French Cheeseburger Loaf

Hello and Happy Holidays loyal blog readers, it's good to see you again! I apologize for not writing any new posts in the past couple of weeks but with the holidays upon us, things have been kind of hectic. With four Christmas parties already under my belt this season and three more to go, my time has mostly been spent preparing appetizers and goodies for the parties and not focusing on dinner. Needless to say, we've been eating a lot of Subway in this house the past two weeks. But with most of my Christmas shopping done and the presents already wrapped and only one party to go to this week, I had the time to try out a new recipe tonight. I found this in one of my mother-in-law's "tasteofhome: Healthy Cooking" magazines when we were visiting them for Thanksgiving. I thought it sounded tasty and fairly easy to make. I was right about the tasty part, not so right about the easy part. I followed the instructions but then once I got the seams of the bread sealed, realized I had forgotten to put the cheese in it. So I had to open it back up, cheese it, then re-seal it. Then I was supposed to put it seam side down on the baking sheet, but couldn't for the life of me get it to flip over without the whole thing falling apart. As it was, as I was trying to get it from the counter to the baking sheet, the bread was tearing and meat was falling out. So I figured just getting it on the baking sheet was a success although it wasn't pretty at all with the seam side up. I contemplated not putting up a photo but Matt said that was cheating. In the end, even though it was by far not one of my prettiest creations, it tasted great and Matt gave it 8 out of 10 stars. If you try to make it, I hope you have better luck with flipping it than I did! Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3/4 lb. lean ground beef

1/2 cup chopped sweet onion

1 small green pepper, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour

2 Tbsp. ketchup

2 Tbsp. mustard

1 tube (11 oz) refrigerated crusty French loaf

4 slices reduced-fat American cheese

1 egg white, lightly beaten

3 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

1. In a large skillet, cook the beef, onion, pepper and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Stir in the flour, mustard and ketchup; set aside.

2. Unroll dough starting at the seam. Pat into a 14-in x 12-in rectangle. Spoon meat mixture lengthwise down the center of the dough; top with cheese-slices. Bring long sides of dough to the center over filling; pinch seams to seal.

3. Place seam side down on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Brush with egg white. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. With a sharp knife, cut diagonal slits in top of loaf. Bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm.

Makes 6 servings, 6 WW points per serving, 277 calories, 7g fat, 1g fiber.

Family Recipes and Traditions: Pickle Dip

Does your family have one recipe that is present at all family events? You know what I mean, the one dish that makes it a true family event and it just wouldn't be the same without it? For my family, it's pickle dip. Yes, odd sounding, I know, but pickle dip is something that has been a part of my family for as long as I can remember, present at all holidays, birthdays, baby and bridal showers, etc. It wouldn't be a Small family event without it. I even considered trying to figure out how to be able to have it at my wedding but due to catering restrictions wasn't able to and had to be satisfied with just having it at my rehearsal dinner. Pickle dip is also the dish that I bring the most often to gatherings with our friends and as a result, my friends now expect it and sometimes even get a little upset if I don't bring it with me :). It's funny to see how the pickle dip has evolved over the year, as each of the women in my family have started making it a certain way, whether it be with a special pickle, addition of a seasoning, or cutting your pickles a certain way. With only three official ingredients, pickles, pickle juice and cream cheese, it really is more about the technique than anything.

At this point, we all seem to think that we have mastered the art of pickle dip and of course all think that we make it the best. So this year, for Thanksgiving, we decided to have the first annual "Pickle Dip Off" and find out just who really does makes the best dip. There were three entries in all, myself, my cousin Amanda and my cousin Denise. We set it up as a blind tasting, with all three entries in the same bowl so as not to show any favortism and used a rating system that included four categories, taste, texture, appearance and dipability. I am sad to admit that my dip did not win, I placed second, losing by a mere two points to my cousin Denise. I did win in the categories of texture and dipability so I guess that is better than nothing. My Aunt Darlene brought a prize for the winner, a Christmas ornament called "The Christmas Pickle" which was quite the appropriate prize for this contest. We've already declared a rematch for next year, but I don't know if I will make any changes to my technique or recipe because even though I may not technically have won this year, my pickle dip is still and always will be #1 in mind.

Saucy Beef with Broccoli

Tonight's recipe is one that I found in a Healthy Cooking book by tasteofhome (you know, the ones that they sell in the grocery stores that are similar to the size of a Reader's Digest?) Anyway, it is one that I have already made three or four times, as it is very quick and easy to make and tasty at the same time! Matt isn't a huge ginger fan but he doesn't seem to able to taste it as much in this recipe as in some of the others I have tried. I don't have much else to say about this dish except that you should give it a try! I am heading north tomorrow for Thanksgiving and then Black Friday shopping with my Mom (an annual tradition of ours), so I won't be posting again until I get back. Hope you all have a fabulous turkey day and get to eat lots of yummy food!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1/2 cup reduced-sodium beef broth

1/4 cup sherry or additional beef broth

2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon brown sugar

1 garlic cloved, minced

1 teaspoon minced fresh gingerroot

1/2 cup lean boneless beef sirloin steak, cut into 1/4 inch strips

2 teaspoons canola oil, divided

2 cups fresh broccoli florets

8 green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces

1. In a large bowl, combine the first seven ingredients; set aside. In a large nonstick skillet or wok, stir-fry beef in 1 teaspoon oil for 1-2 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove and keep warm.

2. In the same pan, stir-fry broccoli in remaining oil for 4-5 minutes or until crisp-tender. Add onions; stir-fry for 1-2 minutes. Return beef to pan.

3. Stir in cornstarch mixture and gradually add to the pan. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for 1-2 minutes or until thickened. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 5-6 minutes or until meat and vegetables are tender.

I serve it over brown rice, which has not been calculated in the points total.

Makes 2 servings, 6 WW points per serving, 313 calories, 11g fat, 4g fiber.

Skinny Chicken Stroganoff

Tonight's recipe is yet another successful and delicious one that I found in my Pampered Chef, "It's Good For You" cookbook (seriously, when are they going to start paying me for this free advertising?). I had never made a stroganoff before and the only ones that I had growing up were from a Hamburger Helper box. The name certainly doesn't sound appetizing but all of the ingredients sounded like things we liked so I decided to give it a try. I have already made it twice in the past couple of weeks and highly recommend it for something that is quick and easy and very tasty! I can't remember what Matt rated it and he is out of town for work this week so I can't go and ask him, but I give it 8 out of 10 stars. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

4 slices turkey bacon, cooked and crumbled

6 ounces uncooked extra-broad cholesterol-free egg noodles

3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1 can (14 1/2 oz) 99% fat-free chicken broth

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

8 ounces mushrooms, sliced

1 cup chopped onion

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/4-inch strips

1 clove garlic, pressed

2 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley

1. Cook bacon in a skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan; crumble and set aside.

2. Cook noodles according to package directions; drain and keep warm. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together sour cream and flour until well blended. Gradually whisk in chicken broth until mixture is smooth. Stir in salt and pepper; set aside.
3. Slice mushrooms and chop onion. Slice chicken into 1/4 inch strips. Heat skillet over high heat until hot. Add chicken; cook and stir 5 minutes or until no longer pink. Remove from skillet; keep warm.
4. Reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms, onion and garlic. Cook and stir 3 minutes. Return chicken and reserved bacon to skillet. Stir in sour cream mixture; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in parsley; serve over noodles.

Makes 6 servings, 6 WW points per serving, 300 calories, 7g fat, 3g fiber.

Beef Tamale Bake

Well, it was bound to happen. I finally found a recipe in my new favorite Pampered Chef cookbook that I didn't like. I debated whether or not to blog about recipes that aren't a success but my husband says that I should because that way I can warn people :) I don't really know if I need to warn people, but I think it is important to blog about the new recipes that I cook, even if I don't end up liking them because not everyone has the same tastes and someone out there might make also make it and really like it. Also, I can't expect to love every new recipe that I try, that's just not realistic. So here it is, the Beef Tamale Bake. I had such high hopes for it, I love cornbread and was really hoping that it would taste just like chili on top of cornbread. Unfortunately, it did not. One of my biggest complaints about this casserole was that the cornmeal made it taste very gritty. The flavors themselves weren't too bad, I just couldn't get past the texture with the all of the grittiness. If you end up trying it and liking it, please let me know, there is always a possibility that I screwed something up along the way during preparation!

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups yellow cornmeal

1/2 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup hot water

2 egg whites

3 tablespoons 70% vegetable oil spread, melted

1/2 pound lean 95% ground beef

1 jar (16 oz) thick and chunky salsa

1 can (15 1/2 oz) red beans, drained and rinsed

1 garlic cloves, pressed

1 1/2 tsp chili powder

1/2 tsp ground cumin

1/2 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray deep dish casserole with nonstick cooking spray. In a small bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking soda and salt. Using a whisk, whisk water, egg whites and vegetable oil spread into cornmeal mixture; stir until smooth. Pour batter into casserole dish.

2. Place ground beef in a large skillet. Cook over medium heat 6-8 minutes or until no longer pink, breaking beef into crumbles; drain, if necessary.

3. Add salsa, beans, garlic, chili powder and cumin to beef; mix well. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Spoon beef mixture evenly over batter to within 1/2 inch of edge of baker. Bake 20-23 minutes or until crust is set. Remove from oven; sprinkle with cheese. Let stand 5 minutes. Cut into wedges.

Makes 8 servings, 5 WW points per serving. 270 calories, 8g fat, 5g Fiber.

Creamy Spinach Ravioli

I am on a roll with this new Pampered Chef cookbook, cooking yet another tasty dinner tonight. Seriously, I know I said this before but I am so impressed. How many times do you buy a new cookbook, maybe try one recipe from it and then have it sit on a bookshelf and never even look at it again? Definitely not the case with this cookbook and even though I feel like a walking advertisement for Pampered Chef, I don't care, you should go out and buy this cookbook.

I think I have only ever made ravioli once or twice before and have only used traditional tomato based sauces. I love the sauce for this ravioli with the spinach, mushrooms and red pepper, so different and delicious. The recipe calls for light cheese-filled ravioli which I had a hard time finding. In the end I ended up buying Hannaford's Nature's Place brand all natural Whole Wheat Medallions with portabella mushrooms and cheese. I figured they were even better than light cheese-ravioli because of the portabella mushrooms in them instead of just cheese. I don't make vegetarian meals that often and was hoping my husband wouldn't notice because he is definitely a "meat and potatoes" type of guy but as I was cooking, he came into the kitchen to see what I was concocting and the first thing out of his mouth was, "where's the meat?" In the end though, he really enjoyed eating it and even without any meat, he gave this recipe 7 out of 10 stars.

Ingredients:

1 package (8 oz) mushrooms, sliced

1/2 cup chopped onion

1/2 cup diced red bell pepper

2 package (9 oz each) refrigerated light cheese-filled ravioli

2 garlic cloves, pressed

1/4 tsp ground black pepper

3 ounces reduced-fat cream cheese (Neufchatel)

1/3 cup fat-free evaporated milk

1 package (10 oz) frozen creamed spinach in low-fat sauce, thawed

Fresh grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Slice mushrooms, chop onion and dice red pepper.

2. Cook ravioli according to package directions.

3. Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray; add mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, garlic and black pepper. Cook and stir 3-4 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4. Reduce heat to low; add cream cheese and evaporated milk. Stir until cream cheese is melted and sauce is smooth. Stir in creamed spinach. Simmer over low heat 1-2 minutes or until heated through. Pour vegetable mixture of ravioli; stir gently. Serve immediately. Serve with Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes 6 servings, 7 WW points per serving, 340 calories, 10 g fat, 4 g fiber.

Turkey Vegetable Cobbler

Tonight's recipe is another one from my new Pampered Chef cookbook, "It's Good for You". I can't tell you how happy I am that I have found so many great recipes out of this cookbook. Many times I get a new cookbook only to find one or two recipes that I want to try, so this is certainly a nice change. The liquid mixture in it was a lot thinner than I expected it to be but still very tasty, next time I will eat it in a bowl instead of on a plate. Also, next time I think I will microwave the veggies a little longer so they aren't so crunchy and lastly, I used skim milk instead of 2% because that's all I buy. All in all, another success and with the new rating system, Matt gives this recipe 7 out of 10 stars.

Turkey & Vegetable Filling

2 cups diced cooked turkey or chicken

1 cup sliced carrots

1/2 cup chopped onion

2 cup broccoli florets

1 can (10 3/4 oz) 98% fat-free reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup

1/2 cup 100% fat-free chicken broth

1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk

1 garlic clove, pressed

1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves

1/8 tsp ground black pepper

Biscuit Topping
1 1/4 cups reduced-fat all-purpose baking mix (I used Heart Healthy Bisquick)

1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk

1 egg white

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cut carrots into 1/4-inch slices, chop onion, cut up broccoli. In a large Micro-cooker (I don't have one, so I just used a microwaveable plastic dish with cover), combine carrots, onion and broccoli with a small amount of water in the bottom. Microwave, covered, on high 2-3 minutes or until crisp-tender; drain.

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine soup, broth, milk, garlic, thyme and black pepper; whisk until blended. Stir in turkey and vegetable mixture; mix well. Pour into a deep casserole dish.

3. For biscuit topping, in a small bowl combine baking mix, milk and egg white; stir just until dry ingredients are moistened and mixture forms a soft dough. Using a scoop or large spoon, drop six scoops of dough over filling. Bake 30-35 minutes or until topping is golden brown.

Makes 6 servings, 5 WW points per serving. 270 calories, 6g fat, 2g fiber.

Texas-Style Casserole

So as I'm sitting here getting ready to write about this new recipe I recently tried, I look at the recipe again and notice that it says breakfast on it. Ooops, my bad since I recently made it for dinner and my blog is titled "What's for Dinner?" not "What's for Breakfast?". Oh well, people have breakfast for dinner all of the time, right? I found this recipe on weightwatchers.com, I don't belong to their online service so I don't have access to all of the online recipes but they do put a few out to the general public and sometimes I stalk their site to find the new free ones. After making it, I understand why they say that the frozen peppers and corn need to be thawed before you use them. I didn't do this because I didn't really think it was that important and as a result, my casserole was a little more watery than I think it should have been. All in all, I really enjoyed it, I can't remember how many stars Matt gave it, 3.5 out of 5 I think. He has told me that he needs to start expanding the rating system from 5 to 10 stars because 5 just doesn't give him the flexibility that he needs when judging my creations. I say he can do whatever he'd like as long as he keeps being willing to try the food that I make!

Ingredients:

1 spray olive oil cooking spray

2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes (maybe this should have been my first clue that it was a breakfast recipe :)

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 cup frozen pepper strips, thawed
8 oz casual gourmet turkey sausage - mild Italian or other brand, thinly sliced. (I could find any turkey sausage so I used turkey kielbasa)

1 cup fat-free skim milk

2 large eggs

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

3/4 cups low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat a 9-inch square glass baking dish with cooking spray (I don't have a 9 inch one, so mine is a little bigger and it worked just fine)

Place potatoes and then vegetables in baking dish; top with sausage.

In a small bowl, beat together milk, eggs, salt and pepper; pour over sausage and then sprinkle with cheese.

Bake until casserole is hot and cheese is browned, about 45 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces and serve.

5 WW points per serving.

Asian Noodle Bowl

Ahhhh, Ramen Noodles, how you bring back memories of late night buffets in the Pi Phi house during college. One of the sisters actually used to eat a package raw while another was cooking on the stove which I never quite understood but always thought was pretty funny. I can honestly say that I never thought I would eat Ramen Noodles again after college. At .10 cents a package, it certainly was a bargain back then, but I'm a working girl now and certainly I can do a little better than Ramen, right? But when I saw this recipe in my Pampered Chef "It's Good for You" cookbook and saw that you use a package of Oriental flavored Ramen to make it, I was intrigued. Ramen can be a part of a recipe that is healthy and good for you? All of the other ingredients in it sounded good so I decided to go ahead and give it a try. Matt was very skeptical as well, he had pretty much written off the meal before he had even tried it (so you can imagine how much I was laughing to myself when he ate 2 big bowls :) In the end, I think we both really enjoyed it (Matt gave it 3 out of 5 stars), maybe not one of our favorites, but I would make it again. And to the Ramen Noodles, it was kind of nice to "see" you again, thanks for bringing back some memories!

Ingredients:
2 cups diced cooked chicken
2 cups thinly sliced bok coy
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions with tops
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup julienne-cut carrots, 1 inch long
1 1-inch piece peeled fresh gingerroot, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, pressed
3 cups water
1 can (14 oz) 100% fat free vegetable broth
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
1 package (3 oz) oriental-flavor ramen noodles

1. Dice chicken and thinly slice bok coy and green onions; set aside. Slice mushrooms, cut carrots into julienne strips. Peel and finely chop gingerroot and crush the garlic.
2. Place mushrooms, carrots, gingerroot and garlic in a large pot. Add water, broth, soy sauce and seasoning packet from ramen noodles; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Add chicken, boy choy, onions and noodles. Cover; remove from heat. Let stand 3 minutes. Serve immediately.

Makes 8 one cup servings, 3 WW points per serving, 130 calories, 3g fat, 1g fiber.

Shrimp and Linguine

I made this recipe for the first time last night and all I can say is, WOW! Definitely a new favorite and definitely one that I will be making again soon! I found it in my Pampered Chef "It's Good For You" recipe book, it's the first recipe I have tried out of this new book. You would seriously never know that this is a low-fat recipe, the sauce is very thick and creamy just like a regular Alfredo sauce would be. I didn't have fresh Parmesan cheese so I used the grated kind from a jar, next time I will buy some fresh to see if it makes that much of a difference. I also used whole wheat linguine which is healthier for you and I think more filling. It seems like a lot of ingredients when you first look at it, but it's very easy to make, especially if you do all of the prep work before you start to cook. This would be a great recipe to make when you have company, I think they would be impressed, especially when they find out that it's a light entree! Enjoy!

Ingredients:
3/4 pound uncooked shell-on medium shrimp (about 20-30), peeled, deveined and tails removed
3/4 cup coarsely chopped carrots (2 medium)
2 large plum tomatoes, seeded and diced
1/4 cup sliced green onions with tops
1/3 cup (1 1/2 ounces) grated fresh Parmesan cheese
8 ounces uncooked linguine
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, pressed
3/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/2 cup fat-free evaporated milk
1/4 cup snipped fresh basil leaves
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Additional grated fresh Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Peel and devein shrimp; remove tails. Coarsely chop carrots. Dice tomatoes and slice green onions. Grate Parmesan cheese.
2. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain. Return pasta to pot, cover and keep warm.
3. Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet. Add shrimp, carrots and pressed garlic. Cook and stir over medium heat 3-4 minutes or until shrimp turns pink; remove from skillet and keep warm.
4. Gently heat sour cream and evaporated milk in same skillet over low heat while whisking it (do not boil). Stir in Parmesan cheese. Add shrimp mixture, tomatoes, green onions, basil, salt and pepper; mix gently. Pour shrimp and vegetable mixture over pasta; toss gently to coat. Serve with additional Parmesan cheese, if desired.

Makes 4 servings, 6 WW points per serving, 300 calories, 8g fat, 2g fiber.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I love Fall baking. Apples and pumpkins and Halloween treats, I love it all. Unfortunately I haven't had much time yet this Fall to do much baking, so I am trying to make up for it over the long Columbus Day weekend. We had two parties to go on Saturday and I decided to make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies for the first time ever for one of the parties, as my sister Allison said it's her absolute favorite type of cookie. Well, it just might now be my favorite cookie as well. I don't know if I've ever received so many compliments before on something I have baked, I left Allison's house with many of my family members telling me that I better blog about these cookies so they can have the recipe as well. I found this recipe on the Maine chat board of thenest.com. Also, I went to the apple orchard today and picked up a bunch of apples, so stayed tuned over the next few days as I share with you some of my favorite apple recipes! Happy Fall!!

Ingredients:

2.5 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1/2 tsp salt

1.5 cups sugar

1 stick butter, softened

1 cup pumpkin

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla

1 cup chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, grease baking sheets

2. Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium size bowl.

3. Beat together sugar and butter until well blended.

4. Add in pumpkin, egg and vanilla, beat until smooth.

5. Gradually add in the premixed flour mixture.

6. Stir in chocolate chips.

7. Drop by tablespoon onto baking sheet, bake for 15-18 minutes until edges are firm.

Makes about 3.5-4 dozen cookies.

Mushroom and Blue Cheese Turkey Burgers with Baked Onion Rings and a Guest Judge

A couple of weeks ago, while the weather was still pretty warm, we were able to have one of my closest friends, Dyana, come for a visit. When I talked to her earlier in the day to figure out if she would be there for dinner or not, she immediately said, "Yes and can I please be a guest judge for your food blog for dinner tonight?!?" Well, how could I say no to that? I didn't dare to make something completely new in case it came out really bad (the pressure of having a guest judge and all) so I decided to go with a recipe that I found earlier this summer when I was still trying to find the perfect burger recipe. These Mushroom and Blue Cheese Turkey Burgers were by far our favorites of the summer. I brought them to a BBQ at our friend's house and got rave reviews from there, so I had a good feeling that Dy would like them as well. I did pair the burgers with Oven Baked Onion Rings which was a new recipe that I had never tried and I think they came out really good. My only complaint was that they seemed to get cold awfully fast but I don't know how to fix that except to eat them faster! Dy gave this meal a solid 4 out of 5 stars. Thanks for coming to visit G and for being a guest judge!!

Mushroom Blue Cheese Turkey Burgers

1 pound lean ground turkey (93%)

8 oz mushrooms, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

2 tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/4 cup blue cheese

Mix all ingredients together and form into burgers, I usually get 5-6 good sized ones. Cook on the grill, about 10 minutes on each side. I top each one with a little extra blue cheese. I don't know the points value for these but could probably figure it out. I think it would comparable to other turkey burgers I have made which are usually around 5 points per burger when served with a low calorie bun.

Oven Baked Onion Rings

1/4 cup and 2 tablespoons flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

1 large onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices

3 egg whites, lightly beaten

1 cup plain dried breadcrumbs

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray with Pam cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl add egg whites.

4. In a plastic baggie or on wax paper, mix together flour, salt and cayenne pepper

5. Place bread crumbs in a separate dish or on wax paper.

6. Separate onion slices in rings, dip into flour mixture and toss to coat, then into the egg mixture and then into bread crumbs and place on baking sheet.
7. Bake 10 minutes or until lightly browned.

8. Turn rings over and bake 5-10 minutes longer or until lightly browned.

Makes 6 servings, 2 WW points per serving.

Potato and Broccoli Soup in Bread Bowls

This recipe is one that I found on my good friend Kristina's food blog (http://www.kristinasfoodblog.blogspot.com) earlier this year and knew right away that I wanted to make it. Since then, I think I've made it 4 or 5 times and it is definitely a perfect recipe for when the weather starts to turn a little colder and you feel like eating more stews, soups and chowders. I don't know the WW points value for this one, I'm guessing it would be a little on the high side because of the bread bowls, so I wouldn't really call it low fat or low calorie. If you didn't serve it in the bread bowls, I don't think it would be too bad at all. Kristina has tried using different flavored bread bowls which I think is a great idea but I haven't been able to find any at my grocery store. I like to save the tops of the bread bowls for the leftovers, it's even yummier the next day! Matt gives this meal 3.5 out of 5 stars, I give it 4.

Ingredients:

1/4 cup flour

2 cans low-sodium chicken broth

1 small onion, chopped

1 tsp olive oil

2 medium russet potatoes, peeled and cubed

1 medium broccoli tree, chopped

1 cup skim milk

1/4 cup light cream

1 bag (2 cups) shredded sharp cheddar cheese

2 tbsp Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb Seasoning Blend

Bread bowls for serving

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and 1/2 cup of the broth. Set aside. This will be used later to thicken the soup.

2. In a large stockpot, saute the onion in the olive oil until soft.

3. Add remaining broth, potatoes, and broccoli

4. Bring to a nice simmer over medium heat and cook uncovered for about 10 minutes or until the potatoes are tender.

5. Cover and simmer another 10 minutes.

6. Pour in the flour mixture and stir in. Continue to stir over medium-high heat until soup thickens.

7. Pour in the milk and light cream, stirring to mix.

8. Add cheese and stir until melted.

9. Stir in Mrs. Dash.

10. Serve warm in bread bowls.

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Wow, it's so hard to believe that it has already been 2 years since we got married! We were so fortunate and blessed to be able to have so many of our family and friends come and celebrate with us on that gorgeous September day. To this day, we still get compliments on what a fun and memorable occasion it was. On Sept 8th, we celebrated the occasion with a trip to Portland and dinner at a new restaurant in the Old Port called Gaucho's on Commercial Street. I went to my first Brazilian steakhouse on a business trip to Texas back in 2007 and came back saying how much I wished that we had one in Maine. Well, now we do and while not quite as elaborate as the one I went to in Texas, this is definitely a keeper and a place that we have been recommending to all of our friends. It is a bit on the pricey side ($29.95 per person) so probably more suitable for a special occasion but for what you get for the price, I think it's well worth it. Make sure you go with an empty stomach and of course only if you are in the mood for eating some meat!

The meal starts with a trip to the salad bar which offers all of the traditional things you would find as well as lots of other things like Brazilian cheese bread, a cucumber salad, pineapple salad, a tomato and cheese insalata and much more. When you arrive back at your table you will find that your server has brought you a very delicious piece of salmon with some dill dipping sauce. Matt's not a huge salmon fan but this was one of my favorite parts of the meal. They also bring you a dining card that is green on one side and red on the other, green indicates you want more food, red means you need a break. When you're finished with your salad, your server brings out a plate of side dishes including fried plantains, baby yellow potatoes, rice and beans and yucca. Then you flip your card over to green and the meat starts coming, 12 different kinds to be exact, everything from filet wrapped in bacon to lamb to sausage to pork tenderloin and pork ribs to chicken to turkey wrapped in bacon to prime rib and much more. It seems like it never ends. They say to leave room for dessert but there was no way after trying a little bit of everything that we had any room left. I think my favorites were the lamb and the filet wrapped in bacon but it all got a little blurry at the end as my food coma started to set in. All in all, it was a wonderful anniversary and a very unique and delicious dinner. If we decide to go back next year I will skip breakfast and lunch in hopes of saving a little room for the dessert that sounded amazing!

Happy Anniversary babe, here's to many more wonderful years to come!

*photo by Sam Warren of www.samanthawarrenweddings.com

Turkey Cordon Blue

Or is it supposed to be Bleu instead of Blue? Hmmm, I looked online and found it spelled both ways on different recipes. Either way you spell it, this recipe is quite delicious and one I will certainly be making again! Very quick and easy and certainly much better and healthier than one of those frozen pre-made cordon bleu's you can buy at the grocery store. It's another one that I found on recipezaar.com and Matt gives this recipe 4 stars out of 5. I hope you like it as well!

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon flour

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp poultry seasoning

4 (3 oz) boneless skinless turkey breast cutlets

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms

1 onion (chopped)

1/4 cup chopped lean ham

2 (3/4 oz) part-skim mozzarella cheese slices, halved

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees; spray an 8" square baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a gallon-size seal able plastic bag, combine the flour, pepper and poultry seasoning; add turkey and shake to coat.

3. In a large nonstick skillet; heat the oil; add the turkey and cook till lightly browned, about 2 minutes on eat side.

4. Transfer to the baking dish.

5. In the same skillet, combine the mushrooms, onion and ham; stirring constantly, till softened, about 5 minutes.

6. Spoon evenly over turkey; top each cutlet with a slice of cheese.

7. Bake until turkey is cooked through; about 15 minutes.

Makes 4 servings, 4 WW points per serving, 186 calories, 6g fat, 1g fiber.

Chicken Tetrazzini

The first time I had Chicken Tetrazzini was at one of Matt's family reunions not too long after we had started dating. His Great Aunt Rita brought it and I immediately fell in love with this delicious dish that reminds me a bit of Chicken Alfredo because of the sauce. The 5th Harry Potter book had just come out the night before and while I knew I should be social since it was one of my first big "meet Matt's family events", I really just wanted to sit in the living room by myself with my Harry Potter book and a plate of Chicken Tetrazzini. I was so happy when I found the recipe in my Betty Crocker Cookbook and was even happier when Betty Crocker gave me a way to make it a "Lighter Chicken Tetrazzini". I will write the ingredients as the original recipe calls for them and then will tell you how to make the lighter version which is how I always make it now. Matt gives this recipe 4.5 out of 5 stars, definitely one his favorites. If you have never had Chicken Tetrazzini before, I highly recommend giving it a try! Enjoy!

1 package (7 ounces) spaghetti, broken into thirds

1/4 cup butter or stick margarine

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup chicken broth

1 cup whipping (heavy) cream

2 tablespoons dry sherry or water

2 cups cubed cooked chicken or turkey

1 can (4 oz) sliced mushrooms, drained

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1. Heat oven to 350.

2. Cook spaghetti as directed on package.

3. While spaghetti is cooking, melt butter in a 2-quart saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt and pepper. Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture is smooth and bubbly; remove from heat. Stir in broth and whipping cream. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly. Boil and stir 1 minute.

4. Drain spaghetti. Stir spaghetti, sherry, chicken and mushrooms into sauce.

5. Pour spaghetti mixture into ungreased 2-quart casserole. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake uncovered about 30 minutes or until bubbly in center.

To make a lighter version, decrease butter to 2 tablespoons and Parmesan cheese to 1/4 cup; substitute fat-free skim milk for the whipping cream. I also use whole wheat spaghetti in mine.

The lighter version makes 6 servings at 7 WW points per serving.

Corn Chowder

I have to first begin tonight by apologizing to my 5 loyal readers for my lack of blog love lately. Between Labor Day Weekend and our 2nd wedding anniversary, things have been a little busy and we haven't been home a whole lot, which means not as much time for cooking. I did manage to squeeze in a couple of recipes last week though that I want to blog about, starting tonight with Corn Chowder. As the weather starts to turn a little colder and you can feel Fall in the air, I start to think more about recipes like Beef Stew, Broccoli and Cheese Soup and this Corn Chowder recipe. I found this recipe in a Weight Watchers cookbook that I got a couple of years ago and have modified it a bit from the original. I am going to list the recipe on here in the original format and then I'll tell you what I do differently. I usually pair the chowder with a nice salad with a little chicken on top for some protein, delicious!

Corn and Bacon Chowder (this is the real name but because I don't use the bacon, I just call it Corn Chowder)

2 slices turkey bacon, cut into 1/2 inch pieces

2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons water

1 onion, chopped

1/2 yellow bell pepper, seeded and chopped

2 1/2 cups low-sodium chicken broth

2 medium all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cubed

2 cups whole corn kernels

1/4 cup light cream

1. In a medium nonstick pan over medium-high heat, cook the bacon in 2 tablespoons of water until crisp. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a paper towel; discard the liquid.

2. Add the onion, bell pepper and 2 teaspoons of water to the saucepan; saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add the stock and potatoes; bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer, partially covered, until the potatoes are almost tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the corn; simmer 5 minutes longer. Remove from the heat; cool slightly.

3. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a food processor or blender; puree. Pour back into the saucepan; stir in the cream and heat to serving temperature. Serve, topped with the bacon pieces.

Makes 4 servings, 4 WW points per serving

I made it with the turkey bacon the first time I tried this recipe and to me, it just didn't add enough to the chowder to make it worthwhile to use the bacon again. So I omit that and I also omit the yellow pepper, as Matt and I both agree that it tastes better without that as well. But feel free to try it whatever way you would like, maybe even add your own twist to it. Let me know how you like it if you make it! Oh yeah, Matt gives this one 3.5 starts out of 5.

Lobster Stew

We had the pleasure of heading down to Higgins Beach this past weekend for a night of fun and laughter with some close friends of ours. Earlier in the week, Matt said to me, "let's make something really good to bring to Higgins this weekend." We brainstormed for a minute and then Matt came up with the idea that we should try to make a lobster stew. I instantly agreed because I love lobster stew and it's the perfect thing to bring to an oceanfront getaway. Deciding what the make was the easy part, finding a recipe that didn't look too complicated yet sounded like it was going to taste like the "real thing" was the hard part. I must have looked at least 50 recipes online until I found one that I was happy with (found it on http://www.recipezaar.com/). In the end, I think it came out great. Everyone that tried it really seemed to like it although Matt claims that there was something missing from it although he isn't sure what. I'm going to ask his grandmother what she puts in hers when we see her this weekend because she hands down makes the best soups and chowders I have ever had. Now this is in no way low calorie or low fat, but as long as you're not eating it every weekend, I think you'll be OK. Everything is fine in moderation, right?

Ingredients:

2-3 cups cooked lobster meat, chopped
1/2 cup butter (1 stick)
1/4-1/3 cup onion, diced finely

1 teaspon Mrs. Dash seasoning mix (original blend)
1 (14 ounce) can evaporated milk

1 cup light cream

3 cups milk (I used whole milk)

1. In a soup pot, melt the butter over medium high heat.

2. Add the onions and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

3. Add lobster meat and Mrs. Dash and cook for another 5-7 minutes. Stir occasionally.

4. Add the evaporated milk slowly. Next add the milk and cream slowly, stirring at the same time.

5. Heat the stew until almost boiling, but do not let it boil!

6. Take off heat and let cool.

7. Refrigerate over night.

8. Heat slowly the next day until hot but not boiling.

9. Serve with oyster crackers or fresh bread.

I noticed that a lot of the other recipes said to save the tomalley and the roe while you pick the lobsters, so we did that and I cooked both in a little bit of the butter before I added the rest of the butter and the onions. Matt also had a great idea to pick up some lobsters that were already cooked on his way home from work, so that certainly saved some time as well. The only other suggestion I will make is to make sure you heat it very slowly and do not let it boil, you don't want it to curdle!

I am also including a picture of an appetizer that my friend Kendall made that is so easy yet so delicious. I will certainly be making this myself in the future!

Take some roasted red peppers, some fresh basil and some pine nuts and mix them together with a little extra virgin olive oil. Serve on mini slices of french bread that have been topped with spreadable goat cheese. Yummy!

Lastly, here are a couple of pictures from Higgins Beach, such a gorgeous spot!

General Tsao's Chicken

Mmmmm, Chinese food....everyone loves Chinese food, right? Tonight's recipe is one that I found on weightwatchers.com back in January but only recently got around to making it. I have probably made it 3 or 4 times now and it has quickly become a favorite. There's just enough spice in it from the red pepper and I love how you get a hint of peanuts from the peanut oil that it's cooked in. Now, I can't tell you if it tastes like the "real" General Tsao's Chicken from a Chinese restaurant because to be completely honest, I have never ordered General Tsao's in a Chinese restaurant. So for those of you that have had the real stuff and decide to try out this recipe, please let me know how close it is to the real thing! Matt gives it 3 1/2 stars out of 5, I would give it 4 1/2, it's definitely one of my faves. Enjoy!

Ingredients:

3/4 cup chicken broth, low sodium

1 1/2 tbsp cornstarch

2 tbsp sugar

2 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

1 tbsp white wine vinegar

1/2 tsp ground ginger

2 tsp peanut oil

2 medium scallions, chopped

2 medium garlic cloves, minced

1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 2-inch pieces

2 cups cooked white rice, kept hot (I use brown rice)

In a medium bowl, whisk together broth, cornstarch, sugar, soy sauce, vinegar and ginger; set aside.

Heat oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallions, garlic and pepper and cook 2 minutes. Add chicken and cook until browned all over, about 5 minutes.

Add reserved sauce and simmer until sauce thickens and chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes.

Serve chicken and sauce over rice. Yields about 1 cup of chicken and sauce and 1/2 cup of rice per serving, makes 4 servings, 6 WW points per serving.

Turkey Burgers with Chili Fries

As you can probably tell by now, Matt and I both enjoy a good burger with some fries. I have been searching for and making many different burger recipes lately in hopes of finding one that is delicious and at the same time, isn't that bad for you. Enter the Turkey Burger with Chili Fries recipe I recently found on recipezaar.com. Juicy and full of flavor, this was an excellent burger and the fries were tasty as well. Matt gives this one a solid 4 out of 5 stars and has given me permission to make it again in the future. I hope that you enjoy this one as much as we did!

Ingredients:

2 large potatoes, cut into thin strips

2 large egg whites

3/4 tablespoon ground cumin

1/2 tsp table salt

1/2 tsp chili powder

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 lb lean ground turkey (I used 97%)

1/2 med red onion, chopped

1 large egg, beaten

2 tablespoons parsley, chopped

1 garlic clove, minced

1/2 tsp ground tarragon (I left this out, didn't have any and couldn't find any at the store)

1/2 tsp table salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

4 medium high-fiber rolls, 2 oz each

1. Preheat oven to 450. Coat a nonstick baking sheet and a broiler rack with cooking spray.

2. In a large bowl, combine potatoes, egg whites, cumin, salt, chili powder and pepper; toss to coat. Transfer to baking sheet.
3. Bake until potatoes are barely tender, about 15 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, lightly combine turkey, onion, egg, parsley, garlic, tarragon, salt and pepper. Form into 4 burgers.

5. Increase oven temperature to broil. Transfer fries to broiler rack and broil them until crispy, about 10 minutes. At the same time, broil burgers until brown, about 5 minutes per side. (I cooked ours on the grill instead of in the oven and they took about 15-20 minutes to cook on the grill)

6. Place on rolls and serve immediately.

Makes 4 servings, 1 burger and 1/4 of the fries per serving, 9 WW points per serving.

Chicken Pot Pie

Tonight's recipe is one that I have made a number of times and is one of our favorites. I found this Chicken Pot Pie recipe in a Weight Watchers "Time Saving Meal Ideas" book and it is fast, easy to make and delicious. I had to purchase these small casserole dishes (http://tinyurl.com/n4ecge) to cook the pies in but I was able to find some fairly cheap at WalMart awhile back. The recipe below is made to serve one but can be multiplied for additional servings. I usually make 4, we each eat one and have the other two for lunches during the week. I pair ours with baked potatoes because I like to use the gravy from the pot pie to put on the potato, mmmm mmmm good!

3 oz of boneless, skinless cooked chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces

1/2 cup frozen or canned vegetables, thawed if using frozen

1/2 cup low-fat condensed cream of chicken soup

2 tbsp chicken broth
1 unbaked, refrigerated buttermilk biscuit

In a 2-cup casserole, combine the chicken, vegetables, soup and broth. Flatten the biscuit dough to the diameter of the casserole and set over filling; press edges to casserole rim to seal. Bake at 350 degrees until golden brown, about 15 minutes.

307 calories, 7g fat, 3 g fiber, 6 WW points per pie.

Barbecue Meatloaf with Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

I am so happy that it is cool enough in my house tonight so that I can cook in the oven! It appears that the crazy humidity we've had these past few days has come to an end (at least for now). I made tonight's meal for the first time a couple of weeks ago and we both immediately knew this would go onto the regular meal list. Meatloaf is yet another thing that I never ate growing up. One year for Matt's birthday, maybe a year or two after we had started dating, I asked him what he wanted me to make him for his birthday dinner, anything at all. He thought for a minute and then said, "meatloaf". "Meatloaf"? EW! I didn't want to do it, but because it was his birthday, I found a recipe and made it for him. And I really liked it. I haven't really made it that often though because that first recipe I found wasn't all too healthy. I recently found this Weight Watchers version on http://www.recipezaar.com/ and was very excited to find that it still tastes just as good in the lower fat version. Paired with some garlic mashed potatoes and a vegetable, it has quickly become one of our new favorites! Matt's official rating is 4 out of 5 stars. Hope you like it just as much!

Barbecue Meatloaf

1 lb 93% lean ground beef

1/2 cup barbecue sauce, divided
1/4 cup chopped onions

1/4 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

2 large egg whites

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

2. Combine meat, 1/4 cup barbecue sauce, onion, breadcrumbs, egg whites and seasons of your choice in a large bowl; stir well.

3. Shape mixture into a loaf pan. Spread remaining 1/4 cup barbecue sauce over loaf.
4. Bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes or until desired degree of doneness.

Makes 4 servings at 4 WW points per serving

Garlic Mashed Red Potatoes

8 small uncooked red potatoes, peeled (I left the skin on) and cut into 2-inch chunks

4 medium garlic cloves, peeled

1/4 cup nonfat sour cream

1/4 skim milk

2 tablespoons chives, fresh (I used dried because I didn't have fresh)

1/8 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1. Combine potatoes and garlic in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover; set pan over high heat and bring to a boil.

2. Reduce heat slightly and boil until potatoes are fork tender, about 8 minutes; drain water from saucepan.

3. Add sour cream, milk and chives to pan; mix until combined

4. Mash mixture with a potato masher until smooth

5. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

6. Yield about 1/2 cup per serving.

Makes about 8 servings, 3 WW points per serving.

Mexican Chicken with Mexican Rice

Yes, I am crazy because I cooked in the insane heat last night. It was 92 degrees in my kitchen by the time I got done, really too hot to even enjoy the meal. We are not making that same mistake two nights in a row, Matt is on his way home with Subway right now. Hopefully this heat won't last much longer so I can continue with my regularly scheduled cooking. Last nights meal was something new and all in all, a success. Matt's official rating is just in and he gives the rice 3 stars and the chicken 4 stars. My only complaint was that even after cooking for an hour, the rice never got as soft as I would have liked it to. It had great flavor but was a little too hard. Now, I am used to cooking and eating Minute Rice so that could be the problem. This was the first time I have made anything with "normal rice" so maybe it's just a matter of getting used to a different type of rice. I used organic long grain brown rice. For those of you with experience with rice outside of the Minute stuff, what do you think? Is there that much of a difference? Will it just take some getting used to? Any thoughts or comments are appreciated! I paired the chicken and rice with corn because it seems the most "Mexican" vegetable to me, but feel free to pair with whatever vegetable you would like!

Mexican Chicken Breasts

1 package taco seasoning

16 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 cup salsa

1/4 cup fat free sour cream

1. Place chicken breasts and taco seasoning in a seal able plastic bag; shake to coat well.

2. Spray casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray

3. Place breasts in casserole

4. Bake 30 minutes at 375 degrees

5. Top with salsa about 5 minutes before breasts are done

6. Top with sour cream before serving

Makes 4 servings, 4 WW points each serving

156 calories, 1.7g fat, 1.0g fiber, 6.5g carbohydrates

Mexican Rice

1 tsp salt

1 garlic clove, minced

3 tbsp olive oil

1 cup brown rice, not instant

2 cups fat-free chicken broth

1 (10 oz) can Ro-Tel tomatoes

1/2 cup red pepper, chopped

1/2 cup onion, chopped

1. Heat oil. Add rice and cook until golden and toasted. Add and lightly saute onion, pepper and garlic.

2. Put salt, 1/2 cup of tomatoes (undrained) and broth in a blender. Process till smooth.

3. Add liquid from blender to the rice mixture slowly. You can drain the rest of the tomatoes and add them to the rice at this point if you want extra tomato.

4. Bring to a boil; cover, turn heat to low, and simmer until rice is tender, about 1 hour.

5. Don't remove the lid during the cooking process.

Makes 6 servings, 4 WW points per serving

191 calories, 7.8g fat, 1.5g fiber, 27.7g carbohydrates

Cheeseburgers with Grilled Onions paired with Grilled Vegetables

With temperatures in the low 90's today and my house in the high 80's, there was NO WAY I was cooking inside tonight. It was definitely a night for grilling. So this evening I tried out two new recipes, the cheeseburger recipe is from weightwatchers.com and the grilled veggie recipe is from recipezaar.com. I think the cheeseburgers were lacking a little in flavor, next time I will probably add a little Worcestershire or soy sauce for some added flavor. Matt claims to have become the official "rater" of the meals for the blog and was disappointed I didn't remind him to rate the chili from yesterday. He gives this meal 3.5 stars out of 5 because of the zucchini which he apparently isn't a big fan of. Feel free to add or subtract different veggies based on your personal preferences, it sounds like next time I will be leaving out the zucchini!

Cheeseburgers with Grilled Onions

1 pound uncooked lean ground beef (93%)

1 medium garlic clove, minced

1/4 tsp salt

1/8 tsp pepper

1/2 small red onion, cut into 4 thin slices

1/2 tsp olive oil

1/8 tsp dried oregano, crushed

1/4 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese, sharp variety

4 items reduced calorie hamburger rolls (I use the Arnold's Select Multi-Grain Sandwich Thins)

1 small tomato, cut into 8 thin slices

Preheat grill to medium-hot heat

In a medium bowl, gently combine beef, garlic, salt and pepper; form into four 1/2 inch-thick patties. Place on grill and cook 4 to 5 minutes on one side; flip and continue cooking until desired degree of doneness, about 3 to 4 minutes more. Sprinkle each burger with 1 tablespoon of cheese; cook until cheese melts, about 1 minute.

Meanwhile, brush both sides of onion with oil. Grill until bottom is lightly browned, about 3 to 4 minutes. Flip onion and sprinkle with oregano; grill for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Lightly toast open-faced buns on grill. Place burgers on buns and top each with onion and tomato slices. Yields 1 cheeseburger per serving, 6 WW points were serving.

Grilled Vegetables

Olive oil flavored cooking spray

1 medium sweet red pepper, seeded and sliced

1 medium green pepper, seeded and sliced

1 summer squash, thinly sliced

1 zucchini, thinly sliced

1 cup red onion, thinly sliced

12 oz canned artichoke hearts, without oil, drained (I substituted one package of baby portabella mushrooms because we like mushrooms better than artichokes)

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp table salt

1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground

After slicing all of the vegetables, mix them all together and then place them in a grilling basket. Coat vegetables with the cooking spray; sprinkle with the thyme, salt and black pepper.

Cook on grill until they are tender and golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 25 to 30 minutes. Yields about 3/4 cup per serving, makes 8 servings. 0 WW points per serving, but if you eat 2 or 3 servings like we did, it would be one or two points.

41 calories, .2g fat, 3.5g fiber, 9.4g carbohydrates, 2.1g protein.

Crock Pot Chicken Chili

Would you believe that I never tried chili until I was 24? It wasn't something that we ate growing up and it certainly doesn't look appetizing, so when Matt finally got me to try his grandmother's chili about a year after we had starting dating, I was pretty sure I would hate it. I actually loved it and I now make it all the time. I like chili so much in fact that Matt and I went to our first Chili and Chowder challenge this year and had a blast. We must have tried at least 25 different kinds of chili while we were there and we are already planning on going back next year. This is a new recipe that I recently found online at http://www.recipezaar.com/ and it's the first time I have made chili with chicken instead of ground beef or turkey. While it was a little too hot yesterday to be eating chili for dinner, this was cooked in the crock pot so at least I didn't have to work too hard in the heat! Overall, we were very impressed with this chili, I will definitely be making it again.

12 ounces boneless skinless chicken breasts, diced

1 (1 3/8 oz) envelope chili seasoning mix

1 quart canned tomato (I used diced)

15 ounces canned corn, undrained

15 ounces canned kidney beans, drained

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 onion, chopped

1/2 cup salsa

In a sprayed, nonstick skillet, sear chicken.

Add chicken to crock pot with remaining ingredients

Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours

Top with your favorite chili toppings (cheese, sour cream, raw onions, etc) and Enjoy!

Makes 8 servings, 2.5 WW points per serving

158 Calories per serving, 1.3g Fat, 5g Fiber, 23.87g Carbohydrates, 15.1g Protein