Salad Everywhere!

My Produce Box consisted of the following:

• Romaine Lettuce
• Green Leaf Lettuce
• White Sweet Potatoes
• Strawberries
• Carrots
• Raw Peanuts
• Cucumber

Friday, April 26- I made sloppy joes with a side of mashed white sweet potatoes.
Mashed White Sweet Potatoes
Peel and cube potatoes
Boil til soft
Add milk and butter and mash
Add a little half and half, sprinkle ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg
Stir and serve

Saturday, April 27-  We went out to dinner since everyone was scattered about!

Sunday, April 28-  My hubby gave me the night off my making dinner tonight :)

Monday, April 29- I picked up marinated  pork lion at the supermarket last week.  I will probably oven roast it since it is a rainy day today.  Should the weather break, I may grill it instead.  I will use some of the orange sweet potatoes from last week's box to make my sweet potato casserole and honey glazed carrots.

Sweet Potato Casserole 7 WW Points  
1 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1/4 cup margarine, melted
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and halved
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 large egg white
1 (5 oz) can evaporated milk

1. Preheat oven 350 degrees
2. Combine first 5 ingredients in small bowl, stirring to form streusel. Set aside
3. Place potatoes in pot covered with water. Bring to boil, cover and simmer 30 min or until tender. Drain. Mash in large bowl.
4. Stir in 1 cup of streusel topping, sugar, vanilla, egg white and milk.
5. Spoon into 2-qt. casserole coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining streusel.
6. Bake for 45 min.

Serving: 3/4 cup

Calories: 376  Fat: 8.8g  Saturated fat: 1.4g  Monounsaturated fat: 4.1g  Polyunsaturated fat: 2.6g  Protein: 5.4g  Carbohydrate: 70.1g  Fiber: 3.8g  Cholesterol: 1mg  Iron: 1.9mg  Sodium: 115mg  Calcium: 97mg 

Honey Glazed Carrots

Peel and slice carrots

Boil to desire tenderness (I add a splash of OJ to the water while boiling)

Drain return to stovetop

Add desired honey and splash of OJ 

Mix and heat to thin honey

Serve with a dallop of butter

Tuesday, April 30- With Girl Scouts this evening I opted for a rather simple meal, Southwest Chicken Salad.  I have made this other times in past seasons with my produce box vegetables.
Southwest Chicken Salad
1 small can corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar and Monterey cheese blend
3 tomatoes, chopped
Chopped romaine lettuce
Catalina salad dressing
Southwest Style Chicken
Corn chips

In a large bowl, combine the corn, black beans, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Add dressing and mix well. Cut up chicken and placed over salad. Add corn chips before serving.
I will use both romaine and green leaf lettuces from my box tonight.

Wednesday, May 1- I picked up rotisserie marinated chicken breasts which I will grill tonight.  Depending on how much lettuce we have remaining, I'll throw together a side salad along with homemade macaroni salad.

Thursday, May 2-  It's just the girls for dinner tonight.  I'm thinking tortellini or spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.

July 11- July 17

This week our Box consisted of:

• 1qt. Peaches 
• 1 pint Blueberries
• 6 ears of Sweet Corn
• Large Share of Green Beans
• Tomatoes
• Bell Pepper Mix
• and an add on of Bibb Lettuce

The peaches and blueberries are always great snacks on hand.  I may even try making Peach Muffins.

Peach Cobbler Mini Muffins

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1-2 cups peeled, pitted, and chopped peaches

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Line the mini muffin tin with mini muffin papers.

2. In a large bowl, mix the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, mix the oil, eggs, and sugar. Stir the oil mixture into the flour mixture just until moist. Fold in the peaches. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups

3. Bake 17-20 minutes in the preheated oven, until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes before turning out onto wire racks to cool completely. Makes approximately 24 mini muffins. **I plan to make regular sized muffins**

Wednesday, July 11-  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

Thursday, July 12-  Although it's just the girls tonight, I plan to cook up some greens beans along with Southern Fried Chicken and gravy.  This recipe reprinted from Southern Living, orginally calls for cube steaks but I substitute boneless chicken breasts instead.  I will be blanching the remaining green beans to freeze for a later date.

Southern Fried Chicken and Gravy

• 2 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1 3/4 teaspoons black pepper, divided
• 4 (4-ounce) cube steaks (I use chicken breasts)
• 38 saltine crackers (1 sleeve), crushed (in a pinch I have substituted bread crumbs)
• 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 3/4 cups milk, divided 
• 2 large eggs 
• 3 1/2 cups peanut oil
• Garnish: chopped fresh parsley

Preparation

1. Sprinkle 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper evenly over steaks. Combine cracker crumbs, 1 cup flour, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, red pepper, and baking powder. Whisk together 3/4 cup milk and eggs. Dredge steaks in cracker mixture; dip in milk mixture, and dredge again in cracker mixture.
2. Pour oil into a 12-inch skillet; heat to 360°. (Do not use a nonstick skillet.) Fry steaks 3 to 4 minutes. Turn and fry 2 to 3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove steaks to a wire rack in a jelly-roll pan. Keep steaks warm in a 225° oven. Carefully drain hot oil, reserving cooked bits and 1 tablespoon drippings in skillet.
3. Whisk together remaining 4 cups milk, 1/4 cup flour, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 teaspoon black pepper. Add milk mixture to reserved drippings in skillet; cook, whisking constantly, over medium-high heat 10 to 12 minutes or until thickened. Serve gravy with steaks. Garnish, if desired. (**This makes alot of gravy, consider halving recipe**)

Friday, July 13-  No cooking tonight because it's the Company Picnic with fireworks!

Saturday, July 14- I came across tonight's shrimp dish and the side I plan to make, Black Bean Salad, on simplyrecipes.com  I have made the salad previously and we have enjoyed it.  I may decide on serving these on soft tacos with a garnish of the salad.  In that case I will half the salad.  I will also omit the avocado from the salad.

Cilantro Lime Shrimp Recipe

If you are using frozen shrimp, defrost them by placing them in a bowl of ice water or cold water. Adding a little salt to the water will help the shrimp retain their briny flavor.

• 2 Tbsp high smoke point oil such as grape seed oil, or canola oil
• 1-2 Serrano chiles, sliced into thin rings
• 1-2 garlic cloves, sliced thinly
• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
• Salt
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1-2 Tbsp lime juice

1 Place a large sauté pan or a wok over your strongest burner on high heat. Let the pan heat up for a minute and then add the oil. Use a high smoke point oil since you will be cooking the shrimp on very high heat. Let the oil heat until it's shimmering. If it starts to smoke, remove the pan from the heat for a moment.
2 Add the chiles to the pan and toss to coat with oil. Cook 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and garlic to the pan and sprinkle with salt. Toss to coat with oil. Let the shrimp cook undisturbed for 1 minute before tossing again so they get a little bit of a sear. Stir-fry until cooked through, about 2-3 minutes.


3 Turn off the heat and mix in the cilantro, then the lime juice.
Serve hot or at room temperature. Serve alone, over rice, or in a folded heated flour or corn tortilla.
Yield: Serves 3-4.
  

Black Bean Salad Recipe

• 1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, thoroughly rinsed, and drained (or 1 1/2 cup of freshly cooked black beans)
• 1 1/2 cups frozen corn, defrosted (or fresh corn, parboiled, drained and cooled)
• 1/2 cup chopped green onions or shallots
• 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, seeded and minced, or 1 whole pickled jalapeño pepper, minced (not seeded)
• 3 fresh plum tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 1 avocado, peeled, seeded, and cut into chunks
• 1/2 cup fresh chopped cilantro
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped basil
• 2 Tbsp lime juice (about the amount of juice from one lime)
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of sugar (to taste)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Make sure to rinse and drain the beans, if you are using canned beans.
In a large bowl, combine the beans, corn, onions, jalapeno chile peppers, tomatoes, avocado, cilantro, basil, lime juice and olive oil. Add sugar and salt and pepper to taste. (The sugar will help balance the acidity from the tomatoes and lime juice.) Chill before serving.
Serves 6 to 8.

The remainder of the corn I do not use to make the salad I will freeze for later use. How to Freeze Corn http://www.pickyourown.org/freezingcorn.htm

Sunday, July15- I plan to make the Stuffed Peppers I have made a number of times now and we all enjoy, using the Bell Peppers from my Box.

Stuffed Peppers  WW Pts: 7

• 4 large peppers (8 banana peppers)
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/4 cup chopped celery
• 1 (14 ounce) can crushed tomatoes
• 1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper, divided
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 3/4 cups bread crumbs

1. Cut off tops of peppers, and remove ribs and seeds. Chop edible portions of tops; set aside. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add peppers, reduce heat, and simmer until tender but still firm, about 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
2. Heat butter in a medium skillet. Saute reserved chopped pepper, onion and celery until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in crushed tomatoes, tomato sauce and garlic. Season with basil, oregano, 3/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Simmer uncovered for 10 minutes. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine egg, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon pepper, Worcestershire sauce and Parmesan. Mix in sausage, bread crumbs and 1 cup of the tomato sauce mixture.
4. Using a piping bag or sausage stuffer, fill each pepper with the meat mixture. Place in a 3 quart casserole dish, and pour remaining tomato sauce mixture over peppers.
5. Bake uncovered in preheated oven for 1 hour. (optional- last 15 minutes sprinkle shredded mozzarella cheese)

Amount Per Serving
Calories:310 Total Fat: 24g  Dietary Fiber: 1.9g

Monday, July 16-  Ballet and Golf Night with all of us literally in different directions and all in the midst of meal time, it will be breakfast for dinner, leftovers or even take out.

Tuesday, July 17-  Marinated Grilled Sliced Steak over Brazilian Rice Beans will be this evening's meal.

The steak will be marinated in lime juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, cumin and chili pepper.  After marinating it will be grilled and served over Brazilian Black Beans (Feijão) and Rice.

Feijao WW Pts: 1

1-2 cans black beans

2 cloves garlic (pressed)

bacon (chopped)

black pepper

1. Fry up bacon until crispy
2. Add garlic and saute
3. Add beans with juices and add about 1/4 cup water to pan
4. Simmer for 10 minutes
5. Serve over rice.

Rice WW Pts: 3

1 small onion diced

1-2 garlic cloves minced

1 cup long grain rice

1 1/2 cups water

1 tsp salt

1. Saute onion until soft
2. Add garlic and saute.  Add rice and stir fry.
3. Add water and salt, bring to boil.
4. The water level will begin to drop.  Cover and reduce heat.
5. When the rice is cooked, turn off the heat and let the rice rest for about 10 minutes.

March 1- March 6

I wasn't thrilled with the pork meal I made, don't think that we'll do that one again.  The potato salad was a different and nice change from the mayo-ladden salads. I still haven't made the sweet potato burritos.  Maybe sometime soon I will give it another try.

Thursday, March 1- Grilling Hamburgers and hotdogs tonight and serving it with a lighter version of macaroni salad.

Lightened Up Macaroni Salad

Servings: 7 • Size: 3/4 cup Points: 3 pts

• 6 oz dry elbow macaroni
• 1/4 cup light mayonnaise
• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1/2 cup chopped bell pepper
• 1/4 cup red onion, diced
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp oregano
• dash of garlic powder (I am using Garlic Garlic)
• salt and fresh pepper to taste

Cook pasta in salted water according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, combine all ingredients and mix well. When pasta is done (do not overcook) rinse under cold water. Combine pasta with other ingredients and season with salt and pepper. Chill before serving.

Friday, March 2-  I have made a grilled tuna dish that my husband loves.  If tuna steaks aren't too expensive that will be tonight's meal.

Grilled Teriyaki Tuna Wraps 7 Pts (w/ Ole Tortilla Wrappers)

• 3 8 ounces tuna steaks, 1-inch thick*
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely shredded fresh ginger
• 8 10 inches flour tortillas
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 3/4 cup fat-free dairy sour cream
• 3/4 cup bottled honey-mustard salad dressing
• 2 cups lightly packed arugula leaves
• 1 large red onion, sliced (1 cup)
• 1 medium tomato, chopped (1 cup)

Directions

1. Place fish in a plastic bag set in a shallow dish. In a small bowl stir together soy sauce, garlic, sugar, and ginger; pour over fish. Seal bag. Marinate in refrigerator 1 to 2 hours; turn bag occasionally. Drain; discard marinade. For charcoal grill, grill fish on greased rack of uncovered grill directly over medium coals for 8 to 12 minutes or until fish flakes easily (tuna may be slightly pink in center), turning once. (For gas grill, preheat grill. Reduce heat to medium. Place fish on greased grill rack over heat. Cover; grill as above.) Cut tuna into 1/2-inch chunks. Brush both sides of tortillas lightly with cooking oil and place 2 at a time on grill rack for 30 to 45 seconds or just until warmed.

2. In a medium bowl stir together sour cream and salad dressing. For each wrap, spread 3 tablespoons of the sour cream mixture on a tortilla. Place some of the tuna near an edge of tortilla. Top with some of the arugula, onion, and tomato. Fold edge over filling; fold in the sides and roll up. Makes 8 wraps.

From the Test Kitchen

• Note *To substitute one 1-1/2-pound beef flank steak, marinate as above. Grill directly over medium coals 17 to 21 minutes or until medium (160 degree F); turn once. Serve as above.

Nutrition Facts (Grilled Teriyaki Tuna Wraps)

• Servings Per Recipe 8, Calories 384, Protein (gm) 25, Carbohydrate (gm) 35, Fat, total (gm) 15, Cholesterol (mg) 42, Saturated fat (gm) 3, Monosaturated fat (gm) 4, Polyunsaturated fat (gm) 3, Dietary Fiber, total (gm) 2

Saturday, March 3-  I am thinking a trip to the Meat House is in order for their delicious marinated steak tips.  We'll grill the steaks along with some red potatoes and if asparagus is on sale that as well! WW Pts: Steak 2oz = 2.5Pts; Red Poatoes 8oz = 3Pts.

Sunday, March 4- I am a little hesitant that this will be enough to both stuff and cover the chicken but that is an easy fix if necessary.   I stumbled upon this recipe on skinnytaste.com

Chicken Rollatini with Spinach alla Parmigiana
Servings: 8 • Serving Size: 1 stuffed breast • Points: 4 pts

• 8 thin chicken cutlets, 3 oz each
• 1/2 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
• 6 tablespoons egg whites or egg beaters
• 5 oz frozen spinach, squeezed dry of any liquid
• 6 tbsp part skim ricotta cheese
• 6 oz part skim mozzarella
• olive oil non-stick spray
• 1 cup your favorite marinara sauce
• salt and pepper to taste
  

Wash and dry cutlets, season with salt and pepper.  Preheat oven to 450°. Lightly spray a baking dish with non-stick spray.

Combine breadcrumbs and 2 tbsp grated cheese in one bowl and 1/4 cup egg beaters or egg whites in another.

Shred or finely chop 1.5 oz of mozzarella cheese and combine with remaining grated cheese, spinach (make sure you squeeze it dry), 2 tbsp egg beaters, and ricotta cheese.

Lay chicken cutlets down on a working surface and spread 2 tbsp of spinach-cheese mixture on each cutlet. Loosely roll each one and keep seam side down.

Dip chicken in egg mixture, then in breadcrumbs and place seam side down in a baking dish (no toothpicks needed). Repeat with the remaining chicken. When finished, lightly spray with olive oil.

Bake 25 minutes. Remove from oven, top with sauce then cheese.  Bake until cheese is melted and bubbling, about 3 more minutes. Serve with additional sauce on the side and grated cheese.

Monday, March 5-  I have made this meal many times before, BBQ Pork Sandwiches.  I am thinking Southern Green Beans would be a good side and any left over macaroni salad from early.  I will use my Pampered Chef Deep Covered Baker to microwave some boneless pork strips sprinkled with some BBQ seasoning. (Rolls 2Pts.; Pork 2oz = 3Pts; 1Pt Sauce)

• Brush with oil and rub seasoning onto pork. Place into baker, cover and microwave on HIGH for 6-10 minutes or until internal temperature reaches 150. Remove from microwave, keep it covered for 10 minutes allowing the temperature to rise to 160. Top with Barbecue Sauce and server as main dish, or shred meat and use in sandwiches.

Barbecue Sauce

1 cup ketchup

2 Tbsp Barbecue Rub

¼ cup brown sugar

2 tsp cider or white vinegar

• Combine ingredients and bring to boil, stir occasionally.

Tuesday, March 6-  I have made baked ziti for years but stumbled upon this lighter version on Skinnytaste.com  I'll give it a shot and serve it with a green salad and some sliced bread.

Low Fat Baked Ziti with Spinach
 Servings: 8 • Serving Size: approx 2 cups • Points: 6 pts
Calories: 331.9 • Fat: 7.1 g • Protein: 17.5 g • Carb: 54.7 g • Fiber: 7.8 g

• 1 lb high fiber ziti
• 28 oz crushed tomatoes
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic,minced
• 1/2 onion diced
• 10 oz frozen spinach, thawed
• 1 tsp oregano
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh basil
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 8 oz fat-free ricotta
• 1/4 cup Parmesan
• 2 cups (8 oz) part skim mozzarella
• Spray olive oil

Preheat oven to 375°. Spray a 9x13-inch baking pan with oil spray.

In a large pot of salted water, cook pasta according to instructions until al dente. Drain and return to pot.

Meanwhile, in a medium saucepan, add olive oil and sauté onions and garlic. Add chopped spinach, salt pepper and chopped tomatoes. Season with basil, oregano, salt and pepper.

Add sauce to the pasta and combine the ziti. Add half of the mozzarella, all the Parmesan cheese and ricotta. Mix well then transfer to the baking pan.

Pour the pasta mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly. Top with the remaining mozzarella.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until mozzarella is melted and the edges are lightly browned.

Febraury 23- Febraury 28

The Bowties with White Beans and Spinach worked well and will be made again in the future.  I didn't make the pork or sweet potato recipes last week.  So they will get bumped to another night.  

Thursday, February 23-  With this exceptional Spring weather, I am in the mood to grill hamburgers!  I haven't decided on a side yet.  I want to keep it low calories so I discovered this yummy side on Skinnytaste.com 

BLT Macaroni Salad
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 7 • Serving Size: 1 cup • Points: 3 pt

• 8 oz uncooked elbows, low carb or whole grain (brown rice pasta for gf)
• 4 slices 25% reduced fat center cut bacon
• 2 large ripe tomatoes, beefsteak or vine ripe, diced small (1 can of diced tomatoes drained can be substituted)
• 4 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise (I didn't have reduced fat mayo- so I used 2 tbsp Reduced Fat Sour Cream & 2 tbsp Mayo)
• 1-2 teaspoons of Tastefully Simple's Garlic Garlic or Onion Onion
• salt and fresh pepper to taste
• 2 cups baby spinach

In a large skillet cook bacon on medium-low heat until crispy on both sides.

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

Chop tomatoes and combine it along with any accumulated juice with mayonnaise, spices and pepper in a medium bowl. Drain pasta and rinse with cold water to cool. Combine pasta with tomatoes and spinach mixing well. Toss in bacon right before serving.

Friday, February 24-  Tonight is special GNO with my daughters.  Chili's here we come!

Saturday, February 25-  I think I will make the Pork Chops with Carrots and Oranges this evening.

Pork Chops with Carrots and Oranges 

WW Pts: 2 for carrots; 2oz Pork 3pts.

• 2 teaspoon(s) honey
• 1/2 teaspoon(s) ground cumin
• 2 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 1/2 pound(s) medium carrots, cut into 2-in. pieces (halved lengthwise if large)
• 1  navel orange, cut into wedges
• 1 teaspoon dill (optional)
• 4  1-in.-thick pork chops, trimmed (about 1¼ lb total)

1. Heat oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, cumin, 1 Tbsp oil, ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp pepper.
2. Toss the carrots with the honey mixture.  Season pork chops with salt and pepper (and dill is using).  
3. Arrange pork and carrots in deep dish covered baker. Nestle the oranges among the carrots, cover and roast until the carrots are tender and pork is cooked through, 30 to 45 minutes.

Sunday, February 26-  I have wanting some fish.  So I will search for some ideas and purchase some fresh fish over the weekend for tonight's meal.  If I don't come across another recipe I will most likely make this simple dish I found on Skinnytaste.com and serve it with the red potato salad I also found on Skinny Taste.

Baked Garlic Lemon Tilapia
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 servings • Total Time: 15 minutes • Points: 5 pts

• 6 (6 oz each) tilapia filets
  
• 4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• 4 tsp fresh parsley
• salt and pepper
• cooking spray

Preheat oven to 400°.

Melt butter on a low flame in a small sauce pan. Add garlic and saute on low for about 1 minute. Add the lemon juice and shut off flame.

Spray the bottom of a baking dish lightly with cooking spray. Place the fish on top and season with salt and pepper. Pour the lemon butter mixture on the fish and top with fresh parsley. Bake at 400° until cooked, about 15 minutes.

Baby Red Potato Salad
Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 6 • Size: 3/4 cups • Points: 2 pts

• 4 cups baby red potatoes, cut in small pieces
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, finely diced
• 1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
• 3 scallions, diced
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar
• 1 tbsp reduced fat mayonnaise
• salt and fresh pepper

Boil potatoes in salted water until soft, approx 10 minutes. Drain and let cool.

While the potatoes are boiling, combine red onion, green pepper, mustard, olive oil, vinegar and mayonnaise and season with salt and pepper. Mix well and let the flavors marinade while the potatoes cook. Once the potatoes are done and cool, mix into the bowl and add scallions and additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve room temperature or refrigerate until ready to serve.

Monday, February 27-   I am contemplating making the Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos tonight, the recipe I never made it to last week.

Sweet Potato and Black Bean Burritos  

WW Pts: 7 for 2 burritos using Fiber Ole tortillas & 2% Mexican Cheese 28g

• 1 tablespoon(s) olive oil
• 1 large sweet potato, peeled and cut into 1/2-in. pieces
• 1 medium red onion, half chopped and half thinly sliced
• Kosher salt and pepper
• 1 15 1/2 ounce(s) can black beans, rinsed
• 1 tablespoon(s) chopped chipotle peppers in adobo
• 1 small bunch spinach, thick stems discarded, leaves coarsely chopped
• 6- ounce(s) Monterey Jack cheese, coarsely grated
• 4 large flour tortillas

1. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the sweet potato, chopped onion and 1/2 tsp salt and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until tender, 10 to 12 minutes.
2. Add the beans and chipotles and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Add the spinach and cook, tossing, until it begins to wilt, 1 to 2 minutes. Divide the cheese and potato-bean mixture among the tortillas (about 1 cup each) and roll up to form burritos. Wipe out the skillet and heat over medium heat. Cook the burritos (seam-side down first) until golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes per side.

Tuesday, February 28- I recently received my latest edition of Southern Living magazine.  I think I will look for inspiration there for this evening's meal.

July 20- July 26

This week I received:

• 1 quart peaches
• 1 Oriental Melon
• Bell Peppers
• 1 Sprite Melon  
• Vine-ripe tomatoes (double share)
• 6 ears of corn
• A Surprise item- which is a variety of squashes

I also ordered an Add-On of 1 qt.of  Roma Tomatoes.  The melon will great for snacks and the Roma tomatoes combined with both the Box's and my garden's crop of tomatoes will be turned into sauce.

I have adapted my recipe for Tomato Sauce to my family's preferences adding: shredded carrot, omitting celery, replace spices with 2 tsp each Oregano, Basil & Rosemary, and after 2 hours of simmering I add 2 tsp pepper & 1 tsp of salt. Also I have pureed most of the sauce since my family prefers a less chunky sauce.  I will also be adding one can of tomato paste.

Revised Tomato Sauce

• 10 ripe tomatoes
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green bell pepper, chopped
• 2 carrots, shredded
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons dried basil
• 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
• 2 teaspoons dried Rosemary
  
• 1/4 cup Burgundy wine
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 teaspoons pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
  
• 1/2-1 can tomato paste

Directions

1. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Have ready a large bowl of iced water. Plunge whole tomatoes in boiling water until skin starts to peel, 1 minute. Remove with slotted spoon and place in ice bath. Let rest until cool enough to handle, then remove peel and squeeze out seeds. Chop tomatoes and puree in blender or food processor.
2. In a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, cook onion, bell pepper, carrot and garlic in oil and butter until onion starts to soften, 5 minutes. Pour in pureed tomatoes. Stir in basil, Italian seasoning, rosemary and wine. Place bay leaf in pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 2 hours. Stir in tomato paste and simmer an additional 2 hours. Discard bay leaf and serve.

I'll make Peach Cobbler using a recipe from last season which I found in The Produce Box's newsletter.

Delicious Peach Cobbler
4 cups of peeled, sliced peaches
2 cups sugar divided
1/2 cup water
8 tablespoons butter
1 1/2 cups self rising flour (if you don't have any you can easily make some- I did using a google search: 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour mixed with 3/4 teaspoon each baking powder and salt)
1 1/2 cups milk
ground cinnamon, optional

-Preheat oven to 350
-Combine peaches, 1 cup of sugar & water in saucepan and mix well. Bring to boil and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat.
-Put butter in a 3-qt. baking dish and place in oven to melt.
-Mix remaining 1 cup sugar, flour and milk slowly to prevent clumping. Pour mixture over melted butter. Do not stir. Spoon fruit on top, gently pouring in syrup. Sprinkle top with ground cinnamon, if desired.
-Bake for approx. 1 hour
Can be served with whipped topping and/or ice cream. Refrigerate left overs. 

Wednesday, July 20-  No cooking tonight since it's Girls Night Out!

Thursday, July 21-  I have family coming into town.  We are doing a movie night with pizza and popcorn.  I'm sure we'll also snack on pieces of melon too.

Friday, July 22- Hamburgers and hotdogs served with corn on the cob.  I will also make a tortellini salad using some of the pepper from my box.  I am hoping to stop by Great Harvest Bread Company and pick up their hamburger rolls to serve the cheeseburgers on.
Tortellini Salad
Cheese Tortellini
Diced mozzarella Cheese
Diced Salami
Tomato
Diced Pepper
Italian Seasoning
Salt and Pepper to taste
Italian Dressing

Cook tortellini per bag directions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Add noodles to large bowl. Add cheese, salami, tomatoes and seasonings. Pour dressing over mixture. Mix well. Refrigerate until cold. Before serving, stir salad and add more dressing if needed.

Saturday, July 23-   If their is corn leftover I will use it in this Southwest Salad.  Otherwise I will buy some more fresh corn from DJ's Berry Patch Farm Stand to use in place of the canned corn in the recipe.

Southwest Chicken Salad
1 small can corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar and Monterey cheese blend
3 tomatoes, chopped
Chopped romaine lettuce
Catalina salad dressing
Southwest Style Chicken
Corn chips

In a large bowl, combine the corn, black beans, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Add dressing and mix well. Cut up chicken and placed over salad. Add corn chips before serving. 

Sunday, July 24-  Pulled Pork Sandwiches made in my crock pot will be tonight's meal served on any of the left over rolls from Great Harvest. (if none are left I'll pick up rolls for the sandwiches)This recipe caught my eye because of the apricot preserves!

• 1/2 cup apricot preserves
• 1 Tbsp cider vinegar
• 1 red onion, sliced
• 2 1/2 lb boneless pork shoulder, trimmed
• 2 tsp ground cumin
• Kosher salt and pepper
• green-leaf lettuce
• rolls

1. In a 5- to 6-qt slow cooker, whisk together the apricot preserves and vinegar; stir in the onion.

2. Season the pork with the cumin and 1/2 tsp each salt and pepper. Nestle the pork among the onions and cook, covered, until pork is tender and easily pulls apart, on low for 7 to 8 hours or on high for 5 to 6 hours.

3. Using 2 forks, shred the pork and stir it into the cooking liquid. Form sandwiches with the rolls, lettuce and pork.

• Nutrition Facts
• Servings 4
• Calories 595
• Total Fat 15g
• Saturated Fat 5g
• Cholesterol 136mg
• Sodium 671mg
• Total Carbohydrates 63g
• Dietary Fiber 5g
• Protein 51g

Monday, July 25- Grilled Steak with peppers and onions along with homemade macaroni salad and sliced melon will be dinner tonight.  I will use the peppers from my box sauteed with sliced onion and olive oil.

Tuesday, July 26-  If there is left over pulled pork from Sunday night's meal, then I will use the pork for tacos.  Otherwise it will still be a Mexican flavored dinner with chicken fajitas.

Wednesday, April 27- Tuesday, May 3rd

This week's Produce Box includes:

• 2 lettuces
• 2 quarts of Strawberries
• English Cucumbers
• Greenhouse Tomatoes
• Sweet Potatoes

I also ordered an add-on of asparagus.

Wednesday, April 27th-  I made this last summer, although this wasn't one of my husband's favorite recipes, I enjoyed using my cucumbers in an innovative way.  (Found on allrecipes.com)  I'll serve it over pasta along with fresh bread.  ***UPDATE- After spending the day delivering for the Produce Box, I am wiped out!  It's take-out and fresh strawberries for dessert tonight!**

Cucumber Tomato Sauce 2 WW Pts.

* 1/4 cup olive oil

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* 2 teaspoons dried basil

* 1 cup chopped roma (plum) tomatoes

* 1 teaspoon onion powder

* 1 teaspoon garlic powder

* 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes

* 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

* 4 1/2 teaspoons white sugar

* 1/4 teaspoon salt

* 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper

* 2 cups diced cucumber

1. Heat olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir in garlic, and cook for a few minutes until fragrant, then stir in the dried basil, and cook for a few seconds more. Add the tomatoes, onion powder, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, black pepper, sugar, and salt. Bring to a simmer, then stir in the red pepper and cucumber. Continue simmering and stirring occasionally until the mixture has reduced to a sauce like consistency, 10 to 15 minutes.

Nutritional Information:    Calories: 114 | Total Fat: 9.3g | Cholesterol: 0mg  * Sodium: 102mg  * Total Carbs: 8g  * Dietary Fiber: 1.3g  * Protein: 1g

Thursday, April 28th-  I was going to make a Southwest Chicken Salad but instead of leftovers Tuesday I actually made that meal.  So I found on allrecipes.com tonight's meal, Orzo and Shrimp Salad with Asparagus.  I have adjusted the original rcipe my changes are reflected below.

Orzo and Shrimp Salad with Asparagus 7 WW Pts.

• 12 extra-large shrimp
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 quarts water
• 8 ounces orzo pasta
• 1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• Old Bay Seasoning
• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 2 green onions, chopped
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic vinegar (regular will work too but darken the color of mixture)
• 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
• 2 teaspoons honey mustard
• 2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Peel shrimp. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the garlic and shrimp in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, stirring frequently to keep the garlic from browning. When shrimp are cooked through, remove from heat, cool and cut into 1/2-inch pieces.
2. Bring water to a boil over high heat. Season water with Old Bay. Stir in the orzo and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the asparagus pieces and continue cooking until the pasta is al dente, about 4 minutes. Drain into a mesh sieve, and rinse in cold water immediately (this will keep the asparagus from cooking and keep vibrant green color).
3. Toss pasta and asparagus with 2 tablespoons of olive oil, shrimp, and green onions until evenly coated. In a separate bowl, whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, and basil until incorporated. Pour over pasta mixture and toss well; season to taste with salt and pepper. Chill for 2 hours.

Friday, April 29th- I found this on allrecipes.com.  I'll the meal along with a fresh green salad made from my Box contents.

Easy Slow Cooker Pork Chops  12 WW Pts.

• 4 (1 inch thick) pork chops
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 cup sliced onions
• 1/4 cup chicken stock
• 1 (20 ounce) can apple pie filling
• 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into large chunks

Directions

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Season pork chops with salt and pepper, and then brown them in the hot skillet. Remove from heat.
2. Spray the inside surface of a slow cooker with cooking spray. Arrange sliced onions in the bottom, and place pork chops on top of onions. Pour chicken stock over chops, and top with apple pie filling. Cook on Low for 5 to 6 hours, adding sweet potatoes during the last 3 hours of cooking.

Nutritional Information     Servings Per Recipe: 4

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 567 | Total Fat: 11.9g | Cholesterol: 59mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database

• Calories: 567
• Total Fat: 11.9g
• Cholesterol: 59mg
• Sodium: 1299mg
• Total Carbs: 88.1g
• Dietary Fiber: 9g
• Protein: 28.3g

Saturday, April 30th- Tonight is our neighborhood block party!  Pulled pork, hush puppies and potluck sides and desserts! 

Sunday, May 1-  I will halve tonight's recipe to serve with our steak fajitas.  This is also a recipe I made last year to use up my cucumbers from both my Box and my garden.  If I still have cucumbers from my Box I will make Cool Cucumber Salsa; however, if I use them all up I'll still make the fajitas without this great salsa leaving it for another week when my box runneth over with cukes!

Cool Cucumber Salsa (from allrecipes.com) recipe reflects adjustments to reduce servings yield)

• 1 medium cucumbers - peeled, seeded, and chopped
• 1 medium tomatoes, chopped
• 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper
• 1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
• 1/2 small onion, chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro
• 1/4 teaspoon dried dill weed
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 (6 ounce) package tortilla chips

Directions

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the cucumbers, tomatoes, green pepper, jalapeno pepper, onion, garlic, lime juice, parsley, cilantro, dill, and salt. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Serve with tortilla chips.

Amount Per Serving  Calories: 151 | Total Fat: 6.6g | Cholesterol: 0mg Powered by ESHA Nutrient Database

Nutritional Information

• Calories: 151
• Total Fat: 6.6g
• Cholesterol: 0mg
• Sodium: 217mg
• Total Carbs: 21.6g
• Dietary Fiber: 2.2g
• Protein: 2.8g

Monday, May 2nd- I am altering a recipe I found on Allrecipes.com with some of my own additions.  I made this amazing salad last Produce Box season and enjoyed it very much.
Southwest Chicken Salad
1 small can corn, drained
1 (15 ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar and Monterey cheese blend
3 tomatoes, chopped
Chopped romaine lettuce
Catalina salad dressing
Southwest Style Chicken
Corn chips

In a large bowl, combine the corn, black beans, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes. Add dressing and mix well. Cut up chicken and placed over salad. Add corn chips before serving.

I may buy prepared Southwest Style Chicken or if I have the time prepare my own.

Tuesday, May 3rd-  Maybe I'll make the cucumber tomato sauce I had planned last Tuesday.  Hmmm, I'll need to think about tonight's meal.

November 17-November 23

This is the last Box of the season! Wow, I can't believe Thanksgiving is around the corner and the year is quickly sprinting to a close. I have thoroughly enjoyed participating in The Produce Box and plan on doing it again next year.

This last Box contains Raspberries, 1/2 lb. Bag of Roasted Peanuts, 1 lb. bag of Baby Spinach, Sweet Potatoes, Field Tomatoes and 2 Bell Peppers. I also added on a half bushel box of canning tomatoes.

With a half bushel of tomatoes, I of course will be making an abundance of tomato sauce to freeze. I have adapted the Tomato Sauce to my family's preferences: shredded carrot, omit celery, replace spices with 2 tsp each Oregano, Basil & Rosemary, and after 2 hours of simmering I add 2 tsp pepper & 1 tsp of salt. Also I have pureed most of the sauce since my family perfers a less chunky sauce. This time around I will also be adding one can of tomato paste.

Again I cut the White Chicken Chili from my menu. Oh well I'm sure I will eventually make it, and more than once, during the course of the winter.

Wednesday, November 17- Soup and sandwiches due to extra activities this evening.

Thursday, November 18- The Steak Fajitas from last week got bumped to tonight. Which works out well considering I will need to pick my daughter and her friends up form a Brownie meeting this evening.

Friday, November 19- I will make Warm Bean and Sausage Salad. I believe I have made this in the past and enjoyed it. I will be omitting the olives and substituting the turkey sausage with pork sausage. I will using the spinach provided in my box.

Saturday, November 20- I am in the mood for homemade Fish and Chips. So with my husbands assistance I will be preparing a favorite Alton Brown recipe for the fish. With all the grease I am thinking of perhaps serving a side salad along with the fish in place of french fries. We'll see if my husband approves of that suggestion.

Sunday, November 21- If whole chicken is on sale I think I will pick one up and bake it tonight. I'll serve it with Candied Sweet Potatoes with Apples. I am thinking easy and of course slow cooker comes to mind. Therefore, I will prepare Slow-Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Chicken.

Monday, November 22- Tonight I will prepare Spicy Beef Noodle Bowl.


Tuesday, November 23- This may be leftover evening or take out. With Thanksgiving cooking right around the corner as well as out of town guests arriving, I am going with simple and easy tonight.

**pictures from BHG and Cooking Light for illustration purposes only**