Bethenny's Mac & Cheese

12 ounces whole wheat mini pasta shells (these hold the cheese better than elbows) 1 cup soy milk 1 cup freshly shredded Parmesan 1 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1 cup frozen butternut squash, thawed 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon dry mustard ½ teaspoon pepper ½ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce ½ tsp. chili powder or a few dashes of Tabasco sauce 2 tablespoons whole wheat bread crumbs 2 tablespoons reduced fat Monterey jack cheese, shredded

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Boil pasta shells in salted water until slightly firm, according to package directions. In another saucepan, combine the soymilk, Parmesan, cheddar, and butternut squash over medium heat until melted and combined.  Turn off the heat.  Add salt, mustard, pepper, Worcestershire sauce, and chili powder or Tabasco. Drain the pasta but don’t rinse it.  Add it to the cheese sauce (use a large bowl if necessary) and toss to coat the pasta.  Taste and add more salt or pepper, according to your taste. Spray a shallow baking pan with cooking spray and put the pasta-cheese mixture in it.  Sprinkle with breadcrumbs and Monterey jack cheese.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.

Bethenny's Sour Cream Pound Cake

1 stick butter, softened 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 1 banana, mashed 1/2 cup nonfat Greek yogurt, such as Fage 1/2 cup fat-free sour cream 3 eggs 3 egg whites 3 cups oat flour 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon vanilla extract cooking spray 3 cups fresh mixed berries 2 tablespoons powdered sugar

Preheat oven 325 degrees. Cream butter and sugar in a bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed for 1 minute or until well-incorporated. Add banana, yogurt and sour cream; beat on low speed until combined. Whisk together eggs and egg whites in a separate bowl. Sift oat flour and the next 3 ingredients (baking soda, baking powder and salt) in a large bowl. Add butter and egg mixtures alternately into oat flour mixture. Add vanilla, and pour batter into 10-inch tube pan coated with cooking spray. Bake 1 hour or until a wooden pick inserted into cake comes out clean. Slice into 12 pieces and serve each slice toasted and topped with 1/4 cup berries and 1/2 teaspoon powdered sugar.

Bethenny's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip/Peanut Butter Cookies

¾ cup oats 2 tablespoons butter ¾ cup raw sugar ½ cup natural peanut butter 1 egg ½ teaspoon almond extract 1 cup whole-wheat flour1 teaspoon baking soda ½ cup chocolate chips ¼ cup soymilk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  In large bowl, mix together ingredients.  Stir well until all ingredients are combined. Use a 3 oz. ice cream scoop to drop batter onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper (to prevent sticking). Press the scoop of dough flat. Bake for 23 minutes, rotating the cookies at around 12 minutes. Cool slightly on baking sheet before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.

7-Up Cake (Davey's Favorite)

1 package lemon supreme cake mix
3/4 cup vegetable oil
10 ounces 7-Up
1 package instant vanilla pudding
4 eggs


Combine and mix all ingredients until fluffy. Bake in a bundt pan using the cooking instructions on the cake mix. Stand back and watch it disappear. :-)

Patriotic Trifle

Trifle Dessert:

• Trifle Bowl or large vase with straight sides
• Cake, brownies, cookies or even cupcakes work just fine (Cake mixes are $.88 at Walmart)
• 2 tubs of Whipped Topping (I buy mine at Aldi’s for $.89, but you can often find Cool Whip on sale)
• 1 box Vanilla Instant Pudding ($.45)
• 1 container of Strawberries ($1.19 at Aldi’s this week)
• 1 container of Blueberries ($1.99 at Aldi’s this week)
• Decorations (sprinkles and stars made from Candy melts, if desired)

Directions:
Bake cake, brownies, cookies or cupcakes, cool and cut into pieces. Place on bottom layer.
Mix pudding as directed on box, place in fridge to set. Then fold in 1 tub of Whipped Topping.
Spoon over cake layer. Then slice strawberries and add on top of pudding.
Add a layer of Whipped Topping, about 1/2 the container. Then repeat layers.
I added a few Blueberries on top, for color. Blueberries are a little more expensive than strawberries, it would take probably 2 maybe 3 boxes if you wanted to add them to the layers.

Wave Your Flag Cheesecake

what you need

• 4 cups fresh strawberries, divided
• 1-1/2 cups boiling water
• 2 pkg. (3 oz. each) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
•   ice cubes
• 1 cup cold water
• 1 pkg. (10.75 oz.) prepared pound cake, cut into 10 slices
• 1-1/3 cups blueberries, divided
• 2 pkg. (8 oz. each) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
• 1/4  cup sugar
• 1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
• • SLICE 1 cup strawberries; halve remaining strawberries. Set aside. Add boiling water to gelatin mixes in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add ice to cold water to measure 2 cups. Add to gelatin; stir until ice is completely melted. Refrigerate 5 min. or until slightly thickened.
  • MEANWHILE, line bottom of 13x9-inch dish with cake. Add sliced strawberries and 1 cup blueberries to thickened gelatin; stir gently. Spoon over cake. Refrigerate 4 hours or until gelatin is firm.
  • BEAT cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with whisk until well blended. Stir in COOL WHIP; spread over gelatin. Arrange strawberry halves on cream cheese mixture to resemble stripes of flag. Add remaining blueberries for stars.

• SLICE 1 cup strawberries; halve remaining strawberries. Set aside. Add boiling water to gelatin mixes in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add ice to cold water to measure 2 cups. Add to gelatin; stir until ice is completely melted. Refrigerate 5 min. or until slightly thickened.
• MEANWHILE, line bottom of 13x9-inch dish with cake. Add sliced strawberries and 1 cup blueberries to thickened gelatin; stir gently. Spoon over cake. Refrigerate 4 hours or until gelatin is firm.
• BEAT 

Fourth of July Cutouts

Ingredients 3 tablespoons butter or margarine 1 package (10 oz., about 40) regular marshmallows  - or - 4 cups miniature marshmallows 6 cups Rice Krispies®  - or - 6 cups Ready-To-Eat Cereal Rice Krispies™ Assorted sprinkles 12 wooden ice cream sticks (optional)

Directions 1. In large saucepan melt butter over low heat. Add marshmallows and stir until completely melted. Remove from heat. 2. Add KELLOGG'S RICE KRISPIES cereal. Stir until well coated. 3. Using buttered spatula or wax paper evenly press mixture into 15 x 10 x 1-inch pan coated with cooking spray. While warm decorate with alternating rows of red, white and blue sprinkles. Cool slightly. Using cookie cutters coated with cooking spray cut into star shapes. Insert wooden stick into each, if desired.  Best if served the same day. MICROWAVE DIRECTIONS: In microwave-safe bowl heat butter and marshmallows on HIGH for 3 minutes, stirring after 2 minutes. Stir until smooth. Follow steps 2 and 3 above. Microwave cooking times may vary.