Crock Pot Cheese Tortellini Soup

Evening all,

Your blog mistress was trolling Pinterest (when am I never not?) and stumbled across tonight's gem of a recipe. People were repinning this recipe like mad. I was intruiged. As the dish popped up I noticed it contained spinach, pasta, and cream cheese. Of course that set off a twinkle in my eye. Where have I been that I missed this? Oh and it cooks in the slow cooker. Could this be a match made in food Heaven? Indeed! Sounds like something you'd dig? Then follow me:


Here's what you'll need:

Crock Pot Cheese Tortellini Soup

Ingredients:
1 bag of frozen tortellini (10-12 oz)
1 small bag of fresh spinach
2 cans of Italian style diced tomatoes (14.5 oz)
1 box or 4 cups or chicken broth
1 block of cream cheese (8 oz), cut into cubes
1 lb. of roll(ground) sausage (I used hot)

Directions:
Brown the sausage and put all ingredients(except spinach, if you want it to stay green) in crock pot. Cook on low for 3-4 hrs.  If you don't add the spinach at the beginning, add it ~1 hour before serving.  If the 'sauce' is too thin, leave the lid off during the last 1/2 hour of cooking and it will thicken slightly.  I topped mine with some grated Parmesan cheese.

WW Points: *12 per serving

Do I even need to say it? I am in love! It practically cooks itself and the flavors are amazing.


Tid Bits:
*Not into sausage? Try premade turkey sausage or for our vegetarian friends just use your favorite soy crumble and use veggie stock.
*Truly cook to the directions otherwise the pasta can become mushy super quick.



Ma's Spot: Dinah has fixed this recipe before and she gave us some so we stored it in our fridge. I didn't care for it too much but then when she fixed it for the blog and we had it hot from the slow cooker I have to say it was delicious. Soupy and creamy and it tasted totally different in a good way. Anytime you can make a dish were you fix it and forget it, I love. Although summer is approaching and people eat less soup I urge you to try this one out before the hot weather kicks into gear so you can enjoy the nice warmth of soup.



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: *8 per bar


Dinah: On tonight's agenda we bring you the latest from Magnum ice cream. I noticed a new commerical with the very cute Joe Manganiello and he was promoting this new flavor that sounded right up my alley. Fun fact about your blog mistress I dig anything sea salt and caramel. It's the perfect balance of sweet and salty. The new gold bar from Magnum pairs the sea salt and sweet caramel which in return makes an amazing bar. It's rich, decadent, and smooth. I'd definitely buy them again. I'm hoping the next time I do Joe would come with the bars. Lets get on that Magnum shall we?



Ma: If I could marry ice cream and it wouldn't be considered weird I'd marry this one. This ice cream was very expensive but worth every single bite. Creamy, delicious, and the outer shell was unbeatable. Forget any points, any diet, & anything you're on for a moment and try this one out. It's well worth it. Every bite is worth a walk in heaven.






That's all folks, we'll see you here next Tuesday with another recipe. Have a great week guys!


Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Side Dishes!

Hey guys!

Have you ever been to a dinner or even a party where they served side dishes that you found more appealing than the main course? True this happens more so than not but it's usually not on everyone's mind front to make a whole dinner of side dishes...until now. Ma had this grand idea of making three sides for the blog meal tonight. Part of me thinks she's odd but the other part thinks this is genius! Why didn't we think of this before? Answer? Probably because it's the "proper way" to make a meal. There's always some sort of meat to showcase. In return side dishes get thrown to the side. Well no more shall these tasty side foods get tossed into the dark. Come forth and embrace the mini meals that accompany that main course show off.


Here's what you'll need:

Double Corn Dressing
Prep: 25 min.
Bake: 40 min.
Yield: 16 Servings

Ingredients
1 package (12 ounces) unseasoned stuffing cubes
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 each medium green, sweet yellow and red pepper, chopped
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 eggs, lightly beaten
1 can (15-1/4 ounces) whole kernel corn, drained
1 can (14-3/4 ounces) cream-style corn
1/2 cup butter, melted
1/2 to 1 cup chicken broth

Directions:
In a large bowl, combine the stuffing, onion, sweet peppers and seasonings. Add the eggs, corn and butter; toss to coat. Stir in enough broth to achieve desired moistness.
Spoon into a 3-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Cover and bake at 350° for 25 minutes or until a thermometer reads 160°. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until golden brown.


WW Points: *5 per serving



Light Rosemary Rice
Prep/Total Time: 25 min.
Yield: 4 Servings

Ingredients
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 garlic clove, minced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 can (14-1/2 ounces) reduced-sodium chicken broth or vegetable broth
1/4 cup water
1 cup uncooked long grain rice
1 tablespoon minced fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup shredded Parmesan cheese


Directions:
In a saucepan, saute onion and garlic in oil until tender. Add broth and water. Stir in the rice, rosemary and pepper. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15-18 minutes or until rice is tender. Remove from the heat; stir in Parmesan cheese.


WW Points: *6 per serving




Creamy Spinach Casserole
Prep: 10 min.
Bake: 35 min.
Yield: 10 Servings


Ingredients:
2 cans (10-3/4 ounces each) reduced-fat reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted
1 package (8 ounces) reduced-fat cream cheese, cubed
1/2 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 cups herb seasoned stuffing cubes
2 packages (10 ounces each) frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry


Directions:
In a large bowl, beat the soup, cream cheese, milk and
Parmesan cheese until blended. Stir in stuffing cubes and spinach.
Spoon into a 2-qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 35-40 minutes or until heated through.




WW Points: *5 per serving

All three were amazing! Especially the creamy spinach casserole. My hubby doesn't even like spinach and he loved it.






Tid Bits: None tonight guys



Ma's Spot: Have you ever been out to eat or having a dinner at home and the best part of the meal was the side dishes? Well I decided that was what I wanted to do this week for the blog. I have to say the side dishes were delish. I loved the corn stuffing the most. It was easy to make and tasted great. The rosemary rice was nice. It was simple to make and not overly powerful with the spices. I have to come up with some way though to make it less dry. The spinach casserole was delicious as well. I do have to say though after it gets cold it's nowhere near as tasty. This is a dish best served hot.





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 package




Dinah: On tonight's agenda we bring you the creation from Whitman candies and Weight Watchers. Thank goodness this was invented. Being on WW myself it's hard to partake in chocolates with my friends or family since chocolate is so high in fat and carbs. I'm not a huge fan of chocolate but every now and then I like a taste of it. So this little venture they'd went on makes it easier on so many levels. It doesn't skimp on flavor but somehow you can enjoy 6 pieces for only 3 points. No clue on how they do it but I encourage them to keep it up!



Ma: The only negative thing I have to say about this there wasn't enough in the package. I don'y know how WW keeps coming up with this stuff that tastes so fantastic yet is good for you. So I say to Weight Watchers keep it up, good job! And to our blog readers pick these up. You won't regret it.






That's it for tonight, next week we're not gonna be around since it's Ma's birthday! So we'll return on April 30th with a brand new recipe for you. Have a great week guys!



Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

SLOPPY JOE STUFFED PEPPERS

Hey guys!

So here at Tuesdays with Dinah & Ma we have tried our fair share of different ways to whip up sloppy joes. We've done enchiliada sloppy joes as well as the ever famous all around sloppy joe. I
thought we were closing that chapter and then a recipe popped up on my Pinterest that I just couldn't pass up. Now no sighing this is my personal fave of the ones we have tried and it doesn't
have any bread of any kind. NOPE. No buns, tortilla's, or even crackers. Stick around this recipe is gooey, yummy, and on the healthy side. Can't be done? Pish Posh!


Here's what you'll need:



SLOPPY JOE STUFFED PEPPERS

Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1 ounce onion, chopped, about 2 tablespoons
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1 teaspoon granular Splenda
1 1/2 teaspoons white vinegar
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon pepper
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
3 green peppers, halved lengthwise


Directions:
Brown the ground beef, onion, celery and garlic; drain the fat. Stir in all of the remaining ingredients except the cheese and green peppers. Simmer 10 minutes. Meanwhile, parboil the peppers in
a little boiling water 3 minutes; drain. Place the peppers in a baking dish. Stir half of the cheese into the hamburger mixture; fill the peppers with the meat. Top with the remaining cheese. Bake
at 350º 15-20 minutes until hot and bubbly and the peppers are tender.
Makes 6 servings

WW Points: *8 per serving



These (as I mentioned above) are my fave of the many sloppy joe recipes we've tried. The pepper is tender and mixed with the sloppy joe center it's amazing!



Tid Bits:
*Not a fan of ground beef? Try ground turkey, chicken, or soy crumbles.
*If you like your peppers on the more tender side just adjust the boil time.




Ma's Spot: OMG these were fabulous. I love stuffed peppers and I love sloppy joes so putting these together is a win win. There's nothing about this recipe that I would change. Except I would put
different cheese cause as you all know I am not a fan of cheese. So if you're looking for a different version of stuffed peppers this is the one for you.





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 package



Dinah: I'm sitting this one out since these treats were made with traces of peanuts. An as we all know blog mistress + peanuts = not good times



Ma: Blog readers we bring you the latest from Brookside Chocolates. I'm sorry Dinah couldn't try these. I have been dying to try these. The wait was worth it. Who doesn't love fruit dipped in
chocolate. All of the berries I tried tonight were covered in dark chocolate. Usually I'm not a big fan of dark chocolate but when it's paired with fruit oh baby look out! These are delicious and I
will buy each kind again. I knew I would love the blueberry and goji berries. I was a little heasitant about the pomegrante though. Turns out those were tasty as well. Who knew?





That's it for tonight, no sad faces we'll be back next Tuesday with Ma's pick and it's not one to miss. Have a great week guys!




Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma

Lasagna Corn Carne

Hey guys!

Ma's pick tonight is a recipe that'll please a family and is quick and simple for those weeknights that are super busy. It pleases everyone who loves lasagna but doesn't love all the calories that comes with piling on the cheeses and sauce. With Ma and I being Italian we've had our fair share of lasagna recipes and this one just might be a fabulous stand out from the rest.



Here's what you'll need:

Lasagna Corn Carne
Prep: 30 min. Bake: 45 min. + standing
Yield: 12 Servings

Ingredients
•1 pound ground beef
•1 jar (16 ounces) salsa
•1 can (16 ounces) kidney beans, rinsed and drained
•1 can (14-3/4 ounces) cream-style corn
•1 large onion, chopped
•1 medium green pepper, chopped
•1 celery rib, chopped
•3 garlic cloves, minced
•1 tablespoon minced fresh basil or 1 teaspoon dried basil
•1 teaspoon salt
•1 teaspoon chili powder
•12 lasagna noodles, cooked and drained
•2 cups (8 ounces) shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
•1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese


Directions
•In a large skillet, cook beef over medium heat until no longer pink; drain. Add the salsa, beans, vegetables, garlic and seasonings. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Spread a fourth of the meat sauce in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish; top with four noodles. Repeat layers once. Layer with half of the remaining sauce; sprinkle with half of the cheeses. Layer with the remaining noodles, sauce and cheeses.
• Cover and bake at 350° for 30 minutes. Uncover; bake 15-20 minutes longer or until heated through. Let stand for 15 minutes before cutting.

WW Points: *5 per serving




This was so damn good. It was something different than the norm but gave this new feel to lasagna. Excellent indeed!




Tid Bits:
*For our vegetarian friends out there (Hi Judi!) substitute the beef for Morningstar crumbles.




Ma's Spot: This version of lasagna is delicious! It's not like your regular lasagna. It's light, very easy to make, and freezes well. If you make this lasagna it's an easy two/three nights dinner. This is a must must must try.






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 2 bars




Dinah: Tonight we bring you the latest from Nutri-Grain. The Fruit Bars are the latest craze and even has that funny commercial featuring a vampire family. Never seen it? Youtube it and have a few chuckles. Back to the bar, oh how I had hopes for this tasty looking snack but sadly I wasn't in love. This was definitely not reach for the stars nor homerun kind of feeling. I'm even a granola fan and these bars didn't do it for me. The granola itself is hard as a rock and left me checking my pearly whites just to make sure I had no chipped them. Also the "more fruit flavor" irks me. Hey Nutri-Grain where is this alleged "more fruit flavor"? Please direct me to it as I didn't find it myself. The only good part for yours truly was the yogurt covered bottom but even that can't save these food bricks. Skip these and pick up something else yummy. Your teeth will thank me later ;D




Ma: I absolutely love love love these bars. These remind me of a poptart just then and crispy. That to me is a winner already. I've tried every flavor and every one is delicious. So if you're watching your calories and want a nice treat these are for you. What are you waiting for? Get up to the store and get you some!




That's all folks. We'll see you here next Tuesday for more food goodness. Have a great week guys!





Spoons & Spatula's
~Dinah & Ma