Hot Dog Pasta

Does anyone watch Big Bang Theory? Ever hear Sheldon talk about one of his favorite meals where his mom takes spaghetti and cuts up hot dogs into little pieces and adds it to the sauce? Well I make something very similar which makes my guy very happy. It is more sophisticated (so I tell myself) than hot dogs, and I like to think a bit healthier. I love that I can have this dish on the table in 30 minutes and leftovers taste even better.

Hot Dog Pasta: Serves 4

8oz Pasta (we like to use wagon wheels just because!)
7oz Smoked Turkey Sausage - Chopped
1 Onion - Diced
1 Zucchini - Sliced
1tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
4TB Shredded Parm

Sauce:
29oz Tomato Sauce
15oz Diced Tomatoes - Drained
1 Small Jar Tomato Paste
1-2tsp Dried Basil
1-2tsp Dried Oregano
1/2tsp Onion Powder
1/2tsp Garlic Powder
1tsp Sugar
Salt & Pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set to the side. While the water is heating up, place a large saute pan over medium heat, add the olive oil with the zucchini & onion and some salt and pepper. Saute until the veggies are cooked through but still a bit crisp. Remove to a small bowl. Add the smoked turkey sausage to the pan - I like to cut mine into little triangles but if you want little round discs or half moons that is fine too. Let them cook a minute or two, then give a stir, once they start to get some coloring on them you can add all the sauce ingredients to the pan and bring up to a simmer. Once the sauce has come to a simmer you can add the cooked noodles to the pan (or if your pan isn't big enough add the sauce to the pot!) and add back the veggies. Give a stir, top each serving with a tablespoon of the cheese, serve and enjoy.

And for a variation - feel free to switch up the veggies, I also like this with a head of fresh broccoli that has been lightly steamed.

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving

Egg Roll in a Bowl

Recently I have been seeing recipes for Egg Roll in a Bowl all over the place. Message boards, pinterest, etc. it is becoming the new recipe to try, so I did after a friend posted about it on a message board. The beauty of this recipe is how simple and adjustable it is. In general it is: 1# ground meat, 1-2 bags coleslaw mix, soy sauce + toasted sesame oil. Now you know me - I couldn't leave it alone and truly wanted it to taste like egg rolls do when I eat them which includes duck sauce!

Feel free to give this recipe a try - swap the ground chicken for sausage, pork, etc. Add / subtract ingredients that make you happy. This is basically just a real quick way to make a stir fry and thanks to the cabbage is reminiscent of an egg roll.

Egg Roll in a Bowl: serves 4

1C Brown Rice
2C Water
Salt
1tsp Olive Oil

1lbs Ground Chicken
Pinch Red Pepper Flakes
1TB Fresh Ginger - Minced/Grated
3tsp Toasted Sesame Oil
1-2 Coleslaw Mix Bags (found in the salad area of your grocery store, you want approx 1# +/-)
2TB Soy Sauce
1TB Lime Juice
2TB LaChoy Teriyaki Sauce
1TB Chicken Stock
1/4C Duck Sauce

In a small sauce pot put in the rice, water, salt and olive oil - cover and bring to a boil, stir once, reduce heat to a simmer, cover and let the rice do its things until all of the water has absorbed into the rice. Remove from the heat, leave covered for a few minutes, then fluff it up with a fork.

While the rice is cooking you can get the rest going. In a large saute pan over medium to medium-high, heat 1tsp of the Toasted Sesame Oil, red pepper flakes and ginger, once the pan is hot add the chicken with some salt and pepper and cook until the chicken is completely cooked. Drain if necessary and set to the side. Place the pan back on the heat with the remainder of the oil and add the coleslaw mix to the pan - don't worry I know it looks like a lot but it will shrink down as it cooks. let it cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally, then add the soy sauce, teriyaki, lime juice, chicken stock and duck sauce. Add the chicken back to the pan and cook another minute or two.

Put some rice in a bowl, top with the egg roll mixture and serve and enjoy!

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving

Bangers and Mash

This week has been a long one for me and I wanted a low key comfort food dinner but didn't want to feel guilty about eating it! This dinner was easy to put together and I was able to clean up my kitchen as it cooked. Now I have a clean kitchen, a full belly and lots of leftovers. This recipe uses my Mashed Potatoes with Cauliflower recipe and adds Chicken Sausage to complete the Bangers and Mash theme.

Bangers + Mash: Serves 4

1.25 lbs Red Potatoes
3C Frozen Cauliflower (or Fresh)
1/4C Sour Cream (I use Daisy’s Light)
2TB Butter
2-4TB Milk
Salt / Pepper
4 Italian Chicken Sausages - approx 4oz each.
1tsp Olive Oil

I like to have the skins of the potato in my mashed potatoes, if you do not then peel your potatoes! Either way scrub them clean, and chop into even pieces (I do 1/2″ cubes), rinse under cold water, then place in a sauce pot covered with cold, salted water and bring to a boil and cook until easily pierced with a fork. In a separate pot cover the cauliflower with salted water and bring to a boil and cook until a fork easily pierces the stems.

Drain the potatoes & cauliflower and place the cauliflower in a mixer and beat until well minced. Add the potatoes, milk (start with 2TB), sour cream, butter and some salt and pepper and continue to mash until nice and smooth. Add more milk if you like your potatoes a little more loose and taste to see if you need more salt and pepper.

While the potatoes and cauliflower are cooking add the olive oil to a saute pan and heat over medium heat, add the sausages to the pan, cover with a lid and every few minutes turn them over until they are brown all over and cooked through. Once completely cooked place a sausage on top of a serving of the mash, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving

Chicken Gnocchi Soup

I was at Olive Garden a few weeks ago and tried their Chicken Gnocchi Soup and was inspired to make my own version that was much chunkier with more veggies and chicken in a delicious creamy broth. This made a huge pot that I can't wait to dig into! Very filling, and a different take on a traditional chicken soup / chowder.



Chicken Gnocchi Soup: Serves 12-16

6-8 Chicken Thighs - Skinless
1 Large Onion - Diced
4-5 Celery Stalks - Diced
4-5 Carrots - Diced
2 Bay Leaves
1TB Chicken Bouillon (I use Better then Bouillon)
1C Heavy Cream
1.5C Milk (I used Fat Free)
2TB Corn Starch
~10-12C Water
15oz Can Creamed Corn
1lbs Gnocchi - I bought Fresh Prepackaged from Wegmans
Salt & Pepper

In a large - and I mean large, soup pot add the chicken, onion, celery, bay leaves, generous salt and pepper (about 1TB salt / 1-2tsp pepper) and water (note I did not measure my water, I was using a huge dutch oven and had about 4-5" of water in the pan - enough to cover the chicken by an inch or two). Bring this up to a boil and let the chicken cook through. Once the chicken is completely cooked remove it from the pot, remove and discard any excess fat and bones then take the chicken and shred it either by hand, with two forks, or toss it into your stand mixer and beat on low for about 30 seconds.

While you are shredding the chicken turn the the pot down to a low simmer and remove and discard the bay leaves. You'll notice that excess grease will be gathering on top, with a large spoon carefully remove this grease from your pan and discard. Add the chicken back to the pot with the carrots, creamed corn and bouillon and give it a taste test - is it flavorful? is it bland? adjust as necessary - I like mine peppery so I always use fresh ground pepper in high quantities.

Next mix the milk with the cornstarch until completely incorporated then add to the soup pot, bring up to a boil and stir for a few minutes, add the cream and continue to stir another 3-4 minutes letting all the flavors mesh together. Lastly add the Gnocchi and cook for 2-3 minutes per the package instructions, remove soup from the heat and let the soup sit. Ideally you would make this the day before eating as the cream sauce will really absorb the soup flavors overnight but you can eat it now if you can't resist! (I may of had a bowl!)

Serve & Enjoy!

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WW: 7 Points Plus / serving @ 12 servings
5 Points Plus / serving @ 16 servings

Roasted Lemon Pepper Rosemary Chicken

In life I have roasted maybe 4 whole chickens. Not because I don't love roasted chicken, but because I felt like they often turned out dry in some parts and the skin never did the beautiful golden crispy thing like I wanted. I figured I was just destined to be that person who picked up the "cheater" chicken at the grocery store, pre cooked, delicious and ready to go near the checkout lanes. Well a few weeks ago I was at the grocery store, our fridge was painfully empty and it appeared the grocery store had not had a restock recently! In the chicken section there were two lonely whole chickens and a container of wings. I figured it was Sunday, I had time, lets give this whole chicken roasting another shot. After all my ham turned out delicious, maybe I will have luck 2 times in a row!



Roasted Lemon Pepper Rosemary Chicken: 4+

Large Chicken (mine was almost 7#)
Olive Oil
Lemon Pepper Seasoning
Crushed Dried Rosemary
1 Large Roaster Chicken
3-4C Chicken Stock

First take your chicken out of its packaging, next reach in the cavity of the chicken and removed the innards (they should be bagged) discard or if you know something tasty to do with them, by all means set to the side and use how you would like. Next rinse your bird all over and inside the cavity with cold water, then pat dry with some paper towels. Place on a rack in a 13x9 pan (breasts up!) (I used a smaller broiler pan that had holes in it), take some olive oil and pour it over the bird and with your hand rub it all over the skin, next sprinkle liberally with the Lemon Pepper & Rosemary - Note: I did not use salt and pepper at all because the lemon pepper has enough of both for me! Make sure to also season the cavity. Next pour the chicken stock into the 13x9 pan. Place in a 350° oven and plan to bake for approximately 18-20 minutes per pound. I cheated - my bird came with one of those handy dandy pop up when done buttons.... I recommend using one of these!

Bake the chicken in the oven, but every 20 minutes quickly remove it from the oven and with a baster or a spoon, pour the juice in the bottom of the pan all over the chicken and be sure to also pour some juice in the cavity and put it back in the oven. I had never done this before and I think it made a world of difference in the quality of my dinner. The bird was so juicy, the skin so crispy. Seriously it was heaven. And the juices in the bottom of the pan turned a deep dark brown which made making gravy easy peasy. Cook the bird until the little button pops or it reaches the recommended internal temperature (which it should say on the birds packaging! Perdue Chicken says you want an internal temp of 180° in the thickest part of the bird if you are using a thermometer.

Once the bird is finished cooking remove it from the oven and the pan (I set on my cutting board) and LEAVE IT ALONE for at least 15-20 minutes. This lets all those juices stay in the bird instead of running all over your cutting board. While the bird is resting you can rescue the juices from the bottom of the pan. If there are any baked on bits take a metal whisk and scrape them up. Pour into a sauce pot and feel free to add another cup or two of chicken stock if you don't have a lot of juices left to make gravy. In a small cup mix together 1/2C Cold Chicken Stock and 2TB Corn Starch and set to the side. Bring the sauce in the pot up to a boil and then whisk in the stock / corn starch mixture and continue to whisk. Once it comes back up to a boil it will thicken very quickly. Once thick remove from the heat.

Okay gravy done, bird rested, get to carving! I was impressed that I actually made it through the carving process properly. Feel free to check out the internet for tips on the best ways to get the meat off nicely! I tend to slice the breasts off, then go after the legs and wings. Serve & Enjoy!!


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WW: For this recipe I'm not giving exact points, it depends if you actually eat the skin, what part of the chicken you eat, etc. Keep in mind the following: Chicken Breast w/o the skin is approximately 1PP per ounce cooked. Chicken Thighs w/o skin run 1PP/1oz, 3PP/2oz, 5PP/3oz, 7PP/4oz. So dark meat is more "costly" then light, and adding in the skin you also need to account for the amount of olive oil used which can vary depending how big your bird is and how heavy handed you were with it.

Lightened Up Chicken Pot Pie

A while ago I posted a recipe for Chicken Pot Pie and have since revamped it to be even tastier and lighter! Even my boyfriend who is a self proclaimed veggie hater asked for seconds of this dish so I consider it a winner!



Lightened Up Chicken Pot Pie: Serves 4

1/2lbs Chicken Breast - Cubed
1 Onion - Diced
3 Carrots - Diced
2 Celery Stalks - Sliced
1C Corn
2tsp Olive Oil
1tsp Crushed Rosemary
1tsp Ground Thyme
Salt & Pepper
1C Chicken Stock - Fat Free
1/2C Milk
2TB Cornstarch
1 Pie Crust (I use Pillsbury Pie Crust - they come 2 in a box and you just unroll them over the top of the dish!)



In a large skillet place half the olive oil over medium heat and once the pan is hot add the chicken with half of the rosemary and thyme and some salt and pepper. Cook the chicken flipping once after 3-4 minutes until the chicken is cooked through - approximately 6-8 minutes. Remove the chicken to a bowl on the side and add the remaining olive oil to the pan with the onions, carrots and celery with the remaining rosemary and thyme and some salt and pepper. Saute the veggies for 5-6 minutes until they start to soften. Mix together the cornstarch and milk and add to the pan along with the chicken stock. Add in the corn and chicken and bring up to a boil, stirring constantly. Once the sauce has thickened remove from the heat and pour into a pie pan. Unroll a pie crust over the top and crimp the edges to the pan, cut 3-4 large slits in the top of the crust to let steam escape during the baking process.

Place the dish in a 350° oven (I suggest placing a large piece of foil under the pan as mine still bubbled over despite the steam slits!!) and bake for approximately 30-40 minutes until the pie is nice and golden brown. Remove from the oven and let it sit for a good 5-10 minutes, slice, scoop and enjoy!!

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WW: 9 Points Plus

Sausage & Summer Veggie Pasta

Well its the heart of January, there was a forecast of 8" of snow for tomorrow and I am making a summer veggie pasta dish. Why you ask? Because my boyfriend saw a commercial for pasta which had sausage and tomato in it and made the passing comment "that looked good". You know me, I rewound it, looked at what they were making and said "I can do that!" I added zucchini and onions to my portions and it was a delicious spicy and sweet dish and the plain sausage and tomato portion got a two thumbs up review as well!



Sausage & Summer Veggie Pasta: Serves 4

8oz Pasta
4 Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage (approx 4oz each) - removed from casings
1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes
1/4tsp Garlic Powder
Salt & Pepper
2tsp Olive Oil
1 Zucchini - Sliced
1 Onion - Thinly Sliced
1/4C Chicken Stock - Fat Free

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook to al dente. Drain and return to the pot and set to the side. While the pasta is cooking add a teaspoon of oil to a large skillet pan over medium heat and add the sausage to the pan, break up with a spatula and cook for 2-3 minutes then add the cherry tomatoes to the pan with some salt, pepper and the garlic powder. Continue to brown the sausage and cook the tomatoes until the tomatoes start to burst open, take the spatula and push down gently on the tomatoes to break them open and cook for another minute. Remove the sausage and tomatoes to a bowl and set to the side.

Return the pan to the heat, add the remaining oil with the zucchini and onions and some salt and pepper. Saute for 4-5 minutes until the onions are sauteed and the zucchini are starting to soften. Add the veggies and sausage mixture to the drained pasta with the chicken stock and heat over medium low heat, stirring, for a minute or two. Serve and enjoy!

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WW: 10 Points Plus / Serving

Happy November - Recipe Flashback

Hello Everyone! I realize I haven't posted in over a month, lots has been going on in what I refer to as "Jill World" including a move which has resulted in my now having a kitchen that is bigger than a shoe box! It's weird not having kitchen supplies in odd places like the bathroom closet, the dishwasher which I used for baking storage, etc. I am in the process of unpacking and getting settled but I am still cooking, I am doing something I often do, making my own recipes! I thought we would do a throw back month where I share with you some recipes I am revisiting and if I change anything up I'll let you know.

It was a whopping 32 degrees when I woke up yesterday and I knew I needed to make something that would warm me right on up. I looked through my recipes and knew that Chicken Corn Chowder would make me quite happy! We ate this after it had been fully cooked and simmering on the stove for a good 1.5-2 hours with the cream added so the flavors had time to start marrying together but I know it will be even better today.



In the original recipe I made it in the slow cooker and only used 2C of stock. This time I added a third cup of stock and cooked it on the stove top. I added everything but the milk, heavy cream and corn starch to a large stock pot, brought up to a boil, reduced to a simmer for about an hour until the potatoes were fully cooked through, then added the milk, cream and corn starch (which had been mixed into the milk), brought back up to a boil and reduced to a simmer one more time for about 20 minutes. Then I turned it down to low and let it sit on the stove for another hour - now keep in mind you could easily eat it after the first 20 minutes of simmering with the cream, but really? the longer it sits the better it is. So I finally gave in and had a bowl and mmmmm mmmmm was I happy :)

Give it a shot when you have a nice cold day coming up or just want to taste the deliciousness! I promise I'll keep on posting, I am cooking, I haven't disappeared! I will also post some of my favorite Thanksgiving Recipes for all of you making the meal or bringing something to a family gathering!

Chicken Lomein

For weeks I have been jonesing for some lomein, like seriously considered ordering from the really sketchy place that makes it so well and tasty but I know I don't want to see the state of their kitchen. Yesterday I made some quick teriyaki chicken breasts and had some left over as well as the sauce it was cooked in, I decided it would make a good sauce to a stir fry and then the light bulbs went off - it would make a good sauce to a lomein! I know technically lomein sauce is just soy sauce...but let me tell you, whenever I try just soy sauce it tastes just like it sounds....like soy sauce, not like delicious lomein. I was very happy with the way this recipe turned out, it had a nice zing to it and was close enough to take out that my craving is gone and I am pretty positive I had a much healthier meal then if I had ordered in.



Chicken Lomein: serves 4

8oz Chicken Breast
3TB Teriyaki Sauce
1tsp Soy Sauce
1tsp Lime Juice
1tsp Sriracha
8oz Spaghetti
1TB Olive Oil
1TB Fresh Ginger - Grated
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
2-3C Fresh Broccoli
2 Large Carrots - Chopped into Rounds
1 Large Onion - Sliced
1 Zucchini - Thick Sliced (1/4")
1/4C Chicken Stock - Fat Free
Salt & Pepper

Combine the teriyaki, soy sauce, lime juice and sriracha, cover the chicken in the sauce in a small baking dish and let it marinade for at least 20-30 minutes. Heat your oven to 375° and place the chicken dish into the oven. Cook for approximately 20-30 minutes (depends on the thickness of your chicken) until the chicken is cooked through completely. When it is finished cooking just set to the side to rest while you finish the rest of the meal. (I made this the night before - had doubled the recipe and just used leftovers for this dish)

Once the chicken has been in the oven for 10-15 minutes we can get started on the rest of the dish. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta to al dente. Once it is finished cooking drain and return to the pot. While the pasta is cooking place 1tsp of oil in a large saute pan with the garlic and ginger over medium heat, after 30-40 seconds the garlic and ginger should be turning fragrant, add the carrots and broccoli with some salt and pepper, stir to coat with the oil and garlic/ginger mix and cover with a lid. Every 2-3 minutes give it a stir and after 6-8 minutes add another teaspoon of oil to the pan and add the onions with some more salt and pepper. Stir the onions in and continue to cook for another 4-5 minutes until the onions start to look translucent. Finally add the remaining teaspoon of oil with the zucchini and a pinch more salt and pepper. Continue to cook the veggies until the zucchini soften.

Now all parts should be complete, cut the chicken into bite size strips / pieces and add to the vegetable mix with about 1/4 of the sauce left in the pan from cooking the chicken. Add the remaining sauce to the pasta and give it a toss to incorporate. Turn the heat off of the veggies, cover both the veggies and pasta with a lid and let it all sit in the sauce for a few minutes. Toss everything together then serve and enjoy!

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WW: 8 Points Plus / serving

Italian Spiced Chicken

For the past few weeks I have been pretty busy, getting ready for vacation, being on vacation, recovering from vacation....it really is tiring! I didn't have a lot of time to cook and was looking for quick meals. This chicken dish was a result of my having not thought ahead to marinate the chicken, I was really happy with the results and would eat this on its own, on a salad, or mixed into any stir fry.



Tip: To cook your chicken more evenly slice in half horizontally so it is a more even. It also helps speed up your dinner as the chicken cooks in 10-15 minutes!

Italian Spiced Chicken: Serves 2

2 Chicken Breasts (roughly 1/2lbs total)
Salt
Pepper
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Oregano
Basil

Lay the chicken breasts out on a plate and lightly sprinkle all of the spices evenly over each side. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 375° for 10-15 minutes (longer if you don't slice your chicken in half)! until the chicken is cooked through. Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5 minutes to make sure the juices stay in the chicken! Serve & Enjoy!

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WW: 3 Points Plus / serving

Italian Chicken Pasta Salad

One of my favorite summer salads is my mom's Pasta Salad, I was in the grocery store and the mood hit me, who cares that it was snowing outside and summer was a distant memory?! I grabbed the good looking fresh vegetables and headed towards the meat aisle, while my Mom's recipe doesn't have chicken in it I decided that it was necessary if I was going to have it as a full meal. This took it from the nice refreshing side dish to a great dinner that had me wishing for the first Summer BBQ.



Italian Chicken Pasta Salad: Serves 4

8oz Pasta
3/4lbs Chicken Breast - Cubed
1C Kraft Fat Free Zesty Italian Dressing
2TB McCormick Perfect Pinch Salad Supreme Seasoning
Cucumbers
Bell Pepper
Carrots
Celery
Cherry Tomatoes

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain and set to the side. While the pasta is cooking place the chicken and 1/4C of the dressing in a large saute pan and cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes until the chicken is fully cooked through.

Once the chicken and pasta is cooked toss them together with the dressing, seasoning and 2-3 cups of your favorite salad vegetables chopped up. I used cucumbers, bell pepper, carrots and celery. Stir it together and if you have the time let it all sit in the fridge for 30-40 minutes before serving - this isn't required but the longer the pasta sits in the dressing the better it gets! Serve and enjoy.

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WW: 8 Points Plus / serving

Spicy Chicken Udon

In my excitement to find the secret ingredient of my favorite Asian noodle dish when out with friends last Saturday night I knew I would be making it the very next day. While we were in the Korean Market looking for the Vinegared Red Pepper Paste I also picked up a package of Udon Noodles - these aren't a requirement for this dish but I highly recommend it, they are super thick and chewy and add a great element to the dish. This dish is great for people who love spicy foods, if you are not a spicy food fan I suggest using a different sauce as this meal is all about heat.



Spicy Chicken Udon: Serves 4

16oz Udon Noodles
8oz Chicken Breast - Cubed
1/4C Vinegared Red Pepper Paste
1/4C Chicken Stock
1TB Olive Oil
1/4 Head Cabbage - Sliced
1 Onion - Sliced
2 Carrots - Sliced
2C Sugar Peas / Snow Peas
2 Garlic Cloves

In a mixing cup mix the vinegared red pepper paste and the chicken stock and set to the side. In a large wok or heavy bottomed pan heat 1tsp of oil with half of the garlic over medium heat until the garlic turns fragrant. Add the chicken to the pan and stir around, add in 2-3TB of the sauce mixture and cook the chicken until it is fully cooked through - warning - be careful with inhaling the fumes coming from the chicken, I did and instantly had my eyes watering!

Once the chicken is cooked through remove it to a small bowl on the counter and cover to keep warm. Add the remaining oil and garlic to the pan for another 30-40 seconds then add the vegetables (you can use any stir fry veggies you want, the ones above are what I had on hand!). Toss the vegetables in the oil and garlic and stir fry for 7-10 minutes until the vegetables have started to caramelize and still have some crunch to them.

My udon noodles came precooked and shrink wrapped so I just had to open the package and toss them in, if yours are not precooked, by all means - cook them! Once your noodles are prepared toss them in with the vegetables, add the chicken and any juices that settled in the bowl and add the remaining sauce to the pan. Toss it all around and cook until the noodles absorb the sauce and soften slightly. Turn off the heat, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving

Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli and Bacon

I am always on Pinterest checking out new recipes, seeing crazy things to do with your hair, and more DIY home improvements than I can imagine actually trying...that site can be a dangerous occupier of my time! I am glad to say that it has led me to a few gems and one of them is this great recipe from Kevin and Amanda for Cheesy Chicken Bacon Broccoli & Rice. I have tried a few recipes from them and with some small modifications have made them just a little more weight watchers point friendly for me without sacrificing any taste. I have made this recipe twice in the last week, the first time using the Rotel and the second using just diced tomatoes, both were delicious and both had passing coworkers asking me "what are you eating? that smells absolutely delicious!" as I chowed down at lunch the next day. This is a recipe sure to make your whole family happy.



Cheesy Chicken, Broccoli & Bacon: Serves 6-8

1C Rice
2C Water
8 Slices Bacon
2tsp Olive Oil
1/2lbs Chicken Breast - Cubed
1 Onion - Chopped
1 Large Head of Broccoli - Approx 6-7C Chopped
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
20oz Rotel Tomatoes & Green Chiles OR Diced Tomatoes
1C Chicken Stock - Fat Free
2TB Flour
2TB Butter
8oz Sharp Cheddar Cheese - Shredded

First get your rice cooking, place the water and rice in a sauce pot, bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer and let it do its thing - covered, until the water is completely absorbed into the rice. Fluff with a fork, set to the side covered to keep warm.

While the rice is cooking, cook your bacon! I like to chop my bacon up before tossing it into the pan to cook, it makes it easier to cook and fit in and seems to splatter less. Once the bacon is nice and crisp, remove it to a paper towel and let it absorb the excess oil. Drain the fat from the pan and return the pan to the stove over medium heat, add a teaspoon of olive oil and the chicken. Salt and pepper the chicken while in the pan and cook for 6-7 minutes until it is completely cooked through. Remove to a bowl and add the bacon in with it and leave it to the side. Add the remaining olive oil to the pan with the broccoli and onions with some salt & pepper. Cook for 8-10 minutes allowing both the broccoli and onions to cook and start to get some color to them. Once they have both cooked, add the garlic to the pan and cook it with the broccoli & onions for a minute or two. Now add the chicken, bacon, rotel (or tomatoes) and rice to the pan, stir to incorporate everything. Reduce the heat to low and let it do its thing while you make the cheese sauce.

If you really want to cut back on points you can stop here and eat and enjoy, the flavors are great but the cheese sauce really takes this to another level.

I used the same pot I cooked the rice in because I didn't want to do any more dishes than necessary.... Melt your butter over medium heat, add the flour and whisk it together and cook for a minute or two to let the flour taste cook out, continue to whisk so it doesn't burn! Add the chicken stock and whisk to incorporate the flour mixture into it. Bring up to a boil while continuing to whisk and you will notice the stock turns thick. Once it has reached a gravy consistency remove from the heat and immediately add the cheese and continue to stir to melt the cheese. Try not to drool as you pour the cheese sauce over the skillet of rice and veggies. Stir to incorporate it all, serve and enjoy!

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

Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo Lasagna Rolls

It has been a while since I may lasagna and I felt the need the other day. While I love my traditional cheese, beef and veggies, I decided to use my alfredo sauce to make a fun chicken lasagna. In an effort to not eat the whole pan and have some sense of portion control I decided to make this into individual rolls, but you could make in a traditional stacked lasagna if you wanted!



Chicken & Broccoli Alfredo Lasagna Rolls: 12 Rolls

Rolls:
12 Lasagna Noodles
1/2lbs Chicken Breast
2 Bay Leaves
1 Small Onion - quartered
Chicken Stock
15oz Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
3oz Parmesan Cheese - Shredded
1/2tsp Basil
Salt & Pepper
1lbs Bag Frozen Broccoli

Sauce:
2/3C Milk
1/2C Chicken Stock
6TB Cream Cheese (1/3 Less Fat)
2/3C Shredded Parmesan Cheese
1TB Corn Starch

First we need to get everything cooked....Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the lasagna noodles (I like to add a splash of olive oil, I find it helps the noodles to not stick together). Cook until they are al dente then fish them out of the water and drop the broccoli into the pasta water for 3-4 minutes to get them slightly tender. Remove from the water and set to the side.

While the pasta and broccoli is cooking lets make the chicken. Place the chicken in a sauce pot, cover with chicken stock, add the bay leaves and the onion and cook until the chicken is completely cooked through and can be pulled apart with a fork. Once it hits that point remove it from the stock and shred.

In a large bowl mix the ricotta, 3oz of parmesan, basil, salt and pepper together. Add the chicken & broccoli (if the broccoli has a bunch of large chunks then cut them down into smaller more equal size pieces). Stir everything together and just let it sit to the side for a minute.

Place all the items for the sauce in a blender and pulse it until the corn starch blends into the liquid. Pour into a sauce pan and cook over medium heat whisking constantly until the sauce thickens to a nice gravy like consistency, add about 1/2C of sauce to the cheese mixture and stir. Now you have all the parts ready to assemble. Turn the oven onto 350° and start assembling!

I laid all 12 of my noodles out onto a sheet of wax paper then evenly distributed the cheese & chicken mixture onto the noodles then rolled them as tightly as I could. Pam a casserole dish and lay the rolls in a single layer. Cover with tin foil and bake for 20-30 minutes. Remove from the oven, uncover and pour the remainder of the alfredo sauce over the rolls, place back in the oven uncovered for 10-15 minutes until bubbly. Remove, serve and enjoy!

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WW: 6 Points Plus / roll

Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta

At restaurants one of my favorite appetizers is Spinach & Artichoke Dip, I can delusion myself into thinking it is healthy, it is filled with veggies after all! I decided to make up my own version, I thought about looking at a recipe but figured that would blow my mind about what really goes into one of my favorite dips, so I just winged it and am pretty darn happy with the results.



Spinach & Artichoke Dip Pasta: Serves 4

8oz Pasta
1/2C Chicken Stock
2/3C Fat Free Milk
6TB Cream Cheese (1/3 Less Fat)
1/3C Grated Parmesan Cheese
1TB Cornstarch
14oz Canned Artichoke Hearts - Packed in Water
1/2lbs Fresh Spinach
1/2lbs Chicken Breast - Cubed
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
1tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, add pasta, cook until al dente, drain and place back in the pot. While the pasta is cooking mix together the chicken stock, milk, cream cheese, parmesan cheese and corn starch and place in the refrigerator until the end of the recipe.

In a large skillet heat the garlic and olive oil over medium heat for 45-60 seconds, add the chicken with some salt and pepper and cook for 6-8 minutes until the chicken is cooked through, set the chicken to the side. I chopped up my artichokes into 1/2" chunks then tossed in the skillet after I had finished the chicken to warm them through for 4-5 minutes then added to the chicken dish on the side. Lastly add a scoop of the pasta water (or water from the tap) into the skillet, add the spinach with salt and pepper, cover and cook for 3-4 minutes until fully wilted. Remove the spinach to a colander and push out as much liquid as possible (I use a spatula and smash the spinach as much as possible).

Okay time to put it all together (believe it or not the chicken, artichokes and spinach part I was able to do in the time it took for the water to boil and pasta to cook). With the pasta in the pasta pot add the sauce and turn the heat onto medium and stir until it starts to simmer. Continue to stir and the sauce will thicken up quickly to a gravy like consistency. Add the chicken, artichokes and spinach, stir and cook another minute or two to incorporate all the flavors. Remove from the heat and let it sit for a few minutes then serve and enjoy.

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving

Goat Cheese Rice with Garlic Chicken

After having the Beef & Spinach Risotto skillet the other day I decided that I really liked the creamy rice and wanted to experiment some more with it. This recipe is very versatile, you can use any creamy cheese, any good stir fry veggie and make your own combination of deliciousness.



Goat Cheese Rice with Garlic Chicken: Serves 4

1C Rice
1TB Olive Oil
1C Milk
1C Chicken Stock
2 Garlic Cloves - Minced
1/2lbs Chicken Breast - Cubed
1lbs Green Beans - Chopped
4oz Goat Cheese
Salt & Pepper

In a sauce pot place 1tsp of olive oil over medium heat and add the rice, toast for 4-5 minutes until the rice has started to brown then add the milk and chicken stock with some salt and pepper, bring to a boil and reduce to a simmer and cover, stir once every 5-6 minutes until all liquid has been absorbed into the rice.

While the rice is cooking place another teaspoon of olive oil in a large saute pan with the garlic over medium heat for a minute. Then add the chicken with some salt and pepper and cook for 5-10 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (cooking time will vary depending on the size of your chicken pieces). Remove to a bowl and cover. In the same skillet add the remaining teaspoon of olive oil and add the green beans (cut into bite size pieces) into the skillet with salt and pepper. Stir Fry for 5-6 minutes until vibrant green. You want the beans to have a crunch to them still so make sure to not over cook.

Once the rice has absorbed all of the liquid add the cooked chicken and green beans to the pot with the goat cheese and stir it all together to melt the goat cheese. Serve & Enjoy!

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving

Teriyaki Dijon Chicken

I hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving with your families. I enjoyed the Turkey, Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes and Pie and now I am back to cooking on my own food trying to stay as healthy as I can through the holiday season! I love Teriyaki Chicken but wanted to zing it up, after a quick look at my condiments shelf I decided to mix it with some Dijon Mustard. This is a great way to make a quick lunch or dinner.



Teriyaki Dijon Chicken: Serves 2-2

1lbs Chicken Breast
1/3C Teriyaki Sauce (La Choy Brand)
1/4C Dijon Mustard

I like to cut the chicken breast into 2-3 large chunks each so the chicken is all the same size which will cook at the same rate. Place the chicken into a bowl, mix the teriyaki and dijon together and pour over the chicken and toss to coat. Place in the refrigerator and let it marinade for 30-60 minutes then bake at 400° for 25-35 minutes until the chicken is cooked through (cooking time will vary on the size of the chicken pieces).

Serve & Enjoy! I had mine with Roasted Brussel Sprouts and Parmesan Roasted Acorn Squash, delicious side dishes.

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

Sausage Egg Noodle Lasagna

I was so excited last year when my friend told me about her Egg Noodle Lasagna and since then I have experimented with making it with Chicken and now with Sausage. I love it, I can't get enough of it, I can cook it so much faster than regular lasagna and it makes lasagna a weeknight meal.



Sausage Egg Noodle Lasagna: Serves 8

4 Hot Italian Turkey Sausage - Chopped into bite size pieces (I like Shadybrook brand)
12oz Egg Noodles
1-1-1/2C Zucchini – Chopped
1tsp Olive Oil
2 Garlic Cloves – Minced
1/2C Onion – Diced
1 Bell Pepper – Chopped
1C Ricotta (I use Part Skim)
4oz Mozzarella (Park Skim Shredded)
1/2C Parmesan Cheese – Shredded

Tomato Sauce:
(2)15oz Cans Tomato Sauce
15oz Canned Diced Tomatoes - Drained
3oz Canned Tomato Paste
1/4tsp Garlic Powder
1/4tsp Onion Powder
2tsp Dried Basil
1TB Dried Oregano
1 Bay Leaf

First I like to make my tomato sauce, if you want to do this faster you can just buy pre-made sauce but I promise this can be done and simmering on the back burner while you make everything else with little to no fuss. Just put all of the sauce ingredients in a sauce pot, stir to incorporate and bring up to a low simmer. Stir once every few minutes and before using in the lasagna remove the bay leaf and discard.

While your sauce is warming up bring a pot of salted water to a boil and add the egg noodles, cook until al dente, you do not want the noodles super soft as they are going to continue cooking in the oven. Once cooked drain and return to the pot.

Mix the ricotta and Parmesan together and put to the side - I like to add a dash of basil and oregano to the mix to make it just a little more tasty.

Okay...sauce is doing its thing, pasta is cooking, cheese is mixed, now you can make the rest! Place a large skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and garlic and after a minute or so the garlic should be nice and fragrant, add the sausage, bell pepper, onion and zucchini with some salt and pepper and saute until the vegetables and sausage are cooked through - approximately 8-10 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Okay now that everything is cooked we can assemble! Preheat your oven to 375 & grease a large casserole dish. Mix the noodles and sauce together, then in a large casserole dish place 1/3 of the noodles then half of the cheese mix and half of the sausage mix - spread it around evenly (I like to drop spoonfuls of the cheese then smush it around with a large spoon or spatula). Repeat noodles, cheese and sausage and then top with the remaining noodles. Place in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, remove and add the mozzarella cheese to the top and return to the oven for another 10 minutes until the cheese is completely melted.

Remove from the oven and let it sit for 5-10 minutes, slice and scoop then enjoy!

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WW: 9 Points Plus / serving

Breakfast Sausage & Grits

I can't believe I'm saying this recipe came from my sister, Ms. "I don't like grits, gross" has been converted and is actually sending me things to try with grits! This is a little different than hers in the way I prepared my grits and I also added some more vegetables but the idea of the recipe is all hers.



Breakfast Sausage & Grits:
Grits:
2C Water
1C Grits
3C Milk
1/4C Cream Cheese (I use 1/3 less fat)
Salt & Pepper

Topping:
12 Breakfast Turkey Sausage Links - Chopped into bite size pieces (I use Shady Brook Brand)
1 Small Onion - Chopped
1 Small Zucchini - Chopped
1tsp Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper

In a sauce pot bring the water to a boil and slowly whisk in the grits. Keep stirring as it thickens and once it gets really thick slowly add in the milk continuing to whisk. Add some salt and pepper and keep the grits at a low simmer stirring occasionally. The grits will thicken, slowly absorbing all the milk. Once they have gotten really thick add the cream cheese and stir, allowing it to melt into the grits, taste test and add more salt/pepper as needed, remove from the heat and cover.

While the grits are doing their thing you can make the sausage mixture. In a large skillet add the olive oil over medium heat and once the pan is hot add the sausage, onions and zucchini with some salt and pepper (be light on the salt as the sausage will help flavor the veggies) Cook until the sausage is completely cooked and the zucchini and onions are tender, approximately 7-8 minutes.

Once the grits and sausage mixture are done cooking you can assemble! Place a generous scoop of grits in a bowl and top with the breakfast sausage, now enjoy!

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WW: 11 Points Plus / serving @ 4 servings
9 Points Plus / serving @ 5 servings

Jambalya

As much as I love spicy food I had never had Jambalaya. After seeing some pinterest recipes I finally found one for the slow cooker and decided to give it a try. I thought it was really great and have only made a few changes to the original recipe from All Recipes.



Jambalaya: Serves 8

2C Rice
1TB Butter
1lbs Shrimp - Peeled & Deveined
1C Fat Free Chicken Broth
1lbs Chicken Breast (boneless/skinless)
6oz Tomato Paste
14oz Smoked Turkey Sausage
28oz Can Diced Tomatoes (do not drain!)
1 Onion - Chopped
1 Bell Pepper - Chopped
1C Celery - Chopped
2tsp Dried Oregano
2tsp Dried Parsley
2tsp Cajun Seasoning
1tsp Cayenne Pepper
1/2tsp Thyme

Put everything but the following ingredients in the crock pot on low for 2 hours: rice, butter, shrimp, chicken & sausage. After 2 hours add the chicken and sausage to the crock pot - I cut the chicken into 2" cubes, and sausage into thick slices. Continue to cook another 4-5 hours until the chicken is cooked through. Add the shrimp and cook another 30-40 minutes until they are cooked through as well. When you add the shrimp you can cook the rice by placing 4C of water and the butter with a pinch of salt in a sauce pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling add the rice, stir once, reduce to a simmer, cover with a lid and let it cook until the water has all been absorbed into the rice. Remove from the heat, fluff with a fork and get ready to eat.

Place a scoop of rice into a bowl then ladle the jambalaya goodness right over top of it and enjoy!

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WW: 10 Points Plus / serving