Chicken with Chorizo Confetti

Posted on April 12, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

So we’re going to discuss why today is awesome.

It’s awesome because today, my husband bridges the age gap. You see, there’s a ~~glorious~~ ridiculous 2-month period each year in which I am, number-wise, two years senior to my hubby. While he’s not entering his 30’s like the author of this blog did earlier this year, at least he’s in his final year of being a 20-something.

So this is a special blog dedicated to my hubby. Happy Birthday babe, I hope you have a wonderful day and I can’t wait to spend the rest of our birthdays together!

The husband and I started dating about 4 1/2 years ago (wow!) and the beginning of our relationship involved quite a few phone conversations. We’d always try to come up with a few random questions to ask each other, from the deep and meaningful to the fun and trivial. One of the questions I remember was “If you had to eat anything every day for the rest of our life, what would it be?” His answer was “Pizza or Mexican food.”

People, I’ve mentioned before that there are certain foods I must have a craving for otherwise I’m almost repelled by it. Mexican food is one of those foods. So poor husband is often deprived of one of his favorites (notice I said one, as I do share his love for pizza).

He managed to pull me out to various Mexican restaurants in that first year, which is when he introduced me to one of his favorites. Chorizo. It’s a Mexican sausage that is basically pork seasoned with Paprika and salt. It’s delicious. It’s also incredibly cheap to buy at your local grocery store. We actually bought some at a not-so-local grocery store while on vacation in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – so on the 4th of July in 2010, I made us goat cheese and chorizo omelets as we blasted patriotic music. One of my favorite memories.

Well, a few weeks ago I stumbled upon a recipe in my Cooking Light magazine that had chorizo in it, so obviously I had to make it for the hubby. It did not disappoint. So, in honor of the birthday boy, I get to share a favorite food of his! This recipe is seriously easy – under 30 minutes including prep time!

Chicken with Chorizo Confetti (Serves 2 / 7 WW pts. per serving) Slightly modified from original recipe, found here.

2 (4oz.) pieces raw, boneless, skinless chicken breast

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

2 oz. ground pork chorizo

2 Tbsp. onion, chopped

1 Tbsp. carrot, chopped

2 Tbsp. red bell pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp. yellow bell pepper, chopped

1 Tbsp. green bell pepper, chopped

2 Tbsp. chicken broth

1 tsp. cilantro

Season both sides of chicken with smoked paprika and garlic salt. Allow to rest with seasoning at least 30 minutes.

While chicken is soaking up the goodness, chop your veggies and set aside until ready to use. Keep onion and carrot together and the bell peppers together.

Heat a medium skillet to medium heat and add non-stick spray. Add chicken and cook 4-5 minutes on each side until cooked through.

When the chicken is cooking, heat a small skillet to medium heat. Add chorizo and cook 3-4 minutes, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks. Chorizo has a lot of grease, so you don’t need to worry about oil. Once the chorizo has cooked for a few minutes, add the onion and carrots. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Then add bell peppers, cooking another 1-2 minutes. Add salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium-low and add chicken broth, stirring to incorporate. Basically keep this warm until the chicken is done.

Once the chicken is cooked through, add to a plate and top with the chorizo confetti.

So now we can enjoy chorizo in a healthy way, mixed with vegetables and chicken!

Hope you all enjoy and have a wonderful weekend – I know we have some celebrating to do in our household!

Panko Crusted Cod with Tomato Basil Relish

Posted on April 5, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

I’m a little bit embarrassed.

Okay, make that more than a little, as this is another tale of how I’m a bad Southerner.

Now, I do have a few redeeming qualities when it comes to my Southern roots. I subscribe to Southern Living. I say “y’all”. I believe in hot barbecue, cold cocktails, loud parties and good manners. And, much to my husband’s detriment, I believe a woman can never own too many sundresses (or matching shoes).

However, in addition to my sweet tea aversion and my ineptitude with pimento cheese (chronicled for you here), up until about 3 weeks ago, I had never owned a cast iron skillet.

There, I said it. Hi, my name is Mary and I’m a bad Southerner…but now I can start redeeming myself! I will say, it was entertaining as my husband I read up on how to “season” a skillet. I suppose another item to add to the list is my lard-less kitchen. Had to settle for vegetable oil.

The silver lining is that you now get to benefit from my new toy! I saw this recipe in the February issue of Cooking Light and ended up modifying it slightly and it was incredibly delicious and pretty easy to throw together!

Panko Crusted Cod with Tomato Basil Relish (Serves 2 / 7 WW points per filet)

Slightly modified from original recipe, found here.

2 (4-5oz.) cod fillets

1/2 cup Panko breadcrumbs

1 egg white, beaten

1/2 Tbsp. lemon pepper seasoning

1/2 tsp. smoked Paprika

1/2 tsp. kosher salt (divided)

1/2 cup grape tomatoes, quartered

1/2 Tbsp. basil (I used dried – I’m sure fresh would be even better!)

2 Tbsp. chopped Vidalia onion

1 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

About 1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper

Heat oven to 450.

Begin by making your relish. Mix together chopped tomatoes, basil, onion, lemon juice, black pepper and 1/4 tsp. kosher salt together in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Heat oil in skillet on stove top over medium-high heat.

Add egg white to a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, add mixture of panko, lemon pepper and paprika. Dip fillets in egg white and sprinkle with remaining salt. Press into crumb mixture. When oil has heated, add fillets to the skillet and saute for 4-5 minutes.

Flip the fish and place the skillet in the oven for 7-8 minutes, until fish is cooked through.

Add fillets to your plate, top with the tomato mixture and voila…

You’re ready to eat!

Hope y’all have a great weekend!

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs and Spaghetti

Posted on March 29, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

So I’ve been in a rut lately when it comes to food. I am very much a creature of habit and comfort, so while I love trying new things, sometimes I just need to push myself to do so.

Like last weekend, the husband and I were trying to figure out where to go for dinner. We kept throwing out “the usual suspects” until I said I was just wanting to try something different, like a Greek restaurant. I’ve eaten at Greek restaurants – but oddly enough, never in my hometown – which has a plethora of international cuisine!

So we ended up at a Mediterranean restaurant (the other 2 places we were going to try closed super early!) and I tried falfael for the first time! It definitely satisfied my craving, but I still want to try the Greek place. Who doesn’t love some spanakopita?

One of my comfort foods I haven’t made in a while is, well, pretty much anything Italian. I love Italian food and other than the occasional pizza, I just don’t make it much! I’ve definitely had a craving for it lately – so a few weeks ago, I decided to jazz up one of my favorite dishes, chicken Parmesan (which I shared with you in my first blog!).

What is better comfort food than spaghetti and meatballs? Try spaghetti with chicken Parmesan meatballs!

Chicken Parmesan Meatballs and Spaghetti (Serves 2 / 11 WW points per serving)

8 oz. ground chicken breast

1/2 egg, beaten

1 Tbsp. whole-wheat breadcrumbs

1 1/2 Tbsp. reduced-fat Parmesan cheese, grated

1/2 tsp. garlic salt

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. black pepper

1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning

1/3 cup reduced-fat Mozzarella, shredded (and chopped into smaller pieces)

4 oz. whole-wheat spaghetti

1 cup canned tomato sauce

Heat oven to 400 and lightly grease a small baking sheet. Start your water boiling for your pasta.

In a medium bowl, add chicken, egg, breadcrumbs, Parmesan, onion powder, garlic salt, pepper, Italian seasoning and mozzarella. Mix together with your hands until blended well. If the mixture is too “wet” feeling, add a few more pinches of breadcrumbs or Parmesan. If it’s too crumbly, add a little more egg. Once the mixture is the right consistency, roll into ping-pong sized meatballs – should make 8-10.

Place meatballs on baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes. The tough part with chicken is that it doesn’t “brown” like beef, so you will want to cut into one to make sure it’s cooked through – no salmonella with your spaghetti please!

While your meatballs are cooking, cook your spaghetti. Drain and set aside. Pour out water and in the same pot, add tomato sauce. This is where you have to play around a little with flavors. I added 1 tsp. Italian herb seasoning, probably 1/4 tsp. garlic salt and a pinch or two of black pepper. You can throw in red pepper flakes if you’re feeling feisty! Heat sauce and add the spaghetti and stir to coat.

When the meatballs are ready, divide the spaghetti between two plate and top with meatballs.

Pretty simple, but incredibly delicious and a fun twist on a classic!

Have a wonderful GOOD Friday and Happy Easter!

Crawfish Fettuccini

Posted on March 22, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

Confession – I am a total major sports event junkie.

Obviously, if you know me or have been reading this little blog ‘o mine for a while, you know that I could spend (and do spend!) my Fall Saturdays tuned in to college football. That’s just a given.

I’m talking about sports that I don’t really pay much attention to throughout the year unless it’s a big (read: rivalry or very meaningful) game. So while I read what’s going on and try to keep up with our local Memphis Tigers, I do not feel obligated to watch every single game or keep up with opponents during the season.

But now we’ve entered March Madness…whole different (pardon the pun) ball game. Heck, any excuse to make some festive food and watch sports is cool with me. But this one is different – it’s not one event, it’s days and hours of amazingness!

Like last night, I came home, ran in the door and turned on the TV to catch the very intense last seconds of the Gonzaga game. Then I had to watch the end of the Oregon game.

Do you see where I’m going with this?

Quick meals are a must!

A few weeks ago, I tried a new seafood pasta recipe. It is the perfect recipe for a weeknight because it’s quick, easy and delicious – but it’s fancy enough to throw together for a weekend too.

Oh, right, and it’s WW friendly. Throw in a glass of wine and you’re doing it up right!

Crawfish Fettuccini (Serves 2 / 10 WW points per serving)

4 oz. fettuccini (I used Ronzoni Garden Delight)

1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

1/2 green bell pepper, chopped

1 1/2 Tbsp. reduced-calorie margarine

1 tsp. minced garlic

8 oz. frozen crawfish tails, thawed

1/2 cup fat-free half and half

1/2 Tbsp. paprika

1/2 Tbsp. Cajun seasoning

2 small tomatoes, diced

Tabasco sauce (optional)

Spray a medium skillet with non-stick spray. Melt margarine over medium heat and add bell pepper, onion and garlic. Saute 5 minutes until softened. Stir in crawfish tails and cook another 3-5 minutes until they curl slightly.

While the vegetables are cooking, go ahead and boil water for your pasta.

Reduce heat to medium-low. Stir in half and half, paprika and Cajun seasoning. After this step, go ahead and add your pasta to the boiling water.

Cook crawfish sauce for 7-10 minutes, stirring frequently and allowing the sauce to thicken. Add a few drops of Tabasco for a little additional spice. Once your sauce has thickened, reduce heat to low, stir in tomatoes. You don’t want them to cook too much, so do this when you are almost ready to serve.

Drain your pasta and divide among plates. Top with crawfish sauce.

I’d say total time including prep and cooking is 30 minutes. Not too shabby right?

Hope y’all have a great weekend!

White Chicken Enchiladas

Posted on March 15, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

So this week has given me two very sad instances of “Here’s how I know I’m getting old…”

I was pumped that spring break was this week. Not because I’m in school or working for a school, allowing me a “free” week off, but rather because it was smooth sailing to work due to the amazing decrease in traffic.
I looked at my calendar on Wednesday and was shocked to see St. Patrick’s Day was this weekend. I’m pretty sure it was a major social event in my previous life (read: my 20’s) – and my plans this year revolve around laundry day.

Quite honestly, I don’t mind – I love where I am right now in life! I have my best friend to come home to every night – so whether our social calendar is booked up every weekend, or we have a few nights to hang out at home and solve the world’s problems, I am 100% content.

Don’t get me wrong, we aren’t total shut-ins! There are definitely occasions when we need to get out with our friends. And with the weather pointing to Spring, I can’t wait for some patio nights at our favorite restaurants, which usually involve Mexican food, margaritas, and good friends.

So, I decided to whip up a diet-friendly Mexican dish that you can prepare for your next outdoor dinner party whenever the weather decides to cooperate in your area! Serve with a Skinnygirl Margarita for a totally guilt-free evening! I found a link to this one on Pinterest and made a few modifications – but you can find the original recipe here.

White Chicken Enchiladas (Serves 2-3 / 6 WW pts. per enchilada)

1 cup chicken cooked and shredded chicken breast

1-2 Tbsp. taco seasoning

5 whole wheat tortillas

1/2 cup shredded fat-free cheddar cheese

1/2 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 Tbsp. Blue Bonnet Light margarine

1 1/2 Tbsp. white whole-wheat flour

1 cup fat-free chicken broth

1/2 cup fat-free sour cream

2-3 oz. jarred jalapenos, chopped

Heat oven to 350 and grease a 9 x 13 pan or dish.

In a medium bowl, mix chicken and taco seasoning until blended. In a small bowl, mix together cheeses. Add half of the blended cheese to the chicken and mix well.

Place chicken mixture in the center of tortillas and roll tortillas. Place in pan.

Melt butter and whisk in flour. Stir in broth and whisk until thickened. Reduce heat. Add jalapenos and sour cream and whisk until incorporated. Do not bring to a boil.

Pour sauce over the top of your rolled enchiladas. Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake for 25 minutes.

Plate your enchiladas and pour a little of the excess sauce over the tops…

And then devour. Preferable on a beautiful evening on your deck or patio, surrounded by friends and family. And margaritas.

Have a great weekend everybody!

Chicken Picatta

Posted on March 1, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

It is March 1st. What is up with that?

I feel like I was just ~~crying about~~ celebrating the big birthday weekend, new hairstyle and all, but now you’re telling me it’s March?

I don’t even want to think about the fact that the weather will be warming up and the fact that bathing suits are hanging up in stores. *Shudder*

I’m not sure about y’all, but I definitely took a swan dive off the proverbial wagon and have some serious work to do before I’m bathing-suit ready. So back to hard work and discipline I go! Honestly, it’s just been pure laziness in my planning. If I don’t know what I’m making for dinner when I leave work, it’s easy to decide on take-out – and I lack self-discipline when it comes to eating out!

If you’re in the same boat but still have a love for food, then I hope you enjoy some of the guilt-free recipes I have to share with you, such as what I think is my absolute favorite recipe, lightened up! (Side note – I love capers, olives, peperoncinis and can eat them out of the jar at any given time – so I usually hog the capers in this dish!)

Lightened Up Chicken Picatta (serves 2 / 7 WW pts. per serving)

8 oz. chicken breast (I buy the thin cut ones, about 4 oz. each)

2 Tbsp. white whole-wheat flour

Salt and pepper to taste

2 tsp. olive oil

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 cup dry white wine (chardonnay is my personal preference)

1/2 – 3/4 cup fat-free chicken broth

1 Tbsp. capers, drained

1 Tbsp. Blue Bonnet light (using a different reduced-calorie margarine may affect points)

1 1/2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

2 slices lemon

Begin by heating olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.

While oil is heating, sprinkle both sides of chicken breasts with salt and pepper. Coat in flour, shaking off any excess.

Add chicken to pan and cook for 5 minutes on each side. Set chicken aside on a plate and reduce heat to medium-low.

Now add white wine and garlic to the pan to de-glaze, scraping up any of the delicious browned pieces. Cook 1-2 minutes. Add broth, lemon juice and capers and stir. Return chicken to pan and cook 2 minutes one each side.

Add chicken to plates. Then add margarine to the sauce and stir until melted. Pour sauce over chicken and serve…

Seriously my favorite, my mouth is watering right now…

Hope y’all have a wonderful weekend!

Caribbean-Style Crab Cakes

Posted on February 13, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

Well, if you haven’t realized it already – tomorrow is Valentine’s Day! (And seriously, if you haven’t – it basically means you never leave your house, turn on your radio, tv or computer – so those of you who I am addressing aren’t even reading this)

Now, I have always enjoyed Valentine’s Day – yes, even when I was single. I loved getting together with my girlfriends and eating ice cream, drinking wine and hanging out. Yes, even when 3 of us went to dinner at a nice restaurant and the server kept asking us if anybody else was joining us…

Well, now that I’m a married woman – the day holds a little more significance. I know it’s a “Hallmark” holiday, but what’s wrong with a day dedicated to love?

I still don’t understand going to a favorite restaurant to be served from a limited menu at double the cost, but that could just be because I tend to be a homebody ~~sometimes~~. As I’ve said before, nothing beats enjoying a nice fancy meal consumed in the comfort of clothing that involves an elastic waistband.

So if you’re thinking like me (terrifying, I know) and want a special meal in – look no further friends. I bring you a recipe for Caribbean-style crab cakes. You could half the recipe and pair a crab cake with a small steak, or just make the whole batch paired with some roasted parmesan asparagus.

I usually prepare this recipe as an appetizer that makes about 16 servings, but it is just as delicious made just for 2. Now a few of the variations here were to make this recipe Weight Watchers friendly – like Fiber One crumbs – so the mixture is a little more “wet” than most crab cakes.

Caribbean-Style Crab Cakes (Serves 2 for meal / 8 WW points per serving; Makes 16 mini cakes for appetizer / 1 WW point each)

8 oz. crab meat (I go for the “specialty” kind – smaller pieces make it easier)

1/4 cup red bell pepper, diced

1/4 cup green onion, diced

1 Tbsp. Caribbean jerk seasoning

1 tsp. dried parsley

3/4 cup ground Fiber One bran cereal

1 Tbsp. honey

1/4 cup egg beaters

1/2 cup fat-free mayonnaise

1 Tbsp. margarine

Cayenne pepper for garnish

2 Tbsp. apricot jam

1 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

Begin by chopping the bell pepper and onion. Add to bowl with crab meat, Caribbean seasoning, parsley and cereal crumbs.

Then add in mayonnaise, honey and egg. Mix together until all ingredients are incorporated. Form into 4 large patties – I had some leftover to prevent the patties from being too massive. (You can also form into 16 small patties for appetizers – start with a scoop the size of a ping-pong ball and work it into a patty.) Refrigerate until ready to cook.

Heat 1 Tbsp. margarine over medium in a large skillet. When margarine is hot, add crab cakes. Cook 5-7 minutes on medium-low and then flip, cooking an additional 5-7 minutes.

While cakes are cooking, whisk together apricot and lime.

Add crab cakes to plate and sprinkle with a small amount of cayenne pepper.

Then top with a dollop of apricot-lime sauce…

and devour with a glass of crisp white wine.

Have a happy Valentine’s Day everybody!

Crispy Pork Chops with Caramelized Onion Gravy

Posted on February 8, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

I feel like 2013 has been one big party so far – especially coming on the tails of the holidays. We rang in the new year with a fun trip and awesome wedding, had a nice long weekend, I celebrated my birthday, and we just enjoyed a fun send-off weekend for the husband before he went back to studying.

So now it’s back to being low-key for a little, which I’m totally okay with. Gives me more time to spend conjuring up recipes – and of course, cooking them!

With Valentine’s Day coming up next week, I figured I’d share a super yummy, easy and healthy recipe that you can share with your special someone. Some people prefer going out to a big fancy romantic dinner for the occasion, but there is nothing better to me than enjoying a nice glass of wine with a delicious homemade dinner in the comfort of your pajamas. I know, I know – I’m such a catch.

This is a great recipe because it’s simple to throw together and pairs great with anything. I paired it with some roasted brussel sprouts and mashed potatoes.

Crispy Pork Chops with Caramelized Onion Gravy (serves 2 / 11 WW pts. per serving)

For the Pork Chops:

2 4-5 oz. lean, center-cut pork chops

2/3 cup whole wheat panko crumbs

1 Tbsp. dried parsley

1 tsp. dried rosemary

1/2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

2 1/2 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour

1 egg white

1 Tbsp. canola oil

For Gravy:

2 1/2 Tbsp. chopped onion

1 tsp. olive oil

1 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1 Tbsp. chicken broth

1/4 tsp. fresh ground black pepper

1/4 tsp. onion salt

Preheat oven to 350.

Combine bread crumbs, parsley, rosemary, salt and pepper in a shallow dish and mix to combine. In another dish, add flour and in another add your egg white.

Place pork chops between wax paper (we were out – pardon the foil) and using a meat mallet, pound to about 1/8 inch thickness. Season chops with salt and pepper on both sides and dredge in flour, coating lightly. Then dip chops in egg white, shaking off any excess. Then press chops into bread crumb mixture, ensuring a good coating.

Heat 1 Tbsp. canola oil in a skillet on medium-low. Add chops and cook 5-7 minutes before flipping and cooking another 5-7 minutes. Once breading is lightly browned, place chops on a lightly greased baking pan and place in the oven for 10 minutes.

While the chops are in the oven, it’s time to start your gravy. Begin by sautéing the chopped onion in the olive oil over medium heat for 3-5 minutes. While the onions are cooking, whisk together flour and milk in a small bowl. Reduce heat on onions to medium-low. Then, add milk mixture to the onions and whisk to combine. This should thicken up pretty quickly. When it does, whisk in chicken broth, pepper and onion salt.

Distribute gravy between two places and top with your pork chop – and voila, a fancy, delicious meal that will please guys and gals alike for a celebratory occasion!

And who doesn’t like a good reason to celebrate?

Have a great weekend y’all!

A Week of Celebration

Posted on February 1, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

Do you know what tomorrow is? I mean, other than the day that adorable little Phil will tell us when Spring is set to arrive.

Tomorrow is my blog’s birthday! Or is it anniversary?

Let’s go with birthday since that’s the theme of the week. On Monday I said farewell to my 20’s – so today, as a way of celebrating this lovely occasion, my blog will say farewell to something too. Have you figured out the surprise? Check the top of your computer screen:

www.cookingonthebrightside.com

My blog has its’ own domain name now! Very nerdy of me to be excited about, I know, but hey – if you’ve been with me for a year, you expect it by now, right?

Have no fear – any older links will still take you to your favorite recipe. Now it’s just abbreviated, which means it’s easier to remember for when you’re passing it along to your friends. (Wink wink).

In addition to tomorrow being a very special day for my blog – Sunday is a very special day for football lovers (like myself) and for food lovers (um, duh) and for those of us who just enjoy fun celebratory occasions in general.

So if you’re hosting a party for 50 on Sunday or just getting together with a small group and maybe tuning in to the Puppy Bowl – here’s a little recipe roundup for your menu planning!

Pre Game

Buffalo Chicken Potato Skins

Buffalo Chicken Meatballs

Buffa-faux Chicken Tenders

Mexican Dip

Skinny Faux-Fried Mozzarella Sticks

The Main Event

Buffalo Chicken Soft Tacos

Buffalo Chicken Soup

BBQ Chicken Stromboli

Of course, you can always jazz your party up with a fun theme. I’m talking about New Orleans. So serve up some festively Cajun recipes and throw back a Louisiana-brewed beer (might I recommend Abita? Light and Amber are delicious!) and you’ll feel like you’re celebrating in the Big Easy!

Lagniappe (translation: a little something extra)

“Fried Shrimp” with Spicy Sauce (or make some po boys cut up into sliders!)

Cajun Shrimp Casserole

Creole Stew

I hope everybody has a wonderful weekend celebrating – as they say in N’awlins…

“Laissez les bons temps rouler!”

Cheese Steak Sandwiches

Posted on January 18, 2013 by cookingonthebrightside

Happy Friday everybody! I’m even more excited for this Friday, because it’s the start of a long weekend.

While I love weekends, they are definitely something I struggle with when it comes to food. There’s usually more “down” time, which means snacking. And obviously, if you’re somewhat social, there’s the temptation of alcohol and junk/bar food. Nothing wrong with that – but when you’re trying to shed some lbs., it can be tough!

When I started doing the WW thing, it was easy to change dinner habits. Basically just make dinner before going out, and not getting carried away with the festive beverages. But for some reason, lunch was a struggle for me!

I’ve shared some pasta salads with you that are great for lunches (especially if you get easily burnt out on those frozen things) but I think since I get to sleep in a little more on the weekend, I don’t have breakfast so I’m usually pretty hungry come lunch time – and have some extra points at my disposal!

Well, I found a great sandwich to make that is a little higher in point values, but it’s easy to throw together, super filling AND I’ve already shared a pizza with you that will allow you to utilize any leftover ingredients you have. That’s what I call a win-win my friends!

Cheese Steak Sandwiches for 2 (13 WW Points each)

5 1/2 oz. tenderized sirloin, trimmed

2 demi baguette or hoagie rolls (I get the “Archer Farms” brand from Target – 7 WW pts.)

1/2 green bell pepper, sliced

1/2 small onion, sliced

2 slices reduced-fat provolone cheese

1 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

2 tsp. garlic salt

1 tsp. black pepper

2 Tbsp. A1 steak sauce

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter spray

Heat your oven to 350.

Coat a medium skillet with non-stick spray and head to medium. Add your chopped onion and bell pepper. Spray with butter and sprinkle with 1 tsp. garlic salt and 1/2 tsp. black pepper. Cook 3-4 minutes and add 1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce. Toss and cook another 5-7 minutes until peppers have softened and onions have caramelized slightly. Set vegetables aside.

Spray your skillet again and add your sliced sirloin. Sprinkle with remaining garlic salt and pepper and cook 3-4 minutes. Add remaining Worcestershire sauce and cook another 507 minutes until steak is cooked through.

While all of this sauteing is going on, slice your rolls in half. (Hint: If you want to decrease the point values a little, you can scoop out some of the “insides” in the roll, which also leaves more room for veggies!). Arrange rolls in a baking dish. Spray with some butter and sprinkle a little garlic salt if you’re feeling sassy. Arrange one slice of cheese on each sandwich.

Add cooked steak on top of cheese, and your cooked veggies on top of that. Then, drizzle each with 1 Tbsp. steak sauce. “Close” sandwiches as much as you can (you may have to use some special arrangement skills) and bake for 5-7 minutes until cheese is melted and bread is lightly toasted.

This could be the perfect lunch for watching some NFL playoff action on Sunday…or even a great dinner paired with an ice cold beverage.

Have a great weekend!

cookingonthebrightside

Adventures in Eating, Drinking and Being Mary

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