hot stove

so it occurred to me that it's been awhile since i've talked about my kitchen forays. here's what i've been nomming the last couple months :)

triple grilled cheese with tomato soup
[original recipe]

my adjustments: i had to check this one twice. i made it so long ago, i forgot i didn't make any changes. go me!

my notes: the sammiches were good; the soup was amazing! i actually made it again sans grilled cheese because it was so easy and delicious. keep in mind though, this is not a points friendly dish. altogether, it's 15 (10 for grilled cheese, five for soup)

chicken parmesan rollatini
[original recipe]

my adjustments: i used two teaspoons dried basil because i don't use basil enough to justify buying fresh. i didn't have toothpics so i didnt' really roll them

my notes: i've never been a fan of chicken parm, but this was pretty good. i bought toothpicks so i'm going to try the rolling next time :) i have a problem getting sauces to thicken though. it was good, just a bit runny (eight points)

penne with vodka sauce
[original recipe]

my adjustments: to drop the points, i only used six ounces of pasta, two ounces of vodka, fat free evaporated milk instead of heavy cream and 1/3c of parm. i also used a can of crushed tomatoes instead of plum tomatoes

my notes: dunno if i did something wrong, if the vodka was crap or if this recipe is no good, but i did not like this. i've never had a vodka sauce so i have nothing to compare it to. i'm kind of hoping someone else tries it and gets better results, which is the only reason i'm sharing it. this wasn't worth the nine points as i made it

slow cooker chicken cacciatore
[original recipe]

my adjustments: no mushrooms, no oregano

my notes: this was SO good. even though deboning the thighs was a horrible experience (i'll be using breast in the future), the whole thing turned out deliciously. my sauce was a bit thicker since it cooked a wee bit longer, but every bite was good, alone and over pasta

tex mex calzones (from heather)
8oz ground turkey
1/2c onion, chopped
1/2c bell pepper, chopped
1/2c tomato, chopped
3/4t ground cumin
1/2t chili powder
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2c salsa verde
3/4c shredded, mexican blend cheese
11 oz pizza dough

preheat oven to 425°F. heat a large skillet over med-high heat. add turkey and brown for about 3 minutes. add next six ingredients. continue to cook until vegetables are tender. remove from heat and stir in the salsa. unroll dough and divide into four pieces. roll out each piece into 6x4 rectangle. spoon about 1/2 cup of the turkey mixture and three tablespoons of cheese onto each piece. fold over and press to seal bake for about 12 minutes or until the dough is done. serve with sour cream and more salsa. you can also add fresh cilantro and jalapenos to the mixture if desired

makes four servings

my adjustments: i used 8oz extra lean ground beef, low fat cheese and eight ounces of dough. i also added some leftover tomato paste when i stirred in the salsa verde. because i used less dough, i ended up making little pizza balls instead of true calzones. but i knocked the points down a peg from nine to eight

my notes: yum yum yum. very filling and very tasty; worth every point :)

baked macs
[ramona's] [weight watchers baked] [weight watchers easy]

my adjustments: i made four versions of ramona's, playing with bread crumbs and chili powder. in the "baked", i dropped the sour cream. in the "easy", i didn't use onion powder or hot sauce. i substituted 2% for skim milk, and i added chili powder. also i baked it after all that

my notes: official, vote? do. not. want. ramona's was the best after i fiddled with it; the other two i'm nixing after almost a week of deliberation. the hunt for non-box mac continues with a couple recipes from doniree :)

things i just made up
quesadillas that became taco bowls: whole wheat tortillas, 1lb extra lean ground beef, 1 diced avocado, 2c chopped onion, 2c sliced zucchini, 3c sliced bell peppers, 1/2c shredded low fat cheese | cook meat. saute veggies, except avocado. heat tortilla on skillet about a minute, flipping once. place tortilla in bowl, top with meat, veggies and cheese | makes four servings at 13 points each. totally worth the points because there's 2.5 veggie servings in each bowl

home fries: 9lb red potatoes, salt, pepper, 1/4c(?) safflower oil | dice and cook the potatoes (boil in salted water). mix the salt and pepper with the safflower oil. toss potatoes in oil. place on baking sheet, and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes. OR cook on stove over medium heat in small batches until crisp (5ish minutes) | i have no clue how many servings it makes lol. i'm still eating it, and i don't eat the same amount each time. though, i can tell you it's six points for one yummy cup

buffalo pizza pockets: 1lb ground buffalo (bison), 1c shallots, 2 cloves garlic, 15oz pizza sauce, 2/3c shredded low fat cheese, 1c grated parmesan, 16oz pizza dough | cook meat and slice veggies. divide dough into eight pieces and roll out. drain meat. then stir in shallots, garlic and sauce. combine shredded cheese and grated parm in a small bowl. top each piece of dough with meat mixture and cheese. fold up edges to create balls (secure with toothpicks if necessary). bake according to dough directions | makes eight servings at 10 points each. i love everything in this so i'm quite please. plus i used up a bunch of stuff before it went bad. double win :)

so who wants to come over for dinner? i promise you a scrumptious treat ;)