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

Chicken Gnocchi Pesto Soup & Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches

Evening lovely blog reader!

Tonight we bring you Ma's latest pick. Which is fabulous because it deals with pesto. Fun fact about your blog mistress if I could eat one sauce for the rest of my life it would be pesto. Who doesn't love the pine nuts, spinach, cheese, and olive oil confection? I haven't met a pesto hater yet (I'm excluding Geoff, he's just a pesto meanie.). So with that in mind we wanted to bring you 2 recipes (yep, a twofer!) that will satisfy your love for pesto. I know I'm not alone here. Pesto is the best sauce ever. Not convinced? Well gives these recipes a whirl:


Here's what you'll need:

Chicken Gnocchi Pesto Soup
Prep/Total Time: 25 min. Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients
*1 jar (15 ounces) roasted garlic Alfredo sauce
*2 cups water
*2 cups cubed rotisserie chicken
*1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
*1/4 teaspoon salt
*1/4 teaspoon pepper
*1 package (16 ounces) potato gnocchi
*3 cups coarsley chopped fresh spinach
*4 teaspoons prepared pesto

Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, combine the first six ingredients; bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally.
2. Stir in gnocchi and spinach; cook 3-8 minutes or until gnocchi float.
3. Top each serving with pesto.


WW Points: *9 per serving




Pesto Grilled Cheese Sandwiches
Prep/Total Time: 10 min. Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients:
*8 slices walnut-raisin bread
*3 to 4 tablespoons prepared pesto
*8 slices provolone and mozzarella cheese
*8 slices tomato
*1/4 cup butter, softened

Directions:
1. Spread four slices of bread with pesto. Layer with cheese and tomato; top with remaining bread.
2. Butter outsides of sandwiches.
3. In a large skillet over medium heat, toast sandwiches for 2-3 minutes on each side or until golden brown and cheese is melted.

WW Points: *11.5 per serving

Wow okie so those didn't last long. I even dug the cinnamon bread. Don't let that scare you off the cinnamon bread with the cheese, tomato, and pesto give the sandwich a salty/sweet taste. Which is always awesome in my book!



Tid Bits:
*None tonight guys


Ma's Spot: Well once again people it was italian night in our home. Welcome back my old friend. It was pesto night from my wonderful source taste of home. Now the women in my family love pesto and this recipe did not disappoint us. This soup was delicious and it would've made

Sandra Lee proud. It tasted homemade but it wasn't. When it was done and you add that little dollop of pesto on top and it melted in the soup. Oh my gosh it was awesome and creamy. The spinach I thought for a second I was going to end up using frozen but I'm so glad I stuck to the recipe because the fresh spinach mixed in with the recipe so well.
Now onto the sandwich, when I read about this recipe it made me think of Dinah and her out of left field recipes. So I said what the heck

I'm gonna try it. I have to say it's an odd combination with the raisin bread but some how it worked out fantastic. The combination of the salty cheese and sweetness of the bread was amazing. Seriously readers this is a recipe night you have to try. You won't be disappointed. This is a winner, even my son in law (who hates pesto) loved them both.



*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 2 popsicles


Dinah: Tonight we bring you the latest popsicle from yosicle. We haven't really done a popsicle review so I'm quite jazzed for this one. As Ma mentions down below I cannot stand yogurt. I'd actually rather eat my own arm then to gobble down the tangy grossness that is yogurt. So I decided to go for it tonight with these yogurt duo popsicles for the sake of my love for popsicles. So I can't even hate, these were really good. The middle actually tasted like vanilla ice cream rather than yogurt so that helps with the hate on yogurt. So give these a shot besides they've gotta be good if I your yogurt hating blog mistress loved them.


Ma: I have to say I was surprised when Dinah suggested these for snack corner I was surprised because everyone knows Dinah hates yogurt. She is the complete opposite of me because I could eat yogurt 3 or 4 times a day (and I do!). I've had popsicles with a vanilla filling in the middle before but these with the yogurt in the middle are fantastic. So with the yogurt giving it a sweet and creamy taste these are a winner in my book.




Alrighty that's all for tonight folks. We'll see you here next week with another recipe. Have a great week guys!



Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Walking Taco

Come one come all for tonight blog readers we are munching on carnival food!

From the lights to the rides, from Britney Spears Circus to The Devil's Carnival Who doesn't love a good carnival? Besides all the lights and lure of the festivities there's amazing food to par take in at carnival's/fairs. Everything from funnel cakes (a personal fave of your blog mistress) to cotton candy. Pretty much if it looks amazing and delish then you'll see it at your local carnival/fair. So that bring us to tonight's dish. It's my pick and we're going with the walking taco. Ah yes, this yummy concoction that is genius. Your favorite toppings from tacos on a bag of Fritos? Hells yes. Let's get to it shall we?

Here what you'll need:


Walking Taco
Yield: 6 servings

Ingredients:
*1 lb ground beef
*1 packet taco seasoning mix
*tomato, chopped
*lettuce, shredded
*onion, chopped (I use tops of green onions)
*black olives, sliced
*shredded cheese (Mexican blend, cheddar, colby...whatever works for you)
*sour cream
*taco sauce or picante sauce
*individual lunch-sized bags of corn chips (We use Fritos)

Directions:
*Brown ground beef, drain, return to pan.
*Add Taco seasoning mix according to directions on packet.
*TO ASSEMBLE: Carefully open a bag of corn chips along the sealed direction being careful not to"tear" the bag (because it is your bowl!!).
*Add whatever your heart desires.
*Be careful not to fill bag to full as it will be hard to mix it up.
*Stick a fork in it and take off!

WW Points: *16 Points per serving



This was a home run! It's got everything you'd want in a taco but in a more convient way. Which is awesome by me.




Tid Bits:
*For our Vegetarian pals out there (Hi, Judi!) use morning star crumbles or Boca burgers in place of the meat.
*You can use tortilla chips, Dorito's, or frito's




Ma's Spot: Tonight's dinner was very delicious, filling, and easy clean up after the meal. It would be great for any kind of party. Graduation, kids, or even an adult party. The toppings you can put in the bag are endless. It is so easy to enjoy this dinner. So try it you'll love 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: 5 per serving



Dinah:This week we bring you the Chocolate Cracker Creations by LANCE. I'm not even going to waste my typing skills on this one. These aren't that tasty and coming in at 5 points seems a bit high for my taste. I could think of other things I'd rather use 5 points on and these aren't one of them.


Ma: Unlike my daughter I LOVED these granola crackers. My favorite are the peanut butter ones. I enjoy them they would taste great with an ice cold glass of milk. So if you like granola and chocolate or peanut butter these are a snack for you. I think they would be great for your kids to snack on. I have bought them before and I will continue to buy these.



That's all folks, we'll see you here in 7 days for the next yummy dish. Have a great week guys!


Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Chicken and Pepper Stir-Fry

Good evening guys!

On tonight's menu we have something that I've never really been a fan of but I'm going to give it a shot. So Ma's pick this week is stir-fry.

Now most of you are like yes!...wait why don't you like stir-fry? It's not anything personally against the stuff. Well not like the dreaded goulash (dun, dun, DUN!) at least. I've just never had an idea where I went into "I need to eat stir-fry today" mode. Most times it's too salty for me or it's too sweet. So all in all I just end up passing on it and going for plain rice. I was a tad worried about Ma's choice but I'm going with it. Can't be too bad right??...right?


Here's what you'll need:

Chicken and Pepper Stir-Fry

*2 tablespoons soy sauce
*2 tablespoons ketchup
*1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
*2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
*3/4 pound boneless skinless chicken breast halves, thinly sliced
*3 tablespoon vegetable oil
*6 medium green onions, cut into 1-inch pieces
*2 medium green bell peppers, thinly sliced
*3 tablespoons vegetable oil
*4 cups hot cooked rice


1. Mix soy sauce, ketchup, ginger and garlic in large resealable plastic bag. Add chicken; seal bag. Let stand 15 minutes.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 10-inch skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add onions and bell pepper; stir-fry until crisp-tender. Remove mixture from skillet.

3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in same skillet. Add chicken; stir-fry until no loner pink in center. Stir in pepper mixture. Serve over rice.

WW Points: *11 Per Serving


This wasn't too bad. Would I make it again? Probably not. Simply for me it's not worth the points. Oh come on, you didn't really think I'd do a 180 on stir-fry did you? Come on, this isn't the dreaded goulash (dun, dun, DUN!) entry.



Tid Bits:
*Try out beef or pork instead of chicken.
*For a richer and more flavorful taste let the chicken marinate over night.


Ma's Spot: Dear bloggers,
Have you met me yet? I LOVE stir-fry's! When Dinah, Jane, and myself went to a few yard sales in early June I found this Betty Crocker cookbook that had this little gem of a recipe in it. Since then I've made it for myself and Jane probably 6 times. It is the least complicated and easiest stir-fry I have ever made. So try this recipe even the picky eaters you know (like my Dinah) will like this.



*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: *12 for a small


Dinah: So tonight we bring you the latest Dunkin Donuts cold drink the OREO Coolatta in Vanilla Bean. Fun fact about your blog mistress: If I could only drink 2 things the rest of my life I would pick water and Tropicana coolatta. I am OBSESSED with this drink. While people (during the summer usually) flock to McDonalds to par take in their dollar iced tea my butt is usually in the Dunkin Donuts drive thru getting my Tropicana coolatta on. So this one was a no brainer to try. While I did like it after a while it became too sweet for my taste. On the plus side though you could really taste the Oreo's so you definitely get your money's worth. I'd say if you wanna try something new to drink then pick this one up. Skip the Tropicana coolatta, I'll have yours ;].


Ma: When I saw the commercial I sent Dinah out to get them for the snack corner. She got me a medium and after I finished it she laid  the boom on me with how many points this thing is. So did I like it? Yes. Is it worth the points? NO. I would rather get the sugar free

Slurpees next time.



Alrighty guys that's it for tonight. We'll be next week with the BEST recipe I have ever found. I can't even believe it took me this long to come up with it. Intrigued? Meet us back here in 7 days. It's definitely not one to be missed. Have a great week guys!


Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Buffalo Chicken Chili

Hey guys!
Back we are again to bring you the best recipes (well we hope anyways) around. During the 2 week hiatus Geoff and I went on vaca and Ma took a nice break. Hopefully while we were gone you guys didn't miss us too much and you had a relaxing two weeks as well. Let's get to this week's recipe shall we?

Alright so this week I'm bringing you the latest recipe that's been a fave amongst our fam recently. It deals with hot sauce and lots of it so for this week Ma is sitting this one out and Aunt Jane is taking her place. No worries, she'll be back next week. :].  For the longest time I wanted to try buffalo wings. I dig spicy food and I like chicken but my

issue was I thought they only came with the chicken on the bone. Which is something I loathe. Last year I found out it's available boneless and that sealed the deal for me. I absolutely loved the flavor and ever since then I've been a fan. With this new dish I feel hard for I tried it on everything I could get my hands on, pizza rolls, pizza, subs, etc...

So when this recipe came along I was all over it. Here's what you'll need:



Buffalo Chicken Chili


Preparation time: 15 minute(s)
Cooking time: 40 minute(s)
Number of servings (yield): 4

Ingredients:
 •12oz boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into bite sized pieces
 •1 tbsp olive oil
 •1 onion, diced
 •3 stalks celery, diced
 •1/2 cup carrots, diced
 •4 cloves garlic, minced
 •1 tsp cumin
 •2 cups fat free chicken broth
 •1 28oz can diced tomatoes
 •1 15oz can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
 •1/4 cup reduced fat crumbled blue cheese
 •1 tsp paprika
 •1 tsp oregano
 •1/2 cup Frank’s Red Hot sauce (or to taste)
 •salt and pepper


Instructions:
 1. Spray a large, nonstick skillet with non-fat cooking spray and set over medium heat.
 2. Put in chicken, season with salt and pepper, and cook until chicken is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Set chicken aside.
 3. In a large pot, heat oil, add the onions, celery and carrots and cook until tender, about 10-15 minutes.
 4. Add the garlic and cumin and cook until fragrant, about a minute.
 5. Add the broth and deglaze the pan.
 6. Add chicken, tomatoes, beans, paprika, oregano, and hot sauce and simmer for 15 minutes. Spoon equally into 4 serving bowls, and divide blue cheese evenly among the 4 servings, and sprinkle on top. Serve immediately.

(I'm sorry for this picture. It's from the website and mine didn't turn out so well, bummer.)

 WW Points: *6 per serving


Such a winner, I can't even explain. The spice is amazing and it's just an all around yummy dish. Oh and best part? Bone free! You can thank me later ;].



Tid Bits:
*Feel free to try any beans you like. We tried it with pinto and ended up liking it better.
*Short on time? Try using precooked chicken and just adjust the ww points.
*Not a fan of bleu cheese? Try out some sour cream with this dish. I like it and you might too.



Aunt Jane's Spot: I'm not really sure how I'm supposed to do this so I'll just say I really like this recipe. I loved how spicy it was and filling as well.




*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 for 6 pieces

Dinah: So this week we bring you the new Hershey's Simple Pleasures Milk Chocolate with Chocolate Creme. So as you guys know I'm not a huge fan of chocolate but I gotta tell ya these are quite tasty and I love the creme in the middle. So all in all I'd say these are worth the buy and hell, I'd even eat them again. Spread the word these are the cat's pj's. You heard right, ha.




That's all folks, Ma and I both will be back next week with her latest fave recipe. It's a good one too. Have a great week guys!




Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma