medium speed until well blended.
Add vanilla and egg whites and beat for about 1 minute.
Add flour mixture and chips and beat until blended.
If dough is too crumbly, add a splash of milk.

Drop dough 2 inches apart on a greased cookie sheet.

Bake for 10 minutes or until lightly brown.

Heart Sugar Cookies

1 1/2 cups butter (3 sticks)
1 3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup milk
3 teaspoons vanilla extract
5 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder food coloring

Using the electric mixer, mix butter and sugar until creamy.
Add eggs and the salt.
Beat in milk and vanilla.
Add flour a little at a time, mixing until all is incorporated.

Divide cookies into balls...one for each color.

For pink: add a few drops of red food coloring gel
For chocolate: add cocoa

Wrap each ball in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one
hour or until ready to use.

When ready to use, set oven to 350.
Roll out dough on floured parchment and use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Place on parchment lined baking sheets and decorate with sprinkles.
Cook for 10 minutes or until crispy.

Vegetable Soup

1 large can low sodium chicken broth
1 large can diced tomatoes
5 celery stalks, chopped
5 carrots, chopped
1 cup of pearl onions
1 cup ziti or pasta of your choice

Put chicken broth and diced tomatoes into a large pot.
Bring to a boil.
Add celery, carrots and onions.
Reduce heat to medium and let cook for about 20 minutes or until tender.
Add pasta and cook until pasta is al dente.
Season with pepper.

Meatballs in Sauce

1 lb lean ground beef or ground turkey

1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)

1/3 cups dry bread crumbs

1/4 cup milk

1 egg

1 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon dried mint

1/2 teaspoon cumin

2 cups pasta sauce (low sodium)

1 can diced tomatoes

1/2 cup water

Heat oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix meat, onion, bread crumbs, milk, eggs, salt, pepper, mint and cumin. Shape mixture into 1-inch balls.

Place on tin foil lined baking sheet.

Bake uncovered for about 15 minutes or until no longer pink in center.

In the meantime add the sauce, diced tomatoes and water to a sauce pan.

Add meat balls and bring to a boil. Stir occasionally and reduce heat.

Cover and simmer about 20 minutes or until meat balls are hot.

For extra flavor, put into a crock pot and let simmer for hours.

Pear Cranberry Spinach Salad

Bag of baby spinach
2 pears
sugar
1 cup dried cranberries
1 cup walnuts

Wash, peel and core pears.
Cut into slices and put in medium saucepan over medium heat.
Add 1/2 cup sugar.

Cook until tender, let cool and remove pears from juice.

Wash spinach and place in bowl.
Sprinkle with cranberries and walnuts.
Top with pears.

Best with a maple balsamic vinaigrette dressing.

Cork Place Setting Card Holders

A great way to present place setting cards is with old wine corks.

I've been collecting them for a while, so I had enough for Thanksgiving this year.

Take each cork and see which end is the flattest.

The flat end will be the one that sits on the table/plate.

Take a knife and cut a shallow slit in the other end.

Slide the name card into the slit.