Family members, party-goers, book-club attendees, etc., will LOVE them. We know because they’ve all been tested. Often. By very picky people.

You’ll Need: large skillet, nonstick spray, 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan, bowl, wire whisk

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 45 minutes

2 large zucchini

1 large portabella mushroom

1 onion, sliced

1 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

4 cups fat-free liquid egg substitute

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon chopped garlic

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups roughly chopped fresh spinach leaves

½ cup roughly chopped fresh basil

2 firm plum tomatoes

2 tablespoons reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Cut zucchini lengthwise at an angle into ½-inch-thick slices. Remove stem from the mushroom, and cut cap into ½-inch-thick slices. Chop stem and set aside.

Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Working in batches, cook zucchini, mushroom slices, and onion for 3 minutes per side, removing skillet from heat and re-spraying it between batches.

Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch baking pan with nonstick spray, making sure to spray the sides as well as the bottom. Lay cooked veggies along the bottom of the pan. Sprinkle evenly with mozzarella cheese. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine egg substitute, baking powder, garlic, Italian seasoning, and salt. Whisk until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Stir in spinach, basil, and chopped mushroom stem. Pour mixture over the cheese layer in the baking pan.

Place baking pan in the oven and bake for 20 minutes, until firm and lightly browned at the edges. Meanwhile, slice tomatoes and place on a layer of paper towels to absorb some of the moisture.

Carefully remove baking pan from the oven and top evenly with tomatoes. Sprinkle with grated topping.

Return it to the oven and cook for 5 minutes longer. Allow to cool slightly, and then dig in!

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

You’ll Need: bowls, large (9-inch by 5-inch) loaf pan, nonstick spray

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 50 minutes

1¼ cups whole-wheat flour

¼ cup all-purpose flour

½ cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

¼ cup brown sugar (not packed)

2¼ teaspoons baking powder

1½ teaspoons cinnamon

½ teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

One 15-ounce can pure pumpkin

½ cup fat-free liquid egg substitute

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ cup sweetened dried cranberries or raisins (not packed), chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine both types of flour, Splenda, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.

In a medium bowl, mix pumpkin, egg substitute, and vanilla extract (all the wet ingredients). Add this mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients, and stir until just blended.

Slowly sprinkle chopped cranberries or raisins into the batter, making sure they don’t all stick together, and mix to distribute them.

Spoon batter into a large loaf pan sprayed with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven for about 50 minutes, until the top of the loaf is firm to the touch. (Bread may be moist inside. This doesn’t mean it’s undercooked.) Allow to cool, and then cut into 8 slices. Enjoy!

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

You’ll Need: bowl, baking sheet, small microwave-safe bowl, pastry brush

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 5 minutes

1 mango, diced

1 small banana, diced

½ cup diced strawberries

1 French baguette about

2 inches in thickness and at least

6 inches long

2 tablespoons light whipped butter or light buttery spread

½ teaspoon cinnamon

2 no-calorie sweetener packets

1/3 cup fat-free fruit-flavored yogurt (your choice)

Preheat broiler.

Stir all fruit together in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate.

Using a sharp serrated knife, carefully cut sixteen ¼-inch-thick slices from the baguette. (Save any remaining bread for another use.) Lay bread slices in a single layer on a large baking sheet. Set aside.

Place butter in a small microwave-safe bowl and microwave until just melted. Add cinnamon and sweetener and mix well. Brush the tops of the bread slices with butter mixture.

Place the baking sheet about 5 inches beneath the broiler and let broil for 3 minutes, or until tops are slightly bubbly.

Evenly distribute chilled fruit among the bread slices. Top each with a teaspoon of yogurt.

Enjoy!

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

You’ll Need: bowl, baking sheet, nonstick spray, toothpicks

Prep: 10 minutes

Chill: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

One 9.75-ounce (or 10-ounce) can 98% fat-free chunk white chicken breast in water, drained and flaked

½ cup salsa

1/3 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

¼ teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix

Eight 6-inch corn tortillas

Optional dips: red enchilada sauce, additional salsa, fat-free sour cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a medium bowl, combine the chicken and salsa, and mix thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for 15 minutes.

Remove chicken mixture from the fridge, and drain any excess liquid. Add cheese and taco seasoning, and mix to combine. This is your filling. Set aside.

Prepare a baking sheet by spraying with nonstick spray, and set it aside.

Dampen two paper towels, and place tortillas between them. Microwave for about 1 minute, until tortillas are warm and pliable.

Take one tortilla (keep the rest between the paper towels), spray both sides lightly with nonstick spray, and lay it flat on a clean dry surface. Spoon about 2 heaping tablespoons of filling onto the tortilla. Spread it evenly across the entire surface, and roll tortilla up tightly, so that you have a cigar-shaped tube. Secure with toothpicks and place seam-side down on the baking sheet. Repeat with remaining tortillas and filling.

Bake in the oven for 14 to 16 minutes, until crispy. Allow taquitos to cool for 5 minutes. If you like, dunk in enchilada sauce, salsa, or sour cream!

MAKES 4 SERVINGS

You’ll Need: 12-cup muff in pan, nonstick spray, large skillet, bowl, rolling pin, pizza cutter (optional)

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

8 slices center-cut bacon or turkey bacon

2 small tomatoes, deseeded, finely chopped, patted dry

1 small onion, finely chopped

¾ cup fat-free mayonnaise

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 package Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet

2 tablespoons reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

Bring a large skillet sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Add bacon and cook until crispy. Remove from heat and let cool.

Add tomatoes, onion, mayo, and garlic powder to a bowl. Once cool enough to handle, chop bacon and add to the bowl as well. Mix thoroughly and set aside.

Roll dough out into a 12-inch by 9-inch rectangle. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut into 12 squares.

Place each square of dough into a muffin cup, and press it into the bottom and up along the sides of the cup to form a little “dough cup” for the bacon mixture.

Evenly distribute mixture among the cups. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon grated topping over each cup.

Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool slightly, and then enjoy!

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

You’ll Need: bowls, 12-cup muff in pan, nonstick spray, baking cups (optional)

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

2/3 cup all-purpose flour

½ cup yellow cornmeal

2 ½ tablespoons Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

2 ½ tablespoons granulated sugar

1½ teaspoons baking powder

¼ teaspoon salt

1 cup canned cream-style corn

½ cup fat-free liquid egg substitute

½ cup fat-free sour cream

7 fat-free or nearly fat-free franks

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Combine flour, cornmeal, Splenda, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well and set aside. In a separate small bowl, mix corn, egg substitute, and sour cream. Stir thoroughly. Add contents of the small bowl to the large one, and stir until completely mixed.

Cut 2 franks in half, leaving you with 4 cocktail-sized franks. Cut each of the halves into 6 pieces, leaving you with 24 “coins.” Set aside. (You’ll use these to top the muffins.)

Chop the remaining franks into very small pieces. Add those to the large bowl, and stir until they are integrated into the batter.

Line 8 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute batter among the 8 cups. Top each muffin with 3 of the frank “coins.”

Bake in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool and then enjoy!

MAKES 8 SERVINGS

You’ll Need: 12-cup muff in pan, nonstick spray, bowl

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

12 small square wonton wrappers

2 tablespoons taco sauce

1 tablespoon fat-free cream cheese, room temperatur

1 teaspoon dry taco seasoning mix

One 9.75-ounce (or 10-ounce) can 98% fat-free chunk white chicken breast in water, drained and flaked

¼ cup canned black beans, drained and rinsed

¼ cup corn, thawed from frozen

¼ cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

1 plum tomato, chopped

Optional: salt and black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Spray a 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick spray. Place each wonton wrapper into a cup of the muffin pan, and press it into the bottom and sides.

Lightly spray wrappers with nonstick spray. Bake in the oven for about 4 minutes, until the corners begin to brown. Leaving the oven on, set muffin pan aside to cool.

Mix taco sauce, cream cheese, and taco seasoning together in a bowl. Add chicken and stir until coated. Add beans, corn, and cheddar cheese, and stir well. If you like, season to taste with salt and pepper.

Evenly distribute mixture into the wonton shells, about 2 tablespoons each. Return pan to the oven and bake for about 8 minutes, until the chicken mixture is hot.

Once cool enough to handle, remove the filled wonton shells and top evenly with tomato. Serve and enjoy!

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

You’ll Need: large pot with a lid, nonstick spray

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

½ cup chopped green bell pepper

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

½ cup chopped onion

One 14.5-ounce can stewed tomatoes, not drained

1 cup Spicy Hot V8 vegetable juice

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 cup frozen cut okra

2 teaspoons dry Cajun seasoning, or more to taste

1 teaspoon Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce, or more to taste

8 ounces raw shrimp, peeled, tails removed, deveined

8 ounces white crabmeat (about two 6-ounce cans drained)

Black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot sprayed with nonstick spray to medium heat. Add bell peppers and onion. Stirring occasionally, cook for about 3 minutes, until tender.

Add tomatoes, vegetable juice, and cornstarch. Stir well, making sure cornstarch dissolves completely. Cook until mixture begins to bubble. Add okra, Cajun seasoning, and hot sauce. Stir and bring mixture to a boil.

Reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer for 10 minutes.

Add shrimp, and continue to simmer until shrimp are opaque and cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes. Add crabmeat and ¾ cup water. Raise heat to medium, and return to a boil.

Remove pot from heat, cover, and let thicken for 5 minutes. Season to taste with black pepper. If you like, add a little more Cajun seasoning and Frank’s RedHot. Enjoy!

MAKES 5 SERVINGS

You’ll Need: medium pot, nonstick spray

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

½ cup chopped onion

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

6 fat-free or nearly fat-free franks, chopped into small pieces

One 15.5-ounce can Hunt’s Manwich Original Sloppy Joe Sauce

6 light hot dog buns (about 80 calories each)

Bring a pot sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and franks, and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until veggies are browned and franks are just slightly crispy.

Reduce heat to medium and add sauce. Stirring occasionally, cook until heated throughout.

Evenly distribute sloppy frank mixture among the hot dog buns, about ½ cup mixture per bun. Serve and enjoy!

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

You’ll Need: bowl, handheld electric mixer, large sealable plastic bag

Prep: 20 minutes

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons fat-free ricotta cheese

2/3 cup Cool Whip Free, thawed

2½ tablespoons Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)

1 tablespoon sugar-free fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

2 tablespoons mini semi-sweet chocolate chips, divided

6 sugar cones (like the kind by Keebler)

Place all ingredients except chocolate chips and sugar cones in a medium bowl. Using a handheld electric mixer set to high speed, mix until fully combined and fluffy. Fold in half of the chocolate chips.

Transfer mixture to a large plastic bag, squeezing it down toward one bottom corner of the bag. Snip that corner off with scissors, so that you have a makeshift piping bag.

Gently squeeze the ricotta mixture into the cones, evenly distributing it among them.

Sprinkle the remaining chocolate chips evenly on top of the filling in each cone.

Eat and enjoy!

MAKES 6 SERVINGS

You’ll Need: bowl, rolling pin, pizza cutter (optional), 12-cup muff in pan, pastry brush (optional)

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

½ cup sugar-free jam or preserves (any flavor)

1 teaspoon cornstarch

Dash salt

1 tablespoon flour

½ package Pillsbury Crescent Recipe Creations Seamless Dough Sheet

1 egg white or 2 tablespoons liquid egg whites

1 tablespoon powdered sugar

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a small bowl, thoroughly mix jam, cornstarch, and salt, and set aside.

Prepare a dry surface by dusting it with some of the flour. Dust a rolling pin with the flour, as well.

Roll dough out to about 1/8-inch thickness. Using a knife or pizza cutter, cut into 12 squares.

Place each square into a cup of a 12-cup muffin pan, and press it into the bottom and sides, creating a little dough “cup” about ½-inch tall.

Using a pastry brush or your fingers, lightly brush dough cups with a thin layer of egg white. (You do not need to use all the egg white.) Spoon 2 teaspoons jam mixture into the center of each cup, leaving room around the edges for it to melt and spread.

Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, until dough cups start to turn golden brown. Let cool for several minutes.

If needed, run a knife along the edges of the tarts to release them from the pan. Sprinkle with sugar and enjoy!

MAKES 12 SERVINGS

You’ll Need: bowls, 12-cup muff in pan, baking cups (optional), nonstick spray, toothpick

Prep: 30 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

For Frosting

1 cup Cool Whip Free, thawed

3 tablespoons fat-free cream cheese, room temperatur

½ tablespoon sugar-free fat-free vanilla instant pudding mix

¾ teaspoon cinnamon

1 no-calorie sweetener packet

For Cupcakes

2 cups moist-style yellow cake mix

2 cups peeled and finely chopped Fuji apples

½ cup no-sugar-added applesauce

½ cup fat-free liquid egg substitute

¼ cup fat-free sour cream

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/8 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Combine all of the frosting ingredients in a bowl and mix well. Refrigerate until cupcakes are ready to be frosted.

Combine all of the cupcake ingredients in a large bowl, and mix until blended.

Line a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute cake mixture among the cups.

Bake in the oven for about 15 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out clean.

Let cool completely, and then evenly distribute frosting among the tops of the cupcakes. Enjoy!

MAKES 12 SERVINGS