8 ounces 1/3 less-fat cream cheese, softened
1―15 ounce (nt.wt.) fat free ricotta cheese
½ cup powdered sugar
About 1 pound of chocolate brownies, with or without nuts

Beat together the cream cheese, ricotta cheese, and powdered sugar until smooth. Set it aside.

Using a plastic knife, cut the brownies into 1-inch cubes and drop them into the cheese mixture. Fold them all together.

Spoon the brownie mixture into 5 cups and put in the refrigerator overnight. Eat these Chocolate Brownie Ricotta-Cream Cheese Cups for dessert after you eat the Pepperoni Pizza Pasta Salad.

1 individual portion cup (4 oz.) of fat-free peach yogurt
½ cup un-sweetened crispy rice cereal (like Rice Crispies)
1 individual portion cup (3.5 oz.) of sugar-free peach gel snack (like Jell-o)
1 individual portion cup (4 oz.) of diced peaches in light syrup, drained Whipped cream

For this quick and easy snack you will need a tall glass in the shape of a V.

Start by putting the yogurt in the bottom of the glass. Next put half of the rice cereal. Break-up the jell-o with a spoon and then dump it into the glass. Put the rest of the cereal on top of the jell-o. Finally add the peaches and top with whipped cream. You can eat it right away or let it sit in the refrigerator for little bit before you enjoy.

Note: You can use any other flavors that you like.

1 whole wheat tortilla
A big smear of peanut butter (creamy or crunchy)
½ a banana cut into pieces
Other “sprinkly things” if you want, like raisins, blueberries, or nuts

Lay out the tortilla on a clean, flat surface. Spread the peanut butter all over the tortilla. (If you want you can even spread jelly on top of the peanut butter.) Next, put the bananas on top of the peanut butter. If you have decided you want to put more stuff, now is the time to do it. To finish the taco you can fold it over or roll it up.

1 pound box of whole wheat ziti pasta
1―15 ounce (nt.wt.) can of pizza sauce
1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon Italian seasonings
1―6 ounce (nt.wt.) package of sliced of turkey pepperoni
12 sticks of string cheese made with 2% milk

Ask a grown up helper to cook the pasta for you……..Tell them to follow the directions on the box. When the cooked pasta is drained, run cold water over it until it is chilled. Set it aside until you are ready to use it.

Put the pizza sauce, balsamic vinegar, salt, and pepper in a large bowl and whisk it together to make a pizza sauce salad dressing. Add the cooked ziti and stir it all together carefully. Add the slices of turkey pepperoni and put the bowl aside.

Using a plastic knife cut the string cheese into ¼-inch slices. Put the sliced cheese into the bowl with the pasta and carefully stir it all together. Store it in the refrigerator until you, your family, and friends are ready to eat it.

1 whole wheat pita
1 big spoon of pizza or spaghetti sauce
5 slices of turkey pepperoni
A handful of shredded Italian cheese

Put the pita on a microwave safe plate. Spread the pizza or spaghetti sauce all over the pita. Next, arrange the slices of pepperoni on top of the sauce. Sprinkle the cheese all over the pizza.

Put the pita pizza in the microwave and cook for 1 minute. (Get your parent or another grown-up to help with this if you don’t have permission to use the microwave on your own.) Let it cool for about 2 minutes before you start eating it.

½ pound of wavy lasagna noodles
1 pound ground beef, extra lean
½ a yellow onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, chopped
2 tablespoons Italian seasonings
15 ounces fat-free ricotta cheese
More Italian seasonings
1 jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese

NOTE: THIS RECIPE WILL REQUIRE THE HELP OF YOUR PARENT OR ANOTHER GROWN-UP.

Cook the lasagna noodles according to the directions on the package. When they are cooked, drain them and lay them out on a pan to cool.

While the noodles are cooking, put the ground meat, onion, bell pepper, and Italian seasonings in a large sauté pan over a medium-high heat. Stir it all together and cook for about 7-10 minutes, until the beef is cooked. Make sure and stir up everything in the pan at least once a minute. When the meat is cooked set it aside to cool also.

To assemble the dish spread some ricotta cheese on each noodle. Sprinkle some Italian seasonings on top of the cheese. Next spread about ¼ of a cup of the cooked beef over each cheese-covered noodle. Finish by rolling up the lasagna noodles.

Put the rolled up lasagna noodles in a pan that can go into the oven. Pour the sauce over each roll and then put a big handful of cheese on top.

Cook the lasagna rolls in a 400oF. oven for about 20 minutes, until the cheese is melted.

1 pound frozen spinach (cut or chopped), defrosted
6 eggs
15 ounces low fat ricotta cheese
3 cups 1% milk
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
½ cup dehydrated mirepoix (Adam’s brand makes one)
1 tablespoon Italian spices
1 teaspoon dehydrated garlic
16 ounces shredded Italian cheese blend
1 rotisserie chicken, off of the bone
1/4 cup 1% milk
2―8 ounces boxes of no-boil lasagna noodles
1 cup 1% milk
8 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese
½ teaspoon Italian seasonings
½ teaspoon dehydrated garlic

Place the defrosted spinach in the colander and push out as much water as you can. When you get tired set it aside for later.

Whisk the eggs in a large bowl. Add the ricotta, 3 cups milk, salt, pepper, mirepoix, Italian spices, and garlic and mix together really well. Stir in the 16 ounces of cheese, the drained spinach, and the chicken. Make sure it’s mixed very well.

Pour 1/4 cup of milk on the bottom of the pan. Lay 3 sheets of lasagna noodles on the bottom of the pan, side by side. Put 2 cups of the chicken mixture on top and spread it over the noodles. You do not need to go to the very edge. Put 3 more sheets of noodles on top and press down a little. Put 2 more cups of chicken mixture and spread. Top with 3 sheets of lasagna and continue the process until there is no more of the chicken mixture. You should finish by having 3 lasagna sheets on top.

In a small bowl combine 1 cup of milk, 8 ounces mozzarella cheese, ½ teaspoon Italian seasonings, and ½ teaspoon dehydrated garlic. Once it’s mixed well pour it on top of the lasagna. Cover the pan with foil and bake for 30 minutes in a 350oF. oven. Remove the foil and bake for another 30 minutes. When finished baking, remove the lasagna from the oven and let it sit for at least 10 minutes before cutting.

Serves 12

Recipe created by Chef Michael H. Flores • ©2009 Mis En Place, LLC
210.545.CHEF (2433) • www.cookwithmichael.com

1–3 ounces NT WT bag of butter flavored microwave popcorn, popped
Aluminum half-sheet pan that is disposable and comes with plastic lid (This is available in the “Baking” section of the grocery store.)
7 ounces NT WT of sour Skittles
1 cup of pepitas (pumpkin seeds), about 7 ounces NT WT
1 cup of dried mixed berry fruit, about 7 ounces NT WT
½ cup of caramel bits
3 blocks of chocolate flavored bark coating
3 blocks of white bark coating

1. Pour the bag of popcorn onto the aluminum pan.

2. Drop the sour Skittles all on top of the popcorn.

3. Shower the candy corn and popcorn with the pepitas.

4. Sprinkle the dried fruit on top of the pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn.

5. Spread the caramel bits over the dried fruit, pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn.

6. Put the 3 blocks of chocolate flavored bark coating in a glass bowl and melt them in the microwave. This should take 1 ½ minutes before opening and stirring and then another 30 seconds. Set aside.

7. Next put the 3 blocks of white bark coating in a glass bowl and melt them in the microwave. This should take 1 ½ minutes before opening and stirring and then another 30 seconds. Set aside.

8. Drizzle the melted dark chocolate all over the caramel bits, dried fruit, pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn. Put the lid over the pan and shake, shake, shake.

9. Remove the lid and drizzle the melted white chocolate all over the caramel bits, dried fruit, pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn that has been covered with chocolate. Put the lid over the pan again and shake, shake, shake. Remove the lid and let the Cringle Candy harden.

10. Once Kris Cringle’s Candy has dried, carefully break it up into chunks. Store covered with plastic wrap.

Recipe by Michael Flores • ©2009 by Mis En Place, LLC • San Antonio, Texas
To learn more about Chef Michael and to buy his products log onto ~CookwithMichael.com

1–3 ounces NT WT bag of butter flavored microwave popcorn, popped
Aluminum half-sheet pan that is disposable and comes with plastic lid (This is available in the “Baking” section of the grocery store.)
7 ounces NT WT of candy corn
1 cup of pepitas (pumpkin seeds), about 7 ounces NT WT
1 cup of dried mixed berry fruit, about 7 ounces NT WT
½ cup of caramel bits
3 blocks of chocolate flavored bark coating
3 blocks of white bark coating

1. Pour the bag of popcorn onto the aluminum pan.

2. Drop the candy corn all on top of the popcorn.

3. Shower the candy corn and popcorn with the pepitas.

4. Sprinkle the dried fruit on top of the pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn.

5. Spread the caramel bits over the dried fruit, pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn.

6. Put the 3 blocks of chocolate flavored bark coating in a glass bowl and melt them in the microwave. This should take 1 ½ minutes before opening and stirring and then another 30 seconds. Set aside.

7. Next put the 3 blocks of white bark coating in a glass bowl and melt them in the microwave. This should take 1 ½ minutes before opening and stirring and then another 30 seconds. Set aside.

8. Drizzle the melted dark chocolate all over the caramel bits, dried fruit, pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn. Put the lid over the pan and shake, shake, shake.

9. Remove the lid and drizzle the melted white chocolate all over the caramel bits, dried fruit, pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn that has been covered with chocolate. Put the lid over the pan again and shake, shake, shake. Remove the lid and let the Monster Munch harden.

10. Once the Monster Munch has dried, carefully break it up into chunks. Store covered with plastic wrap.

Recipe by Michael Flores • ©2009 by Mis En Place, LLC • San Antonio, Texas
To learn more about Chef Michael and to buy his products log onto ~CookwithMichael.com

2 cups brown sugar
2 cups butter
4 eggs, beaten
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
6 cups flour
2 cups pecans, chopped

Put the sugar and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer. Using the paddle attachment turn the machine on and mix at medium speed until the sugar and butter are nice and creamy. Add the beaten eggs and vanilla extract and mix until combined. Then stir in the salt, baking powder, and baking soda. With the machine on low, slowly add the flour until it is all mixed in. Finally add the pecans.

Roll out 2-feet of waxed paper and put a fourth of the cookie dough on it. Using your hands, roll the dough into a long log that is about 15-inches long and 2½-inches tall. Roll it tightly in the paper and then put it into the refrigerator. Keep making the cookie dough logs until you have used all of the dough. Store the logs of cookie dough in the refrigerator until you are ready to bake them.

To bake the cookies preheat your oven to 350oF.

Slice the cookie dough log into ½-inch rounds and put on a cookie sheet pan. Bake for about 10 minutes until the cookies are a light brown color. Once the cookies are cool store them in an air tight container.

RECIPE CREATED BY CHEF MICHAEL H. FLORES • ©2009 MIS EN PLACE, LLC
WWW.COOKWITHMICHAEL.COM

1–3 ounces NT WT bag of butter flavored microwave popcorn, popped
Aluminum half-sheet pan that is disposable and comes with plastic lid (This is available in the “Baking” section of the grocery store.)
7 ounces NT WT of pumpkin, banana, or maple flavored Jelly Bellies®
1 cup of pepitas (pumpkin seeds), about 7 ounces NT WT
1 cup of dried mixed berry fruit, about 7 ounces NT WT
½ cup of caramel bits
3 blocks of chocolate flavored bark coating
3 blocks of white bark coating

1. Pour the bag of popcorn onto the aluminum pan.

2. Drop the candy corn all on top of the popcorn.

3. Shower the candy corn and popcorn with the pepitas.

4. Sprinkle the dried fruit on top of the pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn.

5. Spread the caramel bits over the dried fruit, pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn.

6. Put the 3 blocks of chocolate flavored bark coating in a glass bowl and melt them in the microwave. This should take 1 ½ minutes before opening and stirring and then another 30 seconds. Set aside.

7. Next put the 3 blocks of white bark coating in a glass bowl and melt them in the microwave. This should take 1 ½ minutes before opening and stirring and then another 30 seconds. Set aside.

8. Drizzle the melted dark chocolate all over the caramel bits, dried fruit, pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn. Put the lid over the pan and shake, shake, shake.

9. Remove the lid and drizzle the melted white chocolate all over the caramel bits, dried fruit, pepitas, candy corn, and popcorn that has been covered with chocolate. Put the lid over the pan again and shake, shake, shake. Remove the lid and let the Monster Munch harden.

10. Once the Monster Munch has dried, carefully break it up into chunks. Store covered with plastic wrap.

Recipe by Michael Flores • ©2009 by Mis En Place, LLC • San Antonio, Texas
To learn more about Chef Michael and to buy his products log onto ~CookwithMichael.com