Buffalo Chicken Chili {5 WW+ Dinner}

When I saw this recipe it reminded me so much of the buffalo chicken dip I made for a friend's girls night in and I had to try it. Now as soon as I put it on my menu for the week I knew that my husband wouldn't like it. But there are quite a few recipes that I pass on because my husband won't like it. So while doing this challenge I figured why not try a recipe I wanted to eat. Something just for me. And this definitely was that recipe.

I was right. The hubs decided to order a pizza instead of trying a bite of this chili but I enjoyed a huge bowl. It was spicy, flavorful and creamy. I added greek yogurt and frozen corn kernels instead of the original recipe's creamed corn, and I also included some mozzerella cheese to the mix at the end for some added creaminess. I think I might try this again and add more chicken and some cream cheese to the mix . But I'll wait till I have my girlfriends over so my husband won't have to order another pizza.

Inspiration: Taste & See

Buffalo Chicken Chili

• 2 frozen chicken breasts
• 1/2 bottle Franks red hot sauce
• 1 cup corn
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1 cup salsa
• 2 cans tomato sauce
• 1 can beans of your choice (I used pinto)
• 1 can diced green chilies 
• 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt
• 1 cup shredded light mozzarella cheese

Add all ingredients except yogurt and cheese to the slow cooker and cook on low for 8 hours. Take chicken out and shred, add back in and include greek yogurt and cheese to the chili. Stir well and let cook another 15-30 minutes.

Serve with celery, a nice baguette, tortilla chips or anything else you might have on hand. I enjoyed using my celery as a spoon to eat my bowl. Kept me away from the extra carbs...

Serves 6 | 5 WW+ Points

Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings {9 WW+ Dinner}

What's been great about this challenge so far is the fact that we've had dinner on the table by 6pm every night this week! It's totally awesome. And I know exactly what we're going to have without scavenging through the pantry and fridge to come up with a last minute meal. This has been helpful both in the weight loss department and in the stress department. When all of your family members are hungry at the same time each day and you don't have something to give to them to satiate that hunger you have a lot of whine to deal with.

What's not so great? The lighting in our house now that Daylight Savings Time has entered the picture. I used to be able to get semi-decent shots of my meals without the use of a light box or other contraption. Now it looks like I may have to invest in something in order to bring you delicious looking foods to crave... unless this does it for you. What do you think? Would you make this meal based on the pictures and title alone?

Oh, and a small word about the actual dish we ate... I don't recall ever eating chicken and dumplings before. Chicken pot pie, sure... but not chicken and dumplings (Mom, I'm sure you can confirm or deny this for me) and I have to tell you this was mighty tasty! Creamy, bready goodness. All of the great things about pot pie and biscuits and yummy warmth radiating from this dish. Mmmm!

Inspiration: Rachel Ray Magazine via Campbells

Slow Cooker Chicken & Dumplings

• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
• 1 medium Yukon gold potato, cut into 1-inch pieces (about 1 cup)
• 1 cup whole baby carrots
• 2 stalks celery, sliced (about 1 cup)
• 1 can Campbell's® 98% Fat Free Condensed Cream of Chicken Soup
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves, crushed
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 cups Trader Joe's all-purpose baking mix
• 1/3 cup milk

Place the chicken, potatoes, carrots and celery into a 6-quart slow cooker.
Stir the soup, water, thyme and black pepper in a small bowl. Pour the soup mixture over the chicken and vegetables.

Cover and cook on low for 6 to 7 hours* or until the chicken is cooked through.

Stir the baking mix and milk in a medium bowl. Drop the batter by spoonfuls onto the chicken mixture. Increase the heat to HIGH. Tilt the lid to vent and cook for 30-45 minutes or until the dumplings are cooked in the center.

*Or on high for 3 to 4 hours.

Serves 4 | 9 WW+ Points

The difference between daylight pictures and nighttime pictures in my house... The picture above is when I started my slow cooker (about mid-day) and the picture below is when we ate dinner at 6pm. Dark outside and no good light in the home :(

Chicken Parmesan Bites {7 WW+ Dinner}

I have been trying to come up with healthy, fun dinners that my toddler would be more interested in. Lately all he's wanted is chicken nuggets so I've been thinking up ways to turn typical chicken dishes into more kid-friendly meals. And I've been craving chicken parmesan for a while so why not make it into parmesan bites? Put a side of noodles and sauce on the plate and I had one meal my son was more than likely to enjoy. Right? Right! 

I put a plate of three chicken parmesan bites, 1/4 cup of noodles w/ sauce and a few broccoli florettes in front of him tonight and he went to town! And the best part? I used only one chicken breast to feed my whole family. Isn't that awesome? And budget friendly!

I also only made 5 ounces of spaghetti for the three of us and used 1/4 of a jar of sauce. We were all very full and even had room on our plate for more broccoli. Who doesn't want more broccoli? And I'm sure I could decrease the points a bit if I baked the chicken but I really liked the texture of the outside of the chicken that came with the oil. Totally worth it.

Chicken Parmesan Bites 

• 1 chicken, breast, cut into 1" pieces
• 2 tablespoons 1% milk
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 egg white
• 1/2 cup Progresso® Italian-Style Bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon table salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper

Place chicken breast pieces in a bowl and cover with milk. Let soak for a few minutes while prepping the other ingredients. Place 1/4 cup of flour into a large ziploc bag. Measure out 1/4 cup of breadcrumbs and place into a container with salt and pepper. Grate parmesan cheese into the same container, stir to combine and set aside. Place egg white in a small bowl.

Take chicken and place in bag with flour. Shake vigorously until the chicken is well coated. Put coated chicken in bowl with egg white and stir to coat chicken. Place bread crumb mixture in bag you just used for flour. Put chicken back in the bag and shake again coating the chicken with bread crumbs.

Heat oil in a skillet on medium high heat. Add coated chicken to the pan and cook until golden brown, about 15 minutes. When chicken is cooked thoroughly remove from pan and serve with spaghetti and marinara sauce. Add some steamed veggies or a nice salad to make this a complete meal.

3 servings* (5 bites) | 7 WW+ Points

* Does not include spaghetti & marinara sauce

Teriyaki Chicken with Green Beans {8 WW+ Dinner}

I was planning on making something else for dinner last night but really didn't have the time or energy for a more involved meal. So I went with simple and raided the fridge for the last of the food available to us. Yeah... I haven't been to the grocery store in over a week. Bad mommy/wife! Good thing we have a very large pantry filled at all times with spices and sauces.

This meal turned out even better than I expected. I really didn't know where I was going when I started grabbing things from the fridge and pantry but I think I might just add this one to our monthly rotation. It's not only super tasty but fast and easy as well.

Teriyaki Chicken with Green Beans

• 2 chicken breasts
• 2 pounds haricot verts 
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 cup teriyaki chicken
• salt and pepper
• 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Cut chicken breast into 1 inch pieces. Heat oil on medium high in large skillet. Season chicken with salt and pepper. Saute shallot and garlic clove. Add chicken and cook until white on the outside.

Add green beans and cook another 3 to 5 minutes or until green beans are cooked to al dente and chicken is browned lightly. Add teriyaki sauce and stir to cover chicken and beans. Top with sesame seeds and serve.

Serves 3 | 8 WW+ Points

Thyme Chicken & Red Potatoes {7WW+ Dinner}

This is a meal that was pushed back from last week to this week and I'm really glad I didn't cut it. I'm usually hesitant to make crock pot chicken dishes because I've had some really bad experiences in the past (i.e. the chicken was so dry my husband started choking due to the piece being stuck in his throat... but we won't talk about that). So even though the ingredients sounded great I wasn't too thrilled to jump in and make it. But the dish surprised me.

The chicken was moist and flavorful and the carrots and potatoes were sweet and tender. I didn't even need a small sweet for dessert. The fresh parsley and lemon gave a fresh zing to the dish that definitely kicked it up a bit. And while there is a bit of prep beforehand, it's worth it. The sauteed onions and celery just add to the sweetness of this dish.

If I made it again I'd probably stop letting it cook after 6 hours instead of 8 since the chicken was *almost* dry. Good thing I followed my nose and stopped the cooker after 7 hours. The chicken was just right! And next time I'll try and remember to buy sage so I can make the meal according to the original recipe... haha... like I ever do that!

Inspiration: Weight Watchers

Thyme Chicken & Red Potatoes

• 2 tsp olive oil, extra-virgin
• 1 large red onion, chopped
• 5 stalks celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 cup reduced-sodium, fat free chicken broth
• 2 uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut in half
• 1 pound uncooked red potatoes, cut into quarters
• 1 pound baby carrots
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 teaspoon table salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 cup parsley, fresh, chopped
• 1/8 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 strip
• 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

Heat the oil in a large nonstick saucepan over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, about 1 minute. Add the broth and bring to a simmer, stirring constantly. Let simmer 1-2 minutes or until thickened.

Put the potatoes, carrots, chicken bay leaf, salt, and pepper (in that order) in a 5–6-quart slow cooker; pour the broth mixture over the chicken and vegetables. Cover the slow cooker and cook until chicken and vegetables are fork-tender, 6-8 hours on low.

Discard the bay leaf. Add the parsley, thyme, lemon zest, and lemon juice to the slow cooker; cover and cook on high until the flavors blend, about 10 minutes.

4 Servings | 7 WW+ Points

Chicken Pad Thai {7 WW+ Dinner}

Tonight was one of those nights that I forgot to read the recipe for dinner... and therefore I scoured the rest of the week's meals to find a back up plan. I wasn't too sure about this recipe. I really don't eat a lot of Thai food and definitely don't make it at home. Mostly because Joseph won't eat it. He isn't too adventurous when it comes to food. But I'm glad I was pleasantly surprised. I did miss the peanuts and peanut oil but it's better to have a live husband then to indulge in peanuts. And without the peanuts I reduced this meal by 2 points. How awesome is that?

Now back to the dish... it was fresh, flavorful and very... spring like. Yum. I ate my portion in a small bowl that only held one cup because I knew mentally I'd want another bowl and wouldn't be able to afford 14 points for dinner. So when I was done with my small 1 cup bowl I went and got seconds. And I was satisfied. Not overly full; satisfied. The way I should be.

Inspiration: Weight Watchers

Chicken Pad Thai sans Peanuts

• 7 ounces packaged rice noodles
• 1 1/8 pounds uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4-inch cubes
• 1/4 cup fish sauce, divided
• 4 cups broccoli, florets
• juice of 1 lime, divided
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 1 1/2 teaspoon ginger root, fresh, finely minced
• 2 sprays cooking spray
• 1 1/2 cups bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup cilantro, fresh, minced
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon chili oil

Start boiling a pot of water for noodles and a pot of water for steaming broccoli.

Place chicken in a small bowl and cover with 1 tablespoon of fish sauce and sprinkle with some salt and pepper; set aside. Cut up broccoli, shred carrots, mince cilantro, garlic & ginger root; set aside.

Place noodles in boiling water & steam broccoli until crisp-tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, in another small bowl, combine remaining 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 1/2 of the juice of one lime, sugar, water and ginger; mix well and set aside.

Coat a large wok or skillet with cooking spray and warm over medium-high heat. When hot, add chicken; cook, stirring occasionally until chicken is cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove chicken from pan and cover to keep warm; set aside.

Drain noodles thoroughly. Off heat, coat same wok or skillet with cooking spray and warm over medium-high heat. When hot, sauté garlic and carrots until garlic is just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add noodles, fish sauce mixture, and chili oil; cook, stirring, until sauce is mostly absorbed, about 3 minutes. Stir in chicken and broccoli; remove from heat. Add remaining 1/2 of lime juice, bean sprouts and cilantro; mix well. Serve immediately. Yields about 2 cups per serving.

Serves 6 | 7 WW+ Points

Crockpot Salsa Chicken {4 WW+ Dinner}

This is the easiest crock pot dish for those just starting out with their crockpot. You don't have to thaw any meat, you don't have to worry about the chicken drying out, you don't have to worry about the size of your crockpot. The ingredients all meld so well together and taste delicious however you serve it up.

I served the chicken with rice and zucchini but you can put the chicken in tacos, enchiladas or anything else you can think of. I'm already planning on using the left overs on Saturday for enchilada lasagna. I was going to go with beef but have more than enough left over chicken to use up so I'm making it easy on myself and saving the beef for another day. Another great way to use this as left overs is to put it on top of a salad or make a soup out of it.

Inspiration: Crockpot 365

 Crockpot Salsa Chicken

• 3 chicken breasts (can be frozen)
• 1 cup corn
• 1 cup kidney beans
• 1 1/2 cups salsa
• 2 tablespoons dry taco seasoning
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Place the chicken in the crockpot and top with the other ingredients. Set the crock pot to cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the chicken is cooked thoroughly. Remove the chicken from the crock pot and shred. Place it back in the crock pot and set it to warm while you prepare the rest of your meal (rice, beans, vegetables, etc).

Serves 6 | 4 WW+ Points

You can top with your favorite light sour cream and a sprinkle of cheese for just 2 more points! That's what I did and it was delicious! My whole meal was 9 WW+ points total and included a serving of salsa chicken, a tablespoon of light sour cream, a sprinkle of light shredded cheese, a 1/2 cup of brown rice and a cup of roasted zucchini. It was delicious and filling.

Smothered Buttermilk Chicken with Peas {9 WW+ Dinner}

When planning this week's menu I think that tonight's meal was the one I was most looking forward to. The recipe sounded almost like a chicken pot pie filling over a biscuit and it ended up tasting pretty similar to it! The only thing I'd change is I'd add more spices.

Since I had to work today I had Joseph prepare this meal and he did great. He changed the amount of water added from the original recipe since he didn't think there was enough and he added in a splash of chicken broth to add more flavor. Another change he'd make is to switch the water with chicken broth for more flavor as well.

All in all I loved this meal and will definitely be attempting it again with some more spices. I even had a second helping (don't worry... I had enough points!). Don't get me wrong, one serving would have been more than enough to satisfy me normally but I hadn't eaten since lunchtime due to a busy day at work. I also paired this with a delicious spinach & romaine salad.

Inspiration: Food.com

Smothered Buttermilk Chicken with Peas

• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 3/4 inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups carrots, sliced into coins
• 1/3 cup onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 cup water
• 2 tablespoons butter, melted
• 1/4 teaspoons sea salt
• 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 chicken gravy mix packet
• 1/3 cup buttermilk
• 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
• 1 cup(s) frozen green peas, thawed
• 6 Trader Joe's refrigerated Buttermilk Biscuits

In a 4 to 6 quart slow cooker, mix together the chicken, carrots, onion, water, butter, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Cover and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.

During the last 20 minutes of cooking time, stir in the gravy mix.Remove the bay l eaf; mix the buttermilk and flour together; stir flour mixture and peas into chicken mixture. Increase heat to HIGH; cover and cook 10-15 minutes or until peas are hot.

While the chicken mixture is cooking, prepare biscuits as directed on can. Split biscuits; serve chicken mixture over biscuits.

Serves 6 | 9 WW+ Points

A New Spin on Chicken & Rice {10 WW+ Dinner}

I took some chicken out of the freezer yesterday and placed it in the fridge but had no idea what I was going to do with it. I had made a simple meal that night of breaded tilapia, low fat scalloped potatoes and steamed veggies so I knew I wanted an equally simple meal for tonight. 


Around mid-day today my husband asked me to make Chicken ala King. I had no idea what this entailed so he went searching through our various cook books to see if the dish he thought he knew was truly what he was envisioning. But his search got cut short when he found this simple chicken and rice dish in our Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook. This cookbook is awesome for a variety of reasons but the most important one being that it is simple and to the point. So I had no problem trying out this recipe... with a few modifications to fit our needs and my Weight Watchers lifestyle. 


Oh, and just a note, I almost always dice up a few onions at once and put 1/2 cup portions in baggies to freeze. The onions I used in this recipe were used from the freezer. I just threw them in the pan still frozen and they thawed wonderfully. I also do this with bell peppers and get great results.

Inspiration: America's Test Kitchen

Skillet Chicken and Rice

• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in 1/2
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup unbleached all purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1/2 medium onion, minced
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• sprinkle chile powder
• sprinkle cayenne pepper
• 3/4 cup long-grain white rice
• 1/2 cup water (or dry white wine)
• 2 1/2 cup chicken broth
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Pat the chicken dry with paper towels and season with salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in flour to coat and shake off any excess. Heat oil in a 12 inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Brown chicken well on one side, about 5 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a plate, browned side up, and set aside.

Off the heat, add the butter to the skillet and swirl to melt. Add the onion and 1/2 teaspoon salt and return to medium-high heat until softened, 2-5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and spices and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in the rice thoroughly and let toast for about 30 seconds.

Stir in the water (or wine) and let the rice absorb it completely, about 1 minute. Stir in the broth, scraping up any browned bits. Nestle the chicken in the rice, browned side up, and add any accumulated juices from the plate. Cover and cook over medium heat until the thickest part of the chicken registers 160-165 degrees, about 10 minutes.

Transfer the chicken to a clean plate. Gently brush off and discard any rice clinging to the chicken, then tent the chicken with foil and set aside. Return the skillet of rice to medium-low heat, cover, and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice is tender, 8-12 minutes longer.

Off the heat, sprinkle the peas over the rice, cover and let warm through, about 2 minutes. Add the lemon juice to the rice. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve with chicken.

Serves 4 | 10 WW+ Points

Cheesy Chicken

As most of my readers know I'm always looking for an easy, quick meal to please my family. But I also want something a bit healthy as well. Sometimes I make an exception... While this meal isn't super bad for you it sure tastes like it is. The buttery flavor you get with the melted cheese is heavenly! I served it with a simple side of rice and carrots that I just threw into my rice cooker with a bit of chicken broth & spices. Definitely a meal I'll be making in the future!

  

Baked Cheddar Chicken

• 16 buttery crackers (like Ritz) crushed (about 3/4 c.)
• 6 oz. sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
• 1 clove of garlic finely chopped
• salt and pepper
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter-melted

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Combine crackers, cheese, garlic, salt and pepper in a bowl.

Dip chicken in melted butter and then press gently into cracker mixture.

Place on foil lined baking sheet. Sprinkle remain cracker mixture and butter on the chicken. Bake 25-30 minutes.

Simple Suppers

I've been guilty of easy meals lately. I've been exhausted after either a full day with my toddler or a full day of work. And the last thing I want to do is make an elaborate meal. I used to love doing this but keeping it simple is the way to go if I don't want to end up with take out.

I had some chicken in the fridge and was trying to think of a good/different way to prepare it for our dinner. So I searched around and found that I was really wanting to either do a casserole or a one dish meal. I took a look in my pantry and saw that we had some cream of mushroom soup so I started to look specifically for cream of mushroom and chicken meals. This is one I found.

And I'm glad I found it. Super easy. And I can modify it as I go if I want something different. I'm thinking of adding broccoli or spinach in with the rice and maybe coating the whole thing with a sprinkle of cheese next time!

Source: Cambell's Kitchen



One Dish Chicken & Rice Bake

• 1 can (10 3/4 ounces) Campbell's® Condensed Cream of Mushroom Soup
  
• 1 cup water
• 3/4 cup uncooked regular long-grain white rice
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves (about 1 pound)

Stir the soup, water, rice, paprika and black pepper in a 2-quart shallow baking dish. Top with the chicken. Season with additional paprika and black pepper. Cover the baking dish.

Bake at 375°F. for 45 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through and the rice is tender.

The Perfect Chicken Dish

A girlfriend of mine gave me a link to Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes blog and immediately I saw the recipe below. The picture was worth a thousand words and I was drooling from the start. I put it on the menu for the same week but life happened and it got pushed aside. I finally got around to making it.

I started to make it and was a bit worried that it wouldn't be as tasty as it looked since there were some pretty basic ingredients. Let me tell you... this was the best pulled chicken recipe I've had in a LONG time! It was fabulous. I served it with some pinto & black beans seasoned with onion powder, taco seasoning & salt and pepper as well as some rice and broccoli. I'm going to be using the left overs for chicken tacos at the end of the week.

You have to try this recipe!

Source: Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes



Chicken Ropa Vieja

* 3 chicken breast halves
* 1 small onion, quartered
* 1 tomato, quartered
* 1 carrot, peeled and chopped
* 2 cloves garlic, peeled

* 1 tbsp olive oil
* 1 small onion, thinly sliced
* 1 small green bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
* 1 small red bell pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
* 1/4 cup dry white wine
* 1/2 cup tomato sauce
* reserved broth
* 1 tsp cumin, or more to taste (I like a lot)
* garlic powder
* salt and pepper to taste

Place chicken, onion, tomato, carrot, and 2 cloves of garlic into crock pot. Add water to cover, and set to high for 4 hours until the chicken is tender. If cooking on the stove, cook on medium-low, and simmer until the chicken is tender, 30 to 40 minutes. Place the chicken into a bowl and shred it into strips using a fork; set aside. Reserve the liquid.

In a large deep skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the garlic, onions, green peppers, and red peppers. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in chicken, tomato sauce, white wine, and about 3/4 cup of the reserved broth to create a nice sauce. Season with cumin, garlic powder salt, and pepper. Cover and simmer on low for about 10 minutes more adding more broth and seasoning if needed. Makes 4 cups.

1 cup = 4 ww points

Sweet and Spicy

I loved this meal! I started up on Weight Watchers recently and really love when I come across a meal that is very filling and is great to eat the next day (or next two days). This recipe truly fits all of the above requirements PLUS it tastes awesome!

The next time I make it I think I'll use another brand of enchilada sauce or try my hand at making it from scratch. I also think I'll add some shredded carrots and zucchini in with the meat when I cook it to add more veggies. I also will most likely top with salsa as well.

I put the left overs on top of a cup of lettuce and ate it like a salad of sorts... Delicious!

Source: Mallory



Enchilada Lasagna

• 1 can corn
• 1 can black beans
• 1 30 oz can enchilada sauce
• 1 cup diced cooked chicken
• 2 tablespoons corn starch
• 1 cup water
• 8 corn tortillas

In a pot over high, mix corn, beans, sauce, and chicken. While you wait for it to boil, mix corn starch in cold water. When the sauce is boiling, add corn starch mixture and reduce to simmer. Allow to simmer for 10 minutes.

Preheat oven to 350.

Add some of the sauce mixture on the bottom of a 2.5qt casserole dish. Place 2 corn tortillas in the dish overlapping in the middle. Add 1/4 of sauce mixture on top. Repeat ending with the sauce mixture on top. Place covered in oven for 20 minutes.

Yields 8 servings
WW- 3 points per serving

Or if you're like me you can make it 4 servings and have a 6 point dinner.

Serve with chopped lettuce, light sour cream, and a tiny sprinkle of cheese.

Chicken Leftovers

Joseph's starting to get really good at dinners :) He, again, successfully made dinner last night. I had some left over chicken breast from the other night (already seasoned) and he went and found a recipe that included the left overs and the noodles he wanted to use (egg noodles). He wanted something creamy like a tuna cassarole but we didn't have Cream of Celery soup... only Cream of Mushroom so he found a Chicken and Noodle Casserole from Campbell's website that used Cream of Mushroom. It was great. Very filling and the cheesy goodness on top was perfect :)

Going back and looking at the website I am surprised that Joseph got the recipe right. Read the directions on the website... too funny! I might not have gotten cheddar on top if Joseph didn't read all the way through. Oh, and I love how Campbell's gives the nutritional information and the cost per serving. Very helpful!

Source: Campbell's Kitchen



Hearty Chicken & Noodle Casserole

• 1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 cup frozen vegetables
• 2 cups cubed cooked chicken
• 1/4 of a 12 ounce package medium egg noodles (about 2 cups)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Stir the soup, milk, black pepper, vegetables, chicken, noodles and Parmesan cheese in a 1 1/2-quart casserole dish.

Top with the Cheddar cheese.

Bake at 400°F. for 25 minutes or until the vegetables are tender.

Cheese & Bacon!

When your pregnant easy meals are always the best way to go. The less ingredients the better. So on Monday after all of the cooking I did I needed something that was simple and fast. Oh, and it had to be chicken because I had two chicken breasts left and all of the other meat was used up.

So I looked in the fridge to see what I had and low and behold I had sliced swiss cheese and (don't laugh) microwavable bacon from Costco right next to each other on one of the shelves. So I I thought to myself... why not? And you know what? It was sooo good!



Bacon Swiss Chicken

• 2 slices bacon (I used precooked bacon)
• 2 slices swiss cheese
• 2 chicken breasts
• Italian seasoning
• Salt & Pepper

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Sprinkle seasoning, salt and pepper on each chicken breast. Cut bacon in half. Place two pieces of bacon on each chicken breast. Cover with swiss cheese. Bake in the oven for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked. Let cool for a few minutes before serving with your favorite sides.

Enjoy!

Dinners in the Freezer!

Yesterday was definitely a success! We got so much accomplished and I feel like I can relax now knowing that we won't be living off of boxed mac and cheese for the next month :) I stuck to my list as much as I could. I didn't get a shot of all of the meals so I'll share the other recipes with you as we start to heat and eat.


Turkey Chili | Recipe adapted from The Bobby Pin

• 1 lb ground turkey
• 1 30oz can kidney beans (I used a 15 oz can)
• 1 15oz can tomato sauce
• 1 15oz can chopped tomatoes
• 1 tbsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp cumin
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1 packet chili seasoning
• 1/2 onion, chopped & sautéed
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped & sautéed
• 1 clove garlic, chopped & sautéed

Add 1 tbsp olive oil to a pan and saute onions, bell pepper & garlic until onions are translucent. Add a pound of ground turkey and brown. Add in a 30 oz can of kidney beans. Add 1 15 oz. can of tomato sauce and 1 15 oz. can of chopped tomatoes.

Add chili powder, cumin, paprika and Lawry's chili seasoning. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Allow to cool a bit before placing in a freezer safe dish.

When ready to eat, put dish in fridge in the morning and than by night time it should be thawed enough to either put on the stove to heat up or to spoon into individual dishes and cover with cornbread mix for a chili pot pie (this is what I plan to do!) YUM!

Thanks, Natalie, for the great recipe. Miranda and I tried the chili yesterday and it was sooo good. Perfect for the rainy day we had. I always add shredded cheese and broccoli to my chili because you can't have enough fiber in your diet :) And adding more vegetables just makes me feel better.


Broccoli & Cheddar Stuffed Chicken Breast | Recipe courtesy of my head

• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar
• 1 cup broccoli florets, chopped
• 2-4 chicken breasts, flattened
• Salt & pepper

Add cheddar and broccoli to one side of flattened chicken breast. Fold over breast and use toothpick to hold the ends together. Salt and pepper each side and slide chicken breast in vacuum bag. Vacuum pack the chicken and throw in the freezer until you want to use.

When you're ready to use it throw it in the fridge the morning of. At night open the bag, place chicken on an oven safe dish or sheet sprayed with non-stick and bake for 25-30 minutes or until chicken is done. If you want you can add some shredded cheese to the chicken for the last 5-10 minutes of cooking for more cheesy goodness.


Chipotle Rub Pork Chops | Recipe courtesy of McCormicks Grill Mates

• 2-4 pork chops
• Chipotle Cinnamon McCormics Grill Mates rub
• Olive oil

Lightly drizzle olive oil on both sides of each chop. Sprinkle about 1/2 a tablespoon of rub onto each side and rub in. Place chops in a vacuum bag and vacuum seal. Throw in the freezer until ready to use.

When ready to use thaw meat in fridge. Open bag and pan fry the chops for about 2-4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Place in oven safe dish sprayed with cooking spray and bake for 30-35 minutes or until pork is done.


Stuffed Peppers (a last minute add) | Recipe adapted from Spice N It Up

• 4 large bell peppers
• 1 lb ground beef
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 small clove garlic finely chopped
• 1/2 bell pepper chopped
• 1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• Dash of red pepper
• 1/8 tsp cinnamon
• 1/3 cup uncooked rice
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese

Cut thin slices from stem end of each bell pepper to remove top, seeds and membranes. Rinse peppers. Cook beef, onion, chopped pepper and garlic over medium heat in skillet until brown. Drain.

Stir in tomato sauce, salt, cumin, cinnamon, and red pepper. Stir in rice. Divide beef mixture evenly among peppers. Place in oven safe/freezer safe packaging and cover with foil. Freeze until ready to eat.

Pour water into 3 1/2 to 4 quart slow cooker; stand frozen peppers upright in cooker. Cover and cook on low heat setting 4 to 6 hours or until peppers are tender. Garnish with cheese. (You can also throw these in the oven for about 10 minutes so the cheese melts).


Mom's Turkey Meatloaf | Recipe adapted from Ellie Krieger

• 3/4 cup quick cooking oats
• 1/2 cup nonfat milk (I used 1%)
• 1 medium onion, peeled
• 2 lbs ground turkey breast
• 1/2 medium red bell pepper, seeded and chopped
• 2 large eggs, beaten
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup ketchup
• 1/2 tsp salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1-8 oz can no-salt-added tomato sauce

In a small bowl, stir together the oats and milk and allow to soak while you get the rest of the ingredients together, at least 3 minutes.

Thinly slice one-quarter of the onion into rings and set aside. Finely chop the rest of the onion.

In a large bowl, combine the turkey, oatmeal mixture, chopped onion, bell pepper, eggs, Worcestershire, ketchup, salt, and a few grinds of pepper. Mix just until well combined.

Transfer the mixture to a 9×13-inch baking dish that is freezer safe (I used an aluminum loaf pan that you can buy at the supermarket) and shape into a loaf about 5 inches wide and 2 inches high. Pour the tomato sauce over the meatloaf and sprinkle with the sliced onions. Cover with plastic wrap and with foil to insure a proper seal (and protection from freezer burn).

Remove loaf from freezer. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake until an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part registers 160 F, about 1 hour – 1 hour 20 minutes (may be longer if you don’t allow loaf to thaw).

Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 to 15 minutes before slicing.

Saucy Chicken

Joseph and I have decided on a new dinner for our regular rotation. I won't be able to make it as often as I want when I go back on Weight Watchers but I'm sure I can make it WW friendly with some fat-free/reduced-fat changes. This dish leaves the chicken moist and juicy and the flavor of the sauce pairs perfectly with the egg noodles. Joseph and I both give this recipe an A+.

And if you didn't notice from the recipe... I am definitely not opposed to using cream of "fill in the blank" soups like some cooks are. I think that if it makes it easier for me when I'm crazy busy and it gives you a tasty meal than it's worth it. And Joseph couldn't live without his tuna casserole.

Source: Campbell's Cream of Chicken & Mushroom soup label



Chicken Paprika ala Campbell's

• 1 tablespoon butter
• 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
• 1 can cream of chicken & mushroom soup
• 2 teaspoons paprika
• ground red pepper (I used black)
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• Hot cooked egg noodles

In skillet, heat butter and cook chicken for 10 minutes or until browned. Remove from pan and set aside. Spoon off fat (I didn't... I know, I'm bad but who doesn't love butter?)

In skillet, combine soup, sour cream, paprika and pepper. Heat to boiling. Return chicken to skillet and cover. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes or until chicken is no longer pink (took me about 10-15 minutes more but my chicken breasts were thick).

Serve chicken over noodles and top with extra sauce (the best part!).

Another simple one...

I love when I find a quick recipe that turns out tasty as well. This meal was definitely done in under 30 minutes and was flavorful and satisfying. Sadly Joseph couldn't find any basil at Trader Joe's when he went after work so I had to improvise. Luckily I had picked up some frozen basil cubes (they also have cilantro and garlic cubes) in the freezer from an earlier TJs run.

If you want easy... this is the recipe for you :)

Source: Good Eats 'n Sweet Treats



Basil Chicken over Angel Hair Pasta

• 1 (8 ounce) package angel hair pasta
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1 clove garlic, chopped
• 2 1/2 cups chopped tomatoes (I used 1 can of diced tomatoes)
• 2 cups boneless chicken breast halves, cooked and cubed
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (I used frozen basil cubes from TJs)
  
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon hot pepper sauce (I omitted)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook angel hair pasta until it is al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Drain, and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Saute the onions and garlic. Stir in the tomatoes, chicken, basil, salt and hot pepper sauce. Reduce heat to medium, and cover skillet. Simmer for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until mixture is hot and tomatoes are soft.

Toss sauce with hot cooked angel hair pasta to coat. Serve with Parmesan cheese.

Best Chicken Ever

I was really hungry last Thursday when I came home from work. I needed food and I needed it right away. So I looked around my starred recipes in GR and couldn't find anything that sounded good. So I decided to just jump into my fridge and make the best of what I had on hand.

I ended up with one of my BEST chicken dishes ever. Full of flavor and good till the last bite. And the chicken was just sooo juicy! You have to try this chicken... and just 5 ingredients.

Source: My head



Rosemary Garlic Chicken

• 2 chicken breasts
• 6 garlic cloves, sliced
• 2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
• Lots of olive oil :) (around 1/2 to 3/4 of a cup)
  
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Salt and pepper both sides of chicken. Mix sliced garlic with rosemary and a good bit of olive oil and stir. Coat bottom of a baking dish with 1/2 of the mixture and place chicken over it. Than top each chicken breast with the rest of the mixture. Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes or until fully cooked. Let rest a bit and serve with your favorite sides.

Simple Suppers

I needed something quick and easy for dinner and it needed to contain ingredients I had on hand. Joseph and I have decided that we need to clean out our pantry, fridge and our freezer to save money. Have you ever shopped in your freezer or pantry? There are tons of things that we forget about in there. I have chicken, beef, turkey, meatballs, potstickers, etc. And the list goes on! So we're going to do it. For a month. Only eating out of our home (except for perishables like milk and veggies).

So I went "shopping" and grabbed some ingredients. What was produced was quite tasty and enjoyable! The only thing I regret is that I was so hungry (blame the baby) that I didn't have a chance to take a picture. But I think this recipe is worth it!

Source: My head... with help from my pantry and freezer

Chicken Parmesan

• 2 Chicken Breasts
• 1/4-1/2 cup bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon italian seasoning
• 1 teaspoon garlic salt
• 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
• 1 egg white
• 1 cup marinara sauce
• a few slices of fresh mozzarella

Preheat oven to 400 degrees and start a skillet with about 2 tablespoons of olive oil on medium heat. Mix bread crumbs, seasonings & parmesan. Brush chicken with egg white and than sprinkle with bread crumb mixture. Fry in pan on both sides until golden.

Transfer chicken to a pan coated with olive oil and bake in oven for 20 minutes. Take chicken out and top each breast with 1/2 cup marinara sauce and top with sliced mozzarella. Bake in oven for 10 more minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and enjoy!

I served the chicken with garlic parmesan mashed potatoes and baked zucchini. YUM!