Enchilada Casserole with Spicy Black Beans

I got this recipe out of my Cooking Light magazine. I love Cooking Light and always find several recipes in each issue that I want to try, but this was my first time trying any recipes out of that magazine. It turned out great and we all loved it. I seeded the jalapeno in the beans so the boys could have this for dinner also.

Enchilada Casserole with Spicy Black Beans modified from Cooking Light magazine

1lb ground sirloin
1 chopped onion
1 tbsp butter
1 clove minced garlic
1 1/2 tbsp all purpose flour
1 cup beef broth (I used 1 beef bullioun cube with 1 cup boiling water)
1 tbsp taco seasoning (40% less sodium)
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce (no salt added)
4 (8 inch) whole wheat tortillas
1/3 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese (I used a blend I found called "authentic hispanic cheese")

1. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add beef and onion to pan; cook until no longer pink. Drain
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
3. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add garlic; saute 1 minute. Sprinkle with flour; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Add broth, taco seasoning, and tomato sauce to pan. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add 1 1/2 cups tomato mixture to beef mixture; reserve 1/2 cup tomato mixture.
4. Place 1 tortilla in a 9 inch pie plate. Top with 1 cup beef mixture. Repeat layers, ending with tortilla. Spread reserved tomatoe mixture over tortilla. Top with cheese. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until cheese melts. Cool slightly. Cut into 4 wedges.

Spicy Black Beans
Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add 2 teaspoons canola oil to pan; swirl to coat. Add 1 cup chopped red bell pepper and 1 minced jalapeno pepper, saute 4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1 (15oz) can rinsed and drained organic no-salt-added black beans. Cook 3 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro.

Recipes

I've been trying a lot of new recipes lately, and I have Pinterest to blame. I keep seeing delicious recipes that I have to try. I'm on a crock pot kick now, so I'll have several crock pot recipes to share over the next couple of weeks.

Frozen Hot Chocolate
I love getting a drink from Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts, but it's so expensive and very fattening. Dunkin Donuts has these delicious Frozen Hot Chocolates and I'd hate to know how many calories are in one of those. I found this recipe and all it calls for is: fat free half and half, chocolate pudding (you can use fat free) and cinnamon. Cheap, healthy, and super easy. I didn't make the homemade whip cream that it had in the recipe, I do not like whipped cream on my drinks. So, I just drank it plain. They were really good. I love the chocolate and cinnamon combo.

Source: womansday.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Chicken Enchilada Soup
I thought this was a crockpot recipe, but it's not. I didn't realize it until I was writing down the ingredients before we went to the store. It wasn't hard to make, but there were a few steps and it took about an hour and a half. You put the chicken in the broth, cook for 30 minutes, take it out, add veggies and cook for 30 min, etc. But, Greg LOVED it. I thought it was really tasty, too. I'd like to have it again, but right now I'm trying to stick to quick and easy dinners. For as long as it took to make, I'd rather have made real homemade enchiladas.

Source: homeiswheretheholmansare.blogspot.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Ranch House Crock Pot Pork Chops with Parmesan Mashed Potatoes.
SO YUMMY!!!! And I cannot stress how easy the pork chops were. You just throw them in the crock pot, put a packet of ranch seasoning on them and a can of cream of chicken soup and cook for 6 hours. The mashed potatoes were really good, although I forgot to roast the garlic, so I just skipped that ingredient. Next time we have them, we'll have instant mashed potatoes which we think are just as good and will make this super easy meal even easier and quicker. Greg really liked this.

Source: realmomkitchen.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Tomato Recipes

I'm taking a quick break from blogging about our week to post some recipes we've tried over the past couple of days. We have had a ton of tomatoes from our garden, so I've been making all kinds of tomatoe recipes. In addition to making these, I gave away two HUGE bowls worth of tomatoes because we couldn't eat them fast enough.

I made this tomato pie recipe that I found on Scissors and Spatulas. If you haven't been to her blog, you have to check it out, she always has the best craft ideas and recipes. I loved this dish!

Source: scissorsandspatulas.com via Samantha on Pinterest

I know I wrote about this on another post, but I wanted to include it in this post. We've actually had this twice in the past week. The first time I made it according to the recipe, but the second time I left out the shrimp and added 10 tomatoes instead of the 5 that the recipe calls for. I actually liked it better that way.

Source: realsimple.com via Samantha on Pinterest

I love this Orzo with Feta and Tomatoes from Rachel Ray. It's so simple and tasty. It would be good as a side dish, but we eat a bowl of it as an entree. It's really quick and easy to make. You should definitely try it.

Source: foodnetwork.com via Samantha on Pinterest

Recipes

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time on Pinterest. I love it! It's my favorite thing to do when the boys are sleeping. I use it to find great ideas on how to turn the basement into the ultimate playroom, get fun outfit inspriration, household tips, cute ideas for pictures, craft ideas, etc. I've also found that it's a great way to find and store my favorite recipes. I love trying new recipes, especially any that involve fresh vegetables from our garden. I try and blog all my recipes so I have an easy way to go back and see what we've tried and liked. Since the pictures from Pinterest are better than what I took, I'm going to use them along with a link to each website for the full recipe.


ROASTED TOMATOES WITH FETA & SHRIMP

This roasted tomato dish was amazing! We served it over angel hair pasta with a slice of crusty bread and it was delicious. I cooked the shrimp way too long, so they ended up being tough, but the tomatoes were so yummy. I could actually do without the shrimp next time I make it.

Source: realsimple.com via Samantha on Pinterest

JALAPENO POPPER GRILLED CHEESE
Greg and I both loved this recipe. It was simple and delicious. We used fresh jalapenos from our garden and it was SPICY!

Source: beckybakes.net via Samantha on Pinterest

CILANTRO LIME RICE
This recipe is from Gina's Skinny Recipes. It's a website full of delicious weight watcher recipes. This recipe is actually a skinny version of Chipotle's rice. Chipotle is one of my favorite restaurants, so I knew I had to try it. I loved it.

Source: skinnytaste.com via Samantha on Pinterest

FRUIT SALSA WITH CINNAMON CHIPS
Don't let the word "salsa" confuse you, there's no onions, cilantro, etc. in this recipe, it's basically fruit salad that's cut up small so it's easy to dip it. I didn't make the chips like the recipe called for, I just used Stacy's Pita chips in Cinnamon and Sugar. Next time, I'd like to make my own chips though.

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Samantha on Pinterest

CAKE BATTER BALLS
These are bad news. They are so easy to make and so delicious. They taste just like cake batter. It's easy to eat a million of them because they're so tasty. Greg and I ate way too many of these things. From now on, I'll only make it if we're having company or if I reduce the recipe so it doesn't make as much.

Source: the-girl-who-ate-everything.com via Samantha on Pinterest

We got the ingredients to make these two recipes this weekend. I'm excited to try them. The first is Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese--how can it possibly be bad?

Source: grilledcheesesocial.com via Samantha on Pinterest

I don't even know if Greg's aware that I'm making this red onion, cucumber, and tomato salad. He probably won't like it, he's not a big fan of raw onions. But, I love stuff like this. Yummy, cold salads are perfect for summer. I hope it tastes as good as it looks.

Source: jennysteffens.blogspot.com via Samantha on Pinterest

So, there's the recipes I've been trying lately. I know I've been pretty bad about blogging lately. It's beed busy around here. I don't see Evan and Carter slowing down anytime soon, so I'm just trying to keep up. Two active boys make for one tired momma. I've been meaning to do a "week in the life of" post. I really wanted to do one every couple of months since they were born so I could look back and see how much things have changed, but I haven't done it. I'm going to try and document my life for the next two weeks by blogging daily about our day and routine. It'll be super boring for anybody who reads my blog, but I want to look back and be able to see what a typical day was like for us at this age. Hopefully, I can do it every so often so I can compare how different our days are as they get older.

Tortellini and Tomato Salad

Another recipe from the July issue of Southern Living. I was going to make this later in the summer when I could use tomatoes out of our garden, but since we grilled some fresh corn for 4th of July, I figured I'd just use the leftovers for this salad. I thought this was so tasty and perfect for eating cold for lunch.

Tortellini and Tomato Salad
Ingredients


2 (9-oz.) packages refrigerated cheese-filled tortellini
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups baby heirloom tomatoes, halved
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1/2 cup thinly sliced green onions
1/2 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil
Salt and pepper

Preparation

1. Prepare tortellini according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, process olive oil and next 5 ingredients in a blender until smooth. Toss olive oil mixture with hot cooked tortellini, tomatoes, and next 3 ingredients. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Island Chicken with Pineapple Salsa

My friend gave me this recipe and said it was one of her favorite recipes. I have been hesistant to try fruit salsa and I haven't made many main dishes that require fruit. I didn't know how we'd like it, but I thought this was the perfect time to try something new. I'm so glad we did. Greg & I both loved it. I used the optional jalepeno it called for and left in a lot of the seeds to give it a kick. I couldn't believe how much Greg liked it. We'll be making this a lot this summer. It's healthy and tastes so fresh. Enjoy!

Island Chicken with Pineapple Salsa


Ingredients
16 ounces boneless, skinless chicken

Marinade:
1 can (8 ounces) unsweetened crushed pineapple, juice only, (reserve fruit for salsa)
1 T low-sodium soy sauce
1 T honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 t red pepper flakes (I added a little more)
Salsa:
Pineapple from strained can
1 mango, peeled and diced
2 kiwis, peeled and diced
1/4 c red onion, diced fine
1 lime, juiced
1 T cilantro, chopped
1 T jalapeno pepper, diced fine (optional)

Directions

Open pineapple and strain to separate juice from fruit. Place juice in a baking dish. Add soy sauce, honey, garlic and red pepper to the dish and stir. Slice chicken breasts into 4 4-ounce strips. If thick, pound out to flatten with a meat mallet or rolling pin. Place chicken in the marinade and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight. Prepare salsa by combining all ingredients. Preheat grill to medium heat or turn on broiler and place rack in the middle of the oven, about 6" away from the heat source. Grill or broil chicken for 4-5 minutes per side or until the meat is no longer pink. Serve with fruit salsa.

Makes 4 servings, 3 ounces cooked meat and 1/2 cup of salsa

Number of Servings: 4

**I wasn't sure how to pick out a mango since it was my first time buying one. If you aren't sure how to tell if something is ripe--ask!! There's almost always an employee in the produce section stocking and they've always been so nice and helpful anytime I've had a question. This doesn't just apply to vegetables, if you have a question about anything, ask one of the employees. I've asked the guy at the meat counter several questions from how to pick something out, to what something was, and if he thinks it'd work in my recipe and he never steers me wrong**

Monday's Meals

It's that time of the week again, it's Monday's Meals over on "A Love Worth Waiting For". This week's post is all about a quick and easy meal. Right after the boys were born (when they slept all the time) and I had my mom here to help me with them, I made several meals and froze them so Greg and I could just take them out of the freezer and cook them when we were pressed for time. I'm so glad I did that, it's really come in handy. I will always try and keep a prepared meal in the freezer now because they are perfect for lazy Sundays when we just want to relax and hang out with the boys or on Mondays when we're just too busy with everything else and want something we can just heat up and eat on all week.

I got this recipe out of a Freezer Meals recipe book that I picked up at the grocery store. It's called Beef Taco Lasagna and it's super easy to make. I was afraid that it'd taste a little bland, so I used "hot" taco seasoning and "hot" salsa to spice it up. It was so delicious with the perfect amount of spice. Greg loved it too.

Beef Taco Lasagna
12 lasagna noodles
1lb of ground beef
1 envelope of taco seasoning
2 egg whites
1 carton (15oz) ricotta cheese
4 cups of shredded cheddar cheese
1 jar (24oz) chunky salsa

1. Cook noodles according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in taco seasoning. In a small bowl, combine egg whites and ricotta cheese. Drain noodles.
2. In a 13x9 baking dish, layer 4 noodles, 3/4 cup ricotta mixutre, half the beef mixture and 1-1/3 cups cheddar cheese. Top with four noodles 3/4 cup ricotta mixture, 1-1/2 cups salsa and 1-1/3 cup cheese. Repeat
3. Cover and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator for 8 hours and then bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 35-40 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes before cutting.

I wrote on the top of my disposable container in permanent marker how long to cook the casserole and at what temperature, so I wouldn't have to get out the recipe.

I served this casserole with Old El Paso black beans. They come in a pouch that you put in the microwave for 60 seconds and they're ready to serve. So easy!! They also carry a spanish rice that's microwavable. They are the perfect, quick side dishes for busy nights.
We had chocolate chip cookies for dessert. Keeping with the quick and easy theme, I used the breakaway cookie dough that you buy in the refrigerated section. Baking doesn't get any easier than this.
It's nice to spend time making homemade sides, desserts and eating casseroles fresh, but sometimes when you're pressed for time, it's nice to have these types of foods on hand so you can eat a delicious homecooked meal at home without having to go through a drive-thru.

Monday Meals-Paula Deen Style

It's that time of the week again, it's Monday Meals over on "A Love Worth Waiting For". I have 3 recipes to post today. Last week I watched an episode of Paula's Home Cooking and every recipe looked so delicious, so on Sunday, I woke up early and went the grocery store while Greg watched the boys. I made "Crabbies" for lunch and Taco Soup for supper and Peanut Butter Cheese Cake Minis for dessert, all from Paula Deen. I thought everything was absolutely delicious and will definitely be making all these recipes again.

Crabbies
Ingredients
8 ounces good white crabmeat, picked free of all shells
1 (5-ounce) jar Cheddar-horseradish spread (recommended: Kraft Old English)
2 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened
Dash hot sauce or cayenne pepper
8 large toasted bread rounds
Chopped parsley leaves, for garnish
Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine crab, cheese spread, mayonnaise, garlic powder, butter and hot sauce. Divide mixture evenly over bread rounds and spread. Score each round into quarters and place on a greased baking sheet. Bake until topping is heated through and golden brown on top, about 10 to 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with parsley. Serve hot. These freeze and store well for drop-in company.





Taco Soup
Ingredients
2 pounds ground beef
2 cups diced onions
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans pinto beans
1 (15 1/2-ounce) can pink kidney beans
1 (15 1/4-ounce) can whole kernel corn, drained
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can Mexican-style stewed tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can diced tomatoes
1 (14 1/2-ounce) can tomatoes with chiles
2 (4 1/2-ounce) cans diced green chiles
1 (4.6-ounce) can black olives, drained and sliced, optional
1/2 cup green olives, sliced, optional
1 (1 1/4-ounce) package taco seasoning mix
1 (1-ounce) package ranch salad dressing mix
Corn chips, for serving
Sour cream, for garnish
Grated cheese, for garnish
Chopped green onions, for garnish
Pickled jalapenos, for garnish



Directions
Brown the ground beef and onions in a large skillet; drain the excess fat, then transfer the browned beef and onions to a large slow cooker or a stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, green chiles, black olives, green olives, taco seasoning, and ranch dressing mix, and cook in a slow cooker on low for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for about 1 hour in a pot on the stove. To serve, place a few corn chips in each bowl and ladle soup over them. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapenos.





Peanut Butter Cheese Cake Minis
Ingredients
Crust:
1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
4 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter, melted
12 bite-size peanut butter cups



Filling:
2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract or almond extract
2 eggs

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Place a paper cupcake liner in each cup of a standard muffin pan.
To make crust, in a bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter until crumbs are moistened. Press crust into bottom of each muffin cup. Put 1 peanut butter cup into the center of each crust. Beat cream cheese with a handheld electric mixer until fluffy. Add sugar, flour, and vanilla, beating well. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. Spoon cream cheese mixture over peanut butter cups and graham cracker crusts. Bake until just set, about 20 minutes. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Monday's Meals-Chili

Every Monday, Lindsie over on "A Love Worth Waiting For" has "Monday's Meals" where her readers share recipes so everybody can get ideas on what to cook for dinner. I decided last week to make a pot of chili on Friday so Greg and I could eat on it all weekend. My mom left Friday morning, so it's just the 4 of us now and I thought we could use an easy meal for our first full weekend alone with the boys. It's so easy and delicious. It's the perfect meal for fall (it was perfect fall weather when I bought the ingredients but today it's 86 degrees out!). I like to cook the meat and cut up the vegetables the night before and then in the morning, put everything in the crock pot and cook on low for 10 hours.

Dad's Crock Pot Chili

1 lb. coarsely ground beef chuck
1 lb of inexpensive steak, (flank, top, round, etc)
2 (16 oz) cans red kidney beans, include liquid
2 (14 1/2 oz) cans tomotoes, include liquid (I used Zesty Chili Style tomatoes)
1 small can tomato paste, and 1 can of liquid
1 (16 oz) jar sliced jalapeno peppers
2 medium onions, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, seeded and coarsely chopped
2 cloves garlic, peel and crushed
3 heaping tablespoons chili powder
3 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon seaston salt
1 teaspoon tenderizer salt

Add oil to pan and saute garlic for 1-2 minutes, add ground beef,add pepper and season salt. Brown meat and drain. Cut the steak into small bite-sized pieces. Add oil to pan and saute garlic for 1-2 minutes, add steak, add pepper and tenderizer salt. Brown and drain fat. Add meat and all other ingredients to crock pot. Stir well. Cover and cook on low for 10 hours. *I cook the meat and cut up the onion & green pepper the night before, so all I have to do in the morning is combine all the ingredients*

Monday's Meals "Simple Sesame Noodles"

Lindsie over on "A Love Worth Waiting For" is having "Monday's Meals" where everybody shares a recipe that they like. It's a great way to get some fresh ideas on what to cook for supper. I've been so lucky to have my mom here helping with the boys so I've been able to cook some this past week. I tried a couple new recipes as well as some of my go to favorites. This recipe is from Pioneer Woman. I love her, I know if I get a recipe from her website that it's going to be delicious. Simple Sesame Noodles are so easy to make. Greg doesn't think it counts as a meal unless there's meat, so I marinated some chicken breast in teriakyi sauce all day and then grilled and it went great with the noodles. Some other recipes that I made this week were Paula Deen's Cheeseburger Meatloaf, Pioneer Woman's Tomato Cream Pasta, Italian Chicken, Pumpkin Cheesecake, etc. I'll try and post the recipes for those later.

Simple Sesame Noodles

Ingredients
• 12 ounces, fluid Thin Noodles, Cooked And Drained
• 1/4 cups Soy Sauce
• 2 Tablespoons Sugar
• 4 cloves Garlic, Minced
• 2 Tablespoons Rice Vinegar
• 3 Tablespoons Pure Sesame Oil
• 1/2 teaspoons Hot Chili Oil
• 4 Tablespoons Canola Oil
• 2 Tablespoons Hot Water
• 4 whole Green Onions, Sliced Thin



Instructions
Whisk all ingredients (except noodles and green onions) together in a bowl. Taste and adjust ingredients as needed.
Pour sauce over warm noodles and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with green onions and toss.

WW Recipe 2 for 1

I bought this great Weight Watcher cookbook called "Now and Later" which gives you recipes that can be used in two different meals. You use the leftovers from the first night to make a seperate recipe the next night. I love this time-saving idea. The first recipe that I tried is an Italian-Style Pot Roast and the leftover are used for "Philly cheese Steak Sandwiches" The pot roast smelled so good all day, and I couldn't wait to try it, but when we finally did, we were disappointed. It was very, very bland. I'm not sure what it needed, but it definitely needed something, but the Cheese Steaks were delicious. I have another recipe "Mexican Rice & Chicken" which you use for "Sante Fe Wraps" which I will be trying another night this week.

Italian Style Pot Roast
Points: 7
Serving: 2 slices of beef with about 1 cup sauce & vegetables

Ingredients
* 1 (2 1/2 pound) bottom round roast, trimmed
* 3/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* 4 red potatoes, quartered
* 2 onions, halved and sliced
* 1/2 cup dry red wine or low-sodium chicken broth (I used chicken broth)
* 5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
* 1 (14.5oz) can Italian-style stewed tomatoes
* 1 1/2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
* 1 (8oz) package sliced fresh mushrooms
* 1 (9oz) box frozen, Italian green beans, thawed


1. Sprinkle the beef with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and the pepper. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the beef & cook, turning occasionally, until browned, 6 minutes. Transfer the beef to a 5 or 6 quart slow cooker. Place the potatoes around the beef.
2. Add the onions to the skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes. Add the wine/broth and garlic; bring to a boil. Boil 1 minute. Stir in the tomatoes and Italian seasoning. Pour the mixture over the beef and potatoes. Top with the mushrooms in an even layer. Cover and cook until the beef is fork tender, 4-5 hours on high or 8-10 hours on low.
3. Transfer one-third of the beef to a container; transfer 1/2 cup of the mushrooms and 1/2 cup of the sauce to a seperate container and let cook. Cover and refrigerate up to 3 days for later use in Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches (see recipe below) Cover the remaining two-thirds of the beef loosely with foil, reserve and keep warm. Transfer the potatoes to a bowl and reserve.
4. Add the beans and the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt to the slow cooker. Cover and cook on high until the beans are crisp tender, 15 minutes. Add the potatoes. Cover and cook on high until heated through, 5 minutes. Cut the beef across the grain into 12 slices. Serve with the sauce and vegetables.


Philly Cheese Steak Sandwhiches
Points: 8
Serving Size: 1 sandwhich

Ingredients
* 3/4 pound reserved cooked beef, 1/2 cup cooked mushrooms, and 1/2 cup sauce from Italian-Style Pot Roast
* 1 green bell pepper, thinly sliced
* 1 onion, thinly sliced
* 4 french rolls, split
* 4 slices fat-free cheddar cheese

1. Preheat the broiler
2. Thinly slice the beef. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the bell pepper and onion; cook, stirring frequently, until crisp-tender, 6 minutes. Stir in the beef, mushrooms, and sauce. Reduce the heat and cook until heated through, 2 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, place the rolls, cut side up, on a baking sheet. Broil 5 inches from the heat until lightly toasted, about 30 seconds.
4. Spoon 3/4 cup of the filling onto the bottom half of each roll. Top the filling evenly with the cheese. Broil until the cheese melts, 1 minute. Top with the top halves of the rolls.

Weight Watchers Chinese Pork and Noodles

After the holidays it's time to get back on track. So, I made this weight watcher recipe for dinner and have several more planned for this week. We both really liked it. It's really good leftover, which is great because it made a ton. I never cook with pork, so it was nice to try something new, but the next time I make it, I think I'll use chicken, shrimp, or steak.

Chinese Pork and Noodles
Points: 7
Serving Size: 1 3/4 cups

Ingredients
* 1/2 pound rice noodles
* 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin
* 1/2 cup low-sodium soy sauce
* 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
* 2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
* 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes (I added much more than this)
* 1 (8oz) packaged sliced fresh mushrooms
* 1 red bell pepper, diced
* 4 cups coleslaw mix
* 2 celery stalks, thinly sliced
* 1 (8oz)can sliced water chestnuts, rinsed and drained
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 4 scallions



1. Cook the noodles according to the package directions.
2. Meanwhile, cut the pork in half lengthwise. Cut crosswise into 1/4 inch slices. Mix the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, and pepper flakes in a small bowl.
3. Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add half of the pork and cook, stirring frequently, until no longer pink, 2 minutes. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with the remaining pork.
4. Spray the skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms and bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are crisp-tender, 3 minutes. Add the coleslaw mix, celery, and water chestnuts; cook, stirring frequently, until the coleslaw mix is wilted. Stir in the soy sauce mixture and bring to a boil.
5. Add the reserved pork and garlic to the skillet; cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, 1 minute. Add the reserved noodles and scallions; cook, tossing with tongs, until the noodles are hot, 1 minute.

Szechuan Chicken

I thought this chicken was good, I would recommend adding more crushed red pepper if you like things spicy. I served it with Pioneer Woman's Simply Sesame Noodles, which were also delicious, but I didn't get a picture of them.

Szechuan Chicken
Points: 4
Servings: 4

* 1/4 cup chopped green onions
* 1 1/2 tablespoons less-sodium soy sauce
* 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
* 2 teaspoons chili garlic sauce
* 2 teaspoons brown sugar
* 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
* 1 teaspoon grated, peeled fresh ginger
* 1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts



1. Combine first 8 ingredients in a large ziploc bag. Add chicken to bag; seal. Marinate in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight, turning occasionally. Remove chicken from bag. discard marinade.
2. Cook in a 400 degree oven for 30 minutes or until no longer pink.

WW Quick Posole

This is my favorite Weight Watcher recipe! There's just something about it that I cannot get enough of. I think it's the taco seasoning, I like any recipe that calls for taco seasoning. Greg thought the recipe was alright. It's not one of his favorites, which is fine, more for me! :)

Quick Posole
Points: 4
Servings: 5

* 1 pound lean ground pork
* 1 package taco seasoning
* 1 (15.5oz) can white hominy, rinsed and drained
* 1 (14.5oz) can zesty chili-style diced tomatoes
* 1 (14oz) can fat-free, less-sodium beef broth

1. Cook pork in a large saucepan over medium-high heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Drain, if necessary, and return pork to pain. Sprinkle pork with taco season, and cook, stirring constantly, over medium-high heat for 30 seconds.
2. Stir in hominy, tomatoes, and broth. Cover and bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Ladel into bowls.

Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas

Inspired by our recent trip to Philly, I made some Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas for dinner last night. Greg loves quesadillas, so I thought it would be a fun, different twist on his traditional chicken and cheese quesadillas. They turned out really good. This is not a healthy recipe by any means, but I've been trying a ton of Weight Watcher recipes lately, so it was nice to try something different.

Philly Cheesesteak Quesadillas

* 1 small box of Steak-Ums Slice Steak
* 1 onion
* 1 green pepper
* mushrooms
* mozzerella cheese
* hot sauce



Saute onions, green peppers, and mushrooms until soft. Remove from pan. Cook steak according to package directions. Remove from pan. Place tortilla in pan, add cheese, steak and onion/pepper/mushroom mixture. Cook until cheese is melted and tortilla is slightly brown. Remove from pan. Add hot sauce. A big thing in Philly is Cheez Whiz on their cheesesteaks. This quesadilla would be delicious with Cheez Whiz drizzled over top, or on the side to dip the quesadilla in.

Crunchy Italian Chicken

I've been wanting to try Panko for awhile now. I've seen it on Paula Deen, Rachel Ray, and in several cooking magazines. Panko is Japanese breadcrumbs. When I found a recipe in my Weight Watcher cookbook that called for panko, I had to try it. I goofed up and bought plain panko when the recipe called for italian, so I seasoned the panko with garlic salt, oregano, and Italian seasoning. I liked it. I tasted very similar to ordinary bread crumbs but seemed to coat the chi ken a little better and not clump up so much. I liked this recipe. Greg liked it but thought it was a little plain. Also, I skipped the step where it called for pounding the chicken, because I thought it'd be easier to just cook the chicken a little longer.

Weight Watcher Crunchy Italian Chicken
Points: 6
Servings 2

* 1/3 cup Italian-style panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
* 1 tablespoon grated fresh Parmesan cheese
* 2 (6 ounce) skinless boneless chicken breast halves
* 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* cooking spray
* 1 cup grape tomatoes


1. Preheat oven to 450.
2. Combine panko and Parmesan cheese in a shallow bowl; set aside
3. Place chicken between 2 sheets of heavy duty plastic wrap, and pound to 1/2 inch thickness using a meat mallet or heavy skillet. Sprinkle chicken with pepper. Dredge chicken breasts in panko mixture, pressing mixture onto chicken, if necessary.
4. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan, and cook 3 minutes. Coat top of chicken with cooking spray; turn and cook 3 minutes
5. Transfer chicken to baking sheet, and cover with aluminum foil. Bake at 450 for 5 to 6 minutes or until done.
6. While chicken bakes, add tomatoes to hot skillet, and cook over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tomatoes begin to burs. Serve tomatoes over chicken.



I got this out of Weight Watchers 20 minute recipes

Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken and Spinach

We tried this weight watcher recipe for dinner the other night and we both liked it. It used a couple of things that I have never cooked with before, like chili sauce and Chinese noodles and one ingredient that I've never heard of before--Ponzu sauce. I don't know if this is a common ingredient that most people know about, but I had never heard of it. You can find it in the Asian section of your supermarket with the soy sauce. It's a citrus soy sauce/dressing and it wasn't expensive. Despite the name, this dish wasn't very spicy, so if you like spice, try adding more chili sauce. Also, we added soy sauce to ours which added some extra flavor.

Weight Watcher Spicy Stir-Fried Chicken and Spinach
Points: 5
Servings: 4

Ingredients
* 3/4 cup fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 3 tablespoons ponzu sauce (it's a citrus-y soy sauce)
* 1 tablespoon cornstarch
* 2 teaspoons chili sauce
* 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil
* 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
* cooking spray
* 2 garlic gloves, minced
* 1 8oz package presliced mushrooms
* 1 pound chicken breast, cut into 1-inch pieces
* 1 6oz package fresh baby spinach
* 1/2 cup cut green onions
* 2 cups hot cooked Chinese noodles
* 1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
* chopped green onions, for garnish



1. Combine first 6 ingredients in a bowl; stir with a whisk. Set aside. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add garlic; saute 30 seconds. Add mushroom; saute 4 minutes. Remove from pan.
2. Coat pan with cooking spray; add chicken, and cook 4 to 5 minutes. Add reserved sauce mixture to pan; bring to a boil, and cook 1 minute. Reduce heat. Add spinach and green onions; cook 1 to 2 minutes or until spinach wilts. Add reserved mushroom mixture and noodles; toss gently to combine, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Garnish with green onions, if desired, and serve immediately.





I got this recipe out of 20 Minute Recipes.

Sante Fe Ravioli Soup

This recipe calls for ravioletti which are little miniature ravioli. It's actually called "Sante Fe Ravioletti Soup" but I could not find ravioletti. I looked for it at two different grocery stores and ended up deciding to just use regular ravioli. I really enjoyed the soup and so did Greg. He ended up having 3 bowls of it.

Sante Fe Ravioletti Soup
Points: 4
Servings: 6

Ingredients
* 2 (14oz) cans fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
* 1 (7oz) package three-cheese ravioletti
* 1 (16oz) container refrigerated fresh salsa
* 1 (15oz) can black beans, rinsed and drained
* 1 (10oz) package diced cooked chicken (I used leftover rotessiere chicken)
* 1 glove minced garlic
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
* Reduced-fat sour cream (optional)



1. Bring broth to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add ravioletti, and cook 3 minutes. Stir in salsa and next 3 ingredients. Cook 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally; stir in cilantro.
2. Ladle soup into bowls; stop with sour cream, if desired.



I got this out of Weight Watchers Five Ingredient, 15 Minute Recipes

Bacon & Sun-Dried Tomato Alfedo Pasta

This is a Weight Watcher Recipe that I got out of one of my WW 15 Minutes or Less cookbooks. I have never made anything with sun-dried tomato or bacon in it before. I wanted to try something different and I'm glad I did. It was very delicious. I served it with a side salad and Broccoli with Garlic & Ginger which is another WW recipe I will post later.

Bacon & Sun-Dried Tomato Alfredo Pasta
6 Points
Servings: 5

Ingredients:
* 8 ounces of uncooked mulitgrain penne
* 1 (10oz) package refrigerated light Alfredo Sauce
* 1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, packed without oil and cut into julienne strips.
* 10 slices precooked bacon
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
** I could not find sun-dried tomatoes packed without oil, so I just rinsed mine with water to get the oil off**



1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and keep warm.
2. While pasta cooks, combine Alfredo sauce and sun-dried tomatoes in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring occasionally, 6 to 8 minutes or until thoroughly heated and tomatoes are juicy and plump. While sauce cooks, microwave bacon according to package directions. Crumble bacon, and set aside.
3. Combine cooked pasta and Alfredo sauce mixture in a large serving bowl. Top with crumbled bacon, basil, and black pepper.



I got this recipe from Weight Watchers Five Ingredient, 15 Minute Recipes.

Recipes

When I went to California in February and saw my friend Brandi, she gave me 3 cookbooks. At the time she was working for Devin Alexander who has written several cookbooks including "The Biggest Loser Cookbook". I've been meaning to try some recipes and post them on here for awhile but haven't got around to it. This weekend I finally went through and picked a couple from each book to try this week.

The book "Fast Food Fix" has lowfat versions of your favorite fast foods. I tried "Subway's Southwest Chipotle Sauce" and "Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino" both were delicious.



Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino
* 2 tablespoons water
* 1/2 tablespoon instant coffee
* 1 teaspoon sugar
* 20 ice cubes, divided
* 1/2 cup fat-free half-and-half
* 2 tablespoons chocolate syrup
* 1/2 cup aerosol fat-free whipped topping



*I know that the coffee in the picture is not instant, but I did not realize there was a difference until after I tried to make the recipe, so I did go out and get some instant coffee to use in the recipe. The kind in the picture didn't work*

In a small microwavable bowl or cup, combine the water and coffee. Microwave on high power for 1 minute, or until the water is hot enough to dissolve the coffee. Add the sugar. Stir until the coffee and sugar are dissolved. Transfer to a mixing bowl. Add 6 ice cubes. Stir to accelerate melting the ice. When the ice is almost melted, add the half-and-half and chocolate syrup. Stir to mix. Pour into a blender jar. Add enough ice cubes for the liquid to reach the 16-ounce marker on the blender jar. Blend on high speed for 30-60 seconds or until just slushy. Pour into a 16-ounce tumbler. Top with whipped topping. Serve with a straw.



The next book I tried recipes from was "The Most Decadent Diet Ever". I made the "Mostly Mom's Marinara Sauce" and the "Eggplant Parmesan". The marinara sauce took a while but it made a ton so you can store it in the fridge and use it when you need it. I would add extra crushed red pepper flakes than the recipe calls for, though. It only calls for 1/2 a teaspoon and we ended up adding a lot more than that to give it a kick.



"Mostly Mom's Marinara Sauce"
* 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
* 1 1/2 cups finely chopped onions
* 2 tablespoons minced fresh garlic
* two 28-ounce cans crushed tomatoes
* 1 tablespoon dried oregano
* 2 teaspoons sugar, plus extra, if desired
* 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
* 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste



Place a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Put in the olive oil, onions, and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until tender but not brown, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, oregano, sugar, red pepper flakes, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir until well combined. Turn the heat to low. Cook, covered, for at least 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Season with additional salt, if needed.

*This picture isn't very good, but it's the only one I took*



The last book (and my favorite book) that I tried recipes out of was "The Biggest Loser Cookbook". I tried Angel Hair with Rockin' Red Clam Sauce which was my favorite recipe of any that I tried this week and "White Chocolate-Strawberry Pie-Lets".



"Angel Hair with Rockin' Red Clam Sauce"
* salt
* 1 1/2 tablespoons finely chopped yellow or white onion
* 2 small cloves garlic, minced
* 1 pouch (3.5oz) baby clams, drained
* 1/2 cup canned crushed tomatoes
* 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano leaves
* 1/2 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
* pinch of red-pepper flakes, or more to taste
* 2 oz of Nutrition Kitchen Angel Hair style Golden Whole Soybean Pasta
* 1 to 2 teaspoons grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese



**I could not find baby clams in a pouch at Kroger, so I used canned. I also did not use the angel hair pasta it called for, I already had some wheat angel hair style pasta, so I used that**

Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil.
Meanwhile, lightly mist a small nonstick skillet with olive oil spray. Set over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, for about 4 minutes or until almost tender. (Do not brown) Add the clams. Increase the heat to medium high. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, or until the excess liquid is completely evaporated. Reduce the heat to low. Add the tomatoes, oregano, and oil. Season with red pepper flakes.
Meanwhile, when the water boils, add the pasta to the pot. Stir. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and add to the skillet mixture. toss to combine. Transfer to a serving bowl. Sprinkle with the cheese. Serve immediately.