3 avocados, mashed ¼ c. chopped red onion
2 tsp. cilantro 1 ½ tblsp. Lime juice
½ tsp. salt dash black pepper
1 can rotel, drained

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour before serving.

Yields: approximately 2½ cups.

1 (16 oz.) can red or pink salmon 2 (8 oz.) pckg. cream cheese regular or light
1 tsp. liquid smoke 1 tsp. prepared horseradish
2 tblsp. lemon juice 2 to 3 tblsp. finely chopped onions
½ c. chopped pecans and chopped parsley Salt to taste

Soften cream cheese, beat in mixer. Add liquid smoke, horseradish, lemon juice, and onions and blend well.

Clean skin off salmon, remove bones, if desired or smash them for additional calcium. Add Salmon and mix lightly to blend.

Pour out on plastic wrap and put into bowl and refrigerate.

When ready to use, roll in chopped pecans and chopped parsley.

Serve with crackers.

NOTE:
This recipe will work well for two small Salmon balls. If you have a smaller gathering, serve one and freeze the second one (1 to 2 month) to use later.
(Wrap the 2nd one in plastic wrap and foil and then place it in an airtight container such as lock’n’lock)

1 ½ lb. mini penne or any short-cut pasta salt and freshly ground pepper
3 tblsp. Olive or Grape seed oil 3 lb. ground turkey (lean ground beef)
3 tblsp. tomato paste 5 lg. cloves garlic, minced
2 med. or 1 softball-size onion, diced 3 med. carrots, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced 1 med. zucchini, diced
2 ½ c. chicken stock, divided 1 tblsp. poultry seasoning
3 tblsp. butter 3 tblsp. all-purpose flour
1 c. milk 2 c. shredded provolone
½ c. shredded Asiago cheese, plus additional

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Place a large pot filled with water over high heat and bring to a boil to cook the pasta. Once boiling, add some salt and the pasta and cook until al dente according to package directions. Drain well and transfer pasta back to the cooking pot.
While water is coming to a boil for the pasta, place a large skillet over high heat with 3 tablespoons of oil. Once the oil starts to ripple, add the ground meat and break it up into small pieces as it cooks using the back of a wooden spoon or a potato masher. Cook until the meat is nice and brown, about 8 to 10 minutes.
Add the veggies t the turkey and cook until tender, about 5 minutes. Add ½ cup chicken stock, tomato paste, poultry seasoning, salt and pepper. Continue to cook for 5 more minutes, stirring every now and then.
While the veggies and turkey are cooking, place a medium-size saucepot over medium heat with the butter. Once the butter melts, add the flour and cook 1 minute, whisking constantly so the flour doesn’t burn. Whisk in the milk and the rest of the chicken stock and bring up to a simmer and cook until it has thickened. Once thick, turn off the heat, add booth cheeses and stir until completely melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
Cover the bottom of a large oven-safe baking dish with the meat and veggie mixture. Meanwhile add the cheese sauce to the drained pasta in the pasta pot. Stir to coat and then transfer the cheesy pasta to the baking dish. Spread out over the meat mixture evenly. Sprinkle the top with a little extra Asiago, place in the oven and bake until the top is golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Serve with a green salad and your favorite vinaigrette alongside.

Yields: 8 servings.

Courtesy Rachael Ray, August 12, 2008

3½ cups sifted flour 3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt 1 tsp baking soda
2 cup mashed, ripe bananas (4 to 6) 2 tblsp lemon juice
¾ cup shortening * 1½ cup sugar**
3 eggs ¾ cup milk
1to 1½ c. (36- 45) chopped pecans or walnuts 2 c. cranberries (optional) ***

Sift together flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda
Mash bananas with rotary beater or fork, add lemon juice and mix.

Cream shortening and sugar with electric mixer at medium speed, or with spoon. Add eggs and beat thoroughly until very light and fluffy (4 minutes beating in all). Add sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk; fold in bananas, nuts and cranberries (if used). Beat after each addition.

Pour into 2 greased 8½ x 4½ x 2½ inch loaf pans.

Bake in moderate oven (350 degrees) 1 hour, or until cake tester or wooden pick inserted in center of loaf comes out clean. Cool in pans 10 minutes. Remove from pans and cool on wire rack. Wrap in foil or plastic wrap and let stand in cool place overnight before slicing, or freeze. Makes 2 loaves.

*I use butter instead of shortening (alternative ¾ cup applesauce)
**I reduce sugar to 1 cup; ¾ cup would probably be enough if no cranberries used.
***Use fresh or frozen cranberries, or craisins. If frozen, I recommend thawing before chopping, however, if using craisins, I do not chop them since they are smaller then fresh cranberries.

Yields: 2 loafs (15 slices per loaf) OR 40 cupcakes
Weight Watcher points:
Flour = 31.5 points; butter = 36 points; bananas = 10 points; egg = 6 points;
Cranberries = 2 points; milk = 1 point; sugar = 24 points; nuts = 20 points.
Total points = 130.5; each slice = 4.5 points; OR cupcake = 3.5 points.
(If you make this just Cranberry Bread without bananas and with applesauce instead of butter the total points are 89.5, each slice = 3 points.)
Cupcakes = 2.5 points.

It was supposed to be the perfect Valentine’s Day gift for two New York Rangers ice hockey fans.

The man chose the match at Madison Square Gardens, New York, to propose to his girlfriend live on the stadium’s big screen.
Valentine proposal

Will you marry me?: The woman looks shocked after her boyfriend proposes to her live on screen during the New York Rangers match

But his proposal was clearly the last thing on her mind, as she shook her head in disgust and stormed out of the ground.

In the middle of the second period of the match against the Tampa Bay Lightning last night, the fan - known as Nick - pointed his girlfriend towards the big screen, which said ‘Melissa, will you be my Blueshirt Bride?’

His girlfriend puts her hand to her mouth in shock, but after thinking about the offer for a few seconds she looks distinctly unimpressed, gathers her belongings and makes for the exit.

Fans of the Rangers, known as Blueshirts, then booed her as she left the stadium.

It is unclear whether the proposal was genuine, although ice hockey fans are speculating the pair may well have been actors.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1251118/Valentines-Day-let-ice-hockey-fan-girlfriend-storms-mid-match-marriage-proposal.html#ixzz0fcgLXf1k