I made this for breakfast this morning, and served it along with spiffy scrambled eggs (scrambled eggs that I add stuff to, such as shredded cheese; today’s add-in was real bacon bits). It takes less than an hour to make, from the time I turned the oven on to when it graced my table.

Ari’s Favorite Blueberry Cobbler

 
Serves 4
Preparation Time: 10 minutes
Baking Time: 45 minutes

4 tablespoons butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar substitute (feel free to use sugar if you wish)
3/4 cup milk, 1% lowfat
3/4 cup self-rising flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups blueberries, frozen — thawed
butter flavored cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 1/2 quart or 8″x8″ pan with non-stick cooking spray. Melt butter in baking dish.

Mix other ingredients, except fruit.

Add batter to melted butter; DON’T STIR.

Add fruit; DON’T STIR. Spray the top of everything with the butter flavored cooking spray.

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

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Per Serving (excluding unknown items): 291 Calories; 13g Fat (39.3% calories from fat); 4g Protein; 40g Carbohydrate; 3g Dietary Fiber; 33mg Cholesterol; 565mg Sodium.

Exchanges: 1 Grain (Starch); 1/2 Fruit; 0 Non-Fat Milk; 2 1/2 Fat; 1/2 Other Carbohydrates.

Notes: If using sugar, you can omit the baking soda and spraying the top of the batter and fruit with the cooking spray. Those things needed to be done to help the batter rise as it bakes, and to help the top of it brown. You can substitute any unsweetened fruit you wish in this dish; if you use frozen fruit, thaw them before using them.

My recipe is based on Granny’s Quick Cobbler at SparkRecipes.

Sugar Free Slow Cooker Apple Butter

 
Makes 36 – 1 tbsp servings

4 pounds apples
1 cup apple cider
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground cloves

Spray your slow cooker liner with non-stick cooking spray.

Peel and core the apples, and cut them into large chunks. Pour apple cider over top. Cover the slow cooker and cook on HIGH for 10 hours.

Mash up the apples, or puree them with an immersion blender. Stir in cinnamon and ground cloves. If you want your apple butter thicker, let cook for another hour on high, or until it reaches the thickness you like.

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Per Serving (1 tablespoon): 31 Calories; trace Fat (4.9% calories from fat); trace Protein; 8g Carbohydrate; 1g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; trace Sodium.

Exchanges: 0 Grain(Starch); 1/2 Fruit; 0 Fat.

Chicken and Pasta with Mango Cream Sauce

 
8 ounces uncooked rigatoni pasta
1 tablespoon olive oil, divided
2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves – cubed
1 onion, sliced and separated into rings
1 green bell pepper, cut into thin strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced
1 mango – peeled, seeded and chopped
1 cup heavy cream
salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon grated Parmesan cheese
4 sprigs fresh parsley, for garnish

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add rigatoni pasta, cook for 8 minutes, until almost done, and drain.

Heat 1/2 the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place chicken in the skillet, and cook 10 minutes, or until juices run clear. Remove from heat, and set aside.

Heat the remaining olive oil in the skillet, and cook the onion and green pepper until tender. Mix in the garlic, ginger, and mango, and continue to cook and stir 5 minutes, or until mango is soft. Gradually mix the heavy cream into the skillet, and cook 5 minutes, until thickened.

Return the chicken to the skillet. Stir in the partially cooked pasta, and season with salt and pepper. Cook and stir 2 minutes, until ingredients are well blended and pasta is al dente. Mix in the cheese. Garnish with parsley to serve.