I am on a roll with chicken...

Another suggestion from Emily227 that turned out great.

Source: Cooking Light, April 2003

Chicken Breasts Stuffed with Artichoke, Lemon and Goat Cheese

• 2 1/2 tablespoons Italian-seasoned breadcrumbs
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon rind
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
• 1 (3-ounce) package herbed goat cheese, softened
• 4 (6-ounce) skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• Cooking spray

Preheat oven to 375°.

Combine first 6 ingredients; stir well.

Place each chicken breast half between 2 sheets of heavy-duty plastic wrap; pound to 1/4-inch thickness using a meat mallet or rolling pin. Top each breast half with 2 tablespoons cheese mixture; roll up jelly-roll fashion. Tuck in sides; secure each roll with wooden picks.

Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan, and cook 3 minutes on each side or until browned. Wrap the handle of pan with foil, and bake at 375° for 15 minutes or until chicken is done.

1 serving (1/2 stuffed chicken breast) = 5 WW points

Cheese and Chicken... what could go wrong?

I needed a quick and easy chicken dinner so I posted for suggestions on thenest.com's What's Cooking board. Emily227 had a great recipe... cheesy chicken cups! These were simple, easy and tasted great. I will definitely make these again.

(they were so gooey good with cheese!)

Cheesy Chicken Cups

• 1 can buttermilk biscuits (10 biscuits)
• 1 cooked chicken breast cut into small pieces
• 1 can Healthy Request cream of chicken soup
• 2/3 C. fat free shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 t. dried parsley flakes
• 1/2 t. black pepper

Place each biscuit into a muffin pan. Press the biscuits into the holes (and up the sides) to form cups. In a bowl, combine chicken, soup, cheese, parsley, and pepper. Mix well. Spoon evenly into cups. Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes


Yields: 10 servings (Serving: 1 chicken cup) for 2 WW points each

Chicken fingers with a twist

I started to search on weightwatchers.com for a good dinner recipe. I had chicken and I had instant oatmeal. Who would have thought that these two ingredients could be in the same meal? After I was done my husband dubbed this the best weight watchers meal ever. He even requested it again for lunch a few days later.

Source: Weightwatchers.com

Chicken Fingers with Ranch Dip & Seasoned Fries

• 3 sprays cooking spray
• 1 pound uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into strips
• 1 Tbsp Dijon mustard
• 2 1/2 packet uncooked instant oatmeal, 1 oz each (about 1 cup total)
• 2 tsp garlic herb seasoning, preferably salt-free
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 2 large potato(es), Russet, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch-thick fries
• 1 Tbsp Creole seasoning (I used curry since I couldn't find Creole seasoning)
  
• 1/2 cup fat-free ranch salad dressing

Preheat oven to 400ºF. Coat a large baking sheet with cooking spray.

Coat chicken strips with mustard. Combine oats, garlic herb seasoning, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Dip chicken strips in oat mixture and turn to coat; place chicken strips on prepared pan.

Arrange potatoes around chicken on pan; lightly coat both with cooking spray. Sprinkle potatoes with Creole seasoning (I used curry).

Bake, flipping once, until chicken is cooked through and both chicken and potatoes are tender and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Serve chicken and potatoes with dressing on the side. Yields about 3 ounces of chicken, 1/2 a potato and 2 tablespoons of dressing per serving.

6 WW Points, Serves 4

Pork Roast Love

I just gotta say... I love roast. Pork or beef. Doesn't even matter. So when I saw a Molasses Glazed Pork Roast on Food Network from Bobby Flay I knew I had to make it for dinner. I wish I would have prepared it exactly like he did because I opted not to make the Black Pepper Dumplings and think this would have given the meal a great kick. What I omitted is in italics and what I added is bolded. I served the pork with my cheesy smashed potatoes (4 WW points).

Source: Bobby Flay, Food Network



Molasses Glazed Pork Roast sans the Black Pepper Dumplings

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 (3 to 4 pound) pork loin roast, bone in
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Molasses Glaze, recipe follows
1 Spanish onion, finely diced
1 large carrot, finely diced
1 stalk celery, finely diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken stock
4 sprigs fresh thyme
4 sprigs parsley
Black Pepper Dumplings, recipe follows (I omited)

Chopped parsley, for garnishPreheat oven to 350 degrees F. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over high heat. Season the pork with salt and pepper and sear on all sides until golden brown. Transfer the pot to the oven and roast until the pork reaches an internal temperature of 125 degrees F, about 1 hour. Brush the pork liberally with the Molasses Glaze and continue roasting until the internal temperature reaches 145 degrees F. Remove the roast to a platter, brush with more of the glaze and let rest 15 minutes.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the fat from the pan and place on top of the stove over medium heat. Add the onions, carrots, celery, and garlic and cook until soft, about 5 to 7 minutes. Add the wine, increase the heat to high, and cook until reduced by half. Add herbs and mix. Pour over pork and serve.

Add the stock and the herbs, and bring to a boil, cook until reduced by 1/3. Reduce the heat to low and let the broth simmer.
Drop the dumplings into the broth, cover, and simmer until they are puffed and cooked through, about 12 to 5 minutes.

Molasses Glaze:
1 1/2 cups molasses
2 tablespoons whole grain mustard
Salt

Combine ingredients in a small bowl.

Black Pepper Dumplings:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon finely chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
2 tablespoons very cold solid vegetable shortening
1/3 cup milk

Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, black pepper, parsley, and thyme in a medium mixing bowl. Using your fingers, cut the shortening into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the milk, stirring just until the mixture is moistened. Gather the dough into a ball, knead it a few times, and cut into 12 equal pieces.

10 WW Points = not very WW friendly :(

WC Nov/Dec Recipe Exchange - Holiday Goodies

I was very excited to participate in this year's recipe exchange. I knew it would be the perfect opportunity to have someone choose what I make instead of me pouring over baking books for something good for the holidays.

I received a recipe for Carrot Cake and it was AMAZING! The cake was moist and not too sweet. All of my co-workers loved it. There wasn't one crumb left! And I got to use my bundt pan for the first time! I got a Williams Sonoma Anniversary bundt pan for our wedding and it worked wonderfully!

I did put the cake in my Weight Watchers recipe builder to see how many points it was and *gasp* 7 points per serving (one serving is 1/24th of the cake). I was able to tweak the recipe a little to get it down to 3 points with the same flavor.

Carrot Cake

• 2 cups sifted flour
• 2 cups sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 Tablespoon cinnamon
• 2 cups grated carrots
• 1 cup grated zucchini
• 4 eggs
• 1 ½ cups canola oil
• 1 cup walnuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl and set aside. In blender, blend 1 cup carrots/zucchini with an egg and a half cup oil. Repeat twice adding nuts and extra egg during last blending. Combine with dry ingredients, mixing well. Pour into greased 10 in. tube pan. Bake at 350 for 1 hour. Cool and frost.

Frosting (I didn't make the frosting because I forgot to buy powdered sugar!)

• ½ cup butter at room temperature
• 1 (8oz) pkg. cream cheese at room temperature
• 1 (16oz) box powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Tips: I use the grater attachment on the food processor to grate the carrots and zucchini. Much easier! You can also make these as cupcakes, shortening the baking time accordingly.

Now for the Weight Watchers version:

• 1 cup Egg Beaters Egg Beaters
• 2 Tbsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tsp table salt
• 1 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 2 cup carrot(s), shredded
• 1 cup zucchini, shredded
• 1 cup walnut halves
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 2 cup sugar
• 2 cup all-purpose flour, sifted

Follow the same instructions as below. I didn't calculate the points for the frosting and would omit it if making it again for myself. If I made it again for the office I'd drizzle it lightly over the top.

Yay Mexican!

After browsing a few blogs I found one loaded with WW-friendly recipes that I was just dying to try. This was my second attempt at making something from One Tiny Pink Kitchen's blog and it was a hit! So tasty! I am bringing them in to work with me tomorrow for a co-workers birthday. I think they'd be great topped with cheese, shredded lettuce and salsa as appetizers but I can't have too much cheese :)

Source: WW magazine December 2007 via One Tiny Pink Kitchen

Yummy Empanadas

30 wonton wrappers
1 egg, beaten
1/2 lb extra lean hamburger
1/8 cup low fat cheddar cheese
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp taco seasoning
1/2 small onion, diced

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray cookie sheet with PAM. Brown hamburger and onions, drain. Add tomato paste and taco seasoning; then add cheese. Lay out wontons and fill with about 1 tbsp of filling per wonton. Wet the edges of the wonton with the egg and fold. Repeat! Bake about 8 minutes. (You will want to flip them over 1/2 way through so both sides are crispy. I forgot to do this)

3 empanadas = 2 WW points

Chicken Pot Pie

When you ask Joseph what his favorite lunchtime meal is it would probably be one of three things... hot dogs, mac and cheese (out of a box.. yuck!) and Marie Callendar's chicken pot pie. They amount of calories in one frozen pie made my jaw drop so after watching Tyler's Ultimate on the food network I decided to try and make a chicken pot pie myself. I followed Tyler's recipe for the filling but made the whole chicken in a crock pot (see my crock pot chicken/stock post) and used the chicken and stock in Tyler's recipe.

The end product turned out OK but it wasn't what I was expecting. The "sauce" wasn't thick enough for Joseph and it wasn't flavorful enough for me so I might try mrspresley's recipe next time.

Source: Tyler's Ultimate

Chicken Pot Pie

1 cup shredded chicken
4 cups chicken stock
1/2 stick (4 tbsp) unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 carrots, cut in 1/2-inch circles
1 bag frozen peas & pearl onions, see note
Leaves from 4 fresh parsley sprigs
2 frozen puff pastry sheets, thawed
1 tbsp eggbeaters mixed with 1 tsp water
2 tbsp shredded Parmigiano-Reggiano

Melt the butter in a large sauce pot and then whisk in the flour to form a paste. This is a roux, which will act as a thickener. Now, gradually pour in 4 cups of the chicken broth, whisking the entire time to prevent lumps. Whisk and simmer for 10 minutes to cook out the starchy taste of the flour and thicken the broth; it should look like cream of chicken soup. Season with salt and pepper. Fold in the shredded chicken, carrots, peas & pearl onions, and parsley. Stir to combine and turn off the heat.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lay the thawed puff pastry sheets on a lightly floured, cool surface. Invert individual crocks on the pastry sheet and, using a sharp knife, cut circles around the outside of the bowls, slightly larger than the bowl itself. Fill the crocks 3/4 of the way with the chicken mixture, making sure each serving has a nice amount of chicken, vegetables, and broth. Carefully cap each crock with a pastry circle, pressing the dough around the rim to form a seal. Lightly beat the eggbeaters with 1 tsp of water to make an egg wash and brush some on the pastry. Sprinkle the pastry with the Parmigiano. Set the crocks on a cookie sheet and transfer to the oven. Bake for 20 minutes, until puffed and golden.

Notes: If using fresh pearl onions, blanch for 2 minutes in salted boiling water; then pinch the skins off -- if using frozen, run under cool water for 2 minutes to thaw.

If using fresh peas, blanch for 2 minutes in salted boiling water--if using frozen, run under cool water for 2 minutes to thaw.

6 servings (I froze four of the six servings for next time)

4 WW points per serving

Happy Housewarming Peabody!

A blogger I stumbled upon from the WC board just moved into a beautiful, new house and has decided to have a virtual housewarming party. She's been gracious enough to invite everyone.

I thought that these mini meatloaf muffins would be great for a party since they are appetizer size and I love meatloaf (who doesn't?). They're easy, cheap and as I found out recently... can be Weight Watcher friendly! So all of Peabody's Weight Watcher friends can enjoy a nice appetizer.

I used a recipe from the blog of a fellow nestie from the WC board, tbrp2005. I followed the instructions/ingredients exactly (including the tomato sauce she omitted). They were great!! I hope everyone likes them :)

3 WW points per serving (two muffins=1 serving)

Source: One Tiny Pink Kitchen

Chicken... and so much more!

I finally got over my fear of whole chickens today. I even made homemade chicken stock from it! I used my crock-pot to cook a whole chicken and make stock for meals later on this week. I definitely plan on using the left overs to make this recipe for Tyler's Ultimate Chicken Pot Pie and this recipe for Elly's Chicken Tortilla Soup. But for tonight we just ate the wings and thighs right off of the chicken and I paired it with my red-skinned mashed potatoes with a bit of fontina, butter, and salt and pepper mixed in and some carrots. It was great! I cannot wait to try the other recipes.

Source: Tyler's Ultimate
(I only used the part to make chicken stock and modified it by using the crock pot)

Chicken Broth

• 1 chicken, 3-3.5 pounds
• 8 cups cold water
  
• 3 carrots, cut into 2" pieces
• 2 celery sticks, cut into 2" pieces
• 1 onion, quartered
• 1 tbsp crushed bay leaf
• 2 tbsp thyme
• 1 tbsp rosemary
• 2 tbs chopped garlic (I have some garlic in a jar)

Clean out and remove all gizzards and neck from chicken. Rinse and pat inside and outside dry. Place in crock pot and cover with water. Add vegetables and herbs. Cook on low for 6 hours.

Remove chicken from pot and let cool (I removed the thighs and wings for dinner). Shred chicken off of bones and set aside for other meals. Once shredded chicken has cooked bag and refrigerate.

Remove veggies from pot and discard. Strain chicken broth with cheesecloth to catch any left over garlic or dried herbs. Place in containers and freeze or refrigerate until you need to use them.

I plated the chicken thigh and wing and removed the skin from the thigh. I steamed some carrots and topped them with 1/2 tsp butter. I also boiled some red potatoes, mashed them and mixed them with fontina, butter, salt and pepper. YUM! A great dinner.

Chicken - 3 WW points
Mashed Potatoes - 4 WW points
Carrots w/ butter - 2 WW points