Halloween Feast

Happy Halloween!

I usually prepare my recipes the night before and post about them the next day, but I didn't want to share my Halloween feast the day after Halloween. So here it is today :) And you can check back later today for photos and a review of each of the dishes.

My Halloween Feast Menu consists of Nightcrawlers and Eyeballs, Vampire Poison Bread, and cupcakes.

I saw Rachel Ray prepare the Nightcrawlers and Eyeballs (Spaghetti and Meatball Stoup) on her show. You can find the original recipe at the foodnetwork site. I of course made a few changes to lighten it up a bit.

Nightcrawlers and Eyeballs (the meatballs are 8 servings at 3 points a piece and the stoup is 8 servings at 3 points a piece as well)

Ingredients:

1 tsp olive oil
1 carrot, peeled and chopped into a small dice
1 medium yellow skinned onion, chopped
2 small ribs of celery from the heart, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, chopped
3 cups of tomato sauce, or 1 (14-ounce) can plus 1 (8-ounce) can
3 cups of chicken stock
1 pound of ground turkey
1/2 cup of grated fat free Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup of Italian bread crumbs
1/4 cup of egg beaters
2 tablespoons of chopped parsley leaves
1/2 pound of spaghetti, broken in half
1 cup of basil leaves, torn or shredded

Instructions:

Preheat a medium soup pot over medium heat. Add extra-virgin olive oil, carrots, onions, celery, garlic and saute 5 minutes. Add tomato sauce and stock, and cover pot. Turn up heat and bring to a fast boil.

While soup comes to a boil, mix the ground meat with cheese, bread crumbs, egg beaters and parsley. Roll into 1 1/2 to 2-inch balls.

Remove lid from soup and slide balls into soup. Bring back to a boil then stir in spaghetti. Reduce the heat and simmer soup 10 minutes more, until pasta is tender and balls have cooked through. Stir in basil and remove "stoup" from the stove.

The Vampire poison bread is an idea that I came up with on my own. I found a really nice garlic French Bread at my local Giant Eagle store, which I sliced thinly and toasted. Once the bread was toasted to a golden brown I finished I rubbed a clove of garlic over the toast.


And for dessert I decided to make cute Halloween Cupcakes using the diet soda cake recipe.

Diet Soda Cupcakes (24 servings at 2 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 box dry cake mix - any flavor
1 can diet soda - any flavor
2 egg whites

Directions:

Mix the dry cake mix, the diet soda, and the egg whites until well blended. Pour into greased cupcake pans. Cook according to direction on the cake mix box.

I used devil food cake mix, I thought it would be appropriate for Halloween :) After baking the cupcakes and letting them cool, I frosted them with fat free cool whip that I had colored orange with food coloring. I finished them off with cute little black and orange sprinkles.


Update:

The Halloween feast turned out incredible. I was able to have a few friends over, and everyone seemed to enjoy it thoroughly. The Spaghetti Stoup was so easy to make and I had it finished in about a half an hour. It really reminded me of a traditional Spaghetti and Meatball meal, but without the thick sauce.

The Vampire Poison bread was a nice surprise as well. I just happened to luck out by finding the pre-made garlic bread at the store. And rubbing the clove of garlic on it after it was toasted was the icing on the cake. It gave it a very strong, but not overpowering, garlic flavor.

For the finish, the cupcakes were too cute in their Halloween Decor, and of course they tasted great. They were a nice 2 point treat to help me avoid eating all the candy that I was supposed to be handing out.

No post for tomorrow, unfortunately I have to be in the field for work. I hope everyone had a spookily great Halloween :)

Pumpkin Pudding

More pumpkin...this time in pudding form! I found this recipe on the WeightWatchers boards.

Pumpkin Pudding (6 servings at 1 points each)

Ingredients:

1 small box of sf ff pudding
2 cups ff milk
1 cup pumpkin
dash of pumpkin pie spice
1 small pkg splenda

Instructions:

Pour milk in bowl and stir in pudding a little at a time. Stir for 2 minutes it will be thick. Add pumpkin, spice, and splenda, and stir. Makes 6 custard cups, 1 point each.

Seeming since the husband and I love all things pumpkin, this pudding was absolutely amazing. I liked the pumpkin flavor and, of course, the pumpkin pie spice. I added about 1/4 tsp of pumpkin pie spice, but you can always add more or less based on your own preference. I recommend adding a little at a time until you get it just right.

Blue Moose Cafe Black Bean Burgers

There is a great little coffee shop called the Blue Moose Cafe located here in Morgantown. They have excellent coffees, teas, and honey milks. They also offer up a good selection of food for breakfast and lunch. A while ago the owner shared the recipe for his Black Bean Burgers in a local newspaper article.

Blue Moose Cafe Black Bean Burgers

Ingredients:

1 16 oz can black beans (drained, rinsed, and mashed)
1/2 cup roasted red peppers, chopped
1/2 cup corn (whole kernel)
1 cup cooked rice
1/4 to 1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 tbsp minced garlic
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp oregano
1 tsp paprika
1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
hot sauce, salt, and pepper to taste
no stick cooking spray
2 tsp olive oil

Directions:

Saute corn, roasted red peppers, and all spices in the cooking spray. Add cooked rice and mix thoroughly. Add hot sauce and Worcestershire sauce. Remove from heat and let cool. Add black beans and bread crumbs and form into patties. Brown patties in oil. If desired you can melt cheese on top.

These burgers were very tasty; however I think I would have liked more beans than rice in the patties. The roasted red peppers and Worcestershire sauce really made an impact with the flavors. The husband said the high quality bean mashing really made the burgers taste so delicious (and yes, he was the one that mashed the beans).

Menu (10/26/06)

Usually it's no problem for me to whip up a menu. This time it seemed like everything I wanted to make had ground turkey and beans in it. I try to make a variety of things, so that wasn't going to work. With some tweaking I think I finally got a good menu for the next two weeks.

Sun: Ava's Bean Burrito Casserole
Mon: leftovers
Tues: HALLOWEEN FEAST (Nightcrawlers and Eyeballs, Vampire Poison Bread, and Halloween cupcakes)
Wed: leftovers
Thurs: Colorful Chicken Stew
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Sun: The husband's chili
Mon: leftovers
Tues: Vegetable Medely
Wed: Balsamic Glazed Tuna with steamed cauliflower and rice
Thurs: Grilled Chicken Sandwiches with Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Mayo
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Pumpkin Marshmallows

The other day the husband sent me the link to this wonderful Halloween site. I saw how she made these cute little pumpkin marshmallows and decided to try my hand at it.

Pumpkin Marshmallows

Ingredients:

Orange Candy Melts
Food Coloring Marker
Marshmallows
Sucker Sticks
Styrofoam

Directions:

Stick marshmallows onto 4" lollipop sticks, and place them in the freezer for about 15 minutes, until they are cold.

While the marshmallows are chilling, heat your desired amount of candy melts in the microwave. It takes about a minute or so. Keep an eye on them so they don't burn.

Remove the marshmallows from the freezer and dip them lightly in the melted chocolate for a thin coating.

You can use the block of Styrofoam to stick them in to cool. Place in fridge to allow them to harden.

After they harden, you can add faces. Using a small tube of black decorating gel or a food coloring marker, carefully draw faces on the marshmallows.

You can use different color melts to make different monsters. Use white melts to make ghosts by dunking them to make a little twisted peak on top. Instead of ghosts, you can make a mummy by swirling the white around the marshmallow for more of a wrapped look. To make Frankenstein use green melts. Frankenstein can be dunked and a spoon used to flatten the top.

These are SO cute! I just smile and then pass out from all of the cuteness when I look at them. And they are super easy. I think they would be a great thing to make with kids.

Chimmy Thingies

This weekend the husband and I were trying to figure out what to eat for lunch. I was doing my usual staring blankly into the fridge hoping an already prepared dish would present itself to me. I was thinking about our typical pita pizzas, but then I had a stroke of genius.

Chimmy Thingies (1 serving, 3.5 points)

Ingredients:

1 wheat tortilla
1/2 tbsp taco sauce
1/4 cup refried beans
2 oz chopped deli turkey meat
1 oz fat free shredded cheddar cheese

Instructions:

Spread the refried beans over the tortilla. Drizzle the taco sauce over the refried beans and top with the turkey and finally the cheese. Broil until the beans are warm, and the cheese is melted. Roll up and enjoy!

These kinda reminded me of chimichangas. The insides were warm and gooey, but the tortilla was slightly crisp. It was a great combination and a great lunch. All I could hear from the husband when he first tried it was, "mmm mmmm mmmm."

I used the Santa Fe Whole Wheat Tortillas which are only 1 point a piece. If you use a different brand you'll need to adjust the points accordingly.

White Chipotle Chili

I have been obsessed with Ruby Tuesday's White Chicken Chili. Everytime I go there I can't get anything but the chili and the salad bar. Yes, even during the summer. I've been on the prowl for a decent version of white chicken chili for a while now, and decided to give this recipe that I found on the weightwatchers boards a whirl.

White Chipotle Chili (6 servings at 5 points a piece)

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast -- diced and cooked
1 teaspoon onion powder
32 ounces fat-free chicken broth
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
30 ounces white beans, canned -- rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fresh cilantro -- chopped

Add ingredients to 3 ½ quart or larger slow cooker, except cilantro. Cook on low at least 4 hours. Top with cilantro and serve.

Now granted this chili was not really like the chili at Ruby Tuesday's, but it was definitely good. I just now realized that I forgot to add the lime juice, so I wonder what kind of difference that would have made in the flavor. Honestly, this dish seemed to be more of a bean soup than a chili, but that's okay with me. The husband, though, isn't too much of a soup fan, so he basically just picked out the beans and chicken and avoided the broth.

Lemony Orzo with Chicken

I found this on the weightwatchers boards. I had been meaning to fix it for a while, but hadn't got to it yet. So here it is :)

Lemony Orzo with Chicken (4 servings at 5 points a piece)

1 lb skinless boneless chicken breast
2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth
6 ounces orzo or other very small pasta
1/2 cup diced carrot
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped shallots
1 clove garlic, minced
3 Tbsp chopped fresh basil or 1 1/2 tsp dried
2 tsp grated lemon zest
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions:

1) Cut the chicken in 1/2 inch pieces and set aside.

2) In medium saucepan over medium high heat, bring the chicken broth to a boil. Add the orzo and carrot, and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes or until the carrot and pasta are tender.

3) Meanwhile, in a medium nonstick skillet over medium high heat, warm the oil until hot, but not smoking. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring until the garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the reserved chicken and cook, stirring until it is cooked through, about 6 minutes.

4) Remove the skillet from heat, add the orzo-carrot mixture, the basil , lemon zest, lemon juice and pepper. Stir to combine.

This is another dish that the husband prepared, and he did an excellent job. We really enjoyed this recipe. I love lemony flavored dishes, and this recipe had a great lemon flavor to it. I didn't think that the lemon flavor was too overwhelming, but if you are not a huge lemon fan, then you may want to cut back on the zest and juice a bit. I really like the golden brown chicken with the orzo. It looked very pretty and was quite tasty.

Quaker Rice Cakes

I like to eat rice cakes as a snack occasionally. They are pretty filling for one point. I usually flock to the the typical flavors of apple cinnamon or cheddar...until now.

Recently, I discovered a new flavor of Quaker Rice Cakes that I absolutely love. They are Peanut Butter and Chocolate flavored. The little chocolate pieces are the icing on the cake (no pun intended) and are such a treat. These rice cakes are so delicious and they can satisfy that craving for something sweet and chocolately. You can't get much better than that, especially for one point a piece.

Chicken Provencal

I found this recipe back when I first started the WeighWatchers program, and it's been a favorite of the husband and mine ever since. It is simple to prepare, and the crockpot does the rest.

Chicken Provencal (4 servings at 4 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes
1 can (14.5 oz) great northern beans (rinsed and drained)
1 medium yellow pepper, diced
2 tsp basil
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Place chicken breast in bottom of the crockpot. Top the chicken breast with the basil, salt, and pepper. In a small bowl mix the tomatoes, yellow pepper, and beans together. Pour on top of the chicken. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.

The bean, tomato, and pepper mixture goes so well with the chicken. I typically shred the chicken after it's cooked, and serve the mixture over rice. It doesn't necessarily need the rice, but it's great for soaking up the broth.

Pumpkin Dip

Yes...I'm still on my pumpkin kick. I found this lovely on the weightwatchers boards.

Pumpkin Dip (serves 4 at 1 point a piece)

Ingredients:

1 15 oz can pumpkin (not the pie filling)
8 oz FF Cool Whip
1 tsp cinnamon
1 3 oz box sugar free ff vanilla pudding (dry)

Mix together all of the above. Chill. Enjoy with low fat graham crackers, apples, pretzels, or marshmallows.

This dip is absolutely delicious! The pumpkin and cinnamon are fantabulous. The husband and I just *love* this dip. It really hits the spot when you are looking for something a little sweet. I think this would be great for a Halloween party, or even part of your Thanksgiving meal :)

Bell Pepper Stew

The other day while on a grocery trip, the husband found several free recipe cards. He showed this to me and I immediately wanted to prepare it.

Bell Pepper Stew (8 servings, at 3 points a piece)

6 chicken breast halves
2 cups chicken broth
2 14.5 oz cans stewed tomatoes
2 to 3 medium carrots, slices
2 potatoes, diced
1 onion, cut into strips
1 green pepper, cut into 2-inch strips
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tsp dried Italian seasoning
1/2 tsp dried rosemary leaves
4 cups cooked rice (1.5 cups uncooked)

1. Remove skin from chicken, if necessary. In large kettle, simmer chicken in water or broth until tender, about 1 hour. Remove cooked chicken and cool 20 minutes. Remove chicken from bones and cube.

2. Add tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, onion, green pepper, garlic, Italian seasoning, and rosemary to broth. Cover and simmer 30 minutes. Add rice and chicken. Heat through.

When making this I decided to save myself some time by using a pound of boneless skinless chicken breast and cubing it before simmering in the chicken broth. I also only used 2 cups of cooked rice instead of 4 to save on some points. I thought the rice to stew goodie ratio was great. The verdict on this recipe is fantastic. For only using one green pepper, you could really taste it throughout the stew. The husband said that the smell of the spices and other flavors in the stew are very comforting, and are great for the cooler weather.

Tamale Pie

I made something similar to this recipe a while back. But the Bean Pie with Cornmeal Crust just can't compare to the Tamale Pie. This recipe is a tried and true favorite in the house of Smith.

Tamale Pie (Serves 8, 4 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 c yellow corn meal
2-¼ c cold water with added chicken bouillon
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
4 tsp canola oil
3 tsp chili powder
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp salt
Dash of pepper
1 (6 oz) can tomato paste
1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel
1 (16 oz) can whole no-sugar-added kernel corn (with juice)
1 (16 oz) can dark no-sugar-added red kidney beans

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*. Combine cornmeal, water and chicken bouillon in a medium saucepan; whisk or stir constantly over medium heat until slightly thickened. Spread in a 9 X 13-inch baking pan, sprayed with no-stick cooking spray. Set aside. In a large skillet, brown beef, onion, green pepper, and canola oil. Add chili powder, garlic, salt and pepper, and stir well. Add tomato paste, Ro-Tel, corn, and kidney beans, and mix well. Spread mixture evenly over the cornbread mixture and top with 1 cup shredded soy or FF cheddar cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 350 degrees.

On this occasion, the husbandhappenedd to make this dish. He is turning out to be quite the cook, although I think cooking stresses him out. When we make this we use chicken broth in place of the water mixed with bouillon, and we omit the corn. This dish is very tex-mex and delicious. My favorite part of the dish is the cornmeal bottom, and I know the husband is a big fan of the beans. This dish is very easy to make and is a great cold day recipe :)

Menu (10/12/06)

Menu:

Sun: Bell Pepper Stew
Mon: leftovers
Tues: Lemon Chicken with Orzo
Wed: Pizza
Thursday Pizza
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Sun: White Chipotle Chili
Mon: Salmon Packets
Tues: Bean Burgers
Wed: Pumpkin spice pancakes, turkey sausage, fruit cup
Thurs: Black bean chicken pot
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Pumpkin Harvest Bars

While still on this pumpkin kick of mine, I just had to make some Pumpkin Harvest Bars. These are one of my favorite desserts. The husband actually found this recipe around this time last year at the 3 Fat Chicks website when he was on a baking kick, and ever since he made them they've been a favorite of ours.

Pumpkin Harvest Bars (16 servings at 2 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. grated orange peel
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup applesauce
1/2 cup solid pack pumpkin
1 egg
1 egg white
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350*F. Spray 9x13 inch baking pan with nonstick spray. In small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, orange peel, cinnamon, salt, nutmeg, ginger and cloves. In large bowl, combine sugar, applesauce, pumpkin, egg, egg white, and oil. Add flour mixture to applesauce mixture; stir until well blended. Stir in raisins. Spread in prepared pan. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on wire rack 15 minutes then cut into 16 bars.

We never add the raisins because the husband is not a fan, but even without these bars are fantastic. They are moist and have a wonderful pumpkin-spicy taste, making them perfect for this time of year :)

Pumpkin Cornbread

As I mentioned the other day, the onset of fall has got me on this pumpkin kick. So I was looking for different pumpkin recipes the other day and came across this one at the 3 fat chicks site. Once I saw it I just had to try it. I've never even heard of pumpkin cornbread before, so my curiosity was definitely piqued.

Pumpkin Cornbread (8 servings at 2 points a piece)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp brown sugar
2 egg whites
3/4 cup nonfat buttermilk
1/2 cup pumpkin puree, or canned pumpkin
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup unbleached white flour
1/2 tsp salt
1 tbsp baking powder

Directions:

Blend brown sugar, egg whites, buttermilk, and pumpkin puree in a medium bowl. Stir in dry ingredients until just mixed. Pour into a 9 inch cake round which has been sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 350* for 20 to 25 minutes.

The cornbread turned out great. The husband and I both loved it, and we dug into it. It had a great pumpkin flavor to it, but it wasn't overpowering. The bread itself was very flaky the way a cornbread is meant to be. I served this with the Low-fat Pasta and Bean Soup, and thought they went together very well.

Low-Fat Pasta and Bean Soup

With fall finally being here, it is time to start making some soups. I love soups, and they are such easy things to make. I found this recipe on the Weight Watchers boards a while ago, and have been waiting to try it.

Low-fat Pasta and Bean Soup (6 servings at 4 points a piece)

Ingredients:

2 cups vegetable broth
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
1 small zucchini, sliced
1 15 oz. can cooked beans (pink, kidney, pinto, etc.)
1 16 oz. can tomatoes (diced or stewed)
1 cup uncooked pasta (elbow, spirals, etc.)

Directions:

Bring broth to a boil and add onion, garlic, spices, carrot, celery and zucchini. Simmer until vegetables are tender, about 10-15 minutes. Add canned tomatoes and beans. Bring to a low boil. Add pasta. Cook until pasta is done, about 8 minutes. Serve hot!

This turned out to be a pretty thick soup. Which for me is okay. I like my broth, but I can do without. Now the husband could care less about the broth. He says he just likes the "goodie bits," and that the broth "gets in the way of the goodie bits." We don't want to be in the way of the goodie bits, now do we? The husband and I really enjoyed this soup. We opted to use pinto beans and of course they were very tasty. I really liked the combination of the beans, vegetables, and pasta.

Tomato and Basil Ziti with Roasted Vegetables

I found this recipe on the Help for IBS boards. I really like the idea of a crockpot pasta sauce. Pasta is very comforting, so to come home on a cold day and have a nice pot of pasta sauce all ready for you is great.

Tomato and Basil Ziti with Roasted Vegetables (6 servings at 6 points a serving)

Ingredients:

1 medium red onion, roughly chopped
1 yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 medium carrot, julienned
1 cup prepared tomato and basil pasta sauce
1 10 oz package frozen spinach, defrosted and drained
1 14 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 8 oz can tomato sauce
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground pepper
1/2 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp sage
3 tbs fresh Italian Parsley
1 cup lowfat mozzarella cheese grated
10 oz ziti pasta, cooked and drained

Instructions:

Combine all of the ingredients, except the mozzarella cheese and pasta, in the crock pot. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours (on low for 6-8 hours). For each individual serving, place a serving of the pasta in a bowl, sprinkle with the cheese, and ladle the pasta sauce over the top.

The sauce was really easy to put together, and it turned out pretty good. The husband really liked it, but it wasn't my favorite. I think it had something to do with the spinach. I like it cooked, but sometimes I can still be pretty finicky about it.

Kashi TLC Pumpkin Spice Flax

It's that time of year again where all I want is pumpkin. Maybe it's the pumpkin spice I want more so than pumpkin itself, but either way I crave the stuff. I would be ashamed to admit how many Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Lattes I've had before October 1st.

While at Target with the houseguest one day, I noticed that she bought a box of Kashi's TLC Pumpkin Spice Flax bars. I asked her if they were good, and she said that she really liked them. I held off from buying a box, but later tried a bite of one of her bars. I fell in love with them instantly. They are very crunchy and they have an excellent pumpkin spice taste. These bars can really satisfy that pumpkin craving. And not only do they taste great, but the portion is just right as well. I've been eating them for a pre-workout snack and they are very filling, but I never feel too stuffed. And for just 3 points for 2 bars, they are a perfect fall-time snack!

Steph's Turkey Meatloaf

Here is another Steph Smith original; it's a very healthy version of meatloaf. Honestly, I had never been a huge fan of meatloaf. Every time I had it it was made with ground beef, and always seemed dry and bland. Well one day a while back the husband mentioned to me that he'd like to have some meatloaf, so here is what I came up with:

Steph's Turkey Meatloaf (8 servings at 3 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 pound uncooked ground turkey breast
1/2 cup onion(s)
1/2 tsp dried parsley
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried basil
3 clove garlic clove(s)
1/4 cup Egg Beaters Egg Substitute
2/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs
1/4 cup ketchup
8 oz canned tomato sauce
2 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix together onion, garlic, parsley, oregano, basil, Egg Beaters, bread crumbs, ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Add ground turkey and mix together thoroughly (I use my hands). Place in pan and cover with tomato sauce. Bake at 350 degrees for approximately 45 minutes.

Not to toot my own horn or anything, but I just love how flavorful this stuff is. The seasonings and tomato sauce really make the dish. When the husband realized I was making meatloaf last night, he was excited. He said that this meatloaf is high on his list of favorite things that I make :)

Oven Fried Coconut Chicken

Today's recipe is brought to you by the husband. He didn't create the recipe, but he definitely cooked it up. It's nice to come home to an already prepared dinner :)

I found this recipe on the Help for IBS boards, and I was drawn to it mainly because of the coconut. I've heard of coconut fried shrimp before, but chicken is a different story.

Oven Fried Coconut Chicken

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon hot pepper sauce
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
4 (4-ounce) chicken thighs, skinned
4 (4-ounce) chicken drumsticks, skinned
3/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 cup flaked sweetened coconut
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Cooking Spray

Instructions:

Combine first 3 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 1 1/2 hours, turning bag occasionally. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Combine panko, flaked coconut, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Dredge chicken, 1 piece at a time, in panko mixture. Place chicken on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Lightly coat chicken with cooking spray. Bake at for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully turn chicken over; bake an additional 30 minutes or until done.

Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 thigh and 1 drumstick)

I did not calculate the points using thighs and drumstick. The husband is not a fan of those, so we used 1 lb of boneless skinless chicken breasts. The hot sauce was also omitted. Using chicken breasts it is 5 points a piece for 6 servings.

The chicken turned out to be a little difficult to turn over. It could be because we did not have parchment paper and had to settle for wax paper. The husband and I really enjoyed this chicken; it was very crispy and had a nice sweetness to it, but not too sweet. It's great for something kinda traditional, but with a twist.

Steph's Chicken Veggie Rice Pot

Today's recipe is a Steph Smith original. I came up with this dish last winter, and the husband and I just love it. It has stew vegetables, chicken, and rice, and is a great cold weather dish. I love the taste, it reminds me of chicken stew without it really being a stew.


Steph's Chicken Veggie Rice Pot (8 servings at 5 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 cup carrots, chopped
1 cup celery,chopped
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1 lb diced uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast
3 cup fat-free chicken broth
2 cup uncooked white rice
Chicken Bouillon to taste (I used about 1/2 a tablespoon)
Chicken Seasoning to taste (I used about 3 tsps)
Poultry Seasoning to taste (I used about 3 tsps)
pepper to taste

Instructions

Slice veggies and add to a pot sprayed with fat free cooking spray. Brown veggies and season with poultry seasoning, chicken seasoning etc. Add broth and chicken. Bring to a boil until chicken has been cooked. Add rice. While the rice is cooking, add powder chicken bouillon, and
more chicken seasoning. The dish is finished once rice is fluffy and the broth is gone.