The Amish Outlet

If you are diabetic or have diabetics in your family, it is important to take dishes to reunions, potlucks, pitch-in meals, etc, that you know are safe for the diabetics diet. Try these recipes for Zucchini Squash Casserole, Jean's Fresh Spinach Salad with dressing you make yourself. To be sure the diabetic can enjoy dessert, take these Strawberry Cream Cheese Cupcakes. These little cakes are made with a 50 percent less sugar cake mix. With the eggs, cream cheese, and sour cream to add protein, one cupcake should fit easily into the average diabetic diet.


ZUCCHINI SQUASH CASSEROLE

3 cups diced zucchini

1/2 cup diced celery

1 medium onion, diced

1 1/2 cups tomato juice

1/2 cup toasted bread crumbs

American cheese slices

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a 2 1/2-quart casserole dish layer 1/2 of the squash, onions, celery and slices of cheese to cover vegetables. Repeat process with last half of vegetables adding more cheese on top. Top with the bread crumbs. Pour tomato juice over all. Bake 45 minutes or until bubbly and heated through.

NOTE: This recipe was adapted from a newspaper clipping of recipes from The Amish Cook.

JEAN'S FRESH SPINACH SALAD

1/2 lb fresh spinach

1 med head iceberg lettuce

1/2 lb Bibb lettuce

1/4 lb fresh mushrooms

2 tomatoes, diced

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 small bunch green onions, chopped

8 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled

6 eggs, boiled, peeled, cooled

Chop or thinly slice the boiled eggs (whichever way you choose to make your salad presentation); set aside along with the bacon. In a large glass bowl, combine the spinach, iceberg lettuce, Bibb lettuce mushrooms, bell pepper and onions; toss well to mix. Add the tomatoes and toss lightly. Make the dressing and pour over the salad, tossing lightly. Garnish with the reserved bacon and eggs.

DRESSING:

2 tbsp bacon drippings

2 green onions, chopped

1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp all-purpose flour

1 cup water

1/4 cup red wine vinegar

Saute the onions in the bacon drippings until softened. Add the flour and pepper to the onions and stir until browned. Gradually add in the water and vinegar, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil and cook until thick and bubbly. Pour hot mixture immediately over the salad.



STRAWBERRY-CREAM CHEESE CUPCAKES

1 box 50% less sugar yellow cake mix

8 oz sour cream

1/2 cup canola oil

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup egg substitute (or 2 eggs)

3 tbsp sugar-free strawberry preserves

3 oz cream cheese, cut into 24 pieces

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place paper baking cups into 24 regular-size muffin cups.

In a large mixing bowl, mix the cake mix, sour cream, oil, water and egg substitute with a spoon until well blended. The batter will be thick. Divide batter evenly among the muffin cups.

In a small bowl, stir preserves until smooth. Place 1 piece of cream cheese on top of batter in each tin; press lightly into batter. Place 1/4 teaspoon of preserves over cream cheese.

Bake 18-23 minutes until tops are golden brown and spring back to the touch. Some preserves may show on top of cupcakes. This is okay. Cool ten minutes in pan then remove to a wire rack. Sprinkle sugar-free powdered sugar over the tops of cakes. May top with thin strawberry slices if desired.

NOTE: These cupcakes are not sugar-free so do not over-indulge!

How to Make Sugar-Free Powdered Sugar: Put 3/4 cup of Splenda Granular and 2 tablespoons cornstarch in a blender and blend until it is a very fine powder. 0 grams of sugar and only 4 carbs per tablespoon.

Enjoy!

About the Author:

For more of Linda's recipes and diabetic information, go to http://diabeticenjoyingfood.squarespace.com