Chicken Taco Pasta

Okay, Irene is over, my internet is back (for now), and I am continuing to cook - business as usual! In the past you have seen me post about Chicken Tacos & Chicken Taco Pizza both of which are favorites of my kitchen so I decided to add Chicken Taco's to Pasta. The beauty of this recipe is that you can add your favorite taco toppings to the pasta as well - tomato chunks, onions, olives, shredded lettuce, etc. to your liking!

Chicken Taco Pasta: Serves 6

1lbs Chicken Breast (boneless/skinless)
48oz Chicken Stock
12oz No Yolk Egg Noodles
1C Corn
1/2C Sour Cream (I use Daisy's Light)
1/2C Salsa
2oz Shredded Cheddar Cheese
3TB Taco Seasoning Mix

Place chicken breasts in a pot with the chicken stock and bring to a boil, cook until the chicken is fully cooked and can be shredded. Remove the chicken from the stock and shred with 2 forks, place in a large saute pan with the taco seasoning mix, corn & salsa and 1/4C of the stock from the pot and cook over low heat until the seasoning mix has absorbed into the chicken and all the liquid is gone in the bottom of the pan.

While the chicken is cooking bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the egg noodles and cook until tender. Drain and add the noodles to chicken and toss with the sour cream and cheddar cheese. Serve and Enjoy!

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving

Post Irene!

Hello All,

I hope you have all made it through Hurricane Irene okay, being in Baltimore I saw power outages and downed trees but the city is cleaning up and moving on quickly after the storm. My heart goes out to all the states that did not fare so well!

I have regained power at home, however my internet is still out so Jillian's Kitchen may be on hiatus for a few more days. I am continuing to cook and create new recipes (even going so far as to cook by candlelight on Sunday!) so check back in a couple of days and see what is new then.

- Jillian

Roasted Chicken Salad

So yesterday I made a whole 7lbs Roasted Chicken for 2 People....so inevitably I have a lot of leftovers. Now I try to eat them but honestly I get bored very quick so for me the best thing I can do to make the most of all that wonderful roasted chicken meat is to make a few different recipes. So here is round 1 of left over chicken!

Roasted Chicken Salad: Serves 2

1.5C Roasted Chicken (approx 5.5oz)
2TB Mayo
1 Celery Stalk - Diced

When we were done with dinner last night I took the body of the chicken and pulled all of the little bits of meat off that didn't get removed during the carving process. This came up to about 1.5C of chicken, mainly light meat with a little bit of dark mixed in. I broke the meat into small bite size pieces then added the mayo and celery and gave it a good stir to incorporate then put it in the fridge to cool.

Today I added it to some bread but it would be good by itself or on top of a salad as well. A very simple recipe that is much more tasty than your typical chicken salad as the meat has been infused with the spices from the original recipe.

Enjoy!

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WW: 6 Points Plus / serving (not including bread)

Top Chef Just Desserts: Week One

Jillian: Alright Sara.... First Impressions? I love Chris & Sally, and I can’t wait to see Orlando go! I feel like Craig is a baby and he is going to get squashed really fast in the competition.

Sara: I am with you already on team Chris & Sally! I like them both! Craig, I was willing to give him a chance because he came in so eager, but I think he might be a little too big for his britches. Orlando is already getting on my nerves. Who wants to be known as “the evil villain”??

Jillian: Orlando, I can see him as the EV, he definitely strikes me as someone who would sabotage and push a bus over someone without so much as a second thought.

So what did you think of the Soda Pop Challenge? I was surprised that not one but two teams did banana splits! Though my favorite quote of the evening came from that challenge.... “it is an NFG... Non Functioning Garnish” - Johnny in response to Orlando’s vanilla bean garnish on the banana split.



Sara: I was actually a little insulted that they tried to make banana splits. You are on Top Chef! My little sister can make you a banana split. I liked the challenge but was hoping for more, I guess I shouldn’t judge since they only had 30 minutes, but I am anyways. Johnny’s quote was my fave as well! And the cherry on top was the look on Orlando’s face when he said it and tossed the vanilla bean to the side. What did you think of the elimination challenge?

Jillian: I loved the 4 Fairy Tale Themes and thought it was great that Orlando and Chris were on separate teams because we got to see them compete on the show pieces, and I have to say I loved Chris’s Little Red Riding Hood Figurine, and I’ll give Orlando a compliment here, the Goldilocks show piece was beautiful, even if he is a know it all dictator like contestant. So it was no surprise to me when those two teams were the Judges Faves as well.


I felt so bad for Team Jack and the Bean Stalk, sigh, Craig - you try and try but you are just not ready for this competition, he will be gone next is my prediction. I was also not surprised to see Lina go home from Team Hansel & Gretel, she seemed to need to be in charge and yet she had no good ideas, seriously cake instead of a gingerbread house?!

Sara: I loved the Fairy Tale Themes as well! Chris and Orlando both created gorgeous pieces. I guess they have competed before which is why Orlando is so competitive with him. What Chris did with his Little Red Riding Hood, and Orlando did with his chocolate blew me away!



Craig, Craig, Craig...he took on more then he could handle. It was impossible for his teammates, Katzie and Megan, to get anything done with him constantly pulling them away. I will say though I give them credit for not flipping out on him, I would have lost my patience at some point. Considering they were a team member less then the winning team, and fell so far behind I think they made the best of it! Lina, was only in-charge because she put herself there. I was not impressed with her ideas, or execution. I was content with her going home, and that Chris’s team won.

Jillian: I so totally agree with everything you have said! So weird after us having different faves last season, we’ll just have to see where this season leads!


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All, feel free to go check out more of Sara's Posts on Girly Obsessions! Between her and Ashley they have a wonderful site of great articles on everything Girly!

Roasted Chicken

So as you know I really wanted to have dressing, and when there is dressing there should be a roasted bird right?  Well my grocery store had whole roaster chickens on sale for $.88/pound last week so I managed to get a 7lbs bird pretty cheap and tonight was its night to be the star of my kitchen.  This was only the second chicken that I have ever roasted and I have to say it came out pretty darn good.  Even the taste tester used the words "Wicked Awesome" after trying out a leg!  Now I warn you...make sure you have a few hours to kill before you want to eat as the bird will take some time and requires regular basting.

Roasted Chicken

1 Whole Chicken
Crushed Dried Rosemary
Dried Thyme
Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper
2TB Olive Oil
1 Small Onion - Quartered

First we need to prep the chicken. Remove it from its packaging, reach into the body cavity and remove the giblets - traditionally they will be in a baggie inside the cavity. I do not use them and I just discard them, however many people will save them to make gravy or other recipes. Next run the chicken under cold water and give it a rub down, make sure to also rinse out the interior of the bird. This will help to remove any bacteria that is on the bird. Pat dry with paper towels and place in a roasting dish.

Liberally sprinkle the outside of the bird and the interior of the body cavity with the Rosemary, Thyme, Onion Power and Salt & Pepper. With your hands rub the seasonings in, then drizzle the olive oil over both sides of the bird and also rub it around to evenly coat the bird, lastly put the onion inside of the cavity. Place the bird breast side up in your pan and place in a 450° oven for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 375° and continue to cook the bird in 20 minutes intervals.

The general rule of thumb is for every pound of meat you will cook the bird for 20 minutes. I've found that my oven tends to cook hot so for me it was more like 15 minutes for every pound until the little Popper popped.

A crucial, yes CRUCIAL step to having a juicy bird is to baste the bird. Every 20 minutes quickly remove the chicken from the oven, and spoon the drippings all over the top of the bird, this helps to lock in the flavor and moisture and ensures a nice crispy skin.

Once the bird is finished cooking remove from the oven and allow it to sit, covered with foil for 15-20 minutes. Cutting into the bird right away will cause all of its juices to run out onto the plate instead of staying in the bird.

Carve & Enjoy!

Gravy Tip: I like to take the drippings from the pan and transfer to a saute pan, mix 1/2C chicken stock with 2-3TB corn starch then incorporate the corn starch mix to the drippings with a whisk. Bring up to a boil while whisking and the gravy will thicken almost immediately. If it gets too thick just add some more chicken stock.

Other Tips: If you love to have fresh chicken stock on hand or are looking to make a great chicken stew, keep the body of the chicken once you have removed the meat and either place in a large pot of water and boil right away or put in your refrigerator or freezer and boil in a few days to create a wonderful deep flavorful homemade broth.

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WW: Points & Serving Size will vary depending upon light meat/dark meat and whether or not you consume the skin.

Traditional Stuffing / Dressing

At Thanksgiving I am considered the family odd ball. My least favorite part of Thanksgiving is the turkey and my favorite part is the stuffing and other sides. I've actually gotten to the point that I don't even put turkey on my plate anymore so I have more room for all the other delicious parts! I can't wait any longer for Thanksgiving to get here, so I have decided to make my mom's dressing now, it is extremely simple, and honestly I'm surprised I haven't made it since Thanksgiving. Now for a fun tid bit... do you know the difference of dressing versus stuffing? It is pretty simple, the exact same recipe, but stuffing is when it is cooked in the bird, and dressing is when it is cooked separately! Many sources say it can be unsafe to stuff your bird as raw juices could get into the stuffing, in my family if we are stuffing a bird we will do it right before it goes into the oven so there is very little time that raw juices can enter the stuffing.

Traditional Stuffing / Dressing: Serves 7-9

1 Loaf of Stale White Bread (approx 18 slices)
1 Egg
1 Stick of Butter - melted
1C Chicken Stock
2 Celery Stalks - Diced
1 Small Onion - Diced
2-3TB Fresh Parsley (2-3tsp dried)
2tsp Dried Thyme
Salt & Pepper

I know you are probably thinking Stale Bread? really? - Yes Really. Using stale bread gives your dressing some texture, using fresh bread often turns gummy and isn't as delicious. I normally open the loaf and let it sit out for a few hours, or if you need to make it stale fast, just stick the loaf in the oven at 300° on a cookie sheet for 10-15 minutes and it will draw some of the moisture out of the bread. Once you have stale bread, tear it into small 1/2" chunks and place in a large mixing bowl - if you are going to stuff a bird keep one of the heels whole.

Add all of the remaining ingredients to the bread and with clean hands smush it together until all pieces of the bread are evenly coated. Personally I like to taste test a small piece to make sure it has enough salt and pepper, but beware there is raw egg in the mix, you could always microwave a small piece for 30 seconds if the raw egg bothers you.

If you are going to stuff a bird make sure to stuff the bird at the last minute and do not try to force more than what fits into the bird, place that reserved heel into the end of the bird to hold in all of the stuffing and cook the bird immediately per the directions that came with the bird.

I am not stuffing a bird this week, so I loosely placed the dressing into a greased 9x9 pan and placed it in the refrigerator until I was ready to cook it (I actually made it the night before so I could quickly get it in the oven today). Place in a 350° oven for 60 minutes, if the top starts to burn cover with foil and continue cooking.

Remove from the oven, let cool for 3-5 minutes, serve & enjoy!

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WW: 7 Points Plus / serving @ 9 servings
9 Points Plus / serving @ 7 servings

Top Chef Just Desserts Premiere

Last year a fellow Baker friend of mine, Sara, said "so are you going to watch Top Chef Just Desserts on Bravo?" and I didn't even know what it was about. Well I quickly became hooked and started watching the reality show which places top bakers against one another weekly until there is just one standing with the Title of Top Chef. Well like many seasonal shows I had completely forgotten about it until my DVR automatically set to tape it tonight and I must say I became instantly excited for the beautiful, delicious creations that parade in front of the TV each week.

This year Sara and I have decided to do a collaborative posting, she is co-founder of Girly Obsessions, a great baker and an even better friend. I hope you enjoy our weekly foray into Top Chef Just Desserts Season Two.

Check back later this week for our discussion on the Top Chef Just Desserts Premiere - Tonight at 10pm, on Bravo.

Commenting is Back!

Hello Jillian's Kitchen Readers - I wanted to let you know I am trying out a new spam filter for my comments.  So feel free to let me know what you think about the different recipes.  I love to hear your feedback and hope you are enjoying anything you have tried.

Thanks for your continued support,

Jillian

Cajun Shrimp Pasta

Earlier this week I had a very tasty meal of Cajun Shrimp Pasta,  a spicy pasta dish with bell peppers, onions and spiced shrimp over a bed of pasta with some Parmesan cheese.  This meal was at an Applebees, and as I was eating it I was dissecting it and figuring out how I would make it. I looked up the nutritional information after consuming it and was floored by the fat and calorie content. Needless to say....this version has a third of the nutritional information as the original but there is nothing lacking in taste! I hope you enjoy this lightened up version of the meal!

Cajun Shrimp Pasta: serves 4

8oz Pasta
1lb Shrimp - Peeled & De-veined
1 Large Bell Pepper - Diced (approx 1C)
1 Small Onion - Diced (approx 1/2C)
1 Small Zucchini - Diced (approx 1C)
2TB Butter
2TB Olive Oil
1/3C Parmesan Cheese - Shredded
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
2.5tsp Cajun Seasoning



Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta until Al Dente. Drain and set to the side.

While the pasta is cooking preheat your oven to 400°. Next toss your shrimp with 1.5tsp of olive oil and 1tsp Cajun seasoning, spread on a greased cookie sheet and place in the oven and cook for a total of 6-7 minutes flipping once until the shrimp are fully cooked through. Remove from the oven and place on the side while the rest of the dish finishes.

Alright, we are multi-tasking now, pasta boiling, shrimp roasting, time to get those veggies going! In a large saute pan add 1.5tsp of olive oil and garlic to the pan over medium heat. Let the garlic cook for 30-40 seconds then toss in the peppers & onions with 1/2tsp of Cajun Seasoning and stir fry the veggies for 5-6 minutes until they are cooked through but still have some crunch.

Once everything is cooked add the butter and remaining 1TB olive oil to the pasta pot over low heat until melted, add 1tsp Cajun Seasoning the toss in the veggies, shrimp and pasta and stir to coat. Cook for a minute, remove from the heat, add the Parmesan cheese and give it one last toss. Serve and Enjoy!

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WW: 12 Points Plus / serving

Fried Mashed Potatoes

I find that I always have left over mashed potatoes when I make them. While mashed potatoes are great on their own I love to have them with breakfast. I know what you are thinking...mashed potatoes? don't you mean roasted potatoes? Nope I mean mashed potatoes. Just about every Christmas my dad would shred potatoes and make potato pancakes, it is a bit of a process and this recipe is a nice compromise that gives me some of the taste and takes advantage of left overs. Also feel free to use left overs from a restaurant!

Fried Mashed Potatoes: serves 4

2 Servings Mashed Potatoes (approx 1.5C)
2tsp Butter
Salt & Pepper

Place a large flat skillet over medium heat, place 1tsp of butter on the skillet and allow it to melt. While the skillet is warming up we can get the potatoes ready. I like to take a piece of wax paper - approximately 16" long, spray it with cooking spray, then place 1/4 of the potatoes onto the center of the sprayed side of the paper, fold the paper over and evenly smash the potatoes down until it is about 1/4" thick making a pancake in shape.

Once the skillet is hot toss 2 of these pancakes down into the butter, sprinkle with some salt and pepper and let the pancake sit for about 6-8 minutes. You will notice the edges browning, that is the indicator that it is time to flip the potatoes. Now I'll be honest...50% of the time I can get it to flip in one toss, sometimes it ends up in a big ole mess, but it still tastes delicious. So doing the best you can, flip the pancakes and brown them on the other side. Remove to a plate and serve with the rest of your breakfast, personally I like to have a nice fried egg with my fried mashed potatoes. Repeat this process with the remaining potatoes and enjoy!

Reader Tip: I had a reader let me know that she sprinkles a little flour on both sides of the pancake prior to putting on the skillet and it helps the pancake retain it's shape. I cannot wait to give this a try!

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WW: 3 Points Plus / serving

Beef Round Roast in Dad's Marinade

Just a moment ago I posted about my love of my Dad's Beef/Venison Marinade, and now I am going to show you how I used it for tonight's dinner! While my mom told me the best meat to use for this marinade is a Beef Rump Roast, that was not an option at my grocery store...well it was but I would of had to buy the WHOLE roast....all 50$ of it because my grocery store apparently didn't feel the need to subdivide it! So needless to say I ended up with the one of the other options my mom gave me - the Beef Round Roast. Now she did warn me that this cut of beef is often tougher than the Rump Roast, so I made sure to marinate my meat for almost 24 hours. The beauty of that was that when I came home today I could just take the roast out of the fridge and toss it in the oven and wait! I really hope you enjoy this taste into my childhood, I know I did!

Beef Round Roast in Dad's Marinade: Serves 6-8

2lbs Beef Round Roast (lean)
1 Serving Dad's Beef/Venison Marinade

Take a fork and liberally stab the round roast all over - top, bottom & sides. In a baking dish place 1/3 of the marinade, place the roast on top of it, then cover the top and sides with the remaining marinade. Toss in the fridge over night, in the morning flip it over and recover with the marinade and put back in the fridge until dinner time. Take out of the fridge about 20 minutes before you are ready to put it in the oven and let it come up to room temperature so you aren't placing a really cold dish in a hot oven.

Preheat your oven to 325° and bake the roast for at least 35-38 minutes for a rare piece of meat, 35-45 for medium rare, 45-53 for medium, 45-60 for medium well or 55-68 for well done. I found this great site that lists the cooking times and temperatures for different cuts of beef - remember, never eat under cooked meat!  Let the meat rest for 5 minutes (cover with foil) when it comes out of the oven, this will ensure that the juices remain inside the beef instead of making a run for it when you cut into the beef. When you slice the meat be sure to cut across the grain of the beef, this will ensure you get the most tender bite possible. We like to then take the marinade that is left in the pan and spoon it over the finished product, and if you happen to have some left on your plate a nice piece of bread will help you finish it off!

Enjoy!

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WW: 7 Points Plus / serving @ 8 servings
9 Points Plus / serving @ 6 servings

Dad's Beef/Venison Marinade

When I was little my dad used to go deer hunting and I found we ate venison like other families ate beef. Ground venison in the spaghetti, venison steaks, venizon bologna, venizon jerky, etc. Well the days of having venison in the freezer have passed but one of the meals of my childhood has not. I don't remember my dad cooking very often but the meals he did do were quite tasty and one of my favorites was when he would marinade the venison in this great tangy homemade bbq sauce then grill or roast the meat. As time went on and the venison was no longer in our house our family switched to using beef and I must say this recipe works just wonderfully.

Dad's Beef/Venison Marinade: 2 Roasts Worth (1 serving will easily marinade a 2lbs Roast)

4TB of Butter
2TB Vinegar
2TB Worcestershire Sauce
1 Onion - Finely Chopped
2TB Hickory Liquid Smoke
1/4tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/3C Water
1/4C Brown Sugar (firmly packed)
2/3C Ketchup
1TB Mustard
2TB Lemon Juice
1/4tsp Pepper
1.5tsp Salt
2TB Soy Sauce

Melt the butter in a medium sauce pot over medium heat, add all ingredients and stir to incorporate, bring up to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let simmer for 30 minutes, stirring often. Remove from the heat after 30 minutes and place in the refrigerator until cool. Split in half, freezing one (I suggest placing in a zip lock bag because then you can push the majority of the air out of the bag and lay flat to freeze saving lots of room in your freezer), with the remaining half marinate the meat of your choice.

My parents like to use Beef Rump Roast, though my mom has told me that you can use a Beef Round Roast (which is what I am using), or even a London Broil. I suggest marinating the roast over night to ensure the marinade has a chance to permeate the meat, a beef round roast can be tough and the longer it gets a chance to sit in the marinade will help to make for a tender meal.

For my experiences cooking the Round Roast check my recipe: Beef Round Roast in Dad's Marinade. Feel free to try this marinade on just about anything. In the future when you want to use the frozen marinade just place the frozen bag in a bowl of water on the counter and it will thaw quickly.

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WW: 12 Points Plus / serving (remember this is for half of the marinade which will serve a 2lbs roast, with some extra for dipping sauce when done! So if you had a 2lbs roast and split it and the marinade into 8 servings of meat each serving of meat would be using 1/8th of the marinade which is only 2 Points Plus)

Mashed Potatoes

When I was little I hated, with a capitol H, hated, mashed potatoes. Yes, crazy I know! I have since learned the error of my ways and love them, though please, keep the gravy AWAY from my potatoes. As a child I was very gullible and my mother always used a hand held electric mixer to beat the potatoes, well I came into the kitchen and she offered me one of the beaters saying it was icing for a cake she was making. No child would ever suspect their mother of such deception...I took the first lick and immediately knew I had been fooled!

Now a days I gladly will lick the beater...the bowl...the spoon, whatever I can get my hands on. The recipe below is my basic mashed potato recipe, some days when I'm feeling adventurous I'll add some garlic powder and sour cream, or some rosemary or thyme, the beauty of mashed potatoes is they are really versatile and easy to adapt to the rest of your meal.

Mashed Potatoes: serves 6 (approx 3/4C per serving)

2lbs Red Potatoes - Cubed
4TB Butter
1/2C Milk
Salt & Pepper

I am a big fan of leaving the skins on my potatoes, but if you prefer skin free go ahead and peel the potatoes. Cut into equal size cubes and place in an ice water bath to remove any excess starch. Remove from the ice water and place in a pot, cover with water, add some salt and bring the pot up to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender, drain and place in a stand mixer, or a bowl that you can use a hand held mixer or potato masher.

Add the butter, milk, salt & pepper and mash away - in my stand mixer it only takes about a minute tops. Be careful to not over mix the potatoes or they will turn gummy. I like to taste test the potatoes about half way through the mixing so I can add more seasoning without mashing too much if necessary.

Serve & Enjoy!

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WW: 5 Points Plus / serving

Sausage, Zucchini & Goat Cheese Pasta

A few months ago I made a similar recipe using spinach and orzo, and I have been wanting to make it again, however I do not have spinach on hand or orzo, so I am adapting it to the ingredients I do have.   I find the beauty of recipes to be that they can be modified with one or two changes and a new meal is born. This recipe, while really similar to the original recipe, has its own unique taste. The squash and onions are sweet and soft while the goat cheese is a little tart and the sausage is spicy with the added kick of the red pepper flakes. It is a unique flavor profile that tastes really impressive and is very easy to make.

Sausage, Zucchini & Goat Cheese Pasta: Serves 4

8oz Pasta
2 Hot Italian Turkey Sausage Links (Approx 3-4oz each)
1 Small Onion - Sliced
2C Zucchini - Sliced
4oz Goat Cheese
1TB Olive Oil
1/4tsp Red Pepper Flakes

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil for the pasta. Once the water is boiling add the pasta and cook until al dente. drain the pasta and leave in the colander while you finish the other ingredients.

While the pasta is cooking you can get started on everything else. Remove the sausage from the casings and place in a large saute pan over medium heat and brown, breaking up the sausage into small pieces as it cooks. Once cooked remove to the side. Add onions and zucchini with some salt and pepper to the skillet and cook until they start to caramelize, approximately 8-10 minutes, then remove to join the sausage.

In the empty pasta pot, put the olive oil and red pepper flakes over medium heat for 30-40 seconds. Add the pasta, veggies and sausage to the pot and toss to coat. Remove from the heat, flake in the goat cheese and stir to incorporate. Split into 4 pasta bowls and enjoy!

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WW: 11 Points Plus / serving

Pink Spaghetti Sauce

A few months ago I was reading one of my favorite message boards when I saw someone talking about Gnocchi with Pink Sauce. Now I have heard and had Gnocchi...but pink sauce? Needless to say I was very intrigued! Luckily the original poster is a friend and she was quite willing to share her recipe which transforms regular old spaghetti sauce into a creamy decadent sauce. The secret? Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges.

If you haven't heard of Laughing Cow before, they make a cheese spread that is sold in a wheel of individual wedges and comes in multiple flavors, my favorite being the Garlic & Herb spread.

Pink Spaghetti Sauce: Serves 1-2

1C Spaghetti Sauce
2 Laughing Cow Cheese Wedges

In a small sauce pan heat the spaghetti sauce and work in the laughing cow spread by cutting into small pieces and using a spoon smashing it against the pan to mix it into the sauce. Bring the sauce up to a light simmer and continue to stir and work in the cheese, the sauce will thicken slightly and turn a pink in color. Serve over your favorite pasta.


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WW: Points Plus will vary depending on what type of spaghetti sauce you use and could change depending which Laughing Cow Flavor you use. The LC Wedges are approximately 1 points plus per wedge.

Pizza Muffins

Need a great easy to assemble meal that just about everyone is guaranteed to love?  Well here is a childhood favorite of mine that is easily customized to everyone's liking and very quick to cook. This is a great meal to make with your family, everyone can put some of their favorites on each muffin: sliced ham, pepperoni, sausage, onions, spinach, bell pepper, olives, mushrooms, etc. The possibilities are endless, below is the basic recipe without any of the toppings.

Pizza Muffins: Serves 2

2 English Muffins (I use Thomas' Light English Muffins)
1/2C Tomato Sauce
1/2tsp Dried Oregano
1/4tsp Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper
2oz Mozzarella Cheese (I use Part Skim Milk)

Mix the tomato sauce, oregano, garlic powder and salt & pepper together and set to the side. Split the English Muffins open and spread 2TB of sauce on the cut side of each muffin. Then top with any of your favorite toppings and sprinkle the cheese over it all. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375° for 10 minutes until the cheese has melted and started to brown. Remove from the oven let it sit for a minute then serve and enjoy.

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WW: 2 Points Plus / 1/2 serving (1 muffin half)
5 Points Plus / 1 serving (2 muffin halves)
11 Points Plus / 2 servings (4 muffin halves)

Pierogie Lasagna Rolls

So the other day I had my first lasagna roll, it was delicious, and each roll was a nice serving size. Well I have to say as soon as I saw how easy it was to assemble the rolls my brain started turning with other options I could use as a stuffing and it hit me...Pierogies. The last time I made pierogies I made homemade pasta, homemade filling, hand cut, filled and crimped each individual one. Yes it took me the better part of a day, yes they were delicious, yes it has been a long time since I made them because it is such a process. This recipe still takes a solid hour to put together but it is worth it and I am so excited I had this brain child to use when I want pierogies now! These rolls brought many "Oh Yea's" from both my taste tester and myself.

Pierogie Lasagna Rolls: Serves 12

12 Lasagna Noodles
2 lbs Red Potatoes - Peeled & Cubed
1/4C Sour Cream (I use Daisy's Light)
2TB Butter
1/4C Milk
4oz Cheddar Cheese - Shredded
2lbs Large Onions - Thinly Sliced
2TB Olive Oil
1.5lbs Cauliflower
2.5C Chicken Stock
3TB Flour
Salt & Pepper

Everyone knows a healthy amount of onions makes for a great pierogie dinner! My plan is to use the onions as a sauce over the rolls. So in a large saute pan heat 1TB of olive oil over medium heat then add the sliced onions with a pinch of salt. Caramelize the onions for at least 30 minutes until they turn a deep golden brown. Next add the flour to the onions with 1-2TB of the chicken stock and allow the flour to cook down with the onions for a minute or so, be careful not to let the flour burn. Add the remaining chicken stock, stir to incorporate the flour and bring the sauce up to a boil, once boiling reduce to a simmer continuing to stir and allow the sauce to thicken for 6-8 minutes. Set to the side.

Now for the rolls...First bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the lasagna noodles until they are al dente.

Second, in another large pot place the potatoes and cover with cold water, shake around and drain to release any excess starch. Cover with cold water again, approx 1" above the potatoes, add salt and bring to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender and drain.

While the potatoes and noodles are cooking toss the cauliflower with the remaining olive oil and some salt and pepper. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes at 375° until the cauliflower starts to brown. Remove from the oven and in a stand mixer beat until it breaks into small even chunks. (Note if you do not have a stand mixer you can use a regular electric hand mixer or a potato masher).

Now that the potatoes are done cooking place them in the stand mixer with the cauliflower, add the sour cream, milk, butter & some salt and pepper and mix/mash until smooth. Stir in the cheddar cheese and get ready to make the rolls!

Place about 1/3 of the onion sauce into the bottom of a 13x9 pan. Then place a healthy 1/4C of the filling onto each lasagna noodle, spread it out to fill all of the noodle except the last inch. Roll the noodle from the filled end to the empty and place seam side down in the 13x9 pan. Repeat with remaining filling and noodles and when done pour the remaining onion sauce over the top of the pierogie rolls. Place in a 350° oven for 35-40 minutes, the sauce should be bubbling.

Serve and Enjoy! I like to serve with a little sour cream on the side for dipping!

Tip: I had time in the early afternoon to make this but didn't want to serve it until dinner, so I did all of the assembly and put the dish into the refrigerator without baking, then when I was ready to have dinner I popped it in the oven 40-45 minutes before we were ready to eat and it was perfect!

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WW:6 Points Plus / 1 roll
9 Points Plus / 1.5 rolls
13 Points Plus / 2 rolls

Cinnamon French Toast

It is a rainy day in Baltimore and what better than Cinnamon French Toast to have for breakfast? I've always loved french toast with the crunch on the outside of the toast and the buttery edges. I often like to make my own bread to use but this morning I stuck with a sliced Italian bread from the grocery store which works just fine.

Cinnamon French Toast: Makes 6 Slices

1 Egg
1/2C Milk
1/2tsp Vanilla Extract
6 Slices Italian Bread (I used Schmidts brand)
2tsp Butter
Cinnamon

In a shallow bowl beat together the egg, milk & vanilla. On a skillet over medium heat place 1tsp of the butter and spread it around to melt evenly. Quickly dunk each piece of bread into the egg mixture on each side, give it a light shake over the bowl to get any excess liquid off of it then stick it on the skillet. Sprinkle cinnamon over the top of the slices.

Cook for approximately 4-5 minutes on the first side until the bottom is a nice golden brown. Place small pieces of the remaining tsp of butter on top of each slice then flip over and cook the top side of the bread for another 4-5 minutes until it is nicely toasted as well.

Serve immediately either alone or with your favorite syrup, fresh fruit, some honey or powdered sugar on top!

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WW: 3 Points Plus / slice (not including any toppings)

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

When I was a kid I remember being so excited when my mom came up with a recipe very similar to the biscuits from Red Lobster. These are really easy to make and are done with items you most likely have in your kitchen already. The beauty of this recipe is that you could halve or quarter it for a single serving.

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits: Serves 4

1C Bisquick
1/4C Milk
1oz Cheddar Cheese - Shredded
1/4tsp Garlic Powder
1/2tsp Dried Oregano

Mix all of the above ingredients together and scoop into 4 equal size biscuits on a greased cookie sheet. Place in a 450° oven for 8-10 minutes until the biscuits turn a nice golden brown.

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WW: 4 Points Plus / serving

Sauteed Zucchini & Onions

Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest.  If your summer garden is anything like my parents you have zucchini coming out of your ears!  While zucchini pancakes are a favorite of mine, some days I just want an easy and simple side dish and this recipe cannot get much simpler.

Sauteed Zucchini & Onions: Serves 3-4

1lb Zucchini - Sliced
1 Large Onion - Sliced
1TB Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Slice your zucchini and onions into 1/8" thick slices, if your zucchini is really thick cut length wise into quarters first and remove the seeds as they will be quite large. If your zucchini is less than 2" wide you should be able to cut into rounds without removing the seeds.

Once your veggies are ready place a large saute pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the vegetables with salt and pepper and stir fry for 10-15 minutes until the onions have softened and start to caramelize and the zucchini turns a vibrant green on the outside and starts to turn soft on the inside.

Remove from the heat and enjoy this wonderfully sweet and buttery side dish.

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WW: 1 Points Plus / serving @ 3 or 4 servings

Creamy "Dirty" Rice

When I was little I would ask what was for dinner and I remember once the answer came back as "chicken & dirty rice".  Well let me tell you when your parent tells you your food is going to be dirty you get a little bit skeptical about the quality of that food. But fear not, I am here to reassure you that this side dish is a wonderful, decadent and easy to make addition to any meal.

Creamy "Dirty" Rice: Serves 4-6

1 Can Cream of Chicken Soup
1C Milk
1.25C Chicken Stock
1C Rice
Salt & Pepper

In a sauce pot whisk together the soup, milk and stock and bring up to a boil. Once boiling add the rice with a pinch of salt and pepper and reduce the heat so that the rice is just simmering. Cover with a lid and let it sit, slowly simmering until all the liquid has absorbed into the rice stirring every few minutes.

Fluff with a fork and serve!

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

Lasagna Spinach Rolls

One of my favorite blogs is SkinnyTaste.com, Gina has wonderful recipes that are not filled with processed foods and she does a wonderful job describing her recipes. I was wandering through her site and saw the Spinach Lasagna Rolls and wanted to give them a try. I have changed them to add ground beef to the sauce and the proportions of some of the items for my own liking. I thought these were a great way to have individual servings of lasagna and like most recipes can be customized to your liking with different spices / stuffings.

Lasagna Spinach Rolls: Serves 12

12 Lasagna Noodles
4oz Mozzarella Cheese - Shredded (I am using Part Skim)
1/2C Parmesan Cheese - Shredded
15oz Ricotta Cheese (I am using Part Skim)
20oz Frozen Spinach
1 Egg - Beaten
1 Onion - Diced
1/2lbs Ground Beef (I am using 93% Lean)
30oz Tomato Sauce
6oz Tomato Paste
15oz Tomato Chunks - Drained
2TB Fresh Basil (2tsp dried)
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
1/2tsp Onion Powder
1tsp Sugar
Salt & Pepper

First Step, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Once boiling add the lasagna noodles and stir often to make sure they do not stick to one another. Cook until the noodles are al dente, remember they will finish cooking in the oven.

While the water is heating up we can get the sauce started. In a large saute pan over medium heat brown the beef with the onions and some salt and pepper. Once the meat is completely cooked drain the fat out of the pan. Add the garlic, tomato sauce, tomato paste, tomato chunks, basil, onion powder, sugar and some more salt and pepper. Bring up to a light simmer and stir every few minutes letting it bubble away while the noodles cook and you prepare the filling.

So now you have your noodles boiling and your sauce simmering, a perfect time to make the filling. Take 2 packages of frozen spinach (20oz total) out of their packaging and place in a microwave safe container. Microwave until the spinach is completely thawed. Place in a colander and squeeze the spinach with your hands getting absolutely as much liquid out of the spinach as you can. Once drained add the ricotta, mozzarella and parmesan cheeses with the beaten egg to the spinach. With a fork blend everything together.

Now that the parts are all ready we can assemble! Place half of the sauce on the bottom of a 13x9 pan. To make sure that I got an even amount of filling in each noodle I laid all 12 noodles out on my counter and then took a cookie scoop and scooped 2 large scoops onto each noodle then moved the filling around until it was evenly distributed. Using your fingers or a spoon spread the filling out to cover all but 1" of the noodle. Gently roll from the filled end of the lasagna sheet to the 1" empty end and place seam side down into the 13x9. Continue with the remaining noodles then scoop the other half of the sauce on top of the rolls. Place in a 350° oven for 30 minutes until the sauce is bubbling. Remove and let sit for 3-5 minutes then serve and enjoy!

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WW:5 Points Plus / 1 roll
8 Points Plus / 1.5 rolls
11 Points Plus / 2 rolls

Simple Spinach Salad

I'll be the first to admit that when it comes to eating my vegetables I usually prefer them to be cooked then in salad form.  But sometimes I just want a quick easy side dish for a meal and salads are always easy to toss together in a pinch.  My uncle actually alerted me to the flavors in this salad and I made it in less than 2 minutes at lunch today. It is simple but flavorful and extremely easy to make.

Simple Spinach Salad: Serves 1

1tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1.5tsp Lemon Juice
Pinch Pepper
Pinch Sea Salt
1TB Parmesan Cheese - Shaved or Shredded
2C Fresh Spinach

In the bottom of your salad bowl mix the oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper together with a whisk or a fork until the oil has incorporated completely with the juice. Toss in the spinach and gently toss to coat the leaves. Top with the parmesan cheese and enjoy!

Pizza Pot Pie

When I was in Architecture School I was getting ready to go on a trip to Chicago with a seminar class and our professor was telling us about her favorite restaurants and she mentioned a place that has an upside down pizza. Well that definitely got my attention. She said they put all the toppings in a large bowl with the cheese and sauce and then stretch the crust over the top of the bowl and bake it. When it is finished they bring it to the table, set it in front of everyone and flip it over so the crust is on the bottom and the toppings just fall into place.



It is now over 5 years since that seminar and I ran across a link to the restaurant and I decided to give it a shot myself. I did decide to make individual pizza pot pies using small ramekins as I am often serving for one and if you are serving a family you can individualize the toppings for each person - perfect for a make your own pizza night!

Pizza Pot Pie: Serves 6

1lbs Lean Ground Beef (I used 93% Lean)
1 Medium Onion - Diced
15oz Tomato Sauce
2-3TB Tomato Paste
3TB Fresh Basil (1TB Dried)
1/2tsp Onion Powder
1/2tsp Garlic Powder
6oz Mozzarella Cheese Shredded (I used Part Skim Milk)
12oz Fresh Spinach
1 Pizza Dough (I used Pillsbury's Classic)
Salt & Pepper

In a medium saute pan brown the beef and onions together with some salt and pepper. Once the beef is browned drain the fat and return the beef and veggies back to the pan. Add the tomato sauce, tomato paste, basil, onion powder & garlic powder and cook over medium heat for 4-5 minutes to allow the sauce to reduce slightly and thicken up.

Now to assemble! Spray 6 ramekins that will hold approx. 1.5C. Place 1oz of mozzarella cheese in the bottom of each ramekin, topped by 1/6th of the beef, and 2oz of spinach. This should fill the ramekin. Take the crust out of the container and split into 6 equal pieces, gently stretch the dough so it will fit over the top of each ramekin and fold slightly over the sides.

Place the ramekins on a cookie sheet and bake at 425° for approximately 15-20 minutes until your dough has turned a nice golden brown. Remove from the oven and flip each ramekin over onto a plate and with a spoon gently loosen the dough from the sides of the dish then carefully lift the bowl off of the crust and the toppings will flow into the dough and your family will be really impressed with this different take on pizza!

If you will not be serving all 6 at once only flip the ones that will be used right away. Let the others cool then wrap in foil and refrigerate. When you are ready to eat reheat in the oven and flip as described above once warmed. By not flipping it right away you will be able to still have a crispy crust when you reheat.

Enjoy!

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving

Jillian's Kitchen Recipe Video - Salmon Fillet Maryland Style

Ever wondered what others think of my recipes? Well another fellow blogger is going to be doing one Jillian's Kitchen recipe a week and posting a video diary of her experiences on her blog. Tonight was her first Jillian's Kitchen recipe video blog, and she chose Salmon Fillet Maryland Style.

This is personally my favorite way to have Salmon and if you are interested in seeing it come to life check it out on WWMovieGirl's Fantastic YouTube Blog!

- Jillian

Baked Mashed Sweet Potatoes

So a few weeks ago I made Sweet Potato Puffs, which don't get me wrong, were delicious, but took some energy to pipe into individual rounds and bake.  Well the solution to my problem of laziness presented itself last week on my vacation in the form of these absolutely adorable little ceramic ramekins that I have been dying to make something in ever since I said "they are mine!".  I ended up using a very similar recipe of boiling then baking the potatoes but I switched up the seasonings today to go with the meal I am having.  I think these mimic a twice baked potato with a little bit of a crispy crust and a soft center and when baked in individual ramekins they make serving a breeze!

Baked Mashed Sweet Potatoes: Serves 3-4

22oz Sweet Potatoes (approx 2 large potatoes) - Peeled & Cubed
3TB Milk
3TBC Sour Cream (I use Daisy's Light)
2tsp Butter
1tsp Crushed Dried Rosemary
1/4tsp Onion Powder
Salt & Pepper

Place the raw potatoes in an ice water bath and stir them around for a moment, then drain and discard any ice cubes. You will notice that the water turns a cloudy white, this is the excess starch being released from the potato. Next place the potatoes in a large pot of salted water and bring up to a boil. Cook until the potatoes are fork tender and mashable. Drain and place the potatoes either in a stand mixer or in a bowl that you can use a hand mixer with. Add the remaining ingredients and whip the potatoes until a smooth consistency. If you do not have an electric mixer you can do this by hand you just may have some lumps in your mix. Once blended evenly divide the mix into individually greased ramekins and place in a 425° oven for 40-45 minutes until the tops start to turn a nice golden brown. Remove from the oven and serve!

Also...if you don't want to take the time to bake them, the potatoes were delicious as the mashed potatoes prior to baking! The baking just adds another layer of texture to the mix.

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WW: 5 Points Plus / serving @ 3 servings
4 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings

Creamy Chicken & Asparagus Pasta

A few months back I made a very similar pasta dish which was inspired by the Philadelphia Cooking Cremes. Well it has occurred to me that I don't always have that in my fridge and I can't use a tub of it up fast enough before it goes bad so I figured I better try to make my own as I really enjoyed the meal. So the below is an alternate to that meal that I really enjoyed and I think you will too, one thing I wasn't crazy about in the Philly Cremes was the overpowering quality of the spices in the dip (hence why I diluted it with the sour cream!) well this recipe solves that problem. I used fresh herbs from my garden and wow, what a difference. It tastes fresh and creamy and I would even venture to say this would be great as a cold salad!

Creamy Chicken & Asparagus Pasta: serves 4

8oz Pasta
1 Chicken Breast (Boneless/Skinless - approx 225g)
1 Bunch Asparagus (approx 1lb) - ends trimmed
1TB Olive Oil
1/2C Sour Cream (I use Daisy's Light)
2TB Milk
1/2C Parmesan Cheese - Shredded
2-3 Garlic Cloves - Minced
1/4tsp Onion Powder
1/4tsp Garlic Powder
1TB Fresh Basil (1tsp dried)
1TB Fresh Oregano (1tsp dried)
Salt & Pepper

Mix the sour cream, milk, onion powder, garlic powder, basil and oregano together and set to the side.

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta until al dente. drain and return to the pot.

While the pasta is cooking toss the trimmed asparagus with 1.5tsp of the olive oil, salt and pepper and either saute on a pan, or place in a 350° oven for approximately 10-15 minutes until the asparagus is bright green, still has a little bit of a crunch to it, yet no longer tastes raw. Remove from the oven and slice into 1" segments and set to the side.

Time for some multi-tasking. While the asparagus is doing its thing, slice the chicken into small bite size pieces and mix with salt and pepper. Add the remaining 1.5tsp of olive oil to a saute pan with the garlic over medium heat and allow to cook for about 45 seconds until the garlic turns fragrant. Toss the chicken into the pan and toss in the oil and garlic and cook for approximately 6-8 minutes, flipping once until the chicken is cooked through.

Now that everything is cooked it is time to assemble. Add all of the parts together and stir well to incorporate the sauce all over everything. Split into 4 serving bowls and enjoy! I'm glad that the Philly Cremes made me think of this recipe but I'm even happier I decided to do it myself as the flavors are exactly where I wanted them this time.

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving

Girly Obsessions

I wanted to share with you guys a great blog that is run by two of my favorite females ever! Girly Obsessions tag line is "two girls. two computers. zero impulse control." What a great statement for the idea of a blog, the girls are writing about all things girly: baking, beauty, eye candy, footwear, dwelling, fashion, pets, art & design and mixed bag. Over the last few weeks of its existence I have already seen multiple recipes I want to try and some great articles on a variety of topics!

The blog is well written and has new posts multiple times a week that seem to really speak to me and my tastes. For example...today's post: Cake Batter Ice Cream. Seriously People. How can I not love a blog that has a post dedicated to Cake Batter Ice Cream!?

Check it out at: www.girlyobsessions.com, share with your friends :)