Kielbasa with Pasta, Chickpeas and Spinach

Serves 4

8 ounces whole wheat penne or fusilli (I used rotini, because I'm a rebel like that)
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 ounces turkey kielbasa, cut into 1/4-inch slices (I used turkey sausage, because I couldn't find kielbasa)
4 cups baby spinach
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained
3 scallions, thinly sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
Pinch of red pepper flakes
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons Pecorino Romano or Parmesan cheese

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, spray large skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat. Add kielbasa and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, about 2 minutes. Add spinach, chickpeas, scallions, garlic, and pepper flakes and cook, stirring often, until spinach is wilted, about 2 minutes. Add pasta and oil and toss to combine. Divide pasta evenly among 4 serving plates; sprinkle with cheese.

Results: This was very simple to make and really delicious! I was able to keep some pasta, chickpeas and sausage separate for the boys (because god forbid they eat anything blended together.) Henry ate everything, and Steven actually ate all the chickpeas and pasta, but gave Henry his sausage. But he actually tried it, so that's a win! Leftovers were good too!

Recipe from Fresh, Fabulous, Fast by Weight Watchers.

Poppy Seed Chicken and Clementine Salad

Serves 4 (I made the dressing as is, but cut the chicken, clementines and greens in half because this was just for Chris and I. I was thinking I would use the dressing for another salad tomorrow, but half of it on two salads didn't seem like enough, so I used all of it. So I guess what I'm saying is, make your own call.)

2 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon water
1/2 small shallot, sliced
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon poppy seeds
pinch of salt
pinch of black pepper
6 cups packed mixed baby greens
2 cups chopped cooked chicken breast (I used a store-bought rotisserie chicken)
4 clementines, peeled and separated into segments
1 cup grapes, halved

1. To make dressing, place vinegar, honey, water, shallot, mustard, oil, poppy seeds, salt, and pepper in mini food processor; process until shallot it finely chopped and dressing is well blended.

2. Combine greens, chicken, clementines, and grapes in large bowl; drizzle with dressing and toss to coat.

Results: This dressing was so good and really easy to make! This salad was amazing-so colorful and filling! Chris and I both loved it. I'll definitely be working this into the dinner rotation.

Recipe from Fresh, Fabulous Fast by Weight Watchers. (Are you sensing a trend lately?)

Masala Shrimp Kebabs with Yogurt Sauce

Serves 4

1 & 1/2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon canola oil
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 pound peeled and deveined large shrimp
1 cup plain fat-free Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint (plus a little extra for garnish)
2 tablespoons minced scallions
grated zest of 1 lemon
4 pieces whole wheat flatbread
4 nectarines, pitted and halved
4 teaspoons honey (optional)

1. Spray grill with cooking spray and preheat grill to medium-high heat.

2. Stir together chili powder, garam masala, oil, garlic, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt in large bowl; add shrimp and toss to coat. Thread shrimp onto metal skewers. Place skewers on grill and cook, turning once, until just opaque throughout, about 5 minutes.

3. At the same time, place nectarines, cut side down, on grill and cook until slightly softened, also about 5 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, to make sauce, stir together yogurt, mint, scallions, lemon zest, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in small bowl. Serve shrimp with flatbread and sauce. Drizzle nectarines with 1 teaspoon honey and extra mint for garnish.

Results: Stop reading this and go buy the ingredients to make this for dinner tonight! Oh my yum, it is so good. I was sad when I finished this because there was no more to eat. We buy 2 lb bags of frozen shrimp and Chris suggested that next time I make this dish, I just use up the whole bag. DELICIOUS. AMAZING. I think I'm drooling a little just thinking about it.

Oh, and this is such a pretty meal too, that it would be great to serve to dinner guests. I already said the next dinner guests we have are getting this meal.

The recipe is from the Fresh, Fabulous, Fast cookbook by Weight Watchers.

Steak Salad with Spinach and Oranges

Serves 4

1 (1-pound) sirloin steak, trimmed
1 teaspoon ground cumin
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 navel oranges
1 (6-ounce) package baby spinach
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped dry-roasted salted almonds

1. Spray grill rack with cooking spray. Preheat grill on high.

2. Sprinkle steak with cumin, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper. Place steak on grill pan and cook 3-4 minutes on high. Reduce temperature to medium-high, flip steak and cook 3-4 minutes to desired degree of doneness. Transfer steak to cutting board and let stand 2-3 minutes. Cut across the grain into thin slices.

3. Meanwhile, to make salad, peel oranges, removing all white pith. Cut oranges into rounds; cut rounds into quarters. Place oranges in large bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, lemon juice, oil and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; toss to coat.

4. Divide salad evenly among 4 serving plates and top evenly with steak. Sprinkle with almonds and serve.

Served with grilled red potatoes.

Results: I tell you, I wrinkled my nose up at putting any kind of rub on sirloin. It doesn't need it! But, I was wrong, because the cumin blend tasted so great on this steak. And can I give my husband some props for grilling this steak to PERFECTION. I mean, for realsies! Look at that picture!

So, in case you couldn't tell, I really liked this meal. I loved the cumin on the steak and the salad was yummy. Very filling and satisfying meal. Chris loved it too. I didn't even realize until I was typing in the recipe that I forgot the almonds. They would have been great on this salad.

The boys had this lovely creation. That's all Chris, baby!

This recipe came from the Fresh, Fabulous, Fast cookbook by Weight Watchers. If you can get your hands on one of these cookbooks, I HIGHLY recommend it. Almost every recipe in this book has been amazing. Or, Fabulous, I guess!

Salmon with Coconut-Tomato Sauce

Serves 4

2 teaspoons canola oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 cup drained canned petite diced tomatoes
1/2 cup light coconut milk
pinch cayenne pepper
12 cherry tomatoes, halved
1 pound skinless salmon fillets, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons lime juice
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

1. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring often, until softened, about 5 minutes. Add ginger and garlic and cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add diced tomatoes, coconut milk, and cayenne; bring to a simmer and cook, covered, 5 minutes.

2. Add cherry tomatoes to skillet and simmer just until tomatoes begin to soften, 1-2 minutes. Sprinkle salmon with salt. Add salmon and lime juice to skillet and cook, stirring gently, until salmon is just opaque in center, 3-4 minutes. Stir in cilantro.

Served over rice.

Results: This was just one for Chris and I, although Henry did ask for pieces of salmon "as long as there are no tomatoes or green stuff on them" and really liked it. I thought this was a delicious dish...very simple preparation (one pot cooking! Yay!) and the tastes all complimented each other. A definite keeper!

This recipe came from the Fresh, Fabulous, Fast cookbook by Weight Watchers

Pecan-crusted Chicken with Cilantro Slaw

Serves 4

CHICKEN
1 large egg white
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 cup panko
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
2 teaspoons olive oil
2 teaspoons unsalted butter

SLAW
3 tablespoons lime juice
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
4 cups shredded green and red cabbage (I used a pre-shredded broccoli, cauliflower, carrot, cabbage mix because when I made THIS recipe, the slaw was Buy One, Get One)
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1. Preheat over to 400*.

2. To make chicken, whisk together egg white, salt and cayenne in shallow dish. Mix together panko and pecans on a small plate.

3. Dip chicken in egg white mixture, then coat on all sides with panko mixture, pressing lightly so it adheres.

4. Heat oil and butter in large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until bottom is browned, 4 minutes. Turn chicken and transfer skillet to oven. Bake until chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, to make slaw, stir together lime juice, salt, and pepper in medium bowl. Add cabbage and cilantro and toss to coat.

Results: This chicken was AMAZING. The pecan crust was delicious. The slaw, however, was not good at all. There was way too much lime juice. Next time (because I WILL make this chicken again), I think I'll serve this with the Lemony Fennel & Radiccho Salad.

This recipe is from the cookbook Fresh, Fabulous, Fast by Weight Watchers

Citrus Chicken with Napa Slaw

Serves 4 (but we got a lot more servings out of this...)

3 Tbsp Eden Mirin (rice cooking wine)
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
5 cups cabbage, all varieties, Napa, thinly sliced (I used a 12 oz pre-shredded package of slaw)
3 cups Chicken breast without skin, roasted, shredded (I used a rotisserie chicken)
1 cup shredded carrots
3 medium scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
Crunchy chow mein noodles

1. Whisk together the mirin, lime juice, oil, salt, and pepper in a large bowl. Add the cabbage, chicken, carrots, scallions, and cilantro; toss well to coat. Serve at once, or cover and refrigerate until ready to serve, up to 2 hours.

2. To serve, sprinkle crunchy chow mein noodles on top.

Results: If you buy the ingredients pre-shredded/pre-cooked, this was super easy to put together! I thought this was really nice and fresh tasting and the leftovers held up well for several days. This would be a great salad to bring to a picnic or party, but as a "dinner", it wasn't that filling.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Moroccan Beef Stew

Serves 8

1 lb stewing beef, chopped into bite sized pieces
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1 large red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 parsnip, chopped
1 sweet potato , chopped
1/2 small butternut squash,chopped
1 large carrot, chopped
1 28 oz can tomatoes, chopped
1/2 cup raisins
1 cup each dried apricots and pitted prunes (optional, I used apricots)
1 tsp grated fresh ginger
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp garam masala (if you can't find this, Target sells it. I had to borrow some from my neighbor)
pinch of allspice
pinch of nutmeg
1 Tbsp lemon zest
2 cups beef stock (check after a few hours, may need to add some more)
Salt and pepper to taste
Chopped fresh parsley (optional)
Slivered almonds (optional)

1. Toss beef with the flour in slow cooker.

2. Add all veggies, tomatoes, fruit, spices and broth. Stir well. (I had to transfer this to a huge stock pot to be able to stir it all.)

3. Cook in slow cooker on high for 4-6 hours or until meat is cooked and veggies tender.

4. Top with slivered almonds and chopped parsley. Serve over couscous, rice or mashed potatoes.

Results: OK, I admit, this is a lot of work. A LOT! But it smells amazing and was very delicious. Chris in particular LOVED this. Neither boy would touch it, which left lots of leftovers for me and Chris. Simmered with a little extra beef stock, they were just as delicious (if not more so, since they had extra time to soak in the flavors.)

This recipe came from Alice in Paris loves Art and Tea.

Overnight Slow Cooker Cherry Almond Oatmeal

Serves 4-5 (if I had not lined my slow-cooker, we could have easily gotten 5 servings out of this. As it was, the liner made it really difficult to scrape all the oatmeal out.)

3/4 cup dried cherries
1 apple, peeled and grated or or 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
2 cups unsweetened vanilla almond milk (you'll find this in the canned milk section)
1-1/2 cups water
1 cup uncooked steel-cut oats
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-1/2 tablespoons light butter, cut into 5-6 pieces
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 teaspoons ground flax seed (you'll find this in the baking section)
1/4 teaspoon salt
Optional garnishes: toasted sliced almonds, maple syrup, additional almond milk, butter and/or chocolate chips

1. Coat inside of 3-1/2 quart (or larger) slow cooker with cooking spray. Add all ingredients (except optional toppings) to slow cooker. Stir, cover, and cook on low for 7 hours. Spoon oatmeal into bowls; add optional toppings, if desired.

Store leftovers in refrigerator. Freezes well. To reheat single servings: Put 1-cup cooked oatmeal in microwave proof bowl. Add 1/3 cup almond milk. Microwave on high for 1 minute; stir. Continue cooking for another minute, or until hot. Recipe can be doubled in 6-quart or larger slow cooker. Increase cooking time 1 hour.

Results: First of all, I was so paranoid about using the slow-cooker overnight. I don't know why. I don't have any problem turning the slow-cooker on during the day and leaving the house. I guess if the slow-cooker is going to burn my house down, I would prefer we not be in the house sleeping when the fire starts. As it was, there were no problems.

I had a 5k race to run on Sunday morning, so I wanted to make something that would give me a lot of energy for the day, but also would make breakfast healthy and simple. I found this recipe and decided to give it a try.

The smell of this oatmeal was incredible to wake up to. I could smell it all the way upstairs and down the hall to our bedroom. When I walked downstairs and looked in the slow-cooker, I was so disappointed. Ewwwww...it looked so gross. But somewhere between stirring it up, scooping it into bowls and adding the toppings, this looked AMAZING. And it tasted soooo good. Every one of us (even Steven!) loved this! Steven actually woke up this morning asking for leftovers, but we didn't have any.

I put maple syrup, brown sugar and almonds on mine. The boys all went with maple syrup and chocolate chips.

We decided to call this "Race Day Oatmeal" and I'll be making it the night before every run! Another one this Sunday! Yum! As for whether it gave me extra energy for the run, I just happened to beat my best 5k time by 2 & 1/2 minutes...so go figure! (Of course, I had a lot of room for improvement.) ;-)

See that smile? That's an "I just ate some awesome oatmeal and ran really fast!" smile!


This recipe came from The Yummy Life.

Chicken Tetrazinni Casserole

Serves 6

8 oz uncooked spaghetti
1 pound cooked chicken breast, (I used a store bought rotisserie chicken)
2 10&3/4 oz cans condensed cream of mushroom soup, reduced-fat
1 cup low-fat milk
2 2/3 oz romano cheese, grated (I used cubed mozzarella)
1 cup frozen peas
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
1/2 cup dried bread crumbs
2 Tbsp light butter, unsalted, melted

1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Spray a 7 x 11-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. Cook the spaghetti according to package directions. Drain and keep warm.

2. Combine the turkey, soup, milk, cheese, peas, garlic powder, cumin, and pepper in a large bowl; add the spaghetti and toss well. Transfer to the baking dish.

3. Combine the bread crumbs and butter in a small bowl. Sprinkle over the spaghetti mixture and bake until the top is golden, 20–25 minutes.

Served with steamed broccoli.

Results: This was certainly not pretty to look at, but it was actually really good. Even the leftovers were delicious! Both boys scowled at their plates when I set it in front of them, but hunger finally got the better of Henry and he tried it. Good thing, because he actually liked it and finished everything on his plate! Steven never succumbed.

I added peas to the list of ingredients. I forgot to add mine in, and the dish would have been much prettier with them.

This recipe was intended as a way to use leftover turkey from the holidays. I'll have to remember that!

I meant to add peas and sliced mushrooms to this casserole, and forgot. Taste-wise, the recipe didn't need anything more, but the green peas really would have improved the presentation.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Arugula-Pear Salad with Gorgonzola Dressing

Serves 4

1 pear, thinly sliced
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
4 cups arugula
1/3 cup gorgonzola cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup vegetable broth, reduced-sodium
4 tsp olive oil
1 tablespoon white wine, or cider vinegar
1 garlic clove, bruised (that just means to mash it lightly with the side of a big knife)
1/8 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground

1. Combine the pear with the lemon juice in a small bowl; toss to coat. Arrange the arugula and pear slices on a platter.

2. To prepare the dressing, combine the cheese, broth, oil, vinegar, garlic, and pepper in a small bowl; let stand at least 5 minutes to allow the flavors to blend, then remove the garlic.

Served with grilled chicken.

Results: Seriously. Go make this dressing. RIGHT NOW! It is amazing! This meal was so satisfying and tasty.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Grilled Brie and Apple Sandwiches

Serves 2

1/2 medium onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup apple cider, or apple juice
4 slices sourdough bread
1 small Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced
2 oz brie cheese, thinly sliced

1. Spray a large, nonstick skillet with cooking spray. Place pan over medium-high heat and add onions. Sauté until soft and golden brown, adding cider as needed to prevent burning. (For realsies, listen to this instruction! Mine got a little burnt!)

2. Lay 2 slices of bread on a clean surface and divide apple slices, Brie and
caramelized onions among them. Cover each with a second piece of bread. Spray skillet again and set over medium heat. Grill sandwiches until cheese melts and bread browns. (I had to cover the skillet to get the brie to melt. Grilling these sandwiches just isn't enough heat to melt brie.) Cut into halves and serve hot.

Served with a salad (using leftover dressing from this recipe.)

Results: Ohhhhh...it looks so good, doesn't it? I really, really wanted to like this sandwich more than I actually did. I love brie. I love caramelized onions. I like apples. And sourdough bread. Forget about it! But...alas...this sandwich was merely mediocre. Both Chris and I were a little disappointed. It didn't taste bad in any way, it just didn't WOW me the way I expected it to. :-( Boo for me!

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Pizza Casserole

Serves 8-10

1 lb ground turkey breast
1 (8-ounce) bag egg noodles
1 (1-lb, 8 oz) jar marinara sauce
2 cups part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded
1 (3.5 oz) package pepperoni slices (you'll use about 1/2 the package)

1. Preheat oven to 350*. Brown the turkey breast and drain (if needed.) Cook egg noodles and drain.

2. Spoon a thin layer of marinara sauce on the bottom of a large casserole dish. Then layer:
1/2 the meat,
1/2 egg noodles,
1/2 remaining marinara,
remaining noodles,
1 cup cheese,
remaining meat,
remaining marinara,
remaining cup of cheese, then
top with pepperoni.

3. Cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes. Remove foil, and bake additional 15 minutes.

Served with salad.

Results: This was super easy to make and very tasty. Next time, I'd like to add some mushrooms or green peppers (or any kind of pizza topping would be great.) This made a HUGE casserole (I doubt we will be able to finish the leftovers), so next time I'm going to divide this into two smaller casseroles and put one in the freezer. (You may need more marinara sauce and cheese for that!)

Steven saw this meal on my computer and asked me to make it, without the meat. I put the meat in ours, but made a small casserole for him without the meat. What did this little guy think of this meal? He said, and I quote: "Mom, THIS.IS.DELICIOUS! I want you to make this five nights in a row!" He even went back for seconds! Winner, winner, pizza dinner!

Recipe from For Mamas

Creamy, Cheesy Potato Leek Casserole & Salad with Creamy Lemon Dressing

Serves 5 (I should say this serves 6, but no freaking way. It's so good, you will definitely want a bigger serving.)

1 large potato, thinly sliced
1 leeks, thinly sliced and chopped
1/2 large carrot, grated
1 cup chopped celery
2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 medium onion, chopped
2 teaspoons chopped garlic
1 tablespoon butter & oil
Olive oil cooking spray

Sauce:
2 ounces reduced fat cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 cup light whipping cream
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella or jack cheese
1/4 cup panko
1 teaspoon dried oregano

1. Preheat oven to 400*.

2. Place sliced potatoes in a bowl of cold water until ready to use. This will prevent them from browning.

3. Place all vegetables (except potatoes) in a large bowl. Add one tablespoon olive oil, and toss to coat. Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Saute vegetables until tender, about 10-12 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

4. In a small bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream and whipping cream. Mix into vegetable mixture thoroughly.

5. Spray non-stick cooking spray onto casserole dish. Add potatoes to the bottom of the dish (overlapping is ok). Top with vegetable mixture, cheeses, panko and sprinkle with dried oregano.

6. Bake, covered, for 40-50 minutes, until hot and bubbly and potatoes are tender when pierced with fork. Finish by placing the casserole under the broiler to brown the top, about 5 minutes.

Served with Creamy Lemon Salad Dressing
1/2 cup reduced-calorie mayonnaise
2 Tbsp sugar
2 Tbsp water
1 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp lemon zest
1 tsp dill, chopped
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp salt

In a food processor, combine all ingredients. Process until smooth. Yields 6 servings, about 1 1/2 tablespoons dressing per serving. (Leftover dressing can be refrigerated for up to one week.)

Results: I'm not going to lie to you...this was not an easy casserole to make. You aren't going to come home after a busy day and say "I'm really in the mood to stand in the kitchen for a couple of hours!" There was a TON of chopping. But, trust me when I tell you this is un-freaking-believably good. I did all the prep earlier in the day, so all I needed to do at dinner-time was pop it in the oven.

With a name like "Creamy, Cheesy Potato Leek Casserole", you know the original was full of fat (FLAVOR!) and richness (FLAVOR!) I changed the ingredients to make them lower fat, and I don't feel like we missed anything. DELICIOUS! This is a definite keeper, and a perfect recipe for serving to dinner guests, even vegetarian ones!

The salad dressing was good too. It was a little watery (maybe I'll leave the water out next time), but the flavors were light and perfect with this casserole. Chris and I both LOVED this meal.

Dressing recipe from Weight Watchers. Casserole recipe from FOODjimoto. I need to spend some time checking out that blog...looks like some amazing recipes there!

Buffalo Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Serves 1 (ingredients per sandwich)

1/4 cup cooked shredded chicken, warm
1 tablespoon hot sauce
1/2 tablespoon light mayo (optional)
1 tablespoon carrot, grated
1 tablespoon celery, sliced
1 tablespoon green or red onion, sliced or diced
1 tablespoon reduced-fat blue cheese, crumbled
1/4 cup reduced fat cheddar cheese, grated
Butter flavored cooking spray

1. Mix the chicken, hot sauce, mayo, carrot, celery and onion in a small bowl.

2. Spray one side of each bread slice with cooking spray. Assemble sandwich with chicken mixture and cheeses and grill until golden brown and the cheese has melted,
about 2-3 minutes per side.

Served with steak fries.

Results: This was a really great way to get the taste of chicken wings without all the fat. My recipe above is a lower-fat version of the original, which you can get to from the link below. I don't think my version was missing anything. These were good, but definitely only something I'd be in the mood for every once in awhile. Chris thought they were too spicy, but I did not.

Recipe from Closet Cooking.

Baked Pesto Chicken

Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
salt and fresh ground black pepper for seasoning chicken
1/2 cup basil pesto (a recipe for a light version of pesto follows, but you can use any pesto recipe, or store-bought.)
1/2 cup grated low-fat mozzarella cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Trim all visible fat and tendons from chicken pieces, then cut each chicken breast lengthwise into 2 or 3 pieces.

2. Spray a 9" x 12" baking dish with non-stick spray, then spread 1/4 cup basil pesto over the bottom of the dish. Lay chicken strips over the pesto, then spread 1/4 cup more basil pesto over the chicken. Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil (or use a baking dish with a tight-fitting lid) and bake the chicken for 20 minutes, just until chicken is barely firm and cooked through. (Don't cook too much at this point, or the chicken will be overcooked by the time the cheese is melted and browned.)

3. Remove foil and sprinkle chicken with 1/2 cup grated mozzarella cheese. Put dish back into the oven without foil and cook 5 minutes more, just until cheese is melted.

Served with orzo and overcooked edamame beans

Results: The original recipe warned about over-cooking the chicken, so I was a little paranoid about that. I lowered the cooking time from 375 to 350, and baked for 25 minutes (instead of 25-30 minutes) and the chicken was still a little dry. Next time, I will lower the cooking time to 20 minutes (with 5 more minutes for melting the cheese.) I also used an 11x13 casserole dish, and since the chicken had lots of space, I think that helped it over-cook. Next time I'll use a smaller dish.

Other than the chicken being a little dry, this was delicious! I love pesto and usually only use it on pasta. Adding it to chicken and smothering it with cheese was awesome. Yum!

I used pesto sauce that I had in the freezer, so this was a super easy meal to prepare.

Recipe from Kalyn's Kitchen.

"Light" Pesto recipe
2 Tbsp pine nuts
2 cups fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled
1/2 tsp salt

1. Place pine nuts in a small skillet and set pan over medium heat. Cook until
nuts are golden, shaking pan frequently to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. Transfer nuts to a plate to cool.

2. In a blender or food processor, combine nuts, basil, broth, cheese, oil, garlic and salt; process until smooth and thick. Yields one cup.

Pesto recipe from Weight Watchers

Ginger and Cilantro Baked Tilapia

Serves 2 (Note that this is only 2 servings!)

2 large tilapia fillets
1 jalapeno pepper (optional)
3 garlic cloves
1 inch grated ginger (1 tablespoon)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup white wine
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1/3 cup chopped cilantro
Scallions, chopped for garnish
Extra cilantro, to garnish

1. Heat the oven to 425*F. Pat the fish dry and season lightly with salt and pepper. Place in a glass baking dish coated with cooking spray.

2. Chop the pepper and garlic, and grate the ginger. Put in a small food processor with the soy sauce, white wine, sesame oil, and cilantro. Whir until blended. Pour the sauce over the fish, rubbing it in a little. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the fish flakes easily and is cooked through. Garnish with scallions and cilantro.

Served with rice and green beans

Results: Based on how amazing the original recipe looked, I was really excited about this meal. But I was disappointed. There were way too many flavors competing and it was way too salty. Chris thought it was too spicy (I did not). Neither of us really liked it.

Recipe from The Kitchn.

Shrimp in Lime-Butter Sauce

Serves 4

1 pound large shrimp, peeled & deveined
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
2 Tbsp fresh lime juice
1 Tbsp light butter
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
3 scallions, coarsely chopped
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, coarsely ground

1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Spray a nonstick skillet with olive-oil nonstick spray and heat over medium heat, then add the shrimp. Cook until the shrimp are just opaque in the center, 3–4 minutes on each side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.

2. Add the garlic and broth to the skillet and cook until the broth is reduced by
one-half, 3–4 minutes. Stir in the lime juice and cook for 30 seconds. Add the shrimp and butter, stirring to blend. Add the cilantro and scallions and cook about 30 seconds longer to heat the shrimp through. Season with the salt and pepper.

Served with Udon noodles and sugar snap peas

Results: Simple to make and very delicious! I chopped the cilantro and scallions and minced the garlic early in the day to make preparation super easy for dinner. I wouldn't change a thing about this one. Perfect!

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Spinach and Cheese Stuffed Chicken

Serves 4

2 large egg whites, lightly beaten
2 tsp cold water
1/4 cup Panko
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
10 oz chopped frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry (I used fresh, with no problems)
2 oz reduced fat Swiss cheese (about 2 slices)
2 oz pepperoni (about 16 slices)

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a nonstick baking sheet with nonstick spray.

2. Whisk together the egg whites with the water in a small bowl. Place the bread crumbs in another small bowl. Lightly pound the chicken between 2 sheets of wax paper with a mallet or rolling pin to 1⁄4-inch thickness. Top each chicken breast with one-quarter of the spinach, 1 half slice of cheese, and 4 slices of pepperoni. Roll up each chicken breast from a short side.

3. Dip the chicken, one piece at a time, into the egg white mixture, then into
the bread crumbs. Place the chicken, seam-side down, on the baking sheet. Spray the tops of the chicken lightly with nonstick spray. Bake until the chicken is cooked through and the crust is golden, about 25 minutes. Cut each roll into 4 or 5 slices.

Served with orzo and broccoli

Results: These were very pretty and tasty! The pepperoni added some color and a little bite, but these would also be good using sun-dried tomatoes instead of pepperoni. Neither of the boys would eat this meal. Too bad. I'll be keeping this one.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Texas-Style Casserole

Serves 6

olive oil cooking spray
2 cups frozen hash brown potatoes
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
1 green pepper, cut into strips
8 oz raw turkey sausage, thinly sliced (I used an Artichoke and Garlic Chicken sausage to add extra flavor)
1 cup fat-free skim milk
2 large eggs
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
3/4 cup low-fat shredded cheddar cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a medium square or rectangular baking dish with cooking spray. Place potatoes and then vegetables in baking dish; top with sausage.

2. In a small bowl, beat together milk, eggs, salt and pepper; pour over sausage and then sprinkle with cheese.

3. Bake until casserole is hot and cheese is browned, about 45 minutes. Cut into 6 pieces and serve.

Results: If this is how they do things in Texas, I can understand why Texans are so proud of their state. This casserole was SOOOOO easy and SOOOOO delicious. I made an extra one for the freezer. I really do recommend using some sort of spicy or flavored sausage. It added so much to the dish.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Basil-Crusted Cod

Serves 4

4 cod or halibut filets, about 1/2 inch thick
1/3 cup fresh basil, finely chopped
1/4 cup red onions, finely chopped
3 Tbsp uncooked cornmeal
1 Tbsp olive oil
2 tsp fresh lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 500°F. Spray a 9-inch square baking dish with nonstick spray. Place the fish in the baking dish.

2. Combine the basil, onion, cornmeal, oil, lime juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl. Spoon the mixture evenly on top of each piece of fish. Bake, uncovered, until the fish is just opaque in the center and lightly browned and crisp on top, about 10 minutes.

Served with grits and salad.

Results: This was very easy to make, but only mediocre tasting. I was more excited about eating the grits. I doubt I'll repeat it.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin

Serves a whole bunch!

1 (2 pound) boneless pork loin
1 teaspoon ground sage
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed
1/2 cup water

Glaze
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons soy sauce

Directions:
Combine sage, salt, pepper and garlic. Rub over roast. Place in slow cooker with 1/2 cup water. Cook on low for 6-8 hours. About 1 hour before roast is done, combine ingredients for glaze in small sauce pan. Heat and stir until mixture thickens. Brush roast with glaze 2 or 3 times during the last hour of cooking. Serve with remaining glaze on the side.

Served with rice and edamame beans with tomatoes (because they were literally the ONLY vegetables we had in the house.)

Results: Super simple and VERY tasty. The glaze was very flavorful. I'll be making this one again.

Recipe from C+C Marriage Factory

Rolo Cookies

Makes 36 cookies
1 pkg. Rolos
1 box Devils Food Cake mix
2 eggs
1/3 cup vegetable oil

1. Mix cake mix, oil, and eggs. Take a small ball of dough and form a ball around the rolo. (Only use enough dough to cover the rolo so it can spread through the cookie, about the size of a ping pong ball.)

2. Place on greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 for 7-8 minutes. (Note: mine took a little longer to bake, but maybe because of the altitude here.) Cool on a wire rack.

3. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired.

Results: Now this is my kind of baking! So easy to make and really, really yummy! In case you are tempted, and I know you will be, these are next to impossible to eat right out of the oven. They are really soft and fall apart until they have cooled a bit. I didn't let that stop me, because straight out of the oven is the BEST way to eat a cookie (or three). I think I'll add these to my Christmas cookie list!

Recipe from Six Sister's Stuff

Drunken Pork Chops

Serves 4

4 boneless pork loin chops
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 onion, sliced
1 bottle of dark beer (I used Sam Adams)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/3 cup ketchup
1 T cornstarch
1/4 water
2 teaspoons Olive oil

1. Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Season the chops with salt and pepper and add to skillet, browning both sides.

2. While pork chops are browning, combine beer, ketchup, and brown sugar in a bowl. Pour sauce mixture and sliced onion over the pork chops and simmer for 40-45 minutes.

3. Remove pork chops and thicken the sauce a bit. In a small cup, combine 1 TBSP of cornstarch in 1/4 of water. Stir to combine and add to boiling sauce, whisk so no lumps form. Put pork chops back in the thickened sauce, flip to coat.

Served with mashed potatoes and sugar snap peas.

Results: this recipe wasn't bad, but it wasn't that great either. It took a long time to cook, but it didn't require any attention. I doubt that I'll make it again.

Recipe from Newlyweds Blog

Taragon Chicken

It took me FOREVER to remember where I found this recipe, but I finally got it! I found this awesome website, Everything Mom, with links to different freezer meals. It linked to this website, Organized Home, with the recipe for Tarragon Chicken. The original recipe sounds great, but I had to tweak it to make it more healthy. You should definitely check it out, because they give you instructions for making this a freezer-friendly meal. The original recipe uses dried tarragon, but I had some leftover fresh tarragon from the Chicken Saute with Pine Nuts recipe, so I substituted 1 tablespoon fresh tarragon for the dried tarragon.

serves 4

4 chicken breast halves, skinless and boneless
3 zucchini squash, small
1 c small mushrooms, whole
3 carrots, peeled
1/2 teaspoon paprika
2 tablespoons light butter, melted
1 Tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon tarragon, dried (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
cooking spray

1. Cut zucchini in half lengthwise, then again into quarters, and cut into 2-inch spears. Peel carrots and cut into 1/4-inch slices.

2. Arrange chicken, meaty sides up, in 13x9 baking dish coated with cooking spray;
sprinkle with paprika. Place zucchini, carrots and mushrooms around and over chicken. Mix remaining ingredients; drizzle over chicken and vegetables. Spray chicken and veggies with cooking spray.

3. Cover and cook in 350-degree oven until chicken is done, 50 to 60 minutes.

Served with mashed potatoes

Results: This was really, really good. I used about half the butter (and switched that up to light butter) and don't think I missed anything, tastewise. The vegetables were roasted perfectly. I will say that the chicken was a little dry, but the chicken breasts I used were really thin, so I think it had more to do with that than with the cooking times. Super easy to make and a nice colorful meal.

Recipe from Organized Home

Chicken Saute with Pine Nuts

Serves 4

2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp table salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken, breast
2 tsp olive oil
4 teaspoons pine nuts
1 pound asparagus
2 medium shallots, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 Tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped
1 cup fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/8 tsp black pepper, or to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400ºF.

2. In a flat dish or plate, stir together flour, salt and pepper. Dredge chicken in
flour, coating both sides and patting off excess. In a large, nonstick skillet, warm olive oil over medium-high heat. Add chicken and sauté on both sides until nicely browned. Transfer chicken to a baking sheet and place in oven until cooked through, about 8 minutes.

While chicken is baking, make asparagus and pine nut topping:

3. Reduce heat to medium and add pine nuts to pan. Sauté until golden brown, about
2 minutes. Add asparagus, shallots and garlic; sauté until tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from pan and set aside.

4. Add tarragon and chicken broth to pan and boil until broth is reduced by half. Return vegetables to pan, season with pepper and stir to heat. Set each breast on a plate and top with asparagus mixture. Serve immediately.

Served with orzo with parmesan cheese.

Results: Yum! This was so good. The pine nut/shallot sauce was so flavorful. Very simple to make, although it does require constant attention.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Coconut Shrimp with Tangy Apricot Dipping Sauce

Serves 4

1/2 cup shredded coconut, sweetened
1/3 cup all-purpose flour (I'll used less flour next time)
3/4 tsp salt
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
1 large egg
1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled (tails left on), deveined, and patted dry (important!)
1/4 cup apricot preserves
1 Tbsp store-bought horseradish (whoa! Way too much!)
1 tsp soy sauce

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Spray a baking sheet with nonstick spray.

2. Combine the coconut, flour, salt, and crushed red pepper on a plate. Beat the egg in a medium bowl. Add the shrimp (that has been patted dry...the egg won't stick to the shrimp if it is wet!) and toss to coat. Lift each shrimp from the egg, letting the excess egg drip off the shrimp, then coat in the coconut mixture, pressing to adhere. (Toward the last of the shrimp, there was much more flour than coconut, and only the flour was sticking to the shrimp. I found if I double-dipped the shrimp back into the egg mixture, then back in the coconut, it worked better.)

3. Place shrimp on the baking sheet in a single layer. Lightly spray with nonstick spray. Bake until the shrimp are golden on the outside and opaque in the center, about 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile to make apricot dipping sauce, combine the apricot spread, horseradish, and soy sauce in a small bowl. Serve the shrimp with the apricot sauce.

Served with rice and edamame beans.

Results: if you try one recipe from my website, let it be this one. Oh.My.Yum. These were soooo good, and just as good as the fattening, deep fried version. They were also surprisingly easy to make. Seriously...add this to your menu for this week, you won't regret it.

My *only* complaint was that the dipping sauce was WAY too spicy! The horseradish completely overpowered the apricot. Next time I'll only use 1 teaspoon horseradish.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Dijon Pork Cutlets

Serves 4

4 boneless pork chops
3 Tbsp Dijon mustard
3 Tbsp sugar
1-1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
cooking spray
1/4 cup water

1. Combine mustard and next three ingredients in a small bowl. Place pork in a shallow dish; spoon 2 tablespoons mustard mixture over pork, turning to coat. Let stand 15 minutes.

2. Heat a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add pork, and cook 4 minutes on one side; turn pork and spoon reserved mustard mixture over pork. Cook pork 2 minutes or just until done.

3. Add water, stirring slightly; cook 2 minutes or until slightly thickened. Turn
pork to coat, and place on a serving platter. Pour pan juices over pork.

Served with salad and roasted butternut squash slices.

Results: another easy and tasty pork recipe. The original recipe had you pounding the pork chops with a mallet, but I really don't think this thinned out the pork at all, so I took it out of this recipe. The sauce was really good.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Sauteed Chicken Thighs with Lemon and Capers

Serves 4

cooking spray
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp black pepper
1&1/4 pounds skinless chicken thighs, about 8
1 cup canned chicken broth
2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 Tbsp capers

1. Coat a nonstick skillet with cooking spray; set over medium-high heat.

2. In a small bowl, combine flour with pepper; sprinkle over chicken. Brown chicken in a single layer in prepared skillet until golden on bottom, about 6 minutes; flip and brown on second side, about 4 minutes more. Remove chicken from skillet; set aside. (If necessary, brown chicken in two batches.)

3. Pour broth into skillet and scrape up any browned bits with a wooden spoon. Return chicken to skillet, cover and reduce heat to low; simmer until heated through, about 3 minutes. Stir in lemon juice and capers; heat for 30 seconds.

4. Drizzle sauce over chicken thighs to serve.

Served with rice and green beans.

Results: This was very easy to make and very delicious. Very similar to chicken piccata. I'll definitely make this one again.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Shrimp with Cilantro Mojo on Tortilla Crisps

Serves 6 (These would have been VERY small servings! I would say this would serve four, as long as you serve something hearty on the side.)

4 medium corn tortillas, each cut into 6 triangles
cooking spray
1 tsp salt, divided
1/3 cup orange juice
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup fat-free chicken broth
3 garlic cloves, minced
4 tsp olive oil, divided
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
1 pound large shrimp, peeled & deveined (about 24)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange tortilla triangles on a jelly-roll pan in a single layer. Lightly coat the tortillas with nonstick spray and sprinkle with 1/4 tsp of the salt. Bake until tortillas are crisp and lightly browned around the edges, about 6–7 minutes; set aside.

2. Combine the orange juice, lime juice, chicken broth, garlic, 3 tsp of the oil, the sugar, 1/2 tsp of the remaining salt, and the oregano in a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat, stir in the cilantro, and cool 5 minutes.

3. Reserve 1/4 cup of the mojo and set aside. Pour the remaining mojo into a medium bowl and add the shrimp, tossing well to coat. Let the shrimp marinate 15 minutes.
Drain the shrimp, season with the remaining 1/4 tsp salt, and discard the marinade. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Swirl in the remaining 1 tsp oil then add the shrimp. Cook until opaque in the center, about 2–3 minutes per side; remove from the heat. Arrange each shrimp on a tortilla crisp and drizzle with the reserved mojo sauce.

Served with pineapple & cilantro rice. (Chop up some pineapple, brown it in a tiny bit of butter. Add pineapple and cilantro to cooked rice.)

Results: This was very good, but it was a lot of work! The serving sizes were weird. Four pieces of shrimp? Hardly! The mojo sauce was very good, but really, I think grilled shrimp would have been just as good, and definitely easier to make.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Fourth of July Firecrackers on a Stick

Another marshmallow on a stick recipe, but these are so cute. I brought these to a Fourth of July party (can you tell how behind I am on updating this blog?) and they were a huge hit with the kids and the adults. My only complaint is that they used up a TON of sprinkles. If you are low on sprinkles, you may just want to dip the top of the marshmallow in the sprinkles. They'll be just as cute!

Marshmallows
Chocolate for melting (I use those Wilton baking chips)
red, white & blue sprinkles
lollipop sticks

1. Pierce marshmallows with lollipop stick.

2. Melt chocolate. Dip marshmallow in melted chocolate, then roll in sprinkles.

3. Let dry on waxed paper.

This idea came from Whimsical Creations. Also check out my Canada Day on a Stick and S'mores on a Stick. You could do anything with these!

Maple-Glazed Chicken Thighs

Serves 4

1/4 cup maple syrup
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1-1/2 teaspoons lemon juice
8 chicken thighs
Sesame seeds (optional)

1. In a small bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, soy sauce and lemon juice; set aside.

2. Place chicken, meaty side down, on greased grill over medium heat; cover and cook, turning once, for 10 minutes.

3. Turn chicken and baste with syrup mixture; cook, turning and basting again, for 10 minutes or until juices run clear when chicken is pierced. Sprinkle with sesame seeds (optional).

Served with roasted potatoes and watermelon. (It was Canada Day, so I used a cookie cutter to cut the watermelon into maple leaf shapes. I would NOT do this again...way too much effort, but they were cute!)

Results: Doesn't it seem like some marinades are so difficult to make, and you can barely taste them? This is not one of those. Super simple to make (no chopping, come on!) and a very subtle sweet taste to the chicken. Keeper!

Recipe from Canadian Living's Best Barbecue Cookbook

Canada Day on a Stick

Sometimes I'm amazed at my awesomeness. Since it's Canada Day, and I got this great idea from Whimsical Creations, I thought, "Hey! Why not make these for Canada Day, eh?"

Melted red chocolate melts, dipped one end of marshmallow in chocolate, then red sugar. Put the lollipop stick into the marshmallow and then repeat on the other end.

Spinach Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich

Spinach Pesto (makes about 3/4 cup)
1 cup baby spinach (packed)
1/4 cup fresh herbs (I used basil and parsley)
1 clove garlic, coarsely chopped
1 tablespoon walnut pieces, toasted
1/4 cup reduced-fat feta cheese
1/2 lemon, zest & juice
salt & pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons fat-free, reduced-sodium chicken broth

1. Combine all ingredients in food processor and blend. Add olive oil and chicken broth, process until smooth.

Spinach Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwich
(ingredients per sandwich)

2 tablespoons Spinach Pesto (above)
2 tablespoons gruyere cheese (grated)
2 slices bread
Butter flavored cooking spray

1. Spray one side of each slice of bread with cooking spray. Put one slice of bread, sprayed side down (DUH!) in skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle cheese and drizzle pesto over bread, top with other slice of bread. Cook until golden brown on each side.

Served with strawberry & spinach salad

Results: I found this recipe on Closet Cooking and it looked AMAZING. Seriously. Click on over (I'll wait...) and see for yourself. But I knew that would NEVER work with my diet...er...lifestyle change, (since Weight Watchers isn't actually a "diet", even though this "non-diet" has helped me lose 24 lbs in the last four months!) I had to try this sandwich, so I had to change the ingredients up.

Oh my freaking GOOD! What a great twist on a great sandwich! This pesto is awesome and added so much to a grilled cheese sandwich. Now, my "lighter" version was delicious, but if you aren't watching your weight, you should seriously try the Closet Cooking version. All that cheese! All that olive oily goodness pesto sauce! Yum!

Recipe from Closet Cooking.

S'mores on a Stick

Ingredients
Marshmallows
melted chocolate
crushed graham crackers
lollipop sticks

1. Push stick into marshmallow. Dip marshmallow in melted chocolate. Roll in crushed graham crackers.

Aren't they adorable? And yes, they were so delicious! And I'm not a huge fan of s'mores. (I know, right?)

And the best part? The kids can make them for themselves (except for melting the chocolate.)

I found this idea at Whimsical Creations. I was planning to make the red, white and blue treats for a Fourth of July Party, but when I saw the s'mores version, I knew my kids would be in love with me forever if I made them.

Gnocchi with Summer Vegetables

Serves 4
Prep time: 17 minutes, Cooking time: 6 minutes

1 tablespoon olive oil
2 zucchini or summer squash, or one of each, quartered and sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
Coarse salt and ground pepper
1 pint grape tomatoes, halved
1 package (15 to 16 ounces) gnocchi
1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
2 tablespoons grated Pecorino Romano cheese (I used Parmesan)
1 tablespoon butter (I omitted the butter)
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

1. Start a large pot of water boiling. You should be able to chop everything up while you are waiting for that.

2. Put squash and garlic in a large bowl, add the olive oil and toss to coat. (I think this helps get them more coated with oil.) Heat a large skillet over medium-high. Add squash and garlic and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until squash is crisp-tender, 4 to 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until juicy, about 2 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, add the gnocchi to the large pot of boiling water and cook gnocchi according to package instructions. Reserving 1/2 cup cooking liquid, drain gnocchi and transfer to skillet. Toss gnocchi, adding enough cooking liquid to create a sauce. Remove from heat and stir in basil, cheese, butter (if using), and lemon juice.

Results: YUM! This was so good and so filling. The boys wouldn't touch it, but that's fine with me, because GUESS WHO GETS THE LEFTOVERS? This was seriously good. I can't wait to make it again!

Recipe from The {UN}eventful Life

Grilled Flank Steak with Mango Chutney

Serves 4
Prep time: 12 minutes, Marinating time: 15 minutes, Cooking time: 10 minutes

cooking spray
1 pound flank steak, trimmed of fat (also called skirt steak)
1/3 cup mango chutney
1/3 cup pineapple juice
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/2 tsp vinegar, tarragon-flavored (I used white wine vinegar)
1 1/2 Tbsp hot pepper sauce
2 clove garlic, minced

1. Coat grill rack or broiler pan with cooking spray; preheat grill or broiler.

2. Combine steak and remaining ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate in refrigerator for 15 minutes. Remove steak from bag; reserve marinade. Place steak on grill rack or broiler pan and cook 5 minutes on each side,
turning once, or until done.

3. Meanwhile, pour reserved marinade into a small saucepan. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute, stirring occasionally.

4. When steak is finished cooking, let it rest for 5 minutes, then cut it diagonally across the grain into thin slices. Serve with chutney sauce.

Served with green beans and roasted potato slices (drizzled with olive oil and coarse sea salt, baked at 400 until done.)

Results: this was very easy to make and so good! Chris said the FedEx man actually stopped by while he was grilling to ask what we were having because it smelled so good. The marinade was sweet, with just a hint of spice to it. Definitely making this one again! Henry said the meat took "too long to chew." Both boys loved the potatoes.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Serves 12

10 Oreo cookies
8 Tbsp fat-free cream cheese
8 oz low fat cream cheese
1 cup sugar
2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
2 tsp vanilla extract
6 large egg whites
3/4 cup mini chocolate chips

1. Preheat oven to 325ºF.

2. Lightly coat a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Crush cookies and sprinkle cookie crumbs evenly over bottom of pan.

3. Using an electric mixer, beat together cream cheeses on lowest speed until well blended. In a small bowl, combine sugar and flour. Add to cream cheese mixture
and beat until smooth.

4. In a food processor or blender, purée cottage cheese until smooth. Add cottage cheese and vanilla extract to cream cheese mixture; beat until smooth. Add egg whites and beat until well blended. Stir in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips.

5. Pour into springform pan; top with remaining chocolate chips and bake until cheesecake puffs and center is almost set, about 60 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Run a knife around sides to loosen and release pan sides. Cover and chill overnight. Cut into 12 slices and serve.

Results: It takes quite a bit of work to make, but this was really good! It's definitely not as rich as real cheesecake, but it's not nearly as fattening either! One slice was a really nice size dessert.

Recipe from Weight Watchers.

Kahlua Pork

Serves 6-8
Prep time: 5 minutes, Cooking Time: 8 hours*
(*Note: the original recipe claims the cooking time was 16 hours (no, that is NOT a typo!) on low. I cooked it for 8 hours on high and mine was burnt!)

3 lb pork shoulder blade roast, lean, all fat removed
1 tbsp liquid mesquite smoke
1 tbsp coarse sea salt
Romaine lettuce (optional)
Rice (optional)
Hoisin sauce (optional)

1. Place pork in the crock pot and stab it all over with the tip of a knife. Rub sea salt all over pork. Drizzle the liquid smoke all over and set crock pot to low; cook about 16 hours. (I've left the original directions here so you can try or not try this yourself. Mine was cooked on high for 8 hours and was burnt.)

Results: I had mine wrapped in romaine lettuce with rice and hoisin sauce. Chris and Henry ate theirs plain. Steven wouldn't touch it, even though it was dessert night, and we were having Chocolate Chip Cheesecake for dessert. He didn't get any dessert. Overall, this was just OK. I've had better pork from the crock pot. The liquid smoke was....interesting. At first, it smelled awesome, like someone was cooking bacon. But by the end of the day, it smelled like we had a campfire going in our kitchen. I think I am being a bit negative though, because I was so disappointed at how BURNT this was! We had parts of the pork that I could barely cut with a sharp knife...they were practically beef jerky! I think I would try this again, though, because it was SOOOOOO easy! I'll watch the cooking temperature next time.

This recipe came from Gina's Skinny Recipes. She put a pretty little flower on hers. Maybe I should have tried that!

Chicken with Banana-Curry Sauce

Serves 4
Prep time: 7 minutes, Cooking Time: 40 minutes

2 medium bananas, sliced
3/4 cup water
1/3 cup low-fat plain yogurt
1 Tbsp curry powder
2 tsp canola oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
2 chicken breast halves (boneless & skinless)

1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Spray a roasting pan with nonstick spray. Puree the bananas, 1⁄4 cup of the water, the yogurt, curry powder, oil, salt, and pepper in a food processor or blender.

2. Place the chicken in the roasting pan. Pour the curry mixture over the chicken. Roast until done, 30–35 minutes. Transfer the chicken to a platter; cover loosely with foil and keep warm.

3. Transfer the curry sauce into a small saucepan and heat over medium heat. Whisk in the remaining 1⁄2 cup water. Simmer, until heated through. Serve with the chicken.

Served with basmati rice and sugar snap peas.

Results: I know, I know...it sounds so weird, right? But this was so easy to make and actually pretty good. The banana flavor was a little over-powering of the curry, but I can't figure out what to tweak. Next time, I think I'll only use one banana and maybe add some cumin, coriander or cardamon to add a bit more curry flavor. Overall, everyone liked it, except for Steven. Henry ate all of his and said "mmmmmmm! Deee-licious!"

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Royal Canadian Club Sandwich

8 oz Canadian-style bacon
4 oz cheddar or colby cheese, grated
4 tsp Dijon mustard
8 slices rye bread
4 dill pickles, thinly sliced

1. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until browned on both sides, about 2 to 3 minutes per side. While bacon is still in pan, but already browned, sprinkle cheese over bacon. Cook 1 minute to melt cheese; remove from heat.

2. Spread four slices of bread with mustard. Divide cheese-covered bacon and pickles among bread. Top with remaining bread slices and serve immediately.

Served with fresh strawberries

Results: Um...really? Based on reviews of this recipe, I was expecting to be totally, completely WOW'd. But, um...not really. It's just a sandwich. There was nothing spectacular about it.

Recipe from Weight Watchers

Coconut Curry Shrimp

Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 minutes, Cooking Time: 17 minutes

1 Tbsp peanut oil
1 1/2 pounds shrimp, large, peeled and deveined
1 bunch asparagus, tough ends trimmed and cut into 1 & 1⁄2-inch pieces
1 medium onion, sliced
1 medium red pepper, seeded and cut into strips
1 Tbsp ginger root, peeled and grated
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 Tablespoon red curry paste (or more to taste)
1 cup light coconut milk
2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp sugar

1. Heat 1 & 1⁄2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high
heat. Add the shrimp and cook until just opaque in the center, 2–3 minutes on each side. Transfer the shrimp to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the remaining 1 & 1⁄2 teaspoons oil to the same skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Add the asparagus and cook, stirring frequently, until slightly softened, about 3 minutes. Add the onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 3 minutes. Stir in the ginger, garlic, and curry paste. Cook, stirring constantly, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

3. Reduce the heat to medium, then add the coconut milk, fish sauce, and sugar; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the flavors blend, about 3 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cook 1 minute until heated through.

Served over orzo (but rice would have been much better. I was just trying to get ride of the little bit of orzo we had left.)

Results: A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! This was so good! So good that I'm tempted to make it again for dinner tonight! Chris really liked it too, but he thought it could use a little more "coconut-y" flavor. I thought it was perfect. The only thing I will change next time is adding a bit more curry paste, just to make it spicier.

Recipe from Weight Watchers