PB&J Ice Cream Sandwhiches

Ingredients
1 18-ounce roll refrigerated peanut butter cookie dough
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
6 tablespoons preserves, such as raspberry, cherry, or strawberry)
1 pint vanilla bean ice cream

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degree F. Knead flour into cookie dough. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a 13-1/2x9-inch rectangle. Cut into 1-1/2-inch squares. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheets. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until edges are firm and tops are browned. Cool on cookie sheets for 1 minute. Remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
2. Place 1 teaspoon jam or preserves on flat side of 1 cookie. Place a small scoop of ice cream (about 1-1/2 tablespoons) on jam. Top with another cookie, flat side down, and press lightly. Repeat with remaining cookies, jam, and ice cream (there will be extra cookies). Wrap and freeze 4 to 48 hours. Makes 16 sandwiches and 22 extra cookies.

Picadillo-Stuffed Peppers

Sumptuous Slow Cooker Meals
Healthy, no-fuss recipe to simply set and forget.

You don't have to be a master chef to whip up savory, satisfying dishes that are healthy, too. All you really need is a slow cooker, a kitchen must-have that will slash your prep time in half. The best part? It's an easy way to sneak colorful vegetables, whole grains, and lean meats into your family's menu without anyone noticing. An estimated 80 percent of American households have slow cookers. Updated models come in sleek stainless steel with programmable timers. But even your older Crock-Pot can handle these hearty main-dish recipes, which are bursting with flavor and brimming with nutrients. They'll keep you warm (and full), even when it's cold outside.
Yellow and orange bell peppers deliver a healthy dose of vitamin C, beta-carotene, and folic acid.

Picadillo-Stuffed Peppers

1 jar (26 oz) marinara sauce
1 Tbsp red wine vinegar
1 tsp ground cumin
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
4 ½ lg bell peppers (preferably yellow and orange)
8 oz ground beef (93 percent lean)
½ c converted rice
1/3 c finely chopped onion
¼ c raisins
Chopped parsley (garnish)

Directions
1. In medium bowl, stir sauce, vinegar, cumin, and cinnamon. Pour 1 1/3 cups of sauce mixture into 4-quart or larger slow cooker.
2. Finely chop the half bell pepper. Slice off top ½" of remaining peppers. Seed peppers and reserve tops.
3. In large bowl, using your hands, combine beef, uncooked rice, onion, raisins, chopped pepper, and remaining sauce mixture. Spoon resulting mixture into peppers and replace tops. Place into slow cooker.
4. Cover and cook on low 6 to 8 hours or until peppers are tender and filling is cooked through. Serve topped with sauce from pot. Garnish with parsley, if desired.Makes 4 Servings

Per Serving: 360 cal, 18 g pro, 51 g carb, 10 g fat, 2.5 g sat fat, 20 mg chol, 7 g fiber, 810 mg sodium

Prep Time: 15 minutesCooking Time: 6-8 hours

Tuna, Asparagus and Feta Salad

Tuna, Asparagus and Feta Salad
1 Serving
This delicious salad provides about 3 portions of vegetables - a generous start on the daily recommendation of 5-7.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups romaine lettuce torn into pieces
• 1 Roma tomato, cut into 8 pieces
• 1/2 cup steamed asparagus pieces
• 1/2 can (3 ounces) white albacore tuna, drained
• 1 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon balsamic vinegar
  

Instructions:

Mix the romaine, tomato and asparagus. Add the tuna and feta cheese. Sprinkle withthe olive oil and toss to coat. Add the balsamic vinegar and toss
again.

This dish has 32 grams of protein, 307 calories per serving!!!

Grilled Tilapia and Avocado Tostada

Tilapia fish is just right for this dish. Some fish are too overpowing but Tilapia has a smooth mellow flavor with a mild, sweet-tasting fillets. It's turning out to be a favorite of mine. There are plenty of tilapia recipes to choose from because the tilapia fish is versatile and takes seasonings well. Be sure to try grilled tilapia for a real treat. You can also find tilapia recipes for baking, broiling, and frying.

4 flour tortillas (I useHigh Fiber Low Carb Low Fat Wraps for the added protein)
3 Tblsp olive oil
1 lb. tilapia
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 sm red onion, thinly sliced
1 heart romaine lettuce, thinly sliced crosswise
2 med tomatoes, chopped
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 avocado, quartered, skinned, pitted, and sliced lengthwise
1 lime, cut into 6 wedges


1.Preheat grill or grill pan to medium high heat.

2.Brush tortilias with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Grill, flipping once or twice, until crisp, about 2 minutes. I set them on the grill about a minute and made rolled burritos.

3.Brush tilapia on both sides with 1 tablespoon of the oil and sprinkle with 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Grill, flipping once, until cooked through, about 8 minutes. I found it hard to turn them, they get flakey, so I just cooked on one side with cover on grill. Let rest 4minutes and pull into chunks with fork.

4.Place each tortilla on plate. Scatter on onion, lettuce, tomatoes, cilantro and radicshes. Lay tilapia pieces on top. Fan sliced avocado quarters ove tilapia and sprinkle with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1 tablespoon oil. Serve with lemon wedges.

Makes 4 servings.

380 calories,26 grams protein, 19 grams fat.

Salmon Fillets with Potato Sauce

Four 3-ounce salmon fillets
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons firmly packed brown sugar
3/4 cups chicken broth
1 garlic clove, minced
1 1/2 ounces instant potato flakes or fresh mashed potatos
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme leaves
Fresh thyme or chive sprigs, to garnish

1. In small saucepan, combine red wine vinegarand sugar; cook over low heat, stirring constantly, 1 minute, until sugar is dissolved. Pour vinegar mixture into 11x7" baking dish; add salmon, turning to coat. Let stand 20 minutes.

2. Preheat broiler.

3. To prepare sauce, in medium saucepan, combine broth and garlic; bring liquid to a boil. Remove from heat; stir in potato flakes, white wine vinegar and oil, stirring until mixture is smooth. Set aside.

4. Drain salmon, discarding liquid; return salmon to baking dish and sprinkle with minced thyme. Broil salmon 4' from heat 5 minutes, until fish flakes easily when tested with fork.

5. Divide potato sauce evenly among 4 plates; top each portion with 1 broiled salmon fillet. Serve garnished with thyme or chive sprigs.

18 grams of Protein per serving.

Barbecue Rub

This is the basis of the flavor of your barbecue creation. This will flavor the meat and help with the color and caramelized flavor that barbecue is built on. Depending on whether you want things spicy, sweet, or seasoned with hervs, you can mix and match these rubs with a variety of different meats. I will post a new rub each week. Rub Monday is my latest theme.

• 1/2 C salt
  
• 1/2 C sugar(turbinado optional)
  
• 1/4 C brown sugar
  
• 1 tblsp granulated*garlic
  
• 1 tblsp granulated* onion
  
• 2 tblsp paprika
  
• 2 tblsp chili powder
  
• 2 tblsp black pepper
  
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
  
• 1 tblsp dried thyme
  
• 1 tblsp ground cumin
  
• 1 tsp ground nutmeg
  

*Granulated garlic and onion
are coarser than powder, but
the powders can be substituted.

This is a very good basic barbecue rub. It works well on any food for smoking or grilling. *Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Combine all ingredients, mix well, and store in an airtight container.

Smoked Turkey Breast

• 1 boneless turkey breast (3-4pounds)skin on
  
• 1 double recipe Alabama White Barbecue Sauce(see last post)
  
• Big-Time Barbecue Rub, to tast(see recipe next post.

This is one of my favorite things from the slow barbecue pit. That might be true because I cook too much pork, but it might also be because it's so good.
Yield:8-10 servings

Note:This recipe requires advanced preparation.

Place the turkey breast in a plastic cooking bag and pou half the white sauce over it. Close the bag up tightly and put it in the refrigerator for a full day. Massage it and flip it over occasionally.

Prepare the cooker for indirect cooking at 275

F, using pecan wood for flavor.