List of Favorite Healthy Exchanges Recipes

Newsletters:  January 2002 - June 2002
   


January 2002 newsletter

Momma's Chicken and Dumplings, p. 6
    (very good)
    (I did fix [this].  Both of us enjoyed this dish and it is very quick and easy :-)
    (good)
    (Do you cover the pot after you add the dumplings? . . .
     First drop your dumpling dough onto the hot chicken mixture in your skillet. 
     Lower heat and let simmer for 10 minutes (uncovered).  
     Then cover and cook covered another 10 minutes. 
     My husband really liked this recipe and it is fast (assuming cooked chicken on hand).)
    (I also made [this].  YUM YUM YUM I never made dumplings before.  How easy was that!? 
     Very thick and creamy recipe that was.  Tummy pleasing.  A make again for sure.)
    (I fixed [this] last night and they were great, my husband even complimented them!  Very 
     filling.) 
    (I made this last night and cannot believe how good this is.  A must try.)
    (This is one of our favorite meals.  Not only does it taste good, but it smells wonderful 
     while cooking.  Once I left it cooking too long and the dumplings were like mashed 
     potatoes and the sauce cooked down to a paste.  It was a disaster.  Thank goodness I had 
     made it before and knew how good it really was.  If it had been my first attempt, I would 
     have pitched the recipe in the trash.)
    (It is so easy to make and so good.  I may add a bit of water to the stew as it does cook 
     into a thick sauce . . . too easy to eat the whole thing!!)
    (We loved this recipe also.) 
    (I also made [this].  Actually, this is the second time I have made it.  It is so easy to 
     make and tastes so good.) 
    (After I read your post, I had an overwhelming urge for [this].  I love that recipe too.)

Chocolate Buried Treasure Treats, p. 12
    (very good)

We had a WONDERFUL dinner.  I made the  

 
Grandma's Meatloaf Deluxe, p. 11 
 
"Eat Your Veggies" Hash Brown Bake, p. 11    Yahoo Access
and the 
 
Anniversary Chocolate Cream Pie, p. 11    Yahoo Access
    (The pie is definitely a make again. . . .  This pie is better than the chocolate 
     pie we got from the gourmet pie shoppe a few months ago.  I know it is less in fat 
     and calories and sugar as a bonus.) 
    (I made for dinner last night.  It is excellent.)
    (MY VERSION:
     I used the same amounts of ingredients but omitted the coconut extract and coconut. 
     I was in the mood for something of the "Black Forest" variety.
     In the first pudding mixture I used the water and brought it to a boil and added 1 pkg. 
     of Jell-O sugar free cherry JELLO. Let that cool and add dry milk and mix this mixture 
     with 1 box pudding.  (I had a bad experience mixing the dry milk with other dry 
     ingredients and then adding liquid . . . lumpy.  So now I mix the water/liquid with 
     the dry milk then add the other dry ingredients...just my preference) 
     The next pudding layer . . . milk and water, added the pudding and well heck I just 
     added all the Cool Whip and put this mixture on the pie.  Then topped with walnuts 
     (I had pecans) and mini chips.
     I used a graham cracker crust as I have not gotten used to the choc. crust yet and 
     hey I had this one at home already. 
     It was really good and the 2 layers were different colors.  It would really be good 
     for Valentine's Day.  You could change it up and NOT add all the Cool Whip to the 
     second layer so you could have all the topping on the last layer making a prettier 
     background for the nuts and chips.  Hey and you could tint coconut red if you decided 
     to use it and add to top.  Would be pretty!)
    (This was fantastic!  Charlie said that, for having instant pudding in it, it was pretty 
     good!  He tried it even with nuts and coconut!  (What a gem he is!)  A friend who tried
     it couldn't believe it was healthy.  Well, looking at it, you see chocolate chips, nuts, 
     and coconut!)
    ([This] is WONDERFUL!!  I have made that one many times and have served it to company and 
     taken to dinners.  Everyone loved it and couldn't believe it was lowfat/low sugar.  Try 
     it, you won't be disappointed!)
    (If you love pie and want an absolutely delicious one, try [this].  This is so satisfying 
     to the chocolate lover in me and just takes such a short time to fix.  Enjoy a treat 
     without guilt.)
It is not my anniversary but I raised my water jug to Joanna and thought what [a] 
restaurant type meal at home.  I loved the meal and so did my husband. . . . I am still 
full and it is 4 and 1/2 hours since we ate.  
    (The meatloaf and Hash brown bake were even more yummy reheated for lunch.)
    (I am going to have the 'Hash Brown' bake with lunch today.  We enjoyed this dish 
     and the pie was so good and rich.) 

Chicken and Peas Normandy Skillet, p. 12
    (For all who are interested in making [this], JoAnna inadvertently forgot to list 
     the 1/4 t. dried minced garlic in the list of ingredients, even though 
     garlic is mentioned in the instructions.  I thought the recipe sounded real good 
     so I decided to e-mail her with this question.  She said the amount was 1/4 teaspoon, 
     however you can add more if desired.  Sounds good to me.)
    (Well let me tell ya what I fixed for dinner yesterday, . . . I fixed [this].  I made 
     a few adjustments . . . first I used the leftover turkey I had instead of chicken, 
     then instead of two cups of frozen peas I added 1 cup of peas and 1 cup of frozen 
     carrot slices and lastly I added a can of mushrooms.  It was wonderful!  I had it over 
     a baked potato and it was very filling and satisfying.  Besides that it made a really 
     pretty dish . . . the potato all fluffed and split open with turkey and veggies falling 
     over it's sides!  The veggies you could use in this dish are endless.  I wanted to use 
     something other than the peas so I could have the potato or pasta and not use a lot of 
     bread exchanges.  Tonight I'm having it with penne.)
    (I also tried [this] a few nights ago and that too is a definite keeper.)
    (What's YOUR favorite chicken recipe????? . . . 
     [This] is great, too.)
Something Different Casserole, p. 1
    (very good . . . I especially liked this one.)
    (We had this for dinner tonight, and we enjoyed it very much!  Pickle relish in mashed 
     potatoes did seem kind of unusual, to say the least!  But it was very good.  Next time
     I will spice it up by adding some tabasco to the meat mixture.  We had carrots and pickled 
     beets with it.  I was quite full by the time I finished dinner!)
    (We had this for lunch today.  It went together quick and easy.  I fixed it and my girls 
     fixed salads.  Made a nice Sunday lunch, although my kids didn't care for it.  I really
     liked it, pickle relish and all.  I will do it again, but when the children aren't around.) 
    (I also made [this -- a keeper]  Yum!) 
    ([one] of my family's favorites)

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Easy Fruit Bars, p. 9
    (Well let me tell you . . . those Easy Fruit Bars . . . are just that!  Plus they are quick, 
     rich and satisfying.  They went together in a flash, I should have baked mine a little 
     longer but I couldn't wait any longer.  My kitchen hasn't smelled that good since probably 
     the last tenants lived here!  It smelled just like there were cookies in the oven.  I had 
     black cherry spreadable fruit, [The chocolate and cherry together was just decadent!] next 
     time I want to use apricot.  This is a keeper with a capital "K"!)
    (I tried [these] and they are delicious.  I didn't have an 8x8 pan so used my 9x9 and still 
     cut them into 16 pieces. Made it look like larger pieces, only thinner . . . . These are a 5.)
    (I made these last night with the apricot spread.  I only had the 5 minute oats but it turned 
     out ok anyway.  I love oatmeal but don't have time to prepare in the AM.  I love the toasted 
     nuts and oats of this bar.  Had for breakfast this morning with orange creme yogurt.)
    (Well I couldn't wait.  I had mine this afternoon after my batch cooled.  They are good.  I 
     used the cherry this time but will make again with the apricot.  You are probably right using 
     the '5 minute' oats as the recipe called for 'quick'.  I used 'old-fashioned' and had no 
     problem either.)
    (Quick and easy. . . . turned out really good.  I used the apricot spreadable fruit.  Yummy!!!)
    (Also made [these].  That was a huge hit for our house.)
    (I loved [these] also but amazingly my son didn't care for them.  Yahoo!  I can keep a snack 
     around the place.)
    (Isn't it funny when each recipe you try you think now this is my favorite one . . . so many 
     favorites.  I made [these] with black cherry.  Yum with the chocolate.) 
    (I made [these] with apricot, my DH had his with "lite" ice cream. [a keeper] Yum!)
    (I used apricot filling and it was delicious.)
    (These froze great!  One night I took one out of the freezer and nuked it for a few minutes . . . 
     seconds really just enough to thaw it and then broke it up in a dish of cherry light yogurt . . . 
     Oh boy was that a treat!  The crunchy of the bars and the smooth yogurt were great together.)
    (I made [these] with Smuckers fat free, sugar free jam.  Worked real well with the chocolate 
     chips!)
    (I made [these].  Yummy!  Love them.)
    (I really liked these.  I used blueberry.  Strange with chocolate chips, but I forgot it had 
     those in it when I decided on the blueberry.  I served these for the Pooh Party and called 
     them "Pooh Berry Bars".  The kids wanted seconds, so I would say they were a hit.  Charlie
     didn't care for them.)
    (Yesterday on the way home I treated myself to a cup of flavored coffee at 7-11.  Do you know 
     they had the nerve to have all their donuts priced at 2 for $1??!!  Now that just wasn't nice. 
     I cruised around the donut case, salivating, fingers flexing, scoping out the ones with the 
     most glaze on them . . . . suddenly I was struck with a vision of those donuts plastered onto 
     my backside!  I grasped my flavored coffee, walked confidently past the donut case (okay I 
     did turn around and raspberry them, but I only did it when I thought no one was looking) and 
     headed home and had a serving of Easy Fruit Bars with my Cherry Cordial Coffee!  No 
     donut ever tasted as good as those yummy fruit bars!  I luxuriated in the taste of the fruit 
     bar and sipped my coffee (even poured it into a china cup with a saucer to make it more of a 
     treat), put my feet up for a few minutes and savored my victory over the donut escapade. 
     The Easy Fruit Bar won't ever make it to my backside, what a victory!!!  Sweets that don't 
     attach themselves to your body parts!!  Thank you JoAnna!) 
    (I tried something that turned out yummy.  I went a little bit easy on the nuts and added a 
     tablespoon or so of coconut to the crumble topping . . . very tasty!)
    (Well, I finally got around to baking [these], and they are very good.  You gals were right 
     on that one!  My daughter picked the apricot spreadable fruit (I would have preferred the 
     raspberry, but I told her to pick!), but they are really good.) 
    (I've made these many times and they are always great.  I usually use raspberry fruit spread.)
    (I've made these before and they are so good . . . .)
    (They are yummy, I need to make those again!)
    (They are very good.  I've made them with and without the mini chocolate chips . . . yummy 
     either way.  I've also sprinkled coconut on top; that's good, too.) 
    (I was making Easy Fruit Bars for Bible study last night.  I make them frequently, as 
     they are so easy and so good.  Anyway, in a senior moment, I forgot to add the chocolate chips 
     and nuts to the batter, realizing this after the batter was pressed into the pan.  So, I added 
     them to the spreadable fruit spread, mixing it all up before spreading it on the batter.  They 
     were the best ones I've made yet, and it made the batter easier to work with (I always found 
     it difficult to get it evenly pressed onto the pan).  That's the way I'll be making them from 
     now on.)
    (I'd forgotten about those.  They are delicious.  I'll be sure to try your new twist next time 
     I make them.)
    (I just took a batch of these out of the oven.  They smell SOOOOOOO good.  I made them the way 
     you said (mixing the nuts and chocolate in with the spreadable fruit).  I also added about 2 
     tablespoons of shredded coconut just because I thought it would look and taste great.)

Chocolate Chip-Walnut Crumb Cake, p. 8
    (I was looking at [this] on the opposite page [from the Easy Fruit Bars], and decided to 
     pop that in the oven at the same time.  That is really good too.  It is really quick and easy 
     to put together, too.  The only problem with these recipes (other than the fact that I am 
     dropping crumbs in the keyboard as I type this) is that I'm afraid the family won't leave them 
     alone for me to take for my snack at work this week!)

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Layered Cherry Rice Dessert, p. 8
    (I did make [this] for church dinner yesterday.  It went over real well.  Altho next time I 
     will use a little smaller pan, probably 9x9" and cut into smaller pieces.) 

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Sarah's Seven Layer Casserole, p. 4
    (turned out really good)
    (This was very good.  On the bottom end of keepers for us, but a keeper nonetheless.  It takes 
     some time in the oven, but assembling without cooking hamburger or rice is nice.)

He-Man Main Dish Casserole, p. 1
    (Tonight for supper I made [this].  This was very good and my husband liked it as he is a 
     meat and potatoes man.)
    (I fixed this for supper last night and it was very good!!!!!!!  Thanks JoAnna!!!!!!)
    (. . . DS asked for seconds.)
Heartland Slaw, p. 11
    (Also made [this].  It also was a winner.)
Hearty Meat and Potato Casserole, p. 1
    (I made [this] a few nights ago, and my hubby who doesn't like tomatoes even enjoyed it!) 
Ultra Quick Meatballs, p. 4
    (I also made [this].  Very good.  It makes 36 so I have some frozen for another spaghetti 
     night.)

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Special Spinach Salad, p. 9
    (I loved this!!!  I fixed half the recipe for one serving and then had to immediately make 
     a second serving to have!  I love that Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing!  The spinach-almond 
     combination *did* make it feel special.)
    (I was at a salad luncheon last week and ate a salad similar to this one, except they used 
     fresh sliced strawberries and pecans with the spinach and raspberry dressing.  It was 
     delicious.  You could add other fruit such as pineapple, blueberries, mandarine oranges, 
     etc.  The combinations are endless.  Hope you enjoy this recipe.)

Caribbean Pork Stew, p. 7
    (It's an equally good one [to the Pork & Sweet Potato Casserole, Potful of Recipes, p. 256] 
     using the combination of sweet potatoes, tomato, and pork.  If you haven't tried it, please 
     do!  It's wonderful.  And, since I've made it more than once, and was craving it, it's 
     definitely a favorite!) 
    (This stuff is absolutely wonderful.  It's the second time I've made it.  JoAnna, thank you! 
     This is a combination I never would have come up with.)
    (one of my favorite crockpot meals)
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Scrambled Eggs Creole, p. 9


February 2002 newsletter

Spinach Feta Pie, p. 4
    (Boy is this one good!!!!)
    (OK, I'll take pity on those of you who don't have your 2/02 newsletter yet - here's the BEST 
     one!)
    (Oh it is good!  I made this Sunday and finished up the last of it tonight.  I will make this 
     one again.)
    (Had this for dinner tonight and the whole family loved it.  My 10 year old DS gobbled down 2 
     pieces in record time!  I must say I wasn't sure if the spinach would go well with the kids, 
     but he loved it!!!) 
    (I tried [this] and it is wonderful.  I used some fat free tomato/basil feta in it when I 
     fixed it.)
    (This might come in handy for a brunch or lunch.)
Coconut Cherry Crisp, p. 8
    (I made [this].  This was very good and I will make it again.)
    (I made these last night and my husband and I both liked them.)
    (delicious)
    (This is good and easy.  It baked in harmony with the Oven Baked Turkey Hash, [Kids, p. 184].  
     I'll make again, probably soon.)
    (This is great!  Charlie liked it too (even with coconut).  It felt just like eating regular 
     cherry crisp and a good size serving.  I just wish I could find canned sugar free pie filling, 
     so it would be less work than making my own!)
    (I just wanted to say that I made [this], and it smells heavenly.  The coconut is toasted and 
     looks really yummy. (May not be able to wait til supper for a sample!!)  The house smells of 
     cherry and coconut.)
    (Mmmm . . . we had a wonderful lunch today.  I made Creamy Italian Baked Chicken Breasts from 
     Strong Bones, p. 178, and it instantly became my new favorite recipe.  Not only is it delicious, 
     it is so simple to make.  It took me 5 minutes to get it in the baking pan.  I served it with 
     baked potatoes and a salad.  It would be very good with rice also.  For dessert I made [this].  
     It is also very simple to make, and I highly recommend trying it.  All in all, lunch rated a 10.)
    (I like [this] also.  It is also quick to put together (uses Lucky Leaf also).) 
Chocolate Pistachio Poke Cake, p. 8
    (Made [this] for husbands 50th birthday.  Very good.  Everybody loved it.)
    ([This] was half gone [when] we left the dinner early Sunday from church.  Then we had out of 
     state friends in and finished off the rest of it.  So I would say it was a winner.  We sure 
     liked it.)
Olive Pimiento Bread, p. 7
    (Oh, I baked [this] in my old machine, . . . and it is good.  We had it with soup for supper 
     last night. . . . really good)
    (Excellent!  This will definitely be made over and over at our house.  Great smell; even better 
     to eat.)
Cheesy Potato Corn Chowder, p. 1
    (really good . . . DH loved the potato soup.)
California Chicken Pizza, p. 6
    (It is a keeper!  Very easy to make.  The only thing I didn't care for is that the crust 
     was a bit moist - though that is probably from the tomatoes!  My DH loved it and is taking 
     the extras for lunch!)
Single Serve "Pound" Cakes, p. 9
    (I made [these] and they were good.)
    (I love a day off of work when there is plenty of food in the house to work with!  There were 
     fresh strawberries so I made [this], spread it with a T. of ricotta, added strawberries and 
     then a T. of Cool Whip.  A great breakfast!)
Green Lima Bean Bake, p. 6
    (I love baby limas.  DH liked these and as he is not that enthusiastic over limas like 
     myself, I will fix this recipe again.  There is another, Lima Bean Bake (Cancer Recovery, 
     pg 152) which is similar and I probably like as well, but uses 3 cans of limas and bakes 
     for an hour, both less appealing to me.  I believe I did use frozen limas last time I fixed 
     that one.)

Cookies and Cream Dessert, p. 12
    (I fixed [this] a couple of days ago and really enjoyed it.  It's not one of her real "zingers", 
     as my husband puts it, but it's good and satisfies the sweet tooth. 
     The chocolate graham crackers were good but I was thinking about using the same calorie count 
     worth of the dark chocolate thins for a bit more chocolate flavor.  Only problem is, I don't 
     have any on hand and I don't know if calorie for calorie you'd get enough of the chocolate 
     thins to be worth it.  However, that dessert is only about 120 calories per serving anyway, 
     so one might be able to substitute by weight without doing too much caloric damage. . . .
     Nabisco puts out a 9 ounce package of "Famous Chocolate Wafers" that are a thin, round crisp 
     cookie, about the color of the chocolate part of an Oreo.  The flavor is more intensely 
     chocolate than the chocolate graham cracker but not quite as intense as the Oreo.  If I 
     understand the nutritional information correctly, you could use 10 of the chocolate wafers 
     in place of the 9 chocolate graham crackers for the same amount of calories and the net 
     weight would also be about equal. . . .
     These cookies are my favorite.  I take two of these with a half cup of Healthy Choice ice 
     cream for a delicious Ice cream sandwich.)

Linda's Micro Lasagna, p. 4     Yahoo Access
    (We loved this!  No question that this is a keeper.  Takes a little longer than some, but 
     faster than doing lasagna in the oven.  Very easy.)
Lover's Swiss Steak, p. 11 
    (This was very good.  Good flavor, beyond bland.)
    (I tried [this].  Yum Yum!  I forgot how good swiss steak is.  My mom used to make it 
     growing up but haven't had since then.  It was easy to fix.  I doubled the recipe for 
     my family of three.)
Scrumptious Mashed Potatoes, p. 11 
    (Excellent.  I'll be making these again.  Charlie really liked them too.  How fast and simple 
     and I like the small amount that I could make even just for me.  Needed just a little salt.)

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Fluffy Pink Cloud Salad, p. 9
    (I made [this], and it is very good.  It has a nice pink color that reminds me of Spring.  
     Instead of using it as a salad, I think I will make it my dessert tonight.)

Creamy Skillet Burgers, p. 12
    (I have been using JoAnna's recipes for quite awhile now but never had her spices so 
     substituted store brand, Watkins, etc.  I got some of her seasonings recently and 
     have been using them in some dishes I made before with substitutions.  Last night I 
     made [these], and I had made it before using another brand of hamburger seasoning, 
     and it was good, but when I made it last night using Jo's Loose Meat Seasoning, it 
     was GREAT!  Even my picky 13 year old asked for seconds and my hubby wanted a couple 
     last night for a snack.  
     I have also noticed a big difference in dishes using Jo's Apple Pie Spice instead of 
     the store brand as well.  Finally, the Bubble Pizza from the HELP book, 
     p. 256, was much better using Jo's Pizza Seasoning as opposed to the kind I used before. 
     I used the Lemon Herb Pepper Seasoning on vegetables and it was awesome.  I am planning 
     on ordering the other spices as well since they really do make a difference!!!) 
Country Style Ham & Potato Chowder, p. 1
    (*****  This was awesome.  We loved this one!)

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Peach Pudding Coffee Cake, p. 9
    (I never got around to trying it until last weekend.  If you've never made it, you might 
     like to give it a try . . . it's really delicious.  I used slightly less Splenda than 
     called for . . . only 3/8 cup in each mixture--about 3/4 cup altogether.  But that would 
     depend on personal preference.  And, I'm not going to think of it as Coffee Cake ONLY--it 
     turns out to be like upside-down-cake.  The juice that's thickened and poured (hot) over 
     the batter, makes a clear "glaze" over the top after it's baked.  Very pretty--looks like 
     something Mom might have made.  It's great with a "cuppa" something, BUT I think I'd also 
     like to serve it as a dessert . . . at only ll9 calories for 1/6 of the cake . . . you 
     could even have a dip of fat-free, sugar-free ice cream! . . . Someone said they added a 
     few blueberries, which would be wonderful!  Or, I was thinking of using a few raspberries 
     with the peaches next time, and a touch of food coloring to make the glaze pink!  Or for 
     that matter, maybe use canned apricots, or pineapple, or pears, or . . . tons of possibilities 
     I'm thinking, although some fruits would change the total carbs, if someone is needing to 
     watch that carefully.  It's yummy-good!  Again, thanks JoAnna!)
    (This morning I decided to make a coffe cake for my husband who is home recovering from surgery. 
     He dearly loves sweet stuff. (not supposed to have any - Doctor's orders, but).  I took my 
     newsletters and searched through them and came across [this].  Oh, my oh my, what a treat. 
     It was so easy to make, and so good and sweet, I couldn't believe it.  My husband ate 3 
     servings, my grandson 2, and I had 1.  Good thing too, because I could have eaten all 6 
     servings myself.  :o)
    (The only thing I did different is to add more Splenda to the peaches.  My husband really 
     likes things sweet.  Hope you enjoy it as much as we did.)
    (And 6 pieces instead of the usual 8?  YIPPEE!!  Big pieces - gotta love that!  LOL  And only 
     2 WW points per piece!!!  Oh yeah, oh yeah . . .)
    (I finally got around to making this one.  I added a handful of blueberries to the peaches 
     just for an added little punch.  I made the cake in a springform pan instead of the 8x8 pan - 
     just like the look of it better.  The pieces came out very thin (probably my pan was bigger) 
     but very tasty.  I had this tonight when the guys all had this very rich, gooey, calorie-laden 
     chocolate cake that one of my kids made for his dad for Fathers Day.  You know what?  It 
     actually didn't bother me a bit, because I had something, too.  Might sneak back later for 
     another piece with my tea later tonight, too.  :o)
    (This recipe is great.  It went together so easy and my husband was really impressed.  It 
     looked good and tasted good!  I put a little Cool Whip Free on top. . . . This is one that 
     I would even serve to company.)
    (I made this today and I really liked it!  Hope you do too!!)
Chocolate-Banana Special, p. 9
    (My DS was wanting a Starbuck's Mocha Frappuccino at the same time that I found [this].  We 
     both enjoyed it. . . . It doesn't have any coffee in it, but next time I make it, I might
     throw in a teaspoon of instant coffee powder.)


March 2002 newsletter

Classic Chippers, p. 4
    (Well, I am just so excited!  My 8 year old son who is Mr. Picky eater . . . won't touch 
     anything that looks, smells, or has a texture different than what he is used to, asked
     me to make choc. chip cookies today.  So, I decided to take a little time and have a nice 
     mother/son moment and said okay.  I decided to make [this version].  (Both of my kids are 
     on the chunkier side, so I try whenever possible to encourage healthy eating with out being 
     extreme.)  So, I got everything out, when I saw there was applesauce in them, I figured 
     that was the end of it, but he mixed them all up, without one "yuck" anywhere to be heard. 
     Got them out of the oven, they both ran to the kitchen to try them out!  Success!!!  Both 
     thought they were very tasty and gobbled up 3 a piece!!  Thank you JoAnna!  It is quite a 
     step for my family. . . .  Now if I could just get them to try a main dish!  Small steps, 
     right?)
    (We really enjoyed these cookies and didn't even notice that they were low in fat with 
     applesauce!)

 
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 Dew Pudding Treats, p. 12
    ([This] is wonderful!  I never would have expected that the combination of pistachio pudding 
     and Diet Mountain Dew would be so great together.  I didn't have the individual graham cracker 
     crusts so I made it into a pie and added an additional banana to make the pie look more full. 
     Give this one a try!)

 
Cabbage-Beef Crescent Bake, p. 6
    (Here is a good one from the March newsletter.  It reminded me of Hamburger gravy over biscuits.  
     Was very good.) 
    (I made it also and the crescent rolls didn't bake through in the middle. . . .  If I ever make 
     it again, I would bake the crescent rolls for 5 or 10 minutes before I put the topping on.)
    (I didn't have that problem with the crescent rolls.  They baked up real nice and crusty.)
    (I think I will follow [the] suggestion to pre-cook the rolls before adding the topping.  I know 
     other recipes have used that technique.)
 
Broccoli and Rice Bake, p. 6
    (Have you tried [this] one?  [It] is really good too.)
    (I loved this.  The sour cream gave it just enough extra to put it over the top.)
 
Denver Brunch Casserole, p. 9
    (Made [this].  Excellent.  Would be a great dish for guests.)
 
Broccoli Cheddar Soup, p. 9
    (I tried it and it's a definite keeper.) 
    (This one is great!)
    (This recipe is wonderful.)
    (Friday night I fixed [this] 2 serving broccoli cheese soup . . . this was great also.)
    (Yum!  This was for me and great!  I had it on a cold, snowy evening and it hit the spot.  I 
     wouldn't change a thing!  Like Cliff, Charlie wouldn't want broccoli, so I made it on a night 
     he was working.)
    (*****  We had had this earlier in the year.  We loved it then and we love it now!) 
 
Shirley's Tasty Snack, p. 5    Yahoo Access
    (I loved this!  It had crunchy, creamy, salty, sweet all in one!  So simple and only one carb. 
     I've been making this over and over.) 
 
Tuna Lenten Casserole, p. 12
    (I loved this.  The dill goes so well with tuna.  A great pot pie.  I can mix this up any time 
     without having to thaw meat ahead.  A keeper for me.)
 
Apple Upside-Down Cake, p. 8    Yahoo Access
    (I made [this].  This was very sweet and moist.)
 
Carols Yummy Dessert, p. 4
    (I use as a salad.)


April 2002 newsletter

Chicken Cacciatore Skillet, p. 12
    (Dennis & I had this for supper tonight, we loved it.  Another hit in the Deacey family.)
Cheesy Macaroni Divan, p. 4
    (We tried [this].  The only thing we changed was the pasta to wholewheat pasta.  We really 
     enjoyed the creamy taste of this.  JoAnna this is another hit in the Deacey family.  Thanks.)
Blonde Rocky Road Cheesecake, p. 1
    (Hi All:  Just a note to let you know NOT to pass up [this].  It is a real "stunner"!!!  I made 
     it without the crust and it was so rich and decadent, mere words cannot describe.  You will 
     never find a cheesecake this good in a restaurant or anywhere else.  It is the crem de la crem 
     of cheesecakes.  JoAnna's a genius extraordinaire!!!)

Scroll down after clicking on this link to see:
Orange Cream Dessert Squares, p. 11    Yahoo Access
    (These take a little time to make because they are made in stages, but at 2 points for 1/6 of 
     this pan, this stuff is totally worth it.  We had this for dessert tonight.)
    (It is delicious!  We tried it a week or so ago and it's another one that tastes like the old 
     fashioned Dreamsicle.  I loved it!) 
    (I enjoyed this, found it very light and refreshing (124 calories, 0 gm fat).)

Ham and Broccoli Casserole, p. 6
    ([Made this].  Thought it so good could have eaten all of it, but I restrained myself.)
Blueberry Orange Smoothie, p. 9
    (Yummy ***** (that's 5 stars) I've become adicted to smoothie's lately and this was great.  The 
     orange juice added just enough kick to make it a bit different than the one's I've been making.)
Ham Salad Pitas, p. 9
    (This makes a really nice lunch.  I guess that's why it's under "Brown Bagging It".)
    (These were very good and easy.  The ham added to an egg salad was very good.)
Mandarin Orange Quick Cake, p. 12    Yahoo Access
    (Definite 5 out of 5.  These were very easy to make, moist, full of fruit and best of all they 
     made 4 servings so we didn't have them around too long to get tired of them.)
    (This was GREAT!!  Will be making this often.  Really good when right out of the oven with a little 
     Cool Whip Free.)
    (This was great!  I was skeptical about the oranges in the cake.  It just made it taste so sweet. 
     The coconut toasted on top tasted like a sugary coating.)
    (I made this twice.  Once the way it was written and again today but used drained crushed pineapple 
     and pineapple extract in place of the mandarin oranges and coconut extract.  It ...... was ...... 
     fabulous!  Even better than the mandarin orange version!  Give it a try.)
Just Plain Good Cherry Cobbler, p. 8
    (This was good.  Easy too, since I finally found the canned Lucky Leaf filling.  Might not make it 
     often, but I bet I turn to it as a good, basic dessert.  High on carbs for me.)
    (Today, I made [this]!  WOW, it was good!  And best of all EASY!!!!!!!!!  I love easy!  lol  I 
     usually make a cherry dump cake for congregation picnics, block parties, and family picnics.  I 
     will probably continue to make the old standby for every one who isn't diabetic, dieting, ect.
     BUT, I am defiantely going to start making this one, too, for me, and the rest of the diabetic, 
     healthy folk!) 
Tex-Mex Corn and Bean Casserole, p. 6
    (This was excellent.  I loved the flavor of the combined cheese and salsa.  A great way to get in 
     my veggies and it made a great snack for me too.)
Taco Pasta, p. 6
    (I just wanted to say that we had [this] and it was outstanding!!!  I used the green olives, and 
     my husband loved it!  Will do this one again.)
    (This was excellent!)
    (This is so good!!!)
Chicken Spinach Bake, p. 11
    (I made [this].  EXCELLENT!  I will be making it again.)
Yorkshire Meat Pie, p. 7
    (***** Loved it!!! )

Scroll down (to the 2nd posting of this recipe; something left out of 1st posting) to see:
Spring Rhubarb Meringue Pie, p. 8
    (Ladies, I think I am in love!  I made [this] this evening, and it is now my new favorite, and rhubarb 
     isn't even my favorite fruit (or vegetable).  Not only did it taste good, but it was a pleasure to 
     look at.  The meringue was a mile high. . . . If you haven't tried it, please do.  I think you will
     be pleasantly surprised.  Did you get the idea that I really liked this pie?)

Rhubarb Swirl Salad, p. 11
    (I made [this] - anyway it is called a salad -- but I made it for a dessert and it is delicious.  It 
     has the rhubarb, strawberry SF jello, SF vanilla instant pudding, dry milk powder, and FF Cool Whip -- 
     I LOVE rhubarb and am happy to find a low cal. recipe.)
Doughnut Muffins, p. 9
    (These are good!  But a LOT better warm or fresh that day.  So if they manage to make it to the next 
     day, make sure you give them a zap in the microwave for a few seconds.)


May 2002 newsletter

Spaghetti Florentine Bake, p. 7
    (Last night I prepared [this].  This went over well as I knew it would in my household.  I have
     prepared Florentine Spaghetti Bake, Meatless Main Dishes Cookbooklet, p. 32, on Sarah's recommen-
     dation which is a bit different but good also.  This version doesn't have cottage cheese and the 
     sauce is prepared separately and then poured over the squares.  I used Tomato Sauce (seasoned) 
     rather than the tomato soup.  The extra sauce then served as a "dip" for my DS to use with the 
     focaccia I made to go with this dish.  Along with a simple salad, a good meatless meal.) 

Scroll down after clicking on this link to see:
Becky's Broccoli Salad, p. 4    Yahoo Access
    (When I received my May 2002 HE Newsletter last week, I noticed JoAnne had made over one 
     of her daughter's recipes [this], for HE.  [It] looked really appetizing.  Well I have to tell 
     you, my grand-daughter who is very, very picky eater, ate 1-1/2 cups of salad; Dennis & I and 
     my daughter's family in Niagara Falls, Canada, all loved this recipe.  JoAnna, you have made 
     another hit in the Deacey family.  Thanks JoAnna.)
    (excellent)
    (It was excellent.  I have never had anything like it.  I will be making it again.)
    (I, too, love that broccoli salad and so did my whole family!  My son took it to work and had 
     guys hovering over him, so when he can eat solid foods again I'm going to make him a nice big 
     bowl to share.)
    (My sister and her hubby were coming for dinner tonight, so I wanted something that I was pretty 
     sure would be a hit.  We had [this] which was FABULOUS.)
    (I know I mentioned earlier that [this] was a big hit with our grandaughter, who is a very picky 
     eater.  Well Dennis and I have fallen in love with this salad as well (we have made 3 salads so 
     far this month).  When JoAnna redid her daughter's salad, she created a five star salad.  I am
     not a raw vegetable eater, but I love this one.  Thanks JoAnna, you are terrific.)
    (I tried [this] tonight.  Didn't think my husband would like it but he did.  It is going on my 
     favorites list.  Thanks for the recommendation.)
    (We have made this every week since I received this May Newsletter.  We love it; our daughter 
     loves it; our grandchildren love it.  I could not find Hormel Bacon Bits this time, so we used 
     the simulated bacon bits.  It was delicious.) 
    (*****  I think we have had this at least once a month since May.) 
    (Everytime we have a family do (Sunday's Annual Father's Day BBQ), our grandaughter asks, "Nana, 
     can Papa make that broccoli salad again?"  She loved it.  Thanks, JoAnna, and of course, Becky.)
    (My husband's garden overfloweth with broccoli, broccoli, boccoli and more broccoli.  Any great 
     recipes you can suggest.  Especially if it uses a lot of broccoli. . . .  
     Have you tried [this]?  It's very good.  It's kind of a broccoli slaw.  My DH who is not a 
     broccoli lover liked it a lot.)

French Onion Rice Casserole, p. 6
    (I also made a good recipe from the May 2002 issue.  I made [this]; it is 5 WW points and very 
     simple and very good.  I used lean ground beef instead of ground turkey.)
    (This is a keeper!  We loved this!  After serving this to guests, there was only one serving left. 
     I didn't stand a chance at getting it before Charlie!)
Barbequed Pork Tenderloins, p. 5
    (Excellent.  The pork was so tender!)
    (Seriously yummy!  Those were the words out of my 10-year-old's mouth when he tasted [this] 
     at supper.  This is from the kid who doesn't like sauce or gravy on anything - spaghetti, mashed 
     potatoes, and only grudgingly eats the sauce on pizza.  His usual highest praise for most anything 
     I cook (except Cowboy Pot Pie, from Make a Joyful Table, p. 202, which he loves) is "It's 
     okay.")
Baked Lazy-Day Lasagna, p. 9
    (Dennis and I tried another new recipe for us from the May 2002 Newsletter, under Dinner 
     for Two -- [this]; who would have believed it would taste so much like lasagna, and it didn't 
     have the fattening meat.  Dennis and I both rated this 5 out 5.  It is a keeper.  Thanks, JoAnna, 
     another hit in the Deacey family.)
Macho Cabbage Taco Casserole, p. 6
    (Made this tonight.  Very tasty.  I did however, have to make a couple of changes.  I only had 
     regular mushroom soup; I use only regular cheese & then use half the stated amount; also I use 
     light sour cream.  JoAnna's recipe would be 5pts.  My changes figured out to 8pts.  But I am 
     satisfied with that.  I had green beans, & a roll with & felt very satisfied. . . .  One more 
     thing:  I was making this dish for myself.  We had "real" food this weekend & my plans were to 
     let hubby finish the higher fat things.  Well, he came in while this was in the oven & said 
     how good it smelled.  So I didn't have the heart to eat it & give him something else!  LOL!!  
     He said he would like it again also. . . .  Also, I have to share that I browned a # of ground 
     beef & froze the other half.  So I am 1 step ahead on the next dish.  I have never done that, 
     so decided to try & plan ahead more.) 
    (I got [this] made, I think on Friday. . . . It was good, like Mexican hash browns or something. 
     Both of the fellows enjoyed it.)
    (Then last night I cooked [this].  Really liked it too but then anything Tex/Mex I like.)
Roman Empire Spinach Salad, p. 11
    (I also served [this].  It was wonderful!  Tasted just like something I would be served in a 
     restaurant.  I used Caesar Italian Dressing and ate half the salad by myself.)
Creamy Key Lime Pie, p. 4
    (Oh my!  This is delicious.  And so easy.  I forgot to mix the milk powder with the water before 
     adding, therefore creating lumps.  But, delicious anyway.  Even my picky 8-yo said it was OK. 
     She loves lime yogurt.  The lime juice on the plate really gave this dessert that little extra 
     something.  I will be making this again soon.)
    (I was right.  [This] was delicious!  I have been looking for a healthy substitute for this pie 
     and here it is.)
    (Well my husband and daughter raved about this pie from the current newsletter!  It got 2 thumbs 
     up.  My husband loves key lime pie and he said this one was rich and had a wonderful flavor.  My 
     youngest daughter is not a pie person, but took a few bites of mine, and said it was good.  I 
     added alittle more lime juice to mine in the pie and did not drizzle any on the plate.  I must 
     say, JoAnna, this pie is a keeper, with most of your recipes!)
    (We loved this!  Reminded me of the lemonade or limeade pie I've had.  We didn't like the too tart 
     taste of the lime juice on the serving dishes.  The pie alone is for us!)
    (I made [this] for supper tonight.  This was very good, and I will make it again.)
    (I have made this pie also, and it is excellent.  A friend made it substituting lemon, and that 
     was great too.)
    (I made this with lemon juice and it was good also.)
Tropical Coffee Cake, p. 9
    ([It is] very good.  The coffeecake is very sweet.)
    (I really liked the flavors mixed throughout the cake.  Very sweet tasting and great flavors 
     together.)
Banana Split Ice Cream Salad, p. 6
    (very good)
Strawberry Heaven Dessert, p. 9    Yahoo Access
    (It's just that!  I thought maybe that would be too much coconut extract, but it wasn't.  It was
     just right.)
    (I made it yesterday for our company and it was FABULOUS!!  I couldn't believe it.  And for you WW
     followers, a big piece was only two points.  This will definitely go on my favorites list for sure.
     Give it a try guys - you'll be glad you did.  For the Canadians, I used one tub of the ultra low fat 
     cream cheese instead of the FF kind and it was still great.)
    (I did make this dessert and it's INCREDIBLE.  I even had to hide the last piece to make sure I'd get 
     it! )
Ham and Swiss Munch Snacks, p. 9
    (Good.  It's a great snack with one protein and one carb.  Charlie thought maybe a little much 
     mustard, but good.  Then later, he was really eating them up and I had to fight for some.)
Latin Spritzer, p. 11
    (I made this for a church party at our house.  I was across the room noticing a group of women 
     trying it.  They were all saying how good it was and refilling their cups right away!  I loved 
     it too.  Charlie liked it.  When he tried it, he kept waiting for the diet aftertaste, but didn't 
     find it!  I used diet Sprite because I *cannot* find diet ginger ale!  This was even good the next 
     day and didn't taste flat.  Granted, I put it in a sealed Tupperware pitcher!)
JO's Lemon Yogurt, p. 9, Quick Cooking Tip
    (This was so good.  Purchased lemon yogurt is often not lemon enough and so [much] yogurt taste. 
     This gave a good punch.)
Roman Holiday Cheesecake, p. 11
    (This was awesome!  I made it for that same, Italian themed, church party.  It doesn't matter what 
     they thought, but I just loved it!  And they did too.  One guy said he couldn't believe it was diet 
     food.  (I never said it was "diet" food!)  This may be my favorite recipe right now!  I had to make 
     sure I had the cream cheese and pudding mix the next time I went to the store.  You never know when 
     the craving might hit!  Probably often!)

Scroll down after clicking on this link to see:
Italian Noodle Casserole, p. 11    Yahoo Access
    (We used ground turkey breast meat; this was a fabulous casserole; Dennis and I rated 5 out 5.)

Banana Peach Ambrosia Pudding, p. 12
    (*****  Awesome, will have this again very, very soon.  It was pure ambrosia. . . .) 



June 2002 newsletter

Blueberry Walnut Coffee Cake, p. 9
    (Well JoAnna has another hit with this cake.  This was in the June newsletter, and I gave it a try 
     tonight.  I bet it will be even better tomorrow.  The only changes I made were I used pecans instead 
     of walnuts (always do that cause I don't like walnuts) and instead of 1 1/2 cups blueberries I used 
     1 cup frozen blueberries and 1/2 cup frozen cranberries.  I also sprinkled the top with a sugar/cinnamon 
     mixture.  Give this one a try.  It's very moist and tastes great.)
    (I made [this] this morning and it was really good.)
    (I also fixed [this] this morning for breakfast.  It was great.  I topped it with some icing for the girls 
     but had my plain.  I'll be making this again.)
Grande Biscuit Casserole, p. 11
    (For visiting relatives . . . also served [this] and it was outstanding.)
    (This was great!  I loved the seasoning and flavor.  Great combination.)
Salmon with Peas and Pasta Casserole, p. 6
    (Tonight I fixed [this] for dinner.  It was very good and an easy way to get in some fish.)
    (I am sorry to say the only recipe that I have tried from the June NL was [this].  We really liked it, 
     and since it made 6 servings, I had enough for two more meals.  It froze very well.  I admire all of 
     you that get in there and try so many recipes.  It is really great to get your reviews and comments.)
Summertime Chicken Salad Sandwiches, p. 9
    (I tried [this] in the brown bag section.  It was really good.  I'm going to have it again for lunch 
     today.)
Jumbo Cheesy Biscuits, p. 4    Yahoo Access
    (So Gooooood!!!!)
    (These are so good.  I'm going to add some garlic powder next time.  They are a keeper.)
    (I totally agree.  I think next time I will add a bit of salt.  When I made them, I ended up with 11 
     big biscuits instead of 8.  To get 8 they must be huuuuuuge.  LOL  Can't wait until I make them 
     again.)
    (These were great for me.  Charlie didn't like them as well as the last biscuits we had (from "Hearth"). 
     I liked these better.  I would like them with a little garlic powder.)
Raspberry Coconut Crumb Pie, p. 4
    (Yum!  Raspberries are so expensive, so I thought I wouldn't do this one again.  The more I ate, 
     the more I knew there will be special occasions that I will want to pull it out for.)
Layered Spinach Fiesta Salad, p. 11
    (***** We love it!  Actually more than 5 stars.)
Coney Island Boardwalk Casserole, p. 4
    (Just today I had [this] because it was on the list.  My daughters wrapped it in tortillas, added 
     cheese and loved it.  I had mine plain with steamed broccoli.  It made a really good meal.)
    (I loved [this]!!  Plan to make that one again!!) 
    (This casserole was really good, a keeper.  My kids rolled it up in a tortilla and devoured them.  
     Hope y'all enjoy.)
    (I agree with you, this is a keeper.  We loved it, and will make it again and again.  Don't you 
     just love those newsletters!!)
Mo's Magic Muffins, p. 5
    (These were very good, and I had made the original verson many times since I got them from the same 
     cookbook group JoAnna mentioned; will make again.)
    (It was so thrilling to see JoAnna had perfected an already pretty good little muffin.  And it is 
     still delicious!  I too would like to thank everyone for sending in the tried recipe reviews.  I 
     love them!
         Mo  ...of the Magic Muffins...)
Scalloped Tomatoes and Cabbage, p. 6
    (Has anyone tried [this]?  If you like cabbage it is very tasty.  I will make it again.  Thanks Joanna 
     for something different.)
    (We thought it was very tasty.)