German Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake

Ingredients:

1 package (8 ounces) cream cheese softened

1/3 cup sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 1/2 ounces German sweet chocolate, melted

In a small mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add egg; beat low speed just until combined. Stir in vanilla. Transfer 1/3 cup to another bowl; stir in melted chocolate until well blended.

Spread remaining cream cheese mixture into a 7-inch pie plate coated with nonstick cooking spray. Top with chocolate mixture; cut through batter with a knife to swirl. Place pan on a baking sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until center is almost set. Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes. Carefully run a knife around edge of pan to loosen. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving. Refrigerate leftovers.

Yield: 4 servings

Preparation: 10 minutes

Bake: 25 minutes + chilling

Cherry Chocolate Chunk Cookies

These rich, fudgy cookies are chewy and studded with tangy dried cherries.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, softened

6 tablespoons sugar

2 tablespoons beaten egg

4 teaspoons 2% milk

1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons baking cocoa

1/8 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chunks

1/4 dried cherries

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, milk and vanilla. Combine the flour, cocoa, baking soda and salt; add to creamed mixture and mix well. Stir in chocolate and cherries.

Drop by rounded tablespoonfuls 2 in a part onto baking sheets lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350 degrees for 12-14 minutes or until firm. Cool for 1 minute before removing to a wire rack. Yield: 10 cookies

Tilapia with Grapefruit Salsa

Ingredients:

1/3 cup unsweetened grapefruit juice

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1 garlic clove, minced

1/4 teaspoon grated grapefruit peel

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon pepper

Dash to 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper

2 tilapia fillets (6 ounces each)

1/2 cup canned black beans, rinsed and drained

1/3 cup chopped pink grapefruit sections

1/4 cup chopped red onion

1 tablespoon minced fresh cilantro

1 to 2 teaspoons chopped jalapeno pepper

2 teaspoons butter

Tip: Top broiled fish with a slice of grapefruit instead of lemon

For marinade, in a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients.Set aside 1 tablespoon. Place tilapia in a large resealable plastic bag; add remaining marinade. Seal bag and turn to coat. refrigerate for 1 hour.

For the salsa, in a small bowl, combine the beans, grapefruit sections, onion, cilantro, jalapeno and reserved marinade. Cover and refrigerate until serving.

Drain and discard marinade. In a skillet over medium heat, cook tilapia in butter for 4-5 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Serve with Salsa. Yield: 2 servings

Preparation: 25 minutes         Cook: 10 minutes

Chicken Spaghetti Bake

Ingredients:

3 ounces uncooked spaghetti

1/3 cup chopped green pepper

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon butter

1 cup cubed cooked chicken breast

1 can (8 ounces) tomato sauce

1/3 cup condensed cream of mushroom soup, undiluted

1/4 cup chopped fresh mushrooms

2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon hot pepper sauce

1/8 teaspoon pepper

2 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a small skillet, sauce the green pepper, onion and garlic in butter until tender. In a large bowl, combine the green pepper mixture, chicken, tomato sauce, soup, mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and pepper.

Drain spaghetti; stir into chicken mixture. Transfer to a 1 qt. baking dish coated with nonstick cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until heated through. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Yield: 2 servings

Preparation: 15 minutes           Bake: 20 minutes

High-Octane Pancakes

Ingredients:

1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon all -purpose flour

1/4 cup quick-cooking oats

3 tablespoons toasted wheat germ

2 teaspoons sugar

1-1/4 teaspoons baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup fat-free milk

1/4 cup fat-free plain yogurt

1 tablespoon canola oil

In a small bowl, combine the first six ingredients. In another bowl, combine the milk, yogurt and oil. Stir into dry ingredients just moistened.

Pour batter by 1/3 cups onto a hot nonstick griddle coated with nonstick cooking spray. Turn when bubbles from on top of pancake; cook until second side is golden brown. Yield: 4 pancakes

Preparation Time: 20 minutes

Banana Nut Muffins

Ingredients:

1/4 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup sugar

1 egg

3/4 mashed ripe banana

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 cup chopped walnuts

In a small mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar. Beat in the egg, banana and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon; add to creamed mixture just until moistened. Fold in walnuts.

Coat muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray or use papaer liners; fill two-thirds full with batter. Bake at 350 degrees for 23-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. Yields: 6 muffins

Preparation : 15 minutes        Bake: 25 minutes