Everybody makes 3 Bean Salad, right? Well, I am proposing that we step it up a bit and add a fourth ingredient.

1.One can of beans-I use pinto beans, but others use kidney or black beans

2.One can of green beans-I use the French cut and yes, I use canned

3. One can of well rinsed garbonzo beans-These add a real texture and crunch if you lightly toast them in the oven for about 5 minutes.

4. My last ingredient? You know that I love corn, especially in the summer. Add a little can of kernel corn, scrape two cobs of fresh corn, or if you love corn too, add a bigger can.

I dress this with Newman’s Own Raspberry Walnut Vinaigrette Dressing. This is yummy and I take it everywhere in the summer!

Yes, Pooh likes honey with his muffins, but also, how about making those muffins with pancake mix? I used Krusteaz but I bet you could also use Bisquick or any other pancake mix as far as that goes. Give it a try!

Pancake Muffins

1. 2 cups pancake mix-As I said, I used Krusteaz, but I think any pancake mix will do, but watch the envelope mixes like Martha White because they do not equal 2 cups.
2. 2 Tablespoons sugar-I used 4 but I like things pretty sweet
3. 1 large egg
4. 1 cup milk-I use 2%
5. 1/4 cup melted butter or marg.

Combine all ingredients and pour into greased muffin pan or use paper muffin cups. Bake at 400 for about 15 min. Enjoy with butter and jam!

One of my favorite things about summer is zucchini. Yes, those big long green things are among my favorite veg. They can be used in salads, stuffed, made into breads, and pureed into any vegetable smoothie. One of my favorites is this easy recipe for Zucchini Casserole that I found a long time ago in an old cookbook. I love to share it, so here goes!

Zucchini Casserole

1. 1 1/4 cups cracker crumbs-I like to use RITZ, but any kind will do.
2. 1/4 cp. melted marg. Do not use vegetable oil!
3. About 2 large zukes or 3 small. You need about 2 1/2 cups grated
4. 1 cup very sharp shredded cheddar cheese-add a bit more if you like a cheesy flavor
5. 1 beaten egg
6. A little finely chopped red onion (Optional)
7. A couple of dashes of garlic powder or salt

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Combine cracker crumbs and butter but save out a bit of the crumbs for topping,. Stir together the remaining ingredients and combine all. Pour mixture into an 8 inch square baking pan and sprinkle with remaining cracker crumbs. Bake at 350 for one hour and 10 minutes or so. Tap the center to check for doneness. ENJOY, and use up your zucchini while you are at it!!

Two Is Better Than One!

This is just an idea and it worked for me. I make chicken pot pie although not with cauliflower crust, but with lots of veggies and my QUORN vegetarian chicken pieces. So today I was making a big veggie salad for lunch, and it dawned on me that I was cutting way too many vegetables. So, why not make two dishes while I was at it.

1. thin sliced carrots
2. broccoli
3. cauliflower potatoes are optional BTW
4. snow peas
5. green onion sliced thinly
6. spinach
7. corn
8. yellow squash out of my garden

As I chopped away I simply kept on chopping as I did each item. At the end of it all I had ingredients for not only my salad (I added romaine lettuce, of course) but all of the chopped veg I needed for pot pie. I steamed the pie veg and layered that with low sodium cream of broccoli soup and added a bit of parm. cheese. If you are a vegetarian and you use soy products or whey based products, add some c’ken and I like to top with a crust that I make out of Bisquick. You may prefer some type or biscuit dough or pop biscuits too. I like Pillsbury Grand myself. This is a quick healthy dish and sooo good.

Why not let your veggies do Double Duty?

How about a healthy pick up and eat snack that is easy to make? Try these out of a very old cookbook and forever yummy!

Raggedy Robins

1. 1 cup sugar
2. 1/2 stick softened butter
3. 1 Tblspn. cocoa
4. 1/4 cup milk
5. 1/2 cp. peanut butter
6. 1 1/2 cups oatmeal

Mix the first four ingredients and bring to a low boil. Boil for 1 minute on medium heat. After boiling, add peanut butter and oatmeal. Mix well and place by rounded spoonful on waxed paper. Cool and serve to happy kids!

This is so easy I am almost ashamed to share!

Baked Corn (Corn Pudding if you are from the South)

2 cups corn kernels-you can shave off a cob or used canned or frozen

1 Tblsp flour 2 shakes of salt

3 Tblsp sugar 3/4 cp. milk (Skim milk is ok but not the best)

2 beaten eggs 1/4 cup butter or marg

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl and pour into your blender. Blend for just a couple of pulses. Bake at 375 for about 45 minutes or until set in the middle. I like to use a glass pan and I grease it with marg. I have used metal and ceramic and glass is the best. Cut out and serve in squares. This is a super side dish with ham BTW.

I can’t tell you how many jokes I have heard about what to do if you are given lemons. You can make lemonade, a lemon pie, sole veronique and on and on. So, what do you if life gives you limes?? Well, how about making Key Lime Pie but the modified Weight Watchers version? I know real key lime pie is creamy and calorie filled, but this one is neither one of those things and it is the perfect summer easy dessert.

Super Easy Key Lime Pie (Sort of)

1. Large box of lime jello (Use the sugar free)
2. Key lime or lime yogurt (Use 2 of the small Walmart yogurts or yoplay yogurts)
3. Pie crust or graham cracker crust-I like pie crust better and I always use the Marie Callendar already made, but any ready made brand will do.
4. 1/4 or a bit more boiling water
5. Cool Whip topping-I use the 25 calorie kind, but if you usse the extra creamy it is a little more “hold together”
6. If you want a stronger flavor, add a squirt of lime juice before you put it in the fridge.

Disolve the jello well in the boiling water. Really be sure it is disolved so your pie is not grainy. Stir in the yogurt and whipped topping. Pour into the pie shell and put in the fridge for at least 2 hours. I serve this with a scoop of cool whip or a squirt of whipped cream. MMM boy!

PS-You can do exactly the same thing with lemon or strawberry!

These brownies are actually made with cookie dough! Can we say “crownie?”

I was at a Birthday Party yesterday and had a yummy brownie looking thing that did not taste a thing like a brownie. I tracked down the maker, which I always do if I have something different, and here is the super easy recipe. Actually this is not really even a recipe, it is just how to make it.

Press a roll of chocolate chip cookie dough into a greased baking dish. Press Oreo cookies into the dough lightly. I arranged mine in ordered rows, but you do not need to do that. My new best friend said to just put them in and don’t crumble them up. On top of this make up and pour out your fav packaged brownie mix and cook as the box directs.

No kidding, these were dy/no/mite and gone in a heartbeat. Boy, you never know who has a super idea. Always ask!!

It seems like you can always find apples in the produce section and I mean really good apples too. I know we have talked about healthy apples before, but I would like to add just a couple of more really easy recipes including one for your air fryer.

Easy Baked Apples

I don’t know how you can get any easier than this. Cut off the top of the apple just a little less than one third down from the stem and core it apple with an actual core tool. (It looks like a potato peeler sort of and you push it down into the apple) If you don’t have this kitchen tool, simply remove down as far as you can into the center of the apple with a pointed knife and remove the center and seeds. Pour whatever you like down into the center. I use a bit of butter and brown sugar and some crushed walnuts. I sprinkle the top with cinnamon or nutmeg if you prefer. Bake at 350 until the apple is soft and scoop out with a spoon. This is good with a spoon of Cool-Whip or vanilla ice cream. (PS Spray some PAM Butter Flavor into a pie tin and place the apples in bottom down. Cover for the first 15 minutes then uncover.)

Air Fryer Apples (Yes, really)

Cut an apple in half and gently clean out the seeds and hard center. Cut out as much as you can (about half) of the flesh and cut it into small pieces. Mix it with your favorite granola and a bit of melted butter. Bake in the air fryer in an oven proof small dish at 350 for about 12 minutes or until soft. Do not peel the apple. Try mixing up the granola you use. My favorite is called Tropical Trail Mix and it has nuts, coconut flakes, and bits of dried fruits. Add a scoop of vanilla frozen yogurt and say yummy to a low cal treat.