Southern Sausage Muffins

My weekend cooking got a little interrupted, and I wound up splitting the kitchen duty over two days this time. I had decided to make the Shepherd's Inn Breakfast Casserole again, but wanted something to use up the leftover 1/2 lb of sausage. I found this yummy little recipe that tastes very much like a sausage ball, but with a much lighter texture. I used reduced-fat cheese, turkey sausage, and reduced-fat Bisquick to lighten it up. Make sure to store any leftovers in the refrigerator.

Southern Sausage Muffins

1/2 lb. mild pork sausage
1/3 c. green onions, finely chopped
1 1/2 c. Bisquick baking mix
1 1/2 tsp. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. dry mustard
1/4 tsp. ground red pepper (cayenne)
2/3 c. milk
1/2 c. finely grated Cheddar cheese (2 oz.)

Heat oven to 400 degrees (375 degrees for dark nonstick pan). Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups, 2 1/2 x 1 1/4 inches. Cook and stir sausage and onions in 10 inch skillet until brown, crumbling sausage into small bits; drain on paper towels.

Mix baking mix, brown sugar, dry mustard, and red pepper in medium bowl. Stir in sausage mixture, milk, and cheese just until blended. Batter will be thick. Fill muffin cups about 2/3 full, spreading batter to edges of cups. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool slightly; remove from pan. Serve warm. 1 dozen muffins.

High altitude directions (3500 to 6500 feet) : Heat oven to 425 degrees. Bake about 20 minutes.

Cappuccino Brownies

Courtesy of my friend Elle, here is a ridiculous easy and absurdly rich brownie recipe. Since they are so rich, I cut them into 1-inch squares to serve

Cappuccino Brownies

1/4 c. hot water
1 tbsp. instant coffee
2 eggs
1 Duncan Hines fudge brownie mix
1/2 c. oil
1 c. cappuccino chips (or semi-sweet chocolate chips if you can't find cappuccino-flavored)

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease pan for brownies (whichever size you prefer - use the box for reference). Using a whisk, blend coffee and water until completely dissolved. In a large bowl, stir all ingredients until just moistened. Pour in pan and bake according to directions.

Roasted Chickpeas

This is a favorite snack of mine, going back to my early days on Core. It is a super-easy recipe, and I keep a can of chickpeas (aka garbanzo beans) in my pantry at all times just for this snack. Use whatever spice combination you like. I've used garam masala, cinnamon & chili powder, Cajun seasoning, and others.

Roasted Chickpeas

1 15-oz can chickpeas, rinsed & drained.
1 Tbsp. spice
olive oil spray

Preheat oven to 400. Line a cookie sheet with foil and spray generously with olive oil spray. Put the beans on the sheet and spray again, then shake the pan to ensure an even coating. Sprinkle with spices and shake again. Bake for 20-30 minutes, until outsides are crispy and insides are soft, checking every ten minutes to shake pan.

Chicken Roasted over Squash

Lately I have discovered the joys of winter squash, and have been searching for recipes that feature it. This Weight Watchers Core bake was a simple but yummy option. You can use any winter squash you like in this recipe. I used Golden Nugget, but butternut, acorn, or kabocha would work just as well.

Chicken Roasted over Squash

1 onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 medium winter squash, peeled, seeded, and cut in 1/2-in pieces
2 tsp. chopped fresh thyme (or 1 tsp. dried)
1/2 tsp. salt
ground pepper to taste
4 boneless skinless chicken breasts
2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
1 tbsp. unsweetened applesauce

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large skillet with canola spray. Over medium-high heat, cook onion, bell pepper, and squash, stirring until slightly softened, about 7-8 minutes. Stir in thyme, salt and pepper, until mixed. Mound mixture in center of 9x13 baking pan.

Place chicken over vegetables, covering them as much as possible. Stir together mustard and applesauce; brush over chicken. Bake until chicken is golden, about 50 minutes. Cut chicken and serve with vegetables.

Serves 8.

224 Cal, 7g Fat, 2g Sat Fat, 78mg chool, 320mg sodium, 14g carb, 2g fib, 27g protein, 51mg calcium

Roasted Tomato and Wild Rice Soup

Mmm... the picture in the Weight Watchers cookbook looked so good, I had to try it. I was not disappointed. The recipe calls for a fennel bulb, which I could not find. I substituted one leek, cleaned and diced, and a teaspoon of fennel seeds. The flavors are not intense, but they are complex. It's a very good soup, and easy to make.

Roasted Tomato and Wild Rice Soup

5 tsp. olive oil
2 carrots, diced
1 small fennel bulb, trimmed & diced
1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, sliced
7 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup wild rice
1 bay leaf
2 pints cherry tomatoes, halved

Heat 2 tsp of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add carrots, fennel, onion, and garlic; cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, about 7 minutes. Add water, rice, bay leaf, and salt; bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until grains start to pop and rice is tender, about 45 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 475. Toss the tomatoes with the remaining oil and place cut-side down on a large cookie sheet. (Line with foil first.) Roasted until skins shrivel and just begin to brown, about 20 minutes.

Add roasted tomatoes and juices to skillet. Cook until heated through, about 5 minutes. Discard bay leaf before serving.

Serves 6.

144 Cal, 4g Fat, 1g Sat Fat, 530mg sodium, 24g carb, 4g fiber, 4g protein, 41mg calcium

New Orleans Red Beans and Rice

This is another recipe taken from Weight Watchers, and it is Core. I like that I only have to use a skillet, knife, and cutting board. You can use leftover rice, or do what I did - use the steam bags of brown rice from the freezer section. Cooks perfectly every time, and tastes better than it does when I cook it. You can use Canadian bacon instead of ham if you prefer a smokier taste.

2 c. brown rice
2 tsp. canola oil
1 onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 lb. ham steak, trimmed of fat and diced
1 15-oz can red kidney beans, rinsed & drained
1 tsp. Cajun seasoning (I used Mrs. Dash to cut down on salt)
1/2 c. chicken broth

Cook rice according to package directions. In a skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell pepper, and garlic; cook until softened, 4-5 minutes. Add ham and cook, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown, 4-5 minutes.

Add beans and Cajun seasoning; cook until heated through. Add rice and broth. Cook until liquid is almost absorbed, about 2 minutes.

Serves 6.

Spiced Pot Roast

When it comes to cooking a roast, I have tried a million different things, and I never make it the same twice. I've also never used a recipe, until now. I adapted this from a Weight Watchers cookbook to use my CrockPot. You can cook it with the vegetables, but I prefer to cook mine separately. Serve it with roasted potatoes and a salad. The leftovers are also perfect for vegetable beef soup (recipe to follow next week).

Spiced Pot Roast

1 1/2 pound lean eye of round roast, trimmed of all fat
1 14.5-oz can reduced-sodium beef broth
1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
1 tsp. ground coriander
3/4 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/4 tsp. ground pepper

Spray a skillet with olive oil spray. Sear roast over high heat on all sides. Transfer to slow cooker. Add remaining ingredients. Cook on low 8-10 hours, or until meat is cooked.

Serves 6-8

Crab Chowder

This chowder goes together quickly, and has a gentle, mild flavor. It is also Weight Watchers friendly. I use imitation crabmeat, because it's hard to find the real stuff where I live. If you do use the real thing, be sure to carefully pick out all the cartilage.

Crab Chowder

1 tbsp. canola oil
1 large onion, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
2 medium red potatoes, diced in 1/2-in chunks
1 large carrot, grated
2 celery ribs, finely sliced
3 slices Canadian bacon, diced
1 15-oz can creamed corn
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
2 tsp. chicken bouillon
1 tsp. worcestershire sauce
6 drops Tabasco sauce
1 tbsp. lemon juice
4 c. water
ground pepper to taste
1 c. crabmeat, flaked
1 14-oz can fat-free evaporated milk
2 tsp. dried parsley

In a large pot, heat oil. Saute onion, garlic, potatoes, celery, carrot, and Canadian bacon. Cook until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Add corn, creamed corn, bouillon, sauces, lemon juice, water, and pepper. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and cover. Simmer about 30 minutes, or until potato is cooked.

Add crab and cook until heated. Stir in evaporated milk and parley and cook one minute longer.

Serves 10.

Chililicious

You've got to love the name of this recipe I hijacked from Cathy Zielske's blog. And if you don't know who that is, don't worry - it just means you aren't a scrapbooker. But I digress.

The ingredient list is long, but don't stress. It's pretty easy to put together, and can simmer while you're doing other things. Just make sure your pot is large enough - I used the biggest one I own and it was a squeeze to get everything in there.

This broth-based soup will freeze well. It is loaded with fiber, and is great for chilly winter afternoons.

Chililicious

2 tbsp. olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies
4-5 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1 tbsp. chili powder
salt & pepper to taste
3 c. cooked, shredded chicken
2 cartons chicken broth
1 1/2 c. frozen corn
3 15-oz cans navy beans, rinsed & drained
1 15-oz can black beans, rinsed & drained
juice of 1-2 limes
1/2 c. chopped fresh cilantro (or 2 tbsp dried)
1 c. shredded Monterey Jack cheese
lime wedges, tortilla chips (optional)

In a large pot, saute onions and green chilies in oil until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic, cook one minute longer. Add dry spices, stirring until mixed well.

Add chicken, broth, corn, beans, lime juice and cilantro. Bring to a boil; reduce heat and simmer for 2-3 hours. Before serving, add cheese. Stir until melted.

Serve with cheese, lime juice/wedges, and tortilla chips.

Serves 12.

Butternut Squash Fries

I have a new love... butternut squash! It's one of the great things about Weight Watchers. It has opened up an entire realm of foods I never considered - either because I didn't know how to cook it, thought I didn't like it, or just plain didn't know what it was.

Admittedly, the big squash a little hard to cut, but oh, my! it is good! I've been picking up butternut and acorn squash from the grocery store each week, and if all I do is bake and eat, I am one happy camper. I found this recipe from the Weight Watcher website, and adapted it a tiny bit to suit my spice preferences. It's soooo good, and good for you, too!

Butternut Squash Fries

1-lb butternut squash
1 tbsp. garam masala
1 tsp. sugar
cooking spray

Preheat oven to 450. Cut the neck of the peeled squash into 1/2-in strips. You can cut up the bulb part, or reserve it for something else. Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and spray with cooking spray. Arrange squash in rows so that they don't touch. Sprinkle with garam masala and sugar. Bake for 14-18 minutes, turning once, until fries are desired crispness. Serves 4

Sauerkraut Soup

Perfect for cold weather, this is an inexpensive-but-filling stoup (to borrow a Rachael Ray term). It's pretty thick, so feel free to add extra broth if you like.

Sauerkraut Soup

1 lb. smoked turkey sausage, cut in ½-in pieces
5 medium potatoes, peeled & cubed
2 medium onions, chopped
2 carrots, cut in ¼-in slices
3 cans (14 oz) chicken broth
1 can (32-oz) sauerkraut, rinsed & drained
1 can (6 oz) tomato paste

In large saucepan or Dutch oven, combine sausage, potatoes, onions, carrots and chicken broth; bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Add sauerkraut and tomato paste; mix well. Return to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer 30 minutes longer. If a thinner soup is desired, add additional water or chicken broth.

Serves 8-10.

Taco Casserole

Here's another old favorite that I tweaked to make it lower in calories and fat. Of course, feel free to use regular Doritos, regular cheese, and regular soup, if that's your cup of tea. It will taste every bit as good.

Taco Casserole

¾ lb. ground beef
1 c. brown rice, cooked
3 100-calorie packs Doritos, crushed
1 can reduced-fat cream of chicken soup
1 can fiesta nacho cheese soup
½ c. water
1 can Ro-Tel
1 ½ c. reduced-fat grated cheddar cheese


Preheat oven to 350. Brown hamburger. In a medium bowl, mix soups, Ro-Tel, and water. In a well-greased 2-qt casserole dish, layer hamburger, rice, cheese, chips, and soups. Bake 30 minutes.

Aimee's Mexican Chicken

This quick-n-easy skillet recipe came from my college roommate. It was perfect for us, because it isn't terribly expensive (you can use canned chicken if need be), it's idiot-proof, and it goes a long way. I've cooked it many times over the years. Occasionally I use brown rice instead of white, but other than that, I've made no changes - it's quite good as is.

Aimee’s Mexican Chicken

2 tbsp. butter
4 chicken breasts, diced
1 small onion, chopped
1 can (14-oz) chicken broth
1 can (14-oz) tomato sauce
1 small can corn
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2 c. instant rice, uncooked
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 c. shredded Cheddar cheese

Melt butter in large nonstick skillet. Brown chicken and onion in butter, until chicken is cooked through. Add chicken broth, tomato sauce, corn and taco seasoning. Simmer until heated through. Add rice; cover and simmer 10 minutes, until rice is thoroughly cooked. Add pepper and cook 5 minutes on low heat. Sprinkle with cheese and serve with tortilla chips (optional)

Reuben Casserole

I really love a good Reuben. Sauerkraut, cheese, thousand island dressing, and corned beef doesn't sound like an especially good combination - but it's so yummy. This casserole is actually easier to assemble than a sandwich, and you can stick it in the fridge and eat from it for several days. Because there's no pre-cooking required, all you have to do is throw it in the dish and bake.

Word to the wise: get as much liquid from the sauerkraut as you possibly can so the dish doesn't become watery. Also, the stuff in the bag that's in the cooler section (usually by the hot dogs) is infinitely better than its canned counterpart. You can use low-fat 1000 Island dressing, but it doesn't taste as good. Reduced-fat Swiss is fine, if you can find it. I usually "butter" the bread with a low-cal butter spray instead of real butter.

Reuben Casserole

1 14-oz can sauerkrat, rinsed and drained
1 c. Thousand Island salad dressing
1 lb. thinly sliced deli corned beef, cut into strips
2 c. shredded Swiss cheese
4-6 slices rye bread, buttered

Preheat oven to 375. Combine sauerkraut and salad dressing; spread into a greased 9x13 dish. Top with corned beef and cheese. Place bread, buttered side up, over top. Bake, uncovered for 25-30 minutes or until heated through and bubbly.

Menu #1

Since I am doing a week's worth of cooking in one day, I thought it might be nice to post my menus. Granted, I am new at this, and my technique needs refining. But still - spending 2-3 hours in the kitchen in one afternoon beats spending 45 minutes every night.

This is what I made today:

Chicken Crouton Hot Dish
Sauerkraut Soup
Taco Casserole
Aimee's Mexican Chicken
Reuben Casserole

And here's what I did to put it all together:

1. Put 1 lb chicken breasts in water to boil
2. Brown hamburger meat
3. Cook 1 cup rice
4. Assemble Reuben Casserole & put in oven.
5. Cut cooked chicken & assemble Chicken Crouton Hot Dish. Put in oven with Reuben Casserole. 6. Assemble Taco Casserole
7. Remove Reuben Casserole from oven and put in Taco Casserole.
8. Cut vegetables & sausage for Sauerkraut Soup & allow to simmer
9. Remove Chicken Crouton Hot Dish from oven
10. Clean skillet & dice chicken for Aimee's Mexican Chicken. Cook according to directions.
11. Remove Taco Casserole from oven
12. Add sauerkraut & tomato paste to soup
13. By now the Reuben Casserole has cooled enough to refrigerate
14. Start cleanup
15. Once cooled, all dishes can go into the fridge

It helps that I have made each of these dishes multiple times, so I am familiar with the process. I spent about 3 hours from start to finish. Thankfully, the dishwasher took care of most of the cleanup!

Pork Chop & Rice Casserole

Mom first made this in my pre-teen years, and it's one of those rare recipes that I've never bothered to tweak. It's perfect as-is, and because it goes together easily and cooks in the oven for two hours, it's a good choice for company. You only need to add a salad and dinner rolls for a complete meal. We make it with pork chops or chicken - you can decide whichever you prefer. It will last a week in the refrigerator, and reheats beautifully. A word to the wise - make sure you grease the casserole dish very well, or the rice will be a sticky gooey mess that you won't enjoy cleaning up.

Pork Chop and Rice Casserole

2 c. uncooked long grain rice
1 pkg. dry onion soup mix
6 pork chops, thin loin
1 can cream mushroom soup
1 can chicken gumbo soup
Salt and pepper
3 c. water

Preheat oven to 350. Spread rice evenly in bottom of well-greased 9x13 dish. Sprinkle with ¼ soup mix. Place pork on rice. Sprinkle with remaining soup mix and salt and pepper. In a medium bowl, combine soups and water. Blend well and pour over pork chops. Cover with foil and bake two hours. Allow to rest 10 minutes before serving.

Amanda's Chili

There aren't too many recipes for which I claim total credit, but this is definitely one of them. I've experimented for several years, and developed a chili recipe that is Weight Watchers Core, very filling, and somewhat reminiscient of the flavor of Wendy's chili. For you vegetarian-types, this is a great recipe for TVP or soy crumbles.

I make it at least once a month during the winter, and it freezes quite well. Dip two cups into a quart-size ziploc bag, squeeze out all the air, and lay it flat on a cookie sheet. Once frozen, stand the the bag on its side in the freezer and it takes up almost no room.

Amanda's Chili

1 onion, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1 lb extra lean ground beef
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
1 15-oz. can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted is best)
1 15-oz. can pinto beans, undrained
1 15-oz. can dark red kidney beans, undrained
1 4-oz can chopped green chilies
Black pepper to taste
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin to taste
1/8 tsp. cayenne

Spray a large skillet with cooking spray. Over medium heat, cook onion and garlic until transluscent. Transfer to large Dutch oven. Brown hamburger in skillet and add to onion. Stir in remaining ingredients. Bring to boil; reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes. Serve with sour cream and cheese.

Curried Turkey

I've been busy today, folks - and this week I stuck mostly with the tried-and-true, and only made one new recipe. This particular recipe is easily one of my favorites. It has almost zero fat, and the smell wafting from the kitchen is postively divine. I use leftover turkey around Thanksgiving, and turkey cutlets the rest of the year. Serve it up with brown rice, and you have a delish recipe that fits the Weight Watchers Core program, and is plenty "fancy" to serve up to guests.

Curried Turkey

1 lb. turkey breast, diced
1 tsp. olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
2 cans (15-oz) petite diced tomatoes
2 tsp. curry powder
½ tsp. thyme
Black pepper to taste
½ c. water

Brown turkey in oil. Remove using slotted spoon. Sauté onion, pepper and garlic in juices until tender. Add tomatoes, seasonings and water. Cook until heated through. Pour into 2 ½ qt. casserole dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Cover and bake at 375 for 45-55 minutes. Serve with brown rice.

White Punch

Perfect for a wedding, baby shower, or brunch, this punch is the easiest thing in the world to put together. Unlike other varieties, it doesn't stain clothing as easily, which makes it a good choice for events with small children running around. It's a light and refreshing punch, one that I could drink just about any day of the week. For you non-alcoholic types, it's a good choice for a "champange" toast at a wedding.

If you like, you can make an ice ring from fruit to decorate the punch bowl. Using a bundt or angel food cake pan, arrange fruit in a layer about two inches thick (choose the fruit to match your theme - anything goes). Gently pour enough water to just cover the fruit, and freeze overnight. In the morning, set the pan in hot water long enough to loosen the ice, and add it to the punch bowl.

White Punch

White grape juice
Ginger ale

Chill equal amounts of both liquids, and mix just before serving.

Iced Coffee

At the risk of insulting your intelligence, I'd like to share with you my formula for a tasty-as-Starbucks morning eye opener. Let me say this, though - please use good coffee. Folgers just doesn't count. I like to buy a whole-bean espresso roast. Great Value (Wal-Mart brand) makes one that is very good, but also affordable, and quite comparable to the Starbucks blends. Of course, if you have the moolah, splurge on the best coffee you can find.

Iced Coffee

At night, brew 4 cups of very strong coffee. Sweeten as desired (I use four packets of Splenda) and refrigerate overnight. In the morning, add 1 c. milk and 1 T. flavored coffee syrup. Add half a tray of ice cubes and stir. It fits quite nicely into a 52-oz Bubba Keg, if you don't want to share.


...A word about the coffee syrup: I use DaVinci brand, although there are several others out there. They have a ton of flavors, several in sugar-free versions. Caramel, Hazelnut, and Kahlua are some of my favorites. They also have watermelon and peanut butter, but I wouldn't recommend using those in your coffee unless you are more adventurous than I am!