Tastes of Wonderful

Chicken Pillows

2011-05-19T12:57:00.000-07:00

These are a classic. One of the recipes we've been making since we first got married. It's a great warm winter time dinner paired with mashed potatoes or perfect for the summer time with some grilled veggies. We've been loving it since our college days and it still manages to make an appearance on our menu plans still!

Ingredients:

- 1 package of reduced fat cresent rolls
- 6 ounces of shredded chicken
- 2 oz. of fat free cream cheese, softened
- 1/4 cup chopped onion
- dry ranch seasoning mix
- 1 tbsp. butter, melted

Directions:

1. Cook and shred chicken.

2. Mix chicken with softened cream cheese and onion.

3. Drop tablespoons full of chicken mixture onto laid out flat cresent rolls.

4. Adhere, smoosh, whatever the sides of the rolls together to keep the insides in and covered.

5. Dip in melted butter and dry seasoning mix.

6. Bake at 350 degrees till browned and dough is cooked (about 15 - 20 minutes).

Sometimes we serve them with a gravy. To make the gravy mix a can of cream of chicken soup with a enough milk till it's the consistency you desire. Heat on stove till boiling.

ENJOY!

taco salad

2011-05-16T17:28:00.000-07:00

This one's from my momma. I remember it from when I was growing up and last time I was home we had it and I thought - mmmm...why don't I ever make this??? So I came home and made it soon after and now it's definitely gonna be a regular on the menu!

Ingredients:

- lettuce, tomatoes, onion, cilantro
- fat free cheddar cheese
- ground turkey
- taco seasoning
- nacho cheese doritos
- light catalina kraft dressing

Directions:

1. Ground turkey in skillet and add taco seasoning according to directions.

2. Mix everything together according to your tastes and liking.

ENJOY!

mexican fondue

2011-05-13T17:27:00.000-07:00

I have one picky eater and one eater that eats ANYTHING. I understand both. I grew up EXTREMELY picky - sorry mom! Now, believe it or not I'll eat just about anything!

We eat pretty healthy around here and I want my kids to realize that delicious food can be yummy, healthy, and fun too!

So this week we tried fondue for the first time with the kids. It ended in a mess but they thought it was fun and ended up eating quite a bit as well!

I found this recipe on AllRecipes.com and it ended up being a hit! I had never made a cheddar cheese fondue - but this one was a winner and will definitely be made again in our house!

It definitely has Mexican flavors due to the cilantro and herbs so it would be fun doing a Mexican theme and doing peppers, tortillas, etc. as dippers!

Ingredients:

1 (10.75 ounce) can Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup (I used 98% Fat Free)
3/4 cup milk (I used skim)
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
Suggested Dippers: we used whole wheat pasta, homemade bread, potatoes, broccoli, carrots, and cubed chicken.

Directions:

Heat the soup and milk in a 2-quart saucepan over medium heat until the mixture is hot and bubbling, stirring occasionally.
Stir in the chili powder, cumin, and cheese. Cook and stir until the cheese is melted. Stir in the cilantro.
Pour the soup mixture into a fondue pot or slow cooker. Serve warm with dippers.

ENJOY!

THE best chocolate chip cookies

2011-05-10T17:32:00.000-07:00

The
'I Can't Believe I Just Ate the WHOLE Thing'
Chocolate Chip Cookies

One of my friends brought these to a party at our house and I emailed her right away NEEDING the recipe! They were absolutely heavenly, HUGE, and I definitely ate more than one - oops!

Ingredients:

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda *I use a heaping 1/2 teaspoon*
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 egg yolk
2 cups semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets or line with parchment paper.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt; set aside.

In a medium bowl, cream together the melted butter, brown sugar and white sugar until well blended. Beat in the vanilla, egg, and egg yolk until light and creamy. Mix in the sifted ingredients until just blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop cookie dough a 1/4 cup *yes, you read that right, a QUARTER CUP* at a time onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about 3 inches apart.

Bake for 15 to 17 minutes in the preheated oven, or until the edges are lightly toasted. Cool on baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely *I just transfer mine to paper or a paper towel*. Yields 18 cookies.

ENJOY!

Cinnabon rolls

2011-04-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

These are - The Cinnabon rolls
from
The Girl Who Ate Everything

When I say 'THE' Cinnabon rolls - I mean the real thing!!! They are absolutely heavenly and the hubby even says they're better :)

I was in love from the first bite and will definitely no long EVER try another recipe. My search for the perfect cinnamon roll is over.

Try it out:

Rolls:
1 cup warm milk
2 eggs, room temperature
1/3 cup butter, melted
4 1/2 cups bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup white sugar
1 pkg yeast (1/4 ounce)

Filling:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
2 1/2 tablespoons ground cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, softened

Icing:
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) butter, softened
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt

Directions:

1. Heat milk for 45-60 seconds in the microwave.

2. Dissolve yeast in warm milk in a large bowl. Add sugar, butter, salt, eggs, and flour. Mix well.

3. Knead dough into a large ball, using your hands dusted lightly with flour. Put in a bowl sprayed with cooking spray and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place about 1 hour or until dough has doubled in size.

4. In a small bowl, thoroughly combine brown sugar and cinnamon. Spray surface with cooking spray or sprinkle flour on it. Roll dough into a 16x21 inch rectangle about 1/4 inch thick.

5. Spread dough with 1/3 cup softened butter and sprinkle evenly with sugar/cinnamon mixture. Roll up dough starting with the longer side and cut into 12 rolls (or more smaller rolls).

6. Place rolls in a lightly greased 9x13 inch glass baking dish. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 30 minutes. *After this I would put them in the refrigerator for the next morning if you are doing them the night before.

7. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake rolls in preheated oven until golden brown, about 18-20 minutes.

8. While rolls are baking, beat together cream cheese, butter, confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract and salt. Spread frosting on while they are still warm so that the frosting melts into the roll.

ENJOY!

Roasted Green Beans

2011-04-09T04:21:00.000-07:00

We love our fresh veggies over here. Green beans are on the hubbies top fav list. I guess I've never been too brave, or maybe just boring, or maybe I just have never really thought of trying to make them any other way than this...I boil them or steam them and add a little salt and pepper. That's it.

Then I ran across this blog - How Sweet it is . Great food blog. Go check it out! So I saw some green beans on there - and all she did was roast them! Nothing fancy...what I always do with my asparagus but had NEVER thought to do with green beans.

Well guess what? I will never make green beans another way AGAIN!!! The hubby and I were literally fighting over who got to eat them. I didn't want him to touch ANY of them :) I wanted EVERY SINGLE ONE for myself!!!

Weight Watchers - 0 Points Plus

Ingredients:
- 1 lb of green beans
- A spray of non-stick cooking spray
- Some salt and pepper

Directions:
1. Wash and cut ends of green beans.
2. Spray with non-stick spray and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
3. Roast at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes (flipping half way)

Enjoy!

Bird's Nests

2011-03-30T12:37:00.000-07:00

When I saw these over at Crafting Chicks I thought they were absolutely adorable! I thought they would be the cutest little treats to make for Easter and then I realized I had almost everything on hand and couldn't wait another month to try them out! So I gathered what I had on hand and ended up being able to make four of them.

Ingredients:
- around 2 cups of Fiber One cereal (I just used what was left in my bag)
- 1 tablespoon of butter
- around 1 1/2 cups of mini marshmallows (I just used what was left in my bag)
- easter egg candy (Reese's are our favorite!)
- Peeps

Directions:

1. Melt the butter on low heat and then add the marshmallows like you're making rice krispie treats.

2. Once the marshmallows are melted remove from heat and add in the cereal.

3. Spray your hands with cooking spray (very important - these are SUPER sticky) and mold the cereal into nests once they aren't so hot.

4. Wait a few minutes while the nests firm up a bit and then add your eggs and Peep.

Even the kiddos were pretty good at helping and had lots of fun - making them AND eating them of course!!!

A super cute little treat to add to a bag with some ribbon and Crafting Chicks tags!

ENJOY!

Cinnamon Toast Pretzels

2011-03-25T17:49:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from Your Homebased Mom a few Christmas's ago and it was delightful. I fun twist on your regular chocolate covered pretzels. A perfect combination of salty and sweet - too perfect because I always end up eating too much!

Ingredients:

1 bag (18 oz.) small pretzels

2/3 C oil

1/3 C granulated sugar

1 1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Extra cinnamon sugar for sprinkling

White chocolate for drizzling

Directions:

1. In microwave safe bowl pour in pretzels. Mix together oil, sugar and cinnamon in small bowl. Pour over pretzels and mix well, making sure to coat pretzels.

2. Place in microwave for 2 minutes on high. Check after first minute as they might burn. Stir the mixture and continue cooking. Microwave for 1 minute more.

3. When out of the microwave, stir again to make sure they are all coated.

4. Spread the pretzels onto two cookie sheets. You want a single layer of pretzels. While they are still hot sprinkle additional cinnamon sugar over the top.

5. Melt white chocolate and drizzle over the top of pretzels. Once white chocolate hardens put into air tight containers.

ENJOY!

Pot Roast

2011-03-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

The Perfect Pot Roast. It's a much loved thing around our house. However, I think it took about 4 years of trying and failing EVERY time I attempted to make it to finally find what now works perfect EVERY single time. Here are my secrets (learned from my momma of course):

1. I always buy a chuck roast. Others may work well too but I never stray from the chuck roast - when I can find them for $1.99 a pound I always stock the freezer.

2. Put it in a pot in the oven at 350 degrees and douse it with water and about 32oz. of beef broth. Enough to just cover the entire thing in liquid.

3. Cook it for a minimum of 4 hours. If it's still tough - COOK IT LONGER. Cook it until it falls apart. The longer the better.

4. About two hours till I'm ready to serve it I add the carrots, potatoes, and sometimes onions and mushrooms. Then I add 1 onion soup mix packet along with the veggies. If the roast isn't covered with liquid anymore I add more water so the veggies have enough to cook in.

About 2 Weight Watcher PointsPlus per ounce

That's it - Perfect every time!

ENJOY!

Pot Pie

2011-03-22T17:48:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my best buddy Kierste at SweetPea Recipes (check out her site for way more yummy goodies) - it is perfect for these cold winter days. It is warm and yummy and perfect for using leftover turkey.

An 1/8 of the pie is 9 OLD Weight Watcher Points (I need to figure out the new Point Value)

Ingredients:

1 double pie crust (I use Pillsbury)

2 cans Cream of Potato soup

1 c. frozen mixed vegetables (I used 2 cups)

2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed

thyme

sage

salt & pepper

Directions:

1. Mix the last 6 ingredients together (herbs and seasonings to taste).

2. Press bottom crust into pie pan. Place filling inside pie crust.

3. Top with other crust, seal and flute edges.

4. Cut slits into the top of the crust.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown.

6. Cover crust edges with aluminum foil for first 20-25 minutes, then remove.

ENJOY!

Snickerdoodles

2011-03-19T14:07:00.000-07:00

One year for a Christmas present my little sister gave me some recipes and a cute little snowman holder. I've tried other Snickerdoodle recipes and this one has still come out as the best!

Gale Gand (little sister gave to me from school)

Ingredients:

Topping

3 Tbs. sugar

½ tsp. cinnamon

Dough

3 ½ cups flour

1 Tbs. baking powder

2 tsp. baking soda

¼ tsp. salt

¼ tsp. cinnamon

1 cup butter

2 cups sugar

2 eggs

1 Tbs. light corn syrup

2 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and cinnamon and set aside.

2. To make the cookie dough, stir together the dry ingredients.

3. In a bowl cream the butter. Add the sugar and continue to mix, then add the eggs, corn syrup, and vanilla, and mix thoroughly.

4. Add the dry ingredients and mix until blended.

5. Chill dough 1 hour if it’s sticky or difficult to handle.

6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

7. Roll balls of dough about the size of a walnut then roll them in the cinnamon and sugar to coat.

8. Place on an un-greased sheet pan about 2 ½ inches apart.

9. Bake for 10-12 minutes until puffed up and the surface is slightly cracked.

10. Let cool on the sheet pan a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool.

Cooking Time:

Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees.

ENJOY!

Chocolate Chip Cookies

2011-03-16T14:08:00.000-07:00

These are by far one of our favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe. Our best friends in from college introduced it to us many years ago and it's still a winner at our house.

Ingredients:

½ cup sugar

1 ½ cup brown sugar

1 cup butter

4 eggs

2 tsp. vanilla

4 ½ cups of flour

2 tsp. baking soda

2 small packages of instant vanilla pudding (THESE ARE THE KEY!!!)

Chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cream both the sugars with the butter.

2. Add the eggs and vanilla.

3. Sift and add flour, soda, and pudding.

4. Add desired amount of chocolate chips.

Cooking Time:

Bake at 375 degrees for 6 minutes.

ENJOY!

Strawberry Poke Cake

2011-03-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

This is one of those summer favorites. We love the strawberry one - but raspberries would be just as good. Easy, pretty, and oh so good. Check out Kraft for this recipe and so many other good ones!

Ingredients:

1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix

1 cup boiling water

1 pkg. (3 oz.) JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin

1/2 cup cold water

1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed

Directions:

1. PREPARE cake batter and bake as directed on package for 13x9-inch pan. Cool cake in pan 15 min. Pierce cake with large fork at 1/2-inch intervals.

2. ADD boiling water to gelatin mix in small bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Stir in cold water; pour over cake. Refrigerate 3 hours.

3. FROST cake with COOL WHIP. Refrigerate 1 hour. Top with fresh berries.

ENJOY!

Starbucks Coffee Cake

2011-03-10T13:56:00.000-08:00

This the most perfect coffee cake. Perfect for a breakfast, brunch, party, or dessert. I absolutely love it! If you like cake and cinnamon - you'll be in love. Picky Palate always pulls through- head on over there to see MUCH more appealing pictures :)

Beth’s Starbuck’s Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

(half recipe)

1 Box Yellow Cake Mix (plus ingredients on back of box)

2 Sticks cold salted butter
2 1/4 Cups flour
1 1/2 Tablespoons cinnamon
1 ¾ Cups brown sugar
1 1/2 Tablespoons vanilla
Powdered sugar (for dusting)

Directions:

1. PREHEAT oven to 350.

2. PREPARE cake mixe in large bowl according to directions on box. Spray 9X13 pan with non-stick spray. Pour batter into pan. Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes or until center is just barely set.

3. WHILE cakes are baking, prepare crumb topping. In large bowl of electric mixer combine, butter, flour, cinnamon, sugar and vanilla until all crumbly.

4. IMMEDIATELY after cake is removed from oven, break crumb topping into marble size pieces with fingers, sprinkling over top. Put back in oven and bake an additional 10-15 minutes (topping will begin to look a little less wet/raw). Let cool fully then dust with powdered sugar, using a sieve.

5. CUT into squares and serve.

ENJOY!

Granola Mix

2011-03-07T14:12:00.000-08:00

Jedda at This Little Project posted this yummy recipe and although I had never make granola before I decided to give it a try. My cute little hubby is trying to put on some muscle and so is always looking for "healthier" things to snack on that may also have more calories to help put on weight. Well I shouldn't have made this and left it in the house because I'm gonna be the one putting on the pounds - I can never keep my hands off of it!!!

Ingredients:

2 cups oats3/4 cup puffed rice cereal3/4 cup sunflower seeds (salted, roasted)1 cup crushed peanuts 1 cup raisins or craisins (or 1/2 of each)2/3 cup brown sugar1/4 cup honey4 Tbsp. butter2 tsp vanilla extract

I also just added whatever I had on time. Sometimes I put in some M&Ms or walnut/pecans, etc.

Directions:

Go to her site to see how to make yummy bars. This is what I did...

1. Mix all the dry ingredients.

2. In a medium saucepan boil the sugar, honey, butter, and vanilla.

3. Mix it all together.

4. Bake it in a 400 degree oven on either a cookie sheet or 9x13 pan. for about 10 minutes.

5. Let it cool and crumble into bite size granola pieces.

ENJOY!

Black and White Chippers

2011-03-04T14:10:00.000-08:00

Picky Palate was one of the very first cooking sites I started following. And I think this just might have been the first of her recipes I tried. I was instantly in love. I could eat the dough all day long (and sometimes I do!) - It tastes just like a thick brownie batter with white chocolate mixed in...by far my favorite cookie!

Ingredients:

1 3/4 cups flour
1 1/4 cups cocoa powder
1 cup white sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 tsp. baking soda
1 cup butter
2 eggs
1 tsp. vanilla
1/4 tsp. salt
2 cups white chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well with each addition. Add the salt and vanilla.

3. In another bowl, combine the flour, cocoa and baking soda and gradually add to the creamed mixture. Fold in chocolate chips. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.

4. Bake for 8 minutes until fluffy but still soft. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

ENJOY!

Red Enchiladas

2011-03-01T14:12:00.000-08:00

Another Hungry Girl winner! I love Mexican food - by far a favorite of mine! Luckily, that food is all about the flavor and most of the time can be transformed into some pretty healthy stuff. My hubby said this about these when reheating them the day after, "Mmmm...these really are pretty good." I tell ya - it's the spicy-ness!!! I guess they're a keeper around here :)

This recipe makes 2 enchiladas. Each enchilada is 3 Weight Watcher Points Plus Points.

Ingredients:

2 large corn tortillas (I actually use high fiber low carb flour ones)
1 slice fat-free cheddar cheese, cut in half
2/3 cup enchilada sauce
1/3 cup fat-free refried beans
1/4 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese
1/4 cup chopped onions
1 tbsp. taco sauce (I used the Taco Bell jarred kind)
1/2 tsp. taco seasoning mix, dry
Optional toppings: fat-free sour cream, chopped scallions

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2. In a pan sprayed with nonstick spray, cook onions over medium heat until they begin to brown (about 2 minutes).

3. In a small dish, combine the onions with the refried beans, taco sauce, and taco seasoning. Mix well.

4. Spray a small baking dish with nonstick spray. Heat tortillas in the microwave until slightly warm. Lay the tortillas on a clean, dry surface, and then spread about 2 tbsp. of the enchilada sauce onto each one.

5. Place one half of the cheese slice on each tortilla.

6. Then, evenly distribute the bean mixture into the center of each tortilla.

7. Wrap the tortillas up tightly, and place them in the baking dish seam side down. Pour the rest of the enchilada sauce over the enchiladas.

8. Bake in the oven for about 10 minutes (until the enchiladas are hot). Remove dish from the oven, sprinkle shredded cheese over the enchiladas, and then return it to the oven for about 5 minutes (until the cheese is nice and melty).

ENJOY!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Bar

2011-02-17T18:44:00.000-08:00

My hubby's favorite treats include anything with chocolate and peanut butter. When we were planning our Super Bowl menu I decided I wanted to try a new dessert and one that would feed a crowd. I had been wanting to try something from my new favorite cooking blog The Girl Who Ate Everything and these definitely did not disappoint. I will for sure be making these again!

First set of ingredients:
1 pkg. plain yellow cake mix
1 stick melted butter
1 c. creamy peanut butter
2 eggs

Second set of ingredients:

1 (12 oz) pkg. chocolate chips

1 can sweetened condensed milk

2 T. butter

2 tsp. vanilla

Directions:

1. Combine first set of ingredients and press into a 9X13 pan reserving 1 1/2 c. of the mixture to crumble on top.

2. Melt the second set on low heat in a small pot. Remove from heat and add 2 tsp. vanilla.

3. Spread chocolate mixture over the mixture pressed in the pan and then crumble the 1 1/2 of reserved cake mixture on top. Bake for 20-25 minutes at 325 degrees.

4. Cool completely before cutting into bars.

ENJOY!

Pretzel Bites

2011-02-15T14:18:00.000-08:00

Found these delectable little babies over at Mel's Kitchen Cafe . Had to give them a try and they were fabulous! They were so good they made it onto the superbowl menu. We served them with mustard and pizza sauce to dip in but they'd be great with cheese or some cinnamon and sugar as well. Try them out for dinner with a yummy salad!

Yields about 24 pretzel bites @ 1 WW PointsPlus each

Ingredients:

Dough:
2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
2 1/4 teaspoons instant yeast
1 cup very warm water

Topping:
1/2 cup warm water
2 tablespoons baking soda
Coarse salt (optional)
3 tablespoons butter, melted (I changed this to about 1 1/2 tablespoons)

Directions:

In a large bowl or the bowl of an electric mixer, place the flour, salt, sugar and yeast. Mix to just combine. Add the water and mix well, adding more flour, as needed, a bit at a time to form a soft, smooth dough that clears the sides and bottom of the bowl. Knead the dough, by hand or machine, for about 5 minutes, until it is soft, smooth and quite slack. The goal is to get a really soft dough that isn’t overly sticky. Lightly flour the dough and place it in a plastic bag; close the bag, leaving room for the dough to expand, and let it rest for 30 minutes or up to 60 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 500°F. Don’t be afraid of the high heat! This is what will help those pretzels to brown up perfectly and stay soft on the inside. Prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or lightly greasing them.

Transfer the dough to a lightly greased work surface, and divide it into about four strips of equal length. Allow the pieces to rest, uncovered, for 5 minutes. While the dough is resting, combine the 1/2 cup warm water and the baking soda in a liquid measuring cup (deep enough to dip the pretzel bites into). Make sure the baking soda is thoroughly dissolved. Sometimes I have a hard time getting the baking soda completely dissolved, so I just lightly stir up the mixture right before adding each pretzel.

Cut each strip of dough into about 6-8 pieces, about 1 to 1 ½ inches in width. You don’t have to be completely exact, just eyeball it. Dip each pretzel bite in the baking soda solution (this will give the pretzels a nice, golden-brown color), and place them on the baking sheets. Sprinkle them lightly with coarse, kosher, or pretzel salt. Allow them to rest, uncovered, for 10 minutes.

Bake the pretzels for 7-8 minutes or until they’re golden brown. Bake one sheet at a time – it won’t hurt the other pretzels to chill out for a little longer.

Remove the pretzels from the oven, and brush them thoroughly with the melted butter. Keep brushing the butter on until you’ve used it all up; it may seem like a lot, but that’s what gives these pretzels their ethereal taste. Eat the pretzels warm, or reheat them in an oven or microwave on low heat.

ENJOY!

Buffalo Chicken Pizza

2011-01-27T14:13:00.001-08:00

I've been trying to include a couple of new recipes into our monthly menu planning. I love Hungry Girl and have been trying out a few of her recipes lately. Here's the latest one - buffalo chicken pizza. It certainly didn't fulfill my pizza craving but it was still a yummy dish. My hubby loves anything spicy - especially if it includes hot sauce - so this one was a keeper in his book!

1 entire pita pizza - 6 Weight Weight Point Plus Points

This recipe is for 1 serving:

Ingredients:

1 high-fiber or whole-wheat pita
1/2 tsp. dry ranch dressing/dip mix
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese
2 oz. cooked and chopped skinless lean chicken breast
1 tsp. Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
1 tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping
1 tbsp. chopped scallions

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray. Place pita on the sheet and set aside.

3. In a small bowl, combine ranch mix with cheese wedge and mix. Spread evenly onto the pita.

4. In another small bowl, toss chicken with hot sauce. Scatter chicken over the ranchy cheese layer, and sprinkle evenly with Parm-style topping.

5. Bake in the oven until hot and toasty, 10 - 12 minutes.

6. Sprinkle with scallions, slice into quarters and, if you like, top with a little extra hot sauce.

ENJOY!!!

Chipotle Panini Chicken

2011-01-09T12:41:00.000-08:00

Panera Bread ReMake - Chipotle Chicken Panini

I love Hungry Girl. Her show starts soon and I'm excited to see what it's like! In the meantime I've been receiving her emails for awhile now and have just now started trying some of her recipes. My absolute favorite part is that ALL of the nutrition facts are included - and she even calculates the Weight Watcher Points - love this girl!!! A dream come true for all Weight Watcher fans :)

When I saw she was doing a remake of something from Panera Bread I knew I had to try it! That place is definitely one of my all time favorite places to eat. Click here for the recipe and sign up to get her emails too!

This one is for sure a keeper - even the hubby has asked me several times how to make it so he can do it himself!!!

Weight Watchers - 6 Points on the new Points Plus Program

This recipe is for ONE serving. So double, triple, etc. accordingly to make it work for your family!

Ingredients:
Sauce
1 1/2 tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise
1/2 tsp. adobo sauce (from canned chipotle peppers) or chipotle hot sauce (like the kind by Tabasco)
2 dashes onion powder
2 dashes garlic powder

Sandwich
One 100-calorie flat sandwich bun (like Arnold Select/Oroweat Sandwich Thins)
2 oz. cooked skinless lean chicken breast, shredded or pulled into pieces (we even used canned chicken the second time - just make sure to drain it REALLY well)
1 tbsp. roughly chopped fresh basil
2 thin slices red onion
2 slices plum tomato
1 stick light string cheese, shredded or pulled into pieces

Directions:
1. In a medium bowl, combine ingredients for the sauce and mix well. Set aside.

2. Split bun in half and lay the halves flat, split sides up. Evenly spread half of the sauce onto the bun halves, leaving half of the sauce in the bowl. Set aside.

3. To the bowl with the remaining sauce, add chicken and toss to coat. Set aside.

4. Evenly top one bun half with basil, onion, tomato, saucy chicken, and cheese. Place the other half on top, sauce side down.

5. Bring a grill pan sprayed with nonstick spray to medium-high heat on the stove. Place sandwich in the pan. Using a spatula, press down gently but firmly to seal the sandwich. Grill until hot and lightly browned, about 2 minutes per side, flipping carefully and pressing down with the spatula to seal. (We don't have a grill pan or a panini press - but our George Foreman grill works perfectly!)

Cut in half (or not) and enjoy!

Enjoy!

Cinnamon Swirl Cake

2011-01-07T12:24:00.000-08:00

Cinnamon Swirl Cake

My friend Kiertse makes some of my favorite baked treats - check her out at Sweetpea Recipes. This one is definitely a keeper - a super yummy warm cake with a cinnamon buttercream frosting. We made this on Thanksgiving and it didn't last too long!

Ingredients:

3 c. flour
1 c. sugar
4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 eggs
2 tsp. vanilla
1 1/2 c. milk
1 stick melted butter
1 stick melted butter (yes, 2 total!)
2/3 c. brown sugar
1 T. flour
1 T. cinnamon

Directions:

1. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. Add eggs, vanilla, milk, and melted butter, and mix well.
3. Pour into a sugared (sprayed with cooking spray, and coated with sugar) bundt pan.
4. Melt the second stick of butter, then stir in the brown sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
5. Pour on top of the cake, and with a butter knife, swirl it through the cake.
6. Bake at 375 degrees for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

8 T. butter, room temperature
3 3/4 c. powdered sugar
3-4 T. whole milk
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Directions:

1. Place the powdered sugar in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the butter, and 3 T of milk.
3. Blend with the mixer on low speed until the powdered sugar is incorporated, then add the vanilla and cinnamon.
4. Increase the speed to medium, and beat until fluffy.
5. Add more milk if the frosting seems too stiff.
6. Melt it in the microwave for 30 seconds, or until you can pour it over the cake.

Caramel Chocolate Pretzels

2010-12-20T15:00:00.000-08:00

Caramel/Chocolate Covered Pretzels

My friend Melissa has introduced me to some of my most favorite recipes. Here is one that pulls through as a holiday favorite year after year.

Ingredients:

- 1 bag of pretzel rods (we often break the rods in half to make them smaller)
- 1 lb of melting chocolate (we prefer white)
- 1 lb of caramel (buy at a baking store/cake shop)

Directions:

1. Rip off a piece of caramel and roll it between your hands like a snake.

2. Wrap the caramel around the pretzel rod.

3. Hold pretzels over sauce pan with melted chocolate in it and pour chocolate until the entire part with caramel is covered.

4. Lay on wax paper and coat with sprinkles or colored melting chocolate (or whatever else sounds good - toffee, nuts, etc.)

5. Stick in refrigerator to cool and harden.

ENJOY!

sugar cookie

2010-11-29T14:43:00.000-08:00

Sugar Cookies

I'm always on the look out for the perfect sugar cookie recipe. This by far is the best yet that I have made. It's found over at Our Best Bites - go check all their yummy stuff!

Sugar Cookies
Print text only

1 C real butter (no substitutions!)
1 C sugar
1 egg (make sure to use a large or extra large egg)
1 1/2 t almond extract (or other flavor of your choice, like vanilla)
3 C flour
1 1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t salt

Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy- about 2 minutes. Add in egg and extract and mix to incorporate.

In a separate bowl combine flour, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine. Slowly add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until completely combined.

Chill the dough in the fridge for about an hour, or use this great tip to make things easier:

When your dough is made, instead of putting it in the fridge, immediately roll between 2 sheets of waxed or parchment paper and then place on a flat surface in the fridge. Chill for about 20-30 minutes and then start cutting it out. This way it chills faster and the bonus is that you don't need to add extra flour to roll it out. If you don't use this tip, proceed as follows:

When you're ready to roll out dough lightly sprinkle flour onto your work surface and roll out dough with a rolling pin.

Bake at 350 for 8-12 minutes. The baking time really depends on how you like them. If you like them really and slightly chewy, about 8-9 minutes does it. If you like them slightly crisp and buttery, then go for 10-12.

ENJOY!

Ham and Swiss Loaf

2010-11-27T11:18:00.000-08:00

Ham and Swiss Loaf

When I had my second baby a friend from church brought this over for dinner and we were instantly in love - it was absolutely delicious!

Don't mind my ugly picture - hers was much more beautiful - but it all still tastes good anyways!

8 servings
1 serving = 4 WW points

HAM AND SWISS LOAF

Bread Dough (can use your own or see recipe below)
8 thin ham slices, fully cooked
1/2 c. shredded (2 oz.) Swiss cheese
3 Tbsp. mayonnaise
2 tsp. mustard

Roll bread dough into a 9 inch square. Mix mayonnaise and mustard; spread onto dough. Lay ham slices and Swiss cheese on bread dough. Roll up tightly into a loaf; pinch edge of dough to seal. Pinch ends as well - fold ends under loaf. Place, seam side down, on cookie sheet; cover. Let rise in warm place 40 to 45 minutes. Cook at 375 degrees for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown. Cut into 1 inch slices to serve.

For my family I always have to double this recipe

BREAD DOUGH

3/4 c. water
1 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 c. flour
2 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. yeast

Mix all ingredients together and set aside for about 30 minutes.

ENJOY!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes

2010-11-25T11:15:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe forever ago over at Annie's Eats. Go over there and check out her BEAUTIFUL pictures that make me want to make and eat absolutely every recipe she posts!

I LOVE Oreos so this was just up my alley!

Cookies and Cream Cupcakes
Printer-Friendly Version

Yield: 24 cupcakes
Ingredients:
For the cupcakes:
24 Oreo halves, with cream filling attached
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp. salt
8 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 2/3 cup sugar
3 large egg whites, at room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup milk
20 Oreo cookies, coarsely chopped (I quarter them)

For the frosting:
8 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
2 tbsp. heavy cream

For garnish:
Oreo cookie crumbs
24 Oreo cookie halves

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Line the wells of two cupcake pans with 24 paper liners. Place an Oreo halve in the bottom of each liner, cream side up. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt; stir together with a fork to blend and set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter and sugar and beat together on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend in the egg whites one at a time, beating well after each addition. Blend in the vanilla extract. With the mixer on low speed, beat in half of the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Add the milk and beat just until combined, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Gently fold in the chopped Oreos with a rubber spatula until evenly incorporated, being careful not to over-mix.

Evenly divide the batter between the prepared cupcake liners. Bake for 18-20 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through baking, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool in the pans 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting, combine the cream cheese and butter in the bowl of an electric mixer and beat on medium-high speed until smooth, about 1 minute. Blend in the vanilla extract. Beat in the confectioners’ sugar until incorporated and smooth, 1-2 minutes. Add the heavy cream to the bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until incorporated, then increase the speed to medium-high and whip for 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Frost the cooled cupcakes as desired. Sprinkle with Oreo crumbs and garnish with Oreo halves.

ENJOY!

Spinach Pasta Salad

2010-11-23T11:21:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe over at Sweetpea Recipes - check out the original recipe here. After getting several comments from friends about how good this salad is I knew I had to try it. It was light and yummy and low in points. You could easily add some chicken and serve it as a main course.

1 cup = 3 WW Points

Ingredients:

8oz. penne pasta (I use Ronzoni Smart Taste to save on calories and points)
Feta cheese, crumbled (I used 1/4 cup)
1/2 bacon, cooked and crumbled (I used 10 slices of turkey bacon)
1 red pepper, chopped
1 onion, chopped
6-8 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 package baby spinach

Dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 T. vinegar
salt and pepper

Directions:
Cook and crumble bacon. Saute onion and pepper while pasta is cooking. After the pasta and spinach are rinsed and drained toss them together with the bacon, onion, pepper, tomatoes, and cheese. Top with dressing and serve warm or cold.

ENJOY!

pumpkin muffin

2010-11-21T14:52:00.000-08:00

I'm sure everyone already knows this one but it's a classic, easy, healthy muffin recipe.

1 muffin - 2 WW points
(depending on just how many chocolate chips you add!)

Ingredients:
1 Spice cake mix
1 can of pumpkin
chocolate chips

Directions:
1. Mix together and put in tins (muffins) or cookie sheet (cookies) in 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

ENJOY!

oven fries

2010-11-19T14:48:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe at a friend's blog I Like Food and So Do You. My numero uno favorite food is potatoes - especially fries. However we all know french fries usually aren't the best thing for us - unless they're homemade. I orginally tried this recipe just as it is here. Then I experimented making it even healthier - and they still turned out perfectly! My changes are in italics.

1 potato (usually 8-10 fries) - 2 WW points

Oven Fries

Ingredients:

3 russet potatoes (8 oz each), peeled, each potato cut lengthwise into 10-12 evenly sized wedges
5 tablespoons vegetable or peanut oil (don’t substitute olive oil)
(all I used was non-stick spray - NO OIL)
Salt and ground black pepper

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat to 475. Place potatoes in large bowl and cover with hot tap water; soak 10 minutes. (Don't be tempted to skip soaking, as this is what will give you the crisp crust and soft innards.) Meanwhile, coat 18 x 12 heavy-duty baking sheet with 4 T oil (or just spray it with non-stick spray) and sprinkle evening with ¾ t. salt and ¼ t. pepper.

Drain potatoes and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels. Toss potatoes in dry bowl with 1 T oil (or just the non-stick spray). Arrange potatoes in single layer on baking sheet, cover tightly with foil (I just use a cookie sheet) and bake 5 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to bake until bottoms of potatoes are spotty golden brown (15-20 min), rotating the pan in the oven after 10 minutes. Using metal spatula and tongs, flip potatoes to other side, keeping in single layer. Continue baking another 5-15 minutes until fries are golden and crisp, rotating pan as needed for even browning.

ENJOY!

hot rolls

2010-11-17T13:00:00.000-08:00

I found this recipe over at Oopsey-Daisy . I'm a sucker for homemade rolls and knew I'd have to try this recipe when I - 1. saw the picture and 2. saw that the recipe was easy. It's called Grandma Munns' Hot Rolls.

1 roll: 3-4 ww points

Combine 1 T. yeast and 1 tsp. sugar in 1/2 cup warm water. Let set.

Beat 2 eggs.

Add 5 T. sugar - beat.

Add 1/2 c. shortening - beat.

Add 1 T. salt - beat.

Add 1 c. warm water.

Add "some" flour. (About 1 cup.)

Add 1 c. warm water.

Add "more" flour. (About 1 cup.)

Add yeast mixture.

Add enough flour to make a soft dough. (About 4 cups.)

Put dough in refrigerator. Roll out 4 hours before eating. Brush dough with melted butter and roll out in desired shape. Great Grandma Munns rolled her hot rolls out like a jellyroll, cut it off, and put them in muffin tins. (This is my favorite way to make my rolls, too.)

Let rise for 4 hours. Bake at 400 for 11-12 minutes or until golden. Brush with melted butter while hot.

ENJOY!

Ham and Broccoli Braid

2010-09-28T11:19:00.000-07:00

A friend in the ward was telling me about this recipe which sounded easy and delicious so the other day I finally gave it a try - it was a winner and we'll definitely be making it again! She made it into a ring, another friend made the rolls individually, and I tried a braid. Choose whatever way you'd like :)

10 servings - each serving is 6 WW Points

Ingredients:
1 cup chopped ham
1 cup chopped broccoli
1 /12 cups shredded cheddar cheese
1/4 fresh chopped parsley (I used dry and lowered the quantity accordingly)
2 Tbsp. mustard (I used 1 Tbsp. regular and 1 Tbsp. spicy brown)
1 tsp. lemon juice
2 packages refrigerated crescent rolls (I used the reduced fat kind)

Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients together except rolls.
2. Unroll crescent dough to form a long rectangle.
3. Scoop the mixture down the center of the dough.
4. Cut slices on the edges of the dough.
5. Alternate lifting and placing the slices of dough on each side over the mixture.
6. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

ENJOY!!!

Berry Sundae

2010-07-26T17:10:00.000-07:00

My absolute favorite summer time treat is ice cream. Unfortunately some of it can really pack on the calories. So one of my favorite desserts to make are berry sundae's.

3 Weight Watcher Points

Ingredients:

- 1/2 cup Edy's Slow Churned Ice Cream
- 1 cup of any type of berries

Directions:

- Well, you know what to do!

ENJOY!

sausage cheese mcmuffin

2010-07-24T10:51:00.000-07:00

I am IN LOVE with McDonald's Sausage McMuffin. Unfortunately the grease dripping from the wrapper and 9 point Weight Watcher value doesn't easily fit in to my eating style. So I have to improvise in order to not feel deprived and here's what I came up with!

1 serving = 1 sandwich = 3 Weight Watcher Points

Ingredients:
- 100 calorie high fiber english muffin- 1 -2% cheese slice (45 calories)
- 1 turkey sausage link (Banquet makes these in turkey that you can easily heat up in the microwave)Directions:

1. Toast english muffin in toaster.
2. Heat sausage in microwave and then slice in thin rounds.
3. Lay sausage and cheese on english muffin and microwave for around 20 seconds.

ENJOY!

brushetta chicken

2010-07-22T10:50:00.000-07:00

I often times get some yummy recipes from the Kraft emails I receive every so often in my inbox. This is one that sparked my interest because it seemed pretty healthy. For their picture, recipe, etc. go here. It ended up being delicious and easy and I will definitely be making it again!

1 Serving = 1 tender (about 2 ounces) = 3 Weight Watcher Points

Ingredients:

- 4 small Boneless skinless chicken breast halves (1 lb.)(I used 4 tenders)

- 1/4 cup KRAFT Sun-Dried Tomato Dressing, divided

- 1 Tomato, finely chopped

- 1/2 cup KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese (I actually only sprinkled a teeny tiny amount on each tender)

- 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions:

1. I marinated the chicken in the dressing all day.

2. I chopped the basil (I used dried basil) and tomato and mixed in a little of the cheese.

3. I topped each tender with some of the mixture.

4. Their recipe grills it but I just cooked it in the oven (in a clear glass dish) at 350 for about a 1/2 hour (or until the chicken was done).

ENJOY!

banana boats

2010-07-08T10:49:00.000-07:00

A couple of months ago we had a Family Home Evening lesson on Noah, the Ark, and what it means to be obedient. For our treat we made our own boats. Here's how to make your own yummy treat!

Ingredients:
- bananas
- chocolate chips
- marshmallows
- peanut butter

Directions:

1. Slice the banana's length wise - but not enough to go all the way through.

2. Spread as much peanut butter as you wish.

3. Top with chips and marshmallows.

4. Wrap in foil, place on baking sheet, and cook in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.

ENJOY!

Broccoli Salad

2010-06-15T10:32:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from my Mama and it sure is a favorite in our house - especially at this time of year. Pair it with a hot dog, grilled chicken, a hamburger, or pulled pork sandwich - it's a great side for almost ANYTHING!

Yields 20 - 1/2 cup servings. Each serving is 3 Weight Watcher Points.

Ingredients:

salad
- the original recipes calls for 4 cups of chopped broccoli (I use around 7-8)
- 1/2 - 3/4 chopped onion
- 12 strips of bacon fried and crumbled (I used the already cooked strips)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1/4 cup sunflower seeds

dressing
- 1 cup mayo (I used light)
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 4 Tablespoons red wine vinegar

Directions:
1. Chop and mix all the salad ingredients.
2. Mix it with the dressing right before serving.
3. Serve/Store cold.

Enjoy!

Ronzoni Smart Taste Pasta

2010-06-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

My favorite pasta - Ronzoni Smart Taste.

It is high in fiber which makes it lower in Weight Watcher points, it's white, it tastes no different than regular pasta (my hubby is not a fan of whole wheat pasta), and it goes on sale for $1 a box!

Check it out and give it a try - it's a keeper :)

ENJOY!

Tomato Basil Chicken

2010-06-11T13:50:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe over here at Smitten With My Kitchen. Go give one of her yummy recipes a shot! I love new pasta recipes that are simple and quick and my kiddos love.

Here it is:

Tomato-Basil Chicken

Ingredients:
1 Tbsp olive oil
4 boneless, skinless breast halves cut into 1 inch cubes
2 cans (10 ¾ oz) condensed tomato soup
1 cup milk
4 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp basil
1 tsp garlic powder
Hot cooked pasta

Directions:
1. In a medium skillet over medium high heat, heat oil. Add chicken and cook 10 minutes or until browned. Set chicken aside and keep warm.

2. Add soup, milk, cheese, basil and garlic powder to skillet. Heat to a boil. Return chicken to pan. Reduce heat to low.

3. Cover and cook 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink. Serve over your favorite pasta.

The end - and delicious!

ENJOY!

Aloha chicken

2010-06-09T13:00:00.000-07:00

I found this recipe here at Smitten With My Kitchen. I met this sweet gal through church and when introduced to her blog I decided to give some of her yummy recipes a try! Go check out some of the delicious stuff she has posted over there! They're pretty simple and easy and use basic ingredients you usually have on hand.

I didn't calculate the WW points for this one. Although if I had to estimate I'd say it's about 4 points without the rice.

Here's one I tried called Aloha Chicken -

Ingredients:

4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (I used 8 tenders)
1 cup ketchup
1 can condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 large green pepper, chopped
¼ cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar
1 tsp ground mustard
1 can (8 oz) pineapple chunks, undrained
Cooked rice (I used brown)

Directions:

1. Spray inside of slow cooker with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Cut chicken breasts in half. This will yield you 8 chicken pieces.
3. Place chicken in prepared slow cooker.
4. Combine remaining ingredients, except rice, and pour over chicken.
5. Cook on low for 5 hours. Serve over rice.

Yields: 8 servings

**Tips**
You can also bake this in the oven in a 9 x 13 casserole dish for 1 hour at 375 degrees.

ENJOY!

Steakhouse Potato Salad

2010-06-07T13:58:00.000-07:00

Many of my favorite recipes come from Kraftfoods.com. I think it's partly because the emails come directly to me and therefore I see lots of new recipes to try - without having to search for them.

I'm not a huge fan of potato salads although potatoes are my absolute favorite food! But when I read over this recipe it sounded perfect to me - all the ingredients were by far my some of my favs!

So here it is (go right here for the recipe, nut. facts, reviews, etc.)

1 serving = 1/2 cup = 3 Weight Watcher Points

Steakhouse Potato Salad

photo from Kraft Foods

Ingredients:

3 lb. small red potatoes (about 9), quartered

1/2 cup water

1/2 cup MIRACLE WHIP Dressing

1/4 cup KRAFT Ranch Dressing

6 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cooked, crumbled

1 cup KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese

4 green onions, thinly sliced

Directions:

1. PLACE potatoes in 2-qt. microwaveable dish. Add water; cover with lid. Microwave on HIGH 12 to 15 min. or just until potatoes are tender; drain. Place in large bowl.

2. REFRIGERATE 1 hour or until completely cooled.

3. MIX dressings. Add to potatoes with remaining ingredients; mix lightly

I almost doubled the recipe to take to a BBQ. So if you were making this for your family I would stick to this recipe or make it a tad smaller. It turned out yummy but I would suggest eating it all that day or the day after for best results.

Enjoy!

Glace Icing

2010-04-19T11:00:00.000-07:00

I had been wanting to make some crown cookies for my little girl's princess birthday party. I had been seeing this icing all over the internet and decided to try it out.

I looked all over and decided to try the one from Our Best Bites (love this website) because they had already done the experimenting and decided this recipe was a winner.

I was a little hesitant and didn't know how difficult it would be to work with - but guess what? It was super fast and easy to make and very simple to use. I loved working with it and will definitely try it again in the future. Even the toddler got to try her hand at it!

So go check out the Glace Icing by clicking here. You'll be glad you did!

ENJOY!

Black Bean Salsa

2010-04-19T05:48:00.001-07:00

One of my friend's made this salsa and I was instantly in love. It is so fresh and tasty and the perfect topping to anything - chips, tacos, baked potato, the list could go on and on.

Ingredients:
1. 1 - 15 1/2 oz. can of black beans, drained and rinsed
2. 1 - 15 1/2 oz. can corn, drained
3. 1 green pepper - diced
4. 1 red pepper - diced (or orange or yellow)
5. 1 jalapeno - diced
6. 1/3 - 1/2 cup red onion - diced
7. 2-3 medium tomatoes (or a can of petite diced tomatoes - drained)
8. 1/3 cup cilantro
9. 1/3 cup olive oil
10. Juice from 3 limes (1/3 cup)
11. 1/2 tsp cayenne
12. 1/2 tsp cumin
13. 1 tsp salt

Directions:
1. Stir it all together. It's better to let it sit.

ENJOY!

Peanut Butter Popcorn

2010-04-17T18:21:00.000-07:00

Made this the other night. Heavenly. One food temptation that ALWAYS seems to get me is yummy flavored popcorn. This was no exception. I definitely ate my fair share before our company even got there!

My only dilemma - it started off chewy (which was utterly delightful) then it got hard after a little while. Any suggestions on how to keep it chewy? Should I have covered it right away rather than let it sit out during our movie???

Anyways...I saw the recipe HERE at Anissa's Kitchen. She has some fabulous stuff - go check her out!

Ingredients:

1/2 cup unpopped popcorn, or 2 bags microwave popcorn
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup honey
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1 cup peanut butter
1 teas. Vanilla

Directions:

1. Pop the popcorn, and place in a large bowl. Remove kernels.

2. Butter sides of a large 1 1/2 qt saucepan. Combine sugar, honey, and corn syrup in pan. Bring mixture to a boil, stirring constantly! Boil hard for 2 minutes, without stirring. Remove from heat.

3. Stir in Peanut Butter and vanilla until melted.

4. Immediately pour over popcorn mixture, stirring to coat well. Cool; break into bite size pieces.

5. Chocolate drizzled over the top of the popcorn is awesome. Melt some chocolate chips in the microwave and spoon over the peanut butter popcorn.

ENJOY!

Buffalo Chicken Chop Salad Wrap

2010-04-15T14:24:00.000-07:00

Buffalo Chicken Chop Salad Wrap

courtesy of my weekly Weight Watcher emails

Ingredients:

-1 large La Tortilla Factory Smart and Delicious Low Carb/High Fiber Tortilla (or other 1 pt. tortilla)

-2 ½ oz. cooked skinless lean chicken breast, chopped

-½ c. shredded lettuce

-2 ½ t. Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce

-2 t. reduced-fat Parmesan-style grated topping

-1 ½ t. fat-free sour cream

Directions:

1. Place chicken pieces in a small microwave-safe dish.

2. Top with hot sauce and Parmesan topping, and stir until chicken is thoroughly coated. 3. Microwave for 45 seconds, or until hot.

4. Microwave tortilla until slightly warm.

5. Lay tortilla flat and spread sour cream down the center. Place lettuce in the center of the tortilla, and top with the chicken mixture. Wrap tortilla up by folding in the sides first, and then rolling it up tightly from the bottom.

Yield: 1 serving / 4 pts.

ENJOY!

Mexican Lettuce Garnish

2010-04-12T18:36:00.000-07:00

I have these green enchiladas that our family loves. My mom started making them and the last time I had them at her house she included lettuce to top it off with - it was so simple and yet oh so tasty!
Recipe:
- Shredded lettuce
- Squeeze (or squeezes) lime juice
- cilantro

Give it a try!

ENJOY!

Green Enchiladas

2010-04-10T18:23:00.000-07:00

I got this recipe from an enrichment we had when I was young and single and in college. We have been in love with it ever since.

WW points - around 6 per enchilada

Ingredients:

1. Corn tortillas (1 per enchilada)
2. Oil (a few tablespoons)
3. Chicken (1-2 oz. per enchilada)
4. Sour Cream (around 1/4 - 1/2 cup)
5. Green Enchilada Sauce (1 super large can or 2-3 regular cans)
6. Cheese (as cheesy as you like it!)

Directions:
1. Boil and shred as much chicken as you'd need for your family. I do around 1-2 oz. per enchilada.
2. Take shredded chicken and place it in large skillet. Add green enchilada sauce and sour cream until it's the consistency you like it. We like ours a little runny.
3. Heat up oil in small skillet and slightly coat/fry the tortillas so that they are gently coated and will easily roll up.
4. Take tortillas and add a few tablespoons full of chicken mixture. Roll up and place in casserole dish.
5. Top with more green enchilada sauce and yellow cheese.

They are SUPER yummy just like that but here are some other variations:

- add onions to the chicken mixture
- use pepper jack cheese
-top with sour cream
- top with pico de gallo or lettuce garnish

ENJOY!

Swiss Chicken

2010-04-08T18:12:00.000-07:00

The other week I brought dinner to a friend who's baby had been in the hospital and she requested this recipe. So here it is. I'm glad they enjoyed it :)

It's definitely a 'go to' recipe because I usually have all the ingredients on hand.

Sorry, no picture or WW points.

Ingredients:
1. Boneless skinless chicken tenderloins
2. Swiss cheese slices
3. Cream of chicken
4. Milk
5. Chicken stuffing mix
6. Butter

Directions:
1. Place as many tenderloins as you would like in a casserole dish.
2. Top each tender with a folded slice of swiss cheese.
3. Mix 1 can (or more if needed) of cream of chicken soup while slowly adding milk until it's to desired consistency. Pour over chicken/cheese.
4. Crush up 1/2 a bag (more if needed) of dry chicken stuffing mix and mix with a couple of tablespoons of melted butter. Sprinkle on top of dish.
5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes covered and 30 minutes not covered (watch so stuffing on top doesn't burn).

ENJOY!

Brownies - Black Bean

2010-03-13T17:16:00.000-08:00

My weight watcher leader has mentioned these brownies several times and I finally decided to give it a try - guess what? They were actually pretty good.

I even gave them to others before telling them what they were made of - and they like them too :)

1/16th of a pan of brownies = 2 WW points
(I didn't calculate them myself - I'm just taking the word from my WW leader)

Are they the absolute best brownie I've ever had? No - but they're pretty darn good for being somewhat healthy and really low in points. I will definitely go about making them again!

Ingredients:
- 1 brownie mix (I used Ghiradelli with chips - I'm not sure if another would taste as good - but mine may have been more points - not sure)
- 1 can of black beans (rinsed and drained really well)
- 1 cup of water

Directions:
1. Rinse and drain beans.
2. Blend beans with 1 cup of water.
3. Add the brownie mix.
4. Cook normally.

Enjoy!

Cafe Rio

2010-03-11T14:10:00.000-08:00

As close to the real thing as it's gonna get...

our favorite restaurant back in utah was Cafe Rio. i still CRAVE it. alot. this is as close to that as it's ever gonna get for me. i think i need to take a trip back there just to eat the real thing again. one day. a girl can dream, right?

so in the meantime this is what i have to do. make a tortilla. layer it with rice, bean, lettuce, pico, maybe some guac, some crushed up tortilla chips, AND the DRESSING!!!

Phenomenal.

it is quite a bit of work but it is oh so worth it. so just do every single recipe. you'll be glad you did. it makes a good amount. definitely enough for lots of leftovers depending on how many you are serving.

ENJOY!

Cafe Rio Shredded Pork

Ingredients:

2 lbs. pork

3 cans coke (each can is about 1 ½ cups)

¼ cup brown sugar

Garlic salt

¼ cup water

1 can green chilies

¾ can enchilada sauce (Old El Paso - Medium - red)

1 cup brown sugar

Directions:

1. Put pork and 1 ½ can coke and ¼ cup brown sugar in ziplock bag.

2. Marinate overnight.

3. Drain.

4. Put pork, ½ can coke, water, and garlic salt in crock pot on high overnight (or until it falls apart).

5. Drain and shred.

6. Blend ½ can coke, chilies, sauce, and brown sugar.

7. Pour over meat and cook in crock pot 2 more hours on low.

Café Rio Dressing

Ingredients:

1 cup buttermilk

½ cup light mayo

¼ cup sour cream

¼ cup milk

2 packets Hidden Valley Buttermilk Ranch packets

2 tomatillos (quartered)

½ bunch cilantro

½ juice of lime

1 jalapeno (no seeds)

½ tsp. garlic

Some salt

Directions:

1. Blend everything together.

Café Rio Rice

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked rice

1 tsp butter

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp lime juice

1 can chicken broth (15oz)

1 cup water

1 Tbs. lime juice

2 tsp. sugar

3 Tbs. cilantro

Directions:

1. Combine rice, butter, garlic, 1 tsp. juice, broth, and water.

2. Boil.

3. Cover and cook on low 15-20 minutes.

4. Remove from heat.

5. In a small bowl combine juice, sugar, and cilantro.

6. Pour over rice and mix.

Café Rio Black Beans

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp. cumin

1 can black beans - rinse and drain

1 1/3 cup tomato juice

1 ½ tsp. salt

2 Tbs. cilantro

Directions:

1. Cook garlic and cumin in oil over medium heat.

2. Add beans, tomato juice, and salt.

3. Stir till heated through.

4. Before serving stir in cilantro.

Pico

Ingredients:

4 tomatoes

1 onion

¼ bunch of cilantro

2 cloves garlic

½ tsp. lime juice

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. pepper

Directions:

1. Chop and combine all ingredients.

Alice Springs Chicken

2010-03-01T18:11:00.000-08:00

I'm a chicken kind of girl. Even when we go to places with oh so yummy steak I still prefer chicken. At Outback they have a menu item called Alice Springs Chicken. It is chicken with mustard, mushrooms, cheese, and bacon - sound delicious? It is!

It's so yummy I tried my hand at it at home and it turned out quite well. The picture is somewhat unappealing but trust me - you won't be disappointed if you give it a try!

Each chicken tender with the toppings is 3 WW points! Not too bad if I say so myself :)

Ingredients:
- chicken (I use the tenders - approximately 2 oz.)
- mustard (I use spicy brown mustard)
- fresh mushrooms (I use one package of the already sliced ones)
- cheese (for mine I used 1 slice of WW cheese for everyone else's I used shredded cheddar)
- bacon bits (I use the real kind that comes in a bag - they're soft and only 25 calories for 1 TBS)

Directions:
1. Brush both sides of chicken tenders with spicy brown mustard.
2. Bake in oven at 350 until cooked through.
3. While the chicken is cooking saute the mushrooms in a pan lightly coated with nonstick cooking spray.
4. When the chicken is done move it to a cookie sheet, top with mushrooms, cheese, and lightly sprinkle with bacon.
5. Pop it back in the oven until the cheese is melted.

Enjoy!

Caramel/Chocolate Pretzel Rods

2010-02-27T15:59:00.000-08:00

One of my good friends showed me how to make these caramel pretzels and my family and anyone else who has tried them has been in love ever since! They are super easy, super cute, and super yummy!!! They even make cute pretzel bags (found at Michael's or JoAnn's) to wrap them in :)

I think these are around 4 points per pretzel rod.

Ingredients:
- 1/2 lb of caramel (I bought mine at a local cake store. You just tell them how much and they cut off a huge chunk for you.)
- Long pretzel rods (sometimes I break them in 1/2 to make smaller ones.)
- 1 lb melted chocolate (my family prefers white for these)
- Sprinkles or melted chocolate to drizzle on top for decoration

Directions:
1. Take a small section of caramel and roll it between your hands to make a long snake (like you used to do with play dough)
2. Wrap it around the pretzels.
3. Take a spoon and drizzle the chocolate over the pretzel until it is covered (i do this over the saucepan that the chocolate is in)
4. Lay on wax paper.
5. Drizzle chocolate or pour on some sprinkles for decoration.
6. Let harden in fridge.

Enjoy!

Pot Pie

2010-02-25T15:46:00.000-08:00

I love pot pie but had never attempted making my own until I saw this recipe over at SweetPea Recipes. Here is the recipe with my alterations in italics.

Although this seams like a somewhat healthy recipe I was shocked when I figured out the points. For an 1/8 of the pie it was 9 points. The crust is what kills it. So I ate 1/2 a serving or could just eat part of the crust (even though that is always the best part!)

Ingredients:
- 1 double pie crust (I used the off brand and it turned out delish)

- 2 cans Cream of Potato soup

- 1 c. frozen mixed vegetables (I used at entire small bag)

- 2-3 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed (I used 2 cups of leftover shredded turkey from Thanksgiving that had been in my freezer)

- thyme

- sage

- salt & pepper

Directions:
1. Mix the last everything together.
2. Press bottom crust into pie pan.
3. Put the filling in.
4. Top with other crust and seal the edges.
5. Cut slits into the top of the crust.
6. Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until crust is golden brown. Cover crust edges with aluminum foil for first 20-25 minutes, then remove.

Pizza Sauce

2010-02-23T18:23:00.000-08:00

On Valentine's Day we had a day of hearts! After seeing this over at brown paper packages I decided to make some heart pizzas for dinner that night.

I used a tube of pizza dough from the grocery store that I just rolled out and cut using heart cookie cutters. Then I topped it with pizza sauce, cheese, and baked it until the dough was done.

I had never made pizza sauce before and found out it was really quite easy and ended up being really yummy.

I searched allrecipes.com for different recipes and they all were pretty similar.

Here's what I ended up doing:

- 1 can (8oz.) of tomato sauce (next time I will also add in tomato paste to make it a thicker consistency)
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried oregano
- 1/2 teaspoon of dried basil
- 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic

Mix together and let it sit - the longer the better!

Enjoy!

Marshmellow Pops

2010-02-21T18:04:00.000-08:00

The hubby was out of town for Valentine's Day so I got to spend a weekend with my girls and my sisters. It was lots of fun and for our special love day we made these cute little treats!

So simple and easy - I can't tell if my two year old had more fun making them or eating them (and still continues to sneak into the fridge to eat what's left of them!)

Ingredients:
- 1 bag of large marshmallows
- 1 lb melting chocolate (we used 1/2 white and 1/2 semi sweet)
- stuff to dip in (sprinkles, mini chips, coconut, etc.)
- lollipop sticks

Directions:
1. Take lollipop stick and push marshmallow onto the top of it.
2. Dip in melted chocolate.
3. Roll in toppings.

So fun and oh so cute! These would be fun treats to take to school, give as thank yous, favors for parties, etc. Top off with a small treat bag and ribbon and there are endless possibilities!

Enjoy!

Valentine's Breakfast

2010-02-13T18:43:00.000-08:00

After seeing this post at Brown Paper Packages I decided my little kiddo would love doing some Valentine baking with the cookie cutters.

We didn't do anything too exciting just took some red and purple pancakes and made some hearts and whatnot.

Obviously they were a big hit...

Heart Suckers

2010-02-11T18:32:00.000-08:00

After seeing these cute little suckers over here at The Idea Room we decided to make them for the kid's at our most recent church activity.

After a little trial and error my friend (from over here) and I ended up with quite a cute batch of little suckers.

Here's what to do and a little advice after attempting it:

- put two little candy canes together to make a heart
- put it on PARCHMENT paper (not wax paper)
- bake them in a 350 degree oven for about 2 minutes
- pull them out even if they look hard - they're really soft
- place the lollipop stick in between and squeeze together
- finish off with a wrapper and bow

Valentine's Heart Brownies

2010-02-09T18:19:00.000-08:00

Justin came home today and told me they were having a treat exchange at work for Valentine's Day. I had been wanting to make these cute little heart brownies that I saw here at Little Birdie Secrets but certainly didn't want them sitting around the house for me to eat - so this was perfect! (Except there sure were a lot of scraps that made it into my belly!!!)

At the request of one of his friends from work I made this recipe from SweetPea Recipes. They turned out oh so cute and definitely yummy!

Ingredients:
Brownie mix
1/4 cup Hershey's syrup
Bag of peanut butter chips
1 can of vanilla frosting
1/4 cup peanut butter

Directions:
1. Take a brownie mix and make it according to the box - but substitute Hershey's syrup for the water - and add a bag of peanut butter chips. it as directed on the box.
2. Stir 1/4 c. peanut butter into a can of vanilla frosting and ice the brownies after they are cooled.

Homemade Rolls

2010-01-19T18:45:00.000-08:00

Homemade Rolls

Someone delivered a plate of these to us when we first moved here and as soon as I tried them I knew I had to have the recipe. They were the best rolls ever. When she told me they were from the ward cookbook I quickly found someone who had the cookbook and have made these ever since!

These are definitely one of my 'trigger foods' and when they're around I just want to eat ALL of them up! So now I bake a batch or two and then freeze them. Then when I want yummy homemade rolls with our dinner I can just pull out a few, let them thaw, and the warm them up in the microwave - they taste just like they came out of the oven - and even better there's only 1 for me to eat because the other hundred are rock solid frozen in the freezer!

Sister Lori Jones

(from our ward cookbook)

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. yeast

1 Tbs. sugar

½ cup sugar

½ cup water

¾ tsp. salt

3 eggs

4 - 4 ½ cups flour

Directions:

1. Mix 1 Tbs. yeast and 1 Tbs. sugar in ½ cup of warm water. Set aside.

2. Melt ½ cup butter with 1 cup milk. Let cool.

3. Mix ½ cup sugar with ¾ tsp. salt and 3 eggs.

4. Mix everything together.

5. Add 4 - 4 ½ cups flour.

6. Cover and let rise for 1 hour.

7. Flour and knead and then divide into 2 portions.

8. Roll out and cut like pizza slices. Roll into crescents (between 8-16 for each portion of dough).

9. Let rise 30 minutes.

Cooking Time:

Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes.

Enjoy!

Poppyseed Cake

2010-01-16T12:42:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite aunts gave me this recipe and it is by far one of the hubby's favorites. It's simple, not too sweet, but oh so yummy!

I follow the recipe, cut it into around 22 slices, and it's about 5 Weight Watcher Points.

Ingredients:

1 yellow cake mix (I like to use lemon)

1 package of instant vanilla pudding

¾ cup oil

1 cup water

4 eggs

1 Tbs. vanilla extract

2 Tbs. poppy seeds

Directions:

1. Mix all together.

2. Pour in desired pan.

Cooking Time:

Bake for 45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy!

Chicken Gyros

2010-01-15T11:43:00.000-08:00

One of my new favorite sites is Your Homebased Mom. She's got lots of great stuff and this is the latest thing I've tried from her recipes. The hubby and I LOVE lamb gyros but have never attempted making them. So when I saw a recipe for chicken gyros I thought I'd go for it.

The recipe makes enough for 4-6 gyros. She said she cut the sauce recipe in half, I didn't, but I now know why she did - there was a ton of it!

With 2 oz. of chicken, the 1 point Weight Watcher pita, plus a nice serving of sauce, this entire gyro was only 4 points! WAY better health wise than any I would get at a restaurant :)

Ingredients:

Sauce:

16 oz. plain yogurt - I used greek so I wouldn't have to strain it

1 regular cucumber - I peeled it, seeded it, and then shredded it
2-3 cloves garlic - I use the kind that's already minced in the jar
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
Salt and pepper
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice - I use the kind from the jug (between 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon)
Extra virgin olive oil - I used 1 teaspoon

Chicken:

4 cloves garlic
Juice of 1 lemon
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 heaping tablespoons plain yogurt
1 tablespoon dried oregano
Salt and pepper
2-3 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (I used 6 - 2oz. tenders)

-Pita bread or soft wrap bread (She has a recipe on her site for the bread - it looks amazing but I just used Weight Watchers 100% whole wheat pita bread that is only 1 point)
-Fresh tomatoes, seeded and diced
-Red onion, sliced thin

Directions:

1. Shred the cucumber. Wrap in a towel a squeeze to remove as much water as possible.

2. Mix together the yogurt, cucumber, garlic, red wine vinegar, salt and pepper to taste, and lemon juice. Drizzle lightly with olive oil. I refrigerated mine overnight. Let it sit at least 30 minutes to make it all yummy and tasty.

3. To prepare the chicken, combine the garlic, lemon juice, red wine vinegar, olive oil, yogurt, oregano, and salt and pepper to taste in a medium bowl. Whisk together until mixed well. Add the chicken to the bowl and mix well to coat. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour (I did mine overnight).

4. Cook the chicken as desired, either in the skillet, broiler or on the grill. (I cooked mine in a pan on the stove with some non-stick cooking spray). Once the chicken is completely cooked through, transfer to a plate and let rest for 5 minutes and then cube.

5. Heat pitas. Top with chicken, tzatziki sauce, diced tomatoes and sliced onions. Serve immediately.

This recipe was super fast and easy and very healthy and filling. Go over and check her site out - there are many more delicious recipes I can't wait to try!!!

Chocolate Chip Cookies - soft

2009-12-11T14:00:00.000-08:00

I love treats and cookies are no exception but rarely do I eat a chocolate chip cookie that I'm totally in love with. They're usually to dry or hard for my liking. Then my best friend in college introduced me to these. The recipe actually came from her hubby and I've never made another chocolate chip recipe since. I think the vanilla pudding is the key ingredient and keeps them soft and moist - even after sitting for days! I brought these to a meeting last week and they were goggled up pretty quick - give them a try - they definitely won't disappoint!

The total points for the entire recipe is a tad over 175. I used a tablespoon to drop mine on the cookie sheet and it yielded 73 cookies which made each of mine around 2 1/2 weight watcher points. If you make yours smaller or larger adjust the points accordingly.

Ingredients:

1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
2 tsp vanilla
4 cups flour
2 tsp baking soda
2 small packages of instant vanilla pudding
1 bag of chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Cream both the sugars with the butter.

2. Add the eggs and vanilla.

3. Sift and add flour, soda, and pudding.

4. Add chocolate chips.

Cook time:

Bake at 375 for 6 minutes.

ENJOY!