Bruce & Marie's Carrot Cakebox Cookies with Orange Cream-Cheese Icing

Preheat Oven to 350 degrees...

Carrot or Spice Cake Mix

1/2 cup olive oil

2 eggs

1 carrot shredded

2 slices pineapple, chopped

1/4 cup pecans, chopped

4 Tablespoons unsweetened, coconut

1/3 cup golden raisins, chopped

Place all ingredients into a large bowl. Mix together until all incorporated.

Add 1/2 - 1 cup Old Fashioned Oatmeal....as needed for consistency.......thick batter.

Drop by teaspoons full into powdered sugar, to coat.

Place on parchment covered baking tray.......12 per tray.

Bake for 10 minutes (or until cooked), and then remove to a cooling rack.

Icing-

8 oz. bar of cream cheese

The zest of 1 orange or clementine

1 Tablespoon of milk

Cream together. Add powdered sugar until the icing is the desired consistency and sweetness that you desire.

I stored the cookies, un-iced, in a container, and refrigerated the icing in a container...... iced the cookies as needed.

Made about 4 dozen cookies.

Sesame Shrimp

Sesame Shrimp ..... serves 2

• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons sesame oil, divided
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 dash lemon-pepper seasoning
• 1/2 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Hot cooked rice
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds, toasted

Directions

1. In a resealable plastic bag, combine the soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, lemon juice, garlic powder and lemon-pepper; add shrimp. Seal bag and turn to coat; refrigerate for 30 minutes.
2. Drain and discard marinade. In a skillet, saute shrimp in remaining sesame oil until shrimp turn pink, about 3 minutes. Serve with rice if desired. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.

Marie's Note: I followed the recipe for the shrimp, marinated it in most of the sauce, and then grilled it on an indoor grill pan and sprinkled it with the sesame seeds. I put the shrimp in a salad made up of cooked pasta (tossed in a little of the marinade.....reserved before putting the shrimp in it), shredded coleslaw mix, green onions, diced red pepper and roasted peanuts. Chilled the whole thing before serving.

No-Rise Pizza Dough (an AllRecipes recipe....Pizza Dough 1..... suggested by Kristin Pichura and altered by MDB)

1. 2 cups all-purpose flour
2. 1 cup whole wheat flour
3. 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
4. 2 tablespoons olive oil
5. 1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning
6. 1 teaspoon salt
7. 1 tablespoon white sugar
8. 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)

Directions

1. Combine flour, salt, sugar, italian seasoning and yeast in a large bowl. Mix in oil and warm water. Spread out on a cookie sheet that has been sprayed with cooking spray. Top as desired. (I used homemade pizza sauce, mozzarella cheese, sliced yellow, orange and red peppers, sliced green onion, chopped & seeded tomato, basil & rosemary, and chopped cooked chicken sausage).
2. Bake at 375 degrees C (190 degrees C) for 20 to 25 minutes.....or a little longer until the crust is cooked to the desired firmness (after the 20 minute cooking time, I turned the oven to 400 degrees and put the pizza on the top rack until I liked the crust texture).

Servings Per Recipe: 8

Sunday PotRoast with Roasted Potatoes and Carrots

Ingredients

• 1 (4 to 5-pound) boneless beef bottom round roast
• Kosher salt and Montreal Steak Seasoning
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 pound mushrooms, cleaned and quartered
• 2 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced
• Thyme
• 4 cups low-sodium beef broth

Directions

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.

Pat the meat dry with paper towels and season well on all sides with salt and pepper. Heat the oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add the roast and brown all sides, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer the meat to a plate and add the mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned and beginning to release liquid, about 5 minutes.

Add the onions, broth and thyme, stir until combined. Nestle the roast into the vegetables, adding any juices it released to the pot. Cover, and transfer to the oven to roast for 2 1/2 hours. Remove the lid, carefully flip the meat and continue cooking for 30 minutes; the meat should be fork tender and the liquid reduced.

Remove the pot from the oven, transfer the meat to a cutting board and tent with foil to keep it warm. Let the mushrooms and onions stand several minutes undisturbed to allow some of the beef fat to rise to the surface. With a large spoon, skim off the excess fat and discard. With a ladle, add about 1 1/2 cups of the mushrooms and onions with some cooking liquid to the bowl of a blender or food processor. Carefully puree the mixture until very smooth. Pour the puree back into the pot and stir very well until combined; taste and adjust seasoning.

To serve, slice the pot roast and arrange on a serving platter. Drizzle some mushroom gravy over the top and pass the extra gravy at the table.

During the last hour of cooking time, roast the vegetable.........on a baking sheet with olive oil, salt and Montreal Steak Seasoning. Cook until caramelized (probably not the whole hour).

Philly Cheesesteak Lettuce Wraps

Per Person:

2 leaves of romaine

3 ounces raw flat iron steak

1/3 cup sliced mushrooms

1/4 cup thinly sliced onions

1 slice fat-free American Cheese

Slice your semi-frozen beef into thin strips.

Spray a medium pan with nonstick spray and bring to medium high heat. Add Mushrooms and onions. Cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally until onions are slightly browned. Transfer veggies to a bowl and set aside.

Remove pan from heat, and re-spritz with nonstick spray. Cook beef strips over medium high heat for 1 to 2 minutes, flipping them halfway through cooking.

Break cheese slice into small stripes. Place cheese on top of meat--still in the pan--and continue to cook until cheese has melted slightly.

Remove from heat and mix the cheesy beef strips in with the veggies. Serve in lettuce "cups".

Makes 1 Serving

197 calories

7.5g fat

1g fiber

Banana Bread

Banana Bread by Marie Burns

1 3/4 cup flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 1/4 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. salt

3 soft bananas, mashed

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup sugar

2 eggs

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour all contents into a bowl and beat until smooth. Bake in a greased bread pan,

1 hour.

Hummus

Hummus

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients:

• 1 16 oz can of chickpeas or garbanzo beans
• 1/4 cup liquid from can of chickpeas
• 3-5 tablespoons lemon juice (depending on taste)
• 1 1/2 tablespoons tahini
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation:

Drain chickpeas and set aside liquid from can. Combine remaining ingredients in blender or food processor. Add 1/4 cup of liquid from chickpeas. Blend for 3-5 minutes on low until thoroughly mixed and smooth.

Place in serving bowl, and create a shallow well in the center of the hummus.

Add a small amount (1-2 tablespoons) of olive oil in the well. Garnish with parsley (optional).

Serve immediately with fresh, warm or toasted pita bread, or cover and refrigerate.

Variations

For a spicier hummus, add a sliced red chile or a dash of cayenne pepper.

Storing Hummus

Hummus can be refrigerated for up to 3 days and can be kept in the freezer for up to one month. Add a little olive oil if it appears to be too dry.