Rosemary Chicken Legs

Chicken Legs are so versatile and are a great base for spices.  Tonight I wanted a good old fashioned taste so I opted to go with Rosemary as the main ingredient.  These were really simple to prepare and required little prep time before going in the oven. I also served this with Roasted Carrots that I added some rosemary too, and rice pilaf. Both were great additions to this meal.

Rosemary Chicken Legs: Serves 4-6

12 Chicken Legs
2TB Olive Oil
1tsp Rosemary
Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper

First things first, lets prepare the pan! I highly suggest wrapping a cookie sheet in tin foil so you don't have a ton of clean up when you are finished. Next I like to put a cookie rack on top of the sheet pan and spray it with pam. Now set your oven to preheat at 425°.

In a small dish place the olive oil, (I suggest doing this so you don't end up getting raw chicken juices in your oil container or using too much oil by pouring directly on the chicken). Take a brush (or you could use a napkin though you may need more oil) and lightly brush the chicken legs with oil,

placing them on the cookie rack when you are done. Once all chicken legs have been coated in oil, liberally sprinkle salt, pepper and a little bit of onion powder on all sides and rub into the chicken. Now go back over with the rosemary making sure to evenly spread over the chicken.

Bake the chicken at 400° for approx 45-60 minutes (will vary on the size of your chicken legs), rotating the chicken every 15 minutes. By placing on the cookie rack the excess fat will drip onto the bottom of the pan allowing the skin to crisp up.

I found these to be reminiscent of fall and Thanksgiving and for an extra kick you could add some Taragon and Thyme in with the Rosemary. The skin had a nice crisp to it and carried a lot of flavor.









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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
7 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings

Cabbage Roll Casserole

Now keep in mind I have only had a cabbage roll a few times in life from this great restaurant in Fells Point called Ze Mean Bean. Obviously I liked it enough to make my own modified version of it! Mine incorporates more vegetables and cabbage but is the basis of a cabbage roll, cabbage, ground meat, rice and tomatoes.

Cabbage Roll Casserole: Serves 6-8

1 Head of Roasted Cabbage
1lb Ground Beef
1 Onion - Chopped
2 Cloves Garlic - Minced
1 Can Diced Tomatoes (drained)
1TB Dried Parsley
1/2tsp Onion Powder
1/2C Rice
1C Water
1-2 Carrots Shredded
1 Can Tomato Sauce
1tsp Sugar
1tsp Distilled Vinegar
1/2tsp Dried Parsley
1/2tsp Paprika (I use a spicy Hungarian Paprika)
Salt & Pepper

In a small sauce pot bring water to a boil and add rice, reduce to a simmer and cook until the rice has absorbed all of the water.

While the rice is cooking brown the beef (I use 93% lean) with the chopped onions and garlic. Drain any fat from the pan once browned. Mix with the cooked rice, diced tomatoes, carrots, onion powder and 1TB parsley.

In a small bowl mix the Tomato sauce, sugar, paprika, 1/2tsp parsley and vinegar together. Spread 1/2 of the sauce on the bottom of a 13x9 dish. Layer half the cabbage on top of the sauce (just pull the leaves of the wedges apart). Evenly spread the meat mixture on next, then add remaining cabbage leaves followed by the remainder of the sauce.

Bake at 400° for 30 minutes. I find that this hearty casserole has a lot of flavor to give and the increased cabbage and carrots really help to make it a healthier meal with loads of taste. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

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WW: 3 Points Plus / Serving @ 8 servings
5 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings
7 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings

Have a Question or want to Comment?

E-mail me at JilliansKitchen@gmail.com. Due to a recent high volume of spam comments I had to remove the ability to post directly from the site. If you e-mail me I will make sure to add your comment to the site myself!

Thanks for your continued support, Jillian

Hawaiian Pizza

Apparently this is a pizza week for me! My parents have just returned from a trip to Hawaii and it has influenced my meal choice for today. I also happened to pick up a great pineapple at the grocery store this week so I am going to try my hand at making my own Hawaiian Pizza.  I also got a great Hawaiian cookbook so stay tuned for some Hawaiian Cuisine in the coming weeks!

Hawaiian Pizza: Serves 4-8

1 Pizza Dough (I am using a pre-made refrigerated dough)
10.5oz Tomato Puree (1 Can)
1/2tsp Basil (dried)
1/2tsp Garlic Powder
6-8 Slices Thick Cut Honey Ham Deli Meat - cut into 1/2" strips
1.5C Pineapple - chopped into 1/4" chunks
1 Small Onion - thinly sliced
8oz Mozzarella Cheese - Shredded

Mix Tomato Sauce, Basil and Garlic Powder together then spread over the pizza dough after you have stretched it out on a greased cookie pan.  Top with mozzarella and then evenly spread the onions and ham over the cheese.  Chop the pineapple into 1/4" pieces and prior to putting on the pizza make sure to give it a squeeze to remove any excess liquid - the last thing you want is a soggy pizza!  Just to give you an idea how important this is my 1.5C of pineapple released over 1/2C of juices that would of been on my pizza!  Toss the pineapple on top of the other ingredients and lightly sprinkle some basil and garlic powder on top.

Bake at 400° for 13-15 minutes until the cheese has melted and the crust is browning on the edges. Remove and slice into 8 pieces and enjoy!

In addition to this pizza I am also trying my hand at rooting the top of the pineapple, who knows maybe someday I will have my own pineapple growing in my apartment! If you are interested on how to root a pineapple check out this website I found for some detailed instructions: rooting a pineapple

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WW: 11 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
6 Points Plus / servings @ 8 servings

Old Bay Shrimp & Grits

Born and Bred in Maryland, Old Bay is a staple in my kitchen! I will often put it on corn on the cobb, pasta, potatoes, basically anything you would put salt and pepper on you can substitute Old Bay. So as I have become addicted to Shrimp & Grits I have decided to mix Southern & Mid Atlantic and enjoy the mixing of cultures!

Old Bay Shrimp & Grits: Serves 2

1/2C Grits (not instant)
2C Water
2tsp Butter
1/2tsp Old Bay
1lb Shrimp - De-Veined & in Shells
2TB Old Bay
1/2C Water
1/2C Distilled Vinegar

In a sauce pan bring water & 1/2tsp Old Bay to a boil, add grits and reduce to a simmer, whisk every 2 minutes or so until the grits thicken and all water is absorbed. Add butter and melt in and keep on low while cooking the shrimp, continuing to stir every few minutes until ready to eat.

In a large saute pan mix remaining water, vinegar and Old Bay together and bring to a simmer, toss in shrimp in a single layer (you may need to do the shrimp in 2 batches depending on the size of your pan) and cook for 3-4 minutes until they have cooked through. Remove from the liquid and let cool until you can handle them and peel the shrimp, discarding the shells.

Serve the shrimp over the grits and enjoy the result of Southern & Mid Atlantic Cuisine!

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving

Chicken Taco Pizza

I love chicken tacos and was looking for a different way to have them when the thought struck me to turn it into a pizza of sorts.  This is by far one of the best things I have made in a while, the crescent rolls do a beautiful job of holding the ingredients that you can actually hold it like a slice of pizza, and you get a taste of everything with each bite.  Even though this is not covered in cheese the creaminess of the guacamole really helps to balance this pizza out.  I may even like this more than a regular chicken taco!

Chicken Taco Pizza: Serves 4-8

1lb Chicken Breasts (Boneless Skinless)
1 Bay Leaf
Chicken Stock
Taco Seasoning
1 Medium Onion Sliced
2tsp Olive Oil
Guacamole (Double my recipe or approx 1.5C Store Bought)
1/4C Rice
1/2C Water
1.5 Packages Crescent Rolls
1/2C Salsa
4oz Monteray Jack Cheese

In a large saute pan over medium heat add olive oil and onions and cook until tender.

While the onions are cooking place Chicken Breasts in a pot and cover with chicken stock and add the bay leaf. Bring the pot to a boil and cook the chicken until it has been cooked through and you can easily shred the chicken with two forks. Once the chicken has been shredded add it to the large saute pan with approx 1/2C of the stock from the pot and the taco seasoning mix. Cook over medium heat for a few minutes until the sauce is absorbed into the chicken. Remove to the side.

In a small sauce pot bring water to a boil, then add rice and reduce to a simmer until the water is completely absorbed. Once finished add to the chicken mix and stir.  I had this pot going while the chicken and onions were cooking and it was finished around the same time as the chicken.

Roll the crescent rolls out in a solid sheet onto a greased cookie pan, gently pressing the dough to expand it to fit the pan. Bake at 375° until the crescents are golden brown (approx 7min).

Spread 2 servings of guacamole over the crust, mix salsa and rice with the chicken & onions and spread that on top of the guacamole. Gently sprinkle the cheese on top and return to the oven just until the cheese melts (approx 5 minutes).

Options: Add any of your favorite taco ingredients! You could easily add corn, beans & olives before tossing in the oven, or sour cream, tomatoes and lettuce when finished.

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WW: 15 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
8 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings

Garlic Sauteed Spaghetti Squash

A week or so ago I posted about Roasting Spaghetti Squash, I had such a great dinner that day that I decided to try it really simplicity and boy am I glad I did. Most of the time that I make spaghetti squash I add sauces to it, other veggies or chicken and use it as a base for other flavors. Today I let it have the spot light and really enjoyed the sweet crispness of the vegetable.

Garlic Sauteed Spaghetti Squash: Serves 2-3

1 Large Spaghetti Squash
1TB Olive Oil
4 Garlic Cloves, crushed
1/4C Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Salt
Pepper

First you want to roast your spaghetti squash. Once you have roasted it and shredded the squash we can get started on this specific simple recipe. In a large saute pan over medium heat add olive oil and garlic and let it cook for a minute then add in the squash, salt and pepper and stir to incorporate. Cook for a few minutes and then sprinkle with cheese and serve! I am having this as a main dish but you can just as easily serve it as a side dish.

Also you could roast a whole spaghetti squash and do this to 1/4 of it for one meal, then add spaghetti sauce to another serving, asian stir fry sauce to another serving, etc. The possibilities are endless!

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

Sausage and Gravy

Sausage and Gravy....Oh how I love thee let me count the ways! What a great feel good meal! This is definitely a meal that I don't make often (maybe 2-3 times a year) but every time I make it I really enjoy it so I make it in it's full fat version using pork sausage. If you are watching your waist line feel free to substitute turkey sausage and some red pepper flakes which will help to lighten this meal up to have on a more regular basis, or you could do a 50/50 split of pork and turkey!

Sausage & Gravy: Serves 4
1lb Italian Pork Sausage
1TB Butter
4TB Flour
4C Milk
Salt & Pepper

In a large saute pan over medium heat brown and break up the sausage into small pieces, Remove the sausage to a bowl leaving the drippings and grease in the pan. If you have at least 1TB of drippings left in the pan you can omit the butter. If you do not have 1TB of drippings add the butter and let it melt, once melted prepare to stir stir stir. Add the flour to the pan and incorporate it into the grease/butter over medium low heat.

You need to continually stir - if the flour burns you need to toss it out, add butter to the pan and try it again! Let the flour cook for 1-2 minutes constantly stirring then add the milk and continue stirring to incorporate. I like to add at least 1/4tsp of pepper to the sauce and depending how salty the sausage is I will occasionally add some salt - taste it first though and see if it is needed! After a minute or two of cooking add the sausage to the gravy and continue to stir, as the gravy heats up it will start to thicken.

Your goal is to bring the gravy to a low boil while stirring which will cause it to thicken. Once it has reached a great thickness (you will know it is done when you can run a spoon down the pan parting the gravy and it doesn't immediately run back into self) it is finished.

Personally I like to serve this over biscuits and I have found that I love the Pillsbury Frozen Buttermilk Biscuits. I think they are great that as a single person I can cook just 1 or 2 instead of having to make a whole batch/container worth.

This recipe is also easy to halve if you are only cooking for 1-2!

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WW: 14 Points Plus / serving (does not include biscuit)

Pork Paprikash Pasta

I always get excited when I go on msn.com and see a headline for new recipes. A week or so ago I found pasta recipes that had been lightened up and this is a recipe from Martha Stewart that made their cut and as I happened to have all the ingredients on hand I wanted to give it a try. I would call this a great quick meal with the depth of a hearty stew. The egg noodles absorb the sauce which is full of flavor from the tomatoes, onions and paprika, yet silky and smooth from the sour cream and butter. The pork gives you a great healthy serving of meat that cooks very quickly - so be careful to not overcook!

Pork Paprikash Pasta: Serves 4

8oz Egg Noodles
2TB Butter
1lb Pork Tenderloin - Cut into 1" Cubes
2TB Paprika (I use Hungarian Paprika)
4tsp Olive Oil
1 Onion, chopped
14oz WholeTomatoes (Canned)
1/2C Sour Cream

Bring a pot of water to boil and add some salt, once boiling add egg noodles and cook until tender. Drain and place in a covered bowl with the butter and toss.

In a separate bowl mix pork, 1TB Paprika & some salt and pepper then in a large skillet add 1TB of Olive Oil over medium heat and cook the pork until lightly browned on all sides - approx 2-3 minutes. Remove pork back to a clean bowl and then in the same saute pan add remaining teaspoon of olive oil and onion and cook until the onion turns translucent. Add back the pork, then remaining paprika, tomatoes with juice and 1/2C water. Bring to a boil and reduce to to a simmer. Let the sauce reduce for about 5 minutes stirring occasionally.

Once you have finished reducing the sauce remove from the heat and stir in the sour cream adding salt & pepper to taste. Toss with the egg noodles and let sit for a few minutes, allowing the noodles to absorb the sauce. Serve and enjoy!

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WW: 12 Points Plus / serving

Chicken Fajitas over Quinoa

Who doesn't love a good plate of Chicken Fajitas? I have tried to make these in the past with one of those seasoning packet mixes and it is never, ever as good as it is at a restaurant.  A friend from the WW Boards gave me this recipe and I have been dying to try it and tonight was the night!  No mystery seasoning packs, all ingredients I can pronounce and a pretty easy instruction guide, mix, marinade, cook and consume!

Chicken Fajitas over Quinoa: Serves 6
1/4 cup lime juice
1/3 cup water
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 Garlic Cloves, crushed
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1.25 lb Chicken Breast (Boneless Skinless)
1 Green Pepper
1 Red Pepper
1 Vidalia Onion

1C Quinoa
2C Chicken Broth
1 Bay Leaf
1 Garlic Clove, crushed
Pinch Cayenne Pepper

Mix all ingredients up through the cumin together in a shallow flat dish - remove 2TB of the marinade and keep separate until it is time to cook. Slice raw chicken into even strips and toss it into the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours but I recommend doing this the night before. Once marination is complete heat a saute pan over medium heat and cook the chicken until it is cooked through (cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken slices). Remove cooked chicken from the pan and cover to keep warm.

Slice Peppers & Onions into even size strips then in the same saute pan add 1tsp of olive oil and saute vegetables until they start to get soft. Add reserved 2TB of marinade to the vegetables and let that sit for a minute or two. Add vegetables and any remaining sauces to the chicken.

While the chicken is cooking add the quinoa, chicken broth, garlic clove, cayenne pepper and bay leaf together in a sauce pan. Bring up to a boil then turn down to a light simmer until all liquid disappears. Remove the bay leaf, then serve the whole meal with the quinoa on the bottom of your plate with the chicken and vegetables on top.

You will love this great citrus version of Chicken Fajitas. If you want you are more than welcome to ditch the Quinoa and serve the Fajitas with the more traditional tortilla!

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WW: 6 Points Plus / serving

Mac-n-Cheese Grown Up!

Mac-n-Cheese is one of my favorite foods. If I see it on a buffet line I get it, I have to stop myself every week from grabbing a box of Kraft or Velveeta and chowing down. So imagine my delight when I saw a recipe on www.delish.com that was a Mac-n-Cheese recipe with Broccoli - genius I tell you! It stretches the amount of food with a healthy item and to stretch it even farther I am adding more broccoli & garlic sauteed chicken breast - now it is a full meal, veggies, dairy, pasta, oil and protein.

Mac-n-Cheese Grown Up: Serves 4

8oz Pasta
2-3C Frozen Broccoli Florets
1.75C Milk
3TB Flour
1/2tsp Garlic Powder
1/2tsp Salt
1/4tsp Pepper
1C Sharp Cheddar, shredded
1/4C Parmesan Cheese, Shredded
1.5tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Chicken Breast, boneless/skinless - Chopped
3 Garlic Cloves, crushed
2tsp Olive Oil

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add pasta and boil for 3-4 minutes then add broccoli and cook until pasta and broccoli are both cooked through, drain and set to the side.

While the pasta and broccoli is cooking we are going to prepare the chicken. In a saute pan over medium heat, heat up olive oil and add garlic for a minute. Add chicken chunks with some salt and pepper and cook through. Once cooked removed to the side with the pasta and broccoli.

In a sauce pot heat 1.5C of milk over medium heat until simmering. While that is heating up mix remaining 1/4C of milk, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper together. Once the milk has started to simmer add the remaining ingredients to it and whisk constantly while the sauce comes back up to a simmer. As it heats it will thicken. Once thick remove from the heat and add cheeses & dijon to the sauce and stir to incorporate.

Add all ingredients together in a large pot (I am using the pasta pot) and cook for 2-3 minutes to heat all ingredients up together. Serve and enjoy!

Tip: For a greater variety you can add different veggies such as cauliflower, asparagus, diced tomatoes, mushrooms, snow peas, etc. to the pasta and chicken. Consider this just a base recipe for an endless set of possibilities.

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WW: 13 Points Plus / serving

Au Gratin Cauliflower Casserole

Well the Au Gratin Potato recipe turned out so well and I thoroughly enjoyed the cheese sauce and really wanted to try it on a healthier vegetable.  While potatoes are great and wonderful they are a starchy option so tonight I decided to try cauliflower instead.  I mean really how can cheese covered vegetables go wrong?  and yes this is the same sauce as the potatoes, just tossed with roasted cauliflower instead of sliced potatoes.

Au Gratin Cauliflower: 6-8 Servings

1 Large Head of Cauliflower
2TB Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper
1 Small Onion – Diced
2TB Butter
1TB Flour
1/2tsp Salt
1/4tsp Pepper
2C Milk
6oz Shredded Cheddar

First we are going to roast cauliflower! Rinse your cauliflower, and cut off the stalks into even pieces. Toss in olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper and stick in a 375° oven for 25 minutes. This is a crucial step. I tried to make this recipe with raw cauliflower and the liquid it lets out while cooking completely ruined the dish. By roasting you remove the majority of the liquid and bring out the flavor of the cauliflower.

While the cauliflower is roasting you can make the cheese sauce. In a sauce pot melt the butter and cook the onion for about 2 minutes over medium heat, until they start to turn translucent. Whisk in the flour, salt and pepper and continue to whisk for 1-2 minutes, make sure not to let the flour burn. Remove from the heat and whisk in the milk, return to the heat and bring up to a low boil over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil for 1-2 minutes, the sauce will start to thicken. Remove from the heat and stir in the cheese until it is melted.  Toss the roasted cauliflower into the cheese sauce and then pour into a greased casserole dish (mine is approx 4-5" deep and 10" round).

Bake at 375° for 30 minutes uncovered.  Cauliflower should be easy to pierce with a fork, remove from the oven, stir and let sit for 5-10 minutes before serving.

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WW: 5 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings
4 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings

Chicken and Dumplings

What a great feel good meal to have on a cold windy weekend. As spring and summer are right around the corner I figure this is one of the last times to make this meal before the Baltimore heat kicks into gear. This recipe is almost the exact same as my mothers except I add carrots for a splash of color and some additional nutrition.

Chicken & Dumplings: Serves 6-8

3 Chicken Breasts, Skinless on Bone
3-4 Celery Stalks - Chopped
1 Large Onion - Chopped
4-5 Carrots - Sliced
Water
2-3TB Chicken Bouillon
Salt & Pepper
3C Bisquick
1C Milk
1/2C Milk
5TB Corn Starch

In a large stock pot place chicken breasts and sprinkle liberally with salt and pepper on both sides. Add chopped onion and celery on top of the chicken. Pour water on top of the chicken and vegetables until it is 2" above the food level. Set over high heat and bring to a boil. Continue boiling for approximately 45-60 minutes. Remove the chicken from the stock and with two forks pull the chicken off the bones and discard the bones. Return the chicken to the stock and add carrots and 2-3TB of chicken bouillon to taste, boil for an additional 10 minutes.

At this point I like to remove the chicken and veggies from the pot, keep the stock boiling on a low simmer. Mix Bisquick and 1C of milk together, dip a large spoon into the broth, then cut it into the batter, and lightly drop the batter into the broth - dipping the spoon in the broth helps to stop the batter from sticking to the spoon. Repeat this step making equal size dumplings. Once all batter has been used keep the stock at a light simmer - you do not want the stock boiling over the dumplings - for 10 minutes, then cover with a lid and let cook for an additional 10 minutes. Do not be concerned that when you drop the batter into the broth that it sinks momentarily, it will float up in a moment or two. Remove finished dumplings to a bowl and cover.

Mix 1/2C Milk & Corn starch together until smooth, add to the stock and bring to a boil stirring constantly. Once boiling the stock should start to thicken. If after 2-3 minutes of boiling the stock is still not thickening add more milk and corn starch (1/4C milk 1.5TB of corn starch). Depending how much water you put in at the beginning will determine how much corn starch is needed to thicken the stock. Once the stock has thickened to just shy of a gravy consistency pour over the chicken and veggies.

Serve with 1-2 dumplings and enjoy!

This reheats very well and the flavors just intensify over time. I have not frozen it but have heard you can freeze it and thaw at a later time. I like to freeze soups in ziplock bags so I can get the majority of air out of the bag and also freeze flat so it takes up very little room in the freezer.

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WW: 14 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings
11 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings

Crash Sweet Potatoes

For weeks, maybe months my sister has been begging me for sweet potato recipes. Today I tried a variation of the Hot Crash Potatoes I have seen on the Weight Watchers boards (which use small fingerling potatoes) using sweet potatoes. They turned out fantastic, beautiful they are not, but tasty is one thing they are for sure.

Crash Sweet Potatoes: Serves 3

3 Sweet Potatoes - Approx 1.25lb
1TB Olive Oil
1tsp Crushed Rosemary
1/4tsp Salt
1/8tsp Pepper
1/4tsp Onion Powder
1/4tsp Garlic Powder

Scrub Potatoes and cut into 1" chunks. Place potatoes into a pot and rinse with cold water twice until the water runs clear. Cover potatoes with fresh water and add some salt to the water. Bring to a boil, once fork tender drain the potatoes and place on a greased cookie sheet. Grab a potato masher and lightly press down on each potato, rotate the masher 90 degrees and repeat this step. The potatoes should be approx 1/4-1/2" thick at this point.

With a pastry brush or oil mister lightly apply olive oil to the tops of the potatoes. Mix all seasonings together then sprinkle over the potatoes.

Bake at 350° for 30 minutes until potatoes start to crisp up.

Serve alone or with a side dish of sour cream.

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WW: 5 Points Plus / serving

Apple Pancakes for 1

Living alone means I am often cutting recipes in half, in quarters, etc. so I don't have left overs for days! It took me a long time to figure out how to make a single serving of pancakes but I have finally mastered it. Below is my recipe for Apple Pancakes, but you can feel free to substitute the apple for any of your favorite pancake fillings.

Apple Pancakes: Serves 1

1/2C Bisquick
1/4C Milk
1/2 Egg
1/2tsp Vanilla
1/2tsp Cinnamon
1 Small Apple - Shredded
1tsp Butter
1TB Maple Syrup

Take an egg and break it into a small dish, scramble it then pour half of the mix into the mixing bowl for your pancakes, discard the remaining egg mix. Add milk, vanilla, cinnamon and Bisquick - stir to incorporate but be careful to not over mix, it is okay to have some lumps! Add in 1 small apple that has been shredded, I leave the skin on my apple. Mix gently just to evenly coat the apple with batter.

Heat a skillet over medium heat, spray with Pam and add butter. Once butter has melted and pan is hot add batter making your favorite size pancakes. I used a 1/3C Measuring Cup as a scoop and it made 3 nice size pancakes. Leave the pancakes alone until you notice the edges are forming up and small bubbles start to appear in the center of the pancakes. Flip, and finish cooking for another minute.

While the pancakes are finishing up put 1TB of maple syrup into a small dish and heat in the microwave for 10-15 seconds. It is amazing how much real maple syrup thins out when it is heated and how far it will stretch. I find that dipping my pancake into the syrup allows me to use at least 2 if not 3 times less syrup then when I pour it on my pancakes.

If you are cooking for more than 1 you can easily double, triple or quadruple the recipe as needed. I would probably still use only 1 apple for a double batch of this recipe - just a larger apple, I use the whole thing in my single batch because it seems like a waste to toss half an apple.

Feel free to substitute: blueberries, strawberries, peaches, corn, bananas or any of your other favorite items to have in your pancakes!

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving

Pork Ribs - Guest Post!

As my sister continues her cooking marathon Pork Ribs were on her list! She is very proud of her ribs and is always looking for ways to make them even better and more fall-off-the-bone good. I trust her judgement when it comes to these recipes. Give it a try and let me know what you think!

Pork Ribs: Serves 4

8-10 Pork Ribs with or without bone
~2 cups water
~2 cups white wine
1/8 cup marsala wine
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp Worchester sauce
1 shake soy sauce
½ cup of your favorite BBQ sauce
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 Tbsp paprika
1 Tbsp onion powder

In a large mixing bowl add all ingredients, add the ribs, cover, and refrigerate for at least a day.

Put ribs in individual foil packets and place on a cookie tray. Bake at 225° for 2 hours in foil packets. If you want to grill them, bake and then remove from their foil packet, put on a grill, baste with BBQ sauce, and grill for ~10 min. If you don’t have a grill, drain juice from foil packets, baste with BBQ sauce, and cook at 350° for 10 min. Enjoy!

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving

Meatloaf Muffins - Guest Post!

My sister has been inspired to get in the kitchen and start cooking recently and gave me 2 recipes that I wanted to share with you. The first is another meatloaf recipe, but different than the one I posted earlier this week, this one incorporates lots of vegetables to help bulk up the meatloaf without adding extra fat.

Meatloaf Muffins: Makes 12 Muffins

1lb lean ground beef
1 cup oatmeal
1 egg
1 cup ketchup
1 can Delmonte diced tomatoes with basil, oregano, and garlic…drained
1 cup sliced carrots
1/8 cup diced onion
2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp Italian seasoning
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika

Mix all the ingredients together.  (Seasonings are an estimate of what I actually used so to taste if you need more seasoning, take a small ball of meat and microwave for 15-20 seconds and taste to see if you need more.)  Separate the meatloaf mix into 12 balls and place into greased muffin tins, filling the muffin tin completely.  Cook at 350° for ~30 min until meat is cooked thoroughly.

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WW: 2 Points Plus / serving