Basil Pesto

For a while I have wanted to make Basil Pesto but I was always discouraged by recipes calling for 1/2C - 3/4C of oil so when I was doing my daily search on Pinterest and saw a recipe from Tracey's Culinary Adventures for Creamy Basil Pesto that used Part Skim Ricotta and 2TB of Olive Oil I just knew I had to give it a try. This recipe makes a generous cup of pesto that can be used as a pasta sauce, spread or dip or a great sauce for chicken or vegetables. I used this tonight on pasta (2TB for 3oz of pasta) and will freeze the rest for later recipes (in a zip lock bag with all of the air pressed out of it to prevent freezer burn). I found the pesto to be quite tasty and the pan roasted garlic was a nice touch.

Basil Pesto: 1C / 16TB

3C Fresh Basil Leaves (Firmly packed in a measuring cup)
2TB Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Shallot
1/4C Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
1/2C Parmesan Cheese - Shredded
4 Garlic Cloves
Salt & Pepper

In a dry pan place the garlic cloves - still in their skins - over medium heat and cook for 5-7 minutes moving them around the pan so they do not burn. They will slowly toast and roast inside of their skins. Once toasted remove from their skins and add to a processor. Clean the basil leaves so no stems remain and rinse them thoroughly and pat dry with paper towels. Place the basil and all remaining ingredients in the processor and blend until a nice smooth consistency.

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WW: 15 Points Plus / Recipe, 1 Points Plus per Tablespoon.

Tangy Chicken Tenders

Anyone ever get the chicken tenders from Cracker Barrel and think Oh My Goodness these are so wonderful? I wonder what they put on these things!? Well when I was searching, yeap you got it, Pinterest a few weeks ago I saw a recipe from the blog 'Southern Plate' that claimed to be a copycat of CB's Grilled Chicken Tenders without a grill. The picture was so appealing I decided I would give it a try and boy am I glad I did. While this recipe took me a solid hour - hour ten it wasn't a lot of work, a stir here and there, and the results were tasty - not as carmelized as the original picture (I think I had my heat too low to begin) but well worth the effort.



Tangy Chicken Tenders: Serves 4

2lbs Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts
1C Kraft Fat Free Zesty Italian Dressing
1TB Honey
2tsp Lime Juice

At least an hour before you want to start cooking you will need to marinate the chicken. I bought chicken breasts so I sliced into even size chunks - knowing that I was going to cook this for an hour or so I knew I did not want small pieces of chicken. You can also buy pre cut chicken tenders that need no trimming. Either in a large bowl or in a zip lock bag place the chicken and mix the dressing, honey and lime juice together and pour over the chicken. Let this sit for at least an hour and up to 12 hours.

Okay time to cook! in a large saute pan or a dutch oven (wahoo I got to use my Christmas present again!) place the chicken and all of the marinade in the pan/pot over medium heat and give it a stir/toss once every 10 minutes. Don't worry I know it looks like a lot of sauce but it will reduce to almost nothing by the time you are done. The sauce will begin to simmer - this is okay, don't be afraid of it - I was and I turned it down which caused me to cook my chicken longer than an hour and I believe it not to have as much caramelization as the picture on Southern Plate. After about 40 minutes you will notice that the sauce is thickening and starting to disappear, you will want to stay near your pot now and stir every few minutes so nothing burns. Once the sauce has evaporated turn the heat off give the chicken one last spin around the pot and serve & enjoy!

This is great by itself but would also be wonderful on a salad or in a wrap.

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WW: 7 Points Plus / serving

Ricotta Dumplings with Italian Meatballs

Pinterest strikes again! I saw this recipe for Ricotta Dumplings from 'The Kitchn' and just had to try it. As a pasta addict I thought this looked a lot like gnocchi and couldn't wait to find a way to make this a main meal for me! I couldn't imagine eating just the dumplings though and I thought to myself how wonderful they would be with my Italian Meatballs and a simple Veggie Spaghetti Sauce. Well wouldn't ya know I was right...they are wonderful and they go great with my meatballs and sauce!



Ricotta Dumplings with Italian Meatballs: Serves 4

1 Batch Italian Meatballs
2 Eggs
1/2C Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
1-1/2C Flour
3/4tsp Salt
1/4tsp Cracked Black Pepper
2 Carrots - Shredded
1/2 Onion - Minced
1 Bell Pepper - Minced
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
1tsp Olive Oil
3C Tomato Sauce
1/4tsp Garlic Powder
1/4tsp Onion Powder
1/2tsp Dried Basil
1/2tsp Dried Parsley
Salt & Pepper

In a sauce pot heat up olive oil over medium heat and add the carrots, onion, bell pepper and garlic with some salt and pepper. Heat for 6-8 minutes until tender then add the tomato sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, basil, parsley and some salt and pepper. Stir and bring up to a light simmer, cover and continue to cook until the rest of the meal is done.

Make the meatballs and once browned put to the side.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. While the water is heating up we can prepare the dumplings. In a mixing bowl mix the eggs and ricotta together, add the salt and black pepper then mix in the flour. You may want to do this with a mixer or you can use the method I used - your hands to incorporate all of the flour into the mix. Place the dough on a lightly floured surface and roll it out to 1/2" thickness and cut into small 1" squares. By now the water should be boiling, carefully drop the dumplings into the water, give them a stir and cook for 3-4 minutes until they float to the surface and are cooked through.

Drain and toss with the meatballs and sauce, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 11 Points Plus / serving (6 PP per serving without the sauce & meatballs - remember you can mix these with whatever you want, or have a double serving of dumplings as a meal in itself!)

Stove Top Pot Roast

Merry day after Christmas everyone! I hope Santa was nice to all of you, I know I had a wonderful Christmas and tonight my Mom and I christened one of my presents - a 7 quart Dutch Oven in shiny red! I have wanted a Dutch Oven for years for things like pot roasts, stews and other meals that want to sear then slowly cook. One of my favorite meals has always been a pot roast, with sweet carrots, tender potatoes and onions that just melt in your mouth. Surprisingly I have never made a pot roast so my Mom helped me out today and gave me all her tips.



Stove Top Pot Roast: Serves 4-6

3.5lbs Beef Chuck Roast
1TB Olive Oil
1.5C Water
1 Packet Lipton Beefy Onion Soup
Carrots
Potatoes
Onions
1/4C Milk
1TB Corn Starch
1/2tsp Beef Bouillon (optional)

Run your meat under cold water and rinse it well, then pat dry with paper towels. Set your dutch oven - or a heavy large pan that you have a tight fitting lid to - over medium high heat with the olive oil. When the pan is hot (a drop of water sizzles in the oil) place the meat in the oil and let it cook for 3-5 minutes on each side forming a nice browning to the meat. Once browned add the water and beefy onion soup mix together and pour over the roast, bring up to a boil and reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and let it cook for approximately 1.5 hours.

After 1.5 hours we removed the meat from the pot and added the vegetables - peel the carrots and potatoes, placing the carrots in whole and cutting the potatoes into approximately 1-2" cubes, and quartering large peeled onions. Once the vegetables are in the pot place the meat on top and cook for approximately an hour until the vegetables are fork tender with the juices gently simmering. The meat should be easy to pull apart with a fork - if it is not, remove the vegetables and keep cooking the meat, checking it at 15 minute increments until it does pull apart.

Once the meat is done remove it from the pot and set to the side to rest while you make a gravy. Mix the milk, corn starch until smooth, then add a few tablespoons of the juices to the mix and stir to incorporate. Pour approximately half of the mixture into the pot and stir to incorporate and bring up to a simmer. The juices should start to tighten up and form into a gravy, if it is still pretty loose add the remainder of the corn starch mix and continue to stir at a simmer until thickened to your liking. Give it a taste test and if it is a little bland add some beef bouillon, stir and taste again.

Personally I like to slather everything in my gravy and can't think of a better way to have this meal - as you can see I had no problem clearing my plate!

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WW: 3oz COOKED Pot Roast is 8 Points Plus. In a 3.5 pound raw chuck roast I would say you can easily get 4-6, 3oz cooked servings. I have not included points for the potatoes as that is something you can easily calculate or alter to your individual plan.

Spritz Cookies

Another cookie from my childhood is the Spritz Cookie, they are fun because you get to use a cookie gun with different nozzles to provide different fun shapes - stars, trees, leaves, etc. Any kid will love making these and every one will love eating them! Unfortunately our cookie gun is easily 30 if not 40 years old and we had a hard time getting our shapes to come out right but the cookies still taste delicious and I feel like Santa will be bringing my mom a new cookie gun before next Christmas!

Spritz Cookies: 6-7 doz. Cookies

1C Butter (2 sticks) - Softened
3/4C Sugar
1 Egg
1tsp Lemon Extract
2-1/4C Flour
1/4tsp Salt
1/2tsp Baking Powder

In a mixer mix the butter until creamed, then add the sugar and mix to incorporate, followed by the egg and extract. Mix the flour, salt and baking powder together and add in thirds to the butter mixture and beat well until evenly incorporated. Add food coloring if you so desire and mix once more, then split into two log shaped forms and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes. Place one log into a cookie gun/press and press cookies out onto an un-greased cookie sheet and bake at 400° for 7-9 minutes until they start to brown. Remove to a cookie rack or wax paper on a counter and let them cool. Serve & Enjoy.

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WW: 1 Points Plus / cookie (at 6 doz/batch)
3 Points Plus / 2 cookies (at 6 doz/batch)
4 Points Plus / 3 cookies (at 6 doz/batch)
5 Points Plus / 4 cookies (at 6 doz/batch)

Drop Sugar Cookies

Growing up I remember baking cookies with my mom and sister every Christmas, dozens and dozens of cookies. One of my favorite cookies to make is drop sugar cookies, I know a lot of people are fond of the rolled sugar cookies that you stamp out with cookie cutters but I have never been a huge fan of eating them - just decorating them. Drop sugar cookies are to me just as fun, you get to stamp them down with a glass that is dipped in butter and colored sugar. My mom got a recipe out of the Baltimore Sun by Mary Gurry for Drop Sugar Cookies that very closely matched a recipe of her Mother's from her childhood and we adapted it by dropping 1 stick of butter (yes it really did call for 4 whole sticks of butter to begin with!) believe me you won't miss it! This year my mom and I made cookies and these were my favorite of them all.



Drop Sugar Cookies: Makes approx 5-6 dozen (we got just shy of 6 doz)

3 Sticks Butter, Softened
2C Sugar
2 Eggs
2tsp Baking Soda
4C Flour
2tsp Cream of Tartar
2tsp Vanilla Extract
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Butter & Colored Sugar

Mix the butter, sugar, eggs and baking soda together until well blended and let it sit for 10 minutes. Mix in the remaining ingredients (flour, cream of tartar and vanilla). Drop 1TB spoonfuls onto an un-greased cookie sheet - make sure to keep plenty of room between the cookies as they will expand a lot. Take a glass with a flat bottom and take a little bit of butter and rub it over the bottom of the glass, then dip the glass into a dish of colored sugar, then gently and evenly press down on the cookie until it is approx 1/4" thick. Repeat with the remaining cookies on the sheet. Bake at 350° approximately 5-7 minutes, until the edges start to brown (cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your cookies). Remove from the oven and let them sit for 2-3 minutes then remove to a cookie rack or piece of wax paper on a counter to cool. ENJOY!

Tips: If you don't want to buy specialty colored sugars you can either use just plain white sugar, or you can put some white sugar in a bowl, add a could drops of food coloring and with a fork work it into the sugar to dye it - we did this as mom was out of the pre-made colored sugars.

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WW: 2 Points Plus / cookie (at 6 doz/batch)
5 Points Plus / 2 cookies (at 6 doz/batch)

Roasted Creamy Asparagus & Sausage Pasta

When I was making extra crab ravioli for Christmas Eve I happened to end up with an extra pound of pasta dough so I made it into some fettuccine and tonight I cooked it up in this great easy dish. This meal is real easy to make, you put all the toppings in the oven to roast on a single cookie sheet and in the time it takes the water to boil and pasta to cook everything will be completely done - a must have for a busy week night meal.



Roasted Creamy Asparagus & Sausage Pasta: Serves 4

8oz Pasta (or 1/2 batch Basic Pasta)
1 Bunch Asparagus (approx 1lbs)
1/2 Onion - Chopped
2 Hot Italian Turkey Sausages (approx 3-4oz Each)
1/2C Sour Cream (I use Daisy's Light)
2TB Milk
1/4tsp Garlic Powder
1/4tsp Red Pepper Flakes
2tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Place a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. Drain and set to the side.

Mix the sour cream, garlic powder and red pepper flakes together and set to the side.

Mix the 1tsp olive oil with the onion and place on a greased cookie sheet. Cut the sausage into small bite size pieces and place on the cookie sheet with the onion. Place in a 400° oven for 10 minutes. While the onions and sausage are cooking mix the asparagus with the remaining teaspoon of oil and some salt and pepper. After the 10 minutes are up add the asparagus to the pan and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until the asparagus are cooked through. Remove from the oven and cut the asparagus into small pieces.

Mix the sausage, onions and asparagus with the pasta and sour cream mixture until evenly coated. Serve and enjoy!

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving (with regular boxed pasta)
8 Points Plus / serving (with 1/2 batch Basic Pasta)

Peppermint Swirl Cookies

On one of my pinterest explorations I saw this great recipe for these beautiful looking swirled cookies, green and white with pretty sprinkles on the outside (Original recipe from Our Italian Kitchen). I decided to give it a shot and make these beautiful cookies and to my surprise mine actually looked like the recipe! They even taste pretty darn good. So give these beauties a try, and if peppermint isn't your thing feel free to change the extract to one that is more to your liking, like lemon, raspberry, rum, etc. You can also change the colors to match the occasion or flavor.



Peppermint Swirl Cookies: approx 48 cookies

2C Flour
1/2tsp Baking Powder
1/4tsp Salt
2/3C Powdered Sugar
1/4C Sugar
2.5 Sticks Butter (only slightly softened)
1tsp Vanilla Extract
1/2tsp Peppermint Extract
1/2tsp Green Food Coloring
Sprinkles (optional)

With a mixer combine the flour, baking powder, salt, powdered sugar and regular sugar together, then add in the butter in small chunks (I let my butter soften for 10-15 minutes but did not let it get to the point of regular 'softened' butter). Once combined add in the vanilla extract and mix. Split the dough into 2 equal parts and remove 1 part from the bowl. Add in the peppermint extract (or extract of your choice), and the food coloring. Mix to incorporate. Take both sections of dough and form them into 2 separate discs and individually wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Remove from the refrigerator and between 2 sheets of wax paper roll out each disc of dough into a 1/8" thick rectangle (approx 18-20" long and 10" wide). Repeat with the other disc of dough. Place both rolled out pieces of dough into the refrigerator laying flat for 2 hours.

Remove from the refrigerator and remove one piece of wax paper from each dough packet. Brush a little bit of water onto the side of one piece then lay the other piece on top of it, press down evenly on the dough to help seal the two sheets together. With a knife carefully trim the edges up so that the two pieces are the same size. Then carefully roll the dough into a log (along the long edge so you have an 18" long roll when complete). Try to keep the log as tight as possible as you are rolling. Now lightly wet the exterior of the roll with water, then roll in sprinkles if you are using. Wrap the dough in 2 pieces of plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 3-4 hours and up to 2 days (or up to 2 months in the freezer).

When ready to cook slice into 1/4" thick rounds and place on a cookie sheet (make sure to keep room between the cookies as they will almost double in size when baking) and bake at 350° for 15-18 minutes until the edges start to brown. Remove from the oven and let them sit on the pan for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!

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WW: 2 Points Plus / Cookie

Chicken & Veggie Quesadillas

So I participate on a message board and this morning one of my good friends, Jackie, said she threw together a great dinner last night of left over chicken, peppers and onions in a quesadilla and I thought to myself "hmmm I have left over chicken I need to eat, peppers, onions, beans, cheese and tortilla wraps...I think I know what I'm having for dinner tonight!" Well Jackie... THANK YOU. This was a wonderfully filling, healthy, delicious, I can't wait to have it again, dinner. OH and one of the best parts? This whole meal, start to finish took me less than 15 minutes.



Chicken & Veggie Quesadillas: serves 2-3

100g Cooked Chicken - Thinly Sliced
1 Small Bell Pepper - Thinly Sliced
1 Small Onion - Thinly Sliced
1/2C Black Beans (canned) - Drained/Rinsed
1/2C Salsa
2tsp Taco Seasoning
2tsp Olive Oil
2oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese
2 Burrito Sized Tortillas

In a saute pan heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the pepper and onions and cook for 5-6 minutes until tender. Add in the chicken with the salsa, beans and taco seasoning and stir to distribute and heat through. Remove from the heat. In a large dry pan over medium lay 1 tortilla flat and sprinkle all of the cheese over it then top with the chicken and veggies and lay the other tortilla on top of the filling. Cook for 4-5 minutes until the cheese is melted. Now for the fun part... time to flip! I like to take a dinner plate and place it on top of the tortilla and then flip the pan over while holding onto the plate. This helps keep all the filling in and now the cooked side is up. Simply slide the quesadilla back into the pan and cook the bottom for another 4-5 minutes. Remove from the pan, slice and enjoy. I added a little sour cream on the side, but you could also have more salsa or guacamole, or eat plain which is just delicious too!

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WW: 7 Points Plus / serving @ 3 servings
11 Points Plus / serving @ 2 servings

Maryland Blue Crab Ravioli

Another wonderful birthday gift was the Kitchenaid Ravioli Maker! Last Christmas I got the Pasta Roller attachment and together I can see myself making lots of fun stuffed pasta, cheese, sausage, beef, squash, pumpkin, crab, shrimp, potato, etc. My oh my the possibilities are endless :) More than once my Dad has said to me "So....when you make stuffed shells, you should make them with some crab in them!" Well one deal with the ravioli maker was that I make something delicious for Christmas Eve and I took my Father's advise and here I am spending my day altering a famous family crab dip recipe for a ravioli stuffing. That man is going to love me extra on Christmas Eve because this recipe is to.die.for.



Maryland Blue Crab Ravioli: makes approx 150-170 1.5" ravioli

2-3 Homemade Pasta Mix
1lbs Blue Crab Backfin Meat (Fresh!)
8oz 1/3 Less Fat Cream Cheese
1C Shredded Cheddar
1/2C Sour Cream
1tsp Worcestershire Sauce
1/4tsp Garlic Powder
1/2tsp Old Bay

Set the cream cheese out for 20-30 minutes to soften, then beat the cream cheese with the sour cream, cheddar cheese, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder and Old Bay. Gently go through the crab meat removing any shells that you find and then fold the crab into the cheese mix. Place in the refrigerator while you make the pasta.

Make the pasta into sheets according to my Homemade Pasta Recipe. Once you have the sheets made either use a ravioli maker or if you are really ambitious you can cut small rounds out of the dough and hand stuff each piece of pasta with a healthy dollop of the cheese and crab mix.

Now you have the choice....to freeze or to eat right away! I'm not going to lie, I totally had 1...or 5 right away, but I did freeze the majority of them for use later. To freeze place the individual raviolis on a lightly floured cookie sheet in a single layer and place in the freezer until frozen, then remove to a zip lock bag removing as much air as possible from the bag.

When you are ready to eat them, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil then cook the ravioli for a few minutes in the boiling water until they float and are cooked through. It should only take 5-6 minutes max. Drain carefully and then toss in your favorite sauce and serve! (tonight I just used some tomato sauce, a TB of cream cheese with a pinch of garlic powder, basil and salt and pepper).
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WW: Points will vary depending how much pasta you make - I rolled mine so it was down to a level 5 thickness on my kitchenaid and used approximately 2.25 batches of homemade pasta, however if you roll it thinner/thicker it will take more/less pasta than mine did. I also had some whoopsies as I learned the tricks to running my ravioli maker so I know all of the filling didn't end up in the ravioli. For me, based on the amount of pasta I used, it is approximately .75PP / ravioli.

Cream Cheese Pasta with Sausage, Squash & Onions

So I'm one of those people who when I open a bag or box of something tasty I need to finish it pronto, chocolate chips, pretzels, etc. Well this weekend I opened a new container of cream cheese for some toast and now I'm stirring it into Pasta! All I used was the cream cheese to make a nice creamy, spicy cheese sauce on a pasta, sausage and veggie dish. Boy do I love when a throw together "I think this will work" recipe actually works, and not only works...it rocks!



Cream Cheese Pasta with Sausage, Squash & Onions: Serves 4

8oz Pasta
2 Hot Italian Turkey Sausages (approx 3-4oz Each)
1 Zucchini Squash - Chopped
1 Onion - Sliced
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
1/4tsp Red Pepper Flakes
1tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
8TB Cream Cheese (I use 1/3 less fat)
1/4tsp Garlic Powder
1/2C Pasta Water (reserved before draining)

Set a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until al dente. Drain, reserving 1/2C of the pasta water, set pasta to the side.

While the water is heating up cook the sausage until fully cooked through and then slice into small pieces and set to the side. Drain any fat from the pan, then add the olive oil, garlic and red pepper flakes over medium heat and let them cook for a minute. Add the vegetables with salt and pepper and cook for 8-10 minutes until cooked through yet still with a slight crunch to them. Toss together with the pasta and sausage and mix in the cream cheese and garlic powder and allow it to melt over the noodles and veggies. If the mix is a little thick for you add a little bit of the pasta water to thin it down. I enjoyed it without adding any pasta water but could see some people wanting a thinner consistency.

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving

Crock Pot Roasted Whole Chicken

Okay so as I have been looking up crock pot recipes all week one that kept intriguing me was being able to roast a whole chicken in a crock pot. This made me realize how easy it could be to have a homemade roasted chicken meal on a weekday. Granted I did make this on a Sunday, but I still am able to see the benefit of using the slow cooker. Now some of things I read were to grease the crock pot, elevate the chicken up on aluminum foil balls, and to cook breast side down - I only did the first of these, but I can see the benefits to the other two. You do not add any liquids to the crock as the chicken will provide plenty of drippings and as I did not elevate my chicken it cooked in the drippings, also to ensure a moist bird if you cook breast side down all the juices will go through the breast before exiting. If you are a big fan of crispy skin I must say this is NOT the recipe for you, the skin does not crisp up and needs to be discarded after cooking. Now all of this being said, I think this was a very successful dish and I will definitely be using this recipe again, but next time I will try with the aluminum foil and maybe cooking breast side down.

Crock Pot Roasted Whole Chicken: Serves 4-6

1 Roaster Chicken 4-6lbs
1 TB Olive Oil
1 Onion
Onion Powder
Salt
Powder
Thyme

First we need to prepare the bird, run under cold water and with your hand rub all over the bird both inside and out. Turn the water off and pat dry with a paper towel, then place the chicken in a greased crock pot. Rub with olive oil then sprinkle inside and out with the seasonings. Chop the onion into quarters, place half inside the body cavity and half outside of the chicken. Place your lid on your crock pot and turn on low for 6-8 hours until the chicken is cooked fully through. Remove from the crock pot and allow to sit for 10-15 minutes before slicing - though you will find you probably do not need to slice, my chicken literally fell off the bones!

Creamy No Guilt Spaghetti Sauce

So for a while I have heard it is a great idea to put a dollop of cream cheese into your spaghetti sauces and I always thought "sure mmm hmm I bet it would be alright" and tonight I was looking for a last minute dinner, I had pasta, tomato sauce and cream cheese so it was a no brainer. I wasn't expecting much but then I bit in and well I think I found my new favorite pasta sauce...at least until the next one. Either way this is a great pasta that you can serve your family and they will think you really went to a lot of effort to make something special and only you and I will know you spent a full 20 seconds on this sauce! I'm looking forward to trying this on some ravioli, adding some veggies, and maybe even some garlic chicken and spinach for a more filling and nutritious meal as well.



Creamy No Guilt Spaghetti Sauce: Serves 2

2/3-1C Tomato Sauce
2TB Cream Cheese (I use 1/3 less fat and cannot taste a difference)
1/4tsp Dried Basil
1/4tsp Dried Oregano
Dash Salt & Pepper

Cook your pasta in salted water, drain and set to the side. In the pasta pot add all of the ingredients and mix over low heat until the cream cheese melts, turn the burner off, return the pasta to the pot and stir. Cover with a lid and let it sit for 5 minutes to absorb a lot of the sauce. Remove the lid, stir and serve.

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WW: 1 Points Plus / serving

Mexican Chicken Pizza

So after the first bite of my Mexican Chicken, Beans & Corn from last night I knew I would use this chicken mix on a pizza. Okay well it was probably after my second or third bite because I was still in a moment of "wow" after the first bite! This is an easy 'round two' meal that can be made in about 15 minutes for a great dinner for your family.



Mexican Chicken Pizza: 8 Slices

1/3 Batch Mexican Chicken, Beans & Corn
1 Pizza Crust (I used a Pillsbury Original Pizza Crust)
2oz Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Unroll your pizza crust and bake it (at the temperature on your pizza package) until it is about halfway finished. Remove the crust from the oven and evenly distribute the chicken mixture over the crust and sprinkle the cheese over the chicken, return the pizza to the oven and cook until the crust is nice and crunchy and the cheese is melted. Slice and enjoy!

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WW: 5 Points Plus / slice

Mexican Chicken, Beans & Corn

Okay so I may be obsessed with my Crock Pot... Where has it been all my life!? Today I made a great Mexican chicken dish filled with tasty ingredients that when put together to cook in the crock pot became a delicious concoction that can be served on its own, over polenta, in a taco or tortilla wrap. I decided to serve this over rice however for a very simple meal. And honestly....after the first bite I actually sighed in delight...it was that good.



Mexican Chicken over Rice: serves 4-6

1-1/2lbs Chicken Breasts
1-1/2C Canned Black Beans - Drained and rinsed
1 Jar Salsa
15oz Tomato Sauce
1 Can Summer Crisp Corn - Drained
3TB Taco Seasoning

Place chicken, beans, salsa, tomato sauce and corn in a crock pot and cook over low heat for 4-6 hours until the chicken can be shredded. Remove from the crock and shred and return to the pot and let it cook for another thirty minutes. Serve in your favorite method and enjoy!

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WW: 7 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
5 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings

Strawberry Sorbet

I made this at Thanksgiving for my family but forgot to take pictures! So I took one for the team and made it again, I guess I'll just have to suffer and eat it :-P Once I made the Lemon Sorbet I realized I could make any sorbet as long as I had around 1-1/4 - 1-1/2C of flavoring. I can already see this becoming raspberry, watermelon, canteloupe, blueberry, etc. sorbet, whatever strikes my fancy!



Strawberry Sorbet: serves 8

1 Quart Strawberry's
1TB Lemon Juice
2C Water
1C Sugar
1 Egg White

In a sauce pot mix the water and sugar and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and a thin syrup forms. Remove from the heat and put in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to cool down. Remove the stem and core of each strawberry and cut into chunks and place in a blender with the lemon juice. Blend strawberries until smooth, then add to the water mixture and place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes until cool. Once cool blend the egg white until stiff peaks form then blend into the strawberry mix and place in an ice cream machine until formed.

If you do not have an ice cream machine place in a metal bowl and place in the freezer for 3 hours and after that time take a metal spoon and scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir, freeze for an additional 3 hours. After the second freeze place in a blender and blend until smooth, return to the bowl and freeze one last time until you are ready to serve and the sorbet has firmed up.

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WW: 3 Points Plus / serving (6 Points Plus for 2 servings)

Cooked Pineapple in a Sweet Gravy

Growing up we would have a ham slice with these wonderful cooked pineapple chunks on top that were in a sweet 'gravy' of sorts. I loved it and always looked forward to the ham slice night because I knew we would have these pineapples with it. My mom finally shared the recipe with me a few years ago and I was floored how easy it was to put together. Tonight I served it with my Hawaiian BBQ Chicken and it was a nice side dish to accompany it.

Cooked Pineapple in a Sweet Gravy: Serves 2-4

20oz Jar Pineapple Chunks in their own Juice
1TB Brown Sugar
1tsp Corn Starch

Discard half of the juice and with the other half of the juice from the can whisk the corn starch and brown sugar into it. Place the pineapple and juice mix into a small sauce pot and heat over medium heat stirring constantly and bring to a boil. As the juice heats up it will begin to thicken, continue to stir until it turns into a gravy like consistency. Remove from the heat and serve.

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WW: 0 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
1 Points Plus / serving @ 2 servings

Slow Cooker Hawaiian BBQ Chicken

My sister got me a Crock Pot for my Birthday and today was its inaugural run (Thanks Becca!). I have been wanting to try this hawaiian bbq chicken recipe and today seemed like a great day. I also got a ravioli attachment for my kitchenaid which I have been using all day so it was nice to know dinner was already cooking with little interaction from me. Though I digress, this meal is great, the chicken becomes shredable and you can eat it on its own, over rice, over pasta, on a roll, etc. I also made a family favorite, warm sweet pineapples in a thickened sauce to go with the chicken.





Slow Cooker Hawaiian BBQ Chicken: serves 4

3 Chicken Breasts (boneless skinless, approx 1.5lbs)
1C Sweet BBQ Sauce (I used Sweet Baby Rays Honey BBQ)
20oz Pineapple Chunks in their own Juice - do not drain



Place all ingredients in a slow cooker and cook for 4-6 hours on low until the chicken can easily be shredded. Remove the chicken, shred, and place in a large bowl, transfer the sauce and pineapples to a blender and carefully blend - be cautious as the liquid will be quite hot. Return the sauce to the pot and add the chicken back, stir, serve and enjoy.

Tip: If you have a stand mixer prepare to have your life changed. I saw this wonderful tip on Pinterest that you can put WHOLE cooked chicken breasts in the machine with the paddle attachment, turning it on low and letting it hit the chicken for 30-40 seconds. It completely and evenly shreds the chicken! Now I know you are thinking "wow Jill really has lost her marbles" because that is what I thought when I read the tip online, however I promise you this works! This just made chicken tacos, pot pie, soups, chicken and dumplings, etc. so much easier - I will never shred with forks again!

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WW: 8 Points Plus / serving

Creamy Chicken & Mushroom Egg Noodle Casserole

Welcome to my childhood! One of the recipes I remember from my childhood is this casserole, completely made in the microwave and creamy and delicious. I also get to use one of my coolest pots which can go from the stove top into the oven or the microwave which makes it a very versatile dish - it is my Pyrex Visions Casserole Dish, I've had it for a few years and I love it every time I use it. Now I know many don't like mushrooms (myself included!) yet I like this dish, if you are very anti mushroom feel free to substitute cream of chicken soup.



Chicken & Mushroom Egg Noodle Casserole: Serves 4

1-1/2C Milk (I use Fat Free)
10.75oz Can Campbell's Cream of Mushroom (I used 98% FF)
8oz Egg Noodles - No Yolk (uncooked)
6 Chicken Drumsticks
1/2tsp Onion Powder
Salt / Pepper

In the bottom of a casserole dish mix the milk and soup together until incorporated. Gently add the noodles and stir to coat. Sprinkle the chicken legs with the onion powder, salt and pepper and place gently on top of the noodles. Cover with a piece of wax paper and microwave for 10 minutes on high. Remove the chicken, gently stir the noodles, replace the chicken and repeat twice more for a total of 30 minutes in the microwave. Continue this process until the noodles are cooked through and have absorbed the liquid. Remove the chicken and if it is finished cooking remove the skin and discard, then sprinkle with some more salt and pepper and remove from the bone and cut into small pieces, and stir into the noodles. If it is not cooked through remove it to a microwave safe plate and microwave the chicken until it has finished cooking through (my chicken took an extra 7 minutes).

Stir the cooked chicken with the noodles, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving (chicken once removed from the bone weighing in at 11oz)
To make 8 Points Plus / serving use: 7oz Soup, 1C Milk, 6oz Egg Noodles and 6 Chicken Drumsticks.

Stuffed Rigatoni

I was surfing Pinterest and saw an adapted Martha Stewart recipe for a stuffed rigatoni from the blog Kosher Eye.  I didn't really follow her recipe, rather winged my own using hers as an inspiration. I think this turned out very well even if it is a little extensive to stuff the rigatoni. My suggestion - keep the onions and bell peppers chopped very small so they easily go into the noodles. (Yes I did turn my ramekin upside down to remove the rigatoni for the picture, not because I needed to but because I wanted you to see the individual stuffed noodles)

Stuffed Rigatoni: Serves 4

8oz Ground Beef (I use 93% Lean)
1 Small Onion - Minced
1 Small Bell Pepper - Minced
1/2tsp Onion Powder
1/2tsp Garlic Powder
8oz Rigatoni
1/2C Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
2.5C Tomato Sauce
1tsp Dried Oregano
1tsp Dried Parsley
1tsp Sugar
1tsp Olive Oil
2oz Reduced Fat Mozzarella Cheese - Shredded (optional)

Cook the pasta in a large pot of salted water. Remove from the water once al dente, you do not want the pasta cooked 100% as it will cook more in the oven. Once drained add the olive oil and toss to coat. This stops the pasta from sticking to one another.

While the pasta is cooking place 2C tomato sauce, oregano, parsley, sugar, 1/4tsp onion powder and 1/4tsp garlic powder in a small sauce pot and bring up to a simmer stirring occasionally.

In a large saute pan brown the beef, onion, bell pepper, remaining onion & garlic powder with some salt and pepper over medium heat. Break the beef into very small pieces and once browned drain. Add the remaining 1/2C of sauce with the ricotta cheese and stir to incorporate.

Either in individual ramekins or one casserole dish place a 1C Sauce on the bottom of the dish/dishes and spread it up the sides. Then carefully arrange the pasta on end tightly in the container. Next gently press the meat and cheese mixture into the noodles, then top with the remaining sauce, add the mozzarella to the top if you want to have it. Place in a 375° oven for 25-30 minutes until the sauce is bubbly. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes, then serve and enjoy!

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving
10 Points Plus / serving w/ Mozzarella

Apple Pie

I don't make that many pies but one I do make is the apple pie. I have been making this pie for many years and am often asked to bring this to family functions (in this case it was a Thanksgiving Pie!). I think the important part of apple pies is of course, the type of apple that you chose to use. I am a big fan of using a 50/50 mix of Granny Smith Apples and a sweeter but firm apple like Pink Lady, Gala or Honey Crisp Apples. I like to cut my apples into 1/4" thick slices so the pie doesn't turn to apple sauce when baking. Now I usually make my own crusts and have provided the recipe for them, however you can buy a pre-made one which will work just fine. I suggest using the Pillsbury Rolled up Crusts found with the other Pillsbury Products in your grocery store.



Apple Pie: Serves 8-10

2 Crusts
2C Flour
1C Crisco
1/3tsp Salt
3TB+1tsp Cold Water
2/3tsp White Distilled Vinegar
2/3 Egg - Beaten (beat 1 egg and pour a little bit out)
3-4 Granny Smith Apples - Sliced
3-4 Pink Lady Apples - Sliced
1/4C Flour
3/4C Sugar
1/2tsp Cinnamon
1/2tsp Nutmeg

In a mixing bowl mix the flour and crisco together with a fork until all of the flour has incorporated into the crisco, add the remaining crust ingredients and stir together to incorporate. Separate into 2 equal pieces of dough and place between pieces of wax paper forming a disc by lightly pushing down on it. Place in the freezer for at least 20 minutes to firm up. Once firm remove one crust and on a floured surface roll out and place in a pie plate and place back in the refrigerator while you prepare the apples.

Peel and core the apples and slice into 1/4" thick slices approximately 1-2" long. Place in a large mixing bowl and toss to evenly mix the Granny Smiths with the Pink Lady apples. Add the flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg and toss until all of the apples are evenly coated in the spices. Remove the pie plate from the refrigerator and pile the apples into the crust. It is perfectly okay if the apples are way above the level of the pie, they will shrink down as they bake.

Now take another pie crust out of the refrigerator and roll it out. Now you can either place the whole crust on top of the pie and cut 4-5 slits in it or you can take a small cookie cutter and cut small shapes out of the crust and place all over the pie. I like to do this with a small star cookie cutter but you can also use snow flakes, leaves, circles, etc.

Place the pie in a 425° for 20-30 minutes uncovered (check after 20 minutes, if the crust is browned cover, if not let it cook the additional 10 minutes) then cover with a piece of tin foil and bake an additional 30-40 minutes (1 hour bake time total). Remove from the oven and let it sit for at least 15-20 minutes before slicing.

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving @ 10 servings
12 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings

Crispy Potato Bake

A few weeks ago I saw this recipe from Martha Stewart on Pinterest.com for a Crispy Potato Bake. It looked so pretty with all of the potato slices standing upright and nicely browned and crisped that I just knew I would have to try it. Being the Holiday weekend I was at my parents house and grilled steaks were for dinner and I knew potatoes would go nicely with them so I got to carefully slicing. I think this turned out very well and is versatile in that you can spice the potatoes to go with your meal, and for a special treat you could sprinkle some shredded cheese over the top in the last five minutes for a real ooey gooey dish.

Crispy Potato Bake: Serves 4-8

3.5lbs Russet Potatoes
1 Large Onion - Thinly Sliced
1-1/2TB Butter - Melted
1-1/2TB Olive Oil
Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper

Scrub the potatoes and thinly and evenly slice the potatoes. I took my time and got the potatoes sliced around 1/8" thick. Try to keep the potatoes stacked together so you can easily arrange them upright in the pan. Spray a large casserole dish (approx 9-10" across) with cooking spray, and place half of the butter and olive oil on the bottom of the pan. Arrange the potatoes upright in the pan and place the onions in between the potato slices. I placed them every 2-3 potato slices the whole way around the casserole. Gently brush or pour the remaining butter and oil over the potatoes and liberally sprinkle with the seasonings. Place in a 375° oven for 90-100 minutes.

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WW: 5 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings
10 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings

Sauteed Cabbage with Bacon & Onions

You know what they say right? EVERYTHING is better with BACON. With the holidays coming up we can all use an extra serving of vegetables and what better way to get them in than sauteed cabbage with some bacon and onions for added flavor. Serve this at your Thanksgiving Meal (or you can swap Brussells Sprouts for the Cabbage!) and feel a little bit better about that slice of pie for dessert :)



Sauteed Cabbage with Bacon & Onions: Serves 4-6

1 Head of Green Cabbage - Sliced
4 Slices of Bacon
1 Onion - Diced
1tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Cut your bacon into half inch pieces and place in a large saute pan or pot over medium heat. Cook until crisp. Remove to a plate on a paper towel. Drain the excess fat from the pan but do not clean the pan. Return the pan to the heat and add the oil, onions and cabbage with some salt and pepper and stir. Cover with a lid and let it cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring every few minutes. Remove the lid, toss and cook uncovered for another 15-20 minutes allowing the cabbage to slowly caramelize, stir every 3-5 minutes. Add the bacon back to the pan and in the last 5 minutes then remove from the heat and serve.

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WW: 2 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
1 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings

Top Thanksgiving Dishes

With Thanksgiving right around the corner I figure you may be thinking of a side dish or a dessert that you could bring that may be a little friendlier on the waist line! Check out these Jillian's Kitchen Favorites and try something new these Holidays.

Roasted Acorn/Buttercup Squash Soup: I learned how to make this on my adventure to Maine and loved every bite. It is decadent yet extremely healthy. No need to let your family know that :)

Roasted Acorn Squash: So simple to make, slice and cook! The beautiful golden color will look great on your table.

Mashed Potatoes: What Thanksgiving table doesn't have mashed potatoes? Why not try this variation that skimps on the fat but not the flavor?



Hot Crash Potatoes: Okay so if you ARE that table without mashed potatoes maybe try these wonderful crispy yet creamy potatoes. I love this recipe and am thankful to the Pioneer Woman for coming up with it!

Traditional Stuffing/Dressing: Whether you are stuffing the bird or just want the dressing as a side dish this is my mom's recipe and it just reminds me of childhood. I still have memories of my sister and I fighting over who gets to 'Squish' the ingredients together.

Now onto Dessert!

Apple Crisp: Save the fat be eliminating the pie crust, but I bet your family won't mind with the crispy topping to this wonderful dessert.

Roasted Peaches & Blueberries: A great way to make a really special looking dessert. Serve with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and you will think you are in heaven!

Peach Cheesecake Pie: Who doesn't love cheesecake? Well this recipe turns it into a pie and let me tell you if you make this once you will be making it at every family gathering because it is just that good.

Lemon Sorbet

One of my favorite frozen desserts is sorbet, more specifically Lemon Sorbet. I was on pinterest the other day and saw a recipe for lime sorbet and figured the two were close enough and with only 4 ingredients how could I not try it out? I must say I am so happy that I gave this a try, I always have a hard time finding lemon sorbet in the stores so this is a great way for me to have this treat whenever I want.

Now I used my Kitchenaid Ice Cream Maker attachment but the original recipe has instructions for how to make it without an ice cream maker so don't worry if you don't have one!

Lemon Sorbet: Serves 8 (makes approx 1 quart)

2C Water
1-1/4C Sugar
Juice & Zest of 6 Lemons (approx 1.25-1.5C Juice)
1 Egg White

In a sauce pot mix the water and sugar and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and a thin syrup forms. Remove from the heat and put in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to cool down, then add the juice and zest of the lemons to the syrup and put back in the fridge (I recommend mincing the zest so you don't have long strips). Next place the egg white in a clean metal bowl and whisk with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form (You should be able to hold the bowl upside down for 10 seconds without the egg falling out) mix the egg with the lemon syrup and place in an ice cream machine and let it do its magic.

If you do not have an ice cream machine place in a metal bowl and place in the freezer for 3 hours and after that time take a metal spoon and scrape down the sides of the bowl and stir, freeze for an additional 3 hours. After the second freeze place in a blender and blend until smooth, return to the bowl and freeze one last time until you are ready to serve and the sorbet has firmed up.

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WW: 3 Points Plus / serving (7 Points Plus for 2 servings)

Chicken Noodle Soup

I know you will find this hard to believe...but today I made my first ever Chicken Noodle Soup (that didn't come out of a can), so many thanks to my Mom for sharing her recipe with me! This is pretty simple to make and we are most definitely heading into the "soup season". Now I added noodles to mine, but you could also make with dumplings or rice (or left over thanksgiving stuffing sliced into it!) to meet your tastes. Please take note, in my family we like corn, lots of corn, so if you aren't a huge fan of corn I suggest leaving out the can of creamed corn, personally I really enjoy it as it helps to thicken the soup slightly and provides a lovely flavor base.

Chicken Noodle Soup: Serves 8-10

5 Chicken Thighs or 2 Large Chicken Breasts (skin removed, bone it)
1 Large Onion - Chopped
3 Celery Stalks - Chopped
3 Large Carrots - Thickly Sliced
11oz Can Del Monte Summer Crisp Corn
14.75oz Can Creamed Corn
6oz No Yolk Egg Noodles
Salt & Pepper
Chicken Bouillon
Water

Pull the skin off of the chicken and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper and place in a large soup pot. Pour in water to 3-4" above the chicken. Add the celery and onion to the pot and bring to a boil. Boil gently for 45-60 minutes until the chicken is cooked through. Reduce the heat to a simmer and remove the chicken from the soup. Take the chicken off of the bone and cut into small bite size pieces and return to the pot with the carrots, drained summer crisp corn, and creamed corn. Add chicken bouillon 1 heaping tsp at a time until the broth has reached your desired level of chicken broth flavor. Bring back to a boil and cook for 15 minutes, then add the noodles and cook another 6-8 minutes until they are cooked through. Remove from the heat, let it cool for a few minutes then serve up!

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WW: ~5 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings, and ~4 Points Plus / serving @ 10 servings (will change with the size and type of your chicken, I weighed mine - chicken thighs - after cooking and removing from the bone)