Rum Glazed Banana Cake

mMm. This is not a cake for kiddies or those with an alcohol issue. The glaze gives it a very strong rum taste but it's sooooo good.

Rum Glazed Banana Cake
from Cooking Light: Annual Recipes 1998

1 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2/3 cup stick margarine, softened (I used unsalted butter)
3/4 cup egg substitute
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (I used 3 medium size bananas)
1/2 cup vanilla low fat yogurt
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
vegetable cooking spray
3/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons dark rum or 1/4 teaspoon imitation rum extract plus 2 tablespoons skim milk (I used dark rum)
1 tablespoon stick margarine, melted

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat brown sugar and 2/3 cup margarine at medium speed of an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Add egg substitute, beating until well blended.

2. Combine banana and next 3 ingredients in a bowl; set aside. Combine flour, baking powder, and baking soda. With mixer running at low speed, add flour mixture to sugar mixture alternately with banana mixture, beginning and ending with flour mixture.

3. Pour batter into a 10 inch tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 375 for 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Let cool in pan 10 minutes; remove cake from pan. Let cool completely on a wire rack. combine powdered sugar, rum, and metled margarine; stir mixture until smooth. Drizzle over cake.

Yield: 16 servings.

Calories: 285, Fat: 8.7g, Protein: 3.6g, Carb: 47.5g, Fiber: 0.9g, Chol: 0mg, Sodium: 180mg

This is the 2nd recipe I am including in my challenge to make at least 1 recipe from each of my cookbooks in 2009!

Italian Sausage with Peppers and Tomatoes

This is a quick and easy recipe that's perfect after a long day at work when your brain has shut down and you arent in the mood to cook but dont want a tv dinner.

Italian Sausage with Peppers and Tomatoes

adapted from Weight Watchers Five Ingredients 15 minutes Cookbook - p46

2 c uncooked penne
cooking spray (I used garlic cooking spray for a little bit extra garlic taste)
3 links hot italian turkey sausage (about 12 oz), cut into 1/2 inch thick slices
1 (16 oz) pkg frozen bell pepper and onion stir fry
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes with basil, garlic, and oregano, undrained
1/2 t black pepper
preshredded fresh parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain pasta, and set aside.

2. While pasta cooks, heat a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add sausage, and cook 5 min or until browned, stirring often. Add bell pepper stirfry, and cook 3 minutes or until hot, stirring often. Add tomatoes and black pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 min.

3. Place pasta in a large bowl. Add sausage mixture, and toss. Top with cheese, if desired.

6 servings

Nutritional info:
Cal: 280
Fat: 6.8g
Sat Fat: 0.2g
Prot: 16.4g
Carb: 39g
Fib: 1.8g
Chol: 34mg
Iron: 3.3mg
Sod: 732mg
Calc: 56mg

Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken

I love fried chicken. Really. I'm from the south. How could I not love fried chicken. What I dont like is the icky grease and since I've sworn off deep fried foods I was happy to see this recipe. Very very yummy.

Southern Oven "Fried" Chicken

adapted from Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook - p151

1/2 c fat free buttermilk
1/2 c breadcrumbs (original recipe calls for cornflakes)
3 T all purpose flour
1/4 t salt
1/4 t freshly ground pepper
1 t cayenne (my addition, I love a kick in my fried chicken)
2 lbs chicken parts, skinned
4 t canola oil

1. Preheat the oven to 400; spray a large baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Pour the buttermilk into a large shallow bowl. In another bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, flour, salt, and pepper. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk, then dredge in the breadcrumb mixture, coating completely. Place the chicken on the baking sheet; drizzle with the oil. Bake 30 minutes then turn chicken over. Bake until cooked through, 15-20 min longer.

4 servings (2 pieces per serving)

Nutritional info:
Cal: 229
Fat: 10g
Sat Fat: 2g
Chol: 64mg
Sod: 295mg
Carb: 11g
Prot: 23g

Mongolian Beef

My first attempt to make anything even a teeny bit chinese and it rocked! I still havent mastered rice so the rice that I served it with wasnt the best in the world but the Mongolian beef was good good good! The only change I'd make is to make the green onion slices smaller. 1 inch is too big for my tastes.

Mongolian Beef

from Weight Watchers Five Ingredient 15 minute cookbook - p52

1 T dark sesame oil
2t minced garlic
4 green onions, cut into 1 in pieces
1 (1 pound) flank steak, trimmed and cut crosswise into thin strips (I used round steak, not sure if they are the same or what the differences are but I couldnt find flank steak)
1/4 c water
2 T low sodium soy sauce
4 t cornstarch
2 t crushed red pepper flakes
2 t brown sugar
Toasted sesame seeds (optional)

1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat; add garlic and green onions, and cook, stirring frequently, 1 minute. Add beef, and cook 5 minutes or until beef is browned, stirring frequently.

2. While beef cooks, combne water and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Pour mixture over beef, cook 1 to 2 minutes or until sauce is thickened and beef is cooked through. Garnish with sesame seeds, if desired.

4 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Nutritional info:
Cal: 234 (42% from fat)
Fat: 11g (sat 3.5g)
Pro: 25.4g
Carb: 6.7g
Fiber: 0.7g
Chol: 48mg
Iron: 2.3mg
Sod: 335mg
Calc: 47mg

Deep Dish Pizza Casserole

This is another easy and low calorie meal. I think the whole thing took me 30 minutes and that includes the baking time. It was yummy in my tummy and easy, which is good since I had a mishap at work yesterday and am sore today!

Deep-Dish Pizza Casserole recipe

Source: Cooking Light

1 pound ground round (I used turkey instead of beef)
1 (15 ounce) can chunky Italian-style tomato sauce
Cooking spray
1 (10 ounce) can refrigerated pizza crust dough
6 (1 ounce) slices part-skim mozzarella cheese, divided

Cook meat in a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned, stirring until it crumbles. Drain, if necessary, and return to skillet. Add tomato sauce, and cook until heated.

While meat cooks, coat a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish with cooking spray.

Unroll pizza crust dough, and press into bottom and halfway up sides of baking dish. Line bottom of pizza crust with 3 slices mozzarella cheese. Top with meat mixture. Bake, uncovered at 425 degrees F for 12 minutes.

Top with remaining 3 cheese slices, and bake 5 additional minutes or until crust is browned and cheese melts. Cool 5 minutes before serving.

Servings: 6 - 6 WW points per serving

Nutritional analysis per serving, per recipe: 277 calories; 7.7 g. fat; 1.6 g. fiber; 49 mg. cholesterol; 667 mg. sodium

Creamy Basil and Red Pepper Pasta

YUM! Seriously, this is probably the yummiest pasta dish I've made in a long time. Yes yes I know I havent really been cooking in a long time but still. It's good AND low calorie/fat. It was incredibly easy to make and would make a beautiful presentation if it's not scarfed down before you can plate it. ;)

Creamy Basil & Red Pepper Pasta

2 cups penne pasta, uncooked
4 oz. fat free cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup fat free milk
1 jar (7 oz.) roasted red peppers, well drained
1 tbsp fresh basil leaves
4 tsp 100% grated parmesan cheese
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into bite-sized pieces

Cook pasta as directed on package.
Meanwhile, place cream cheese, milk, red peppers, basil and Parmesan cheese in blender container; cover. Blend until smooth; set aside.
Spray large skillet with cooking spray.
Add chicken; cook on medium-high heat 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Stir in cream cheese mixture.
Reduce heat to medium; cook 5 minutes or until heated through, stirring frequently.
Drain pasta. Add to chicken mixture in pan; stir gently until well blended

Number of Servings: 4

Nutritional Info

Fat: 2.7g
Carbohydrates: 32.3g
Calories:295.9
Protein: 35.9g