Turkey Curry

Turkey Curry (Serves 4 at 5 points a piece)

Ingredients

1 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup sliced carrots
1 cup fat-free milk, divided
2 tblsp cornstarch
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 tblsp dried minced onion
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 to 4 teaspoons curry powder
2 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken

Directions:

Lightly coat a skillet with nonstick cooking spray; saute celery and carrots until tender. In a bowl, mix 1/4 cup milk and cornstarch until smooth. Add broth and remaining milk; mix until smooth. Pour over vegetables in skillet. Add onion, garlic powder and curry powder. Cook and stir over medium heat for 4-5 minutes or until mixture thickens and bubbles. Add turkey; cook and stir until heated through.

I served this with about 1/2 cup of rice making it 7 points. I also only added about 2 1/2 teaspoons of curry powder to the dish. I thought it had the right amount of curry taste with that. You can always add more or less to your liking.

I'm a huge curry fan. I can't get enough of the stuff. This dish had a good flavor of curry, and I loved the celery and carrots in it. It was also very filling. I like making worldly dishes. It's a nice change instead of the same typical flavorings that I always use.

Trail Mix

Trail mixes are great for the munchies. I've seen many different kinds made. Including some with seasonings like Chex Mix, and some where you add a caramel coating. Really, you can put whatever you want into your mix. So I decided to come up with a mix of my own that would be simple and point-friendly . I basically just mixed a few items together and decided not to add any seasonings or coatings.

My trail mix:

2 cups Corn Chex
1 cup mini marshmallows
1 serving pretzel sticks
6 tblsp chocolate chips

I counted this as 10 servings at 2 points a piece.

I really like the mix of salty and sweet. And the husband has given this mix two thumbs up as well. I even caught him sneaking a handful of the mix this morning after breakfast. It does have cereal in it, so I guess it was ok :) Oh, and the chocolate chips I used were dairy free, so everything was husband friendly as well. I was thinking you could also add those new colored mini Hershey Kisses or M&M's to the mix instead of the chocolate chips, as long as being dairy free wasn't a concern for you.

Hamburger Cookies

There must be a 6 year old trapped inside my 26 year old body. Let's face it I'm just a big kid at heart. That's why I absolutely love these cookies. Besides the fact that they are quite tasty, they just look so CUTE!

There is nothing to these cookies, you don't have to mix, bake, or cook anything for them. You can buy everything you need and just assemble them yourself.

Hamburger Cookies (makes as many as you want, 2 points a cookie)

Reduced Fat Nilla Wafers
Mini Peppermint Patties
Red Icing
Yellow Icing
Flaked Coconut
Green Food Coloring

First place some coconut in a zip lock baggy and add one or two drops of food coloring. Mix all together until the coconut is evenly coated and a very nice lettuce looking green.

Place a little bit of icing (whichever color that floats your boat) on one Nilla wafer. Press peppermint pattie onto the icing. Take the other color icing and place a little on another wafer. Sprinkle the peppermint pattie with coconut, and top with the second Nilla Wafer. There's your burger. Make as many as you like :)

Tuna Patties

This recipe is from WeightWatcher's Simply Delicious Book.

Tuna Patties (Serves 4, 3 points a piece)

12 oz Packet of Tuna
1/4 cup Bread Crumbs (I used seasoned)
1 egg
1 tblsp Worcestershire Sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp olive oil

Mix tuna, bread crumbs, egg, Worcestershire sauce, salt and pepper in a large bowl. Make four patties. Heat 1 tsp olive oil in a medium sized pan. Place patties in pan and cook on medium approximately 3-4 minutes on each side, until browned.

I really like this dish. For one it is different; I don't usually serve tuna from the packets warm, but this dish is really good. This is also super quick. It's one that I make a lot if I want a cooked dinner, but don't really feel like putting a lot of time and effort into it. The initial prep work only takes a few minutes, and the actual cooking just takes a few more. Heat up some frozen vegetables or open a can, and dinner is served :)

Menu

You might notice that a few of my menu items have carried over from the previous menu. Due to circumstances beyond my control, I was not able to fix these on the designated nights. So things got shifted a little, and I'll try to fix them this time around.

Sun: Ham, Cheese, and Veggie Omlette with fruit salad
Mon: Turkey Curry with rice
Tues: Focaccia Tuna Melts and leftover fruit salad
Wed: More Focaccia Tuna Melts
Thurs: Chicken Bruschetta Bake
Fri: Leftovers for me (The husband will be away for a bachelor party weekend)
Sat: Fend for myself

Sun: Salmon Teriyaki with rice and steamed broccoli
Mon: Chicken Fajitas with salsa rice
Tues: Tuna Cucmber Pitas
Wed: Thai Turkey Burgers with steamed veggies
Thurs: Chicken in black bean sauce with rice
Fri and Sat: The husband and I will be attending a wedding

I also plan on making special Hamburger Cookies for Memorial Day and some kind of trail mix concoction. I'll post recipes for both.

As always, if anyone has any recipe requests or suggestions for something for me to try, please let me know :)

I heart Giada

I was watching Everyday Italian again. No dessert for the ladies this time, but Giada was making a delicious looking Baked Pasta with Roasted Vegetables. While I'm watching, I'm sitting there wondering why on earth did I not think of that. It has pasta, cheese, and veggies. Three of my favorite things. Why couldn't I add some marinara sauce and call it dinner? It's a simple dish that doesn't take much to make it husband friendly (aka lactose free), and point friendly.

Baked Penne with Roasted Vegetables (8 servings at 4 points a piece) recipe courtesy Giada De Laurentiis (w/ a few modifications)

Ingredients

2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
4 cremini mushrooms, halved
1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
butter flavored cooking spray
1 teaspoon salt, divided
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
1 pound whole wheat penne pasta
3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
1/2 cup grated part skim mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
On a baking sheet, toss the peppers, zucchini, squash, mushrooms, and onions with cooking spray 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and dried herbs. Roast until tender, about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook for about 6 minutes. Since you will be cooking the pasta a second time in the oven, you want to make sure the inside is still hard. Drain in a colander.

In a large bowl, toss the drained pasta with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, cheeses, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Using a wooden spoon, mix until all the pasta is coated with the sauce and the ingredients are combined.

Pour the pasta into a greased 9 by 13-inch pan. Top with the remaining 1/3 cup Parmesan. Bake until top is golden and cheese melts, about 25 minutes.

Some of the exposed pasta pieces got rather crunchy, so I would recommend covering the dish when baking. Besides the crunchy pieces, the dish was delicious. I like the taste that the roasted vegetables added. The husband was a big fan and said I have to make it again sometime soon.

If you would like the original recipe you can find it at the Food Network. As you can see if you compare the two, I only made a few omissions/modifications to make it point friendly and more to our liking.

Pepperoni Rolls

I have heard a rumor that pepperoni rolls were first made in Fairmont, West Virginia. That they were a popular lunch for coal miners to take into the mines with them. I don't know if they were in fact invented in Fairmont, but I figured I should share these great little treasures with everyone in case you haven't heard of them.

I remember when I was a little kid in Elementary School, and every Thursday was pepperoni roll day. The cooks would make them from scratch, and they would be the size of my head. That was always the one day that I wouldn't pack my lunch. The pepperoni rolls were too good!

Making them can be as easy or as difficult as you like. I prefer the easy way:

Pepperoni Rolls

Dough (I liked the reduce fat pizza dough by Pillsbury, you can use roll dough or whatever you prefer)
Turkey Pepperonis
Mozzarella Cheese

Roll out your dough and cut them to whatever size you want (with the Pillsbury pizza dough in a can I made 12 squares). Then place how ever many pepperonis you prefer (I used 4) in each square and cover them with mozzarella cheese. Next, fold up the squares into a pocket-like shape, and placed them in a 350º F oven and baked until they are golden brown.

Mine turned out a little small and I typically prefer them a little more round in shape, but they still tasted delicious. The way I made them ended up being 3 points a roll...not bad for a hot tasty treat. And they didn't last long with me and the husband. Especially when they were fresh from the oven. YUM!

Black Bean and Zucchini Pancakes

I made this dish a long while ago and decided to finally make it again. I told the husband that I'd be making it again and he asks, "did I like that?" I remember him just gushing over them...how can he not remember if he liked them so much? Silly man.

This dish almost didn't happen. Thanks to my fine shopping skills, operation retrieve one can of black beans was not a success. I didn't realize my failure to complete my mission until the night I was supposed to fix the pancakes. The husband then talked me into going out for Mexican. He also somehow conned me into two nights of paninis (you know so we won't waste the bread). Looks like my teriyaki salmon may be getting moved to my next menu the way things are going.

Black Bean and Zucchini Pancakes (4 servings at 2 points a serving)

Ingredients

15 oz canned black beans, rinsed and drained
2 egg whites 1 tsp chopped roasted garlic (jarred)
1 tsp ground cumin 1 zucchini, shredded (1-1/3 cups)
1/3 cup plain dried whole-grain bread crumbs
2 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup salsa
1-1/2 Tbsp light sour cream

Instructions

In a medium bowl, mash beans, egg whites, garlic and cumin to a course texture (there should be a mixture of mashed and nearly whole beans). Stir in zucchini and bread crumbs. Heat large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 1 tsp of oil. Using 1/2 of the bean mixture, drop 4 mounds into pan and flatten to about 3 1/2-inch rounds. Cook for 4 minutes, turning halfway during cooking; repeat with remaining mixture. Serve with salsa and sour cream. Makes 4 servings.

I ended up not serving these with the salsa or sour cream because we like them just the way they are, without anything extra.

Couscous Ca Choo

Couscous....I love love LOVE this stuff. The husband hates hates HATES this stuff. I decided to not be deprived of couscous anymore and have started packing it in my lunches for work. I get so excited at lunch time when I go to reheat my couscous. Those tiny little pieces of pasta/grain (depending on what your take on it is) are so cute, they just make me smile.

How can you not like couscous? It is also only 3 points per cup and I must say that it is very filling. You just boil some water or in my case chicken broth then add that to your couscous and leave it alone. You just step away from the stove and WA LA it's done! Something that cooks itself is genius, pure genius!

I like cooking it in chicken or vegetable broth instead of water. Doing that alone adds so much flavor to it. It's so easy to add different flavors to it as well. You can add a little bit of curry powder, or bouillon, or chili powder, or cumin. It can take on whatever flavors you want it too. Something this versatile, healthy, and easy to cook SHOULD be in your pantry.

Paninis Paninis Paninis

So I made paninis and pasta salad last night, which is a very common menu item in my household. I have mentioned before that the husband more often than not asks for Paninis to be on the menu every time I make a new menu. These paninis are great for lunch or dinner, and are very simple to make. It also doesn't hurt that they are only 3 points a piece.

Roasted Red Pepper Turkey Paninis (3 points a serving) Makes 2 servings (from the WeightWatchers Simply Delicious Cookbook)

2-ounce (4-inch) piece semolina or French bread
1/3 cup sliced jarred roasted red bell peppers
1/4 teaspoon extra-Virginia oil
1 large basil leaf or 1/8 teaspoon dried basil
3 very thin slices (1 ounce) fat-free turkey
1/4 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese

1. Slice the bread lengthwise almost all the way through. Layer with the red pepper on the bottom half. Drizzle with the olive oil; top with the basil, turkey, and cheese. Gently flatten the sandwich with the palm of your hand.

2. Lightly spray a small nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the sandwich and top with a heavy weight, such as a small cast-iron pan. Cook until the bread is crisp, about 2 minutes. With a spatula, turn the sandwich, weigh it down, and cook until the other side is crisp, about 2 minutes. Cut the sandwich in half.

I usually omit the basil, but everything else is a go.

This pasta salad also happens to be a favorite of the husband's, and I'm a huge fan as well. I could eat the whole bowl if I'm not careful.

Pasta Salad (3 points per cup of pasta salad)

2 cucumbers
2 tomatoes
1 red pepper
handfull of carrots
Fat Free Italian Dressing
Salad Seasoning
1 lb of pasta (I like the tri-color rotinis)

Cook pasta. Chop veggies and drop in a large bowl. Drain the pasta and add to the bowl, giving everything a quick stir. I usually add about 1/2 bottle of Italian dressing. Make sure everything is coated and then add a few dashes of the salad seasoning. Chill in fridge and serve cold.

You can always add more or less of the dressing and salad seasoning to your liking. The salad seasoning does contain dairy. I had no idea until just a few weeks ago that it did. The husband claimed that I was poisoning him :) He seems to be just fine. You can also add any other veggies as well. I also know that some people like to add cheese and turkey pepperonis to it. This pasta salad makes enough to feed an army, so you'll be able to get several uses out of it.

Salmon Teriyaki

I had a request for my recipe for Salmon Teriyaki. Thanks for the request!

Honestly I hadn't planned on posting this recipe because it really isn't much of a recipe at all; it's more like a secret weapon. The secret weapon being Kikkoman's Teriyaki Marinade and Sauce. I've made teriyaki marinades before, but I'm a simple gal. If I can just open a bottle and be done, then so be it. I love to cook, but after working all day the quicker the better.

Sometimes I will dress up the marinade a bit by adding some ginger (fresh or ground), a splash of orange juice, or a squeeze of lime. If you are feeling really daring, you can add all three :) Something else that is nice to do is to add some chopped green onions to the marinade.

As for the actual preparation and cooking process, I typically marinade my salmon fillets for about 30 minutes. Then I grill or broil them. It doesn't take too long for salmon to cook. If you aren't sure if it's done yet, poke the tines of a fork into the thickest portion of the fish, and then gently twist the fork and pull up some of the fish. If it is done, it will flake and be opaque. Lately the husband and I have really been enjoying this dish broiled as a nice change from the typical grilling.

Breakfast for Dinner = YUM!

Recently I have started adding breakfast items to our dinner menu. I love breakfast, but in the morning I prefer something light and quick.

Last night the husband and I had fried eggs, hashbrowns, chicken sausage links, and some sliced fruit. Of course everything was delicious. On the last grocery trip, the husband discovered these low point morning fries by Alexia. They are 80 calories, 0 fat, and 2 fibers, making it 1 point per 1/2 cup serving. They were easy to cook and tasted great. The Alexia brand has some other items that I'm thinking about trying as well.

I'm going to add an omelet dinner on the next menu I create. Of course this was a suggestion (or rather a demand) from the husband :)

Menu Change

I just wanted to note that I ended up switching the meals for Wed. and Thurs. of this week with next week's Wed. and Thurs. menu items. I was afraid that the bread I purchased for the paninis would mold before next week. It also may have just been a ploy by the husband to have paninis sooner (he's the one who suggested the bread may go bad).

Also, if there is ever something in my menu that I don' t give a recipe for and you would like, just leave a comment to let me know and I'll be sure to post it.

Menu Time

It is again time for another menu. This time I tried to keep the meals fairly simple and quick to make. The husband and I have started playing tennis in the evenings so by the time we are finished with that, we don't really feel like cooking an elaborate dish.

Sun: Chicken Stirfry with brown rice
Mon: Eggs, Hashbrowns, Sausage
Tues: Black Bean and zucchini Pancakes (2 points), steamed Cauliflower
Wed: Chicken Bruschetta Bake
Thurs: Leftovers
Fri: Fend for selves or go out
Sat: BLT's with steamed veggies

Sun: Tuna Patties (3 points) with frozen veggies
Mon: Baked Roasted Veggie Pasta
Tues: Leftovers
Wed: Paninis and Pasta Salad
Thurs: Teriyaki Salmon, Pasta Salad
Fri: Fend for selves or go out
Sat: Sloppy Joes with pork n beans

Bear Paws

Ice cream sandwiches, a.k.a bear paws in our household, are a really great treat. We call them bear paws because the cookie usually leaves a chocolaty mess on your hand making it look kinda like a bear paw. The husband and I love having them for dessert. For a while I did away with them because of how fattening and caloric they were, but then I found some lighter lower point versions.

My absolute favorites are what I call Mint Bear Paws. They are actually the mint flavored ice cream sandwiches made by Skinny Cow. But unfortunately, since moving from Northern Virginia to Morgantown, West Virginia, I have not been able to find them. They do not exist here at all. It's rather sad actually. I have, however, been able to find the Skinny Cow chocolate and vanilla ones. These are also very good, and are 2 points a piece.

Weight Watchers has their own version of ice cream sandwiches too. They are 2 points a piece as well. They are good for an ice cream sandwich fix; however, I think their cookie is a little too crunchy for my tastes.

My second favorite sandwiches are Bryers' Lite. I particularly like the Cookies and Cream. Their cookie is kinda hard too, but not too hard. These are what I currently have in the freezer, and the husband really likes them too.

It's a wiener

Hot Dog Casserole....giddyup!

I have been looking forward to this ever since I found this recipe. I love hotdogs. I love pasta. I love cheese. It's great to find a good healthy recipe using all of these items. The husband has been pretty skeptical about this recipe since I first mentioned it. He said that he has never had hot dogs in a dish. He has only had your typical and (although delicious) somewhat boring hot dog on a bun. I asked him if he ever had beans and weenies as a kid and he says no. NO? How can you not have had beans and weenies as a kid? Our children will have plenty of beans and weenies, with fat free hot dogs of course ;)

Hot Dog Casserole (12 servings at 4 points a serving)

Ingredients:

1 lb cooked whole-wheat macaroni
2 Tbsp olive oil
12 oz fat free hot dogs (I used Oscar Myers)
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 medium onion(s)
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 cup fat-free chicken broth
2 cups 1% low-fat milk
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
2 Tbsp ketchup
3 cups Kraft 2% Finely Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Instructions:

Boil a large pot of water for macaroni. Salt water and under cook macaroni. In a separate pan, add 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive and the hot dogs, and brown on both sides (4 minutes total). Remove the dogs with a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined plate. Add another tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil and the butter. When the butter melts, cook onions 4 to 5 minutes, then add flour and cook another minute. Add chicken broth and cook off completely, about 1 minute. Whisk in milk and bring to a bubble, then season the sauce with salt and pepper, and stir in the mustard and ketchup. Lower heat and add 2 cups of the cheese. Stir to melt (about 1 minute). Feel free to adjust the mustard, ketchup, salt, and pepper to your taste.

Drain pasta well. Combine pasta and hot dogs with sauce and coat evenly, then pour the mixture into a large casserole and top with remaining cheese. Melt and brown cheese under broiler, 2 minutes. Serve.

I thought this was a really easy and really great dish. And The husband had a good first experience with hot dogs being in a dish. I will definitely be making this again soon.

Leftovers

With those leftover grilled vegetables I mentioned in the last post, this is what I made:


Tuscan Tuna and Grilled Vegetable Wraps (6 points, serves 4)

2 cups grilled vegetables
1 cup cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
6 oz chunk white tuna in water, drained and flaked
1/4 cup parsley, fresh, chopped
8 items olive(s), black, preferably Calamata, pitted and sliced
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 large burrito-size wheat flour tortilla(s)
2 cup arugula, torn into bite-site pieces

Combine grilled vegetables, with beans, tuna, parsley, olives, vinegar, salt and pepper in a medium bowl; mix well.

Lay tortillas on a flat surface and top with arugula. Place 1 cup of vegetable-tuna mixture in a horizontal strip down the center of each tortilla. Fold in bottom ends of tortillas, roll up sides and serve.

The husband doesn't like olives so I omitted them, and I don't like arugula so I omitted that. However, I did have baby spinach on hand and the husband used that in place of the arugula. I also didn't have the large tortillas on hand, so I just used smaller tortillas and 1/2 cup of the mixture instead. This made it 3 points a serving.

Do You Feel Like Turkey Tonight

Tonight I decided to make turkey burgers with grilled veggies. Nothing too spectacular or difficult, but a good quick meal. I used to not like burgers at home. I think it may have something to do with the fact that my parents' idea of flavoring burgers was adding oatmeal. And it never occurred to me that you could season burgers until I saw Rachael Ray doing it one day. But now I really like making them at home, and the husband does too.

You can use beef if you prefer, but I use turkey. I really like adding about 1 tablespoon of McCormick's Chicken Grill Seasoning and 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce to about 1 lb of ground turkey. I can usually make 6 good sized patties at 3 points a piece with this.

An excellent and healthy side for my burgers are grilled veggies, which are super easy to make. I use 3 small yellow squash, 2 yellow peppers, 2 red peppers, and 1 medium onion. First you cut them into big pieces, spray them with some cooking spray, and then grill them. After they are cooked, cut them into smaller bite size pieces and place them in a bowl. Once all of the veggies are finished, add salt, pepper, and chives. I think next time I might try adding a bit of grill seasoning for a little more flavor. And as an added bonus with the veggies, I have another recipe to make using the leftovers. But that will have to wait for another post.

More Honey Goodness...

After my "Goodness of Honey" post, I started to wonder why couldn't I make a similar honey-milk drink at home? I quickly googled steamed honey milk recipes and found this from the wonder who is Martha Stewart.

Steamed Milk

Serves 6

6 tablespoons of honey
1 quart milk
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3 whole cloves
freshly grated nutmeg

1. Place 1 tablespoon of honey in each of six glasses; set aside. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, scald milk until small bubbles start to appear around the edges. Remove from heat, and add cinnamon and cloves. Cover and let steep 20 minutes. Return milk to high heat, and bring to a boil.

2. Remove milk from heat, and using a teaspoon, remove and discard cloves. Transfer some of the hot milk to a blender, filling it halfway full. Cover blender, and place a kitchen towel over the lid to prevent hot liquid from splashing. Whip on high speed until frothy, about 30 seconds. Pour into glasses, topping each with some foam, repeat with remaining hot milk.

3. Stir milk to dissolve honey. Garnish with nutmeg, and serve.

I decided to try to make a single serving version of this with skim Lactaid milk. I also didn't have any whole cloves on hand. I added a little bit of cinnamon, nutmeg, ground cloves, and vanilla. I only let it steep for about 5 minutes or so. My serving size was one cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of honey which totals 3 points.

I was pleasantly surprised how it turned out. It was very warm and soothing with a subtle honey flavor to it. I will definitely be making honey milk again.

The Good Things in Life

Edy's Slow Churned Light Ice Cream in French Vanilla
Caramel Syrup (fat free)
Chocolate Syrup (fat free)
Reese's Peanut Butter Sprinkles
Colored Sprinkles

Need I say more?

The Goodness of Honey

I remember when I was really little my mom would make biscuits from scratch every Saturday morning. My favorite thing to put on those biscuits was honey. They didn't need butter or jelly, just a little bit of sweetness from honey.

Several years later I quit eating biscuits and I quit eating honey. I don't know how, but I kinda forgot about it. Not too long ago, while at a local coffee shop, the husband decided to try a different drink instead of his ol' standby, the spiced chai tea latte. He opted for a very simple honey milk. Basically it's steamed milk with honey added. I tried a sip of his drink and absolutely loved it. We tried to get a honey milk at the same coffee shop a few times later and realized that only one person there really knows how to make them right. One gal added so much honey that it solidified on the bottom and it was just sickening sweet. Basically it tasted like you were eating straight honey. So now each time we visit that coffee shop and we see a gal with long dark hair behind the counter, we get excited because we know we can get a good honey milk.

And furthering this new honey-loving trend of mine is another recent discovery. I recently found my most favorite breakfast of all. Whole grain english muffins with a little bit of peanut butter and a little drizzle of honey. It's good with bananas too. I think the honey is what really makes it. I also just thought to add some honey to my tea while I was at work the other day. How could I go for so long with out that sweet goodness of honey?

Food and Friends

We invited some friend's of ours over for dinner on Sunday, and things went very well. Everyone seemed to enjoy everything, and I don't think anyone left with an empty stomach. I think the "salad bar" that I created went over extremely well. That is something I'll have to do one day when I have children. Being able to pick and choose what you would like in your salad makes things so much better. No husband, you cannot have a salad of just bacon :)

I really liked the grilled chicken as well. It was very flavorful and smelled wonderful. I got the recipe from the Weight Watchers cookbook, Simply Delicious.

Grilled Herb Chicken (yields 4 servings, 4 points a serving)

2 tblsp oregano
1 tblsp thyme
1 tblsp rosemary
2 tsp olive oil
4 chicken breasts

In a small bowl mix the herbs and oil. Rub the mixture onto the chicken breasts. Grill the chicken approximately 4 minutes on each side. May take longer depending on thickness of chicken.

This is a great grilled chicken, and we ended up with leftovers (bonus!). I think I'll be adding the chicken to the leftover salad we have for a really great lunch to take to work with me. We also had a little leftover fruit salad, which I plan on using as a side when I make breakfast for dinner this week. However, If the fruit salad makes it that long I will be surprised. The husband has tried to eat it for snack, breakfast, and lunch so far. If it can just make it to dinner I'll be doing well :)

I really think I should have dinner parties more often. I have so much fun planning a menu and implementing everything. It's great!

When A Simple Dinner Goes Oh So Wrong

A few nights ago I had planned on making bean burritos with salsa rice. Earlier in the day I had been browsing on the Weight Watchers boards and came across an interesting recipe called Mexican Zucchini Oven Fries. I happened to have a leftover zucchini sitting in my fridge and I really didn't know what I was going to do with it, so I decided to make the zucchini fries as a side to the burritos. It also didn't hurt that I already had all of the ingredients on hand.

Well long story short, things didn't turn out exactly as I had expected. I was expecting something a little crisper. I'm not sure if I did something wrong, or if they were supposed to be that soft. Here is the recipe for those who may want to try their hand at them, but don't be surprised if they don't turn out crisp like real fries.

2 medium zucchini
Vegetable cooking spray -- as needed
1 tblsp dried oregano
1 tblsp ground cumin
1 tblsp grill seasoning
1 cup chili sauce -- or mild taco sauce

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Cut zucchini into 1/4 - inch square by 3 -inch long sticks -- like fries. Arrange zucchini on nonstick cookie sheet. Spray zucchini with cooking spray.

Combine spices and sprinkle over the zucchini fries. Place in very hot oven and cook 15 to 18 minutes. Serve hot. If desired, top with spoonfuls of chili sauce or taco sauce.

This recipe yields 4 servings an is zero points per serving.

Here is a picture of the finished product:

To make things worse, the zucchini fries weren't the only part of dinner that went awry. While my zucchini was cooking, I got to work on my burritos. I made my salsa rice (cooked rice with salsa added to it) and heated up the black beans. I pulled out the tortillas and asked the husband to warm them up in the microwave. I had just got back from my dance class so I took that opportunity to go change. While I was changing I hear, "these stupid tortillas are sticking together, your going to have to get them apart." So I try with no luck. I decide to go ahead and nuke them all in the microwave as they were, hoping they'd come apart once they warmed up a bit. But no such luck. So instead we decided to just pull some pieces off and add it to a bowl with the beans and rice. Well that turned out to be a bad idea too. The husband took a taste of the tortillas and said they tasted funny. So in the trash they went! I was so frustrated with them. Oh well, at least the beans and rice were delicious :)