Soups On ... Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup (WW 6 Points)

With the weather cooler, and me running around crazy I have been using my crockpot a lot more then usual!  I love Emily Bites and she posted a recipe for Creamy Chicken & Wild Rice Soup, I of course adapted it to be in the crockpot to make my life easier!  ONE thing I learned a LONG time ago is put the rice or noodles in the crockpot the last hour.  I was in a rush and didn't do this and got kind of a goopy soup.  It still was tasty but a head slap for not remembering to wait until the end to put the rice in!

Ingredients:

2 cups water

4 cups (32 oz) less sodium fat free chicken broth

1 lb raw boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 (6 oz) box of Long Grain & Wild Rice 

1 cup sliced or diced carrots

1 cup sliced celery

½ cup flour

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon black pepper

1 stick (8 tablespoons) light butter 

2 cups fat free half and half

Directions:

1. Bring the water and chicken broth to a boil in a large pot or dutch oven. Add the chicken, rice (with seasoning packet), carrots and celery and reduce heat to a simmer. Cover the pot and simmer for 25-30 minutes until chicken is cooked through and easy to shred. Remove the cooked chicken breasts to a plate and shred with two forks. Replace the lid and continue to simmer the rest.

2. Mix together the flour, salt and pepper in a bowl until combined. In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in flour a spoonful at a time to make a roux. Pour the half and half in a little at a time, stirring continuously with a whisk to allow the roux to combine with the cream. Continue whisking and adding half and half until the mixture is smooth and creamy. 

3. Add the shredded chicken and the cream mixture back into the soup pot and stir to combine. Bring back to a simmer and simmer for 5-10 minutes to allow soup to thicken and flavors to combine. 

ALEXIS NOTES: I used my soy creamer instead of the half and half (what I had on hand). Since I was using the crockpot I threw in a frozen chicken.  Right before I served I put the cooked chicken into my mixer to shred the chicken.  I got Wild Rice from the bulk section at Winco.  I put all my ingredients in the crockpot on low for about 6 hours.  REMEMBER don't put the rice in until about a hour before you serve!!

Give it a try it's on the skinny side but is full of flavor, no one in the house will know!

Enjoy you will love this one!

Something to keep your belly warm in this cold season.

Thanks for Stopping by!

Don't forget to see the parties I link up to HERE. 

Come Won Ton With me! (Ok it sounded funnier in my head)

Pin It Last week I told the PTF president that I would make something yummy for the meeting.  I found a great recipe of course on Pinterest a while back and have been dying to try.  It is I must say on the spicy side so most of the ladies only had one and I then was left with a crazy amount left over thankfully the principal loaded up and took most of them home with him.  Now these look harder then they really are, just a little time and you'll have a perfect party food!  

I made this Skinny Spanakopita from one of my favorite weight watcher sites Slender Kitchen.  I of course didn't have anything here so I had to send Rick on a run, which he did with big smiles and no groans .. hehe.

Weight Watchers Skinny Spanakopita 
Points: 2 Weight Watchers PointsPlus
Servings: 8
Serving Size: 3 Skinny Spanakopitas
Nutritional Info: 86.1 calories, 1.1 g of fat, 15.7 g of carbohydrates, 1.3 of fiber, 3.5 g of protein

Ingredients
24 wonton wrappers
10 oz of spinach (I used frozen but fresh would work)
1/2 cup reduced fat feta cheese
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 onion, chopped
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 egg white, for egg wash
1 tsp olive oil

Instructions
1.Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

2. Heat the olive oil over medium heat and add the garlic, onion, and red pepper flakes.  Once it becomes fragrant, add the spinach.   Saute until just tender.

3. Place the spinach mixture in a bowl and mix in the feta cheese. Add salt and pepper to taste.

4.  Lay out the 24 wonton wrappers on two large cookie sheets sprayed with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper. Fill a small cup with warm water and place it near the cookie sheets.

5. Begin assembling the spanakopita by placing a spoonful of the spinach and feta mixture in the center of the wonton wrapper. Wet the edges of the wonton wrapper with the warm water and fold over and press down to close. Once you have stuffed and sealed all the wonton wrappers, brush lightly with the egg wash or spray with cooking spray.

6. Bake for 8-10 minutes until crispy. Serve on their own or with marinara sauce for dipping.

Since I had half a pack of wonton wrappers left over I found another great recipe for our dinner weekly guest.  I had all the fixing for this one so no sending Rick to the store.  I did learn a great lesson using an old cupcake pan vs a new non stick pan REALLY makes the difference with you're out of kitchen oil spray. 

Next on the list is one I tweaked to be kid friendly off Emily's Bites (another amazing weight watcher blog) for these Mini Taco Cupcakes. 

Ingredients:
1 ½ t chili oil (found near the Asian ingredients)
½ lb 95% lean ground beef
1 T taco seasoning
¾ c canned black beans, drained and rinsed
16 wonton wrappers (found in the produce section)
5 T + 1 t of queso dip or salsa con queso (I used Wholly Guacamole Queso Blanco)
1 c chunky salsa (I used Wholly Guacamole Medium Salsa)
1 c reduced fat shredded Mexican cheese (I used Weight Watchers brand)

*** I left out the chili oil, Black Beans and Salsa's - Due to not wanting to send Rick to the store again ... lol.  I did chop up some black olives since the boys love them ***

Directions:
1.    Pre-heat the oven to 375. Lightly mist 8 cups in a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
2.    Heat chili oil in a sauté pan or large skillet over medium-high heat, add the ground beef and taco seasoning and brown beef, breaking it up with a spoon. Add black beans and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, for a few minutes until warm.
3.    Push a wonton wrapper into the bottom of each of the eight sprayed cups in the muffin tin. Spoon a teaspoon of queso dip into each wonton wrapper and spread across the bottom. Follow by spooning some of the meat/beans mixture into each cup (using about half the total mixture) and then splitting ½ cup of the salsa evenly into each cup. Sprinkle about half the shredded Mexican cheese evenly over the top of each cup. Press another wonton wrapper on top and repeat the layering steps with the remaining ingredients.
4.    Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes before removing from muffin tin.

And this is what happens!

Either mush cupcakes or Nice cupcakes :)

Have a great week everyone!  I just know it's going to be a busy one here again!

Tuesday’s Friends–Chicken Parm Subs with handmade bun

The other week I made a really good sandwich for our friends.  Of course I came across our meal idea on Pinterest.  This Chicken Parmesan Sub was found on one of my favorite sites Eating Well.  I search Pinterest for their recipes all the time since they are low fat and family pleasing.

The recipe called for whole wheat sandwich rolls, but you know me I rather make my own when I can.  So I found this bread machine roll recipe on all recipes which is another good source.

Ingredients

• 3 cups bread flour (I used whole wheat)
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup dry milk powder
• 1 cup warm water (110 degrees F/45 degrees C)
• 2 tablespoons butter, softened
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 egg white
• 2 tablespoons water

Directions

1. Place the bread flour, sugar, salt, milk powder, water, butter, and yeast in the pan of the bread machine in the order recommended by the manufacturer. Set on Dough cycle; press Start.
2. Remove risen dough from the machine, deflate, and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide the dough into twelve equal pieces, and form into rounds. Place the rounds on lightly greased baking sheets. Cover the rolls with a damp cloth, and let rise until doubled in volume, about 40 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
3. In a small bowl, mix together the egg white and 2 tablespoons water; brush lightly onto the rolls. Bake in the preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until the rolls are golden brown.

Then on to the chicken and making of the subs.  This was pretty easy and man they sure would yummy!

Chicken Parmesan Sub

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
• 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts (2 large breasts cut into 4 portions or 4 small breasts), (2 large breasts cut into 4 portions or 4 small breasts)
• 4 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 6-ounce bags baby spinach
• 1 cup marinara sauce, preferably low-sodium (see Tip)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella
• 4 soft whole-wheat sandwich rolls, toasted

PREPARATION

1. Position oven rack in top position; preheat broiler.
2. Combine flour, salt and pepper in a shallow dish. Place chicken between 2 large pieces of plastic wrap. Pound with the smooth side of a meat mallet or a heavy saucepan until the chicken is an even 1/4-inch thickness. Dip the chicken in the flour mixture and turn to coat.
3. Heat 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add spinach and cook, stirring often, until wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer to a small bowl.
4. Add 1 teaspoon oil to the pan. Add half the chicken and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Transfer to a large baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining 1 teaspoon oil and chicken; transfer to the baking sheet.
5. Top each piece of chicken with the wilted spinach, marinara sauce and Parmesan. Sprinkle with mozzarella. Broil until the cheese is melted and the chicken is cooked through, about 3 minutes. Serve on rolls.

(I just baked my chicken then added the spinach and cheese in the oven, I’m about the easy version.  So I skipped the putting the chicken in the pan on the stove top).

So there you have it an easy meal and something new then just the regular chicken dinner!  Happy Monday have a great day!

When it rains it pours …

Well I am talking about the weather we have been having lately, but in our personal life it seems to be the same too.  Sadly Rick is still with out a full time job, I must give the guy credit he has applied to 5 to 10 new jobs everyday but sadly nothing.  Thankfully he has been able to pick up some part time work and we’re making it work.  And it’s nice that summer has started and he is able to help with the kids. 

Well back to the rain … hehe … It’s very cold around here so my crockpot and stove top have been getting a work out.  I found another yummy soup to keep our bellies warm.  I found this Cheeseburger in Paradise Skinny Soup on the recipe kitchen site.

Cheeseburger in Paradise Skinny Soup

Ingredients

• 1 pound extra lean ground beef
• 1½ cups onion, chopped
• ¾ cup celery, diced
• ½ cup carrots, diced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 1½ teaspoons dried basil
• ½ teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 (14.5 oz) cans Swanson’s reduced sodium chicken broth (4 cups)
• 1 cup reduced-fat milk (1%)
• 1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes, not drained
• 2 cups potatoes, peeled and diced

Topping

• 6 tablespoons reduced-fat cheddar cheese
• Ketchup
• Yellow mustard
• 1 dill pickle, chopped

Directions

1. In a large nonstick pot or deep pan, brown the ground beef. Stir to break up into a crumble. Remove from heat, pour into a colander to drain the fat. Set aside.

2. In the same pot, add the onions, celery, carrots, garlic and basil. Saute for about 5 minutes until vegetable are soft.  Stir in the browned beef and flour, stirring to coat the meat. Cook for 1 minute. Stir in the broth, milk, tomatoes and potatoes. Bring to boil, turn heat to simmer, cover and cook for about 30 minutes, until potatoes are tender.

3. To serve: Ladle soup into individual bowls. Top each with 1 tablespoon cheese and a little ketchup, mustard and chopped pickle. These toppings really add to the cheeseburger flavor!

Makes 6 main course servings (1½ cups each)

Weight Watchers

(old points) 4
Weight Watchers POINTS PLUS 5

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Wait don’t throw out those bananas …

I must admit I LOVE LOVE banana bread but since I’ve been dieting (and just to finally say it I’m down a little over 21 lbs!!) I haven’t been eating a lot of my favorite foods.  BUT thank you Pinterest I have found yet another amazing recipe.  AND it’s only 1 point for you weight watcher people!  And heck the kids loved it of course with some butter but heck they need the calories!

Ingredients:

• 3 bananas, mashed
• 1 cup Splenda sugar substitute
• 1/2 cup natural applesauce
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In a mixer, mash bananas, add Splenda and mix.

Mix in rest of indgredients.

Pour ingredients into a bread pan sprayed with non-stick spray.

Bake for 50 to 60 minutes; cake tester should come out clean when done.

Remove from pan and cool on a wire rack.

*If using a dark coated pan, bake at 325 degrees and bake a little longer; cake tester to should come out clean when done.

I used an organic strawberry applesauce packet that the boys love (I didn’t have any other and it worked perfect).

YUMMY and you can even have 2 pieces!! Enjoy, have a wonderful Monday!

Cool Sweet Treat

Since I’ve been dieting for you know the end of time, I still need something to curb my sweet tooth.  I found this of course on Pinterest my obsession of the current times.  BUT I am actually making things I find … yup I tell myself that so I rationalize it is ok.

My latest creation are these yummy Low Calorie Greek Yogurt Cheesecake Minis on Volume 25 blog.  She added a few blueberries, I didn’t have any left so I just drizzled a little agave syrup.

Greek Yogurt Cheese Cake Mini's

INGREDIENTS:
12 oz Plain Greek yogurt
1 package Sugar Free Fat Free Cheese Cake Pudding Mix
1 Cup almond milk (or any other milk)
3 Tbs Butter
5 Graham Crackers
12 Cupcake liners

(I used low fat Graham Crackers, you can also use non fat Greek yogurt to lower fat / calories)

DIRECTIONS:
In Zip Lock Baggie, crush graham crackers. Melt butter and mix into graham crackers until well blended. In a lined cupcake tin, evenly distribute cracker mixture, using your fingers, pack it down. In a mixing bowl, add Greek yogurt, Cheese cake pudding mix, and milk and mix well. once well mixed evenly distribute into the cupcake tin. Pop in your freezer or refrigerator for about 30 minutes. 

I put mine in the freezer it was the perfect treat.

Makes 12 Cupcake sized cheesecakes

Enjoy, I promise this is a treat even if you are not on a diet.

We Wrap the Week with Pasta

I’m a little off with my recipe post the past few weeks.  So I thought why not end this week with a yummy recipe!  And let’s hope I get back on routine next week … lol.

I found this very yummy recipe for Bacon Ranch & Chicken Mac & Cheese on the Weight Watcher Website.  It was a very simple recipe to make and the boys loved it.  We actually even had it for left overs the next nigh with is UNHEARD of here at the house.  My boys (including the big one) think left overs are no no’s.  I used a few different things which may bring the points down  little bit.  I used Reduced Fat Cream of Mushroom, Red Fat Cheese, Turkey Bacon and whole wheat macaroni.

Ingredients

• 8 oz cooked boneless, skinless chicken breast(s), Cut into 1/2 inch pieces  
• 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour  
• 1 can(s) canned condensed cream of mushroom soup  
• 2 serving(s) Lite Shredded Cheese Blend TJ's  
• 1 serving(s) Trader Joe's Organic Shredded Mozzarella Cheese  
• 1/2 tsp onion powder  
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder  
• 1 tsp dried dill weed  
• 1/2 tsp sea salt  
• 1/2 cup(s) Kraft Shredded Colby & Monterey Jack Cheese  
• 3 slice(s) crisp cooked bacon  
• 7 1/4 oz uncooked macaroni  
• 2 Tbsp regular butter  
• 12 oz low-fat milk

Instructions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions, omitting salt and fat; drain.

2. Cook bacon in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Remove bacon from pan, reserving drippings in pan. Finely chop bacon; set aside. Increase heat to medium-high. Add chicken to drippings in pan; sauté 6 minutes or until done.

3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat; sprinkle flour evenly into pan. Cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a whisk. Combine milk and soup, stirring with a whisk; gradually add milk mixture to saucepan, stirring with a whisk. Bring to a boil; cook 2 minutes or until thick. Remove from heat; let stand 4 minutes or until sauce cools to 155. Add Italian cheese blend, onion powder, garlic powder, dill, and salt, stirring until cheese melts. Stir in pasta and chicken.

4. Preheat broiler.

5. Spoon mixture into an 8-inch square baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle evenly with reserved bacon and colby-Jack cheese. Broil 3 minutes or until cheese melts. Cooking Light, MARCH 2010

Enjoy I promise you will and everyone you serve will enjoy this one!  Have a wonderful weekend!  I’m hoping to have a nice relaxing one.

Tuesday Dinner with Friends … Hamburger Noodle Bake

We got back on our Tuesday dinner with my friend and her son.  It was great to have them back over it has been a few weeks and we were able to let the kids play and we were able to sit and chat and have some wine.  I haven’t been to the grocery store in a while so I’m using what we have in the house.  I found this recipe for Hamburger Noodle Bake on the Weight Watcher website.  I did switch it out with Turkey so I guess mine would be Turkey Noodle Bake!

Ingredients

• 12 oz uncooked no-yolk egg noodles  
• 2 medium uncooked red onion(s), chopped  
• 1 small green pepper(s), yellow pepper or green pepper, chopped  
• 1 1/2 pound(s) uncooked 95% lean ground beef  
• 29 oz canned diced tomatoes  
• 1/3 cup(s) parsley, flat-leaf, chopped  
• 1/4 tsp black pepper  
• 1 1/2 cup(s) low-fat shredded Cheddar cheese  
• 3 3/4 oz Nabisco Ritz Reduced-fat crackers, about 35 crackers  

Instructions

• Cook the noodles according to the package directions, omitting the salt if desired.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350ºF. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
• Spray a large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add the red onion and bell pepper; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes.
• Combine the beef mixture, noodles, tomatoes, parsley, and pepper in the baking dish. Stir in the ¾ cup of the cheese. Sprinkle the top with the remaining ¾ cup of cheese and the crackers. Spray the topping with nonstick spray. Bake until hot and the cheese is melted, about 45 minutes.

Now my little tweaks were using Ground Turkey & Whole Wheat Noodles.  This was delish, very easy to throw together and even our little picky eater who usually is not a noodle fan loved it.

Kicking it with my Crockpot again …

It’s still a little chilly here (well we did have a sunny day Monday) but it’s still soup time in my mind!   This is one of my favorite soups I have made.  I believe I’ve made it before and posted.  Cole actually ate 3 bowls of it.  I was actually spooning the bottom of the crockpot for it!

Ingredients

• 2 spray(s) cooking spray  
• 1 clove(s) (medium) garlic clove(s), minced  
• 1 medium uncooked onion(s), chopped  
• 1 rib(s) (medium) uncooked celery, chopped  
• 1 pound(s) uncooked 93% lean ground beef  
• 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour  
• 3 cup(s) canned chicken broth, divided  
• 1 cup(s) low-fat evaporated milk  
• 8 oz Kraft Velveeta Light Reduced-Fat Pasteurized Processed Cheese Product, or similar product, cubed  
• 1/2 tsp paprika  
• 1/4 tsp table salt  
• 1/8 tsp black pepper  
• 24 item(s) baked low-fat tortilla chips, crumbled  

Instructions

• Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and heat over medium-high heat for about 30 seconds. Add garlic, onion and celery to skillet; cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are tender, about 5 to 10 minutes. Coat a 3-quart or larger slow cooker with cooking spray; spoon in vegetables.
• Place same skillet over medium-high heat and brown beef, breaking up meat with a wooden spoon as it cooks, about 5 to 6 minutes; pour off any liquid and add meat to slow cooker.
• In a small cup, combine flour and 1/2 cup of broth; stir until lump-free. Pour flour mixture into same skillet; add remaining 2 1/2 cups of broth. Bring to a simmer, scraping up any browned bits in bottom of skillet with a wooden spoon, and then pour into slow cooker; stir in evaporated milk, cheese, paprika, salt and pepper. Cover slow cooker and cook on low setting for 2 hours. Serve soup topped with crumbled chips. Yields about 3/4 cup of soup and 3 tablespoons of chips per serving.

Enjoy!  Hope you all have a wonderful night.  We have swim tonight, so I’m thinking it will be another crockpot night so dinner is ready when we get back. 

What is on your menu tonight?

Sneaking Greens into Dinner

First off I want to say thank you for all the prayers for my grandmother’s passing.  They mean more than any words I can form right now.

I have a brain overload now, so I thought I’d put up some recipes.  As we know I’m all about getting veggies in.  My boys thankfully have always had veggies so I don’t really have a problem with them eating them.  BUT I do like giving it to them in new ways.  My mom use to always make Quiche’s and Soups so this is fitting to showcase some of my favorites growing up but done in a low fat version.

First off we have a Broccoli and Cheddar Quiche That turned out very yummy.  Now it’s not as creamy as if it was made with all eggs but still very yummy!

Next on the list is a Crockpot Creamy Chicken Spinach Soup that was very yummy and you didn’t have big spinach leaves.

So there you have two very simple and classic meals that were low in fat.  Enjoy!  On our menu tonight is Crockpot Chicken Stroganoff.

What is on your menu tonight?

Warm me up please …

It’s been so chilly lately around here and it’s effecting my mood … ugh.  Then I wake up this morning to see this ------>

YUP that’s SNOW!

Why not share some yummy tummy warming meals I made last week.  First off I want to share The Best Darn Chili Con Carne With Beans. This is from one of my favorite sites Skinny Kitchen.  This was easy to make and the boys loved it, Cole even took it to lunch.  I used a sausage instead of lean ground beef (because that is what I had on hand).

Last on our list was one I loved the boys and Rick just thought it was ok.  This Chicken and Broccoli Noodle Casserole is from my other favorite site Skinny Taste. I cut up my chicken to make it easy for me and steamed my broccoli so it wouldn’t be hard.

  I’m going to go visit my grandmother before we leave for Disney tomorrow so I’m not sure I’ll be making dinner … lol it maybe a cereal night … hehe.  Hope you’re all staying warm!

Tuesday Dinner Friends Spaghetti Feed!

Another yummy meal that was a hit with all this week.  Our normal Tuesday night guest was not feeling well but my other friend was planning to come.  I made a double batch earlier in the morning so we had plenty to send home with our new guest and left overs for the next day. 

Of course I found some amazing recipes of Pinterest first off on my list was Old-Fashioned Spaghetti & Meatballs.  I’ve never cooked with bulgar wheat before so I picked it up in the bulk section and made it.  They turned out fabulous and easy to make.

I then found this amazing light bread that was easy to make with what I had on hand.  This Lighter Cheesy Garlic Bread was a no yeast bread that I mixed up and threw in the oven and served hot and yummy!

Dinner is served!

I made a yummy dessert then I remembered our guest doesn’t eat dessert. I know who doesn’t eat dessert, a smart person that is … Hmmm maybe I should have ate her and my helping … lol.  This Baked Apple Streusel was simple to make and I add a dolop of non fat whipped cream.

So there you have it another Tuesday Dinner meal .  On our menu tonight will be Crock-Pot Creamy Chicken Soup.

Another Boy Pleaser Meal

As you all know by now the boys are all about the meat and potato dishes.  My challenge is finding ways to make it healthier sider.  So I share with you another meatloaf and mashed potato dish.  Both of these were rather simple to make and both boys went back for seconds, Cole even had thirds!

First off is a Skinny Turkey-Spinach Meat Loaf now I did all ground turkey since I had it on hand and no one here seems to mind it.  PLUS I was able to sneak in spinach, which in this house is not that hard except for Rick … lol.

Next on the list was Skinny Garlic Mashed Potatoes from my favorite site Skinnytaste.com.  These were simple to make and the boys of course loved them.  Another simple one but a crowd pleaser!

Hope you find this to your table soon.  Tonight is our Tuesday dinner friends plus we have another friend joining our table tonight.  So we’ll be adding a place and enjoying Old-Fashioned Spaghetti & Meatballs (Eating Healthy) and Lighter Cheesy Garlic Bread.

What’s for dinner tonight?

Tuesday Dinner Twist on Spaghetti & Apple Pie

We had our Tuesday dinner friend come over tonight and I found some yummy things to try (yes on Pinterest).  I wanted to try this braided bread but the dough it called for I couldn’t find so I made my own!  I found this Italian Parmesan Bread for Bread Machine that smelled so yummy and made the recipe pop!  I put it on the dough cycle and let it do the work for me!

The recipe I needed the bread for was this Braided Spaghetti Bread that was so YUMMY!  I made a few tweaks the bread I made (was half white & half whole wheat flour), I added low fat chicken sausage and used whole wheat noodles.

Last on my list was a yummy dessert that was lower in points and so delish!  Apple Dumplings with Orange Sauce for you weight watcher people this is 5 points.  Enjoy a sweet treat, you deserve it!

Happy Wednesday!  Hope you have a fab day!