Burger Sliders

• 4 slices bacon
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 3 pounds lean ground beef
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• Salt and pepper
• 24 small dinner rolls

In a skillet, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon and drain on paper towels. Discard all but 2 Tbsp. bacon fat. Cook onion in bacon fat until translucent, about 3 minutes, then add garlic and cook 30 seconds longer. Remove mixture from pan and let cool. Crumble bacon when cool enough to handle.

In a large bowl combine beef, bacon, onion mixture, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper, and mix well. Form into 24 small patties and chill.

Preheat grill to medium; oil when hot. Cook burgers for about 7 minutes for medium rare, turning once halfway through. Serve burgers on rolls.

Yield: 24 servings

Light Crespelle Recipe

Servings: 16 • Serving Size: 1 • Points: 1 pt
Calories: 52 • Fat: 1.4 g • Protein: 2.5 g • Carb: 7.1 g • Fiber: .2 g
Makes 16 crespelles

• 1 cup flour
• 1 1/2 cups 1% milk
• 2 large egg whites
• 1 whole egg
• 1 tsp oil
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Olive oil spray

Put all the ingredients in the blender. To make crespelles, heat a 6" non-stick frying pan on medium-low heat. Lightly spray pan using olive oil spray and pour 2 tablespoons of batter into the pan, slowly swirling the batter around the pan to cover evenly. Cook about 30 seconds. Flip and cook another 10 seconds. Remove andplace on a plate and repeat the process with the remaining batter. Makes 2 cups batter.

Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili

Servings: 10 • Size: 1 1/4 cups • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 203.7 • Fat: 1.4 g • Carb: 33.3 g • Fiber: 10.0 g • Protein: 16.9 g

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 16-oz can black beans
• 1 16-oz can kidney beans
• 1 8-oz can tomato sauce
• 10 oz package frozen corn kernels
• 2 14.5-oz cans diced tomatoes w/chilies
• 1 packet taco seasoning
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp chili powder
  
• 24 oz (3-4) boneless skinless chicken breasts
• chili peppers, chopped (optional)
  
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

Combine beans, onion, chili peppers, corn, tomato sauce, cumin, chili powder and taco seasoning in a slow cooker. Place chicken on top and cover. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Top with fresh cilantro. Also try it with low fat cheese and sour cream (extra points).

Layered Summertime Salad

2 cups uncooked gemelli or spiral pasta

1 cup mayonnaise

2 tbsp. lemon juice

1 tsp. sugar

1/2 tsp. garlic powder

1/2 cup sliced green onions

4 bacon strips, cooked and crumbled, divided

4 cups torn romaine

1 cup fresh snow peas, trimmed and halved

1 cup fresh cauliflowerets

1 cup fresh broccoli florets

1 large sweet red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Cook pasta according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the mayonnaise, lemon juice, sugar and garlic powder; set aside. Drain pasta and rinse in cold water; toss with onions and half of the bacon.

In a large salad bowl, layer half of the romaine, pasta mixture, peas, cauliflower, broccoli, red pepper, mayonnaise mixture and cheese. Repeat layers. Sprinkle with remaining bacon. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Yield: 16 servings

Apple-Brie Spinach Salad

4 large apples, cut into 1/2-in. wedges

4 tbsp. maple syrup, divided

8 cups fresh baby spinach

1 round (8 oz) Brie or Camembert cheese, cubed

1/2 cup pecan halves, toasted

Dressing:

1/4 cup apple cider or juice

1/4 cup vegetable oil

3 tbsp. cider vinegar

1 tsp. Dijon mustard

1 garlic clove, minced

Place apples on an ungreased baking sheet; brush with 2 tbsp. syrup. Broil 3-4 in. from the heat for 3 minutes. Turn; brush with remaining syrup. Broil 3-5 minutes longer or until crisp-tender.

In a large salad bowl, combine spinach, cheese, pecans and apples. In a small saucepan combine the dressing ingredients; bring to a boil. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Yield: 10 servings

Lost-in-the-Sun Punch

1 (64 oz.) carton orange juice, chilled

1 (2 lt.) bottle lemonade, chilled

6 (12 oz.) cans cream soda, chilled

1 pt. pineapple sherbet

In a large punch bowl, combine the orange juice, lemonade and cream soda. Top with scoops of sherbet. Serve immediately.

Yield: 16-20 servings (4 qts.)

Sweetheart Punch

2 cups sliced fresh strawberries, divided

6 cups water, divided

1 (12 oz.) can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed

1 (10 oz.) pkg. frozen sweetened sliced strawberries, thawed

1 (6 oz.) can frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed

2 lt. lemon-lime soda, chilled

Arrange 1 cup of fresh strawberries in a 4 1/2 cup ring mold; add 2 cups water. Freeze until solid. Top with remaining fresh strawberries. Slowly pour 1 cup water into mold to almost cover berries. Freeze until solid.

In a punch bowl, combine the lemonade concentrate, thawed strawberries, orange juice concentrate and remaining water. Refrigerate until chilled.

Just before serving, stir in lemon-lime soda. Unmold ice ring by wrapping the bottom of the mold in a damp hot dishcloth; invert onto a baking sheet. Place fruit side up in punch bowl.

Yield: 14 servings (3 1/2 qts.)

Hash Brown Casserole

6 eggs, well beaten

1 (12 oz.) can evaporated milk

1 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 (30 oz.) pkg. frozen shredded hash brown potatoes

2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 medium onion, chopped

1 small green pepper, chopped

1 cup diced ham, optional

Combine eggs, evaporated milk, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Add potatoes, cheese, onion, green pepper and ham; mix well. Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Bake at 350F for 60-65 minutes or until set.

Yield: 12 servings

Ham 'n' Cheese Omelet Roll

4 oz. cream cheese, softened

3/4 cup milk

2 tbsp. all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. salt

12 eggs

2 tbsp. Dijon mustard

2 1/4 cups shredded cheddar or Swiss cheese, divided

2 cups finely chopped fully cooked ham

1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions

Line the bottom and sides of a greased 15x10 baking sheet with parchment paper; grease the paper and set aside. In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and milk until smooth. Add flour and salt; mix until combined.

In a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs until blended. Add cream cheese mixture; mix well. Pour into prepared pan. Bake at 375F for 30 minutes or until eggs are puffed and set. Remove from the oven. Immediately spread with mustard and sprinkle with 1 cup cheese.

Sprinkle with ham, onions and 1 cup cheese. Roll up from a short side, peeling parchment paper away while rolling. Sprinkle top of roll with the remaining cheese; bake 3-4 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.

Yield: 12 servings

German Potato Casserole

5 lbs. red potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. cubes

1 lb. sliced bacon, diced

8 hard-cooked eggs, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. pepper

1 1/2 cups mayonnaise (reduced-fat or fat-free not recommended)

3 tbsp. cider vinegar

2 tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1 lb. process cheese (Velveeta), cubed

Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 15-20 minutes or until tender (or 8 minutes in a pressure cooker). Drain. In a skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Using a slotted spoon, remove to paper towels; drain, reserving 1 tablespoon drippings.

In a large bowl, gently toss the potatoes, bacon, eggs, onion, salt and pepper. Combine the mayonnaise, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and reserved bacon drippings; add to potato mixture and toss to coat.

Divid half of the mixture between one greased 9x13 baking dish and one 9-in. square baking dish. Top with half of the cheese cubes. Repeat layers. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 40-45 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly.

Yield: 16-20 servings

Green Bean Casserole

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans cream of mushroom soup

1 cup milk

2 tsp. soy sauce

1/4 tsp. pepper

8 cups cooked frozen cut green beans

1 (6 oz.) can French fried onions, divided

Stir soup, milk, soy sauce, pepper, beans and 1 1/3 cups onions in a greased 3-qt. casserole. Bake at 350F for 25 minutes or until hot. Stir. Top with remaining onions. Bake for 5 minutes more.

Yield: 12 servings

Sweet-Sour Deviled Eggs

12 hard-cooked eggs

1/3 cup plus 1 tbsp. mayonnaise

5 tsp. sugar

5 tsp. cider vinegar

1 tsp. prepared mustard

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

paprika and minced fresh parsley

Slice eggs in half lengthwise; remove yolks and set whites aside. In a small bowl, mash yolks with a fork. Add the mayonnaise, sugar, vinegar, mustard, salt and pepper. Stuff or pipe into egg whites. Garnish with paprika and parsley.

Yield: 24 servings

Chicken Salad with a Twist

8 oz. uncooked spiral pasta

2 1/2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 medium onion, chopped

2 celery ribs, chopped

1 medium cucumber, seeded and chopped

1/2 cup sliced ripe olives

1/3 cup zesty Italian salad dressing

1/3 cup mayonnaise

2 tsp. spicy brown or horseradish mustard

1 tsp. lemon juice

1/2 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. pepper

3 plum tomatoes, chopped

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse in cold water. In a large bowl, combine the pasta, chicken, onion, celery, cucumber and olives.

In a small bowl, whisk the Italian dressing, mayonnaise, mustard, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Pour over salad and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled. Just before serving, fold in tomatoes.

Yield: 12 servings

Biscuit-Topped Lemon Chicken

2 large onions, finely chopped

4 celery ribs, finely chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup butter, cubed

8 green onions, thinly sliced

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 gallon milk

12 cups cubed cooked chicken

2 (10 3/4 oz.) cans condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1/2 cup lemon juice

2 tbsp. grated lemon peel

2 tsp. pepper

1 tsp. salt

Cheddar Biscuits:

5 cups self-rising flour

2 cups milk

2 cups cheddar cheese, shredded

1/4 cup butter, melted

In a large pot, saute the onions, celery and garlic in butter. Add green onions. Stir in flour until blended; gradually add milk. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened.

Add the chicken, soup, lemon juice and peel, pepper and salt; heat through. Pour into 2 greased 9x13 baking dishes, set aside.

In a large bowl, combine biscuit ingredients just until moistened. Turn onto a lightly floured surface; knead 8-10 times. Pat or roll out to 3/4-in. thickness. With a floured 2 1/2-in. biscuit cutter, cut out 30 biscuits.

Place over chicken mixture. Bake, uncovered, at 350F for 35-40 minutes or until golden brown.

Yield: 15 servings (30 biscuits)

Note: As a substitute for each cup of self-rising flour, place 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder and 1/2 tsp. salt in a measuring cup. Add all-purpose flour to measure 1 cup.

Special Sesame Chicken Salad

1 (16 oz.) pkg. bow tie pasta

1 cup vegetable oil

2/3 cup white wine vinegar

2/3 cup teriyaki sauce

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp. pepper

3 (11 oz.) cans mandarin oranges, drained

2 (8 oz.) cans sliced water chestnuts, drained

2 cups cubed cooked chicken

1 1/3 cups honey roasted peanuts

1 (9 oz.) pkg. fresh spinach

1 (6 oz.) pkg. dried cranberries

6 green onions, chopped

1/2 cup parsley, minced

1/4 cup sesame seeds, toasted

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and place in a very large bowl. In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, teriyaki sauce, sugar and pepper. Pour over pasta and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Just before serving, add the remaining ingredients; gently toss to coat.

Yield: 22 servings

Golden Potato Casserole

6 large potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes

4 cups shredded cheddar cheese

1 (10 3/4 oz.) can condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

1 cup sour cream

1/4 cup butter, melted

8 green onions, chopped

2 tbsp. bacon bits

dash salt and pepper

Place potatoes in a large saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and cook for 10-15 minutes or until tender. Drain. Or cook in pressure cooker: place potatoes in pan, add 3 cups water and cook for 7 minutes after it starts hissing. Depressurize by running cold water over lid.

In a large bowl, combine the remaining ingredients; gently stir in potatoes. Transfer to a greased 9x13 baking dish.

Bake, uncovered, at 350 for 40-45 minutes or until bubbly. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

Yield: 12-14 servings