Zucchini Stir-fry

Ingredients:

• 1 lb. hamburger
• 2 zucchinis, sliced
  
• 1 onion, sliced
• mushrooms, sliced
• garlic, minced
• salt and pepper
• Instant white rice, cooked
  

Directions:

1. Cook hamburger; drain. Stir-fry zucchini, onion, mushrooms and garlic. Add hamburger, salt and pepper; mix and heat. Put over rice.
   

Fruited Chicken Salad

Ingredients:

• 3 cups diced chicken
• 1 cup chopped celery
• 1 can Mandarin oranges
• 1 cup green grapes, sliced in half
• 1 cup(can) pineapple tidbits
• 1 cup cashews
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise

Marinade for chicken:

• 1 cup canola oil
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 cup vinegar
• 2 tsp. salt
  

Directions:

1. Marinate chicken overnight, drain off extra liquid.
2. Add remaining ingredients and toss with mayonnaise.
   

Breakfast Granola

Ingredients:

• 8 c. old-fashioned oats
• 1/2 c., plus 1 T. olive oil
• 1 T. vanilla extract
• 1/2 c., plus 1 T. honey
• 1/2 c. each almonds, walnuts & pecans
  
• 1/2 c. each raisins, cranberries and other dried fruit
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Combine oats, oil, vanilla and honey. Spread in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 30 minutes, turning and stirring every 10 minutes. Add nuts after first 10 minutes.
2. Remove from oven; cool. Stir in dried fruit. Store in an airtight container. Serve with milk or cover a ride banana with peanut butter and roll in granola.
3. Yield: 11 cups.
   

Lunch on a Stick

Ingredients:

• cheese, cubed
• cooked tortellini
• grape tomatoes
• whole wheat bread slices, cut into 1-in. pieces
• leaf lettuce, optional
• sliced deli ham, cut into 1-in. strips
• seedless red or green grapes
• wooden skewers (5-6 inches)
  

Directions:

1. Mac & Cheese on a stick: Alternately thread cheese and tortellini on a skewer. Add grape tomatoes if desired.
2. Ham & Cheese on a stick: Thread bread, lettuce if desired, cheese and a ribbon of ham on a skewer. Add additional cheese and bread pieces. Hold in place with a grape or grape tomato on each end.
3. Fruit & cheese on a stick: Alternately thread grapes and cheese on a skewer.
4. Create your own lunch on a stick: Let children place their favorite ingredients on a stick.
   

Mini Vegie Wagon

Ingredients:

• 2 celery ribs
• 1 medium cucumber
• 2 wooden skewers (6 inches)
• Fresh baby carrots
• green and purple broccoli florets
• veggies of your choice
• Vegetable dill dip
  

Directions:

1. Cut celery ribs in half lengthwise and then into 6-in. pieces. Cut cucumber into ½-in. slices. Place one cucumber slice on the ends of each skewer; place celery pieces lengthwise across skewers to form wagon frame.
2. Pile carrots, broccoli and remaining cucumber on wagon. Serve with dip.
3. Serves 4-6
   

Snowmen On A Stick

Ingredients:

• Bananas
• Grapes
• Apples
• Carrot
• Bamboo skewers
• Mini chocolate chips
• Pretzel Sticks
  

Directions:

1. For each snowman, you will need three thick slices of banana, a grape, a sliver of carrot, and a triangular piece of apple. (Tip: Poke a hole in the apple piece with a bamboo skewer first to make assembly easier.)
2. Have your kids slide the fruit onto the skewer, then use the carrot slivers for noses, mini chocolate chips for eyes and buttons, and pretzel sticks for arms.

Apple-Raisin Ladybug

Ingredients:

• 2 lettuce leaves (we don't use them)
• 1 medium apple, quartered and cored
• creamy peanut butter
• Raisins
• 5 red grapes
  

Directions:

1. Place lettuce leaves on plates. (I skip this step)
2. Arrange two apple quarters, peel side up. (I like to spread a little peanut butter between the quarters, to help them stick together better)
3. Use dabs of peanut butter to place raisins in the space between the apple quarters.
4. Place one grape at the stem end of the apple for head.
5. For legs, cut remaining grapes lengthwise into 4 pieces; place three on each side of ladybugs.
6. Place small dabs of peanut butter on remaining raisins; press onto apple for spots.

Makes 2 servings

Ready Bran Muffins

Ingredients:

• 2 cups boiling water
• 2 cups 100% Bran cereal
• 1 cup shortening or butter
• 2 cups sugar( or 1 1/3 cup honey)
• 4 eggs
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 5 cups flour
• 5 tsp. soda
• 1 tsp. salt
• 4 cups 100% Bran cereal( or All Bran)
  

Directions:

1. Pour together 2 cups boiling water and 2 cups Bran cereal. Set aside.
2. Cream shortening and 2 cups sugar.
3. Add 4 eggs beaten and the buttermilk.
4. Then add above Bran cereal mixture and mix together.
5. Fold in the last 4 dry ingredients.
6. Store in jars in the refrigerator for as long as six weeks.

Because this make such a large batch you can cut it in half, make all and freeze the muffins, or store batter in the fridge for up to 6 weeks. So easy then to make a few muffins quick in the morning before the kids go to school!

Peanut Butter Balls

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup peanut butter
• 3 1/2 Tbsp. non-fat powdered milk
• a bit of honey
  

Directions:

1. Mix together and roll into balls.

2. Store in the refrigerator.

3. Optional: roll in wheat germ, coconut, brown sugar, etc.

I know peanut butter is a "NO NO" with the salmonella scare right now, but when that passes these are so yummy and so healthy. These were a favorite of mine as a child, especially rolled in wheat germ!! Mom would make a Tupperware full and we'd snack on them for several days.

Tuna Schooners

Ingredients:

• 1 can (6 oz) tuna, drained and flaked
• 1/2 c. finely chopped apple
• 1/4 c. mayo
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 4 lettuce leaves
• 2 English muffins, split and toasted
• 8 tortilla chips
  

Directions:

1. In a bowl, combine the tuna, apple, mayo and salt; mix well.
2. Place lettuce on muffin halves. (we don't always use lettuce)
3. Top with tuna mixture.
4. Place tortilla chips on tuna mixture to resemble sails.

Yields 2-4 sandwiches.

Monkey Muffins

Ingredients:

• 4 bananas
• 2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp. vanilla
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon(optional)
  

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350'.
2. Cut four bananas into pieces and mash.
3. Put flour and baking soda in a mixing bowl.
4. Put shortening and sugar in a large bowl and beat until creamy. Add eggs and mix. Add bananas, salt and vanilla. Mix well.
5. Add the flour mixture and sour cream. Mix well.
6. Fill muffin cups 1/2 full. Bake for 15-18 minutes.
7. Makes 12 muffins plus a mini loaf.

These muffins are from the September issue of Highlights Magazine. They are absolutely delicious and the kids loved them, and mom did too!!!

Low Fat Chicken Enchilada's

Ingredients:

• 2 lbs Chicken breasts
• 2 cans lowfat cream of chicken soup
• 1 (16oz) can of fat free sour cream
• 1 small can green chilies
• 2c fat free cheddar mozza cheese (I just use cheddar or reduced fat cheddar)
• 1T chili seasoning
• 8 Tortillas
  

Directions:

1. In a bowl combine 2 cans soup and sour cream and set aside.
2. Brown the chicken and cut it into small peices.
3. Tortilla filling-Add half of the soup and sour cream mixture and green chilies to the cooked chicken and warm.
4. Use a 9x13 pan and fill each tortilla.
5. Place filled tortilla's in pan with the seam down.
6. Add the other half of the soup and sour cream mixture to the top of the tortilla's.
7. Top with cheese.
8. Cover and bake @ 350 for 40 minutes.

Serves 8.