Tweaking Sausage, Spinach and Butternut Sauce Recipe for Dinner

I made the Pasta with Spicy Sausage, Baby Spinach and Creamy Butternut Sauce for dinner tonight.  I made a few alterations to the original recipe (changes highlighted below).  I thought this was a different way to have pasta and use a butternut squash.

Pasta with Spicy Sausage, Baby Spinach and Creamy Butternut Sauce
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 5 • Size: 1 1/4 cups • Old Points: 7 pts • Points+: 9
Calories: 362 • Fat: 8 g • Carb: 55 g • Fiber: 5 g • Protein: 20 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 419 mg (without salt)

• 11 oz (4 links) spicy chicken Italian sausage (I used 4 links of Italian Pork Sausage)
• 1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp light butter
• 10 oz casarecce, or pasta of your choice 
• 1/4 cup shallots, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh shaved parmesan cheese (didn't have any so omitted)
• 4 sage leaves, sliced thin (sprinkle of ground sage)
• about 1/3 cup of milk
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butternut squash and cook until soft. (I will roast my squash, which is much easier)  Remove squash with a slotted spoon and place in a blender, blend until smooth. (I had roasted some butternuts the day before; after roasting I mashed the desired amount and refrigerated until tonight)

Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions for al dente, reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, in a large deep non-stick skillet, sauté sausage over medium heat until browned, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks. When cooked through, set aside on a plate. (I baked the links once cooked I chopped up the sausage)

Reduce heat to medium-low and melt the butter, sauté the shallots and garlic until soft and golden, about 5 - 6 minutes. Add pureed butternut squash, season with with salt and fresh cracked pepper and add a little of the reserved pasta water (about 1 cup) to thin out the sauce to your liking. (I added regular tap water and some chicken bouliion; brought to a boil reduced heat added milk and simmered) Add baby spinach and stir in parmesan cheese and sage. Toss in cooked pasta and sausage and mix until well coated.

Loaded Sweet Potato- Perfect Quick Lunch

 

I decided to make a fulfilling healthy lunch which also left enough leftover topping for use in tomorrow's lunch!  I modified the original recipe which I found on skinnytaste.com  I will use the leftover topping as the filling for a bean burrito for tomorrow's lunch.

Loaded Baked Sweet Potato “Healthified”

• 1 medium sized sweet potatoes
• 1 tsp olive or canola oil
• 1/4 red bell pepper, diced
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp paprika or smoked paprika
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• salt
• 1can black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4 cup mild or spicy salsa

Poke holes in the potato with a fork, cook on your microwave’s potato setting until potatoes are soft and cooked through (about 8-10 minutes on high for 4 potatoes).
Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat. Add peppers, onions, chili powder, paprika, cumin and salt; cook until the onions have caramelized slightly, about 5 minutes. Add black beans, stir to combine and heat through (about another 5 minutes). Remove from heat and stir in salsa.
Slice the potato lengthwise down the middle  Top 1/2 cup of black bean mixture.  Garnish with lite sour cream and Mexican cheese if desired.

New Year Week Menu

As with most people I find myself inspired to eating healthier, becoming more active and shedding a few pounds.  I found over the last 2 months, that not preparing even the simplest of meal plans, that my family was eating more take out, I was making more trips to the grocery store and overall our diets were less nutritious.  Even if you don't plan elaborate recipes for dinners, just having an outline of what you will be cooking for the week is a lifesaver.  It eliminates numerous grocery store trips and decreases the easy excuse for take out.  With a New Year, I am striving to continue to blog my meal planning each week.  Which should allow me to follow my plans for a healthier and leaner family.

Wednesday, January 2-  I will be preparing my Grandmother's Barley Soup, but using the leftover turkey from New Years.

Barley Soup

1/2-3/4 cup Barley
Lamb Shank with bone (can use other meat too)
Water (vegetable broth etc can be used as will- but reduce salt)
Celery
Carrots
Green Beans
Corn
Onion
Broth Dry Seasoning Mix
Salt and Pepper

1.  Place lamb shank in pot and cover with water.  Cook down.
2. Meanwhile cut/dice vegetables.
3. Using some of the liquid from the lamb pot, add to large soup pot along with veggies, barley and meat. (liquid should be enough to completely cover contents)
4. Add dry seasoning mix and salt and pepper.
5. Bring to boil, then simmer for 1 1/2 hours.  (when reheating add more liquid to desired thickness)

Thursday, January 3- With the kids back at school and life back on schedules, I am going with a crock meal for dinner tonight.  I don't care for brown rice so I will be using white (I know not as healthy).  I am not sure if I will make the turkey sausage or actually use some Italian sausage instead.

Slow Cooker Red Beans and Rice

Serving Size: 1 cup | Calories: 170 | Previous Points: 3 | Points Plus: 4 | Total Fat: 3 g | Saturated Fats: 2 g | Trans Fats: 0 g | Cholesterol: 20 mg | Sodium: 150 mg | Carbohydrates: 22 g | Dietary fiber: 16 g | Sugars: 1 g | Protein: 18 g

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 3/4 chopped red bell pepper
• 1 stalk celery, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• Kosher or sea salt to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons freshly snipped thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2(15 ounce) cans dark red kidney beans
• 3 cups chicken broth (low sodium, fat free)
• SAUSAGE INGREDIENTS:
• 1 lb lean ground turkey or chicken, 93% works well
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried sage
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 2 cups uncooked long grain brown rice

Place all the above sausage ingredients into a large mixing bowl and mix thoroughly until well blended. Make into small meatballs, about 1/2". Refrigerate while veggies are cooking.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil to medium-low, add onions, bell pepper and celery, sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and sauté one additional minute. Add sautéed onion, bell pepper, celery, garlic and remaining ingredients to the slow cooker, stir to combine. Add sausage and stir gently, cover and cook on low 6-8 hours. Recommend 4-6 quart slow cooker.

Cook rice according to the directions on package.

Remove the bay leaf and serve beans over a bed of brown rice.
Friday, January 4-  Between extracurricular events and a special dinner treat for one of my children, dinner is crazy tonight and there is no home cooking.


Saturday, January 5-  I am thinking of roasting a chicken for dinner tonight.  Weekends allow for more time consuming meals.  I again found a recipe to use with my leftover mashed potatoes from skinnytaste.com

Leftover Parmesan Mashed Potato Patties

Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 4 • Size: 2 patties • Old Points: 3 pt • Points+: 4 pts
Calories: 147.1 • Fat: 3.9 g • Carbs: 20.5 • Fiber: 1.8 • Protein: 8.7 g • Sugar: 1.3
Sodium: 232.8 mg (without salt)

• 2 2/3 cups cold leftover skinny garlic mashed potatoes
• 2 large egg whites or 1/4 cup egg beaters
• 1/3 cup parmesan cheese, grated
• 1/3 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• cooking spray (I used Smart Balance)

Preheat the oven to 425°. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray.

Fill a small bowl with egg whites, whisking well. Fill another bowl with the breadcrumbs and parmesan cheese, mix to combine.

Using a 1/3 cup measuring cup, form potatoes into 8 patties. Brush patties with egg whites (or you can use your hands to spread egg on), then dip into breadcrumb mixture. Place patties onto the baking sheet and spray the top with more cooking spray.

Bake for 15 minutes, or until the bottom becomes golden brown; flip and cook an additional 10-12 minutes, until golden on both sides.Sunday, January 6- Another recipe I found on skinnytaste.com will comprise dinner tonight.  This was served with crumbled chicken sausage.  I am not sure what meat I will add to my dish.  
Pasta with Spicy Sausage, Baby Spinach and Creamy Butternut Sauce
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 5 • Size: 1 1/4 cups • Old Points: 7 pts • Points+: 9
Calories: 362 • Fat: 8 g • Carb: 55 g • Fiber: 5 g • Protein: 20 g • Sugar: 1 g
Sodium: 419 mg (without salt)

• 11 oz (4 links) spicy chicken Italian sausage
• 1 lb butternut squash, peeled and diced
• 1 tbsp light butter
• 10 oz casarecce, or pasta of your choice 
• 1/4 cup shallots, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups baby spinach, roughly chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh shaved parmesan cheese
• 4 sage leaves, sliced thin
• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add butternut squash and cook until soft. (I will roast my squash, which is much easier)  Remove squash with a slotted spoon and place in a blender, blend until smooth.

Add pasta to the boiling water and cook according to package directions for al dente, reserving at least 1 cup of the pasta water before draining.

Meanwhile, in a large deep non-stick skillet, sauté sausage over medium heat until browned, breaking up with a spoon as it cooks. When cooked through, set aside on a plate.

Reduce heat to medium-low and melt the butter, sauté the shallots and garlic until soft and golden, about 5 - 6 minutes. Add pureed butternut squash, season with with salt and fresh cracked pepper and add a little of the reserved pasta water (about 1 cup) to thin out the sauce to your liking. Add baby spinach and stir in parmesan cheese and sage. Toss in cooked pasta and sausage and mix until well coated.

Monday, January 7- I found this recipe on skinnytaste.com for tonight's meal.  I will serve it over white rice. 
Shrimp Creole
Adapted from Deep South Dish
Gina's Skinny Recipes
Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4th • Old Points: 4 pts • Points+: 5 pts
Calories: 211.9 • Fat: 4.6 g • Carb: 17.6 g • Fiber: 4.2 g • Sugar: 7.8 g • Protein: 25.8 g

• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup celery, chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 14-ounce can of diced tomatoes
• 8 oz tomato sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp Cajun Seasoning such as Slap Your Mama (more or less to taste)
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tbsp of all purpose flour (1 tsp corn starch for gluten-free)
• 2 tbsp water
• 1 lb of large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
• 2 tsp hot sauce, to taste
• 1 medium scallion, sliced
• 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
• salt to taste

In a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion, green bell pepper, garlic and celery and saute until tender. Add tomatoes and tomato sauce, cayenne pepper, cajun spice, bay leaf and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low and simmer 20-30 minutes.

Make a slurry of the flour and water and stir into the tomato mixture. Continue cooking for another 5 minutes. Lightly season the shrimp with the Cajun seasoning and add immediately to the tomato mixture. Add Worcestershire sauce and hot sauce; stir together. Cook for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until shrimp is opaque and cooked through, adjust salt if needed.

Add chopped green onion and parsley and serve. 

 

Tuesday, January 8-  Most likely this will be leftover night.  However, if that doesn't happen I will probably make my last minute go to meal, of chicken fajitas.

October 4-9

Oct. 4- Oct 9 Squash; Kale; Cabbage

My Box consisted this week of:

• Spaghetti Squash
• Lettuce
• 2 Zucchini
• Cabbage
• Kale
• Tomatoes
• Apples

I am not sure which recipe I will be using yet, I do plan to bake up some of the apples from my Box- apple pie, apple cake?

Thursday, October 4-  I made this recipe earlier in the season and thought it was worthy of a repeat tonight.  I found this recipe at allrecipes.com and added the recommendations from reviewers.  I also halved the recipe since the original made 10 servings!  I will be using the kale and tomatoes from my Produce Box.  This recipe without the addition of tomatoes and beans yields 4 WW Pts.  for 1 cup.  I think I'll grill up some pork chops to serve along with the orzo.

Orzo with Kale

• 1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1 cups uncooked orzo pasta
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, sliced
• 1 Red Bell Pepper, diced
• 1 cup Chicken Broth or White Wine
• 1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
• 1 bunch kale, stems removed and leaves coarsely chopped
• 1 15oz can of white beans drained and rinsed
• 1 diced tomato or cherry/grape tomatoes halved
• 1 large lemon, juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, or to taste
• salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly-salted water to a boil; sprinkle the turmeric over the boiling water and stir in the orzo; return to a boil. Cook uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the pasta has cooked through, but is still firm to the bite, about 11 minutes; drain. Scrape into a mixing bowl and set aside.
2. While orzo is cooking, Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook the garlic and red pepper in the hot oil. Add red pepper flakes and broth or wine.  Stir the kale into the broth, cover the skillet with a lid, and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the cover and  add the beans.  Continue cooking and stirring until the kale is tender, about 10 minutes more (add more liquid if necessary). Stir the kale mixture into the orzo along with the lemon juice, nutmeg, Parmesan cheese and tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 206  Total Fat: 4.2g  Cholesterol: 2mg  Sodium: 91mg  Total Carbs: 36.1g Dietary Fiber: 2.8g  Protein: 7.9g

Friday, October 5-  Golf lesson night usually means take out for dinner.

Saturday, October 6-  With soccer and Girl Scouts events, I am opting for a crock pot meal tonight.  I am trying the recipe from TPB newsletter.

Slow Cooker Chicken, Apples, Potatoes and Cabbage

3 or 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut in chuncks

1/2 head cabbage shredded

1 onion, chopped

2 (15 oz.) cans chicken broth

4 or 5 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into chunks

2 or 3 small apples, peeled, cored and sliced

3 tablespoons soy sauce

1 teaspoon ginger

Dash red pepper or several drops hot pepper sauce

Salt and Pepper

 

Place shredded cabbage in bottom of slow cooker.  Add onion, apple slices, and chicken.  Add salt and pepper and hot sauce to chicken pieces.  Place potatoes on top of chicken.  Add soy sauce and ginger to chicken broth and pour into slow cooker.  Cook 7 hours on high.  If liquid gets low add some water and if the potatoes will not fit into the slow cooker,  add them after recipe has cooked for a couple of hours.  

Sunday, October 7-  I have cooked spaghetti squash before and used it like pasta noodles, but my husband still has an aversion to it.  I am hoping preparing the squash and then baking it in the main dish, this will soften the texture of the squash and my husband will have a fond affection for spaghetti squash!

Baked Spaghetti Squash (reprinted from allrecipes.com)

1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded 1 pound ground beef 1/2 cup diced green bell pepper 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper 1/4 cup diced onion 2 cloves garlic, chopped 1 (14.5 ounce) can Italian-style diced

tomatoes, drained 1 cup tomato sauce 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon dried basil 1/4 teaspoon salt 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 1/4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese (I'm using shredded mozzarella cheese)

1.	Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.	Place squash on a baking sheet, and bake 40 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat, cool, and shred pulp with a fork.
3.	Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a casserole dish.
4.	In a skillet over medium heat, cook the ground beef until evenly brown. Drain, and mix in the green pepper, red pepper, onion, and garlic. Continue to cook and stir until vegetables are tender.
5.	Mix the shredded squash, tomatoes and tomato sauce into the skillet, and season with oregano, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through. Remove skillet from heat, and mix in 2 cups cheese until melted. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish.
6.	Bake 25-30 minutes in the preheated oven. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and continue baking 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Monday, October 8-  Tonight I am using my neighbor's Chicken Pot Pie recipe for dinner.  This had become a favorite simple meal which my youngest enjoys!

Chicken Pot Pie 6 WW Pts

• 2 deep dish pie shells 
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup (per a friend's suggestion I am using cream of chicken with herbs)
• 1or 2 cans of veg-all vegetables (or combination of fresh & frozen veggie mix- I used carrots, celery, onion, peas & corn)
• 2-3 cups cooked chicken 
• 3/4 cup milk 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme

1. Boil chicken in chicken broth.  After it is cool cut in to small pieces 
2. Reserve broth and boil fresh or frozen vegetables for 5 minutes and drain.
3. Pre heat oven 375 degrees 
4. Mix chicken, vegetables, soup and milk in a medium bowl 
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and thyme
6. Pour mixture in pie crust cover with 2nd pie crust 
7. Cook pie for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Tuesday, October 9- Since my husband will miss dinner tonight, I am thinking breakfast for dinner.

 

Mini Menu October 1 & 2

I neglected to buckle down and consistently develop a weekly menu.  As a result, there has been more trips to the grocery store, more take out and ever expanding waist lines!  So with the start of a new month, comes the hope of being better at consisently developing a weekly menu. (With the delivery of my Produce Box Wednesday, this is a very short menu.)

With the 2 zucchinis that came in last week's Produce Box, I plan on baking 2 loaves of Zucchini Bread this afternoon.

 Zucchini Bread

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 3 eggs
• 2 cups white sugar
• 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 3 cups grated zucchini
• 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Sift together flour, salt, soda, cinnamon, baking powder.
3. Beat eggs. Add and mix well sugar, vanilla, and oil. Add zucchini to egg mixture. Add dry ingredients, mixing well. Stir in nuts if desired. Pour into 2 ungreased loaf pans.
4. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 1 hour.

Monday, October 1-  With the rain coming down and the cool gloomy weather and 3 butternut squashes sitting on my counter top, I am inspired to make Risotto with Butternut Squash and White Beans.  I may serve this with Italian sausage or ham along with a loaf of bread on the side.

Risotto with Butternut Squash and White Beans (reprinted from Allrecipes.com)

• 1 butternut squash - (roasted and mashed)
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 1 small tomato, diced
• 3 cups Arborio rice
• 1/2 cup white wine
• 1 teaspoon dried marjoram (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano (optional)
• 1 teaspoon dried basil (optional)
• 6 cups chicken broth, or more as needed
• 1 dash hot pepper sauce, or more to taste
• 1 (14 ounce) can small white beans, drained
• 1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Roast butternut squash in oven seasoned with butter, cinnamon and nutmeg. Transfer squash to a bowl and mash.
2. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook and stir onion in the hot oil until softened, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir tomato into onions until onions become translucent, 3 to 5 more minutes. Add Arborio rice to onion mixture and stir to coat with oil; cook and stir until rice becomes translucent with a white spots in the middle of each grain, about 2 minutes.
3. Stir white wine into rice mixture; cook and stir until wine is completely absorbed, 2 to 4 minutes; add marjoram, oregano, and basil. Pour chicken broth into rice mixture, about 1/2 cup at a time, stirring until liquid is absorbed, until rice is creamy but firm to the bite, 20 to 25 minutes. Stir squash into rice mixture until fully incorporated. Remove from heat.
4. Stir hot pepper sauce, white beans, Parmesan cheese, and parsley into risotto until cheese is melted. Season with salt and black pepper.

Nutritional Information

Servings Per Recipe: 8

Calories: 437, Total Fat: 8.6g, Cholesterol: 7mg, Sodium: 1062mg, Total Carbs: 77.1g, Dietary Fiber: 6.7g, Protein: 11.2g

Tuesday, October 2-  I need a relatively simple and quick meal tonight since one of my children has an evening activity.  Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken served in tortillas sounds like the way to go!

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
Skinnytaste.com
Servings: 8 servings • Size: 1 cup • Old Points: 3 pts • Points+: 4 pts Calories: 190 • Fat: 1.5 g • Fiber: 5.6 g • Carbs: 23.1 g • Protein: 21 g

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

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

August 22- August 28

Today's Box contained: Chambourcin Grapes, Bibb Lettuce, 6 ears of Corn, Butternut Squash, 4 Field Tomatoes and 2 cucumbers.

Since the butternuts keep well, I still have some from last week.  One will be used in place of pumpkin puree in my Pumpkin Bread recipe.  The grapes will be great for snacks.  The lettuce, tomato and cucumber will make great lunch and side salads this week.

 With some leftover Sweet Potatoes from an earlier Box, I intend to make this week Sweet Potato Cake.

Sweet Potato Cake

2 1/2 self rising flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp allspice
1 cups oil
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
1/4 cup Hot water
1 1/2 cups peeled and grated sweet potatoes
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 tsp vanilla

Mix together flour and cinnamon.  In another bowl mix oil and sugar; add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.  Add water and sweet potatoes; mix well.  Add pecans and vanilla.  Add flour mixture; beat til smooth.  Pour into 3 9" layer pans or one 9x13 pan (greased and floured)
Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes.
Frost after cooling.
Recipe reprinted from Michelle Gemmel

I did not have self rising flour on hand but was able to make my own. (For every cup of self rising flour add 1 1/2 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 tsp salt.)

Wednesday, August 22-  I fell behind last week and never made the chicken pot pie.  So tonight I will make that up for dinner, using some of the fresh corn from my Box.

Chicken Pot Pie 6 WW Pts

• 2 deep dish pie shells 
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup (per a friend's suggestion I am using cream of chicken with herbs)
• 1or 2 cans of veg-all vegetables (or combination of fresh & frozen veggie mix- I used carrots, celery, onion, peas & corn)
• 2-3 cups cooked chicken 
• 1/2-3/4 cup milk 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme

1. Boil chicken in chicken broth.  After it is cool cut in to small pieces 
2. Reserve broth and boil fresh or frozen vegetables for 5 minutes and drain.
3. Pre heat oven 375 degrees 
4. Mix chicken, vegetables, soup and milk in a medium bowl 
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and thyme
6. Pour mixture in pie crust cover with 2nd pie crust 
7. Cook pie for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Thursday, August 23-  It's just us girls tonight.  I'm thinking of turkey meatballs over pasta and sliced bread.

Friday, August 24-  Golf night which usually means take out.

Saturday, August 25- We decided to go out for BBQ.

Sunday, August 26-  I have Thanksgiving on my mind and with the delivery of my butternut squash, I am thinking a little Thanksgiving in August sounds yummy!  I will slow cook a garlic turkey breast.  I hope to make up a turkey breast and serve it along with my Butternut Squash Casserole and green beans (frozen from an earlier Box).

Butternut Squash Casserole- from Williams-Sonoma

Casserole:

4 cups butternut squash puree

1/2 cup sugar

1 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla

1 tsp orange extract

1/4 tsp salt

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour

3 large eggs

4 Tbsp unsalted butter, melted
Topping:

1 cup vanilla wafers, crushed

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1 cup brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Lightly grease a casserole dish (4 - 6 cup capacity).

2. Combine squash puree, sugar, milk, vanilla, orange extract, salt, flour, eggs and melted butter. Pour into the prepared casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until set.

3. Meanwhile, make the topping. In a medium bowl, combine crushed vanilla wafers, melted butter and the brown sugar. Sprinkle over top of the cooked casserole and return to the oven to brown for an additional 10-15 minutes. Serve warm.

Monday, August 27- With the leftover turkey I will use Pampered Chef's recipe and make their Turkey Cranberry Wreath for dinner.  I'll make a box of mac n cheese since my girls aren't huge fans of this meal.

Leaner Turkey Cranberry Wreath

Servings: 8 (approximately 2 crescent triangles per stuffed sandwich)
Weight Watchers: 10 PointsPlus per serving

• 2 cups light meat turkey, chopped or shredded (no skin)
• 5 ounces reduced fat Swiss cheese, shredded or diced up
• 1/2 cup diced celery
• 1/2 cup sweetened dried cranberries
• 3 tablespoons snipped fresh parsley
• 1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
• 2 tubes (16 rolls total) reduced fat crescent rolls
• 1 egg white, lightly beaten, for wash

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. In medium sized mixing bowl, combine turkey, cheese, celery, cranberries, parsley, mayonnaise, mustard and pepper.  Mix well.  Set aside while preparing the crescent roll wreath, braid or ring.
3. Scoop filling evenly over the crescent roll wreath, then finish assembling the wreath.  Brush wreath with egg white.
4. Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden brown.

Tuesday, August 28- Using the Bibb Lettuce I will make Asian Lettuce Wraps for dinner tonight.  Since I believe the kids will not particularly care for this meal I'll make Ramen Noodles and green beans from my box for them.

Asian Lettuce Wraps WW 9 pts (2 wraps with 2 small scoop beef)

• 16 lettuce leaves
• 1 pound lean ground beef
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 teaspoons ground ginger
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• Asian chile pepper sauce (optional)
• 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
• 1 bunch green onions, chopped
• 2 teaspoons Asian (dark) sesame oil

Sauce

• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 T soy
• 2 T rice vinegar
• 1 T chile paste

Mix ingredients and spoon desired amount over wrap before rolling.

Directions

1. Rinse whole lettuce leaves and pat dry, being careful not tear them. Set aside.
2. In a medium skillet over high heat, brown the ground beef in 1 tablespoon of oil, stirring often and reducing the heat to medium, if necessary. Drain, and set aside to cool. Cook the onion in the same pan, stirring frequently. Add the garlic, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, ginger, vinegar, and chile pepper sauce to the onions, and stir. Stir in chopped peanuts, green onions, sesame oil, and cooked beef; continue cooking until the onions just begin to wilt, about 2 minutes.
3. Arrange lettuce leaves around the outer edge of a large serving platter, and pile meat mixture in the center. To serve, allow each person to spoon a portion of the meat into a lettuce leaf. Add desired amount of sauce. Wrap the lettuce around the meat like a burrito, and enjoy!

Nutritional Information

Servings Per Recipe: 4 (2 wraps)
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 388 Total Fat: 22.3g Cholesterol: 69mg Sodium: 580mg Total Carbs: 24.3g Dietary Fiber: 4.7g Protein: 23.4g

August 15- August 21

I opted for the fruit Box this week.  I will be receiving 2 watermelons, 2 cantaloupes, peaches and grapes.  For my meals this week, I will drop by DJ's Berry Patch for any needed fresh produce.

Wednesday, August 15-  I didn't make this last week and it will be perfect for tonight's dinner.  Grilled Sausage Sandwiches served with onions and peppers along with Camper Potatoes, from an earlier Box. 

Camper Red Potatoes

• sliced red potatoes, dabs of butter, sliced onion or onion powder- Make foil packets and grill until browned and crispy about 30-40 minutes on low heat

Thursday, August 16-  Girls Night Out for me tonight.  My husband will be making a family recipe for easy homemade Mac N Cheese.

Friday, August 17-  Tonight is my daughter's golf lesson, which also occurs during dinnertime.  I think it will be take out for us. 
 

Saturday, August 18-   Due to a conflict I tabled this meal from last week for tonight.  This recipe comes from skinnytaste.com  I will serve it over rice.

Garlic Shrimp in Coconut Milk, Tomatoes and Cilantro

Servings: 4 • Serving Size: 1/4 • Old Points: 6 pts • Points+: 6 pts

Calories: 272.5 • Fat: 9.7 • Carbs: 13.7 • Fiber: 2.7 • Sugar: 4.2 • Protein: 30.7

• 1 1/4 lbs jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined (weight after peeled)
• 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced thin
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced, white and green parts separated
• 1/2 cup cilantro
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• kosher salt (to taste)
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (to taste)
• 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
• 14 oz can light coconut milk (50% less fat)*
• 1/2 lime, squeezed

In a medium pot, heat oil on low. Add red peppers and sauté until soft (about 4 minutes). Add scallion whites, 1/4 cup cilantro, red pepper flakes and garlic. Cook 1 minute.

Add tomatoes, coconut milk and salt to taste, cover and simmer on low about 10 minutes to let the flavors blend together and to thicken the sauce.

Add shrimp and cook 5 minutes. Add lime juice.

To serve, divide equally among 4 bowls and top with scallions and cilantro.

Sunday, August 19-  Golf Tournament today.  Not sure who will be around for dinner tonight.  So it might be simple like breakfast for dinner, or maybe we'll all go out for a quick bit.  I will have to see what happens.

Monday, August 20-  I have been craving pot pie.  Since it should be a little cooler, I think I will make Chicken Pot Pie tonight.

Chicken Pot Pie 6 WW Pts

• 2 deep dish pie shells 
• 1 can of cream of chicken soup (per a friend's suggestion I am using cream of chicken with herbs)
• 1or 2 cans of veg-all vegetables (or combination of fresh & frozen veggie mix- I used carrots, celery, onion, peas & corn)
• 2-3 cups cooked chicken 
• 1/2-3/4 cup milk 
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon thyme

1. Boil chicken in chicken broth.  After it is cool cut in to small pieces 
2. Reserve broth and boil fresh or frozen vegetables for 5 minutes and drain.
3. Pre heat oven 375 degrees 
4. Mix chicken, vegetables, soup and milk in a medium bowl 
5. Add salt and pepper to taste and thyme
6. Pour mixture in pie crust cover with 2nd pie crust 
7. Cook pie for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.  Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before slicing.

Tuesday, August 21-I am in the mood for fish.  The Fish Taco recipe was taken from allrecipes.com with a few modifications as follows.

Fish Tacos  WW Pts: 9

Marinade

• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• 1 1/2 teaspoons honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce, or to taste
• 1 pound cod, cut into chunks

Dressing

• 1 (8 ounce) container light sour cream
• 1/2 cup adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (I might reduce to 1 tbspn)
• 2 teaspoons lime zest
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/2 teaspoon seafood seasoning, such as Old Bay™
• salt and pepper to taste

• Chopped Cilantro
• packaged cole slaw mix
• 1 (10 ounce) package tortillas
• 3 ripe tomatoes, seeded and diced

Directions

1. To make the marinade, whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, lime zest, honey, garlic, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning, black pepper, and hot sauce in a bowl until blended. Place the fish in a shallow dish, and pour the marinade over the fish. Cover, and refrigerate 6 to 8 hours.
2. To make the dressing, combine the sour cream and adobo sauce in a bowl. Stir in the lime juice, lime zest, cumin, chili powder, seafood seasoning. Add salt, and pepper in desired amounts. Cover, and refrigerate until needed.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Bake fish in preheated oven until it easily flakes with a fork, 9 to 11 minutes. (Fish can also be grilled)
4. Assemble tacos by placing fish pieces in the center of tortillas with desired amounts of tomatoes, cilantro, and slaw; drizzle with dressing.

Nutritional Information
Calories: 416 * Total Fat: 19.2g * Cholesterol: 43mg * Sodium: 709mg * Total Carbs: 38.5g * Dietary Fiber: 6g * Protein: 22.6g