SurprisingWoman's Profile

If you only have dried herbs here is a nice mix of mock "Hidden Valley" that can also be used as a marinade or rub: http://www.kayotic.nl/blog/hidden-valley-ranch-seasoning

I make something very much like this and we call it, "Stinky Chicken" due to the smell of the cheese when it heats. It is my 10 year old granddaughter's favorite meal and what she requests for her birthday. She has moved several states away recently so I sent her the recipe and she can make herself now. We do love mushrooms so we always use a lot of mushrooms to the pan as well.

I prefer boneless skinless chicken thighs browned in a skillet with a bit of pepper and garlic. I put them in the baking dish. Put diced onion and sliced mushrooms into the pan with a bit of olive oil or butter. Saute until tender, browning isn't necessary. Pour on top of the chicken. I deglaze the pan with white wine, my granddaughter adds a can of french onion soup concentrate to the pan of chicken. Cover the pan with foil and bake until the chicken is about 10 degrees from done, but thighs are forgiving so 30 minutes is fine. Pull the foil, add shredded cheese and put under broiler on low. Pull the dish when the cheese is melted with a bit of browning on the cheese. Let it sit for at least 10 minutes and serve with rice, a crisp salad and a green vegetable. Even a 10 year old can do it. :)

I love cork and I love wine which means I often have wine corks and I have such a hard time throwing them away so I have been saving them for years. I finally found a place that will recycle them. I pay the postage to get them there and it makes me feel much, much better: http://www.yemmhart.com/news+/winecorkrecycling.htm I am not associated with this company and they have no idea who I am. I just think it ties in really nicely with your article.

Sugar Free Carrot Pumpkin Spice Cake

1.5 cups sugar substitute
2 cups whole wheat flour (King Arthur is good)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (or to taste, I like heavy spices in this)
4 eggs
2 Tbsp (glugs) of veg oil
1 cup plain yogurt
6 shredded carrots (approx 3'ish cups)
1 small can pumpkin puree

MIx all dry ingredients together, make a well (hole) in the middle. Crack in the eggs, add oil, yogurt, and pumpkin. Stir to moisten most of the flour, add grated carrots. Mix well.

Add to sheet cake pan that has been sprayed with Baker's Joy (or greased and floured). You will need to spread the cake mix with a spatula. It will be thick.

Bake at 325 until it passes the toothpick test.

Sugar Free Frosting

* 1 large box vanilla sugar-free instant pudding mix
* 1 to 1.5 cups milk
* 1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
* 1 (8 ounce) container lite frozen whipped topping, thawed

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, combine pudding mix and milk. Mix well and let stand until thickened.
2. In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Add pudding and mix well. Finally, fold in whipped topping.
3. Frost cake when completely cool.

keep cake in the fridge