Hey guys!
So as you've probably noticed we haven't been posting new recipes. It's been an insane holiday season filled with super busy days and lots to get ready, shopping, baking, visits with family, etc... so just a quick note your fave recipe bloggers be back with all new entries and recipes on Jan. 8th.
Mark it down! Don't forget!
So until then Ma and I want to wish you all a VERY Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays/Fantastic New Year!!!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Saturday, December 22, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
Healthy Harvest Chili & Hungry Girl Corn Muffins
Hey guys!
On tonight's menu we're showcasing a hearty chili and some yummy cute little corn muffins. Yep, 2 recipes tonight which is a rare on our blog but we like to spice it up. Chili is a fave around here. It's something that can feed an army and cook itself in a handy slow cooker. So if you're looking for a super fast meal we suggest you try out this one.
Here's what you'll need:
Healthy Harvest Chili
2 tbsp. Vegetable oil
1 lb. ground turkey
1 medium onion, chopped
1 (15-oz.) can pinto beans, undrained
1 (11-oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (11-oz.) can whole kernel corn, undrained
1 (1-oz.) package dry ranch dressing mix
1 ( 1 1/4-oz.) package spicy taco seasoning
1. Heat oil in 4-quart saucepan over medium heat. Heat onion, stirring occasionally, until browned, 8 to 9 minutes.
2. Add turkey and cook, breaking up with a wooden spoon until cooked through. 4 to 5 minutes.
3. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid thickens, 20 minutes.
WW: I couldn't find nutrition info on this dish. Sorry :[.
Hungry Girl Corn Muffins
Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup yellow cornmeal
1/4 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tbsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cups canned cream-style corn
3/4 cup fat-free liquid egg substitute (like Egg Beaters Original)
3/4 cup fat-free Greek yogurt (Fage Total 0% is the best!)
Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Combine flour, cornmeal, Splenda, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Mix well and set aside. In a separate medium bowl, mix together corn, egg substitute, and yogurt. Whisk thoroughly. Add contents of the medium bowl to the large one, and stir until completely mixed.
Line 9 cups of a 12-cup muffin pan with baking cups and/or spray with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute batter among the 9 cups -- cups will be VERY full. (We don't call 'em Mega Muffins for nothin'!)
Bake in the oven for 15 - 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Allow to cool and then enjoy!
MAKES 9 SERVINGS
WW Points: *4 per big muffin
Chili was alright for me. I wasn't really a big fan of it. I have been known to be picky on my chili's. Now those corn muffins are delish!
Tid Bits:
*If you can't find the spicy taco seasoning then just pick up a regular taco seasoning and hot sauce to your liking.
Ma's Spot: The Chili: I really enjoyed this dinner. I really loved how you don't drain any of the canned ingredients. That way when it's simmering all the juices come together. The most important thing is it took less than an hour to prepare and cook. I have to say I will not be changing anything about this recipe. So if you're looking for a hearty, quick, and easy meal this is the one to make.
The Corn Muffins: As for the muffins it's another hungry girl homerun. I LOVED LOVED LOVED the cream corn in it. The batter is light, fluffy, and tasty. It's a great partner with the chili. That hungry girl she can do no wrong.
SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *19 for a small
Dinah: Oh peppermint shake from Arby's, I do love thee BUT I am not in love with your 19 point calculation. Honestly that seems outrageous for a shake. Even though you're made with vanilla milk, ice cream, peppermint syrup, and crushed peppermint candy. Okie, after typing that all out I can see why it's 19 points. I digress though, this is a fab shake. The design on the shake is quite appealing to the eye and the taste is out of this world. *sigh* I have to pass though. It's just not worth it to me. Have I mentioned how much will power sucks?
Ma: If I haven't said it before but I am pretty sure I have, I love this time of year! I love this peppermint milkshake. I love the way they swirl the peppermint syrup along the plastic cup. If I could I would open a vein and shoot it in, haha.
Alrighty guys that's all for tonight. We'll see you here back here next Tuesday. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Au Gratin Taco Bake
Hey guys,
We're Back!!
Seems like it's been a hot minute since we've posted. We hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful! Ours was spent with our family out in the country; but like posted above we're back and ready to bring you another recipe. Let's get this thing started shall we?
Like most of our readers we have busy weekdays. So on blog nights we look for something easy and simple. Who really wants to slave away in the kitchen for 4+ hours making this grand feast (unless it's a holiday of course) on a weeknight? Ma stumbled onto this recipe and it really can't get any easier than this. It's pretty much a few quick steps and bam you have a delish meal for yourself and your fam.
Here's what you'll need:
Au Gratin Taco Bake
Prep: 15 min.
Bake: 70 min.
Yield: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
•1 pound ground beef
•1 package (4.9 ounces) au gratin potatoes
•1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, undrained
•1 can (14-1/2 ounces) no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
•3/4 cup 2% milk
•1/2 cup water
•2 tablespoons taco seasoning
•1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
•In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the potatoes and contents of sauce mix, corn, tomatoes, milk, water and taco
seasoning. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish.
• Cover and bake at 350° for 65-70 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
WW Points: *9 for 1 cup
This was an amazing way to use au gratin potatoes. I've gotta say between the mexican feel and the creaminess of the dish it's gonna be a keeper.
Tid Bits:
*None tonight guys
Ma's Spot: I really enjoyed this recipe. It was quick, easy, and delicious. Three things I love to say with any recipe. So if you've had a long day at work, your kids
are bothering you, and you have housework to do this is the dinner you wanna fix. It can even be made the night before and heated up for the next night.
SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which
are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *4 for 15 chips
Dinah: Tonight we bring you the latest and oddest Pringles to date. The White Chocolate Peppermint Pringles are a limited edition item for the holiday season.
Going into this I thought it would be a pringle dipped in white chocolate with crushed candy cane pieces on top of said chocolate. So imagine my dissappointment when I opened the tube to see just powder. I figured I'd still give them a shot even though my dreams were dashed. Ugh, what a huge letdown. Not only in appeal but flavor as well. I gave one to my husband and he even cringed. What was once so promising quickly faded into nastiness. The chip itself tastes like a regular pringle dipped in peppermint extract and not in a good way. You don't even get the peppermint taste until the after thought. All you taste is sweet powder and salt. Not thrilling my friends, not at all. So if disgusting flavor combos is your thing then I say go for it but I think I'll stick to either actual
pringles or peppermint and they will not be mingling together.
Ma: Unlike my daughter I liked them! Do I want a Pringle dipped in white chocolate? No. In return I do like these. I find these quite taste, not too over powering with peppermint, and you can really taste the white chocolate in the chips. So the only thing to do here readers is try these tasty chips yourself. Leave us your comment on these chips. Who's side are you on??
PS. Any of my friends reading this, you are on team Pam!
And that's all for tonight folks! We'll meet you here next Tuesday for another great recipe. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
We're Back!!
Seems like it's been a hot minute since we've posted. We hope your Thanksgiving was wonderful! Ours was spent with our family out in the country; but like posted above we're back and ready to bring you another recipe. Let's get this thing started shall we?
Like most of our readers we have busy weekdays. So on blog nights we look for something easy and simple. Who really wants to slave away in the kitchen for 4+ hours making this grand feast (unless it's a holiday of course) on a weeknight? Ma stumbled onto this recipe and it really can't get any easier than this. It's pretty much a few quick steps and bam you have a delish meal for yourself and your fam.
Here's what you'll need:
Au Gratin Taco Bake
Prep: 15 min.
Bake: 70 min.
Yield: 4-6 Servings
Ingredients:
•1 pound ground beef
•1 package (4.9 ounces) au gratin potatoes
•1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, undrained
•1 can (14-1/2 ounces) no-salt-added stewed tomatoes, undrained
•3/4 cup 2% milk
•1/2 cup water
•2 tablespoons taco seasoning
•1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese
Directions:
•In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Stir in the potatoes and contents of sauce mix, corn, tomatoes, milk, water and taco
seasoning. Transfer to a greased 2-qt. baking dish.
• Cover and bake at 350° for 65-70 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
WW Points: *9 for 1 cup
This was an amazing way to use au gratin potatoes. I've gotta say between the mexican feel and the creaminess of the dish it's gonna be a keeper.
Tid Bits:
*None tonight guys
Ma's Spot: I really enjoyed this recipe. It was quick, easy, and delicious. Three things I love to say with any recipe. So if you've had a long day at work, your kids
are bothering you, and you have housework to do this is the dinner you wanna fix. It can even be made the night before and heated up for the next night.
SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which
are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *4 for 15 chips
Dinah: Tonight we bring you the latest and oddest Pringles to date. The White Chocolate Peppermint Pringles are a limited edition item for the holiday season.
Going into this I thought it would be a pringle dipped in white chocolate with crushed candy cane pieces on top of said chocolate. So imagine my dissappointment when I opened the tube to see just powder. I figured I'd still give them a shot even though my dreams were dashed. Ugh, what a huge letdown. Not only in appeal but flavor as well. I gave one to my husband and he even cringed. What was once so promising quickly faded into nastiness. The chip itself tastes like a regular pringle dipped in peppermint extract and not in a good way. You don't even get the peppermint taste until the after thought. All you taste is sweet powder and salt. Not thrilling my friends, not at all. So if disgusting flavor combos is your thing then I say go for it but I think I'll stick to either actual
pringles or peppermint and they will not be mingling together.
Ma: Unlike my daughter I liked them! Do I want a Pringle dipped in white chocolate? No. In return I do like these. I find these quite taste, not too over powering with peppermint, and you can really taste the white chocolate in the chips. So the only thing to do here readers is try these tasty chips yourself. Leave us your comment on these chips. Who's side are you on??
PS. Any of my friends reading this, you are on team Pam!
And that's all for tonight folks! We'll meet you here next Tuesday for another great recipe. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
A Little Note
Hey guys,
I'm so sorry that the blog for this week was delayed but some things have come up and Ma and I wanted you all to know that we'll be back with more entries on Nov. 27th. So until then we wanted to wish you guys a Happy Thanksgiving! and to say we are beyond thankful for you guys who read our blogs, make some of our dishes, or who are simply entertained by us/this blog. We love writing for you guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Crockpot Italian Chicken
Hey guys,
So as you probably noticed there was no blog entry for last week. In light of the recent horrible hurricane known as Sandy (and being east coasters ourselves) we felt out of respect for the people who lost their loved ones, homes, possessions, etc... that we'd take that week off. So to our lovely east coast readers Ma and I wish you guys well and we send prayers and good vibes your way during this difficult time.We have last week's recipe ready to go for next week's entry but for tonight we bring you something simple and easy on the waistlines. I picked this after my first choice wasn't the best pick after some disscussions with Ma. Tonight's dish comes to you from Pinterest (what can I say I'm addicted, ha) and is sure to give your slow cookers a thrill.
Here's what you'll need:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crockpot Italian Chicken
Serves: 8
Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything
Ingredients:
*4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*1 packet dry Zesty Italian dressing (Regular is fine but I like zesty better. Sometimes I use a packet and a half.)
*1 (8 oz) package fat free cream cheese, softened
*1-2 cans 98 % fat free cream of chicken soup (depending how cream cheesy you want it)
Instructions:
1. Place the chicken in a crockpot and sprinkle Italian dressing over it.
2. Combine cream cheese and cream of chicken soup in a small pot over low heat and pour over chicken.
3. Cook on low in the crockpot for at least 4 hours. You can leave it in there all day.
4. Once chicken is done you can leave the chicken breasts whole, cube it, or even shred it. I always cut the breasts into tenderloin size strips.
5. Once you have cut up the chicken, throw it back in the crockpot and stir into the sauce.
6. If you feel the sauce is too thick you can thin it to your preferred consistency with a little milk. Serve over pasta or rice.
WW Points: 4 PointsPlus per serving (does not include rice or pasta)
Soooo good! Loved the creamy texture and over noodles is quite splendid. :].
Tid Bits:
*If you get the real thin chicken breast then you don't have to take them out and cut/shred the chicken up. It should fall apart in the slow cooker with a little help.
Ma's Spot: I really enjoyed tonight's dinner. It was really simple, didn't have a lot of ingredients, and I had mine served over brown rice. I also tasted the chicken mixture over noodles. Both were very good. It's just really about your preference. I like rice more than noodles. Forgive me my italian ansestors. So make this meal and have a little rice or a little noodles and let your family pick which one they'd prefer. WHichever they pick I'm sure they'll enjoy. So whenever it's either for me I'm making this dish again.
SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *14 (for a small)
Dinah: Tonight we bring you the latest sweet treat from Burger King, the Gingerbread cookie shake. Oh how I love thee let me count the ways. This shake is probably the best thing since sliced bread but sadly my WW concience is yelling at me for diving into this sweet treat. 14 points is a whole hell of a lot of points to spend on a small shake but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's worth it. Yes, I realize you guys are probably like WTF? blog mistress noooo! Guys, this is REALLY good and normally I'd be with you on the boycott but my inner gingerbread loving self has to side with the shake this time. Besides, it's a sometimes treat and why not drink something you love?
Ma: This is my favorite time of year. Mainly because of all the main flavors such as cinnamon, pumpkin, gingerbread. They must have a psychic working at Burger King because he read my mind. Sometimes you just gotta live on the edge and say damn the points I'm going in! That's what I did. If I was a rich person, I would take my child out of my will and put the guy who made this shake in her place because this shake is soooooo good! It's a good thing that I want my soul to go to Heaven cause I really could sell my soul for this treat. To the creamy gingerbread shake to the wonderful whipped topping and the gingerbread cookie crumbles on top you just can't go wrong with this. So I encourage you to live a little and love this shake a lot.
Okie folks, that's all for tonight. We'll see you here next Tuesday with our next recipe. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's ~Dinah & Ma
So as you probably noticed there was no blog entry for last week. In light of the recent horrible hurricane known as Sandy (and being east coasters ourselves) we felt out of respect for the people who lost their loved ones, homes, possessions, etc... that we'd take that week off. So to our lovely east coast readers Ma and I wish you guys well and we send prayers and good vibes your way during this difficult time.We have last week's recipe ready to go for next week's entry but for tonight we bring you something simple and easy on the waistlines. I picked this after my first choice wasn't the best pick after some disscussions with Ma. Tonight's dish comes to you from Pinterest (what can I say I'm addicted, ha) and is sure to give your slow cookers a thrill.
Here's what you'll need:
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Crockpot Italian Chicken
Serves: 8
Source: The Girl Who Ate Everything
Ingredients:
*4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*1 packet dry Zesty Italian dressing (Regular is fine but I like zesty better. Sometimes I use a packet and a half.)
*1 (8 oz) package fat free cream cheese, softened
*1-2 cans 98 % fat free cream of chicken soup (depending how cream cheesy you want it)
Instructions:
1. Place the chicken in a crockpot and sprinkle Italian dressing over it.
2. Combine cream cheese and cream of chicken soup in a small pot over low heat and pour over chicken.
3. Cook on low in the crockpot for at least 4 hours. You can leave it in there all day.
4. Once chicken is done you can leave the chicken breasts whole, cube it, or even shred it. I always cut the breasts into tenderloin size strips.
5. Once you have cut up the chicken, throw it back in the crockpot and stir into the sauce.
6. If you feel the sauce is too thick you can thin it to your preferred consistency with a little milk. Serve over pasta or rice.
Soooo good! Loved the creamy texture and over noodles is quite splendid. :].
Tid Bits:
*If you get the real thin chicken breast then you don't have to take them out and cut/shred the chicken up. It should fall apart in the slow cooker with a little help.
Ma's Spot: I really enjoyed tonight's dinner. It was really simple, didn't have a lot of ingredients, and I had mine served over brown rice. I also tasted the chicken mixture over noodles. Both were very good. It's just really about your preference. I like rice more than noodles. Forgive me my italian ansestors. So make this meal and have a little rice or a little noodles and let your family pick which one they'd prefer. WHichever they pick I'm sure they'll enjoy. So whenever it's either for me I'm making this dish again.
SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
Dinah: Tonight we bring you the latest sweet treat from Burger King, the Gingerbread cookie shake. Oh how I love thee let me count the ways. This shake is probably the best thing since sliced bread but sadly my WW concience is yelling at me for diving into this sweet treat. 14 points is a whole hell of a lot of points to spend on a small shake but I'm gonna go out on a limb and say it's worth it. Yes, I realize you guys are probably like WTF? blog mistress noooo! Guys, this is REALLY good and normally I'd be with you on the boycott but my inner gingerbread loving self has to side with the shake this time. Besides, it's a sometimes treat and why not drink something you love?
Ma: This is my favorite time of year. Mainly because of all the main flavors such as cinnamon, pumpkin, gingerbread. They must have a psychic working at Burger King because he read my mind. Sometimes you just gotta live on the edge and say damn the points I'm going in! That's what I did. If I was a rich person, I would take my child out of my will and put the guy who made this shake in her place because this shake is soooooo good! It's a good thing that I want my soul to go to Heaven cause I really could sell my soul for this treat. To the creamy gingerbread shake to the wonderful whipped topping and the gingerbread cookie crumbles on top you just can't go wrong with this. So I encourage you to live a little and love this shake a lot.
Okie folks, that's all for tonight. We'll see you here next Tuesday with our next recipe. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's ~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Baked Homemade Pizza Rolls
Hey guys,
I'm not sure about the rest of you but I was a major fan of pizza rolls growing up. I remember many
times (well in between me eating pot pie, see a few entries back) coming home from school and popping these delish things into the microwave and in 4 minutes I had a tasty snack. They were portable, crunchy, and just plain yum. I guess I shouldn't show them so much love though, they caused extra pounds over the years but then again that's not entirely their fault...right?
So as an ode to my teen years (and this is such an odd ball blog mistress food choice) we're making a
homemade version which is baked (not fried) and is way more healthier than the boxed choices at your local market.
Here's what you'll need:
Baked Homemade Pizza Rolls
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 48 rolls
Ingredients:
*1 tablespoon olive oil
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1/2 large green pepper, diced fine
*1 small onion, diced fine
*2 cups marinara sauce
*1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
*Cooking spray
*1 package wonton wrappers (about 48 wraps)
Instructions:
1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add in garlic, green pepper and onion. Cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in marinara and mozzarella.
2.Preheat oven to 375°.
3. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange three wonton wrappers along the bottom edge of
the sheet. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the middle of each wrapper. Using a finger dipped in water, run along the edge of each wrapper and then fold wrapper in half and press down to seal.
Continue until baking sheet is filled with pizza rolls (spaced about 1? apart). Spray tops with cooking
spray and bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until rolls are golden and crispy. Repeat process with remaining wraps and filling.
4. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving (filling will be hot).
WW Points: *1 point per roll
These were really good. Only thing was it needed some seasoning but other than that no complaints
here. :].
Tid Bits:
*There are so many combinations you can make with this recipe. Try out veggie, ham and cheese, or
even alfredo rolls.
*It folded easier with less of the filling so try that out when you make these to prevent the filling from running over.
Ma's Spot: I love pizza rolls but I never buy them. The sodium and fat content are both too high for me. These are a perfect pick for me. They're light, crispy, and delicious. I think this is a great recipe to try with your kids. It is a little time consuming but once you get going with it the process goes by pretty fast. The next time I think I'll make these ahead of time and pop them in a freezer bag for whenever I want a snack they'll be handy for me. So if your family loves pizza rolls and you want to be cautious about the preservatives and the sodium. These are the ones you should make. Personally I loved dipping them in sour cream and chives.
SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *7 points for 1/6 of the loaf
Dinah: Tonight's snack is something I'm kinda jazzed for. I'm a huge bread freak. I could honestly eat a plain baguette all by myself (hey, don't judge lol). So when Ma told me we were reviewing bread I was pretty excited. Fleischmann's Simply Homemade Italian Herb bread is quite fabulous. It was super easy to prepare and the dough baked up super soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside. Great all around right? Sure BUT...7 points per slice is a bit too high for me and not really worth it once you see the size you get. As much as my heart leaps for this bread I'm gonna pass from now on. My new smaller jean size will thank me later.
Ma: I'm not much of a bread person but I have to say this was really really really good. We tried the
italian herb so now I'm on a quest to find the others. This was really easy to do. Usually I cringe with the thought of baking anything with yeast in it. When I think of making anything such as bread or rolls I think of my mother. With the bowl on our kitchen counter and going in every 5 minutes and kneeding it. The endless all day task of making homemade bread. Forgive me mom, this was a lot quicker and easier and it turned out very good. So if you're looking for a nice, hot loaf of bread (semi-homemade) then this is the mix for you. Be sure to look on the back there's a lot of cute recipes. Such as the one we bought suggested you add in pepperoni and italian cheese. I'm going to try out that and see what happens. So invite your friends over and say I made a nice loaf of bread would you like a slice? lol They'll never know the difference.
That's it for tonight guys, we'll see you here next Tuesday with another recipe. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
I'm not sure about the rest of you but I was a major fan of pizza rolls growing up. I remember many
times (well in between me eating pot pie, see a few entries back) coming home from school and popping these delish things into the microwave and in 4 minutes I had a tasty snack. They were portable, crunchy, and just plain yum. I guess I shouldn't show them so much love though, they caused extra pounds over the years but then again that's not entirely their fault...right?
So as an ode to my teen years (and this is such an odd ball blog mistress food choice) we're making a
homemade version which is baked (not fried) and is way more healthier than the boxed choices at your local market.
Here's what you'll need:
Baked Homemade Pizza Rolls
Prep Time: 45 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Makes: 48 rolls
Ingredients:
*1 tablespoon olive oil
*2 cloves garlic, minced
*1/2 large green pepper, diced fine
*1 small onion, diced fine
*2 cups marinara sauce
*1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
*Cooking spray
*1 package wonton wrappers (about 48 wraps)
Instructions:
1. In a medium skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot. Add in garlic, green pepper and onion. Cook until softened, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in marinara and mozzarella.
2.Preheat oven to 375°.
3. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange three wonton wrappers along the bottom edge of
the sheet. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of filling into the middle of each wrapper. Using a finger dipped in water, run along the edge of each wrapper and then fold wrapper in half and press down to seal.
Continue until baking sheet is filled with pizza rolls (spaced about 1? apart). Spray tops with cooking
spray and bake in preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until rolls are golden and crispy. Repeat process with remaining wraps and filling.
4. Let cool 5-10 minutes before serving (filling will be hot).
WW Points: *1 point per roll
These were really good. Only thing was it needed some seasoning but other than that no complaints
here. :].
Tid Bits:
*There are so many combinations you can make with this recipe. Try out veggie, ham and cheese, or
even alfredo rolls.
*It folded easier with less of the filling so try that out when you make these to prevent the filling from running over.
Ma's Spot: I love pizza rolls but I never buy them. The sodium and fat content are both too high for me. These are a perfect pick for me. They're light, crispy, and delicious. I think this is a great recipe to try with your kids. It is a little time consuming but once you get going with it the process goes by pretty fast. The next time I think I'll make these ahead of time and pop them in a freezer bag for whenever I want a snack they'll be handy for me. So if your family loves pizza rolls and you want to be cautious about the preservatives and the sodium. These are the ones you should make. Personally I loved dipping them in sour cream and chives.
SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *7 points for 1/6 of the loaf
Dinah: Tonight's snack is something I'm kinda jazzed for. I'm a huge bread freak. I could honestly eat a plain baguette all by myself (hey, don't judge lol). So when Ma told me we were reviewing bread I was pretty excited. Fleischmann's Simply Homemade Italian Herb bread is quite fabulous. It was super easy to prepare and the dough baked up super soft in the middle and crunchy on the outside. Great all around right? Sure BUT...7 points per slice is a bit too high for me and not really worth it once you see the size you get. As much as my heart leaps for this bread I'm gonna pass from now on. My new smaller jean size will thank me later.
Ma: I'm not much of a bread person but I have to say this was really really really good. We tried the
italian herb so now I'm on a quest to find the others. This was really easy to do. Usually I cringe with the thought of baking anything with yeast in it. When I think of making anything such as bread or rolls I think of my mother. With the bowl on our kitchen counter and going in every 5 minutes and kneeding it. The endless all day task of making homemade bread. Forgive me mom, this was a lot quicker and easier and it turned out very good. So if you're looking for a nice, hot loaf of bread (semi-homemade) then this is the mix for you. Be sure to look on the back there's a lot of cute recipes. Such as the one we bought suggested you add in pepperoni and italian cheese. I'm going to try out that and see what happens. So invite your friends over and say I made a nice loaf of bread would you like a slice? lol They'll never know the difference.
That's it for tonight guys, we'll see you here next Tuesday with another recipe. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
Ma's Alfredo Sausage/Veggie Soup
Hiya guys,
Ever make a recipe from scratch and right off the top of your head and end up loving it? That's Ma's
usual way in the kitchen. So tonight we're making one of her many recipes on the fly. Oh and it includes another of the new Progressive meal starter's. Enough talk let's get to the recipe.
Here's what you'll need:
Ma's Alfredo Sausage/Veggie Soup
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
*1 24 ounce jar of alfredo sauce
*1 Progresso Basal recipe starters
*2 14 ounce cans of mixed veggies drained
*5 medium sized potatoes
*1 package of Butterball polish turkey sausage
*1 32 ounce carton of chicken broth
*2 tablespoons all purpose flour
*1/4 cup of water
Directions:
1. First peel and cut your potatoes into small cubes. Place the cubes into a pot of cold water. Boil them until the potatoes become medium soft. Drain; then take a potato masher and lightly smash the potato cubes but leave a few chunks. Set aside.
2. In a pot add the basal recipe starter, alfredo sauce, your (drained!) mixed veggies, chicken broth, and sausage (cut into cubes). In a seperate bowl put your 2 tablespoons of flour and add the 1/4 cup of water and stir until no lumps can be seen. Add your flour/water mixture (rue) to your pot with other ingredients. Place on stove on medium to low heat for 20 - 25 minutes. Stirring occassionally, be sure to stir the bottom of your pot as soup may stick.
3. After the time is up add your potatoes, stir, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
WW Points: Honestly I couldn't figure this one out, sorry guys!
I absolutely love this soup. No joke this soup is epic with the combination of the alfredo and potatoes.
You guys definitely have to try this one.
Tid Bits:
*Can't find the Progresso recipe starters? Just add another jar of alfredo sauce but lessen your chicken
broth to a 1/2 carton.
*For our vegetarian friends out there (hi, judi!) omit the sausage and use veggie stock instead of chicken broth.
*Please do not use frozen veggies, only canned.
Ma's Spot: During this time of year I make soup 3/4 times a week. Sometimes I look in my cabinets and just throw soups together. That ends up making the best soups. So I encourage you to look in your cabinets and imagine some nice warm soups. You'd be surprised at what winning recipes you can think up. I really love the potatoes in this recipe. It really makes a nice texture and taste. So try this hopefully you'll get your kiddos to eat some veggies.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *7 for a 1/2 cup
Dinah: The good fellas of Ben and Jerry have come up with tonight's snack. Pumpkin cheesecake is a
limited batch (which makes me sad) for this time of year. While the flavor is jam packed with the taste of actual pumpkin cheesecake (crust and cheesecake? Yes, please) I can't get behind this one because of the points. While I love the awesome guys at B&J I find 7 points to be a bit high for a 1/2 cup of ice cream. Most ice cream's I've come across only have 3 points per 1/2 cup but this one is over double. Sounds worth it? Maybe but not so much to me. So if you're into quality over quanity then this might be your sweet dream come true but I think I'll save my points for something else.
Ma: What can I say about pumpkin that I haven't already said on this blog? How can anyone be sad this time of year with pumpkin/cinnamon flavored everything. When you add pumpkin to cheesecake my mom was truly right when she said you don't need money to make you smile. Let me tell you pumpkin cheesecake ice cream will make me smile for days! Although I don't think my mom meant ice cream. I think she meant the love of your family and the love you have not the material items but mom I'm scoring material items on this one. So if you love ice cream, cheesecake, or just a good pumpkin flavor. Pick this ice cream up and have a smile on your face. :].
That's all for tonight folks. We'll see you here next Tuesday with my next pick. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Ever make a recipe from scratch and right off the top of your head and end up loving it? That's Ma's
usual way in the kitchen. So tonight we're making one of her many recipes on the fly. Oh and it includes another of the new Progressive meal starter's. Enough talk let's get to the recipe.
Here's what you'll need:
Ma's Alfredo Sausage/Veggie Soup
Serves 6-8
Ingredients:
*1 24 ounce jar of alfredo sauce
*1 Progresso Basal recipe starters
*2 14 ounce cans of mixed veggies drained
*5 medium sized potatoes
*1 package of Butterball polish turkey sausage
*1 32 ounce carton of chicken broth
*2 tablespoons all purpose flour
*1/4 cup of water
Directions:
1. First peel and cut your potatoes into small cubes. Place the cubes into a pot of cold water. Boil them until the potatoes become medium soft. Drain; then take a potato masher and lightly smash the potato cubes but leave a few chunks. Set aside.
2. In a pot add the basal recipe starter, alfredo sauce, your (drained!) mixed veggies, chicken broth, and sausage (cut into cubes). In a seperate bowl put your 2 tablespoons of flour and add the 1/4 cup of water and stir until no lumps can be seen. Add your flour/water mixture (rue) to your pot with other ingredients. Place on stove on medium to low heat for 20 - 25 minutes. Stirring occassionally, be sure to stir the bottom of your pot as soup may stick.
3. After the time is up add your potatoes, stir, and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes. Serve and enjoy!
WW Points: Honestly I couldn't figure this one out, sorry guys!
I absolutely love this soup. No joke this soup is epic with the combination of the alfredo and potatoes.
You guys definitely have to try this one.
Tid Bits:
*Can't find the Progresso recipe starters? Just add another jar of alfredo sauce but lessen your chicken
broth to a 1/2 carton.
*For our vegetarian friends out there (hi, judi!) omit the sausage and use veggie stock instead of chicken broth.
*Please do not use frozen veggies, only canned.
Ma's Spot: During this time of year I make soup 3/4 times a week. Sometimes I look in my cabinets and just throw soups together. That ends up making the best soups. So I encourage you to look in your cabinets and imagine some nice warm soups. You'd be surprised at what winning recipes you can think up. I really love the potatoes in this recipe. It really makes a nice texture and taste. So try this hopefully you'll get your kiddos to eat some veggies.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *7 for a 1/2 cup
Dinah: The good fellas of Ben and Jerry have come up with tonight's snack. Pumpkin cheesecake is a
limited batch (which makes me sad) for this time of year. While the flavor is jam packed with the taste of actual pumpkin cheesecake (crust and cheesecake? Yes, please) I can't get behind this one because of the points. While I love the awesome guys at B&J I find 7 points to be a bit high for a 1/2 cup of ice cream. Most ice cream's I've come across only have 3 points per 1/2 cup but this one is over double. Sounds worth it? Maybe but not so much to me. So if you're into quality over quanity then this might be your sweet dream come true but I think I'll save my points for something else.
Ma: What can I say about pumpkin that I haven't already said on this blog? How can anyone be sad this time of year with pumpkin/cinnamon flavored everything. When you add pumpkin to cheesecake my mom was truly right when she said you don't need money to make you smile. Let me tell you pumpkin cheesecake ice cream will make me smile for days! Although I don't think my mom meant ice cream. I think she meant the love of your family and the love you have not the material items but mom I'm scoring material items on this one. So if you love ice cream, cheesecake, or just a good pumpkin flavor. Pick this ice cream up and have a smile on your face. :].
That's all for tonight folks. We'll see you here next Tuesday with my next pick. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Classic Chicken Pot Pie
Hey blog readers,
Oh the creation that is the pot pie. Is there anything more comfort in the food department than a slice of pot pie? Probably, but we're going with it since it's tonight's dish. Come closer readers it's story time. Growing up my Uncle Charlie was retired and as I would come home from school everyday he would ask the same question: "Dinah Jane, do you want fried bolonga or a piece of pot pie?" Now between the two I have to say the pot pie was more appealing to me so being the good niece I am I took the piece of pot pie and dished on this unique after school "snack". After a while I began to have it so much that the look of it repulsed me. On another occassion he asked me the same question and I would rebuttled with "Uncle Charlie, can't I have a cookie or some fruit snacks instead?" He'd look at me and chuckle then reply with "Aw, come on Dinah Jane have some pot pie." So I did. Over, and over, and OVER. Eventually I quit school and sadly my lovely and amazingly kind pot pie pusher of an uncle passed away 9 years ago due to complications of a massive heart attack. Ever since then I can't tell if it's the inhaling it for years or the thought of missing him that has kept me away from this dish.
Tonight though we're going to give this a shot. I figure since it's my late uncle's birthday this week we should have a dinner in his honor and try out his fave dish. Now, this isn't his recipe but I'd like to think he's like it anyways.
Here's what you'll need:
Classic Chicken Pot Pie
Prep time: 25 Mins.
Total Time: 1 hr. 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
Crust: 1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box Filling:
*1/3 cup butter or margarine
*1/3 cup chopped onion
*1/3 cup all-purpose flour
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon pepper
*1 3/4 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
*1/2 cup milk
*2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey
*2 cups Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
Directions:
*1 Heat oven to 425°F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch glass pie pan.
*2 In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened.
*3 Stir in chicken and mixed vegetables. Remove from heat. Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.
*4 Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. During last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
WW Points: *15 per seving
Tid Bits:
*Always butter your pie crust. It'll give you a nice golden top to your pie.
*Don't have time to fool with the flour and butter? Just add a can of cream of chicken soup in place of it. Also add a 1/2 can of milk with it.
*For our vegetarian friends out there (hi, Judi!) just add more veggies instead of the chicken.
Ma's Spot: Unlike my daughter I love pot pies but only homemade. So if you like pot pies and find that the store bought ones have too many calories, too much sodium, etc... this recipe is for you. You can always use the light versions of the ingredients listed. This makes a wonderful warm family dinner. Serve it with a nice salad or a nice loaf of bread. So make this on a nice Sunday night with the tempatures dropping. This will warm you up.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *4 per bar
Dinah: Tonight we bring you the latest from Sunbelt Bakery. While personally I haven't tried anything from this company (until now) I was looking forward to trying these out. Simply because of thier cute commercial where the bakery delivery guy brings all these fresh baked goods to the kids in the neighborhood. What? I'm a sucker for a good commercial. Anywho, they have a few different things to try but tonight we went with the Fudge Dipped Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bar. These were pretty awesome. They reminded me of the Little Debbie's Star Crunch. Which is a fave of mine. These are a lot less points than Little Debbie's treat (which is always good). I'd pick these up again. Shhh, not a word to the star crunches.
Ma: I usually don't eat fudge. I hate it. I have to say though these fudge dipped bars really satisfy my sweet tooth. The granola inside was soft and chewy and it had just the right amount of fudge. I also tried the coconut bars as well. They tasted just like a Mounds candy bar just without all the extra calories. So throw one of these in your purse if you're running late and need a quick pick me up. Let's not forget the kids, in their sports bag or lunch boxes. This is a nice little treat for them as well too keep them going. Will I be buying these again? I have to confess I already did. If you like a cold treat pop these in your freezer. In any way you'd like give these delicious bars a try and your tastebuds will say yay!
That's all folks! We'll see you here next Tuesday with more goodies. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's ~Dinah & Ma
Oh the creation that is the pot pie. Is there anything more comfort in the food department than a slice of pot pie? Probably, but we're going with it since it's tonight's dish. Come closer readers it's story time. Growing up my Uncle Charlie was retired and as I would come home from school everyday he would ask the same question: "Dinah Jane, do you want fried bolonga or a piece of pot pie?" Now between the two I have to say the pot pie was more appealing to me so being the good niece I am I took the piece of pot pie and dished on this unique after school "snack". After a while I began to have it so much that the look of it repulsed me. On another occassion he asked me the same question and I would rebuttled with "Uncle Charlie, can't I have a cookie or some fruit snacks instead?" He'd look at me and chuckle then reply with "Aw, come on Dinah Jane have some pot pie." So I did. Over, and over, and OVER. Eventually I quit school and sadly my lovely and amazingly kind pot pie pusher of an uncle passed away 9 years ago due to complications of a massive heart attack. Ever since then I can't tell if it's the inhaling it for years or the thought of missing him that has kept me away from this dish.
Tonight though we're going to give this a shot. I figure since it's my late uncle's birthday this week we should have a dinner in his honor and try out his fave dish. Now, this isn't his recipe but I'd like to think he's like it anyways.
Here's what you'll need:
Classic Chicken Pot Pie
Prep time: 25 Mins.
Total Time: 1 hr. 5 minutes
Servings: 6
Ingredients:
Crust: 1 box Pillsbury® refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box Filling:
*1/3 cup butter or margarine
*1/3 cup chopped onion
*1/3 cup all-purpose flour
*1/2 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon pepper
*1 3/4 cups Progresso® chicken broth (from 32-oz carton)
*1/2 cup milk
*2 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken or turkey
*2 cups Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen mixed vegetables, thawed
Directions:
*1 Heat oven to 425°F. Make pie crusts as directed on box for Two-Crust Pie using 9-inch glass pie pan.
*2 In 2-quart saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Add onion; cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently, until tender. Stir in flour, salt and pepper until well blended. Gradually stir in broth and milk, cooking and stirring until bubbly and thickened.
*3 Stir in chicken and mixed vegetables. Remove from heat. Spoon chicken mixture into crust-lined pan. Top with second crust; seal edge and flute. Cut slits in several places in top crust.
*4 Bake 30 to 40 minutes or until crust is golden brown. During last 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
WW Points: *15 per seving
Tid Bits:
*Always butter your pie crust. It'll give you a nice golden top to your pie.
*Don't have time to fool with the flour and butter? Just add a can of cream of chicken soup in place of it. Also add a 1/2 can of milk with it.
*For our vegetarian friends out there (hi, Judi!) just add more veggies instead of the chicken.
Ma's Spot: Unlike my daughter I love pot pies but only homemade. So if you like pot pies and find that the store bought ones have too many calories, too much sodium, etc... this recipe is for you. You can always use the light versions of the ingredients listed. This makes a wonderful warm family dinner. Serve it with a nice salad or a nice loaf of bread. So make this on a nice Sunday night with the tempatures dropping. This will warm you up.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *4 per bar
Dinah: Tonight we bring you the latest from Sunbelt Bakery. While personally I haven't tried anything from this company (until now) I was looking forward to trying these out. Simply because of thier cute commercial where the bakery delivery guy brings all these fresh baked goods to the kids in the neighborhood. What? I'm a sucker for a good commercial. Anywho, they have a few different things to try but tonight we went with the Fudge Dipped Chocolate Chip Chewy Granola Bar. These were pretty awesome. They reminded me of the Little Debbie's Star Crunch. Which is a fave of mine. These are a lot less points than Little Debbie's treat (which is always good). I'd pick these up again. Shhh, not a word to the star crunches.
Ma: I usually don't eat fudge. I hate it. I have to say though these fudge dipped bars really satisfy my sweet tooth. The granola inside was soft and chewy and it had just the right amount of fudge. I also tried the coconut bars as well. They tasted just like a Mounds candy bar just without all the extra calories. So throw one of these in your purse if you're running late and need a quick pick me up. Let's not forget the kids, in their sports bag or lunch boxes. This is a nice little treat for them as well too keep them going. Will I be buying these again? I have to confess I already did. If you like a cold treat pop these in your freezer. In any way you'd like give these delicious bars a try and your tastebuds will say yay!
That's all folks! We'll see you here next Tuesday with more goodies. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's ~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Pasta Pie
Evening lovely readers,
This whole Pinterest addiction is getting out of control. Now even Ma is picking recipes from there.
*shakes fist* damn you Pinterest and your widly addicting ways. So as mentioned above we've got a
recipe coming to you tonight that is something familiar but with a sahde of difference. It involves
grabbing that....Ha, you thought I was going to say slow cooker didn't you? Soon enough guys! spring
form pan you use to make your fave cheesecakes. Oh and the recipe tonight isn't another cheesecake.
BLT cheesecake recipe from a while back anyone?
Here's what you'll need:
Pasta Pie
Recipe from: Martha Stewart | Serves: 8
Ingredients:
*1 pound Rigatoni
* 2 Tablespoons Olive oil, divided
*1 pound Ground beef (I used ground sirloin)
*2 Garlic gloves, crushed
* 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
*1 can (28 ounces) Good quality crushed tomatoes
*Butter, for pan
*Salt
*1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
*8 ounces Coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
Directions:
*In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until slightly underdone (I cooked mine for 12 minutes when the box indicated 14 minutes). One pound of pasta should be cooked in 6 quarts of water, make sure you are using a big enough pot so the pasta doesn't stick together. When done, rinse in cold water and drain again. Toss pasta with 1 Tablespoon olive oil to coat. Set aside.
*Heat remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally until browned. Add garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes more. Add crushed tomatoes; simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.
*Toss pasta with Parmesan cheese. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Tightly pack pasta into pan, standing each piece on end. Spread meat sauce on top of pasta.
*Push the meat sauce into the pasta holes filling each one up. Stuffing the meat into the holes is a
weirdly satisfying task. Enough said.
*Place in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen and then unmold.
*Cut into wedges and serve with any remaining meat sauce you might have.
Ma's Spot: I have to admit I thought this recipe would be hard to make. First I was a little worried that I wouldn't get the Rigatoni cooked just right. It turned out perfect though. I love the simple sauce that was made. I also loved how after the noodles were cooked they were tossed in olive oil and parmesan cheese. If you don't like a pasta dinner with heavy sauce then this one is for you. I was pretty impressed with us because I didn't think we could get the noodles to stand up straight but we did. This dish in my eyes was a winner. I couldn't believe how wonderfully it sliced while the noodles stayed together. Very few ingredients which wasn't too bad on the wallet. Definitely a keeper.
WW Points: *13
Dinah:
So tonight we decided to venture out to our local Baskin Robbins and try the Waffle Dippers.
Thing nachos only with ice cream and chip like pieces of waffle cone. Yeah, I think it's genius too. So in this treat you get a variety of chocolate and vanilla waffle cones with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream drenched in the topping of your choice (a big thank you to the fella at Baskin Robbins for giving this allergic to peanuts girl Oreo's as her topping). Now this is 13 points but honestly it's worth it. The huge dessert is beyond filling and comes together nicely. no fuss, no muss of it melting down the cone. Oh and did I mention it only costs $2.99? Deal? Indeed my friend, indeed.
Ma: Can I just say how much I love this little treat? This to me was the perfect little ice cream treat.
There wasn't too much ice cream and the waffle chips had a wonderfully nice crunchy texture. I will
definitely be getting this again.
Aw, that's it for tonight. We'll see you back here next week with more food goodness. Have a great
week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
This whole Pinterest addiction is getting out of control. Now even Ma is picking recipes from there.
*shakes fist* damn you Pinterest and your widly addicting ways. So as mentioned above we've got a
recipe coming to you tonight that is something familiar but with a sahde of difference. It involves
grabbing that....Ha, you thought I was going to say slow cooker didn't you? Soon enough guys! spring
form pan you use to make your fave cheesecakes. Oh and the recipe tonight isn't another cheesecake.
BLT cheesecake recipe from a while back anyone?
Here's what you'll need:
Pasta Pie
Recipe from: Martha Stewart | Serves: 8
Ingredients:
*1 pound Rigatoni
* 2 Tablespoons Olive oil, divided
*1 pound Ground beef (I used ground sirloin)
*2 Garlic gloves, crushed
* 1/4 teaspoon Freshly ground pepper
*1 can (28 ounces) Good quality crushed tomatoes
*Butter, for pan
*Salt
*1 cup Parmesan cheese, finely grated
*8 ounces Coarsely grated mozzarella cheese
Directions:
*In a large pot of salted boiling water, cook pasta until slightly underdone (I cooked mine for 12 minutes when the box indicated 14 minutes). One pound of pasta should be cooked in 6 quarts of water, make sure you are using a big enough pot so the pasta doesn't stick together. When done, rinse in cold water and drain again. Toss pasta with 1 Tablespoon olive oil to coat. Set aside.
*Heat remaining 1 Tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add ground beef. Cook, stirring occasionally until browned. Add garlic, 1 teaspoon salt and pepper. Cook 2 minutes more. Add crushed tomatoes; simmer until thickened, about 20 minutes.
*Toss pasta with Parmesan cheese. Butter a 9-inch springform pan. Tightly pack pasta into pan, standing each piece on end. Spread meat sauce on top of pasta.
*Push the meat sauce into the pasta holes filling each one up. Stuffing the meat into the holes is a
weirdly satisfying task. Enough said.
*Place in a 400 degree oven for 15 minutes. Sprinkle mozzarella cheese on top and bake another 10-15 minutes until cheese is golden. Remove from oven and let stand for 15 minutes. Run a knife around the edge to loosen and then unmold.
*Cut into wedges and serve with any remaining meat sauce you might have.
WW Points: *18 Per Serving
Not bad my friends, not bad at all. I'm more on the pasta loving side than the smothered in sauce side so this was right up my alley.
Tid Bits:
*Tip your pan to the side while placing the noodles standing up. Makes things easier.
*Also place a baking sheet under your pan while it bakes. We learned the hard way that the oil leaks
*Tip your pan to the side while placing the noodles standing up. Makes things easier.
*Also place a baking sheet under your pan while it bakes. We learned the hard way that the oil leaks
everywhere. Not good times.
Ma's Spot: I have to admit I thought this recipe would be hard to make. First I was a little worried that I wouldn't get the Rigatoni cooked just right. It turned out perfect though. I love the simple sauce that was made. I also loved how after the noodles were cooked they were tossed in olive oil and parmesan cheese. If you don't like a pasta dinner with heavy sauce then this one is for you. I was pretty impressed with us because I didn't think we could get the noodles to stand up straight but we did. This dish in my eyes was a winner. I couldn't believe how wonderfully it sliced while the noodles stayed together. Very few ingredients which wasn't too bad on the wallet. Definitely a keeper.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick
Dinah:
So tonight we decided to venture out to our local Baskin Robbins and try the Waffle Dippers.
Thing nachos only with ice cream and chip like pieces of waffle cone. Yeah, I think it's genius too. So in this treat you get a variety of chocolate and vanilla waffle cones with a huge scoop of vanilla ice cream drenched in the topping of your choice (a big thank you to the fella at Baskin Robbins for giving this allergic to peanuts girl Oreo's as her topping). Now this is 13 points but honestly it's worth it. The huge dessert is beyond filling and comes together nicely. no fuss, no muss of it melting down the cone. Oh and did I mention it only costs $2.99? Deal? Indeed my friend, indeed.
Ma: Can I just say how much I love this little treat? This to me was the perfect little ice cream treat.
There wasn't too much ice cream and the waffle chips had a wonderfully nice crunchy texture. I will
definitely be getting this again.
Aw, that's it for tonight. We'll see you back here next week with more food goodness. Have a great
week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls
Good fall evening lovely blog readers,
First off happy first day of autumn (well it's been a few days, you get the gist). Ma and mine's fave time of year is here so a fair warning you'll be needing that slow cooker a lot this fall. Oh come on it's not that out dated. My friends, it is making a huge comeback and it's the star of tonight's recipe. Now, if you're a fan of the cabbage family (whenever it be the actual food or those cute little dolls) then tonight's recipe is for you. We've got these amazing stuffed cabbage rolls that basically cook themselves in 6 to 8 hours. Convenient? Indeed.
Here's what you'll need:
Slow Cooker Cabbage Rolls
Ingredients:
*1 Head of Cabbage
*3 Cups Tomato Juice
*1 8oz. can tomato sauce
*1 egg
*1/2 C. uncooked brown or white rice
*1 envelope Onion soup mix
*1 lb. Ground Turkey or Extra Lean Ground Beef
*1/3 Cup Parmesan Cheese
Directions:
*Peel 8-12 big Leaves off the Cabbage head and place in a microwave safe dish. Cover in about an inch of water and microwave on high for 2 min.
*In a mixing bowl combine tomato sauce, egg, turkey or beef, rice, onion soup, and cheese, and mix with fingers until well combined.
*Grease your crock pot with some Pam cooking spray.
*Carefully place a ball of the meat mixture into the middle of each cabbage leaf and roll up into a ball, and place on the bottom of your crock pot seam side down. Do this until all your meat mixture is gone.
*After you have all your cabbage rolls in the crock pot, pour the 3 cups of Tomato Juice on top.
*Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
WW Points: *6 per serving
Now once upon a time when I was a tiny tot I loathed stuffed peppers (they tasted bitter to me) but as I grew up I kinda went in search for the best stuffed peppers. These I have to say take the cake. Super tender and yummy. Oh and that bitterness was a no show.
Tid Bits:
*For our vegetarian friends out there (hey, Judi!) substitute the ground turkey for your fave veggie meat.
*We don't like using the microwave for this recipe. The leaves are just too hard to peel off. Cut the core off and set the cabbage in boiling water it'll make it easier to peel the leaves off.
Ma's Spot:
I have always cooked stuffed cabbage in the oven. I have to say though in the slow cooker I find it more flavorful, tender, and all around better than baking it in the oven. Baking it in the slow cooker I find the meat mixture inside is a lot juicer vs. the oven in which case can make it taste on the dry side. I really enjoyed the onion soup taste within the mixture. I love the fix this and forget it part of it. So on a nice chilly day put this in your crock pot and it will fill your house with the best stuffed cabbage smell.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *2 per pouch
Dinah: So tonight we have a fun new treat to try. It's more on the kiddie side but hey it's still nonetheless a snack right? The GoGo Squeeze Apple Apple applesauce on the go is quite cute in nature. It's little, fun to eat, and is hella conveient than grabbing that spoon and cup for your apple fix. I do find that the 12 grams of sugar is kinda high for apple sauce since most grocery stores sell the sugar free stuff. I'd say eat this with the 12 grams in mind but overall this little pouch is cute and tasty too.
Ma: First of all I liked to thank my pal Tina for supplying tonight's snack corner. Then I have a question to our lovely readers. Should connivence override nutrition? Although the apple sauce comes in a wonderful convenient pouch (which is a lot easier than cutting up apples, squeezing lemon juice on them, or sending a whole apple with your child) when you look at the front of the packaging it says no refined sugar, 100% fruit, etc... but this little 3.2 ounce pouch has a whopping 12 grams of sugar. Now I myself would go through the extra work of cutting an actual apple or buying sugar free apple sauce and eating it with a spoon then giving myself or my kids 12 grams of sugar just for connivence. So with everything else don't let the 100% fruit fool you. Read those labels when it comes to snacks for your little ones. Would I buy it again? No. It is convenient but I'd go for the alternatives first.
That's all folks, see you back here in 7 days. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah * Ma
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Crispy Garlic-Parmesan Chicken
Hey guys!
First before we carry on with the business of food, check out our new autumn layout. Cute right? I figured it was time to change the layout with how the weather is changing outside. This time of year is ma and mine's fave. Everything is pumpkins, soups, slow cooker, apples, and of course Halloween! We're just at the beginning though so we'll get to all those in the coming months.
Onto tonight's recipe! No doubt you've probably seen the commerical for the latest product from Progresso soups? The meal starters? Well, ma saw those commercials and decided we had to profile that for one of the blog recipes. I"m quite interested in these little things. A whole meal in a can? What will they think up next.
*Walks away from laptop*
*comes back*
Oh, hey. I was just informed that the whole meal doesn't come in the actual can. You have to add things to it. Like hamburger helper. Yeah...rank another one up for dumb moments throughout the day. Sheesh.
Ha, here's what you'll need:
Crispy Garlic-Parmesan Chicken
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
*4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
*1/4 cup butter, melted
*1 can (18 oz) Progresso™ Recipe Starters™ creamy Parmesan basil cooking sauce
*1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
*2/3 cup Progresso® Italian style panko crispy bread crumbs
*2/3 cup finely shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese
*Hot cooked pasta or mashed potatoes, if desired
Garnishes, If Desired
*Additional shredded Parmesan or Asiago cheese
Chopped fresh basil or parsley
Directions:
1. Heat oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray. Between pieces of plastic wrap or waxed paper, place each chicken breast smooth side down; gently pound with flat side of meat mallet or rolling pin until about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper to taste.
2. In shallow dish, mix butter, 3 tablespoons of the cooking sauce and the garlic powder. In another shallow dish, mix bread crumbs and cheese. Dip chicken into butter mixture, then dip into bread crumb mixture to coat. Place on cookie sheet.
3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, turning once, until juice of chicken is clear when center of thickest part is cut (at least 165°F) and coating is golden brown. Meanwhile, heat remaining sauce until hot. Serve chicken with pasta and sauce. Sprinkle with additional cheese and basil.
This was hands down one of the best recipes we've ever made. It was creamy, delish, and full of flavor. Progresso might be onto something with these recipe starters....
WW Points: I couldn't any nutrition for this recipe. Sorry :[.
Tid Bits:
*Not a mash potato fan? Try using some noodles.
*The recipe calls for the use of aluminum foil but I think it sticks to the coating. So I'd skip this suggestion.
Ma's Spot:
When I saw the recipe starters from Progresso I thought huh, I might wanna try these. So Kroger's had them on sale 2 for 3 so I said what the heck, I'll get them. In the Walmart sales paper they had this wonderful recipe. I told Dinah that's the recipe I wanna try this week. Let me tell you it was delicious. The creaminess of this I don't know if you would call it gravy or sauce but it is delicious. The way they have you mix the sauce and the melted butter really puts a nice twist on chicken. I am definitely, absolutely, 100% making this again. I think I might try noodles next time. Any way you want to give this one a try. It's easy and simple. I picked up the golden mushroom recipe starter and I plan on doing their recipe for beef stroganoff very soon.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *3 per cup
Dinah: So tonight we bring you the latest from the good people at J-E-L-L-O. I know you were singing along. Aw, come on who doesn't? ha. Anywho, Jell-o has come out with this delish flavor S'mores. First, there is no wrong here. S'mores alone are epic and these are pretty nice to find staring at you in the baking aisle knowing you can have the taste of s'mores at any time. So if you find yourself in the baking aisle and you see these just happily sitting on the shelf, grab them asap.
Ma: I love smores and I love pudding. When you put the two together look out! This is different and in this case different means good. Your kids will love it, grow ups will love it, etc... After all there's always room for jell-o pudding cups.
Alrighty guys, that's all we got for you this time. See you all next week when we make a new slow cooker recipe I found that is supposedly melt in your mouth good. Ha, we'll see.
Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Spicy Potato Taco's
Hey guys, has it been 7 days already? Wow, this week has gone by fast but nonetheless your fave bloggers are back with another recipe for you.
So while looking for a recipe I had this thought. Why not take one of my fave meals from Taco Bell and revamp it to be made at home? Sounds simple enough, but which one and where would I be able to find a recipe to follow. Seems like a bit of a challenge (which I was failing miserably) but then our fave lush Sandra Lee popped up on tv and made potato taco's. It was like this was meant to be. So I'm going with it.
Here's what you'll need:
Spicy Potato Taco's
Ingredients:
*1 tablespoon vegetable oil
*1 teaspoon fajita seasoning
*1 (16-ounce) bag pre-cooked diced red-skin potatoes
*1/2 cup pre-sliced mushrooms
*1/3 cup reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
*1 (16-ounce) can vegetarian refried beans
*3/4 cup cilantro salsa, plus more for serving
*1 (5.8-ounce) box white corn taco shells
*Chopped red onion, tomato, and lettuce, for serving
Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil; set aside.
*In a large mixing bowl, stir together oil and fajita seasoning. Add potatoes and mushrooms and toss until well coated. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
*Meanwhile, stir together beans and salsa in microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes; set aside.
*Heat taco shells in oven for 3 to 5 minutes.
*Spoon beans into heated taco shells. Top with potato mixture and garnish with red onion, tomato, and lettuce.
*Serve immediately with salsa.
WW Points: I looked everywhere, there doesn't seem to be any nutrition facts. Sorry!
These were very good. Sandy dished out a good recipe with these potato taco's. While the ones at Taco Bell are still my fave these are a close second. Fair warned, these are very filling.
Tid Bits:
*Don't have fajita seasoning? Substitute it for taco or burrito seasoning.
*Don't like flour tortilla's? Try out wheat or multi-grain.
Ma's Spot: I have to say tonight's dinner was a winner. It was really hearty and good. I really liked the spices on the potatoes. There's nothing about this recipe that I would change. I loved every bit of it. So if you don't want to be bogged down in a recipe with a lot of things to do this is a very good and inexpensive dinner. Will I be making this dinner again? You can count on it. So this is a must for you, when you have time give this one a try. You won't be disappointed.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *3 for 4 cookies
Dinah: So tonight we bring you the latest from Newton's. The Lemon Crisp cookies are the latest from their Fruit Thin line of cookies. These cookies are amazing. Most of the flavors in this line I wasn't impressed with but these lemon crisps take my love for them over the moon. I'm a huge fan of lemons anyhow but lemon cookies? WHAT! Yeah. There's bits of lemon rind and the citrus taste is off the charts. These need to be bought on your next shopping list. Trust your blog mistress on this one, you can thank me later. ;].
Ma: These cookies not only refreshing with a fresh lemon taste. They are a light and crispy and the bits of the lemon they have throughout the cookie are spectacular. So if you are looking for something light and refreshing to snack on these are the cookies to get. I love how they don't feel loaded with sugar and leave a heavy taste in the mouth. I really suggest going out and picking these up but buyer beware, you could eat the whole box.
Alright guys that's all for tonight. We'll be back here next week with ma's next recipe. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
So while looking for a recipe I had this thought. Why not take one of my fave meals from Taco Bell and revamp it to be made at home? Sounds simple enough, but which one and where would I be able to find a recipe to follow. Seems like a bit of a challenge (which I was failing miserably) but then our fave lush Sandra Lee popped up on tv and made potato taco's. It was like this was meant to be. So I'm going with it.
Here's what you'll need:
Spicy Potato Taco's
Ingredients:
*1 tablespoon vegetable oil
*1 teaspoon fajita seasoning
*1 (16-ounce) bag pre-cooked diced red-skin potatoes
*1/2 cup pre-sliced mushrooms
*1/3 cup reduced-fat Mexican blend cheese
*1 (16-ounce) can vegetarian refried beans
*3/4 cup cilantro salsa, plus more for serving
*1 (5.8-ounce) box white corn taco shells
*Chopped red onion, tomato, and lettuce, for serving
Directions:
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil; set aside.
*In a large mixing bowl, stir together oil and fajita seasoning. Add potatoes and mushrooms and toss until well coated. Transfer to prepared baking sheet and arrange in a single layer. Sprinkle with cheese and bake for 15 minutes. Remove and set aside.
*Meanwhile, stir together beans and salsa in microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a damp paper towel and microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes; set aside.
*Heat taco shells in oven for 3 to 5 minutes.
*Spoon beans into heated taco shells. Top with potato mixture and garnish with red onion, tomato, and lettuce.
*Serve immediately with salsa.
WW Points: I looked everywhere, there doesn't seem to be any nutrition facts. Sorry!
These were very good. Sandy dished out a good recipe with these potato taco's. While the ones at Taco Bell are still my fave these are a close second. Fair warned, these are very filling.
Tid Bits:
*Don't have fajita seasoning? Substitute it for taco or burrito seasoning.
*Don't like flour tortilla's? Try out wheat or multi-grain.
Ma's Spot: I have to say tonight's dinner was a winner. It was really hearty and good. I really liked the spices on the potatoes. There's nothing about this recipe that I would change. I loved every bit of it. So if you don't want to be bogged down in a recipe with a lot of things to do this is a very good and inexpensive dinner. Will I be making this dinner again? You can count on it. So this is a must for you, when you have time give this one a try. You won't be disappointed.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *3 for 4 cookies
Dinah: So tonight we bring you the latest from Newton's. The Lemon Crisp cookies are the latest from their Fruit Thin line of cookies. These cookies are amazing. Most of the flavors in this line I wasn't impressed with but these lemon crisps take my love for them over the moon. I'm a huge fan of lemons anyhow but lemon cookies? WHAT! Yeah. There's bits of lemon rind and the citrus taste is off the charts. These need to be bought on your next shopping list. Trust your blog mistress on this one, you can thank me later. ;].
Ma: These cookies not only refreshing with a fresh lemon taste. They are a light and crispy and the bits of the lemon they have throughout the cookie are spectacular. So if you are looking for something light and refreshing to snack on these are the cookies to get. I love how they don't feel loaded with sugar and leave a heavy taste in the mouth. I really suggest going out and picking these up but buyer beware, you could eat the whole box.
Alright guys that's all for tonight. We'll be back here next week with ma's next recipe. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, September 4, 2012
Hungry Girl's BLC Wraps
Hey guys!
It's been a bit since we've featured one of Hungry Girl's awesome recipes. Ma felt it was time to shine the spotlight once again on Mrs. Hungry Girl. So tonight we're going with something super simple, low in points, and vegetarian for our vegetarian friends out there (hi, Judi!). These are actually pretty crafty. Wanna know more?
Here's what you'll need:
Hungry Girl's BLC Wraps
Ingredients:
*3 Leaves romain, butter, or green leaf lettuce
*1 Boca burger/Morning Star burger
*1 Slice extra lean turkey bacon/morning star bacon
*1 Slice fat-free cheddar cheese
*2 tbsp Chopped tomato
*1 tbsp Chopped onion
*2 Dill pickle slices
*1 tbsp Ketchup
*1 tbsp Fat-free mayo
Directions:
*Cook burger patty according to package instructions, either in the microwave or in the pan, sprayed with nonstick spray.
*Top burger with the cheese slice. Microwave for about 20 seconds, until cheese melts. Set aside.
*Cook bacon slice in a pan sprayed with nonstick spray, unti both sides are crispy.
*Once burger and bacon are cool enough to handle, chop both into bite sized pieces.
*Place burger and bacon pieces in a small bowl. Add tomato, onion, and pickles, and mix well. Add ketchup and mayo. Toss to coat.
*Put 1/3 of the burger into eatch lettuce "cup" and dig in.
WW Points: *4 for 3 wraps
These were a homerun! Everyone was pretty pleased with the overall taste and the use of the leafs romain was quite creative.
Tid Bits:
*If you don't like romain hearts then you can use whatever lettuce you like.
Ma's Spot: First of all I love lettuce wraps. This one did not disappoint me. I love how you mix the ketchup, mayo, and other ingredients together. They are easy, quick, and delicious. We tried to think what to pair with it. I first thought baked fries but then Dinah Jane brought up that might be too heavy with this meal. I agreed, so we went with Dinah's idea of a nice fruit salad. She was right that was the perfect side dish to pair with the wraps. You can mix any of your favorite fruits together to make a nice salad to go with these wraps. I liked that it was light in taste and calories. So add this to your recipe box. You won't go wrong.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *1 per fun size bar
Dinah: We're getting a head start on Halloween candy this year and bringing you the season's latest candy venture. Carmel Apple
Milky Way's are the latest candy to be stocked at Rite Aid (gotta promote my hunny's company) and local drugstores. This new flavor from Milky Way gives the taste of a carmel apple without all the extra calories that come with the original. I think these are perfect for Halloween and for *1 point a piece how can you turn away?These are highly addicting though. Might need some type of security while munching on these. Don't think so? Try these and don't say I didn't warn you ;].
Ma: First of all, dam the man/woman who came up with this concept! It had the perfect combination of apple and cinnamon. It blended nicely with the chocolate and melted so beautifully on my tongue. Needless to say I could never buy this again because I would eat the whole bag in 5 minutes. If you have more will power than me go ahead and pick these up.
That's all folks, we'll see you here next week with my next recipe choice and it's another remake of one of my fave items from Taco Bell. Wanna know which one? We'll see you here in 7 days. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Caprese Pizza with Bacon
Evening all,
Who doesn't love a good pizza? Probably everyone reading this has their hands high up in the air like Ma and I do. What's even better than pizza? Pizza on the grill! We've been struggling with the weather to pull the grill out and bring you a fantastic recipe. This evening seems like the perfect time (finally!). The sun is winding down and there's a light breeze. Let's not waste anymore time. So night's dish comes from the lovely canadian cook Karie Osmond's show Best Recipes Ever. She decided to take pizza with fresh ingredients (alright, minus the bacon cause bacon isn't considered healthy) and slap it on the grill. This screamed my kind of recipe so I couldn't pass it up.
Here's what you'll need:
Caprese Pizza with Bacon
Servings: 8 slices
Ingredients:
*6 slices bacon
*4 oz (113 g) fresh mozzarella or bocconcini cheese
*1 lb (454 g) white pizza dough
*2 tsp (10 mL) extra-virgin olive oil
*1/2 cup (125 mL) Basil Pesto for Pizza
*1 tomato, sliced into 1/4-inch (5mm) thick rounds
*2 tbsp (25 mL) sliced fresh basil
Directions:
*Cut bacon slices in half. In skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until still slightly chewy, about 8 minutes. Transfer to paper towel–lined plate; set aside.
*Drain and pat mozzarella dry; cut into 1/4-inch (5 mm) thick rounds. Arrange on separate paper towel–lined tray; pat dry.
*On lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 16-inch x 12-inch (40 x 30 cm) rectangle; transfer to lightly floured pizza peel or inverted baking sheet.
*Brush with oil. Place, oiled side down, directly on greased grill over medium heat. Grill, uncovered and watching carefully to avoid burning, until bubbles form on top and grill marked underneath, 3 to 6 minutes.
*Slide pizza peel, 2 wide spatulas or inverted baking sheet under pizza. Flip pizza; close lid and cook just until set, about 1 minute. Transfer to lightly floured pizza peel or inverted baking sheet. Reduce heat to medium-low.
*Spread with pesto; top with tomato, bacon nd cheese.
*Slide back onto grill. Close lid and grill until bubbly and underside is browned, 3 to 8 minutes. Sprinkle with basil.
WW Points: *8 per slice
This was amazing, I really liked the grilled pizza dough. It had this nice crisp taste to it which can be a nice change to the doughy greasiness that normal pizza can take on. Give this one a shot, it may surprise you in the flavor department.
Tid Bits:
*For our vegetarian readers, you can do this recipe just omit the bacon.
*Not a fan of real bacon? Try out turkey bacon.
*Please use the sliced mozerella. The shredded wouldn't work right with this recipe.
Ma's Spot: When Dinah picked this one I was really nervous all day long. I didn't know if I could grill pizza dough. I have to say it turned out fantastic and I think I did a pretty good job. It turns out I didn't need to worry at all. This recipe was fantastic. The grilled pizza dough was the best part of this recipe. I only put a little bit of the fresh tomato on my pizza since tomato on pizza's don't really do it for me. I loved the taste of the fresh mozzarella. I think it really adds to the overall taste of the pizza compared to shredded. So if you're an expert griller you'll know how to do it. If you're not an expert griller don't be afraid you'll be able to do it with ease. So please try this pizza. It's a must!
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *4 points for 6 chips
Dinah: So tonight we have the DORITOS® JACKED Enchilada Supreme chips. I'm not actually supposed to have Doritos. They affect my GERD but I couldn't pass these up. Luckily they didn't bother me. Huzzah for that! These are pretty yum. I will say they are bigger than normal Doritos (Ha, hence the Jacked. Good one Dinah) and they are quite heavy handed on the spice. I didn't really get the enchilada taste. It came off more of a bolder nacho flavor. I'm kinda on the fence with this one. I wouldn't buy these again. They're not horrible but they're not the best either. I'd say give these a shot and see if you guys like them. I'll be over here pondering.
Ma: I have one word for this: YUCK! My other words are: it was horrible! I thought these chips were too thick. I didn't like the texture at all and the spices were way too harsh for my taste. So I will never ever buy these again. As always though if you like spicy stuff then give these a try. Even if I did like spicy food I don't like the texture.
Alrighty guys, that's it for tonight. We'll be back in 7 days with another recipe. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Coconut Chicken with Sweet Chili Sauce
Hey guys,
For tonight's meal we bring you something that Ma picked out of my pin board over at pinterest. As mentioned in the last entry you definitely gotta check out pinterest. It's crazy how addicting it is. So while showing ma my awesome board she jumped for joy when she saw I had repinned a recipe for coconut chicken strips. Which leads to tonight's dish. Normally I'm not a fan of said coconut but I like chicken (especially when it has a sweetness to it) so I figured why not give it a whirl. Ha, who am I kidding? Even if I didn't want to "give it a whirl" I kinda have too because A: I participate in this blog and B: Nobody would fix me something separate.
Here's what you'll need:
Coconut Chicken with Sweet Chili Sauce
Ingredients:
*2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken breasts
*2 large eggs
*1/4 cup coconut milk (optional)
*1/2 cup all purpose flour
*1 cup panko bread crumbs
*1 cup shredded coconut
*1/2 tsp salt
*1/2 cup vegetable oil, divided
*1 cup sweet chili sauce
Directions:
STEP 1: Cut off any extra fat globules from your chicken breasts. Cut each breast into 6 strips, diagonally to prevent the end strips from being really short. See photos below.
STEP 2: Prepare your breading station by gathering three bowls. In the first bowl combine the flour and salt. In the second bowl, combine the eggs and coconut milk. Whisk together until well combined. In the third bowl, stir together the panko bread crumbs and shredded coconut.
STEP 3: Place 1/4 cup of vegetable oil in a large heavy duty skillet and heat over medium/high heat until it is just below smoking. You can test the heat by throwing in a little bit of flour. When it is hot enough, the flour will sizzle and create a lot of bubbles.
STEP 4: While the oil is heating, dredge the chicken strips. First, coat each strip in the flour and salt mixture. Then dip each into the eggs/coconut milk and finally coat each in panko and shredded coconut. I find it easiest to coat all of them in the flour then go back and then do the egg wash and panko/coconut for each before moving onto the next.
STEP 5: After breading the strips, the oil should be hot enough. Place about 6 strips in the pan at once. There should only be one layer in the pan and there should be about an inch between each strip. If you over crowd the pan it will get too cold and the strips will soak up a lot of oil instead of frying. Fry the strips for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they are golden brown and crispy. Place them on a plate with paper towel to drain and move on to the next batch. After a couple of batches you may need more oil so you can add the second 1/4 cup to the pan. Allow the oil to come up to temperature before frying the next batch (2-3 minutes).
Because the strips are thin, they should be cooked through by the time both sides are browned. You can tell by the texture of the chicken; it should be stiff when pressed. If you cut your strips thicker, you will need to bake off the chicken after frying to make sure the insides are cooked through.
STEP 6: When all of the strips are done frying, serve immediately with sweet chili sauce to dip in. I garnished mine with a little bit of chopped cilantro.
WW Points: *2 per chicken strip
These were a bit a mess to make and we ended up finish the cooking process in the oven. I thought they were amazing in the taste department and I hate coconut.
Tid Bits:
*Get the chicken strips good and crispy in the skillet but finish the cooking process in the oven.
Ma's Spot: For years I've always done the same thing for my birthday. That is head over to Outback Steakhouse to munch on their coconut shrimp. I never made it at home because I didn't want to tarnish the most perfect meal in the world (well to me). I have to say after tonight's blog I'm going to give it a try. Tonight's meal was delicious. I love the crispiness of the panko and the shredded coconut. I didn't use any special chicken just your normal boneless skinless chicken breast and it was great. So if you want a nice trip down to the Caribbean then make this recipe.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *2 per cookie
Dinah: Tonight we're reviewing the new little ditty's from Fiber One. New Fiber One chocolate chip cookies. Now the words Fiber One might scare you (they even scared your blog mistress a tad) because most fiber things on the market taste like cardboard. These are the exception though. The cookie itself is super soft and has the right amount of chocolate and chips to make these a satisfying treat. Oh and did I mention these are only 2 points per cookie? Pretty stellar, the cookies are on the bigger end so to me their worth it. Try these guys out you just might like this whole new craze of Fiber One. Scary name no more!
Ma: I love the moistness and softness of this cookie. Who knew a cookie could be good for you? After eating this cookie I only have two words for you, go fiber!
And that's all folks, well for this evening that is. We'll see you all here in 7 days for another recipe. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
`Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Easy Crock Pot Potato Soup
Evening guys!
Ah the loveliness that is the baked potato. Who doesn't love the baked concotion with the toppings of bacon bits, sour cream, and cheese? Your blog mistress is a huge fan (as I'm hoping you all are) so in the quest for a great baked potato recipe I stumbled across this little gem on Pinterest. If you guys aren't familiar with Pinterest then be fair warned. It's this great website where you pin things to board and pretty much spend all your time there because it is hella addiciting. Trust me. Okie, if you decide to check it out don't say I didn't warn you.
Anywho, back to tonight's recipe. It's for the potato lovers out there. We've got you covered. Here's
what you'll need:
Easy Crock Pot Potato Soup
Servings: 6 to 8
Ingredients:
*1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns {I used Ore Ida}
*3 14oz. cans of chicken broth
*1 can of cream of chicken soup
*1/2 cup onion, chopped
*1/4 tsp. ground pepper
*1 pkg. cream cheese {don’t use fat free. It WON’T melt!!!}
Directions:
*In a crockpot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese. Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat. About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted. Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, or whatever else you think would be good!
WW Points: *13 per serving
HOME.RUN. This was amazing! From the creamy texture to the bits of melted cream cheese. It is seriously worth making. Oh and it's super easy to make. If you're in the need for a recipe that'll feed an army and will basically cook itself then look no further.
Tid Bits:
*Use any baked potato toppings you like. Sour cream, cheese, green onions, bacon bits, etc...
*As mentioned above: don’t use fat free cream cheese. It WON’T melt!!!
Ma's Spot: I love soups anytime, anyday, any kind really. Tonight's soup was no different. I loved it! It was like eating a big baked potato but it was soup. I really enjoyed the toppings you could put on it. That made a huge difference. I love how it's a one pot meal and in my sister's words it was so damn good. So put this in your recipe file, you won't be disappointed.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *5 per muffin
Dinah: I have a LOT to say about tonight's snack. So we're trying out Betty Crocker, Cinnamon Toast Crunch Muffin Mix and let me tell you now this will not be a love letter. While I'm a fan of Mrs. Crocker and her many recipes this one should have never been invented. Now, I made these to the box directions and they ended up a disaster. The batter was way too thick and the box says it makes 12 cupcakes. Sure, it will...if they're the size of cookies. The crumble topping was hard to chew and they were stale tasting. These were more about flash than quality. Which is sad because I really wanted to like these. I'm a huge fan of the cereal and I love a good muffin. Skip these next time you head to the store and just look up a recipe for cinnamon toast crunch cupcakes.
Ma: Unlike my daughter I liked these muffins. I thought were a little on the dry side. So what I would do while they are still warm place a dab of butter on it. That should help with the dryness. I particularly love the crumbled topping. It was crunchy and delicious. Would I make these again? Yes! Two thumbs up for me.
That's all folks, we'll see you back here next Tuesday with Ma's next recipe and it's a good one. Don't miss it! Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
`Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, August 7, 2012
Mock Chili Cheese Fritos Dogs (From Sonic)
Hey guys!
Another Tuesday is here so you know what that means. More blog recipes and chit chat from your (hopefully) fave blog mistress. This week's recipe would make you think that it's my pick since...well it's a mock version of my fave meal from Sonic. It's ma's pick though, weird I know. So you read right I have a fave meal at Sonic. Who doesn't? Sonic is amazing. Their drinks alone are what make them epic. It doesn't hurt that the food is extremely yum. For a while here in MI we'd see commericals for Sonic but none would be around for our enjoyment. Weird but yet mean in some aspects? Indeed. Finally after years of teasing they finally built some Sonic's here. Which is how I made my "signature" meal.
So what's my signature meal? Follow me:
Mock Chili Cheese Fritos Dogs (From Sonic)
Makes: 2 servings
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
Ingredients:
2 hot dog buns, split
2 hot dogs
1/2 cup chili (from above recipe)
1/4-1/2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
2 handfuls of Chili Cheese Frito chips, crushed
1. Grill hot dogs. Lightly toast buns.
2. Place dogs in buns. Top with chili, cheese, and crumbled Fritos. Enjoy!
WW Points: *14 per dog
Pair these dogs with your fave tater tots to give it that real Sonic meal feel!
To complete this meal my "signature" drink is Sprite with Watermelon flavoring. YUM!
Tid Bits:
*Feel free to play around with this recipe. Try out fat-free chili, or original frito chips.
*Not into hot dogs? Try soy dogs, turkey dogs, or chicken dogs.
Ma's Spot: I'm one that doesn't like a lot of toppings on their hot dog. If I want a hot dog then I want an actual hot dog. I do have to say though that I did like it. Of course yours truly didn't have any of the cheese on my dog (I loathe cheese). I did crush the Frito's for the top of my dog. I found it easier to eat the dog that way rather than leaving them whole. Have a hot dog night, spread out the toppings, and enjoy!
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *3 Points per bar
Dinah: So on tonight's menu we bring you the latest from the graham cracker family. Honey Maid Grahamfuls in banana Vanilla flavor. Sure these sound good in theory and who doesn't love graham crackers? After all these are the foundation to the delight known as smore's. Ugh, this is why I hate to report that these aren't as good as they appear to the eye. I thought they graham part was too dry and literally tasteless. The creme part wasn't as flavorful either. Yeah, I'm bummed too. Also 3 points for these? That seems outrageous knowing how gross they taste. I'm skipping these next grocery trip and only sticking to the original graham cracker. Smore's anyone?
Ma: I love tonight's snack. It reminds me of the banana flip cake that you can pick up by the bakery items in the store. Come on show of hands. Who doesn't love that banana flip cake? This is what this reminds me of, I wanted to try the peanut butter or peanut butter chocolate but couldn't par take because of Dinah's allergies. Which is okay because I love the banana vanilla creme. So if I was you I would definitely try this one out. Don't listen to my daughter.
That's all folks! We'll see you back here in 7 days for another recipe. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Dilled Shrimp and Egg Salad Wraps
Hey guys,
Tonight we bring you my latest strange recipe. Oh come on, by now it's pretty well known that your blog mistress like out of left field recipes. Food combos that just make you go wtf or hmm? The recipe I have picked this week is no exception. It's pairing 3 things that you never would've thought had food chemistry but they just may fit well together. Oh, and I found this recipe in the latest Women's World magazine. Enough chit chat let's get this started.
Here's what you'll need:
Dilled Shrimp and Egg Salad Wraps
PREP TIME: 10 Min
TOTAL TIME: 10 Min
SERVINGS: 4
Ingredients:
*4 hard-cooked eggs, chopped
*1 cup chopped cooked shrimp
*1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill weed
*2 tablespoons finely chopped red onion
*3 tablespoons creamy mustard-mayonnaise sauce
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*4 flour tortillas (8 inches in diameter)
*2 cups shredded lettuce
Directions:
1. Mix all ingredients except tortillas and lettuce in medium bowl.
2. Spread shrimp mixture evenly on each tortilla; top with lettuce. Fold in sides of each wrap; roll up. Cut each in half.
3. Serve immediately, or wrap each sandwich in plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving, up to 24 hours.
WW Points: *8 Per serving
These were really amazing. My only issue, well not really issue more like personal preference is next time I think the filling should be refrigerated for a bit before placing it in the tortilla.
Tid Bits:
*If you don't like shrimp then try using crab.
*You can also get the small salad shrimp instead of cutting up bigger shrimp. Saves some time.
*If you can't find the creamy mustard-mayonnaise sauce? Make your own by mixing together mayo and dijon mustard.
Ma's Spot: What a light and refreshing dinner for the summertime. Oh hell lets face it I would eat this in the winter. It's delicious. I like the switch of using the mustard mayo rather than using the regular mayo. It gives it a nice tangy taste. I also like that you can make this recipe ahead and keep it in the fridge on those days that are really busy. So mix this up and enjoy. You won't regret it.
*SNACK CORNER:* It's time for snack corner! Where we take new snacks in the grocery store and break it down for you. We tell you which are hot and which are not. Let's get to this week's pick:
WW Points: *4 for 21 chips
Dinah: Tonight we bring you the latest chip from Pillsbury...wait, actually Pillsbury really has never done a chip before. So that would mean these are the first chips ever from them. Ah, well better to catch that now rather than continue on looking like a schmuck. Anywho, we tried the Pillsbury Baguette Chips Italian Cheese & Herb. These are ridiculously good. I had the can't eat just one chip syndrome hit me like a mad truck with these. I ended up using 8 points on these in one sitting. Told you, deadly.
If you're a fan of the bagel chips (I used to hate them because most brands had the worst texture and flavors) then you really need to try these. Just remember to keep some sort of control, lost mine pretty easily after the first chip.
Ma: When I saw these in the Meijer sale paper I thought "wow, those look good, I'm going to give them a try" and I'm glad I did. To quote Lays potato chips you can't eat just one. These are amazingly good. Dinah and I couldn't stop snacking on them. So if you're looking for a different kind of snack these are the ones to pick up. It doesn't hurt that these are 50% less fat than regular potato chips. Don't wait till you get to your car to try these, open them on the way to your car and get to snacking on these.
That's all folks, we'll see you here next Tuesday for another recipe and all around good times. Have a great week guys!
Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma
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