Chicken BLT Wrap

Makes 4 servings

Aioli:
1/3 c. Mayo or Salad Dressing (I always use Ranch)
1 large clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tsp. lemon juice

Wrap:
4 flour tortillas
8 leaves green leaf lettuce (I use shredded lettuce)
1 Pkg (9oz) thinly sliced oven roasted chicken breast
2 Medium tomatoes, chopped
1/4 c. bacon flavored bits or chips (I use Oscar Meyers Real Bacon Bits)

Directions:
1. In small bowl, beat aioli ingredients w/ wine whisk. Spread each tortilla, leaving 2 in border from botton of each.
2. Arrange 2 lettuce leaves on each tortilla, leaving 2 in border at bottom. Evenly top with chicken, tomatoes, and bacon bits.
3. Fold bottom edge of each tortilla up and roll tightly. Secure, if desired, w/ tooth pick, foil, or wax paper.

**Note: I generally make this for lunch, so I always make the Aioli mixture the day prior and leave it in the fridge over night. I thin pack all my other ingredients (chicken, tomatoes, bacon bits, and lettuce) in a separate container for the next day.

Chicken and Mushroom Stew

*Taken from "Weight Watchers New Cookbook"

4 (5-oz) bone in chicken thighs, skinned (I used chicken breast)
3/4 tsp salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 teaspoons olive oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound mixed mushrooms
1 carrot, thinly sliced
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 cup reduced sodium chicken broth

1. Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Spray large nonstick skillet with nonstick spray and set over medium-high heat. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to plate.

2. Reduce heat to medium. Add oil to skillet. Add onion and garlic; cook, stirring, until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, carrot, and celery; cook, stirring, until carrot is crisp-tender, about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and cook, stirring, until vegetables are softened, about 4 minutes.

3. Stir broth into skillet; bring to boil. Add chicken; reduce heat and simmer, covered, until cooked through, about 20 minutes.

Chicken with Rice

*taken from "Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook"

1 1/2 pounds bone-in chicken parts (breasts, drumsticks, and thighs), skinned
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 celery stalks, sliced
1 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5 oz) can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1/3 cup long-grain white rice
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon saffron threads, crushed (I didn't used- this is expensive)
1 cup frozen green peas
1/4 cup chopped cilantro


Preheat oven to 350.

Sprinkle chicken with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add chicken and cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side. Transfer to lidded 2-quart casserole dish.

Add bell pepper, celery, onion, and garlic to skillet; cook, stirring, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in tomatoes with their juice and broth, bring to boil. Stir in rice, oregano, and saffron; add to chicken.

Bake, covered, 25 minutes; sprinkle with peas. Bake covered, until chicken is cooked through, rice is tender, and liquid is absorbed, about 15 minutes (in addition to the first 25).  Serve sprinkled with cilantro.

Peppered Roast Tenderloin

Taken from  "Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook"

1 (2 1/2 pound) beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied
2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced lengthwise
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 tablespoon cracked black peppercorns
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh sage
1/2 teaspoon salt

(I didn't use the fresh rosemary, thyme, and sage....just used what was in my spice cabinet).

1. Preheat oven to 425.
2. With small knife, make small incisions all over tenderloin; insert a slice of garlic into each incision. Rub oil all over meat. Mix together peppercorns, rosemary, thyme, sage, and salt in cup; rub mixture all over tenderloin.
3. Place tenderloin in roasting pan; roast 10 minutes. Reduce oven temp to 350. Roast until instant-read thermometer inserted into center of tenderloin registers 145 for medium, about 20 minutes longer.  (For medium-well to well done, I roasted mine with a lid on the roaster for an hour.)   Transfer to cutting board; let stand 15 minutes. Cut into slices.

Cowboy Grub (casserole)

(taken from "Busy People's Slow Cooker Cookbook")

1 pound eye of round beef, cut into 1/4" cubes
1 pound fat-free shredded hash browns
1/2 cup frozen chopped onion
3/4 cup barbecue sauce

Spray a slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray. In the cooker stir together the beef, hash browns, onion, and barbecue sauce until well mixed. Cover and cook on low for 9-10 hours or on high for 4 1/2 hours.

Chicken Dumpling Casserole

(taken from "Busy People's Slow Cooker Cookbook) 

3 cups hot water

8 ounces fat-free shredded cheddar cheese 

1 (4 oz) jar mushrooms, drained 

2 (10 oz) cans chicken breast

3 (12 oz) jars fat-free chicken gravy

1 (16 oz) can mixed vegetables, drained

1 (12 oz) bag egg-less dumplings (No-Yolk) 

Spray a slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray.  In the slow cooker mix together the water, cheese, mushrooms, chicken breast, gravy and vegetables. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours. Stir in the dumplings, making sure dumplings are completely covered with liquid.  Continue cooking for 1/2 hour more or until the dumplings are tender. 

Note: If some of the dumplings accidentally rise above the liquid and become dry, simply remove those few dumplings with a slotted spoon before serving. 

Honey Mustard Chicken

(taken from "Busy People's Slow Cooker Cookbook")

8 (4-oz) boneless, skinless chicken breasts
2 cups fat free honey-Dijon salad dressing


Spray a slow cooker with nonfat cooking spray.  Put the chicken in the slow cooker and over it with the salad dressing. Cover and cook on high for 3-4 hours or on low for 6-8 hours.

Crockpot Pizza

1 (16-oz) box rigatoni (or your choice shape) noodles
1 1/2 lbs hamburger (or ground turkey)
chopped onion, if desired
diced green peppers, if desired
sliced mushrooms, if desired
2 jars spaghetti sauce
1 pkg pepperoni
1 12-16 oz pkg shredded mozzarella cheese
any other favorite pizza items


Cook 1/2 box of pasta according top package instructions. Rinse and drain, then set aside. Brown hamburger, seasoning to taste. Drain off excess grease. Add the desired amount of onions, green peppers and/or mushrooms to the hamburger, cooking on simmer to soften. (This is one of those recipes that you should taste and add a bit of this and that seasoning-wise to taste.)  

Spray crock pot with non-stick spray. Layer crock pot as many times as possible in this order:  Pasta, hamburger mix, spaghetti sauce, pepperoni, other pizza items, and cheese.  Repeat. Cook 3-4 hours on low or until cheese is melted and slightly bubbly.

Roasted Red Potatoes with Garlic Herb Oil

Taken from the "SparkPeople Cookbook"

1 1/2 pounds red or new potatoes
2 T olive oil
3 cloves garlic, smashed and sliced
1 T fresh thyme
1 tsp chopped rosemary
1/2 tsp kosher or sea salt

1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Prepare a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray
2. Scrub the potatoes, but do not peel; cut them into quarters. In a large mixing bowl, toss together the potatoes, oil, garlic, thyme, rosemary and salt.
3. Spread the potatoes in a single layer on the prepared  baking sheet. Roast for 20 minutes, stir and roast an additional 25 minutes or until the potatoes are tender and light brown. Serve warm.

Makes 8- 1/2 cup servings

Taco Seasoning

Taken From the "SparkPeople Cookbook"

Much better for you than the packets you can buy!  I make this x2 and store it in an airtight container. As often as I make taco salad, this is great!

Makes 3 Servings ( 1 2/3 tbsp per serving)

3 T ground cumin
1 T chili powder
1 T red pepper flakes

Aunt Florence Cookies

1 1/2 cups sugar

1 cup shortening 

2 eggs

1/2 cup milk

1 tsp vanilla 

3 c flour

1/4 tsp baking soda

2 tsp baking powder

pinch of salt

Cream together the sugar and shortening. Add one egg at a time. Add milk and vanilla. Mix well. Add dry ingredients, stirring well. 

Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes. 

Mom's Macaroni and Cheese

2 tablespoons butter or margarine
2 tablespoons flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dry mustard
2 1/2 cups milk
2 cups shredded cheese (cheddar)
8 oz macaroni
1/4 cup buttered cracker crumbs
paprika


In saucepan, melt butter.  Remove from heat, blend in flour, salt and mustard. Add milk.  Heat, stirring constantly until sauce thickens a little and is smooth. Add 1 1/2 cups cheese, heat until melted, stirring occasionally. Meanwhile, cook macaroni as directed; drain. Combine with sauce in a 2 quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese and cracker crumbs and paprika. Bake at 375 for about 20-25 minutes or until browned and bubbly.

Makes 4-6 servings

Lemon Barbecued Chuck Steak

Another favorite from Mom's arsenal. :)

1 chuck steak (1 1/2" thick)
1 tsp grated lemon peel
2/3 c lemon juice
1/3 c salad oil
1 1/2 tsp salt
1/8 tsp pepper
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp prepared mustard
2 green onion tops, chopped

Score fat edges of meat. Place in shallow dish. Combine ingredients and pour over steak. Let stand three hours at room temperature, turning steak several times.

Cook over hot coals, about 12 minutes each side. Brushing occasionally with marinade. Cut across grain before serving.

Medium White Sauce

Great on diced potatoes--this is Mom's recipe! :)

4 tablespoons butter
4 tablespoons flour
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup canned milk
1/4 cup water

Cook until thick.

Slow Cooker Lasagna

Taken from the SparkPeople cookbook by Meg Galvin


1 pound ground beef, 96% lean (turkey burger works good too!)
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp dried thyme
One 24-oz jar low sodium marinara sauce
One 3/4-pound eggplant, unpeeled, diced (2 cups)  (I omitted this- add it if you want!)
15 ounces part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup shredded Italian five-cheese blend (mozzarella works if you can't find Italian blend)
1/4 cup egg substitute (or 1 egg white)
1 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
6 no-boil lasagna noodles


1. In a skillet over moderate heat, brown the ground beef and drain any excess fat. Stir in red pepper flakes, thyme, tomato sauce, eggplant, and 1-1/4 cup water. 


2. In a mixing bowl, combine the ricotta, shredded cheese blend, egg substitute, and parsley. 


3. Coat the inside of the slow-cooker with nonstick cooking spray. Place enough meat sauce in the slow cooker to cover the bottom. Top with 2 or 3 lasagna noodles (break them up as needed) to cover the meat sauce. Repeat layer. 


4. Top the second layer with all of the cheese mixture and finish with a top layer of the remaining meat sauce. 


5. Cover and set the slow cooker on low. Cook for 3 1/2 to 4 hours. 

Spicy Turkey Mini-Meatloaves

Taken from the SparkPeople cookbook by Meg Galvin


(if you don't like spicy stuff...cut back or cut out the spicy seasonings) 


1 pound ground turkey, 93% lean 
1 medium onion, finely diced (1 cup)
1 cup old-fashioned oats
3/4 cup shredded carrots 
2 large eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 to 1 tsp chipotle pepper powder (or the chili powder of your choice) 
2 tbsp chili sauce
2 tsp Dijon mustard
6 slices turkey bacon 


1. Preheat oven to 350. In a large mixing bowl, combine the turkey, onions, oats, carrots, eggs, salt, pepper, chili powder, chili sauce, and mustard. 


2. Prepare large muffin tins with nonstick cooking spray. Line the inside of each tin with one slice of bacon. Drop 3/4 cup of the meat mixture into each turkey-bacon lined cup. 


3. Bake until an internal temperature of 165 is reached, about 40 minutes. 

Pecan Chicken with Maple Citrus Sauce

Taken from the SparkPeople cookbook by Meg Galvin


1/4 cup pecans, halved or pieces
1/4 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup orange juice
1 tsp finely chopped parsley


1. Preheat oven to 350. Spray a baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. 


2. Chop the pecans by hand or in a food processor until they are the same size as the breadcrumbs; set aside 2 tablespoons for use in the sauce. Combine the chopped pecans with the breadcrumbs and the pepper; place in a flat-bottomed bowl. 


3. Pour 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup into a plastic bag or onto a dish. Trim any fat from the chicken, and cut each breast into three slices. 


4. Dip the chicken in the syrup, then coat the nut mixture. Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and bake until the meat is no longer pink, about 30 minutes. 


5. About 10 minutes before the chicken is done, start preparing the sauce. Pour the remaining 2 tablespoons syrup, and the lemon and orange juice into a small saucepan. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until reduced by half. Just before serving add in the reserved 2 tablespoons chopped pecans and the parsley. Pour the sauce over the meat or serve it on the side. 

Pizza Tot Casserole

1 1/2 pounds ground beef or turkey
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1/2 pound sliced fresh mushrooms
1 can (15oz) pizza sauce
1 teaspoon dried basil
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
1 package (32 oz) frozen tater tots
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, cook the meat, green pepper, onion, and mushrooms over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain. Add pizza sauce and basil.

Transfer to a greased 3 Qt. baking dish. Top with mozzarella cheese, then tater tots. Bake, uncovered, at 400 degrees for 30-35 minutes or until tater tots are lightly browned. Sprinkle with cheddar cheese and bake another 5 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Yields 8 servings.

Alaskan Halibut Chowder

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 large potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1 (8 ounce) can stewed tomatoes, diced
• 2 large carrots, shredded
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 pounds halibut, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 1 pinch red pepper flakes, or to taste

1. Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, and cook until the onion has softened and turned translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the potatoes and garlic, and continue cooking until the potatoes have softened slightly, about 10 minutes.
2. Pour in the chicken stock, tomatoes, and carrots. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the milk and cream, season to taste with salt and pepper, then stir in the halibut. Continue simmering uncovered until the halibut is flaky and no longer translucent in the center, about 10 minutes. Gently stir in the Cheddar cheese and red pepper flakes until the cheese has melted. Serve immediately.

Tuna Noodle Casserole

Taken from the SparkPeople cookbook by Meg Galvin

4 ounces whole-wheat noodles (or no-yolk egg noodles)
1/2 slice whole-wheat bread (I used one whole slice and it was better)
2 tbsp unsalted light butter
1/2 cup finely diced onions
1 1/2 cups finely diced mushrooms
2 Tbsp flour
1 tbsp fresh thyme or 1/3 tsp dried
1/2 tsp white or black pepper
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
12 ounces reduced-sodium canned tuna, packed in water, drained
1/4 cup shredded Swiss cheese (or mozzarella--I used this and it was yummy!)
2 cups frozen peas and carrots


1.  Preheat the oven to 350. Prepare an 8" x 10" baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. Cook the noodles according to package directions (you'll want 2 cups of cooked noodles); place 1/2 slice of whole-wheat bread into a small food processor to grind into crumbs. (hand crumbling worked for me!)

2. Place the butter into a medium saucepan over moderate heat.  Once the butter is melted and hot, add the onions and mushrooms. Cook, stirring, until soft, about 2 minutes. Do not let the onions brown. Sprinkle the flour over the vegetables and stir to combine; cook for 1 minute. Add the thyme and pepper, and then add the milk. Stir until the mixture comes to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cook for 2 to 3 minutes more.

3. Add the tuna, cheese, peas and carrots, and noodles to the pan and stir to combine. Transfer to the prepared baking dish and top with the breadcrumbs (I sprinkled a little bit more cheese on the top, too!) Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly. Serve warm.