Skinny Au Gratin Potatoes

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Um, hey there. Remember me?

Yeah, I started this blog and was sharing some delicious recipes with y’all and then, well, I fell off the face of the earth for two weeks.

Over two weeks people! I didn’t even realize it until yesterday – I thought I was just tardy by one week…psh.

I am so sorry. Thank you for coming back. I mean, one week I got home late every night of the week and had stuff to do when I got home (like meetings, running to a kickball game, etc.). Then last week – well, last week was for fun – I got to go to Florida for another bachelorette party! And, you get to benefit from it because I cooked lots of goodies that I will be sharing with you over the next few weeks!

For now, I will try to make amends by sharing one of my favorite dishes that I figured out how to make a bit better for those who are not content to hide under baggy sweaters this fall! (Although they are really cozy!)

Skinny Au Gratin Potatoes (Serves 3 / 3WW pts. each)

1 medium russet potato

I Can’t Believe It’s Not Butter Spray

1/2 cup fat-free milk

1/2 cup fat-free shredded cheddar cheese

1/2 Tbsp. white whole-wheat flour

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1/2 tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly grease a small au gratin (or baking) dish and spray with butter spray.

Wash and dry potato and cut into 1/4 inch pieces.

Whisk together milk, flour, garlic and black pepper.

Add potatoes to baking dish and pour milk mixture on top.

Cover with foil and bake 30 minutes.

Remove foil and bake 15 more minutes. Add cheese and return to oven for 5 more minutes allowing cheese to melt.

 

This is pretty much delicious served with anything, but nothing beats steak and potatoes!

Enjoy y’all, and I promise, I won’t disappear again!

Skinny Faux-Fried Mozzarella Sticks

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I’m not sure if I was more excited for a 3-day weekend or happier that this “short” week is almost over!

So as I said, I love college football and have always been a huge fan. Last Friday night was like my Christmas Eve – making Saturday my Christmas Day!

I wake up early and dance around singing “It’s College Gaaaame Day!”  – which I used to do to wake up my friends when we’d spend Labor Day weekend together. So this year, I just sent them all a voice recording so they didn’t miss out. It was nice getting to annoy them without getting their glares of death.

Well, after watching my team’s game early Saturday at the bar and eating some not so healthy football food, I decided that football food needed a healthy twist on Saturday night.

Enter Skinny Faux-Fried Mozzarella Sticks. Who (besides my crazy sister) doesn’t love delicious, melty, fried cheesy goodness dipped in marinara sauce?

That’s what I thought.

Skinny Faux-Fried Mozzarella Sticks  (1 WW point per piece)

6 pieces Weight Watchers String Cheese

2 Tbsp. Egg Beaters

1 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour

2 1/2 Tbsp. Panko bread crumbs

2 1/2 Tbsp. Italian-style bread crumbs

1 tsp. reduced-fat grated Parmesan cheese

1/2 Tbsp. dried parsley

1/4 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 cup marinara sauce (I used Newman’s Own)

Cut cheese sticks in half.

In a medium bowl, mix together  bread crumbs, Parmesan, parsley and garlic salt.

Set up your assembly line. First, a small bowl with flour. Next, another small bowl with the egg. Then the bread crumb mixture. Lastly, a small pan or dish lined with wax paper.

Roll cheese in flour, coating lightly. Then dip in egg, letting any excess drip off.

Then press cheese into crumb mixture, coating well. Then place on wax paper.

Repeat until all cheese is coated. Place coated cheese sticks in the freezer for at least 30 minutes – otherwise, you’ll end up with a melty mess! I also think this step make this recipe awesome for company because you can do all of the “work” ahead of time!

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

When you are ready to bake, move your mozzarella sticks to baking sheet lined with lightly greased foil. Spray tops lightly with olive oil and bake for 5 minutes.

Remove from oven and roll mozzarella sticks and bake another 5 minutes.

Heat your marinara sauce in the microwave until warm.

Serve mozzarella sticks warm with marinara sauce for dipping.

Mmmm, I might have to make these again very soon…

Happy Friday everybody – have a great weekend!

Artichoke and Parmesan Grouper

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I realize it’s September, which is “Fall” for some people. I love every single thing about Fall (minus the back-to-school traffic of course). College football is back people! The weather is perfect – I’m a boots, jeans and chunky sweaters kind of gal! Time for bonfires. Beautiful colors. I love my cinnamon and apple candles. Oh, and hello, it means I can start breaking out soups and making chili again!

However, despite Starbucks trying to convince me it’s Fall with the offering of their Pumpkin Spice Lattes, I am not fooled people! Here in Memphis, we are still having days where the heat index is over 100.

Ridiculous, right?

So as long as it still feels like summer, I figure why not make the best of it. I’ve told y’all many times how much fresh seafood reminds me of trips to the coast with my family, so I have an amazing grouper recipe that seriously transports me to the beautiful white beaches!

Now I got the seafood right around the corner at a place called “Paradise Seafood” – which I finally know the name of since I finally got my behind there myself! It’s where my parents have been going for a few months now. Remember that delicious Triggerfish recipe I shared with you? Yeah, that’s the place. But this time, I picked up some massive fillets of grouper. The husband and I made 4 meals out of 2 fillets because they were that huge!

So whether it’s Summer or Fall where you are, I have a feeling you’ll enjoy this either way – especially because it’s very weight watchers friendly!

Artichoke and Parmesan Grouper (serves 4 / 5 points per serving)

24 oz. grouper fillets (can be 2 large cut in half or just 4 small)

2 Tbsp. fresh lemon juice

1 1/2 Tbsp. fat-free mayonnaise

1/4 cup reduced-fat grated parmesan cheese

1/4 cup quartered artichoke hearts

2 Tbsp. reduced-calorie margarine, softened (I use Blue Bonnet Light)

1 tsp. Tabasco (this is just enough spice but still mild – adjust accordingly)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

4 additional lemon wedges (for serving)

Preheat oven to low broil.

Chop artichokes into small pieces. Add to a small bowl with mayonnaise, Parmesan cheese, margarine, salt, pepper and Tabasco. Mix until blended.

Place your fillets in a lightly greased, oven-safe dish and arrange so they all lay flat. Brush all fillets with lemon juice and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.

Add grouper to oven and cook on low broil for 5-7 minutes. Grouper should flake lightly with a fork.

Remove grouper and spread evenly with Parmesan mixture, creating a thin layer over the entire surface.

Return to the oven and broil another 3-4 minutes until the coating is lightly browned and bubbly.

Serve with a glass of chilled white wine, kick back and enjoy whatever weather you are experiencing!

Roasted Parmesan Asparagus

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Growing up, I hated mushy vegetables. Scratch that – I still hate mushy vegetables. Probably why I have never been a fan of lima beans. Sorry Mom!

But seriously, to this day I don’t like cooked carrots which (much to my dismay) are very popular in the South. You can call them cute names like “Copper Pennies” all you want, but I will still only put one or two on my plate (to be polite, of course), chew them as few times as possible, and chase them with something more appealing. Like wine.

Soups are the only reason for vegetables to be somewhat mushy. And obviously, I’ll grant a pardon to potatoes because, well, they’re potatoes and I enjoy them in all forms.

Now, asparagus to me always used to have that gross texture. You know, when you bit into it and it’s all slimy and stringy? Ick people.

However, I now love asparagus. Because I found a way to make it absolutely delectable and non-mushy – and from me to you dear friend, this might be the easiest recipe I ever share with you. So no excuses – it’s healthy and it’s delicious. Make it!
Roasted Parmesan Asparagus (serves 4 – 2 WW points per serving)

1 bunch asparagus

2 tsp. olive oil (I just use my Misto to spray it on)

1/4 tsp. salt

1/4 tsp. black pepper

4 Tbsp. shredded Parmesan cheese

Preheat oven to 400.

Snip off ends of asparagus (you can usually tell where to trim – it’s lighter in color).

Coat a baking sheet with non-stick spray and arrange asparagus in a side-by-side line.

Brush/spray with olive oil to lightly coat. Then sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake for 15 minutes. Then remove from oven and sprinkle with Parmesan. Return to oven for an additional 2-3 minutes until cheese has melted.

This goes great with anything – it’s amazing with fish or some delicious steaks – so divide, serve and devour!

Buffa-faux Chicken Tenders

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Let’s flash back to the year 2010 for a moment, shall we?

– New Orleans won the Super Bowl

– The Oil Spill

– The Winter Olympics in Vancouver

– Auburn won the BCS National Championship

Now, somewhere in there, I decided to do WW to shed some pounds that desperately needed to go. But like I’ve said before, I love my food. I didn’t want to give up things I love because I knew that would make me an angry person. Deny me a burger and fries? I might punch you in the face.

But I learned quickly that by limiting portions and well, “bad” stuff like, well, almost anything fried – I could make it! So I started making turkey burgers with baked fries. Greasy calorie laden pizza? I made my own crust and used smarter toppings and reduced fat cheese.

Buffalo wings? Oh buffalo wings, how I love thee. Now I will say that sometimes, I still just need the real thing. But in 2010 I did find a way to make some delicious buffalo chicken tenders that are baked and also incredibly filling if you eat 4-5 of them. Definitely fond of the year 2010 – discovered baked buffalo wings. Oh, and got engaged. It was a good year.

So anyways, I know one of the ingredients sounds a little crazy, but it’s actually pretty delicious. You should totally try it.

Buffa-Faux Chicken Tenders (serves 2 – 11 WW pts. per serving)

10 chicken tenders

1/2 cup reduced-fat buttermilk (Doesn’t all really “count” since you end up pouring out the excess)

1 tsp. Tabasco

1/2 tsp. minced garlic

1 1/2 cups ground Fiber One cereal

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic salt

1/2 tsp. smoked paprika

1/2 tsp. salt

1/3 cup Frank’s Red Hot Sauce

1 Tbsp. reduced-calorie margarine

1/2 Tbsp. honey

Olive oil spray

In a medium bowl or deep dish, pour in buttermilk and whisk with Tabasco and garlic. Add trimmed chicken tenders and let soak at least 1 hour. Best if they have 2+ to really marinate!

Grind your cereal and set in a large shallow dish. Add your onion powder, garlic salt, paprika and salt. Mix until well combined.

Preheat your oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with foil and place a baking rack on top. Spray rack with non-stick spray. This isn’t necessary, but it allows the chicken to get a little crispier.

Have your chicken, coating and baking rack set up in an assembly line and begin!

Pick up chicken and let excess buttermilk drip. Place in the dish with the crumb mixture.

Toss, roll, and press the mixture into the chicken. Then place on your baking rack. Repeat with remaining chicken. Spray the chicken with a little olive oil to crisp it up.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, then remove from oven, flip chicken, and bake another 10-12 minutes until cooked through.

While chicken is baking, add your hot sauce and margarine to a small saucepan and head over medium-low heat. Whisk until blended. I added about 1/2 Tbsp. honey to cut the heat a little!

When your chicken is cooked, add to a plate and drizzle hot sauce over the tenders. It absorbs quickly – but it is quite delicious!

And this, my friends, is what really got me hooked on playing with recipes to make them healthy but still allowing me to eat my favorite foods…great when paired with my ranch flavored oven-baked fries!

Happy Friday everybody!

Pink Vanilla Popcorn

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So for those of you who know me, you might know how much I love entertaining! Yes, I run around like a chicken with my head cut off leading up to the party/dinner/event – but I love every single second of it! I love figuring out the theme, the menu, the decor and it makes me so happy to see everything come together and have all of the guests enjoying themselves!

This past weekend, I headed down to Destin, Florida to play hostess for one of my best friend’s bachelorette parties. The theme – pink and sparkles, the bride-to-be’s favorite things in the world! Seriously, she opens her suitcase everything inside is pink and/or glittery!

For weeks, I scoured my cooking magazines, my recipe box and Pinterest to come up with the perfect items to make. I searched for fun things for her to wear and for some fun things for the rest of the crew (like pink glow in the dark cups for going out!). I decorated the condo with some fun pink, black and sparkly stuff – but a lot of stuff was concealed until the surprise shower!

So after lunch on Friday the plan was to get some sun at the beach and then head in around 4 for the shower. Well, mother nature had other plans and decided to literally rain on our parade – so we pushed things up a bit – so I made Jen hide in a bedroom so we could set up!

A pink satin piece of fabric covered the refreshment table and was scattered with black, pink and clear rhinestones. I made butter cake cupcakes with pink cream cheese frosting (with silver sparkles of course) and just cut some watermelon to  put on a platter with blackberries and raspberries for more of the black and pink theme. I also made a delicious Watermelon Honeysuckle Spritzer to drink (and, well, it was pink!).

I also found a cute shop on Etsy that does handmade soaps! I got lingerie shaped ones that were wedding cake scented – and had them individually wrapped and labeled as favors for the girls.

I was horrible about taking photos of the cooking process (I woke up at 5:30am, drove 4 hours and was on the go until the guests arrived!) but my darling friends did manage to capture some of the set-up – including the yummy recipe I will share with you today!

Pink Vanilla Popcorn (serves 8-10)

3 bags light microwave popcorn

8 oz. good-quality vanilla melting wafers (I purchase mine at a local baking supply store)

Red food coloring (or color of choice)

Silver sprinkles

Heat water in a double boiler to medium heat and reduce to medium low. You do not want the water to boil.

Add 8 oz. of the wafers to the double boiler. Let sit for a few minutes until the wafers start to soften. Using a rubber spatula, stir wafers around until melting.

In the meantime, cook your popcorn in the microwave. If you are like me – it is very difficult not to eat half of it right away! Remove any kernels that were not popped.

Add popcorn to a large bowl or a cookie sheet.

When your wafers have melted, reduce heat to low and be careful not to stir too much or it will thicken. Add a few drops of food coloring and stir until blended. You can always add more – but you can’t take away, so  just add small amounts until you get to your desired color!

Remove melted wafers from heat and add a few dollops at a time to popcorn, stirring to coat the popcorn with your hands (I know it’s messy, but trust me – it’s easier!) and repeat until all of the popcorn has been coated.

Spread into a thin layer on wax paper and dust with sprinkles. Let cool at least 1 hour. Break apart and store in air-tight container until ready to serve!

It’s the perfect blend of salty and sweet and it’s super easy to customize for a party since you can make it in whatever colors you want! Perfect for the rapidly approaching football season, or just for a weekend with your best girl friends…

Chipotle Chicken Croquettes

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Okay, I am officially running around like a crazy person this week getting ready for one of my best friend’s bachelorette parties this weekend! I’m so excited to get a weekend with my girls – and I’m sure I’ll have some fun things to share with y’all when I return!

So when I find myself super stressed out, for some reason, I turn to the kitchen. I recall one time in college I gave up sweets and caffeine around Valentine’s Day. Not to cut back on calories, but to prepare my body for a 48-hour dance marathon! Well, I got super stressed out and turned to baking. Yes, that thing I have a love/hate relationship with. I made a ton of cookies, peanut butter and chocolate rice crispy treats, brownies and another type of cookie. Luckily we had male neighbors in our apartment building…so home-baked treats were easy to pawn off on them!

The other day, I went for something more practical and good for me so I wouldn’t be extra stressed trying to shed pounds from eating a bucket of baked goods! I had written down a recipe a while back that I ran across on a fabulous website (she also does WW recipes!) and so with a big ole chicken breast thawed, I decided to try a new recipe for dinner.

Chipotle Chicken Croquettes (Serves 2 – slightly modified from “Eat Yourself Skinny“)

1 Tbsp. reduced-calorie margarine

2 1/2 Tbsp. minced orange bell pepper

2 1/2 Tbsp. minced green bell pepper

2 1/2 Tbsp. minced onion

1 1/2 cups cooked chicken (I just used 1 big chicken breast I had, about 8-10oz.)

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1 egg, lightly beaten

1 Tbsp. Chipotle mustard

1/2 Tbsp. Worcestershire sauce

1/2 tsp. chipotle powder

1/2 tsp. seasoned salt

Spicy Mustard Sauce

1/2 clove minced garlic

1/4 cup light mayonnaise

1/4 fat-free sour cream

1/2 Tbsp. Chipotle mustard

1/2 Tbsp. lime juice

1/2 tsp. chipotle powder

About 1-2 hours before you’re ready to eat, whisk together garlic, mayo, sour cream, mustard, lime juice and chipotle powder until smooth. Refrigerate for 1-2 hours.

Bring a medium pot of water to a boil and add the chicken. Reduce to medium-high and cook 15-20 minutes until chicken is cooked through. While chicken is cooking, go ahead and chop your veggies. Saute them in 1/2 Tbsp. margarine.

In a small bowl, mix together mayonnaise, egg, mustard, Worcestershire, chipotle seasoning and salt.

Once your chicken has cooked and cooled, chop and shred. Add to a medium bowl with bread crumbs and add your sautéed veggies and combine.

Take the small bowl with the mayo/mustard mixture and add to the chicken. Combine with hands until blended and form into 5 patties.

Heat remaining 1/2 Tbsp. margarine in a skillet and cook the patties over medium heat for 3-5 minutes on each side. Serve with a dollop (or more if you desire!) of the spicy mustard sauce and dig in!

Note that this is probably a great appetizer, but I tested it for dinner and 2 1/2 patties was a great portion…

Potatoes Romanoff

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I absolutely love potatoes. As I mentioned in a post about what I eat when I’m not cooking my more semi-elaborate meals, a baked potato is my favorite standby.

I also love the Olympics. Twice this week I’ve sat down with the computer with every intention of giving you a delicious recipe to try, and twice this week I’ve gotten sucked in as soon as Bob Costas starts giving his re-cap. I’m a little sad that it’ll be over on Sunday, but at least I will get my life back. Who knew women’s handball and BMX semifinals could be so enthralling?

So since I’ve been non-existent this week, I figured I owed you a really yummy recipe. This recipe does need some advanced prep work, but I promise you friends, it totally pays off – in taste and in grating so much you might build some good muscle tone! (It also makes a lot, so you will probably get to enjoy leftovers unless you have a really big crowd!).

Potatoes Romanoff (Serves 10 / 4 WW pts. per serving)

3 medium russet potatoes

3/4 cup minced shallot

8 oz. reduced fat white cheddar (I used Cabot)

2 tsp. salt

1/2 tsp. black pepper

1 1/2 cups fat-free sour cream

Preheat your oven to 425. Scrub and dry potatoes. Wrap in foil and bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Let potatoes cool – you can use the freezer or refrigerator to speed up that process if you’re running a little short on time!

While potatoes are baking, mince your shallots and grate your cheese.

When potatoes are cool enough to handle, grate into a large bowl. I leave skins on as much as I can to give it a little texture, but sometimes it starts coming off in big pieces so I just discard those.

Add sour cream, half of your cheese, shallots and salt and pepper. I usually end up adding a little more salt since there is a lot of potato to season!

Gently mix with a rubber spatula or your hands so you don’t end up “mashing” the grated potato (this is why you let it cool – if it’s too warm, it mashes easier).

Place mixture in a lightly greased baking dish and top with remaining grated cheese.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes and serve.

Seriously y’all, this is absolutely divine served with steaks – but I’m sure it’s great with anything…

Happy Friday everybody!

 

Buffalo Chicken Lasagna

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My goodness, what a week it has been! First week back at work from vacation is usually rough…but things got very interesting!

So, I have 3 amazing and adorable nephews from my wonderful Biffer and bro-in-law. Well, my sister was scheduled to be induced for baby #4 on Thursday, which was frustrating because she has ALWAYS wanted the movie moment of going into labor! She has tried everything – even got a ticket on her way to get spicy food for baby #3!

Monday she came over to drop off some garage sale stuff and was then en route to get the spiciest dish at her favorite Chinese restaurant. I offered to take her to Wal-Mart if she wanted to test the “stress induces labor” theory. She declined, because she can’t stand the place.

However, I totally think it worked cause guess what happened Tuesday morning? She went into labor! And Tuesday afternoon, my precious baby nephew #4 was born!

Proud Aunt moment:

Now, I won’t take full credit – as the spicy food probably had something to do with as well. So, I thought I’d share one of my new favorite spicy recipes with y’all on this Friday – and since it’s buffalo flavored, it obviously means good weekend food! It is also great for leftover lunches or dinners – serve with some bread or a crisp salad!

Buffalo Chicken Lasagna (Makes 8 servings / 7 WW pts. each)

1 pound chicken breast, raw

3 cups spaghetti sauce (Ragu light)

1 1/2 cups Frank’s Red Hot sauce (this is spicy – so use less if you are hesitant about spice!)

1 1/4 cups water

1/2 cup chopped celery

15 oz. reduced-fat ricotta cheese

1/2 cup egg beaters

1 Tbsp. ranch seasoning

1/2 cup reduced-fat blue cheese crumbles

10-12 pieces whole wheat lasagna

Preheat oven to 350 and lightly grease a 9×13 baking dish.

Cook chicken (either boil or bake) and shred.

In a small bowl, mix together ricotta cheese, egg beaters and ranch seasoning.

In a medium bowl, mix together spaghetti sauce, hot sauce, water, celery and chicken.

Pour a small amount of the sauce in the baking dish. Layer with 3 1/2 pieces of lasagna. Spread with 1/3 ricotta cheese and another layer of sauce. Repeat noodle, cheese, sauce until left with sauce on top.

Sprinkle blue cheese crumbles on top.

Cover with foil and bake for 1 hour. Remove foil and bake another 15 minutes…

Slice into 8 pieces…

And devour!

Happy Friday everybody, hope you have a great weekend!

Shrimp Salsa

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So last week while on vacation, I thought I might get a chance to update the blog or post a delicious new recipe.

Obviously…that didn’t quite happen.

Y’all, I don’t know what it was – but I just didn’t want anything to do with technology! Other than watching a few episodes of a TV show we brought on DVD and letting the world know that my amazing husband passed his big exam via Facebook, I completely immersed myself in books and enjoyed sticking my head in the proverbial sand.

Okay, so it was my feet in the sand, but you get the picture.

Anyways – the husband and I had an amazing 7 days full of sunshine (well, mostly!), cold beer, crashing waves, delicious seafood, ocean breezes, good books, late night balcony talks and of course, celebrating his big accomplishment!

I think we ate something with seafood every single day – including 2 different types of delicious baked oysters smothered in cheese! We also had crab legs, grouper cheeks (yes, cheeks, and they were ridiculously good!), smoked tuna dip, gumbo and a pizza that was topped with Cajun grilled shrimp.

I know I’ve told y’all how much I love shrimp and how versatile it is. Well, I finally tried a recipe I’d been dying to test out that I found on SkinnyTaste that is a homemade salsa – with the main ingredient being shrimp. It is so incredibly refreshing during these hot summer months – just pair with a cold beverage (I mean, it doesn’t have to be a beer), kick back on the patio and enjoy!

Shrimp Salsa (Serves 4  / 2 WW pts. per serving / adapted from “SkinnyTaste“)

8 oz. pre-cooked shrimp

2 medium tomatoes

3 Tbsp. red onion, diced

2 Tbsp. fresh jalapeno, diced

1 Tbsp. cilantro, chopped

2 Tbsp. fresh lime juice

1/2 tsp. kosher salt

1/4 tsp. cracked black pepper

Pinch garlic powder

Tortilla chips (I tried Garden of Eatin’ Red Hot Blues Chips, they are sprinkled with cayenne and have a great kick to them!)

Remove tails from shrimp and pat dry. Chop shrimp into 3 or 4 pieces each.

Chop your tomatoes and dice your onion. Add to a medium bowl and add lime juice, salt and pepper. Mix and let sit for 5 minutes.

Add chopped jalapeno, cilantro and shrimp to bowl. Mix well and refrigerate at least 1 hour. Taste and add salt if necessary.

This is even better after a day or so when all of the flavors have really blended…so don’t be afraid to double the recipe if you are expecting a crowd!

Remove from the refrigerator, grab your chips and dig in!