SOPAPILLA CHEESECAKE

Ingredients:
2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, softened
2 (8 oz) packages refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 C sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract or almond extract
1/2 C margarine or butter, melted
1/2 C cinnamon sugar (combine about 1/2 cup sugar with 1 T cinnamon)

Directions:
Using a 9x13 baking pan, unroll one package of refrigerated crescent rolls and line the bottom of the pan and flatten. In separate bowl, mix together the cream cheese, sugar, and extract. Spread over the crescent rolls. Unroll the other can of crescent rolls and place on top of cream cheese mixture. Pour melted butter or margarine over the top and sprinkle with about 1/2 cup of the cinnamon sugar mixture. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

Recipe came from LPM Blog, posted by Beth Moore's daughter, Amanda. So yummy - and almost NO calories! *Ü*

PAULA DEEN'S CORNY CORN BREAD

Ingredients:
1 C self-rising cornmeal
3/4 C self-rising flour
1/2 C vegetable oil (plus 1/4 C for skillet)
8 oz. can cream-style corn
2 eggs
1 C sour cream
1 C grated sharp cheddar cheese
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375. Mix all ingredients together. Pour into a heated cast-iron skillet that has been well greased with oil. (I heat the 1/4 C oil in the skillet in the oven while it is preheating.) Bake until golden brown, approximately 30 minutes.

Recipe found in The Lady & Sons Savannah Country Cookbook. Not your traditional "southern" cornbread, but it is very tasty!

HOT ITALIAN SAUSAGE SOUP

Ingredients (my variations in italics):
1 lb. bulk hot Italian sausage
1 can (14.5 oz.) Italian stewed tomatoes (used 2 cans)
1 can (8 oz.) tomato sauce (I forgot to use this!)
1 cup frozen Italian vegetables (used 2 bags)
3/4 cup julienned green, sweet red and/or yellow pepper (chopped green)
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup white wine or chicken broth (used 3 cans chicken broth)
1 tsp brown sugar
1 tsp minced fresh parsley (didn't have)
1/2 tsp Italian seasoning (used 1.5 tsp.)
1/8 tsp salt (to taste)
1/8 tsp pepper (to taste)
Also added garlic pepper salt and white pepper to taste

Directions:
In large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 10 minutes or until the vegetables are tender. Drain sausage; add to soup and heat through.

Recipe found in Simple & Delicious (Nov/Dec 2007) magazine.

BLACK BEAN & CORN SALSA

Ingredients:
1 can yellow and white corn, drained
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 can diced tomatoes, drained (or can of Rotel)
Red onion, chopped (amount to taste)
Cilantro, chopped (amount to taste)
Jalapeño Peppers, chopped (amount to taste; can omit if using Rotel)
Salt & Pepper (amount to taste)
1 tsp. Cumin
2 T lime juice

Directions:
Mix together all ingredients. Serve with Tortilla Scoops or Frito Scoops.

FRUIT ICED TEA

In saucepan, boil 6 cups of water with 6 tea bags (I used 4 Lipton tea bags and 2 Bigelow Orange Spice tea bags). Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let cool.

At the same time in another saucepan, boil together 6 cups of water, 2 cups sugar (may want to use less sugar if using combo juice mentioned below), 1 cinnamon stick and 1 teaspoon whole cloves. Bring to a boil, remove from heat and let cool.

While the two mixtures above are cooling, mix together 18 oz. unsweetened pineapple juice (I used sweetened, couldn't find unsweet), 1 large can frozen orange juice (I used orange/pineapple/apple juice), and 3 OJ cans of water.

Combine all three mixtures together. Serve over ice. Makes slightly more than one gallon.

The original recipe came from my mother-in-law and I tweaked it to make it my own. So yummy!

PAULA DEEN'S COLD NIGHT SOUP

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chuck
1 onion, chopped
2 19-oz cans hearty vegetable soup
1 15-oz can lima beans
1 14.5-oz can diced tomatoes
1 11-oz can whole kernel corn
1 10-oz can diced tomatoes with green chiles

Directions:
In a large skillet, combine ground chuck and onion; cook over medium heat until beef is browned and crumbles. Drain well. In a 6-quart electric slow cooker, combine beef mixture and remaining ingredients. Cover and cook on high for 4 hours.

My variation (I made a HUGE stock pot of this so I used a lot of ingredients).

Ingredients:
3.5 to 4 pounds ground chuck
1 onion
3 cans Progresso vegetable soup
1 can Progresso southwest vegetable soup
2 cans lima beans
2 cans diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel
2 cans yellow & white corn
1 can white beans

This recipe was featured in January/February 2008 Cooking With Paula Deen magazine. Amy Davis insisted that I try it and it certainly is a keeper!

WEIGHT WATCHER'S 0 POINT TORTILLA SOUP

Ingredients:
1 C onions, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
3 green onions, chopped
2 (12 oz.) cans diced tomatoes
4 C low-fat chicken broth
1/3 C salsa
1/2 red pepper, chopped
1/2 green pepper, chopped
3-4 celery ribs, chopped
1/3 C fresh cilantro
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp basil
4 T fat free sour cream
4 T flour, to thicken

Directions:
Simmer onions, garlic and green onions in a pan until tender. Put all ingredients in a pot, simmer until all veggies are tender.

Note: you can add chicken but divide the points by 9 servings.