Fruity Oatmeal Cookies

Yield 36 cookies

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp VE Baking Powder
1 tsp VE Sea Salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed
2 large eggs
1 tsp VE Pure Vanilla
3 cups oats (not instant)
1 1/2 cups VE Cherries & Berries

1. Preheat oven to 350°.
2. Whisk together first 4 ingredients; set aside.
3. Cream together unsalted butter sugar, brown sugar, eggs, vanilla
4. Stir flour mixture into creamed mixture just until no flour is visible.
5. Now add the oats and VE Cherries and Berries stirring just enough to mix everything together.
6. Drop cookies about 2-inches apart onto lightly greased baking sheet.
7. Bake 11-13 minutes (on center rack), until golden, but still moist beneath cracks on top.
8. Remove from oven; let cookies cool for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.

Lemon Tuscan Chicken

3-4 chicken breasts (boneless, skinless)
VE Sea Salt, to taste
VE Pepper, to taste
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 small onions, finely sliced
1/2 cup bell peppers, sliced
2 tsp VE Tuscan Rub
1 Tbsp flour
1 cup chicken stock
juice of 1/2 a lemon
2 Tbsp honey

1. Cut chicken into large pieces. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Heat a large frying pan and add Olive oil. Cook chicken until no longer pink. Remove from heat and set aside, covering to keep warm.
3. Sauté onions and bell peppers until soft, then add VE Tuscan Rub and flour. Continue to cook for 1 minute.
4. Add chicken stock, lemon juice, honey and cooked chicken. Simmer uncovered for 8-10 minutes. Serve with rice.

Sausage & Pasta

5 Italian Sausages (casing removed and broken up)
1 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 cup Red Wine
2-3 Tbsp VE Margherita Sauce Mix
4 cups Stewed Tomatoes
1 1/2 cup Chicken stock
Pasta (use your favorite)
Parmesan Cheese
Fresh Parsley

1. Remove sausage casings. Break meat into pieces and cook in hot saucepan, with oil, until no longer pink. Drain.
2. Stir wine, VE Margherita Sauce Mix , chicken stock and tomatoes together with the meat in the pot.
3. Allow to simmer on low heat for about 20 minutes, sauce will thicken as it cooks.
4. Pour over pasta and top with grated Parmesan cheese. Garnish with fresh parsley

Tortilla Soup

14 1/2 oz Chicken Broth
14 1/2 oz Beef Broth
1 med onion -- chopped
1 cup prepared VE Poco Picante Salsa
1/2 tsp ground cumin
2 Tbsp vegetable oil
4 corn tortillas -- cut in 1/8" strips
4 oz Monterey Jack cheese

1. Combine chicken broth, beef broth, onion, salsa, and cumin in a large pot.
2. Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low and cover. Allow to simmer for 20 minutes.
3. While broth is simmering prepare tortilla strips. Heat oil over medium heat in a medium frying pan. Add Tortilla strips and cook until lightly browned - cooking about 2 to 3 minutes per side; drain on paper towels.
4. To serve: Portion soup into bowls and top with tortilla strips then cheese. Serve immediately.

Marinated Oriental Steak

Serves 4

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce
3 Tbsp sherry vinegar
2 Tbsp brown sugar
1 - 2 Tbsp VE Oriental Stir-fry Seasoning
VE Pepper, to taste
4 – 3 oz sirloin steaks

1.Combine first 5 ingredients in plastic zip lok bag. Add steaks and allow to at least 2 hours or overnight.
2. Broil or barbecue until cooked. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Quick Oriental Rice Noodles

Rice Noodles
1 Tbsp Sesame Oil
1-2 tsp VE Oriental Stir-fry Seasoning (may add more)

1. Cook rice noodles as per instructions on package.
2. Add sesame oil and Oriental Stir-fry Seasoning. Toss to coat noodles.
3. Serve with your favorite Asian meal.

Chimichangas

For those on Weight Watchers each chimichanga is only 3 Points!

8 ounces ground lean turkey or beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 cup prepared VE Poco Picante Salsa, divided
1 tsp VE Chili Seasoning
8 (6-inch) flour tortillas
1/4 cup no-fat sour cream

1. Preheat oven to 475 F.
2. In a large skillet brown meat and onion. Stir in garlic, 1/2 cup VE Salsa, and VE Chili Seasoning. Lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Spoon 1/4 cup meat mixture into center of each tortilla. Roll and place seam side down on a 9-by-13-inch baking dish that has been sprayed with oil.
4. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until golden brown.
5. To serve chimichangas - top each with 2 tablespoons salsa and 1 tablespoon sour cream.

Turkey Tortilla Pinwheels

Makes 18

2-10" spinach tortillas
1/4 cup light cream cheese
1 Tbsp VE Savoury Cranberry Seasoning
6 thin slices lean turkey breast (deli meat)
2 Tbsp Cranberry Sauce
2 large lettuce leaves

1. Spread each tortilla with cream cheese.
2. Sprinkle VE Savory Cranberry Stuffing Seasoning on cream cheese.
3. Cover with turkey slices and then top with a thin layer of VE Cranberry Sauce.
4. Add pieces of lettuce leaves.
5. Roll up tightly and wrap with plastic wrap. Store in fridge for up to 8 hours.
6. Slice each roll into pinwheels before serving.

Crockpot Mexican Stew

5 servings

2 Tbsp VE 3 Onion Dip Mix
1 tsp VE Minced Garlic
3 cups cooked chicken, diced or shredded
2-3 Tbsp VE Taco Seasoning Mix
2 (14 1/2 ounce) cans ready-cut diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans or kidney beans, drained
1 (8 3/4 ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chilies, drained
1 cup chicken broth
1 1/2 tsp cornstarch

1. Add all ingredients to crockpot. Stir to mix.
2. Cook 4-6 hours on high or 8-10 on low.

Chicken Tortilla Soup

2 skinless, boneless chicken breasts
1/2 tsp olive oil
1/2 tsp VE Minced Garlic
1/4 tsp ground cumin
2 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 cup frozen corn kernels
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 tsp VE Chili Seasoning
1 Tbsp lemon juice
1 cup VE Poco Picante Salsa, prepared
8 ounces corn tortilla chips
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (optional)
Sour Cream (optional)

1. Place a large pot over medium heat. Add olive oil and chicken and cook for about 5 minutes.
2. Add VE Minced garlic, cumin, broth, corn, onion, VE Chili Seasoning, lemon juice and VE Poco Picante Salsa. Reduce heat to low and allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
3. Just before serving, break tortilla chips into smaller pieces and place on bottom of soup bowls. Pour soup over chips then top with Monterey Jack cheese and a little sour cream.

Spicy Roasted Mixed Nuts

Yields 4 cups

2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp vegetable oil
1 Tsbp VE Madras Curry
2 tsp coarsely ground VE Chili Garlic Sea Salt
1 tsp VE Cinnamon
1/8 tsp VE Harissa
1 cup each of pecan and walnut halves, whole almonds and cashews

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In small frying pan at first 6 ingredients. When butter is melted pour over nuts. Stir well to coat.
3. Pour into a baking sheet with sides or a small roaster.
4. Bake for 30 minutes. Stir every 10 minutes during cooking time.
5. Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container. Keeps well about a week.