Cauliflower Cheese Bake

I enjoyed this dish. The children did not. One did not like the cheese and the other would not touch it. They will prob eat it all up next time. I had some fresh breadcrumbs laying on the counter, so I used them and didn't taste them. Wasted calories! I did not have aged cheddar or Colman's mustard. Still, it was good and a good intro to cauliflower.






1 large cauliflower
1 1/3 cup milk
1/2 lb Mature cheddar cheese, finely grated
3 tablespoons plain flour
0.11 lb butter
1/2 teaspoon dried English mustard (Colman's)
nutmeg
salt and black pepper

1 pre-heat oven to 450°F.
2 Trim the cauliflower & break into small florets.
3 Boil in salted water for 10-15 minutes or until just tender.
4 Drain in a colander and then place in a Pam coated ovenproof baking dish.
5 Add the milk, flour and butter to a saucepan.
6 Heat and whisking with a wire whisk continuously until the sauce thickens, boils and is smooth.
7 Allow to simmer for a further 2 minutes.
8 Add three-quarters of the grated cheese, mustard, a pinch of nutmeg and seasoning.
9 Cook for further minute stirring well.
10 Pour the sauce over the cauliflower.
11 Mix the remaining cheese together, sprinkle over the top.
12 Bake in a pre-heated oven 450F for about 15 to 25 minutes until golden brown and bubbling.
13 Serve immediately.

Original recipe: http://www.food.com/recipe/traditional-english-cheddar-cauliflower-cheese-gratin-216237?mode=metric&scaleto=4.0&st=null

Turkey Meatloaf

I have tried ground turkey in chili, sloppy joes, and spaghetti and I really only enjoy it in meatloaf. Make sure you get the extra lean turkey, or you will be eating the same amount of fat in ground beef.









Ingredients

2 tablespoons Olive oil
1 cup onions, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 lbs ground turkey
1/2 cup Oats
1/4 cup egg substitute
3/4 cup catsup
2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper


Directions

Cook onion and garlic in oil for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Place mixture in a large bowl to cool for 5 minutes.
Combine turkey, bread crumbs, egg, 1/4 cup of the catsup, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and pepper with onion mixture.
Press meatloaf into an 8x4-inch loaf pan.
Spread remaining catsup on top.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 50-55 minutes.
(Internal temperature should reach 165 degrees.) Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Yum. A little bland, but catsup and mustard made it taste perfect!

Asparagus

4 servings; 38 calories per serving









Ingredients:

1 lb asparagus spears, trimmed
1 tsp extra- virgin olive oil
Kosher salt, to taste (optional)
1/4 teaspoon each: dried thyme, oregano, basil and black pepper
Optional garnish: diced tomato

Directions
Heat oven to 350degF. Toss the asparagus in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish or a shallow 3-quart casserole pan with the olive oil, kosher salt if desired, thyme, oregano, basil and black pepper. Arrange asparagus in a single layer in the dish. Bake uncovered 12 to 13 minutes for thin asparagus or 15 to 18 minutes or thick asparagus, or until crisp-tender. Garnish with tomato if desired.

Nutrition Information
Total fat 1.5 g
Saturated fat 0.2 g
Healthy fats 1.1 g
Fiber 1.4 g
Carbohydrates 5 g
Sugar 1.8 g
Protein 2.9 g

Mark loved it. Right now I think I like it better boiled. Crisp asparagus was not appealing to me. Flavor was okay.

Faux-Fried Onion Rings

Serves 4







Ingredients:

4 large Vidalia onions cut into 1/2-in thick slices
2 cups skim milk
2 cups whole wheat flour
2 cups whole wheat panko breadcrumbs
4 large egg whites
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Non-stick cooking spray
3/4 cup Rocco's Magnificent Mayonnaise or store-bought reduced-fat mayonnaise
1 tbsp liquid smoke

Directions:

Separate the onions into individual rings. Use only the larger rings for this recipe; reserve the smaller rings for another use. You should have 20 rings total. Lay the rings in a single layer in a large rectangular baking dish. Pour the milk over the rings and allow them to soak for about 20 minutes, turning them once so that all surfaces of the onion rings have been exposed to the milk.

Preheat the oven to 425 deg F. Place a wire baking rack on each of two foil- lined baking sheets, and set them aside.

Put the flour in a shallow dish. Put the panko in a small dish. In a large bowl, whip the egg whites with a whisk until they are extremely foamy but not quite holding peaks. Working in batches, remove the onion rings from the milk and dredge them in the flour, shaking off any excess. Add the rings to the egg whites and toss to coat completely. Add the rings, a few pieces at a time, to the panko and coat completely.

Spread the onion rings out on the wire racks. Season the rings generously with salt and pepper, and spray them lightly with cooking spray. Bake until the panko is golden brown and crispy and the onions are tender, about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and the liquid smoke. Season to taste with liquid smoke. Serve the onion rings with the mayonnaise for dipping.

Nutrition Facts
4.7g fat
342 calories
14g protein
64g carbohydrates
10mg cholesterol
8g fiber
519mg sodium

Sweet Cookies

Mine do not look like the picture. my batter was much too soft to roll, so I spooned it on and hoped for the best. The flavor is good. My children loved them. The texture is not what you expect. NOTE: This recipe only yielded 9 cookies! There's a good way to avoid overeating! (I used unbleached flour and no nuts)







Ingredients

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp canola oil
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 egg white
1 tsp vanilla
2/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 cup oatmeal
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 cup dried cherries or cranberries or blueberries
1/4 cup lightly toasted nuts of choice
2 oz. dark chocolate in chunks or chips
Cooking spray

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 ° F.

Combine butter, oil and brown sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and mix on high speed until mixture is light and fluffy, for about 2 minutes. Add applesauce, egg white and vanilla. Mix to combine. Add flour, oatmeal, salt and cinnamon; mix until combined. Add fruit and nuts. Mix to combine.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Using 1 tablespoon of cookie dough at a time, roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on sheet. Press down to flatten slightly. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until lightly brown but still soft. Remove from oven and cool on racks.

Baked Ziti 7 POINTS

Serves 8







Ingredients:

12 oz uncooked ziti
2 tsp olive oil
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
1/3 lb raw lean ground beef
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp dried rosemary
1/2 tsp table salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
28 oz canned crushed tomatoes
1 cup part-skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Directions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and set aside. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat; add garlic and sauté 2 minutes. Add beef and cook until browned, breaking up meat with a spoon as it cooks, about 3 to 5 minutes; drain off any fat and set pan back over medium heat.

Add oregano, thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper; stir to coat beef. Cook until herbs become fragrant, about 2 minutes. Add tomatoes and bring mixture to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Spoon a small amount of beef-tomato mixture into bottom of a 4-quart casserole dish (just enough to cover surface); top with half of cooked ziti. Next, layer with half of remaining beef-tomato sauce and half of mozzarella cheese. Layer with remaining ziti and then top with remaining beef-tomato sauce; sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is golden and bubbly, about 30 minutes. Slice into 8 pieces and serve. Yields 1 piece per serving.

Preparation time: 20 minutes
Cooking time: 50 minutes

Weight Watchers POINTS® Value: 7

Chicken Pot Pie

Makes 6 servings




Ingredients

2 tbsp heart-healthy butter blend
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
2 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 tsp coarse, grainy mustard
1/2 cup flour
2 cups low-fat, low-sodium chicken stock
2 cups water
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 cups (1/2-in) diced, peeled sweet potatoes
1 cup diced cooked chicken
3 cups cooked, fresh vegetables or 2 cups frozen vegetables
2 cups reduced fat all-purpose baking mix
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg
Butter-flavored cooking oil spray

Directions
In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt butter and add in the olive oil. Stir in the onions, garlic, 1 tbsp of the poultry seasoning, 1/2 tsp of the salt and pepper, and the mustard. Cook for 3 minutes until the onions soften. Stir in the flour and cook stirring constantly 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in stock, water, and the Worcestershire sauce until the mixture smooth.

Bring the mixture to a boil and add in the sweet potatoes. Cook on low, stirring frequently until sweet potatoes are tender, 6 to 10 minutes. Stir in the chicken and the vegetables and remove from the pot from the heat. Spray an 8 x 11 in (2 qt) baking dish with the cooking oil. Pour the chicken and vegetable mixture into the pan.

Pre-heat the oven to 400 ° F. Whisk together the baking mix, buttermilk, egg and the remaining 1 tbsp of the poultry seasoning, and the remaining 1/2 tsp of the salt and pepper. Mix until well blended. Spoon the batter over the chicken and vegetables. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is golden brown and the juices bubble around the edges of the pan.

Recipe courtesy of Angela Shelf Medearis, The Kitchen Diva and author of The Kitchen Diva Cooks.

Note: This was just okay for me. Mark ate 3 helpings. He loved it. The children picked but I think it was because of how it looked as the biscuit mix was pretty soft. Certainly worth making and trying, especially if you are unfamiliar with sweet potato, like I was. 

Cheesy Chicken and Vegetable Dinner

I am going to do this a little differently. I have fresh broccoli and cauliflower and some 2% Velveeta cheese and penne. I am going to make a cheese sauce with the Velveeta and some Parmesan maybe sprinkled on top for presentation.

Ingredients:

1 cup uncooked rotini pasta (3 oz)
2 bags (12 oz) Green Giant® Valley Fresh Steamers™ frozen broccoli, carrots, cauliflower & cheese sauce
1 cup chopped deli rotisserie chicken (from 2- to 2 1/2-lb chicken)
1 cup shredded American-Cheddar cheese blend (4 oz)

1. In 3-quart saucepan, cook and drain pasta as directed on package. Return to saucepan.

2. Meanwhile, in 2-quart microwavable casserole, place frozen vegetables and cheese sauce. Loosely cover with microwavable plastic wrap. Microwave on High 8 to 10 minutes, stirring twice, until cheese sauce melts and vegetables are just crisp-tender.

3. Stir vegetables, chicken and cheese into pasta. Cover; cook over low heat 2 to 3 minutes or until cheese is melted. Stir gently.

Turned out delicious! This is my own pic. Even the kids liked it.

Shepherds Pie

Ingredients

2 pounds potatoes, such as russet, peeled and cubed
2 tablespoons low fat sour cream
1 egg yolk
1/2 cup low fat milk
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, 1 turn of the pan
1 3/4 pounds extra lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 cup beef stock or broth
2 teaspoons Worcestershire, eyeball it
1/2 cup frozen corn, a couple of handfuls
1 teaspoon sweet paprika
2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves


Directions

Boil potatoes in salted water until tender, about 12 minutes. Drain potatoes and pour them into a bowl. Combine milk, egg yolk, butter, and sour cream. Add the cream mixture into potatoes and mash until potatoes are almost smooth.

While potatoes boil, preheat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil to hot pan with beef and onion. Season meat with salt and pepper. Brown and crumble meat and onions. Add flour slowly, stirring until absorbed. Add beef broth and Worcestershire sauce. Thicken gravy 1 minute.

Saute corn on med-high with a small amount of olive oil until the sweetness is released, about 3 minutes.
Preheat broiler to high. Fill a small rectangular casserole with meat mixture. Add the layer of corn. Spoon potatoes over meat evenly. Top potatoes with paprika and
bake at 375 for 45 minutes, or until evenly browned.

Top casserole dish with chopped parsley and serve.

Chicken Noodle Soup

Ingredients

1 1/2 pounds boneless chicken, cut-up
1 handful onion, chopped
1 handful carrots, chopped
1 handful parsley
1 handful celery, chopped
1 pkg. No Yolk wide noodles
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 chicken bullion cubes


Instructions

Place chicken parts in slow cooker, covering with 8 c water. Add salt, pepper, cubes, onion, carrots, parsley and celery. Cook about 8 hours on low.

Add cooked noodles. Season to taste. Serve.

I couldn't get enough of this soup! I will be making it again soon and freezing a bunch for later.