Apple-Spice Acorn Squash LT06

Apple-Spice Acorn Squash LT 06, 5 points

Ingredients

1 medium acorn squash
1 medium tart apple, chopped
1/4 cup golden raisins
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons butter

Directions

Cut squash in half; discard seeds. Place squash cut side down in a microwave-safe baking dish. Add 1/2 in. of water. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 10-13 minutes or until almost tender; drain.

Combine the apple, raisins, cinnamon and nutmeg; spoon into squash cavities. Dot with butter. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 6-8 minutes or until squash and apples are tender. Let stand for 5 minutes before serving. Yield: 2 servings.

Editor's Note: This recipe was tested in a 1,100-watt microwave.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 filled squash half equals 207 calories, 4 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 47 mg sodium, 45 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 2 g protein.

Diabetic Exchanges: 1-1/2 starch, 1-1/2 fruit, 1 fat.

Overnight Stuffed French Toast

Overnight Stuffed French Toast

Ingredients

20 slices French bread (1 inch thick)
1 package (8 ounces) fat-free cream cheese
3 cups egg substitute
2 cups fat-free milk
1/3 cup plus 1-3/4 cups sugar-free maple-flavored syrup, divided
1 teaspoon Spice Islands®, All Natural, No Corn Syrup Added, Pure Vanilla Extract
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2-1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries

Directions

Arrange 10 slices of bread in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spread each slice with cream cheese. Top with remaining bread. In a large bowl, whisk the egg substitute, milk, 1/3 cup syrup, vanilla and cinnamon; pour over bread. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 45-50 minutes or until top is lightly browned and a thermometer reads at least 160°. Serve with strawberries and remaining syrup. Yield: 10 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 serving equals 306 calories, 3 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 3 mg cholesterol, 805 mg sodium, 54 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 19 g protein.

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Oct 24, 2010 - Can we say heavenly?! These were so good! It was sad that there were only enough for each of us to get 1 1/2. The strawberry jam again was a special addition to it, but I think these would be good no matter the topping! We did not add any more syrup to them. It didn't need it. The strawberry jam with powdered sugar was great. Although, by the end we were adding some plain homemade yogurt and that was a really delicious addition. Some of the liquid steamed out and created a cream cheese consistency. YUM!

I did tweak the recipe a bit because I don't have egg substitute and 3 c. of egg substitute is equal to a dozen eggs. There was no way I was going to use a whole package of eggs on this. So, I did some research to find out what other overnight french toast recipes called for. I ended up only using 5 eggs and 1 3/4 c. milk and that was addequate. Also, I only used about 1 TB of cream cheese - not a whole package. The author of the recipe must use 1 TB per french toast sandwich I just didn't see the need for that much.

The bread I used was homemade and it fluffed up really nicely and had a nice texture and taste. It soaked the liquid really quickly. To keep the bread from being soggy on one side and not coat evenly on the other, after pouring the liquid I think flipped every sandwich over and left it so that the other side got to soak in the bread too. This method worked really well, except a few of the smaller slices did kind of crumble. In the end it was fine because it still baked up nicely and made great little pieces for the boys.

I would definitely make this again. In fact, we liked it so much we wished we could eat every Sunday morning! The only setback is that it requires a whole loaf of bread and a lot of eggs. But, the 5 eggs isn't any more than I'd use to feed our family anyway, so I guess it really isn't that bad.

Slow Cooked Sirloin (crockpot)

Slow Cooked Sirloin
Ingredients

1 beef top sirloin steak (1-1/2 pounds)
1 medium onion, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 medium green pepper, cut into 1-inch chunks
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) Progresso ® Beef Broth
1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon dill weed
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon pepper
Dash crushed red pepper flakes
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons water

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray, brown beef on both sides. Place onion and green pepper in a 3-qt. slow cooker. Top with beef. Combine the broth, Worcestershire sauce, dill, thyme, pepper and pepper flakes; pour over beef. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or until meat reaches desired doneness and vegetables are crisp-tender.

Remove beef and keep warm. Combine cornstarch and water until smooth; gradually stir into cooking juices. Cover and cook about 30 minutes longer or until slightly thickened. Return beef to the slow cooker; heat through. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 serving equals 199 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 68 mg cholesterol, 305 mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 26 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 1 vegetable.

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October 18, 2010 - The picture does not do this justice. I took it as an afer-thought.

I was really impressed with this dish. The meat was so tender and the flavor was great. Matthew didn't even complain about the bell peppers! I served it with mashed potatoes and green beans. I don't make gravy very often, so I thought the juice would go well with the potatoes. It did. A-1 sauce was a really great addition to the meat too.

I did substitute the sirloin with striploin because that was what I had in my freezer.

Four Grain Bread (breadmaker)

Four Grain Bread

Ingredients

1-1/2 cups water (70° to 80°)
1/2 cup honey
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
2 cups bread flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup rye flour
3/4 cup cornmeal
2-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast

Directions

In bread machine pan, place all ingredients in order suggested by manufacturer. Select basic bread setting. Choose crust color and loaf size if available.

Bake according to bread machine directions (check dough after 5 minutes of mixing; add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water or flour if needed). Yield: 1 loaf (2 pounds, 24 slices).

Nutritional Analysis: 1 slice equals 108 calories, trace fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 148 mg sodium, 24 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 3 g protein.
Diabetic Exchange: 1-1/2 starch.

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October 18, 2010 - I did not have any rye flour on hand, so I substituted some five grain cereal that I used in another multi-grain recipe. The result was a chewy yet crunchy texture that was just delicious! The honey flavor comes out really well too.

This bread is addictingly delicious!! Especially with homemade strawberry jam! YUM YUM YUM!!

Peanut Butter -n- Jelly Muffins

Peanut Butter -n- Jelly Muffins

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
3/4 cup thawed apple juice concentrate
1/2 cup reduced-fat chunky peanut butter
1/4 cup fat-free milk
3 tablespoons butter, melted
1/3 cup strawberry spreadable fruit

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Combine the eggs, apple juice concentrate, peanut butter, milk and butter; stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Coat 12 muffin cups with cooking spray. Spoon half of the batter into cups. Spoon about 1-1/4 teaspoons spreadable fruit into the center of each; top with remaining batter.

Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into muffin comes out clean. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack to cool completely. Yield: 1 dozen.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 muffin equals 225 calories, 8 g fat (3 g saturated fat), 43 mg cholesterol, 315 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 1 g fiber, 6 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1-1/2 fat.

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Oct. 18, 2010 - I wasn't quite sure what to expect of this recipe, but I was surprised the way they turned out. The peanut butter mixes really nicely into the batter and you are left with just bits of peanuts throughout the muffin. This was a nice effect, but if I were to make them again I'd just use creamy peanut butter.

I didn't have any spreadable fruit, so I made some freezer strawberry jam and used that. The picture in the cookbook shows a nice central blob of jelly, but that certainly was not how mine turned out. The jelly oozed over the edges and seeped through the muffin wrappers. I think next time I'd creat more of a well in the middle of the batter to see if that helped to keep the jam frome spreading.

These were really convenient to have on hand as a quick to-go snack, and although I have lots of ideas for tweaking, I don't think I'll make them again.

Mixed Greens and Apple Salad

Mixed Greens and Apple Salad

Ingredients:
5 1/3 c. mixed salad greens
2 medium apples
2 TB feta cheese

Dressing:
4 tsp lemon juice
2 1/2 tsp honey
3/4 tsp vanilla yogurt
1 tsp oil
1/4 tsp garlic
salt & pepper
nutmeg

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October 15, 2010 - I liked the flavors of the apple. It was different.

This recipe is not on the website, so I did the lazy thing and only wrote down the ingredients. The instructions were basically mix it together.

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Vegetarian Taco Salad

Ingredients
4 whole wheat tortillas (8 inches)
6 cups shredded romaine
1/2 cup canned pinto beans, rinsed and drained
1 small tomato, chopped
1/4 cup shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped green onions
2 tablespoons sliced ripe olives, drained
Sliced jalapeno peppers, optional

DRESSING:
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
2 tablespoons fat-free ranch salad dressing
1 teaspoon taco seasoning
1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, optional

Directions
Place four 10-oz. custard cups upside down in a shallow baking pan; set aside. Place the tortillas in a single layer on ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 425° for 1 minute. Place a tortilla over each custard cup, pinching sides to form a bowl shape. Bake for 7-8 minutes or until crisp. Remove tortillas from cups to cool on wire racks.

In a large bowl, combine the romaine, beans, tomato, cheese, onions, olives and jalapenos if desired. In a small bowl, whisk the dressing ingredients. Pour over salad ; toss to coat. Serve in tortilla bowls. Yield: 4 servings.

Editor's Note: When cutting hot peppers, disposable gloves are recommended. Avoid touching your face.

Nutrition Facts: 1 tortilla bowl with 1-1/4 cups dressed salad equals 257 calories, 5 g fat (1 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 485 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 6 g fiber, 11 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable.

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Sept 29, 2010 - Again, another great recipe. I enjoyed the flavor enough that it didn't bother me to not have any meat in it. This was a pretty easy dish to prepare and put together. The hardest part was waiting for the tortillas to crisp, but it was quick enough that seconds or thirds could be served up within minutes.

We don't have custard cups, so I used some smuckers ice cream bowls that we had. If I hadn't remembered the bowls I would have used my glass portion cups.

Terriyaki Turkey Burritos

Terriyaki Turkey Burritos

Ingredients
12 fat-free flour tortillas (8 inches)
1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 package (16 ounces) broccoli coleslaw mix
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/3 cup reduced-sodium teriyaki sauce
1/2 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1-1/2 cups (6 ounces) shredded reduced-fat Mexican cheese blend

Directions

Wrap tortillas tightly in foil. Warm in oven at 350° for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the turkey, onion and garlic over medium heat until turkey is no longer pink; drain. Pour into a bowl and set aside.

In the same skillet, stir-fry broccoli in oil for 2 minutes. Add the teriyaki sauce, five-spice powder, garlic powder and pepper; cook and stir for 1 minute. Stir in cheese and turkey mixture; heat through.

Spoon about 1/2 cup filling off center on each tortilla. Fold sides and ends over fill and roll up. Place seam side down in an ungreased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish.
Cover and bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until heated through. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 2 burritos equals 493 calories, 14 g fat (5 g saturated fat), 80 mg cholesterol, 982 mg sodium, 60 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 32 g protein.

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September 23, 2010 - YUM. I really like the flavor of the Chinese 5 spice.

Turkey Barbecue

Turkey Barbecue

Ingredients

1 celery rib, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/4 cup chopped green pepper
1 tablespoon canola oil
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup picante sauce
2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
Dash hot pepper sauce
4 cups cubed cooked turkey
8 whole wheat hamburger buns, split
1/8 teaspoon pepper

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, saute the celery, onion and green pepper in oil for 3-4 minutes or until tender. Stir in the brown sugar, ketchup, picante sauce, Worcestershire sauce, chili powder, salt, pepper and pepper sauce; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 3-4 minutes. Add turkey; simmer 10 minutes longer or until heated through. Serve in buns. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 sandwich equals 295 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 53 mg cholesterol, 758 mg sodium, 33 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 25 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 3 lean meat, 2 starch.

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Sept 22, 2010 - I really liked this, but it does have a little bit of kick to it. Serve it on a bun or bread for a BBQ sandwich. I did not have turkey, so I substituted chicken.

Breaded Ravioli

Breaded Ravioli

Ingredients
1 package (16 ounces) frozen beef ravioli
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1/2 to 1-1/2 teaspoons salt-free Italian herb seasoning
1/4 cup reduced-fat Italian salad dressing

ITALIAN SALSA:
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, undrained
1/2 medium green pepper, quartered
1/2 small red onion, quartered
1 tablespoon minced fresh oregano or 1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon sugar

Directions

Cook ravioli according to package directions; drain and let stand for 10 minutes. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs and seasoning. In another shallow bowl, pour dressing. Dip ravioli into dressing, then coat with crumb mixture.

Place on baking sheets coated with cooking spray. Lightly coat ravioli with cooking spray. Bake at 400° for 8-9 minutes or until lightly browned.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine the salsa ingredients. Pulse for 15-20 seconds. Serve ravioli with salsa. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 5 ravioli with 1/3 cup salsa equals 262 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 26 mg cholesterol, 924 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 10 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

Sept 21, 2010 - I think I was the only one who really liked these. The salsa that goes with it tasted similar to a marinara sauce. We had a lot of the sauce leftover, and I think I used it to make pizza at some point.

In the cookbook, the ravioli are darker and much more crispy looking. With the way our oven works mine didn't quite make that status, so the picture shows them lighter than ideal.

Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas

Black Bean and Rice Enchiladas

Ingredients

1 green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies
1/4 cup picante sauce
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 cups cooked brown rice
8 flour tortillas (6 inches), warmed
1 cup salsa
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded reduced-fat cheddar cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, saute the green pepper, onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add the beans, tomatoes, picante sauce, chili powder, cumin and red pepper flakes; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, until heated through and mixture thickens. Add rice; cook 5 minutes longer or until heated through.

Spoon a rounded 1/2 cup down the center of each tortilla. Fold sides over filling and roll up. Place in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Spoon salsa over each tortilla. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheese and cilantro. Bake 2-3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 enchilada equals 271 calories, 6 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 10 mg cholesterol, 638 mg sodium, 43 g carbohydrate, 5 g fiber, 12 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2-1/2 starch, 1 lean meat, 1 vegetable.

Made on Sept 17, 2010.

Variations: I didn't have a small can of black beans and I thought that the recipe as written would be too spicy for Aaron and Jared with the ro-tel. So, I used ranch style beans (not drained) and 4 fresh roma tomatoes. I think that was an excellent choice. There was still a bite to the burritos because of the salsa, but it wasn't so spicy that it wasn't edible. I really liked the cheese and cilantro on top. Sour cream would have made another nice edition, but ours had gone bad. Oops.

Review: Aaron didn't touch them, but everyone else seemed to like them. This was perfect because it used up the rice in the fridge from the stir fry I made at the beginning of the week. I also had used all the chicken in the pasta dish from last night, so the meatless aspect worked. Although, Matthew was expecting chicken so that was a bit disappointing for him.

Chicken Pasta Primavera

Chicken Pasta Primavera

Ingredients

6 ounces uncooked spaghetti
1 can (10-3/4 ounces) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
3/4 cup water
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1-1/2 teaspoons dried basil
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 package (16 ounces) frozen California-blend vegetables, thawed
4 cups cubed cooked chicken breast
3 tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Directions

Cook spaghetti according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the soup, water, lemon juice, basil, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Stir in vegetables; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Stir in chicken; heat through. Drain spaghetti; add to chicken mixture and toss to coat. Sprinkle with cheese. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1-1/3 cups equals 342 calories, 5 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 78 mg cholesterol, 526 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 4 g fiber, 35 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 4 very lean meat, 2 starch, 1 vegetable.

Made on Sept 16, 2010 for missionaries. I doubled the amount of veggetables because the four cups of chicken was a LOT of chicken! Apparently it was a good thing because the missionaries absolutely DEVOURED it! Everyone seemed to like it - except Aaron who is going through a phase where he's against chicken (at least boneless/skinless cubed chicken).

Family Pleasing Sloppy Joes

Family Pleasing Sloppy Joes

Ingredients

1 pound lean ground turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 cup ketchup
1 tablespoon prepared mustard
1 tablespoon barbecue sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6 sandwich buns, split

Directions

In a large nonstick skillet, cook the turkey and onion over medium heat until turkey is no longer pink; drain if necessary. Add garlic; cook for 1-2 minutes or until tender.

Stir in the sugar, flour and pepper. Add the ketchup, mustard, barbecue sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until heated through. Serve on buns. Yield: 6 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 sandwich equals 388 calories, 11 g fat (4 g saturated fat), 60 mg cholesterol, 969 mg sodium, 52 g carbohydrate, 3 g fiber, 22 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 3-1/2 starch, 2 lean meat.

Made on Sept 15, 2010. I used venison instead of turkey because that is what I had in my freezer. I really enjoyed these. Sloppy joes are one of those meals that everyone makes differently. I LOVE my mom's and it is always a treat to have them. So, I wasn't sure how these would fare, but I found myself craving them every day since then. We'd ate them on bread with cheese on top. YUM!

Light and Tasty 2006 Menu

Under Construction

Granola Cereal Bar

Granola Cereal Bars 6pts each in 12 bars

Ingredients

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/4 cup light corn syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups old-fashioned oats
1-1/2 cups crisp rice cereal
1/4 cup miniature chocolate chips

Directions

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the brown sugar, peanut butter and corn syrup; cover and microwave on high for 2 minutes or until mixture comes to a boil, stirring once. Stir in the vanilla; add oats and cereal. Fold in chocolate chips. Press into a 9-in. square pan coated with cooking spray. Cool and cut into bars. Yield: 1 dozen.

Editor's Note: This recipe was tested in a 1,100-watt microwave.

Nutritional Analysis: 1 bar equals 199 calories, 7 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 88 mg sodium, 31 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 2 starch, 1 fat.

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Made May 27th. These were so good!! Dangerously good at 6 pts for 12 servings!! Well, per the nutritional info they are only 4 points, but I substituted the swirled chocolate and peanut butter morsels for the mini chips because that is what I had. Wowsers!!

The only problem I had with these is that they didn't keep their form very well. They were very crumbly. But, I'm willing to overlook that considering how delicious they were!

Eggplant Bruschetta

Eggplant Bruschetta 1pt per slice

Ingredients

1 medium eggplant, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch slices
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
1 cup (4 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2 tablespoons shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions

Place eggplant slices in a colander over a plate; sprinkle with salt and gently toss. Let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse and drain well. Coat both sides of each slice with cooking spray. Place on a broiler pan. Top eggplant with tomatoes, basil and cheeses. Broil 6 in. from the heat for 5-7 minutes or until eggplant is tender and cheese is melted. Yield: 8 servings.

Nutritional Analysis: 2 slices equals 68 calories, 3 g fat (2 g saturated fat), 9 mg cholesterol, 242 mg sodium, 7 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 5 g protein.
Diabetic Exchanges: 1 vegetable, 1 fat.

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Made May 27th. I made this for bookclub tonight, along with the Feta Spinach Melts that are so yummy. One person seemed to really like them. I do not have a working broiler, so that may have effected their turnout. I thought they were ok. Unfortunately they were cold by the time I had one, and I think it probably would have been better fresh from the oven.