Monday, January 4, 2010

In the beginning...

Hello TasteZoners - In the about me section of my blog, I touch a little on my struggles with my weight.  I've added this section to my blog to delve more into that subject, and added a label special for this - if anyone is interested.

On this date, I started the First Place 4 Health plan at my church. 
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Saturday, January 2, 2010

Chili

WW Crockpot Chili
from WW member Stephanie
PointsPlus: 7
Serves:6


Ingredients
32 oz Bush's Chili beans - mild (red beans), Pour
10 3/4 oz Campbell's 25% less sodium tomato soup, pour
1 pound(s) uncooked 90% lean ground beef, brown, drain and add to crock-pot
Instructions
Mix all ingredients in crockpot. Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. Season to taste.




CROCKPOT CHILI
1 pound ground chuck
2 cans of chili (I use hungry man vegetarian)
1 can black beans, drained
1 can kidney, drained
1 can corn, drained
1 small onion, diced
chili seasoning, salt, pepper
shredded cheddar


Brown hamburger. Add all ingredients to crockpot, adding seasonings to taste. Cook 6-8 hours on low. Garnish each bowl with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese.


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Lasagna

Slow Cooker Lasagna
From Kraft
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar (26 oz.) spaghetti sauce
1 cup water
1 container (15 oz.) BREAKSTONE'S or KNUDSEN Ricotta Cheese
1 pkg. (7 oz.) KRAFT 2% Milk Shredded Mozzarella Cheese, divided
1/4 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
1 egg
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
6 lasagna noodles, uncooked

BROWN meat in large skillet; drain. Stir in spaghetti sauce and water. Mix ricotta, 1-1/2 cups mozzarella, 2 Tbsp. Parmesan, egg and parsley. SPOON 1 cup meat sauce into slow cooker; top with layers of half each of the noodles, broken to fit; and cheese mixture. Cover with 2 cups meat sauce. Top with remaining noodles, broken to fit; cheese mixture and meat sauce. Cover with lid.
COOK on LOW 4 to 6 hours or until liquid is absorbed. Sprinkle with remaining cheeses; let stand, covered, 10 min. or until melted.

TIPS
Healthy Living: Save 4g fat per serving by preparing with lean ground beef, POLLY-O Skim Ricotta Cheese and KRAFT Reduced Fat Parmesan Style Grated Topping.
Note: Recipe was successfully tested in 4-, 5- and 6-qt. slow cookers. For best results, do not cook on the HIGH heat setting.
Make Ahead: If your slow cooker has a removable liner, layer ingredients in liner as directed. Refrigerate overnight. Place liner in slow cooker the next day and cook as directed.
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Crockpot "Baked" Potato

How to "bake" a potato in the crockpot
From eHow
Step 1 Decide how many potatoes you'll need. Wash potatoes well, be sure to scrub off all the dirt. After your potatoes are washed, melt butter and brush all over the skin of the potato.

Step 2 Sprinkle the potato with salt and pepper to your taste. You can also add other spices you'd like, such as chili powder, garlic powder or onion powder.

Step 3 Cut aluminum foil to fit each potato and wrap potatoes tightly.

Step 4 Place inside the empty crockpot and cover. Turn on high to allow your potatoes to cook for 4-6 hours or low and you can cook them for 6-8 hours.

Step 5 Remove potatoes from crockpot using pot holders. They will be hot. Tear off aluminum foil and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. Serve with butter and/or sour cream.

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French Beef (Beef and Noodles)

CROCK POT FRENCH BEEFFrom Cooks
2 lbs. beef chuck, cut into 2 inch pieces, floured, peppered to taste
1 can golden mushroom soup
1 (16 oz.) pkg. wide egg noodles, cooked

Coat beef with flour and pepper. Brown in shortening in skillet. Place in crock pot. Add soup, mixing well. Cook on low for 6 to 8 hours or until beef is tender. Serve over noodles.  Serves 10 1-cup servings.

Nutritional Info

Servings Per Recipe: 10
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 319.8
Total Fat: 8.8 g
Cholesterol: 103.3 mg
Sodium: 253.4 mg
Total Carbs: 34.2 g
Dietary Fiber: 1.6 g
Protein: 24.1 g



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Beef Fajita

Crockpot Beef Fajitas
From Weight Watcher Board
1 1/2 pounds beef flank steak(i used a tri tip steak)
1 cup chopped onion
1 green sweet pepper, cut into 1/2 inch pieces
1 jalapeno pepper, chopped
1 Tbsp. cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced (or 1/4 tsp. garlic powder)
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. salt
1 can (8oz) chopped tomatoes(I used fire roasted tomatoes)
12 8inch flour tortillas
Toppings: sour cream, guacamole, shredded cheddar cheese and salsa

Cut flank steak into 6 portions. In any size crockpot combine meat, onion, green pepper, jalapeno pepper, cilantro, garlic, chili powder, cumin, coriander and salt. Add tomatoes. Cover and cook on low 8-10 hours or high 4-5 hours.

Remove meat from crockpot and shred. Return meat to crockpot and stir. To serve, spread meat mixture into flour tortillas and top with toppings. Roll up.

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Santa Fe Chicken

Crock Pot Santa Fe Chicken
From Gina's Weight Watcher Recipes
Servings: 8 servings • Size: 9.85 oz • Prep Time: 5 minutes • Points: 4.25 ww points

•24 oz (1 1/2) lbs chicken breast
•14.4 oz can diced tomatoes with mild green chilies
•15 oz can black beans
•8 oz frozen corn
•1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
•14.4 oz can fat free chicken broth
•3 scallions, chopped
•1 tsp garlic powder
•1 tsp onion powder
•1 tsp cumin
•1 tsp cayenne pepper (to taste)
•salt to taste

Combine chicken broth, beans, corn, tomatoes, cilantro, scallions, garlic powder, onion powder, cumin, cayenne pepper and salt in the crock pot. Season chicken breast with salt and lay on top. Cook on low for 10 hours or on high for 6 hours. Half hour before serving, remove chicken and shred. Return chicken to slow cooker and stir in. Adjust salt and seasoning. Serve over rice (extra pts).

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Burger-Potato Bites

Burger-Potato Bites
From Better Home and Garden

Ingredients
16 large frozen French-fried waffle-cut potatoes (1/3 of a 22-oz. pkg.)
1 lb. ground beef or turkey
2 to 3 tsp. grilling seasoning blend
4 slices cheddar cheese, cut into quarters (4 oz.)
4 cherry tomatoes, sliced
Mustard, ketchup, dairy sour cream, and/or dill pickle slices

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil. Evenly space potatoes on baking sheet. Bake potatoes for 18 to 20 minutes or until crisp and lightly browned. Remove from oven. Adjust oven racks and preheat broiler.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium bowl combine meat and seasoning. Form into sixteen 1-ounce mini burgers (about 2 tablespoons). In a 12-inch skillet cook burgers, uncovered, over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until temperature registers 160 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, turning burgers once halfway through cooking. Drain fat. Top each potato with a burger, cheese quarter, and tomato slice. Broil 4 to 5 inches from heat for 1 to 2 minutes or until cheese is melted and tomato begins to brown. Serve with mustard, ketchup, sour cream, and/or pickles. Makes 16 snacks.

Nutrition Facts
Calories 121, Total Fat (g) 9, Saturated Fat (g) 4, Cholesterol (mg) 28, Sodium (mg) 152, Carbohydrate (g) 3, Total Sugar (g) .2, Fiber (g) .4, Protein (g) 7, Vitamin C (DV%) 3, Calcium (DV%) 6, Iron (DV%) 4, Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

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Mashies

Mashies
Recipe from Hungry Girl
3 oz. cubed red potato (1 - 2 small potatoes), not peeled
1 1/2 cups chopped cauliflower
1 1/2 tbsp. fat-free sour cream
1 tbsp. fat-free nondairy liquid creamer (like Coffee-mate's)
Dash salt, or more to taste
Directions:
In a covered microwave-safe bowl, nuke potatoes & cauliflower with 2 tbsp. water for 6 minutes, until very tender. Drain any excess water. Add sour cream, creamer, & salt. Mash well. If you like, add more salt.

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Stuffed Chick Cordon Bleu

Stuffed Chick Cordon Bleu
Recipe from Hungry Girl
Ingredients:
One 5-oz. raw boneless skinless lean chicken breast cutlet
1 wedge The Laughing Cow Light Original Swiss cheese, room temperature
1 oz. (about 3 slices) 97 - 98% fat-free ham slices
salt and black pepper, to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Put chicken in a large sealable plastic bag, squeeze out as much air as you can, and seal. Using a meat tenderizer or a can, carefully pound chicken through the bag until it is about 1/4-inch thick. Remove chicken from the bag, and season to taste with salt and pepper on both sides.

Lay the chicken flat and spread the cheese wedge over it. Evenly layer the ham slices on top of the cheese. Starting with one of the longer sides (or any side, if it's square), tightly roll up the chicken breast cutlet, and secure with toothpicks.

Place chicken roll in a baking dish lined with foil and/or sprayed with nonstick spray, and then cover the baking dish with foil.

Bake in the oven for 20 minutes. Carefully remove the foil covering the dish. Continue to bake (uncovered) for an additional 15 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through. Enjoy!

MAKES 1 SERVING

Serving Size: 1 chicken cordon bleu (entire recipe)
Calories: 222
Fat: 4.5g
Sodium: 692mg
Carbs: 2g
Fiber: 0g
Sugars: 1g
Protein: 40g

POINTS® value 5*


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Salsa Chicken Fiesta

Salsa Chicken Fiesta
Recipe from Betty Crocker
2/3 cup Bisquick Heart Smart® mix
2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup fat-free egg product or 2 egg whites
1 1/2 cups shredded reduced-fat Cheddar cheese (6 oz)
3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 1/4 cups Old El Paso® Thick 'n Chunky salsa

1. Heat oven to 400°F. Spray 8- or 9-inch square pan with cooking spray. In small bowl, stir together Bisquick® mix, water and egg product; spread in pan. Sprinkle with 1 1/4 cups of the cheese.
2. In 10-inch nonstick skillet, cook chicken over medium-high heat, stirring frequently, until outsides turn white; drain. Stir in salsa; heat until hot. Spoon over batter in pan to within 1/2 inch of edges.
3. Bake 22 to 25 minutes or until edges are dark golden brown. Sprinkle with remaining 1/4 cup cheese. Bake 1 to 3 minutes longer or until cheese is melted; loosen from sides of pan.
High Altitude (3500-6500 ft): Do not use 8-inch pan. Use 3/4 cup Bisquick® mix. Increase first bake time to 25 to 30 minutes.

Time Saver:
Use 6 cups precooked chicken, and heat with the salsa.
Did You Know:
Three chicken breasts weigh about one pound.
Serve With:
Serve with bowls of shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and fat-free sour cream.

Nutrition Information: 1 Serving: Calories 190 (Calories from Fat 45); Total Fat 5g (Saturated Fat 2g, Trans Fat 0g); Cholesterol 45mg; Sodium 820mg; Total Carbohydrate 15g (Dietary Fiber 0g, Sugars 3g); Protein 22g Percent Daily Value*: Vitamin A 10%; Vitamin C 0%; Calcium 25%; Iron 6% Exchanges: 1 Starch; 0 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Vegetable; 2 1/2 Very Lean Meat; 1/2 Fat Carbohydrate Choices: 1
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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Cinnamonlicious French Toast!

Cinnamonlicious French Toast!
From Hungry Girl
Ingredients:

3 slices Wonder Light White Bread
1/3 cup Egg Beaters, Original
1/2 oz. Torani Sugar Free Vanilla Syrup OR 1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon (divided)
1 packet SPLENDA

Directions:

Combine Egg Beaters with vanilla syrup (or extract) and half of the cinnamon. Use the egg mixture as an egg wash, and dip your bread into it. Cook in a pan sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. When both sides are brown, plate those suckers and sprinkle ‘em with Splenda and the remaining cinnamon. This stuff is super on its own, but feel free to serve it up with sugar-free maple syrup, sugar-free jelly, some fresh berries, and/or some Fat Free Reddi-wip. Of course your nutritionals will vary accordingly, but with such low calorie and fat counts, you can afford to splurge a little...

Serving Size: Entire recipe
Calories: 170
Fat: 1g
Sodium: 545mg
Carbs: 31g
Fiber: 8g
Sugars: 2.5g
Protein: 14g

*3 Points

Critics Rating:


April's Commentary: "This is one of my all time favs!"

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Bruschetta Chicken

Bruschetta Chicken (Pan Fried)
Ingredients:
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 can italian diced tomatoes
• 2 TB minced garlic 
• 1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions:

Dice chicken into bitesized pieces.  Heat oil in a pan.  Coat chicken in bread crumbs. Brown chicken until both sides are golden brown and inside is no longer pink.  In a small bowl, mix garlic and diced tomatoes.  Top chicken with tomatoes and parmesan cheese.  Serve hot.

Optional side: Spaghetti noodles make a great addition.

Bruschetta Chicken (Baked)

SERVINGS: 4
This recipe was in my recipe box with no note of where I got it from, sorry. 
Ingredients:
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup egg substitute
• 4 boneless skinless chicken breast halves (4 ounces each)
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted
• 2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• 3 tablespoons minced fresh basil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

Place flour and eggs in separate shallow bowls. Dip chicken in flour, then in eggs; place in a greased 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish. Combine the Parmesan cheese, bread crumbs and butter; sprinkle over chicken.
Loosely cover baking dish with foil. Bake at 375° for 20 minutes. Uncover; bake 5-10 minutes longer or until top is browned.
Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the remaining ingredients. Spoon over the chicken. Return to the oven for 3-5 minutes or until tomato mixture is heated through. Yield: 4 servings.



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Swiss Stuffing Chicken

SWISS STUFFING CHICKEN
From Kellys Korner Recipes
4 large skinless boneless chicken breasts
6 oz. Mozerella or Swiss cheese slices
1 can Cream of Chicken soup
1/4 cup white cooking wine
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup herb-flavored crushed up Pepperidge Farm stuffing mix
1/2 stick butter, melted

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place uncooked chicken in shallow buttered casserole dish. Layer cheese on top. Mix soup, wine, salt, pepper; pour over cheese. Sprinkle stuffing mix on top and drizzle with melted butter. Bake for 1 hour.


Crockpot - Swiss Stuffing Chicken
From About.Com: Southern Food
Ingredients:
•4 boneless chicken breast halves, without skin
•4 slices Swiss cheese
•1 can (10 1/2 ounce) condensed cream of chicken soup
•1 can (10 1/2 ounce) condensed cream of mushroom soup
•1 cup chicken broth
•1/4 cup milk
•2 to 3 cups Pepperidge Farm Herb Stuffing Mix
•1/2 cup melted butter *See Sandy's Notes
•salt and pepper to taste
Preparation:
Season chicken breasts with salt and pepper; place chicken breasts crock pot. Pour chicken broth over chicken breasts. Put one slice of Swiss cheese on each breast. Combine both cans of soup and milk. Cover chicken breasts with soup mixture. Sprinkle stuffing mix over all. Drizzle melted butter on top. Cook on low for 6-8 hours.
Notes: You can also mix the chicken broth with the soup and you get almost the same results. If you pour the broth over the chicken it keeps the chicken moist and tender. *I only used 1/2 the amount of butter called for, and would use more with another cup of stuffing mix next time.


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Friday, January 1, 2010

Crockpot - Baked Potato Soup

Slow Cooker Cheesy Potato Soup

What you need:
1 Bag 32oz frozen southern-style diced hash brown potatoes
½ Cup frozen chopped onion
1 medium stalk celery, diced {1/2 cup}
1 carton 32oz chicken broth
1 Cup water
3 Tablespoons Gold Medal all- purpose flour
1 Cup milk
1 bag {8oz} shredded American-cheddar cheese blend {2 Cups}
¼ bacon browned and crumbled
4 medium green onions

What to do: In a 3-4 quart slow cooker, mix potatoes, onion, celery, broth and water. Cover, and cook on LOW for 6-8 hours.
In a small bowl, mix flour into milk; stir into potato mixture. Increase setting to HIGH. Cover, cook 20-30 minutes or until mixture thickens. Stir in cheese until melted. Garnish individual servings with bacon and green onions.





Slow Cooker Baked Potato Soup
From A Year of Slow Cooking
--5 lbs potatoes, peeled and diced in 1 to 2-inch chunks
--1 teeny onion, diced
--4 cloves garlic, minced
--1 teaspoon seasoned salt
--1/2 teaspoon black pepper
--1/2 teaspoon red pepper
--2 quarts chicken broth
--2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, to add at the end
--crumbled bacon and green onion or chives as garnish (optional)

Use a 6 quart or larger slow cooker. Peel and dice the potatoes, and put them into the stoneware. Add onion and garlic. Sprinkle in the seasonings, and pour in the broth. Cover and cook on low for 8 hours, or on high for 4. The potatoes should be fork-tender. You can use a potato masher to mash the potatoes in the soup, or a hand-held immersible blender.

After smashing the potatoes, crumble in both packages of cream cheese, and put the lid back on. Cook on high for about 30 minutes, or until the cream cheese is completely dissolved. Stir a few times during the 30 minutes.

Garnish with crumbled bacon, green onion or chives, and cheddar cheese.


EASY CROCKPOT POTATO SOUP
from Pearls, Handcuffs and Happy Hour

1 30oz. bag of frozen, shredded hash browns
3 14oz. cans of chicken broth
1 can of cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/4 tsp. ground pepper
1 pkg. cream cheese {don’t use fat free. It WON’T melt!!!}

In a crockpot, combine everything EXCEPT for the cream cheese. Cook for 6-8 hours on low heat. About 1 hour before serving, add cream cheese and keep heated until thoroughly melted. Serve with cheese, sour cream, bacon bits, green onions, or whatever else you think would be good!!




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Chili Pie

Naomi Judd's Chili Pie
From Naomi Judd Cookbook

Ingredients
1 lb ground sirloin
1 small onion, chopped
1 clove garlic or 1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon flour
1 package mild chili seasoning mix
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste, plus
1 (6 ounce) can water
1 (15 1/4 ounce) can corn, drained
1/2 cup chopped black olives (optional)
1 (8 ounce) package hungry jack biscuits (10)
8 ounces shredded cheddar cheese

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2. Brown beef, onion& garlic until no longer pink.
3. Drain off excess fat.
4. Stir in flour and cook 1 minute.
5. Stir in chili seasoning, chili powder,tomato paste,water, corn& olives.
6. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 10-15 minutes.
7. Take biscuits out of tube and separate in half.
8. Put bottom halves in the bottom of a 9" square pan or deep dish pie plate-- I spray mine with Pam first.
9. Spoon chili mixture over biscuits.
10. Top with remaining biscuits torn side down.
11. Sprinkle with cheese.
12. Bake at 350 degrees for 16-18 minutes until biscuits are brown and cheese is melted.


Nutrition Facts
  8 Servings
Amount Per Serving
  Calories 313.6
  Total Fat 16.1 g
      Saturated Fat 5.6 g
      Polyunsaturated Fat 0.9 g
      Monounsaturated Fat 7.6 g
  Cholesterol 45.0 mg
  Sodium 712.2 mg
  Potassium 435.5 mg
  Total Carbohydrate 24.6 g
      Dietary Fiber 1.9 g
      Sugars 3.1 g
  Protein 18.5 g
  Vitamin A 13.4 %
  Vitamin B-12 22.1 %
  Vitamin B-6 11.0 %
  Vitamin C 14.2 %
  Vitamin D 0.0 %
  Vitamin E 5.3 %
  Calcium 14.4 %
  Copper 7.1 %
  Folate 5.9 %
  Iron 15.1 %
  Magnesium 6.7 %
  Manganese 7.2 %
  Niacin 18.2 %
  Pantothenic Acid     4.6 %
  Phosphorus     11.8 %
  Riboflavin 10.6 %
  Selenium 14.8 %
  Thiamin 3.6 %
  Zinc 16.4 %


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