Skinny Black Bean and Corn Quesadilla

prep time: 20 minutes
cook time: 15 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
Serving  size: 1 Quesadilla

Ingredients:
15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen yellow corn
1/2 cup reduced-fat Mexican cheese, shredded
1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped and divided
1 cup tomato salsa, divided
4-9" La Tortilla Factory Smart & Delicious Low Carb, High Fiver Tortillas
1 ripe avocado, diced
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

*Optional toppings
jalapenos
lime wedges
tomatoes, diced

Instructions:

1. Combine beans, corn, cheese, 1/4 cup cilantro, and 1/4 cup salsa in bowl
2. Place tortillas on a large baking sheet or platter
3. Spread filling on half of each tortilla (a little more than 1/3 cup on each).
4. Fold tortillas in half, pressing to flatten
5. Add oil to large frying pan and brown tortillas on medium-low heat until cheese is melted, flipping once, about 3-4 minutes on each side.
6. Or grill on T-fal OptiGrill o the sandwich setting
7. Repeat until all tortillas are golden brown and cheese is melted
8. Slice in halves and top with remaining fresh salsa, cilantro, avocado, and any other toppings of your choice.

I

Chili Hotdog Casserole

Ingredients:
2 (15 oz) cans chili with beans
1 package Hot Dogs
1 Package Tortillas
1 (8 oz) package Cheddar cheese, shredded
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Spray all sides of 9x13 inch baking dish with Pam. Roll up franks inside tortillas with a piece of slice cheese and place in baking dish, seam side down, Pour the 2 cans of chili on top of the hot dog tortilla rollups and sprinkle with cheese.  Cover baking dish with aluminum foil, and bake at 425 degrees for 30 minutes.

Sugar Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen

Ingredients:

For the cookies:
6 cups flour, divided
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups light sour cream

For the frosting:
1 cup butter, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
6 tablespoons heavy cream
Sprinkles

Directions:
For the cookies:
In a medium bowl, whisk 5 cups of flour, baking soda, and baking powder; set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer with the flat beater attached, cream the butter and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time beating until each is incorporated. Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat at low speed until combined.
Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed. Dough needs to obtain the right consistency for rolling, so add additional flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until this is achieved (up to 1 cup more flour). Divide dough into two sections. Flatten into rectangles about 1 1/2 inches thick, then wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray, set aside.
Generously flour a work area and rolling pin. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 7-8 minutes, until pale golden. Immediately transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool.

For the frosting:
To make the frosting, in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and vanilla. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar. Once smooth and creamy, add in heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time until the desired spreading consistency is achieved.
Once cookies have cooled completely, frost and add sprinkles. Allow frosting to set, then store in an air-tight container. Let cookies sit overnight before serving to allow the flavors to develop.

Mini Frittatas with Ham and Cheese

From cookinglight.com

1/2 cup finely chopped onion

2/3 cup chopped reduced-fat ham (about 2 ounces)

1/3 cup (about 1 1/2 ounces) shredded reduced-fat extra-sharp cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

4 large egg whites

1 large egg

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add onion; saute 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add ham; saute 3 minutes. Remove from heat; cool 5 minutes. Combine remaining ingredients in a large bowl; stir with a whisk. Add ham mixture, stirring with a whisk. Spoon mixture into 24 miniature muffin cups coated with cooking spray. Bake at for 20 minutes or until set.

Gnocchi

About 2 pounds of Russet or Yukon gold potatoes

1 egg, lightly beaten

3/4 to 1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Bake potatoes for at least an hour, or until they can easily be pierced with a knife.

Remove the potatoes from the oven, and using a knife, carefully split them in half. Allow them to cool slightly, then gently remove the skin, and scrape out any remaining potato. If you have a potato mill or a meat grinder, run the potatoes through so you end up with smooth mashed potatoes. Alternatively, you can use a fork to fluff your potatoes until there are no lumps.

Let your potatoes cool enough to work with, and then pile them in a mound on a cutting board or in a large bowl. Drizzle the egg over the top of the potatoes, and add in 3/4 cup of the flour and the salt. Using your fingers or a bench scraper, combine the ingredients to form a soft dough. If the dough is too sticky, continue to add in more flour, a little at a time. Continue to knead the dough until your dough becomes smooth. The dough should be moist, but not sticky.

Cut the dough into 4 equal pieces. Taking one piece at a time, roll it into a long roll. Use a knife to cut the roll into 1/2 inch pieces. Dust with a little bit of flour.

To shape the gnocchi, place a piece of gnocchi against the backside of a fork. Use your thumb to gently press down on the gnocchi, and it should curl into a slight "c" shape. Set each gnocchi aside until you are ready to boil them. Shaping gnocchi takes a little practice, but after a few tries you'll get the hand of it.

To cook your gnocchi, bring water to a boil. Drop your gnocchi in, and cook until the gnocchi floats. Drain, and serve with your favorite sauce.

*Freezer friendly tip* Flash freeze the gnocchi on a baking sheet, then place in a Ziploc bag. Cook straight from the freezer as directed above.