Blue Skies and Skinny Thighs

Thursday

2011-01-13T14:21:00.005-07:00

Struggling with adjusting to the new Weight Watcher program. Not sure why, I think I just prefer the old program. So, it's back to Momentum for me. It worked great, so no need for the new program.

It is so hard to cook for a country boy, and cook for myself. Most nights I find myself cooking two different meals.

Tonight it is chicken and dumplings for the men, and chicken fried rice 5 points (Aldi's) and egg roll, 3 points, for me.

Today's purchases
Kellogs frosted mini wheats
hot dog buns
2 jars Peter Pan peanut butter
1/2 gallon chocolate milk
3 lbs grapes
fresh pineapple
bagged salad greens
marachino cherries
1 lb deli bologna

Total spent $13.56
Total spent this week: $72.73

What do you do with leftover bread?

2011-01-11T06:23:00.004-07:00

We seem to have a lot of leftover bread at our house. I eat sandwich thins, light bread, and my hubby, son, and grandkids eat full fat bread. This usally results in bread getting stale before we eat it all. I've found a great use for stale bread.

I tear up the stale bread, place on a baking sheet to dry out even more, and after a day of drying, I place it in ziploc bags in the freezer.

Whenever we want homemade dressing, I just get a bag out of the freezer. I saute onions and celery in a bit of butter. Then toss the bread, onions and celery, sage, pepper, salt, and chicken broth together. Bake at 375 till browned on the top. YUM!!

I hate to waste anything. Groceries are so expensive!

Monday..Snow is Coming!

2011-01-10T14:57:00.009-07:00

They are predicting 3-5 inches of snow for us here in Ohio. Got out today and did a little grocery shopping.

Does everyone check their receipts? I thought my Aldi's bill sounded a little high, and after checking, I was charged $6.99 for a tarp-aulin. Say what? A tarpaulin? I never bought a tarpaulin.
Very aggravated, I went all the way back to Aldi for my $6.99 plus tax back. Geesh...

Todays purchses

Kroger
Colegate tootbrush (free after coupon)
Colegate toothpaste (free after coupon)
3 Bob Evans pre cooked sausage (used 3 coupons that doubled to make sausage for just .50 each)
Pedigree dog food can (dented section)
Skyline chili (dented section)
1/2 gal skim milk
6 pack bottles of coke zero (used $1.50 reg reward coupon)
Rotel tomato (dented section)
3 green beans (dented section)
white potatoes (dented section)
4 cream of chicken soup (dented section)
can corn (dented section)
ziploc sandwich bags (dented section)
Total spent: $11.87

Aldi
Cinnamon Crunch cereal (grandkids)
Crisp rice cereal (to make rice krispie treats)
eggs
egg rolls
fit and active whipped topping
2 peanut butter chips (for cookie making)
2 chocolate chips
gallon ice cream (I swear its for the grandkids)
potato puffs
curley fries
spring mix lettuce
Butter lettuce
Can you say J U N K?? Well, I did buy lettuce.........
Total spent $20.10

Meijer
fresh strawberries
sugar free strawberry glaze
fresh blueberries
fresh cherries
4 lbs frozen chicken breast
Oscar Mayer bacon
Kraft cheddar cheese
3 boxes Kool Aid Jammers (only .67 each, only reason I bought them)
egg beaters (about to expire section)
tomato sauce (dented)
2 Ronzoni smart taste pasta (used $1 coupon)
2 Ronzoni garden pasta (used 2-$1 coupons)
2 Ragu (used $1 coupon and earned $1 register reward)
Total spent $27.20
Total spent today: $59.17

Saturday..should be Weight Watchers Day...BUT

2011-01-08T03:13:00.003-07:00

Saturday is my normal Weight Watcher weigh in day. I won't be going today. I've been doing some emotional eating the past few weeks. Must get that in check.

On the budget front, I am doing well. Spent very little this week, and $12 of what I did spend was on a game for the grandkids. Games can be priceless on a cold blustery day when they are unable to go outdoors.

I made a very large pot of vegetable soup yesterday, very yummy and soothing for the mind and body.

The weekends around here are busy, but fun. Hope everyone has a wonderful time with their friends and family.

Thursday How many more days till Spring?

2011-01-06T14:01:00.005-07:00

I've got a chill today, don't seem to be able to get warm.

Totally slacking in the dinner department, it is 4:00 p.m. and I have nothing prepped. We may use a gift card from Christmas and go out!

Purchased a few things today. Needed meat to go with those buns that I purchased earlier in the week. Planning on burgers and cheesy mets for Sunday's after church lunch with the grandkids. Ice cream for root beer floats. Sounds like a junk fest planned for Sunday, right? Does it help that the root beer and ice cream are sugar free?

Also picked up a new game for the grandkids, KerPlunk. It was on the clearance section, 50% off. Looks like a game that they all can enjoy.

6 Angus burger patties
1 package Bluegrass cheesy mets
KerPlunk
1/2 gal sf ff vanilla ice cream
4 little boxes of candy to be used for Easter baskets

Total spent today $24.95 uh oh...I feel my frugality slipping bit, and it is only a week into January
Total spent for the week $55.72

Tuesday! Too much to do, and to little time

2011-01-04T10:37:00.004-07:00

Running around like a chicken with her head cut off today. Providing food for a funeral of a lovely little lady from our church who passed. The services are tomorrow, and I will miss her so much.

Green beans, ham and potatoes are in the crock pot for tonights supper!

Todays purchases
3 jars of pickles
one whole chicken
Total spent $7.01
Total for week: $30.77

Monday...WOW..there are bargains to be had!

2011-01-03T10:12:00.006-07:00

Monday morning shopping was a pleasure this morning. Lots of bargains to be found!

Todays purchases

Kroger (everythin except the dog treats and pop were from the dented section)
31 oz coffee
Pedigree marrow bones (had $5 coupon found in a bag of dry dog food)
almonds 24 oz
box oyster crakers
5 lb sugar
5 lb flour
2 2 liter diet sierra mist (had $1 coupon)
Total $9.35

Meijer Buy 10 get 11th free sale
living lettuce
2 lb baby carrots
spinach, fresh bagged
dozen eggs
3 cucumbers
2 2 liter diet sierra mist (used $1 coupon)
10 lbs potatoes
hot dog buns
hamburger buns
2 holiday Betty crocker cake mixes
2 3lb bags of onions
natures sweet grape tomatoes
2 bags assorted candy (christmas leftovers, will use for DGS's birthday party pinata)
Total spent $14.41
Total for today $23.76

Sunday...God'sDay

2011-01-02T12:36:00.003-07:00

Sunday

I love Sundays. They are hectic, because we pick up the grandkids, take them to church and keep them for the day. It is both fun, and exhausting.

A big crockpot full of goulash was waiting for us when we came home from church. Macaroni, lean ground beef, onion, peppers, and tomatoes. Yum!

Another reason to love Sundays is our grocery ads are delivered on Sundays. I love to scour the ads, match them with coupons, and plan my grocery shopping. I know, I know, most people hate to do this chore, but I LOVE it!

Meijer has especially good produce deals this coming week, which I am excited about.

I hear that gas prices are going sky high. I must plan my grocery trips to economize on gas. One big trip. making several stops at my favorite stores, Aldi, Meijer, and Kroger.

Happy New Year!

2011-01-01T04:52:00.002-07:00

Happy New Year!

Made a run to the flea market for produce for the week, but came home with NO produce! It is raining here in Ohio today and the outside vendors didn't show up. Boo Hoo!

I did find some deals on other grocery items. This is what I bought:

5 12 oz bags chocolate chips
Ronzoni Smart Taste Penne Pasta
Capri Sun (for my Sunday school kids)
Thomas mini bagels
15 lbs of flour (3 bags)
bread crumbs
2 31 oz cans Refried Beans
dozen eggs

Total spent today $13.46
Total spent on groceries for the week $64.36
That's it for this week, tomorrow starts a new week!

Friday A little cleaning, a little relaxing

2010-12-31T04:41:00.004-07:00

Not much on the agenda for today. Tidy up the house, maybe a drive out to the lake, maybe a little cooking. Throwing all of the ingredients into the crockpot for stew this morning, simple and easy dinner.

I will be baking a pineapple upside down cake today using pineapple leftover from Christmas, a boxed cake mix, butter and brown sugar.

Breakfast for me will be oatmeal, snack will be a banana, and dinner will be the same as the rest of the family, beef stew. Probably will cook a more substantial breakfast for hubby and son, but I will stick to oatmeal.

Budget is going well this week. Recording what I buy really makes me stop and think about every penny that I spend.

Total spent on groceries this week $50.90

Thursday Day Out With The Grandkids

2010-12-30T05:09:00.004-07:00

My husband has the day off. We are taking three of the four grandkids to Entertainment Junction, a very neat attraction nearby our home. They have a lot of train displays, and some special attractions for the holidays. The admission price for "Do it all" ticket is $14.95, which is ridiculous!

I scoured the internet for discount coupons and found some really good coupons. Half Off Buch was offering four admissions for $25, and I jumped on this offer!

My purse is packed with juice box's and snacks, which will help to defray the cost.

Dinner tonight will be mostly leftovers. I will be eating beans and a vita corn, and my hubby and adult son will be eating this:

Country fried steak
Mashed potatoes (leftover from Sunday)
Corn (leftover from Sunday)
Soup beans
Hawaiian rolls (leftover from Sunday)

Todays purchase (Aldi's)

Gallon milk
loaf of bread
canola oil
bananas
10 lb potatoes
3 cans biscuits
1 lb bacon
orange juice
2 lb margarine
beef stew meat
mixed nuts

Total for today $20.77
Total for week $50.90

Wednesday Garbage Day Or Clean Out the Frig Day

2010-12-28T16:34:00.014-07:00

Wednesday is garbage day around here. I am making an effort to throw very little food in the trash, if any at all.

Being organized, taking note of the freshness, or not so freshness of produce and dairy products help to reduce waste.

Breakfast today will be a smoothie, making use of leftover fruit from a fruit tray.

Lunch will be homemade pot pie for the men (see recipe below) and green salad for me

Tonights supper is being planned around ingredients leftover from the holidays, ham, rf sour cream, and 2% cheddar.

Ham
Hashbrown casserole (recipe below)
Biscuits (none for me, way too many ww points)
scrambled eggs (egg beaters for me)
Fruit salad

HASH BROWN CASSEROLE

1 2 pound package frozen Hash Browns
8 ounces sour cream
1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup margarine or butter
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 cups grated cheddar

Place potatoes in a greased 9×13 inch pan
Season with salt and pepper
Melt butter in the microwave
In a bowl add minced onions, sour cream, and cream of chicken soup, and melted butter
Mix these items together
Pour soup mixture over potatoes; sprinkle with Cheddar Cheese
Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes, or until all is completely warm, and the cheese begins to melt.

POT PIE
Ingredients
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast halves - cubed
1 cup sliced carrots
1 cup frozen green peas (too many peas in my opinion)
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup chopped onion
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon celery seed
1 3/4 cups chicken broth
2/3 cup milk
2 (9 inch) unbaked pie crusts

Directions
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C.)
In a saucepan, combine chicken, carrots, peas, and celery
Add water to cover and boil for 15 minutes
Remove from heat, drain and set aside.
In the saucepan over medium heat, cook onions in butter until soft and translucent
Stir in flour, salt, pepper, and celery seed
Slowly stir in chicken broth and milk
Simmer over medium-low heat until thick
Remove from heat and set aside
Place the chicken mixture in bottom pie crust
Pour hot liquid mixture over
Cover with top crust, seal edges, and cut away excess dough
Make several small slits in the top to allow steam to escape.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 35 minutes, or until pastry is golden brown and filling is bubbly. Cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Nutritional Information
Amount Per Serving Calories: 416 | Total Fat: 24g

Purchases for today
9 cans creamed corn
1 40 gallon size Ziploc (Christmas decorated)
bagged salad greens
Nestle hot chocolate
Kraft marshamllows 9sed $1 coupon)

Total $6.69

Total for week $30.13

Tuesday Brr...It's Cold Outside

2010-12-27T16:09:00.014-07:00

Day number two of being back on the frugal wagon!

What's cooking tonight? Well, it happens to be my very favorite meal of all times. Soup beans and ham (utilizing the leftover Christmas ham) oven fried potatoes and cornbread. If I was on death row, and they asked me what I would like for my final meal, this would be it.

I happen to love Jiffy mix. I know, a true country girl probably doesn't fix Jiffy mix cornbread. There's some buttermilk in my frig that needs to be used, so I will be making cornbread from scratch tonight. See the recipe below!

Tonight's Meal
Soup beans and ham
oven fried potatoes
Cornbread

Grandma's Cornbread (recipe from www.allrecipes.com)

Ingredients
1/2 cup butter
2/3 cup white sugar
2 eggs
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (175 degrees C)
Grease an 8 inch square pan
Melt butter in large skillet. Remove from heat and stir in sugar
Quickly add eggs and beat until well blended
Combine buttermilk with baking soda and stir into mixture in pan.
Stir in cornmeal, flour, and salt until well blended and few lumps remain
Pour batter into the prepared pan.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Todays purchases
all cans were from the dented can section (LOVE IT!)

2-cans Hunts pasta sauce
21-cans green beans
2-cans Manwich
6-cans new potatoes
2-cans peas
4-cans creamed corn
2 Betty Crocker gingerbread cookie mix (used two $.40 coupons)
7-Lean Cuisine Market Creations (buy 5 get 2 free/used 3 $1.00 off coupons)
2 Febreze scented oil refills a luxury I know, but it is free using this rebate Google Febreze trade up for information

Total spent today: $20.83
Total for the week: $23.44

Christmas is O V E R

2010-12-27T11:56:00.012-07:00

Christmas is over. While I did not buy anything on credit, I certainly spent too much. I am a sucker for the grandchildren. I may scrimp and save on some things, but not on the grandkids Christmas presents.

Now, today, December 27, I must get back to my frugal ways.

Tonights supper will be
Weeney wraps as we call them (hot dog and cheese wrapped in a biscuit)
Baked Beans
Potato Salad
Fruit Salad leftover from Christmas
Apple pie for the guys semi home made with pillsbury pie crusts and canned apple pie filling (cleaning out the cupboards)

I had everything accept the beans. Had to make a Walmart run to return a bed ruffle, so I picked up 3 cans, one can for tonights supper, and 2 cans for future use. Also picked up a dozen eggs.

$1.29 dozen eggs
$1.32 3 cans pork and beans
$2.61 Total

Great Deals 5/11

2009-05-08T17:46:00.008-06:00

MEIJER
Oscar Meijer Hot Dogs $1.25
$1.00/2 Mealbox Q's
MQ from 5/10 insert $1.00/2
Final cost .25 each

Meijer yogurt 10/$4.00
Get $2 OYNO
Final cost .20 each

Kraft Light Mayo $2
Mealbox Q
MQ $1.00/1
Final cost FREE

Bananas .27 lb

Softsoap $1
MQ .35 doubled
Final Cost .29

Duncan Hines Cake Mix $1
Mealbox Q $1.00/5
MQ $1.00/3

Kraft Mac and Cheese
.50 each
Catalina deal: Purchase Kraft Macaroni & Cheese between 5/8 - 5/31
Buy 4 - get $1
Buy 5 - get $1.50
Buy 6 - get $2
Final cost 6/$1.00

Eggs
.98

Chiocken
.98 lb

KROGER

Grocery Week April 27

2009-04-25T15:44:00.008-06:00

Terrible week for couponers. My two favorite stores, Kroger, and Meijer do not have many coupon match ups this week. Meijer is featuring their own store brand. Ho Hum.

There are a couple of new interesting Catalina deals(that is the little machine that spits out coupons at the register) at Meijer.

1. Buy 6 Old El Paso seasoning mix's, shells, beans, etc, receive a coupon for $3 off chicken or beef

2. Buy 10 Keebler or Kelloggs products (5 ox or larger), get two free movie tickets

3. Buy two Wheat Thins, get a coupon for free Chrystal Light

Also look for peelies (stickers on the product of Pert for Men Shampoo. It has a Try it Free Offer

Happy Girl

2009-04-24T08:42:00.004-06:00

I am a happy girl today. I found the following bargains

KROGER
18 Suave shampoo and conditioner
88 cents
- MC .50/2 doubled
COST .38 PER Bottle

2 Scotch Tape (on the reduced rack)
- .50 cat/$1
Final Cost FREE

MEIJER
2 KC Masterpiece Barbeque sauce sweet and tangy
.90 each
manufactures rebate on tear pad, buy 2 KC Masterpiece, and chicken or beef, get $3.00back

9 Kraft Salad Dressing
$1.58 each
- $1.50 MC
Final cost .08 each

Shopping List 4/18 - 4/25

2009-04-18T11:16:00.020-06:00

MEIJER
most of these items came from the dented section (my favorite part of the store)

8 Barilla Piccolini Pasta .29 each/-8 .50 q doubled/$1.29 each orig cost
7 Electrasol Finish .50/- 7- $2.50 q's/$3.00 orig cost
Franks Red Hot FREE/-.50 Q doubled/$1.00 orig cost
French's mustard .25/-.50 q doubled/$1.25 orig cost
2 Mighty Dog dog food FREE/-2 .69 TIF coupon/.69 each orig cost
4 Swanson chicken broth .23 each/-.40 q doubled/.43 each orig cost
2 Frosted Mini wheats .56 each/-2 $1.00 q/$1.56 each orig cost
1 Kellogg Corn Flakes .24/-$1.00/$1.24 orig cost
2 Chunky soup .26 each/-.50q doubled/.76 orig cost
2 Chex Mix FREE/-2 .50 coupons doubled/$1.00 each orig cost
Fiber One Bars .60/-.50 q doubled/$1.60 orig cost
6 Pillsbury Frozen Dinner Rolls .12 each/-.40 q doubled/.92 clearance price
2 Purina Cat chow .69 each/- 2 3.50 q's/$4.19 orig cost
strawberries .99
cantaloupe $1.33

KROGER
10 Pillsbury brownies .50 each/- 5 .50 off 2 q doubled/ $1 orig cost
5 Quakes Rice Cakes FREE/-5 $1 q's/$1 each orig cost
Goldfish crackers FREE/- .50 q doubled
11 McCormich Grill Mates FREE/-3 .50 q's doubled/$1 each orig cost
3 Lawrey's marinade FREE/-.50 q doubled/ $1 each orig cost
seedless grapes .99 lb
fresh green beans .77 lb
7 softsoap .30 each/- 7 .35 q's doubled/$1 each orig cost
7 Suave deodorant 29 each/-.35 q doubled/ $1 original cost
deli american cheese 2.99 lb
whole chicken .88 lb
strip steak 3.99 lb
From the dented section:
4 lb generic sugar .79 (I am so excited)
5 lb kroger sugar 1.39
3 lb bag popcorn .89
huge bag (6 lb 6 oz) Pedigree Marrobone dog treats 4.19

JUNGLE JIMS

4 4 roll pkgs of Scott bathroom tissue FREE/- 4 $1 q's
3 lbs kahns bologna (my dh lves the nasty stuff
8 oz kraft mozarella 1.00
Eartbound cranberrry and walnut salad FREE/-4 coupon
Acivia 4 pack prune flavored yogurt(??) FREE/-$1 coupon

Walgreens
3 edge shaving cream FREE with buck back coupons This is limit 1, you have to go to a few stores to get multiples

CVS edge shaving cream FREE
2 Crest pro Care toothpaste .13 each after ECB and .75 coupon
__________________

Bread Making Adventure

2009-03-24T07:26:00.001-06:00

Some friends over at Dotti's Weight Loss Zone shared this recipe for Artisan Bread. It comes from the book Artisan Bread In Five Minutes. The cost per loaf is estimated at about 35 cents.

Master Bread Recipe
from "Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day"

Ingredients:
Chapter Five?s Master Recipe
Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day: the Discovery that Revolutionizes Home Baking (Thomas Dunne Books / St. Martin?s Press, Nov 2007)
The full recipe as it appears in the book provides more detail, but most home bakers will be able to get a start on five-minute a day homemade bread with this short version of the recipe.

Preparation time: 15 minutes to prepare enough dough for four loaves, to be baked over four days. Each daily loaf will average 5 minutes of active preparation time.

Makes four 1-pound loaves
3 cups lukewarm water (about 100º F)
1 1/2 tablespoons granulated yeast
1 1/2 tablespoons kosher or other coarse salt
6 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour (no need to sift)
Cornmeal for the pizza peel

1.In a 5-quart bowl, mix the yeast, water and salt. Add all the flour, then use a wooden spoon to mix until all ingredients are uniformly moist. It is not necessary to knead or continue mixing once the ingredients are uniformly moist. This will produce a loose and very wet dough.

2.Cover with a lid (not airtight). Allow the mixture to rise at room temperature until it begins to collapse, about 2 hours, but no more than 5 hours.

3. After rising, the dough can be baked immediately, or covered (non completely airtight) and refrigerated up to 14 days. The dough will be easier to work with after at least 3 hours refrigeration.

4. On baking day, prepare a pizza peel by sprinkling it liberally with cornmeal to prevent the bread from sticking when you transfer it to the oven. Uncover the dough and sprinkle the surface with flour. Pull up and cut off a 1-pound (grapefruit-size) piece of dough (serrated knives are best). Store the remaining dough in the bowl and refrigerate for baking at another time.

5. Hold the mass of dough in your hands and add a little more flour as needed so it won't stick. Create a smooth ball of dough by gently pulling the sides down around to the bottom, rotating the ball a quarter-turn as you go. While shaping, most of the dusting flour will fall off. The bottom of the loaf may appear to be a collection of bunched ends, but it will flatten out during resting and baking. Shaping the loaf this way should take no more than 1 minute.

6.Place the dough on the pizza peel. Allow the loaf to rest for about 40 minutes. It does not need to be covered. The bread may not rise much during this time.

7. Twenty minutes before baking, place a pizza stone on the center rack of the oven. If you don't have a baking stone, use another baking sheet. Remove any upper racks. Place a broiler pan on a rack below the pizza stone or on the floor of the oven. Preheat oven to 450 F.

8. When the dough has rested for 40 minutes, dust the top liberally with flour, then use a serrated knife to slash a 1/4-inch-deep cross or tic-tac-toe pattern into the top.

9.Slide the loaf off the peel and onto the baking stone. Quickly but carefully pour 1 cup of hot water into the broiler tray and close the oven door.

10.Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the crust is nicely browned and firm to the touch. Allow the bread to cool completely, preferably on a wire cooling rack.

Grocery List March 9

2009-03-07T12:41:00.025-07:00

I am loving this weeks ad's. Lot's of stuff on sale, that I have coupons for.
Kroger is offering a promotion right now that I've taken advangage of. If you transfer a prescription to their pharmacy, they will give you $25 in free groceries. My Rx just happens to be a generic, which they refill for $4, and give me $25 of free groceries, so what does a girl have to lose?

Entre ideas for the week using stuff on hand, and this weeks sale items

Buttermilk oven fried chicken, corn on the cob
Cornmeal crusted Tilapia, cole slaw, oven fries
Strip Steak, baked potato, spinach side sald
Stuffed shells, salad, garlic bread
Turkey burgers, minestrone soup

Kroger
cantaloupe (ad price $.99)
3lb mandarin oranges (final cost $1.99)(-$1 coupon) (ad price (2.99)
strip steaks (ad price $3.99 lb)
Honeysuckle turkey burger pattties (ad price $2.50)
Land o Lakes Light butter (final cost FREE) (-$1 coupon) (ad price $.99)
Quaker Quakes Rice Cakes (final cost FREE) (FREE customer loyalty coupon) (ad price 6 $.49)
Gortons frozen fish (final cost $1.69) (using $.80 coupon) (ad price $2.49
3 Betty Crocker Potatoes (final cost $.19 each) (using 3- $.80 coupons) (ad price $.99)
Country Crock (final cost FREE) (- $1 coupon)(ad price $.99)
2 Pepperidge Farms garlic bread (final cost $.99 each) (-$1 coupon) (ad cost $1.49)
Sargento Cheese (final cost $.49)(-$1 artisan coupon)(ad cost $1.49)
3 Colegate Toothpaste (final cost FREE)
Colegate Toothbrush (final cost FREE)(-$1 coupon) (ad cost $1)
hamburger Helper (FREE) (on scalloped potato box, buy three potatoes, get Hamburger helper free)

MEIJER
pears (ad cost $.87 lb)
2 packages bagged spinach (ad cost $1)
broccoli (ad cost $1)
cabbage (ad cost $.10 lb)
Dinty Moore beef stew (final cost FREE) (-$1 coupon)(ad cost $1)
Hunts NSA spaghetti sauce (ad cost $1)
Meijer boneless skinless chicken breast 4 lbs (ad cost 7.99)
4 Betty Crocker Brownie mix (final cost ) (- coupon) (ad cost $1)
3 Ziploc bags (final cost $.20 each) (-3 $.80 coupons) (ad cost $1)
part skim ricotta cheese not on sale, but I needed it for shells $2.69

MEIJER reduced section
baking potatoes $.25 lb
ruby gold potatoes .30 lb
Fresh Express Caesar salad kit (cost $.50)
Greenhouse cucumber (cost $.30)

JUNGLE JIMS

bananas (ad price $.25 lb)
gallon ff milk (ad price $1.99)
Barilla jumbo shells (ad price $1.79)
6 oz plain yogurt (cost $.60 yikes)
Rump Roast (cost $1.99 per lb)

Aldi
3 lbs onions $.59

Grocery List March 2

2009-03-01T14:18:00.033-07:00

FREEBIES FOR THE WEEK....MORE OATMEAL.............

Hmmmm.....not a good grocery ad week. I don't see much that we need, nor anything that I care to stock up on, so my list will be short this week.

KROGER
1. 6 Lean Cuisine's (total cost $6.94) (I prefer to make homemade lunch's from leftovers, but these are too cheap to pass up)($1.49 each when you buy 10 participating items total cost) (using 1- $2.00 off 6 coupon)
2. Gortons fish (total cost $1.69) (using $.80 coupon)
3. Seapak Butterfly shrimp (total cost $3.99) (-$1.00 coupon)
4. 3 16 oz ff Kroger orange sherbert(will use later this month for party punch) (total cost $.49 each $1.47)
5. 1/2 gallon ff milk ($1.00)
6. 1 lb pinto beans ($2.19 YIKES, costs too much, but needed them. I WILL stock up on pinto beans at ALDI the next time I am there, so I never have to pay $2.19 again)
7. Honeysuckle Turkey (.99 lb total cost $7.22)
8. Franks Redhot sauce (FREE) (try it free coupon)
9. 1 lb deli bologna (DH loves this nasty fat laden stuff yuk...) ($4.00)

From the dented/about to expire section:
Kroger spaghetti ($.39)
Ronzoni Smart Taste elbow pasta ($.69)
Kroger whole wheat flour ($1.49)
Quaker oatmeal (FREE) (used $1 coupon)
Quaker instant oatmeal (FREE) (used $1 coupon)
3 packages Hillshire Farms smoked sausage (.99 each $2.97 total) (- 3 $.70 coupons)
2 Hillshire Farms Deli Selects Smoked Ham (total cost 2 for $.99) (-$1.00 coupon)
Electrasol dishwasher detergent (total cost $1.09) (- $.50 coupon)
zilploc bags (total cost $.79) (- $.80 coupon)
Fresh Express Salad Mix (one FREE, one $.98 cents) (using $1.00 coupon)
Quaker mini rice cakes (FREE) (using FREE customer loyalty coupon that I fished from the checkout garbage...it was on top LOL)
Quaker oatmeal packets (FREE) (using $1.00 coupon)
Kroger giant taco shells ($.89)
Jiffy corn muffin mix (cost $.19)
Glory black beans (cost $.59)
14 oz Minute Rice (total cost .39) (used $1.00 coupon)
Corazonas Heart Healthy Tortilla Chips (total cost $.49 (used $1.00 coupon)
5 Wick Fowlers chili mix kits ($.39 each total cost $1.95)
3 box's Pringles Sticks 2 points per serving, and really good ($.59 each total cost $1.77) (used 3 $1 coupons

MEIJER EDIT decided to not "do" Meijer this week

GABRIEL BROTHERS (closeout store)

Big box Wheat Thins (cost $.50)
2 box's Graham cracker crumbs for pie crusts ($.50 each total cost $1.00)

Feb 23 Shopping List

2009-02-21T15:21:00.021-07:00

FREEBIES FOR THE WEEK (forgot to include the oatmeal and avocado in the picture) SEE NOTE BELOW REGARDING THE PILLSBURY PROMOTION

My shopping lists may look unconventional to some of you. I make my list according to what is on sale, buying multiple quantities of some items each week. It all works out in the end, and my pantry and freezer are overflowing. I try to stick to no more than $75 per week, but aim for $50 per week.

My hubby and I are empty nesters, so I do not have a large family to shop for. I love the challenge of seeing how many groceries I can get each week for as few $$ as possible.

Now, on to this weeks sales!

MEIJER (all coupons up to $.50 are doubled to $1.00)
4 bags Dole Salad (final cost .50 per bag $2.00) (using 2 $1.00 coupon)
Aunt Millie's Bread (final cost $.30) (using $.70 coupon
4 Betty Crocker AuGratin Potatoes (final cost $.80) (using 4 $.80 coupons)
4 Freshlike frozen veggies (final cost $.50 per bag $2.00) (using 2 $1.00 coupons)
Bounty paper towels (final cost $.50) (using $.50 coupons)
Western Style Ribs $.99 per pound (final cost $3.50)
4 lbs frozen boneless chicken breast $7.99
strawberries $1.49
avocado (free with in store buy 10 $1 items, get 1 free)
2 pkgs Bluegrass Deliciously Lean Metts 1.99 each ($3.98 total)
2 Land o Lakes Buttery Spread ($.25 each $.50 total) (using 2 $1.00 coupons)
2 Breakstones cottage cheese 4 packs ($1 each $2.00 total (using 2 $1.00 coupons)
UNPLANNED MEIJER PURCHASES REDUCED/DENTED RACK: NONE THIS WEEK

KROGER(all coupons up to $.50 doubled to $1.00)
2 Star Kist tuna pouches ($1 each, total cost $2.00)
1 starkist tuna pouch (FREE) (with buy 2 get 1 free coupon)
3 AquaFresh toothpaste ($.25 each $.75 total) (2 $3 coupons)
12 cans Pillsbury (cost FREE) (with 6 $1.00 coupons and Pillsbury promo)
Private Selection ground chuck 1 lb ($2.69)
Tennessee Pride sausage gravy pouch (FREE) (free with ($1.00 coupon)
Weight Watchers Ice Cream ($.99) (using $1.00 coupon)
2 Colegate toothbrush's (cost FREE) (using 2 $1 coupons)
UNPLANNED KROGER PURCHASES REDUCED/DENTED RACK: NONE THIS WEEK

Kroger Pillsbury Promotion:
Buy any Pillsbury refrigerated crescents, cookies, sweet rolls, grands, dinner rolls, loaves, breadsticks, or pizza crust between 2/23 and 3/22
Buy (3) & get $1.50
Buy (4) get $2.00
Buy (5) get $3.00
...coupon/cash off your next grocery order

JUNGLE JIMS large international market, fruits and veggies galore!
fresh pineapple $1.99
Danjou pears $.79 lb ($1.58)
fresh lemon $.25 each
cantaloupe $.88
6 vine ripe tomatos from the reduced rack ($.49 total)
2 4 packs of Scott toilet tissue (FREE) (using $2 $1.00 coupons)
Quaker old fashioned oatmeal (FREE) (using $1.00 off coupon)
glad bags quart size (FREE) (using try it free coupon)
UNPLANNED JUNGLE JIMS PURCHASES:
2 125 ct packages styrofoam plates (total cost $1.99) (we use a ton of these in the summer at the lake)

Shopping List Feb 16

2009-02-16T17:06:00.017-07:00

FREEBIES THIS WEEK!

Meijer
5 pkgs Angel Soft (final cost $5.00)
5 packages Stove Top Stuffing (final cost $4.00)(coupon for 1 FREE)
4 lbs bone in chicken breast (final cost $4.00)
chuck roast (final cost (3.28)
Helluva Good Dip (final cost FREE) (with $1.00 coupon)
2 pkgs 150 ct sandwich bags (total cost $2.00)
4 assorted bell peppers reduced rack (total cost $.61)
grape tomatos reduced rack(total cost $.31)
Quaker rice cakes (total cost FREE) ($1.00 coupon)
Quaker TortillaZ (total cost FREE)($1.00 coupon)
Tropicana Valencia Orange Juice reduced rack(total cost $1.00)
Marzetti Refrigerated Dressing (total cost for 2-$2.30) ($1.00 coupon)
5 Green Giant boxed frozen veggies (total cost $3.00)(2-$1.00 coupons)
pint fresh blackberries (total cost $1.25)
Lysol Pourable disinfectant (total cost $1.00) ($1.00 coupon)
Lyson antibacterial kitchen cleaner (total cost $1.00) ($1.00 coupon)
Tide (total cost $5) ($1.00 coupon)
2 Totinos Pizza Rolls (total cost $1.20)
fresh mushrooms (FREE) store promo, buy 10 $1 items, get 1 free
organic baby carrots (FREE)store promo, buy 10 $1 items, get 1 free
2 Purina Wholesome canned dog food (FREE) (with 2 Try it free coupons)

Kroger
cantaloupe $1.49
3 lbs mandarin oranges (total cost $2.67 ($1.00 Little Cuties coupon)
Trix cereal ($.04) will give to grandsons, it was on the dented/reduced rack and I had a $.75 coupon
Multi Grain Cheerios (.04) same as above
Hellmans Light Mayo (total cost $1.99 ($1.00 coupon)
Fresh Express Salad Mix (cost $1.00) ($1.00 coupon)
center cut pork chops $1.79 per pound (total cost $4.00)

Menu ideas for this week using sale items:

Buttermilk Fried chicken
Miss Piggies Spa Pork chops
Beef Stew
Chicken Salad sandwiches
Beef and Pepper Stir Fry over brown rice
Chicken and dressing

Balsamic Chicken Thigh's

2009-02-11T14:16:00.004-07:00

Ingredients
2 lbs skinless chicken thighs
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 cup chopped shallot
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
cooking spray

Directions
1. Spray large frying pan, preheat.
2. Rinse and pat dry thighs.
3. Season with salt and pepper.
4. Brown well on all sides.
5. Cover, reduce heat to medium and cook for approximately 25 minutes,or'til thighs are done depending on size.
6. Add shallots,cook for 2-3 minutes,until they soften.
7. Stir in balsamic vinegar, cook for about 1 more minute,turn chicken to coat thoroughly.
8. Spoon sauce over thighs to serve.

Honey Pecan Chicken

2009-02-10T06:13:00.003-07:00

Serves 4
8 points Per Serving

Ingredients
1/3 +2 tsp bread crumbs
4 Thinly sliced chicken cutlets
2 tbsp flour
1 egg lightly beaten
2 tbsp canola oil
3/4 oz. chopped pecans
1/2 cup chicken broth
2 tbsp. honey
1 tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. minced fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1/8 tsp. grated orange peel
1/8 tsp. salt
Dash of pepper

Preparation

1. Cover chicken in flour
2. Dip in beaten egg
3. Coat both sides wit the bread crumbs.
4. Saute the chicken in oil, turning once, 3-4 minutes per side. (Or Until the chicken is cooked).
5. Remove chicken to serving platter and keep warm.
6. In same skillet saute the pecans until lightly toasted (1-2 minutes)
7. In small bowl combine remaining ingredients, stirring to dissolve cornstarch
8. Add liquid to pecans in the skillet and stirring constantly, bring to a boil.
9. Simmer 4-5 minutes until mixture thickens.
Pour over chicken and serve immediately.

Diet Coke Sloppy Joes

2009-02-10T05:36:00.006-07:00

Serves 6
3 Points Per Serving

Ingredients

1 lb 96% lean ground beef
1 medium onion, chopped finely
1 cup diet coke
2/3 cup ketchup
2 tablespoons vinegar
1 tablespoon worcestershire sauce
2 teaspoons dried mustard
1 1/2 tablespoons flour

Preparation

1. Brown ground beef and onion
2. Drain, and rinse ground beef with hot water to de-fat
3. Return ground beef/onion to the pan
4. Add remaining ingredients
5. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes

Rachel Ray's You Won't Be Single For Long Pasta

2009-02-09T14:08:00.002-07:00

This sure isn't a Weight Watcher's Recipe, but it does sound yummy. This would make a nice romantic dinner for Valentines Day.

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil, once around the pan in a slow stream
1 tablespoon butter
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
1 cup vodka
1 cup chicken stock
1 can crushed tomatoes (32 ounces)
Coarse salt and pepper
16 ounces pasta, such as penne rigate
1/2 cup heavy cream
20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn
Crusty bread, for passing

Preparation
Heat a large skillet over moderate heat. Add oil, butter, garlic, and shallots. Gently saute shallots for 3 to 5 minutes to develop their sweetness. Add vodka to the pan, 3 turns around the pan in a steady stream will equal about 1 cup. Reduce vodka by half, this will take 2 or 3 minutes. Add chicken stock, tomatoes. Bring sauce to a bubble and reduce heat to simmer. Season with salt and pepper.
While sauce simmers, cook pasta in salted boiling water until cooked to al dente (with a bite to it). While pasta cooks, prepare your salad or other side dishes.
Stir cream into sauce. When sauce returns to a bubble, remove it from heat. Drain pasta. Toss hot pasta with sauce and basil leaves. Pass pasta with crusty bread.

Grocery List for Feb 9-13

2009-02-09T05:34:00.032-07:00

With the economy in shambles, we all need a way to reduce our grocery costs. By spending an hour or so a week clipping coupons, and printing online coupons, it is possible to cut our grocery totals by approximately 40%.

Typically, I go to 4 different stores. I realize that many of you don't have the time to do this. It does take time, organizational skills, and a strong desire to save money, but it can be done.

Kroger and Meijer both offer double coupons, and armed with the sales ad, and my stash of coupons, it becomes a game to see how much stuff I can get for free.You will notice that I buy large quantities of things when they are on sale to stock my pantry. My goal is to never have to buy an item, when it is not on sale.

Buy the Sunday newspaper. If there are a lot of coupons in the issue, you may want to buy three or four of the papers. Ask your mother, sisters, neighors, to save their unused coupons for you. The more coupons, the more your savings. FYI, our Krogers here in Ohio sells the Sunday paper for $.99, verses $1.50 elsewhere

My favorite online coupon site is www.coupons.com. Two other great sites are http://www.couponsurfer.com/ http://www.shortcuts.com/

Some items that you will see on my shopping lists, such as Oreos, and sugary cereals, are not items that my hubby and I will consume. If the item is free, I go ahead and buy it for my grandkids. I know that I will find someone that can use any FREE product that I can get!

Don't waste anything! Food is way to expensive to waste. Buy some small containers, such as Rubbermaid Take-alongs. Using leftovers, freeze individual portion controlled entre's, or soups for weekday lunch's.

Each week I will share my grocery lists, savings strategies, and coupon knowledge on my blog.
____________________________________________________________________
MENU IDEAS for the week using sale items, and addtional items from my pantry:

Cabbage Casserole
Manwich on bun, corn, unfried fries
Beef veggie soup, ungrilled cheese (2 slices reduced fat bread, toasted, with a slice of fat free american
Roast beef, packaged low fat gravy, mashed potato's made with skim milk, no butter, green beans
Hard shell tacos with ff sour cream, 2% cheddar, fat free refried beans
Cuban fried rice (recipe on blog)
Omelettes with oven fried potatos, and fruit cup
Cornmeal Crusted tilapia (recipe on blog) with cole slaw and broccoli
Chili
____________________________________________________________________

FEB 9-16 SHOPPING LIST

ALDI
Red grapes (cost 1.48) .74 cents per pound sold in 2 lb containers
2 cans chili beans (cost for 2 cans $1.10) .55 per can
canola oil (cost 2.29)
large head of cabbage (cost .95)
8 roma tomatos (cost $1.49)
gallon of bleach (cost $1.29)
1 pound baby carrots (cost $1.15)
2 lbs bacon (cost for 2 lbs $2.00) $1.00 per pound (exp date was 2-23)
2 dozen eggs large (cost for 2 doz $1.38) .69 per dozen
salad mix (cost $.99)
had fresh pineapple and strawberries on my list, but they were out of them
____________________________________________________________________
KROGER
2 lbs Round Roast (cost for 2 lbs $4.68) will use this for 2 meals, soup, and roast and gravy
Blueberries (cost $1.28) per 16 oz
Strawberries $1.50
Oreo's (cost free) with customer loyalty coupon will give these to grandsons
Oscar Meyer lunch meat (cost free) with customer loyalty coupon
5 lbs Ground Chuck (cost for 5 lb $8.95) $1.79 per pound will buy 5 pounds for future use
Kroger 2% Cheddar Cheese (cost $1.15) with $.45 customer loyalty coupon
2 cans Manwich Sauce (cost for 2 cans $.40) with $1.00 coupon
8 cans Rotel Tomatos (cost for 8 cans $2.96) $.37 per can
Fresh Pears (cost $.88 lb)
3 box Cheerio's cereal (cost for 3 -$2.01) 3 $1.00 off coupons
3 cans Del Monte 50% less salt veggies (cost $.87) 3 - $.60 off coupons

Unplanned purchases from Krogers dented/damaged/about to expire section
Puffs tissues (cost $.59) with $.50 coupon
gallon storage bags (cost $.69)
120 dryer sheets (cost $1.50)
quart freezer storage bags $.69)
active lifestyle water mix ins (cost $.44) with $.65 customer loyalty coupon
Kroger sandwich buns (cost $.24) with $.25 customer loyalty coupon... perfect for the Manwich!
Taco shells $.69

NOTE Kroger has their store brand oatmeal packets on sale this week for $.99. I have too much oatmeal on hand now, so I won't buy it this week, but this is a great deal!
____________________________________________________________________
MEIJER
6 cans Betty Crocker Icing (cost free) with double coupons
Chex mix 4 bags (cost free) free with double coupons
Lysol (cost .44) $2.44 - $2.00 coupon
2 cans Purina One Natural Dog Food (cost free) with coupons
Wishbone Italian Dressing (cost .25) $1.25 - .$1.00 coupon
4 cans Progresso Soup (cost for 4 cans $3.00) 4 cans $1.25 per can - $1.00 x 2 coupons
Farm Fresh Cheese Sticks (cost .54) $1.54 - $1.00 coupon
Heart Smart Bisquick (cost .88) $1.88 - $1.00 coupon
_____________________________________________________________________
JUNGLE JIMS
1 lb Fresh Tilapia (cost $5.49) Perch was on sale, but it didn't look good
bunch broccoli ( cost .59)
gallon fat free milk (cost $1.99)
2 Sabra Hummus (cost for 2 containers $1.00) with 2 $1.50 coupons)
2 Jiff peanut butter (cost for 2 jars $1.78) with 2- $1.00 coupon
2 lbs butter (cost for 2 lbs $3.38) $1.69 per lb (I bake/sell cookies in the spring/summer at the flea market)
4 bags Birdseye frozen veggies (cost $2.00) with 2 $1.00 coupons)

Unplanned Purchases at Jungle Jim's:
1/2 lb Boarshead smoked chicken (cost $3.00)
sugar free strawberry glaze (cost $.99)

Robin's Cuban Fried Rice

2009-02-08T16:00:00.006-07:00

This is another recipe given to me by Robin M, from Dotti's Weight Loss Zone. It is simply delicious!

Ingredients:

fresh pineapple (about 1.2 of a large pineapple, cut into tidbits, or one 20 oz can of no sugar added pineapple, including the juice
1 tbsp olive oil
1 pouch instant rice prepared (brown rice works well)
12 oz cooked ham, coarsely chopped (canadian bacon works well, for lower points)
1 cup chopped or sliced sweet peppers
2 jalapeno peppers, sliced
1 15 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained

Preparation
1.Heat olive oil in skillet, add remaining ingredients
2. Heat till peppers all ingredients are heated through, stirring often.

1 Point Minestrone Soup

2009-02-07T16:52:00.003-07:00

Serves 6
1 Point Per Serving

Ingredients
3 tbsp chopped garlic
1 cup chopped onion
¾ diced celery
2 cups non-fat chicken broth
1 12-oz can Spicy V-8
1 ½ cups shredded carrots
1 14.5-oz can Hunt’s Diced Tomatoes w/ Onion, Basil & Oregano
½ cup frozen baby peas
1 cup Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1 ½ tsp Italian Seasoning
½ tsp red pepper flakes
1/3 cup Ditalini or any small pasta
1 ½ cups finely shredded fresh spinach

Preparation:
1. In a large French oven misted with olive oil, sauté onion, celery and garlic over medium heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
2. Add in the chicken broth and V-8. Then add the carrots and tomatoes. Cook for about 10 minutes.
3. Then add the peas and beans to the pot and season with the Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes.
4. Allow to cook another 10 minutes at a simmer over medium-low heat.
5. Add in the Ditalini and cook for another 7 minutes – may need to add up to ½ cup water if soup is looking thick.
6. Finally, add the fresh spinach in and allow to cook 3-4 minutes.
7. Take pot off of the stove and allow to cool 5 minutes if serving immediately or at least 30 minutes if storing in individual cups in the freezer.

0 Point Soup

2009-02-07T16:46:00.003-07:00

4 Servings
0 points per serving

Ingredients
2/3 cup sliced carro
t1/2 cup diced onion
2 cloves garlic
3 cups fat free broth (beef, chicken or vegetable)
1 1/2 cups green cabbage leaf -- diced
1/2 cup green beans
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1/2 teaspoon dried basi
l1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon Salt
1/2 cup zucchini -- diced

Preparation

1. In a large saucepan, sprayed with nonstick cooking spray, saute the carrot, onion, and garlic over low heat until softened, about 5 minutes.
2. Add broth, cabbage, beans, tomato paste, basil, oregano, and salt; bring to a boil.
3. Lower heat and simmer covered, about 15 minutes or until beans are tender.
4. Stir in zucchini and heat 3-4 minutes.
5. Serve hot.

Pineapple Smoothie

2009-02-07T15:01:00.003-07:00

Serves 2
2 Points Per Serving

Ingredients:
1 cup cubed pineapple -- fresh or canned
1/4 cup pineapple-orange juice -- from frozen concentrate
1/2 cup vanilla yogurt, nonfat
1/4 cup water
2 ice cubes

Instructions:
1. In a blender, combine all ingredients, blend until smooth and frothy
.2. Pour into glasses.

Bootcamp Chili

2009-02-07T14:54:00.004-07:00

Serves 20
2 points Per 1 cup serving

Ingredients:
6 15 oz cans of Chili Beans in Sauce
2 28 oz cans Crushed Tomatoes
1 lb lean ground beef
2 onions, chopped
chili powder to taste
salt, pepper to taste

Instructions:
1. Brown the beef and drain well.
2. Combine with all the other ingredients and simmer uncovered until the onions are tender, stirring frequently.
3. the longer this cooks the better it is

Snicker Bar

2009-02-07T14:48:00.002-07:00

2 Servings
2 points Per Serving

Ingredients:
1 package Diet Swiss Miss Cocoa
1 tablespoon peanut butter
1 banana
1/4 cup Grape Nuts cereal

Instructions:
1. Put all ingredients in a mixer.
2. After mixing up, then divide into 2 servings by putting half of the mixture on one piece of aluminum foil then folding edges to keep fresh.
3. Do the same thing with the other bar.
4. Now put both in freezer and have for a snack anytime

Potato Cakes

2009-02-07T14:42:00.002-07:00

Serves 6
1 Point Per serving

Ingredients:
2 cups potatoes, Mashed
2 tablespoons onions, Chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon oil egg white, slightly beaten
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour pepper

Instructions:
1. In a medium size bowl, combine potatoes, egg white, onion, flour, salt and pepper.
2. Meanwhile, heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.
3. When hot, put about 2 tablespoons potato mixture for each cake into skillet.
4. Cook until well browned, then turn with a spatula and cook other side until brown.
5. Continue making takes, keeping first ones warm.

No Fry Fries

2009-02-07T14:39:00.002-07:00

4 Servings
2 Points Per Serving

Ingredients:
1 lb. baking potatoes
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1-1/2 tsp. dried dill weed
1/4 tsp. Italian herb seasoning
nonstick cooking spray

Instructions:
1. Wash and cut potatoes into bite size pieces or French fry-size strips.
2. In a large plastic bag, add salt, garlic powder, dill weed, and Italian seasoning.
3. Add potatoes, close, and shake until coated.
4. Spray a cookie sheet with nonstick spray.
5. Place potatoes on cookie sheet and spray lightly with nonstick spray.
6. Bake at 375°F for 50 minutes.

Chicken Fried Rice

2009-02-06T15:33:00.002-07:00

3 Servings
3 Points Per serving (about 1 cup per serving

.
Ingredients
2 sprays cooking spray
4 large egg whites
1/2 cup green onions,, chopped, green and white parts
2 medium garlic cloves, minced
12 oz uncooked boneless, skinless chicken breast, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1/2 cup carrots, diced
2 cups cooked brown rice
1/2 cups frozen green peas, thawed
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Instructions
1. Coat a large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set pan over medium-high heat.
2. Add egg whites and cook, until scrambled, stirring frequently, about 3 to 5 minutes; remove from pan and set aside.
3. Recoat skillet with cooking spray and place back over medium-high heat.
4. Add scallions and garlic; sauté 2 minutes.
5. Add chicken and carrots; sauté until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
6. Stir in reserved cooked egg whites, cooked brown rice, peas and soy sauce; cook until heated through, stirring once or twice, about 1 minute.

Stufffed Shells

2009-02-05T17:24:00.005-07:00

Serves 6 ( appx 4 shells per serving)
4 points Per Serving

Ingredients
1 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1 cup fat-free cottage cheese
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3 cups canned tomato sauce
1 pound cooked pasta, jumbo shells, approximately 24 shells

Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Mix together cheeses, salt, garlic powder, oregano and pepper.
3. Spread a few spoonfuls of tomato sauce on bottom of a 9- x 13-inch baking dish.
4. When cooked shells are cool enough to handle, fill each shell with cheese mixture and place in baking dish.
5. When all shells are in dish, spoon remaining tomato sauce over shells.
6. Cover pan and bake for 20 minutes.

French Onion Soup Ooh La la

2009-02-04T07:01:00.000-07:00

Serves 6

4 Points

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons reduced fat spread (such as Smart Balance)
1 large sweet onion (about 1 1/2 pound) halved, and sliced thinly
1 red onion, halved, sliced thinly
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 14 oz cans lower sodium beef broth
1/2 cup white wine (or an additional 1/2 cup of beef broth)
1/2 cup water
6 Arnolds sandwich thins, toasted (or any other kind of reduced fat bread)
6 oz reduced fat swiss cheese (points based on Kraft 2% Swiss))

Preparation:
1. In large pot, melt margarine spread, over medium high heat
2. Add onions, garlic, sugar, thyme, pepper, and salt.
3. Cover; reduce heat to medium and cook until tender and golden, about 15 minutes.
4. Add wine (or 1/2 cup beef broth)
5. Bring to a boil; cook 1 minute.
6. Add 2 cans of beef broth and 1/2 cup of water
7. Simmer, uncovered for 15 minutes
8. Position oven rack so that soup will be 7 inches from broiler; preheat broiler
9. Evenly divide soup among 6 crocks or broiler proof bowls.
10. Top each crock of soup with 1 sandwich thin (or piece of bread) and 1 oz of the swiss cheese
11. Broil until the cheese melts, about 2-3 minutes

Pineapple Angelfood Cake

2009-02-04T06:07:00.000-07:00

Serves 12
3 Points per Serving

Ingredients
One name brand angel food cake mix
1 20 oz can of crushed pineapple undrained

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Mix dry cake mix and undrained can of pineapple
3. Pour into 9x13" pan
3. Bake for 30 minutes

Serve with Cool Whip Free

Baked Onion Rings

2009-02-04T04:53:00.001-07:00

4 Points

Serves 4

Ingredients
Cooking spray
4 cups baked potato chips
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1 cup lowfat buttermilk
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1 to 2 large Vidalia onions, peeled
Directions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees

1. Spray a baking sheet slightly with oil and set aside.

2. Crush potato chips in a food processor

3. Place chips in a shallow dishl, add cayenne, and set aside.

4. In another bowl, combine buttermilk, 2 tablespoons of flour, salt and pepper and set aside.

5. Slice onions into 1/2-inch circles and separate into rings, keeping only large, whole rings
6. Place the remaining flour in a sealable plastic bag, then add onions, and shake to coat.

7. Dip onions 1 at a time into the buttermilk mixture, then dip into potato chip crumbs and place on baking sheet.

8. Spray canola oil evenly over rings and bake for 20 minutes, or until coating is crisp.

9. Season with salt, to taste, and serve immediately.

Chicken Corn Chowder

2009-01-23T07:08:00.000-07:00

Serves 4

7 Points Per Serving

This soup gets its creaminess from the creamed corn, not the typical butter and cream. Perfect for a cold winter night.

Ingredients:

2 slices Turkey bacon, cut into pieces

2 medium size red potatoes, diced small and COOKED (should equal about 2 cups)

2/3 cup bell pepper, chopped (whatever color you have, red and green are nice)

1/3 cup chopped onion

2 14 oz cans creamed corn

1 1/4 cup ff milk

2 cups shredded cooked chicken (about 2 chicken breast halves)

1/4 tsp black pepper

1 teaspoon salt

1 tsp olive oil

optional: you can spice this chowder up with spices to your liking.

Preparation

1. In pot over medium heat, cook bacon until crisp. Remove bacon from pot, and set aside

2. Add olive oil, to the pot that the bacon was cooked in, and saute onions and peppers till slightly soft.

3. Add corn, chicken, and milk, salt and pepper. Increase heat to medium high and bring to boil.

4. Reduce heat to low, simmer covered, stirring occasionally, for about 10 minutes

5. Sprinkle with reserved bacon

Jalapeno Popper Dip

2009-01-22T04:38:00.001-07:00

2 Points
1/6 of recipe

Ingredients:
8 oz Fat Free cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup Fat free mayo
2 oz canned green chili's, drained
2 oz jarred, pickled, japeno's, chopped and drained
1/4 cup Kraft reduced fat parmesan cheese

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 350
2. Combine cream cheese, may, chili's and jalapeno's.
3. Place in a 2 cup baking dish
4. Top with parmesan cheese
Bake until hot and bubbly

Tortilla Pinwheels

2009-01-22T04:00:00.000-07:00

Serves 12

2 Points

Ingredients:

Fat Free Tortilla's (such as La Tortilla Factory Smart)

1/2 cup fat free sour cream

1/2 cup fat free cream cheese

1 cup fat free cheddar cheese (such as Kraft Free)

6 green onions, finely chopped

1/2 cup green pepper, finely chopped

2 tsp lime juice

optional chopped black olives

optional canned green chili's, drained and chopped

Preparation:

1. Combine cream cheese and sour cream in food processor until well blended.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients. If you like black olives, or green chili's, you can add them now

3. Spread about 1/4 cup of mixture on each tortilla, rolling up tightly, and placing seam sound down on a plate.

4. Repeat the process for each of the tortillas.

5. Cover plate with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours

6. To serve, with a serrated knife slice each roll into sections (like a cinnamon roll would be)

7. Serve with salsa

Texas Two Step Dip

2009-01-21T05:34:00.000-07:00

This recipe is in "honor" of the Bush's Two Steppin' off into the sunset, and welcoming a new administration into the White House!

Fat Free Texas Two Step Dip
Serves 6

Ingredients
8 oz fat free cottage cheese
1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1/4 teaspoon cumin
1/4 medium onion, chopped
1 Tablespoon pickle relish
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/6 cup chili sauce (I found this in a small bottle at the dollar store, it is the kind of chili sauce that you use to make cocktail meatballs)

Instructions
1. Place cottage cheese in a strainer over a bowl in the frig to drain for about a half hour
2. Put cottage cheese in blender or food processor and process till smooth
3. add remaining ingredients
4. Serve with low point toasted pita bread, or veggies

Not So "Sinny" Mini's 2 Points

2009-01-20T10:17:00.000-07:00

INGREDIENTS:
1 tube reduced fat crescent rolls
1 tablespoon Splenda granulated white sugar
2 tablespoons splenda brown sugar
2 tablespoons Walden Farms maple syrup (this syrup is 0 points, but if you can't find it you can substitute no sugar maple syrup)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup of walnuts (or any other nut)
1/4 cup light butter (such as Smart Balance)

Preparation:
1. Preheat oven to 375
2.. Do not unroll the crescent rolls. just take them out of the tube, and with a serrated knife, cut into 12 equal sections.
3. In a small bowl combine splenda white granulated sugar and cinnamon, set aside. Do not discard any leftover cinnamon sugar.
4. Working with one piece of the 12 crescent roll pieces at a time, dip both sides into the sugar and cinnamon mixture. Set aside
4. In a round cake plan, add the light butter and nuts. Place into the oven for just a few minutes just until butter is melted. Remove from oven
5. Add Splenda brown sugar and maple syrup to the butter nut mixture in the pan. Stir to mix
6. Place the crescent roll's that you prepared in step 4 into the pan, atop the butter/sugar/nut mixture. If you had any cinnamon sugar left over from step 4., you can sprinkle it over top the rolls.
7. Bake at 375 for about 15 minutes
8. Remove from oven, and invert the cinnamon rolls from the baking pan, to a plate
9. ENJOY!!

Cabbage Roll Soup 4 Points

2009-01-19T15:19:00.000-07:00

Cabbage Roll Soup
Serves 10
4 Points Per 1 1/3 Cup Serving

1 pound ground round
3 1/2 cups water
2 cups coarsely chopped green cabbage
1 cup sliced carrot
1/2 cup sliced celery
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon pepper
3 cans beef consommé -- undiluted--10.5 ounces per can
2 cans diced tomatoes -- undrained--14.5 ounces per can
1/2 cup uncooked converted rice

Brown meat in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; drain well. Place meat in a 4-quart electric slow cooker; stir in water and next 10 ingredients. Cover; cook on low-heat for 8 hours. Increase heat setting to high; stir in rice. Cover and cook an additional 30 minutes or until rice is
tender.

Spinach and Feta Dip

2009-01-18T09:35:00.000-07:00

Spinach and Feta Dip

Currently featured at www.weightwatchers.com

Serves 8

1 Point per serving

Ingredients
4 cups spinach, fresh, chopped
1/2 cup light cream cheese
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1/4 cup crumbled feta cheese
1/4 cup chives, fresh, minced, divided
2 tsp fresh lemon juice
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp table salt, or less to taste (optional)
Instructions
Place spinach in a small saucepan with 2 cups of water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then cook for 1 minute; drain well.
Place spinach, cream cheese, sour cream, feta cheese, 2 tablespoons of chives, lemon juice and pepper in a blender; puree. Taste dip and add salt if desired. Spoon dip into a serving bowl and sprinkle with remaining tablespoon of chives. Yields about 3 tablespoons of dip per serving.

Spinach Lentil Soup

2009-01-18T06:31:00.001-07:00

Spinach Lentil Soup
1 1/2 cup Serving
4 Points Per Serving

INGREDIENTS
1 cup shredded carrots
1 large onion, chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
6 cups water
1 (16 ounce) jar salsa
1 1/4 cups dried lentils, rinsed
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 (10 ounce) package fresh spinach, torn

DIRECTIONS
In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, saute carrots and onion in oil until tender. Add the water, salsa, lentils and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 50-60 minutes or until lentils are tender. Stir in spinach; simmer 5-10 minutes longer or until spinach is wilted.
FOOTNOTE
Nutritional Analysis: 1-1/2 cups equals 208 calories, 3 g fat (trace saturated fat), 0 cholesterol, 696 mg sodium, 36 g carbohydrate, 20 g fiber, 18 g protein. Diabetic Exchanges: 2 vegetable, 1 starch, 1 very lean meat, 1/2 fat.

Creamy Tomato Balsamic Soup

2009-01-17T07:36:00.000-07:00

Creamy Tomato Balsamic Soup
Serves 4

Ingredients:

1 cup reduced sodium beef broth, divided
1 tablespoon brown sugar (you can use splenda brown sugar)
3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
5 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon reduced sodium soy sauce
1 cup chopped onion
2 28 oz cans whole tomato's, drained
3/4 cup skim milk
cracked black pepper

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 500
2. Combine 1/2 cup of broth, sugar, vinegar, and soy sauce, in a small bowl.
3. Place garlic, onion, and tomatoes in a 9x13-inch baking pan coated with cooking spray.
4. Pour broth mixtue over tomato mixture
5. Bake at 500 for 50 minutes, or until vegetables are lightly browned. Watch carefully the last15 minutes to avoid scorching
6. Place tomato mixture in blender or smoothie machine. Add remaining 1/2 cup of beef broth, milk, and process until smooth.
7. garnish with cracked black pepper

Robin's Refried Bean Soup

2009-01-16T12:03:00.000-07:00

REFRIED BEAN SOUP
My friend Robin, from DWLZ gave me this recipe last year. It is one of my all time favorite recipe's

INGREDIENTS:
2 tsp. olive oil
1 cup onions, chopped
1 cup green peppers, chopped
2 tsp garlic, minced
1/4 tsp cumin
14 1/2 oz can fat-free chicken broth
15 1/2 oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
14 1/2 oz can mexican recipe stewed tomatoes (Rotel or similar)
15 1/2 oz can pinto beans, drained
16 oz can fat-free refried beans
2 jalapeno's, chopped

1. Heat oil; add onions and peppers; cook until tender.
2. Add remaining ingredients.
3. Cover and cook 15 minutes.

1 cup has 2 POINTS.

Hungry Girl's Zucchini Muffins

2009-01-16T04:37:00.001-07:00

Hungry Girl's Zucchini Muffins
12 Muffins
2.5 Pts Per Muffin

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups shredded zucchini (about 1 large zucchini)
1 cup whole-wheat flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
2/3 cup Splenda No Calorie Sweetener (granulated)
1/3 cup brown sugar (not packed)
1/2 cup egg beaters
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
3 tbsp. light whipped or margarine
3 tbsp. crushed walnuts, divided
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. salt

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. In a medium bowl, combine both types of flour, Splenda, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt.
3. In a separate medium bowl, mix together the zucchini, egg substitute, applesauce, butter, and vanilla extract.
4. Slowly add this mixture to the first bowl, and stir until thoroughly blended.
5. Mix half the crushed walnuts (1 1/2 tbsp.) into the batter.
6. Line 12 cups muffin tin with baking liners and/or spray with nonstick spray. Evenly distribute batter among the 12 cups.
7.Top each cup with a sprinkling of the remaining 1 1/2 tbsp. crushed walnuts.
8.Bake in the oven for 20 - 25 minutes, until a toothpick poked into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
2.5 Point per muffin

Miss Piggy's Spa Pork Chop's

2009-01-15T03:52:00.000-07:00

Miss Piggy's Spa Pork Chops
Makes 6 servings

5 Points

Ingredients:

6 boneless pork tenderloin chops

1/2 cup dry breadcrumbs

1 teaspoon sugar

1/2 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 large egg white, lightly beaten

4 teaspoons cornstarch

PREPARATION:
1. Preheat oven to 400°F.

2. Coat a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.

3. Mix breadcrumbs, sugar, paprika, onion powder and salt in a shallow dish.

4. Drizzle with oil over pork chops

5. Lightly beat egg white with a fork in another shallow dish.

6. Sprinkle cornstarch over the pork slices and pat to coat evenly on both sides.

7. Dip the pork into the egg, then press into the breading mixture until evenly coated on both sides.

8. Place the pork on the prepared baking sheet.

9. Bake until done,or until and an instant-read thermometer registers 145°F, 14 to 16 minutes.

220 calories

7 g fat

1 g fiber

5 Pts per serving

Jillian Michael's Diet Tea Recipe

2009-01-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

Jillian Michaels Diet Tea Recipe

Ingredients:
60 ounces of distilled or pure water
1 tablespoon of sugar free cranberry juice
1 dandelion root tea bag (can be hard to find, look in the health food section)
2 tablespoons of lemon juice.

Preparation:

1. Boil 8 oz of the water.
2. Steep the dandelion root tea bag in 8oz of the water
3. Pour tea into a 1/2 gallon pitcher or container
4. Add remaining water
5. Add cranberry and lemon juice
6. Drink this tea throughout the day

This recipe works because it helps flush out excess water that you have carrying around in your body and...
You could lose more than 5 pounds in 7 days depending on how much excess water weight you're carrying around

Karen's Notes: I do not drink cranberry juice on a regular basis, because 8 oz of no sugar added cranberry juice= 3 points. I would rather be chewing my points if you know what I mean.
When I buy a bottle of cranberry juice, and open to make this recipe, it goes bad before I use it all.
Groceries are far too expensive to waste. So, I came up with the following soulution to avoid waste: Pour the cranberry juice into ice cube trays, and freeze. Once froze, pop the cranberry cubes out and store in a ziploc bag in the freezer. Each individual cranberry ice cube is one tablesoon, which is perfect for this recipe.

Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia

2009-01-13T12:06:00.000-07:00

Cornmeal Crusted Tilapia

4 Servings

Ingredients:

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/4 cornmeal

1 tablespoon water

1 large egg white

4 6oz tilapia fillets

3/4 tsp salt

1/2 teaspoon chili powder

1 tablespoon olive oil

Preparation:

1. combine meal and flour in shallow dish.

2. In another shallow dish, combine 1 tablespoon of water and egg white, stirring well.

3. Sprinkle both sides of fish evenly with salt and chili powder.

4. Heat oil in a large non stick skillet over medium high heat.

5. Dip fish in egg mixture, and then dredge in flour and cornmeal mixture.

6. Add fish to pan; cook 2 1/2 minutes on each side, or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

Travis's Easy Roast Chicken

2009-01-13T10:17:00.001-07:00

Travis's Easy Roast Chicken

This is my son Travis's favorite chicken!

4 oz 5 Points

INGREDIENTS:

One whole chicken
2 teaspoon sugar
2 teaspoon chili powder
4 teaspoons olive oil
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Seasoned Salt

PREPARATION:

1. Wash chicken and pat dry

2. Combine all remaining ingredients, EXCEPT for the seasoned salt, to form a RUB, or paste.

3. With your hand, reach in and loosen the top skin on the top of the chicken, forming a pocket between the meat of the chicken and the skin.

4. Reaching into the pocket between the chicken and skin, massage the RUB ingredients onto the chicken.

5. Sprinkle the whole outside of the chicken liberally with seasoned salt

6. Place chicken in a roasting pan. A 9x12" pan works well, if you do not have a roasting pan.

7 . Bake, uncovered, at 425 for 30 minutes. Reduce heat and cook another 60 minutes .

Blueberry Struesel Muffins 2 Pts

2009-01-13T05:36:00.000-07:00

Blueberry Struesel Muffins

12 servings

2 Pts each

Ingredients

1 Cup skim milk

1 egg

2 Tablespoons RF margarine (I used promise spread)

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 cups flour

3 tsp sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 cup blueberries

Topping ingredients:

2 tablespoons brown sugar spenda

1 tsp cinnamon

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees

2. Wisk milk, egg, margarine, and vanilla in bowl, set aside

3. In another bowl, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

4. Mix wet and dry ingredients, do not over stir, just mix to moisten.

5. Gently fold in blueberries

6. Divide batter equally among 12 muffin tins. This recipe works best with the silicone muffin/cupcake liners. If you do not have the silicone liners, you can also spray cupcake pan with cooking spray. Give a very generous spray, to avoid sticking. You can use paper liners, but I have had trouble with the muffin sticking to the paper liners.

7. Prepare topping by combining spenda brown sugar, and cinnamon. Sprinkle 1/12 of topping over each muffin

8. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes

Meatloaf With Mushroom Gravy 5 Pts

2009-01-11T05:32:00.000-07:00

Weight Watchers Meat Loaf

This recipe was given to me by Heather from DWLZ
6 Servings
5pts per serving

Ingredients:

1/2 c Ketchup

1/4 c Minced onion

2 tbsp. Chopped fresh parsley (or dried)

1 tbsp. Brown sugar

1/4 tsp. Salt

1/4 tsp. Pepper

2 Large egg whites (1 egg white and 1 egg, to bind better)

1 1/2 lb. Ground round

1/2 c Quick-cooking oats

Cooking Spray

Gravy Ingredients:

16 oz fresh mushrooms, sliced

One large onion, sliced

1 package brown gravy mix, prepared

2 Tsp olive oil

Preparation:

Combine 1/2 cup ketchup, onion, and next 5 ingredients in a large bowl; stir well. Add meat and oats; stir just until blended. Shape mixture into a 8x4-inch loaf pan coated with cooking spray .

Bake at 350 for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until done.

To make mushroom gravy, saute onions and mushrooms in skillet till soft. Combine onion and mushrooms with the prepared brown gravy, cook for a couple of minutes until thickened. You can serve the mushroom gravy over the meatloaf, or in a gravy boat on the side.

1/6 of meatloaf = 5 Weight Watchers points

Spicy Split Pea Soup 5 Pts 15 G Fiber

2009-01-10T15:06:00.001-07:00

Spicy Pea Soup

Source: Weight Watchers Magazine

Jan Issue ( recipe tweaked a bit)

Serves 8

One cup serving

5 points per serving

Ingredients

1 lb package dried split peas, rinsed and drained

4 tsp olive oil

1 large onion, chopped

2 carrots, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

3 cloves garlic, finely chopped (you can use the garlic in a jar)

1 Tablespoon curry powder (look for this at the Dollar Store)

1 32 oz carton low sodium chicken broth (or two small cans)

2 cups water

1/4 lb lean ham, cut into matchsticks (canadian bacon works too)

1 bay leaf

1/4 tsp cayenne

1/4 cup rf cheddar cheese

Preparation:

1. Bring the peas and enough cold water to cover by 2 inches to boil in a saucepan. Remove the pan from heat. Cover and let the peas soak for 1 hour. Drain

2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat. Add the chopped onion, carrot, and celery: cook stirring occasionally until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and curry powder: cook, stirring frequently 1 minute.

3. Stir in the drained peas, wter, broth, ham, bay leaf, and cayenne. Bring to a boil.

4. Take soup mixture from saucepan, and transfer to a crockpot and cook on high for about 3 1/2 hours.

5. Take mixture out of crock pot, and process/pulse soup in a blender or smoothie machine untill smooth and creamy

Nutrition information

288 calories

6 g fat

15 G Fiber (YES 15!!)

Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken With Cole Slaw

2009-01-10T03:34:00.000-07:00

Buttermilk Oven Fried Chicken with Cole Slaw

Source: Cooking Light Jan/Feb 2009 Issue

Ingredients Coleslaw:

4 cups packaged cabbage-and-carrot coleslaw

3 tablespoons fat-free mayonnaise

1 1/2 teaspoons sugar

1/2 teaspoon celery seeds

1 1/2 teaspoons cider vinegar

1/8 teaspoon salt

Chicken:

1 cup low-fat buttermilk

4 (8-ounce) bone-in chicken breast halves, skinned

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1/3 cup cracker meal *finely crushed saltines work well*

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 tablespoons butter

Preparation

1. To prepare coleslaw, combine first 6 ingredients; toss to coat. Cover and chill.

2. Preheat oven to 425°.

3. To prepare chicken, combine buttermilk and chicken in a shallow dish, turning to coat.

4. Combine flour and cracker meal in a shallow dish. Transfer chicken from buttermilk to a work surface. Sprinkle chicken evenly with 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Working with one chicken breast half at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess; set aside. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken and flour mixture.

5. Melt butter in a large ovenproof nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken to pan, meat side down; cook 4 minutes or until golden brown. Turn chicken over, and bake at 425° for 32 minutes or until a thermometer registers 165°.

Nutritional Information

Calories:342

Fat:8.8g

Fiber:2.6g
__________________Karen

Spicy Black Bean Hummus YUM!! 1 Pt

2009-01-09T13:07:00.000-07:00

SPICY BLACK BEAN HUMMUS
Source: Cooking Light Jan/Feb issue

Yield 8 servings (serving size: about 2 1/2 tablespoons)
1 Pt per serving (for hummus only)
40 calories/2.5 g fat/1 g fiber

Ingredients
1 garlic clove, peeled
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon tahini (roasted sesame seed paste)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 (15-ounce) can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 small jalapeño pepper, chopped (about 2 tablespoons)
Dash of crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil

Preparation

1. Place garlic in a food processor; process until finely chopped. Add lemon juice, olive oil, tahini, cumin, salt, black beans, jalapeño pepper, and crushed red pepper; process until smooth.

Serve with a 1 pt Western Bagel pita bread round, toasted or baked til crispy, and cut into triangles

Recipe Review: This one is a keeper. It is so good, I felt like I was cheating. The tahini paste can be hard to find. Look in the international section.

Cajun Red Beans and Rice 7 Pts

2009-01-08T14:09:00.000-07:00

Cajun Red Beans and Rice
Source: Cooking Light Jan/Feb issue
Yield 5 servings (serving size: about 3/4 cup bean mixture and about 3/4 cup rice)

Ingredients
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 (3-ounce) chicken andouille sausage links, chopped
1/3 cup choopped onion
1/3 cup chopped bell pepper
1/3 cup chopped celery
1 1/2 teaspoons salt-free Cajun seasoning
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (15-ounce) can red beans, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup water
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
4 cups hot cooked long-grain rice

Preparation
1. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onion mix to pan; sauté 4 minutes.

2. Add Cajun seasoning, salt, oregano, and garlic to pan; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly.
3. Partially mash beans with a fork. Add beans, 1/4 cup water, and tomatoes to pan; bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes or until thickened.

3.Remove from heat; stir in pepper. Serve over rice.

Nutritional Information
Calories:336
Fat:8.4g
Fiber:5.9 g
7 points per serving

Recipe review: This recipe was not exactly what I thought it would be, but it was delicious. The bean mixture reminded me more of a wonderful spaghetti sauce. The bean mixture would also work well over whole wheat, or Ronzoni Smart Taste pasta.

Black Bean Pineapple Salad 3 Pts

2009-01-08T05:57:00.000-07:00

Black Bean Pineapple Salad
3 Pts per 3/4 cup serving
Serving Suggestions: Serve with Grilled Chicken or Lean Ham

Ingredients
2 cups fresh pineapple (canned w/ no added sugar would work)
1 14 oz. can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 cup frozen sweet corn, thawed
1 medium diced red pepper
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 small red onion diced
1 tablespoon minced, seeded serrano pepper
1 minced, seeded jalapeno pepper
1/4 cup sherry wine vinegar (white, or red wine vinegar work too)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper

1. combine first 8 ingredients in large bowl
2. combine vinegar and remaining ingredients in small bopwl, wisk
3.ombine vinegar mixture with pineapple mixture. Toss together, cover and chill

Nutrition facts
170 calories
7.5 g of fat (good fat from olive oil)
4 g fiber
3 Pts per serving

Recipe Review: This made a colorful, gorgeous salad, and the flavors work so well together. This recipe is definately a keeper