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.

Lacking Inspiration....

Well I have been really good and continue to make warm meals at home for my family.  Unfortunately, I have lost inspiration and have been stuck in a pretty boring dinner menu.  The same pasta and fajita meals seem to find their way onto our dinner table at least once a week.  Mind you, in the past it was rare to eat the same meal 2 weeks in a row (unless of course it was left over night).  Without my weekly delivery of produce to dictate our menu as well as create inspiration and drive us to try new foods, I am left to fall into this dismal spiral of uninteresting meals- although still tasty.

So as well as being committed to continue to create homemade and healthy meals for my family, I will pledge to become more creative and inspired again!

Thursday, February 9- Marinated Grilled Sliced Steak over Brazilian Rice Beans will kick off my menu!

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.

Friday, February 10-  I have adapted several recipes to create tonight's meal of Pasta with Sausage, Beans and Greens.

Pasta with Sausage, Beans and Greens WW Pts: 8

• 3 cups small sized pasta (i.e. shell)
• 3/4 lb. Italian turkey sausage - half hot, half sweet or plain
• 3 cups of kale, broccoli rabe, or baby spinach, chopped (if using kale, or leafy green, remove and discard center stem) **I will be using spinach**
• 2 tsp sage
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups chicken stock
• 1 15-ounce can of white beans, rinsed and drained
• 1/4-1/2 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup grated fresh Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta in salted water as directed on the package, until al dente.
2. While pasta is being prepared, sauté Italian sausage until brown - about 8 minutes crumbling sausage. Use a slotted spoon to remove sausage from pan. Add garlic and sage to the same skillet; stir/saute for about 30 seconds or until fragrant. 
3. Add in the beans, spinach and broth; bring to boil.
4. Lower heat and simmer about 5 minutes or until spinach is just tender.
5. Add pasta and sausage to green mixture and Parmesan cheese (optional). Add chile pepper flakes, salt and pepper to taste and simmer until heated through. Serves 6- 1 1/2 cups.
   **I had purchased fully cooked Italian chicken sausage earlier in the week.  I will dice this up and saute in place of the loose turkey sausage.**  

Saturday, February 11-  I came across this concept for dinner while searching for inspiration on the internet.  Southwestern Chicken Bake - Take a taco seasoning packet and empty into a plastic bag.  Add chicken and shake to coat.  Bake chicken in a 350 degree oven until cooked through.  I will serve the chicken with any left over rice and beans.  If there aren't any leftovers then I might bake the chicken with sliced peppers and onions and then serve the dish as fajitas or even over rice.  Still working out the serving part of the meal :)
Sunday, February 12-  With the wintry weather, I feel like roasting.  I stumbled across this recipe and was instantly drawn to it, Beef Roast Braised in Zinfandel, www.simplyrecipes.com. Beef Roast Braised in Zinfandel Recipe 1 (3 1/2 pound) chuck roast, boneless Salt and ground black pepper 4 oz pancetta, cut into 1/4-inch cubes 2 medium onions, chopped medium (about 2 cups) 2 medium carrots, chopped medium (about 1 cup) 2 ribs celery, chopped medium (1 cup) 1 Tbsp tomato paste 3 medium cloves garlic, minced or pressed through garlic press (about 1 tablespoon) 1 (750 ml) bottle Zinfandel wine (can substitute Cabernet Sauvignon) 1 can (14 1/2 ounces) diced tomatoes, drained 1 Tbsp chopped fresh oregano 1 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary 1 If your roast is very fatty, trim some of the fat. But it is important to keep some fat, as this will keep the roast moist while braising. In many supermarkets chuck roasts will already be properly trimmed. Salt the roast well and set aside at room temperature while you prepare all the other vegetables. 2 Pour a little water into a Dutch oven or other heavy, lidded pot. Set the pot over medium heat and add the diced pancetta. As soon as the water begins to simmer, lower the heat to medium-low and slowly crisp up the pancetta; the water allows some of the fat in the pork to render out without charring the pancetta. When the pancetta is crispy and brown, remove it with a slotted spoon and set aside. 3 Preheat the oven to 300°F. Pat the beef roast dry with a paper towel, increase the heat to medium and brown all sides in the pot. Once the meat has browned remove it to a bowl and add the onions, carrot and celery. Sprinkle salt over the vegetables while they cook. Increase the heat to medium-high and sauté for 2-3 minutes. 4 Add the tomato paste and stir well, sauté for another 1-2 minutes. Add the garlic and cook a minute more. Increase the heat to high and add the tomatoes, the pancetta, herbs and red wine. Nestle the beef roast into the pot, cover, place in the 300°F oven and cook for 3 hours. At the halfway point, use tongs to turn the beef roast over. 5 Remove the pot from oven and transfer beef to a large bowl; tent with foil to keep warm. Allow the liquid to settle in the pot for a few minutes, if you'd like, skim off some of the fat with a wide shallow spoon. If you have an immersion blender, use it to blend the contents of the pot. If you don't, use a whisk to help break down the vegetables. Boil the sauce until it is reduced to about 3 1/2 cups. Strain liquid through large fine-mesh strainer, pressing on solids with spatula to extract as much liquid as possible; you should have a couple cups strained sauce. Add any accumulated juices from the bowl you have the beef in. Boil the sauce again until it has reduced to 1 1/2 cups. Season sauce to taste with salt and pepper. 5 Cut the meat into roughly 1/2-inch-thick slices and pour the sauce over them. Serve with a bold red wine and crusty bread or mashed potatoes. Yield: Serves 6. Monday, February 13- A slow cooker meal works best for tonight due to limited time to prepare a great meal.  We made this for the Superbowl using our family recipe but substituting ground turkey for the ground beef. **I will update with recipe shortly.** WW Pts: 3- 1 cup Tuesday, February 14-  Well it is Valentine's Day and I really don't want to cook.  I think hubby will be bringing home a bento box from Red Bowl. Wednesday, February 15-  This is a crazy night with Girl Scout meetings and piano lessons.  Again, tonight needs to be simple and quick.  I think the girls will have Mac N' Cheese or quesidillas, 2 of their favorites.  My husband and I will eat later either leftovers or fajitas with peppers and onions.

October 12- October 18

Our Produce Box consists of the following:

• Raspberries
• Grape Tomatoes
• Kale
• Green Peppers
• Zucchini
• Sweet Potatoes
• Spaghetti Squash

My oldest daughter enjoys snacking on the raspberries.  I will make Zucchini Bread with my zucchinis.

Zucchini Bread

Ingredients

• 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)

Directions

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.

Nutritional Information

Servings Per Recipe: 24
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 216  Total Fat: 10g Cholesterol: 26mg Sodium: 165mg Total Carbs: 29.4g Dietary Fiber: 0.7g Protein: 2.6g

Wednesday, October 12- I made this recipe before and it was well received.  On a rainy day the idea of making this soup seems appropriate.
 

Italian Sausage & Potato Soup

• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 slice pancetta bacon, diced
• 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 cube chicken bouillon ( I will be using Better than Bouillon)
• 4 cups water
• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 2 cups kale, rinsed and julienned
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Place sausage links on a sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until done. Cut each link in half lengthwise, and then into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside for later.
3. In a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat, saute the onions and the pancetta for 10 minutes, or until onions are almost clear. Add the garlic and saute for one more minute. Add the chicken base OR bouillon, water and potatoes and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Puree 1-2 cups of soup add back to saucepan.   Add the kale, cream and reserved sausage, simmer for 5 more minutes and serve.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 348  Total Fat: 26.6g  Cholesterol: 68mg  Sodium: 693mg  Total Carbs: 15.3g  Dietary Fiber: 2g  Protein: 12.1g

 

Thursday, October 13-  I have volunteered to deliver dinner to one of my neighbors after she recently gave birth.  I chose a meal which not only makes great leftovers but is simple to make for the masses.  I will be making Baked Ziti not only for my neighbor, but for our dinner as well.  I serve it along with fresh bread and a side garden salad.


Friday, October 14-  Last week we received Purple Sweet Potatoes in our Box.  I decided to let them "sit" for awhile to sweeten up.  Tonight, I will use them to make Sweet Potato Fries which will be served along with a grilled steak and green beans (which I had frozen from last week).  I found a simple sweet potato fries recipe on the food network which I will try.  After reading some of the reviews, I will increase the oven temperature for a crispier fry and reduce the chili powder in hopes that my girls will eat the fries!
Sweet Potato Fries (foodnetwork.com)

• 2 pounds sweet potatoes
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium chili seasoning(I will reduce the measurement)
• Salt and pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil; set aside.

Use peeler to peel sweet potatoes. Cut potatoes in half lengthwise then cut into 1/2-inch thick fries.

Place sweet potato fries in a large mixing bowl. Add oil and spices. Toss until they are thoroughly coated with spices.

Spread fries in a single layer on prepared baking sheet. Place in preheated oven. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes turning once to ensure even cooking. Remove from oven and serve hot.

Saturday, October 15-   With a late afternoon soccer game, I am thinking chicken fajitas and quesedillas for dinner.  I will use some of the green peppers from my Box to fry up along with onions to garnish the fajitas.

Sunday, October 16-  I am leaning towards an Alfredo sauce with the spaghetti squash along with the grape tomatoes and maybe even some zucchini (if I have any left after baking the bread). 
Alfredo Sauce

• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• 1 1/2 cups freshly grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan over medium low heat. Add cream and simmer for 5 minutes, then add garlic and cheese and whisk quickly, heating through. Stir in parsley and serve.

 Monday, October 17-  Tonight would make a good leftover evening.  I am assuming I will have some leftovers. 

Tuesday, October 18-  I am thinking pork and maybe my mother's Potato Pancake recipe (one of my favorite dishes!).  Depending on the weather I may grill the pork chops or bake them.  I will add the pancake recipe later.

October 5- October 11

This week our Produce Box consists of:

• Apples: Mutzu variety 
• 2 Large Purple Sweet Potatoes 
• 3 Large Poblano peppers 
• 2 Cucumbers
• 2 Butternut Squash 
• 6 ears of Sweet Corn  

I also ordered approximately 1.5 lbs. of green beans and a quart of Hot Pepper Mix (jalapenos & cayennes).  My husband wants to make jalapeno poppers with some of the peppers.  The others may be dried or frozen.  I plan on blanching the green beans and corn for use during the winter. (except for what I will use for my soup)

Wednesday, October 5-  Tonight it's just us girls.  I will cook 2 ears of the corn to serve along with our meal.  I have leftover chicken which I might reinvent into a "new" dish or I may play it safe with pasta.

Thursday, October 6-  I will be preparing my Grandmother's Barley Soup, using some of the fresh green beans and corn.

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)

Friday, October 7-  With the arrival of company we are going out to Orchid Japanese Restaurant!


Saturday, October 8-  I plan to make the Stuffed Peppers I have made twice now and we all enjoy, using the Poblano 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

Sunday, October 9-  Tonight I will make the savory Butternut Squash Enchiladas I made earlier which were very good.

Butternut Squash Enchiladas

Serves 8

• 1 Tbs. olive oil
• 1 butternut squash (11/2 lb.), halved and seeded
• 1 medium onion, diced (1 cup)
• 1 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, drained and diced, plus 2 teaspoons sauce (if this is too much heat, use chili powder to your liking)
• 1/4 cup salsa (increase to 1/2 cup if you omit the chipotle chiles above)
• 1 clove garlic, minced (1 tsp. )
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1 can of black beans rinsed and drained
• 3 green onions, chopped (1/3 cup)
• 1 16-oz. can enchilada sauce (salsa verde can be substituted)
• 8 flour or corn tortillas
• 1 cup shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Place squash cut-side down on baking sheet. Roast 45 minutes, or until soft. Cool until easy to handle. Scoop squash into bowl, and mash.

2. Heat oil in saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, and saute 5 to 7 minutes, or until soft. Add chipotle, adobo sauce, and garlic. Cook 1 minute, stirring often.

3. Stir in mashed squash, salsa, cumin, and nutmeg. Cook 3 minutes more, or until heated through. Remove from heat, and fold in green onions and beans.

4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Spread 1 cup enchilada sauce over bottom of 13- x 9-inch baking dish. Divide filling among tortillas, and roll loosely. Place filled, rolled tortillas in baking dish. Top with remaining enchilada sauce and Cheddar cheese. Bake 30 minutes, or until top begins to brown and sauce is bubbly.

 

Monday, October 10-   I think there may be leftovers which would make for a good leftover night since we do have soccer practice!

Tuesday, October 11-  I might try my hand at Southern Living Magazine's recent soup recipes, specifically Hearty Italian Soup.  Considering the recipe makes 12 cups I may consider scaling it down for our family, although leftovers are always a great lunch or quick dinner for later in the week!

 

Hearty Italian Soup 

Yield: Makes 12 cups
Total: 2 Hours, 40 Minutes

Ingredients

• 1 (16-oz.) package mild Italian sausage
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (48-oz.) container chicken broth
• 2 (15-oz.) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 (14.5-oz.) cans diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning
• 1 (5-oz.) package baby spinach
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• Freshly shaved Parmesan cheese

Preparation

• 1. Cook sausage in hot oil in a Dutch oven over medium heat 7 to 8 minutes on each side or until browned. Remove sausage from Dutch oven, reserving drippings in Dutch oven. Sauté onion in hot drippings 3 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, and sauté 1 minute. Cut sausage into 1/4-inch-thick slices, and return to Dutch oven.
• 2. Stir chicken broth and next 3 ingredients into sausage mixture; bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 minutes.
• 3. Stir in spinach and next 2 ingredients; cook, stirring occasionally, 5 to 6 minutes or until spinach is wilted. Top each serving with Parmesan cheese. Serve with Parmesan-Pepper Cornbread Biscotti.

Recipe inspired by Kelly Mapes, Fort Collins, CO, Southern Living   OCTOBER 2011

September 28- October 4

Our family skipped last weeks Produce Box.  This week we opted for the Fruit Box.  Our Box consisted of a quart of peaches, 2 quarts of apples, a watermelon, grapes and raspberries.

Since our Box is a fruit laden box, I sort inspiration from this blog and my cupbaords for this weeks menu.

Wednesday, September 28th- I defrosted a quart of my homemade sauce to serve over packaged gnocchi along with a garden salad and honey wheat bread.

Thursday, September 29th-  Taken from a previous post on this blog comes tonight's dinner, Fish Tacos.  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

Friday, September 30th- Hamburgers and Mac N' Cheese is dinner this evening along with slices of watermelon.  

Saturday, October 1st- Again taken from a previous post is this evening's meal.  Tonights meal had been in a Woman's Day magazine.

Italian Sausage and White Bean Bake Recipe WW Pts: 7

* 3 Tbsp olive oil
* 1 1/2 lb Italian sausages, cut crosswise into 2-in. pieces
* 3 leeks (white and light green parts), sliced into half-moons
* 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
* 2 15-oz cans white beans, such as cannellini, rinsed
* 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
* Kosher salt and pepper
* 2 cups fresh coarse bread crumbs

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the sausages until browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.

2. Wipe out the pot and heat 1 Tbsp of the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices; bring to a boil. Stir in the beans, parsley, sausage, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Transfer to a 3-qt casserole dish.

4. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the remaining oil and sprinkle over the bean mixture. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts Yield 8 Servings
Calories 347 Total Fat 16g Saturated Fat 5g Cholesterol 25mg Sodium 1068mg Total Carbohydrates 34g Dietary Fiber 6g Protein 15g

Sunday, October 2nd- The  Candied Sweet Potato recipe was also posted previously.  I will also do a roasted chicken tonight.  However, I haven't completely decided if it will be the slow roasted recipe I have posted before a different recipe.

Monday, October 3rd- Since this is first day back into the school regimen since Tracking Out and we have soccer practice tonight, tonight's meal will be simple.  Most likely it will be quesidillas and fajitas.

Tuesday, October 4th-  Marinated Steak along with Southern Green Beans and sliced wheat bread will be this evenings meal.
Red Wine Marinade

• 1 cup Red Wine
• 1/4 cup Olive Oil 
• 3 cloves minced garlic
• salt and pepper to taste

Mix ingredients; pour over steaks and refrigerate for 4 hours.  Remove steaks and grill.  Discard marinade.

Southern Green Beans

4 slices bacon

1 large onion sliced

4 cans green beans

salt and black pepper

Fry bacon, remove bacon before it becomes crispy.

In bacon fat fry onion until tender.

Pour 4 cans of green beans into pot. If more water is needed add until green beans are covered.

Season with salt and pepper.

Add bacon.

Bring to boil then let Simmer for about 30-45 minutes. (add water as necessary)

May 11- May 17

This week's Box includes the following:  

• Strawberries
• Lesabre Garden Peas
• Tomatoes (1.5 shares)
• Red Russian Kale
• Sweet Potatoes
• Cucumbers

Wednesday, May 11- I will be preparing Apricot Chicken Breasts in my Pampered Chef Covered Baker and serving them along with buttered peas and sweet potato fries.  The chicken is super easy.  Pour apricot preserves over chicken, cover and microwave for approximately 8 minutes.  The peas after washed and shelled will be boiled in salted water.  After draining I will add butter and for the grown-up dishes Garlic Garlic seasoning.  For the sweet potato fries I adapted an allrecipes.com recipe.

Sweet Potato Fries

• 2 sweet potatoes, cut into french fries
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
• kosher salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 3 tablespoons light olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat an grill.
2. Rinse the sweet potato fries with cold water and drain. Spread onto foil.
3. Stir the cinnamon, nutmeg and brown sugar together in a bowl; sprinkle over the fries. Drizzle the olive oil over the fries.Cover with a second piece of foil to create a packet.
4. Place on grill for 20 minutes flipping once during cooking.

**NOTE-These came out soggy.  I will try next time direct on grill pan and no foil envelope**

Thursday, May 12-  Tonight we are heading out for pizza and a movie!

Friday, May 13-  I'm grilling tonight.  I'll grill the sweet potatoes with a drizzle of honey and a sprinkle of brown sugar plus a few pats of butter.  I will also grill pork chops marinated earlier in honey, soy sauce, olive oil and brown sugar marinade.  I will round out the meal with grilled asparagus (drizzled with olive oil and sprinkled with garlic and salt).

Saturday, May 14- Stir Fry Night  I will using my replacement bok choy in a stir fry dish this evening.  I'll update with my exact dish later this week.

Sunday, May 15- My husband discovered this recipe on allrecipes.com.  Since  cooler weather is approaching I thought tonight was a great evening to try this recipe out.

Italian Sausage & Potato Soup

• 1 pound Italian sausage
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1 slice pancetta bacon, diced
• 1 1/4 teaspoons garlic, minced
• 1 cube chicken bouillon ( I will be using Better than Bouillon)
• 4 cups water
• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 2 cups kale, rinsed and julienned
• 1/3 cup heavy cream

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
2. Place sausage links on a sheet pan and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until done. Cut each link in half lengthwise, and then into 1/2 inch slices. Set aside for later.
3. In a 4 quart saucepan over medium heat, saute the onions and the pancetta for 10 minutes, or until onions are almost clear. Add the garlic and saute for one more minute. Add the chicken base OR bouillon, water and potatoes and bring to a simmer for 15 minutes. Puree 1-2 cups of soup add back to saucepan.   Add the kale, cream and reserved sausage, simmer for 5 more minutes and serve.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 348  Total Fat: 26.6g  Cholesterol: 68mg  Sodium: 693mg  Total Carbs: 15.3g  Dietary Fiber: 2g  Protein: 12.1g

Monday, May 16- Today is our wedding anniversary; therefore, I will not be cooking!

Tuesday, May 17-This has made it to my menu list for the past 3 weeks but alas I haven't made it once yet!  This week is the week!  I will make this tasty sounding meal tonight that I found on allrecipes.com.  I'll serve the meal along with a fresh green salad garnished with the tomatoes and cucumbers from my Box.
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

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

New Season of the Produce Box April 13-19

Hooray!!  It's the start of the Produce Box season!!  This is the first box the new season and I am just as excited as I was last season with the arrival of my box.
This week's box includes Greenhouse Cucumbers, Greenhouse Tomatoes, Sweet Potatoes, Baby Romaine lettuce, Kale and Strawberries.
New to my blog I will be calculating the Weight Watchers Points for each recipe (based on their old points system).

Wednesday, April 13- Since I am not sure exactly when my Produce Box will arrive, I will not make tonight's dinner based on the Box's contents. However, I did manage to acquire another share of strawberries for my Box and will be feasting on Strawberry Shortcake for dessert tonight!  Since it just me and my girls for dinner tonight I am thinking tortellini and a salad for tonight.

Thursday, April 14-  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.

Orzo with Kale

• 1/2 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, April 15- From my sister-in-law I may use her recipe for Cod Cakes. Or Gilled Tuna Steaks or maybe my neighbor's Fish Taco recipe.  There is a fish theme here, I just have to wait and see what fish is on sale at the supermarket before making my selection.  I'll update with the chosen recipe once I go shopping.

Saturday, April 16- Tonight we'll grill.  After soccer games, golf and landscaping work, I'm sure we'll be hungry for a savory dinner!  I'll grill pork chops along with a favorite recipe I discovered last Produce Box season, Grilled Sweet Potatoes.  Of course I'll be using my Produce Box sweet potatoes.  I may serve a green salad along with dinner using the cucumbers and any tomatoes I have left from my box.  WW Points for potatoes and pork (2 oz equals 3 pts.): 8

Grilled Sweet Potatoes  WW Pts: 5
2 large sweet potatoes, sliced
1 apple - peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp white sugar
drizzle of maple syrup
1/4 cup butter

Directions
1. Preheat an outdoor grill.

2. In a bowl, toss the sweet potato and apple slices with the cinnamon and sugar. Place on a large piece of aluminum foil. Drizzle with maple syrup and top with butter. Tightly seal foil around.

3. Place foil packet on the grill, and cook 40 minutes, turning every 5 to 10 minutes, until potatoes and apples are tender.

Sunday, April 17- I came across tonight's meal in a Woman's Day magazine.

Italian Sausage and White Bean Bake Recipe WW Pts: 7

* 3 Tbsp olive oil
* 1 1/2 lb Italian sausages, cut crosswise into 2-in. pieces
* 3 leeks (white and light green parts), sliced into half-moons
* 2 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-in. pieces
* 3 cloves garlic, chopped
* 1/2 cup dry white wine
* 1 28-oz can diced tomatoes
* 2 15-oz cans white beans, such as cannellini, rinsed
* 1 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
* Kosher salt and pepper
* 2 cups fresh coarse bread crumbs

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. Heat 1 Tbsp of the oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Cook the sausages until browned, 6 to 8 minutes; transfer to a plate.

2. Wipe out the pot and heat 1 Tbsp of the remaining oil over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, carrots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until beginning to soften, 5 to 6 minutes.

3. Add the wine and cook for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes and their juices; bring to a boil. Stir in the beans, parsley, sausage, and 1/4 tsp each salt and pepper. Transfer to a 3-qt casserole dish.

4. In a bowl, combine the bread crumbs with the remaining oil and sprinkle over the bean mixture. Bake until golden brown and bubbling, 25 to 30 minutes.

Nutrition Facts Yield 8 Servings
Calories 347 Total Fat 16g Saturated Fat 5g Cholesterol 25mg Sodium 1068mg Total Carbohydrates 34g Dietary Fiber 6g Protein 15g

Monday, April 18-  I came across this recipe on allrecipes.com  I will serve it with coucous (WW Pts. 3 for 1 cup) and green beans.  I did take note of the reader's comments and will incorporate them into the recipe this evening.  Total WW Points for meal: 9

Easy Tilapia with Wine and Tomato  WW Points: 6

* 4 (4 ounce) fillets tilapia

* salt and pepper to taste

* olive oil

* 4 cloves garlic, pressed

* 4 fresh basil leaves, chopped (can substitute dried)

* 1-2 large tomato, chopped

* 1 cup white wine

1. Preheat a grill for medium-high heat.

2. Place the tilapia fillets side by side on a large piece of aluminum foil. Season each one with salt and pepper. Place drizzle olive oil over the top of each piece of fish, and sprinkle garlic, basil and tomato. Pour the wine over everything. Fold foil up around fish, and seal into a packet. Place packet on a cookie sheet for ease in transportation to and from the grill.

3. Place foil packet on the preheated grill, and cook for 15 minutes, or until fish flakes easily with a fork. Open the packet carefully so as not to get burned from the steam, and serve.

Nutritional Information

Calories: 269 | Total Fat: 13.2g | Cholesterol: 73mg Sodium: 293mg Total Carbs: 3.4g Dietary Fiber: 0.6g Protein: 23.7g

Tuesday, April 19- After a trip to the Meat House of Cary, I will be grilling their Marinated Merlot Steaks tonight.  I would love to grill some asparagus as well (I'll see if it is on sale at the market otherwise maybe corn on the cob).  I'll serve Grilled Garlic and Onion Red Potatoes with our meal as well.

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**

October 13- October 19 Menu

This week's Box contains a variety of 8 Apples, 2 lbs. Irish Potatoes, 3 small Eggplant, Tomatoes, 3 lbs. Purple Sweet Potatoes and 1 Butternut Squash. Also in my Box was a pleasant surprise sample of air-dried sausage, Old Folks Country Sausage.

From last week's menu, I made Pumpkin Zucchini Bread much to my daughters' delight. However, I never made the White Bean and Sausage Cassoulet Recipe (I'll give it another chance this week). I think I will make some fresh Apple Cinnamon Muffins over the weekend with some of the apples from my Box. I'm not sure how I want to cook up the Butternut Squash. The Butternut Squash bread came out delicious, maybe turn them into muffins or make into a creamy soup? Such decisions, let the inspiration flow!

Wednesday, October 13- Since I didn't get around to cooking the cassoulet up last week, I plan on cooking it tonight. I'm not crazy about breadcrumb toppings and will most likely skip that part of the recipe.

White Bean and Sausage Cassoulet Recipe

2 tsp oil

3 links (10 oz) Italian sausage

2 medium carrots, thinly sliced

2 stalks celery, sliced

1 large onion, chopped

2 tsp minced garlic

3 cans (15.5 oz each) Great Northern beans, rinsed

2 cans (14.5 oz each) fire-roasted diced tomatoes

1⁄2 cup water

1 tsp dried thyme leaves

Seasoned Crumb Topping

2 tsp oil

1 tsp minced garlic

2 cups coarse fresh bread crumbs from a baguette

2 Tbsp each grated Parmesan and chopped parsley

Recipe Preparation

1. Heat oven to 375ºF. You’ll need a rimmed baking sheet lined with foil.

2. Heat oil in a 5-qt pot over medium heat. Brown sausages on all sides until cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove to plate.

3. In fat remaining in saucepan, sauté carrots, celery, onion and garlic until golden, about 5 minutes.

4. Cut sausages into 1⁄4-in.-thick slices. Add sausages, beans, tomatoes and their juices, water and thyme to saucepan. Simmer, covered, 30 minutes or until heated through and flavors are blended.

5. Topping: Toss oil and garlic with bread crumbs; spread on prepared baking sheet. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, tossing once, until toasted. Cool slightly; stir in Parmesan and parsley. Serve Topping with cassoulet.

Thursday, October 14- With a busy schedule and one less family member at the table for dinner, tonight will be simple and easy. Perhaps mac n' cheese or soup and sandwiches.

Friday, October 15- With the fresh butternut squash, sweet potatoes and Irish potatoes from my box, I will make Roasted Lemony Veggies & Couscous, a recipe I found in Family Circle. I think I may add some garlic and shrimp to this dish.

Roasted Lemony Veggies & Couscous

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 tablespoons chopped basil
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1-1/2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup olive oil
2 large tomatoes, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 small butternut squash (about 1 pound) peeled, seeded and cut into 1-inch chunks (about 4 cups)
1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 pound red-skin potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks
1 cup baby carrots, halved
1 cup couscous

Directions
1. Heat oven to 375 degrees F. In a small bowl, stir together lemon juice, basil, parsley, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. Slowly whisk in olive oil; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, combine tomatoes, squash, potatoes and carrots. Sprinkle mixture with remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle with prepared lemon dressing and stir well to combine.
3. Pour vegetable mixture into a 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish and cover with foil. Bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes. Remove foil and continue to bake another 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender.
4. When there is 10 minutes bake time remaining, prepare couscous according to package directions. Remove vegetable mixture from oven and carefully stir in couscous. Serve immediately.

Saturday, October 16- My girls will be camping with my husband this weekend. So I am either on my own for dinner or I will drive out to the campsite and have dinner al fresco with them.

Sunday, October 17- Using one of the apples from my box, I will be serving Apple-Stuffed Chicken with peas and rice for dinner tonight.

Monday, October 18- From Ikea, I will be preparing their Swedish Meatballs with sauce served over egg noodles. Yummy!

**Photographs reproduced for illustration purposes only from Family Circle and Woman's Day- no infringement of any copyrights intended**