Try some of her favorite recipes.
CREAMY FRUIT WHIP
2 8-oz packages fat free cream cheese
1 tub sugar-free pink lemonade mix (enough to make 2 quarts lemonade)
1 8-oz container frozen lite whipped topping, thawed
1 cup crushed strawberries Beat cream cheese and lemonade in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy and smooth. Gently fold in whipped topping, then strawberries, mixing until combined. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours or until slightly firm. Stir twice during chilling.
Serves 10 ½-cup servings. Calories, 103, total fat 3g, sodium 395 mg, carbs 12 g, dietary fiber 1 g, sugars 6 g, protein 7 g.
Adapted from “Diabetes Meals on $7 a Day or Less: How to Plan Healthy Menus without Breaking the Bank.” American Diabetes Association, 1999.
ROSEMARY-KISSED ORANGE THUMBPRINT COOKIES TUSCANO
1 cup all-purpose flour
½ cup cornstarch
1 tsp. snipped fresh rosemary
¼ tsp. salt
¾ cup butter, softened
1/3 cup powdered sugar
Few drops almond extract
¼ cup orange marmalade Powdered sugar
1. In a small bowl, stir together flour, cornstarch, rosemary and salt; set aside. In medium mixing bowl, beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed 30 seconds. Add 1/3 cup powdered sugar and almond extract and beat until combined. Add flour mixture and beat until combined. Wrap and chill dough 1 hour or until easy to handle.
2. Preheat oven to 325°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Shape dough into twenty-four 1¼ - inch balls. Arrange 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. Use thumb to make indentations in each cookie. Spoon about ½ tsp. marmalade into center of each.
3. Bake 14 minutes or until edges are lightly golden. Cool 1 minute on cookie sheets. Remove and cool completely on wire racks. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar to serve.
Makes 24 cookies.
SPANAKOPITA FAMILY SIZE
3 Tablespoons olive oil
1 pound fresh spinach
½ bunch scallions, sliced 2 Tablespoons parsley
¼ teaspoon salt
⅛ teaspoon pepper
¼ cup feta cheese, crumbled
1 egg, lightly beaten
½ cup butter, melted
½ pound filo pastry sheets
1. Heat one tablespoon of the olive oil in a large sauté pan. Add half of the spinach and sauté until spinach wilts. Toss spinach using tongs, about two minutes.
2. Repeat with remaining spinach, using one more tablespoon of olive oil.
3. Pour off any remaining liquid from pan and add remaining olive oil. Add scallions and sauté. Add the spinach to the scallions, along with parsley, salt and pepper. Cook over low heat for two minutes.
4. Stir in the feta and beaten egg to moisten the cooled spinach mixture. Stir quickly to avoid cooking egg too fast.
5. Preheat oven to 350o F. Brush a baking sheet with some of the melted butter.
6. Unroll the filo dough on a flat surface and keep it covered with a clean towel. Using a sharp knife, cut the filo into 3x11-inch strips and re-cover with a towel.
7. Use a pastry brush to brush a strip of filo with melted butter.
8. Place a small spoonful of spinach filling 1 inch from the end of a pastry sheet. Fold the end over the filling to form a triangle, and then continue to fold up the strip in triangles, like folding a flag. Repeat with the remaining filo sheets and filling. Brush the triangles lightly with butter, and bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden and crisp. Serve hot or warm.