Baked Oatmeal

Something warm and full of cinnamon in the morning is great. These bars are very easy to make and are very filling. And not only do they make a great breakfast, but they are also perfect for a quick snack. (FYI, I omitted the raisins when preparing these because the husband is not a fan)

Baked Oatmeal (Serves 9 at 2 points a piece)

Ingredients:

2 cups uncooked oatmeal
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp table salt
1 cup fat-free skim milk
1/2 cup Egg Beaters
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup Splenda
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup golden seedless raisins

Directions:

Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees F. Combine wet ingredients, add dry ingredients, and mix well. Bake in sprayed 8x8 pan for 35 to 45 minutes. These keep well in fridge or freezer, and are good cold or warm.

Chicken N' Noodles

Here is another recipe I've been holding onto, just waiting for a good opportunity to try. I figured this would be great on a cold day, and yesterday was definitely cold ;)

Chicken N' Noodles (6 servings at 4 points)

Ingredients:

1 cup celery
1 cup carrots
2 tablespoons green onions
4 cups fat-free chicken broth
2 tsp bullion
8 oz boneless skinless chicken breast
12 oz Reames Frozen Egg Noodles
4 cups of water

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in 5 quart crock pot. Cover and cook on low 8 to 10 hours.

I like crock pot dishes when I can just throw everything in and forget about it. However, with this dish I think it would be best to wait and add the noodles in a little later. Overall the soup was good, but the noodles came out a little mushy. Also, you definitely need to spice this dish up a bit with some salt and pepper. It was a little bland as prepared, but a little salt and pepper fixed things right up.

So while my first experience with this recipe wasn't perfect, with a few tweaks it has the potential to be great.

Tandoori Turkey Wraps

I found this recipe at SparkPeople.com, and thought it would be a really interesting dish to try since it had so many flavors going on.

Tandoori Turkey Wraps (4 servings at 3 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 lb turkey cutlets, cut into 1/2-inch strips
1 tsp fresh garlic, minced
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/8 tsp cinnamon
dash cloves
vegetable spray
tortillas or chapatis (Indian tortillas that can be found at a specialty grocery store)

Directions:

In a small bowl, combine turkey strips, garlic, cumin, cayenne pepper, coriander, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Allow to stand.

Spray nonstick stove top grill pan with vegetable spray; heat over medium-high heat for 1 to 2 minutes. Toss in turkey strips. Stirring constantly, cook for 5 to 6 minutes or until strips are done and lightly browned. Remove to a clean bowl.

If you like, you can heat your tortillas or chapatis in a grill pan for about 30 seconds per side.

The points I posted do not include the tortillas or chapatis, for those it depends on what you use. Personally, I just ate the turkey over a little bit of rice. The dish had a bit of a kick to it, and all of the spices went nicely together with the turkey. I was a little unsure about the cinnamon, but it added nice twist to the mix.

Vegetarian Delight

I found this recipe on the weightwatchers boards. Who doesn't love a bowl full of veggies and rice?!

Vegetarian Delight (4 servings at 5 points a piece)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp creamy peanut butter
1 tbsp light soy sauce
1-1/2 tsp honey
2 tsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot
1/4 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped broccoli
1/2 cup chopped cauliflower
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped red bell pepper
1 garlic clove, minced
1 oz cashews
2 cups cooked brown rice

Instructions:

Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, honey, and one tablespoon of water. In large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add carrots and onion and cook until onion is translucent, about 2 minutes. Add remaining ingredients except rice and cashews. Cook, stirring frequently, until veggies are tender-crisp, about 3 minutes. Add peanut butter mixture; cook stirring constantly until just boiling, about 2 minutes. Stir in rice until heated through, about 2 minutes. Top with cashews.

When I made this dish, I omitted the corn and cashews, and I added bean sprouts. Before making it, the husband and I both thought the dish sounded interesting, but were worried that the sauce wouldn't be flavorful enough. Turns out our worrying was unwarranted. The sauce had just the right amount of flavor, and it complimented the rice and vegetables well.

Feta Chicken Bake

The other day I went to Kraft's South Beach Diet website and found several recipes sounded like potential winners. This one called for a minimal amount of ingredients, but because of the feta and red peppers I thought it would still pack some great flavors.

Feta Chicken Bake (6 servings at 5 points a piece)

Ingredients :

6 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (2 lb)
2 Tbsp lemon juice, divided
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pkg (3.5 oz) reduced fat crumbled feta cheese with basil and tomato
1/4 cup finely chopped red pepper
1/4 cup finely chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Arrange chicken in 13x9-inch baking dish.

Drizzle with 1 Tbsp lemon juice. Season with salt and black pepper. Top with cheese, and drizzle with remaining 1 Tbsp lemon juice.

Bake 35 to 40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Sprinkle with red pepper and parsley.

The husband actually made this dish. He said it was a good dish to make because it was so easy to put together, and there was minimal chopping (he's not one for chopping). The dish turned out great, and the chicken was extremely tender. The cheese and peppers mixed their flavors nicely with the chicken too. This is a great dish for when a short prep time is a must.

Balsamic and Feta Chicken Wraps

I thawed some chicken for a dish the other day, but then the dish never happened. Still, I didn't want the chicken to go to waste, so I came up with this for a quick, tasty lunch.

Balsamic and Feta Chicken Wraps (4 servings at5 points a piece)

Ingredients:

4 whole wheat tortillas
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breast
Balsamic Vinegar
Fat-Free Feta Cheese
Chicken Grill Seasoning

Directions:

Sprinkle chicken with grill seasoning and grill until cooked. After grilling the chicken, slice it into bite size pieces. Divide the chicken evenly and place on wraps. Drizzle a little bit of balsamic vinegar over the chicken, and top with about a tablespoon of feta.

You can always add more balsamic vinegar or feta to your liking. For an unplanned dish I came up with on a whim, these turned out to be a great lunch. They had a great combination of flavors that are not typically featured in our house much. The husband tried these as well and really liked them.

Brainless Banana Pancakes

This weekend I had time to make breakfast, and decided to try out this pancake recipe. It's the first time I had pancakes for breakfast in a while ;)

Brainless Banana Pancakes (Serves 3 at 4 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 cup flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 banana, mashed
1 1/4 cups non-fat milk
1 tbsp splenda or sugar

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, sift the flour and baking powder together.

2. In a small bowl, mash the banana with a fork and add 1/4 cup of the milk, mixing together until there are no lumps. Add the banana, splenda or sugar, and remaining milk to the dry mix and stir together until "just mixed."

3. Portion out about 3/4 of a cup to 1 cup of batter onto a hot non-stick pan or lightly oiled frying pan and cover with a lid. Let sit on medium heat until the center starts to bubble and become sturdy. Flip pancake over and cook other side until golden brown. Repeat process until the batter is gone.

The batter turned out to be a little runny, which caused problems during the cooking/flipping stage. So things may turn out better if you add a little less milk. But other than the runniness of the batter, these were good pancakes. They had a great banana flavor that wasn't overpowering. Overall, the husband and I really liked them. Also, for an added bonus, you could add some mini-chocolate chips to these as an extra treat.

Italian Tortellini Stew

With my weekends being consumed lately by rehearsals for an upcoming contemporary ballet that I am performing in, I have been keeping my eye out for quick-prep crockpot dishes. When I came across this one, I knew it would be perfect.

Italian Tortellini Stew (8 servings, 2 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, chopped
2 zucchini, sliced
32 0z of chicken broth
28 oz of crushed tomatoes
15 oz of Great Northern Beans
2 tbsp basil
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
8 oz of dry cheese tortellini

Directions:

Add all ingredients except for the tortellini to the crockpot. Cook on low for 6 hours. Turn crockpot on high and add tortellini. Cook for 20 minutes or until the tortellini is cooked.

This stew was delicious! Of course the tortellinis were the best part, at least that's what the husband said. This would be a great dish to make before work, church, or just a busy day :)

Ribollita-Bread Soup

For Christmas my mother-in-law gave me the book "Rachael Ray Top 30 Comfort Foods". I was glancing through it's various recipes, and the Ribollita really jumped out at me. I had never heard of Ribollita before, but thought it sounded good, so I decided to give it a try. It turns out that a Ribollita is actually a traditional Tuscan bread and vegetable soup.

Ribollita-Bread Soup (8 servings at 5 points a serving)

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
4 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 ribs celery, chopped
1 fresh or dried bay leaf
Coarse salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
2 cans (15 oz each) white beans
6 cups chicken stock or broth
2 cups tomato sauce
3 cups stale Italian bread, crust removed and torn into chunks

Directions:

Heat a deep, heavy-bottomed pot over moderate heat. Add oil, garlic, onion, carrots, celery, and bay leaf to the pot. Season with salt and pepper and saute until veggies begin to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add bean, stock, and tomato sauce. Cover pot and bring soup to boil over medium-high heat. Remove lid and stir in torn pieces of bread. Continue stirring. When soup becomes thick and bread is distributed evenly, adjust the seasonings. Remove bay leaf. You can make soup as thin or thick as you like by using more bread or more stock or broth.

You can garnish soup with a little bit of a raw onion, a drizzle of olive oil, and a sprinkling of grated Parmesan cheese if you like.

I didn't think that the soup needed any garnishes at all, it could definitely hold it's own. Also, I left the crust on the bread and think I prefer it that way. The husband and I absolutely went crazy over this dish! The broth soaked bread, beans, and stew vegetables were so divine. It was a perfect dish to have on a very cold day.

Menu (1/18/07)

Menu:

Sun: Italian Tortellini Stew
Mon: leftovers
Tues: Feta Chicken Bake and steamed broccoli
Wed: leftovers
Thurs: Vegetarian Delight
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Sun: Tandoori Turkey Wraps
Mon: Chicken and Noodles
Tues: leftovers
Wed: Spaghetti with salad
Thurs: Leftovers
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Double Coconut Pancakes

I found this recipe in the December issue of Cooking Light. They did a little series on pancakes and sauces, and of course the coconut pancakes jumped out at me.

Double Coconut Pancakes (4 servings at 7 points a piece)

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp flaked sweetened coconut
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 (13.5 oz) can light coconut milk
1 tbsp light butter, melted
1 large egg, lightly beaten

Directions:

1. Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups, level with a knife. Combine flour and next 4 ingredients (through salt) in a large bowl. Combine coconut milk, butter, and egg; stir well. Add coconut mixture to flour mixture, stirring until smooth.

2. Pour about 1/4 cup batter per pancake onto a hot nonstick griddle or nonstick skillet. Cook 3 minute or until tops are covered with bubbles and edges look cooked. Carefully turn pancakes over; cook 2 minutes or until bottoms are lightly browned. Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 3 pancakes)

These were some great pancakes! The husband liked them a lot too, but I'm sure he may be a little biased since he is a huge coconut fan. The pancakes came out light and fluffy, and the little bits of shredded coconut in each bite were such a delight.

Roasted Tomatoes

I've been meaning to try this recipe for a while, and finally got the chance last night. I like roasted vegetables, especially roasted tomatoes, so I thought this would make a great side dish to a variety of dishes.

Roasted Tomatoes (4 servings, 2 points a piece)

Ingredients:

8 plum tomatoes, cut in half

12 cloves of garlic, whole, unpeeled

4 tsp olive oil

3 bay leaves

ground pepper

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. Cut tomatoes in half. Line bottom of a baking dish with tomatoes so that they are all side by side, cut side up. Place garlic cloves between tomato halves. Brush the tomatoes with olive oil and add the bay leaves to the dish. Sprinkle freshly ground black pepper on top, and place in the oven. Bake for 35-45 minutes. The tomatoes are done when they are softened and a little charred. Season with salt and more pepper, if desired.

The tomatoes looked very pretty once they were roasted. They were slightly charred but had an even richer red color to them. The tomatoes had an excellent flavor, but it was definitely a strong flavor. So just keep in mind when serving this dish, a little definitely goes a long way.

South Beach Diet Wrap Kits

While stocking up on some bulk items at Sam's Club the other day, the husband and I took advantage of some of the free samples. We tried a sample of the South Beach Diet Chicken Cesar Wrap Kit and were pleasantly surprised. We were both really impressed and decided to buy a pack. The pack came with 2 Chicken Cesar kits and two Southwestern Chicken kits.

After trying both, we both agree that these two kits are wonderful. They are very convenient, and come with everything you need to make two wraps (tortillas, chicken, cheese, and sauce). They also come with a jello cup for dessert. At 5 points a piece, these kits are surprisingly very filling. Add a Ziploc bag of baby carrots and/or a serving of fruit, and you've got yourself a great lunch!

And FYI, there are several other flavors in addition to those we tried, including sesame chicken, turkey club, and others.

Chicken Broccoli Skillet

This is another recipe that I found from the free recipe cards at Walmart. Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture, so you'll have to make it yourself if you want to see what it looks like :)

Chicken Broccoli Skillet

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1 lb boneless skinless chicken breasts, cubed
1 bag frozen vegetables (broccoli, red pepper, onions, etc.)
1/2 cup teriyaki stir fry sauce
16 oz angel hair pasta

Instructions:

Brown chicken on medium-high heat using 2 tsp olive oil. Once chicken is browned add frozen vegetables. Cover pan and reduce heat to medium. Once vegetables are cooked, add the stir fry sauce and cook for 2 to 3 minutes making sure everything is covered. Serve the veggie mixture over the angel hair pasta. You can use rice instead of the pasta if you prefer.

There really wasn't much to this recipe. It wasn't anything fancy or anything too different; pretty much just your standard stir fry. And while the use of angel hair pasta instead of rice was an interesting twist, it's definitely not the best stir fry that I have made. But still, for a quick and decent meal, it's not a bad choice. The husband liked the dish as well, but agrees that I've made better.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins

It's been a while since I've done a pumpkin post, so I think it's definitely time for another one :) If I have time in the mornings, I like to throw something quick together like muffins so they can bake and make the house smell lovely while I get ready for work. I came across the recipe for these muffins on the weightwatchers boards a while back. I've been waiting to try them and I figured a nice worm spiced muffin would be perfect for the husband's birthday breakfast.

Pumpkin Spice Muffins (20 servings at 2 points a piece)


Ingredients:

1 box Spice Cake Mix
15 oz can of pumpkin
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup water

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl mix together the cake mix, pumpkin, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, and water. Spread mixture into 20 muffin cups sprayed with cooking spray or lined with paper cupcake cups. Bake for approximately 18 to 20 minutes. Muffins are done when toothpick comes out clean.

Nothing beats your house smelling like pumpkin spice. The smell is fantastic. When the husband and I tried these muffins they were still warm from just coming out of the oven, and they were the perfect consistency, not too dry and not too crumbly. You could really taste the pumpkin, which was nice, and the combination of the spices from the cake mix and the pumpkin spice mix is unbeatable. I think I may try to keep these ingredients on hand so I can make these a little more often. They made a superb breakfast, especially when paired with a glass of skim milk :)

Cheesy Mac 'N' Cheese

In continuing with my recent string of healthy homestyle cooking recipes, I give you mac 'n' cheese. I found this recipe in Shape Magazine, just like I found the Shepherds Pie and Chicken Soup with Chive Dumplings.

Cheesy Mac 'N' Cheese (Serves 8 at 5 points a piece)

Ingredients:

12 oz uncooked elbow macaroni
1/3 cup fat-free sour cream
1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
1 12-oz can evaporated fat-free milk or 1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
4 oz reduced-fat cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)
2 tsp Dijon mustard
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp ground nutmeg
2 tbsp dry bread crumbs
2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain, reserve 1/3 cup of the pasta water, and transfer pasta to a large bowl. While pasta is still hot, stir in sour cream, reserved pasta water, and diced tomatoes. Set aside.

Scald milk by heating in a medium saucepan over medium heat until tiny bubbles just appear around the edges. Add cheese, mustard, pepper, and nutmeg and simmer, stirring constantly, until cheese melts.

Fold cheese mixture into pasta and transfer to a casserole dish (mixture will be thin but will chicken as it bakes).

Mix together bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese and sprinkle over pasta.

Bake uncovered 20 to 25 minutes or until top is golden brown.

Mmmmm. That's all I can really say about this dish. I don't know if I'd exactly call it mac 'n' cheese; it seems to be more of a pasta bake to me. However, it was still very delicious. The husband liked this as well. The crunchy bread crumb topping was very good with the pasta, and the diced tomatoes were nice. It gave the dish another level of flavor that I wasn't expecting.

Right Bites Fudge Dipped Mint Cookies

As you may recall from here, I have been obsessed with little snack packs lately. I recently found a new one in stores that, at least for me, tops even the fig newtons!

The Right Bites Fudge Dipped Mint Cookies are DELICIOUS. They have the perfect mint chocolate flavor. They actually remind me a lot of everyone's favorite mint cookies, Girl Scout Thin Mints. Since anything mint and chocolate will usually top my list, these cookies have quickly become one of my favorite snacks. And each pack has a good amount of cookies that leaves you feeling satisfied, and not jipped. At 2 points a piece, you can't beat 'em!

Chicken Soup with Chive Dumplings

When looking around for recipes, I always keep my eyes peeled for hearty, homestyle-type meals. So I was pleasantly surprised when Shape Magazine recently printed a series of comfort food recipes. I've already posted about the Turkey Shepherd's Pie with Scallion Mashed Potatoes, and yesterday, on a very rainy day, I tried the Chicken Soup with Chive Dumplings. What better way to spend a rainy day than fixing a batch of soup with dumplings?

Chicken Soup with Chive Dumplings (serves 4 at 7 points a piece)

Ingredients:

2 teaspoons olive or vegetable oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
1 cup baby carrots, halved
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon ground sage
4 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 cup frozen green peas
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Dumplings

1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 1/2 tablespoons reduced fat butter or margarine
1/2 cup nonfat milk
2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

Directions:

Heat oil in a large stock pot (with a tight-fitting lid) over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, carrots, and garlic and saute 2 minutes. Add chicken and saute 5 minutes, until golden brown on all sides. Add bay leaves, thyme, pepper, and sage and stir. Add chicken broth and bring mixture to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and simmer 5 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a medium bowl, combine flour and baking powder. Work in butter or margarine with a fork until mixture is crumbly. Add milk and stir with a fork until mixture comes together. Fold in chives.

Add peas to simmering liquid in pot and return to a simmer.

Using a large spoon, drop 8 ball-shaped dumplings (slightly bigger than golf balls) into liquid. Cover and simmer 8 to 10 minutes (without lifting lid), until dumplings are tender and cooked through (they'll be firm to the touch).

Remove from heat and discard bay leaves. Ladle soup and dumplings into bowls and sprinkle with fresh parsley. A serving is 1 cup of soup and 2 dumplings.

I'm so glad I got to make this dish on such a cold and rainy day. While the soup was simmering on the stove, it made the house smell wonderful. So good in fact that I couldn't wait to try it. The first bite just warmed me up!

The dumplings had a nice fluffy texture to them and the chives were a nice addition. I personally liked the peas in the soup, but the husband would disagree (he's not much of a pea fan). But with the exception of the peas, the husband liked the soup and the dumplings a lot too.

Another thing I loved about this soup was how little time it actually took to make. A chicken stew with dumplings in about 30 minutes! I can remember my mom making chicken and dumplings and it taking a lot longer than that. This dish is an excellent take on a warm and hearty classic :)

Southwestern Grilled Pork Tenderloin

At the local Super Wal-Mart they have a little bin full of free recipe cards, and occasionally while grocery shopping I will check it for any potentially tasty dishes. Last time I was shopping I found this recipe:

Southwestern Grilled Pork Tenderloin (4 servings at 4 points a piece)

Ingredients:

2 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp cumin
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp dried oregano
3/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp red pepper
1 3/4 lb pork tenderloin

Directions:

1. Combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and red pepper in a small bowl. Rub over pork and chill 2 hours.

2. Grill, covered with grill lid, over medium-high heat 4 to 5 minutes on each side or until thermometer registers 170 degrees F for well-done. Serve on tortillas with salsa and avocado, if desired.

I couldn't find a whole pork tenderloin, so I used tenderloin cutlets instead. This dish definitely had a little bit of a kick to it, but I really liked the taste of all the grilled spices. The husband liked the dish too, but it was a tad bit on the spicy side for him. But it would be easy to cut back on the spiciness a bit. I didn't serve the tenderloin with tortillas as suggested, but instead served it with some rice and steamed vegetables.

Menu (1/04/07)

I got super confused on my last menu thinking this was the week of the husbands birthday, but I was mistaken. Those holidays can really throw a person off. Here's the menu :)

Sun: Chicken Soup with Chive Dumplings
Mon: Leftovers
Tuesday: Hot dogs with homemade mac n cheese and steamed cauliflower
Wed: Tuna Patties, roasted tomatoes and steamed broccoli
Thurs: The husband's birthday dinner
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Sun: Winter Day Casserole
Mon: Leftovers
Tues: Double Coconut Pancakes, turkey sausage, fruit cup
Wed: Ribollita Bread Soup
Thurs: Feta Stuffed Chicken, green beans, cooked carrots
Fri: Fend for selves
Sat: Fend for selves

Turkey Shepherd's Pie with Scallion Mashed Potatoes

When it comes to comfort food, I really can't get enough. It's probably because of the type of food that I grew up on. I remember having very creamy and tasty mashed potatoes at least twice a week.

In a recent issue, Shape magazine shared a few lighter versions of comfort foods. I saw the Shepherd's Pie recipe and knew that I had to make it. I had tried a Weightwatchers recipe for Shepherd's Pie a while back, but it was mediocre to say the least. I think the main problem with it was that the mashed potato portion was made from new potatoes, which gave it a funny taste. Needless to say, I was hoping for much more from this one.

Turkey Shepherd's Pie with Scallion Mashed Potatoes ( 4 servings at 7 points a piece)

Ingredients:

4 tsp olive oil, divided
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 carrots, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb ground turkey breast
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp ground black pepper
1 28-oz can crushed tomatoes
3 large Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup fat-free sour cream
2 tbsp nonfat milk
2 scallions (green and white parts), chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Heat 2 tsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots, celery, and garlic, and saute 3 minutes until tender. Remove vegetables from pan and set aside.

Heat remaining 2 tsp of oil in the same skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey and saute 3 to 5 minutes, until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks. Add thyme, oregano and herbs. Return sauteed vegetables to skillet with tomatoes and bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 5 minutes, until liquid reduces and sauce thickens.

Meanwhile, place potatoes in a medium to large saucepan and pour over enough water to cover. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil. Boil 8 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain and return potatoes to pan. Mash potatoes with the sour cream and milk. Season to taste with black pepper. Fold in scallions (mash potatoes should be slightly thin and easy to spread over turkey mixture, if they're not, add more milk).

Transfer turkey mixture to a deep-dish 9 inch pie plate or shallow casserole dish. Spoon mashed potatoes over top and, using the back of a spoon, make an even layer.

Place pie plate on a baking sheet (in case of spillovers) and bake 12 to 15 minutes, until top is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

All I can say is that this dish was fabulous! The husband and I dug into this dish with much delight. The mashed potato portion had an excellent, creamy flavor, and of course the meat and veggie portion was just as delicious. It was very filling and definitely took care of a comfort food craving :)

Fruit Cheeseball

I hope everyone had a wonderful Holiday season! I'm back after a little break and today I bring you a fruit cheeseball. The husband's sister fixed this while we were visiting, and the original recipe actually came from a cookbook put out by the husband's mother's church. The one posted here is a lightened version:

Fruit Cheeseball (12 servings at 2 points a piece)

Ingredients:

2 8 oz packages of fat free cream cheese
1 small package of instant sugar free vanilla pudding
14-15 cherries (drained well & chopped)
1 20 oz can of crushed pineapple (drained very well)
1/2 cup of coconut
Chopped pecans (optional)

Directions:

Mix all ingredients together well. May use red and green maraschino cherries at Christmas time for a festive cheeseball. Roll in chopped pecans and serve with cinnamon graham crackers.

I chose not to roll my cheeseball in chopped pecans. As a matter of fact, I didn't manage to roll it at all. I think I may not have drained the pineapples as well as they needed to be, so it didn't turn out as solid as hoped. So instead, I just put it in a pretty dish and it looked just fine. And I served it with the honey flavored graham sticks.

When calculating the points above I didn't add in the chopped pecans or graham sticks, so keep that in mind. I really like all of the flavors of this cheeseball, especially the coconut. It's not something you expect to find in a cheeseball. And this dish is super quick to fix, which makes it great for parties or potlucks :)