Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

 Ingredients

1 cup granulated sugar

4 ounces butter, softened
1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. First, cream the butter and sugar. Then, beat in the mashed bananas, eggs, and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients and fold in chocolate chips. If making a loaf, spray loaf pan with cooking spray. If making muffins, line muffin pan with cupcake liners. For loaf, baking about 1 hour or until done in the middle. For muffins, bake for 20-30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

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Baked Mozzarella Sticks

 Ingredients

12 reduced fat mozzarella string cheese (cut in half)

2 tbsp flour

1 egg

5 tbsp Italian bread crumbs

5 tbsp Panko bread crumbs

2 tsp grated Parmesan cheese

1 tbsp dried parsley

olive oil spray

Freeze sting cheese.

Preheat oven to 400. Whisk egg in one bowl, in another bowl place flour. In a third bowl, combine bread crumbs, Parmesan, and parsley. When cheese is frozen, remove from freezer. Dip cheese in flour, then egg, then breadcrumbs. Place on baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. After all cheese is breaded, lightly spray the tops with olive oil spray. Bake for 4-5 minutes on bottom rack. Turn cheese over and bake additional 4-5 minutes, watching carefully.

Recipe from Skinny Taste

2points+ for two sticks

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Cream Cheese Sausage Balls

1 lb hot sausage, uncooked

8 oz cream cheese, softened

1 1/4 cups Bisquick

4 oz cheddar cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 400.

Mix all ingredients until well combined using dough hook attachment on your mixer. Roll into 1 inch balls. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until brown.

Sausage balls may be frozen uncooked. If baking frozen, add additional baking time.

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Fruit Salsa with Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

 This is SOOO delicious! Definitely worth trying!

Fruit Salsa

 2 kiwis, peeled and diced
3 types of apples (I used Granny Smith, Red Delicious, and Pink Lady) - peeled, cored and diced
8 ounces raspberries

1 carton of blackberries
1 (16 oz) carton of strawberries, diced
2 tablespoons white sugar (more or less to taste)
1 tablespoon brown sugar (more or less to taste)
3 tablespoons fruit preserves, any flavor (I used strawberry)

Directions

In a large bowl, thoroughly mix kiwis, apples, raspberries, strawberries, white sugar, brown sugar and fruit preserves. Cover and chill in the refrigerator at least 15 minutes. 

Cinnamon Sugar Pita Chips

(Tip: If your grocery store sells Stacy's Cinnamon Sugar Pita chips, just buy those! Mine doesn't, so I made my own! :) They were good, though!)

Ingredients

Plain Pita Chips

Cinnamon (to taste)

Sugar (to taste)

1 tbsp melted butter

Directions

Heat oven to 350. Place chips in a single layer on baking sheet. Drizzle with melted butter. Sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 5-7 minutes. Let cool before serving.

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Creamy Grape Salad

 Ingredients

1 lb green seedless grapes, washed and dried well
1 lb red seedless grapes, washed and dried well
8 oz fat free Plain or Greek yogurt
4 oz light cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Topping
2 tbsp brown sugar, packed
1/2 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)

Directions

Mix yogurt, cream cheese, sugar and vanilla until blended well. Stir grapes into mixture, and pour in large serving dish.

Combine brown sugar and crushed walnuts. Sprinkle over top of grapes to cover completely. Chill until ready to serve.

8 servings, 1/8th is serving size and has 4 WW points! It's so yummy!

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Homemade Chex Mix

Every fall, I look forward to making this delicious snack! You must try it!

Ingredients
6 cups Corn Chex cereal

3 cups Cheerios Cereal

1-2 cups pretzel sticks
Mixed Nuts (Optional)- I used pecans.

6 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

1 1/2 teaspoons Seasoned Salt

3/4 teaspoons Garlic Powder

1/2 teaspoon Onion Powder

Directions
Heat oven to 250°F. In large bowl, mix cereals, nuts, pretzels; set aside. In ungreased large roasting pan, melt butter in oven. Stir in seasonings. Gradually stir in cereal mixture until evenly coated. Bake 1 hour, stirring every 15 minutes. Spread on paper towels to cool, about 15 minutes. Store in airtight container.

This is the yummiest snack ever! I think I need to make a second batch because it's addictive!

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Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups raw whole pumpkin seeds
2 teaspoons butter, melted
1 pinch salt

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees. Rinse seeds.
2. Toss seeds in a bowl with the melted butter and salt. Spread the seeds in a single layer on a baking sheet and bake for about 45 minutes or until golden brown; stir occasionally.

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Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter, softened

1 cup white sugar

2 eggs

1/2 cup peanut butter

2-3 mashed ripe bananas

2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Cream together softened butter and sugar in bowl. Add eggs, beat well. Stir in peanut butter, bananas, flour, baking soda until blended. Pour into muffin tins. Bake for 20-30 minutes or until done.

Yum!

You can also make this in a loaf and bake for about an hour.

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Cupcake Pebbles Treats

I was so excited when my blog friend, Shannon, posted about this cereal and these cute little treats. The cereal is yummy as cereal, but these treats are delicious!

You will need:

1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter or margarine
1 package (10-1/2 oz.) miniature marshmallows
1 package (11 oz.) POST CUPCAKE PEBBLES®
1 can (16 oz.) ready-to-spread frosting

Microwave butter in 4-quart microwavable bowl on high 45 seconds or until melted. Add marshmallows; mix to coat. Microwave 1-1/2 minutes or until marshmallows are completely melted, stirring after 45 seconds. Add cereal; mix well.

Press cereal mixture firmly into lightly greased muffin pans to form "cupcakes," using about 1/3 cup for each. Cool; remove from pans.

Spread with frosting before serving. Decorate as desired. Makes about 2 dozen.

I made these for Easter, so I put these cute little cupcake toppers on them.

You should definitely try these. I think they are better than Rice Krispy treats!

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Baked Hush Puppies

1 box Jiffy Corn Muffin Mix or 2 cups self rising cornmeal mix
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup low fat milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion

1. Combine cornmeal mix and red pepper in a larger bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture.
2. Combine eggs and next 3 ingredients in a large bowl. Add egg mixture to cornmeal mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.3. Spoon about 1 tablespoon batter into miniature muffin pans coated with cooking spray.
4. Bake at 425 for 13 minutes or until golden. Remove from pans and serve immediately.

Makes about 3 dozen

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Marshmallow Fruit Salad

My father-in-law always makes this on every holiday. It's so yummy and a great low fat snack or dessert!

You will need:

Plain Yogurt or Sour Cream (Nonfat or light)

1 bag of mini marshmallows
1 can of fruit cocktail
1 can of Mandarin oranges

Notes:
You can use whatever kind of fruit you prefer! I love Mandarin oranges, so I use a big can of them!
I also use two sweet-n-lows to make it sweeter.

Mix together and serve!

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Pizza Crackers

These are so delicious and simple! These will be perfect for a party or just for a snack.

You will need:
Ritz crackers
Pepperoni (I always use Turkey Pepperoni)
Cheese of Your Choice (I used Pepperjack this time and it was great. Of course, Cheddar is perfect, too!)

Here are the extremely easy directions:
Place cracker on plate. Layer cheese and pepperonis on top. Heat in microwave for about 30 seconds. Enjoy!

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Snack Crackers

These are so yummy! Perfect for a party!
You will need:
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 (1-ounce) envelope Ranch dressing mix
1 (10-ounce) package oyster crackers
1/2 (10-ounce) package bite-size Cheddar cheese crackers (2 cups)

1. Whisk together oil and dressing mix in large bowl.

2. Add crackers, tossing to coat.

3. Spread mixture in a single layer on a lightly greased baking sheet.

4. Bake at 350 for 15 minutes, stirring after 7 minutes.

5. Let cool in a single layer on wax paper. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Enjoy!!!

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