Quiche

A dear friend gave me this recipe and it is fabulous!

You can add whatever meats/veggies you want.  We used bacon and it was soooo good.

2 cups of shredded cheese
1 1/4 cups milk
4 eggs
Salt & Pepper
Refrigerated Pie Crust

Mix all ingredients in bowl.

Blind Bake Pie Crust.

Put ingredients in pie crust.

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes.

Pumpkin Pancakes With Cinnamon Brown Butter

Not WW but a great recipe for the holidays.

14 pancakes

1/2 cup butter, cubed
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons packed brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 eggs
1 1/3 cups milk
3/4 cup canned pumpkin
1/2 cup ricotta cheese

In a small saucepan, cook butter over medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown, stirring often.  Add the maple syrup, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Remove from heat; stir in pecans.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt.  In another bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, pumpkin, and cheese.  Stir into dry ingredients just until moistened.

Drop batter by 1/4 cupfuls onto greased hot griddle.

Creamy Tomato Sauce

1 point
8 servings

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium leek, finely chopped (white part only)
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
28oz canned diced tomatoes
6oz fat free evaporated milk
2 tablespoons basil
Salt & Pepper

Heat oil in a large saucepan.  Add leek and garlic cooking until soft.  Stir in oregano.  Add tomatoes and bring to a simmer, partially cover and simmer 3-5 minutes.

Puree sauce in pan using immersion blender or working in batches transfer tomato mixture to blender and puree until smooth, return to pan.

Set pan over low heat and add milk; simmer 1 minute to heat through.  Remove pan and stir in basil.  Season with salt and pepper.

Crock Pot Minestrone Soup

3.5 points
6 servings 1 1/2 cups each

1/2 onion, chopped
1 cup carrots, chopped
1 celery stalk, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
28oz can diced tomatoes
15oz white beans, drained and rinsed
3 cups fat free chicken broth
1oz chunk of good parmesan cheese rind
1 fresh rosemary sprig
2 bay leaves
2 tablespooons chopped fresh basil
salt and pepper
1/4 cup chopped parlsey
1 medium zucchini, chopped
2 cups chopped fresh or frozen (defrosted) spinach
2 cups cooked small pasta

Rinse and drain beans.  Puree beans with 1 cup of the broth in a blender or food processor.

In a crock pot combine broth, tomoatoes, pureed beans, carrots, celery, onion, garlic, herbs, parmesan cheese rind, salt, and pepper.  Cover and cook on low 6-8 hours.

Forty minutes before the soup is done cooking add zucchini and spinach.  Cover and cook 30 more minutes.  Add cooked pasta, cook 10 minutes more.  Remove bay leaves, rosemary sprig, parmesan rind, and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Chicken Cordon Bleu

4 points per piece
Makes 12 pieces

4 chicken breast halves
2 eggs
1 tablespoon water
3/4 cup breadcrumbs
12 slices thin deli ham
12 sliced reduced fat swiss cheese
Salt/Pepper
Spray Oil

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Slice chicken breast halves into thin cutlets, you can usually get 3 thin cutlets out of one breast half.  Pound them to make them thinner if you wish. 

Cut each slice of cheese into squares and stack of 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.

Dip chicken into egg wash, then breadcrumbs. 

Spray cookie sheet with oil and place chicken on cookie sheet.  Lightly spray chicken with spray oil and bake for about 25 minutes or until cooked through.

Angel Hair with Zucchini and Tomatoes

6 points
4 servings

2 medium zucchini, julienne
4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 small shallots, diced
3 medium tomatoes, diced
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup fat free chicken broth
8oz Barilla Plus Pasta (Angel Hair)

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta according to package directions.

While pasta is cooking, in a large saute pan, heat pan and add oil when hot.  Add garlic and shallots to pan and saute for 1 minute.  Add zucchini and season with salt and pepper.  Cook about 2 minutes and then add tomatoes, chicken broth, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.  Stir for another minute.

Drain pasta and mix well with zucchini/tomato mixture. 

Spinach Stuffed Shells

7 points
Serves 10

12oz uncooked jumbo shells
1/2 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon olive oil
32oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 tablespoon basil
2 cup park skim ricotta cheese
16oz reduced fat mozzarella
1egg
10oz chopped frozen spinach,thawed and drained well
2oz parmesan cheese

Boil water and cook shells according to package directions.

Meanwhile saute onions and garlic in oil.  Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, and basil, then simmer on low covered.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl mix together ricotta, egg, spinach, mozzarella, and paremesan.  Once shells are cooked and cool, fill shells with the cheese mixture and place in a baking dish with a little sauce on the bottom.  Cover shells with half of the sauce, cover with foil and bake 40 minutes, uncover foil and bake 5 more minutes.  Serve with additonal sauce on top.

Baked Zucchini Sticks

1.3 points
Serves 3

3 medium zucchini sliced into sticks
1 large egg white
1/3 cup bread crumbs
2 tablespoons parmesan cheese
cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
salt/pepper

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a small bowl beat egg white and salt and pepper.  In a ziploc bag combine breadcrumbs, garlic powder, and cheese.  Shake well.  Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray.

Dip zucchini sticks into egg white and then into bread crumb mixture in ziploc bag.  Shake to coat.

Place zucchini sticks on bakingsheet and bake at 425 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

Cheesy BBQ Chicken Sandwiches

This makes 4 sandwiches and each sandwich is 5 points.

• 4 reduced calorie hamburger buns
• 13oz boneless skinless chicken breast, cut into 4 sandwich size portions
• 1 cup BBQ Sause (I use Sticky Fingers Memphis Sweet)
• 1 medium onion, thinly sliced
• 6oz reduced fat Velveeta cheese

1. Heat large pan over medium heat and add chicken to the pan.
2. Cook chicken until browned on both sides.
3. Add onions and cook for about 5 minutes stirring often.
4. Add BBQ Sauce to the onion/chicken mixture.
5. Cover and cook about 25 minutes.
6. Slice velveeta and put on hamburger buns and put buns under the broiler in the oven.

Shepard's Pie II

The last Shepard's Pie that I made was not a huge hit around here so I was on the lookout for a new one and I found one and it is amazing!  The big difference between the last recipe and this one is that this one uses beef, John hated the ground turkey.

Makes 6 servings and each serving is 5 points.

For the potato topping:

• 1.5 pounds Yukon Gold Poatoes (peeled and cubed)
• 3/4 cup fat free chicken broth
• 2 tablespoons fat free sour cream
• Salt & Pepper

For the filling:

• 1 pound lean ground beef (I use the 93% lean)
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 celery stalk, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 10oz frozen mixed veggies
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup fat free beef broth
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 teaspoon rosemary
• Salt & Pepper

1. Boil potatoes in a pot of water until cooked and soft.  Drain and mash with chicken broth, sour cream, salt, and pepper.  Set aside.
2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
3. In a large saucepan brown meat.  Season well with salt and pepper.  When meat is cooked remove from pan and set aside.  Discard any fat that is in the pan. 
4. Add oil to the pan and then add onions and garlic.  Saute for about 2 minutes.  Add celery and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add flour and mix very well to remove all lumps.
5. Add frozen vegetables, beef broth, tomato paste, worcestershire sauce, and rosemary.  Mix well.  Add the cooked meat that you set aside earlier.    Mix well and simmer on low for about 10 minutes.
6. Spread the meat mixture into a large casserole dish that has been sprayed with cooking spray.  Top with mashed potaotes, spread evenly onto the meat mixture.  Bake 20 minutes.
7. Remove from oven and let cool 10-15 minutes before serving. 

Broccoli & Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Makes 9 pieces
3.25 points per piece

• 3 chicken breast halves
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp water
• 3/4 cup seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 cups broccoli florets, steamed and chopped
• 5 slices reduced fat Swiss Cheese (cut each slice in half)
• Salt & Pepper
• Spray Oil

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a small bowl combine egg, water, and a little salt.  Beat well to make an egg wash.  Set to the side.
3. Fill another bowl with the breadcrumbs.
4. Slice chicken breasts into thin cutlets (pound if needed). 
5. Place the half of slice of cheese on top of the cutlet and top with broccoli.  Wrap chicken around the cheese and broccoli, use toothpicks to secure.  Season with salt and pepper. 
6. Dip chicken into egg wash and then into the breadcrumbs.
7. Place on a sprayed cookie sheet.
8. Lightly spray each chicken bundle with cooking spray.
9. Bake 25 minutes or until cooked through.

Spaghettiwith Suateed Chicken and Grape Tomatoes

This has been my all time favorite so far!

Makes 4 servings, each serving is 1 1/2 cup and each serving is 5.5 points.

2 skinless chicken breast halves, diced in 1 inch cubes
Cooking Spray
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper
8oz spaghetti (I used Ronzoni Smart Taste)
2 cups Grape Tomatoes, halved
6 cloves garlic, smashed and chopped finely
4 teaspoons olive oil
4 tablespoons fresh basil

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

Season chicken generously with salt, pepper, oregano, and basil.  Heat a large skillet on high heat.  When hot, spray with cooking spray and add chicken.  Cook about 3-4 minutes until no longer pink.  Remove chicken from heat and set aside. 

Add pasta to boiling water and cook according to directions on package.  Reserve about 1/2 cup pasta water before draining.

While pasta cooks, add olive oil to skillet that the chicken was cooked in.   Add garlic and saut until golden brown.  Add tomatoes, salt and pepper and reduce to medium-low heat.  Saute about 4-5 minutes.  When pasta is drained add pasta to tomatoes and toss wel.  If pasta seems to dry, add some fo the reserved pasta water.  Add fresh basil and chicken and toss well. 

Roasted Fingerling Potatoes

This has become one of our favorite side dishes very easy to make and only 1 point per serving.

12oz fingerling potatoes, scrubbed and sliced in half lengthwise
1 medium garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup fat free chicken broth, divided
1 tbsp rosemary
1/8 tsp kosher salt
1/8 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a small roasting pan, combine potatoes, garlic, 1/4 cup chicken broth, rosemary, salt, and pepper.

Roast for 15 minutes (broth will evaporate); add remaining broth, flip potatoes and roast for 15 minutes more.   Yield about 1/2 cup per serving. 

This recipe maks 4 servings and each serving is 1 point each.

Busy Busy and Pasta Fagioli

Sorry it has been so long since the last post but we have been really busy around here.  Ben is getting physical therapy weekly and speech twice a week so sometimes the week/days get away from me.  Weight Watchers is going really well and we are both losing weight it is a great program.

Last night I made Pasta Fagioli and it was so good.  I couldn't believe it was only 3 points!!!  It serves 5 and it is ready in about an hour.

1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 large onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large stalk celery, chopped
1 large carrot, finely chopped
15oz can cannelini beans, drained and rinsed
15oz tomato sauce
1 tbsp basil
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp oregano
30oz fat free chicken broth (2 cans)
2 cups water
1 1/2 cups cooked small pasta (ditalini)

In a deep pot saute onion and garlic in the olive oil.  Blend the can of beans with a can of water in blender or food processor. 

Add blended beans to pot, then add the tomato sauce, celery, carrot, chicken broth, basil, parsley, oregano, salt and pepper.  Add 1 cup of water and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. 

While soup is simmering cook pasta according to package directions.  Drain pasta and add to soup. 

Whole Wheat Chili Macaroni

This has been my husband's favorite meal so far and it is so easy and very tasty.

This makes 6 servings and is only 4 points.

Ingredients:

12 oz uncooked lean ground beef (with 7% fat)
1 medium onion(s), chopped
14 1/2 oz canned stewed tomatoes, Mexican-style, undrained
1 1/4 cup(s) canned tomato sauce
2 Tbsp canned green chili peppers, diced, drained
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp ground cumin
1 cup(s) dry whole-wheat elbow macaroni
15 oz canned kidney beans, rinsed and drained

Instructions:

In a large skillet, cook beef and onion until meat is browned, about 10 minutes; drain off fat. Stir in undrained stewed tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili peppers, chili powder and cumin; bring to a boil.

Stir in uncooked macaroni and kidney beans. Return to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer until macaroni is tender, about 15 minutes. Yields about 1 1/4 cups per serving.

Lemon Chicken With Broccoli

Another winner from the Weight Watcher Program.  Lemon Chicken With Broccoli was yummy and filling all at the same time.  I served it with brown rice.  The Lemon Chicken With Broccoli has 3 points.  This recipe makes 4 servings.  The brown rice is an extra 3 points for 1/2 cup cooked brown rice. 

Ingredients:


2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp table salt, divided
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
12 oz uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, thinly sliced
2 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cup(s) fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth, divided
2 tsp minced garlic
2 1/2 cup(s) broccoli, small florets
2 tsp lemon zest, or more to taste
2 Tbsp parsley, fresh, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Instructions:

On a plate, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of flour, 1/4 teaspoon of salt and pepper; add chicken and turn to coat.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook, turning as needed, until lightly browned and cooked through, about 5 minutes; remove to a plate.

Put 1 cup of broth and garlic in same skillet; bring to a boil over high heat, scrapping up browned bits from bottom of pan with a wooden spoon. Add broccoli; cover and cook 1 minute.

In a small cup, stir together remaining 1/2 cup of broth, 1/2 tablespoon of flour and 1/4 teaspoon of salt; add to skillet and bring to a simmer over low heat.

Cover and cook until broccoli is crisp-tender and sauce is slightly thickened, about 1 1/2 minutes. Stir in chicken and lemon zest; heat through.

Remove skillet from heat and stir in parsley and lemon juice; toss to coat. Yields about 1 cup per serving.

Morning Glory Muffins

Since beginning Weight Watchers I have missed baking so yesterday I gave the Weight Watcher Morning Glory Muffins a try and I am glad I did.  They were easy to make and tasted delicious.  Each muffin is 3 points but they are filling muffins and it makes 18 muffins.

Ingredients:


1 cup(s) raisins
2/3 cup(s) hot water, boiling
1 3/4 cup(s) white all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cup(s) rolled oats, old-fashioned
1/4 cup(s) sugar
2 1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp table salt
2 large egg(s)
1 cup(s) buttermilk, low-fat
3/4 cup(s) packed brown sugar
3 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted

Instructions:

Preheat the oven to 375°F. Spray an 18-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, combine the raisins and boiling water.

In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, oats, granulated sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. In a large bowl whisk the eggs until frothy; whisk in the buttermilk, brown sugar, and butter. Stir in the raisins and their soaking liquid. Add the flour mixture and stir to just blend (do not overmix).

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Bake until a tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 20–22 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool on wire racks.

Baked Beef Ziti

Pasta is a staple in our house for everyone, including Ben and Kate.  We have switched to whole wheat pasta and we are loving it.  It is so much more flavorful and filling than the white pasta.  You should give it a try if you haven't yet because I promise you will love it.  I made the Weight Watchers Baked Beef Ziti last night and it was something I will be making again soon.  It was very filling and there are even leftovers. 

Each serving is 5 points and it makes 8 servings.  If you have extra points you could do more cheese or grated Parmesan.

Ingredients:

12 oz uncooked ziti
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1/3 pound(s) raw lean ground beef
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup(s) part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded (I used fat free because that is what we already had and it worked out fine)

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.

Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface); top with half of cooked ziti. Next, layer with half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining ziti and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Baked Spaghetti Carbonara

Who knew that you could find a great substitution for someting has unhealthy as Spaghetti Carbonara but Weight Watchers has done a good job.  I made this for dinner a couple nights ago and it was a big hit, John even took it for lunch today.

It has 5 points per serving and it serves 6.

Ingredients:


8 oz uncooked whole-wheat spaghetti
4 slice(s) uncooked turkey bacon, diced (we used 4oz of lean ground beef instead and it was great)
2 medium leek(s), chopped (white parts only)
3 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly chopped
1 1/4 cup(s) fat-free skim milk
1 cup(s) fat-free egg substitute
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 cup(s) grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.

Cook spaghetti according to package directions (without added oil); drain and transfer to a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate.

Meanwhile, cook bacon in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Add leeks and garlic; cook 2 minutes. Stir in oregano, salt and pepper; cook 1 minute. Spoon bacon mixture evenly over spaghetti in pie plate.

In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, egg substitute, garlic powder and onion powder; pour over spaghetti mixture and sprinkle with cheese.

Place pie plate on a baking sheet and bake until filling is set and top is golden brown, about 25 to 30 minutes. Cool slightly before slicing into 6 pieces. Yields 1 piece per serving.

French Onion Soup

We are big fans of French Onion Soup and I was worried that a Weight Watchers French Onion Soup would not live up to what we have been used to.  It was not the same but it was a good substitution overall. 

It is only 3 points per serving and the recipe serves 4.  It is also a quick and easy weeknight meal when it is cold and dreary outside. 

Ingredients:

2 medium onion(s), thinly sliced
4 Tbsp dry sherry, or nonalcoholic wine
4 cup(s) fat-free beef broth
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
4 slice(s) French bread
2 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese, such as Parmigiano-Reggiano
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350ºF. In a large saucepan, combine onions and sherry; sauté until onions are tender, about 6 minutes.

Add broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, toast bread in oven until golden brown.

Place one piece of toast into each of four bowls. Divide soup among bowls and top each with 1/2 tablespoon of grated cheese. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Shepards Pie

I have found that by doing Weight Watchers we are using ingredients that I have never cooked with before and I am really enjoying the variety of food that we are eating and cooking with now.  Last night for the first time I cooked with ground turkey and it turned out wonderful.  I made the Weight Watchers Updated Shepards Pie.  The only thing I would do differently next time it scale back on the thyme it was a bit too much for us.  It has 5 points per serving and it serves 6. 

Ingredients:

2 large potato(es), peeled and cut into 2-inch pieces
1/4 cup(s) fat-free sour cream
1 Tbsp reduced-calorie margarine
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
2 tsp olive oil
1 cup(s) onion(s), chopped
2 medium carrot(s), diced
2 medium stalk(s) celery, diced
1 pound(s) uncooked ground turkey breast
3 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp rosemary, fresh, chopped (or 1 tsp dried)
1 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 cup(s) canned chicken broth, or beef broth
Instructions:

Preheat oven to 400ºF.
Place potatoes in a large saucepan and pour in enough water to cover potatoes. Set pan over high heat and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 10 minutes, until potatoes are fork-tender. Drain potatoes, transfer to a large bowl and add sour cream and margarine; mash until smooth, season to taste with salt and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrots and celery; cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add turkey and cook until browned, breaking up the meat as it cooks, about 5 minutes. Add flour, rosemary, thyme, salt and pepper; stir to coat. Add broth and bring to a simmer; simmer until mixture thickens, about 3 minutes.

Transfer turkey mixture to a 9-inch, deep-dish pie plate. Spread mashed potatoes over top and using the back of a spoon, make decorative swirls over the top. Bake until potatoes are golden, about 30 minutes. Slice into 6 pieces and serve.

Parmesan Pea Risotto

Risotto isn't something I make often and each time I make it I always wonder why I don't make it more.  I found a great Weight Watcher Recipe for Risotto and tried it out last week hoping it would be as good as the risotto I normally make and I was not disappointed at all.  It was so creamy and rich and even the hubby loved it.  Kate was also in love with and ate quite a few bites of it.  Ben was not that impressed. 

Each serving is 7 points and a serving is 1 1/2 cups this recipe makes 4 servings.

Ingredients:

2 tsp olive oil
1 medium onion(s), chopped
2 medium garlic clove(s), minced
1 1/2 cup(s) uncooked arborio rice
5 cup(s) reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 piece(s) bay leaf
1 cup(s) frozen green peas, thawed
1/4 cup(s) parsley, fresh, chopped
4 Tbsp grated Parmesan cheese
2 Tbsp light butter
1/8 tsp table salt, or to taste
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste
Instructions:
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic; sauté 2 minutes. Add rice and cook until translucent, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes.

Add 1/2 cup of broth and bay leaves and simmer until liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly. Add remaining chicken broth, 1/2 cup at a time, waiting until liquid is absorbed before adding the next 1/2 cup (our risotto takes about 20 minutes to cook from the time the first liquid is added).

Remove bay leaves, fold in peas and cook until hot, about 1 minute. Remove from heat; fold in parsley, Parmesan cheese and margarine. Season to taste with salt and pepper and spoon risotto into shallow bowls; serve hot. Yields about 1 1/2 cups per serving.

Weight Watchers

My husband and I have decided to shed some pounds and we have opted to join Weight Watchers.  We are doing the online program and it is a great program.  We are both doing well on and it and we aren't starving either.  I will share some of the recipes here for those that are looking for healthier dinner alternatives.  On Monday night I made Broccoli Cheese Soup.  I was very hesitant because I thought that this soup would be watery and not tasty but I was so wrong it was yummy and perfect for a cold winter day.

Broccoli Cheese Soup - 4 points per serving, eaching serving is 1.5 cups

2tsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, minced
16oz frozen chopped broccoli (I actually used one box of chopped and one box of spears)
29oz canned chicken broth
4oz Light Velveeta
1/2 cup fat free milk
1/2tsp garlic powder
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup cornstarch

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook 3 minutes, until soft. Add broccoli and broth and bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium and simmer 3 minutes, until broccoli is tender.


Reduce heat to low, add cheese and stir until cheese melts; stir in milk and garlic powder.

Whisk together water and cornstarch. Add mixture to pan and simmer 2 minutes, until thick. Serve hot.

Baby Food

When my twins were just starting solids I made quite a bit of their baby food.  It was relatively easy and very affordable in the long run.  You do not need fancy equipment to make your own baby food.  You can use what you have already.  I mainly used my steamer and if you are looking for a great steamer I love my Richard Simmons Steamer.  It has three compartments so it can steam quite a bit of food at one time and eachone is seperate so the food does not taste like the other food you are also steaming.  I loved having a bigger steamer because I would do big batches at one time and freeze it so I always had some. 

I also used my Cuisinart Mini Food Processor to puree all the steamed fruits and veggies.  I stored the baby food in Baby Cubes which you can also purchase on Amazon.  You can also use regular ice cube trays that you can purchase at the Dollar Store. 

http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ is the best website out there for baby food information.

There are some foods that are more economical than others to make verse buying.  The best deals I found were:
*Sweet Potatoes (baked them and then puree them)
*Zuchinni (steamed)
*Squash (steamed or baked)
*Broccoli
*Cauliflower
*Fruit that is in season at the time
*Vegetables that were on sale at the time

*Applesauce - I bought the jarred no sugar added applesauce it was way cheaper than making it myself with the apples and all the time that went into preparing the apples to be steamed

 I had a hard time getting green beans and peas smooth enough when my twins were younger so I bought those types of baby food verse making them myself.  As they got older I started mixing the foods together to give them more variety. 

I really enjoyed making their baby food and it was nice to know exactly what they were eating.  We started solids at 4 months which was rice cereal with they hated!   We moved to oatmeal shortly thereafter and they tolerated that more but didn't love it.  We introduced real solids at 5 months and their first solid meal was sweet potatoes and they were less than thrilled to start.  We introduced yogurt and cottage cheese at 6 months old which they both loved.  They got the hang of it quickly though and they were both on all table food by 12 months old. 

Baby Ruth Bars

I first had these when I was dating my husband.  His neighbor from his childhood home makes a tray of Christmas goodies every year and these were on the tray.  They were so good I had to get the recipe.  Thank you Leah.

1 cup Karo Syrup
1 cup Sugar
1 1/2 cups peanut butter (smooth)
4 cups Special K Cereal
6 ounces butterscotch chips
6 ounces chocolate chips

• Using a large pot bring the Karo syrup and sugar to a boil.  Remove immediately.
• Sitr in the peanut butter until melted and add cereal and mix well.
• Press into desired baking pan or cookie sheet (that is sprayed).  If you use a cookie sheet the bars will be thinner whereas if you use a larger casserole dish they will be thicker.

Marsh Meatloaf

The battle of the meatloaf has waged on in our family for quite some time and the winner is my father-in-law's recipe which will now be the one that I cook for my family. 

For the meatloaf:
1 pound hamburger meat
2 Eggs
14 Ritz Crackers - crushed
1/3 cup Ketchup
Couple dashes Worchestershire Sauce
1 teaspoon Thomas or Castle Sauce (this sauce is found in NC mainly but it can be left out)
1 package Lipton Onion Soup Mix
1 tablespoon water
Dash of salt and pepper

For the sauce:
1/3 cup Ketchup
1 teaspoon Mustard
1 tablespoon Brown Sugar
1 teaspooon Thomas or Castle Sauce

Mix all ingredients together for the meatloaf, the mixture will be wetter than you are used to for most meatloafs.  Split in half and put half on one side of a casserole dish sprayed with Pam, put the other half on the meatloaf on the other side of the casserole.  Pour sauce over top of meatloaf and spread evenly. 

Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

Yeast Rolls

These little but time consuming yeast rolls have become a family tradition for us as it was years ago in my husband's family.  His grandmother's cook made these for their family when she was growing up and they are well loved by everyone who eats them.  They do require some planning because you have to mix the dough the day before in order to have enough time for it to rise as well as rolling them out and letting them rise a couple hours before baking them, but I promise it is worth the time and effort.

7 cups all purpose flour, sifted
4 heaping tablespoons crisco
2 teaspoons salt
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, slightly beaten
1 cup boiling water
1 cup cold water
2 packages yeast, dissolved in 1/4 cup of VERY warm water
1 stick butter, melted (used on the 2nd day)

1. Mix Crisco, salt, and sugar with the boiling water until dissolved; add cold water and beaten egg.  Stir in yeast.
2. Combine mixture with 5 cups of the flour, batter should be a little spongy.
3. Cover tightly and put in refrigerator until mixture doubles in size.
4. Remove dough and roll out to 1/4 to 1/2 inch thickness using the remaining 2 cups of flour.  Form into rolls using a biscuit cutter and dip in melted butter.  Fold over and let rise 2.5-3 hours, uncovered.
5. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. 

Makes 60-80 rolls

Happy 2010

A new year brings a new blog filled with family and cooking.  A quick intro for those that actually may stumble upon this blog and that don't "know" me.  My name is Kerri and I am a stay at home Mom to boy/girl twins Ben and Kate.  They are 14 months old currently.  We have been dealing with and handling some developmental delays with Ben but we are hopefuly for the future. 

I have been married for almost 6 years to John who is a computer engineer.  We live in a smaller city right outside of Charleston.  I wanted to start this blog as a way to process and share the wonderful crazy life we have. 

You will have to bear with me as I learn about the whole blogging process but I promise to get better as we go along, so just be patient.  Here are current pictures of Ben and Kate.  Ben is riding his new Mickey Airplane that Grandma and Grandpa Amenta gave him and Kate is busy chatting away on her cellphone that they got for their birthday.

BenKate