Spicy Chicken Lasagna

Ingredients:
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 tsp. Italian seasoning
1 tsp. crushed red pepper
3 cups shredded or chopped cooked chicken
2 cups Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
2 eggs, beaten
12 lasagna noodles, cooked, rinsed and drained - I used 9 noodles ...because they come 18 to a pack and I had made lasagna before...if you use 12 what are you going to do with the other 6?!?! But I did not adjust the other ingredients and it worked out just fine

Directions:
1. Heat oven to 375ºF.
2. Mix first 3 ingredients; combine 1/2 cup (I put about 3/4 a cup with the other ingredients) with chicken, 1 cup mozzarella, Parmesan and eggs. Spread 1/4 cup onto each noodle; roll up.
3. Spread 1/2 cup of the remaining sauce mixture onto bottom of 13x9-inch baking dish (I used a 9x9 square baking dish since I only had 9 roll ups); cover with lasagna rolls (seam-sides down), remaining sauce mixture and mozzarella.
4. Bake 25 min. or until heated through.

Chicken Taco Soup

Recipe from: All Recipes and my dear friend, Leslie

Ingredients:
1 onion, chopped
1 (16 ounce) can chili beans
1 (15 ounce) can black beans
1 (15 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (12 fluid ounce) can or bottle beer
2 (10 ounce) cans diced tomatoes with green chilies, undrained
1 (1.25 ounce) package taco seasoning
3 whole skinless, boneless chicken breasts
shredded Cheddar cheese (optional)
sour cream (optional)
crushed tortilla chips (optional)

Directions:
1. Place the onion, chili beans, black beans, corn, tomato sauce, beer, and diced tomatoes in a slow cooker. Add taco seasoning, and stir to blend. Lay chicken breasts on top of the mixture, pressing down slightly until just covered by the other ingredients. Set slow cooker for low heat, cover, and cook for 5 hours.

2. Remove chicken breasts from the soup, and allow to cool long enough to be handled. Stir the shredded chicken back into the soup, and continue cooking for 2 hours. Serve topped with shredded Cheddar cheese, a dollop of sour cream, and crushed tortilla chips, if desired.

**It was absolutely amazing. I used the "Hot" rotel and "Hot" taco seasoning to make it spicier. Very easy and very good!

Silk's Mint Chocolate Soy Milk

Are you looking for a taste of the holidays, but you don't want to drink away your calories? Well, look no further. For just 90 calories, you can have one serving of Silk's Mint Chocolate Soy Milk.This tastes like a cold peppermint hot chocolate from Starbucks. It's that yummy! Give it a try!

Holiday Cocktails

You don't have to drink your calories this Christmas season. Here are some fabulous drinks to help you keep your figure rather than putting on the pounds:

Reindeer Tracks

Ingredients
2 oz. Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka
1 oz. hazelnut liqueur
1/2 oz. crème de cacao
Splash of cream
2 chocolate cookie wafers, crushed

Preparation
Rim a martini glass with chocolate cookie crumbs and set aside. Shake Van Gogh Dutch Chocolate Vodka, hazelnut liqueur, crème de cacao and cream over ice and pour into the glass. Dust top with more chocolate cookie crumbs.


The swap: Instead of using cookies, try crushed hazelnuts or low-fat graham crackers. You can also substitute 2% milk or half-and-half for the “splash of cream.”

The save: 108 calories and 7.5 grams of fat

Eggnog Martini

Ingredients
2-1/2 oz. eggnog
1 oz. Van Gogh Vanilla Vodka
3/4 oz. amaretto

Preparation
Combine ingredients in shaker and shake with ice. Strain into chilled martini glass. Dust with freshly grated nutmeg or cinnamon.


The swap: Instead of eggnog, use 1/4 cup of 2% milk combined with 2 Tbl. of bourbon with a dash of freshly grated nutmeg (or simply buy a low-fat eggnog!).

The save: 22 to 44 calories

’Tis the Season Sangria
Serves: 8

Ingredients
1/4 cup sugar
1 cup water
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 orange
Freshly squeezed juice of 1 lemon
Cinnamon stick
750 ml red wine
1 oz. Cointreau
6 oz. sparkling water
4 oranges, thinly sliced, for garnish
1/2 lemon, thinly sliced, for garnish
1/2 lime, thinly sliced, for garnish
1/2 Pippin or Granny Smith apple, cored and thinly sliced, for garnish
20 grapes, green and red, for garnish

Preparation
Place sugar, water, orange and lemon juices, and cinnamon stick in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool. Pour red wine, Cointreau, and sparkling water into a punch bowl. Remove cinnamon stick from the syrup, then pour into punch bowl. Float fruit on top. Chill for at least an hour before serving.

The swap: Use agave nectar, which dissolves easily and is low on the glycemic index, and honey or a low-cal sugar alternative like Splenda to sweeten. (Or, you could just cut back on the amount of sugar!).

The save: 193 calories

Chocolate Peppermint Cookie

Ingredients
3/4 oz. Partida Blanco Tequila
1 oz. peppermint schnapps
3/4 oz. Godiva Liqueur
1-1/2 oz. cream
Chocolate syrup and candy canes for garnish

Preparation
Rim martini glass with chocolate syrup and crushed candy canes. Shake ingredients in a shaker with ice and strain into glass.

The swap: Use 2% milk instead of cream, and unsweetened cocoa powder (or sugar-free chocolate syrup) instead of chocolate sauce.

The save: 152 calories and 15 grams of fat!

Easy Creole Shrimp

Recipe from: Keeping up with the Joneses

Ingredients:

1 lb of large raw frozen shrimp, thawed
1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning
1/4 cup Zesty Italian Dressing (Kraft or Wishbone will do)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbsp chopped parsley (optional)

Directions:

1. First, pour the 1 Tbsp Cajun seasoning over the thawed shrimp.
2. Stir it around to coat.
3. Heat a medium skillet over medium-high heat.
4. Add the dressing and garlic.
5. Cook and stir for one minute.
6. Stir in the shrimp.
7. Cook and stir for 3-5 minutes. I would occasionally flip them over, too.You'll know they're almost ready when most of the liquid has evaporated and the shrimp is starting to brown.
8. Sprinkle the chopped, fresh parsley over the top of the shrimp.

Pecan Squares

Recipe from: Martha Stewart

Ingredients:

18 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter
1/2 cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
6 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons heavy cream
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups (8 ounces) pecan halves
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. Place rack in center of oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees. To make the crust: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add salt, and mix to combine. Add flour 1 cup at a time, on medium speed, mixing until fully incorporated after each addition. Continue mixing until the dough begins to come together in large clumps.
2. Press dough about 1/4-inch thick into a 9-by-13-by-1-inch baking pan. Prick the pastry with the tines of a fork. Chill until firm, about 20 minutes. Bake until golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
Reduce oven to 325 degrees. To make the filling: Place butter, brown sugar, honey, granulated sugar, heavy cream, and salt in a medium saucepan over high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly until mixture coats the back of a spoon, about 1 minute. Remove pan from heat; stir in nuts and vanilla.
3. Pour filling onto the cooled crust. Bake until filling bubbles, 15 to 20 minutes. Carefully transfer pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Run a paring knife around edges of the pan, and invert onto cooling rack, leaving the pastry on the rack. Invert rack with pastry onto a cutting board, leaving the pastry on the board, filling side up.
4. Use a sharp knife to cut into 1-by-3-inch bars. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.


*I forgot to take a picture of mine, but these were delicious. I think the honey adds a lot of flavors to the treat. Enjoy!

Blondies

Recipe from: Simply Made with Love

Ingredients:
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, plus more for pan
1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
1/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (optional)
1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Brush an 8-inch square baking pan with butter; line pan with a piece of parchment paper, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides. Butter paper.
2. In a large bowl, whisk butter and sugars until smooth. Whisk in egg and vanilla. Add flour and salt; mix just until moistened (do not overmix). Fold in 1/2 cup each chocolate chips and walnuts.
3. Transfer batter to prepared pan; smooth top. Sprinkle with remaining chocolate chips and walnuts.
4. Bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes.
5. Set pan on a wire rack, and let cool completely. Using parchment overhang, lift cake from pan and transfer to a cutting board; cut into 16 squares.

Store blondies in an airtight container at room temperature, up to 2 days.