Broccoli Cheddar Cornbread

• 2 (8.5 oz) boxes corn muffin mix
• 1/2 cup skim milk
• 2 cloves (1 tsp) minced garlic
• 1 (8 oz) container fat-free cottage cheese
• 4 large eggs
• 1 Tbsp salt
• 1 cup + 2 Tbsp grated reduced or no fat Cheddar, divided

Veggie Filling

• 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter or margarine
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 (10 oz) package frozen chopped broccoli, thawed but not drained

Preheat oven to 375 F.

In a large bowl (enough to hold all ingredients, including veggies), mix together main ingredients, using 1 cup of the Cheddar.

Melt the butter in a cast iron skillet. Saute onions and broccoli until soft. Dump into the bowl with the batter. Replace the skillet on the heat. Mix well.

Pour batter mixture back into the skillet. Sprinkle with the remaining 2 Tbsp Cheddar cheese.

Bake until golden, about 30 minutes.

Makes 12 servings, 8 WW PointsPlus each. (or 16 servings @ 6 PointsPlus)

*** Cream of Wheat with Berries

• 1/2 cup blueberries
• 3 Tbsp Cream of Wheat Hot Cereal 1 Minute (cream colored package)
• 3/4 cup fat free milk
• salt
• 1 packet or artificial sweetener or 2 tsp sugar

Mix the cream of wheat, milk, a dash of salt, and 2 tsp sugar or artificial sweetener in a bowl.

Microwave for 1 minute. Stir well.

Repeat twice more, stirring each time. Let cool and absorb more liquid.

Makes 1 serving, 6/7 WW PointsPlus each.

*** Vegan Lettuce Wraps

Filling and Lettuce

• 1 cup quinoa, uncooked
• 12 oz frozen soy crumbles (Non-vegan: any ground very lean meat)
• 1/2 cup frozen corn
• 1/2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 Tbsp minced garlic
• 1 Tbsp minced ginger
• 8 oz (1/2 bag) pre-shredded coleslaw mix (carrots, red cabbage, green cabbage)
• 2 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 head flexible green lettuce (like green leaf)

Sauce:

• 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce
• 4 tsp rice vinegar
• 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
• 1 1/2 Tbsp water
• 1/2 Tbsp agave nectar (Non vegan: honey)
• 2 tsp Sriracha (or other garlic chili sauce)

Start the quinoa in a rice cooker with 2 cups of water.

Slice the scallions and mince the ginger and garlic (if using fresh).

In a large non-stick skillet, heat the soy crumbles (or brown the meat), adding in the frozen corn. Set aside.

Wait for the quinoa to finish cooking.

Put 1/2 Tbsp oil in the skillet and heat over medium-high. Add garlic and cook for 1 minutes, then add the ginger and cook for about 30 seconds. Add the coleslaw and cook for about 5 minutes, or until it is somewhat wilted.

Add in the scallions, corn, and soy crumbles and cook for 2 minutes, then add in the cooked quinoa and cook another 2 minutes.

Separate filling into 4 serving bowls/tupperwares. Serve filling in bowls, with a spoon to dollop the filling into the lettuce.

Makes 4 servings.

Sweet Potato Hash with Bacon and Avocado

• 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes (about 2 large)
• 1 Tbsp fresh chopped parsley, or 1/2 Tbsp dried parsley
• salt, to taste
• black pepper, to taste
• 4 slices thick-cut bacon
• 12 oz hot spicy turkey sausage (3 links Jennie O Hot Italian)
• 1 avocado, sliced
• paprika, to taste

Julienne or otherwise cut the potatoes up hash-brown style. Add parsley. Salt and pepper them to taste. Mix well.

Cook bacon in a large skillet. Chop and set aside. Reserve fat in skillet.

Remove the sausages from their casings and cook like ground beef in the skillet, reserving enough of the fat for cooking the hash. Set aside the sausage.

Cook the hash in the skillet, adding the bacon and sausage back in to heat it up at the end. Split into 4 servings, sprinkling with paprika and adding 1/4 of the avocado on top.

Makes 4 servings, 10 WW PointsPlus each.

Shoyu Ramen (Soy Sauce Ramen)

Soy Sauce Tare (soup base)

• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1/4 cup sake
• 1 Tbsp mirin
• 1/2 oz ginger, peel on and crushed
• 1 scallion, trimmed and coarsely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, peeled and crushed
• 1 bunch spinach (about 1 lb), trimmed and cleaned

Chasu (toppings)

• 2 3/4 cups soy sauce marinade (1 recipe's worth)
• 1 lb cooked pork shoulder (or dark chicken meat) from Master Ramen and Chashu recipe
• ~24 oz fresh-frozen ramen noodles
• 2 quarts ramen soup, hot, from Master Ramen and Chashu recipe
• 4 soy sauce eggs, each cut in half
• 4 oz menma (pickled bamboo)
• 4 sheets nori (2 inches by 2 inches)
• 1 scallion, trimmed and coarsely chopped

ONE DAY BEFORE: Prepare Master Ramen and Chashu recipe, and two recipes of Soy Sauce Marinade ahead of time. Use one recipe of Soy Sauce Marinade to make one recipe of Soy Sauce Eggs.

THE DAY OF: Prepare the tare by adding the ingredients to a saucepan and placing over high heat. When the liquid comes to a boil, turn off the heat.

To prepare the spinach, fill a large sauce-pan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the spinach and blanch for 1 minute. Transfer the spinach to a colander and shock under cold running water. When the spinach has cooled, arrange spinach in one row on a work surface, alternating the stem and leaf ends. Use your hands to squeeze the row of spinach over the sink to expel excess water. Cut into 4 portions and set aside.

To prepare the chashu, pour the soy sauce marinade into a bowl. Add the pork shoulder piece and marinate for 20 minutes at room temperature. Transfer the pork shoulder to a cutting board and slice into 1/8-inch slices. Divide the slices into 4 portions and set aside.

To prepare the ramen, fill a large stock-pot with water and place over high heat. Ready 4 large bowls on a work surface. When the water boils, add the noodles. Stir the noodles for about 10 seconds, so they separate and cook evenly. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through and toothsome. While the noodles are cooking, pour into each bowl 1/4 cup of the tare and 2 cups of the hot ramen soup.

When the noodles are ready, drain them into a colander. Carefully divide the noodles among the 4 bowls, being careful not to splash the hot soup. For each bowl, add the toppings. Serve very hot.

Soy Sauce Eggs

• 4 eggs
• 2 cups soy sauce marinade

Fill a saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. When the water boils, reduce the heat to medium.

Use a pushpin or other stiff pin to gently open a small hole on the bottom of each egg (the rounded side is the bottom, rather than the pointy side). Be careful not to break the shell elsewhere.

Gently place the eggs in the boiling water. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes (5 minutes for a runny yolk, 7 minutes for a firmer, yet still soft, yolk). For the first 2 minutes of cooking, use a spoon or chopsticks to spin the eggs around in the saucepan.

When the eggs are ready, pour out the boiling water, and place the saucepan under cold, running water to cool the eggs. When the eggs are cool, peel them.

Pour the marinade into a bowl and add the peeled eggs. Marinate the eggs in the refrigerator for up to 12 hours. (The longer they marinate, the more pronounced the soy sauce flavor, as you desire.) The eggs will keep in the refrigerator for 1 week.

Makes 4 eggs, 2 WW PointsPlus each.

Soy Sauce Marinade (for chashu, chicken, and eggs)

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sake
• 1/4 cup mirin
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
• 2 scallions (about 2 ounces), trimmed and coarsely chopped
• 1 ounce ginger, skin on, crushed
• 2 pieces star anise (optional)

Add all the ingredients to a saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat. Remove from the heat and allow to come to room temperature.

Ramen Soup Base and Chashu or Chicken

• 2 lbs chicken bones (bones and carcass)
• 1/2 oz ginger, skin left on
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1 lb boneless pork shoulder (one piece, ask your butcher to tie it, if needed), or dark meat from the chicken
• 3 quarts water
• 1 scallion
• 1/2 small carrot (about 2 ounces)

Rinse the chicken carcass well under cold running water. Crush the ginger by placing a kitchen knife over it, and pressing down on the side of the knife with your palm.  Repeat for the garlic. Add all the ingredients to a large stockpot, and place on a burner over high heat. When the liquid boils, reduce the heat and simmer uncovered. Skim off any scum that accumulates and discard. Simmer for about 2 hours, until the soup reduces to 2 quarts (8 cups). Remove the pork shoulder and set aside for chashu. Strain the soup through a cheesecloth-lined colander or fine-mesh sieve, discarding the remaining ingredients.

Makes 2 quarts

Baozi (Steamed Pork Buns)

Filling

• 1/2 lb minced pork (medium lean)
• 2 scallions, chopped
• 2 shiitake mushrooms, chopped
• 2 Tbsp ginger, finely chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 1 Tbsp rice wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp sesame oil

Dough

• 3 Tbsp melted lard
• 3/4 cup hot water
• 14 oz all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp instant dry yeast
• 4 Tbsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/4 cup cold water

Baking

• 1 Tbsp sesame oil
• baking parchment cut into (16) 3-inch squares

Mix all filling ingredients into a bowl. Set aside for one hour to marinate.

Mix lard in with half of the hot water. Then mix together all dry ingredients for dough.

Pour 90% of the dry ingredients mix into the lard/water mixture, stirring vigorously with a tablespoon. Continue adding hot water until dough begins to form, then add cold water. Knead mixture for seven to eight minutes into a smooth, stiff dough. Add water as needed if too stiff to shape.

Allow the dough to sit and ferment until it has doubled in volume (at least 30 minutes). Then knead for a few minutes to degas.

Cut the dough into 16 sections. Roll each section into a small ball. Flatten and shape each ball into a thin disc approximately 4.5" in diameter. Aim to keep dough thin around the edges.

Spoon roughly 1 Tbsp of filling into each disc's center. Crimp edges together around the filling.

Brush sesame oil onto a square of baking parchment, then set the crimped bun onto it.

Allow the bun to rise again on a covered plate or tray for a further 20 minutes before placing in a steamer to cook for 15 minutes.

Once pork is thoroughly cooked through, serve hot.

Makes 8 servings (2 pork buns), for 9 WW PointsPlus each.

*** Quick and Easy Homemade Marshmallows

• 3/4 cup water, divided
• 3 x 1/4 oz packages unflavored gelatin (Knox brand)
• 2/3 cup light corn syrup
• 2 cups white granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 cup confectioner's (powdered) sugar

Line a 9x9 baking dish with lightly greased foil (or plastic wrap). Grease another piece of foil or plastic wrap to cover the top, and set aside.

Place 1/2 cup of the water in the bowl of an electric mixer, and sprinkle gelatin on top of water to soak.

While gelatin is soaking, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of water, corn syrup, and granulated sugar in a saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, boil the mixture hard for 1 minute.

Pour the hot sugar mixture into the gelatin mixture and whisk on high for 12-15 minutes with the electric mixer (ours usually takes 15), until the mixture is fluffy and forms stiff peaks.

Add vanilla, and beat just until it is blended.

Pour the marshmallow mixture into the prepared baking dish, using a greased spatula to smooth the top of the candy.

Cover the candy with the reserved greased foil or wrap, and press down lightly to seal the covering to the top of the candy.

Allow it to rest for 4+ hours, or overnight.

Once it has rested, mix together the cornstarch and confectioner's/powdered sugar in a shallow dish.

Using oiled scissors, or an oiled kitchen knife, cut the marshmallow candy into strips, then into squares (6 x 6 if using a square pan, or 5 x 8 if using a rectangular pan). As you cut them, dredge them in the cornstarch mixture to keep them from sticking to each other, and store in an airtight container.

Makes about 36-40 servings, 2 WW PointsPlus each (72 total)

Pumpkin Creme Pies

For Creme Pies

• 1 cups brown sugar
• 1 cups granulated sugar
• 1 cups vegetable oil
• 1/2 can pumpkin puree (30 oz - not pie filling)
• 2 whole eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 Tbsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves

For Filling

• 1 packages cream cheese, softened (8 oz)
• 1 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• 16 oz powdered sugar
• 3 drops vanilla extract
• 2 dashes cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 F.

Make the creme pies: Beat together brown sugar, sugar, oil, and pumpkin. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each, followed by the vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix together the dry ingredients.

Line a cookie sheet with Reynolds Wrap Release Foil (or spray regular foil). Slowly incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Drop dough using a regular size dinner spoon onto cookie sheet. Bake for 9 minutes. Wait until cookies are a little cool and then transfer to wax paper. Cool completely.

Filling: beat together cream cheese and butter. Add powdered sugar a little at a time. Add vanilla and cinnamon. Use the filling to make sandwiches with the cookies. When storing, use strips of wax paper folded around each cream pie (in a "C" shape with the cookie in the middle) to keep them from sticking to each other.

Makes ??? cookies, ??? WW PointsPlus each.

*** Yakisoba

• 4 packages (6 oz each) fresh-frozen ramen noodles
• 2 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 medium Spanish onion, peeled and sliced (or "sweet" yellow onion)
• 8 oz bacon cut into bite-size pieces
• 8 oz savoy cabbage, cut into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup sake
• 1/4 cup Japanese-style Worcestershire sauce (or Bulldog tonkatsu sauce in a pinch)
• 1/4 cup okonomiyaki sauce or tonkatsu sauce
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 Tbsp aonori (powdered nori seaweed)
• (OPTIONAL) 8 oz boneless, skinless chicken thighs, or turkey breast, sliced thin

To prepare the ramen, fill a large stock-pot with water and place over high heat. Ready 4 large bowls on a work surface. When the water comes to a boil, add the noodles. Stir the noodles for about 10 seconds, so they separate and cook evenly. Cook for about 2 minutes, until the noodles are cooked through and toothsome. When the noodles are ready, transfer them to a strainer and cool under cold running water. Set aside.

Heat the sesame oil in a large skillet or enameled cast-iron pot over medium heat. Add the onion, bacon, and chicken (if using) and cook, stirring constantly, for about 2 minutes, until the onions soften and the pork turns white. Separate the pork while you cook. Add the cabbage and sprouts and cook, stirring constantly, until the cabbage turns bright green and the sprouts cook through. Add the sake, Worcestershire sauce, and okonomiyaki sauce and cook, stirring constantly, for 1 minute. Increase heat to high. Add the reserved ramen noodles. Cook, stirring constantly, until all the liquid in the skillet is absorbed, about 2 minutes. Check to ensure the noodles are heated through. Sprinkle the black pepper and the aonori, on the noodles, and serve immediately.

Makes 8 servings, 11 WW PointsPlus (13 with chicken).

Snowman Ice Cream Sundae

• vanilla ice cream
• mini M&Ms for the face/buttons
• red vines (or twizzlers, if you're a heathen) for the arms
• christmas bell chocolates, for hat

Make snowmen in bowls. Add in details. Post pics online. Eat. 

Creamy Celery Soup

• 1 large bunch celery with leaves (2 pounds)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 1 large onion (12 oz), chopped
• 1 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp coarsely ground black pepper plus additional for garnish
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 5 1/2 cups chicken broth
• 2 medium potatoes (6 oz each), peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
• 2 cups water

Trim ends from celery stalks. Reserve several celery leaves for garnish; wrap with plastic wrap and refrigerate. Slice celery stalks and remaining leaves crosswise into 1-inch pieces; transfer to colander. Rinse and drain well.

In 5 1/2 to 6 quart saucepot, heat oil over medium heat. Add celery adn leaves, onion, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook 20 to 25 minutes or until celery is soft but not browned, stirring occasionally. Add wine and cook 2 minutes or until wine is mostly evaporated.

Add broth, potatoes, and water to saucepot; cover and heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are very tender.

In batches, ladle celery mixture into blender; cover, with center part of lid removed to allow steam to escape (drape with clean kitchen towel to avoid splatter), and blend very well until pureed. Pour puree into large bowl. Repeat with remaining mixture.

Return soup to saucepot; heat through. Ladle soup into tureen; sprinkle with pepper and garnish with reserved celery leaves.

Keeps up to 2 days, or freeze up to 1 month. Stir occasionally when reheating.

Makes 6 servings, 4 WW PointsPlus each.