Friday, August 6, 2010

Ryan's Chicken Alfredo Pizza


(And Natalie's)

Makes 2 pie pans of pizza

Sauce:

1 cup parmesan cheese
1 pint heavy whipping cream (use just a little less than the whole pint, Ryan eyeballs it)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
3 tbsp fresh chopped parsley
chopped garlic until you can smell it in the pot (that's literally what Ryan told me)

Mix all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer on stove top until well combined and cheese has melted.



Dough:

3 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt
3 tsp shortening
1 cup boiling water
2 1/4 tsp dry yeast (1 packet)
6 tsps water
3 cups flour

Mix sugar, salt, shortening in the cup of boiling water. Stir until everything combines in the water. Let cool.
Soften yeast in 6 tsps water. Add to sugar mixture once softened.
Add 1 1/2 cups flour and mix until smooth. Add remaining flour and knead. Put towel over bowl and allow 1 hour to rise.

Preparing the pizza and chicken:


You will need a bottle of olive oil, a bottle of Italian dressing and 1 cup or more of grated mozzarella cheese.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Soak chicken in Italian dressing in a ZipLock bag for 15 minutes (or longer). Grill and the cut into bite-sized chunks.
Coat pizza pan with olive oil. Form dough in pan. Glaze top of dough with olive oil. Fill dough generously with alfredo sauce. Add chicken chunks. Finish with mozzarella on top. (The more, the better, in our opinion.)
Bake on lowest rack for 20-25 minutes until cheese on top is the color brown that you prefer.

Monday, August 2, 2010

Melon and Strawberry Salad

Prep time: 10 minutes



3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 cantaloupe , cut into cubes
3 cups green grapes
6 sprigs fresh mint

SAUCE
1 cup plain yogurt
3 tablespoons honey

[1] Mix the yogurt and honey in a small bowl. Place strawberries, melon and grapes in individual bowls, drizzle with yogurt sauce. Garnish with sprigs of mint and serve.

Apparently, strawberries are out of season, because I couldn't find ANY. Thus, I used blueberries instead, which I though complemented the cantaloupe and grapes nicely. (Just one plastic carton of them.) I don't like yogurt, never have, and the honey really wasn't enough to cover up the yogurt-y taste, so I added some powdered sugar on top. Yum!
PS. The mint garnish is completely unnecessary.



per serving: 195 calories; 4 grams protein; 3 grams total fat; 3 grams fiber; 1 grams saturated fat; 43 grams carbohydrates; 8 mgs cholesterol; 53 mgs sodium
4 weight watcher points

Prosciutto Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35-40 minutes




6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
6 slices prosciutto
6 slices provolone cheese
1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
1/3 cup butter, melted
1 cup panko bread crumbs



heavy-duty round toothpicks

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

[1] Place the chicken between two sheets of plastic wrap and using a meat mallet, pound the chicken breasts thin. Season with salt and pepper and top each breast with a slice of the proscuitto, a slice of cheese and basil. Gently roll up into a log and secure tightly, using several toothpicks.

[2] Place the melted butter in a shallow dish and the breadcrumbs on a plate.

[3] Dip the chicken rolls in the melted butter and then roll in the breadcrumbs.

[4] Place the chicken rolls in a baking pan and cover with foil. Bake for 20 minutes and remove the foil. Bake for an additional 15-20 minutes or until browned and bubbly. Remove the toothpicks and serve.

Sooooo.... I didn't have a mallet or the toothpicks, so I decided to just put the prosciutto, cheese and bread crumbs on top of the chicken. I mixed the butter with the bread crumbs and basil before hand and smushed them on top. It was dang tasty, so maybe next time I will do the whole hammer thing.

per serving: 380 calories; 42 grams protein; 20 grams total fat; 0 grams fiber; 11 grams saturated fat; 6 grams carbohydrates; 130 mgs cholesterol; 617 mgs sodium
9 weight watcher points

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Crusty Lemon Bread


Prep and cook time: 10 minutes

1 baguette
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
1 tablespoon zest of lemon
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt

Preheat broiler.

[1] Slice baguette vertically in half. In a small bowl, mix together butter, zest and salt. Brush butter mixture on cut sides of bread and place on a baking sheet. Broil until hot, about 5-10 minutes.

Very, very quick to do - especially since I bought a pre-sliced baguette.
(An extra 60 cents well spent.)
I melted the butter for about 15 seconds in the microwave because it was easier to brush on melted than just at room temperature.
If you like lemon, you will love this bread!



p
er serving: 227 calories; 6 grams protein; 8 grams total fat; 2 grams fiber; 4 grams saturated fat; 33 grams carbohydrates; 15 mgs cholesterol; 391 mgs sodium
5 weight watcher points

Summer Bow Tie Pasta


Prep & cook time: 35 minutes
Serves 4 people

10 ounces bow tie pasta
4 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 sweet onion , diced
1 yellow bell pepper , cored and diced
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1/4 cup white wine
4 tomatoes , cored and diced
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil, thinly sliced
1/2 cup Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, grated


[1] Cook pasta in large pot of boiling salted water until tender but still firm to the bite. Drain.

[2] While pasta cooks, heat the oil in a heavy skillet over medium high heat. Add onion, bell pepper and garlic and saute until soft, about 5 minutes. Add wine, scraping up any brown bits; simmer until almost evaporated, about a minute. Add tomatoes and crushed red pepper flakes.

[3] Reduce heat to low and simmer until sauce is thickened and reduced slightly,
about 15 minutes. Gently fold in basil and pasta (along with more olive oil if needed to moisten). Remove from heat.

[4] Serve pasta warm, topped with Parmesan.

Super easy, quick and delicious! The kids weren't huge fans, but everyone else had second helpings. I grated fresh parmesan cheese - yum! Next time the only thing I would change is that I would cook the vegetables first and then cook the pasta so the pasta stays warmer for when I serve it.



per serving: 394 calories; 13 grams protein; 15 grams total fat; 4 grams fiber; 3 grams saturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 9 mgs cholesterol; 163 mgs sodium
8 weight watcher points

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

Open-Faced Turkey Burgers with Basil Mayo



Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

2 1/2 pounds ground turkey
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1/3 white onion , diced
6 slices of Muenster cheese
1 loaf Italian bread, cut into 4 slices on the bias
1 1/2 head red leaf lettuce
2 tomatoes , cored and sliced

BASIL MAYONNAISE
3/4 cup mayonnaise
3/4
cup fresh basil
1 1/2 tablespoons lemon juice

Heat the grill to medium-high

[1] In a small bowl, blend the basil mayo ingredients. Place in the fridge un
til ready.

[2] Mix together the turkey, onion, mayonnaise (for the burgers) in a bowl. Gently form into patties. Grill the burgers, until cooked though 7-8 minutes per side. During the last 2 minutes of grilling, top the burgers with cheese and place the bread on the grill to toast.

[3] Arrange lettuce leaves and tomatoes on the bread, top with the burgers and a dollop of basil mayonnaise.


We found that the meat didn't stick together very well with just the mayo, so next time I would add an egg to keep things melded better. I loved the basil mayo. I actually found fresh basil at the grocery store this time! Super quick recipe and I gotta say Muenster cheese is the best. Mmmmm.



per serving: 623 calories; 34 grams protein; 46 grams total fat; 3 grams fiber; 11 grams saturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 149 mgs cholesterol; 642 mgs sodium
16 weight watcher points

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

Grilled Chicken Salad



Prep and cook time: 30 minutes

1 10.5 ounce jar marinated feta cheese cubes in oil with herbs and spices
2 tablespoons fresh oregano, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 red onion , peeled, and cut into1/2-inch wedges
6 ounces fresh spinach
4 tomatoes , in assorted colors, cut into wedges
2 cups grape tomatoes
1/2 cup kalamata olives, pitted, halved

Prepare grill to medium-high heat.

[1] Drain oil from feta into a small bowl. Whisk in oregano and vinegar.

[2] Brush chicken and onion wedges with a little olive oil;. Grill chicken until cooked through, 7 to 8 minutes per sid
e, and onion until tender, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Transfer to cutting board; let rest 5 minutes.

[3] Meanwhile, arrange spinach on large platter. Combine tomatoes, olives, and feta in large bowl. Toss with enough dressing to coat generously. Arrange on platter with spinach.

[4] Thinly slice chicken; arrange chicken and onion wedges on platter. Drizzle chicken and spinach with more dressing and serve.

I ended up pan-frying the chicken breasts until they were cooked through because none of the boys were available for grilling last night. :) They were super moist and juicy - I just sprayed both sides and the pan with some olive oil cooking spray and cooked them about 8 minutes on each side, flipping occasionally. I cooked the onions while the chicken was resting.. they tasted great in the chicken drippings that were left in the pan.
Now, I didn't bother with getting different colored tomatoes - I just used the grape tomatoes (which I cut in half) and some vine-ripened tomatoes cut into wedges.
If you don't know what kalamata olives taste like then you will probably be surprised by what a strong flavor they have. Personally, I love they way they taste, but Mark and Cristin thought they were too overwhelming, so next time I may just throw regular olives in. (And pretty much forget about a kid eating them.)
I didn't "arrange on a platter", as you can tell from the pictures. I just put the spinach in one bowl, the tomato-feta-olive mixture in another bowl and the chicken and onions on a plate and let everyone build their own salad. Overall this was a very fresh, flavorful dish!



per serving: 396 calories; 61 grams protein; 11 grams total fat; 3 grams fiber; 5 grams saturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 162 mgs cholesterol; 647 mgs sodium
8 weight watcher points

Thyme-Corn Muffins



Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes


olive oil cooking spray
1 cup all purpose flour
1 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon coarse salt
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 ear(s) fresh corn, cooked and kernals removed
1 cup buttermilk
1 large egg , lightly beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

[1] Lightly coat a standard 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray. Whisk together flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, thyme, and 1 cup corn.

[2] Combine buttermilk, egg, and oil in a small bowl. Add to flour mixture, and stir until just combined.

[3] Spoon batter into muffin cups or a muffin tin, filling three-quarters full. Top with remaining 2 tablespoons corn and the thyme.

[4] Bake until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into centers comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes. Let cool in tin on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Turn out muffins onto rack. Serve warm or at room temperature. Muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Okay, I gotta admit, I didn't actually make these. Turns out Cristin didn't have Baking Powder or Baking Soda at her house... at least, none that we could find in her pantry!
So, we improvised and used a low-fat Marie Callender's mix that she had hanging around. I did add a can of corn to the mix, for fanciness, though. I will make these one day and let ya'll know how they actually turn out!

per serving: 218 calories; 4 grams protein; 7 grams total fat; 2 grams fiber; 1 gram saturated fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 22 mgs cholesterol; 197 mgs sodium
5 weight watcher points

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Potato Salad with Buttermilk-Bacon Dressing



Prep and cook time: 25 minutes

6 bacon slices
3 pounds small new potatoes, cut into 1-inch pieces
6 ear(s) fresh corn, kernels removed
6 green onions , chopped
3/4 cup buttermilk
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 and 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar




[1] Place potatoes in a large saucepan, cover with water, cook over high heat until potatoes are tender, but not falling apart, about 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

[2] In a medium skillet over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp, cool on paper towels. Set skillet aside. Cook corn in skillet over medium heat until lightly browned. Set corn aside.

[3] Crumble bacon into a large mixing bowl; add buttermilk, mayonnaise and vinegar. Add reserved corn, potatoes and onions to bowl, toss gently. Refrigerate until ready to serve
.

I did not, I repeat, DID NOT cut the kernels off of 6 ears of corn. Instead we estimated 2 cans of sweet whole kernel corn would be about right... and it was perfect! Just drain the can and dump it in. Much easier. I also added a couple extra pieces of bacon, because can you ever have enough bacon? This was a super delicious potato salad and I will absolutely make this for a family party or something as soon as I can!




per serving: 302 calories; 7 grams protein; 15 grams total fat; 5 grams fiber; 3 grams saturated fat; 37 grams carbohydrates; 17 mgs cholesterol; 218 mgs sodium
6 weight watcher points

Baked Barbecue Chicken


Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

3 tablespoons vegetable oil
6 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 1/2 teaspoons coarse salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 yellow onion , chopped
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 1/2 cup ketchup
1 1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/3 cup maple syrup
3
tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoon hot sauce

Preheat oven to 325 degrees

[1] Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Saute chicken in oil until browned on both sides. Remove chicken to a large casserole dish. Add onion to pan and saute until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook f
or one more minute.

[2] Decrease heat to medium low. Slowly add ketchup, tomato sauce, maple syrup, mustard, Worcestershire and hot sauce, scraping bits up from bottom of pan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Pour over chicken in casserole dish. Bake for 20 minutes, until cooked through, basting twice during cooking time.


I am not a fan of cooking things in oil... my poor forearms!
The chicken was super moist, but I don't know if I'd go to the trouble of making this barbecue sauce again. Cristin said she really liked it, though.
I did not baste the chicken, since the sauce basically covered it in the casserole dish anyways.




per serving: 312 calories; 30 grams protein; 6 grams total fat; 2 grams fiber; 1 gram saturated fat; 38 grams carbohydrates; 68 mgs cholesterol; 2156 mgs sodium
6 weight watcher points

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Parmesan-Crusted Turkey Cutlets


Prep and cook time: 30 minutes


1 1/2 pound turkey cutlets, skinless and boneless
2 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 cup panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3 tablespoons Italian parsley, chopped

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
3 large eggs , beaten

olive oil cooking spray


Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

[1] Set a wire rack on a baking sheet and coat the rack with cooking spray. Brush both sides of the turkey breast cutlets with mustard. In a pie plate or another shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs, Parmesan, parsley and salt and pepper.

[2 In another bowl, whisk the egg(s) until frothy. Dip each cutlet into the egg, then in the breadcrumb mixture. Place the cutlets on the prepared rack
over the baking sheet.

[3] Coat the top of each cutlet with cooking spray and bake for 15-20 minutes until the crumb coating is golden brown and crisp.

I think 'panko' is a brand of bread crumb? I don't really know, but we just used the Western Family bread crumbs Cristin had in her pantry already. Once again, I didn't feel the need to over season with salt and pepper. The bread crumb/parmesan cheese mixture on the turkey was really, really yummy. If you don't want to spend the extra cash on the turkey cutlets, I think this recipe would work exactly as well on chicken. In fact, that's probably what I would use next time. (Though the turkey was super tender and moist and delicious!)
I didn't realize I'd need the wire rack, so I didn't bring mine over to Cristin's house. I ended up just cooking the turkey straight on the cookie sheet. They turned out just dandy that way.

We definitely will add this one to our 'favorites' list!





per serving: 270 calories; 35 grams protein; 9 grams total fat; 1 gram fiber; 4 grams saturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 199 mgs cholesterol; 438 mgs sodium
6 weight watcher points

Baby Broccoli with Lemon and Dill


Prep and cook time: 20 minutes


1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoon fresh dill, snipped
2 tablespoon zest of lemon , finely grated
2 teaspoon olive oil

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 bunch baby broccoli
3 tablespoons butter


[1] In a large skillet, combine the broth, dill, lemon zest, oil and salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes

[2] Add broccoli and butter to the skillet. Cover and cook over medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes or until broccoli is tender. Drain the broccoli and transfer to a serving bowl.

We had chicken broth in the house, so we just used that instead of vegetable broth. It didn't seem to make the broccoli taste chicken-y or anything like that.
Ryan said he could taste the dill, but to me this broccoli just tasted like steamed broccoli with butter. This dish didn't take much time and was a hit with even the kids!





per serving: 94 calories; 4 grams protein; 6 grams total fat; 3 grams fiber; 4 grams saturated fat; 8 grams carbohydrates; 15 mgs cholesterol; 233 mgs sodium
2 weight watcher points

Thursday, June 3, 2010

Blackened Ham Steaks


Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves 4

2 ham steaks
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 cups frozen cut green beans

Preheat grill to medium heat

[1] In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, paprika, garlic powder, oregano, cayenne pepper and a little salt and pepper. Rub the mixture on both sides of the ham steaks, grill ham, covered until the edges of the steak begin to curl, about 2 minutes per side.

[2] Meanwhile cook the green beans according to package instructions. Serve with beans.

These were quick, easy and very flavorful. Another hit!

per serving: 213 calories; 22 grams protein; 10 grams total fat; 2 grams fiber; 3 grams saturated fat; 10 grams carbohydrates; 59 mgs cholesterol; 1436 mgs sodium
5 weight watcher points

Sweet Potato and Green Onion Hash


Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 35 minutes

Serves 4

4 sweet potatoes , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
2 tablespoons olive oil

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons orange juice
1 teaspoon ginger, minced
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
4 green onions , chopped

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.

[1] On a nonstick rimmed baking sheet, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil and salt and pepper. Roast until tender, about 35 minutes.

[2] In a large bowl, whisk together orange juice, ginger, mustard and onions.

[3] When potatoes are cooked, let cool a few minutes, then pour into bowl with juice mixture and toss gently.

* The potatoes can be made ahead of time.

So, one year for Thanksgiving, Cristin tried a sweet potato casserole recipe that called for orange juice and no one liked the flavor combination. With this in mind, I decided to omit the orange juice from this recipe. Everyone loved the roasted sweet potato. The fresh green onions, ginger and mustard gave them a jazzy zing.
Also, 35 minutes was too long - I set the timer for 30 and when I checked on them they were starting to burn just a touch. Delicious!

per serving: 152 calories; 2 grams protein; 7 grams total fat; 3 grams fiber; 1 gram saturated fat; 21 grams carbohydrates; 0 mgs cholesterol; 84 mgs sodium
3 weight watcher points

Wednesday, June 2, 2010

Open Faced BLT Burgers


Prep time: 25 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Serves 4

1 1/2 pounds ground chuck
4 bacon slices
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes (oil-packed), julienned, drained
1 teaspoon garlic, minced
1 teaspoon hot sauce
1 teaspoon cider vinegar
1/4 cup mayonnaise

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil, for brushing
2 English muffins, split
1/2 head Romaine lettuce, leaves separated

Heat the grill to medium high.

[1] In a large skillet, cook the bacon over medium-heat until crisp, about 7 minutes. Drain on paper towels, and then finely chop.

[2] In a mini food processor or blender, pulse the sun-dried tomatoes with the garlic, hot sauce, and vinegar until finely chopped. Add the mayonnaise and puree until smooth. Add the bacon, season with salt and pepper, and pulse just until combined.

[3] Form the meat into equal size patties, about 1 inch thick and brush lightly with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Grill the burgers for 10-12 minutes, turning once. Make sure the meat is thoroughly cooked and no longer pink in the center. Brush the cut sides of the muffins with olive oil and grill until lightly browned, about 1 minute.

[4] Spread some of the mayonnaise on the cut sides of the muffins and top with lettuce. Add the burgers and then top with a small dollop of the mayonnaise and serve.


These burgers were super delicious. Everyone LOVED the sun dried tomato-bacon-mayo that is spread on the English muffin. Unfortunately we ran out of propane for the grill, so I fried these up on the stovetop (less healthy, but very flavorful!). This recipe doesn't say to add anything to the meat, but it doesn't stay together well if you don't, so I added about half a cup of parmesan cheese and one torn up slice of wheat bread and a healthy sprinkling of parsley. I did not brush the burgers or the muffins with olive oil... seemed like there was enough oil between pan-frying the burgers and the mayo mixture. I like the fact that they are open faced - I used my big leaves of romaine lettuce as the top bun. Made it a little lighter that way!
Also, I did not use hot sauce. I don't like it. I got no complaints of the sun dried tomato mayo being without flavor, so I don't think it mattered. In fact, everyone raved about the mayo - it was delicious! I actually used more than 1/4 cup of mayo - I added about 2 heaping tablespoons more mayo - it just seemed to need it. Lastly, I WOULD NOT use the blender again for this. I would just finely chop up the sun dried tomatoes myself and whisk it all together. The blender was absolutely useless and just something extra to clean.

per serving: 563 calories; 33 grams protein; 39 grams total fat; 2 grams fiber; 10 grams saturated fat; 19 grams carbohydrates; 113 mgs cholesterol; 670 mgs sodium

**
I forgot to take pictures again, so that one up top is the closest thing I could find on Google -LOL

Salad with Maple Dressing


Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves 4

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup maple syrup
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sugar
2 tablespoons canola oil

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
5 ounces mixed greens
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into chunks
1/4 cup dried cherries

[1] Whisk mayonnaise, maple syrup, vinegar, and sugar in medium bowl to blend. Gradually whisk in oil until mixture thickens slightly. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

[2] Toss greens, apple and cherries in a large bowl to combine. Toss with enough dressing to coat. Divide salad equally among plates and serve.


This was actually really tasty. I was skeptical about the maple syrup, but everyone enjoyed it. A couple things: I DID NOT buy dried cherries. They are like 10$ for a tiny bag. Instead I got a bag of cherry-flavored Craisins, which were yummy and sufficient. I also did not take the time to peel the apple, but I made sure to cut it into small bite-sized pieces. Lastly, we didn't have white wine vinegar, so I just used distilled white vinegar. Didn't seem to make a difference. I could make this salad once a week all summer!

per serving: 166 calories; 1 gram protein; 13 grams total fat; 1 gram fiber; 1 gram saturated fat; 12 grams carbohydrates; 4 mgs cholesterol; 50 mgs sodium
4 weight watchers points

Monday, May 24, 2010

Pineapple Rice


Prep and cook time: 20 minutes
Serves 4

1 1/4 cups water
1 cup pineapple juice
2 teaspoons sugar
1 teaspoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup basmati rice
2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons cilantro, chopped


[1] Bring water, pineapple juice, sugar, butter and salt to boil in a saucepan. Stir in rice, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes, then fluff rice with a fork.

[2] Stir in lime juice and cilantro.

We just used long grain white rice that we already had in the pantry instead of the basmati rice. 15 minutes is waaaaay too short of a cook time. I simmered the rice for about 35 minutes and it was STILL a little hard. I think next time I would cook it at a medium heat for awhile and then simmer. I also ran out of lime juice and cilantro, so we did without that step (not a big deal). The pineapple juice gave it a very sweet flavor. We all liked it, I just wish I had cooked it longer!

per serving: 209 calories; 4 grams protein; 1 gram total fat; 1 gram fiber; 1 gram saturated fat; 45 grams carbohydrates; 3 mgs cholesterol; 7 mgs sodium
4 Weight Watcher points

Coconut-Marinated Chicken Kebabs


Marinate time: 15 minutes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Serves 4

4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 fresh pineapple fresh pineapple
2 bell peppers (any color or variety)
1 1/2 cups light coconut milk
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1 teaspoon coarse salt
2 tablespoons lime juice

12-inch bamboo skewers, soaked
2 cups frozen corn


Preheat grill to medium heat

[1] Prepare the chicken, pineapple and peppers by cutting each into 2-inch chunks, place in a large resealable plastic bag.

[2] In a medium bowl, mix the coconut milk, sugar, cilantro, salt and lime juice. Add half of the marinade to the chicken mixture in the bag. Let stand for 15 minutes reserve the remaining marinade for basting. Heat the grill to medium-high heat.

[3] Thread chicken, pineapple and pepper onto bamboo skewers.

[4] Grill the kebabs for 10-12 minutes rotating and basting with the coconut mixture. Meanwhile, cook corn according to package instructions. Serve chicken with corn.

Note: Make sure that the chicken is spread out on the skewer to cook evenly.

We all loved this recipe - the marinade was very yummy, especially on the pineapple.
Mmmm... grilled pineapple...

per serving: 313 calories; 31 grams protein; 5 grams total fat; 4 grams fiber; 3 grams saturated fat; 39 grams carbohydrates; 68 mgs cholesterol; 94 mgs sodium
6 Weight Watcher points

Artichoke Cheese Bread


Prep and cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 4

1 baguette
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon garlic, minced, minced
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
1 6.5-ounce jar artichoke hearts (oil packed), drained and chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

[1] Halve baguette lengthwise; scoop out center with your fingers, and tear into small pieces. Set bread shells aside.

[2] Melt butter in a medium skillet over medium-low heat. Add bread pieces and garlic; cook until bread is golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Cool slightly.

[3] In a large bowl, combine browned bread, sour cream, Monterey Jack, artichoke hearts, and lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper; stir together.

[4] Spoon mixture into reserved bread shells;. Bake until browned on top, 20 minutes. Cool before cutting into serving pieces.

This one was a hit! Only thing about the way I made mine is that our baguette was too hard to hollow out, so we sliced it up into thin pieces (like bruschetta) and topped the slices with the artichoke heart mixture (minus the browned bread pieces, of course) and baked them. Really yummy!

per serving: 277 calories; 18 grams protein; 22 grams total fat; 0 grams fiber; 13 grams saturated fat; 3 grams carbohydrates; 64 mgs cholesterol; 638 mgs sodium
7 Weight Watchers points


Halibut Kabobs with Chile Lime Sauce



Preparation time:10 minutes
Marinade time 30 minutes
Cook time:10 minutes

Serves 4


SAUCE
3/4 cup lime juice, plus zest
1/3 cup cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons sugar
1 serrano chile , seeded and minced

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

HALIBUT
1 1/4 pounds halibut fillets (can sub tilapia), cut into 1 1/2-inch cubes
2 bell peppers (any color or a variety), cored, seeded and cut into chunks
1 white onion , cut into 2 inch pieces

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons olive oil

12-inch bamboo skewers, soaked in water


[1] For the sauce, in a small bowl, whisk the lime juice, cilantro, olive oil, sugar, chile and a little lime zest until the sugar dissolves. Reserve 1/2 of the sauce for the marinade. Let other half stand at room temperature until ready to serve.

[2] For the halibut, arrange fish in a shallow dish. Pour the reserved sauce over the halibut and turn to coat. Marinate, covered, in the refrigerator for 30 minutes, turning occasionally. Thread the halibut, bell peppers and onion onto skewers. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and brush with olive oil.

[3] Prepare the grill to medium high heat.

[4] Grill the kabobs for 6 minutes or until halibut turns opaque in the center, turning occasionally. Remove to individual plates and serve with the remaining sauce.


So, between all the chopping of vegetables and squeezing of limes, this was a very time consuming recipe. Next time I would FOR SURE use lime juice out of a bottle and probably halve the amount of marinade I made, because there was A LOT left-over and I was ticked about it because I squeezed 12 FRIGGIN' LIMES to get all that juice out. (Well, I squeezed 8 and then recruited Ryan's friend Natalie to do the last 4.) And frankly, the end result just wasn't worth all the work. The fish tasted really yummy marinaded in the sauce, but the extra at the end was unnecessary because it was plenty flavorful. Consensus: good, but I'm not sure I'd make this one again anytime soon.

per serving: 356 calories; 33 grams protein; 17 grams total fat; 2 grams fiber; 2 grams saturated fat; 17 grams carbohydrates; 49 mgs cholesterol; 95 mgs sodium
8 Weight Watcher points

Apricot-Spinach Salad


Prep time: 5 minutes
Serves 4

1/4 cup rice vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup dried apricots
4 cups fresh spinach

[1] In a salad bowl, mix vinegar, oil, lemon juice and a little zest. Add apricots and spinach leaves, and mix to coat fruit and greens with dressing.

This salad was simple and quick to prepare. I love dried apricots! I didn't put all the prepared dressing on the spinach - I just kept adding spoonfuls until the spinach appeared to be coated and then served the remaining dressing on the side for those who wanted more on theirs. This salad is very summery - the lemon flavor on the spinach and apricots was quite good.

per serving: 51 calories; 1 gram protein; 4 grams total fat; 1 gram fiber; 0 grams saturated fat; 4 grams carbohydrates; 0 mgs cholesterol; 30 mgs sodium
1 Weight Watchers point

Grilled Rosemary Chicken with Cream



Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Serves 4


2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

olive oil cooking spray

SAUCE
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 tablespoon milk

Prepare grill to medium high heat.

[1] For chicken, combine mustard, oil, rosemary and salt and pepper in a small bowl; brush evenly over chicken. Place chicken on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 6 minutes on each side or until done.

[2] For sauce: While chicken grills, combine mustard, mayonnaise and milk. Serve mustard cream with grilled chicken.

This dish was fast and easy to prepare and cook - and it tasted delicious! The dijon cream sauce was light and complemented the rosemary chicken very nicely. The grocery stores around here don't have a huge selection of fresh herbs, so I used rosemary from a spice jar - only 1 and 1/2 tablespoons instead of two whole ones. A crowd pleaser!

per serving: 400 calories; 55 grams protein; 18 grams total fat; 0 grams fiber; 3 grams saturated fat; 1 gram carbohydrates; 143 mgs cholesterol; 287 mgs sodium
10 Weight Watchers points

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Bubbly Cheese Bread



Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 15-20 minutes
YOU NEED TO FACTOR IN TIME FOR THE ROLLS TO THAW!


Serves 6 people

6 Rhodes Texas rolls, thawed
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese

coarse salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
4 tablespoons butter

[1] Sprinkle counter top or bread board with Parmesan cheese. Press rolls into a ball, place on top of cheese and begin rolling out into a 12 to 14-inch circle. Turn dough over a few times as you continue to roll the cheese into the dough. Place on a 12-inch pizza pan coated with cooking spray.

[2] Sprinkle with mozzarella cheese and salt and pepper. Cover with plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray. Let rise 30 minutes. Remove wrap and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes.

[3] Slice bread with a pizza cutter and serve with butter.


My dough only took about 10 minutes to thaw sufficiently to be malleable.
I just used my fingers to work the dough into a rough circle in the pizza pan I baked it on.
Careful if you are using the coarse sea salt for section [2] - we bit down on a couple of large, crunchy salt pieces in our bread. I'd recommend skipping the salt and pepper altogether (I didn't think it really needed it) or using finer salt to season it with.

per serving: 281 calories; 16 grams protein; 12 grams total fat; 1 gram fiber; 7 gram saturated fat; 26 grams carbohydrates; 33 mgs cholesterol; 716 mgs sodium
6 Weight Watchers Points