Menu (12/21/06)

Menu (12/21/06)

This menu is a little sparse and crazy due to the upcoming holidays, but here it is.

Sun: Christmas Eve dinner with family
Mon: Christmas Dinner with families
Tues: Traveling
Wed: Bean and Bacon Soup
Thurs: Southwestern Grilled Pork Tenderloin, steamed broccoli, new potatoes
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Sun: New Years Eve Parties
Mon: Skillet Chicken and Broccoli
Tues: Chicken Soup with Chive Dumplings
Wed: leftovers
Thurs: The Husbands' Birthday, Going out
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

I'll be taking a brief hiatus due to the holidays. I'll be back on Tuesday (1/2/07). I hope everyone has a Wonderful Christmas and a very Happy New Year :)

Mexican Casserole

I found this recipe and thought it sounded pretty tasty.

Mexican Casserole (6 servings at 4 points a piece)

Ingredients:

3 cups canned pinto beans
3 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 cup chopped green pepper
1 envelope burrito seasoning mix
1 1/2 cups water
3/4 cup salsa
1 tsp olive oil

Directions:

1. Saute onion and pepper in olive oil until soft.
2. Add burrito seasoning and 1 1/2 cups water. Cook until thickened.
3. Mix in beans and heat through.
4. Place cooked rice, bean and vegetable mixture into slow cooker and add salsa. Cook for a few hours.

When I made this my pan couldn't hold all of the rice, so I just used 2 cups instead of three. The points shown however, are what I calculated using the full three cups. I also didn't bother with the slow cooker, opting instead to just cook it on the stove on low for a bit until I thought everything was heated through. Overall everything was pretty tasty, but this definitely isn't mine or the husband's favorite mexi-dish that I have prepared. But it's really simple and pretty quick, so it works if you need something in a jiffy.

Recipe Books

The husband and I went to the Nemacolin resort this weekend for the husband's company Christmas party. Before the festivities started we had a little time to kill, so we decided to go browse around the resort shops. I went into one shop to look at kitchen gadgets, and ended up finding a really nice recipe binder.

Not too long ago I was e-mailed me a link to some recipe binders that were really nice, but very outragous at $110 a piece. So when I saw this binder at a nice resort shop, I was expecting something just as ridiculous. But it turned out to be only $18! I was so surprised, and had to get it. It has little tabs to designate appetizers, soups/salads, sauces/dressings, breads/grains, dairy/eggs, fruits/vegetables, pasta, poultry, seafood, meats, desserts, and beverages. It also has little plastic sheets that store these very pretty recipe cards that match the binder. I really like the cards having the plastic protector sheets, because I've been known to be a little tough on my recipe cards in the past :) And I always end up spilling something on them. I also like the compactness of the binder instead of a box, because it can be stored more easily with my other recipe books.

After I got home, I looked online to see if it was possible to order more cards and protector sheets. Turns out that you can, and they are a very reasonable price. So if you've been looking for a binder yourself, I reccommend you check these out. They have several different designs along with matching cards to chose from!

Kemps Winter Snowmen

While at the Super Walmart the other day I was pleasantly surprised when I found a wonderful holiday treat. I was in the frozen food section looking at ice cream when I saw these little snowmen. They are a mix of vanilla, strawberry, and chocolate icecream, and they are just adorable. With a little top hat and a bow tie, they are almost too cute to eat...almost! These cuties are 3 points a peice and make a very fun tastey snack :)

Primo Pasta

I was drawn to this recipe basically because of the name. With a name like Primo Pasta, how could it not be awesome?

Primo Pasta (8 servings at 3 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1/2 cup water or broth of choice
1 onion, chopped
1 bell pepper, diced
1 carrot, sliced
1 stalk celery, sliced
2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes
1 15 oz can kidney beans, drained
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp soy sauce
8 oz pasta shells or spirals

Directions:

In a large pot, heat water or stock. Cook the onions for 3 minutes, then add the pepper, carrots, and celery and cook for 5 minutes over medium heat. Add the mushrooms, then cover the pan and cook for another 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the tomatoes, beans, basil, paprika, pepper, and soy sauce, and cover and cook for a further 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile, cook pasta in a pot of boiling water until tender. When everything is done, rinse the pasta and stir into vegetables and serve.

The dish actually looked a lot like goulash, but it's taste was very different. It had a pretty mild flavor, so some may want to jazz it up a bit, but I actually liked it as prepared. The husband liked it a lot as well, but he's a pasta and bean fiend so he may have been a little biased :) And this recipe definitely makes a lot considering it's quick prep time.

Turkey Scallopini with Garlic & Herbs

I found this yummy recipe at Spark People. I'd never had a scallopini dish before, or really new what one was, so I was surprised to discover that it is just referred to thinly sliced meat. That's good to know!

Turkey Scallopini with Garlic & Herbs (Serves 4 at 4 points a piece)

Ingredients:

3 minced garlic cloves

1 lb turkey scallopini or thinly sliced turkey breast

1 tsp rosemary

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp oregano

1 tbsp olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

In a food processor or small bowl, combine garlic, thyme, rosemary, oregano, olive oil, and lemon juice. Mix well. Brush over both sides of turkey.

Grill immediately or cover and let stand for 30 minutes at room temperature. You can also refrigerate for up to 2 hours.

On lightly greased grill, grill for 2 minutes on each side or just until cooked through.

I had to modify the recipe slightly because it originally called for a lot more oil, but I thought a tablespoon would suffice. After I mixed the seasonings and oil, I placed the mixture into a bag along with the turkey. Doing this made it easy to get the turkey completely and evenly covered.

The turkey scallopini both smelled and tasted wonderful. You could really taste all of the herbs and garlic in the dish, there was definitely no lack of flavor. The turkey would also be great in salads, wraps, and pitas. It's a very versatile dish, and you could make a double batch and use it in two different meals during the week.

Chicken Parmesan

I found this recipe at Spark People. I really liked the idea of a friendly Chicken Parmesan, so of course I tried it out.

Chicken Parmesan (serves 4 at 8 points a piece)

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
Pam Olive Oil Spray
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup spaghetti sauce
8 oz. low fat mozzarella cheese

Directions:

1.) Preheat the oven to 350 F.

2.) Heat the sauce in the microwave or over the stove until hot.

3.) Pound the chicken breasts until they have a uniform thickness. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in pan over medium heat until hot. Saute the chicken breasts until cooked through and golden, about 5 minutes on the first side and 3 minutes on the other.

4.) Dip the chicken in the sauce and then add to a casserole dish. Pour remaining sauce over the chicken and top with cheese. Bake the chicken in the oven until the cheese is melted.

This recipe was extremely simple to make, it didn't take much effort at all. The husband and I both enjoyed the sauciness and cheesiness of the recipe. It would also be great served over pasta, but I thought it was just fine on its own.

Spark People

I stumbled across a doozey of a site the other day and I really want to share it with everyone. It's called Spark People. I was looking for a website that would give me the nutritional information of recipes when I happened across it.

Spark People is a FREE weight loss site, and I have been very impressed with it so far. It is very similar to WeightWatchers, but without points. Instead, they give you a daily calorie, carbohydrate, fat, and protein range to aim for. Plus there is a multitude of other things you can track as well, including things like calcium intake.

It also sets up a fitness program for you which lets you choose which days you want to do cardio and which days you want to do strengthening exercises. Something I love love love about the fitness program is that it will ask you what type of exercise equipment you have, and then provide an appropriate workout that utilizes your equipment. And it consists of a full body workout, complete with demonstrations and how to complete each exercise properly.

The website also has a lovely recipe database to browse, and you can of course enter your own recipes as well. It will then give you all of the nutritional information for a recipe, whether it's from the database or one of yours. And the recipes you enter yourself are organized very neatly on what looks like little recipe cards, along with the nutritional information. The organization is much better than other sites.

Another nice thing about the site is that there is plenty of additional support available as well. They have an endless supply of articles about staying healthy, and they have good message boards too. All of the members have been very friendly, helpful, and supportive.

So if you'd like to save some cash or are looking for something else, I definitely recommend you check this site out. If you are worried about the validity of it, according to the site it was started by a group of dieticians and nutritionists. I always thought it was kinda ridiculous that you would have to pay for an online weight-loss program, but then again I understand, and I wouldn't have been able to lose the weight I have without one. But I'm glad to see that now there is such a well done program that is freely available.

Endangered Species Chocolate

This weekend the husband made an awesome discovery. We had to get a prescription filled, so while waiting on that we were wondering around Kroger. During that wondering, the husband found a Holiday Pack of the Endangered Species Dark Chocolate.

I've heard of Endangered Species Chocolate before but have never tried it, nor have I seen it come in little individual, pre-packaged squares. For only 50 calories, 4 grams of fat, and 1 fiber, this is a great snack to satisfy that chocolate craving. And the Dark Chocolate variety is dairy free, which is great for the husband.

Another bonus about these little chocolates is that 10% of net profits are donated to help support species, habitat, and humanity. So treat yourself while helping out a good cause :)

Lemon and Parmesan Crusted Salmon

Fish can be tricky to cook because you want it to be super flavorful but not taste "fishy." The husband is often skeptical when it comes to baked fish, because it can be particularly tricky to prepare without that "fishy" taste. But I found this recipe at Betty Crockers' site and decided to give it a try.

Lemon and Parmesan Crusted Salmon (4 servings at 6 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 salmon fillet, 1 1/4 pounds
2 tbsp reduced calorie/fat butter or margarine
1/4 tsp salt
3/4 cup season bread crumbs
1/4 cup grated ff Parmesan cheese
2 tbsp thinly sliced green onions
2 tsp grated lemon peel
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves

Directions:

Heat oven to 375 F. Spray shallow baking pan with cooking spray. Pat salmon dry with paper towel. Place salmon, skin side down, in pan; brush with 1 tbsp of the butter or margarine. Sprinkle with salt.

Mix bread crumbs, cheese, onions, lemon peel and thyme in small bowl. Stir in remaining 1 tablespoon butter or margarine. Press bread crumb mixture evenly on salmon.

Baked uncovered 15 to 25 minutes or until salmon flakes easily with fork. Serve immediately.

I ended up only making half of this recipe because I didn't have a full fillet of salmon. I also used skin-free salmon. The fish turned out so tasty that before I remembered to take a picture, it was all gone! So the picture you see above is from the Betty Crocker site. The crust was pretty crispy and just full of so many flavors, and it made the salmon taste wonderful. The husband devoured the stuff; no fishy tastes around here :)

Menu (12/7/06)

Menu:

Sun: Roasted Vegetable Lasagna
Mon: Leftovers
Tues: Turkey Scallopini with Garlic & Herbs, steamed broccoli, canned carrots
Wed: Pasta Primo
Thurs: Leftovers
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Sun: Bean and Bacon Soup
Mon: Diet Coke Chicken, frozen veggies, rice
Tues: Leftovers
Wed: Mexican Casserole
Thursday: Leftovers
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Holiday Thumb Print Cookies

I found this recipe not too long ago on the WeightWatchers boards. I was drawn to this recipe because 1) it's a cookie, 2) it has a limited number of ingredients, and 3) it's a cookie.

Holiday Thumb Print Cookies (serves 20 at 1 point a piece)

Ingredients:
1 package yellow cake mix
3 Tbsp orange juice
2 tsp grated orange peel
1/2 tsp vanilla
4 tsp strawberry all-fruit spread
2 Tbsp pecans - chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray.

Beat cake mix, orange juice, orange peel, and vanilla in a medium bowl with an electric mixer at medium-low speed for 2 minutes, until mixture looks crumbly. Increase speed to medium-high and beat 2 minutes longer or until smooth dough forms. Dough will be very sticky.

Coat hands with nonstick cooking spray. Roll dough into 1" balls. Place balls 2 1/2" apart on prepared baking sheets. Press center of each ball with thumb. Fill each thumb print with 1/4 tsp fruit spread. Sprinkle with nuts.

Bake 8-9 minutes or until cookies are light golden brown and lose their shininess. Do not over bake. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

When I made these I omitted the pecans, and I used the strawberry rhubarb fruit spread that I mentioned the other day. These cookies are absolutely delicious! The dough has a nice orangey flavor to it, and the fruit spread adds so much to the cookie as well. Overall they are very sweet, so you could definitely be satisfied with just one...okay maybe two ;)

HG’s Rockin' Peanut Butter Miracle Mousse

I've mentioned before that I receive the daily Hungry Girl e-mail. Last week Miss Hungry Girl had an e-mail full of light mousse recipes, and I saw one that I could not wait to try.

HG's Rockin' Peanut Butter Miracle Mousse (Makes 1 serving at 3 points)

Ingredients:

6 Tbsp of ff cool whip
2 Tbsp of Better n' Peanut Butter

Directions:

Whip ingredients until well blended.

I unfortunately did not have Better n' Peanut Butter on hand, and had to use the full calorie and fat stuff. Using regular peanut butter made it 2 points for 1/4 of the dish.

This stuff is absolutely unbelievable and so simple to make! I would have NEVER thought that peanut butter and cool whip could make something SO delicious. After the husband tried the mousse he tried to steal it. I'm guessing that means that he likes it too ;) If you need a very quick and easy dessert this is definitely the way to go.

Chunky Vegetable Chili Recipe

I was browsing around one of my favorite websites the other day and came across this version of chili. The husband isn't the biggest fan of soups due to their brothiness but he really likes thicker stew-type dishes, so I had to try this one.

Chunky Vegetable Chili Recipe (8 servings at 3 points a piece)

Ingredients:

2 medium potatoes, cubed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 medium yellow bell pepper, chopped
1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 can (28 oz) crushed tomatoes, undrained
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 can (15 oz) garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 medium zucchini, cubed

Directions:

Heat all ingredients except zucchini to boiling in 4-quart Dutch oven, breaking up tomatoes and stirring occasionally; reduce heat. Cover and simmer 13 minutes.

Stir in zucchini. Cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes or until zucchini is tender.

According to Betty Crocker's site this makes 4 servings. There is no way; there was so much food. I decided to calculate the points for 8 servings instead. Another thing I had to adjust was the cooking time. By the time it was supposed to be finished, the potatoes were still pretty crunchy. So I let it simmer for about 15 minutes more until the potatoes were soft.

This chili was just full of vegetables and had a fairly thick broth, and I of course enjoyed the flavors of the chili powder and the cumin. The husband thought this was one of the best recipes that I have tried recently. He really likes potatoes and beans, and he really ate this dish up.

Rhubarb Strawberry Fruit Spread

A few weeks ago I was lucky enough to attend a Tastefully Simple party. I was pretty worrried about the point values of their products; but as it turns out, some items they aren't that bad at all. I tried the Rhubarb Strawberry Fruit Spread and fell in love. I also knew that the husband would love the spread as well, so of course I bought some.

After waiting for what seemed like an eternity it finally arrived. The husband opened it immediately to try a taste, and as I predicted, he loved it. This morning I had some on toast, and the husband put some on his english muffin. It has an excellent flavor and it's not too sweet. I think it would accompany various breads, graham crackers, and peanut butter very nicely. I plan on making thumb print cookies with the spread. As soon as I do I'll post some pictures and the recipe.