CLASSIC PEANUT BUTTER COOKIES

I've been making these peanut butter cookies for over 40 years; they are my husbands all time favorite. I've made them so many times that I don't even have to open the recipe book anymore.  They are foolproof and VERY easy to make.

1/2 cup Butter Flavored Crisco (no substitutions, see note below)
1/2 cup peanut butter (I use Jiff)

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoons baking soda

1 1/4 cups flour

In a stand mixer, cream together the Butter Flavored Crisco + Peanut Butter + brown sugar + granulated sugar. Beat until it is light and fluffy (takes just a minute or so).

Add the egg and vanilla and beat till smooth...set aside.

In a bowl stir together the flour, salt and baking soda. Add this dry mixture to the creamed mixture and beat until well mixed.  

If the cookie dough seems a little dry or crumbly, add a tablespoon of water and mix a few more seconds.

Roll the cookie dough into balls about the size of a small walnut and then roll the balls in granulated sugar. Place on an ungreased baking sheet (about 2" apart) and flatten a little with a fork in a criss-cross pattern.

Bake in a 375° preheated oven for 10-11 minutes or until edges of the cookie are light golden. Let cookies cool on the pan for about a minute, then gently transfer them to a cooling rack (or waxed paper) to cool completely. The cookies will crisp up a little while cooling.

NOTE: Cooking time depends on how large you make these cookies. Dough balls about the size of a small walnut, bake for 11 minutes in my electric oven.

NOTE: Don't be tempted to use butter in this recipe. The Butter Flavored Crisco makes a light and tender cookie. Butter will give you a very dense and heavy cookie.

ENJOY !!!

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SPINACH and ORANGE SALAD

I am trying out new "go with" side dishes in preparation for spring grilling (even though we still have knee high+ snow where I live).

This super simple, super light, super tasty salad is a winner at our house. It is basically just baby spinach, orange segments, avocado, minced red onion and toasted/sliced almonds. 

The orange segments make the salad so juicy, that you don't even need a dressing, although there is an excellent orange vinaigrette (at the bottom of this recipe) for those who would like one. 

This salad is refreshing, quick to fix and goes great with ANY main dish.

4 cups fresh baby spinach
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 large Haas avocado peeled, and sliced

1 tablespoon minced red onion
2 tablespoons sliced almonds toasted

This recipe makes 4 salads. Rinse and dry baby spinach and divide onto four plates. Slice the ends of the orange off and use a knife to peel the orange. Slice in between the segments so you get only the best part of the orange. Arrange the orange and avocado on the spinach. sprinkle with a little minced red onion and top with toasted nuts.

Orange Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
1/2 tablespoon honey
pinch of coarse black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar 

Place in a small jar with lid, and shake hard. Store in fridge. 

ENJOY !!!

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Best Gifts for the Foodie in Your Life

Image Pexels CC0 LicenseBuying presents can be tricky, even when you know someone well it can still be a challenge to find them the perfect gift, whether it’s their birthday or another special occasion. Some people just seem to have everything they want and need, making them so hard to buy a present for. If your friend or family member appreciates delicious food, then why not buy them a gift that is literally good enough to eat? If you need some inspiration to help you find the perfect gift for the foodie in your life, take a look at these ideas to help you find an ideal present:

Letterbox Gift

In these times of social distancing, letterbox gifts have become big news and ideal for a contact-free delivery. You can buy almost anything as a letterbox gift, from books to toiletries. But, any food lover will appreciate a food gift dropping through their post box. Everyone loves receiving mail, but getting post is even better when there is something delicious inside!

Letterbox food gifts are available for a whole host of different treats, from gourmet brownies to sweets and macarons, so it won’t be hard to find the perfect items to send and bring some added sweetness to their special day.

Monthly Subscription

If your friend or family member has a passion for a specific type of food or drink, then why not set them up with a monthly subscription to give them a surprise foodie gift each month? The surprise element of monthly subscriptions makes them such an excellent present, as your recipient will not know which tasty treats to expect each month. There is an ever-growing number of food subscriptions services to choose from. The vast selection includes everything from coffees to herbs and spices, making a subscription box a perfect gift for everyone. 

Food From Overseas

Buying food from overseas is an ideal present for anyone with a craving for different flavours. Purchasing food from overseas is an excellent gift for people that have lived or travelled overseas in the past and will provide them with lots of happy foodie memories. Selecting food from another country as a present is such a thoughtful present and shows that you have put lots of effort into sourcing a gift with meaning. Websites such as Pigging Out offer an excellent choice of food from countries around the world, including Japanese food and drinks and American favourites. So, whether they are a big fan of Lucky Charms or are crazy about Chocomel, you will be able to find much-loved treats from overseas to create their ideal present.

Cookery Course

Most foodies are just as passionate about cooking as they are about eating. If this is true for your loved one, why not book them a place on a cookery course? Being taught how to cook by a professional chef is a memorable experience and provides an ideal opportunity to learn many new skills and techniques in the kitchen. There are cookery schools right across the country, and most specialise in specific types of cuisine, so you will be able to choose a course that is tailored to your recipient’s tastes. If there are no suitable courses in their area, you could buy them an online cookery course. Choosing an online cookery course means location is no barrier to them learning to cook their favourite foods, and they can do it from the comfort of their own kitchen.

Hamper

A hamper packed full of delicious goods always makes a welcome present. Many department stores offer their own ready-made hampers, which are usually beautifully presented and are a great choice if you want a gorgeous gift to give but are short on time. Alternatively, you could make up your very own hamper and fill it with all their foodie favourites for them to enjoy at their leisure while relaxing at home.

Dining Experience

If you would like to plan an experience to remember and combine it with a foodie twist, you could book your loved one in for a dining experience. Dining experiences make unique gifts and are great presents for extra-special occasions such as big birthdays and anniversaries. There are lots of dining experiences to choose from, and you could select anything from a three-course dinner at a murder mystery event, dinner on board a steam train or river cruise, or how about dinner in a unique location such as The Shard in London? Whichever option you choose, your gift is sure to be appreciated.

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Low-Calorie Chocolate Brownie Recipe | Slimming Friendly

An amazing 85 calorie Nutella brownie recipe that's perfect for calorie counting or Slimming World. They're gooey, delicious, and can easily be made to be vegan too. 

I first posted my Chocolate Brownie Recipe years and years ago, and so many of you have tried it and loved it!

It didn't have any flour in the mix, which meant the texture wasn't quite the same as a proper brownie. 

This new brownie recipe is made using oats, which makes it a proper brownie texture.

They're just 85 calories per brownie, and are SO tasty!

There is a video recipe below but scroll down if you would like the full written recipe and instructions. 

These brownies are also SO easy to make, you literally add the ingredients to a food processor or blender, then bake in the oven.  Traditional brownies can be quite an effort to make, and to get right!

I used Nutella in the middle of these, but you could use another spread, or even Lotus Biscoff instead. 

You could easily make these brownies vegan by swapping the milk for oat milk, and the yoghurt for a vegan yoghurt. There are no eggs in this recipe either.

Of course, the more brownies you cut it up into, the fewer the calories per brownie!

Fancy some more recipes?

Like the look of this recipe? I have loads more for you to look through as well! Click the links below for more:

Slimming World Friendly Dinner Recipes

 Slimming World Friendly Breakfast 

Slimming World Friendly Lunch Recipes 

 Slimming Friendly Fakeaways

 

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Related Recipes 

Lotus Biscoff Truffles

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Low-Calorie Chocolate Brownie Recipe

Syn Value: 4 Syns Per portion

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Garlic & Herb Chicken Strips Recipe | Slimming Friendly Fakeaway

This is a super simple, easy, tasty low calorie chicken strips recipe.

They're so easy to make, and very delicious!

Check out the video to seem them made, or scroll down to the bottom of this page for the full written recipe and instructions.

If you love this, you'll love my other Fakeaway Recipes too!

They are super versatile too, and can be served on their own or in a wrap or as a burger.

Fancy some more recipes?

Like the look of this recipe? I have loads more for you to look through as well! Click the links below for more:

Slimming World Friendly Dinner Recipes

 Slimming World Friendly Breakfast 

Slimming World Friendly Lunch Recipes 

 Slimming Friendly Fakeaways

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Related Recipes 

KFC Famous Bowls

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Garlic & Herb Chicken Tenders Recipe Recipe

Syn Value: 3 Syns Per strip

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Three Cheese & Bacon Pasta Traybake Recipe

 

Inspired by the TikTok feta pasta trend and my Boursin pasta traybake going viral on Facebook, I thought I would try and create another tasty cheese based pasta traybake!

The beauty of these recipes is that you can really play around with the flavours you add, adding more veggies, adding meat, leaving it out, you can really do anything with it!

Funny story about when I was making this recipe, I use a light to light up the food when taking a picture. I filmed this recipe as a video, and right at the very end my light FELL into the food, splatting it everywhere and ruining the melted cheese on top!

The images you see in this recipe were taken straight from the video!

I could have added more cheese and put it back in, but then I would be adding more calories back into it!

Add pasta water

The most important thing I have to stress with this recipe, and any other cheese and pasta based tray bake, is the pasta water. 

This stuff is like liquid gold, and can thicken up any pasta sauce, and help create the smooth creamy sauce in this dish. 

When you've cooked your pasta, drain some of the water off and save it. 

 

Fancy some more recipes?

Like the look of this recipe? I have loads more for you to look through as well! Click the links below for more:

Slimming World Friendly Dinner Recipes

 Slimming World Friendly Breakfast 

Slimming World Friendly Lunch Recipes 

 Slimming Friendly Fakeaways

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Related Recipes 

Feta Pasta Traybake 

Boursin Pasta Traybake 

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Three Cheese & Bacon Pasta Traybake Recipe

Syn Value: 6 Syns Per portion

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BROCCOLI and BACON SALAD

This is my new FAVORITE salad, I can't seem to get enough of it. It's super easy to make and is TWICE AS GOOD the 2nd day which is very handy.

I still can't get picky-picky husband to even try it (he has a war against broccoli, cauliflower and brussels sprouts) but that's OK, it leaves more for me 👍

This isn’t really a traditional recipe where you have to measure everything (well...except for the dressing). It’s more of a guideline  (add/exchange any ingredient to your liking). Here is where I start:

5-6 cups bite size RAW broccoli pieces
very thinly sliced green onion (as much as you like)
8 slices bacon fried crisp and crumbled
1 cup SHARP cheddar cheese (grated)
1 cup shredded carrot
1/2 cup salted sunflower seeds
1/2 cup  craisens (or) raisins

If there is an ingredient you don’t like....leave it out.  If there is an ingredient you REALLY like...add more...I add extra bacon 😉 

Dressing:
3/4 cup mayo (not Miracle Whip)
1/4 cup sour cream
1 1/2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarse ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
pinch cayenne
Whisk together
Note: This tastes weird right after you make it, but mellows and blends overnight.....very tasty.

Toss the salad ingredients and cover with the dressing. It looks like there is too much dressing, but there isn’t........after it sits overnight.........somehow, it all works together.

Before serving, I gently toss it again and top it with a little extra crisp bacon and sunflower seeds.

ENJOY !!!

NOTE: I've tried adding the crisp bacon pieces just before serving, with hopes it would stay crisp.  I've also added the bacon to the salad BEFORE it sits overnight.  I like BOTH approaches....so what I do, is add half the bacon to the salad immediately, so it flavors the dressing overnight.....then I add the other half of the crisp bacon just before serving and it stays crisp.

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Pesto Chicken Pasta Tray Bake Recipe | Slimming Friendly Healthy Dinner Recipe

After trying the feta pasta trend, then making my own Boursin twist on it (which you all seemed to love!) I decided to create another delicious pasta traybake! 

They're so easy to literally throw together, and perfect for weeknight cooking.

This is my pesto pasta chicken, which works out to be 377 calories per serving (4 servings) or approx 4.5 syns, (depending on the reduced fat pesto you use)

Fancy some more recipes?

Like the look of this recipe? I have loads more for you to look through as well! Click the links below for more:

Slimming World Friendly Dinner Recipes

 Slimming World Friendly Breakfast 

Slimming World Friendly Lunch Recipes 

 Slimming Friendly Fakeaways

Pesto Chicken Pasta Tray Bake Recipe

Syn Value: 4.5 Syns Per portion

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Baked Boursin Pasta Traybake Recipe | Slimming Friendly

 

Inspired by the TikTok feta pasta trend, I thought I would try a slightly different version using one of my favourite cheese, Boursin. 

I shared a video of me making it on my Facebook page, and it absolutely blew up, with over 376000 at the time of writing this!

A few people asked me to write up a proper recipe, and while it is super easy and doesn't really need a specific recipe, I thought I would give the people what they want!

The beauty of this recipe is that you can really play around with the flavours you add, adding more veggies, removing veggies or more. 

In terms of quantities, it really depends on the size of your tray. If you play the video below you will see it is as easy as throwing everything in together!

Add pasta water

The most important thing I have to stress with this recipe, and any other cheese and pasta-based traybake, is the pasta water. 

This stuff is like liquid gold and can thicken up any pasta sauce, and help create the smooth creamy sauce in this dish. 

When you've cooked your pasta, drain some of the water off and save it. 

Fancy some more recipes?

Like the look of this recipe? I have loads more for you to look through as well! Click the links below for more:

Slimming World Friendly Dinner Recipes

 Slimming World Friendly Breakfast 

Slimming World Friendly Lunch Recipes 

 Slimming Friendly Fakeaways

Baked Boursin Pasta Traybake Recipe 

Check out the original video from my Facebook here:

Syn Value: 8 Syns Per portion

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