Recipes with margarine

Shortcut oatmeal cookies using yellow cake mix as the base, loaded with oats, raisins, chopped nuts, and cinnamon. Soft, chewy, and foolproof.

A scrumptious and cheesy potato croquettes recipe that is great for entertaining friends or family.

Chocolate cherry cake with chocolate frosting: a Black Forest-inspired cake mix shortcut using devil's food, sour cream, almond extract, and cherry pie filling, topped with warm chocolate-almond frosting.

Dump cake with pie filling, crushed pineapple, yellow cake mix, and melted butter topped with coconut and nuts. A no-mix dessert where you literally dump everything into the pan and bake.

Lighter fettuccine Alfredo with turkey Italian sausage, evaporated skim milk, and Parmesan topped with fresh tomato. A lower-fat spin on the classic pasta dish that still delivers creamy, cheesy satisfaction.

A scrumptious bread that is easy to make and tastes great plain or toasted.

Soft baked pretzels with sharp cheddar cheese mixed right into the dough. These easy cheesy pretzels use baking powder instead of yeast for quick results in 35 minutes.

This is a quick chicken recipe, and goes very well!

Cherry cream frosting made with maraschino cherries and juice for natural pink color and sweet cherry flavor. A 5-minute powdered sugar icing for cakes, cupcakes, or cookies.

Baker's bread in a bag is mixed and kneaded entirely in a zip-top bag, no mixing bowl needed. A kid-friendly intro to yeast bread that bakes into a tender white loaf.

Sour sourdough bread builds extra tang through 12+ hours cold-retarded fermentation. Bread machine kneads, then artisan-style cylindrical loaves bake on cornmeal-dusted sheets.

Broccoli corn bread baked in a cast iron skillet with cheese and onion mixed right into the batter. A savory, veggie-loaded side that comes together fast.

Low-calorie ginger apple crisp with a cornflake crumb topping and crystallized ginger. Six apples baked bubbly under a crunchy, spiced streusel in 30 minutes.

Light pumpkin praline cheesecake: low-fat cottage cheese stands in for cream cheese, wheat germ replaces graham crumbs in the crust, and pumpkin pie spice carries the flavor. Topped with maple-drizzled pecans.

Pumpkin spice bread baked inside canning jars for shelf-stable giftable loaves. Warming cinnamon, clove, ginger, and raisins meet real pumpkin puree in a self-preserving oven-to-jar bake.

Italian almond-hazelnut biscotti twice-bake to crisp dipping cookies with lemon zest, almond extract, and toasted nuts. Lower-fat traditional Italian style, keeps a month in a tin.

Dark molasses gingerbread cake with cinnamon, ginger, and cloves baked in a ring mold and served warm with lemon whipped cream. Dense, spicy, and deeply flavored.

Butterscotch pie cooks brown sugar and butter into a real caramelized butterscotch base, then folds it into a creamy egg-yolk custard topped with golden baked meringue. A retro diner classic.

Greek lemon soup (avgolemono) with shredded chicken breast, rice, and a silky egg-lemon broth. A classic comfort soup thickened with tempered eggs for a creamy, tangy finish.

Vegetable stew with potato, green beans, yellow and green peppers, and tomato simmered in chicken broth with fennel seed. A light, Weight Watchers-friendly one-skillet side.

Homemade cheese crackers made with sharp cheddar, flour, and butter, rolled thin and baked until crispy. Customize with curry powder, garlic salt, celery salt, or black pepper toppings.

Poppy seed chicken casserole with cream of chicken soup, sour cream, mushrooms, and a buttery cracker-poppy seed crumble topping. A Southern potluck classic.

Maple macadamia biscotti made with real maple syrup, maple extract, applesauce, and chopped macadamia nuts. Twice-baked to a crisp, dry crunch for dunking in coffee.

Cheesy ham poof casserole with six eggs, three cheeses, chopped ham, and scallions baked until puffed and golden. A savory egg souffle-style brunch dish that rises dramatically in the oven.

Gooey butter cake bakes a yellow cake-mix base under a sweet cream cheese topping that bubbles and cracks like cheesecake on top while staying molten in the middle. A St. Louis classic.

Healthy gingerbread men with whole wheat flour, bran, and artificial sweetener. Low-calorie holiday cookies with orange juice and warm spices, crisp and guilt-free.

Curried turkey on rice: leftover roast turkey simmered in a creamy curry sauce with apple and onion, served over brown rice. A 30-minute weeknight curry built for the day after Thanksgiving.

Date oatmeal bars with a thick, jammy date filling sandwiched between two layers of buttery oat crumble. A vintage three-layer bar cookie that's chewy, sweet, and wholesome.

Fudge Yummies are layered chocolate brownie bars with a cream cheese filling, melted marshmallow top, and swirled chocolate cream cheese frosting.

Bread machine whole wheat bread studded with crumbled blue cheese and toasted walnuts. A savory, nutty loaf with bold flavor in every slice.

Citrus wine chicken baked with orange juice, white wine, garlic, and Worcestershire sauce. A low-calorie skinless chicken dinner with a glossy pan sauce.

Diabetic-friendly fine-crumb pie shell using graham cracker crumbs and dry cereal with margarine and a sugar substitute. A no-sugar-added crust ready for any chilled or baked diabetic pie filling.

Baked acorn squash halves stuffed with crushed pineapple and cinnamon. A diabetic-friendly side dish steamed in a water bath until fork-tender and naturally sweet.

Cheese straws are a Southern cocktail-party classic: sharp aged cheddar and cayenne rolled into a buttery dough, fork-ridged, and baked crisp. Savory, spicy, and impossibly snackable.

Rich almond spritz cookies with nutty depth and delicate crumb. Cookie press shapes bake up golden with sophisticated flavor beyond basic butter cookies.

Slice-and-bake vanilla wafer cookies with powdered sugar, butter, and cream of tartar. Make the dough ahead, chill, slice thin, and bake crispy in 10 minutes.

A scrumptious oat bread that's easy to make and tastes wonderful toasted or used as a sandwich.

Santa's white fudge made with sour cream, corn syrup, and sugar cooked to soft-ball stage, then loaded with candied cherries and pecans. Creamy holiday candy in an 8x8 pan.

Light sandwich rye for the bread machine with caraway seeds, bread flour, and rye flour. A mellow deli-style loaf with tight crumb and a soft crust, ideal for reubens and grilled cheese.

Vegetarian country chili with kidney beans, canned tomatoes, and a basil-oregano-thyme spice blend. Diabetic-friendly, ready in 25 minutes, no meat needed.

No-bake pumpkin layer pie with sweet cream cheese and whipped topping over a graham cracker crust, plus a thick spiced pumpkin pudding layer. A lighter holiday alternative.

Graham cracker pie shell made with just crushed graham crackers and melted margarine. A no-bake, two-ingredient crust that chills firm and holds any cream, custard, or cheesecake filling.

Chestnuts with mushrooms in a white wine gravy served over rice. A quick vegetarian main dish with earthy, nutty flavors ready in 20 minutes.

Crispy oatmeal cookies that spread thin with lacy, caramelized edges that shatter when you bite. A high butter-to-flour ratio and quick oats deliver crunch, not chew. Optional nuts and raisins.

Savory garlic muffins with crushed garlic and chives baked into a quick bread batter. A warm, fragrant alternative to garlic bread that pairs with pasta, soup, or stew.

Fancy spritz cookies are tender, buttery pressed cookies enriched with ground almonds and almond extract for a marzipan-like flavor. Shape them with a cookie press into pretty holiday wreaths and stars.

Chocolate pound cake baked in a tube pan with melted unsweetened chocolate and cream of tartar for a tender, tight crumb. A one-bowl, old-fashioned pound cake dressed up in cocoa.

Simple chicken saute is a lean 30-minute dinner for two: lightly pounded chicken breasts pan-seared in olive oil, then topped with a quick lemon, green onion, and mushroom pan sauce. Weeknight French bistro technique.