Stuffed Spinach and Sausage Shells

1 box Jumbo Shells
1 pound ground turkey sausage
6 oz. baby spinach, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 jar of 32 oz. tomato-basil sauce
1 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded

Cook jumbo shells according to package directions. Drain, reserving 1/3 cup of the pasta cooking water.
Cook ground turkey sausage until no longer pink. Add spinach, onion, garlic, reserved pasta water and continue cooking for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from heat. Add seasonings, blend well and let cool. Stir in egg and cheese. Pour one cup of the tomato sauce in a 13x9" baking dish. Fill shells with mixture and place in dish. Pour remaining sauce over shells and sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until thoroughly heated.

Tabasco Shrimp

Yet another recipe found from Cooking Light that I love. The original added chili powder and hot sauce to the sour cream but I usually end up skipping that step to simplify. We serve the shrimp wrapped in a fat burrito using fresh cooked tortillas, rice, beans, Monterrey Jack cheese, sour cream and Herdez Salsa Verde (a must have at all times in our pantry). This is another recipe that I use the frozen shrimp from Costco. We also love the uncooked tortillas that you can make fresh before serving - it makes all the difference in a good burrito. But, I sometimes do skip the tortilla and have a burrito bowl when I'm trying to cut out some fat/calories.

For those of you that are a little wary of spicy - this is probably about medium but it's hard for me to rate since I love spicy. In other words, I skip the shrimp and make a plain burrito for my son because it's too hot for him.

Ingredients:
3/4 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon hot smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 pounds large shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

Combine chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, paprika, and salt in a large bowl. Add shrimp; toss to coat. Let stand 10 minutes.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add garlic; sauté 30 seconds. Add shrimp mixture; sauté until done. Stir in hot pepper sauce and juice. Remove from heat.

Lemon Basil Shrimp Pasta

This little gem comes from Cooking Light all the way back in Spring of 2007. I actually find it so easy to make that it's become one of our regulars. The only difference from the original recipe is that I don't use the 3 tablespoons of capers it calls for. Not because I don't like capers, it's just that I don't buy capers often and when I do, I never use them all. Add them back in if you like.

I highly recommend using fresh basil. I didn't use fresh the last time I made this (pictured above) and although it was still good - it's just not nearly as light and yummy. My basil plant pooped out right before Spring came and I have yet to replace it.

I'm also going to put in a plug for the frozen bags of shrimp at Costco. It is the best frozen shrimp I've ever used. It easily thaws by running under water for 5 or so minutes. Since they come with the tail shell on, I pull of the shells while they are under the running water.

If you don't like shrimp, this recipe would also be good with a substitute of chicken.

Ingredients:
8 oz. uncooked spaghetti
1 pound peeled and and deveined large shrimp
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil (or 2 Tb dried basil)
2 tablespoons extravirgin olive oil
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups baby spinach

Bring water to boil in large pot. Add pasta. 3 minutes before pasta is done cooking according to package directions, add shrimp. Cook 3 minutes or until shrimp are done. Drain (do not rinse). Place pasta and shrimp in a large bowl. In a small bowl, mix basil, oil, lemon juice and salt. Add to pasta and shrimp. Place spinach on plate or bowl and top with pasta mixture.

Yield: 4 servings

Artichoke-Chicken Penne

This is my first attempt at writing down a recipe that I just have in my head. It evolved from the desire to something similar to a dish I had at Noodles and Co. Forgive me but I'll have to be a little Rachel Ray on this and give approximate measurements. But the great thing about this recipe is that you can easily make variations. Again, the measurements are approximate because I never measure - I just throw it in.

Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 1/2 cups artichoke hearts, chopped
2-3 chicken breasts, cooked (grilled or sauteed) and shredded
10 oz. penne pasta, cooked and drained
handful of fresh Spinach, rinsed
2-4 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1/4-1/2 cup feta cheese

In a large skillet, add olive oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add garlic, tomatoes, and artichoke hearts. Cook for one minute.

Add chicken and noodles. Stir and heat through. Add Spinach and cook until spinach is wilted.


Add balsamic vinegar and heat through. Add feta cheese before serving.

Spicy Chicken Cakes with Horseradish Aioli

We dug out an old Cooking Light magazine and found this little gem. The recipe called for bottled minced garlic but I recommend freshly minced garlic. I can't guarantee that there is a difference but in my experience, fresh garlic will make any recipe better than when using the bottled stuff. The recipe also calls for fresh chives but I substituted with green onions since I had them on hand. I have to admit that the highlight of this recipe is the Horseradish Aioli. It's a treat.

I served it with blue cheese mashed potatoes (I'm still on my blue cheese kick) and asparagus. While the potatoes were cooking, I prepared the chicken cakes. Once I had the chicken cakes on, I made the Aioli and asparagus.

Cakes:
2 slices whole wheat bread
1 pound skinless, boneless chicken breast (aprox. 2 large chicken breasts)
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
3 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
1 teaspoon Cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 large egg whites

To prepare cakes, place bread in a food processor to make coarse crumbs. Measure 1 cup and add to a medium bowl. Place chicken in food processor and grind. Add chicken to bowl and remaining ingredients. Mix well. Divide mixture into 8 equal portions, shaping each into 1/2-inch-thick patty. Heat two teaspoons canola oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add patties; cook 7 minutes on each side or until done.

Aioli:
2 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise
2 teaspoons prepared horseradish
1 teaspoon minced garlic
1/8 teaspoon salt

To prepare aioli, combine ingredients in a small bowl.

Chipotle Chicken Chili

Although I generally avoid chili served from any restaurant, I do love chili. This chili recipe is so easy and the chipotle peppers make it such a distinct and delicious meal. If you've never used chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, you can find it on the international aisle (with the Mexican food) in the grocery store. Add more chipotle peppers if you like it really hot or decrease if you can't take the heat. Also, you could use ground turkey in the recipe but I think the peppers really compliment the chicken.

Ingredients:
1 lb. ground chicken
1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1 cup chopped onion
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cans (14 oz.) diced tomatoes (do not drain)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can dark red kidney beans, drained
2 tablespoons chopped canned chiptle peppers in adobo sauce

Directions
1. Heat oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Add chicken, onion and garlic; cook until chicken is no longer pink. Stir frequently to break up the chicken into small crumbles.
2. Note: if your skillet is not large enough to hold aprox. 8 cups, move the chicken to a large saucepan. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

WW: 4 points/aprox. 1 cup serving

Salmon with Sweet-and-Sour Pan Sauce

This is an old standby that I love. I think serving it with mashed potatoes is better than rice because the pan sauce is thin (but so good!). If you serve it with mashed potatoes, it tends to blend better with the sauce. The recipe calls for a specific size of fillets but I usually make this with the giant Costco salmon fillet cut up into smaller pieces.

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 cup chicken broth

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup lime juice

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce

4 garlic cloves, minced

4 (6-ounce) salmon fillets

Directions:

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over low heat. Combine broth and next 4 ingredients (through garlic) in a small bowl. Increase heat to medium-high and heat for 3 minutes.

While pan heats, sprinkle fillets with salt and pepper. Add fish to pan; cook 4 minutes on each side or until fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Remove fillets from pan. Drain fat from pan and discard. Add broth mixture to pan. Bring to a boil, cook 30 seconds. Remove from heat. Serve sauce over fish.

WW: I generally count just the point value for the fish since the sauce is so light and I don't use very much.

Greek Turkey Burgers

This is so easy and quick. I prefer using 99% fat free turkey because the burgers stay together so much better. When using 97% fat free turkey, the burgers tend to fall apart pretty easily.

Ingredients:
1 slice wheat bread (torn into small pieces)
1 slightly beaten egg white
1 tablespooon milk
1 envelope Italian salad dressing
1 pound lean ground turkey
2-3 oz. crumbled feta cheese
8 Pita bread rounds or sandwich pockets

Directions:
Combine bread crumbs, egg white, milk and half of the salad dressing mix. Add turkey and cheese and mix well. Shape into 8 oval patties. Place patties on broiler pan. Broil on top rack for 11-13 minutes, turning once halfway through cooking time.

Greek Salsa: Mix together 1 teaspoon olive oil, 2 teaspoons basalmic vinegar, the second half of the Italian salad dressing. Add 1 chopped cucumber and 2 medium tomatoes.

Yield: 8 burgers
WW breakdown:

• If you use 99% fat free turkey, each patty is 2 points. Using 97% fat free turkey, each patty is 3 points.
• The salsa is only 1 point for the olive oil so depending on how much you eat, just estimate.
• The pitas/bread is not included, so calculate based on what type of bread you use. I found some great whole wheat sandwhich pockets that are only 1 point.

Chicken Tetrazzini

Here is a quick and easy casserole. I often make it by estimating the ingredients. I like to grill the chicken on our George Foreman grill and use some "All-Season" to give the casserole a little extra flavor. Also, I sometimes use a red onion but it is very strong so it is best to reduce the amount if you do use a red onion.

Ingredients:

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

1/2 cup non-fat milk

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

1/4 cup non-fat sour cream

2 chicken breasts, chopped

1 small zucchini, cut in half and thinly sliced

8 oz. thin spaghetti (cooked)

Mix soup, milk, onion, cheese and sour cream. Add chicken, zucchini and spaghetti. Toss to coat. Spoon into casserole dish. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes or until hot.

If divided into 6 servings, 1 serving is 6 WW points

If divided into 8 servings, 1 serving is 4 WW points

Spinach-Feta Calzone Casserole

I just tried this tonight and it is oh, so good. It takes a bit of prep ahead of time but it is worth it. Here's the link to the recipe from Cooking Light.

Yield 6 servings
WW Points = 5

Hoisin Pork Tenderloin

I found this recipe in Cooking Light. I've subsituted Hoisin sauce with terriyaki sauce and it's still very good but I definitely prefer the Hoisin sauce. You'll find Hoisin sauce with asian foods in the supermarket. This is also a fantastic recipe to prepare and freeze. I usually buy pork tenderloin in a large package (aprox. 4 pounds). I make one for dinner that night and put the other three in the freezer. That way, you can easily pull out a frozen tenderloin the night before and let it thaw in the fridge. It still tastes amazing and it makes life easier.

Ingredients:
1/4 cup Hoisin sauce
2 Tb sliced green onions
2 Tb low-sodium soy sauce
1 Tb rice wine vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (1-pound) pork tenderloin, trimmed
1 Tb sesame seeds

Instructions:
1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a large zip-top plastic bag; add pork to bag. Seal and marinate in refrigerator 2 hours, turning bag once.
2. Preheat oven to 425 degrees
3. Remove pork from bag, resering mainade. Place pork on the rack of a broiler pan or roasting pan coated with cooking spray; place rack in pan. Bake at 425 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle pork with sesame seeds; bake an aditional 5 minutes or until a thermometer registers 160 degrees (slightly pink). Place pork on a cutting board; let stand 10 minutes. Cut into slices.
4. Pour reserved marinade into a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 1/3 cup (about two minutes); serve with pork.

WW points: 4 (serving size is 3 ounces pork)

Chili Pasta Bake

This is one of those recipes that I found on the back of a can. I always like to try the box or can recipes. It's also a good one to make when you have no creative ideas and no time.

Ingredients:
10 oz. penne pasta
1 lb. ground beef
1 cup chopped onion
2 Tb. chili powder
1 can diced tomatoes
8 oz. can tomato sauce
1 cup salsa
1 can diced green chilies
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions:
1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain.
2. Cook meat and onion in large skillet; drain. Add chili powder, undrained tomatoes, tomato sauce, salsa and chilies. Cook 5 minutes
3. Toss pasta and sauce. Spoon into 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Top with cheese. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.

Chicken Enchilada Pie

Here's another fabulous recipe from my sister-in-law (thanks, Tara). It is so easy and it's quick to memorize. Oh, and it's so good! I serve it with Spanish rice and black beans. I think the most important part about this recipe is to make sure you use delicious tortillas. If you have good tortillas, you can use low-fat sour cream to lower the fat content.

Ingredients:
1/2 to 1 lb. chicken breast
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 small can of Salsa Verde (Herdez brand, if you can find it)
1 small can diced green chilies
4-6 tortillas
1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

Instructions:
Boil chicken and shred. Mix with soup, sour cream, 3/4 can of Salsa Verde and 1/2 can of chilies. In casserole dish, layer ripped up tortillas and chicken mixture. Top with remaining Salsa Verde, chilies and remaining Monterey Jack cheese. Bake covered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.