Blue Tinted Orange Flavored Atkins and Diabetic Friendly Cheese Cake with Umbrella Toothpicks

I was out grocery shopping and Space stopped at the cake section.  The Psycho's birthday was coming up real quick and we should get her at least a cake.  Her party was going to be later and that would have an appropriate desert.  Well I have been getting tired of prepackaged prepared food.  I know the cakes are relatively fresh.  I remember the Psycho's first birthday.  She tore into that cake.  In any case, Space and I saw a cheese cake there and the idea was spawned.  Space had a Cream Cheese Clouds recipe and I figured I could convert it to a cheese cake.  So we went at it.  When the Psycho got back from camp we got to making it.

Origin: The Ether, Duff's awesome mind and The Psycho's creativity

Ingredients:

• 16 oz neufchatel cheese or low fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup of unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated splenda
• 1 teaspoon (dash) vanilla
• lots of neon blue food coloring (not optional)
• 3 teaspoons orange extract (other flavors can be used)
• 1 graham cracker pie crust or other pie crust or on crust
• At least 6 umbrella  toothpicks

Direction:

1. Cut butter into patties and add to mixing bowl with splenda, cheese, vanilla, food coloring and extract.
2. Mix all ingredients till everything is blended and smooth.
3. Add mixture to pie crust.
4. Place umbrella toothpicks in pie
5. Place whole pie in refrigerator or freezer
6. Lick bowl and mixers while you wait for it to set.

This turned out to be pretty good.  The Psycho really enjoyed making it and had an amazing birthday.  This will definitely make the book.

Curried Chicken Salad Wrap with Cranberries

So a while ago I was looking for something healthy and decided to look to runners world for a dinner recipe.  I saw this recipe as a sandwich recipe and thought great.  I made and it was fantastic.  Then just yesterday, I decided to make it again.  Well, the recipe calls for pine nuts and multigrain pita pockets.  Both of which are not usually found at Aldi.  So I improvised and here it is.

Origin:  Runners World and Duff's improv

Ingredients:

1. 3 cups skinneless chicken breast or two cans of pre-cooked drained.
2. 3 table spoons dried cranberries
3. 1 granny smith apple chopped into itty bitty chunks
4. 1/4 cup light mayonaise or miracle whip (you must pronounce the h)
5. 1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
6. 1 tablespoon honey mustard
7. 1 teaspoon ground curry
8. 2 cups spinach leaves
9. Tortillas

Direction:

• Add chicken, cranberries and apple to a large mixing bowl and toss.
• In another bowl mix miracle whip, sour cream, honey mustard and curry till blended
• Mix it all together in big bowl.
• On a tortilla add spinach leaves and top with chicken curry mixture.
• Roll in to a wrap or fold it quesadilla style.

This an awesomely easy recipe.  Especially when you use pre-cooked chicken.  It is light and usually yields extra stuff for the next day.  This also works as a great salad where I just put the chicken curry on top of a bed of spinach.  Either way, it made the book.

10 Minute Chili

Okay so this is not the award winning stuff of UUFN legend but it is tasty and easy and most of all quick.  This one came to me real quick when I had some beef already thawed and nothing planned. 

Origin:  Duffs ugly head

Ingredients:

• 1-2 lbs of ground beef
• 1 can corn (drained)
• 1 can tomatoes
• 1 can chili beans
• chili powder
• hot sauce (preferably Rathkeltair Hot Sauce)
• dried minced onions
• Italian Seasoning
• Sesame Seed Oil
• Honey
• Shredded Cheddar Cheese

Directions:

1. In a big pot brown beef with chili powder, dried minced onions, Italian seasoning, hot sauce and sesame oil.
2. Add corn, tomatoes and chili beans.
3. Bring to boil.  
4. Add Honey.
5. Turn off burner.  
6. Bowl it up and sprinkles some cheese on.

Like I said, it may not be award winning but it is yummy.  If in a pinch and need something real quick it will work.