Before you get started, a hand mixer is used to cream the butter and sugar, then you can stir the rest ingredients by hand.

3/4 cup all - purpose flour (about 31/3 ounces)
1 cup regular oats
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried strawberries
1/3 cup premium white chocolate chips

Cooking spray:
1. preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lightly spoon flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. Combine flour, oats, baking soda, and salt; stir with a whisk. Place sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer (or hand mixer); beat at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add vanilla and egg; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating until blended. Add strawberries and chips; beat at low speed just until blended.

3. Drop dough by tablespoonful 2 inches apart onto baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Baked at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove from oven; cool on pan 1 minute. Remove cookies from pan; cool completely on wire racks.

Salsa:
2 cups minced pineapple
1 cup minced apple
1/4 cup minced shallots
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt

Tacos:
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 cup thinly sliced yellow onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, cut lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
1/2 cup fat - free, less sodium chicken broth
1 table spoon cider vinegar
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
12 cherry tomatoes, quartered
2 chipotle chiles, canned in adobo sauce, chopped(about 2 tablespoons)
12 (6 - inch) corn tortillas, warmed

1. To prepare salsa, combine the first 7 ingredients in a medium bowl; stir until well blended. Cover and chill.

2. To prepare tacos, heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add onion to pan; cook 2 minutes or until tender. Add garlic; cook 30 seconds. Add pork to pan; cook 4 minutes or until pork loses its pink color, stirring occasionally. Stir in broth and next 7 ingredients (through chipotles). Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Uncover and simmer 10 minutes or until liquid is nearly evaporated. Warm tortillas according to package directions. Serve pork mixture with tortillas and salsa.

Relish ingredient:

1 cup shredded seeded peeled cucumber
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup shredded carrot
1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon dark sesame oil

Noodles:

8 ounces udon noodles - Japanese noodles
1/2 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup natural-style peanut butter
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon chile paste with garlic

cooking spray
1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
6 ounces ground pork
2 garlic cloves, minced

To prepare relish, place cucumber in a colander; sprinkle with salt. Toss well. Drain 1 hour. Place cucumber on several layers of paper towels; cover with additional paper towels. Let stand 5 minutes, pressing down occasionally. Combine cucumber, carrot, vinegar, sugar, and oil in a medium bowl; stir until well blended. Cover and chill 1 hour.

To prepare noodles, cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and set aside.

Combine broth, peanut butter, soy sauce, and chile paste in a small bowl; stir well with a whisk. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; coat pan with cooking spray. Add onions, ginger, and pork to pan; saute 5 minutes or until pork loses its pink color. Add garlic to pan; saute 30 seconds. Pour broth mixture to pan; bring to a simmer, and cook 1 minute or until slightly thickened. Pour pork mixture over noodles; toss well. Serve with relish.

Ingredients:
12 lamb loin chops
1-1/2 tbsps olive oil
2 tbsps lemon pepper seasoning
Fresh parsley, to garnish

Artichoke Salsa (Ingredients):
170 grams jar marinated artichokes, drained, finely chopped
1/4 cup drained, finely chopped marinated capsicum strips
1/4 cup finely chopped pitted green olives
1 tsp finely grated lemon rind
2 tsps lemon juice
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Procedure:
Place lamb loin chops, olive oil and lemon pepper seasoning in a large bowl. Toss to coat.
To make artichoke salsa, combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl.
Cook lamb loin chops on a heated, oiled grill pan, or barbecue grill plate, for about 2 to 3 minutes on each side or until cooked to your taste. Only turn lamb once. Remove lamb chops and cover to keep warm. Stand for 3 minutes.
Place lamb chops on a serving plate. Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with artichoke salsa.

2 cups green beans, trimmed and halved crosswise
2 cups broccoli florets
1/2 cup slices asparagus (2 ounces)
6 ounces uncooked fettuccine
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced fresh garlic
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 cup fresh or frozen green peas
1 cup grape tomatoes, halved
2/3 cup half - and - half
1 teaspoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 cup (1 ounce) shaved parmigiano - Reggiano cheese

Step 1: Cook green beans in boiling water 1 minute. Add broccoli and asparagus; cook 2 minutes or until vegetables are crisp - tender. Remove vegetables from pan with a slotted spoon; place in a large bowl. Return water to a boil. Add pasta; cook 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain and add to vegetable mixture.

Step 2: Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium - high heat. Add 1 cup onion, and saute for 2 minutes. Add garlic and red pepper; saute 3 minutes or until onion begins to brown. Add peas, and saute 1 minute. Add tomatoesl; saute 2 minutes. Combine half - and - half and cornstarch, stirring with a whisk. Reduce heat to medium. Add half - and - half mixture and salt to pan; cook 1 minute or until sauce thickens, stirring constantly. Pour sauce over pasta mixture; toss gently to coat. Sprinkle with basil and cheese. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings: 2 cups pasta mixture, 1 tablespoon basil, and 1 tablespoon cheese.

Plus, in addition to the health benefits, olive oil gives food great flavor. I keep a jar beside my stove and add olive oil to vegetables, rice, and even potatoes. Olive oil is oil- which means it does contain fat, but you’ve got to keep in mind that it’s the good fat. In other words, it’s a monosaturated omega 9-oil. In laymen’s terms, that means it’s the good fat, and believe it or not, it’s important to get some fat in your diet.

1. Make a veggie plate. Buy pre-cut veggies, and fill a bowl with ranch dressing.
2. Cut up velveeta into cubes and throw them in a crock pot. Add a can or two of rotel tomatoes, and throw some tortilla chips in a bowl.
3. Buy cocktail weenies. Throw them in a crock pot with a bottle of your favorite barbecue sauce.
4. Mix a cup of oil with your favorit spices. Garlic salt, lemon pepper, red pepper, and cumin all work well. Use the oil mixture to coat pretzel sticks by shaking them in a bag.
5. Place bowls of mixed nuts in various rooms.
6.Buy cheese, summer sausage, and crackers, and place them on a serving dish. Add a small bowl of your favorite mustard, and you’ll have a yummy station.
7. Buy a plate of fresh fruit. In a bowl, mix whipped cream with vanilla yogurt for a tasty fruit dip.
8. Buy a bag of party mix, and place it in bowls in various rooms.

Make your holiday simple, and you will be relaxed. Your guests will appreciate your mood, and they’ll enjoy munching on these tasty snacks.

Put boneless chicken breasts into the crockpot with a bottle of Italian dressing. You can also use dry ranch dressing seasoning. It comes in a packet and can be found in the salad dressing aisle of your grocery store. Add some fresh broccoli and a couple of potatoes. Let the mixture cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours, and you have a complete meal.

Brown some hamburger meat. Thrown in the meat, a can of beef broth, and 3 or 4 cans of your favorite vegetables for a tasty soup. You can even freeze whatever is leftover for an easy meal for later. Again, cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 4-6 hours.

Make chili. Brown hamburger meat. Add a couple cans of chopped tomatoes, a can of tomatoe paste, a couple cans of tomatoe sauce, and any other veggies you like- like onions, celery, jalapenos, or bell peppers. You can also buy a pre-made chili kit that will have all the spices you need (garlic, cumin, oregano, etc…) Cook in the same manner.

Don’t be afraid to create your own concoctions in your crock pot. The great thing is that you can throw it in there, and forget about it. Providing a hot, healthy meal for your family is easily in reach.

Procedure:
Clean the pork heart, liver and spleen thoroughly. Rub with salt and wash in running water. Boil in enough water to cover for around 10 minutes. Drain and mince. Set aside.
Heat oil and saute garlic, onions and tomatoes. Add minced pork ingredients and saute for about 10 minutes. Add the beef cubes mixture and simmer. Add vinegar, red bell pepper and salt. Simmer for 2 minutes.

Makes 10 servings

Procedure:
1. Saute garlic, onions, tomatoes, and butong.
2. Add coconut juice, and salt to taste.
3. Add halved crabs and cover.
4. Cook for 10 minutes.
5. Add spring onions and cook for 2 more minutes

(Makes 6 servings)

For the dip