Broccoli and Smashed Garlic

This is my favorite side dish to make and it is sooooo easy to make. I am not sure where I found it because I just make it from memory because I have made it so many times. Plus it makes 6 servings at only 2 Point Plus per serving.

Ingredients

1 head of Broccoli

8 Garlic Cloves, Smashed

2 T Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper, to Taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees

Stuffed Pork Tenderloin

Sometimes I get a taste for specific types of food and can't get it out of my head. I had a taste for some Mediterranean flavors a while back and wasn't finding anything that sounded good to me. I decided to create my own recipe, over the rest of the day I kept jotting down ingredients to see what might match. That night I looked at what I had jotted down and what I had in the cabinets and this recipe was born! I liked it so much that I have not even tweaked it. Even better this makes about 8 servings for only 5 points plus per serving!

Ingredients

1 lemon, juiced

4 T Olive Oil

1 T Dried Oregano

1 T Dried Rosemary

3 Garlic Cloves, Crushed or Minced

2 lbs Pork Tenderloin

1 Medium Onion, Cut into 1" Pieces

1 Green Pepper, Cut into 1" Pieces

2 T Grated Parmesan

2 T Fresh Parsley, Chopped Finely

1/4 t Salt

1/4 t Pepper

1/3 c Sun Dried Tomatoes in Olive Oil, Drained, Dried and Minced
Toothpicks

Directions

1. Slice the Pork Tenderloin lengthwise but not all the way through.

Chicken Lasagna Cupcakes

After trying the Lasagna Cupcakes from Emily Bites that I posted yesterday, I started thinking about what if I made them with chicken? The experiment payed off with cupcakes that I feel are even better that the originals. I decided to slow cook the chicken in pasta sauce before shredding it which kept the chicken moist while it baked in the cupcakes. The recipe makes 16 cups at 4 Points Plus each. I made them with a side salad and I had more than enough food for dinner.

Bon Appetit!

Ingredients

1 lb Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts, Frozen

32 Wonton Wrappers
8 oz Fat Free Ricotta Cheese
3 oz Parmesan Cheese
1 jar plus 2 c Pasta Sauce
8 oz 2% Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions

1. Place frozen Chicken Breasts and 1 jar of the Pasta Sauce in the Crock Pot and cook for 3-4 hours.

Ground Beef Lasagna Cupcakes

This is another one of the wonton recipes that I found on Emily Bites I first tried them as she wrote with ground beef and they were fantastic! Makes 8 cups and each cup is only 4 Points Plus! Tomorrow I will post my chicken version of this!

Ingredients

1/2 lb 95% Lean Ground Beef

1-1/2 t Italian Seasoning

5 oz Mushrooms, Chopped

16 Wonton Wrappers

4 oz Fat Free Ricotta Cheese

1-1/2 oz Parmesan Cheese, Freshly Grated

1 c Pasta Sauce

4 oz 2% Shredded Mozzarella Cheese

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Wonton Pizzas

There are so many snacks out there that are so unhealthy but I still love to snack. I found these on Emily Bites. These are a great alternative and at 1 points per Wonton Pizza these can be paired with a salad and be made into a meal. These are so good that Giuliana ate 4 of them by herself!

Ingredients

16 Wonton Wrappers

8 t Pizza Sauce

1 t Italian Seasonings

16 Turkey Pepperoni Slices

4 String Cheese Sticks (Cut Into Quarters)

Small bowl of water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees

Spicy Sausage Pasta

If you are looking for a cheesy dish that won't kill your points for the day here is your dish. This dish has everything cheese, sausage, pasta spice and still makes 6 servings at 9 points each! This is a dish that is so good that even Giuliana ate her whole serving (she got about 1/3 of a normal serving.)

6 servings/9 Points Plus

Giuliana was really excited about this recipe

Ingredients

1 t Extra Virgin Olive Oil

1 c Chopped Onion

13 oz Smoked Turkey Sausage, Sliced

2 Cloves Garlic, Minced

2-1/4 c Low Sodium Fat Free Chicken Broth

10 oz can Ro-Tel Tomatoes & Green Chilies

1/2 c Fat Free Half and Half

1/2 t Salt

1/2 t Black Pepper

10 oz Uncooked Wheat Pasta (Farfalle/Bowties)

4 oz Reduced Fat Pepper Jack Cheese, Shredded

2 Medium Scallions, Sliced

Directions

1. In a large oven Safe Skillet add Olive Oil and bring over medium heat.

Greek Grilled Chicken

I love grilling and when I saw this recipe on Laaloosh I knew I had to make it! The marindae alone would make for a great chicken dish but combine it with the topping of tomatos, feta, kalamata olives and fresh mint and this is an outstanding dish. At only 5 points plus per serving, the flavors are a perfect blend and the mint give it a very fresh taste!

Ingredients

1 1/2 lbs Skinless, Boneless Chicken Breasts, Cut into 6 Fillets

1 Pint Cherry Tomatoes, Cut into Halves

3/4 c Fat Free Feta Cheese

1/2 c Mint Leaves, Chopped

1 T Olive Oil

1/2 c Kalamata Olives, Pitted

1/4 c Red Wine Vinegar

Juice From 1 Lemon

4 Cloves Garlic, Minced

1 t Dijon Mustard

1 T Dried Oregano

Salt and Pepper, to Taste

Directions

1. Combine Vinegar, Lemon Juice, Garlic, Dijon Mustard, Oregano, Salt and Pepper in a small bowl.

Slow Cooker Baked Chicken Burritos

My Sous Chef inspecting the spices

When I first ran across this recipe on Laaloosh I was wondering how someone would slow cook a burrito. Well only the filling is slow cooked, it is then wrapped and covered in enchilada sauce and a small amount of cheese and baked. These are packed with so much flavor I am trying to figure out when I can make them again!

Ingredients

1 lb Skinless Boneless Chicken Breasts

1 - 15 oz can Diced Tomatoes

1 Large Green Pepper, Sliced Thinly

1 - 4 oz can Chopped Green Chilies
1 can Jalapeno Infused Black Olives

1 Medium Red Onion, Sliced Thinly
4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
1 Packet Taco Seasoning*

8 Tortillas
1 - 15 oz Can Enchilada Sauce
1 c Reduced Fat Mexican Cheese

* I created my own taco seasoning because I don't like the amount of sodium in normal mixes. I will list that recipe below.

Directions

1. Place Chicken, Tomatoes, Green Pepper, Green Chilies, Black Olives, Onions, Garlic, and Taco Seasoning in the Slow Cooker. Cook for 5-6 Hours on Low.

Taco Cupcakes

Emily Bites is the site that inspired me to start this blog and this is the type of recipe that inspired me. These get made in a muffin pan and are perfect for portion control. Each cupcake is 4 points plus and packed with flavor!

Ingredients

1-1/2 t Chili Oil

1/2 lb 95% Lean Ground Beef

1 T Taco Seasoning

3/4 c Canned Black Beans, Drained and Rinsed

16 Wonton Wrappers

5 T + 1 t Salsa Con Queso

1 c Chunky Salsa

1 c Reduced Fat Shredded Mexican Cheese

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Broccoli and Feta Pasta Sauce

Make sure to have your blender and your appetite ready for this amazing pasta sauce. The feta balances the broccoli in a way that I could have never imagined. This was found on Laaloosh and was intrigued since I have not had anything that I have not liked from her site.

We taught my Giuliana to sign to tell us if she wanted more food or milk. When she tried this she kept signing for more.

This sauce is only 3 points plus per cup of sauce so enjoy!

Ingredients

16 oz Package of Broccoli Florets

1 c Fat Free Feta Cheese

2 T Light Butter

1 Small Onion Finely, Chopped

3 Garlic Cloves, Minced

1 T Olive Oil

1/3 c Water

Juice of 1 Lemon

Salt and Pepper, to taste

Directions

1. Steam Broccoli until tender

Chipotle Chicken and Avocado Wrap

Another inspiration from Skinny Taste that will go great with the Cold Corn Soup. When this recipe was originally posted it had lobster but since I have a slight allergy to shellfish I substituted chicken. It still creates a great wrap! The originally recipe was 6 points plus per wrap.

Ingredients

1 lb Chicken Breast, Cooked and Chopped

3 T Light Mayo

2 T Fat Free Greek Yogurt

1 T Chopped Chipotle Peppers in Adobo Sauce

1 Green Onion, Finely Chopped

1 T Lemon Juice

1 T Minced Cilantro

1 Medium Avocado, Diced

8 Medium Romaine Lettuce Leaves

4 - 8" Tortillas

Directions

1. In a medium bowl combine Mayo, Yogurt, Chipotle Pepper, Green Onion, and Cilantro.

Cold Corn Soup w/ Queso Fresco

I ran across this recipe on Skinny Taste and it was a warm soup but that seemed like too much with the heat wave we had been going through. I decided to chill it and see if it was good cold... it was great! Make sure to use fresh corn because it will give a much better corn flavor. To make it easier/cleaner there are two different methods that you can use. 1) OXO makes a corn stripper that catches all the corn. 2) Place a small bowl upside down inside of a large bowl and place the end of the corn on the smaller bowl. now when you cut the corn it will fall into the larger bowl eliminating the majority of the mess.

Enjoy this soup this weekend it is supposed to get into the eightys here so it will be the perfect temperature for a picnic and the next recipe i post will be the perfect compliment for this soup. I will post it today as well.

Ingredients

1/2 t Olive Oil

1/3 c Chopped Scallions

1 Garlic Clove

3-1/2 c Fresh Corn Kernels, Cut from the Cob (5-6 medium sized ears)

1 (6 oz) Russet Potato, Peeled and Diced

5 c Skim Milk

1 Chicken Bouillon Cube

2 T Chopped Cilantro, Divided

1/4 c Reduced Fat Sour Cream

Salt and Pepper, to Taste

3 oz (6 T) Crumbled Queso Fresco

Directions

1. Heat Olive Oil in a medium heavy pot

Avocado Vodka Burger

This is one of my original recipes that has taken years to perfect but since I am serving it at a party today it is probably time to post it. I love stuffed burgers, I had one for the first time about 5 years ago and that is where this brainstorm started. The topping was a fortunate accident that I have continually refined. It was originally meant to be a side dish that I just made with what I had and it turned into the perfect topping for this burger. I have not taken the time to figure out the points for this burger yet but when I do I will edit this post. I also forgot to take pictures when I was making them so those will have to come later.

Ingredients

1 lb Ground Turkey

1 lb Ground Beef

1/2 Small Onion, Shredded

1 c Vodka Pasta Sauce

1-1/2 c Shredded Mozzarella, Divided

2 Avocados, Diced

1 Small Red Onion, Chopped

3 T Rice Wine Vinegar

2 T Lemon Juice

Salt and Pepper to Taste

6 Hamburger Buns

Directions

1. Preheat Grill to Medium High
2. Mix Ground Turkey, Ground Beef, Vodka Sauce, White Onion, and 1 c Mozzarella Cheese in a large bowl.
3. Divide into 12 patties
4. Create a "crater" in 6 of the patties and fill evenly with 1/2 c Mozzarella Cheese
5. Place the non-filled patties on top and seal the edges, making sure that the edges are completely closed
6. Grill to desired doneness.
7. Mix last 5 ingredients (Avocado, Red Onion, Rice Wine Vinegar, Lemon Juice and Salt and Pepper) in a medium bowl.
8. Place burgers on buns and top with avocado "salsa"

Chicken Enchilada Skillet

I LOVE Mexican food so when I ran across this recipe on Emily Bites I had to try it. I combined it with a corn soup to complete the meal. I will post that recipe later. I made the soup yesterday and chilled it overnight for today. Today I prepped all the ingredients before I started cooking to make a quick easy cooking process. The Enchilada Skillet is 8 points plus for 1/6 of the skillet.

My Complete 14 pt meal

Ingredients

1.5 lbs Frozen Chicken Breasts

3 cans Red Enchilada Sauce

1 t Canola Oil

1 Small Onion, Diced (I used a small vidalia)

3 Garlic Cloves, Minced

3 T Chili Powder

1/2 t Salt

2 t Cumin

2 t Sugar

15 oz Can tomato Sauce

1/2 c Water

1-1/4 c Canned Black Beans, Drained and Rinsed

8 - 6 inch Corn Tortillas, Cut Into Bite Size Pieces

4 oz can Chopped Green Chilies

1-1/2 c Reduced Fat Shredded Sharp Cheddar

Directions

1. Place frozen Chicken Breasts in slow cooker and cover with Enchilada Sauce
2. Cook on high for 4-5 hours
3. Take Chicken out of the slow cooker and discard remaining Enchilada Sauce.
4. With two forks shred chicken
5. Heat Oil over medium heat in a large skillet. Add Onions and cook until softened.
6. Add Garlic, Chili Powder, Salt, Cumin, and Sugar and stir to mix.
7. Add Tomato Sauce and Water, stir to mix and simmer until thickened.
8. Add Chicken and Black Beans, stir to mix.
9. In a separate pan add cut up Tortillas and spray with cooking spray stir until heated through.
10. Add Tortillas, Green Chilies, and 1 c of the Sharp Cheddar
11. Mix until well combined
12. Top with remaining Sharp Cheddar and Cover until cheese is melted on top.

I used a 4qt Crock Pot

I love shredding Slow Cooked Chicken it is sooooo easy.

I made the Tortillas into about 3/4" x 3/4" pieces

All my Prepped Non-Canned Ingredients

Simmering the sauce before adding the Chicken and Beans

Ditalini Pasta Salad with Lemon, Green Beans and Tomatoes

We have been "World Travelers" the past few weeks. We have been to Memphis, TN, Sheboygan, WI and DISNEY WORLD! My parents built a house down in Memphis while my dad works down there for a few years and Tammy, Giuliana, Karen (my Mother-In-Law), Dan (my Father-In-Law), Travis (my Brother) and Lauren (his Friend/Co-Worker) all went down to visit. We all had a great time and while we were down there we all cooked together (whenever we were not eating out.) At about 4 Points Plus per 1 cup serving this is a GREAT side dish! For this meal we made the Sausages with the Honey Mustard Slaw and a recipe I adapted from Skinny Taste. There was really only 2 changes:

1. She used asparagus and that is a flavor I do not enjoy so I replaced them with green beans
2. The store we were at in Memphis did not have pearl couscous so I substituted ditalini

You will see pictures of some of my family I on this post as many of them helped because the only thing I enjoy more than cooking for a crowd is cooking with a crowd. :-)

Ingredients

6 oz Ditalini Pasta

3/4 lb Green Beans, Trimmed to 1 Inch Pieces

1-1/2 c Grape Tomatoes, Quartered

1/4 c Red Onion, Minced

1-1/2 Lemons, Juiced

1 T Extra Virgin Olive Oil

2 T Fresh Parsley, Minced

Salt and Pepper to Taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and add the green beans cook about three minutes to cooked but still crisp.
2. Remove from pot of water and place green beans in an ice bath.
3. Cook the Ditalini in the same water until desired doneness.
4. Drain the Ditalini and place into a bowl and add green beans to same bowl..
5. Add Tomatoes, Onion, Lemon Juice, Olive Oil, and Parsley to the bowl and mix well.
6. Add salt and pepper to taste.
7. Enjoy immediately.

 Travis was really proud to show himself starting up the grill.

 Lauren quartering the tomatoes.

 Expertly quartered tomatoes by Lauren.

 Mom B cutting the green beans into perfect pieces before blanching.

 Boiling the water isn't that a beautiful stove!?

 Mom R mincing the parsley. See how careful she is?

 Travis cutting the sausages.

 Apparently cutting the sausages was hard work!

 This is the final product for the pasta salad.

 The sausages expertly grilled by Travis Dad R and Dad B.

 Travis modeling a perfect plate!

 Dad B, Dad R, Mom B and Tammy all following Travis' lead.

 Tammy Showing how to open a bun.

I swear my parents house is not crooked just the photographer. :-)