Recipes that I ran across

Mac’N’Cheese (I think this looks delicious!)

Ingredients
· Coarse salt and ground pepper
· 1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
· 1 teaspoon olive oil
· 12 ounces plain or whole-wheat corkscrew pasta, (fusilli)
· 2 tablespoons butter
· 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
· 3 cups low-fat milk
· Pinch of ground nutmeg
· 8 ounces sharp cheddar cheese, shredded (2 cups), plus more for serving (optional)
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Meanwhile, line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss tomatoes with oil on prepared baking sheet; season with salt and pepper. Roast until lightly browned and soft, 8 to 10 minutes; set aside.
2. Cook pasta in boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain; set aside.
3. While pasta is cooking, melt butter over low heat in a large saucepan. Add flour; cook, whisking, 1 minute. Gradually, whisk in milk, then nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon coarse salt, and a pinch of pepper; bring to a simmer. Cook, whisking constantly, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in cheese until melted. Add cooked pasta to cheese mixture; stir to combine. (Sauce will thicken as it stands.) Serve topped with tomatoes and, if desired, additional grated cheddar.

14 Karat Cake

INGREDIENTS
· 1 1/3 cups sugar
· 2 eggs
· 2 egg whites
· 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
· 1/3 cup canola oil
· 1 cup all-purpose flour
· 1 cup whole wheat flour
· 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
· 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
· 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
· 3 cups shredded carrots
· 1/2 cup golden raisins
· 6 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese
· 1 tablespoon butter or stick margarine, softened
· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
· 3 cups confectioners' sugar
· 1/4 cup chopped walnuts
· 3 tablespoons flaked coconut, toasted
DIRECTIONS
1.In a mixing bowl, combine the first five ingredients until smooth. Combine the flours, baking soda, salt and spices; add to the egg mixture and mix well. Stir in carrots and raisins. Pour into a 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking pan coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
2.For frosting, in a mixing bowl, beat the cream cheese, butter and vanilla until smooth. Beat in sugar. Frost the cake. Sprinkle with walnuts and coconut. Refrigerate.

Yummy Dip

INGREDIENTS
· 1 zucchini, peeled and finely chopped
· 1 teaspoon salt
· 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
· 1/4 cup sour cream
· 1 (14 ounce) can artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
· 2 tablespoons chopped black olives
· 1 teaspoon hot sauce
· salt and pepper to taste
· 1/2 teaspoon pico de gallo seasoning
DIRECTIONS
1. Place the zucchini in a colander, and sprinkle with salt. Place the colander over a bowl, and refrigerate for one hour to release the liquid from the zucchini. In a medium bowl, mix together the cream cheese and sour cream. Stir in the artichoke hearts, drained zucchini, and black olives. Season with hot sauce, salt, pepper, and pico de gallo seasoning. Serve with crackers, raw vegetables, or corn chips.