Healthy AND Delicious Baked Ziti

This is a wonderful hearty meal that you can feel happy about feeding to your family and eating yourself. This is one of my favorite week night meals. I have found myself adding spinach to every meal I can lately. If I can add it without detection I do. Spinach is just so great for you, loaded with vitamins and minerals and if you use it in saucy recipes even your fussiest eater shouldn't complain.

The other nice thing about this recipe is you can adapt it to suit the needs and taste buds of your family. For example, I have made it and added sweet white corn also. You could add mushrooms, zucchini, peas etc. The more vegies the better!

Healthy AND Delicious Baked Ziti


1 lb lean ground turkey or extra lean ground beef
salt and pepper
2 cups shredded sweet carrots
2 cups fresh spinach chopped
1 small onion, diced finely
2 cloves garlic, passed through a press or grated
olive oil
26 oz can crushed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups low sodium fat free chicken or vegetable stock
8 oz brown rice or whole wheat penne pasta
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves, chopped fine (or use dry if you don't have fresh)
1/2 to 1 cup of shredded low fat mozzarella cheese (optional)

1. In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Once olive oil is heated, add ground meat. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Once meat has browned, add onion and garlic. Cook for a couple of minutes or until the onion starts to soften. Add stock, tomatoes and spinach.
3. Once all the vegies are in the pot and combined, add the uncooked pasta. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 25-30 minutes until the pasta is al dente.
4. Just before removing from the heat add the chopped basil.
5. Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare baking dish with a light coating of cooking spray. Place pasta mix into baking dish and sprinkle with cheese if using. Place in the oven and bake for 20 minutes.

Serve with a wedge of crusty wholewheat bread. ENJOY!

Olive Garden's Tuscan Garlic Chicken

I have made this twice in the past month, and I wouldn't be shocked if it appears on our dinner menu again some time soon. I first made this a couple of weeks ago when we had some new neighbors over for dinner and then I made it again this past Sunday when we had Brad's parents over for dinner. I love this meal. It is filling and flavorful and you really do feel like you are eating Olive Garden in your own home.

Now for some notes. Mel from Mel's kitchen Cafe where I found this recipe said the recipe didn't lend a heap of sauce. Being a sauce lover, I decided to double the sauce portion of the recipe and it was perfect. However, that being said, though I don't mind mild flavor of peppers or capsicums as I know them in my food, I don't LOVE it when the pepper flavor overpowers a meal. Therefore, in doubling the sauce, I didn't double the amount of red pepper. In fact I used half of one large red bell pepper. So...if pepper's are your thing add more, if you are sensitive to them like my family is, add less.

I'm also slightly irritated that the pic isn't very good. You will just have to trust me when I tell you this meal is wonderful! Cooking the chicken this way makes for a moist and flavorful cut of chicken and the sauce is decadent but not too heavy.


Tuscan Garlic Chicken


Melskitchencafe.com

*Note: if the chicken breasts you are using are overly thick, you can butterfly them, cutting all the way through so you end up with two thinner cuts of chicken breast.
*Serves 4-6 (depending on if you are serving adults or kids)

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon finely minced garlic (about 4-5 cloves)
1 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips or chopped
1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth
6 ounces fresh spinach- I just eyeballed this and ended up using about 2.5 cups spinach which I had sliced relatively thinly.
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 cup lowfat milk
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 pound fettuccine- I used wholewheat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

In a shallow pie plate or similar dish, combine the flour, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Dip each chicken piece in the flour mixture until both sides are well coated.

In a large 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat 3 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat until the oil is hot and shimmering. Carefully place the chicken breasts in the pan, cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side, until they are golden and browned but not cooked all the way through (they’ll finish up in the oven). Don’t scoot the chicken around once you lay it in the hot oil! Let the oil work it’s magic to sear the crust on the chicken. If you get all antsy and try flipping too early and/or moving the chicken around the pan, the breading is lightly to fall off. Gently remove the chicken to a foil-lined, lightly greased baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for about 15 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through. Set aside and tent with foil until ready to use.

While the chicken is cooking, heat a large pot of water to a boil and add the noodles, cooking until al dente. Also, wipe out the skillet with a couple paper towels and return it to medium heat, adding the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the garlic and bell pepper, sauteing for 2-3 minutes.

Stir in one tablespoon flour and stir constantly while cooking for another minute. Add the chicken broth to the skillet and bring the mixture to a low simmer, whisking constantly, until slightly thickened, about 3-4 minutes. In a small liquid measure, whisk together the cornstarch and cream. Add the spinach, milk and cream mixture to the skillet. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until the spinach is wilted and sauce is slightly thickened, about 2-4 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan cheese.

When the pasta has finished cooking, drain and return it to the pot. Toss the pasta with half of the cheese sauce. Place some of the coated pasta on each plate. Top with a breaded chicken breast and spoon some of the sauce over the top of the chicken and pasta. Serve immediately.

Original Recipe Source: adapted from More of America’s Most Wanted Recipes

Chicken Cannelloni

I love Italian and I loved this dish. I hunted all over the web for a recipe for chicken cannelloni which is one of my favorite Italian dishes and ended up creating my own based on the aspects of a few recipes I liked. We all loved these. Tomorrow I will post the recipe for the drink my brothers fiance made to go with dinner which was simply AMAZING!


Chicken Cannelloni



Cannelloni Filling 8 ounces chicken breast (about 2), cooked thoroughly and diced into small pieces
1 cup fresh spinach, chopped
1 small can of diced tomatoes in their juices
16 ounces ricotta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 teaspoon table-ground black pepper
1 teaspoon salt
12 lasagna pasta sheets, approximate size of 5 x 6 inches

Cannelloni Sauce

5 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups whole milk, warmed
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper

Melt the butter in a saucepan. Once butter is melted add flour and whisk, let it cook in the saucepan for about a minute, be sure not to burn. Add milk to the butter and flour mixture and whisk until smooth. Once the mixture begins to thicken slightly add the Parmesan cheese salt and pepper. Continue to cook on medium heat until the cheese has melted.

Once the chicken breast has been cooked thoroughly, allow it to cool.

Dice the cooled chicken breast into 1/2-inch pieces and place into a large mixing bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, ricotta, mozzarella, pepper and salt, and mix thoroughly.

Arrange precooked pasta sheets on a cutting board and place two or three rounded tablespoons of filling mixture down the center of each pasta sheet and carefully roll pasta around filling. Place the rolled cannelloni, side by side, into an ovenproof shallow baking dish. Place cheese sauce (or Alfredo sauce) and tomato sauce in bowl and mix until well incorporated. Pour sauce over cannelloni covering completely. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over top of sauce. Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes.


Serves 6.

Roasted Garlic and Cauliflower Pasta

You know how when were a kid you hated some vegies, but now that you are an adult you are finding that some of those rotten old vegies are actually pretty tasty? Meet Cauliflower. If you had of tried to feed this to me before the age of...probably 25 I would have said..."um thanks...but no thanks". I used to be the same way about broccoli, but then...I discovered a wonderful thing called cheese sauce. Slowly but surely as long as it was covered with cheese sauce I would eat my broccoli and my cauliflower. This past September I went to a new restaurant called Zupas and had THE best cauliflower soup. That soup has sparked in me a desire to get to know cauliflower a little better.

This pasta was AWESOME! I loved this new take on your typical pasta covered in some kind of sauce. It was full of flavor and simply...well awesome. I did however add some seasoned grilled chicken to mine to make it more kid and husband friendly. I have been wanting it ever since the day I made it a few weeks ago. This will certainly be on our table again soon! YUMMO!

Roasted Garlic and Cauliflower Pasta
www.melskitchencafe.com


*Serves 4-6

2 heads garlic, papery skins removed, top quarter of heads cut off (on the pointy side of the garlic) and discarded
6 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 head cauliflower (about 1 1/2 pounds)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon sugar
1 pound short pasta (such as fusilli, rotini or campanelle)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 – 3 tablespoons juice from 1 lemon
1 tablespoon fresh parsley leaves, chopped
2 ounces Parmesan cheese, grated or shredded (about 1 cup)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts, toasted (I'm not a fan of walnuts but I LOVE cashews so I substituted cashews here.)

Adjust an oven rack to the middle position, place a large rimmed baking sheet on the rack, and heat the oven to 450 degrees.

Cut one 12-inch sheet of foil and spread it flat on the counter. Place the garlic heads, cut-side up, in the center of the foil. Drizzle ½ teaspoon olive oil over each head and fold up the sides of the foil to seal well. Place the foil packet directly on the oven rack (not on the preheating baking sheet) and roast until the garlic is very tender, about 40 minutes. Remove the foil packet from the oven, open the foil and set it aside to cool.

While the garlic is roasting, trim the outer leaves of the cauliflower and cut the stem flush with the bottom. Cut the head from pole to pole into 8 equal wedges and then cut the cauliflower into large bite-sized pieces. Place the cauliflower in a large bowl; toss with 2 tablespoons oil, salt, pepper, and sugar.

Remove the hot baking sheet from the oven. Carefully transfer the cauliflower to the baking sheet and spread into an even layer. Return the baking sheet to the oven and roast until the cauliflower is well browned and tender, 15 to 20 minutes

While the cauliflower roasts, bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot. Add 1 tablespoon salt and pasta; cook until al dente. Squeeze the cooled, roasted garlic cloves from their skins into a small bowl. Using a fork, mash the garlic to a smooth paste, then stir in red pepper flakes and 2 tablespoons lemon juice. Slowly whisk in remaining 1/4 cup oil.

Drain the pasta, reserving 1 cup cooking water, and return the pasta to the pot. Add the chopped cauliflower to the pasta; stir in the garlic sauce, ¼ cup cooking water, parsley, and ½ cup cheese. Adjust the consistency of the pasta with additional cooking water and season with salt, pepper, and additional lemon juice to taste. Serve immediately, sprinkling with remaining ½ cup cheese and toasted nuts.

Recipe Source: adapted slightly from Cook’s Illustrated

Crockpot Lasagna

I love love love Italian Food. Maybe it's the small amount of Italian blood in my veins...maybe not. However, it is my fave by a mile. My favorite Italian restaurant is Biaggis at the Gateway. Oh how I love that place. I love lasagna too but my version, though worth it, is time consuming. So when I saw them making this quick, easy and healthy version on Oprah I was SO in.

This was fast and easy to throw together and very tasty. If I get a hankering for lasagna again and don't have the time and or energy as I've felt lately this will likely be my go to recipe. I was also interested to learn that funny man Jerry Seinfeld had a wife who had a recipe book out. Never knew that.

I love how this recipe sneaks in a substantial amount of spinach that is virtually undetectable. My husband is not a fan of spinach and I was a little worried that my son might spot it and be scared off, but they both enjoyed this recipe and nobody complained about the "green stuff" in it! AWESOME!!

My picture isn't too lovely but trust me don't let that put you off!


Crockpot Lasagna
Jessica Seinfeld



Servings: Serves 6-8 (generous portions)

Ingredients
3 cans (14.4 ounces) crushed tomatoes
3 cloves garlic , finely chopped
2 Tbsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1/4 tsp. red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 containers (15 ounces each) fresh ricotta
2 cups (8 ounces) grated mozzarella
1/4 cup grated Parmesan
12 lasagna noodles (about three-quarters of a 1-pound box)
5 ounces (about 6 cups) baby spinach

Directions
In a medium bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, oregano, salt, red pepper and black pepper. In a separate bowl, mix the ricotta, 1 cup of the mozzarella and Parmesan.

In the bottom of a 5- to 6-quart slow cooker, spread a thin layer of the sauce. Top with 3 of the noodles (breaking to fit as necessary). Spread about 1 cup of the sauce over the noodles and layer with 2 cups of the spinach and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese mixture. Repeat twice more with the noodles, sauce, spinach and cheese mixture. Top with the remaining 3 noodles, sauce and 1 cup mozzarella.

Cook on low, covered, until the noodles are tender—especially in the center of the lasagna—about 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole

When I was planning my fortnightly menu earlier this week I went to the Better Homes and Gardens website for a little inspiration. This recipe sounded good to me from the get go. Hot creamy rice with chicken and vegies?! I mean c'mon...you can't go wrong.

We all LOVED this. Even my sick and fussy lately three year old loved it and gobbled it up. If he loves something as soon as he puts it in his mouth he will rub his tummy, say "mmmmm" and then proceed to tell me it is yummy in his tummy. The second night when we ate the left overs for dinner he said "This is really good mama." I was happy!

I did make some small modifications to it (see below) based on what I had in my pantry but I have no cause for complaint. The texture and this may be because I didn't use the wild rice was allot like a risotto. Again...I'm not complaining. =)

I couldn't seem to get a "pretty" picture of this dish and frankly I was so excited to dig in, I didn't even care. This will definitely make an appearance on our dinner table again. I'm craving it now!

Chicken and Wild Rice Casserole


Better Homes and Gardens
Ingredients


1 6-ounce package long grain and wild rice mix (I used plain rice because I had it on hand)
1 medium onion, chopped (1/2 cup)
1 stalk celery, chopped (1/2 cup)
2 tablespoons butter
1 10.5- or 10.75-ounce can condensed chicken with white and wild rice soup or cream of chicken soup (I used Cream of chicken)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 cup dry white wine or chicken broth (I used chicken broth)
2 tablespoons snipped fresh basil or 1/2 teaspoon dried basil, crushed (I used dry)
2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey (I used a left over rotisserie chicken I had in the fridge)
1/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan cheese

Directions
1. Prepare rice mix according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large skillet, cook onion and celery in hot butter over medium heat until tender. Stir in soup, sour cream, wine, and basil. Stir in cooked rice and chicken.

3. Transfer mixture to an ungreased 2-quart baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, about 35 minutes or until heated through. Makes 4 servings.

Chicken Velvet Soup

I love love love this soup. It is rich, creamy and oh so fast and easy to throw together. With the colder weather upon us, I am starting to want soups more and more. I love having homemade soup for dinner on a cold day. I first had this soup at my sister in law's mothers house a couple of years ago and I have been addicted ever since. In fact when I think back over time about those "favorite" meals I recall having which just tasted so good. This soup is one of them. It was chicken velvet soup in bread bowls served with a side of garden fresh salad and homemade ranch. When I make this, I serve it the exact same way.

This recipe isn't heavy on seasonings, so sometimes if I'm in the mood to kick it up a little I'll add some seasoning to the chicken when I cook it. I've used everything from my favorite dry and fresh herbs to some Mrs. Dash. For a little more I have also added cheese and cooked broccoli. This is a great base soup and you can really add what you like to suit your own tastes and cravings.

Chicken Velvet Soup
From the kitchen of Mrs. Treu
Serves 4


6 tbsp. butter
1/3 c. all-purpose flour
1/2 c. milk
1/2 c. light cream (I will also use half and half depending on what I have on hand)
3 c. chicken broth
1 c. finely chopped cooked chicken
salt and pepper to taste

Melt butter. Blend in flour. Add milk, cream and broth. Cook and stir until mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Reduce heat. Stir in chicken and dash of pepper. Heat again just to boiling. Serve hot.

Spaghetti with Chicken and Zucchini

The night I made this dish was one of those nights where I didn't feel like making or eating what was on our planned menu. I was inspired yet again by the fresh zucchini I was given by my mother in law. This dish was simple to put together, tasted fresh and was excellent as lunch left overs the next day.

Spaghetti with Chicken and Zucchini
By Nat


1 small zucchini, julienne or cut into ribbons
5 cups of homemade (or your faveorite red pasta sauce)
2 boneless skinless chicken breasts
4 cloves garlic, chopped
4 tsp olive oil
salt and pepper
crushed red pepper flakes to taste

8 oz angel hair pasta cooked al dente

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to instructions.
While pasta is cooking, in a large saute pan, heat pan on medium-high flame, add oil when pan is hot. Add garlic and and saute about 1 minute. Add chicken and cook until chicken is cooked through. Add zucchini and season with salt and pepper. Cook about 2 minutes, add tomato sauce, crushed red pepper flakes and fresh parsley and adjust salt and pepper. Stir for another minute. Remove from flame.

Serve sauce mixture over the pasta and drizzle with a little olive oil.

Pork Chops with Creamy Scalloped Potatoes

A girl I work with recently gave me a new cook book. THANKS TABITHA! It is entitled Family Comfort Favorites by Kim Warren. There are lots of yummy looking recipes inside that I am anxious to try. This Pork Chops with Creamy Scalloped Potatoes diah is the first dish I tried and I loved it. My whole family loved it. It was the perfect sunday meal.

4 to 6 thick cut bone-in pork loin chops (see note below)
Onion powder
Garlic powder
Salt and pepper
4 50 6 large Yukon or Russet potatoes cut into 1/4" slices
1 can of cream of mushroom soup (I used chicken-we don't like mushrooms)
1 cup of sour cream
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley

1. Generously season both sides of the pork chops with onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Then grill, broil or pan fry until nicely browned on both sides and set aside to rest.

2. In a small mixing bowl combine cream of mushroom soup, sour cream and parsley.

3. Spray slow cooker with cooking spray and place a layer of potatoes on the bottom. Season potatoes with salt and pepper, then carefully cover with 1/4 of the soup mixture.

4. Repeat layering the potatoes, salt and pepper and soup mixture twice more so that you have 3 layers of potatoes. Place browned pork chops on top of the potatoes and cover with the remaining soup mixture and any juices from the resting pork chops.

5. Cover slow cooker/crock pot and cook on low for 7 hours or high for 3 to 3 1/2 hours.

***I used some lean boneless pork chops. Whilst they were fall apart delicious I think that this dish would be best if thick cut bone-in pork loin chops were used. Next time I plan to use thick cut bone-in pork loin chops.***

Healthy Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken

I am SO behind on my blogging. Too much working, not enough hours in the day blah blah blah. Lets get to it.

This is another recipe from Gina's Weight Watches recipes. This was awesome and oh so easy to make. We all loved this and it was the perfect Sunday meal. Put it on to cook in the morning, let it cook all day, get home from church and dinner is served.

Healthy Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken




Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 servings • Size: 9.85 oz • Prep Time: 5 minutes • Points: 4.25 ww points

24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
15 oz can black beans
8 oz frozen corn
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
3 scallions, chopped
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)

salt to taste
Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice (extra pts).

Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage

This was so delicious. My husband is NOT a fan of sausage but even he loved this. The sausages I used, I found at Sams Club and they were sundried tomato and cheese I believe. The delicious flavors of the sausage just added to this yummy dinner. I've been craving it ever since. I think I'll have to make it again this weekend.

Baked Pasta with Chicken Sausage
My Kitchen Cafe
Adapted from Martha Stewart Everyday Food



Ingredients:

Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes with juice, lightly crushed with hands (or crushed tomatoes)
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 pound rigatoni
10 ounces baby spinach (I double the amount of spinach - fresh or frozen)
12 ounces smoked chicken (or turkey) sausage, halved lengthwise and sliced 1/4 inch thick
6 ounces fontina (or mozzarella) cheese, 4 ounces cut into 1/2-inch cubes and 2 ounces coarsely grated
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add onion; cook until translucent, about 3 minutes. Stir in garlic. Cook for another minute.

Stir in tomatoes and oregano; cook until tomatoes are falling apart, 10 to 15 minutes. Add cream; cook until warmed through, about 5 minutes. Season sauce with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Cook pasta in the boiling water until al dente, according to package instructions. Add spinach, and cook just until wilted. Drain, and return contents to pot.

Add tomato sauce, sausage, and cubed fontina to pot; toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper. Divide evenly between two shallow 1 1/2-quart baking dishes. Top with grated fontina and Parmesan. Bake until browned and edges are crisp, 20 to 30 minutes.

Chicken Cordon Bleu- DELICIOUS!

YUMMO! This dish was so delicious. I can't get enough of Gina's weight watcher recipes. The lady is a genius! I made these last Sunday for dinner and both Brad and I thoroughly enjoyed them. Though mine aren't as pretty as Gina's (I need to work on my meat pounding skills) I was quite proud of myself for making these babies. I'll definitely be making these again. For step by step pictures head over to Gina's blog to take a peek. Her photography is fantastic.

A couple of things to note:
I didn't have any dried bread crumbs. In all honesty I have stopped buying them since I discovered it is so easy and delicious to make my own. However, this recipe really requires that you use the dried breadcrumbs. My homemade soft ones were too soft and I had a difficult time getting them to stick to the chicken.
Also, Brad and I are not fans of "stinky" cheeses and Swiss often falls into that category so I used slices of low fat mozzarella. I was a tad worried that using the mozzarella would make the meal tasteless but it worked great and this meal was full of flavor.

Chicken Cordon Bleu
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Makes: 12 pieces • Time: 40 minutes • Points: 4 ww points each

4 chicken breast halves
2 egg
1 tbsp water
3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
12 slices thin deli ham
12 slices reduced fat Swiss cheese (We don't love Swiss so I actually used low fat mozzarella)
salt
spray oil
toothpicks
Preheat oven to 350°.
Slice chicken breast halves into thin cutlets. I usually get 3 thin cutlets out of one breast half. Pound them to make them thinner if you wish. This helps when you wrap the cutlets.
Cut each slice of cheese into squares and stack on top of each other. Place a slice of ham on top of the chicken, top with cheese and wrap chicken around to completely cover cheese, using toothpicks to secure. (Make sure no holes so cheese doesn't leak out) Season with a little salt.
Dip chicken into egg wash, then breadcrumbs.
Spray cookie sheet with oil and place chicken on cookie sheet. Lightly spray chicken with oil and bake about 25 minutes, until cooked.

Beef and Noodle Casserole

Ok so this is a not so healthy dinner but one that is easy to put together and is definately tasty. This is one of those meals that I love to throw together on a Friday night when I am tired from having worked all week and the last thing I want to do is spend alot of time in the kitchen cooking dinner. This is a family favorite for sure!

Beef and Noodle Casserole
Worldwide Ward Cookbook

1 cup noodles uncooked (I use macaroni noodles)
1 pound of lean ground beef
1/4 onion chopped finely
1/2-1 cup of grated cheddar cheese (I like sharp)
1 1/2 cups of frozen corn
2 tsp chilli powder (can use more if you like kick- we don't)
1 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 8 ounce can of tomato sauce
1/4 cup water

Boil noodles for 10 minutes or until tender, drain well but don't rinse. In a skillet brown ground beef with onion. Add all of the remaining ingrediants including the cooked noodles, and place in a 2 quart casserole dish. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.
Makes 6-8 servings and makes for great left overs. I like to serve this with a slice of french bread.

Oh My Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk

Another amazing recipe from Gina's weight watcher recipe blog. I had been on the hunt for a mild chicken curry recipe for a while but just wasn't thrilled with the ones I had read. I love a good mild chicken curry and I especially love it when it also has potatoes in it. I had an amazing chicken curry once at an Indian restaurant in Australia and every time I heard chicken curry after that I would think back to that amazing dish. This dish was exactly what I was looking for and it met every expectation I had. I was a little worried about whether or not Brad and my 2 year old would like it but they both loved it. My two year old couldn't get enough. He ate his plate and then devoured mine too. I was thrilled! The only thing that would have made this dish any better was some homemade Naan on the side. It is definately a goal of mine to learn how to make that and soon.

Chicken Curry with Coconut Milk
Servings: 6 servings • Time: 35 minutes • Points: 4.3 ww points


1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp roasted cumin
1 1-2 tsp garam masala
2 tsp curry powder
1/2 onion, minced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 large tomato, chopped
2 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
1/2 cup light coconut milk
3/4 cup water
1 large potato, peeled and diced small
6 skinless chicken thighs (I used two boneless, skinless chicken breasts)
kosher salt to taste

Add oil to a large pan, on medium heat. When oil is hot add onion and garlic and sauté. Add cumin, masala and curry powder and mix well. Place chicken in the pan and season with salt. Mix together with all spices and brown on both side for a few minutes. Add tomatoes, cilantro, water, coconut milk and adjust salt to taste. Mix all ingredients and cover pan, simmer on low until chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes. Add potatoes and more water if neccesary and simmer, covered an additional 5-10 minutes. This dish is great served with rice or roti.

1 skinless chicken thigh = 3 pts
1/2 cup light coconut milk = 2.1 pts
1 large potato = 3 pts

Chicken Cacciatore - A healthier version

I recently stumbled upon a fantastic blog entitled Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes (http://weight-watchers-points-recipes.blogspot.com/) She has so many delicious looking recipes on her blog and lately I have been having fun making and trying some of them out. This was the first of Gina's recipes that I have tried. This meal was FANTASTIC. This dish was so full of fresh flavor and is so low in fat and calories. Both Brad and I loved it. It was also simple and relatively quick to make. I also found this dish provided for generous portions. After dinner and setting aside leftovers for Brad's lunch, UI had enough to freeze for another meal. It froze really well and was just as delicious the second time around. I will DEFINITLEY be making this again. Who ever thought healthy food could taste so good? Until now not me!


Chicken Cacciatore

Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 3 servings • Time: 30 minutes • Points: 4.3 ww points

3 chicken thighs, skin and fat removed (I used 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts instead of the thighs and legs)
3 chicken legs, skin and fat removed
1 tsp olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 ( 28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
3/4 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
3 tablespoons drained capers (I didn't have any of these so left them out)
1 tsp dried oregano leaves
chopped fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons salt, plus more to taste
freshly ground black pepper

Season chicken with salt. In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium-high flame. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and saute just until brown, about 5 minutes per side.

Transfer the chicken to a plate and set aside. Add the pepper, onion and garlic to the pan and saute over medium heat until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add the tomatoes, broth, and oregano. Return the chicken pieces to the saute pan and mix in with the sauce. Cover the pan and bring the sauce to a simmer. Continue simmering over low heat until the chicken is just cooked through, about 20 minutes. Add the chopped basil when done. Serve over whole grain angel hair pasta if desired.

Creamy Tomato Pasta

This recipe is one that was once featured on Oprah. I guess the claim was made that if you want a man to fall in love with you that this is the one dish that you should make him. Ummm I don't know about that. I love pasta and my husband likes it too but if there were one dish that I was to make my hubby to make him love me more it would more than likely be a fat juicy steak or something like that. I mean this dish doesn't even have any meat in it. LOL. That aside, this dish was very tasty and very quick to put together. I'll definitely be making this again. My husband and I both enjoyed it and my toddler couldn't get enough of the stuff.

Creamy Tomato Pasta

2 cups of Italian stewed tomatoes
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup whipping cream
3 tbl spoons of tomato paste
1/3 cup of fresh parsley, chopped (I didn't have any so left it out)
salt and pepper to taste

Puree stewed tomatoes in a blender. Sauté garlic and olive oil for 2-3 minutes. Add tomatoes to the pan. Add whipping cream, tomato paste, parsley and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 30-35 minutes. Serve over cooked fettuccini noodles (or your favorite pasta). You could also top with some seasoned grilled chicken breast if you were looking to get your protein in.

I like Sketty mummy!

Grilled Cheese Burgers and the 4th Weekend

The 4th of July just wouldn't be the 4th of July for me unless it involved staying up late on the 3rd to put out chairs for the parade, the annual parade down Main Street on the 4th, and a delicious BBQ lunch afterwards. Though I am not an American, I do enjoy the 4th of July holiday. I enjoy the patriotic colors, the time spent visiting with friends and family, the food, the fireworks and the general mood of the day.

This 4th of July the majority of our family were away on a trip to Yellowstone. Though we couldn't go, we didn't let that spoil our fun. We enjoyed taking our little one to the parade, eating our tasty lunch, our lazy afternoon and watching some fireworks later that evening.

My husband loves homemade hamburgers. Who doesn't really? Though I am not completely opposed to buying pre-made hamburger patties, to me homemade patties just taste that much better. These were DELICIOUS!

Grilled Cheese Burgers
Rachel Ray


3 tablespoons of olive oil (I use extra virgin)
1 small onion chopped fine
1 1/4 pounds of ground sirloin
1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce
salt and pepper

Place a medium skillet over medium-high heat with 1 turn of the pan of oil. Add the onion to the pan and cook until tender about 4-5 minutes. Remove onions and place in a large mixing bowl.

When the onions have cooled slightly, add the ground sirloin, Worcestershire sauce and salt and pepper. Mix to combine. (If you can stand it, this is best done using your hands). Divide meat into 4 portions and shape into round patties. Grill until cooked through.

We enjoyed our burgers topped with all the regular favorites- cheese, grilled bacon, lettuce, tomato, mustard, ketchup and mayonnaise. I forgot about it this time around, but as is customary in Australia, I would usually also fry and egg and have that on our burgers too. Mmmmmmmm.

The Parade
Mmmmm Taffy!


Making friends with another Nana
They had lots of fun chatting and Gabe enjoyed sharing his candy with her

Me and my Daddy!

Me and my Mummy!

I had bought a small squirter bottle to help keep us cool and Gabe had a ball squirting people with it. We were laughing hysterically the whole time. He is definatelty cute enough to get away with it.


I love his cheeky smile in this one. He knew excatly what he was doing!

Chicken Divan

A few weeks ago now my husband told me that he wanted to go on a diet to try and lose some weight. My first reaction (trying to play the supportive wife role) was "Ok, I can start looking for recipes that are lower in fat and healthier for you." In my mind however, I was whining and thinking "Ah crap, that's no fun!" I need an attitude adjustment. I am still wrapping my head around the idea that meals can truly be healthy AND delicious. I have been blessed in so much that as long as I exercise my butt off on a regular basis at the gym (which thankfully I love) I can control my weight. I don't do diets. Oddly enough I have enough will power to exercise but not really "diet." Wish us luck!

So with this new mission in mind, I jumped online and started surfing blogs that promised healthier meals. This one is from a Weight Watchers website. My husband loved it and it was only 3.5 points (hope that means something to someone).

Chicken Divan
“Mayo Clinic’s Virtual Cookbook



2 packages frozen broccoli spears
6 boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 cup plain nonfat yogurt
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
2 tablespoons grated Cheddar cheese (I may have snuck a little extra in) =)
1/2 cup soft bread crumbs ( I made my own)

Heat oven to 350° F. Steam broccoli until tender (about 2 minutes). Spray a 9- by 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Drain broccoli and place in the bottom of the baking dish.

Boil chicken until done. Cut or shred into bite-sized pieces. Add to broccoli. Combine the yogurt with the soup and curry powder. Pour over the chicken and broccoli. Sprinkle the cheese on top. Top with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes.

Yield: 4 servings

Lemon Cream Pasta with Chicken

I saw this recipe on Melanie from My Kitchen Cafe's blog a while back and had been excited to try it. I finally got around to making it this past week. It was delicious. I had wondered if the cream added to the sauce may make it heavy but it was just the opposite. As Melanie said about this dish on her blog - "Creamy and light." I'll definitely be making this dish again.

Lemon Cream Pasta with Chicken
adapted from allrecipes.com via Clouse Cousins Cookin'

Serves 4-6

3 cups shredded or cubed Lemon Garlic Chicken (recipe follows)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1 (16 ounce) package tube pasta (I used shells because it is what I had)
2 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan, season the chicken broth with the garlic powder and pepper. Bring to a boil and add lemon juice and pasta. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until all liquid is absorbed, about 25 minutes.

Stir chicken into cooked pasta, along with the cream, parmesan cheese and lemon zest. Cook, stirring, over low heat for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let stand 5 minutes. Stir thoroughly before serving.

Lemon Garlic Chicken
Erin W.

Juice of 1 lemon, approximately 3 tablespoons
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon minced garlic, about 2 medium cloves
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1 pound chicken breasts (I usually cut really thick chicken breasts down to thin them out and make the pieces a little smaller so they absorb the marinade better)

Combine all marinade ingredients. Place chicken in a ziploc bag or tuppaware container and pour marinade over chicken. Place in fridge overnight. Grill (or cook in frying pan). Serve with sides of your choice or cut into bite sized pieces and add to desired recipe (I'll be sharing a few with you soon). Note: If you cut your chicken into smaller, bite-sized pieces and then marinate it, you can get away with only letting it marinate for 5 or 6 hours instead of overnight.

La'ai's Samoan Sapasui or Chop Suey

Chop Suey is a dish that I have loved for as long as I can remember. I'm not sure when the first time I ate it was or whether I first had it while living in New Zealand or if I first ate it in Australia. Either way it would have likely been prepared by a New Zealand Maori native or a Samoan or Tongan islander native. Growing up in both New Zealand and Australia I would say that there was a fairly strong Maori/Samoan/Tongan influence in my life. Whether it be friends, family, food or church, the islands were always present in one shape or form. This is one of my favorite island dishes for sure. Before making this dish this time around, I hadn't eaten it since I lived in Australia so I was excited to have it once again. It didn't quite look like I remembered but it tasted spot on. Ahhh the islands.

Chop Suey
http://polynesiankitchen.blogspot.com



2 lbs. chopped beef (chuck steak) or chicken (I used chicken)- cubed and cooked through
5 cloves garlic (chopped)
1 tsp ginger – I used fresh minced ginger
1 cup soy sauce
1 half head of cabbage chopped(veggies can be fresh or frozen)
Approx 1 cup of baby carrots chopped
1 cup beef or chicken broth
1 bag of Long Rice Noodles (I just found a bag at my local Wal-mart)
3 Tbsp. oil

Prepare noodles – bring 3 quarts water to a boil. Add noodles and turn off heat. Soak noodles until softened.

Sauté meat in oil for 3 minutes. Add garlic and ginger and continue cooking for 2 more minutes. Add broth and soy sauce and cook 5 more minutes. Drain noodles and stir into meat mixture with vegetables. (You may have to add more liquid as needed as the noodles may absorb some of the liquid.

** Depending on your cut of meat, you may boil tougher cuts for ½ hour before sautéing.